; for, besides Major Waldron's own slaves, quite a
number from the adjoining plantations were there. The younger negroes
were laughing and chatting in groups outside the door, but the older
ones wore very solemn countenances, and walked gravely in and up to the
very front pews. On Mammy's arrival, she placed the little girls in
seats at the back of the house, and left Dilsey and Chris and Riar on
the seat just behind them, "fur ter min' 'em," as she said (for the
children must always be under the supervision of somebody), and then she
went to her accustomed place at the front; for Mammy was one of the
leading members, and sat in the amen corner.

Soon after they had taken their seats, Uncle Gabe, who had a powerful
voice, and led the singing, struck up:

"Roll, Jordan, roll! roll, Jordan, roll!
I want ter go ter heb'n wen I die,
Fur ter hyear sweet Jordan roll.

"Oh, pray, my brudder, pray!
Yes, my Lord;
My brudder's settin' in de kingdum,
Fur ter hyear sweet Jordan roll.

_Chorus._

Roll, Jordan, roll! roll, Jordan, roll!
I want ter go ter heb'n wen I die,
Fur ter hyear sweet Jordan roll.

"Oh, shout, my sister, shout!
Yes, my Lord;
My sister she's er shoutin'
Caze she hyears sweet Jordan roll.

"Oh, moan, you monahs, moan!
Yes, my Lord;
De monahs sobbin' an' er weepin',
Fur ter hyear sweet Jordan roll.

"Oh, scoff, you scoffers, scoff!
Yes, my Lord;
Dem sinners wat's er scoffin'
Can't hyear sweet Jordan roll."

And as the flood of melody poured through the house, the groups on the
outside came in to join the singing.

After the hymn, Uncle Snake-bit Bob led in prayer, and what the old man
lacked in grammar and rhetoric was fully made up for in fervency and
zeal.

The prayer ended, Uncle Daniel arose, and, carefully adjusting his
spectacles, he opened his Bible with all the gravity and dignity
imaginable, and proceeded to give out his text.

Now the opening of the Bible was a mere matter of form, for Uncle Daniel
didn't even know his letters; but he thought it was more impressive to
have the Bible open, and therefore never omitted that part of the
ceremony.

"My bredren an' my sistren," he began, looking solemnly over his specs
at the congregation, "de tex' wat I'se gwine ter gib fur yer 'strucshun
dis ebenin' yer'll not fin' in de foremus' part er de Book, nur yit in
de hine part. Hit's swotuwated mo' in de middle like, 'boutn ez fur fum
one een ez 'tiz fum tudder