The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-03-25
Negro Theology
AS PROCLAIMED BY A LIVE PREACHER IN
RICHMOND NEGRO CHURCH.

IPrentice Mulford In The New York Graphic.I
FoRD's HOTEL, RICHMOND, VA, March 2.
Last Sunday evening attended the primer
pal colored church in Richmond. Services
in the basement. Upper portion unfinished.
Large congregation present. Membership,
$500. Denomination Baptist. / did not
see n poorly- or slovenly-dressed man in the
audience, and the women were hardly on
the heels of the latest fashions. There was
q large choir Of both sexes, prominent 10
spectacles, hymn-bOoks, and music-books
which hid their faces. They sung with
physical and spiritual VIM, and some swayed
their bodies TO the tune.
The minister preached live sermon. 1t
was full OF grace, vitality. and spirit;
rough and crude. 1t is true, but the stun
which made the martyrs and sent the ap0s-
ties abroad was there. IL was delivered with
the regular Ethiopic accent. III abounded IN
- W hars " and "dars and "de deDDlis,
and "sho" for sure and "do" for door.
The attempted logic was incomprehensib'e
and incoherent. The speaker started from
a text and seldom returned 10 1t afterwards.
He pounded the pulpit till the dust flew
| from the red cushions; he put on and OH
| his gold-bowed spectacles innumeraDie
times: he mopped his face with q
|
once tossed over the pulpit. and had 1t re-
stored by brother outside, and at the more
lexciting climaxes he buttoned his coat
tightly about him only TO unbutton it, But
nj frequent intervals, when warmed up and
warmed outside OF his attempted rhetoric,
he talked real Christian business, and talked
il as # he meant it. Here is some OF it.
drop the dialect: owe don't love each
other enough" said he, eve need tC
gather closer around each other. Some
times, when we are in trouble, and may D'
in sin. we stop coming to church. Tbat''
the very time we ought to come to church
that's the tiue the church needs 10 pu
its arms lovingly around the eiring an(
unfortunate"
URretbern, we complain sometimes O
our trials and affections. But ips thes'
trials that make us slrOng. lps these tria'
that help make our heaven. S'p0se MAJ
has nothing to overcome, nothing 10 Dgh
lagainst. nothing but smooth way III lie
and everything coming into his mouth @
on his back for the mere asking. Whae
snch man good for? Is he happy? NO
He's disconnected and miserable.
"There's old Sister Runey," SAID ne
- she's nigh on 10 a hundred year ola
She wants TO die and can't. went up L
see her las night. Says she to me, Nv
been tryin' to die this fifteen year; wan
TO go.' I lold her she murn't try so har'
10 die. | said she was goin' against ID
Lords will. II she wouldn't try so mar
to die she'd die easier"
"My friends" he again remarked, Z"
Won don't believe you can do thing you're
certain not TO do it. II a man believes b
can do ANYTHING, and keeps on believing
he,s pretty sure In time to lind way to d
it,"
And so he went on floundering at time
with a presumably attempted plan OF Oh
course, and anon apparently forgetting a!
about It and speaking from the depth oil III
Ethiopic soul, giving utterance 10 bis D''
Of ulain. practical Cbristian wisdom an
pbilosophy, and all this sent out with
tropical warmth and fervor which too
hold of the hearts about HIM. There wa
no deadne. in that congregation. Noood
, went to sleep. l saw no signs OF wear
ness nor grinning boys or girls, no que
skvlarking or flirting in the rear Denche'
All listened attentIvely, and not VII
that dead, leaden silepce with whic
the congregation listened 10 the Pres
dents minister Sunday before last Ia th
Washington Methodist Episcopal Foundr
\ CDufcB. IttIc was wv '' s""N
culver OF eagerness, interest, and sympathy
which always accompanies the hearing oil
utterance straight and fresh from an hone'
! heart. IL wasn't cultured preaching, but
: wasn't machine preaching. 1t wasn't gran
matical or logical theology, nor was II skimt
logical preaching. 1t was gospel VIII
some .body" in 1t, and ali through the Oh
course numbers OF the sympathetic appr'
clatiye colored sisters nodded and smiled
their pastor when he made point as cie'
as sunlight, and all the sharper Tor not o.
ing binnted by over-much learning at 81
cond-hand.
| was edited by this sermon, AMI ie
strengthened. What should 1t matter
( man whether bis spiritual food is serve
e up by white or colored hands, so long as
comes fresh from hot oven!
!, The sermon finished, collection WI
taken up to raise funds for finishing u
church. They baye already paid Tor
builcing S11 900, aud need few tbousan
e more. The elders sat at table 10 itol
\ OF the pulpit. Here the offerings we
G received, each contributor advancing
full view OF the congregation ana 'ayil
; down his or her coin, the choir mel
time singing. Then they passed around y
: hat. The hats all In, more Contribution
on the d-lay-your.money.on-t
,. table plan were solicited. The choh mel
10 time, having sung out their more hccs
. toned airs, advanced on strains 1855 pIac
csI and more or less out of time and fur
:, When left they were taking up anotp