The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-05-14
THREE HUNDRED NEGROES BAPTIZED.
Religious Enthusiasm Among the
Black People of Richmond.
Experiences and Visions Described
With African Fervor.
Specimens OF Improvlsed Verse Sung
by Dusky Converts.

RICHMOND, May 13.-Yesterday at eleven
o'clock Richmond was almost without an
adult negro inhabitant. The entire black
population had gone to the banks of the
James river, to see the biggest baptism ever
known among the colored churches. About
300 were put under the water, and many
more are to follow. This ic the first result
of the unprecedented revival going on here
for three weeks in the colored churches. The
scenes during the past week eliminated Sat
urday night in such wild chantlngs, to the
accompaniment of hand shaking. as to rem
der sleep impossible in many parts Of the
city. the hot weather seeming to add to the
intensity of their religious fervor. No col
ored person, no matter how irreligious, ,dares
refuse taking the hand Of one just convert
ed, although this necessitates a pump han
die movement until the convert relates the
long story Of the visions he has seen leading
up to his conversion. Hence up into the
small hours the loud singing of experience
went on, the voice Of the chanters often ac-
quiring peculiar staccato, in accordance
with the vigor of the handshaking The
correspondent, standing under a window at
one o'clock in the morning could catch from
three different points such song lines as
these:
got de ole satyn In dis lef han,
An gwine to hole him, t00;
An In dis right hand got de righteous sword,
Whar gwine to hole him, too;
An ole satyn may call, and ole satyn may cry,
But done wild him.
Then the voice of another brother, Just
happy, and impatient to relate his expert
ence, broke In:
Hol him down, hop him down,
De De Lamb said Id to % me- e. Use gTine % set you free,
You done gone out Of big damnation.
0omhoo; thank you, sweet Jesus.
This relator's song was broken into by the
ringing voice of female wrought up to
frenzy as she shrieked:
Thank God, thank God, my Jesus come to me, he
did.
He said, .asister. I want you" he did.
/ said. "Yes, sweet Lamb" did
He said, "Den wander no mo-, }" he did.
Deliverer OF life right at yo' foot.
De crystal water splashin' by yo' knee.
Take off dem chains and put on white robes.
Thank God, thank God!
Thus it was kept up. In many instances
fifteen minutes time was consumed in shak-
ing one person by the hand and relating Wis
ions.
BY daylight yesterday morning. the
entire negre population was up
preparing to attend the union
baptism, which was to begin at 1880.
The crowd in attendance is estimated at
from 10000 to $4,000. The converts marched
in procession through the streets, many of
the women wearing white robes, and some
Of the more opulent attired in Directoire
gowns. The Rev. Jonn Jasper, who has
regularly, once month, hurled the moving
sun among his missiles at the arch-enemy,
lowered six feet one above the vast concourse
and though II years old, his voice is the
strongest, and his roll of converts the larg-
est.
The three ministers stood In the river,
three lines of penitents moving to them at a
time and the groans and shouts, the ecstatic
calculations that rolled over the vast multi
tude surpassed anything of the kind ever
heard in Richmond before. The police, to
prevent disaster, had to scatter the crowds
from the bridge. Hundreds were not able to
get in sight of the water. This is only the
beginning Of similar baptlsms.