Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1881-04-20
PLANTATION EL0QUENCE.

PLANTATION EL0QUENCE.
A Funeral Sermon In Virginia Over Brother
Wash. Turpin.
Not long after the close Of the war Of the
rebellion, good many we'll to do English
people emigrated to Virginia. One of these,
apparently an English woman of good sta
ton at home, has just described her expert
ence and disappointment in the New Vir-
ginians, a book not yet reprinted, but from
which we find copious extracts in the New
York Tribute. She still believes that the
South was right in the secession move
ment, and has accepted many Of the politi-
cal theories of the section, but she has
sharp eye for local absurdities. The gem
OF her descriptions is an account Of a visit
to colored church where the pastor, Moses
johnson, or Brother Moses, as he was
familiarly called, preached the funeral" of
Wash. Turpin, deceased deacon. The
building was densley crowded and it re-
CURED all the preachers energies to get the
mourners and all the women seated, since
the men who had seats were unwilling to
give them up.
The sermon was the great feature of the
day, and is very wildly, and apparently,
truthfully reported. The author has GER
tainly caught the real spirit of plantation ell
oquence. We quote in full:
"Bredren and Sisters-You all of YOU
know d Brother Wash Turpin. He was
deacon Of this church, may say he was
young deacon of this church. There want
man as ever met that loved his church
better'n Brother Wash Turpin T say
Brother Wash Turpin was man of God.
Why do say he was man of God? Be-
cause knows it. Because he loved his
church, and worked for his church. That's
why knows it,
"Now, I'm going to talk heap about
Brother Wash this morning / want to tell
you something about him that shows how
beloved his church. Not so very long be-
fore he died, we Was riding together not fur
from here, and he says to me, he saws,
Brother Nose, Use studying studying
If we can't fix things next year so to get
you horse, so you kin ride up yonder in
the mountain, whar there's a good many
old brothers and sisters, what's too fur away
to come to church. Eff we could fix things
right, SO you'd be able to get amongst them,
then they could have praying, and singing,
and shouting too Now, that was what
Brother Wash was thinking Of. Now don't
that show how he loved his church? Don't
that show he was man of God! I say it
does.
''He loved his church that's what he
said to me last time We took the communion
together at this here altar. Brother Nose
says he, I dunno if I'll be spared to take
another communion at this church; but I
know one thing-Im ready to go whenever
my time comes. I'm ready, and I'm will
ing. Brother WASH says I, we dunno
the day nor the hour, but says I, whenever
you do get across the dark river, look out
for me, for shan't be long after you.
All this time woman at the upper end of
the building was stamping with her feet,
clapping with her hands "a most peculiar
clap, which I have in vain tried to imitate),
and shouting, THANK God! thank God!"
All this time, too, the whole assembly kept
up continuous pat-pat with their feet Oh
the flour. And now, as the preacher pro-
ceeded, signs of assent, of emotion, even
Of applause became frequent. "Yes,''
That's so, Oats the troof." "Amen,"
GLORY" came from one and the other.
The preacher paused momen. Then
ne began again. "Some folks say they
don't understand why, if Brother Wash
was man Of God, he should die as he did,
Now, I say this, that how Brother Wash
died is Gods business, not yours"
Now the congregation began to get excit
ed. Besides the pat-pat of feet, and ejac-
ulations of assent and emotion, the. end of
every sentence was accented by chorus
OF Rrunts, with forcible aspirate prehxed.
Now they began to sway themselves to and
fro, as it every man and woman were suf-
ferlng from distressing toothache. I do
not know any combination of letters which
could convey correctly the sound of this
aspirate grunt. The whole power of the
throat and lungs seemed to be required.
From grunts the more exciteable ones pro-
ceeded to shrieks. And still in her corner
at the upper end, the woman was stamping,
calpping her hands and shouting, Thank
GOd!"
Brother Wash went out one morning to
procure something for his family-to pro-
cure something for those who was under
his charge. (Grunts.) Bredren and sisters,
what does Paul say? He says man ought
to look after his household. That's what
Brother wash did, (Grunts and groans.) A
white man went out, too, with his gun.
(Groans.) He lifted his gun. (Groans)
He pointed it at Brother Wash. (Shrieks.1
He did't know Brother Wash was there.
(Shrieks.) But God did. (Grunts.) He
pulled the trigger (shrieks) and Brother
Wash fell. piercing shrieks.) The ball
went right through his heart (shrieks and
sobs,} but it couldn't touch his soul (Here
the whole congregation wept violently.)
When Brother Wash went out that morning
an angel went out too. (Grunts.) An
when Brother Wash fell the argel took up
his soul, and he flew away with it till he
came to the gate of heaven" (Sobs and
cries.)
Now come to the strangest part of all.
Borne away by the excitement, the preacher,
instead Of speaking, began to shout his
discourse in recitative composed of fonr