Project #-1655
Cassels E. Tiedeman
Charleston, S. C.

Approx. 241 words

(Verbatim Conversation)

Ophelia was asked what she thought about the burning of Mt. Zion A. M. E. church on last Sunday night.

"I t'ink somebody set fire to em an' bun em down. Aint no punishment ob de Lord. 'E aint go bun down His house ob worship when 'E people wuk had (hard) to dress em up new. Dat is one ob de debbul pet trick. 'E put envy in de hat (heart) ob a already wicked sinner an' mek em do dat.

"De Bible gib we dis command, 'dont you ebber wish on anyt'ing you neighbor hab.' Dere was somebody what wish on all dem new carpet an' t'ings in dat chuch (church), so old Satan say: 'come on boy, dey is hab too big a time in dere anyway wid dat bishop from de colored people land (Ethiopia), what axe dem to gib em a big automobile for em to run 'bout in when 'e git home.' Dat mek Satan laugh at de bishop. I laugh too. You t'ink I axe God for any t'ing lak dat an speck to get em? Humble youself befo' you God an' axe em to mek you ready to enter de Kingdom, den you hab ebery t'ing 'e want to hab.

"Dat bishop aint no man ob God, 'e sperrit is ob dis world, an' old Satan git em yet. I sorry 'bout de chuch bun down, but somebody in dere is et up wid envy an' 'e let Satan hab 'e foot loose."

Source: Ophelia Jemison, Addison Court, Charleston, S. C.

Text from: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, WPA Federal Writers' Project Collection