The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-01-29
TELLS OF STRANGE PREACHER,
Major Perry, Iiiitcratc Negro, In Ills
Sleep Delivers Sermon OF WhicI, lie
Mhows Nothing in His Waking
Hours.

Leesville, Jan. 19.-On Wednesday
night, January 8, 1 had the pleasure
OF hearing that sleeping preacher the
one IN Saluda county that we citizens
of Lee and Sumter as we'll as other
counties have heard about.
several years ago 1 read some ac-
counts of this strange parsonage, but,
really could not believe what I read
Neither could I believe the accounts
last October when arrived here, as q
school teacher, and was told about him
by the citizens of this section. But I
have been to Missouri. Here's what
saw:
AS l stated, on the night of jan
uary s. there assembled in q little
church on the farm Of Mr.. w. J. Der
rick about one hundred people, nv
self included, who began to listen to
this strange sermon. About 8 o'clock
the negro, Major Perry, came in and
went to bed in the bed that was pre-
pared for the occasion. AS soon as he
had looked we'll over the audience he
went to sleep and in few minutes
outlined his hymn
Come Ye That Love The Lord :"
After the song he repeated the
Lords prayer and ended in a we'll
made prayer, although the English
was not very good.
He then gave out his text, Amos. S.
III.
Ho asked the Chpistians. # there bo
any. to pray; sinners give God your
ear.
He began his sermon by telling Of
Joseph and the shcaves and OF Joseph
In foreign land during 2 famine.
He accused the people of lying gen.
orally, and showed them By the scrip
lures where 1t had been common since
the time of Amos
He preached ardontly against the
rules Of the Sabbath and the preach.
ers of our time. "There are two
kinds Of preachers" said Perry 'thc
local preacher and the loafing preach
er." He hit the preachers hard and
said he had been preaching every
night since 1880 for S5 years. and
hadn't asked for penny or hadn't
taken vacation.
Many sermons are like an empty
wagon. lots of noise and nothing in
1t. Perry said he had been preaching
his own sermon for four years Said
he was ready TO answer tne c;eli and
ielt sure he could sing praises as he
was taken TO heaven. e,
His fermou lasted about 4b minutes
,aEd once during the time ne took o.
cramp and had to be rubbed. His ap-
pearance during the sermon was that
of a corpse. He would often turn
about. but he spoke nuently in any
position. His sermon wds we'll worth
listening to. even though 1 don't be-
lieve there was anyone present. except
through curiosity.
The negro is 76 years Of age and
breaches a different sermon every
night.
He is illiteratc, as any one can tell
by listening to him. He can neither
read or write his name. He Is said to
be very wicked during his working
hours
In talking TO him, he answers all
questions freely, but never can he tell
about his sermons. He doesn't know
anything about the Bible, but his text
is always given correctly and the place
is right. Many distinguished men,
lawyers, doctors, preachers, editors,
and men Of every type have heard and
wondered at this strange preacher and
/ am told they all leave with the same
idca have, q miracle.
T.. o. White,
(Teachcr in Saluda county,, Lees
vile, S. c.