Kern assented to anything like a call of duty, and Mr. Birdsall resumed, "Fren's, in closin' de meetin' fer dis ebenin', Bruder an' Sista Watson will sing a hymn togeder; an' we, respectin' dere berebement, will listen. Dey have been greatly offlicted, for de Lawd has taken from dem de lam' of dere bosoms. I ask you all now to listen to de expression of dere faith in dis night ob sorrow. Den we mus' remembah dat de sick an' weak are in dis squar, and gib dem a chance to res'."
Kern lifted up his magnificent voice, charged with the pent-up feeling of his heart, and his wife joined him with her rich, powerful contralto.
"On Jordan's banks we stan',
An Jordan's stream roll by;
No bridge de watahs span,
De flood am risin high.
Heah it foam an' roar, de dark flood tide,
How shel we cross to de oder side?
"De riber deep an strong,
De wabes am bery cole;
We see it rush along,
But who can venture bole?
Heah it foam an' roar, etc.
"A little chile step down;
It go in de riber deep.
Kin little feet touch groun'
Whar mountain billows sweep?
Heah dem foam an roar, etc.
"Dere comes a flash ob light,
Ober de cole dark wabes;
Dere come de angels' flight—
See shinin' bans dat sabe,
From de watah's foam, de dark flood tide,
Fer de Lawd hab seen from de oder side.
"Heah music swellin gran';
Yes, songs of welcome ring,
White wings de riber span
De little chile to bring.
Den let ole Jordan roar, de dark flood tide;
We'se borne across to de oder side."
The melodious duet rose and fell in great waves of sound, silencing all other voices. Contrary to Mr. Birdsall's expectations, religious fervor was only increased, and hoping to control it he asked Kern and Sissy to lead in several familiar hymns. The negroes throughout the square promptly responded, while not a few white refugees joined their voices to the mighty diapason of sound, which often swelled into grand harmonies.
Kern soon afterward went on duty for the night; Mr. Birdsall confined himself to quiet ministrations to his own people, and the leadership of the religious exercises fell into less judicious hands.