The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-04-27
REV. JOHN JASPER, OF RICHMOND.
HEARD EROM.

Every body has heard of Rev. John Jasper
Of Richmond, Va. of the African Methodist
Church South, who some years ago struck the
Copernican theory 4 staggering blow, telling
it to the earth, and we believe kee ps it yet I'M
der.
Well, we have a choice piece of scandal in
which that leviathan of the Colored pulpit Is
involved, and which we propose to tell in our
own way, and with some minuteneSs. There
| is, unfortunately, no woman in it, and it hence
can not be made into much of sensation.
1t relates that Rev. Jasper met lately man
of his own persuasion, we mean as to color, on
street in Richmond who inquired: cam
you dis organist war longs to der church war
dey say the sun doesn't move?"
| The question seemed 10 pull the Rev. gen.
teman precisely like the string of jumping
| jack. and jerked him into an attitude as dram
attic as that of Kirby, of famous memory, who
fifty years ago was the great American TRACE
dian of the New York Chatham, where he was
in similar manner insultcd one night when
he was doing Richard III. 1t was where the
scene slides and he rushes in wildly to inform
the audience of the terms on which he pro-
posed to get another horse, when man in
the pit rose and told him he had at the New
York Tattersalls the best nag ever brought
from Texas but he must have grcenbacks for
him and would not take gold, nor $40 bonds
as he might be expected to take gold for the
coupons. Kirby was mad, for whatever might
be said of Kirby he was not 4 greenback man,
but gold man dyed in the wool, and would
as soon have paid for his horse in Confederate
money as in greenbacks - and so was Jasper
mad.
There was, at any rate, something terrifying
in the tablcau, which alarmed his interlocu
tor, who said soothingly: "Wat was de mat
ter honey; has dc sun struck yer or was ii der
Jersey ligh,nin' dis mornn':''
But the. soothing plaster, if it drew at all
Jasper roared-
"lleathen art thou colored person, or
are you white, of the burnt cork variety? Why
yes, my eyes do not deceive me, you are that
Satanic individual they call the end man,
from the fact that he goes about the earth, and
with that deceit which is conjuration, and
only Satan can successfully use, causes the
wicked to die laughing. You must be that
murderous person, but let me tell you, what
ever you are''-and here the reverend speaker
roared in still higher key-'that AM the
disorganst of that celebrated pulpit, and any
fellar that says | ever stated that the sun |
does nj move Is A LIAR, and don't care 4
Mad Dog if he are white heather or Chris
tan niger"
Here the reverend gentleman subsidized and,
supposing himself in the pulpit, sat down.
But his alarmed congregation had been pros
trated on the pavement by the force of the
anathama, which as it is eliminated in the as
Economical expression of Mad Dog, seemed
to him to fill the heavens with variagated |
lights, like the explosion Of some immense
engine in pyrotechny to which an ordinary
rocket would be inlantile in comparison, and, .
as if he had anticipated the catastrophe. it .
happened that he was lying speeches. Just !
where Rev. Jasper sat upon him, and thus .
saved his life.
Rev. John Jasper then lifted himself and I
afterward his victim by prayer, and proceeded .
with the usual service, at the close Of which .
the stranger remarked:
20, LdSdy, Mr.. Jasper, is you dat great
man as has started creation agin on de good .
ole plan as dey say? No, no, it was the man
who runs de organ and not you as runs de pull
pit wants. lives in de capital an cum to
Richmond fur my dar'ter as wants to sing in
de Choir
While this explanation was in progress the
mercury in the Jasper thermometer dropped
down to temperate and stood there at the
close, when the reverend gentleman took the
satanic hand, while his worries radiated the
darkness OF his benign counenance, and
most capacous smile Illuminated the neigh
saying placidly:
"Thats all right, my good fellow, you took
me for the organist Of the choir and not the dis
organist of the pulpit"
oval, decar," continued the other, "Dey
say you is coming TO de capital dis year to
preach to Congress- and try an help dem poor
VI hits yIbn ic lad off Tor ,..I;,,;,,