Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1901-08-01
TRlBOTEs TO JASPER.
Ce1ored Divine of "sun Do Move
Fame EuIOgized by Negroes.

Fame EuIOgized by Negroes.
de sun do move" Jasper, known In
religion as Rev. DR.. John Jasper, pas
tor Of the Sixth Mount Zion Baptist
! church of Richmond, who died the 9th
er day, was we'll known in Chicago.
Seven years ago he preached his last
sermon in that city, and Bethel chapel
was filled to the doors with q congre-
cation attracted by curiosity, but held
by the fierce and unstudied fervor of
the old man, who was regarded as the
most famous American negro preacher,
says the Chicago Record-Herald.
aside from his strange natural gifts
Of oratory," said Rev. J.. f. Thomas,
| pastor of the Olivet Baptist church,
"the most remarkable thing about DR..
Jasper was the tenacity with which he
chung to his odd belief that the world
was fiat ard stationary and that the
u do move His argument along
that line puzzled the scientists, because
he advanced his proofs from the Bible,
and nobody ever succeeded in shaking
his faith in their accuracy.
"Next to preaching the old doctor
loved fishing, and in this, too, he was
eccentric. He would never take any
body with him nor permit any of his
! friends to witness his exploits with the
rod. But he got the fish Just the same,
and he never came back from such a
trip without something to show for 1T.
In religious matters, as in fishing. he
preferred to go it alone. He didn't care
whether his preaching was approved OF
or not or whether any other preacher
In the world agreed with him. He be-
Heved what he taught, tried his best to
prove it and let it go at that. He was
the last great representative of the old
negro among the colored clergymen of
this country. He grew up and flourish
ed before the day of the modern col.
lege graduate preacher, but l do not
doubt that in his crude but powerful
way he accomplished more good thar
many a more scholarly pastor. His eio.
quence amounted to inspiration, and |
have seen audiences which came to
crafty their curiosity held in awe and
edited by his almost supernatural pow
ers of e~xhortation."
Twenty years ago q controversy
arose among his followers as to whetb
er the earth moved upon it's axis OF
round the sun That was the motive
of the sermon which made him famous
in a day and of which the most strik-
ing passage was the following:
philosophers say de earth do move
roun' an on axles. but Joshua tole
de sun to stan still. Now, ladies an
genfmen. do you all believe Joshua
would have asked God to stop the sun
If it hadn't been a-movin? Why didn'
he ask God to stop de earth. Which
were goin roun' an roun' on axles?"
1t is said that DIR. Jasper converted
and baptized more b $4,000 persons
during the 81 years Of his active work
as pastor and preacher. In the pulpit
he appealed wholly to the emotions of
his hearers, and his method was the
old fashioned, ecstatic pleadings of the
Baptist eXhorter of 4 half century ago.
His gestures were innocent of all de
liberation, and although he preached
the famous "sun Go move'' sermon
more than 400 times it was never twice
the same either IN word or manner Of
delivery. His voice was of great com
pass II 1cxibility, and he was en-
dowed with much physical strength.
Though never in sympathy with the
hlOuCAA luSho VI eFtlSeltSIu, ne always
held a high place in the esteem of the
churchmen of his race.
"1lliterate as lie was" said Rev. A. J.
Carey Of Quinn chapel, she was known
and respected by all classes of negroes
for the actual good which he accom-
plished in his rude but always effective
way. His gifts Of eloquence and piety
were acquired, and there is no doubt
that he would have achieved still great
er fame If he had had the advantages
of being born free ard of an. early edu-
cation. Although / II a Methodist, Il
has been n Of the disappointments of
my life that | never heard the great
Jasper"
Rev. John Jasper was 50 years old.
He leaves a widow and many children,
having been married four times. He
lived at variance with one of his
daughters, and his belief that she was
trying to acquire his small property is
said to have been the cause of his last
marriage. His estate is small, because.
though frequently offered great fnan-
cial rewards, he would never consent
to take more than $50 per month as his
salary.
New Fad In Woman's Dress.
Ceramics have been for some time