Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1886 — The Colored Sexton. [ARTICLE]

The Colored Sexton.

The sexton of a Baptist Church in a large Western city was a good colored brother, who rarely took part in the social religious meetings of the society; but when he did, all present held their breath, for it was well known that someone was to be “hit on the head,” and great amusement was in store for the others. On this particular occasion the subject of the prayer meeting was “Christian Humility.” Mr. Bascom, one of the wealthiest church members, while leaning on his gold-headed cane and toying with his elegant watch chain, concluded his remarks, with great affectation of humility, by saying: “If I ever should be so favored as to reach heaven at all, it seems to me that a place in the most remote section, the most obscure corner, of that blissful region would be infinitely more than I deserve. And when the call comes to me to ‘go Tip higher,’ it| seems to me I shall feel like putting my hand upon my mouth, and my mouth in the dust, and crying out, ‘Unclean! unclean!’ ” When he was seated, the colored brother rose in the rear of the room, and slowly advancing, faced the audience, and thus addressed them; “Brudders an’ sisters, when I hears de angel Gabri’l blow de trumpet a-callin’ me home, ’pears to me I’ll be so powerful glad I’ll just call out, ‘Hoi’ on dar, Gabri’l ; I hears de trumpet, an’ I’s cornin’ mighty quick!’ An’ it ’pears to me I’ll be so bustin’ full ob joy I’ll jest go shoutin’, skippin!, leapin’ right up to de front oh de throne as fast as I kin git dar. An’ dar I’ll stan’ wid de white robeS on, a-wavin’ de palm branches, an’ a-slioutin’ ‘Glory! glory! glory! glory to de Lambdat was slain!’ For what do de Scriptures say ?—‘YVho are dese in white ‘Dey what came up through great tribulations.’ Down here de black skin, an’ de great tribulations ; up dar de white robe an’ de joy for ebermore. Now, my brudders an’ sisters, what do de Scriptures say agin'? Dey say‘what though dey he black as ink’ for something to dat effec’), ‘dey shall be whiter dan snow.’ An’ it ’pears to me I’ll be so powerful happy up dar dat I'd like to shake han’s Avid all nay brudders an’ sisters, widout distinction ob age, color, or previous condition ob servitude —good many on ’em I hain’.t shook no han’ wid here—but ’pears to me I’ll be so occoopied a-wavin’, an’, a-praisin’, an’ a-slioutin’ hallelujah! hallelujah! hallelujah! close up on de right side ob de Lamb, dat I won’t hah no time to go peekin’ roun’ de dark corners ob heaven to-find Brudder Bascovi.” —Lynn Burdette, in Editor's Drawer, Harper's Magazine.