Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1888-02-22
A NEGRO BAPTISM.
A PICTURESQUE SCENE WHICH rs
NOT EASILY FORGOTTEN.

Arrival of the Preachers-The Crowd at
the Waters Edge - FervId Religious
Songs Rapture of the Converts A
Curious Sight.
On the banks Of the pond, between the
road and the water, the pedestrians are
ranged five or six deep, and down at the
lower corner, near where the mill race
debouches from the end of the dam, they
are too thick to be pleasant this warm
August day. For this is the center of ut
traction. Here are the dressing rooms
overshadowed by several shade trees, all
bearing heavy crop Of small boys to-day,
and here in this open space do the candi-
dates for baptism enter and leave the
water.
All colors of skin are represented among
the crowd from the almost white COM
plexion of some of the mulattos to the
ebony black of the real, old fashioned,
"befo' de wah" African. And all colors
of the rainbow flash and rustic and flutter
in the sunlight, as the wind stirs the gar
ments of the female portion of the negroes.
Each has on her Sunday GO connecting
ribbons, and marvellous indeed are some OF
the combinations of color in the various
hats and bonnets.
But stir in the crowd announces the
arrival of the preachers, and they smil-
ingly give greetings around as they make
their way to their dressing room to don
their water garments. Two of them enter
the water and wade out to the home
plate, as marked by stake, where the
water is about waist deep. Both of them
are pretty dark in color, self satisfied in
manner, and of that sleek appearance and
r0fr1n6 nrIflina Of ho4 l, n
adjuncts of popular negro preachers; for
the fattest chicken is too poor for them,
the lightest biscuits are too heavy, and
the coldest buttermilk Is too warm for
them when they confer the glamour of
their presence on Brother NJ. or Sister n.
at dinner after the monthly morning
preaching. Verify they live on the fat of
the land and their shadow never grows
less.
AT THE WATERS EDGE.
Some of the converts emerge from the
dressing rooms and begin to congregate
on the edge of the pond, accompanied by
old tried brothers and sisters, and this is
the signal for singing to commence.
A short, stoutly built deacon, whose
complexion is about that of new brogan,
starts the tune:
Obi whar you gwine, mourner:
Whar you gwine, say?
Use gwine down de Ribber OBJ Jordan.
You cannot cross today.
Sing bredren de good Lord hears you.
Use gwine down de Ribber oh Jordan,
You cannot cross today.
The first sister, accompanied by
couple of deacons, enters the water and
wades out to where the preachers await
her coming She is quiet and nervous
and makes no demonstration rs she
comes out, excitement not having yet got
the hold on the crowd that it will have
later on.
The leader on the bank gives out the
next song. Several more go through
quietly, but the singing is getting louder,
and swaying movement of the singers,
led by the deacon, who is getting worked
up to fever heat, denotes that the ex-
citablc temperament of the negroes is be-
ginning to spread itself. A tall Young
fellow comes to the front, swi his
arms like windmill as he c c!s the
water. With yell, he breaks forth into
song; the crowd cease their singing n mo-
ment only to join in the new song with
double fervor:
OH de puttiest thing dat eber done
Was to praise de Lawd when was young
Good Lawd Good Lawd.
The words arc spoken, he is deftly slid
under the water by the practiced hands of
the preachers, and, as he comes up bap-
tized man, he let's the neighborhood know
it; 'I'se found him, Use found him; bress
do Lawd," and, waving his lands and
splashing the water all around, he stands
and shouts until the attendants lead him
ashore.
CARE OF THE CANDIDATES.
Time is clipping away, so the officers
don't give the candidates much time to
obstruct the water way, but quickly lead
them out to do their shouting on dry
land.
There is sweet rhythmical ring to the
next tune that floats over the pond, a
couple of hundred of negro voices joining
In the old song:
In de sweet fields OBJ Eden,
In dc sweet fields OBJ Eden,
In de sweet fields oh Eden,