An Ante-Bellum Sermon

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1895

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Themes

The Inherent Equality of All Men

The primary theme of Dunbar’s “An Ante-Bellum Sermon” is the inherent equality of all men and the universal right to freedom for all people. During Dunbar’s time, many white Americans believed themselves to be the superior race and believed that Black people were unintelligent, incapable of self-governance, and generally inferior (see: Contextual Analysis). Dunbar challenges those assumptions throughout his poem. His speaker, a Black preacher, teaches his congregation of fellow slaves that, in the eyes of God, they are no worse than any other race. He characterizes their race as the children of God, just like Israel was during their own enslavement. Because God saved Israel, the preacher knows that God will once again “he’p his chillun” (Line 23) and “sen’ some Moses / Fu’ to set his chillun free” (Line 32). The preacher insists the Lord’s “ways don’t nevah change, / An’ de love he showed to Isrul / Was n’t all on Isrul spent” (Lines 44-46). He understands the eternal nature of God means God’s love for the human race cannot have changed, and God will show the same love to Black slaves that he once showed to the Israelite slaves. Although Pharaoh “b’lieved in slav’ry” (Line 53), God showed him “de people he put bref in,— / Evah mothah’s son was free” (Lines 55-56). Those who God gave “bref” or breath and life to were born free until other men wrongly made them slaves. Black people were not biologically destined to become slaves, the preacher demonstrates, since all men received life the same way from God.

The preacher continues his biblical exegesis by paraphrasing a sentiment found throughout scripture. He states, “De Bible says ‘a servant / Is a-worthy of his hire’” (Lines 59-60), which is a loose quotation of Luke 10:7, which states, “The labourer is worthy of his hire.” Similar injunctions are also present in Matthew 10:10, 1 Timothy 5:18, and Leviticus 19:13. By quoting this verse, the preacher shows how slavery and any kind of unpaid labor directly contradicts scripture and makes scripture a “liar” (Line 58). It was always God’s “intention” (Line 65) that “His almighty freedom / Should belong to evah man” (Lines 67-68). Men who would deny “de fac’s” (Line 52) are thus no better than Pharaoh and will face a similar end when God restores “liberty” (Line 84) to his children.

Censorship

A recurring theme throughout the poem is the inability of Black slaves to express their opinions and beliefs without fear of repercussion. The speaker is constantly aware his sermon may be overheard by or reported to the congregation’s disapproving white masters. During his description of the Lord equipping himself for battle against the oppressors of “his chillun” (Line 32), the preacher takes a “pause” (Line 38) and offers a disclaimer for his previous potentially rebellious words. “Fu’ feah some one mistakes” him (Line 37), the preacher reassures the audience he is only “a-preachin’ ancient” with no political implications about “to-day” (Lines 39-40). Later in the sermon, the preacher decides it “would be bettah” (Line 69) to “pause agin” (Line 70) and clarify he is only talking about “freedom / In a Bibleistic way” (Lines 71-72). These pauses and the speaker’s repeated attempts to obfuscate his message imply his sermon is likely being monitored. His request that this audience not tell their “mastahs” (Line 47) that he is “preachin’ discontent” (Line 48) suggests the slaves themselves may have been doing the spying. Fearing punishment from their masters, the slaves might feel they had to report a revolutionary sermon that could mean physical harm or worse for the slave that listened to it. Aware of this dilemma, the preacher knows he must speak of freedom in a guised, “Bibleistic way” and performs self-censorship to protect both himself and his congregation from potential harm.

Black Slaves as a Second Israel

In the early days of America’s nationhood, Americans often characterized themselves as a “second Israel" and adopted elements of the Exodus story to form their own founding myth. Because America was formed by Puritan refugees seeking a new world, Americans often compared their country’s origin to Israel’s, a nation formed by freed slaves following divine instruction to settle in the Promised Land. Furthermore, American Puritans believed that, like Israel, they were God’s chosen people. However, this tradition and belief extended only to white Americans, not the Africans they enslaved. In “An Ante-Bellum Sermon,” Dunbar replaces America with the Black slaves and portrays African-Americans as the second Israel.

According to Scripture, after the Hebrews had escaped Egypt and before they found and settled the Promised Land, they wandered the wilderness for 40 years. Dunbar references this nomadic period in the first stanza of his poem, when the speaker addresses his congregation “gathahed” (Line 1) together in a “howlin’ wildaness” (Line 2). Although likely not meeting in an actual wilderness, the slaves have all been displaced from Africa and are without a home, just as the Israelites once were. As the poem progresses, the preacher continually compares the Black slaves’ situation with the ancient Hebrews, often conflating the two. He references the Hebrews working in Pharaoh’s “co’n” (12), a task white slavers forced upon Black slaves. The preacher believes God will send a Moses figure to set them free as He once did for the Hebrews, and he believes God will show the Black slaves the same love He “showed to Isrul” (Line 45). With this poem, Dunbar transposes the founding myth of America as a second Israel onto the Black slaves and gives a scattered and displaced race a kind of collective consciousness and cultural identity based in scriptural interpretation. They are no longer slaves or inferiors but “fellah christuns” (Line 41) serving the true “gracious Mastah” (83), God.