St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-11-09
A APICKANINNY PREACHER
Wonderful Doings Of Little
Negro Girl Evangelist.
A south Carolina squire's story Of the
Child Who Is Preaching the Gospel
with Such Power to BTa5k
and White


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 little above that
OF ''iudge," and far above that OF.
colonel" +" as mark of popularity and
dignity, and he wears it gracefully
still
esquire, suppose we all take some
thing, !. suggested the big colonel from
Kentucky
II can't do it, boys" responded the
squire, and a far-away look came into
his skindly eyes tYou see, I've stopped. :"
.sWh-e-w,' = whistled the colonel, with
a long-d g-drawn-out sound like a fall
wind. 81 can hardly believe you" And
every man in the party looked as II he ne
was thinking the same thing, but none
made any comment
.'How did such misfortune come
upon you3' 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.
swell, boys, it was this way, he
said. 1.-THE little niger girl preacher
converted me, and I've dropped good
many of my old ways, such as cussin', j,
syvearin', and drinkin' | 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 II her
sermon don't touch your hearts more
than all the Parkhnrstian bombs and
Talmagic Roman candles that you've
listened to since you moved to this dis
trict, then FL 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, squirrel" spoke up the old.
est man in the crowd. testify. u
wouldn't have believed it Of you, What
manner of child is she, anyway, and
where did she come from?
ST don't know great deal about he1
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, sbut she was
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
Y full name is Claretta Nora Avery, ha'
always eagerly attended religious serv
ces and taken great interest in th'
spiritual welfare of her people. Sh'
saws that the love of God entered he
heart when she was year and hal
old, and has never left it, but of cours
you all won't believe that, for n
genuine darlky has any idea OF time
I'd been hearing and reading a goo
deal about her, and not believing much
and when business carried rue to
small town IN the lower part of tn
state, where sne was holding meet
ing, / decided to go around to tn
church to hear her 1t was quite late
and got there just in time to cate
the last sentence of her sermon.
I'm going to stay in the field her
nntil die, and when death comes
some time, way over yonder, whei
my Jesus is, I'll live there too, singin
always that new song with Him
glory
"Her voice had mournful ring in i
and the little creature made a mo-
pathetic picture as her head bobbed
from behind the pulpit and her gres
eyes roved over the congregation In
appealing way She looked about ht
YEARLY and sadly for a moment, b'
soon radiant light fell upon her fac
for her sermon had struck home, ar
she knew it; the entire congregatie
began to sing, and the queer part OF
all was, they began to sing the san
thing. Soon some began to chan
while others cried aloud, moaning ar
bewailing their sins You talk abo1
your paid choirs There isn't enoue
money in New York to buy su,
music as ] heard that night, 81
voices were rich and full and swee
and minor chord that touched one
very soul was the predominant
sound,
.tSermons and music have a me
electrifying effect upon colored co
gregation, and this one was so
wrought up to the highest pitch
religious excitement Some Of 9
mo'ners Frustrated themselves on the
races, beating the bare floor with the
hands until they were worn out, VIII
they would lie in what is termed
trance. Others crawled on their kns
to the pulpit. Mary of them sat in t
midst of this up oar and appear
neither to see nor hesr, so intent we
they IN working out their own salN
ton. II the meantime the old sisaa