Petals Plucked from Sunny ClimesBrooks, A. M. (Abbie M.)
History
Petals Plucked from Sunny Climes
Brooks, A. M. (Abbie M.)
Cuba -- Description and travel; Florida -- Description and travel; Florida -- History
Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe is here to-day from her home in Mandarin, for
the purpose of attending church. Dr. Stowe, her husband, accompanies her
as he preaches. When they both entered the Southern Methodist church a
slight rustle was heard in the congregation, and a few persons left the
house. Mr. and Mrs. Uncle Tom were more than a Sabbath dose for some of
the Jacksonville community. Harriet B. has no resemblance to a
perpetrator of discord or scandal, or one who has swayed the
divining-rod of Abolitionism with sufficient potency to immortalize
herself for many coming generations, or probed the private life of a man
who, during the period of his checkered existence, never carved out
virtue for his shrine. The three snowy curls on each side of her face
give her a matronly look, and her stout-built frame, well covered with
flesh, a substantial appearance.
The service was opened by a very long prayer from Dr. Stowe, after which
he preached a purely orthodox sermon on the subject of godliness. Mrs.
Harriet had confidence in the ability of her husband; she knew the
discourse would be right without her vigilant eye, and she went to
sleep. Like other sleepers, she nodded naturally; her digits were
concealed beneath kid covers, and thrusting at no one. She looked the
picture of content, and was no doubt dreaming of that far-off,
beautiful country, where those who create dissensions and stir up
strife can never enter.
Places of worship have had an existence for both colors throughout the
entire South since the country was settled, the negroes being naturally
inclined to religion more than the whites. The African Church has always
been a full-developed institution, attended with its peculiarities and
noisy accompaniments, where the colored zealots could always give vent
to their religious enthusiasm by howling their emotional feelings among
others equally excited. The preacher usually leads the singing with his
loud, soul-stirring strains, manifesting much fervor, sometimes
improvising a strain or two with his own invention, if the rhyme and
tune do not measure equal.
The following is a correct copy of an original sermon delivered by a
very black Baptist brother to a Jacksonville colored congregation a
short time previous to the Freedmen's Bank explosion, which appears
prophetic in regard to that swindling institution. The text was, "Lay up
for yourselves treasure in heaven":
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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