Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-25
POMPEY,S SERMON.
The Reunion of Soul and Body In
Future State.

The Reunion of Soul and Body in a
Future State.
At the sale of the property of Mr..
Daniel Blake my father bought in two old
negroes, more in charity to them than in
app eciatiOn of the value of their labors.
But he was well rewarded in their faith
full service, arising undoubtedly from a
love for him personally. They were both
brought from Africa when of an age not
too early for them to recollect much Of the
manners and customs of their people. and
many story well worth re-
membering have heard from
them. OF Pompey l have some
very pleasant "reminiscences connected
with his belief in the actual existence of
a spiritual world, and his pretension to an
occasional sight of its inhabitants. He
was "A very quiet, humble creature, speak
ing little, and, although very amiable and
tolerant in his intercourse with his fell
lows in general, rarely smiled. Occasion
ally he would comment on the conduct Of
offenders in kindly way, but never set
up for preacher or ''cavOrter' in the
negro church, although often entreated 80
to do.
When ] asked him once how 80 sensible
a man as he was should profess TO see
spirits, he replied, very gravely:
"BekOs, mausa, | does see 'em."
Chow do they lookT'' said l.
"Jes like Miss green veil dat he loss on
de grass and couldn't see UNI till de dew
fall on 'um; den he find um. You see,
sab, me b'long TO niger tribe dat got eve
same like boss. II you see boss eye in
de dark you see de ball open big, and IL
you look at um in de bright sunshine he
grow little till he most gone 'tirely away.
Now, dat jist de way wild my eye. Look
at um now"
HIS STATEMENT VERIFIED.
did so as we stood in very bright sun
shine, and observed that the pupil was
exceedingly small and apparently envel-
oped in kind Of skin. | told him so, and
he concluded, NV ell, sa, my peoples eve
is all so in de light, and in de dark he
grow big like boss or cat. And beside dat
we can see fudder dan any oder Niger.
and de cap'n always send me up on rOun'
tree n look out for de land. or for de
ship" He had been sailor in
his early years, and this remark
recalled 10 mind the alleged "telescopic
eye" Of u certain African tribe, ofwhich /
bad heard, so | said. 81 understand, but
what has this 10 do with your seeing
spirits, when do you see them, and how
is IL that you see them only In the nightgv
"Well, sa, you see de day light too
bright, but when de sun 20 down den dey
comes out like shadow on de wall, only
dey's white, but berry weak like, till II
gets darker and darker, and den dey's so
plain you know how dey look. see two
OF lem here about where he ole stable used
20 bin ms dey tells me.v
"How DO they look" said 1.
"They's two gentlemans.v he replied.
"B0ie's very tall fue-loOking gentlemans,
dat look like fador aud son. but dey seem
mighty unhappy, de young one specially"
And he went on % describe grand uncle
OF mine and his son, both OF whom / knew
we'll and whom no bad never seen. Both
were remarkable for personal beauty and
mental power, but the father had impOv-
erished his family by specializing in cot
ton. and by buying negroes TO cultivate
bis large landed estate. which he was
obliged 10 sell b meet bis debts.
la consequence OF this the son. after
graduating high No West Point. where he
was considered the handsomest man ever
there, resigned his commission 10 plant
sugar In louisiana, and from circum-
stances too sad and romantic to find place
here, killed himself with his fathers gun.