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Paul Laurence Dunbar - An Ante-Bellum Sermon
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We is gathahed hyeah, my brothahs,
          In dis howlin` wildaness,
Fu` to speak some words of comfo`t
          To each othah in distress.
An` we chooses fu` ouah subjic`
          Dis — we`ll `splain it by an` by;
"An` de Lawd said, ` Moses, Moses,`
          An` de man said, `Hyeah am I.`"

Now ole Pher`oh, down in Egypt,
          Was de wuss man evah bo`n,
An` he had de Hebrew chillun
          Down dah wukin` in his co`n;
`T well de Lawd got tiahed o` his foolin`,
          An` sez he: "I`ll let him know —
Look hyeah, Moses, go tell Pher`oh
          Fu` to let dem chillun go."

"An` ef he refuse to do it,
          I will make him rue de houah,
Fu` I`ll empty down on Egypt
          All de vials of my powah."
Yes, he did — an` Pher`oh`s ahmy
          Was n`t wuth a ha`f a dime;
Fu` de Lawd will he`p his chillun,
          You kin trust him evah time.

An` yo` enemies may `sail you
          In de back an` in de front;
But de Lawd is all aroun` you,
          Fu` to ba` de battle`s brunt.
Dey kin fo`ge yo` chains an` shackles
          F`om de mountains to de sea;
But de Lawd will sen` some Moses
          Fu` to set his chillun free.

An` de lan` shall hyeah his thundah,
          Lak a blas` f`om Gab`el`s ho`n,
Fu` de Lawd of hosts is mighty
          When he girds his ahmor on.
But fu` feah some one mistakes me,
          I will pause right hyeah to say,
Dat I`m still a-preachin` ancient,
          I ain`t talkin` `bout to-day.

But I tell you, fellah christuns,
          Things`ll happen mighty strange;
Now, de Lawd done dis fu` Isrul,
          An` his ways don`t nevah change,
An, de love he showed to Isrul
          Was n`t all on Isrul spent;
Now don`t run an` tell yo` mastahs
          Dat I`s preachin` discontent.

`Cause I is n`t; I`se a-judgin`
          Bible people by deir ac`s;
I`se a-givin` you de Scriptuah,
          I`se a-handin` you de fac`s.
Cose ole Pher`oh b`lieved in slav`ry,
          But de Lawd he let him see,
Dat de people he put bref in, —
          Evah mothah`s son was free.

An` dahs othahs thinks lak Pher`oh,
          But dey calls de Scriptuah liar,
Fu` de Bible says "a servant
          Is a-worthy of his hire."
An` you cain`t git roun` nor thoo dat
          An` you cain`t git ovah it,
Fu` whatevah place you git in,
          Dis hyeah Bible too `ll fit.

So you see de Lawd`s intention,
          Evah sence de worl` began,
Was dat His almighty freedom
          Should belong to evah man,
But I think it would be bettah,
          Ef I`d pause agin to say,
Dat I`m talkin` `bout ouah freedom
          In a Bibleistic way.

But de Moses is a-comin`,
          An` he`s comin`, suah and fas`
We kin hyeah his feet a-trompin`,
          We kin hyeah his trumpit blas`.
But I want to wa`n you people,
          Don`t you git too brigity;
An` don`t you git to braggin`
          `Bout dese things, you wait an` see.

But when Moses wif his powah
          Comes an` sets us chillun free,
We will praise de gracious Mastah
          Dat has gin us liberty;
An` we`ll shout ouah halleluyahs,
          On dat mighty reck`nin` day,
When we`se reco`nised ez citiz`— 
          Huh uh! Chillun, let us pray!
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