Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-01-17
ssThe Sum Do Move."

seThe Sum Do Move."
CAPT. FRED. DANIEL VISITS AND INTER
VIEWS JOHN JASPER ON HIS REMARK
ABLE THEORY OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
RICHMOND, Va, December 29.-The
Rev. John Jasper Is the pastor OF the
Sixth Mt. Zion Baptist church, and one
of the leading celebrities of this city
His Is the largest and wealthiest color.
ed congregation. and as he is an original
and strictly moral man, his fame has
gone abroad. Throughout the South he
is regarded as the most eminent OF col
ored divines. He is sixty-ntne years
old, and has been q preacher during the
last forty one years, having adopted the
clerical profession when q slave. His
sermons have been published and wide
ly quoted In the newspapers. He 1s
particularly known ~ the author of the
theory which he has summed up in the
formula. "The sun do novel" That
is to say, the earth is fixed and the orb
Of light turns around 1t. Having been
disappointed in my desire to hear the
| reverend gentleman preach his sermon
on the sun, called at his residence to
get from his own lips statement Of his
theory, or at least some points In rela-
ton thereto. found him seated read-
ing the Bible and smoking pipe in q
cosy little room in his two-story frame
dwelling on st. James street, and he
readily consented to lay aside his silver
spectacles and converse on his favorite
topic. The Doctor is a tall, powerfully
built man, jet black, and though bis
nalr Is silghty tinged with gray, still,
strong ana we'll preserved. His dress
was not OF the usual clerical cut; but
tnat, OF course, 1s small matter to
man VINO ls ready to be martyr In de-
fence OF his faith.
Having been furnished with print
ed summary OF the sermon on the sun.
l propounded my first question. what,
Doctor, Is tho cardinal point fyour doc
trine~
Ine BlDle, and the Bible strictly;
goes by that intirely. 1 bases my teach
ing on nothing but what or any man
can ma IN the Scriptures; for all what
say l gives the pints as laid down
there, chapters and verses. am no
grammarian, having had no learning
like other preachers who have been to
no big words, but / know what say al
ways, and intend to stick to the Bible
as long as there islife in my body. Many
turn up their nose at my preaching, but
they're just opposing me because they
can't draw the congregation that I can.
They have done drapped now since they
see all the world Is on my side. white and
black but the opposition 10 still in them,
only they're feared to let it come out. 1
tss have sot,0n been preaching this ssrmon On
years, though always saw It was the
truth began to preach 1t at first as a
caution to tine people to mend their
ways, by way of showing how it was in
the power OF the Lord to punish them
Tor their sins. Some preachers got in
my pulpit by accident, or when was
absent, and denounced my course when
l returned | came out squarely with the
whole truth as | now give it. On that
sunday preached in the morning on
the aun's rotation. and in the evening
another sermon on the whale swallow
ed by JoDsh-no, I should have said
Jonah swallowed by the whale. The
audience lntlrely agreed with me both
Tunes, and1from that day to this the idea
mas oeen spreading. The editors took
MuP. commenced 20 write about it in
tnelr papers, and other preachers preach
tend 10 speak out the truth for the peO-
pies souls II be killed for 1t two mi
nutes after says it /; everybody can be
sure OF that aint afraid to speak
what think. and what hold is all in
the Bltle. Nobody can 90 against that
or tney1l get the worst Of it,"
aave you been successful lectur-
mgr
yes; l went to Washington, Balti-
more, ana Ph1ladelphia with young
man as my treasurer and agent. I
preached everywhere, and seven SER
mons IN New Jersey. l did not 60 to
New York, because the young man got
nred, and we had to return to Rich-
mond. l was successful, and the peo
pie that heard me said they couldn't see
now man with head on his shoulders
coulo speak SO wise and have SO much
10 say. one white man in Washington
slieu 70 oatcn me, out ne didn't. He
gos up IN tne congregation and said:
Mr. speaker: would like to ask you a
ques51on. ASK 1t on said l. You
| say tne sun rises and the sun sets; now
wnere goes II go% 1 Immediately re-
lei1eo nlm 10 the ist chapter. 5th verse.
ov'easIes, 'sn, wnere II says tnaC the
sun ariseth. and the son gcsth down and
na nastetn 70 tne place Wnere ne arose.
Lnen I'll tne audience aPplauded me and
clappeu their nAnds: IN Philadelphia
.ney 90. 70 hsntlng about me. andthings
was warm. One coiored man came up
70. 70 Me ior 70 rehuke me. He said, You
oio Iool southern nigger, what you come
| up nefe iof among the most distinguish.
@ sasss haa9V ana c cIearnlngest men in the world ?
~ a. "a1A W ooutn WIN your old foolish
ioea, wnere you belong, or you'll be sent
oacK tnere nailed IN pine box I
sneuglt tnat was rude, to rebukea man
0s oelolS ne was neard, so !! got up aud
pseavAe1 tn@ @ my sermon, and 80 convinced
sns sneM an .nat the reoukers retracted. the
conglegas,oh wept, and they all hugged
anu anu Sissed me-all OF them, If had let
'"v III
II suppose, Doctor, you are aware
CnaI science 1a alleged to be in conflict