The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-10-02
A BAPTIZING IN
THE COUNTRY.
Familiar Scenes Under SunIt Sep
TENDER Skies.
STIFFNESS, AND SWEETNESS.
An Hour Spent in the Church Service
Then All Hands Visit the Banks
of Near by Stream 20 Witness
Colored Baptizing.

/ ms IS the ShUNill MORN
Soft breezes breathe q hallowed sound"
After a summer Of pleasure-of gay
ETY., noise and confusion which IS a nat
ural consequence OF happy holidays when
a ncighborhOOd OF young people meet and
! spend their vacation, e s. a pleasure 10
| awake on a bright, cool September sun
| day morning and have as a first morning
| thought the instructive feeling Of peace
| and rest To lie still a few moments and
| realize that life is joy; then TO arise
and dress for breakfast, feeling an eX-
| uberance Of spirit and elasticity of body
| a result Of good health and a clear con-
| science. Who among us has not enjoyed
| a September Sabbath I'm the country il
IS too early yet for the pessimisuc poets
10 begin TO sigh out I'm sadly pathetic
| tones that the melancholy days have
come" Even theirs is a feeling that re-
! semDlcs sadness only as the mist rcscm-
! blos the rain. We DO not prepare am
| elaborate programme for this holy day,
| but take the events as they come We
| do not look forward an hour. and like
| those happy savage creatures who receive
| so much Of our pity and SO little OF our
| aid, we live (for the present. in the pres
| emit, and go on trusting to Providence
| 10 guide us through the day. our crowd
| which is composed of ten. start Off TO the
little white church i'm the grove half
mile away lt is not merry crowd but
quiet, orderly, satisfied crowd that en-
ters the little church. and there I'm the
stiffness and sweetness and brightness of
Sabbath home. the little children are
again told the Old. old story which to
every child Of God is ever sweet and ever
new.
A plaintive hymn. Calling to Thee"
rings out sweet and clear There are
prayers and more songs and the simple
service is over. Then the missionary
meeting begins. The one evidence Of our
feeble efforts 10 help those helpless
wandering prOdgals who have strayed
from the fold of the Good Shepherd.
Then il is we see how that the song we
have sung is so fitting, and we repeat the
refrain
calling TO thee. calling 10 thee.
Hear the Good Shepherd calling to thee" |
Then follows tho regular routine. and |
the service is closed with the grand old |
song. How Firm % Foundation" Every |
body sings and everybody feels
Fear not. ] am with thee. Oh. be not |
dismayed.
For ] am thy God. 1 viii still give thee
aid
I'll strengthen thee, help thee and cause
thee 10 stand
Upheld by my gracious, omnipotent |
hand"
Then the everlasting promise of the
f|Nf tNt NN Ai-I". III |lN ID NrN ll AtlINs
I'll nevcr-no never-no never f0rsakc." |
AFTER THE SERVICE
Tho service is over. there are greetings |
and partings and laughing and talking |
country-flshion. a party Is forming OUT
side the church door For what2 no att
tend the colorcd baptiziug % half mile
further ON. Shall we eo2 Tho question
is a-gured pro and con. cts lots of
FUN" some one suggests: but TO do our
party justice, while it may be i'm "a degree
curiosity which prompts MS 10 go. yet 10
ls not altogether for "a froNc we are goo
ing. What glorious morning 30 isi TO !
is no wonder that poets rave over Sep
tcmher sunshine and call 30 liquid gold.
for 10 does seem then more golden than
at any other time of the year. Perhaps
that is why there are so many yellow
flowers I'm Autumn. The goden-rod and
its companion, the astcr, in wonderful
wild prOfusOn borders each side OF the
road. and the leaves Of the trees Just be-
ginning 10 take on a yellowsh tiuee. The
crimson ivy and the white wild parsnip !
with here and there % few bclated dais-
les mixed in the tangled dark-grcen foli-
age help 90 modify The toO-much gold |
and TO render the landscape pleasing 90
the sieht-a gigantic wild bouquet ar
ranged by Natures handl
To and from the church we have 20 |
pass field of magnificent t0baccO-each !
plant of which overlaps the other. so that
the risky elves I'm their alleged noctur-
nal revelrics might dance from one end
of the field 10 the other on the tops Of |
their tabular leaves.
FOLLOW Me
The short drive is Intensely enjoyed
md the only regret Is that ID could not
be longer. AS we reach a fork I'm the
road. We stop and hesitate. undecided as
10 the way Several colored people pass
ana we enquire the way 10 the baptlzing
and the hour. ut IS time for 10 now"
lnc replies politely. IF you follow me
III show You the way Then our party
oliows slowly-"like q funeral process
ION, someone suggests. 90 nOw we an
n.y. 1T is an too bright and happy for
nat. We follow our guides who are re-
nIorced as we go, and who are polite as
lOhte can be. They draw back the trees
hat lap across the narrow path into
which we have turned so that we may
'ass; they lead our horse across the
ough places, they offer 20 secure our
.orses when we reach our destination: ! !
ma then point out place apart which
as been reserved for their white friends
strange TO say the place that they have
hosen for one Of their most sacred of am ! 7
heir religious rites is the site of am
id brandy distiilery. Tradition saws
ma we nave every reason to believe liz is 4
rue mat Peter Francisco. whose home ,
vas az this place and for whom our town
mp was named. once had a distiierv p
ere, and this is the same pond that sup
lied the water for that disullery.
10 Is only short time we have 10 wait.
'hich time if one has an eye for The
rtisuc or any curiosity. short as il Is.
lay be well spent, and full Of interest
nd pleasure d.
our little party stands on n small green +,
non with a background OF aldors and | I,
,camores. overlooking the shallow and n
ready muddy pond which seems 10 COM / d
am only few gallons Of water. The n
esroes are pouring down the hin in front
us ana taking their places around the G
)nQ. Few are I'm the trees Our ate m
nton being first called TO those who had q
l0sen these elevated positions bv a
Dung lady { a Bible scholar and a coll
5e Braduate), who exclaimed, 20 look
NicOdemusi' Where" we ask I'm
le tree" IS the reply. and We laugh and n
lggest to her that she call down Nico- bi
-mus from the tree and tell him his
anne Is "Zachaeus.' Then she explains r.
mid the laughter. though we have our -
'ubts about IL still, that 1T was only So
lapsus lnguao." =
PICTURESQUE DARKIES. 70,
The stream Of dusky humanity I'm indie I
rioable CARDS. whose colOrs outrival 1
at wonderful coat of Josephs still pour !
'wn the hill 20 the pond. Some are moi 4
p. and laugh and talk and run and n
ramble fOr places. but the majority are
derby and quiet. Many recognize rs,
I'd respectfully bid us good morning
asst of the long procession come the
myers. composed Of two preachers one ~
a long, black baptismal robe belted ca
wn and half dozen elderly men with -.
sly voices. IL sounds like a dirge they -