Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-04-05
HOW sAMBo GETS RELIGION.


 Washington Star.
 HOW sAMBo GETS RELIGION. A AIlssIssippi Prayer Meeting Described !
 by an Eyewitness. - It is said one-ha1f of the world does not know how the other half lives At all the great state and national, re- ligious and educational gatherings we hear the Dr& Talmage and Sturgeon. bishops and other great men declaring the great advancement made by the colored brother in morals and religion. fear they get their knowledge from their plushed and cushioned seats in the city churches and Pullman cars. be- heve it will be admitted that the col ored people of Moss Point. Miss, are at least on an equality in religion and in- telligence with other negroes through out the south.
 A few months since D. J. Mcleod and myself, as deacons of the Moss Point (Misa Baptist church, were re- quested to be at and assist in the or ganization of a Baptist church among our colored friends We went, but ex- plained to them that we could only as- sist by suggestions and advice, as Bap- tist churches are, and should be, inde- pendent bodies.
 After much singing, praying and preaching the preacher invited all who wished to go into the organization of the church to take front seats. About fifteen men and women came forward. After explaining the object of the meet ing he then asked each one whether he or she would join ''by letter or by ex- pe1lance" (meaning experience). AL %1011nrRn rP hnI bers of Baptist churches for years, they all wanted to 'sjine by expellance." The preacher began to call them, one at time, to come forward to chair and tell their "experience." The main DOT .tion of all their ''expellance" was word for word alike, and their foundations were 'Works for Salvation" Yet each one of them would associate Jesus with their experience. They would begin by relating some incident or accident in their lives that had frightened them into prayer ''The more they prayed the worse they felt When it was night they wished it was day; when it was day they wished it was night" After seeing many ghosts and having other strange experiences, they would find themselves suspended by slender cord over the 'jaws of he'll" They would | hear 8 voice saying: "Let them down; why cumber they the ground?"
 Justice would cut the cord and they would go down, down, down; and after awhile. as they passed certain place, they would be grabbed by strong arm. Yet the greater part of them, which would be their load of sin, would keep on going down and down, and | finally they would hear their sins drop into hell with sound like ''seven thun- ders utte ring their roar" At the same time they would hear a sweet voice singing, Come unto me, oh, come unto me-" (This part of their experience they would sing, while waving their bodies from side to side.)
 They would recognize the voice as that of Jesus and would start out to find him. They would begin toiling up a long, long hillside, the top of which they could not see, and on which they were told Jesus could be found among the many mansions" All of them had to toll mp this hill; yet each en- countered different obstacles in his road. Jesus was represented in each case as just little way ahead, and almost in sight
 They all seemed to be true Baptists in one sense, for they all finally arrived in Heaven.
 While they had different experiences in toiling up the long hillside, they all arrived finally at the ''Pearly Gate'' and knocked for admittance. Each was asked what he wanted; the answer always was: q am looking for Jesus " After several questions had been asked and answered, they were each admitted and walked the golden streets of the New Jerusalem" On either side were stores filled with fruits, which were for ''the healing of the nations" They would still be hunting for Jesus Finally they would see 8 white house on hill in the center of the city. Tc this they went. and each one rang the front door bell A white lady would come to the door. They would ask fol Jesus. The lady would tell them that He was out in the orchard. To the orchard they would go. and after 8 while they would see a young white man lying in a hammock. This would prove to be Jesus and the end of theil journey, and they would be told to ''gc tell to sinners round what a great Saviour have found"
 The meeting began at ''early candle lighting" and we did not get away un til after Il o'clock. The whole proceed ings were continued surprise from be ginning to end They would say SC many good things, then so many simple things, and go from the sublime to the ridiculous, and then back to the sublime SO often, that Brother Mcleod had one. E half of his handkerchief in his mouth and the other half over his eyes, and il
 was difficult to tell whether he wa. weeping for joy or trying to ape oul Dld- time Methodist brethren in laugh ing the holy laugh" Surprises were tht
 order of the day, and while most O.
 their acts and words pointed to ''wor lz' for salvation" yet the preacher in ont i, part of his many talks said: ''There ar' three ways which people believe in fol