The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-03-18
A Wonderful Girl.

There we're fully $500 people at the
First Calvary Baptist church, colored, last
night to near Claretta n. Avery, a young
colored girl, apparently about ID years of
age, preach. She has, during her short
career, created O decided sensation
throughout the North and South, in many
of the cities in which she has preached to
thousands of persons, both white and
colored.
Her mother, q woman apparently about
IS years OF age, travels with her and last
night sut beside her on the rostrum and
seemed O take interest in all that she said
to her auditors.
Before the young girl commenced her
discourse a collection was taken up and
hundreds literally contributed.
After the singing of several hymns the
pastor, Rev. J. q. Daniels, announced that
the ''w0nderiul little instrument in the
hands of God" would again preach at Cal
vary this afternoon at 3 o'clock in order
to ~llow the hundreds who had been de-
MED ad mittance to receive the benefit of
her powers This service will be especial
~ for the whites.
Little Claretta is from Carthage, North
Carolina, but her pronunciation is dis
tinctly different frOm that OF the Sautbern
negro, being doubtless due to her long
journey through the Northern States.
She spike in a low voice, though clear to
those near her, and the immense congre-
cation was aroused to a high state of en-
thusiasm when she 30 intended them to
be-. ahe seemed tn hold them as in q
trance md they appeared deeply touched
and strongly Impressed by her prayer
to God and her Interpretation Of His
word.
1t was with the greatest difficulty that
the Rev. Daniels and his assistants could
restore quiet when those in the audience
became 10 enthusiastic over the young
girls teachings as to give vent tn excla.
nations OF approval end delight and she
was, in fact, repeatedly interrupted dur
ing her discourse and the pastor found it
necessary to appeal for quiet.
In her preaching she said hat the Lord
sent many into fields to work for Hin
and that satan attempted, Often with sue
cess, To- persuade them to work against
Him. There were hundreds ofunbelievers
who bad fallen by the waYside by the
persuasion of the devil. The sinners
needed to come to Jesus in order to
appreciate their real condition. It was
dreadful to be a sinner and un%converted
tn the cause of Jesus Christ for death
comes at any moment and perhaps at a
time when it is too late to prepare for an
entrance into the pearly gates. This
cause should be cham pioned until He
forbids us to proceed further.
She pictured hell as vivIdly presented
in the mind of a dreaming sinner, az a
place where ~rithing, kissing serpents
found their habitat within the living
breast: where the soft spots refused To
rest the weary limbs Of a traveller, for in
hell there is no rest" The sinner then
called upon God for aid. When the
| dreamer awoke, the visions of damnation
still fresh in his mind, be deserted the
banner of satan and fought under the
culors of Jesus.
She appealed to her now thoroughly
aroused and enthused auditors, to do rs
| the dreamer had done when he "washed
10 the blood Of the Lamb" Old woIne
10 the congregation called to the young
| girl in tones of approval, standing up and
| gesticulating wildly and even applaudlng
at times. TIE entire assemblage gave
vent to their feelings by murmurings of
| delight as she described the ascent to the
heavenly gates and the entrance to the
| kingdom OF Jesus Christ. Men and wo-
men lost control of themselves in mad
| enthusiasm at the girls words when she
| begged them to fight for God and prepare
| themselves for the fields of happiness
above the clouds. Some pressed toward
| the front of the church and endeavored
to get nearer to the girl. throwing up
their bands before her and lingering be-
tween a smile and a tear of joyful belief.
At the close of her sermon she asked
those who desired to profess their CONVEX
sion to the cause to stand, and fully 100
arose..
Claretta is undoubtedly a wonderful
| girl, and to hear her is the only way in
which her powers ofspeech can be proper.
ly appreciated.-Coiumbin State. March 5.