The negro does not dwell upon thoughts of hell as he does of heaven. Even if he has “stepped over hell an’ come back ’gain,” he does not reveal so much of its character. Some conceptions, however, are definite enough.
O hell is deep an’ hell is wide,
O hell ain’t got no bottom or side.
I’d rather pray myself away,
Than live in hell an’ burn one day.
O when I git to hebben, I’ll be able to tell,
How I shunned dat dismal hell.
Ev’y since my Lord done set me free,
Dis ole worl’ bin a hell to me.
When I come to find out I’s on de road to hell, I fleed to Jesus.
The negro song finds little satisfaction in his various ideas of hell. “This ole world’s a hell to me,” says the negro; but “hell is a dark and dismal place,” so that the only immediate conclusion which he can reach is that he must “shun de gates of hell” and make for the home beyond the Jordan.
A rich variety of references to scriptural characters is seen in the majority of the negro spirituals, both of the past and of the present. The negro portrays the conduct of heroes in the past with imaginative skill. Their songs are often running-stories of scripture, in which the effort is made to include as many characters as possible and at the same time draw conclusions which have suitable morals, but these songs may be better studied in the examples that follow. Some of the typical references to the Scriptures will show the average interpretation given them by the negroes.
O, sisters, can’t you help me sing,
For Moses’ sister did help him.
Where wus Ezekiel when de church fell down?
Down in de valley wid his head hung down.
Ezekiel said he spied de train a comin’,
He got on board an’ she never stop runnin’.
God made Adam an’ Adam wus first,
God made Adam out o’ the dust o’ the earth.
Well God show Noah de rainbow sign,
No more water but fire nex’ time.
Mose live till he got old,
Buried in de mountain so I’m told.
Mary wept and Martha mourned,
Jesus Christ laid de corner stone.
Mary wore the golden chain,
Every link was in Jesus’ name.
Judas was a deceitful man—
Well he betrayed the innercent lam’.
John wrote a letter an’ he wrote it in haste,
If yer want to go to heaven, you better make haste.
John declar he saw a man,
Wid seben lamps in his right han’.
The negroes wonder “wher’s sister Mary, Martha, Brudder Moses, brudder Daniel (and the others) gone.” So, too, “Sister Hannah, Hagar, brudder Moses” and the rest “took dey seat.” And again, “Wondah whar good ole Daniel, doubtin’ Thomas, sinkin’ Peter” and others. Moses “smote de water” and the negro says:
I want to go where Moses trod,
For Moses gone to de house o’ God.
Peter is commanded again and again to “go ring dem bells”; “Daddy Peter go to Jesus”, “Fisherman Peter out at sea”, the latter perhaps being the origin of “sinkin’ Peter.” Elijah is one of the favorites of the Old Testament. “Elijah gwine ride in de chariot in de mornin’”, and Isaiah who “mounted on de wheel o’ time” is a kindred character to Ezekiel and Elijah. Jacob’s ladder and struggle is vivid enough to be sung. “I’m gwine climb up Jacob’s ladder”; “Rastlin’ Jacob, let me go.” “Jacob tremblin’ on a limb.” Noah’s victory is the common theme. “Dey call Brudder Noah a foolish man”, but that makes no difference for “de Lord tole Noah fer to build him ark”, and “de ole ark a moverin.” The negro remarks characteristically: “God placed Adam in de garden, ’was ’bout de cool o’ day.” Gabriel is proverbial and the attitude of the singer is always ready “fer to hear Gabriel blow his horn.” “Don’t you hear Gabriel’s trumpet in de mornin’”? “Little David play on de harp” has been a shining example for many another “David” who loved to blow on his harp. “Father Abraham sittin’ down side o’ de holy Lamb”, is almost synonymous with Christ. Prominent among the clear impressions made by the Scriptures is that of the delivery of Daniel, the Hebrew children and Jonah. However, one must read the songs in order to get the full significance of the references.
Although the negro bases everything in his religion upon the Bible, and his songs and sermons and exhortations abound in quotations from the “Holy word”, he has comparatively little to say of the Bible itself as a book. He thinks sometimes that it is a “cumpass” and also bases his convictions on the truth of the Bible. He asks “How do you know? For my Bible hit tell me so.”
For in dat Bible you will see.
Jesus died fer you an’ me.
Matthew, Mark, Luke an’ John
Tell me where my Master’s gone.
Go read de fifth of Matthew
An’ read de chapter through,
It is de guide to Christians
An’ tell ’em what to do.
Now take yo’ Bible an’ read it through,
An’ ev’y word you fin’ is true.