The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-15

Al 4 NEGRO REVIVAL
Unlettcred Men Who Wisely Ex-
pound the Truth.
MISUNDERSTANDING

lnuSpeEutIlt.
We were a party of six, all Sunday
school teachers. all supposed scripturai ex-
perts. One OF our number was a retired
American missionary association worker,
and another one had been preparing for
the foreign mission field when her health
failed her. The five of US accepted the
invitation Of the sixth. our hostess, TO at
tend colored revival meeting near by.
We were the only white people In the
crowded church. All about us were dusky
faces; all around us the mellow negro
voices rang cut in characteristic negro re-
viyal songs. The words were. trivial, the
ehornses but disiointed bits Of sentences.
bat the melody was Intoxicating TO tho
senses. Though untuned. what voices' Tn
trained. without rule, yet with a strange
rhythm and passionate fire that stirred
ones pulses as never operate aria could.
Our dark-skinned brethren We're Of the
Christian religion; therefore. they were
nearer TO us than heather. Nevertheless.
between us and them rolled q great gulf.
They were iiliterafe. emotional, babes In
the gospel. They had never heard OF the
higher criticism. and never studied Barnes
or Adam Clarke. and were not afraid OF
DE Wette or Renan. So we sat there with
the pa3ronizlng air that human beings are
apt 10 assume when thrown in contact
with nortals less wise than themselves.
Brother Jonah Watkins. u whlte-wooled.
bent backed man OF 20. was called upon to
pray He responded. In nowise overawed
by our superior presence. He prayed as
though his lips had indeed been touched
by a live coal from Gods own altar.
90 Lord" he prayed. thou knowest dis
people. Here we are befo' de, down on
our marrerbones In de iowlands of sorrow.
Raise Us up, deah Lord. an stan US up
upon our feet upon de mountain tops OF
glory. An de sinnahs OF dis congregation.
deah Lord, smite 'em wild de hannah OF
Jeremiah"--
/ heard no more. 1.-THE hannah OF Jere-
miah"-what was Il? had read the proph-
ct jeremiah through and through. with the
commentaries and Bible dictionaries open
AZ every page but never q syllable had
caught about Jeremah's hammer. What
did this bent-backed colored man know
about jeremiah that the wise teachers or
the law had overlooked? The question was
broa ched on the homeward walk. our par
~ had all been truck with the express
sion. but not one OF us six Sunday-school
teachers had the renotest idea OF what
Jereuf:ah's hammer might be. The next
dav six men and women read their Bibles.
and each OF the six began NJ the firss
verse OF the first chapter OF Jeremiah. One
nv one. az We reached the twsnty-ninth
verse of the twenty-third chapter, we
found what we were after.
..Is no, my word like fireP saith the
Lord: and like hammer that breaketh the
rock in Tieces7' Jeremiah's hammer was
C,od's word that was able to break down
r. a;nfv resistance OF the indifferent soul.
1,o,ia scripture reference have been more
anu,icapIe9 And the wosder OF all was
thst ,hss low born son OF toll. spelling his
,cxt o,,t word by word, should have found
,he kernel oe the meat, while others. with
every help at hand. passed over IL.