Master Ingram was very strict about religion and attending Church. It
was customary for everyone to attend the 9 o'clock prayer services at
his home every night. The Bible was read by the mistress, after which
the master would conduct prayer. Children as well as grownups were
expected to attend. On Sundays, everybody attended church. Separate
Churches were provided for the Negroes, with White and Colored preachers
conducting the services. White Deacons were also the Deacons of the
Colored Churches and a colored man was never appointed deacon of a
Church. Only white ministers were priviliged to give the sacrament and
do the baptizing. Their sermons were of a strictly religious nature.
When a preacher was unable to read, someone was appointed to read the
text. The preacher would then build his sermon from it. Of course,
during the conference period, colored as well as white ministers were
privileged to make the appointments. The Negroes never took up
collections but placed their money in an envelope and passed it in. It
was their own money, earned with the master's consent, by selling
apples, eggs, chickens, etc.

Concerning marriages, Pattillo believes in marriages as they were in the
olden days. "Ef two people felt they wuz made for each other, they wuz
united within themselves when they done git the master's 'greement, then
live together as man and wife, an' that was all. Now, you got to buy a
license and pay the preacher."

Loss of life among slaves was a calamity and if a doctor earned a
reputation for losing his patients, he might as well seek a new
community. Often his downfall would begin by some such comment as, "Dr.
Brown lost old man Ingram's nigger John. He's no good and I don't intend
to use him." The value of slaves varied, from $500 to $10,000, depending
on his or her special qualifications. Tradesmen such as blacksmiths,