Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-08-30
ANNUAL BIG QUARTERLY
THE COLORED PEOPLES ANNUAL
REUNION.
From Every Evening Of Monday.

From Every Evening of Monday.
The annual gathering of colored peopl
of the Peninsula and adjoining sections
Pennsylvania and New Jersey, known a
Big Quarterly, took place yesterday an
attracted between 1000 and 1000 dusk,
guests to this city. The arrivals begAi
pauring in over the Delaware railroad OF
Saturday morning and continued all day
The railroads running to the city brough
colored people from all surrounding
points yesterday and the steamer Della
ware landed large excursion party a
French street wharf from Philadelphia
early in the morning.
AT lO.40 O'Clock the Major Reybold
landed large party from Salem at the
French street wharf, and at IL O'Clock
the Edwin Forrest, from Philadelphia
touched Fourth street wharf with all her
decks and cabins crowded. The FELTON,
and Wilmington added many TO the party
on their noon trips from Philadelphia.
Vehicles of every description were
pressed into service and offered convey
ance from the peighboring towns, and
many from the country around made an
early start and reached the Mecca by
walking.
The objective point was the African
Union NJ. p. Church. on French street be-
tween Eighth and Ninth. French street
from early morning until nightfall
swarmed with the colored folks. The
scenes aud incidents along thoroughfare
| during the day were most amusing. The
various styles of dress from the latest out
of the fashionable modiste to
a In oil
times were represented by the
females, while the men represented
| the different freaks fashion has taken
from the days of home-spun suits to
the sarb of the modern dude. In colors
the women showed every Imaginable
shade, blue, however, predomi-
mating. Many evidently were prepared
for stay, and brought various packages,
some lean carpet bags and others strange
shaped leather bags.
Hacks ran constantly from the church
to Various parts of the city, and to cars and
| steamboat landings, and always seemed
filed. A wide awake hackmsn, whose
communicating vehicle was outshone by
the large-lettered hacks, was faring badly
in moving passengers until he wrote :
"Hak to enney part of the sitty," on the
trade Immediately revived.
All the houses in the vicinity of the
church were turned into cafes pro TEN
and in the yards and out Of the way
places lunch and fruit were displayed in
quantities. Watermelons found ready
sale, and temporarily and at small cost
appsased much craving. The houses
serving dinner offered the guests fairly
good meals, some having roast pig on the
bill Of fare, and none served the midday
spread without chicken.
Good order prevailed during the day,
comparatively few of the large crowd
suffering with an over supply of ardent
spirits. Special police officers were
stationed about the church, but their
services We're little required save to
keep the crowd from blocking up the side
walks. negro with a squeaky voice.
appeared upon the scene in the afternoon
and did thriving trade in selling
hymn, "The Two Presidents," (at two
csnts copy) which runs:
Two Presidents now are gone,
Murdered by the enemy strong,
For we never mean to leave the Union army.
And Guiteau thought it was nice,
When he shot he President twice,
For we never mean to leave the Union army.
Some suspicious Democrats regarded
the poem as political move of Rspubli-
cans but the vender sold ont his stock
just tie same and another man came upon
the ground with similar composition,
which he also sold rapidly.
The principal religious services OF the
day were held at the African Union NJ. p.
Church on French street between Eighth
and Ninth. The building WAS crowded,
and the services were of a most spirited
character. The lecture room of the build
ing was transformed into restaurant,
where devout sisters had booths, at which
the hungry frequently regaled them
selves. Through the earnings of this en-
terprise, and contributions raised at short
periods during the day and night, sutfi-
cient cash was realized to pay off con
siderable part of the church debt. At the
rear of the building in the cemetery, SER
vices were held in shed erected for the
occasion, which offered seating capacity
for congregation of 800 or 400.
Shortly before IL O'Clock, the Rev.
Daniel Russell of Delaware City, WIS
introduced to make the opening sermon
of quarterly meeting, proper. The divine
was rather aged aud wore clerical coat
and collar. Large silver rimmed spectacles,
and gray hair, heightened his ministerial
appearance and gave him a wise look.
He took a running text on "True
Belief aud delivert d his address without
notes. HIS manner was earnest and
enthusiastic, and the points Of his sermon
were emphasized by grotesque gestures.
He divided his attention between the
audience and brother ministers sitting in
the pulpit, frequently turning to them
for signs of approval. Upon opening, he
said he felt his inability to do Justice to
the subject in hand, but had accepted
the assignment "and that's all about it,"
He inoited his hearers to hard work
as in his opinion "you have to work to
feel good" He then discoursed upon
the condition of true believers, and
andering from the text recalled bimself,
stating thst he had been "ramblin' and
was about to speak 'rectly to the point.
Anybody havin' oapers to cut can show
off now | got no time for sich things,
I'm in hurry. Pm yere and has got
sumethin' to say and you are yere and
got to yere it; that's all about it." The
speaker read from the text, "blessed are
the mourneFs " Commenting he said
"The blessed mourn over their weakness.
If there is any among you whohas nuthin
to mourn over you may set hit down that
he is not true follower of the law. St.
Paul was as good man ss any of US,
and yere him cry out, 20 wretohed man
that am. The worldly people wants to
get shut of all followers of the lamb, but
they will have hard time, for as we go
we pick up others and leave them in oil
places.
"You expect me to tell you about the
church 90 years ago; We wont go back that
far. If you are no better now than you
were then you were then God help you.'
To an amen from drowsy brother the
speaker replied 'God help you now,"
and continuing said "Show me man
or woman who is not upright and
wouldn't give much for his religion" He
appealed to fellow preachers to sound the
alarm, and if they can't sound it, to sound
it the best they could.
He cited meekness as requisite
quality for pastor of the sheep, and
did not believe there was much religion
in the tearing out Of hair and eyes. Com
menting upon gossipers he stated: "If
you talk the DEVILS in you; If you don't
talk, the DEVILS In you. John the Baptist
was charged with having the devil in
him because he didn't eat and drink like
other people. The folks say, 'Old man,
you are too far behind the date to TALK
| know Pm too far behind, but, my God,
Pm yere now.' Telling his hearers
to be meroiiul he said "I am
ready to throw you on the scales
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