Sermon
The aged colored clergyman, who made up in enthusiasm what he lacked in
education, preached a sermon on the verse of the Psalm, "Awake, Psaltery
and Harp! I myself will awake right early." The explanation of the
words, which preceded the exhortation, was as follows:
"Awake, Peasel Tree an' Ha'ap, I myself will awake airly. Dis yere Sam
was wrote by de prophet Moses. Moses was mighty fond o' playin' on de
ha'ap all de day long, an' at night when he went to bed he'd hang up de
ha'ap on de limb ob a Peasel tree what grew on de outside o' de window,
an' in de mawnin', when de sun would get up an' shine in his face, he'd
jump out o' bed, an' exclaim, 'Wake, Peasel Tree an' Ha'ap! I myself
will awake airly!'"