Go tell it on the mountain - James Baldwin [103]
‘You know, the Lord is a wonder,’ said the praying mother. ‘Don’t you know, all this week He just burdened my soul, and kept me a-praying and a-weeping before Him? Look like I just couldn’t get no ease nohow—and I know He had me a-tarrying for that boy’s soul.’
‘Well, amen,’ said Sister Price. ‘Look like the Lord just wanted this church to rock. You remember how He spoke through Sister McCandless Friday night, and told us to pray, and He’d work a mighty wonder in our midst? And He done moved—hallelujah—He done troubled everybody’s mind.’
‘I just tell you,’ said Sister McCandless, ‘all you got to do is listen to the Lord; He’ll lead you right every time; He’ll move every time. Can’t nobody tell me my God ain’t real.’
‘And you see the way the Lord worked with young Elisha there?’ said Praying Mother Washington, with a calm, sweet smile. ‘Had that boy down there on the floor a-prophesying in tongues, amen, just the very minute before Johnny fell out a-screaming, and a-crying before the Lord. Look like the Lord was using Elisha to say: “It’s time, boy, come on home.” ’
‘Well, He is a wonder,’ said Sister Price. ‘And Johnny’s got two brothers now.’
Elizabeth said nothing. She walked with her head bowed, hands clasped lightly before her. Sister Price turned tom look at her, and smiled.
‘I know,’ she said, ‘you’s a mighty happy woman this morning.’
Elizabeth smiled and raised her head, but did not look directly at Sister Price. She looked ahead, down the long avenue, where Gabriel walked with Florence, where John walked with Elisha.
‘Yes,’ she said, at last. ‘I began praying. And I ain’t sopped praying yet.’
‘Yes, Lord,’ said Sister Price, ‘can’t none of us stop praying till we see His blessed face.’
‘But I bet you didn’t never think,’ said Sister McCandless, with a laugh, ‘that little Johnny was going to jump up so soon, and get religion. Bless our God!’
‘The Lord is going to bless that boy, you mark my words,’ said Praying Mother Washington.
‘Shake hands with the preacher, Johnny.’
‘Got a man in the Bible, son, who liked music, too. And he got to dancing one day before the Lord. You reckon you going to dance before the Lord one of these days?’
‘Yes, Lord,’ said Sister Price, ‘the Lord done raised you up a holy son. He going to comfort your grey hairs.’
Elizabeth found that her tears were falling, slowly, bitterly, in the morning light. ‘I pray the Lord,’ she said, ‘to bear him up on every side.’
‘Yes,’ said Sister McCandless, gravely, ‘it’s more than a notion. The Devil rises on every hand.’
Then, in silence, they came to the wide crossing where the tramline ran. A lean cat stalked the gutter and fled as they approached; turned to watch them, with yellow, malevolent eyes, from the ambush of a dustbin. A gray bird flew above them, above the electric wires for the tram line, and perched on the metal cornice of a roof. Then, far down the avenue, they heard a siren, and the clanging of a bell, and looked up to see the ambulance speed past them on the way to the hospital that was near the church.
‘Another soul struck down,’ murmured Sister McCandless. ‘Lord have mercy.’
‘He said in the last days evil would abound,’ said Sister Price.
‘Well, yes, He did say it,’ said Praying Mother Washington, ‘and I’m so glad He told us He wouldn’t leave us comfortless.’
‘’When ye see all these things, know that your salvation is at hand,’ said Sister McCandless. ‘A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand—but it ain’t going to come nigh thee. So glad, amen, this morning, bless my Redeemer.’
‘You remember that day when you come into the store?’
‘I didn’t think you never looked at me.’
‘Well—you was mighty pretty.’
‘Didn’t little Johnny never say nothing,’ asked Praying Mother Washington, ‘to make you think the Lord was working in his heart?’
‘He always kind of quiet,’ said Elizabeth. ‘He don’t say much.’
‘No,’ said Sister McCandless, ‘he ain’t like all these rough young one nowadays—he got some respect for his elders.