The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-07-21
s.DER SUN DO MOVE"
Plsssburx Dlspatch.

Va, the venerable expounder of "the sun do move" theory, preached two sermons in Fifth Avenue Music Hall yesterday. His afternoon was spent in rest at the home of Mrs. Gordon, OF Perry street, near Wylie avenue. At the latter place a reporter called to engage in a little chat with the somew hat noted visitor.
 The tall figure bent itself at right angles in rocking chair, crossed its long legs and knitted a far reaching forehead into wrinkles that extended almost half way to the back of the head, where the forehead ended and the fringe of curly hair encircled it.
 dts no original theory of mine," explained Mir. Jasper. s'I find it in the bible, and only take it as find it."
 "Then somebody taught you the idea?" queried the reporter.
 "No, sir; never was taught this or any other idea. I'll be seventy -six years the 4th of July, and little the rise of fifty years ago, while l was 6 slave at work in Richmond tobacco factory, another slave gave me the only seven months practice ever had in New York spelling book. am now in the forty ninth year of my minis try, and, like Solomon of old, felt that was called of God and anointed to lead portion of His people into the light. l was converted in 1889, and first read the bible when I was twenty eight years old. have never had any body to give me reading les son in the bible in all my life, but I don't know of any reading lesson there now that haven't read"
 "How did you draw out your inter- pretation of the bible theory that the sun revolves around the earth,s Mir. Jasper?"
 From the fact that in my congrega- tion there have always been males and females who kept asking me to preach on some special text, and that one of these persons, about the year 1878, suggested texts that brought out this bible idea"
 MT. Jasper then called attention to his printed statement explaining his reason for the faith that is in him, alluding to "the four corners of the earth" "the four winds of the earth, ," etc, and drawing the conclusion: "So we are living on four-cornered earth"
 This idea he fortified by quoting "From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same," "The sun also ariseth and the sun goeth down and hasteth to the place where he rose," etc., and wound up with that clincher of his argument wherein it is related that Joshua commanded the sun to 'stand still'' on Gibeon, and was obeyed.
 "Well," said Mir. Jasper, "when l preached from the text of Joshua's and said that l believed it all, one man there ill Richmond arose and said was preaching base fabrication So jess throwed myself on the public to show whether l had preached base fabrications' or the revealed word and will of God. I have had the best judges from the north and the south, all over the United States, to hear me preach it-yes, the men from foreign nations, too-all to hear me preach this fabrication from the bible. 1 have had invitations from Europe, Maine, England, Cleveland, Paris, and all those places across the ocean, to come and preach the 'fabrication.' But Pm getting too old for travelling much, and so, while don't go abroad to accept all these invitations, the peo. pie who sent 'em know that Pm edu- cated by the Spirit only, and that, while don't always speak the lan- guage of the grammarian, don't make half the laughing stock of myself that the folks do who try to make fun of me-"
 "Mr. Jasper, will you kindly con- sent to tell me something of your life?" asked the reporter, desirous of switching of to some clearer subject.
 "Yes, sir. was born July 1, 1872, in Fluvania county, Va.-F-l-u-Flu, v-a-n-van, Fluvan, i-a-ny, Flu vania. ain't much on the spell, you see 7; but can spell that county and don't say de for the and dat for that as one of the reporters that called here tried to make out. am son of mother who lived until 106 years old, and her mother had lived to no. My mother had twenty four children, and, although was six feet two in my prime, was the 'runt of the whole two dozen. My mother lived to see the fifth generation of her children, and Pve lived to see the fourth generation of mine already, for l have great grandchildren.
 "My church is the Sixth Mount Zion Baptist church, on Beauvoir street, Richmond, and I have 2,450 members in good and regular stand ing. Cur new ediHcc will, we expect, be the incest church in Richmond. It will cost s21 900, and am now on featuring tour to raise funds for 1t,