New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-07
SISTER HAMIET's SONG.
IT DIVIDES THE UNION BAPTIST
CHURCH (COLOREDD INTO
HOSTILE CAMPS.


Sister Lena Hamlet. prominent member Of
the colored Union Baptist Church, Sixty-third-
ST.. near Tenth-ave.. is the unintentional cause
of split I'm the church of such serious proper
tions as to menace the usefulness of the organ
ization 1t is all on account of song given by
Sister Hamlet at church entertainment about
three weeks ago. She got the thoughts for her
song partly out of a story book owned by the
children of her mistress and partly from her
Utmost consciousness The product was highly
diverting but wrought considerable mischief to
the flock in the Union Church. presided over by
Brother Srnrns, the pastor.
Perhaps 1t should be stated that account OF
Sister HamIet's zeal and the fact that she is
regularly engaged at lucrative employment as
a Serving lady she is one Of the spiritual pill
lars of the Union Baptist Church, and Brother
Simms is her champion He asserts that 1t Is
not meet right his bounden duty to allow
Sister Hamlet to be held UP to contumely, and
that he will stand by her 20 the last ditch-if
not a little further. Brother Simms is REIN
forced by the younger, music loving element In
the church--the element. to the words Of
one Of the members that has some 'git UP an
git in it.
Sister Hamlet had charge of some Of the mu-
steal features of the programme at the enter
tainnent when the seed Of discord took firm
root and she placed her own name on the pro-
est curiosity on the part of the members Sister
Lena was going to sing. they said-going TO sing
".somethin' wot she'd composed herself One or
two of the young women in the congregation
who were not invited to sing referred 10 the
circumstance rather scornfully, lntlmauns thar
that Miss Hamlet seems L be runnin tn whole
thing" This however. did not swerve Sister
Hamlet from the path of duty her conscience
had nointed out TO her She went right on.
and SIR
changed the meter to suit herself, and as sne
,roned the rufies of the childrens clothing sha
bunon,ed and crooned IL until she knew IT. Her
stem grew lighter and her eyes brighter as the
day of the entertainment approached anu "hen
she strobe up the aisle of the Union oapess
Church that night she walked with her accus-
TONED grace and bowed 10 the congregation
with the determination that II there was any
erocb making to be done that night she was the
nereon TO enact the title role. These are TWO or
the verses of her original sonS' entiIieu ihO"
to Make a Chicken Pie:
Ell yo' wanter make darkie feel good iii tell So
Yo' 20 SHI over in yo neighbours yard an swipe
yo cit some dough an roll in in ies vile 20 wink
W, 20 ey sir hol. vo appetite vile maxim chicken
pie.
How wish ter goodness could hab de largest see
les call roun' some udder night when chickens
Yo turns a ,-s dat bulldog upside down a" sneak
Yo reach up an haul him down;
He'll night yo' like a William goat,
But ef he boiler ies. xrin 4o his ism neck
Wen yo' bake dat chicken pie hits mighty hard ter
Wen so see ole chicken good an sweet steanliIl'
on 20 plate
Well the song was an immediate and ire
mendous hit Sister Lena has winning sml1e
and a graceful walk. and after each verse sls
introduced lust a little-it wasn't much-of q
cakewalk across the pulpit PLATFORM Inc
young men cheered and cIapped their hands'
and wanted more There were several verses
that now are unobtanable. but the two given
are fair. examples Of Miss Hamlet's ability as
a song writer.
What the more strict and conservative mem
bers of the congregation object to is not the
modified Cakewa1k across the platform. when
they concede is permissible under extreme cir
cumstances but the incubation of the idea that
when you want a chicken pie the first thing ~
do is to go over in your neighbors yard an
sN.ipe chicken or two" This. the conserva-
tives say. encroaches upon fundamental ethics.
and should not be countenanced in any well
REGULATED church They also take exception to
the reinforcement OF the suggestion of sur
RIGHTEOUSNESS in obtaining a poultry supply,
occurring in the second verse:
les call 'roun' some udder night when chickens
Here. the conservatives assert, is distinct
encoura cement to repeat a questionable transac-
ton making the perpetratOr sort of confirmed
oDerator in his nocturnal vocation.
Altogether. the conservatives assert. sister
Hamlet went too far-altogether too far. So
far in fact as undoubtedly to subvert the inner
proprIeties which every church society IS
pledged to encourage
Brother Simms says that the song shouli not
be the cause of a split in church, that SISTER
Han1let's life is exemplar of correctness OF
living. that she is a Dorcas in the little COM
nunity and that If she is made 70 feel that sne
is condemned the society will lose a valued anu
consistent member. -
Sister Hamlet herself says that she VIII proc
ably move the Oranges If the congresdtIolI
shows that she is not recognized in the future
as she has been in the past.