The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-16
BAPTIZED in THE CANAL
THE CEREMONIES Conducted By
TWO COLORED PASTORS.
of Mount Zion and Antioch
Churches Immersed-Solemn
Proceedings.

Strung along the banks of the canal, be-
tween Thirteenth and Eighteenth streets.
yesterday, was a representative portion of
the colored population of Indianapolis.
s~prinkled here and there with a group of
whites. who had come TO witness the
Easter baptizing. The baptizing was not to
begin until after the morning services, but
by half past IL people were hunting along
the banks for a point of vantage from
which to view the ceremony and INNER
sions. There were two baptismal services.
that of the Mount Zion Baptist Church and
of the Antioch Baptist Church.
The congregation of the Mount Zion
Church was the first at the canal and sta
toned itself on the east bank, near the
Thirteenth-street bridge. Rev. Benjamin
Ferrel. the pastor, performed the ceremony
and immersed nine candidates. While this
service was being conducted there was a
scurrying along the banks of the canal by
men, women and children, trying to reach
the bridge or wedge their way into the
crowds on either side of the water, before
the last one had been dipped under. Many
did not know at what place the baptisms
were to take place and the crowd jostled
up and down the canal until, from some
mysterious source, the WOTu was pdSSeu
down the line that the congregation of
Antioch was coming. This was to be the
big baptizing and a rush was at once made
for the Eighteenth-street bridge.
MARCH TO THE CANAL.
Antioch Church is at the corner of Thir-
teenth and Missouri streets, a short dis
lance from the Thirteenth-street bridge.
The crowd on the bridge could see the con-
| gregation as it came out of the church and
formed a procession to go to the canal.
Slowly the line moved forward with Rev.
James Morton, the pastor, at the head,
carrying a cane, and close beside him the
elders of the church. Then came the cam
didates for baptism, eighteen i'm all, rang
ing In age from six or seven years to one
old woman perhaps sixty. Following these
was the congregation. Silently and with
serious faces, depicting the solemnity of
the occasion. the procession. with meas
ured tread, approached the water. AS it
reached the bank a slow, dirge-like tune or
chant was struck up. sung almost in a
monotone and with quavering voices. The
words were scarcely audible, but the sound
was full of emotion and expression of the
sacred reverence for the eremony that
was to follow.
The song ceased when the congregation
reached the place of baptism and formed
a semi-circle around the pastor, elders and
candidates. The crowd on the outside drew
closer, the bridge was soon thronged with
| people and those on the opposite side of
the canal came as close as the water would
permit. The Rev. Morton barred his head
and the other male members of the cOngre-
cation did likewise. Then the pastor, stand
ing on the waters edge. told the crowd the
purpose OF the meeting and caution ed the
white people to keep still. He said that
the white people talked to the negroes
about making great men out of them and
would then come to their baptizings with
out enough manners to know how to con-
1 Ar-at fhaDa rtyo AG Io -~.,-4-
he said all that did not pray should keep
their mouth After a long and fervent
prayer, which was abundently inter
spersed with loud "amens'' and Eyes. in
deeds" Rev. Morton sang a hymn In long
meter. He said: And as we stand upon
the bank and then paused. The. congre-
cation dwelt upon the first word until
all had the key and then the chorus
swelled into a slow, sacred strain. Power
full lungs sent And as we stand upon the
bank" echoing and reverbrating over the
the hymn was finished; and as each line
was repeated the volume increased.
MEASURING THE DEPTH.
After the song was finished one of the
brothers waded into the water. measur-
ing the depth with Rev. Morton's cane. He
waded in until the water was half way
to his arm pits. Then came Rev. Morton,
followed by four brothers to assist the
candidates out of the water after they
had been baptized. Another hymn was
strated and two young women, dressed in
black. were ushered 10 the waters edge
and waded in between the men who formed
two lines, to the Rev. Morton. The song
was again hushed while the Rev. Morton,
with his left hand firmly clutching the
collar OF one of the women's dresses, pro-
nounced the baptismal benediction and
dipped her under. The other was at once
immersed. Then the others came. two by
two, until the form had been carried out
with all OF the eighteen.
AS some rose from the water they were
overcome with joy. They screamed in
ecstasy, threw their arms about and
jumped up and down in the water until IL
required the assistance of the four men
to get them to the bank. There they were
received by friends. Their gladness knew
no bounds and they clasped their arms
about the necks OF whoever happened to
be near. Mingled with the shrieks of de-
light were shouts of exultation and song
from the congregation. Praises were sung
and the enthusiasm bordered on hilarity
as hands were forcibly shaken One
woman was so overcome that she fell upon
the ground In her wet rments and was
unable to regain her feet alone. The last
candidates were an old woman who Is
! blind. and a man, the only one baptized.