River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-06-01
SEEKING THE LIGHT.
Colored Converts Brought Into the
Fold Of the Church.
Their sincerity Not to BE Doubted
A Sunday Morning Baptism In
the Potomae-The Cere-
mony Described.

Three newspaper men were taking
a Sunday morning walk with the inten-
ton to go over the heights of George
town beyond the arcient Rock of
Dumbarton, when, rs we were near
ing the historic stream of Rock
creek, which divides the old-time
commercial port from the national cap
ital, we heard the voices of hundreds of
people singing religious songs and
shouting amen and hallelujah. There
was evidently ceremony of baptism
being performed by the colored people
of our city, because we had heard sim
liar sounds upon one occasion before,
although we had never been present at
any such occasion in this city or the
vicinity.
We DETECTED our course and came to
the p street bridge, over which the
Metropolitan street cars run, and stand
ing upon that structure we witnessed
an unusual scene, even for the District
of Columbia. There must have been
not less than 5000 colored people upon
one bank of the stream, while there
were upwards of 5000 white people
upon the other side, all gathered to-
gether to witness the immersion of
about two score colored men and wom-
en-, who were to be admitted as mem
bers of the Baptist church after pub
lie compliance with the most impor-
tant regulation of that religious body.
While not disposed to smile or laugh
at things religious, nor ridicule any
l,DA
things occurred which were provoca-
tive of laughter, in spite of the fact that
these people were earnest, sincere and
honestly seeking salvation. While all
of the good people upon the eastern
shore of the creek were singing: "We
are kneeling at the altar on our knees,
and we face the rising sun; Lord have
mercy on our souls" young colored
girl not more than 16 years of age en-
tered the water and was led into deep
place by the pastor.
She was so carried away by religious
zeal and enthusiasm that it required
the united strength of the pastor and
his assistant to hold the girl and keep
her from drowning herself. She was
slippery as an eel, and it really seemed
as though she would drown herself in
the fervor of her frenzy. Several times
she jumped into the water far beyond
her depth, but was ultimately held in
check, while the pastor uttered few
words of invocation and pushed her
under the water. While this struggle
was going on the people on the bank
were singing: "Way over yonder where
wander, angels are looking on me-"
.Sister Susan is saved" SISTER Bet
tie is saved" GLORY be to God. Halle
| luiah!' Praise the Lord for ever
morei"
Those were a few of the CALCULATIONS
which burst in unison from the threats
of the assembled multitude, as sister
/ after sister was immersed and blessed
| by the pastor. There was one athletic
old woman, who weighed 800 pounds at
least, who grasped the pastor around
| the throat and hauled his head under
the water, which, by the way, looked
very much like thick bean soup. The
crying and wailing and grooming of
the negro plantation melodies were
like barbaric singing of ante-bellum
times. One of their peculiar cries as
the waters rolled over the heads of
| the converts was: 1.-The waters of Jor-
dan are rolling over my soul. Glory
be to God! Hallelujah!"
Standing on the bridge, as we did,
above the people, every word they ut
tered came up to us distinctly, and the
voices of praise rang up and down the
peaceful valley SO that they must have
been heard fully two miles by the peo-
pie who dwell in the beautiful cottages
along the banks of the stream.