The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-05-08
A GREAT QUESTION.
Two Colored Churches Fight for Pune
 real Prominence.

The neiehhorhood of Round Knob has for some time been in Il state of ftN verish excitement. The community is almost entirely populated by oolor'd people whose ideas of human justice center in the church and whose lives are shaped by the mourncrs bench There are but two churches in the nciglThor hood. the missionary Baptist and the Methodist For some time these two denominations have been at war with each othdf, not on account ot any d;! ference of creed, but because one church. in the matter of funerals attempted to throw the other into the shade of insig. nificance The trouble began in this way X member of tho Baptist church died and was befittngly buried X plumed hcarse and fine coffin were the main features of the occasion. The Baltists were delighted but the Metho. dists snitied the air and contcmptuously turned away That night the Metho- dists held meeting Small-foxed Nose known as Brockey, being the preacher presided
 :" Bredcrin' an sistcrin said he, dis heah monkey bus ness aint gwine ter do Desc heah Baptist folks thinks dat da ken git erway wid us but we mus show em dat da kain't do il. doan like ter declar wah. but let nc wise yer bout dis De naixt time one Q our folks dies, we must come ter de front in CT stoniShin' way
 Shortly aitcrward a member of the Methodist church was called home. Old Brockey was delighted He sum moned the leaders of his church and held long conference. The result was that the member had 4 magnificent funeral The coffin was fine and the hearse was magniicrntly drapcd The Methodists wore proud smile
 The next day the Baptists held mcoting old Randy sam, the preacher, presided.
 Brederin said he, |" it am plain ter be seed dat desc Mcthodi- air irwin ter buck crgin us in dis heah race Q human life, Da wants ter make 1t peer dat we doan know how ter put crway our dead Da wants ter bring us inter contempt Now. de her way fur Us ter do is ter bde our time an show cm suthin when dc time comes
 A few days aftcrward an accommodate ing Baptist died of pneumonia The Baptists were high in hope, the Metho- dists were tremulous in uncertainty The funeral was more than grand Although ther" was but one corpse, yet there were two hearses. Every wagon and carriage in the ncighborhood was engaged and people from distance said that the funeral was the most magnificent affair that they had ever seen. The Mctho. dists hung their heads and were about to acknowledge defeat when Brockey made bis appearance.
 Dis heah thing is gittin ter be sc rious said he Desc hcah Baptist- is csrryin' on in CT way dat l doan like Da thinks dar aint nobody in dis hcah community but darselycs Wesc got ter show em
 But, bruder said deacon, ii mout be CT long time fore any o us dies." Dat doan make no diffunce" the preacher replied Wese got ter hab CT show right now Wen git CT fine coffin an bury it, fur tell yer dat ii won't do ter let desc heah folks git CT way wid us.
 Accordingly fine coffin At great ex- pense. was secured The hearse was gillled for the occasion, and the empty coffin, with imperial poInp, was con. veye.i to the grave. Ths; nigh. the Meth odists were joyous in the consciousness that they had beaten their rivals. The next day old Sam met Brockey and said:
 Putty fine fun al yestidyf"
 Yas, de fines in de Ian"
 An hah, but why didn' yer put somebody in de coffiny'
 Oar wuz CT good man in dar. Whut yer talkin' bout"
 Wall, he muster got out, den, fur we dug up de coffin an dar want n0thin' in it. Someo my folks wux sorter spic- ious"