The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-17
FAITHFUL THRILLED
BY WEIRD DANCING
Holy Jumpers Give Strange Per-
Torrance After Ser
mon.
WASHING OF FEET TO-DAY
odd Spectacle as One Hundred
iii Choir Danced and
Sang.
WASHING OF FEET TO-DAY

Members of the Church OF God ana
| the Saints of Christ, otherwise knowy,
as Holy Jumpers, are holding a re,
! ligious feast In Richmond, with
negroes in attendance from all parts
/ of the country. The sessions arc bei-
! ing conducted at True Roformern'
| Hall. on North Second Street. and for
/ weird and dazzling performances. they
outclass anything of the kind ever
| seen here before.
There was not standing room last
night when elder John Allen. of Mid
| dletown, n. Y, preached II sermon, eX-
/ planning the faith. and swaying his
| audience maiesticnlly. until his strong
! and powerful voice was drowned in
! cheers Grouped around him on the
| stage in q semi-circle, one hundred
| men. In evening clothes. almost con-
! cealed behind rainbow ribbon stream
! ers, shouted and clapped hands, laugh
/ ing frequently.
Crowns On the Choir:
But the main accessory of these
Holy Jumpers was the choir, sitting
Just below the footlights and FACING
| the congregation. There We're prob
ably 100 in the body. most of whom
were women. They wore crowns, top
ped off with blood-red silk. Choristers
| IN white, WIN Wlllle -bo"S III SnS1'
members hair faced the choir.
When Elder Allen sat down amid APP
plause short, thick-set woman arose
suddenly waived q baton and the choir
started into activity. Instantly there
came a volley of melody and song that
brought absolute silence to babhlinS
tongues and shutting feet in front.
Worked Into Frenzy.
The leader of the choir cut wide cir
cles in the thick air of the hall, and
the dance began. The 100 voices chang
ed quickly from an andante to an allie
gro, and as the women sang they
danced, not, however, moving from the
spot on which they stood. II seemed
strangely out of place'Ain a church, for
that was what the hall had been con-
verted into. Near the end of the row
La woman, weighing more than $50
pounds could be heard above the rest.
She required more ROOM for she sway
ed to the right, then to the left, keep
ing time with the baton that was
never still Dancing by her side was a
small. black negro boy, who screamed
in falsetto tones, and from whose face
streams of perspirationH poured as he
worked madly to keep In line with his
heavyweight partner. Several times he
dropped out of step. and once he chang
ed from the scheduled performance and
ran to the verge of an old ashioned
country breakdown"
"Sufcr Feet to he Washed
The man on the stage, with his
streamer of red, white and blue, sang
the first line of each stanza alone, ami
as he halted the dazzling choir took
lit up. the sudden change in the volume
of sound causing hundreds in the au-
dience to stand expectantly. The thing
lasted for ten minutes or more, until
the dancers We're fairly tagged by the
exertion and work.
As the exhausted one hundred sat
down the preacher walked brskly to-
the front of the stage.
I'VE are carrying out the ancient re-
ligious CUSTOM he said, "and those
that don't like our style can pick up
and 60"
Part Of the crowd was passing out,
but not because there was objection
to the faith. Just watt shouted the
preacher; we are not going to take
up collection Tonight We are going
to have an all-day service Tomorrow,
which Is our Sabbath, and / want you
to come In your summer clothes. In
this religion we do like God does Now,
Will you join?"
Yes. yes" came from all sides Of
the hall.
We'll" said the speaker, as the
group on the stage yelled, Fright,
brother; talk to EN-, brother" You
must obey the functions. You must
repent, be baptized and suffer your
feet to be washed here before this fine
assembly"
No Sinners Appeared.
Two. three, four stanzas were sung,
but no sinner moved to the front Then
the crowd that was moving out was
halted by uniformed ushers at the door
until the benediction was sung. One
negro. In great haste, pretended to be
seriously i'll but he was held back
until the end.
The Sunday Of the Holy Jumpers be-
gan last evening at sunset and will
| close at sunset to-day. From o'clock
| this morning until then the services
| viii continue, the dancing. choir being
detailed for duty, If it can stand the
strain. The convention VIII last untll
Monday night.