SURVIVAL OF AFRICAN MUSIC IN AMERICA. 667 



Africa, that his father said he had sung them at home in Africa, 

 and that the tunes were almost supernatural in their hold upon the 

 people. He continued : " Upon condition that you will never tell 

 my name, I'll give you an incident which will prove to you that 

 many of our race are still under the influences of voodooism, and 

 that although I am, as you see, a professed Christian, all the Afri- 

 can practices hold a powerful charm for me which I can't shake 

 off." Knowing well his reputation and position, I was startled. 

 He went on and said : " And this may serve you some time, as it 

 is a true story of my own weakness. Once the bishop ordered me 



to the city of , where I was to have charge of a run-down 



church. The first prayer-meeting night the members locked me 

 out, and came with shotguns to the church steps and said they were 

 tired of ministers, that they had had four, and would not have a 

 fifth minister. By dint of eloquence and superior education I ob- 

 tained their consent to enter the church. Well, I tried faithfully 

 to attract them. I never had more than a handful, and for six 

 months all seemed dead set against me. I could not draw. Com- 

 pletely discouraged, I was in my study praying when the door 

 opened and a little conjure man came in and said softly : ' You don't 

 understand de people. You must get you a hand as a friend to draw 

 'em. Ef you will let me fix you a luck charm you'll git 'em.' In 

 my desperation, I told him to fix it. He brought the charm back 

 in a few days, and said, ' Now, you must feed it wid alcohol, whisky, 

 or spirits, and never let it git dry, and always wear it nex' your 

 heart when you enters or leaves de church.' 



" It was only an ugly piece of red flannel, and I hate to confess 

 it, but I obeyed his instructions. I always felt for it before I went 

 down on my knees to pray. The next Sunday the church was full 

 of people. The following Sabbath there was not standing room. 

 For four years the aisles were crowded every Sunday. I knew it 

 was not the gospel's power, but that wretched ' luck ball.' When 

 the bishop sent me to another church he wrote and said : ' When 

 you came they tried to drive you away with shotguns; here, now, 

 twenty men write me begging to have you stay. Now you draw 

 beyond any minister in the city! How is this? ' I was ashamed to 

 tell him. I opened -the charm, and found these things in it. It 

 was a large piece of red flannel, with a horseshoe magnet fastened 

 flat to it. In the center of the space in the magnet was a bright 

 silver dime. On one side were sewed two needles, on the other 

 side of the money one needle. Below it were two more needles. 

 The whole was covered with what looked and tasted like gunpowder. 

 I tore it up and threw it away, and have never been able to draw an 

 audience since. You want one ? Well, I'll try to get one for you." 



