The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-02
PICKANINNY PREACHER.
uONDERFII DOINGs or 4 LITTLE
NEGRO GIRL ECINGELfsT.
story of the Child Who il Preaching the
Gospel with such Power to Black and
White sinners.


evening to talk over old times with a
genuine old South Carolina squire" who
is spending a few days in the city. This
gentleman OF the old school acquired the
title Of squire in the old days, Wnen IL
was a little above that OF Judge" and
far beyond that of Colonel" as a mark
OF popularity ana dignity, and he wears
.sI,.ire' supoo,e we all take someth-
ing" suggested q big Colonel from Ken
lucky.
II can't do IT, boys responded the
Squire, and a far-way look came into his
kindly eyes You SEE I've stopped
"We-e-w." whistlei the Colonel. with a
lonC-diawn-out soun1 IKE a iail wind,
81 can hardly believe you Ana every
man in the party ltoked as il ne was
thinking the same ching, but none made
and comment
How did such misfortune come upon
you. finally venWred "a Nir.lnian, after
the first great wave or surprise had SUBJ
sid 3D. FOR they all knew That for nearly
forty years the Squire had taken his today
three times day before m ais 10 Wnet
his appetite, and three uines aally aller
meals to ali MS digestion.
Well boys. 10 Was this way he said.
"Tfe lttle aiggcr girl preacher converted
me. ana I've dropped a sooi lahy OF ily
old ways, sLcl. as cNariA 9MtaIih "-i|
drlnkiu. j reckon you may De all al that
litte editorial about her IN last sunday
sun s9Irgcstnc that she should come TO
New YORK ana preach ln Madison square
Garden Well, all I've got 10 say u.s., ll
sha comes YOU must ~! so 10 hear her.
and IL her sermons don't tOucu yOIi
hearts more than an the ParNhurstian
bombs and Talmagc Roman candles that
you've listtred 20 since yon moved 20
this district then III so back 60 my WICK
cd ways
Who'd ever have thought that what q
burned little pickaninnN h9i 20 say Mooih
influence NJ of YOUR common sense,
squire spoke up the oii Esq man ll tue
crowd testify II Wouldn't have believed
10 OF yOl What manner of child is she,
any way, and where ala she come from
II cont know a great deal tlout hcr
past history. which 81 a very snort one
az She is only r.ne years Old commenc-
ed the SqLire. as be took long draw az
CCrn-cob pipe, "but Shc was norm near
W ashington, someWh -te III virginia
think. il the fall o. 80. Her daddy was "A
preacher and died three or four years ago.
This child. whose fun name Is Claretta
NOrah Avery, has always eagerly attend
ed religious services and taken great
interest in the spiritual welfare OF heI
people. She says that the love Of God
entered her heart. when she was year
and q half old. and has never ieft II. bur
Of course YOU all won't believe that, TOT
no genuine darky has any idea OF time
Ia been hearing and reading good deal
about her. and not believing much, and
when bus ness carried me 10 small
where she was holding meeting. ] de-
/ cilcd 90 70 around 20 the church 10 near
her. II was quite late ana l got there
just in time 10 catch the last sentence OF
her sermon.
nm going 10 stay IN tho field herr
until / die. and when death comes, some
time. way over Wonder. " lcre my Jesus
is, I'll live there too. singing always that
new song with Him I'm glory
Her voice had "a monrnlul ring IN ~
| and the little creature made a most pa
/ thetic picture as her mead bohbel zap itom
I behind the pulpit and her great eyes row
| ed over the congregation in an appealing
/ way. She looked about her YEARLY ana
| sadly for a moment but soon radiant
/ light fell upon her face, for her sermon
| had struck home, ana she knew -ti ths
entire congregation began 10 sing. and
the queer part OF IN am was. they began
10 sing the same thing. Soon some began
/ TO chant, while. others cried aloud. moan
! ing and bevailing their sins. You talk
/ money I'm New York 10 buy such music
as / heard that night The voices were
/ rich and fun and sweet ana MINOR
| chord that touched ones very soul was
/ the prcdOminatng sound.
sermons and music have most cleo
! trifviug effect upon colofed congrtEa-
! ton. and this one was soon wrought mp
TO the highest pitch OF religious excite
/ ment. Some Of the mourners prostIated
/ themselves on their faces, beating inc
I bare floor with their hands Until they were
worn out, when they would lie in what Is
! termed "A trance. Others crdWlcl on tntlf
| knees 20 the pulpit. Many Of them sat
/ in the midst of this uprOar and appeared
neither 10 see nor hear so intent were
they I'm working out their own salvation.
/ In the mean time the old sisters WHO were
| sure of heaven. kept on singing 10 keep
/ things going. The leader that night was
a regular old-time. befo'-the war nanny
and goodness fairly beamed from her
! countenance.
II bin a liar so long, so long
So long, so long,
/ bin liar so long,
she chanted In "a weird pathetic voice
and evev person I'm the congregation who
was able to lift his or her voice chanted
/ the refrain at the end of every three
| lines.
Gin me a little time ter pray
Every one was IN motion. Some sway
| ed their bodies backward and forward.
| some shufled their feet I'm time TO the
music, and the very happy ones clapped
/ their hands and shouted Glory. my
fawd" This kept up for hours. several
/ urosfrate forms We're carried ont, and ID
! number Were left I'm the church, where
/ they Law until next day. Nhy / got
tired and went away that night the little
preacher, utterly worn out, had curled
| herself up In a split-bo'tom chair, ara
was enjoying the sleep OF innocent chile
/ hood. i could hardly sleep that night
for thinking about that meeting L tch
YOU, boys. J was impressed.
81 always thought you were above such
supersution. Squire" remarked some one
as the Squire stopped 10 MI his pipe.
"Weu. any way j went back the next
night" resumed the Squire. "and for the
| first time got a good view OF the little
preacher She Is q perfect child IN looks
and ways. Her complexion is about me
! color of an old muster-eround ginger
cake. her teeth white and even, mourn
ful. ewes prominent. and she doesn't
weigh more than sixty or seventy pounds.
| There were lot Of white people in the
congregation. but she took no notice or
| them. Curiosity prompted me % 20 TO
| listen 90 Ter. bat interest held me there
| She spoke right out In the most earnest
way, as If her only thought was preach
| ing the gospel Her delivery and gestures
were easy. and In fact what she said
and the way she said IL beat nine-tenths
| of the prcachCrs-cspccid these evan
! gelists-white or black.
/ "she opened service with a very good
prayer. and read. or rather recited, "a
! chapter from the Bible which did not
bear on the sermon I'm the least. Her ONE
thought seems 90 be 20 prepare for thn
| Great Beyond. which she designates as
way over yOnder She talks about the
/ hereafter in most pathetic way, and /
remember on that particular night her
text was Business In Heaven.
"Pn meet YOU there. sinner she said
for | got business with Capt Jesus. /
must tend 10 H. | must go where part
| i'm is no mo- / got TO put on "A Ions
| white robe. a starry crown. silver slip
| rare and sif al my Masters feet I'ii