The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-12
MEET IN THE MOON OFFLOWERS
POOSEPATUCK PIETY UNDER
THE GREENWOOD TREE.
For 900 Years LonE Island Indians.
so They Believe. Have Held Meetings
in June--Rites Have Changed Is Well
as the Raoe That Originated Them.

Island where the Shinnecocks and In
catalogues used to gather in the Moon Of
Flowers long before Columbus went travel
ing fc. the House q Spain, to trade wampum.
feast and smoke the peace pipe, June meet
ing was held vest erday.
Long before the rays Of the eleventh
sun of the Flower Moon glinted across
Poosepatuck Creek and set the little fishes
jumping. and the pert robins hopping in
the clearing in the woods, he narrow roads,
some Of them mere trails in the sand were
alive with folks on their way to June meet
ing. Long cared, bony mules lazied along,
pulling rickety, creaking buggies. Sleepy
old horses. mere bags Of bone, drew ante
diuyian farm wagons. Occasionally inthe
line Of queer old vehicles there was spick
and span freshly vanished carriage. the
eouipage Of some black folks of distinct ion.
Many went to June meeting on Shanks
mare shutting along in the sand, aughing.
singing hymns or calling out to Old Nanny
Nance or Old Uncle Wash:
step long Brudder Wash. You all
mustn't get de Misty in yo OIL bones on
June meetin' day. Jes' shake ,yo'se'f
Aunt Nance. We ali is goin' where de
debbi KANT reach"
n Dukky Wcut idtlilib ny WIN u pAS hobAo'
coal black. clucking to his old white mare.
His shiny face was aglow with good humor
and he hailed them all in deep bass that
made the very trees in the forest shake
He was dressed in black with a tall white
collar and on his head was stovepipe hat
OF generation ago. 1t was Br'er Smith,
the Rev. Brer Smith, a potent enemy OF
Old Nick; Brer Smith, who has made June
to- lo hnr nd hoU wi for maj
past.
Walk along" he shouted, walk along,
my chillun feel de sperit comm to me.
] feel it quibblin' and quirkn' inside Of me.
I'm a singin and boilin' with the Holy
Ghost"
Praise de Lawd. Brer Smith came the
reply from all sides. Praise de Lawd and
poun' de debbil wifi His wu'd."
There were hundreds OF them. all black,
some full blooded negroes. some with white
blood yellowing their skins and straighten-
tn, narrow, sharp eyes and the copper
gnting in their cheeks that marked them as
d'soendants Of the Indians that old Col.
William Smith gave grant OF 200 acres TO
more than two centuries ago, good iand
that the Colonel got from his ,sovereigns
William and Mary. Here and there was
very old Afro-Indian with a back face,
but with nose like m eagles beak straight.
thin lips and fierce old eyes. The strain OF
Indian blood, very thin strain that has
showed only in the old negroes. The
younger ones had little more than drop
Of Indian blood but one and all hold them
selves Of the old Indian tribes, the Mon
Uncachogues, the Matinnecocks and the
Canarsies.
The legends OF Long Island say that
June meeting day has been celebrated for
at least GOO years, always in the Moon OF
the Flowers the month Of June. For gener-
ations June meeting day has been held on
the second Sunday in June, and to the COL
ored people Of Suffolk county 1t is Easter,
Fourth Of July and New Years rolled into
one joyous holiday.
The negroes that went yesterday to the
old reservation where the present tribal
head, a feeble old negro with rheumatism
and .quinsy, lives in clapboard hut that
has been standing for century or more,
were dressed in their best, a best Of glazing
reds, yellows and green's, bows and ribbons
everywhere. They took great baskets Of
homo made cake and pie and fried chicken
and good things that had been cooked
during the weeks and laid aside for June
meeting.
In the clearing, where the little church
with its tiny steeple and gable roofs stands,
the people hitched their horses and waited
for Br'er Smith to call them to worship.
In the long grass starred with daisies the
young men sported cigars and flirted with
the brightly dressed young women. They
waited long for Deacon earle OF Bellport,
who has attended June meeting for sixty
five years and who is near 90 years old.
In the routing OF the devil at Poosepatuck
the old deacon has been always in the front
rank and his now quavery voice has been
raised loudest Of all. The deacon traces his
ancestry clear back to Chief Tobaguss, who
got the tribal land from Col. Smith.
But the Deacon could not come yester
day. His grandniece, young woman
who might pass as a Sioux squaw, told the
people that the Deacon was feeble and
mighty bad of with the rheumatics. He
hoped his children would excuse him. but
Re had to stay in bed
By that time other folks had arrived at
the clearing. White folks from towns
ell around Suffolk county drove up in noisy
automobiles that seemed 9ueerly out OF
and air of primeval simplicity. Some
came in fine carriages and looked at the
negroes with an air OF patronage, much
the same as they would look upon a band
backed their wheeling, chugging machines
among the rickety carryalls, giving the
mules and staid old nags that were not
used to autos something Of SILVER.
The heavy voice Of Brother Smith raised
Of tongues. He led the way to the old
meeting house, whitewsshed inside and
out and as neat as pin. In a minute the
straight backed pews were packed with
the negroes, with here and there white
folks who were nio to see what would
happen.
With his eyes cleaning with excitement
Brother Smith took the pulpit and his
fervor spread all over the church. There
was a rustling in the pews and women be-
gan to moan and sob, while deep voiced
; enens shook the old frame building.
De sperit am a-shakin' and a-swayin'
me-" said Brother Smith. De chariot
Of de Holy Ghoe' il waitin' outside for us
all Will you ride in dat chariot or in de
gilt wagon OF de Debbil? Raise your voices.
you ohilun of sni
An old. old negro woman, with hair as
white as cotton, limped into the aisle.
Come along, you Debbill" she shouted.
.Come along an III swat you wiz my ole
hanl I'm bolin' ovah with de goodness
OF de Lawd"
One after another the people arose and
testified. some with the tears streaming
down their faces. Some Of them confessed
their simple sins. nothing very serious,
maybe falsehood, maybe misplaced
chicken. maybe a slap to his wife or a kick
to the old family dog One after another
they got sbeolution that cheered them
and sent them TO a new frenzy Of religious
emotion.