The Van Buren press., 1895-11-09
APICKANINNY PREACHER
Wonderful Doings Of q Little
Negro Girl Evangelist
a South Caroline squire's Story Of the
Child Who Il Preaching the Gospel
with such Power to Black
and Whine

About . dozen prominent members
Of the southern colony in New York
met in the lobby Of downtown hotel
the other evening to talk over old
times with genuine old South Caro-
lima squire who is spending few
days In the city, says the New York
Sun This gentleman of the old school
acquired the title of squire in the old
days, when it was a little above that
of Judge" aud far above that Of
colonel" as mark Of popularity and
dignity, and he wears ii gracefully
still
Squire, suppose we all take some
thing" suggested the big colonel from
Kentucky.
"Ican't do it, boys" responded the
squire, and far-away look came into
his kindly eyes "You see, I've stopped. :"
"Wh-e-w." whistled the colonel, with
long-drawn-out sound like . fall
wind Il can hardly believe you-n And
every man in the party looked as Il he
was thinking the same thing. bat none
made any comment
"How did such . misfortune come
upon your finally ventured Virgin
ian, after the first great wave of sur
prise had subsidized, for they all knew
that for nearly forty years the squire
had taken his toddy three times daily
after meals to aid his digestion
"Well, boys, it was this way he
said. The little niger girl preacher
converted me. and I've dropped good
many of my old ways, such as cussin' /,
swearin', and drinkin' l reckon you
maybe eli read that little editorial
about her in the Sundays Sun suggest
ing that she should come to New York
and preach in Madison Square garden
Well. ali I've got to say is, if she comes
you must all go to hear her, and If her
sermon don't touch your hearts more
than all the Parkhurstiah bombs and
Talmagic Roman candles that you've
listened to since you moved to this dis
trict then III 60 back to my wicked
ways"
Who'd ever have thought that what
burned little pickaninny had to say
would influence . man of your COM
mon sense, squire?" spoke up the old.
est man in the crowd. testify. u
wouldn't have believed 1t Of you. What
manner of child IL she, anyway, and
where did she como from?
II don't know q great deal about her
past history, which is a very short one,
as she Is only nine years old" COM
menced the squire, as he took q long
draw at . corn-cob pipe, but she was
born near Washington, somewhere In
Virginia, l think, in the fall OF 's5 Her
daddy was preacher, and died three
or four years ago. This child, whose
full name is Claretta Nora Avery, has
always eagerly attended religious serv'
ces and taken a great interest in the
spiritual welfare Of her people She
says that the love Of God entered her
heart when she was year and hall
old, and has never left it, but of course
you all won't believe that, for nc
genuine darky has any idea OF time.
I'd been hearing and reading . good
deal about her, and not believing much,
and when business carried me to a
small town In the lower part of the
state, where she was holding a meet
ing, l decided to go around to the
church to hear her. It was quite late,
and got there Just in time to catch
the last sentence of her sermon
I'm going to stay in the field here
until I die, and when desth comes,
some time, way over yonder, where
nv Jesus is, I'll live there too, singing
always that new song with Him IN
glory AEE :.
"Her voice had a mournful ringin 1t,
and the little creature made q most
pathetic picture as her head bobbed uE
from behind the pulpit and her grea'
eyes roved over the congregation in ar
sppealing way. She looked about hei
wcarily and sadly for . moment, but
soon q radiant light fell upon her face,
for her sermon had struck home, anc
she knew II; the entire congregation
began to sing, and the queer part OF il
ali was, they began 70 sing the same
thing. Soon some began to chant
while others cried aloud, moaning and
bewailing their sims You talk about
your paid choirs There isn't enough
money in New York to buy sucf
music as heard that night The
voices were rich and full and sweet
and a minor chord that touched ones
very soul was the predominatins
sound.
Sermons and music have mos
electrifying effect upon colored con
gregation, and this one was soor
wrought up to the highest pitch o.
religious excitement Some OF the
mo'ners prostrated themselves on then
nccs, beating the bare hoor with thei'
hands until they were worn out, wheI
they would lie in what is termed
trance. Others crawled on their knees
TO the pulpit Nary of them sat IN The
midst Of this upl oar and appeareS
neither to see nor hesr, so intent were
they In working out their own saliva
tion. In the meantime The old sissers