The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-04
A COLoRED CAMP MEETING.
Remarkable Narrative of the Fate of Pha
raoh and His Hosts by the Earnest
Presiding Elder.
New York Herald. |

New York Herald.
MOUNT HOLLY, n. j., August o.
The regular camp meeting of the col
ored people, which is held every sum
rler in the Timbuctoo woods, begar
last night, and it promises to be {
bowling success. 1t is one Of the few
camp meetings of the original patterr
left, and this alone gives it an interes
that it would not otherwise have
Many of the modern camp meeting:
are run for revenue only, and the col
lection basket is passed around every
time hymn is sung, but this is not O
that kind. Its object is the CONVEX
sion of the wicked. The collections are
a secondary matter, and as a rule bui
little money is received-hardly enough
to pay the preachers. But this does
not lessen their zeal q particle.
The pulpit is rude structure built oi
rough boards, and resembles an i'm
provised eating stand more than any.
thing else. To the left is a beacon fire
of logs on a platform ten feet high
which throws a weird light on the
scene. The platform is covered with
earth to prevent the boards from tax.
ing fire, and in this way the grounds
are illuminated.s.
The feature of the camp is the sing.
ing, which is led by an elderly man
with sonorous voice. He sits,aiPectfJ
under the pit-facing the crowd,
which is composed of hundreds of col
ored people of all ages and conditions,
who have come from miles around in
wagons and on foot to attend the camp
meeting. Many of them remain for a
week or more, lodging with friends in
the score of cabins in the vicinity of the
grounds. ...: ...>. . 49,
THEY MAKE THE FOREST RING. 4
The services begin with singing, and
all participate. Refrains are always
popular, and when the time comes the
crowd join in with a vim that makes
the woods ring. A popular one was:
Didn't old Pharaoh git lost?
Git lost ! git lost! :.
Didn't old Pharaoh git lost?
In de Red Sea-. -. i.
"You member 'bout Pharaoh broth.
ering, I suppose?" said the presiding
Yelder," as he is. called, fourishing his
arms in the air and looking confidently
at the audience. He is tall, slender
and very black, and has way Of ex-
pressing himself that pleases his hearers
and at times stirs them up to the high
pitch of enthusiasm. "You mem.
befoFe, iiA 5ut fss g@lHe f5 5sH + sgafd; M
Hit will show you dat hit doan pay tc
play smart wild de Lord. Some Of you
haln't converted yit. You sit still in sin
and misery, but you think you is al
right 'cause you feels well; but wher
de sweat of wraf breads out onter you
den look out! Dat's de way hit was
wild Pharaoh. He was a ivin' higE
down dere in Egypt land, wearin' hi:
bes' close on week days and loafn
round seegyar stores all de time
When Sunday come hit made no diff
ference to Pharaoh He jis, geared ou
his hos add went de same ole lick. HI
thought he was hot. He thought no
body couldn't head him off, but d.
Lord did. Well, Pharaoh he giss rur
things to suit hisself. He called d.
prophets by dar nicknames, frowet
stones at de chillen of Isrul, and whel
dey come to vote on lection day b.
challenged 'em cause dey> didn't hav
dere papers. If anybody. wanted bill
changed dey had to 60 to Pharaoh; b
had all de money dere was outside d
banks, and hepwned all de open grount
and woods, and had notices up warnin
de people from gunnin' on him. Nc
body had no show. He was so stron;
in politiks aat nobody could break hi
holt. He rode free on de kyars, AM
never paid no tole on de road when b
was dritin'. So you kin see how pow
full he was. When he got on de ticke
nobody dared to run agen him. He ha'
everything his own way. Dis is d
way de Lord lets sinners do sometime
jiss so He kin make bigger fool of zen
at de end.
PHARAoH'S BIG CONTRACT.
"Well, one day Pharaoh he got d
contract to make big lot Of bricks 70
de gov'nent for to be uzed in buildir
some big pos offs. Pharaoh he mad
deal wild de odder bidders. and when b
got dere fggers he done went unde
dem an got de job. Next day he wen
ter Moses, who was in the brick bus
ness, an says:-'Mose, Ise got a big 10
fer you and de chillun of Isrul, am
want you to give bond dat YOU
hustle and git it done
| "Moses said he would and afore d
werk was out him and de children Wa
doin' dar bes'. Purity soon dar wa
trubble. Pharaoh found fault 'caus
dar wasn't straw 'nuf in de bricks t
make 'em hole dar shape. Moses sci
he was puttin' in as much straw as any
body was, but Pharaoh wasn't satisfied
so de chillun of Israel went on a strike
Pharaoh wouldn't pay 'em no none
for de work dey had done and de
couldn't git work in no odder var
| 'causc dey didn't belong to de unior