Los Angeles herald., 1891-02-08
A NOVEL WATCH NIGHT.
THE PROCEEDINGS AT AN AFRICAN
CHURCH IN NEW JERSEY.

THE PROCEEDINGS At AN AFRICAN
CHURCH IN NEW JERSEY.
A Clock That Had Been Tempered with
Would Not Strike the Witching Hour.
The Story OF the Prodigal Son In Mod
ern Form.
The annual watch meeting Of the men,
bers Of the African Baptist church at
Timbuctoo, N. j., a year or two ago was
in many respects novel one.
For many years the sable residents of
the little settlement in the woods near
Burlington have been in the habit of
holding watch meeting on New Years
eve. These meetings are always well
attended by old and young, and have
often developed great revival of re-
hgion in that section.
A year ago the watch meeting was a
failure because the preachers watch
stopped at half past II o'clock, and the
fact was not discovered until daylight.
To prevent recurrence of that mistake
it was decided last year to have big
eight day clock, owned by 'sKing" Lewis
Armstrong, who has long enjoyed the
honor of ruling the destinies of Timbuc-
too, repaired in proper shape and taken
to the church to mark the passage of
time. This was done, and the clock was
put in the church just back of the pull
pit where every one could see it. And,
to keep the clock in time, Elder Jordan
and Elder Congo were instructed to
have their watches wound up and set
by railroad time to avoid any possibility
Of mistake. This they agreed to do.
Promptly at 8 o'clock the services be-
gan and the church was filed. 'King'
Lewis Armstrong sat in the pulpit with
Preacher Guam, and occasionally de-
voted a few minutes to keeping the stove
red hot
''Dis yer watch meeting" said Preach
er Guam, will begin wild a hymn,
.rme goin' over Jerding by and by
You all knows de tune; hits bin sung
yer a good many years-and hit means
JUS as much now as hit ever did. And
when you am singin' it, brethering,
doan forgit to think what de words
mean. De tune alone won't save yer
souls. Oar am plenty Of good singers
dat amt got no more 'ligion than a
skunk. Singin' am like prayin'. You
has got to mean de words you is usin' or
you amt no good"
The choir. which was stationed Just
back of the stove, thereupon raised the
tune. After two or three, verses had
been sung the entire congregation began
to enter into the spirit of the occasion,
swaying their bodies to and fro in time
with the music and keeping peculiar
sort of double time with their feet on
the floor. AS the verses were exhausted
the preacher would yell, "Swing de tune
ag'm! swing her ag'in!" This always
had the desired effect. Finally they be-
came weary and a halt was ordered.
''King" Lewis Armstrong next said a
few words, in which he strongly advised
the young men of Timbuctoo to change
their ways before it was too late.
''Dar amt no better time n now" he
said. 'Dis present time you orter quit
yer ornery ways, forsake de exampul of
de wicked Herod and get into de ark of
glory, wot am lighted wild electric light
and full of groceries for de winter. We
am jes' about gettin' into another year,
and all of us orter to make up our mines
to do better. Git away from de sins dat
has kivered you up, and if you die next
year you will be comfortable in Aber-
hams buzzum. What Tme tellin' you is
facts. 'Taint no guess work. Eff you
doan believe it look at dat prodigal son
what de good book tells us about.
''Dar was man dat was mitey well
fixed. He had good job on his fod-
der's farm, had hoss and wagon to use
whenever he wanted it and no Sunday
milAin' to do. But his heart wasn't sat-
listed. He thought de old man wasn't
farmin' de place right. He lowed he
could do heap better wuklzin for his
self, cos de ole man was behind de times.
De proderigal he had been readin' de
easements in de papers bout men want
ed.to take big jobs and nuthin' much to
do. So he says: Guess I'll quit, ole
man. Gimme what's comm to me, am
I'll try my luck sommer else De
old man TUX him at his word, guy
him the money and chased him out. But
hedidn't make no money. He jes fool
it away on farm morgiges out west and
hoas racin' in the east till he blowed it
all in. Den he come back on de farm,
and de ole man TUX pity on him, furguv
him what he done and give him home
agin. And dnt's what de Lord II do for
you ef you doan put it off too long"
The effect of this on the congregation
was marked, and soon there were many
sinners on the mourners' bench. From
that time until midnight there was sing
ing and prayer until "King" Lewis
eight day clock struck 0 instead of IL.
This raised q commotion and the clock
was soundly denounced. "King" Lewis
said: .-ii, ~
s'Hit doan make no difference whut
de clock strikes; look at de hans and
deyn tell you de time. Fact is, Ibleeve
dat ar young willyum, Lord Garrison,
has been monkeyin' wild de striking
tools in dat clock anyhow"
This was denied by the accused, and
itwas finally decided to refer the matter
of the time to Elders Jordan and Congo.
There was just two minutes difference
In their watches, so a compromise was
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