The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-29
BURYING THE EVIL ONE
SOUTH CAROLINA NEGROES CELE-
BRATING THE DEVILS DEATH.
Queer Rites and Strange Religious
Frenzy--A CoIored Preachers Re-
marIabIc Statement.

ldOUNTvILI.E S. c., Aug. 2s,-The devil
IS being buried in this little town with
strange and weird rites. The negroes of
South Carolina and of several neighboring
states have conceived the idea that the
evil one has ceased to exist, and nearly ten
thousand Of them have gathered in Mount
vile TO celebrate his demise.
The excitement began two weeks ago
upon the arrival here of a church bell in
tended for use in colored church in the
southeastern part of the city. AS soon as
the bell was received and hung in the
church steeple it was rung steadily for six
consecutive hours. Being the only church
bell in the city it naturally attracted atten-
tion. The colored population became eX-
cited, and a period of religious exaltation
set in which has continued without abate-
ent ever since. The pastor Of the church
at the beginning of the excitement an
nounced that the devil was dead and that
al who wished to attend the funeral should
hasten to the place.
When skeptical negroes asked for partc-
ulars, the exhorters explained that the evil
one had been tried before the high court
of heaven, where God sat in judgment, and
that he had been condemned and executed
And, brethren" exclaimed the leading ne
gro preacher, hes been turned over to us
right here in MountYillo 10 the negroes of
this town, to bury forever. The old devil
dead at last, and We are going to bury
him deep, so he'll never trouble the people
any more"
The credulous negroes shouted: GLORY
Hallelujah!' The message spread. THE
devil is dead! The devil is dead Come to
the meeting and help to bury him, Come
TO MOuntVille while there is time!'
From North Carolina, and Alabama and
georgia, and Florida, the negroes came
Hooking in-men, women ana children. Inc
niue meeting mousse Tor fortnight has been
CROWDED ana thousands are camped on the
lawn. Every train brings hundreds to JON
those already on the scene Farms are de-
serted by the negroes everywhere and the
ripening crops are neglected Men and
women shout and yell and shrek with
frenzy. They hug each other and dance
up and down ana srin around until they
are exhausted and 1all, screaming, to the
ground.
A platform three feet high and twenty
feet front square has been built in front
OF the church. When the negroes become
exhausted they are laid on this platform
to recover their strength and senses. To-
day. when new party arrived from Flori-
ia, the trenzied negroes literally tore the
clothes from their own and each others
backs, the while keeping up the cry: The
devil is dead! Glory, Hallelujah!'
One negro came on bicycle He placed
a plank on a trestle ten feet high, with the
other end on the ground. Then he started
at full speed to ride up the plank, saying
he was going to heaven. He fell off the
plank and broke his leg, but still he shouts
with the rest that he is on the road to
everlasting glory.
Nearly every one is dressed in white
Many have stripped off their outer clothing
and wear only their undergarments. The
mules and horses driven or ridden to the
great meeting are neglected and starving.
Colored girls, sobbing and screaming, fan
senseleSs to the ground and lie there, While
others dance and sing in a circle around
them. Negro train hands desert passing
night long the wild, fierce, eultant singing
and yelling keeps up: At dawn they pat
their hands on their knees and their feet
the singing of the angels in the morning
sky.
The white people are becoming alarmed
and wonder what the end OF Il all will be.
There are at least twenty negro exhorters
on the ground and more are coming. Inc
people are getting weak from want of food,
loss of sleep and the unusua1 excitement,
and three of the negroes to-day became
wholly insane.