New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-04-04
Negro Hymns IN the South

From q fayetteville N.C.) Letter.
Business called me to Fayettevillere.
Gently, and it became necessary for
me to make a stay of a week with a
gentleman living dozen miles or
more out OF town. My friend is
large cotton cultivator and EMPLOYS
many negroes. Besides these the
community was full Of negro laborers,
and had a most excellent opportu-
mtg for study. The negro and the
Insiie are not lnseparable in that par
tlcu1ar locality; the OK seems to have
superseded the mule to great extent
and many were the amusing pictures T
saw OF negroes trudging along behind
a nuly headed OK, drawing a two
wheeled plantation cart "chuck-full of
women and children. But I do not
propose to make astudy of the negro
character to discuss the negro IS needs,
orto, touch upon their amusing lido
syncrasles, for all of this ground seems
to have been pretty we'll covered in
your columns recently. I merely wish
to give. some of their church songs.
which gathered from an old white
headed patriarch during nv STAY out
III the country.
While sitting on, the piazza one
morning heard a young colored girl
who lived upon the premises singing at
quite 81 brisk rate as she hung up the
days washing on the clothes line, and
what she seemed to say was: "For 1
don't want you to hold me. I want.
brudder somebody else) to hold me.
Alter listening to the constant repiti-.
ton Of the same stanza forsonne time
without being able to gather it's ex-
act purport, finally called her to me.
and asked what it was. After much
snlcPkerlng and a great deal of affected
bashfulness, with apparent reluctance
she gave.it to me as follows,
Git away brudder William, I'm going,
For don't want you to hold me:
wants brudder Haynes to hold me,
Fur he ken control me-
'sWell, Sally, that isn't church
song, is it?"
Dunno, sir, 'xactly. Dey say de
gals overt Piney Ridge sing dat piece
when da gifts to shoutin', but I'se neber
heard it in church myself
"But you do know some church
songs, don't your"
cob, yes, knows a lot of 'em. I
longs to the quire, and sings at the
meetin' house cherry Sunday
"Well, can't you sing some of them
for me? | want to write them down"
"Well, mister, / reckon [ could, but
Use scarcely got time. If dat's what
you're wantin', why pap is just
the man fur ye. He leads the quire,
bless ye, and he is just chock full of
llglous songs. He's a class leader and
a mighty big man in our church, and
il you will just go across dat field to
dat little house you'll find him, and
hlm's what you want"
So | went over to Uncle Lewis cabin
and found him sitting at his back
door under the shade of luxuriant
morning glory which had clambered
over arude kind oflattice- work After
skirmishing with him, unfolded the
object OF my visit. His vanity was
considerably tickled.
"Yas, sir, boss, Sal was list right
about dat. | knows more songs dan
any four niggers in dis country. Use
been church member ever since pre-
vlously to de war, and if l handn't a
picked up a lot of 'em it 'ould Of
bin case [ had no since. Use bin
singer fur a mighty long time. Da
brought a young niger, Gus, to lead,
but jlst showed 'em | wasn't to be
ousted by no youngster''
At this rate herattled along. Finally
| got him started, and subjoined are
the principal songs he gave me, which
he vouched for as being bona-fde and
81 extensive use in his church.
God made de mountins, made 'em plain,
Made old Adam outen de very same,
Then taken rib outen Adams side,
Made / woman and den she died.
CHORUS:
Tell me who built de ark,
Oh, NcEer, Meyer, Meyer.
Tell me Who built de ark,
Oh! Meyers de man,
Went to preachin, de odder day,
Heard what the preacher had to say,
Preached one word, 'deinned my soul,
Preached anudder, 'demned me more
Run back home straight as could go;
Fell on my knees right down on the floor;
Cried, 20 Lord what shall / do2"
CHORUS.
II.
Can't cross Jordon,
Can't go round,
Ii you amt got ligion
You'll surely drown.
CuoRus:-You dun tuken my Lord away,
Well away, well away, away,
Pray tell me where to find him.
Listen in my tongue,
CAM talk plain,
Send down an angel
Changed my name,
CHORUS
Up de mountain Jehovah spoke;
Out OF his mouth run fire and smoke;
Round my heart is band OF love,