The "Invisible Church" met deep in the woods and swamps, as far as possible from the suspicious eyes of the master or his overseer. Leaders were often slaves from the Big House, or free blacks who had learned about the Bible in the white churches. At these secret religious services, wild game or pigs taken from the plantation were roasted over hot coals in a pit to avoid telltale smoke and flame. The roasted pig was seasoned with wild herbs, and legend has it that this originated the southern tradition of "barbecue." There, in the security of the wilderness, the black worshippers assembled around a large iron pot, inverted to capture the sound of the fervent preaching, praying, and singing, which marked the style of the Invisible Church.