The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1895-11-21
APICKANINNY PREACHER
Wonderful Doings of a Little
NegEO Girl Evangelist.
A South Carolina Squire's Story OF the
Child Who Is Preaching the Gospel
with Such Power to Black
and White.

of the southern colony in New \ Ork
met In the lobby of downtown hotel
the other evening to talk over old
times with a genuine old South Caro-
lima esquire" 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 little above that
of Judge" and far above that of
'colonel," as a mark Of popularity and
dignity, and he wears it gracefully
still
Squire, suppose we all take some
thing" suggested the big colonel from
kentucky.
Il can't do it, boys" responded the
squire, and a far-away look came into
iskindly eyes You see, I've stopped
"Wh-e-w," whistled the colonel, with
a long -drawn-out sound like fall
wind. Il 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 you?' 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.
We'll boys, it was this way" he
said. The little Niger girl preacher
converted me, and I've dropped a good
many of my old ways, such as cussin',
sweariu', and drinkin' l reckon you
maybe all read that little editorial
about her in the Sunday 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 her
sermon don't touch your hearts more
than all the Parkhurstian bombs and
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 what
burned little pickaninny had to say
would influence a man of your COM
mon sense, squirrel" spoke up the old
est man in the crowd, testify. II
wouldn't have believed it of you. What
manner of child is she, anyway, and
where did she come from?"
II don't know 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 a long
draw at corn-cob pipe, but she was
born near Washington, somewhere in
Virginia, 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-
res 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 half
old, and has never left it, but of course
you all won't believe that, for no
genuine darby has any idea of time.
I'd been hearing and reading a 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 meet
ing. l decided to go around to the
church TO hear her 1t 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 death comes,
some time, way over yonder, where
my Jesus is, I'll live there too, singing
always that new song with Him IN
glory
"Her voice had mournful ring in it,
and the little creature made a most
pathetic picture as her head bobbed up
from behind the pulpit and her great
eyes roved over the congregation in an
appealing way. She looked about her
YEARLY and sadly for a moment, but
soon radiant light fell upon her face,
for her sermon had struck home, and
she knew it; the entire congregation
began to sing, and the queer part of it
all was, they began to sing the same
thing Soon some began to chant,
while others cried aloud, moaning and
bewailing their sins. You talk about
your paid choirs- There isn't enough
money in New York to buy such
music as l heard that night. The
voices were rich and full and sweet,
and minor chord that touched ones
very soul was the predominating
sound.
Sermons and music have a most
electrifying effect upon a colored con-
gregation, and this one was soon
wrought up to the highest pitch of
religious excitement. Some Of the
mo'ners Frustrated themselves on their
Races, beating the bare floor with their
hands until they we're worn out, when
they would lie in what is termed a
trance. Others crawled on their knees
to the pulpit Many of them sat in the
midst of this up oar and appeared
neither to see nor hear, so intent were
they in working out their own saliva
ton. In the meantime The old sistars,