605
John Jasper
Famous during the last half of the nineteenth century as a Negro
preacher, the Reverend John Jasper is the subject of at least two
biographies: E. A. Randolph's The Life of Rev. John Jasper, Pastor
of Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., from His
Birth to the Present Time, zvith His Theory of the Rotation of the
Sun (Richmond, 1884) ; and William E. Hatcher's John Jasper, the
Unmatched Negro Philosopher and Preacher (New York, c. 1908).
His death was noted in a paragraph in TJic International Year Book
for ipoi.
Born a slave in Fluvanna county, Virginia, July 4, 1812, lie
worked on farms, in tobacco factories, and at various other menial
employments in and around Williamsburg, Petersburg, and Rich-
mond, (luring his childhood and early manhood. In bis youth, witb
the help of a fellow slave be learned to read and spell in The Neiv
York Spelling Book. In 1839, during a Fourdi of July celebration
in Richmond, be was "deeply convicted of bis sins" and fortbwitb
began preaching. He is said to have "preached in every city in
the State of Virginia and two tbirds of its counties" (Randolpb,
op. cit., p. 14). During tbe Civil War bis audiences often included
the sick and wounded in Richmond hospitals. Shortly after tbe
war he visited \\'el(lon, N. C, and organized a Negro Baptist
church there. Most of tbe remainder of bis life be spent as pastor
of tbe Sixth Mount Zion Cburcb in Ricbmond. Meanwhile, he
preached or lectured in Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and
some of the New Jersey cities. His most i)opular sermon was en-
R E I. I C. 1 O U S S () \ C. S 645
tilled "Dc Sun l)(i Miivc" (alleged trxl in I latclirr, of^. cil., pp.
133-40). AccDrdinj; to Randoli)!) ( i*]). 10341, "Mr. |MattlR'w?|
Arnold expre.'^scd a j^rcat dosirc tn lu-ar .\lr. |a>i)(.T preach his
famous sermon on "The Sun Do Move,' " and "It is no exajT^s'era-
tion to say that Rev. John jasper has a j^reater rei)Utation in ICurope
than any other Southern man since the war. llis sermon was puh-
lished in one of the French pa])ers, and was diNCUs^ed in the London
L'luh." When jasjier died, in Richmond, .March 30, njoi, the Rich-
jiioihI Tiiinw- Pisf^iilch said ot him (as (iUoted hy llatcher, pp.
12-14) :
"He was a national character, and he and iii^ philosopiiy were known
from one end of the land to the other. Some people have the impres-
sion that John Jasper was famous simply because he flew in the face of
scientists and declared that the sun moved, hi one sense, that is true,
hut it is also true that his fame was due, in great measure, to a strong
personality, to a deep, earnest conviction, as well as to a devout Chris-
tian character. Some preachers might have made this assertion about
the sun's motion without having attracted any special attention. The
people would have laughed over it, and the incident would have passed
by as a summer breeze. But John Jasper made an im])ression upon his
generation, because he was sincerely and deeply in earnest in all that
he said. . . . His implicit trust in the Bible and everything in it, was
beautiful and impressive. He had no other lamp by which his feet were
guided. He had no other science, no other philosophy. He took the
Bible in its literal significance; he accepted it as the inspired word of
God ; he trusted it with all his heart and soul and mind ; he believed
nothing that was in conflict with the teachings of the Bible — scientists
and pliik)sophers and theologians to the contrary notwithstanding."'
Cf. the following John Jasper songs with one in White ANFS 128-9.
'John Jasper.' With music (two copies). From an anonymous con-
tributor. Apparently this was part of the material Dr. Brown was pre-
paring for publication in 1916-18.
1 [dhn lasper was a man, as yoii all do inulerstaiid.
And he preach-ed lu de j)C'o])K' with a \eii^^cance.
He preach-ed in de church, and ])rcach-ecl out (d' doors,
And he preach-ed to de jjeople dat de sun do move.
Chorus:
Because de sun do move. ])ecause de sun do move.
Dear John Jasper was a preacher.
He preach-ed in de church, and he preach-etl out ofdoors,
And he ])reach-ed to de jK'ople dat de sun do move.
2 And de wise men com-uh from a lon^' ways (dl.
And dey took down de hooks dat com-uh from «k' i,ord.
^ For some details concerning John jasper, the editors of this collection
are indebted to Mary M. Watt, Questions and Answers Department, the
Richmond Times Pist'atch.
And dey took down de Bible and dey splain-ed de truth.
And dey prov-ed to de people dat de sun do move.
B
No title. From an anonymous contributor, without date or address ;
probably c. 1920-25. A fragment.
The wise men came from a long way off,
An' they took down the book dat came from de Lord,
An' they took down the Bible,
An' set about to prove,
An' dey proved to de people
Dat de sun do move.
----
605
John Jasper
'John Jasper.' Anonymous singer, no place or date given. MS score.
F-520
John Jas - per was a man, as you all do un - der-stand,
An' he prea - ched to the peo - pie wid a ven— geance.-
He out prea - ched in the church, an' he prea - ched
of doors, An' he prea - ched to the peo - pie
dat de sun do move. Be - cause de sun do move,
be - cause de sun do move. Dear John Jas - per was a
preach - er. — - He prea - ched in de church, and he
prea - ched out o' doors, An' he prov - ed to the
peo - pie dat de do
And de wise men come - uh from a long ways off,
An' dey took down de books dat come - uh from de Lord,
An' dey took down de Bi ble set a-bout to prove.
An' prea - ched to de peo - pie dat de sun do move.
Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: f. Structure: (first stanza) abab^
cba^bi (2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2) = aa^bai (4,4,4,4) = Reprisenbar; (second stanza)
cb^a^b^ (2,2,2,2). The latter shows a rather ingenious use of the material of
the first stanza and chorus. It begins by using the first two phrases of the
chorus, of which the second is varied ; then ends up by using a variation of the
first measure of b, plus the first of a (here called a^) and nonchalantly comes
back to the conclusion of the first stanza.