Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-31


The great annual church festival,
"Big Quarterly" which the average
colored citizen looks forward TO with
expectation has come and gone. All day
Sunday African U. NJ. Il. Church on
French street between Eighth and Ninth
was the mecca for the colored race, and
the dusky citizens from far and near
came to attend the annual services
There was very little disorder during
the day and the festival was marked
with Jew incidents OF Importance. Aside
from the arrest of woman for keeping
speak-easy and disposing of intoxi-
cants to the thirsty multitude the order
of the festival was unbroken.
This occurred during the morning
and the person taken in custody was
Susan Randolph, living at No. Sl7
Walnut street. The police were noti-
fed by some of the worshippers that the
woman was "queering" the services by
her fragrant and brazen disregard Of the
law, and the guardians of the peace
aided the colored brethren in keeping
the day holy by laying the strong arm
of the law on the evil-doer. Susan was
allowed to transfer her big Quarterly"
exercises to the police station.
The usual scenes which characterize
.Big Quarterly" were witnessed Sun
day, and dense throng of dusky hui
manity, perspired and sweltered in the
scorching sun, and were happy. 1t re-
quires blazing sun to gladden. The
hearts of the colored race on "BiG
Quarterly" and yesterday their mos
sanguine expectations were realized.
One fact was noticeable to close OBJ
server, and that was that the big an
nual religious festival is fast waning il
importance. There were not half Thu
crowd of former years, nor the mani
festation of interest as formerly. Thi
state Of affairs was accounted for by
member of the assemblage whose expla
nation was that the elder religion
worshippers were fast passing away an
that the younger generation who hav
come to take their places care little fo
the observance. Last Sunday closed til
roth anniversary Of the big Quarterly
services.
The negro is rapidly adopting til
manner of dress of his white brothe
and for this reason there were not S
many outlandish costumes visible tn
year, although few dusky bellies wei
observed, clad in all the glittering colo
of the rainbow. One of the gushin
Amazons was garmented in dress
green satin trimmed with red, while
her hat she wore q goodly supply
butter cups and an immense yello
feather. The favorite colors with 9th
popular bellies were yellow, gree
glaring red and purple, while othe
wore raiment of milder hue. III
colored dude was at hand, and mo
than one beau cut quite a swell amol
the bewitching females.
The festive watermelon, without viii
the services would be dull indeed, W
found in great abundance and pyrami
IS of the luscious fruit made the eyes
the average negro dance with deligl
Visions Of "Big Quarterly" and wat,
melons had haunted his slumbers
several weeks and when the festi'
arrived he was overjoyed at the sight
There were the usual scenes out
the street in front of the church a
from early morning until late in
evening services of song attracted HI
dreds of hearers A number Of ent
prising colored people, according to
regular custom, had songs to sell, VIII
they chanted in ear-splitting notes VI
their voices grew husky and they W
too tired to sing any longer. The
ISLANDERS then took up the note, {
song and melody peryaded the en-
negro quarter. The unsuspecting m
titude was beguiled into purchasing,
merchandise of the intinerant sing
each of whom carried on his bac
small grip, from which he readily
posed of his ware at a nickel sheet
The title of one of the doggerels
"God is Calling" and the initial VI
ran as follows:
You take notice what say,
You'll find it 50 on Judgment day
God is calling every day,
Why do We trifle our time away
Every tongues got to confess.
The above song was composed
Daniel Miller, who the songster 8
is great ballad composer now
prison for life" Here is sample v
of another song which seemed to
favorite with the singers:
s Moses went down in Egypt,
At the Lords command,
To bring the children of Israel
Out OF Pharaoh's Land.
Another stanZa ran:
God sent plague of frogs,
And swarm of flies,
They got in Pharaoh's house,
And moved before his eyes.
The church was filled to over
ing with the worshippers who held
vices in the edifice morning, after
and evening. The services in the ch
were conducted by the Rev. j. Z. b
house. The meetings were largel
tended and number of repentant
ners came forward and were conv
during the day.
The overflow meetings in the ter
the rear of the church were in Ct
of the Rev. Edward II. Chippey.