Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-03-21
OFF FOR A PROMISED LAND.
Colored People from Atlanta
on their Way to oLiberia.
REV. B. GASTON THEIR PROPHET.
Recently Acquitted OIL a Charge of
Swindling Negroes, He's Now
Hailed as s'the Master"

lnlrCy-elSnC UeofSiauS aii1'ou
in New York Thursday midnight
on the steamship City of Augusta.
They are colored and are bound for
the "Promised Land" At least
that is what Daniel Brown, Presi-
dent of the African Emigration
Movement, who is at the head Of
the party, calls Liberia, where they
expect to settle.
ut is the best country this side
of heaven" said Mr.. Brown.
about half of the party are men,
the other half women and chill
dren. Most of the men are old,
while the children are very young.
All come from Atlanta. They left
that city Monday, and 5000 people
were at the station to gee them off.
The Rev. B. Castor, who has lived
in Liberia from 1885 to 1891, and
who has been busy for nearly three
years in the South inducingpeople
of his race to emigrate to the
"Promised Land" was to meet
them here and take charge of them
on the long sea journey.
At noon Friday the entire party
was still on board the City of Au-
gusta. The men and women were
looking very solemn. The Rev. B.
Castor, their promised Guide and
mentor, had not appeared. For
hours groups of men, women, and
pickaninnies watched on the ships
deck, gazing at the city and the
sea. Then a big, thick,bodied,
bushy-whiskered black man step
ped up the gangway. The crowd
uttered shrek Of delight that
startled the deckhands. There was
a rush for the newcomer. A tall
young woman got to him first. She
threw her arms around him and
squeezed him and kissed him a
half-dozen times.
The masters come! The mas
ter's come" she shouted. ''Oh,
he's here! He's here! He's here !!
He's here! He amt forgot US!
He's come! He's here! Mr.. Gas
toms come!"
Then she released Mr.. CASTOR,
and ran around and shook hands
with her companions. All the
others, men as we'll as women, hug
ged and kissed Mr.. CASTOR, and he
returned the hugs and kisses. He
was complete master of the crowd.
They hailed him as Messiah, and
were ready to follow him to the
N orth Pole if he said so. So mel
aacholy a half hour ago, they
beamed all over with unctuous de-
light now.
"Bless you, my children, bless
you,'. said the Rev. Mr.. CASTOR.
"You're all here, bound for the
Promised Land. The Lord don't
forget his children. He watched
over you, an he will watch over
you until your long journey ends.
We are in the hands of the Lord,
an he will protect US.
1t was evident that Mr.. CASTOR
was a master spirit, and there was
no more sadness on the City of
Augusta, after his arrival. The
entire party sailed Saturday morn-
ing for Liverpool in the American
liner City of Berlin. At Liverpool
they will be transferred to vessel
of the British and African Steam
Navigation Company, which will
take them to Liberia. They pay
$75 apiece for the journey from
Atlanta to Liberia.
The Rev. B. CASTOR is pretty
we'll known in this county. He was
recently tried in Atlanta Oh the
charge. of swindling negroes, but
was acquitted. 1t is said that he
is closely watched now by the AT,
lauta authorities, who intend tc
see whether he is deluding the ne,
groes. He told a reporter that all
the Liberian immigrants were
happy, which statement differs
from some of the reports from that
country. He said that the people
would 60 to work raising coffee and
fruit.