Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1901-07-18
NEW VOL. 36.---NO. 36.
The Real Hoquence of the Negro.

The Rev. John Jasper represented
the highest type of ignorant elOquence.
Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly for
July contains an interesting account
of the famous old preacher.
There were many other discourses,
says the author, just as good as the
"Sun-do- sermon though not
so well known. In every one he
wrought himself up into pitch that
was astonishing. In preaching one Sun
day on the final triumph Of Cbrist's
kingdom he scared aloft in his imagery.
The audience, white and black, were
wrought up to the highest pitch.
AN Death" he said, "whar will
Death be den Chained-tie6 fos to
de golden chariot o de Lawd. He
will be groanin an stumbhn' an fall
in'w And taking up one foot in his
hand, with the suppleness and the ac-
tivity Of trapeze dancer, he hoPped
and hobbled and sprawled and fell
around the pulpit until the consrega-
ton, run wild with the perfection Of
the acting, almost thought they were
in the very presence of the chained
Death, and the women shrieked and
shouted and the men rose in their
seats and shouted like wild men.
In his speech John Jasper was de-
nunciatory and as sarcastic as a man
could be. He roasted his enemies
alive. His strong point was his abll-
ity to ridicule his opponents. He
could say more in a cynical grunt or
laugh or a wave Of his long arm than
most men can say in a paragraph.
Jasper could argue all day, if nec-
essary, and none could beat him. lie
knew nothing Of syllogisms, OF their
premises and their conclusions, but he
proved what he said by stalking upon
it his own character.
"Ef tain so, frien's, 90 into de high
ways an de by-ways an de streets an
de hedges en- tell ev'ybody you meet
dat John Jasper is liar !"
One Sunday, about fifteen or twen-
ty years ago, after long series Of his
typical sermons, John Jasper arose in
his pulpit, looked significantly about
him, and he took his text from the book
Of Exodus, Chapter XIV, verse 3, "The
Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his
name"
Beginning with Genesis and going
through to Revelation he collected
together all the verses that seemed to
teach that the sun moved and that the
earth was not ball. He felt absolute
ly certain that the Bible was true, and
he could not see why anybody could
disagree with its plain teachings.
"Bredren," he said, "ef de Bible say
de sun rise an set den il do rise an
set An how ken II rise an set ef hit
don mover
"In de tenth chapter o de book o
Joshwy, an de twelf, thirteenth an'
70 'teenth verses, dar is proof strong
ernuf fer US all. De Lawd said,
Sun, stand thou still on Gideon and
thou moon in the valley of Ajalon.
And the sun stood still and the moon
stayed until the people avenged them
selves upon their enemies. And there
was no day like that before it or after
it. The old preacher stopped there
and paused long time. Finally, be
said -
"Bredren, ef de sun stood still once
when twas a-movin an den stahted
to moyin' ergin, hit is a-movin' now !
"Dey say de earth is roun'. Dat
ain 20, bredren; it can't be 20, for de
book o Revelations, Chapter vii, verse
l, reads: And / saw four angels
standing on the four corners Of the
earth. An now, bredren an sisters, we
is liyin on 70 -corndered earth an ef
de earth is got 70 cornders how in de
name o Gawd ken it be roun'2
"Ef de worl' is roun' an turn over
evy night, how we hol on? Is we
got claws on our feet like pecker.
woods2
"Dey say It's 60 many billions an
squillions O miles fun hysr TO de sum-.
How dey know Is anybody been darr
How dey know it take caunon-ball il
a mont to 20 dar2 Ken cannon-ball
carry a cookin' stove an victu2ls ter
sport man on de way dar2 Gawd,
folks, is dat any argmint2"
The New Rabbit.