Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1895-12-06
APICKANINNY PREACHER
Wonderful Doings Of a Little
Negro Girl Evangelist.
A South Carolina squire's Story of tn,
Child Who Is Preaching the Gospel
with Such Power to Black
and White.

anu w nltos
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 1t was little above that
of Judge" and far above that of
colonel" as mark of popularity and
dignity, and he wears 1t gracefully
still.
Squire, suppose we all take some
thing" suggested the big colonel from
Kentucky.
II can'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
a long-drawn-out sound like fall
wind. II can hardly believe you" And
every man in the party looked as If he
was thinking the same thing, but none
made any comment.
How did such misfortune come
upon your" finally ventured a 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, 1t was this way" he
said. 1.-The little niger girl preacher
converted me, and I've dropped good
many of my old ways, such rs cussin'
swearin', and drinlsin'. / reckon you
maybe all 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, all I've got to say Is, If she comes
you must all go to hear her, and If hel
sermon don't touch your hearts more
than all the Parkhurstian bombs ant
Talmagic Roman candles that you've
listened to since you moved to this dis
trict, then I'll go back to my wicked
ways"
Who'd ever have thought that wha'
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. g
wouldn't have believed it Of you. Wha'
manner of child is she, anyway, ant
where did she come from|'
II don't know great deal about hel
past history, which is very short one
as she is only nine years old, )" com
menced the squire, as he took long
draw at corn-cob pipe, "but she wa'
born near Washington, somewhere II
Virginia, think, in the fall of 's5. Hel
daddy was preacher, and died three
or four years ago. This child, whose
full name is Claretta Nora Avery, ha'
always eagerly attended religious serv
ces aud taken great interest in thu
spiritual welfare Of her people. Sht
says that the love of God entered hel
heart when she was year and hal
old, and has never left it, but of course
YOU all won't believe that, for M
genuine darby has any idea of time
I'd been hearing and reading a gooc
deal about her, and not believing much
and when business carried me to |
small town in the lower part of tn,
state, where she was holding meet
ing, I decided to go around to tn,
church to hear her. 1t was quite late
and got there just in time to catcl
the last sentence of her sermon.
"I'm going to stay in the field her
until die, and when death comes
some time, way over yonder, wher
my Jesus is, I'll live there too, singing
always that new song with Him "
glory
"IIer voice had mournful ring in it
and tho little creature made mos
pathetic picture as her head bobbed u
from behind the pulpit and her grea
eyes roved over the congregation in Al
appealing way. She looked about he
YEARLY and sadly for moment, bu
soon radiant light fell upon her face
for her sermon had struck home, an
she knew it; the entire congregation
began to sing, and the queer part of
all was, they began to sing the sam
thing. Soon some began to chant
while others cried aloud moaning an
bewailing their sins. You talk abou
your phid choirs. There isn't enoug
money in New York to buy sue
music as | heard that night. TIL
voices were rich and full and swee,
and minor chord that touched one
very soul was the predominant
sound.
Sermons and music have mos
electrifyiug effect upon a colored cor
gregation, and this one was 500
wrought up to the highest pitch c
religious excitement Some of tn
mo'ners Frustrated themselves on thei
faces, beating the bare floor with thei
hands until they were worn out, whe
they would lie in what is termed
trance. Others crawled on their knee
to the pulpit Many of them sat in tn
midst Of this uproar and appeare
neither to see nor hear, so intent wer
they in working out their own salv,
ton. In the meantime the old sister
! who were sure of Heaven, kept o
singing to keep things going. TIL
leader that night was a regular oil
time, befo'-the-war NANNY, and goot
ness fairly beamed from her count
! nance.
Ibin lear so long, so long
So long, so long;
bin lear so long,'
she chanted in Il weird, pathetic yoic
, and every person in the congregatio
who was able to lift his or her vois
chanted the refrain at the end OF lvel
three lines:
"'Glu me little time ter pray