Connecticut western news., 1891-01-07
A NOVEL. WATCH NIGHT.
THE PROCEEDINGS AT AN AFRICAN
 CHURCH IN NEW JERSEY.


 Clock That Had Been Tempered with
 Would Not Strike the Witching Hour.
 The Story of the ProdigaI Son in Mod-
 ern Form.
 The annual watch meeting of the mem- 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 a great revival of re- igion in that section.
 A year ago the watch meeting was . failure because the preachers watch stopped at half past II o'clock, and the To prevent recurrence of that mistake it was decided last year to have big eight day clock, owned by King" Lewis Armstrong, who has long enjoyed the honor of ruling the destinies of Tmbuc- 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 o'clock the services be- gan and the church was filled. "King" Lewis Armstrong sat in the pulpit with Preacher Quann, and occasionally de- voted few minutes to keeping the stove red hot.
 ' "Dis yer watch meeting" said Preach CT Quann, twill begin wid a hymn, 'I'me 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 dld. And when you am 8 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 ain't got no more 'ligion than g skunk. Singin' am like prayin'. You has got to mean de words you is usin' or you ain't no good"
 The choir, which was stationed just back of the stove, thereupon raised the tune. After two or three verses had 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'in! swing her aginr' ThIA always had the desired effect. Finally they be- came weary and halt was ordered.
 king" Lewis Armstrong next said . few words, in which he strongly advised the young men of Timbuctoo to change their ways before it was too late.
 ''Dar ain't no better time n now." he said. ''Dis present tune you orter quit yer ornery ways, forsake de exampul of de wicked Herod and get into de ark of glory, wot am lighted wid 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 comfortabul in Aber- hams buzzum What rme tellin' you is facts. Faint no guess work. Elf 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 milkin' to do But his heart wasn't sat- isfied. He thought de old man wasn't farmin' de place right. He lowed he could do heap better wukkin for his self, COS de ole man was behind de times. De proderigal he had been readin' de
 tisements 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 comin' to me, an I'll try my luck sommer else De old man tux him at his word, guy him the money and chased him out. But he didn't make no money. He jes' fool it away on farm morgiges out west and hoss racin' in the east till he blowed ii 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 ag'in. And dat's what de Lord Il do fo, you eff 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 9 instead of 12 This raised commotion and the cloci
 was soundly denounced. King" Lewil said:
 "Hit doan make no difference whut de clock strikes; look at de hans an6 dey'll tell you de time. Fact is, bleev,
 dat ar young willyum, Lord Garrison
 has been monkeyin' wid de strik1nt tools in dat clock anyhow"
 This was denied by the accused, ani
 it was finally decided to refer the matter 1 of the time to Elders Jordan and Congo There was just two minutes difference | in their watches, so compromise wa struck by Congo setting his watch , | minute fast. Then, as both watche | pointed to the hour of 12, the preache
 blew long blast on q tin horn, the wor
 shipers shouted and sang and the new l year was started on it's way.-New Yorl l Herald.
 Ten-Year-Old Heroine