CHAPTER IV.

 “WHO OF US CAN SAY, WHICH IS FAIRER, THE VISIONS OF HOPE, OR MEMORY? THE ONE MAKES ALL THINGS POSSIBLE, THE OTHER MAKES ALL THINGS REAL.”

In the holy hush¹ of that September afternoon, Aunt Kitty told me of a vision that she had, during the middle 60’s.

It was my last talk with her, and she seemed so impressed with the memory of it, that she laid aside her peach peeling, and gave her mind, and soul, to the subject so dear to her heart.

She said: “Some people call them dreams, but I call them visions. Ever since God spoke² peace to my soul, I had prayed for religious liberty for my people; so great was my desire in this particular direction, that it seemed as a heavy weight that was bowing me down.

“But one night, about midnight, the burden seemed to be lifted from me. The deep darkness drifted away, and it seemed that the sun shone[31] everywhere, and in a certain direction, I saw a long grassy³ slope stretch far away before me.

“I could not tell at first, what it meant, for I saw nothing but space. By and by, a small table appeared, and seemed to come nearer and nearer.

“I looked away, and wondered, and then I looked again, and a Bible was on the table.

“The third time I cast my eyes, lo and behold⁴! there stood my old man behind the table, the Bible was open, and he was slowly reading from its sacred pages!

“Miss Harriet, this may all sound very strange to you, but that vision was as plain to me, as the sight of you, sitting here before me.

“The old man had been working away from home all the week, so I got up next morning and went about my daily duties without telling my children what I had seen.

“Saturday night he came home, and after holding family prayers, and everything was quiet about the house, I told him of my vision—and listen, oh, it was joy to my soul! He told me that Dr. Norfleet wanted us to have a place of worship, and that he was willing to give us land on which to build a church, about an acre, on the hillside, between Mr. Bourne’s spring and Sulphur Fork Creek⁵. And he said that many[32] other white friends would give lumber⁶, and small sums of money.

“Miss Harriet, we rejoiced together that Saturday night, as we never had before. We had been reaching our feeble arms toward Heaven a long time, pleading for the blessing⁷ that was now in sight.”

Thirty odd years had passed, and a new generation had come, but the flight of time only served to sweeten the sound of her story. As I bade her good bye, I was deeply conscious that I would never see her again, for she was growing too feeble to leave home, and I drove off, feeling spiritually benefitted from contact with such a Christian⁸ character as Aunt Kitty Carr.

One Autumn afternoon in 1867, a large crowd of the best colored people of Port Royal and surrounding neighborhoods, assembled on the hillside where Mount Zion now stands, and organized the church.

Elder Horace Carr was assisted in the organization by Revs⁹. Chess Ware¹¹ and Ben Thomas, of Guthrie, Ky. Elder Carr stood under a large white oak tree, and led in the movement, while his hearers sat around on rails, logs, stumps¹², etc.

 

Mount Zion, Colored Baptist Church, near

Port Royal, Tennessee.

 

It was a movement destined¹³ to mean much to the colored people of Robertson and Montgomery[33] counties. Located as it was, near the county line, its membership was composed largely of both counties, but since then, other churches have sprung up, and many of the Mount Zion members joined those nearer their homes.

Alfred Pitt (col.) took the contract for building the first house of worship. It was 30×30 feet, and erected¹⁴ in a very short time.

Most of the white citizens of the neighborhood contributed either lumber or small amounts of money, and when the crude little building appeared on the hillside, all eyes turned to Uncle Horace, as the good shepherd to lead the little flock of seventy odd members.

This first church building was also used for a school-room, in which was taught one of the first colored schools in Middle Tennessee, during what was termed the “Reconstruction Period;” in other words, the years immediately following the Civil War, when both races were adjusting themselves to the changed conditions brought about by the emancipation¹⁵ of the slaves.

This school was taught by Miss Denie Sims, a nice, refined young woman from Clarksville, Tenn., who conducted not only herself, but her school, so well, that she was highly esteemed¹⁶ by both white and colored people of Port Royal neighborhood.

[34]The first building being too small to accommodate the congregations that rapidly increased in numbers, it was torn away after standing¹⁷ two or three years, and replaced by one of 36×40 feet.

This stood five years, and was burned at night by unknown parties. Circumstantial evidence pointed¹⁸ strongly to certain people, but there was no positive proof.

After the excitement, incident to such an occurrence, had subsided¹⁹, Uncle Horace gathered together a portion of his little flock, and cautioned them to say no harsh words, that all would be well, for he felt that the good people who had assisted them before, would do so again, and they would rebuild. They rebuilt on the same foundation, and all went right for a few years, or, until a band of colored gamblers became a menace to law, and order. So bold did they grow in their wickedness, that one night they actually gambled in front of the church door, from the same light that guided the good minister in reading the Gospel from the sacred desk!

It was more than the Christian congregation could stand, and strenuous²⁰ measures were taken against the offenders²¹.

That same week Mount Zion again went up in flames, but faith, and persistency²², are Life’s architects, and the fourth building was erected,[35] and there it stands today, a monument to the courage of a faithful few.

For the benefit of those who would like to know the charter members of Mount Zion Church, I give below a list of their names; true it is, a few may have been overlooked, but in the main, they are as follows:

Sydney Allen.

Rev¹⁰. Horace Carr.

Kitty Carr.

Horace Carr, Jr.

Rev. Althens Carr.

Lucinda Carney.

Sylvia Carney.

Easter Carney.

Isaac Carney.

Aleck Carney.

Ann Dunn.

Judy Fort.

Margaret Fort.

Charlotte Fort.

Katie Fort.

George Francis Fort.

Jim Fort.

Peggy Fort.

Rev. John Fort.

Daniel Fort.

Sampson Fort.

Henry Fort.

Frank Fort.

Sarah Grant.

John Grant.

Bear John Grant.

Nelson Grant.

Vinie Grant.

Wallace Gaines.

Maria Gaines.

Phil Gaines.

Dennis Gaines.

Martha Gaines.

Clarissa Gaines.

Malachi Gaines.

Eliza Gaines.

Eliza Holmes.

Waddy Herring.

Sallie Ann. Herring.

Rachel Izor.

Sam Izor.

Mark Mitchell.

[36] Patsy McGowan.

John McGowan.

Martha Newton.

Sookey Northington.

Vinie Northington.

Caroline Northington.

William Northington.

Jack²³ Northington.

Angeline Northington.

Seely Northington.

Chaney Northington.

Elijah Northington.

Louisanna Northington.

Bettie Northington.

Dennis Northington.

Rebekah Northington.

Allen Northington.

Neptune²⁴ Northington.

George Northington.

Sam Northington.

Almira Northington.

Betsy Neblett.

Kitty Norfleet.

Adeline Norfleet.

Rildy Polk.

Lucy Parks.

Demps Wimberly.

Delphi Waters.

With few exceptions, nearly all of the above charter members had been members of Red River and Harmony churches before the Civil War. Scarcely a dozen of them remain with us in the flesh.

During its forty-four years’ existence, Mount Zion has had the following pastors²⁵:

Rev. Horace Carr.

Rev. Altheus Carr.

Rev. Edmond Northington.

Rev. Paul Dennis.

Rev. George Mimms.

Rev. Turner Parish.

Rev. M. Fox.

[37] Rev. L. Jones.

Rev. A. J. Moore, D. D.

Of the original Deacons, only one is alive, Aleck Carney, the other six in active service are:

Dan Fort.

George Fort.

Demps Fort.

Albert Steward²⁶.

Wright Watkins.

Will Randolph.

It is a noticeable fact, that the second and third generations of some of Mount Zion’s charter members, are at present among its best workers; as for example, Rev. John Fort’s son Dan, and grandson George, upon whose shoulders a father’s religious mantle²⁷ has fallen.

Soon after the donation of land by Dr. Norfleet for Mount Zion Church; Mr. William Bourne, on an adjoining farm, gave land for a colored cemetery²⁸.

Mr. Bourne was a citizen of fine standing. He was the son of Ambrose Bourne, a prominent pioneer Baptist minister.

By strange coincidence, Rev. Ambrose Bourne helped organize Red River Church, 1791, within a few hundred yards of where Mount Zion now stands.

Red River is one of the oldest Baptist churches[38] in Tennessee, and the Bourne Spring at that date, was called Prince’s Spring, and the little log church building was known as Prince’s meeting house. After its removal to Robertson county it took its name from its nearness to Red River. In the early days most of the churches took their names from the streams nearest which they were located, as Spring Creek, West Fork, Red River, etc. Rev. Horace Carr named the church he loved so well, from the New Testament²⁹. Hebrews 12: 22, in which Moses said, “But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,” etc.

1 hush   

int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静

参考例句：

• A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
• Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去！

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 grassy   

adj.盖满草的；长满草的

参考例句：

• They sat and had their lunch on a grassy hillside.他们坐在长满草的山坡上吃午饭。
• Cattle move freely across the grassy plain.牛群自由自在地走过草原。

4 behold   

v.看，注视，看到

参考例句：

• The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
• The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。

5 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

6 lumber   

n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动

参考例句：

• The truck was sent to carry lumber.卡车被派出去运木材。
• They slapped together a cabin out of old lumber.他们利用旧木料草草地盖起了一间小屋。

7 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

8 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

9 revs   

abbr.revolutions （复数）旋转，回转，转数n.发动机的旋转( rev的名词复数 )v.（使）加速( rev的第三人称单数 )；（数量、活动等）激增；（使发动机）快速旋转；（使）活跃起来

参考例句：

• The engine was doing 6000 revs. 引擎转速为6000。 来自互联网
• Shared primary objectives included the highest possible torque and fast response from low revs. 共同的主要目标包括尽可能高转矩和响应速度快的低转速。 来自互联网

10 rev   

v.发动机旋转，加快速度

参考例句：

• It's his job to rev up the audience before the show starts.他要负责在表演开始前鼓动观众的热情。
• Don't rev the engine so hard.别让发动机转得太快。

11 ware   

n.(常用复数)商品，货物

参考例句：

• The shop sells a great variety of porcelain ware.这家店铺出售品种繁多的瓷器。
• Good ware will never want a chapman.好货不须叫卖。

12 stumps   

（被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分

参考例句：

• Rocks and stumps supplied the place of chairs at the picnic. 野餐时石头和树桩都充当了椅子。
• If you don't stir your stumps, Tom, you'll be late for school again. 汤姆，如果你不快走，上学又要迟到了。

13 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

14 ERECTED   

adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立

参考例句：

• A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
• A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。

15 emancipation   

n.（从束缚、支配下）解放

参考例句：

• We must arouse them to fight for their own emancipation. 我们必须唤起他们为其自身的解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They rejoiced over their own emancipation. 他们为自己的解放感到欢欣鼓舞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 esteemed   

adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为

参考例句：

• The art of conversation is highly esteemed in France. 在法国十分尊重谈话技巧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He esteemed that he understood what I had said. 他认为已经听懂我说的意思了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

18 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

19 subsided   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

20 strenuous   

adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的

参考例句：

• He made strenuous efforts to improve his reading. 他奋发努力提高阅读能力。
• You may run yourself down in this strenuous week.你可能会在这紧张的一周透支掉自己。

21 offenders   

n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物）

参考例句：

• Long prison sentences can be a very effective deterrent for offenders. 判处长期徒刑可对违法者起到强有力的威慑作用。
• Purposeful work is an important part of the regime for young offenders. 使从事有意义的劳动是管理少年犯的重要方法。

22 persistency   

n. 坚持(余辉, 时间常数)

参考例句：

• I was nettled by her persistency. 我被她的固执惹恼了。
• We should stick to and develop the heritage of persistency. 我们应坚持和发扬坚忍不拔的传统。

23 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

24 Neptune   

n.海王星

参考例句：

• Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun.海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Neptune turned out to be a dynamic,stormy world.海王星原来是个有生气、多风暴的世界。

25 pastors   

n.（基督教的）牧师( pastor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Do we show respect to our pastors, missionaries, Sunday school teachers? 我们有没有尊敬牧师、宣教士，以及主日学的老师？ 来自互联网
• Should pastors or elders be paid, or serve as a volunteer? 牧师或长老需要付给酬劳，还是志愿的事奉呢？ 来自互联网

26 steward   

n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员

参考例句：

• He's the steward of the club.他是这家俱乐部的管理员。
• He went around the world as a ship's steward.他当客船服务员，到过世界各地。

27 mantle   

n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红

参考例句：

• The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green.大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。
• The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow.山上覆盖着一层雪。

28 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

29 testament   

n.遗嘱；证明

参考例句：

• This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。
• It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明，编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。