Excerpt from William H. Robinson slave narrative

William H. Robinson was born into slavery in Wilmington, North Carolina, one of 12 siblings. After slavery ended in 1865, he worked for many years as a traveling singer and banjo player, then attended Central Tennessee College and became a minister. In this excerpt, he writes about the secret meanings of many spirituals.

From William H. Robinson, b. 1848 From Log Cabin to the Pulpit, or, Fifteen Years in Slavery. Eau Clair, Wis.: James H. Tifft, 1913.

Courtesy of Documenting the American South / UNC Libraries.

In order to notify the slaves on other farms when there was going to be a meeting they would sing this song, and the slaves would understand what it meant. White people would think they were only singing for amusement:

“Get you ready, there’s a meeting here tonight.” Matt. 7: 16.

1
Get you ready, there’s a meeting here tonight,
Come along there’s a meeting here tonight,
I know you by your daily walk,
There’s a meeting here tonight.

2
Oh, hallelujah, to the lamb,
There’s a meeting here tonight,
For the Lord is on the given hand,
There’s a meeting here tonight.

3
If ever I reach the mountain top,
I’ll praise my Lord and never stop,
Get you ready, there’s a meeting here tonight.

4
Go down to the river when you’re dry
And there you’ll get your full supply,
Get ready, there’s a meeting here tonight.

5
You may hinder me here,
But you cannot there,
God sits in heaven
And he answers prayer.
There’s a meeting here tonight.

They would carry with them iron lamps, with a greasy rag for a wick, and they would attach a sharp spike to the lamp so as to stick it in a tree. In this way they would light up the swamp, while they held their meeting.