The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-07-01
JlMTQWNis CONVERSIONS.
4 Church at St. Joseph Where Slaves
Got Religion Under Orders.

Got Religion Under ORDERS.
Jimtown Is not on the new map Of Mis-
souri,. Before the war it was the only sub
urb of st. Joseph. 1t was a stone build
ing back in the woods from the big road.
At certain seasons it WAS occupied i've
days in the week as schoolhOuse. 1t
was for rent on Sunday to any denomina-
ton that wanted it for church purposes
But the original purpose Of the build
ing was to have place to convert ne
groes who were hired out BY their own
ers. There we're several plantations in
that neighborhood on which negroes from
Virginia and Maryland were colonized.
A few men owned nearly all the slaves in
the country and let them to people who
were not financially able to own such
property or who found it cheaper to hire
than own.
Whatever crime was committed in st.
Joseph or it's county, at that time, was
always charged to a negro, and II an ar
rest was made the negro suffered, and so
did his master, for the latter went to the
slaves rescue from Hercenary more
than any other motive. And thus in hir-
ing help the question came to be asked,
SIS your negro honest?" The simple
affirmative averment Of the owner was
not sufficient. 1t was necessary for him
to add, "He is not only honest, but got
religion at Jimtown," mentioning the
date. Sometimes an overparticular EN-
ploy would ask who conducted the meet
ing, for there were few preachers in
the community whose regulations were
clouded by suspicious circumstances
which had not been explained.
This was what suggested the building
of the stone church. 1t came to be
known as Jimtown, because Of the un-
harvested crop Of jimson weeds that grew
in that country in the early days. 1t was
said that the weeds grew from seed car
ried by the negroes from Virginia, who
believed that the weeds kept off witches.
The negro REVEALS in the Jimtown church
usually took place after hog killing time,
a few weeks before Christmas. The me-
gro in the first stages Of religion was not
so apt to shirk work during the holidays
or get drunk. That these revivals were
commercial affairs in the interest Of the
owners was shown in various ways, one
Of which is recalled
A white man In st. Joseph wanted to
hire colored whitewasher. The white
faith and leanings, and when the owner
of the property said his negro got religion
at the last Jimtown meeting the employ
! er asked who preached, and upon being
told he said, THAT preachers Metho-
dist" The owner could not deny this.
The employer wanted to know II the
owner didn't have any Baptist neeso.
The owner had none he could recommend
for whitewashing, A few days later the
owner went to town and informed the
! man who wanted to hire that the white
washer had black slid from the Methodist
church, got religion over again and had
been baptized in Black Snake creek on
F., the previous Sunday" The man was
hired for a year for 800. Before the
contract expired embarrassing business
took drop, and the employer informed
| the master that the negro had broke
over the Baptist religion" and was no
good for work But the owner was a
very willy old Virginia gentleman and had
smart son, who was n lawyer. The ia
| Their and soon took the negro to jim
town Baptist revival, had him reconvert-
ed and rebaptized and sent him back to
| his employer in St. Joseph, with the init
! nation that if he failed to work 1t would
| be the fault Of the employer, who still
| owed half the money for the negroes hire.
The contracts usually called for half cash
down in the beginning and half at the ex-
piration of the contract.
Another popularity of the Jimtown re-
| vival, SO far as it affected colored man s
employment, was that 1t was not war.
| ranted unless conducted by colored
| A al aA 20