Spirituals are religious folk songs that originated with blacks in the American South. Many of the lyrics are based on Exodus, and call upon God to free the slaves, end hard labor, and carry the blacks to a better land. Spirituals frequently contain a chorus that's repeated after every line (such as "Let my people go!" in Go Down Moses or "Comin' for to carry me home" in Swing Low Sweet Chariot). This structure allows everyone to participate in the song, including illiterates and people who didn't yet know the lyrics. Musically, spirituals tend sound like dirges, but they're strangely uplifting dirges at that--they always contain a glimmer of hope in their descriptions of pain and suffering.

Some authors note that slaves used spirituals to send information to other slaves or Underground Railroad members--Swing Low Sweet Chariot meant that the slave was willing to take a chance at freedom, for example, while O Canaan signified an escape to Canada.

Spir"it*u*al (?), a. [L. spiritualis: cf. F. spirituel. See Spirit.]

1.

Consisting of spirit; not material; incorporeal; as, a spiritual substance or being.

It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. 1 Cor. xv. 44.

2.

Of or pertaining to the intellectual and higher endowments of the mind; mental; intellectual.

3.

Of or pertaining to the moral feelings or states of the soul, as distinguished from the external actions; reaching and affecting the spirits.

God's law is spiritual; it is a transcript of the divine nature, and extends its authority to the acts of the soul of man. Sir T. Browne.

4.

Of or pertaining to the soul or its affections as influenced by the Spirit; controlled and inspired by the divine Spirit; proceeding from the Holy Spirit; pure; holy; divine; heavenly-minded; -- opposed to carnal.

That I may impart unto you some spiritual gift. Rom. i. ll.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings. Eph. i. 3.

If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one. Gal. vi. 1.

5.

Not lay or temporal; relating to sacred things; ecclesiastical; as, the spiritual functions of the clergy; lords spiritual and temporal; a spiritual corporation.

Spiritual coadjuctor. Eccl. See the Note under Jesuit. -- Spiritual court Eccl.Law, an ecclesiastical court, or a court having jurisdiction in ecclesiastical affairs; a court held by a bishop or other ecclesiastic.

© Webster 1913.

Spir"it*u*al, n.

A spiritual function, office, or affair. See Spirituality, 2.

He assigns supremacy to the pope in spirituals, and to the emperor in temporals. Lowell.

© Webster 1913.