The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-02

rible wears Lee surrendered, the slaves
were freed, and society was torn from
the foundations of centuries, but you
would never have known it from the lips
of the Rev John Durham in his pulpit.
These things were but passing events.
When he assembled the pulpit he was the
Messenger of Eternity. He spoke of God,
of Truth. of Righteousness. of Judgment,
the same yesterday, today and forever,
But it was in his public prayers that
he was at his best Here all the wealth
of tenderness Of a great soul was LAID
bare In these prayers he had the subtle
genius that could find the way direct
into the hearts fthe people before him.
realise as his own their sins and sor-
rows, their burdens and hopes and
dreams and fears, and then, when he hao
made them his own, he could give them
the wings of deathless words and carry
them up to the heart of God. He prayeu
in a low soft tone of voice; it was Ilke
an honest earnest child pleading win nus
father. hat hush fell on the people
when these prayers began. With what
breathless suspense every earnest SOU
followed him!
Before and during the war, the gallery
of this church, which was built and re-
served for the negroes, was always
crowded with dugky listeners that hung
spelIbound on his words Now there
were only a few perhaps dozen, ana
they were growing fewer Some new ana
mysterious power was at work among the
negroes, sowing the seeds of distrust ana
suspicion. He wondered what it could be.
He had always loved to preach to THESE
simple hearted children of nature. and
watch the flash of resistless emotion
sweep their dark faces. He had baptized
over FIVE hundred of them into the fell
lowship of the churches in the village
and the county during the ten years OF
his ministry
He determined to find out the cause OF
this desertion of his church by the ne
groes to whom he had ministered so
| many years.
At the close of a Sunday mornings ser
vice. Nelse was slowly descending the
gallery stairs leading Charlie CASTOR by
the hand after the church had been
nearly emptied of the white people The
, preacher stopped him near the door
"How's your Mistress Nelse?"
"She's gettin' better all de time now
praise de Lawd. Eve she stay wild er dis
mornin'. while l fetch dis boy ter church.
He des so sot on goin'."
Where are all the other folks who
used to fill that gallery, Nelse?"
You doan tell me, you amt heard
about dem?" he answered with a grin.
ode laws a-massy, dey done got er
church err dey own! Dey has meetin'
now in de school house dat Yankee
oman built De teachers tell 'em eff dey
amt good ernuf ter set wild de white folks
| in dere chu'ch, dey got ter hole up dey
haids, and not low nobody ter push EN-
up in er niger gallery! So dey's got
| ole Uncle Josh Miller to preach fur EN-.
He low he got er call en- he stan up
dar en- holler fur EN- bout er hour ev'ry
| Sunday mawnin' en- night. En- seen
whoopin', en- yellin, en- bawlin'i Yeh can
hear EN- er mile! Dey tries ter git me
| ter go. tell EN-. Marse John Durham s
preachin's good ernuf fur me, gall'ry or
no gall'ry l tell EN- dat 1 spec er gal
| Try higher heaven den de lower flo, eny-
how-en fuddermo dat when ] goes ter
church. l wants ter hear sumfn mo- dan
er ole fool niger err bawlin. can holler
myself. En- dey low l gwine back on my
color En- den l tell 'em I spec amt so
proud dat ] can't larn FUN white folks.
En- dey say dey gwine ter lay fur me yit,"
I'm sorry to hear this" said the
| preacher thoughtfully.
"Yassir, hits des lax I tell yer. ]
| spec dey gone fur good. Niggers amt got
no sense nohow ! des wish I own EN-
erbout er week! Dey gtten madder'n
maddcr ct me all de time case l stay at
ts.I,
Mistus Dey sen er kermittee ter see
me mos eyry day ter 'splain ter me Use
free De las time dey come ! lam one
on dc haid wild or stick or wood crfo dey
| leave me lone"
you must be careful. Nelse."
"Yassir, l nebber hurt i'm. Des sorter
crack his skull or little ter show i'm
what / gwine do wild i'm mex time dey
come pesterin me.
Have they been back to see YOU
since?"
Dat dey aint. But dey sont M word
! dey gwine git de Freemans Bura Wtel
me. En- l sont en- back word ter sen Mr.
Buro right on Gu | land i'm in dc middle
| er a spell or sickness, des es sho as dc
Lawd gimme strength.
You can't resist the Freedman's Blu
reau, Nelse"
What dat Buro got ter do wild me
Marse john
They've got everything to do with you
my boy They have absolute power ovel
all questions between the negro and the
white man. They can prohibit you from
working for white person without then
| consent, and they can fix your wages and
make your contracts"
| We'll, dey better femme erlone, OIL
dere'll be trouble in dis town, sho's my
names Nelse.
Don't you resist their officer Come
to me if you get into trouble with them
was the preachers parting injunction.
Nelse made his way out leading Charlie
by the hand, and bowling his giant form
in a quaint deferential way to the white
! people he knew He seemed proud of his
association in the church with the whites
and the position of inferiority assigned
| him in no sense disturbed his pride. HI
was muttering to himself as he walked
| slowly along looking at the GROUND
thoughtfully. There was infinite scor1
and defiance in mis- voice,
"Bu-ro! Bu-ro! Des let EN- fool wit
me. I'll make EN- see de seben stars il
de middle er de day."