The leader., 1898-12-14
A SHORT SERMON.
By the Parson of Sleepy Hollow,
Jackson, Miss.

THE following bit of exquisite satire,
written in negro dialect for the Vicks-
burg Post at the time the late yellow
fever panic was at it's height in jack
son. though little out of date, is well
worth its space in THE LEADER:l
My BELUBED BREDEREN Dis am
united meetin OBJ all de different per-
swashuns, fer dar am not enuf OBJ emmy
one to make quorum, an / is been
called on to speak to you on de great
auestshun what have so discomtorted
de people.
1t was jist on Sunday afore de last
dat passed by de Baptist church, an
dar was big congregation, an dey all
seemed to be happy, and dey was er
singin' dat sweet little hymn, II is Only
Waiting" Whar am dey now? Done
flew on de wings OBJ de mornin' to dat
great city OBJ Chicago where de water
pribilege am great, an whar dey is still
singin' II is Only Waitin'" for de frost
to cum.
Whar am de Mefodists? Dey is de
people what am always er shoutin' and
er singin' I'm Redeemed" An dar am
whole lot OBJ dem what sits up in de
amen corner OBJ de church and dey
sings:
when l can read my titles clear,
To manshuns in de sky"
And dey cries out to all de sinner
men, Cum and go wild us for we is
journeying to a better land" And
whar is dey? guess dey must hav
foun sum flaw in de titles, and dey hav
changed dar minds and dun journeyed
to Chicago long wild dem Baptists.
What am de matter wild dem Presby-
terians? Dey can tell you de whole OBJ
de shorter catechism by heart, and all
bout de fession of faith, and dey say,
1--WE am de children of de covenant,
and dey boldly declare dat before de
foundashun of dis old world was lade,
dey was foreordained, and predester-
mated and elected, and now when de
fever Gums and dey gifts a chance to 60
up yonder and fill de posishun to which
dey have been elected dey dun and
run too. What's de matter wild dem ?
l is feared dat dey amt so sartain
about dat elecshun. Dey come to de
conclusion dat maybe dem votes amt
done all bin counted and dey had bet
ter skip. And dar dey is away out in
de country or waitin to hear de final
results of dat elecshun, or fer de cold
wedder to cum.
And den dar is de Prescriptions.
Dey never did perfess to have emmy re-
ligion, and de Lord knows dat dey live
up to dar perfesshun. Dey love de
good eatin and de fine clothes, and dey
love to float on de top of de society pot
Dey knows good Ticker when dey sees
it, and sum of dem seize it purity oftin.
Dey have gone to more serlubrious
climate and hope dey is happy.
And now, my brederen, de great ques-
ton dis mornin am, what am gwine to
BEGUN of dat part of de flock what am
left berhind? One thing am sartin,
though our faith may be weak, our
pockets am er heap weaker, and we is
er bound to stay right here. Dis am a
sad but a solem fack. Dis am a sad
time. A time when de people am er
givin mortgages and deeds in trust for
to git away on, and dey don't know
whar de money am er comm from to
pay it back.
/ is bin er preachin to dis people for
desc many years, and you all know dat
my pay is bin mighty scant and sum-
times de rashuns have bin short. But
l is kept on er workin and er strivin
and now is er gettin mighty tired. 1t
am a mournful fact dat l is bound to
gin up dis job. is gwine to quit de
perfesshun of preachin and is gwine
to jine the State Board of Health, for !
does belive dat dey is got de best job
is heered of in many long day. Dey
don't do nuthin but keep on de lookout
for de spishus case, den dey puts de ac-
cordeum around de house to keep de
gems from floating around, and draw
dare pay.
My brederen. we Is mighty poor.
None Of us has any wealth;
is gwine to quit dis preaehin,
And jine de Board OF Health.