Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-29
CRACKER SERMON
Preached in Gods Temple by the
Glare Of Pine Knots, in Words
THAT CAME FROM THE HEART.
Heaven Not Altogether as Portrayed in the
Scriptures.
ARGUMENT AGAINST DANCING
WRITTEN FOR THE DrsrArcH. /,

back through the region of country near tn
Arthlacooche river. Darkness overlook IN,
suddenly and 1 was obliged to spend tn
night at farmhouse. At the supper tabl
someone said that ''pine knot preacher
was going to hold meeting in the wood
about mile of, and asked if I would lik,
to 60. said "yes" at once, as was curiou
to know why the man was called 'pinl
knot" preacher, and no one could tell me
L puzzled over it good deal, but could
come to no satisfactory conclusion. Ifound
out as soon as reached the place.
A wild and picturesque scene greeted ul
on our arrival. An opening had been made
in the hamack, the brush piled and burnt
and the logs rolled into some semblance Of
order, to serve as seats in front of sort oil
platform of logs which did duty as pulpit.
The moon was nearly full and poured such
flood of silvery light into the opening as
1t can do nowhere else butin Florida. Like
solid wall, the great primeval trees, draped
IN their heavy hangings of Spanish moss,
shut us in to silence and meditation. Carts,
buggies and saddle animals were tied at
various points along the outskirts, while q
large and attentive congregation occupied
the log seats
But the most striking feature in the whole
picture was the pulpit and the preacher.
The pulpit was made, as have said, of logs
thrown together so as to form a sort of rough
platform. There was no rail, nor seat, nor
desk, but on each side and little back
from the front, was a large iron brazier
filled with fiaring pine knots, which threw
red light over all ana emphasized The out
lines and details already made visible by
the moon.
My curiosity was satisfied. The man was
called "pine knot" preacher because he
only preached at night and lighted his glori-
GUS temple and humble pulpit with the ma
terlals which nature furnished on the spot.
APINE KNOT PREACHER.
The preacher was tall, gaunt man, with
long black hair, glittering black eyes, rather
narrow face and a high, narrow forehead,
both deeply fuIrowed with lines of care OF
suffering. He was in his shirt sleeves, and
his whole appearance, as he stood in the
glare OF his pine torches, harmonized per-
fectly with his surroundings.
The service had begun when we arrived,
and after hymn, which they were singing,
the preacher delivered the following dis
course. OF course, give it from memory,
as there was not light enough to take notes;
but the outline is correct, and the dialect
absolutely exact, as anyone who has ever
talked with Florida Cracker" can see at
aglance. But it is almost impossible to in
dicate in print the very peculiar emphasis
which these people put on the penult or ulti-
mate of words Of three or more syllables
This, then, was what the preacher said:
"Feller sinners: 1 done gone an tole de
reasin why breaches in de woods good
few times, but as see some hyare as amt
hearne hit, I'll tell hit agin. don't hol'
to no church, nor no doctrines of men. I
jes' hols' to Jesus, an what l fms in de
Book to be His teachin'. OATS de rail reasin
why Use preachin' to yer hyafe in Gawd's
gre't temple, made widout hans an not in
de church-house up by de big ponl When
1 asst dem to len me de church-house, dey
saise as how Use too ignernt to teach de
people, an dat mus learn mo- befo' 1 tries
to preach. But amt so powerful ignernt
arter all, cause kin read, wild spellin' O.
de big words, an write little, too, when I
has good pen. Tubbe sho', never did
swinge my eyebrows ofstrylng to learn by a
lighterd torch er taller dip, an Use too
ole to begin now. So l listen to dem. an
q u
wild me like ole man David say hit were
wild him. 1 KEEP silunce even frum good
words; but hit wuz pain an grief to me. NV
heart wuz hot widin me, de FIRE kindle, an
at las spoke wild my tongue. OATS whv
comes hit Fse preachin' to you hyare in de
woods, Std OF in de church-bouse up by de,
big pom.
HE HAD READ TALMAGE.
"My tex is: In my fathers house is many
mansions. De reasin why chuse dat tex
outen all de udder texes in de Book about
heayin, is 'caise 1 read piece in a moose
paper dis las Monday as ever wuz, wroten
by great man up North on dis very SUBJ
jec', and he done toll so much about hit dat
he mus ha' been dare an seed fur hissef 1
wonder he ever cum back; but I s'pose he
wuz anxish to tell us all about hit an dat's
why he cum. Anyways, he saise as how
dey's rooms up dare-not mansions; an
dunno how he kin know better'n de Book,
less he done been dare an seed fur hissef.
But he say de rooms is very large and fine
An den he 'scribes um; he 'scribes de
'ception room, an de family room an de
throne room-places where ell de people
goes-an' tells us what dey saise to each
udder an how glad dey is to meet up wild de
dey'll never part no mo-.
"Now, feller sinners, whedder dey's man
sions up dare, like de Book say, or rooms,
like dis preacher say, one thing is sho',
we all wants to go dare an get one of um
An de only way to do hit is to git religion
down in de heart, not on de en- O. de
tongue. Yes, teller sinners. git Jesus
Christ in yo' hearts an carry Him about
wild yer all day an everywhere. Don't
shet Him up in de clausit wild yo' Sunday
close fur six days in de week an take Him
out only on one; don't have His name on
yo' tongues and de DEVILS thoughts in yo'
hearts an de devil works in yo' hans. Don't
carry Him wild yer to de church. house, or
de meetin', or de family altar, or de
secret clausit an den tu'n roun' an 90
slop inter places where yer know yer can't
tote Eim-like de barroom, an de theayter,
an de ballroom.
OPPOSED TO DANCING.
''Yes, de ballroom Sum'er yer setten
right dare afore me waz at de ball las week
and dancedl fur hearn yo' names called.
Could yer take Jesus Christ wild yer dare?
Could yer think His thoughts an do His
works wild yo' yares full of de tootin'
of mouth-organs an de squeakin' o. i'd
dies, an yo' minis on yo' ieet, how to fling
yo' heels and toes to match de music? Did
yer ever hyare of Jesus going to a ball an
dancin'? He come down hyare to save vo'
pore, los souls; do yer think He could "a
done hit if His yares had been filed with
poker and contillion music, an His min
set on de flngin' O. His feet? knows one
of dose ole fellers in de Book say as how
dey's time to dance; but he lived in de
days o. ignernce an darkness, bego' de Day-
spring from on high had visited us, er de
star had led de wise men to Jesus, er de
sun o. Righteousness had risen wild healin'
in his VIKINGS. Now hits all diffunt. Now
we knows Jesus, and we mus fin Him an
hol' on to Him an carry Him wild us where
ever we go, an SO we mus keep outen
r,1anas xuhare xue Enow He can't N, ,r.,1 -