The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-20
THE WATERMELON REVIVAL.
An Interesting Religious Ceremony of An
nual Recurrence in the Far South.

! N'4SSA WV OR~ANS~t ~~~-~) - 49,
| the midst Of one of the most successful
watermelon revivals ever known in the
| South. The unusual fervor of the eX-
element is said to be the result Of the
exceptionally fine melon crop, which
in quality and quantity surpasses any
thing seen here in recent years. The
revival began some three weeks ago,
as soon as the quality of the luscious
yield had been proved by eating, and
it is now at its height. AS conse-
quence household operations are at a
complete stardstill, and business Of
every kind is seriously intefered with.
The watermelon revival is citro-
religious event of annual recurrence in
the melon growing regions of the far
South. It lays hold of the colored
2ople only and gets its strongest grip
the sisters, but in temporal way
cts the white residents hardly
fSSs powerfully. Throughout the mel
onsSseason the colored sisters and 3
majority of the brethren entirely give
themselves up to the exquisite pleas
ure of the melon and the pain Of re-
ligous conviction that precedes the
ecstasy of conversion, which in turn
leads quickly to exaltation and a COM
atose condition. This latter condition
is next to heaven, the end sought for; !;
but because of the duration of these
frances or subjugation to "the power"
as it is called here, many Of the sis
ters are in the present instance failing
to assimilate all of their share of this
seasons melon crop. Thus Mrs. Kirk
patrick's cook lay in trance for sew
eral days, and neither cooked nor ate,
and this was when the melons were at
their best. Mrs. Buddington's colored
maid was brought home in dray at
3 o'clock in the morning and deposited
on the kitchen floor, where she lay
rigid and with "eyes sot," as this man
Hesitation is termed, until at the end Of
three days Mrs. Buddington had her
carried back to the church in which she
"got the power" Mrs. Buffers cook
got religion and rigidity early in the
revival, and, the task Of finding a
substitute being manifestly hopeless,
the family at once made arrangements
to take tLeir meals with a family in
the same street who are not dependent
on colored servants.
The industry that is doing nearly all
the fourishing in the present crisis is
that of the few worldly minded negroes
who own mule and cart. Business is
brisk for these just now from the hour
when the full moon shows above the
further cypress-bordered shore of the
St. Johns until the yellow disk fuses
in the golden sky of midsummer
morning. All the colored churches are
open twenty-four hours day-in the
daytime for such as attain safety Of
melons early and are prepared for the
religious influences long before night
fall; throughout the night for all who
come. Many who come to scof re-
main to be carted away, and those who
have religion get it again and likewise
have need of the mule cart. So this
teaming of precious and rigid huroan
freight begins early in the evening and
goes on until the bull-bats cease their
pursuit of nocturnal bugs.
The white residents are so seriously
President Harrison if Mr.. Blaine will
not consent to stand. The influence of
the ladies of his family may deter Mr..
Blaine, but there is tremendous pres
sure upon him from his old party
friends to run. He would sweep the
convention. T think. No Republican
is as strong as Blaine. I do not think
that he will consent to run. Mr.. Cleve-
land, in my judgment, is still the
strongest candidate. He may have
offended the extreme pro-silver men by
his remarks against free coinage, bushe
enjoys wonderful reputation among
the people"