Army Life in a Black Regiment Part 11

Look at de people dat is born of G.o.d.

And I run down de valley, and I run down to pray, Says, look at de people dat is born of G.o.d.

When I get dar, Cappen Satan was dar, Says, look at, &c.

Says, young man, young man, dere's no use for pray, Says, look at, &c.

For Jesus is dead, and G.o.d gone away, Says, look at, &c.

And I made him out a liar, and I went my way, Says, look at, &c.

Sing holy, holy!

"O, Mary was a woman, and he had a one Son, Says, look at, &c.

And de Jews and de Romans had him hung, Says, look at, &c. Cry holy, holy!

"And I tell you, sinner, you had better had pray, Says, look at, &c.

For h.e.l.l is a dark and dismal place, Says, look at, &c.

And I tell you, sinner, and I wouldn't go dar!

Says, look at, &c.

Cry holy, holy!"

Here is an infinitely quaint description of the length of the heavenly road:-

XIV. O'ER THE CROSSING.

"Vender's my old mudder, Been a-waggin' at de hill so long.

It's about time she'll cross over; Get home bimeby.

Keep prayin', I do believe We're a long time waggin' o'er de crossin'.

Keep prayin', I do believe We'll get home to heaven bimeby.

"Hear dat mournful thunder Roll from door to door, Calling home G.o.d's children; Get home bimeby.

Little chil'en, I do believe We're a long time, &c.

Little chil'en, I do believe We'll get home, &c.

"See dat forked lightnin'

Flash from tree to tree, Callin' home G.o.d's chil'en; Get home bimeby.

True believer, I do believe We're a long time, &c.

O brudders, I do believe, We'll get home to heaven bimeby."

One of the most singular pictures of future joys, and with fine flavor of hospitality about it, was this:-

XV. WALK 'EM EASY.

"O, walk 'em easy round de heaven, Walk 'em easy round de heaven, Walk 'em easy round de heaven, Dat all de people may join de band.

Walk 'em easy round de heaven. (Thrice.) O, shout glory till 'em join dat band!"

The chorus was usually the greater part of the song, and often came in paradoxically, thus:-

XVI. O YES, LORD.

"O, must I be like de foolish mans?

O yes, Lord!

Will build de house on de sandy hill.

O yes, Lord!

I'll build my house on Zion hill, O yes, Lord!

No wind nor rain can blow me down, O yes, Lord!"

The next is very graceful and lyrical, and with more variety of rhythm than usual:-

XVII. BOW LOW, MARY.

"Bow low, Mary, bow low, Martha, For Jesus come and lock de door, And carry de keys away.

Sail, sail, over yonder, And view de promised land.

For Jesus come, &c.

Weep, O Mary, bow low, Martha, For Jesus come, &c.

Sail, sail, my true believer; Sail, sail, over yonder; Mary, bow low, Martha, bow low, For Jesus come and lock de door And carry de keys away."

But of all the "spirituals" that which surprised me the most, I think,-perhaps because it was that in which external nature furnished the images most directly,-was this. With all my experience of their ideal ways of speech, I was startled when first I came on such a flower of poetry in that dark soil.

XVIII. I KNOW MOON-RISE.

"I know moon-rise, I know star-rise, Lay dis body down.

I walk in de moonlight, I walk in de starlight, To lay dis body down.

I'll walk in de graveyard, I'll walk through de graveyard, To lay dis body down.

I'll lie in de grave and stretch out my arms; Lay dis body down.

I go to de judgment in de evenin' of de day, When I lay dis body down; And my soul and your soul will meet in de day When I lay dis body down."

"I'll lie in de grave and stretch out my arms." Never, it seems to me, since man first lived and suffered, was his infinite longing for peace uttered more plaintively than in that line.

The next is one of the wildest and most striking of the whole series: there is a mystical effect and a pa.s.sionate striving throughout the whole. The Scriptural struggle between Jacob and the angel, which is only dimly expressed in the words, seems all uttered in the music. I think it impressed my imagination more powerfully than any other of these songs.

XIX. WRESTLING JACOB.

"O wrestlin' Jacob, Jacob, day's a-breakin'; I will not let thee go!

O wrestlin' Jacob, Jacob, day's a-breakin'; He will not let me go!

O, I hold my brudder wid a tremblin' hand I would not let him go!

I hold my sister wid a tremblin' hand; I would not let her go!

"O, Jacob do hang from a tremblin' limb, He would not let him go!

O, Jacob do hang from a tremblin' limb; De Lord will bless my soul.

O wrestlin' Jacob, Jacob," &c.

Of "occasional hymns," properly so called, I noticed but one, a funeral hymn for an infant, which is sung plaintively over and over, without variety of words.

XX. THE BABY GONE HOME.

"De little baby gone home, De little baby gone home, De little baby gone along, For to climb up Jacob's ladder.

And I wish I'd been dar, I wish I'd been dar, I wish I'd been dar, my Lord, For to climb up Jacob's ladder."

Still simpler is this, which is yet quite sweet and touching.

XXI. JESUS WITH US.

"He have been wid us, Jesus He still wid us, Jesus, He will be wid us, Jesus, Be wid us to the end."

The next seemed to be a favorite about Christmas time, when meditations on "de rollin' year" were frequent among them.

XXII. LORD, REMEMBER ME.

"O do, Lord, remember me!

O do, Lord, remember me!

O, do remember me, until de year roll round!

Do, Lord, remember me!

"If you want to die like Jesus died, Lay in de grave, You would fold your arms and close your eyes And die wid a free good will.

"For Death is a simple ting, And he go from door to door, And he knock down some, and he cripple op some, And he leave some here to pray.

"O do, Lord remember me!

O do, Lord, remember me!

My old fader's gone till de year roll round; Do, Lord, remember me!"