Eulogy

Eulogy To A Preaching Man

‘We are here brothers and sisters,
To pay our respects to Brother Zechariah.
The best preacher around for 26 years,
And pretty much we have all had our say.
But Miss Emily if you don’t mind,
One more person would like to talk
About your dearly loved husband.
Young Zech over there is chomping at the bit,
So you come right here young fella
You tell us what you want us to know.’
 
‘Thank you, Brother Hiram,
Thank you, Ma’am.
You all know me,
You all knew my pa... Jabari,
Known more often as Old Jab
I’m the youngest of six young’uns,
And I was named after the Preacher
My Pa told this story many times
I’d like to tell it to you - if’n you don’t mind.

The preaching man before Brother Zechariah,
Was a hellfire and brimstone preacher.
He also didn’t like Negroes,
Although that was not the word he used,
And as you can tell by my skin,  we are black.
Well! He wouldn’t let my Ma into the church,
Nor none of the five kids, I weren’t born yet.
Though during the services he let Pa stand in the back,
Like he had a kindly heart or something.

After church was over, white folks went a picnicking
Underneath them big old trees over there.
My Pa would go home and sitting around the table
Would pass on the message he had received in church.
Well! When that old preacher finally died
We got the likes of Brother Zechariah.
And my Pa always said at least once a day
The Lord did real good by us,
And there is little doubt of that.

That first Sunday, his meeting the congregation
He noticed my Pa standing way in the back.
Wanted to know what Pa was doing standing there,
And where was his family, why not here in church.
‘I’m a black man Preacher, we ain’t allowed in this church.’

Brother Zechariah pulled himself to his full height,
He was over 6ft 5 and powerful built.
‘I don’t know when I ever heard anything so ridiculous’
Brother Zechariah said in a loud voice.
‘You go get your family Sir, my wagon is in the front,
Use it and hurry back, we will await your return.’
My Pa said when he left  the whole congregation
Was sitting in a stunned silence
Then all seemed to be talking at once,
He got told later at what was said while he was gone.

Seems like the Preacher asked anyone to stand up
Who did not believe in the Bible or the good word therein.
No one stood up and the Preacher went on stating
‘That we are born in the image of God,
We are His children, His beloved children,
Regardless of race, color, and creed.’
‘It says also keep with your own,’
A voice in the back was heard to say.

Swiftly the Preacher came back with
‘If we are with a child of God...then we are with our own.
If I was to bring a few goats in and maybe a cow or two,
A couple of chickens and a rooster for you to sit next to,
Then...you would not be with your own.
That man banned from this church because of his color
Is a shame on all who have accepted lies as a truth.’

Then Brother Zechariah said,
‘As we are brothers and sisters, the children of one God,
Then we should break bread together.
And our children should play together...
We should reside as one family
Under the watchful eye of our one Father.’

‘I don’t preach Satan in my church,
I will not honor him in such a way.
I don’t want for our children to live in fear,
Being scared of our loving and kind Father.
I want them to know who they can turn to in need.
On good days I will hold services outside
Beneath those big trees, that we might be closer to Him.
Anyone who feels the need of a pessimistic Preacher
Please feel free to leave, we will be sorry
To see you leave, but we won’t miss you.’

I guess no one did get up and leave.
My Pa said when they all got back
They was welcomed, very warmly,
Hugged and their hands shook, made Ma cry
She still cries when she thinks about it.
Brother Zechariah made my Pa his grounds custodian’
Right then and there, he was to keep the area
Around the church and the graveyard,
In a condition worthy of our Father.
And he did for over twenty years, till he passed on.

Brother Zechariah gave us hope when there was none,
Pride in the color of our skin and in who we were.
That’s all I got to say, Ma’am,
I stand here a mixture of humility and dignity
Thanking God, the Preaching Man and you
For giving us all a life we would not have had,
…or even ever known.

It is with shared sadness being here today,
Yet every day is a blessing and filled with joy
…thanks to Brother Zechariah.
                                                           Amen! Amen!