Evening journal., 1918-08-26
Big CROWD FLOCKS
TO Big QUARTERLY
Smart Dressing, Social |
Good Time for Colored
Folk Yesterday
FRENCH STREET SCENE
OF HAPPY GATHERING

Smart dressing, a social good time
and religious fervor. marked the iO6th
celebration Of Big Quarterly Sunday. al
the A. u. NJ p. Church. between Eighth
and Ninth on French street yesterday
The number Of visitors was not as large
as in past years, but there were sew
eral thousand colored people In the
promenade. which extended the length
OF French street during all hours Of the
day. Between Ninth and Seventh streets
the sidewalks and streets were a solid
mass OF colored people. It was a quiet
and orderly crowd, giving the police
stationed at either end little TO do ex-
cept to direct traflc. The few white
people who walked past out Of friendly
curiosity were treated with that cour-
tesy which is a pleasing characteristic
of the colored race.
In the Old days, 100 years ago, col
oCed mammles IN gay turbans and flow
cred calico dresses. with snowy ker-
chiefs around their necks. logged along
on horseback. behind their men folks,
coming TO Big Quarterly. They held
bandsna handkerchicfs filled with fried
chicken and creamy biscuit Yesterday.
their great granddaughter arrived in
automobiles. The girls Of this year
were dressed in Georgette crepe and
silk, with wrist-watches, pearl neck
lsces and gauzy hats. Their escorts
wore Panama hats and trousers OF the
variety men call 'ice-cream," and car
ried swagser-sticks There was a large
number Of auto-trucks bringing people
from towns In Delaware. New Jersey and
pennsylvania.
There was a thin sprinkling OF col
ored soldiers and sailors. who received
enough attention TO make them happy
for the duration OF the war. 4 lot Of
colored boys al Camp Dix and Camp
Meade were doubtless thinking Of Big
Quarterly and wishing they could get
leave.
Every few yards on French street
were marked of by a refreshment
stand. There were orangeade and
grape Juice and some kind Of a bril-
liant pink drink, which, with ice cream
and watermelon. found huge favor with
the thirsty. Peanuts and candy hob
nobbed with bacon sandwiches and
fried potatoes
The colored people. less susceptible
10 heat than the white race, welcomed
the typically torrld Big Quarterly
weather. The sudden storm late in
the afternoon drove the crowd 10
laughing. scrambling shelter in all ad-
iacent doorways. and played havoc
with new hats and dresses.
Big Quarterly gets its name from an
cid custom. In slave times. the color
ed people were allowed in August 10
come up TO the A. U. VI. p. Church in
this city, TO attend the midsummer
quarterly conference. From the num-
her attending. this conference was dis
tingulshed from the other three quar-
terlles Of the year by the name big
Quarterly"
The services In the auditorium and
lecture room Of the church. AMI In the
grove outside the building, were prac-
tically continuous all the day and
evening. Every portion Of space was
occupied, but the crowds were too big
20 admit more than a small proportion
to any one service. The singing was
excellent. and could be heard for blocks
away
Services in the auditorium OF the
church were in charge OF the pastor, |
the Rev. J. II. Bell The Rev. G. A. !
Brown. president Of the Middle Dis
frict Conference, preached at 1890 In |
ihe morning. At 3 o'clock the Rev. !
o.. y. Sheppy Of Chester Pa. preached |
and .he Rev J. T. DeShields. pastor |
OF the A. L. VI. p. Church at Colt. |
Md preached at : 20 o'clock.
in the lecture room Of the church, /
the Rev. S w Chippey. Of Norris |
town. Pa, had charge There was
in the same place at 3 o'clock |
end at 730. A love feast was observed |
at : o'clock The Rev c. y. Walker. !
Of Amber. Pa. had charge Of the ser |
vices in the grove near the church and /
preached at 73O a. m Al 1890 a. m, /
the Rev. w. II. Knox, Of Newport. was
the preacher. while the Rev. c. r. |
Murphy. r'so Of Newport. preached at |
40 a. m Music for the occasion was
furnished by the home choir. under the |
Of Mrs. Elnora Chlppey.