San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-06-29
ON THE I.o1TER.
A NEGRO BAPTISM.

There are baptisms and baptisms,
just as there negroes and negroes
| and should no more seek to cast
ridicule on the rites of and belief
in baptism by chronicling ty pi-
cal colored baptism, than that /
should condemn the sermon on
the Mount, because of the in
humanity of the inquisition or the
insanity of Cotton Mather, hence
entertain some hopes of being
pardoned and forgiven for recall
ing as graphically as it lies in my
power to do, the scene that met
my gaze as l loitered down TO the
river bank, underneath one of the
long iron bridges of the city few
Sundays ago.
/ must have been early, for only
few small groups of people had
gathered on the west side OF the
bridge. Here stood knot Of noisy
small boys, listening to three Of
their number who were trying to
tell, all at the same time, the incl
dents of some stirring story. A
little farther on were dozen gig
Cling girls, looking over the rail-
ing into the swift water below. Be-
tween them and the small boys
stood a gathering Of older, but
hardly less noisy, young men and
women. Gradually the entire foot
way of the bridge was being
occupied by the crowd, con-
stituted mostly of the fairer sex,
Judging by the profusion of light,
loose flowing summer dresses and
dainty silk and gaudy cotton para
soils, held out to keep off the
slanting rays of the evening sun.
Soon it became almost impossible
to work a way through the crowd
that occupied the walk and the be-
lated small boys and undignified
young men began to perch them
selves upon the wide, iron super
structure of the bridge. A long
line of people, mostly colored, were
already assembling themselves on
either side of the stream. The low
ing couple that for a long time
were basking under yonder cool,
shrub-like willows, in comparative
seclusion and quiet, were rapidly
being intruded upon, and by de-
grees compelled to drop their en-
dearing terms and expressions for
more unsentimental tone of con-
versation. Two boats filled with
young men and young ladies, who
were jollying each other and dan
gerously fitting their frail skiffs in
manner that led to frequent short
shrieks of fright and peals of ma
licious laughter were being pad
died into an almost currentless
nook, from which a good view of
the proceedings could be had.
Quite commotion on the north
bank now ensues and the perform
ance, which but for the sincerity
and seriousness that prompts it,
you might call cross between a
minstrel show and farce comedy,
is about to begin. On the land a
short hymn is sung, short sermon
on the subject of baptism is de-
livered, then prayer, and the
colored pastor who is to conduct
the ceremonies, wades into the
stream, hip high, and with his
feet he seems to feel the ground
about him. The air is filled with
tittering expectation, and to COM
mand quiet, he holds aloft his flat,
dark hand. At signal the choir
ashore begins to sing, and a timid
female candidate is led by some
strong assistant to the preacher in
hip high water. The song ceases
and in the name of the Father the
Son and the Holy Ghost, the faith
full sister is gently bowed under
meath the surface of the water.
Amid song the convert is led back
to shore. There are a few more
sensible candidates among them,
and the multitude that might have
come to scott is in peril of turning
away disappointed.
But it is not to be. From out
the crowd the dripping wet assist
ant leads a heavy weight black
sister who fidgets about quite ner-
vously. The singers strain their
necks to see the show, as if some
gorgeous joke which they had
nursed in their bosoms all week
long was about to be sprung. The
crowd on the bridge and that on the
opposite bank seem to scent the
fun from afar, and give vent to long
noisy laughs. The coy sister, tall,