NOTICE
piNDING it impossible to carry out my original
intention of publishing The History of the
A. M. B. Church in # single volume, this is to give
notice that the present volume will be considered as
Volume I.,f or, The History of the A. M. E.
Church from 1816 to 1856.
Volume II. is *n<!>V *in ^l*p^paration, and
will be issued as soon as possible.
D. A. P.
On .1-tent />'/ Jofin Sariam., J'kt/a
/V ///f '■. typist'//// . -^v fc)4i
■£(/,
HISTORY
OF THE
African Methodist Episcopal Church,
BY
DANIEL A. PAYNE, D.D., LL.D.,
One of the Bishops of the A. M. E. 'Church; Author of " The Semi-Centenary of African
Methodism ;" "A Treatise on Domestic Education ; " "Recollections of Seventy
Years;" General Conference Sermons."
EDITED BY REV. C. S. SMITH, D. D.
TWO PARTS. IN ONE VOLUME.
ILLUSTRATED,
NASHVILLE, TENN.:
Publishing House of the A. M. E. Sunday-School Union.
1891.
ENTERED, ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, IN THE YEAR 1891, BY
DANIEL ALEXANDER PAYNE,
IN THE OFFICE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS, AT WASHINGTON.
PREFACE.
f I AIJE General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church,
I seeing the necessity and desirability of having the history of the
A rise and progress of the Church set forth clearly and concisely for
the benefit of^its ministers and members, authorized Rev. George Ho¬
garth, the General Book Steward and editor of the Magazine from 1840 to
1848, to publish a work entitled, "The Rise and Progress of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church," with a revision of the life and death of
Bishop Allen. Mr. Hogarth, for various reasons, never accomplished the
work which had been thus assigned to him. He had frequently called
upon the ministers of the Con.aeetian_to furnish him with the documents,
and^other'ctatonecessarv for him to go on with tlieTnilxiiryT^but owing to
the general apathy on the subject no response was made to his inquiries,
and at the date of his death nothing had been done. v
In the General Conference of 1848 the question of having the history
written was again brought up, and by a numerous vote I was invested with
the power and work of Historiographer of the African Methodist Episco¬
pal Church. During the years from 1848 to 1850, following the example of
the General Book Steward, Mr, Hogarth, I sent to the various ministers and
officers of the Church, asking for the necessary information to enable me to
fulfill the cTuties of my■positioir;"but always met with the same result—no
notice was taken of my request, and no responses were made.
Meanwhile, everything I came across having the nature of history was
seized and carefully put away. Finally, I perceived that unless I went in
search of material, the history would never be written by me. Therefore,
I begged Bishop Paul Quinn to release me from pastoral work in order that
I might go in search of historical documents and converse with._th£ con¬
temporaries of_Bishop Allen and his coadjutors, for many of his intimate
friends and lidvi s^^~Tver e vin g. But the Bishop refused, saying:
" I will give you a small appointment which you can manage, and at the
same time go on in search of what you need." To this I replied : "That
is impossible." But the good Bishop persisted, and at the close of the
Baltimore Conference of J 850, which satjn Washington, D. C., in ApriJ, he
sent me out as pastor of tliej^benezer A. M. E. Church, of Baltimore, Md.
The announcement was made on Monday or Tuesday. The following
Friday morning I went to Baltimore, and in the evening met the class-
leaders and stewards, of whom I made inquiries concerning the condition
of the charge; but to not one of my questions would they give any informa¬
tion. Therefore, I said: " Brethren, why do you not answer my questions ? "
The chief steward replied : " Dr. Payne, we might as well tell you at once.
The people met here last Wednesday and passed a resolution to reject you
(iii)
iv Preface. —■
" — — jj
as their pastor." Said I, " Is that true ?" " Yes," he replied, "it is true.
?? Tiipn T rose, too«-
Again I demanded, "Is that true?" He said, "Yes. x nnr
t iiall never crows juul
my hat and cane, saying, "Good-bye, brethren; isi^i reasons for
threshold again as your pastor. But," said I, " wl'f^ ^ople say they
refusing to have me as your pastor?" He sau ; ^ ^ ^ &
have no objection to your moral character i J ■ ^ ^ ^
tian gentleman; but they say you have too nne I .
i •' ditties, and if any one of them
floor, and you won tlet them sing the coi nnu'l mu , j
should invite you to dine or take tea with hin., you are too proud to do it.
But the Omniscient Head of the church militant and triumphant over¬
ruled this rejection of his servant for good, as the sequel shows.
(«.) Bishop Quinn, having been informed of the fact that T was rejected,
visited Baltimore, and urged me to take possession of the pastorate, assur¬
ing me that the civil law would protect and defend me in so doing. I
replied that I was willing to go wherever the people were willing to receive
me, but my own sense of what was right and proper would not allow me to
force myself on a people who had formally rejected me.
(6.) By this adverse occurrence, I was free to travel in search of material
for our Church history.
My searches and researches commenced at Baltimore, and continutd
up to Portland, Maine ; then through Ontario—called at the time " Canada
West"—and Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky to St. Louis. Thence I
proceeded by steamer to New Orleans, at that time the extreme south¬
western point of our field of labor. Returning from New Orleans, I passed
through Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and arrived at New York in
time to be present at the General Conference held in that city in 1852.
As Philadelphia was the fountain and headquarters of African Metho¬
dism, I expected to obtain the most information in that city, and in this I
was not disappointed. Mrs. Adams, the youngest daughter of Bishop
Allen, had in her possession a large old trunk which had belonged to the
Bishop. To this I obtained access, and upon examination found that it
contained the most valuable documents extant which could shed a ray of
reliable light upon the early history and character of the illustrious man.
These documents are the manuscript basis of what is called " The Life,
Experience and Gospel Labors of the Kt. Rev. Richard Allen." There
was also an unbound manuscript entitled, "Articles Improving, Amending
and Altering Articles of Association of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church, commonly known by the name of Bethel Church, of the city of
Philadelphia, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by and with the
consent of two-thirds of the male members of said church." *
'"This association to regulate and govern the mother church adopted
seven articles. It is dated, Philadelphia, the 24th of March, 1817; certified
to be lawful by Joseph McKean, Esq., Attorney General, after which the
Articles of Association were perused and examined by the Supreme Court
of the Commonwealth, and pronounced lawful by Judges Thomas Tilman
Jasper Yeats, Thomas Smith and H. H- Breckenridge ; and then ordered to
be enrolled by the Governor of the State,
Preface.
v
The former document contained thirty-seven pages, and was written by
Bishop Allen's son, Richard Allen, Jr. The proof of this statement is
confirmed by the minutes of the Baltimore Conference for 1818-19, which
are aiso in my possession. The minutes of these two Conferences were
written by young Richard, then about fourteen years old. The manuscript
of the Philadelphia Conference of 1818 is also in my possession. It was
enveloped by a thin pasteboard cover, which is so colored as to imitate con¬
glomerate stone. Being too small for the manuscript, this cover did not
give that perfect protection which a larger covering would have furnished.
It was labelled on the back :
I also obtained from the widow of Kev._Jog£pii-Cox his own journal, as
closely kept as that of Bishop Allen—in a pasteboard portfolio. These
were the only two personal journals of the " Fathers " that I found in the
city of Philadelphia. Brother Cox was a local elder in the mother church,
and in mental power excelled all but Joseph M. Corr, who was " General
Secretary " for the three Conferences—Philadelphia, Baltimore and New
York. Joseph M. Corr was also a local preacher and class-leader, and a
tailor by trade. Although he kept the fullest and best minutes of the
three Annual Conferences, he kept no journal of his daily private life.
Beyond these two journals nothing was found in Philadelphia concerning
the beginning of things—nothing but "tradition," and that was contra¬
dictory.
Elder Clayton Durham and Deacon Walter Proctor were associates of
Bishop Allen. Good and useful men were they, but illiterate. Bishop
William Paul Quinn was also in the city of Philadelphia (1850). Added
to these, I found a stalwart layman named Jonathan Tudas, from whom
I obtained an interesting account of the convention--not the General
Conference, because at that time (1816) there were no Conferences in
existence to be represented by a General Conference. There were only
separate and independent churches from Baltimore, Md., Wilmington,
Del., Attleborough, Pa., and Salem, N. J., which met in Philadelphia,
organized a convention, and in that convention organized the African
Methodist Episcopal Church. Jonathan Tudas was present, and from his
lips I obtained the " tradition " which is given the reader in the second
chapter of this history. But before I would accept his narrative as correct,
or approaching correctness, I interviewed Clayton Durham, a member of
the convention of 1816, and Bishop Quinn, who, like Jonathan Tudas, was
present, but not a member—being permitted to see and hear all that was
said and done. Walter Proctor was not present, but he had obtained from
Allen and Durham all that was said and done. To these three persons I
put the following question:
MARCH 13th, 1826.
:, 1826.
V1 Preface.
" Can I depend upon any statement made by Jonathan Tudas resP^C||0p
the sayings and doings of the convention of 1816 ? " To this
every one of them answered in the affirmative, and assured me
had a powerful memory, and was a man of unquestionable ^®iac ^errnorjes
Leaving Philadelphia, I traveled throughout the ^hol<; ^ashington,
embraced by the Connection, including Canada \\ est.
D. 0., I went to Portland, Me., and then from «. !«»•» «•»"«» 0rlMM
and as far West as Iowa City, in search of historical matei 1a .
At every point and in every place I searc hed as diligently as I did at
Philadelphia and Baltimore (for the latter city was as much a fountain
and a factor, original and powerful, as the former].
Every pamphlet, every Conference minute, Quaiterly and Annual, with
every scrap of paper that threw a ray of light upon the genesis and pro¬
gress of the Connection was examined and copied, and, whenever permit¬
ted, I took possession of it. But after I had seen and gathered all available
material, I perceived and recognized the fact that the materials provi¬
dentially saved were both sparse and poor. Nothing reliable, nothiDg indis¬
putable had been obtained—nothing but the minutes of Quarterly and
Annual Conferences. What, then, could I do? Tax the imagination?
Imagination is not history. It is the source of romance. Could I depend
upon tradition ? Because it is contradictory, it is therefore unreliable. At
first it may be like pure water flowing from a pure fountain, but in its
passage through ravines, glens and valleys, through bogs, quagmires and
swamps, through creeks and rivers into the ocean, it becomes stained,
polluted, muddy and filthy, like the waters of the great Mississippi. No,
no, no! History can find no firm foundation in tradition. Neither can it
in rhetoric, for that often canonizes falsehoods and lies as well as facts and
truths.
Upon, what, then, must history be based ? lTpon unquestionable official
monuments like the pyramids of Egypt—like its obelisks and its Sphynxes,
its Karnac, its hieroglyphics—which have been preserved through thirty
centuries, and brought down to us the histories of ancient Egypt, once
mistress of the world, but now, alas! alas! "the basest of the kingdoms."
We say that history must also be based upon documents, official and
irrefutable. Such are the minutes of our Quarterly and Annual Confer¬
ences. They are manuscript and printed documents of the genesis and
development of the past. The sayings and doings which they record were
recorded because they were sayings and doings; the facts and events which
they chronicle are chronicled because they actually occurred, and were
attested by those who were eye and ear witnesses of them.
Official documents, whether correct and accurate, or incorrect and inaccu¬
rate, we cannot go beyond. The facts which they record are recorded
because they are facts. It is presumed that all statements were examined
and sifted before they were accepted and put 011 record, therefore they are
reliable. If such monuments of the past are not to be credited, what is?
Once more, the correctness and accuracy of a record depends much
upon the competency of the chronicler, the secretary, or upon the printer •
Preface.
vii
but neither accuracy nor inaccuracy can destroy the reality of the facts—
neither can they annul the events. f
I am now prepared to inform the reader that our first chapters may be
called Documentary History, because they are based upon the minutes of
the several Annual Conferences. So if it be objected, the fact that the
early part of the history of our Church being based upon such scanty ma¬
terial must be taken into consideration. To such objection our reply is:
AVe cannot make that rich whose nature is poor. Should we make the
attempt, it would be fiction, not truth. If the "Fathers" have given us
sparse minutes, we cannot make them full. They are gone to their eternal
rest; we cannot call them back. They have left for us the records of their
labors; we have made the best of them—the best possible to us.
If Bishop Allen, Bishop Morris Brown and Bishop Quinn had kept daily
private records of their private and public lives, the first part of our history
would have been ten-fold more interesting than it is. If all the secretaries
who succeeded Joseph M. Corr had detailed the transactions of the Annual
Conferences which were in existence from ]816 to 1840, when the Indiana
Conference was organized by Bishop Morris Brown at Blue River, Indiana,
our history would have been fuller and more instructive than it is. Up to
that date the most detailed minutes are those given us by Joseph M. Corr
and Lewis Woodson—the former of Philadelphia, the latter of the Ohio Con¬
ference. For beauty of penmanship and detailed entries, David Ware may
be ranked with them ; but it is my duty to say, as a faithful historian, these
three secretaries were really laymen, i. e. local preachers, who obtained
their living by secular employments, who, by the civil and ecclesiastical
laws, are ruled out of the ranks of the clergy. These facts indicate the
illiteracy of the itinerant ministry up-to 1844.
We now remark that the first parts of our history may seem stiff and
monotonous, but they are rocks—unchangeable rocks. The Great Teacher,
who is also the greatest factor of human history, tells us that a WTise man
will build his house upon a rock. But the latter part of our history is full
of life, because it represents the living times, many of its actors being now
on the stage still performing their part in the drama. The materials of our
history are now increasing, and becoming rich as well as abundant. They
ought to be carefully preserved for the future historian.
To this end we cannot be too careful in electing secretaries; and the
Bishops ought to conscientiously keep their own diaries and journals, both
private and official. The presiding elders should be required to do the
same, and no one should be a presiding elder who is too illiterate to reg¬
ister his daily work. Then, too, if the pastors will write monographs of
the several pastorates which they serve, including men and women noted
for their piety, usefulness and faithfulness, we shall have at the celebra¬
tion of our first centennial, which will occur in 1916, varied, abundant and
most valuable materials, wherewith the historiographer of that day shall
be enabled to furnish to posterity an instructive history.
And now, may I not say a word to my readers as to the nature and uses
of history?
viii
Preface.
As regards its nature, one has said, "History is philosophy teaching J
example." * Let us regard this definition as scientific. As a Christian e u
cator, I shall "say, history is a method which God employs to teach us t >a
righteousness exalteth the individual and the nation, and sin is a curse to
the individual and to the nation. This definition can be demonstrated by
biography as well as by monograpliy and general history. We say, there¬
fore, that the Creator of man teaches him by the course of history, as he
does by no other method. History is illustrative and confirmative of the
teachings of revelations and the utterances of prophecy.
What are the uses of history?
(a.) History may be used to teach man the truth—that there is a Supreme
Being above him, behind him and before him, enlightening him, counsel¬
ing him, and controlling him by limitations of time and power.
{b.) A second use of history is to teach that the Supreme Being is not a
god; but the Almighty God, the All-Wise. Good, holy, infinite in all his
attributes, he is the God who both causes and permits human actions, be
they intellectual activities, moral sensibilities, or movements of the will,
causing only the good, and permitting the bad.
(c.) A third use of history is to teach man that God is the supreme,
absolute, irresistible factor of history. " This is the purpose that is pur¬
posed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out
upon all the nations. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall
disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?"
(Isaiah xiv. 26, 27.)
" When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble ? and when he
hideth his face, who then can behold him ? whether it be done against a
nation, or against a man only." (Job xxxiv. 29.)
Indeed, all the prophets from Moses to Malachi teach us the truth that
God is the absolute factor of history. And the teachings of Jesus and
the apostles go beyond them, as revealing the Omnipotent Hand in human
history, individual and universal.
History, both sacred and secular, reveals another startling, I may say,
appalling truth—that good angels and good men are co-operating factors with
God, on the one side; while bad men and bad angels are co-operating factors
with Satan, on the other side. Behold the contending factors of history!
So, also, history shows that God deals with his Church as he deals with
the state. Both prosper and perpetuate their existence as they observe,
reverence and keep his commandments, his statutes and his judgments—
both fall under his indignation and are destroyed as they disobey him and
contemn his commandments, his statutes and his laws. Sacred history
abounds with examples illustrating and confirming these statements we
have just made.
Lastly, both sacred and secular, sometimes called profane history, show-
that Churches, as well as states, monarchies and empires, are limited by
divine power; that when their time expires no human or divine agency
can prolong their existence, and that the invisible power brings them to a
final end.
Preface.
ix
The antediluvian Church seems to have had no organic form, but we see
stars of the first magnitude shining in its firmament— stars such as Abel
and Seth, Enoch and Noah. This inorganic four was useful for the ante¬
diluvian age. When that age expired it passed away forever.
Out of the flood and the ark, which sailed upon its bosom, came Noah
and his sons as new seed for a new state and a new Church. From the
three rescued brothers, the eldest, Shem, was chosen, and of his immedi¬
ate descendants Abraham was selected as the root of that divine tree which
God the Father ordained to become the Tree whose juices and leaves and
fruit are for the healing of nations. It assumed two successive outward
forms: the Patriarchal, then the Mosaic or Jewish. The first was very
simple ; the second, very complex and gorgeous. Both continued perform¬
ing their functions for ages, then each was displaced and gave way to a
nobler one. Mark well, each of these was racial. Then came the noblest
of them all—called at Antioch the Christian, but styled by the Prince of
the Apostles, "The Church of the Living God;" non-racial, therefore, to
stand forever on earth till she shall conquer all the races, make them one
in Christ Jesus, then ascend into the heaven of heavens, or become " The
New Jerusalem," whose foundations are eternal, whose inhabitants are the
sinless. This Christian Church, which St. Paul styles the Church of the
Living God, is universal and invisible—embracing all the saints on earth
and all the saints in heaven. The different denominations may be com¬
pared to so many regiments in the "Grand Army," each of which makes
and writes its own history.
Believing as we do that the African Methodist Episcopal Church is one
of the regiments of the grand division of the " Grand Army," and that she
has to make and write her own history, we humbly present the following
pages as preserved sheets of history already made and still developing.
May the reading and studying of these preserved sheets contribute to the
intellectual, moral and spiritual edification of its laity and clergy, stimulat¬
ing their continuous growth in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, " be
blessing and glory, and wisdom and honor, and power and might, forever
given." Amen and amen. D. A. P.
CONTENTS OF PART FIRST.
CHAPTER I.
Introductory Reflections.
Three Points of History—The Historian's Task—Its Fulfillment—In Civil
Life and Ecclesiastical Life—Churches and Conferences—Pastors and
Flocks—Remarkable Men and Women—Bishops—A Perfect History of
the Redeemer's Church 1-2.
CHAPTER II.
Preliminary Causes of Organization.
Bethel in Baltimore or Bethel in Philadelphia—The Baltimore Church Pos¬
sesses the Older Documents of History—Testimony of Rev. David Smith
and Rev. Richard Allen—General Conference of the Methodist Church
in 1784-1787—Unkind Treatment of Colored Members in Philadelphia—
Bishop Allen Consecrates the First Bethel—The Colored People Dis¬
owned as Methodists 3-8.
CHAPTER III.
Results of Separation from the M. E. Church.
Beneficial Results to the Colored Man—Colored Members of the A. M. E.
Church—A Comparison—One-fourth Colored in 1792—The African
Methodist Church a Slander—Self Government—Self Support—Proof of
Its Ability 9-12.
CHAPTER IV.
Organization of the A. M. E. Church.
The Order of the Plan—Election of a Bishop—Daniel Coker Elected—He
Declines—Richard Allen Chosen—Bethel Church Made a Separate
Charge—Weak Financial Condition—Our Exact Fathers 13-18.
CHAPTER V.
Baltimore Conferences, 1820-21-22,
Conference of 1820—Twenty-one Members Present—Their Names— Con¬
ference of 1821—Local Preachers Admitted to Seats in Annual Con¬
ference—A General Rule Adopted—Conference of 1822—Bishop Allen
Makes an Address—A Long Debate in Reference to Western Terri¬
tory—An Assistant Bishop Elected 19-25.
CHAPTER VI.
Early Conference Sessions.
Morris Brown Admitted into Full Connection—Three Founders Elected
Deacons - Stronghold of African Methodism in Philadelphia—Enlarging
the Borders—Statistics of Membership—Philadelphia Conference In¬
vested with the Power of a General Conference—An Increase in
Numbers 96-30
(x)
Contents of Part First.
xi
CHAPTER VII.
Extinction of the Church in South Carolina.
Episcopal Support—Rise of African Methodism in the City of "New York—
• New York and Brooklyn Churches Incorporated with the A. M. E.
Church in 1820—Societies outside of New York—Manner of Electing
Delegates to General Conference—Finances of the Second General Con¬
ference—The Slaveholders' Fear of the A. M. E. Church 31-45.
CHAPTER VIII.
The First Decade.
Close of First Decade—A Comparison—Twenty-nine Appointments in the
Baltimore District—Sixty-five Appointments in the Philadelphia Dis¬
trict—Eight Churches in New York District—Growth since 1818—No
Sunday-schools in 1826—Difficulties Under Which the Ministry Labored
—Their Improvement—Education of the Colored Population Forbidden
—Home Missions 46-54.
CHAPTER IX.
Conferences of 1827, 1828, 1829.
Baltimore Annual Conference of 1827—Philadelphia Conference—Petition
from Canada for Pastors—Election of Delegates to the General Confer¬
ence of 1828—Rise of the Daughters of Conference—Extension of the
Connection—Baltimore Conterence of 1828—George Hogarth's First Ap¬
pearance—News from Port-au-Prince—Philadelphia Conference—Morris
Brown Elected and Ordained Bishop 55-63.
CHAPTER X.
Early Missionary Work of the A. M. E. Church.
News from Hayti or Santo Domingo—Letter Asking Recognition of the
Society in Hayti as a Branch of Our Connection—Pledges to Submit to
Our Discipline—Samuel Ente Devotes Himself to the Santo Domingo
Fields—Ohio Formed into a Conference—Death of Bishop Allen. ...64-70.
CHAPTER XI.
Some of the Founders.
Life of Bishop Allen—His Birth in a State of Slavery—His Conversion—
He Joins the Methodists—The Way in Which Allen and His Brother
Treated Their Master—He Reciprocates Their Attention to His Inter¬
est—His Opinion About the Influence of Religion on Slaves 71-93.
CHAPTER XII.
The Field of African Methodism in 1832-1835.
Baltimore Conference—Philadelphia Conference—The General Confer¬
ence—The Black Code—The Book Committee of 1832—New York
Conference—A Missionary to Canada—Baltimore Annual Conference,
1833—Delaware Laws—Book Steward's Report—Rev. William P. Quinn
Admitted—Ohio Conference Record of 1833—Action in Favor of Com¬
mon and Sunday-Schools—Baltimore Conference Held in Washington,
D. C., 1834... 94-108.
xii
Contents of Part First.
CHAPTER XIII.
End of the Decade.
Baltimore Churches in 1836—Philadelphia Conference Increases—Western
Churches—General Conference of 1836—Revision of Discipline for Pub¬
lication—Rev. Edward Waters Elected Bishop—Expansion of the West¬
ern Field—Book Concern Being Reduced to a System—Church Awakened
—A Petition From Canada and Buffalo—Missionaries Provided, but no
Support—Decree of Publication of a Quarterly Magazine 109-120.
CHAPTER XIV.
Growth Westward and in Canada.
Measures for the Improvement of the Ministry—Plan to support the Book
Concern—Plan for Replenishing the General Fund Approved—General
Recapitulation—Philadelphia Statistics—Admission of Willis Nazrey into
the Itinerancy—Increase of Numbers—Birth of the Canada and Indiana
Conferences—Canadian Work—Slim Support for Preachers—The Year
1840 was a Remarkable One —A Golden Opportunity to secure Fruits of
our Missionary Labors 121-132.
CHAPTER XV.
Closing Years of the First Period.
Proper Observance of the Sabbath—Ordination of Willis Nazrey and
Others—Canada Conference—Promising Growth—Baltimore Conference
of 1812—Willis Nazrey Admitted into Full Connection—Action in Favor
of Missions—News from the Haytian Methodist Church—Action of
Conference—-Educational Interests Looked After—D. A. Payne's Pre¬
amble and Resolution in Behalf of Ministerial Education—Financial
Embarrassment of the Boston Church—Providence Prays for Independ¬
ent Existence as a Station 133-146.
CHAPTER XVI.
Literature and Various Subjects.
Preparations for the Publication of the Magazine—Contents of the First
Number—The Magazine's Existence of Eight Years—Reasons for Fail¬
ure—Statistical Presentation—First Words on Ministerial Education—
Struggle in 1843 Between Ignorance and Knowledge—Bishop Brown fav¬
oring an Educated Ministry—Alexander Wavman and others Admitted on
Probation—D. A. Payne and Others Admitted into Full Connection-
Willis Nazrey Ordained Elder—New York Conference—J. P. Campbell,
Charles Burch and Thomas W. Jackson Admitted 147-166.
CONTENTS OF PART SECOND.
CHAPTER XVII.
Opening of a New Era.
A New Period in the A. M. E. Church—Seventh General Conference—
Committee Appointed on Revision of Discipline—Condition of the
Colored Inhabitants of Illinois and Indiana—Work in Kentucky and
Missouri—Election and Ordination of William Paul Quinn to the Epis¬
copacy—Office of General Book Steward Created—Home and Foreign
Missionary Society — Conference of 1844 — Good News from Can¬
ada 167-181.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Lines of Progress in 1845.
A Flourishing Condition in Schools and Temperance Societies—First Ac¬
tive Effort in Regard to a Connectional School—Measures for a School
East of the Alleghenies—Comprehensive Report from the Book Concern
—Deplorable State of Affairs—Ignorance Among the Colored People
Regarding the Book Concern—Importance of an Enlightened Ministry
Evident—A Period of Light Dawning 182-196.
CHAPTER XIX.
1846-1847.
Baltimore Annual Conference—A Proposed Union with the Zion Wesleyan
Connection—Philadelphia Churches—Probationers Admitted—The Diffi¬
culties of 1848—New York Churches—Decrees of Conference—A Letter
to the World's Convention—The Canadian Churches — Resolutions
Against Slaveholding—Ohio Churches—Statistics of the Ohio Confer¬
ences—Missionary Field Laid Out—The New York Churches 197-216.
CHAPTER XX.
The General Conference of 1848.
Eighth General Conference—Bishop Quinn's Episcopal Address—A Third
Bishop—Monthly Magazine to be Made a Quarterly—The Christian
Herald—Book Concern Moved to Pittsburg—A Committee to Purchase
the "Mystery"—A Plan for Common Schools—Important Amendments
to the Discipline—Rev. D. A. Payne Appointed Historiographer of the
Church—Consecration of Bethel, Baltimore, in 1848 217-235.
CHAPTER XXI.
The Churches, 1849-1851.
Condition of the Baltimore Churches in 1849—Philadelphia Churches—
Death of Rt. Rev. Morris Brown—Lost Records of New York and Can¬
ada—Statement of Ohio Churches—Deluded Philanthropists—An Unbe¬
lieving Disciple—Southern Men's Acquaintance with Northern Proceed¬
ings—Philadelphia Churches in 1851—Baltimore Churches—Fugitive
Slave Law—Difficulty in Canadian Churches—First Colored Methodist
Church, Sacramento, California—Black Laws 236-260.
( xiii)
xiv
Contents of Part Second.
CHAPTER XXII.
Bishop Morris Brown.
His Death in 1849—An Extraordinary Man—A Christian and a Minister—
Itinerant Duties Over Thirteen States-His Early Training—His Personal
Appearance—Abreast the Age in Spirit—One of His Sermons—Discourse
of Rev. A. W. Wayman on the Death of Bishop Brown—Lines Written
Upon His Death 261-267.
CHAPTER XXIII.
General Conference of 1852.
Opening Sermon by Rev. D. A. Payne—Bishop's Address by Bishop W.
P. Quinn—Licensing Women—The Question Discussed—Election of
Bishops—Rev. Willis Nazrey and Rev. D. A. Payne Elected Bishops—
D. A. Payne Ordained—The Christian Herald Changed to Christian
Recorder 268-279.
CHAPTER XXIV.
The First Division into Episcopal Districts.
A New Order of Things—A Committee Appointed to Aid in the Manage¬
ment of the Book Concern—New York Conference in Buffalo—A Stranger
as Foreign Missionary—Birth of a New Conference—New Home Mission
Field—First Division of Church Work into Episcopal Districts—The
Bishops' Respective Fields of Labor 280-296.
CHAPTER XXY.
Some Literature of 1852-53.
The First Number of the Christian Recorder—Contents—Extracts—"Ded¬
icatory Lines," by Rt. Rev. D. A. Payne—Dr. J. W. C. Pennington's
Contribution—An Editorial on Licensing Women to Preach—Argu¬
ments Against It—Lines by Rev. T. M. D. Ward—Other Writers and
Contributors 297-305.
CHAPTER XXVI.
African Methodism in the United States in 1854, 1855.
The New England Conference—Testimony Against American Slavery—
Prosperous Condition of the Churches—Temporal and Spiritual Blessings
—Indiana Conference—State of the Book Concern—Christian Recorder
Suspended—Two Ministers to be Appointed to Bethel Church, Baltimore
—Bishop Nazrey's Practical Advice—Canadian Churches—A Startling
Movement 306-327.
CHAPTER XXVII.
General Conference of If56.
Quadrennial Address—Attention Called to the Increasing Literary Advan¬
tages—Need of Financial Improvement—Need of "Oneness of Adminis¬
tration"— The Book Concern Incorporated — Request of Canadian
Churches for Separation Granted—Report of Committee on Slaverv—A
Lengthy Debate Results 328-345.
Contents of Part Second.
xv
CHAPTER XXVIII.
General Conference of 1856—Continued.
The Divorce Question—Points Involved—Proposed Amendment Postponed
—Lengthy Debate on Dress Limitation of Bishops' Power Proposed—
Bishops' Residences—Synopsis of Important Points—The Proposition
from the M. E. Church Concerning Education Rejected—How a Bishop
Shall be Constituted—On Maladministration—The Bishops to Itinerate—
Their Salary—A New Episcopal Seal 346-360.
CHAPTER XXIX.
Separation from the A. M. E. Church.
The Last Annual Conference of the A. M. E. Church in Canada—Episcopal
Form of Government Adopted—Relations of the B. M. E. Church to the
A. M. E. Church—Articles of Faith—The New Twenty-third Article by
D. A. Payne—Bishop Nazrey's Name Proposed for Bishop—Bishop Payne
Explains the Designs of the General Conference of the A. M. E. Church
—Organization of the B. M. E. Church—Bishop Nazrey Elected its Frst
Bishop—Reflections—Missions Established in Central America...361-392.
CHAPTER XXX.
Review of Education to 1856.
Founders of the A. M. E. Church—Daniel Coker the Most Intellectual of
the Sixteen—English, American and African Methodism—A Contrast—
Ohio Annual Conference First to Speak on Education in 1833—A Voice
Nine Years Later—D. A. Payne's "Epistles"—Bishop Morris Brown's
Advice—First Educational Convention in 1845—Wilberforce University
Founded in 1856—Bishop Payne's First Connection with It—The Hand
of God—Dawn at Hand 393-401.
CHAPTER XXXI.
A Review of the First Four Decades.
Events of 1856—Reports from Conferences upon the Subject of Education
—A Comparison—The Episcopal Fields of Labor to 1860—Visit of Rev.
Mansfield French to the Ohio Conference of 1856—Contemporaneous
Bishops—Results of Labors of the First Itinerants— 816 and 1856 Con¬
trasted—Tables of Comparative Progress—Summary in 1826—Summary
in 1856—Detailed View of the Results of the Fourth Decade—The Seven
Conferences in 1856 402-418.
CHAPTER XXXII.
The Second Generation of Workers.
Literary Qualifications—Present Bishops—Development of Christian Char¬
acter—Christian Education—Wilberforce University Underthe Auspices
of the A. M. E. Church—Catastrophe of 1865—Methods of Work—Sum¬
mary of Results From 1863 to 1876 419-438.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Institutions of Learning.
Some Explanations—Young Women's Reading Room—First Literary So¬
ciety for Young Women—Young Men's Reading Room—Work Subse¬
quent to 1876—Bishop Payne's Successors in Office—Changes in Instruct¬
ors—Work Up to 1886—List of Other Institutions of Learning Under
the A. M. E. Church—Allen University—Morris Brown College—Paul
Quinn College—Later Work 439-451.
xvi
Contents of Part Second.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Music and the Fine Arts.
Origin and Progress of Music—Origin of Choral Singing—Composition of
the Choir of "Old Bethel" Church, Philadelphia—The Choir in the.
Mother Church, Baltimore—Introduction of the Organ— Organization of
the Choir in Washington, D. C.—The Boston Choir and Organ—Choir
and Organ in Bethel, New York—Advance Movement in Sacred Music-
New Bethel in Philadelphia 452-464.
CHAPTER XXXV.
Extension of the Church at Home..
Growth in Membership—Exaggerated Statements—Increase in Two De¬
cades—Preparations for Expansion—Political Struggle Between Slavery
and Liberty—Door Opened to the A. M. E. Church—Summons to Enter
the Far South—Under Military Protection—Missionaries Selected—Fare¬
well Sermons—Missionaries to the Freedmen—Penal Laws of 1834 in
South Carolina—Bishop Payne's Exile—First Missionary Operations in
the South 465-474.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Extension in Foreign Lands.
The Island of Hayti—Aborigines—Santo Domingo—Historical Facts—
Abolishment of Slavery—Failure to Restore Slavery in Hayti—Haytian
Heroes—The Haytians and the A. M. E. Church—The Missionary Work
up to 1880—Re-establishment of the Mission in Hayti—Work in Port-
au-Prince—Early Work in Santo Domingo—Missionaries in the Spanish
Part—Work in Africa—The Missionary Society of the A. M. E. Church
—Our Own Foundations 475-492.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
The Connectional Sunday-School Union.
A Grand Enterprise—The Man for the Work—Rev Dr. C. S. Smith—His
Proposition—Organization of the Sunday-Schooi Union—Removal from
Bloomington, 111., to Nashville, Tenn.—Financial Management—Supply
of Sunday-Schooi Literature—The New Publishing House—The Sunday-
School Union and its Future—Road to Success for all Departments—
Closing Reflections 493-498.
PART FIRST.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY REFLECTIONS.
Three Points of History—The Historian's Task—Its Fulfillment—In Civil
Life and Ecclesiastical Life—Churches and Conferences—Pastors and
Flocks—Remarkable Men and Women—Bishops—A Perfect History of
the Redeemer's Church.
IN all history there exists the necessity of three great points,
and without these being brought forward and cleared of all
superincumbent affairs which do not accord with them, no prop¬
erly written history or accurate knowledge can be obtained.
The first of these three points, which must be brought out clearly
before the mind, is the actual facts—facts which will stand the '
severest test and bear the truth upon their face. The next point
of importance is the judicial weighing of this testimony—the -•
patient unraveling of the tangled skein; the gathering up of the
broken ends and the piecing of the fragments and bringing them
into a harmonious whole. To do this, we are required to make
inquiries into the nature of things—the condition of affairs
which led to the ultimate consummation of what took place—or in
other words, Why did the facts, which we know to have occurred,
so occur? There must have been some reason for events shap¬
ing themselves in the way they did. The third great question-
before us is the results following such a course of events. In the
performance of this duty, the historian, if he will faithfully per¬
form his duty, has no easy work before him. It is his obligation
not only to exhibit facts as they are and occurrences as they
were; the character of private and public men as their conduct
manifested it; to tell of governments and the principles by which
they developed themselves; of legislators and the laws which
emanated from them; but also to show the effects of these upon
the people among whom they obtained, both in times of peace
and warfare; to trace their influence upon surrounding nations
2
History of the A. M. E. Church.
and the influence of surrounding nations upon them, until they
have reached the climax of their prosperity; depicting their vir¬
tues and vices in the most graphic manner, extolling the one and
denouncing the other; thus following the subjects of his story
from infancy to old age and from the cradle to the grave of their
national existence, bringing to light the invisible hand of the
God of nations which led them through all their vicissitudes, now
exalting them on account of their virtues and then casting them
down because of their vices. Thus does he fulfill his difficult task
—teaching mankind by living and striking examples that
"Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any
people." This is the business of him who writes a history of
man in civil life. Similar is the work of him who writes of
man in ecclesiastical life.
May the Great Head of the Church help us to write concerning
the African Methodist Episcopal Church as a faithful historian
—as one who will not be warped by envy, bribed by gold, nor
awed by power. In the execution of the task allotted to us by
the General Conference of 1848, we shall describe the most
prominent churches and the respective Conferences and show
how the one became the legitimate offspring of the other. We
shall portray the life and character of the pastors as far and as
well as materials will admit. We will show the general character
of the flocks and the particular characters of the most remarka¬
ble men and women among them. We shall portray the
characters of the Bishops and the ministers in general, holding
up to public admiration the local preachers who distinguished
themselves either by their piety, their talents or their usefulness.
We shall show how the several General Conferences were consti¬
tuted ; how these Conferences maintained their intellectual
character by their respective enactments; and how these enact¬
ments affected the character of the churches for weal or for woe.
We shall also give the history of the Fine Arts—architecture,
music, painting and poetry—as cultivated by members of the A.
M. E. Church. Moreover, we shall give a view of its doctrines and
government. The History of the Redeemer's Church cannot be
perfect till this is written. Mankind cannot know it as a whole
till they shall have read tl}is history.
CHAPTER II.
PRELIMINARY CAUSES OF ORGANIZATION.
Bethel in Baltimore or Bethel in Philadelphia—The Baltimore Church Pos¬
sesses the Older Documents of History—Testimony of Rev. David Smith and
Rev. Richard Allen—General Conference of the Methodist Church in 1784
-1787—CJnkind Treatment of Colored Members in Philadelphia—Bishop
Allen Consecrates the First Bethel—The Colored People Disowned as
Methodists.
HETHER Bethel Church in Baltimore or Bethel Church
in Philadelphia is the first born, has been contested. Some
of the oldest among our ministers and among our laity contend
that the Baltimore church was first organized; others, that
the Philadelphia church had a prior origin. Whether the
former church is entitled to be considered the oldest church of
the Connection or not may be forever a disputed point in
the history of our Church, but it is undisputed that the
first record of any of the proceedings of the rulers and fathers of
the A. M. E. Church is dated from that city, and the testi¬
mony of Rev. David Smith, one of the early pioneers of
our ministry, corroborated by a letter written by the Rev.
Richard Allen on February 18th, 1816, is to the effect that the
separation of the Church in Baltimore took place three weeks
before the lawsuit in Philadelphia which forever released us from
the oppression that really brought about our Church freedom.
But then again, while the Baltimore Conference can produce
older documents touching its history than can be found
concerning the Philadelphia Conference, by at least four years,
the priority would seem to belong to Philadelphia on the
grounds that the churcli there call produce written records
of her origin dating farther back than any discovered in
Baltimore.* But, be this as it may, the preliminary causes which
led to the organization of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church are to be found in what follows :
In 1784, the Rev. John Wesley ordained the Rev. Thomas
Coke, LL. D. (a member of Jesus College, in the University of
Oxford) for the office of Bishop, and sent him over to
*0f course we are now speaking of these Churches as independent societies, antecedent
to their becoming integral parts of the A, M, E. Church,
(3)
4
History of the A. M. E. Church
this country to organize the various societies of Methodists then
existing chiefly in the cities of New York, Philadelphia and
Baltimore, into an ecclesiastical association. These societies
were planted in America through the agency of certain local
preachers from Ireland, the chief of whom were Philip Embury
in New York and Robert Strawbridge, Avho having emigrated to
Frederick county in the state of Maryland, therein preached and
formed societies. In the month of December and on the 25th
day in the year above mentioned, all the societies founded in
America by Methodist preachers were consolidated into one
body by the General Conference held in the city of Baltimore,
Bishop Coke presiding, assisted by Bishop Asbury. The latter
was ordained by the former.
About three years after this organization of the M. E Church,
the colored members of that body in the city of Philadelphia,
suffering from the "unkind treatment of their white brethren,
who considered them a nuisance in the house of worship,"
met for the purpose of canvassing their wrongs and devising
means to remedy the same. The result of this meeting was
the determination to erect a house of worship wherein they
could worship God under their own " vine and fig-tree." In
their efforts to accomplish this object they met with great
dopposition from Elder J. McC- ,who declared if they did not
give up the building, erase their names from the subscription
paper, and make proper acknowledgements, they should be
publicly expelled. Conscious of their rights as men and Chris¬
tians, and of the rectitude of their motives, they regarded not the
mandate of the reverend gentleman and sent in their resignations.
While in this condition the Lord raised up friends to counsel
and assist them, in the persons of many of the most respectable
and influential white citizens, the chief of whom were Dr.
Benjamin Rush and Mr. R. Ealston. Bishop White was also
among their illustrious benefactors, for he ordained the Rev.
Absalom Jones to be their pastor, who of course was ordained
according to th'e Protestant Episcopal Church.
In 1793, the numbers of the serious people of color having
increased, they were of different opinions respecting the mode
of religious worship, and as many felt a strong partialit}^ for
that adopted by the Methodists, Richard Allen, with the advice
Preliminary Causes of Organization.
5
of some of his brethren, proposed the erection of a place of
worship on his own ground and at his own expense, as ail
African Methodist meeting-house. This movement was violently
opposed by the preachers of the M. E. Church, who also insisted
that the house should be made over to the Conference. The
building was soon finished and Bishop Asbury by invitation
consecrated it to the service of the Most High. The house was
called Bethel, after the example and, I trust, in the spirit of
Jacob.
It was now proposed by the resident Elder (J. McC ) that
they should have the church incorporated that they might
receive any donations or legacy as well as enjoy any other
advantages arising therefrom. This was agreed to, and in order
to save expense, the Elder proposed to draw it up for them. But
they soon found that he had done it in such a manner as to en¬
tirely deprive them of the libjrty they expected to enjoy. In this
condition they suffered grievances both numerous and painful.
Sometimes demanding the keys, at other times declaring they
should have no more meetings without his permission, the Rev.
J. S thus embarrassed them until they were driven by force
of circumstances to ask legal advice. This led the congregation
to sign a petition to the Legislature of Pennsylvania for a sup¬
plement to their deed, which petition that body readily granted.
This liberated them from numerous difficulties, but did not
drive their opponents from the field. In order to adjust matters,
they proposed supplying them with preaching, if they would
give six hundred dollars per year to the Methodist Society. The
congregation refused to give so large a sum, and the preacher pro¬
posed to serve for four hundred; but this also they refused to
give, whereupon the preachers agreed to preach twice a week
during the year for two-hundred dollars. But it proved to be
only six or seven times a year that they were served with preach¬
ing and then, sometimes, by such preachers as were not accepta¬
ble to the people and not in much esteem among the Methodists
as preachers. Our people being displeased with such treatment,
compelled the trustees to resolve to give but one-hundred dol¬
lars per year to the preachers. When a quarterly payment of the
last sum was tendered it was refused and sent back, the two hun¬
dred dollars being insisted upon or they would preach no more.
6
History of the A. M. E. Church.
The authorities of the church then waited upon Bishop
Asbury and requested him to furnish them with a preacher,
promising to give him ample support, provided he would do all
the duties of a pastor. The Bishop said he did not think there
was more than one preacher belonging to the Conference who
could attend to those duties, and that was Richard Allen. The
Bishop was again informed that the people would pay a preacher
four or five hundred dollars a year if he would perform all the
duties incumbent on his office. He replied, " We will not serve
you on such terms." Sometime after this interview with Bishop
Asbury, Elder S. R declared that if the supplement were not
repealed, neither he nor any of the preachers, itinerant or local,
would preach for our people any more. At length the preachers
and stewards of the Academy offered to serve them on the
same terms which had been made to the preachers of St.
George's Church. This proposition was acceded to and then they
had preaching for about twelve months, after which they
demanded one hundred and fifty dollars per year. This sum
was refused and they declined to preach any more. The local
preachers of the Academy were also threatened with expulsion if
they dared to serve our people. About this time the elder of
the Academy published a circular letter, in which our people
were disowned as Methodists. A house was also fitted up, not far
from Bethel, and an invitation was given to all who desired to be
Methodists to resort thither; but being disappointed in this plan,
the resident elder of St. George's went to Bethel and insisted on
preaching to them and taking the spiritual charge, declaring that
he would do so because they were Methodists. Being told that
he should come on some terms with the trustees, he replied that
he did not come to consult with Richard Allen nor the trustees,
but to inform the congregation that on the next Sunday he
would come and take charge of them, to which repty was made
that he could not preach for them under such circumstances. At
the appointed hour, however, the said elder went to Bethel, but
ihe people had so obstructed the aisle of the church that he could
get but halfway to the pulpit ; meanwhile one of our number
was occupying it. Finding himself thwarted, he appealed to
those who came with him as witnesses that, "That man," meaning
the preacher in the pulpit, had taken his appointment, after
Preliminary Causes of Organization.
1
which he departed. The next elder stationed at Philadelphia
was R. B—-—, who, following the example of his predecessor, came
and published a meeting for himself; but the afore-mentioned
precaution having been taken, he went away without effecting
the object desired. In consequence of this disappointment he
applied to the Supreme Court for a writ of mandamus. This
brought on a law-suit, which ended in favor of Bethel. Thus we
were delivered, forever delivered, as well from a distressing and
expensive law suit as from our oppressors.
About this time the colored people in Baltimore and other
places were treated in a similar manner as in Philadelphia, and
rather than go to law, chose to seek places of worship for them¬
selves This constrained the Philadelphians to call a General
Convention in April, 1816, to form an Ecclesiastical Compact.
At this Convention, Bishop Quinn—then a lad of about eighteen
or nineteen years of age—was present, but not a member.
Brother Jonathan Tudas was also present, but not a member.
Between the two, the writer was enabled to make out the list of
members in attendance at this Convention—there never having
been any printed minutes, and the manuscript being lost, there
were no other sources of information except among the fathers of
the Church who wrere living in 1850. The testimony of Jonathan
Tudas does not differ materially from that already stated, except
that he gives the incident which led directly to the proclamation
shutting out our people from the M. E. Church. A woman "was
accused and convicted of adultery. Immediately after love-feast
she reported to the preacher in charge of St. George's Church that
she had been unlawfully and unjustly expelled; whereupon he
sent her to Richard Allen with this message, substantially, that
he must restore her back to membership. This Mr. Allen stated
could not be done. The preacher then filled out a love-feast
ticket and bade her take it to the keeper of the door, stating that
he would not dare refuse her admission ; but she .met the refusal,
nevertheless, in the reply that if Mr. R , the preacher himself,
should come presenting the ticket with her name, he should not
enter. Because of this Mr. Allen took the deed of the church to
proper parties, who told him that according to the letter and
spirit of the deed, Mr. R could lock up t'he church against him,
and that he could prevent this only by having a supplement to
8
History of the A. M. E. ChMrch.
the deed. This was drawn up immediately, and acknowledged by
the Judges of the Supreme Court. It was then confirmed by the
authorities at Lancaster, tfie seat of government, where it was
sent. Mr. K in the meantime tried to see the deed but was
put off by Richard Allen, who appointed the day upon which he
could obtain it, and then handed to the discomfited preacher the
supplement. " Well, then," said Mr. R I suppose you think
you have done it!" On the following Sabbath he published
from the pulpit of St. George's Church, that Richard Allen and
his adherents were no longer members of the M. E. Church.
After the failures to abide by what had been promised in the
way of preaching for us, and the consequent refusal of the
Quarterly Conference to pay for what had not been done,
Brother Tudas gives us the details of the next step : Then Mr.
Emory fitted up a house at the corner of Third and Lombard
streets. Robert Green, a colored man, also bought a house,
where in 1851, St. Mary's Street Church stood, and invited the
members of Bethel who wished to be Methodists to come there,
at the same time telling them he would sell Bethel. Doubting
which would have pre-eminence, the supplement or the deed, he
made his fears known to the people. Then the trustees and
congregation agreed to secure the property for the use of our
people by giving Mr. Allen a bond-mortgage upon it, as he held
a claim of $6,300 against it. The church had also borrowed
about $4,000 from him and was indebted to him, aside from this
for his services as a pastor, to the amount of $1,400. Mr. Allen's
claims, therefore, amounted to $11,700. The house was put up
for sale, Mr. Green bidding against Mr. Allen who bought it in
for $10,500. Such were the causes that brought about the origin
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Does it need the
eye of a philosopher to see the hand of God in all this ? We have
often been blamed for our separate organization, and our fathers
have been blamed for bringing about that organization. The
blame is as unjust as it is cruel. Let it be fastened upon
those who pulled our fathers from their knees as they humbly
bowed themselves in the sanctuary to worship that God who has,
declared himself to be no respecter of persons. Let the censure
fall with ten-fold weight upon the heads of those who still per¬
petuate invidious distinctions in the house of the Living God.
CHAPTER III.
RESULTS OF SEPARATION FROM THE M. E. CHURCH.
Beneficial Results to the Colored Men—Colored Members of the A. M. E.
Church—A Comparison—One-fourth Colored in 1792—The African Methodist
Church a Slander—Self Government—Self Support—Proof of Its Ability.
S to the result of this separation from the Methodist Episco- v
pal Church, permit us to remark that it has been really
beneficial to the man of color. First: It has thrown us upon our
own resources and made us tax our own mental powers both for
government and support: For government—viewed in the light
of official responsibility—when we were under the control of the
M. E. Church we were dependent upon them for our ministerial
instructions. They supplied our pulpits with preachers, deacons
and elders, and these in the vast majority of instances were
white men. Hence if the instructions given were of the right
kind, the merit was the white man's and his alone; so also, if
the manner of instruction was pleasing, the merit was the white
man's and his alone. The colored man was a mere hearer.
Again : we were dependent upon them for government. Not
only were the presiding elders and preachers in charge all white
men, but in a multitude of instances the very class leaders were
also white. So then, if the churches among the colored people
were well governed, the merit was the white man's and his
alone. The colored man was a mere subject.
But, again: Although the colored members of the M. E.
Church always supported to their utmost ability the institu¬
tions of the Connection, yet because their white brethren were
so vastly in the majority, that support which was so cheerfully
and cordially given could not be felt. This was not only true of
us when we formed a constituent element of the M. E. Church,
but it is equally true to-day of our colored brethren who still
continue in connection with it. In the southern states the col¬
ored members of the M. E. Church are numerous. In 1792 all the
colored members of that church amounted to 13,871. In 1815,
the whole number was 43,187. In 1828, the whole number was
(9)
10
History of the A. M. E. Church.
54,06-5. In 1840, it was 87,197. The whole number in the M. E.
Church ran thus :
Since the division of the M. E. Church, which took place in
1844, the statistics of both Churches throw the- colored and
Indian members into one and the same column, so that is is im¬
possible to know from the tables before us the whole number of
colored members belonging to the M. E. Church, North and
South. But from this it will be seen that in '1792 the number of
the colored members constituted but about one-fourth of the
whole Methodist fellowship in the states. In 1828, about
thirteen years after, it constituted still about one-fourth. In
1840, about twelve years later, it formed less than one-seventh
of the whole Church, and in 1845, it formed about one-tenth.
So, viewed in whatever light you please, the existence of
the colored man as a factor of the M. E. Church, always was,
still is, and ever must be a mere cipher. The tendency of all
this was to prove that the colored man was incapable of self-
government and self-support and thereby confirm the oft repeat¬
ed assertions of his enemies, that he really is incapable of self-
government and self-support. But is not the existence of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church a fiat contradiction and
triumphant refutation of this slander, so foul in itself and
so degrading in its influence? For the last seventy years a
period of more than seven-tenths of a century, it has been gov¬
erning itself and supporting itself. Being compelled to teach
others, its ministry has been constrained 1o teach itself. This
has caused them to seek knowledge on the right hand and on
the left. It has forced them to implore and explore earth and
heaven for information that they might be able to lead the erring
souls of men from the one to the other. Compelled to gov¬
ern others, its ministry has been constrained to read and inves¬
tigate church history for models of government. Thev have
also been led to cogitate for themselves ; to discriminate between
laws which were just, and those which were unjust; to expunge
Year.
1815
1828
1840.
1845
Whites.
..167,978..
..327,932..
...650,357
.1,024,466.
Colored.
..43,187
. ..54,065
...87,197
.145,435
Remits of Separation From the M. E. Church.
11
from the statutes of the Church those which were unequal in their
bearings and to substitute those of a more equable character,
so that the blood-washed flock of Christ might walk before him
in all peace and quietness, feeling that the ecclesiastical yoke
and burdens are both easy and light. ■
The ability of our Church (as a distinct branch of the Chris¬
tian family) to provide for itself, even in its early life, can also
be clearly demonstrated by the following facts : Within the
twelve years from 1841 to 1853, the members of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church built, and also rebuilt, three
churches in the city of Philadelphia, one of which cost about
$16,000, the other over $6,000 and the third about $5,000. In the
same period we built and remodelled two churches in the city of
Baltimore, one of which cost about $16,000. In the same period
we built one in the city of Pittsburgh at the cost of, about $10,000.
At the same time we built one in Cincinnati, one in Washington,
D. C., and one in New Orleans—the first at a cost of $10,000.
Compelled to support their own institutions, our members
have learned to economize and to forecast as they never could or
would, had they remained in connection with their white breth¬
ren. Does any man require the proofs of these assertions? Let
him go to all these cities, to New York, to St. Louis, to Nashville,
and others as well. There he will see the commodious and beau¬
tiful edifices which have been constructed and dedicated by our¬
selves to the worship of Almighty God—edifices varying in their
costs from $3,000 to $60,000. Let him go to Philadelphia and
see our Book Concern, where our hymn books, disciplines
and weekly papers are published, which, though in a very imper¬
fect and infant state, give every evidence of an intellect that is at
work for itself, and for its own development Let him go to our
Sunday-School Publishing House in Nashville, where our own Sab-
bath-school literature is issued and publications brought forth.
Let him go to our several seats of learning—to Wilberforce,
near Xenia, O., to Allen University at Columbia, S. C., to Paul
Quinn College at Waco, Texas, to Morris Brown College at
Atlanta, Ga.—there he will see our children and our youth under
the culture of educated men and women giving the pledge
of minds that will in the development of mature powers, cause
the world to know that they lived and lived to good purpose.
12
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Let him visit our churches where he may often hear preachers,
who by their native talents or literary acquirements (and some¬
times both) demonstrate to the most prejudiced hearer that
the man of color can think for himself and guide the sacramental
host into the fullness of the blessings of the Gospel of Christ.
Secondly and lastly : The separation of our Church from the
M. E. Church, which was brought about by the agency of our
venerated fathers, the Rev. Richard Allen of Philadelphia and
Rev. Daniel Coker of Baltimore, has been beneficial to the man of
color by giving him an independence of character which he
could neither hope for nor attain unto, if he had remained as the
ecclesiastical vassal of his white brethren. This is evident from
the training which the force of circumstances has given us.
These circumstances have been such as to produce independent
thought; this has resulted in independent action; this in¬
dependent action has resulted in the extension of our ecclesias¬
tical organization over nearly all of the States and also into
Canada; this ecclesiastical organization has given us an in¬
dependent hierarchy, and this independent hierarchy has made us
feel and recognize our individuality and our heaven-created
manhood.
CHAPTER IV.
ORGANIZATION OF THE A. M. E. CHUKCH.
The Order of the Plan—Election of a Bishop—Daniel Coker Elected—He
Declines—Richard Allen Chosen—Bethel Church made a Separate Charge
—Weak Financial Condition—Our Exact Fathers.
IT has been already intimated that the question is not settled
relative to the parent churches in Philadelphia and Baltimore,
whether the latter had a separate and distinct origin before the
former or not. But in pursuing this narrative we purpose for
the sake of order and convenience to commence with the
churches farthest South and trace them northward; with the
churches farthest East, and trace them westward; with the
Baltimore Conference first, not only because its written proceed¬
ings date beyond the doings of any other, but also because its
annual deliberations have always been prior to those of the
others, so that its official documents annually date first.
As to the organization itself of the A. M. E. Church, we must
return to the Ecclesiastical Compact formed by the General Con¬
vention in 1816. Forced to take this step, the delegates assem¬
bled from Baltimore, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Del., Attle-
borough, Pa., and Salem, N. J. But sixteen names have been
handed down to us as participating in the deliberations of
the Convention. The names in the following list were given by
Bishop Quinn and Brother Jonathan Tudas, who were present
but not participants, as previously stated :
From Baltimore:—Rev. Daniel Coker, Rev. Ivichard Williams,
Rev. Henry Harden, Mr. Edward Williamson, Mr. Stephen Hill,
Mr. Nicholas Gilliard.
From Philadelphia :—Rev. Richard Allen, Rev. Clayton
Durham, Rev. Jacob Tapsico, Rev. James Champion, Mr.
Thomas Webster.
From Wilmington, Del.:—Rev. Peter Spencer.
From Attleboroijgh, Pa.:—Rev. Jacob Marsh, Rev. William
Anderson, Rev. Edward Jackson
From Salem, N. J. :—Reuben Cuff.
The men most distinguished in the Convention, were Richard
(13)
14
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Allen, Daniel Coker and Stephen Hill; and to the counsels and
wisdom of the last named, more than to any other man, the
Church was indebted for the form it took.
The most important thing that was done was, of course,
the organization of the Connection. The speeches which were
made in this important Convention are lost to the Church and
to posterity, but the following is the resolution under which the
Church was organized :
" Resolved, That the people of Philadelphia, Baltimore, and all other places,
who should unite with them, shall become one body under the name and style
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church,"
The next thing of importance was the election of a Bishop.
The votes being polled, Rev. Daniel Coker was declared the
Bishop-elect on the 9th of April, 1816. On the 10th he resigned,
or rather, declined the office, and Rev. Richard Allen was chosen
in his stead, and was therefore consecrated the Bishop of the A.
M. E. Church on the 11th of April, 1816. The next important
thing done was to make it constitutional that any minister com¬
ing from another denomination should be received in the same
official standing which he held in the Church or denomination
whence he came. This then was the origin of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church. Poor and lowly, an outcast and
despised of men, it thus feebly entered into being; but with
a manifest destiny of greatness which has been unmistakably
developing for over three quarters of a century.
The' churches in the city of Baltimore were planted by the
Rev, Daniel Coker. The first record of the proceedings of this
Conference is dated April 7th, 1818—the first documentary evi¬
dence of its existence. It was opened in the house of Mr. Samuel
Williams—a fine two-story building, standing in 1843—in Balti¬
more, under the presidency of Rev. Richard Allen. The minutes
of that Conference present to us a very meager number of repre¬
sentatives—Rev. Richard Allen, Rev. Jacob Tapsico and
Rev. William Cousins being the representatives of the Philadel¬
phia churches; and Rev. Richard Williams, Rev. Henry Hardin,
Charles Pierce, James Fowsin, Jerry Miller, William Quinn and
Thomas Robinson representing Baltimore. These were after¬
wards joined by others as the Conference continued its sittings
from day to day.
Organization of the A. M. E. Church.
15
The first transaction we find taken up was a charge brought
by James Cole against Daniel Coker. Before a committee was
appointed to examine this charge, the following resolution
was passed:
Resolved, That no business of a secret nature referred to a committee shall be
taken out of the Conference, and if reported out of the Conference by any mem¬
ber, they shall forfeit all their official functions for one year, and shall not ob¬
tain their license until they give proper satisfaction to the Annual Conference.
Why this resolution was necessary we have no means of know¬
ing at this late day, but the wisdom of such a proceeding can
hardly be doubted
A committtee consisting of Jacob Tapsico, Richard Williams
and Edward Williamson was appointed to hear the report
and try the case. This committee met at the house of Don
Carlos Hall on the 8th, and on the 10th of April reported to the
Conference that it had found the charge proven and Daniel
Coker guilty. In the meantime another committee had been
appointed to examine the work of the trial committee and, after
due examination, concurred in the verdict and Daniel Coker was
expelled from the Connection. Whatever may have been the
sin with which he was charged, and whatever the evidence
produced against him, the whole Conference appears to have
been satisfied of the justness of his sentence. Two members of
the Conference do not appear to have participated in the
case: these were Bishop Allen and Elder William Quinn.
Daniel Coker had shown himself to be eminently useful, and to
his talents and activity the infant Connection was largely
indebted for the progress it had made. On that account the two
non-participants deeply sympathized with him although we have
no record of that sympathy being in any way expressed. In
view of his former usefulness to the Connection and the dis¬
advantages under which it might have to labor from his absence
from its work and councils, Ave cannot but admire the stern
resolve of this body, which dispensed with all the advantages it
might otherwise receive, in order to carry out the principles
of right and justice, in order to keep itself pure and free from
everything which might militate against its advancement in the
cause of the Lord; which cut off every one who by any course of
conduct might retard that work, or give rise to offence, no matter
16
History of the A. M. E. Church.
what the cost might be. It would be well if this course were fol¬
lowed more at the present day and less attention paid to expedi¬
ency than to right.
This Conference decided that two deacons were sufficient to
present for ordination at present and two were recommended and
ordained: Charles Pierce and Edward Waters. The last named
was admitted at this time as a regular member of the Annual
Conference. Richard Williams and Henry Harden were elected
to elder's orders. In the line of progress we find it unanimous¬
ly agreed upon to lay before the Society the building of a Church
on the Point, and a committee Avas appointed to view the site for
the purpose. None had died or withdrawn, and, save in the sad
case of Daniel Coker, no charges were preferred against any of the
members. There were 1,066 members in the Society reported.
The services of the Secretary were recognized by the appro¬
priation of five dollars to pay for the same. This was as it
should be. We have already seen how much is lost to the
Church by the neglect of the General Convention of 1816, in not
preserving its records.
It was different with the Conference of 1818. Here we find
the minutes replete with the details of every transaction entered
into; and these really give us the first view of how our fathers
carried on the business of the different things committed to their
charge. These minutes are written in a careful, clear hand and
although the work of a mere lad, they show a striking adaptabili¬
ty for the work. The penmanship is that of Richard Allen,
Junior, son of Bishop Allen. He was neither a member of the
Annual Conference nor a member of the Church, if we are right¬
ly informed. It is supposed that he was employed as the Secre¬
tary, because he was the best scholar that the Conference could
obtain. He was then about fifteen years of age. Bishop Allen
and the Baltimore Annual Conferences of 1818 and 1819 (for the
lad was made Secretary of both) exhibited a degree of common
sense and sound judgment which many of the Conferences and
leading men of our times will do well to consider and imitate.
Better have a boy who can do a thing as it ought to be done,
than a man who cannot.
This was the first characteristic of this Conference, and the sec¬
ond was the election of a Book Steward. In this the members
Organization of the A. M. E. Church.
17
" builded better than they knew," and laid the foundation of an
institution, which since that time has continued to grow in
power and influence. Possibly no man in the Conference: had
any conception of what he Avas doing to promote the influence
and power of the Church, when he voted for the simple resolu¬
tions that a book steward be appointed and that Don Carlbs
Hall receive the appointment.
In this selection also there was wisdom. This Don Carlos
Hall, who was promoted by the Annual Conference to this office,
was not a traveling preacher nor a local preacher, but an intelli¬
gent layman. He was appointed because he wTas best qualified,
and this selection of the Baltimore Conference demonstrated the
soundness of their judgment. It will be wise for the Annual
Conferences of the present hour to follow so good an example.
Where there cannot be found an itinerant preacher qualified to
fill an office involving labor of such a character, let a local
preacher possessing the needed qualifications be employed; and
when neither itinerant nor local preacher is competent, let a lay¬
man be placed in the position. Indeed, the more we employ lay¬
men to fill such positions, the better for the entire Church. At
the same time Henry Harden was appointed book steward for
the circuit.
The good resulting from having printed minutes for reference
moved the Conference, for it almost unanimously decided to
print one thousand copies, the work being left in the general
superintendent's hands and to be performed in Philadelphia, the
Conference providing for his expenses.
We find that three—Richard Williams, Henry Harden and
Charles Pierce—were nominated to go to the Philadelphia Confer¬
ence, with an appropriation of fifteen dollars each for their
expenses. They were exact—these fathers in the early Church,
for even a small sum was paid for the use of the room in which
the Conference carried on its deliberations, though it was in
a private house; and they were careful as well, for we find direc¬
tions for providing a trunk for the Conference papers. At this
Conference Bethel Church was separated from the circuit and
made a separate charge. The financial condition of the Confer¬
ence was not very strong, although apparently it had the balance
on the right side, as the total receipts were $437.90 and the ex-
2
18
History of the A. M. E. Church.
penditures, including everything, $344.05. After resolving that
the next Conference, that of 1819, be held in Baltimore, the Con¬
ference of 1818 adjourned April 14th.
Two things characterize this Conference. First, it is the first
Conference of which we have any record. The meeting in 1816,
although of the utmost importance in the history of the Church,
left no records behind it in a tangible form. The whole of the
evidence of its existence, apart from the fact that the independ¬
ent churches there united to form the A. M. E. Church, is
wholly dependent upon statements made verbally. It is true the
witnesses are reliable men; but at best, all are liable to error. If
any Conference was held in 1817, no knowledge of it whatever is
obtainable. It is probable some meeting or Conference was held,
but of what may have been said or done we have no means
of knowing. The important characteristic we have already em¬
phasized—the beginning of what has since proved to be one
of the most important offices of the Connection—the office of
book steward and the wisdom of the choice of Don Carlos Hall,
which future events fully verified.
CHAPTER V.
BALTIMORE CONFERENCES, 1820-21-22.
Conference of 1820—Twenty-one Members Present—Their Names- Con¬
ference of 1821—Local Preachers Admitted to Seats in Annual Con¬
ference—A General Rule Adopted—Conference of 1822—Bishop Allen
Makes an Address—A Long Debate in Reference to Western Terri¬
tory—An Assistant Bishop Elected.
I^HE Baltimore Annual Conference hQ81jjroPcned with ten
members, some of whom were from the Philadelphia Dis¬
trict. The Conference of 1820, about which we are now to
write, opened with twenty-one members, showing an increase of
eleven, some of whom, as in the first instance, were also from
Philadelphia. The names of the men were as follows:
Rev. Richard Allen,
" Jacob Matthews,
" Jacob Richardson,
" David Smith,
" Edward Waters,
" Charles Pierce,
James Towson,
Abner Coker,
Jacob Roberts,
Don C. Hall,
John Foulks,
James Cole,
Jacob Pierceson,
James Carr,
William Tilman,
John White,
James Chace,
Shadrack Bassett,
Joseph Chane,
Steivard.
Rev. Jacob Matthews acted as secretary.
Again the reader is asked not to forget that Mr. Don C. Hall,
marked here ancl mentioned as steward, and who had distin¬
guished himself in all the preceding Conferences, was not a cler¬
gyman, but yet he participated in all the business of the Confer¬
ence, moving resolutions and voting for them—in a word,
leading on the affairs of the Church, and giving character to
them. The Conference of this year was held at his house, a
private dwelling. Such also was the case with the first session,
in 1818. It was held in a private dwelling, that of Mr. Samuel
Williams, while that of 1819 was in the sanctuary.
Two persons were admitted on trial, John White and Joseph
Chane; James Cole was ordained a deacon; David Smith,
Charles Pierce, and Edward Waters were ordained elders.
(19)
20
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Henry Hardin and David Smith were paid by the steward of
the Annual Conference twenty-four dollars for their expenses to
the Philadelphia Conference.*
While there Avas little or no business of particular interest to
us, aside from learning that the number in Society was 1,202,
we find in two instances how utterly futile were the "Ways and
Means" adopted by the Conference of 1819 to prevent the
dreaded " discord, schisms, tattling and tale-bearing."
The next year (1821) the Conference met as usual in the same
city, and was opened on the 14th of April, in the church located
in Saratoga street, near Gay. Bishop Allen was in the chair.
There were several things done at this Conference worthy of
note. Boundaries were enlarged, and business of importance
dispatched.
The eastern shore of Maryland was incorporated in the bounds
of the Baltimore Conference under a motion made' by Rev. Jacob
Mathews, and placed under the charge of the Elder in Baltimore.
The local preachers were formally admitted to seats in the Annu¬
al Conference. This wras brought about by the motion of Broth¬
ers Harden and Webster. But, by motion of Rev. David Smith
and the said Brother Harden, they were to be deprived of a
" voice in the Conference against any one of the traveling
preachers," except "in case of a trial," and then "only as wit¬
nesses." A "General Rule" was adopted for the government of
all the churches. This Rule, it seems, had been drawn up in
the city of Philadelphia, on the 9th of Jul}r, 1820, at the First
General Conference then in session, and the Second in order of
time; but to this fact no allusion was made by the Baltimoreans.
This "General Rule" was first ratified by the Baltimoreans, and
then adopted for " government of all the churches." This fact
indicates the false views which the members of the General Con¬
ference entertained concerning their power as a General Confer¬
ence. This Baltimore Annual Conference had not only fixed
the place of the meeting of the general Conference, but doubtless
did send representatives to attend it; for in those days all trav¬
eling preachers were members of the General Conference. But
* The Conference minutes show that Richard Allen, Jr. is no longer the
secretary of the Annual Conference. Rev. Jacob Mathews tills the office.
As in the case of young Allen, he is brought from Philadelphia; but,
although a man, as secretary he is not the equal of young Allen, in either
writing or recording.
Baltimore Conferences, 1820-21-22.
21
we are not informed as to the nature of it, and as there are no
minutes of that Philadelphia Conference, they having shared
the fate, if they existed, of the other minutes of the Philadel¬
phia Annual Conference, we are left in ignorance of its character
and design.
Exhorters to the number of seven were licensed by this
Annual Conference. Then there was a motion that it was
resolved that " the Rule for raising moneys for the support of
the Gospel be enforced."
There seemed to have been a spirit of insubordination mani¬
fested among the local ministry, who were therefore required by
vote to pledge themselves anew to " be in subjection to the Dis¬
cipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church."
The number of members in the bounds of the Baltimore Con¬
ference had increased to 1,760, Carlisle being the weakest point,
with a membership of fifteen, while Baltimore City reached 525,
with Caroline County, of recent addition to the work, following
next with 192.
One year later (1822), less two days from the opening of this Con¬
ference, the body convened again, upon the 12th of April. Bish¬
op Allen addressed the Conference with special reference to two
points always worthy of emulation—love, peace, and harmony
among the ministry, and the necessity of conducting the busi¬
ness of the Conference in the fear of God.
The work was increasing, and there was a consequent increase
in the importance of the business to be transacted. Charles
Guy, Peter D. Schureman, and Jeremiah Beulah were received
on trial in the traveling connection, while Marcus Brown, Amos
Crookshanks, and Richard Boone were elected to receive orders
as deacons, the work demanding more than two.
A long and serious debate arose in this Conference relative to
the Western Territories and the Conference under whose juris¬
diction they should be placed. It was vast enough as a district
—these Territories—for the record refers to it as " the country
west of the Alleghany Mountains," and after consideration a
former rule respecting it was repealed, and it was determined
that the supervision should belong to the Philadelphia Conference
until it was proper to set it off into an independent district.
Again the borders were enlarged in another direction through
a petition received from Washington, Georgetown, and Piscata-
22
History of the A. M. E. Church.
way, requesting to be admitted into union with the African
M. E. Church, which petition was unanimously granted.
The Church had so increased in its six years of existence that
it was thought best to have an assistant to the Bishop. The
Baltimore Conference took the matter in hand now, as we see in
its motion to create a committee of three traveling preachers to
nominate two or three candidates for that position. The com¬
mittee consisted of Jacob Richardson, William Quinn, and
Thomas Webster. The election of the candidates was to be
managed in the following manner according to the journal of that
date:
It was moved by Jacob Matthews, and seconded by Abner Coker, that
Don Carlos Hall be appointed as a judge with the Bishop in time of elec¬
tion. It was put to vote, and carried, that the person that should be elected
for an assistant to the General Superintendent should be voted for by
private election, and the name of the person that should gain the election
should be sealed up, and for to be kept in secret until after the Conference
in Philadelphia has given in their vote, and, according to the Bishop's
proposal, for him then to be set apart, if the two Conferences, Baltimore
and Philadelphia, wished for it to be done, voted, and carried.
It is a curious paper, showing a very awkward and contradic- <
tory movement, at least, in the step toward making a second
Bishop; but it was a first experience, in which two Conferences
instead of one were concerned, and the authority vested in each
body does not seem to be very clearly understood, stated, or
acted upon.
The Philadelphia Conference was not then in session, but in
the election held in Baltimore, Morris Brown, Henry Harden,
and Jacob Matthews were candidates, and the vote stood: Mor¬
ris Brown, 7; Jacob Matthews, 9; Henry Harden, 4. The
following month the Philadelphia Conference convened the
20th of May, and we find the same three again as candidates
for general superintendent, with the following result: Morris
Brown, 9; Jacob Matthews, 15; Henry Harden, 9. The total
vote stood: Morris Brown, 16; Jacob Matthews, 24; Henry
Harden, IB.
For the first time Bishop Allen's name appears at the end of
the Baltimore proceedings, and also in attestation of the genu¬
ineness of the electoral votes cast, both in Baltimore and Phila¬
delphia, for the episcopal assistant. The character and constitu¬
tionality of this election will be examined at another point. In
Baltimore Conferences, 1820-21-22.
this instance we have an evidence that election to the episcopal
office does not constitute any person a Bishop. "The laying on
of hands" must follow election in order that the individual may
be a veritable Bishop.
At the Baltimore Conference the question was asked whether
the local preachers should have a vote for these candidates set
apart for the general superintendent. The answer was in the
affirmative, and this answer was given in the form of a vote.
There seems to have been some doubt about the employment of
Shadrack Bassett as a traveling preacher, in view of the circum¬
stance that having been a slave he had petitioned for his freedom,
and having been delivered by the courts from the claims of one
slave-holder, it was feared he might be subject to the claims of
another, wherefore Brother Abner Coker was appointed a com¬
mittee to consult an attorney, from whom the Conference
received the following instrument:
Judgment in case of a petition for freedom is not judgment against the
whole world, but only against the individual against whom it is filed, so
that if a petitioner should succeed in being discharged from slavery to an
individual who illegally claimed him, he would still be liable to be seized
by his proper owner. The only point gained by Shadrack Bassett, if he
sues in case against Hackney, will be that he can make use of the judgment
of freedom against Hackney as a security against future molestation, as it
is probable that no one would hold him after he had produced such a
judgment. It is my opinion that the Conference of Colored People
incur no risk in sending Shadrack Bassett forth to preach the Gospel, pro¬
vided he does not go south of the State of Maryland.
[Signed.] John Tyson, Attorney.
All these documents are matters of history, and this is but
one of many which might be brought forward to these pages for
the eyes of the present and future generations—the present
viewing them with mingled feelings of indignation, shame, and
regret; the future commingling with these, astonishment and
curiosity.
All that is of other generations teaches us closely—a proof of
the unity of the races. All that is of each race inspires that
race, or casts it down according to its character; therefore, all
that these early journals record of the beginnings of our Church
—the trials and triumphs, the failures and successes, the striv¬
ings and achievements—moves us to close sympathy and impels
us to greater deeds.
24
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Our fathers in African Methodism wrought wisely and well
for their day and generation, and the documents we gather are
indicative of the force which has spread African Methodism far
and wide, and from which we learn of the spirit and manner of
the men who were leaders then.
As an Appendix to the Minutes of the Baltimore Annual
Conference the following document is recorded, and in further¬
ance of the above idea, we insert it here:
It was moved, seconded, and carried that all the local elders, deacons,
and preachers shall have a seat in the Annual Conferences, provided
that they stand fair, and be in subjection to the elder in charge in receiv¬
ing appointments and filling up all such appointments that may be given
to them from time to time by the elder in charge ; provided that the
elder does not infringe too much on his temporal affairs; and in case of
any of the local preachers should be called upon to fill up any extra ap¬
pointments, then the minister in charge shall see that the said preacher or
preachers shall receive such aid from the Society as is allowed to local
preachers in such cases in referring to that discipline that we have recourse
to in all giving cases in our ministry or state. If the above rules should
be ratified by the Annual Conference, then, if any of the preachers, after
receiving appointments from the elder, should refuse for to go and fill up
his appointments, without a sufficient excuse, shall, for the first neglect,
lie be reproved by the elder, and also, if he should neglect the second
time, without a lawful excuse, then the elder may, if lie think proper,
summons that preacher before a committee, and if he gives no proper
satisfaction for his neglecting his duty, then the elder, with the committee,
shall silence him until the Quarterly Meeting Conference, and his case
shall be referred to the Annual Conference for trial and decision.
Done in the Philadelphia Conference for the whole Connection in
General. Signed by the Superintendent,
Secretary pro tem., Richakd Allen.
Jacob Matthews.
The two points in this document show the men of our times:
First.—The Quarterly Conference had no jurisdiction over the
case of the delinquent local preacher, beyond a mere hearing of
the statement and reference of the question to the Annual Con¬
ference, which alone could try and pass judgment on him.
Second.—The Philadelphia Conference was by this extraordi¬
nary document invested with the power of the General Confer¬
ence.
Again, the report of members from the various churches under
the Baltimore jurisdiction shows an increase of 1,938. The
Eastern Shore work, so recently added, gives 330 of that num-
Baltimore Conferences, 1820-21-22.
25
ber. It is wise to make an assistant to the Bishop, in view of
this and the nearly parallel increase in the Philadelphia District.
This year Jacob Matthews is sent to Baltimore City; David
Smith to Washington and Georgetown; Peter Schureman is
placed in charge of Piscataway Circuit, while Thomas Webster,
Jacob Richardson, Joshua Early, and Jeremiah Beulah are
sent on the more scattered work of the Harrisburgh Circuit.
CHAPTER VI.
EARLY CONFERENCE SESSIONS.
Morris Brown Admitted into Full Connection—Three Founders Elected
Deacons—Stronghold of African Methodism in Philadelphia—Enlarging
the Borders—Statistics of Membership—Philadelphia Conference Invested
with the Power of a General Conference—An Increase in Numbers.
THE Baltimore Conference preceded that in Philadelphia by
a little more than a month. As has been said of the former,
so it can be said of the latter : if any Conference was held in 1817,
we are unable to find any trace of the fact. May 9th, 1818, the
Philadelphia Annual Conference of the African Methodist Epis¬
copal Church met in Philadelphia, at the house of Richard Allen?
and opened at 11 o'clock a. m. with singing and prayer. In the
course of the session nearly all the names of the founders, as rep¬
resented by the list of 1816, were upon the record. Five preachers
wrere admitted on trial; six members were admitted into full
connection, among them Morris Brown. Three of the founders,
Henry Drayton, Edward Jackson and Reuben Cuff, were elected
to deacon's orders, while Morris Brown, with two other of the
founders, James Champion and Jacob Tapsico, were elected and
ordained elders. One death is recorded: "Joseph Lea, a man of
God, who has labored for many years in the ministry, during
which time he supported the character of a Christian and a faith¬
ful minister, a kind and loving husband and a tender father."
There seems to have been no particular business of importance
transacted at this meeting. We find on the third day of the
session that Thomas Banks, president and trustee of the Snow
Hill church corporation applies to the Bishop and Conference to
take charge of the spiritual concerns of their church and congre¬
gation, which request is unanimously granted, with the promise
to supply them with preaching as often as they can make it
convenient. The first detailed report of the members in the
Society were given at this meeting, and we find sixteen places
represented: Philadelphia, 3,311 ; Baltimore, 1,066; Salem, N. J,,
110; Trenton, 73; Princeton, 33; Snow Hill, 56 ; Woodbury, 29;
Attleborough, 41; New Hope, 33; Frankfort, 28; Westchester, 46;
(26)
Early Conference Sessions.
27
Plemeth, 8; Whitemarsh, 29; Bridgeport, 6; Brunswick, 40;
Charleston, 1,848; making a total of 6,748. It is seen by this
that the stronghold of African Methodism was in Philadelphia,
with Charleston next in order. On May 20th the Conference
adjourned to meet again in Philadelphia, the date not being
stated. And here we may say there is an hiatus; for the next
proceedings, of which we have any knowledge or record, are
dated in 1822. Not until that date have we any Church records
to run parallel with those of Baltimore, which were continued
yearly from 1818.
On the 19th of April, 1819, the Annual Conference for the
Baltimore District was opened at the A. M. E. Church, Saratoga
street. The members present were from Philadelphia, Balti¬
more, and Charleston, S. C., and were as follows at the opening
of the session:
Rev.
Richard Allen,
William Cousins.
u
Richard Williams,
James Towtsen,
u
Henry Harden,
Charles Pierce,
a
Morris Brown,
Edward Waters,
a
Jerry Miller,
James Cole,
cc
Joseph Cox,
David Smith,
u
Jacob Richardson,
Thomas Hall,
Don
Carlos Hall,
Abner CoicfiR,
William Quinn.
The first duty of the Conference was to appoint a doorkeeper,
whose instructions were to admit no one without the leave of
the chair. A resolution was also passed that no member of the
Conference should leave the room without the permission of the
chair; while still another resolution, tending toward the secrecy
and safety of the proceedings of the Conference, was oiie by
Don C. Hall, to the effect that the steward shall not present or
show the books or papers of the Annual Conference to any per¬
son or persons without the permission of the superintendent.
These were all directed to the end that the business should be
properly and rapidly done. There appears to have been some
letters addressed to the official members in Philadelphia which
had been detained by the secretary for some reasons, and handed
to the Bishop upon his arrival in Baltimore. We do not know
what these letters contained, for, although a motion was made
28
History of the A. M. E. Church.
that they should be "read to the Conference, there is no record
of this having been done. Probably, however, the contents of
those letters caused Henry Harden to place his resolution before
the Conference, " that no minister or preacher belonging to the
African Methodist Episcopal Conference, or any member, local
or traveling, shall write any letter or letters or communications,
verbally, or by any other way whatsoever, that will have the
bearance of raising discord or hardness in the Connection," as
well as another to the effect " that ways and means shall be
entered into by the Conference to prevent any member or mem¬
bers of the Annual Conference of taking a part with any person
or persons evading the Discipline of the said African Methodist
Episcopal Church or Churches; or shall be found guilty of sow¬
ing discord, or raising schisms, tattling or tale-bearing, so that
the Church or society may suffer injury by the strife of such
person or persons, the Elder shall call him or them to trial; if
found guilty, the Elder shall silence him or them until the set¬
ting of the Annual Conference, then the Elder shall deliver the
charge to the Conference, in writing, and the Conference shall
deal with the said offender according to Discipline." At this
Conference Daniel Coker, who had been expelled in the year
1818, made application to be reinstated in the position which he
had formerly held. A committee having been appointed to take
into consideration the reinstating of Daniel Coker, reported as
follows:
We, the Committee appointed by the Annual Conference on 22d inst.,
to take into consideration thecaseof Brother Daniel Coker, deem itnecessary
for to receive him into Society, and he be in subjection to the Elder sta¬
tioned in the District, and when they see proper, shall be admitted to the
pulpit at their discretion; but he shall not fulfill the office of a deacon
until the Annual Conference restores him to fill those offices.
Committee :
Henry Fox and Jacob Roberts were admitted as members of
the Conference, while the former and David Smith were ap¬
pointed Deacons. At this time we find the Conference enlarging
the borders of the Church. First, by the addition of French-
Baltimore, April 27, 1819.
Rich'd Allen, Jr., Secretary.
Early Conference Sessions.
29
town, which was taken into the district of Baltimore, and next,
by the addition of Caroline County, which was also placed under
the charge of the Baltimore Conference, with Charles Pierce in
charge. In the appointment of Charles Pierce to the charge of
the Circuit we find a remarkable departure from the established
usage. No expense was incurred in the admission of Caroline
County, or, as it was afterwards called, I^arrisburg Circuit, as
that was to be borne by the Society in that Circuit. The statis¬
tics of membership in 1819 show an increase of over 300 above
those of 1818, there being an aggregate within the Conference
limits of 1,388. The next Annual Conference was appointed to
be held in Baltimore, and the General Conference of 1820 was
appointed to meet in Philadelphia. There are several things in
this Conference which are \yorthy of remark.
First: Frenchtown was added to the field of labor this year; so
was Caroline County, afterwards named Harrisburgh Circuit.
Second: An appointment for the labors of an itinerant preach¬
er on a whole Circuit was made by the members of the Annual
Conference during the session of said Conference, and that be¬
fore the Bishop's face, while the man who seconded the motion
to that effect was a layman, viz., Don Carlos Hall, the Conference
book steward.
Third: The preacher was sent, or rather appointed to the Cir¬
cuit before that Circuit was taken into the Connection.
Fourth: The Rev. Daniel Coker, after being expelled for one
whole year, was restored to the Church, not on probation, but in
full fellowship, and in the exercise of his functions as a minister
of the Gospel, the exercise of the deaconate excepted. And yet
he was allowed to occupy the pulpit only by permission of the
elder in charge—that is to say, at his discretion. We also do
well to consider the fact that no elder, no church action of an
elder, is allowed to intervene the action of the Annual Confer¬
ence that expelled Mr. Coker, as more merciful and tolerant lead¬
ers may now do; but the same power that expelled is the power
that restores.
In our judgment this example is worthy of imitation, for it
has too often happened that, after having been convicted by the
Annual Conference, one has been allowed to unite with some
local church, and then was restored to full standing by that church
before the lapse of a single year. We are more enlightened than
30
History of the A. M. E. Church.
were the founders of the Connection, but are we as moral ? Have
we as high sense of personal and official character as they ?
Fifth: The stringency of the resolution against a discordant
spirit evinced the strength of their hatred against it.
Sixth: The Second General Conference was appointed and
held in Philadelphia by a vote of the Baltimore Conference.
Seventh: The vain efforts of the Annual Conference to pre¬
vent discontented and insubordinate spirits from " taking a part
with any person or persons" who might be disposed to inveigh
against the Discipline, or "sowing discord," or "raising schisms,"
or "tale-bearing."
As long as there is a devil to disturb the peace, harmony, and
love of the Church, or to destroy its unity, just so long will evil-
minded persons be found to carry out their infernal purposes.
And what is the most perplexing as well as lamentable feature
of all church troubles is the impossibility of making such per¬
sons see that they are Satanic agents.
We do well to censure every attempt to produce schism and to
resist the good government of the Church, not so much by pass¬
ing resolutions to prevent such evils, as by cultivating the spirit
of Christian forbearance, confidence and love.
CHAPTER VII.
EXTINCTION OF THE CHURCH IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
Episcopal Support —Rise of African Methodism in the City of New York—
New York and Brooklyn Churches Incorporated with the A. M. E.
Church in 1820—Societies outside of New York—Manner of Electing
Delegates to General Conference—Finances of the Second General Con¬
ference—The Slaveholders' Fear of the A. M. E. Church.
UP to this period (1822), with the one exception of the Phil¬
adelphia Annual Conference of 1818, we have devoted our
entire attention and space to the doings of the Baltimore Annual
Conferences. The reason for so doing is this: No manuscript,
no printed traces, no signs whatever can be found of the sayings
and doings of the Philadelphia Conferences other than those of
1818, up to the year 1822. That some must have existed at
some period is positive, as is gathered from the resolutions of the
Baltimore Conferences during this time, where mention is made
of these meetings, but what eventually became of the journal,
minutes, or other documents, is not known.
In 1822, the Philadelphia Annual Conference begins to run in
a parallel line with that of Baltimore, and for this year we have
both the manuscript journal and the printed minutes of the
session which opened in Philadelphia, May 9. The resolutions
passed at this Conference were comparatively few, and the gen¬
eral business in most cases unimportant. Bishop Allen presided,
and the preachers admitted on trial were Joshua P. B. Eddy,
George Bowler, and Noah Cannon. Charles Butler was ordained
a deacon and elder for the express purpose of going as a mis¬
sionary to Africa. Thomas Robinson, Adam Clincher, Samuel
Collins, George Bowler, Joshua P. Eddy, Henry C. Mervin, Solo¬
mon Walsh, James Scott, and David Crosby were licensed preach¬
ers, and William Cornish and Walter Proctor were set apart for
the office of deacon, with the proviso that they travel.
At this time that portion of the law was repealed which said
that a preacher should not be stationed in any place longer than
two years. Four other licensed preachers were ordained deacons:
Thomas Robinson, Adam Clincher, Samuel Collins, and Noah
Cannon.
(31)
82
History of the A. M. E. Church.
It was agreed that in place of salary the Bishop should there¬
after receive twenty-five dollars from each Annual Conference,
and that each Conference should pay his traveling expenses: that
is, he would receive compensation at that period from the Balti-
timore, Philadelphia, and New York Conferences,* for it was de¬
cided at this Conference that there should be three Annual Con¬
ferences instead of two.
When the question of the finances of the Conference were
being considered, it was ordered by that body that hereafter each
member must pay the expenses of his horse himself. As the
contingent fund of this Conference eighty-six dollars were col¬
lected, which fund was distributed as follows: twenty-five dollars
to the Bishop as allowance, seventeen dollars and twenty-seven
cents were paid for circular letters to the Bishop, and thirty-three
dollars and thirty-seven and a half cents were paid for preachers'
horses.
A resolution was also passed that no preacher in charge should
license any person who should make application to them for
license to preach or exhort in the African Methodist Episcopal
Church until the said person should have been verbally licensed
by the preacher in charge twelve months prior to the time that
the application was made.
The election of a general superintendent was brought forward.
This action had been taken by the Baltimore Conference of April
previous. Then three candidates, Morris Brown, Henry Harden,
and Jacob Matthews, had been nominated, and an election had
been held, but in accordance with the resolution passed at the time,
the results of the election were kept secret until after the election
at Philadelphia. The total votes cast at both Conferences were six¬
teen for Morris Brown, thirteen for Henry Harden, and twenty-
four for Jacob.Matthews. Jacob Matthews was therefore declared
elected. The Philadelphia Conference also decided to hold its
next session in Philadelphia. The Society was not yet so ex¬
tended that it was deemed wise to remove the sessions of these
first three Conferences from the cities whose names they bore,
and we therefore find the first session of the new Conference—
the New York—was held in the city of New York.
In the Philadelphia Annual Conference of 1822, we also see
the brethren acting with the authority of a General Conference,
* For the rise of the New York Conference see pages following the Phil¬
adelphia Conference of 1822.
Extinction of the. Church in South Carolina.
83
first, by the election of an Assistant Bishop; second, by decree¬
ing the existence of three Annual Conferences. The action of
this Conference respecting licentiates to preach is also a flat refu¬
tation of the assertion that no one,' according to our usages from
the rise of the Connection, has ever been fully admitted unless
they have been recommended by a Quarterly Conference of our
Church, but they have "climbed in some other way."
The limitation of a stationed preacher to two years was also
abolished, as was previously done by the Baltimore Annual Con¬
ference. By motion, the Conference ordered the ordination of
William Cornish and Walter Proctor to the office of deacons,
provided they entered upon itinerant work, but there is no record
of the execution of the order. This order to ordain was given
immediately after they had been received into the itinerant work.
The motion for the appointment of Rev. Charles Butler to
Africa as a missionary resulted in but a paper mission.
In 1822 the numbers in Society stood as follows:
South Carolina City 1,400
In the Circuit Charge 1,600
Smyrna Circuit 31
Riverhead 79
Fredericktown 15
Cookstown 13
Warwick 24
Boheamarnania 10
Frenchtown 41
Middletown 17
Scrabbletown 6
Thorofare 11
Philadelphia City 3,002
Chester and Tenecum 31
Bristol Circuit in Frankfort 25
Bridgeport 29
Attleborough 39
Newhope 29
Mountain 15
Easton 22
Reading 9
Valley 13
Westown 29
Wightmarsh 14
Salem Circuit, Port Elizabeth... 17
Tranfield 28
Greenage 42
Salem 72
Bushtown 10
Dutch town... 14
Woodbury..... 16
Snowhill 42
Evesham 47
Total 6,792
City of Pittsburgh ; 145
Washington, Pa 45
Readtown 30
Pickson 18
Total 238
Trenton Circuit, Trenton 72
Princeton 38
Rockhill 37
Siggstown 36
Blandsburgh 27
Brunswick 17
Total
227
3
34
History of the A. M. E. Church.
This gives a final total of 7,257 for the above points; and the
joint list of the ministers for 1822 is as follows:
Baltimore District—Jacob Matthews, elder ; Edward Waters, elder ; Ed¬
ward Williamson, deacon; John H. Faulks, deacon; Jacob Pearson, Jas.
Carr, Solomon Welch, Abner Coker, Laven Lee, Caleb Gilley.
Philadelphia District—Rt. Rev. Richard Allen, William Cornish, Joseph
Coxe, Deacon Claton Durham, Deacon Thomas Robinson, Deacon Adam
Clincher, Deacon Jeremiah Dursum, Charles Pierce, elder; John Boggs,
David Crosby, Michael Parker, Charles Butler, Jonathan Adams, Thomas
AVebster, Isaac Cropper.
Buck's County, Bristol Circuit—James Towson, elder in charge; Shadrack
Bassett, Edward Jackson, elder; Robert Butler, William Johnson, deacon;
George Anderson, Charles Wilmore, John Messer, William Henry, Thomas
Henry, Edward Smith, James Burton.
Salem Circuit—Samuel Ridley, Elder Reuben Cuff, Elder Joseph Oli¬
ver, Jacob Adams, Thomas Banks, Matthew Dodson, Seth Cuff.
Trenton Circuit—Richard Williams, elder; Sampson Peters, deacon;
Julius Steward, Ishmael Berry, Thomas Ward, Anthony Tunison.
Smyrna Circuit—Noah C. Cannon, deacon in charge ; Henry Fox, dea¬
con ; James Tavern, deacon; Abraham Anderson, Lewis Cork, George
Wright, George Harris, Philip D. Laney, John Jones.
Pittsburgh Circuit—William Quinn, elder in charge; George Bowles,
Samuel Collins, deacon ; Richard "Harvey, Charles Gray.
Washington, D. C.—David Smith, elder in charge; Peter Schureman,
George Gant.
Harrisburgh Circuit—Thomas Webster, elder; Jacob Richardson, Joshua
P. B. Eddy, Jeremiah Beulah, John Joyce, Job Morris, Edward Young,
John Lenderburger, George Smith, Israel Williams, John White, Nathan
Tarman.
Eastern Shore, Maryland—Jeremiah Miller, elder in charge; Joseph
Cain, deacon; Samuel Todd, deacon; Stephen Stendford, Henry Brown,
Graves Holland.
Charleston, South Carolina—Morris Brown, elder in charge; Henry Dray¬
ton, Charles Corr, Amos Cruckshank, deacon; Marcus Brown, deacon;
Smart Simpson, Harry Bull, John B. Matthews, James Eden, London
Turpin, Aleck Hailston.
Before we lay the proceedings of the first Annual Conference
of the New York District before the reader, we shall present an
account of the rise of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
in the city of New York and its vicinity.
Sometime in the fall of 1819, Brother William Lambert, a licen¬
tiate of the Philadelphia Annual Conference, was commissioned
by Rt. Rev. Richard Allen to go and labor in the city of New
York for the planting of a branch of the African Methodist Epis-
Extinction of the Church in South Carolina.
35
copal Church. He was emphatically a missionary from that
Conference. Under God's blessing he succeeded in procuring a
school-room in Mott street, and had it fitted up for a house of
worship. In the summer of the following year this house was
consecrated to the service of Almighty God. The consecration
of this church was on the third Sunday in July, 1820.
In the same year, Rev. Henry Harden, who had been previous¬
ly appointed at the Baltimore Conference to the Harrisburg Cir¬
cuit, was sent from the Philadelphia Conference to take the
pastoral charge of this church in New York. The membership
at that time amounted to twenty souls, the majority of whom
were women. From that time the Society increased weekly,
though very much opposed by Zion Church. The Society wor¬
shipped in this church, in Mott street, for the period of seven
years.
The lease had expired at the end of that time, and the house
was taken down. The Society then went to worship for a short
period in an old house in Allen street, and afterwards occupied
the Mutual Relief Hall in Orange street, No. 42. From there
they removed to the basement of the organ factory in Centre
street, nearly opposite Canal street. Thence they went to a fac¬
tory in Elizabeth street, and later again removed to Second
street, between avenues B and C, where a house was erected in
the year 1835 or 1836, in which the Society worshipped until
1860, when it was sold because the Society was literally dying out.
This gradual decay was the result of two important facts, which
in all places we will do well to study, and from this study be¬
come wiser through the lesson which is taught:
(а) The population of color, which originally surrounded it,
had been almost entirely pressed out by an influx of Irish and
of Germans.
(б) Moreover, many of its members who had been house-ser¬
vants in the wealthy families, who had moved far away from
what was primarily Central New York to the suburbs, found it
then difficult to reach the house of worship, especially in the
inclement seasons of the year. The spirit of caste would not
allow them to ride in the omnibuses then used for public con¬
veyance, so they attended divine service nearer to their homes,
or went to no service at all.
In view of these facts, as we have already stated, Bethel was
sold, and the property in Sullivan street was purchased for the
86
History of the A. M. E. Church.
sum of twenty-five thousand dollars, where we have now the
largest congregation of colored Christians in the city of New
York. During the last seventeen years this church has had to be
enlarged, owing to the great increase in the membership.
The church in Brooklyn was founded by Rev. Benjamin
Croger and his brother Peter, who, with others, had been mem¬
bers of the M. E. Church from 1808 till the 30th of July, 1820,
when, by a unanimous vote of the people, they withdrew from
that body.
On the 10th of August, 1820, having had an interview with Rev.
H. Harden, elder in charge of our church in the city of New
York, they became incorporated with the African Methodist Epis¬
copal Church in the United States of America, by a joint meet¬
ing of the officers of the church in Brooklyn and those of the
church in New York. The meeting was held in Bethel Church,
then located in Mott street. At that time the members of the
church in Brooklyn consisted of one hundred souls, chiefly
women. These were divided into four classes, two male and two
female. Four exhorters were among them, but no preachers.
Rev. Benjamin Croger, and his brother Peter, were two of these
exhorters. They entered the ministry after they had joined our
Connection. The property of the church in Brooklyn consisted
of two lots, which had been purchased as early as 1817 at a cost
of $162.50 for each lot. The original house of worship was built
at a cost of $900.
Societies were also established in various localities beyond the
limits of the city of New York, and formed into a Circuit called
the White Plains Circuit. One was also established in the city
of New Bedford, Mass., then under the care of Brother Charles
Spicer, a deacon, subordinate to Rev. H. Harden of the New York
charge. What is now called the Branch, and sometimes Thirtieth
Street Church, was planted by Rev. Richard Robinson in 1843.
The planting of this Society grew out of the following circum¬
stances :
Many of the members of the church in Second street, who
lived at a distance on the west side of the city, could not obtain
seats if they did not reach the house of worship at a very early
hour. Therefore, in order that they might be furnished with the
needed accommodation, Brother Robinson consulted with his
official board at a meeting called for that special purpose, and they
all agreed to hire a small building in street.
Extinction of the Church in South Carolina.
37
The number organized in this Society was thirty. These were
placed under the leadership of Brother Richard Baltimore. In
1850 there were three classes and three local preachers, and the
total number of members was one hundred and thirty. One of
the most active of its official men was Brother Arnold Ricks.
This Branch Church passed through many vicissitudes, changing
its location several times before becoming definitely settled.
We are now prepared for the New York Annual Conference,
and it is manifest that its basis was weak. Tradition says that
an Annual Conference was held in New York City as early as
1821, but there is no evidence of this. The Conference records
for the New York District reach no farther back than 1822, and
if the organization took place in 1821, there is no indication of it.
On the morning of the eighth of June, 1822, the first Confer¬
ence for this district was opened by Bishop Allen in accordance
with the resolution passed at the May Conference in Philadelphia.
The members present were Rev. Richard Allen, Henry Harden,
Thomas Webster, George White, Richard Williams, Samuel Rid¬
ley, Charles Corr, Henry Drayton, Joseph Cox, Stephen Dutton,
Jeremiah Miller, Jacob Matthews, Thomas Miller, Isaac Cropper,
Joseph Harvey, Edmund Crosby, Peter Croger, Benjamin Croger,
James Thompson, Charles Spicer, Titus Rosarett, Henry Davis,
Michael Parker, Thomas Jones, Charles Butler, James Scott, John
Morris.
Bishop Allen addressed the Conference in a most pathetic
manner, impressing upon the minds of the brethren the great
utility of having union among ourselves and a steadfastness in
the African cause. James Thompson, Thomas Miller, George
White, Peter Croger, Edmund Crosby, Benjamin Croger, Charles
Spicer, Titus Rosarett, Henry Davis, Thomas Jones, and William
P. Williams were admitted on trial. George White and Stephen
Dutton were admitted into full Connection. Charles Spicer,
Edmund Crosby, Peter Croger, Benjamin Croger, and Thomas
Miller were ordained deacons, and Stephen Dutton an elder.
Brother William Lambert, the founder of the Connection, died
this year.
The preachers were stationed according to the following order:
New York, Henry Harden; Long Island received Stephen Dut¬
ton; George White was sent to White Plains Circuit, while
Charles Spicer was appointed to New Bedford, " under the special
care of Henry Harden." Benjamin Croger was appointed book
38
History of the A. M. E. Church.
steward for Long Island, and John Morris book steward for
the city of New York.
The Conference continued in session just six days. In those
days the time for the meeting of the next Annual Conference
was fixed before the adjournment of its predecessor. Hence we
find on record the following notices:
The Baltimore Conference will be held in Baltimore on the second
Tuesday in April, 1823.
The Philadelphia Conference will be held in Philadelphia on the first
Thursday in May, 1823.
The New York Conference will be held on the last Thursday in May,
1823.
The total number of members in Society in this year, 1822,
was 9,888, an increase since 1818 of 3,110; 737 was the number
in Society in the New York District, as reported in 1822. New
York, Bethel Church, had 347; Brooklyn, Long Island, had 136;
White Plains, subsequently called Huntingdon Circuit, had
27; Cove, now called Glen Cove, had 33; Harlem, 24; Jamaica,
Long Island, 18; Flushing, 130; New Bedford, 22.
The minutes of the three Conferences for 1822 were published
together, and give the following list of ministers in the Connec¬
tion at that time, nearly seventy years ago, and but six years
after the organization of the Church:
Rev. Richard Allen was the Bishop; Revs. Morris Brown,
Jacob Matthews, Henry Harden, Stephen Dutton, Charles Pierce,
Reuben Cuff, Thomas Webster, Jacob Richardson, William
Quinn, Samuel Ridley, Richard Williams, David Smith, George
White, and Jeremiah Miller were the elders; Revs. Edward Jack¬
son, Noah Cannon, Sampson Peters, Charles Corr, Joseph Cox,
Amos Cruckshanks, Clayton Durham, Adam Clincher, James Sa-
vern, Thomas Robinson, Edward Williamson, Henry Fox, Thomas
Miller, William Cornish, James Towsen, Joseph Chane, Samuel
Collins, Peter Croger, Benjamin Croger, George White, Edmund
Crosby, Charles Spicer, Richard Boone, Samuel Todd, Henry
Drayton, John H. Foulks. The traveling and local preachers
were John Messer, Abraham Anderson, Shadrack Bassett, Julius
Stewart, Thomas Banks, John Bull, George Anderson, William
Johnson, Joseph Oliver, Walter Proctor, Jeremiah Durham, David
Crosby, Michael Parker, Charles Butler, John Boggs, John Gus-
tus, Job Gibson, Walter Maxfield, James Cole, Thomas Gibson,
Edward Waters, Jacob Piercen, Solomon Welch, Abner Coker,
Extinction of the Church in South Carolina.
39
Joseph Brown, Jeremiah Brown, James Carr, Thomas Hall, Jacob
Roberts, Caleb Guilley, Levi Lea, Abraham Springs, John Smith,
Jacob Warner, Thomas Douglas, Titus Rosarett, Paul Williams,
Edward Byrd, George Bowler, Joshua P. B. Eddy, Henry Brown,
Lewis Cork, John Jones, Charles Grant, John B. Matthews,
Primus Hopkins, George Barnett, Samuel Johnson, Richard
Harvey, Israel Scott, Anthony Tunison, Edward Smith,
Griffin Cooper, Thomas Webster, William Henry, Thomas
Henry, Joseph Parker, Robert Butler, Charles Wilmore, James
Burton, Jacob Adams, Jonathan Adams, Richard Gibson,
James Wollford, Jesse Johnson, Philip Delaney, Stephen Har¬
den, George Harris, Aaron Miller, George Wright, James Chase,
John Darby, Toff Lossicks, Nathan Tarman, Charles Grey, Israel
Williams, John Joyce, Edward Young, James Lowe, Job Morris,
James Smith, William Butler, John Morris, James Thomas,
David Davids, Israel Jaimison, John Conover, Adam Hercules,
Stephen Stanford, Graves Holland, James Brown, Phillip,
Jeremiah Beulah, Peter Schureman, James Eden, London Tur-
pin, Alexander Harleston, Smart Simpson, George Smith, John
White and Thomas Morris.
These, with a few names which could not be ascertained, make
up the ministerial force. Some of these were connected with
the organization in 1816; some did good work in the new mis¬
sionary fields as the Connection spread; some reached a high
position in the Church, and some dropped into the oblivion of
death or obscurity without having accomplished aught that
history cares to record.
According to appointment the Baltimore Conference met on
the second Tuesday of April, the 10th day of the month, in
1823. Only six persons were present at its opening, but before
its close the number reached twenty-six. The six were Rt. Rev.
Richard Allen, David Smith, John Boggs, Charles Corr, Jeremiah
Miller, Jacob Matthews.
Don Carlos Hall having died during the year, the Conference,
by a unanimous vote, appointed Brother Charles Hacket, a lay¬
man, as steward in his place.
Henry Harden and Jacob Richardson were the movers in the
agreement that was reached " that the Annual Conference have
the prerogative of legislating in behalf of the selection of dele¬
gates from the District of Baltimore to attend the General Con¬
ference." This was followed by a vote that the selection take
40
History of the A. M. E. Church.
place, and as a result we find, that the District of Baltimore
sends five; the City of Baltimore, the elder in charge and
Abner Coker; Washington City, elder in charge and George
Bell; Frederick Circuit, elder in charge; Eastern Maryland,
elder in charge and Samuel .Todd; Columbia Circuit, elder in
charge and John Linenberger.
Such was the manner of electing members of the General
Conference of 1824 at the Baltimore Annual Conference in 1823.
What was the manner in 1819 for the General Conference of
1820 is not known, as it does not appear on the face of the jour¬
nal. All that was clone in relation to that General Conference
was the passage of the following motion:
It was moved by Jerry Miller, and seconded by Don C. Hall, that the
General Conference in 1820 be held in Philadelphia, and it was unani¬
mously agreed to.
Whether any General Conference was held in 1820 or not can
not be ascertained by documentary evidence. There is nothing
relating to it beyond the motion just quoted. The rule for the
composition of the General Conference, as laid down in the
original Discipline, is comprised in the following words:
The general Conference or Convention shall be composed of one dele¬
gate for every two hundred members belonging to our Society, who shall
be nominated by the Quarterly Meeting Conference and appointed by the
male members of Society, according to the charters or constitutions of the
different African Churches belonging to our Society ; but no minister or
preacher shall be eligible to the office of delegate until he has been
licensed according to our Discipline for at. least two years.
The conduct of the Baltimore Conference was certainly at
variance with the rule, but the wherefore is not apparent. Per¬
haps they found it was impracticable, or perhaps the General
Conference of 1820, if it were held, had abrogated it.
The following document exhibits the love of order and deco¬
rum which actuated the minds of the Annual Conference.
There was a motion brought before the house to take into con¬
sideration some measures to suppress an evil which had been
discovered to exist amongst our people as a body. The Confer¬
ence took up the subject and appointed a committee of three,
Henry Harden, Jacob Richardson and Jacob Matthews, to draw
up some rules which should be laid before the House:
These are the Rules that we, in our judgment, have adopted for our
present as well as our future welfare: that is, we are of the opinion that all
Extinction of the Church in South Carolina.
41
our night meetings ought to commence at one regular hour—that is, from
the first of September to the first of March meetings must commence at
7 o'clock, and from the first of March until the first of September to com¬
mence at 8 o'clock, exclusive of our Annual Conferences and Quarterly
Meetings and Love-feasts. This we have taken into consideration to sup¬
press the rising evils that we have so repeatedly discovered among us as a
body; we, therefore, as your brethren and your ministers in Christ, and
as those that must have to give an account of our stewardship, we, there¬
fore, deem it our privilege as well as our duty to recommend it to all our
members, and in particular for the safe-guard and welfare of our brethren
and sisters that are in servitude, and such children as are put out to work
or that are under their parents' care, and in particular in cities and towns.
The Annual Conference ratified this by a unanimous vote.
Three were set apart for deacon's orders on Sabbath morning:
Jacob Pierson, Abner Coker and Jeremiah Beulah.
The amount of collections raised for the use of the Annual
Conference was forty-six dollars, and it was expended in the fol-'
lowing manner:
For the annual services of the Bishop $12 00
For his passage from Philadelphia to Baltimore and return.. 9 00
Received for letters at this Conference 12 00
For feeding the preachers' horses 8 05
From the Baltimore Conference of 1823 we pass, from neces¬
sity, to the Baltimore Annual Conference of 1824;* but nothing
of importance or general interest was done in the Baltimore An¬
nual Conference this year. The tide of affairs was rather dark
and turbulent. We shall, therefore, do nothing more than give
an abstract of its proceedings.
It was opened on the 24th of April, in the city of Baltimore,
with Rt. Rev. Richard Allen presiding, and Rev. Morris Brown
as assistant. Jacob Matthews was its secretary.
Rev. Jacob Richardson reported his charge in a better condition
than it had ever been before. Jeremiah Beulah gave a favorable
report of his circuit, and said that he had added another church
to it. Edward Waters was not fully prepared to give an account
of his charge. It was resolved, too, that if any member of the
"^The minutes for the Philadelphia Annual Conference of 1823 are not
extant. The minutes for the New York Conferences from 1822 to 1831 are
lost. A diligent search in 1850 failed to find any records beyond 1831.
Some of the old members of Bethel Church stated that the journal of
Conference had been carried to the Court of Chancery, and had never
been seen since. It was this Court in which our suit against London Tur-
pin involved us.
42
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Conference be found carrying out any of its secrets by letter or
word, he should forfeit his seat in the Conference.
As the second General Conference was held this year, we shall
give the numbers in Society and the stationing of the preachers:
Baltimore City and vicinity, 715; Fredericktown Circuit, in¬
cluding Fredericktown, Hagerstown, Greencastle, Shippensburgh,
Carlisle, Harrisburgh, Chambersburgh, 317; Eastern Shore, Mary¬
land, including Easton, Concord, Pekin's Island, Denton, Hole-
in-the-Wall, Ivory town, Miles River, Hillsborough, 543; Wash¬
ington City and Piscataway respectively, 112 and 166; Hartford
Circuit, including Havre de Grace, Swamp, Presburgs and Deer
Creek, 175; making a total of 2,028.
The preachers were stationed as follows: Baltimore, Rev. Moses
Freeman; Harrisburgh Circuit, Richard Williams, elder, and
Peter Schureman, preacher; Easton Circuit, Rev. Jeremiah Beu-
lah and Wm. Richardson; Washington City and Piscataway,
Rev. Jacob Matthews.
The financial report of the General Conference showed the col¬
lection for the General Conference to be $42.25; "passage for the
Bishop," $9; paid to the Bishop, $25; General Conference, $8.33;
paid for letters to the Bishop, $11.12^, and "for horse feed in time
of Conference," $8.44; making a total of $104.14|.
It will be recollected that the Baltimore Annual Conference of
1819, by a unanimous vote, fixed the meeting of the General
Conference of 1820 in the city of Philadelphia. This year it
was held in Baltimore. The Annual Conference was opened on
the 24th of April, and continued in session until the 30th. The
next day witnessed the opening of the second General Confer¬
ence of the A. M. E. Church.
The preachers' salaries ranged as follows: Jacob Richardson,
$26; Jeremiah Beulah, $18.90; Shadrack Bassett, $15; Peter
Schureman, $5.75; Jacob Matthews, $10; a total of $125.65 for
salaries in 1824 in this Conference.
We have no record of the proceedings of this General Confer¬
ence save the vestige found in the financial report given, and
bearing date of May 11th, 1824, in which it is declared that
Bishop Allen received from it the sum of $8.33. It is also stated
in the financial report of the Philadelphia Annual Conference
for 1824, that $52.49 were paid to defray the expenses of six dele¬
gates to the General Conference at Baltimore. We judge that
the General Conference closed its session on the 11th, as it is on
Extinction of the Church in South Carolina.
43
that date that we find it recorded that it paid the Bishop $8.33.
We find that Rev. Jacob Matthews was secretary for both the
Annual and General Conferences.
The Philadelphia Annual Conference for 1824 was opened Sat¬
urday morning, May 22d, eleven days after the close of the Gen¬
eral Conference. Joseph M. Corr was chosen secretary. He'was
the youngest man in the Conference, the best educated, and, it is
said, the most gifted preacher.
Some of the pages of this manuscript journal are torn out, and
thus some of the doings are a mere matter of conjecture. It was
decided to keep the members to their work promptly by a resolu¬
tion, that if not present after the time appointed each should
forfeit twenty-five cents for the use of the Conference. It was also
resolved that the circuit should " bear all the traveling expenses
through the year of the preachers traveling the circuit, and their
expenses coming to Conference."
This may be considered the origin of the present Rule of Dis¬
cipline, on page 228, relative to the support and expenses of
traveling preachers, as it is the first time we find a written rule
defining the duty of the Church on this important subject. The
Discipline of 1817 was very indefinite, as the subjoined extract
will show:
Section II.
Of the Salaries of the Ministers and Preachers, and allowances to their Wives,
Widows and Children.—This shall rest with the Annual Conferences res¬
pectively.
Section IV.
Of the Book Concern.—The profits of all the books published by authority
of the General Conference, or Convention, shall go to the support of the
traveling ministry, as the Annual Conference from time to time may think
proper.
The origin of another present custom among us is found in a
resolution " that each preacher stationed on any circuit shall
receive a certificate from the president of the Conference, stating
the circuit to which they are appointed."
Shadrack Bassett, William Cornish and Marcus Brown were
received into full connection, and Joshua P. B. Eddy was located.
There was collected for the contingent expenses of this Philadel¬
phia Conference, $148.92, while the expenses amounted to $139.79,
among which we find the expenses of the six delegates to the
General Conferences in Baltimore rated as $52.49, while another
44
History of the A. M. E. Church.
item, $5.75, is for printing the minutes of 1822. From this last
we are led to infer that the minutes of 1823 were not published.
The appointments from this Conference were Rev. Jeremiah
Miller to Chillicothe, Ohio; Philip Brodie and Jeremiah Miller
to Cincinnati, 0.; Rev. Noah C. W. Cannon to Steubenville, 0.,
and George Bowler to Redstone, these two points being under the
care of T. Webster; Rev. Richard Williams was sent to Fred-
ericktown, Peter Schureman to Frederick Circuit, Rev. Joseph
Harper and Rev. Morris Brown to Bristol Circuit, Rev. William
Cornish to Philadelphia, Rev. Samuel Ridley to Trenton Circuit,
Thomas A. Dorsey to Salem Circuit, and Rev. John Boggs to
Smyrna Circuit.
In this year (1824) the membership of the Philadelphia Dis¬
trict was, for Philadelphia Station and Circuit, 3,000, and Hamil¬
ton Village,* 27. Bristol Circuit, Bucks County, Pa., reported a
membership of 438, distributed among the following points:
Frankford,55; Hornesburg, 20; Bridgeport, 50; Attleborough, 105;
Newton, 30; Newhope, 50; Whitemarsh, 15; West Chester, 50;
Conkerd,18; Valley, 35; Mountain, 10. Smyrna Circuit, Delaware,
reported 173 : 19 from Smyrna, 22 from Boheamarnania, 18 from
Frenchtown, 15 from Elkton, 17 from Middletown, 11 from Thor¬
oughfare Neck, 36 from Sassafras Head, 8 from Crooktown, 27 from
Warwick. Salem Circuit, New Jersey, had 173 : 27 from Port Eli¬
zabeth, 9 from Fairfield, 38 from Greenwich, 80 from Salem, 36
from Bushtown, 6 from Scrabbletown, 24 from Dutchtown, 25
from Woodbury, 30 from Snowhill, 42 from Cross Roads, 20 from
Mount Holly. Trenton Circuit, New Jersey, reported 204: 120
from Trenton City, 29 from Princeton, 22 from Launsburg, 33
from Rocky Hill. Columbia Circuit, Pa., had 210: Columbia,
45; Charleston, 16; Little York, 39; Marietta, 38; Lancaster, 14;
Mount Vernon, 38; Martrick Township, 20. The AVestern District,
State of Pennsylvania, comprised Pittsburgh City, 85; Washing¬
ton, 34; Uniontown, 38; Brownsville, 12; Geneva, 12; Monmouth,
12; making a total of 193. Jefferson County Circuit, Ohio, reported
63, Steubenville, Mount Pleasant, and Cape Belmoths having 45,
12, and 6 respectively. Chillicothe Circuit, Ohio, included Chilli¬
cothe, Zanesville, Lancaster and Cincinnati, the last named alone
reporting its membership, which was 33.
The statistics at the second General Conference exhibit two
*Now West Philadelphia.
Extinction of the Church in South Carolina.
45
facts: First, the loss of territory in South Carolina, and the
acquisition of new territory in Ohio. But the loss was in many
respects greater than the gain. In respect to numbers and wealth
it was really so.
The loss of South Carolina was occasioned by a terrible civil
excitement in 1822, which was produced by the discovery of a
contemplated insurrection on the part of certain slaves for the
overthrow of slavery in that State. The ringleaders, six in num¬
ber, were arrested, tried and convicted, and hung on a single gal¬
lows at a single blow. Chief of these were Denmark Vesey and
Gullak Jack. Subsequently twenty-two of the conspirators were
convicted of the same offense, to-wit: a combination to overthrow
the most villainous system of oppression beneath the sun. They,
too, were hung on the same gallows, and at the same moment.
They had not shed a drop of their so-called master's blood, nor
had they taken up arms or committed one act of violence, but
they had conspired against the infernal system, and that was a
crime in itself sufficiently heinous to be punished with death.
But slavery is a system based upon injustice, born of violence
and blood, hence it knows not what is mercy nor justice. But
how terribly has the blood of these helpless victims been avenged
by the punitive visitation of indignant Heaven during the Civil
War and Rebellion against the American Union! How differ¬
ently has the spirit of Liberty dealt with the blood-stained lead¬
ers of the Rebellion of 1860-65! Their conspiracy against Liberty
and the American Union resulted in the death of about two hun¬
dred and seventy-nine thousand three hundred and seventy-six
men, and a National debt of ten billions three hundred and
sixty-one millions nine hundred and twenty-nine thousand nine
hundred and nine dollars; yet they were allowed to go unpunished.
The slaveholders of South Carolina were not satisfied with pun¬
ishing with death the conspiracy against slavery in that State;
they did not stop their proceedings till our Church in that State
was entirely suppressed. Being an independent ecclesiastical
organization, it gave the idea and produced the sentiment of per¬
sonal freedom and responsibility in the Negro.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE FIRST DECADE.
Close of First Decade—A Comparison—Twenty-nine Appointments in the
Baltimore District—Sixty-five Appointments in the Philadelphia Dis¬
trict—Eight Churches in New York District—Growth since 1818—No
Sunday-schools in 1826—Difficulties Under Which the Ministry Labored
—Their Improvement—Education of the Colored Population Forbidden
—Home Missions.
AMONG the transactions of the Baltimore Conference for
1825 there is nothing of great importance. The minutes
show that much of the time was taken up in strife over a
case of maladministration, and from it we find that the order
of punishment, in this case at least, was the reverse of the order
which now obtains. The party was silenced for six months,
after which he was sharply reproved before the Annual Confer¬
ence, and then restored to his functions as a traveling preacher.
Nathaniel Peck was received on trial for three months, and
Adam Hercules on a full course as an itinerant preacher. Peter
D. Schureman applied for deacon's orders, but was rejected,
while the permission to go to Hayti, asked by Moses Freeman,
was also refused. Rev. Moses Freeman and Charles Hacket
were appointed a committee to raise moneys to print the Disci¬
pline.
The total sum raised for ministers' salaries was $472.04, distrib¬
uted among the ministers as follows: The salary of Rev. Moses
Freeman, pastor of Bethel, Baltimore, was $198.25; that of Rev.
J. Matthews, of Washington City, $80.00; that of J. Beulah,
Easton Circuit, $17.50; that of W. Richardson, of the same
circuit, $14.50; of Rev. R. Williams, of Harrisburgh Circuit,
$67.89, and of Rev. P. Schureman, of the same circuit, $93.90.
One hundred and fifteen dollars were raised for contingent
expenses, out of which the secretary received six dollars for his
services, which is the second instance on record of the Confer¬
ence paying its secretary.
In many respects the transactions of the Baltimore Confer¬
ence in 1826 were the most imposing, the most important, and
(46)
The First Decade.
47
the most interesting of any previous one—we might say, more
so than all put together. There is, indeed, a business tact and
dignity about it which commands our respect at the same time
that it takes us by surprise. It opened its deliberations on Mon¬
day, April 10, 1826, with Rt. Rev. Richard Allen presiding.
Joseph M. Corr was chosen secretary.
A resolution wafe adopted by the Conference "that all exhort-
ers and stewards that stand fair, and who are in full connection,
shall be admitted to a seat- in the Annual Conference, but have
neither voice nor vote."
Up to thi time these two classes of men always had a voice
and vote in Conference—the Conference steward most assuredly,
who, from the formation of the Connection, had always been
Don Carlos Hall, and after his lamented death, Charles Hacket.
It seemed good in the sight of the clergy at this Tenth Confer¬
ence to deprive them of these privileges. The reasons for this
action do not appear on the face of the minutes.
At the opening of the Conference several of the most promi¬
nent men were impeached and put on trial. The pastoral letters
sent forth to several churches who were interested in the im¬
peachments will show the wisdom and piety of those who con¬
trolled the affairs of the Conference and its churches :
Baltimore, April 13, 1826.
Dear Brethren of the Church in Christ, in the Borough of Chambersburgh, under
the African Methodist Episcopal Bishop and Conference:
We have taken up our pen to inform you that our Conference com¬
menced in this city on Monday last, and the case of Brother came
before us, and, after a thorough investigation of the subject, the Confer¬
ence thought it no breach of discipline in his calling in the white elder to
administer the Lord's Supper; and as it respects his debt on the circuit,
which caused his horse to be sold, we are of the opinion that, had Brother
received his full quarterages on the circuit, he would have been
able to discharge his debts honorably ; but having examined his returns,
we have found he has come short of receiving his quarterages by eighty
dollars. We have found he was totally unable to discharge his debts.
By this, we are sorry that so small a circumstance should cause such great
interruptions on the circuit. When the preacher errs the official members
have no right to shut the doors of the church against him, except the
crime is of such magnitude as totally unfits a man for the kingdom of
heaven, and even then, the superintendent should be first informed of it,
and the case laid before the Annual Conference.
The Conference is of the opinion that the official members of the circuit
should act according to rule and order as well as the preacher. We hope
48
History of the A. M. E. Church.
in future that peace and tranquility will abound among you, and that
preachers and people will pull together for the glory of God and the pros¬
perity of his Church. The Conference does not wish to screen a preacher
in his wrongs; but it wishes to have justice done him. The impeach¬
ments you sent on the Conference found not sufficient to exclude a
preacher. Dear brethren, we ought to be exceedingly careful how we let
such small evils get into our Churches, as they do a great harm to the souls
of our brethren ; but as Methodists, leaders, and stewards that love disci¬
pline, we should endeavor to eye the glory of God, and do all things in
order for the tranquility and peace of the Church of God. We have at
present great prospects in the City of Baltimore of this being the greatest
Conference ever held in this place. Great harmony prevails among our
preachers, and the slain of the Lord are many. Our congregations are
very numerous, and our meetings continue the whole night, which caused
our hearts to rejoice at the display of the Lord among us.
We remain your affectionate brethren in Christ and in the bonds of
peace. * Rev. Richard Allen, President.
Joseph M. Core, Secretary.
Signed by order of the Conference.
Another letter was ordered to be written to Columbia Circuit,
and is as follows:
Baltimore, April 13, 1826.
To the Church of Christ located in the town of Columbia, under the African
Methodist Episcopal Bishop and Conference:
We have taken up our pen to inform you that our Conference com¬
menced sitting in this city on Monday last, and the case of came
before them, and the Conference was of the opinion that his trial was
illegal by the preacher having the charge. The Conference proceeded to
take up the charges against him, and, after a thorough investigation of
them, he was honorably acquitted and restored to his former functions.
The Conference recommends to our dear brethren of Columbia to let all
hardness and ill thoughts be done away with, and that peace and harmony
by your love and union may prevail, and that you will still strive to do
everything for the glory of God and the prosperity of the Church by
preachers and people working together in the fear of God, and pulling
together for the lasting honor of the Church, the glory of God, and the
salvation of souls.
Rev. , as a man of God and a friend to the Connection, acknowl¬
edges his error in the illegality,of the trial, and submitted it to the Con¬
ference.
Signed by the Conference. Richard Allen, President.
Joseph M. Core, Secretary.
The means devised for the preservation of order and decorum
in this interesting Conference were those savoring of early times,
assuredly. If any one should fall asleep during the sitting of
The First Decade.
49
Conference he should pay a fine of twelve and a-half cents. A
penalty of five cents was the price which should be paid if one
person should "contradict another while on his feet."
The preachers received on trial were Reuben Melvin, Wash¬
ington Dorrill and James Richards. William Richardson was
received into full connection and ordained deacon, together
with Charles Dunn.
The preachers' salaries for the three circuits and Baltimore
City amounted to 0448.30. The sum of $50.50 was collected for
contingent expenses. We also find an item of expense for the
Bishop's assistant's traveling expenses. This assistant was the
Rev. Morris Brown.
One other pastoral letter, addressed to the Church at Easton,
Maryland, shows such a prudent and determined effort to do all
things justly that it is inserted here:
Baltimore, April 17, 1826.
Dear Brethren of the Church of Christ in the town of Easton, under the African
Methodist Episcopal Church, Bishop, and Conference:
We have taken up our pen to inform you that our Conference com¬
menced in this city on Monday last, and your business came before the
Conference. The grievances of our brethren were duly considered, and
the case thoroughly investigated, and both parties acknowledged their
wrongs, and the Conference thought proper to write you an official letter,
to let you know their decision, and that the matter was finally settled, and
that the preacher should read the deed of conveyance of the church to
you, and let you know the public debt of the Church, to give you general
satisfaction, and that the class in Ivorytown shall be removed back to the
Church in Easton, and that no class shall meet at Ivorytown but the class
that was formed for the aged and infirm, and that your leader shall not
encourage any member to meet at Ivorytown in the aged and infirm class,
so as to prevent them from meeting the Easton class that meets at the
church.
And we recommend to our brethren and sisters in Ivorytown and Eas¬
ton to meet their class in the church, and attend to their public services;
and we entreat you to let all hardness and ill thoughts be done away, and
that peace and tranquillity will abound among you, and that preachers and
people will strive to pull together for the glory of God and the salvation
of souls; and as the lovers of Methodist rules and discipline, we hope you
will comply with all our requisitions for the preservation of harmony,
good order, love, and union.
Dear brethren, yours in the bonds of peace.
Signed by order of the Conference.
Kichard Allen, President.
Joseph M. Corr, Secretary.
4
50
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Would to God that the good example of this prudent Confer¬
ence had been followed in all subsequent cases, and throughout
our fields of labor! Then, many a rupture would have been
prevented, and many bleeding wounds healed, as though the
very balm of Gilead had been poured into them.
The secretary of this and the succeeding Conference, Charles
M. Corr, was from Charleston, South Carolina, and was among
those who emigrated from that city to Philadelphia after the
murderous transactions of the state of South Carolina in the
case of Denmark Vesey and his compatriots, whom we have
seen were put to death for merely planning against the crime of
human slavery, which, according to the just views of Frederick
Douglass, was "chronic rebellion against humanity." At the
Philadelphia Conference of this same year, he was made the
general secretary of all the Conferences, at the expense of each
Conference.
This year (1826) the Philadelphia Conference minutes are
again to be found, and this body was convened on Monday,
May 1st. A few sentences will show its transactions, with two
or three exceptions, to have been of very little general interest.
Four preachers were received on trial—William Shats, Austin
Jones, and Lewis Cork as traveling, and James Wilson as a local
preacher. It also resolved that all African preachers coming to
join us from the Methodist Connection, and who are in good
standing and well recommended, shall be received into our Con¬
ferences, as our own preachers are, by the recommendation of our
Quarterly Meeting Conference.
Brother Peter Woods had died this Conference year. He was
a local preacher who had been two years in the work, a native
of Virginia, and a young man of " sound judgment, clear under¬
standing, genuine piety, and a humble, holy, and useful laborer
in the vineyard of the Lord," so say the records. His death
occurred at Washington, Pa., December 22, 1825.
The salaries of the ministers for the ten circuits and stations
amounted to $614.14f.
The Philadelphia Conference adopted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the time appointed for the sitting of the New York Con¬
ference be revoked from the 12th of June to the 20th of May, if conven¬
ient to the New York brethren.
The first decide of oiir history as a Church closes with this
The First Decade.
51
year. By comparing the state of affairs at this time (1826) with
our condition at the first Conference on record we shall see what
progress the Connection had made at the end of the first ten
years of its existence.
In the last report Baltimore had within her pastorate the Har-
risburg Circuit, including nine appointments, Fredericktown Cir¬
cuit with ten appointments, Eastern Shore of Maryland Circuit
with seven appointments, and Washington with three appoint¬
ments, making a total of twenty-nine appointments. These
twenty-nine churches had seven pastors, who had charge of two
thousand three hundred and four souls, and the support which
these gave to the ministry amounted to only $448.30.
At the same time the Philadelphia District reported Trenton
Circuit with five appointments, Salem Circuit with ten, Bristol
Circuit with seven, Smyrna Circuit with eight, Lewiston Circuit
with nine, Washington Circuit with five, Steubenville Circuit
with three, Chillicothe Circuit with two, Zanesville Circuit with
one, and Cincinnati Station; also that of Philadelphia—a total
of sixty-five appointments. Fourteen pastors had charge of these,
which reported four thousand six hundred and six souls, and the
pastors' salaries from these reached the sum of $614.14f.
In contrast we bring forward the past. In 1818 Baltimore re¬
ported one circuit and one station—Dossett Circuit and Baltimore
Station. There were but three pastors, and a membership of one
thousand and sixty, who gave to their preachers for salaries,
$340.
New York had received into her soul the vegetating seed in
the fall of 1819, for then the first church was planted by Rev.
William Lambert, who was commissioned, as we have seen, by
the Philadelphia Conference, and in 1822 she reported for the
District appointments eight churches, with seven hundred and
twenty-seven in Society, over which were placed four pastors.
The brief records of the Philadelphia Annual Conference for
1818—the earliest records to be found—give very little idea of
the work. The members in Society in Philadelphia are given as
three thousand three hundred and eleven in number *
It is evident from even this meager data that the Lord had
strengthened our cords and strengthened our stakes, so that our
*The comparison is made between these Conferences in 1818, as far as
possible, though the first reported work comes from the New York Con-
ence in 1822.
52
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Zion could say in the language of Jacob, "With my staff I
passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands."
At the end of this first decade we find no traces of any efforts
for literary improvement among the ministers, nor for the edu¬
cation of the rising generation through any agency of the Con¬
ferences.
There was no missionary society, no "Daughters of Confer¬
ence " society, for the temporal aid of the preachers, nor any
effort of the kind among the preachers themselves. Nor do we
perceive any traces of the revision of the Discipline, which was
first published in 1817, over the signatures of Richard Allen,
Daniel Coker, and James Champion. The minutes of the Con¬
ferences were occasionally published. No allusion is made to
our Hymn Book, so that up to 1826 we have no proof of its exist¬
ence. Probably the Hymn Book of the M. E. Church was used.
The authority to publish books was lodged in the hands of
Bishop Allen by a vote of the Baltimore Annual Conference in
1818, and up to this date had never been taken away from him.
At this time, too, there was no Sunday-school in existence in our
Church.
The absence of what we are accustomed to consider at the
present day the necessary adjuncts of Church life is not to be
wondered at when we consider the manner in which the A. M. E.
Church was born, the troubles and annoyances heaped upon it
by those who should have befriended her in the hour of her
birth. The animosity shown by the Methodist Episcopal Church
does not reflect any lustre or glory, but rather stands as a strain
upon her credit—not wanting the colored people, yet unwilling
to let them go; and when of their own accord the despised mem¬
bers separated, resorting to subterfuge, and invoking the action
of the law to compel them to return to their position of vassal¬
age and ill-usage. This is the course of the Methodist Episcopal
Church at the time when the African Methodist Episcopal
Church, or rather its progenitor, the African Church in Philadel¬
phia, most needed assistance and friendly advice.
In addition to the burdens imposed upon the youthful Church
by the outside world, she had also to contend with dissensions
and turbulence within herself. Many of her ministers and elders
were impatient under the rules of the Church, and frequent
breaches of discipline took place. These ministers were unac¬
customed to the l&ws governing the progress and purposes of the
The First Decade.
53
Church—unaccustomed to command or to rule, and with a pecu¬
liar notion of the powers of their office, which were often exer¬
cised in a degree calculated to lead to complaint from the mem¬
bers of the Conference. As a result we find the time of that
body occupied by the listening to, and the rectification of,
complaints which should never have come before the Confer¬
ence.
The absence of any efforts for literary improvement among the
ministers, and the want of any means of education among the
rising generation, and the total absence of Sunday-schools, are
all to be regretted, but the condition of affairs here indicated
cannot altogether be attributed to any apathy upon the part of
the Church. Perhaps the lack of literary improvement in the
ministry might be considered the fault of the individual minis¬
ter; but it must not be forgotten that the men appointed to the
positions of elders and deacons wTere all full grown, and had
reached manhood before they were so appointed. Many of them
had had no opportunities to lay ibe foundation of an education,
even of a most rudimentary kind, in their youth, the time in
which an education should be commenced. In manhood, and
while acting in the various offices of the Church, their efforts
had to be engrossed in the many practical cares of the world.
They had to earn a living by the labor of their hands. Earning
one's bread by the sweat of his brow is not conducive to any
efforts in the way of improving literary attainments. Many of
the ministers did improve, however, and showed that improve¬
ment in the course of their lives. Others did not advance far in
the paths of literary acquirements. The absence of education,
however, is to be regretted, as, if the men composing the Confer¬
ences had known what lay before them, we might have been able
to more fully understand their position, and to judge of their
actions.
While that no provisions were made for the education of the
rising generation might be slightly attributed to the neglect of
the ministers, yet the portion of the blame attaching itself to the
Church is so small that no one can fairly say they were essen¬
tially the cause of this neglect.
The education of the colored population of the states in which
the majority of the members of the African Methodist Church
were located was strictly forbidden. The laws framed by the
various state legislatures were so stringent, and the penalties so
54
History of the A. M. E. Church.
severe, that we at this present day can only look back at them
and shudder. Herein lies the chief cause of the lack of effort
upon the part of the Church to increase its members. No one
who has given these laws even the most cursory glance can blame
the Church for shrinking from the pursuit of this cause; besides,
any such efforts as might lead to the spread of education among
the colored people, the great proportion of whom were slaves,
would not only have called down the law upon the heads of the
offenders, but even, as we will afterwards see, have endangered
the very existence of the Church itself.
As for Missionary Societies, Daughters of Conference, Societies
for the Temporal Aid of the Preachers, they are all the outcome
of a growth in any Church. These betoken an increase in the
finances of the Church, due to the increasing numbers and wealth
of its members. During the first decade of the existence of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church, it was not blessed with
members great in number or rich in worldly goods. We cannot,
therefore, look upon the want of any of these societies as a re¬
proach to the Church. As for the Church itself, it was at that
time mainly in the condition of a mission. Its ministers were
missionaries conveying light and hope to many a weary, down¬
trodden, and oppressed soul. In the way of missionary work it
was, we might say, engaged in the noblest of all missionary
fields—the home mission. This we conceive to be of infinitely
more importance than any foreign field which has or ever may
be covered by any Church or Society in the whole course of its
history. If fewer efforts were made to enlarge the borders and
expend our energies abroad, and if greater efforts were made to
reach and bring within the Christian fold the large and ever¬
growing population of heathen we find within our own towns
and cities, it would be better for ourselves and the world gen¬
erally.
But while there are many things in the history of the Church
during the first decade of her existence which do not altogether
fit our ideas, there are many to be approved of, and we ought in
fairness to give the men, who, in that day stood in the forefront
of the battle, all honor and praise for their noble, unselfish, and
unflinching courage, and undaunted bearing and brave efforts to
bring order out of confusion. Without their sacrifice, and with¬
out their works, the Church, in all probability, would not have
the standing she has to-day.
CHAPTER IX.
CONFERENCES OF 1827, 1828, 1829.
Baltimore Annual Conference of 1827—Philadelphia Conference—Petition
from Canada for Pastors—Election of Delegates to the General Confer¬
ence of 1828—Rise of the Daughters of Conference—Extension of the
Connection—Baltimore Conference of 1828—George Hogarth's First Ap¬
pearance—News from Port-au-Prince—Philadelphia Conference—Morris
Brown Elected and Ordained Bishop.
r_pHE Conference year of 1827 was opened by the Baltimore
J[ Annual Conference the 28th of April.
Before this Conference, Rev. Scipio Beanes presented himself
as an offered missionary to go to Hayti. A committee, consisting
of Revs. Morris Brown, Jacob Matthews and William Cornish
was appointed to inquire into his qualifications, and after delib¬
eration and examination he was decided upon as a "fit person
to be clothed as a missionary to Hayti," whereupon it was then
resolved that " Scipio Beanes receive the orders of a deacon and
elder in the Church of God for the same mission."
Another resolution was passed, " that Samuel Dickson, having
been a licensed preacher for two years, be received as a member
of this Conference." This is another historic fact against the
assertion that the action or recommendation of Quarterly Con¬
ference was always necessary. In this last case there is no allu¬
sion to such a recommendation. His being "licensed for two
years " is alleged as the reason why he was received as a member
of the Annual Conference. Then, too, we may look at the case
of Scipio Beanes, where the action taken was extraordinary. He
was received into the itinerant ranks, ordained a deacon, and
then an elder—all within one week—for missionary purposes, and
no action of the Quarterly Conference was deemed necessary.
Together with Scipio Beanes, Levin Lee and William Cousins
were ordained deacons, the latter if "he travels," and Revs. P. D.
Schureman and Lewis Cork, elders.* There was a resolution
*The action of the Baltimore Conference of 1827 resulted in more than
that of the Philadelphia Conference in 1822, which decreed that Charles
Butler should be ordained as a deacon and an elder, and be sent as a mis¬
sionary to Africa, but failed to execute their own unanimous resolution.
Scipio Beanes was sent to Hayti, and went.
( 55 )
56
History of the A. M. E. Church.
passed admitting no one to a seat in this Conference unless he
was licensed exhorter.
Edward Waters and George Hicks were selected as the dele¬
gates to represent the Baltimore District at the next General
Conference, to be held May 5th, 1828, in Philadelphia.
A month later the Philadelphia Conference commenced its de¬
liberations—May 19th. A petition from the western part of New
York and Canada was received praying Conference to send them
a preacher. After some reflection the Conference referred it to
the New York District, as it rightfully belonged to that jurisdic¬
tion. Samuel George, William Allen, Nathan Tarman and Isaac
Scott were received on trial. Austin Jones was elected to the
order of Elders, having been received on probation but one year
previous to this step. Samuel George and Walter Proctor were
set apart for the order of deacons.
As the General Conference of 1828 was to be provided with
delegates, it was decided that the District embraced by the Phil¬
adelphia Conference should be properly represented by choosing
two from the West, two from New Jersey, one from Lewiston,
one from Bucks County, and two from Philadelphia. The elec¬
tion resulted in the choice of James Byrd from Cincinnati, 0.,
and Samuel Johnston, of Pittsburg, Pa., as the two from the West;
Samson Peters, of Trenton, and Thomas Banks, of Salem, from
New Jersey; Peter Lewis, of Lewiston, Del.; Edward Jackson,
of Bucks County; and Clayton Durham and Joseph Cox from
Philadelphia.
It was also resolved to recommend to the General Conference
" The Chartered Fund for the Spread of the Gospel and the Re¬
lief of the Traveling Preachers." This " Chartered Fund " of the
M. E. Church was founded in their General Conference of 1796,
thirty . }rears prior to this, and was now considered as a step it
would be wise and timely to follow on the part of the Philadel-
phians. At this Conference we hear for the first time of the ex¬
istence of that noble and useful band of women called the
" Daughters of Conference," who contributed to Conference the
sum of^ghteeiTdoliars"and seventy-five cents. • Other individual
friends also gave small sums, which, with the collections of
$133.50 from Bethel itself, raised to meet the expense of the ses¬
sion, swelled the amount to $153.75.
Within the last twelve months, as shown by the journal, the
Connection had extended itself into Western New York, taking
Conferences of 1827, 1828, 1829.
57
in the cities of Utica, Rochester, and Buffalo; also into Canada,
embracing the towns of Erie, Niagara, Gambia, and Maiden.
At the last-named place there were eighty-five members; at
Gambia, six; at Niagara, twenty, and at Fort Erie, thirteen,
making a total in Canada West of one hundred and twenty-four;
while at Buffalo, N. Y., there were twelve, seven at Rochester,
and twenty-seven at Utica, the entire total through this acces¬
sion of territory reaching one hundred and seventy. Of these
Societies, planted in Western New York, olily Buffalo has
amounted to any thing, and it has been, up to the present,
numerically weak.* There now exists no A. M. E. Church in
Rochester. Previous to 1886 the property was sold, the avails
banked, the trustees all died or moved to unknown parts, the
bank book was lost, and no claimant has been found. In the
next year after this Conference, 1828, the Society in Albany,
New York, was taken into the work. But the Canadian Societies
multiplied till every important town in Canada West was
marked by one of our churches; yet these three, during eighteen
years of our missionary labors in that province, never became
strong.
As to the resolution of the Philadelphians respecting the
"Chartered Fund," it shared the fate of a still-born child from
that day to the year 1872, when the General Conference, sitting
in Nashville, Tenn., formally gave disciplinary form to it; but it
has remained a mere paper institution, and even now has no
existence.
The doings of the Baltimore Conference for 1828 possesses
such little interest as scarcely to be worthy of record or notice
here, if we except three or four facts: Rev. Levin Lee succeeded
Rev. Joseph M. Corr in the secretaryship of the Baltimore
Annual Conference; James High, another layman, succeeded
Charles Hacket as steward of this Annual Conference; and
Brother George Hogarth, who afterwards distinguished himself
as our general book steward and editor of our first monthly
magazine, made his first appearance at this Conference,' and as
steward of the Church in Port-au-Prince, Hayti, he reported
seventy-two members in the Mission Church at that place. As
Scipio Beanes had been ordained both deacon and elder at the
* Its minutes of 1877 give as the membership only one hundred and
thirteen, with twenty probationers.
58
History of the A. M. E. Church.
last Annual Conference, and sent as missionary to Hayti, these
seventy-two members may have been the fruits of his labors.
The Philadelphia Annual Conference was opened on the 6th
of May, notwithstanding the opening of the General Conference
had been fixed for the 5th of the same month. Why the Gen¬
eral Conference was postponed, in violation of disciplinary rule,
does not appear; but it does appear that, after the Philadelphia
Conference had been in session from the 6th to the 12th, they
adjourned under the following resolution:
Resolved, The house adjourn until a further period.
Then, after a lapse of fourteen days, we find them meeting
again on the 27th, and finishing their business on the same day.
Hence, we infer, first, that the Philadelphia Annual Conference
was held from the 6th to the 12th; it then adjourned sine die, or
till the rise of the General Conference; and second, that the
General Conference was opened on the 12th or 13th, and con¬
tinued in session till the 26th or 27th, after which the brethren
of the Philadelphia Annual Conference resumed the session and
finished their business; so the General Conference of 1828 must
have been in session fifteen or sixteen days.
We also find that in answer to the Seventh Question—"Who
have been elected by the General Conference to exercise the
Episcopal Office and superintend the African Methodist Episco¬
pal Church?" this answer is, "Richard Allen." The question
was put and answered on the 8th inst., but we find written in
different ink, "and Morris Brown," which writing must have
been done on the 27th, or some time immediately after the rise
of the General Conference, because it was at this Conference that
Rev. Morris Brown was elected and consecrated Bishop, which
last act took place on the 25th of May, 1828.
It will be remembered that at Baltimore, on the 10th of April,
1822, three persons were named as candidates for the office of
assistant to the Bishop. These were Revs. Morris Brown, Jacob
Matthews and Henry Harden, who received respectively seven,
nine, and four votes. Then, in the same year, at the Philadel¬
phia Conference, held in May, on the 18th, thirty days subse¬
quent to the Baltimore election, the same three persons were
voted for, with the result of nine votes each for Morris Brown
and Henry Harden, and fifteen for Jacob Matthews. The last-
named had, therefore, a majority of eight as a total over Morris
Conferences of 1827, 1828, 1829.
59
Brown, and in each case he received the popular vote; yet he
was rejected, and Morris Brown was ordained for the office.
The reasons for this contradiction and also opposition to the
popular vote are not apparent from our standpoint, though it
may have been from the standpoint of the men who knew the
three—their strong points and their weak ones.
Four brethren were received on trial as itinerant preachers:
John Hite, Anthony Campbell, Jacob Williams and Joseph M.
Corr. Anthony Campbell was also ordained an elder at this
Conference, but for what reason the excellent injunction of the
Apostle was violated does not appear. Three of the traveling
preachers located, James Towsen, Jeremiah Beulah and A. W.
Allen.
Three of the watchmen upon the walls of Zion had fallen
since the meeting of the last Conference: Charles Corr, the ven¬
erable father of the talented and pious Joseph M. Corr, who
died in Philadelphia, November 21, 1827, aged 51 years. He was
pious in early life, and entered the ministry in his 16th year.
He continued publishing salvation to dying men for the period
of thirty-five years. For twenty-three years he was in connec¬
tion with the M. E. Church, during which period he resided in
the state of South Carolina, city of Charleston; but as soon as
the African Methodist Episcopal Church was formed, he felt it
his duty to join it, where he could spend his strength and talents
with more effect, and he maintained an honorable position in it
to the day of his death, when he laid down his cross to put on
his crown.
James Wilson also departed this life in this year, in the month
of September, in the city of Philadelphia, after being twenty
years a laborer in the vineyard of the Lord. George Miner was
another minister of the Gospel, who died in Steubenville, Jeffer¬
son County, Ohio, after six years in the work of the ministry.
In the year 1829, and at the Baltimore Annual Conference, we
find, for the first time since the organization of the' African
Methodist Episcopal Church, the seat of Bishop Allen vacant,
and Rt. Rev. Morris Brown presiding alone over the deliberations
of the Baltimore Conference, Avhich opened on Saturday morn¬
ing, April 18, 1829.
Samuel Ente and Jacob Williams were admitted on trial.
Scipio Beanes and Levin Lee were admitted into full connection,
the former subsequently locating. Nathaniel Peck was ordained
60
History of the A. M. E. Church.
a local deacon. As there were no other important items, it will
be seen that, like the session of 1828, this Conference was ex¬
tremely barren of interest this year. Not so with the Philadel¬
phia Conference. This was as fertile in interesting matter as
the Baltimore Conference was barren of it.
It commenced its deliberations on Monday, May 11th, although
it was organized on the morning of the previous Saturday. The
two Bishops were present, but whether they presided singly or
jointly, or alternately, day by day, is not stated. Some wise res¬
olutions were made and carried, one to the effect that if any
traveling preacher should be impeached, and if there should be
no sufficient evidence to convict him, the Conference and super¬
intendent could send him out, if they thought proper, until
witnesses could be procured, then he should be brought at any
time to trial according to discipline. It was a perfectly just res¬
olution, and gives a precedent that should never be forgotten,
and should be applied in all similar cases. They went further
in another resolution: " If any preacher should turn out any
member from Society without trial by a committee agreeable to
discipline, he should be answerable to the Annual Conference,
and dealt with as the nature of the case might require, according
to the judgment of the Conference."
They also decreed "that no preacher succeeding another on a
circuit, shall, under any circumstances, take up any case that
had been legally decided by his predecessor except upon appeal."
This was an excellent resolution, and showed the good sense of
the Conference. It seems that there had been so many cases of
a character violating the principle involved in this decree, and
resulting in the most unhappy consequences, both to preachers
and people, that the Rt. Rev. Morris Brown, at this Conference,
delivered a particular address to the traveling preachers, in which
he exhorted them to keep " good rule and order on their circuits,"
and also urged them " to pay particular attention to the direc¬
tions of their predecessors." Another decree was "that no
preacher should be sent out by its authority who was in any way
involved in debt."
As for the correctness of the position which the Conference
occupied in relation to the indebtedness of preachers, no man of
correct views and sound judgment would undertake to question
it. If there is any man who, above all others, ought to be free
from debts, it is the traveling Methodist preacher.
Conferences of 1827, 1828, 1829.
61
That it was a difficult thing to accomplish there is no doubt,
in consideration of the small amount obtained by them in
the form of support or salary, and because of this fact and its
recognition by the Conference, and because of a petition from
Joseph Harper and William Richardson requesting Conference
" to take into consideration the necessity of forming a sinking
fund for the aid of traveling preachers," it was resolved that
Noah C. Cannon, Joseph Harper and Joseph M. Corr should be
a committee to draw up a constitution for the government of a
sinking fund association.
Respecting the interests of the Book Concern, it was resolved
"that all east of the Alleghany Mountains should make their
return of moneys once in six months, or sooner, if convenient;
at the end of the year the books remaining unsold should be
returned to the stewards;" and again, ''that Samuel Johnson in
Pittsburgh and James Kurtz in Cincinnati be the book stewards
for the Western country."
Wiley Reynolds was admitted into the traveling ministry on
probation, and also ordained a deacon, and William Richardson
an elder. As in the year previous, so in this, we have to record
the death of three of the ministry: Samuel Ridley, Thomas Web¬
ster and Philip Broadie. The first named died May 7th, 1828,
in Rocky Hill, N. J. His circuit at the time of his death was
the Smyrna Circuit, which he had left to attend this Conference,
but was stricken down while on a visit to his family. He had
been a traveling preacher for a number of years. Thomas Web¬
ster died in Philadelphia, October 9th, 1828, after a lingering ill¬
ness of nearly two years. He had, as it appeared, contracted a
cold in his travels in the State of Ohio, having belonged to the
traveling department of the Connection for eight or nine years.
Philip Broadie died in Cincinnati, 0., on the 9th of March, 1829.
These are the statements which the journal bears, but concerning
the last named we have some additional facts. Brother Owen T.
B. Nickens, a local preacher of the Ohio Annual Conference, and
a member of the Church in Cincinnati, has furnished further
information concerning him:
" Rev. Philip Broadie, the first preacher having charge of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church in the city of Cincinnati,
O., was a native of the state of Virginia, but when quite young he
was taken by his parents to East Tennessee, near Knoxville, where
he grew up to manhood, and lived for many years afterwards.
62
History of the A. M. E. Church.
" He experienced a change of heart and made a profession of
religion, and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of
which he continued an upright and exemplary member for many
years. At length, feeling it his duty, by the moving of the Holy
Ghost, to call sinners to repentance, he applied for and obtained
license, first as an exhorter, and then as a local preacher.
"After laboring extensively, and with abundant success, in
that part of the vineyard of the Lord, he left that country, vis¬
ited and preached in many places in West Tennessee and the
state of Kentucky, and at length landed in Cincinnati. Here
the African Methodist Episcopal Church was organized by the
lamented Rev. Moses Freeman on the 4th of February, 1824, a few
days before Brother Broadie's arrival. He immediately united
with it, and began his labors.
"As a local preacher he continued to preach and build up the
little flock of Christ after Brother Freeman left, till the follow¬
ing spring, when he went on to meet the Conference in Phila¬
delphia. There he offered himself, and was received into the
traveling ministry of the African Methodist Episcopal Church,
and was sent back as preacher in charge of the Cincinnati Circuit.
In that, his first year in the itinerant service of the Church,
though compelled to encounter privations and hardships, to con¬
tend and battle with foes strong and wily, he showed himself
fully competent to the great task.
"On almost every part of his large circuit a great and glorious
revival of religion broke out, and continued the greater part of
the year, during which many souls were added to the Church.
In Cincinnati alone the number was increased from six to about
fifty. In the following year, owing to its great distance from
every other point of the circuit, Cincinnati was cut off and
formed into a station, which was filled by Rev. Thomas Webster,
and then Brother Broadie's field of labor became the Urbana
Circuit. He continued his labors with great and glorious success
on that and other circuits till the close of the year 1828, when
he was compelled by disease and approaching dissolution to retire
from the field and return home to his family in Cincinnati.
There he lingered, his constitution gradually giving away, and
his soul ripening for heaven, till the latter part of February, 1829,
when he fell asleep in death.
" Philip Broadie was not a man of scientific and literary at¬
tainments, but his constant reading of the Scriptures, theological,
Conferences of 1827, 1828, 1829.
68
historical, and other useful works, had furnished his naturally
active and vigorous mind with a rich fund of biblical and useful
knowledge. In the pulpit, though not learned and brilliant, he
was solid, plain, practical, and full of good sense. Very different
from many of the fathers of our Church, he loved and highly
appreciated education and knowledge; not that he valued piety
and holiness less. And though not regarding these as paramount
objects, he knew their worth, and assiduously urged upon all,
both young and old, particularly those just entering into the
ministry, the importance of mental culture.
"And when disease had so wasted and worn him down that he
could preach no longer, it was his great delight to call the young
members together at his house to instruct and counsel them. The
nearer his life drew to a close the more fervent he grew in his
advice to the young, more fervent in prayer that God would
raise up fit and properly qualified young men to labor in his
vineyard. Thus lived, prayed, and labored the pious Philip
Broadie, the first pastor of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church in Cincinnati; his life—a living proof of his firm belief
in the Gospel which he preached; his death—peaceful and calm,
yet triumphant, a striking demonstration of the glorious victory
of a dying Christian."
CHAPTER X.
EARLY MISSIONARY WORK OF THE A. M. E. CHURCH.
News from Hayti or Santo Domingo—Letter Asking Recognition of the
Society in Hayti as a Branch of Our Connection—Pledges to Submit
to Our Discipline—Samuel Ente Devotes Himself to the Santo Do¬
mingo Fields—Ohio Formed into a Conference—Death of Bishop
Allen.
THE Baltimore Conference of 1830, like that of the preced¬
ing two years, presents nothing of general interest but the
contents of two letters received from St. Domingo. The
first of these relates to their pastor, Rev. Isaac Miller. As the
two give us an insight into the state of the work in that part of
the island of Hayti at that early period, as well as a knowledge
of the workers, their piety, zeal, and abilities, they are here
transcribed :
Samana, * December 19, 1829.
We, the undersigned Board of Trustees, members of Bethel Church, at
Samana, doe send unto you our Brother in the Lord and deacon in the
Ministry. We recommend him unto you as A Worthy member of our
Society And partner in tribulations, and as our redeemer saith, " Wo unto
you when all men shall speak well of you."
Therefore, as our Saviour himself was evil spoken of, We can not expect
that his followers Will not share the same fate. Our Pastor We hope you
will receive as A gardian Angel over the flock of Christ, and While We
have Seen other Shepherds desert the flock, our Brother Isaac Miller in
the Holy War stood the Storm, and appears Willing to endever untill the
end as A good soldier as such. We claim him as our Worthy, affectionate,
and respectable Pastor in Charge. Samuel Tachee, Exhorter.
Charles Irwin, Class Leader.
Samuel Ketler, Trustee.
Samuel Holmes, Trustee.
Elijah Johnson, Trustee.
Solomon Thomas, Trustee.
* Samana is located in the Spanish part of the Island of Hayti, in the
Peninsula of Samana. The town is situated in the southern part of the
peninsula. At the time when the Society memorialized our Connection,
the whole island was under one government, that of President Boyer.
Samana is the most important peninsula in this island, contains the
largest bay, and has many advantages not enjoyed by the two others.
(64)
Early Missionary Work of the A. M. E. Church.
65
The second letter relates more particularly to their general
condition as a Church :
A Letter from Staint to Minday,* Monday 1st, 1830.
At A Annual Conference Held in San darning by Brother Jacob Roberts,
Preacher in charge, the conference viewing our deplorable Situation; the
Conference thought to devise Some Ways or means to remedy our deplore-
able Situation, then entered into a resolution to Send two of our Brother-
ing on to the Affrican Methodist Episcopal Church in North America, that
are under the Control of the Affrican Methodist Bishops and conference,
for the express perpose to know of them, to know whether they will
acknowledge us to be a Branch of the said conference, as we have unani¬
mously agreed to submit ourselves to the Desipolin of the said confer¬
ence that now is and may be devised hear or hearafter.
Dear Brothering, the harvest is great and the labers are few, and not¬
withstanding Miles and Waves sepparates our boddies, We know the same
God is hear that is in the united States, for Bethel is still the same ; but not
withstanding, sense we have arrived in this dark region a number of our
Brothers and Sisters that bid fare when we left the United States for old
Cananon, have hung their harps uppon the Willows, and has lost the Song
of Zion ; but blessed be the name of the God of Betthell, there is yet a few
names in Sardeous, there is yet a few names in Hati, that doe contend for
the faith that was delivered to the Saints; finely, brothern, pray for us
that the word of the Lord may run through this dark region, and his
name be glorified as it is with you ; brethern, we believe you pray for us as
we do for you; by faith We feel the force of your prayers; don't Wery in
Well-doing; brothern, we have nothing to fear here but God: our reli¬
gious devotions are granted to us both by Church and State. We can
worship God here in all the ways directed in our disciplain, as we did in
the united States ; brothern, we care not tor the Clambers war furthern ;
first the Christian and the soilder is the bulwark of contry; but for sol¬
diers We have a plenty, but Christians is few. This letter we send to you
by our beloved Brothers Roberts and Miller, greeting, by the order of the
Annual Conference, and we hope you will keep them imployed, for that
will give you a verbal statement; no more at pressent; finely, Brothern,
pray for us, tel all Christian Churches to pray for us.
Immediately after this letter was read, we are told that " Sam¬
uel Ente gave himself up to be sent to Sindemingo;" and
* The true orthography of this word is Santo Domingo. It is the name
given sometimes to the whole island, and is derived from the city which
was founded by Bartholomew, the brother of Christopher Columbus.
The town or city of Santo Domingo, from which this letter was dated, and
doubtless written, is the capital or chief city of the Spanish or eastern
part of the Island of Hayti. It is in the southern part, situated on the
River Ozama, near its mouth. It is the first, and, therefore, the oldest
European city in the Western World. It is surrounded by a wall.
5
66
History of the A. M. E. Church.
next, " By motion, the Annual Conference received Jacob Rob¬
erts and Isaac Miller in the Affrican Connection," and that these
brethren would return to St. Domingo as soon as they could get
their "business settled and a passage to the same."
The journal of this year also tells us that Jacob Roberts was
to be set apart for the orders of a deacon, and Isaac Miller for
those of an elder, though there is no record of any ordinations.
It will be remembered that in May, 1827, Brother Scipio Beans
offered himself to Conference as a missionary to Hayti;.thata
committee was appointed to examine into his qualifications,
which committee decided in his favor, and that he was elected
to deacon's and elder's orders and ordained, receiving his desired
appointment. Up to this date we find no record of the work of
that mission. In less than twelve months he was back in Balti¬
more, and now in 1829 he is found a located man. What he
accomplished will be noted in a succeeding chapter.
There was no addition to the itinerant ministry at this Con¬
ference. Both Bishops were present at this session, which was
the last Bishop Allen ever attended in Baltimore. Bishop Allen
was assisted in stationing the preachers by a committee appointed
for the purpose, consisting of Bishop Brown, Samuel Todd, and
Edward Waters.
On the 22d of May, 18B0, the Philadelphia Conference com¬
menced its deliberations, with the two superintendents present.
Joseph M. Corr and Levin Lee, of Baltimore, were secretaries.
Five young men were received into the traveling department of
the ministry at this Conference—John Cornish, Stephen Stan¬
ford, Robert Brady, Robert Evans, Isaac Miller, Henry Allen,
and Richard Robinson, from Port-au-Prince. On account of this
last-named brother, a petition was sent from Port-au-Prince,
praying that he should be set apart for holy orders. In compli¬
ance with this petition, Conference ordained Brother Robinson
first a deacon, secondly an elder. John Cornish was also ordained
to the former office, and Israel Scott, Nathan Turman, and Isaac
Miller to the latter. Isaac Miller is the same person who was at
the Baltimore Annual Conference of this year. He was first
licensed to preach by Rev. Jacob Roberts, the deacon who had
charge of the Church at Santo Domingo and, through a vote of
the "Convention," the "Church in Samana." This license
he bore to the Baltimore Annual Conference, and it was recorded
upon the journal as follows:
Early Missionary Work of the A. M. E. Church.
67
ISAAC MILLER, LICENSE.
Santo Domingo, January the 4th, 1829.
This is to certify that the bearer, Isaac Miller, is licensed to be a preacher
in charge of Samara, * over the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Signed in behalf of the Convention of said Church, so long as his life
corresponds with the Gospel, to be renewed once a year, and he submits
to the rules of the Discipline of said Church, given under my hand the
4th of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
twenty-nine.
This given under my hand the 23d day of February, in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty.
Jacob Roberts, Minister.
This license, with the two letters already given in this chapter,
were laid before the Baltimore Conference on May 3d, 1830, and
on the same day it was "moved and seconded that Jacob Roberts
and Isaac Miller be set apart by the Annual Conference of Balti¬
more District to receive deacon's orders." It was also " moved
and seconded that Isaac Miller be set apart to receive the orders
of an elder." Both of these motions were carried in the affirma¬
tive, but it seems that neither of them were executed by the
Bishops, both of whom were present. On the other hand, we
find the previously mentioned fact from the Philadelphia jour¬
nal, under date May 29th, 1830, that " Isaac Miller be also set
apart as a deacon and an elder for Samana."f
Why Jacob Roberts was not ordained, though the foremost man
whom the people of the Island of Hayti had sent as one of the
commissioners to our Church, we know not, nor can we tell what
eventually became of him. We conjecture that he was insulted
either by the action of the Baltimore Conference in respect to
himself, or by the Bishops referring his ordination to the Phila¬
delphia Conference. The inference is strong that the former
hypothesis is true, because the letters from Samana and Santo
Domingo represent Brother Roberts first, as a deacon; secondly, as
licensing Brother Miller, which he could not have very well done
if he had not been a deacon; thirdly, as holding the Convention
in which Miller was ordered to be licensed; and fourthly, as pre¬
siding over the Annual Conference, which Avas held in Santo
Domingo, and which had ordered the appointment of the com-
* Samana is meant.
TThe word "also" alludes to the action of Conference in the case of
Brother Richard Robinson, for they had just voted to " set him apart " in
holy orders as a deacon and an elder.
68
History of the A. M. E. Church.
missioners to the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the
United States. Notwithstanding all these marks of superiority,
Brother Miller was preferred before him, and the Conference
ordered his (Miller's) double ordination; at the same time only a
single one was ordered for Brother Roberts.
Among the parochial reports at this Conference there were no
returns from Ohio, because it was formed into a Conference Dis¬
trict. We find here, too, the first instance of the preachers' set-
ling for books with the general book steward, and a total of profits
is recorded as being $10.45.
Three local preachers were admitted on trial in the Baltimore
Conference of 1831, among whom was Stephen Smith, who was
also voted to be ordained a deacon in compliance with a petition
from the Harrisburgh Circuit. Two local preachers had died,
Brothers George Hicks and Ignatius Currey, the former Septem¬
ber 8th, 1830, the latter on the 28th of the same month.
Bishop Brown is represented as having preached Bishop Allen's
funeral sermon on Thursday afternoon, May 5th, at 3 o'clock.
Besides these items, the Baltimore Conference of 1831 is destitute
of interest.
This year history had the painful and solemn duty of record¬
ing the death of the most distinguished man of color in the
United States of America. That man was none other than the
Rt. Rev. Richard Allen, the illustrious founder of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church, and the first descendant of Africa
since the day of the Christian fathers who obtained such high
authority in any one branch of the Christian Church of which
we have knowledge. Yet, notwithstanding this important fact,
not so much as a resolution expressive of the honor due his char¬
acter, nor one expressing condolence with his bereaved family,
was passed by the Baltimore Conference—nothing given to the
Church and to the world to show what appreciation the Baltimore
Conference set upon the character and labors of this illustrious
servant of God and the Church.
Not so the Philadelphia Conference for 1831, which was organ¬
ized May 21st. The first business done was to pass the following
resolution:
Resolved, That the funeral sermon of the Rev. Bishop Allen, deceased,
be preached on Thursday afternoon at 3 o'clock, in Bethel, and at the
\Jnion on Sunday, May 29th,
Early Missionary Work of the A. M. E. Church.
69
And in connection with the notices of the deaths of the am¬
bassadors of the Cross this year, recorded upon the journal, we
find the following of the first and chief one, Rt. Rev. Richard
Allen :
The father and founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Connection
in the United States of America, who departed this life in the triumphs of
faith, and in the full assurance of a better resurrection, on the 26th day of
March, in the year of our Lord 1831, in the 72d year of his useful and
venerable life, was a preacher for upwards of half a century, and may
truly be said to be the great apostle of the African race in the United
States. The extent of the Connection through his instrumentality, and
the preachers who were ordained and sent out by him, has been as far as
the western bounds of Ohio, as well as north and south of Philadelphia,
to the Island of Hayti and the wilds of Africa, and thousands, yea myriads
of the African race who once sat in darkness now dwell in light, and
though last, are not least of those who are crowding the gates of Zion.
He was born in Philadelphia 1760, ordained a deacon in 1799, and a
Bishop in 1816.
Such is the notice found of the lamented Bishop Allen. The
other two who had died were Henry Fox and Stephen Stanford,
a licensed local preacher, who died on the Easton Circuit in Sep¬
tember, 1830. He was " a man truly devoted to God, and aged fifty,
years." Henry Fox died on August 9th, 1830, in the ninetieth
year of his age, an " acceptable local deacon in Frenchtown" at
his death. He is described as a " venerable patriarch " who went
down to his grave "crowned with glory and surrounded by a
large posterity"—a man who " labored almost to the last for the
vindication of the Gospel of Peace, and went down to Jordan's
streams rejoicing.
Wardell Parker and Aaron Wilson were admitted on trial, and
William Henry was ordained a deacon. Rev. John Cornish and
Rev. Wiley Reynolds were ordained elders. Samuel Ente, who
had devoted himself as a missionary to Hayti, did not go for
some reason, but located this year. William Richardson was
received again on trial. Joseph Cox and Clayton Durham were
elected delegates from Philadelphia to the ensuing General Con¬
ference. Moses Robinson, from Lewiston; Aaron Wilson, from
Smyrna; Thomas Banks, from Salem, N. J.; Samson Peters, from
Trenton, N. J.; and Joseph Corr, from Bucks County, Pa., made up
the list—seven in all.
Since 1824 we have lost sight of the movements of the New
York Conference, and not until 1831 does the stream from its
70
History of the A. M. E. Church.
history re-enter and flow on with the general current. At this
point we find it opened on the 18th of June in the city of New
York, about two weeks and four days after the rise of the Phila¬
delphia Conference. Bishop Morris Brown presided over its de¬
liberations. After this lapse of time we find the following mem¬
bers composing this body: Revs. William Cornish, Jeremiah
Miller, Israel Scott, William Richardson, Edward Waters, Rich¬
ard Williams, Samuel Todd, Benjamin Croker, Edmund Crosby,
Peter Croger, Henry Brown, Charles Bohomon, Clayton Durham,
John Morris, Fortune Mathias, James Burton, Edward Thomp¬
son, Abraham Marks, Hercules Schureman,* George Hogarth,
London Turpin, Samuel Brown, John Gustive. Benjamin Croger
was its secretary.
This Conference also notes the death of Rt. Rev. Richard Allen
by a resolution, "that the funeral sermon of Rt. Rev. Richard
Allen be preached on the 23d instant, in Bethel Church, at 3
o'clock; at the Wesleyan Church, in Brooklyn, on the 27th, and
in the Macedonian Church, at Flushing." Rev. Edward Waters
appears on the face of the journal as Bishop Brown's assistant.
In 1822 the New York Conference embraced seven charges.
This year (1831) nine were reported, showing an increase of only
two in nine years. In 1822 the number of members were seven
hundred and thirteen, this year they were six hundred and fifty-
five, showing a decrease of fifty-eiglit members.
Four delegates were elected to the ensuing General Conference;
Revs. London Turpin, Edmund Crosby, George Hogarth and
Abram Marks; but aside from this election and the funeral ser¬
mons of Bishop Allen, the Conference did nothing which had
relation to the general interests of the Church.
* This was the grandfather of the Rev. William D. W. Schurernan.
CHAPTER XI.
SOME OF THE FOUNDERS.
Life of Bishop Allen—His Birth in a State of Slavery—His Conversion—
He Joins the Methodists—The Way in Which Allen and His Brother
Treated Their Master—He Reciprocates Their Attention to His Inter¬
ests—His Opinion About the Influence of Religion on Slaves.
ALL that is known of the life of Rev. Richard Allen, prior
to 1816, when he became one of the founders and the
Bishop of the A. M. E. Church, has been furnished us by
his own hand.* We shall, therefore, let him speak for himself:
" I was born in the year of our Lord 1760, on February 14th, a
slave to Benjamin Chew, of Philadelphia. My mother and father
and four children of us were sold into Delaware State, near
Dover; and I was a child and lived with him until I was up¬
wards of twenty years of age, during which time I was awak¬
ened and brought to see myself poor, wretched and undone, and
without the mercy of God, must be lost. Shortly after I ob¬
tained mercy through the blood of Christ, and was constrained
to exhort my old companions to seek the Lord. I went rejoic¬
ing for several days, and was happy in the Lord in conversing
with many old experienced Christians. I was brought under
doubts and was tempted to believe I was deceived, and was con¬
strained to seek the Lord afresh. I went with my head bowed
down for many days. My sins were a heavy burden. I was
tempted to believe there was no mercy for me. I cried to the
Lord both night and day. One night I thought hell would be
my portion. I cried unto Him who delighteth to hear the
prayers of a poor sinner; and, all of a sudden, my dungeon
shook, my chains flew off, and 'Glory to God!' I cried. My soul
was filled. I cried, 'Enough! for me the Saviour died!' Now,
*The original manuscript entitled, " Journal of Richard Allen," is in
the writer's hands. He found it in a chest, which had belonged to the
Bishop, in possession of his younger daughter, Mrs. Nase Adams. It was
among a great deal of mere rubbish. The old chest seemed to have been
to the Bishop what a waste basket is to a literary or business man of
our times. The manuscript was written by his son Richard, who was his
amanuensis.
(71)
72
History of the A. M. E. Church.
my confidence was strengthened that the Lord, for Christ's sake,
had heard my prayers and pardoned all my sins. I was constrained
to go from house to house, exhorting my old companions, and
telling to all around what a dear Saviour I had found. I joined
the Methodist Society, and met in class at Benjamin Wells', in
the forest, Delaware State. John Greg was class-leader. I met
in his class for several years.
"My master was an unconverted man, and all the family; but
he was wrhat the world called a good master. He was more like
a father to his slaves than anything else. He was a very tender,
humane man. My mother and father lived with him for many
years. He was brought into difficulty, not being able to pay for
us. My mother, who had several children after he had bought
us, was sold with three of her children. She sought the Lord,
and found favor with him, and became a very pious woman.
There were three children of us who remained with our old
master. My oldest brother and my sister embraced religion.
Our neighbors, seeing that our master indulged us with the
privilege of attending meeting once in two weeks, said that Stock-
ley's negroes would soon ruin him; and so my brother and myself
held a council together, and decided that we would attend more
faithfully to our master's business, so that it should not be said
that religion made us worse servants; we would work night and
day to get our crop forward, so that they should be disappointed.
We frequently went to meeting 011 every other Thursday; but if
we were likely to be backward with our crops we would refrain
from going to meeting. When our master found we were mak¬
ing no provisions to go to meeting, he would frequently ask us
if it was not our meeting day, and if we were not going. We
would frequently tell him, 'No, sir; we would rather stay at
home and get our work done.' He would tell us, 'Boys, I would
rather you would go to your meeting; if I am not good myself,
I like to see you striving yourselves to be good.' Our reply
would be, 'Thank you, sir; but we would rather stay and get
our crops forward.' So we always continued to keep our crops
more forward than our neighbors; and we would attend public
preaching once in two weeks. At length our master said he was
convinced that religion made slaves better and not worse, and
often boasted of his slaves for their industry and honesty.
Some time after I asked him if I might ask the preacher to
come and preach at his house. He being old and infirm, my
Some of the Founders.
n
master and mistress cheerfully agreed for me to ask some of the
Methodist preachers to come and preach at the house. I asked
him for a note. He replied, ' If my word is not sufficient I will
send no note.' I accordingly asked the preacher. He seemed
somewhat backward at first, as my master did not send a written
request; but the class-leader, John Greg, observed that my word
was sufficient; so he preached at my old master's house on the
next Wednesday.
" Preaching continued for some months. At length Free-born
Garrettson preached from these words: 'Thou art weighed in
the balance and art found wanting.' In pointing out and weigh¬
ing the different characters, and among the rest weighed the
slaveholder, my master believed himself to be one of that num¬
ber, and after that he could not be satisfied to hold slaves, believ¬
ing it to be wrong. And after that he proposed to me and my
brother buying our time, to pay him sixty pounds in gold and
silver, or two thousand dollars Continental money, which we
complied with in the year 17—.
"We left our master's house, and I may truly say it was like
leaving our father's house; for he was a kind, affectionate, and
tender-hearted master, and told us to make his house our home
when we were out of a place or sick. While living with him
we had family prayers in the kitchen, to which he would fre¬
quently come out himself at the time of prayer, and my mistress
with him. At length he invited us from the kitchen to the
parlor to hold family prayers, which we attended to. We had
our stated times to hold our prayer-meetings, and give exhorta¬
tions in the neighborhood.
" It had often been impressed upon my mind that I should
one day enjoy freedom, for slavery is a bitter pill, notwithstand¬
ing we had a good master. But when we would think our day's
work was never done, we often thought that after our master's
death we were liable to be sold to the highest bidder, as he was
much in debt, and thus my troubles were increased, and I was
often brought to weep between the porch and the altar. But I
have had reason to bless my dear Lord that a door was opened
unexpectedly for me to buy my time and enjoy my liberty.
When I left my master's house I knew not what to do, not being ^
used to hard work—what business I should follow to pay my
master and get my living. I went to cutting cord-wood. The
first day my hands were so blistered and sore that it was with
74
History of the A. M. E. Church.
difficulty I could open or shut them. I kneeled down upon my
knees and prayed that the Lord would open some way for me to
get a living. In a few days my hands recovered, and became
accustomed to cutting wood and other hardships; so I soon be¬
came able to cut my cord and a-half and two cords a day.
After I was done cutting I was employed in a brick-yard by one
Robert Register at fifty dollars a month, Continental money.
After I was done with the brick-yard I went to day's work, but
did not forget to serve my dear Lord. I used often to pray sit¬
ting or standing or lying; and while my hands were employed
to earn my bread, my heart was devoted to my dear Redeemer.
Sometimes I would awaken from my sleep preaching and pray¬
ing. I was after this employed in driving a wagon in time of
the Continental war—drawing salt from Rhobar, Sussex county,
in Delaware. I had my regular stops and preaching-places on
the road. I enjoyed many happy seasons in prayer and medita¬
tion while in this employment.
"After peace was proclaimed I then traveled extensively, striv¬
ing to preach the Gospel. My lot was cast in Wilmington.
Shortly after I was taken sick with fall fever, and then the pleu¬
risy. September 3d, 1788, I left my native place. After leaving
Wilmington I went into Jersey, and there traveled and strove to
preach the Gospel until the spring of 1784. I then became ac¬
quainted with Benjamin Abbott, that great and good apostle,
lie was one of the greatest men that ever I was acquainted
with. He seldom preached but what there were souls added to
his labor. He was a man of as great faith as any that ever I saw.
The Lord was with him, and blessed his labors abundantly.
" He was as a friend and father to me. I was sorry when I had
to leave West Jersey, knowing I had to leave a father. I was
employed in cutting wood for Captain Cruenkleton, although I
preached the Gospel at nights and on Sundays. My dear Lord
was with me, and blessed my labors—Glory to God!—and gave
me souls for my hire. I then visited East Jersey, and labored
for my dear Lord, and became acquainted with Joseph Budd,
and made my home with him near the new mills—a family, I
trust, who loved and served the Lord. I labored some time there,
but being much afflicted in body with inflammatory rheumatism,
was not as successful as in some other places. I went from there to
Jonathan Bunn's, near Bennington, East Jersey. There I labored
in that neighborhood for some time. I found him and his family
Some of the Founders.
75
kind and affectionate, and he and his dear wife were a father and
mother in Israel. In the year 1784 I left East Jersey and labored
in Pennsylvania. I walked until my feet became so sore and
blistered the first day that I scarcely could bear them to the
ground. I found the people very humane and kind in Pennsyl¬
vania. I, having but little money, stopped at Csesar Waters, at
Radnor Township, twelve miles from Philadelphia. I found him
and his wife very kind and affectionate to me. In the evening
they asked me if I would come and take tea with them; but
after sitting awhile my feet became so sore and painful that I
could scarcely be able to put them to the floor. I told them I
would accept of their kind invitation, but my feet pained me so
that I could not come to the table. They brought the table to
me. Never was I more kindly received by strangers that I had
never before seen than by them. They bathed my feet with warm
water and bran; the next morning my feet were better, and free
from pain. They asked me if I would preach for them the next
evening. We had a glorious meeting. They invited me to stay
till Sabbath day and preach for them. I agreed to do so, and
preached on Sabbath day to a large congregation of different
persuasions, and my dear Lord was with me, and I believe there
were many souls cut to the heart and were added to the ministry.
They insisted on me to stay longer with them. I was frequently
called upon by many inquiring what they should do to be saved.
I pointed them to prayer and supplication at the throne of
grace, and to make use of all manner of prayer, and pointed
them to the invitation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who
has said, 'Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.' Glory be to God! and now I know
that he was a God at hand and not afar off. I preached my fare¬
well sermon, and left these dear people. It was a time of visita¬
tion from above. Many were the slain of the Lord. Seldom did
I experience such a time of mourning and lamentation among a
people. There were but few colored people in the neighborhood
—the most of my congregation was white. Some said,' This man
must be a man of God. I never heard such preaching before.'
We spent a greater part of the night in singing and praying with
the mourners. I expected that I should have had to walk as I
did before; but Mr. Davis had a creature that he made a present
to me, and I intended to pay him for his horse if I ever got able.
My dear Lord was kind and gracious to me. Some years after
76
History of the A. M. E. Church.
I got into business and thought myself able to pay for the horse.
The horse was too light and small for me to travel on far. I
traded it away with John Huffman for a blind horse, but large.
I found my friend Huftman very kind and affectionate to me,
and his family also. I preached several times at Huffman's
meeting house to a large and numerous congregation.
" I proceed on to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I found the people
in general dead to religion, and scarcely a form of godliness. I
went to Little York, and stopped with George Tess, a saddler, and
I believed him to be a man that loved and feared the Lord. I had
comfortable meetings with the Germans. I left Little York and
proceeded on to the State of Maryland, and stopped at Benjamin
Givens, and I believed him to be a man that loved and served
the Lord. I had many happy seasons with my dear friends.
His wife was a very pious woman, but their dear children were
strangers to vital religion. I preached in the neighborhood for
some time, and traveled Harford Circuit with Mr. Porter, who
traveled that circuit. I found him very useful to me. I also
traveled with Jonathan Forest and Levi Coal.
" December, 1784, General Conference met in Baltimore, the first
General Conference ever held in America. The English preachers
just arrived from Europe, Dr. Coke, Richard Whatcoat, and Thomas
Vassey. This was the beginning of the Episcopal Church among
the Methodists. Many of the ministers wTere set apart in holy orders
at this Conference, and were said to be entitled to the gown and I
have thought religion has been declining in the Church ever since.
*It is evident from the remarks of Richard Allen that he was opposed
to a gowned ministry. Tf he could arise from the dead what would be his
feelings and his reasonings upon seeing Bishop Brown, Bishop Campbell,
Bishop Cain, and Bishop Turner in black silk gowns.
It is said " it adds to their dignity." True dignity is found only in char¬
acter, not in office. Did the God-man dignify himself with white surplices
and black silk gowns ? No mere man ever lived who was greater than the
apostle Paul. Did he attempt to increase his dignity by a surplice or a
silk gown? The dignity of an individual lies in a spotless life. The
dignity of an officer, civil, political or ecclesiastical, lies in his qualifi¬
cations for the office which he has been called to fill. These qualifications
must be in his head, his heart, and his will; not in his dress, which for
gentility's sake he must wear; nor in white or silk robes, which for vanity's
sake he need not wear. There was a pamphlet published by some persons
which stated that when Methodists were no people they were a people, and
now they have become a people they were no people, which had often
serious weight upon my mind.
Some of the Founders.
77
" In 1785 the Rev. Richard Whatcoat was appointed on Balti¬
more Circuit. He was, I believe, a man of God. I found great
strength in traveling with him, a father in Israel. In his advice
he was fatherly and friendly. He was of a mild, serene disposi¬
tion.
" My lot was cast in Baltimore, in a small meeting-house called
the Methodist Alley. I stopped at Richard Mould's, and was
sent to my lodgings, and lodged at Mr. McCannon's. I had
some, happy meetings in Baltimore. I was introduced to Richard
Russell, who was very kind and affectionate to me, and attended
several meetings.
" Rev. Bishop Asbury sent for me to meet him at Henry Gaff's.
I did so. He told me he wished me to travel with him. He
told me that in the slave countries, Carolina and other places, I
must not intermix with the slaves, and I would frequently have
to sleep in his carriage, and he would allow me my victuals and
clothes. I told him that I would not travel with him on those
conditions. He asked me my reasons. I told him if I was taken
sick who was to support me? and that I thought my people
ought to lay up something while they were able, to support them¬
selves in time of sickness and old age. He said that was as
much as he got, his victuals and clothes. I told him he could be
taken care of, let his afflictions be as they were, or let him be
taken sick where he would, he could be taken care of; but I
doubted whether it would be the case with myself. He smiled,
and told me he would give me from then until he returned from
the eastward to make up my mind, which would be about three
months. But I made up my mind that I would not accept his
proposals. Shortly after I left Harford Circuit, and came to
Pennsylvania, on Lancaster Circuit. I traveled several months
on Lancaster Circuit with the Rev. Peter Moratte and Jerie
Ellis. They were kind and affectionate to me in building me
up, for I had many trials to pass through, and I received
nothing from the Methodist Connection. My usual method was,
when I would get bare of clothes, to stop traveling and go to
work, so that no man could say I was chargeable to the Connec¬
tion. My hands administered to my necessities. The autumn
of 1785 I returned again to Radnor. I stopped at George Gigers,
a man of God, and went to work. His family were all kind and
affectionate to me. I killed seven beeves and supplied the neigh¬
bors with meat; got myself pretty well clad through my own
78
History of the A. M. E. Church.
industry—thank God—and preached occasionally. The elder in
charge in Philadelphia frequently sent for me to come to the city.
February, 1786, I came to Philadelphia. Preaching was given
out for me in the morning, at five o'clock, in St. George's Church.
I strove to preach as well as I could, but it was a great cross for
me, but the Lord was with me. We had a good time, and several
souls were awakened, and were earnestly seeking redemption in
the blood of Christ. I thought I would stop in Philadelphia a
week or two. I preached at different places in the city. My
labor was much blessed. I soon saw a large field open in seeking
and instructing my African brethren, who had been a long for¬
gotten people, and few of them attended public worship. I
preached on the commons in South wark, Northern Liberties, and
wherever I could find an opening. I frequently preached twice a
day, at five o'clock in the morning and in the evening, and it
was not uncommon for me to preach from four to five times a
day. I established prayer-meetings; I raised a Society in 1786
of forty-two members.
" I saw the necessity of erecting a place of worship for the col¬
ored people. I proposed it to the most respectable people of color
in this city; but here I met with opposition. I had but three
colored brethren who united with me in erecting a place of wor¬
ship—the Rev. Absalom Jones, William White and Darius Jin-
nings. These united with me as soon as it became public and
known by the elder, who was stationed in the city. The Rev.
C. B. opposed the plan, and would not submit to any argument
we might raise; but he was shortly removed from the charge.
The Rev. Mr. W took the charge, and the Rev. L. G . Mr.
W was much opposed to an African Church, and used very
degrading and insulting language to us to try to prevent us from
going on. We all belonged to St. George's Church-^Rev. Absa¬
lom Jones, William White and Darius Jinnings. We felt our¬
selves much cramped; but my dear Lord was with us, and we
believed if it was his will the work would go on, and that we
would be able to succeed in building the house of the Lord. We
established prayer-meetings and meetings of exhortation, and the
Lord blessed our endeavors, and many souls were awakened; but
the elder soon forbid us holding any such meetings. We
viewed the forlorn state of our colored brethren, and saw that
they were destitute of a place of worship. They were considered
as a nuisance.
Some of the Founders.
79
"A number of us usually sat on seats placed around the
wall, and on Sabbath morning we went to church, and the sexton
stood at the door and told us to go in the gallery. He told us to
go and we would see where to sit. We expected to take the seats
over the ones we formerly occupied below, not knowing any bet¬
ter. We took those seats. Meeting had begun, and they were
nearly done singing, and just as we got to the seats the elder
said, 'Let us pray.' We had not been long upon our knees be¬
fore I heard considerable scuffling and loud talking. I raised my
head up and saw one of the trustees, H M , having hold of
the Rev. Absalom Jones, pulling him off his knees, and say¬
ing, ' You must get up; you must not kneel here.' Mr. Jones re¬
plied, ' Wait until prayer is over.' Mr. H M said, ' No, you
must get up now, or I will call for aid and force you away.' Mr.
Jones said, 'Wait until prayer is over, and I will get up and
trouble you no more.' With that he beckoned to one of the
other trustees, Mr. L S , to come to his assistance. He came
and went to William White to pull him up. By this time prayer
was over, and we all went out of the church in a body, and they
were no more plagued by us in the church. This raised a great
excitement and inquiry among the citizens, insomuch that I
believe they were ashamed of their conduct. But my dear Lord
was with us, and we were filled with fresh vigor to get a house
erected to worship God in. Seeing our forlorn and wretched con¬
dition, many of the hearts of our citizens were moved to urge
us onward; notwithstanding we had subscribed largely toward,
furnishing St. George's Church, in building the gallery and laying)
new floors; and just as the house was made comfortable, we were
turned out from enjoying the comforts of worshipping therein.
We then hired a storeroom and held worship by ourselves. Here
we were pursued with threats of being disowned and read pub¬
licly out of meeting, if we did contrive to worship in the place
we had hired; but we believed the Lord would be our friend.
We got subscription papers out to raise money to build the house
of the Lord. By this time we had waited on Dr. Rush and Mr.
Robert Ralston, and told them of our distressing situation. We
considered it a blessing that the Lord had put it into our hearts
to wait upon these gentlemen. They pitied our situation and
subscribed largely towards the church, and were very friendly
towards us, and advised us how to go on. We appointed Mr.
Ralston our treasurer. Dr. Rush did much for us in public by
80
History of the A. M. E. Church.
his influence. I hope the names of Dr. Benjamin Rush and Mr.
Ralston will never be forgotten among us. They were the two
first gentlemen who espoused the cause of the oppressed, and
aided us in building the house of the Lord for the poor Africans
to worship in. Here was the beginning and rise of the first
African Church in America. But the elder of the Methodist
Church still pursued us. Mr. I M called upon us and told
us if we did not erase our names from the subscription paper,
and give up the paper, we would be publicly turned out of meet¬
ing. We asked him if we had violated any rules of discipline
by so doing. He replied, ' I have the charge given me by the
Conference, and unless you submit, I will read you publicly out
of meeting.' We told him we were willing to abide by the dis¬
cipline of the Methodist Church, ' And if you will show us where
we have violated any law of discipline of the Methodist Church,
we will submit, and if there is no rule violated in the discipline,
r-we will proceed on.' He replied, " We will read you all out.' We
told him if he turned us out contrary to the discipline we should
seek further redress. We told him we were dragged off our
knees in St. George's Church, and treated worse than heathens,
and we were determined to seek out for ourselves, the Lord being
our helper. He told us we were not Methodists, and left us.
Finding we would go on in raising money to build the church,
he called upon us again, and wished to see us altogether. We
met him. He told us that he wished us well, and that he was a
friend to us, and used many arguments to convince us that we
were wrong in building a church. We told him that we had no
place of worship, and we did not mean to go to St. George's
Church any more, as we were treated so scandalously in the pres¬
ence of all the congregation present, ' and if 3rou deny us your
name, you can not seal up the Scriptures from us and deny us a
name in heaven. We believe heaven is free for all who worship
in spirit and in truth.' And he said, 'So you are determined to
go on.' We told him, "Yes, God being our helper.' He replied,
'We will disown you all from the Methodist Connection.'
"We believed if we put our trust in the Lord he would stand
by us. This was a trial that I never had to pass through before.
I was confident that the great Head of the Church would sup¬
port us. My dear Lord was with us. We went out with our
subscription paper and met with great success. We had no
reason to complain of the liberality of the citizens. The first
Some of the Founders.
81
day the Rev. Absalom Jones and myself went out we collected
three hundred and sixty dollars. This was the greatest day's
collection that we met with. We appointed a committee to look
out for a lot—the Rev. Absalom Jones, William Gray, William
Wicher, and myself. We pitched upon a lot at the corner of
Lombard and Sixth streets. They authorized me to" go and
agree for it. I did accordingly. The lot belonged to Mr. Mark
Wilcox. We entered into articles of agreement for the lot. Af¬
terwards the committee found a lot on Fifth street, in a more
commodious part of the city, which we bought; and the first lot
they threw upon my hands, and wished me to give it up. I
told them they had authorized me to agree for the lot, and they
were all satisfied with the agreement I had made, and I thought
it was hard that they should throw it upon my hands. I told
them I would sooner keep it myself than to forfeit the agreement
I had made. And so I did. We bore much persecution from
many of the Methodist Connection, but we have reason to be
thankful to Almighty God, who was our deliverer. The day was
appointed to go and dig the cellar. I arose early in the morning
and addressed the throne of grace, praying that the Lord would
bless our endeavors.
" Having by this time two or three teams of my own—as I
was the first proposer of the African Church—I put the first
spade into the ground to dig a cellar for the same. This was the
first African church or meeting-house that was erected in the
United States of America. We intended it for the African preach¬
ing house or church; but finding that the elder stationed in the
city was such an opposer to our proceedings' of erecting a place
of worship, though the principal part of the directors of this
church belonged to the Methodist Connection, and that he
would neither preach for us nor have anything to do with
us, we held an election to know what religious denomina¬
tion we should unite with. At the election it was determined.
There were two in favor of the Methodist, the Rev. Absalom Jones
and myself, and a large majority in favor of the Church of
England. This majority carried. Notwithstanding we had been
violently persecuted by the elder, we were in favor of being at¬
tached to the Methodist Connection, for X was confident there
was no religious sect or denomination that would suit the capacity
of the colored people as well as the Methodist, for the plain and
6
82
History of the A. M. E. Church.
simple Gospel suits best for any people, for the unlearned can
understand, and the learned are sure to understand; and the
reason that the Methodist is so successful in the awakening and
conversion of the colored people is the plain doctrine and having
a good discipline. But in many cases the preachers would act to
please their own fancy, without discipline, till- some of them
became tyrants, and more especially to the colored people.
They would turn them out of Society, giving them no trial, for
the smallest offense, perhaps only hearsay. They would fre¬
quently in meeting the class impeach some of the members of
whom they had heard an ill report, and turn them out, saying,
" I have heard thus and thus of you, and you are no more a mem¬
ber of society,' without witnesses on either side. This had been
frequently done, notwithstanding in the first rise and progress in
Delaware state and elsewhere, the colored people were their great¬
est support, for there were but few of us free. The slaves
would toil in their little patches many a night until midnight to
raise their little truck to sell to get something to support them,
more than their white masters gave them, and we used often to
divide our little support among the white preachers of the Gospel.
This was once a quarter. It was in the time of the Revolution¬
ary War between Great Britain and the United States. The
Methodists were the first people that brought glad tidings to the
colored people. I feel thankful that I ever heard a Metho¬
dist preacher. We are beholden to the Methodists, under
God, for the light of the Gospel we enjoy; for all other denomi¬
nations preached so high flown that we were not able to compre¬
hend their doctrine. Sure am I that reading sermons will never
prove so beneficial to the colored people as spiritual or extempore
preaching. I am well convinced that the Methodists have proved
beneficial to thousands and tens of thousands. It is to be awfully
feared that the simplicity of the Gospel that was among them
fifty years ago is not now apparent, and if they conform to the
world and the fashion thereof, they'would fare very little better
than the people of the world. The discipline is altered consider¬
ably from what it was. We would ask for the good old way, and
desire to walk therein.
" In 1793 a committee was appointed from the African Church*
to solicit me to be their minister, for there was no colored preacher
* This was the colored Protestant Episcopal Churchs known as St. Thomas,
in Fifth street, Philadelphia.
Some of the Founders.
83
in Philadelphia but myself. I told them that I could not accept
their offer as I was a Methodist. I was indebted to the Metho¬
dists, under God, for what little religion I had, being convinced
that they were the people of God. I informed them that I could
not be anything else but a Methodist, as I was born and awak¬
ened under them, and I could go further with them, for I was a
Methodist, and would leave them in peace and in love. I would
do nothing to retard them in building a church, as it was an ex¬
tensive building, neither would I go out with a subscription
paper until they were done with their subscription. I bought an
old frame that had formerly been occupied as a blacksmith shop
from Mr. Suns, and hauled it on the lot on Sixth, near Lombard
street, that had formerly been taken for the Church of England.
I employed carpenters to repair the old frame, and fit it for a
place of worship. In July, 1794, Bishop Asbury being in town,
I solicited him to open the church for vis, which he accepted.
The Rev. John Dickens sung and prayed, and Bishop Asbury
preached. The house was called Bethel, agreeable to the prayer
that was made. Mr. Dickens prayed that it might be a Bethel to
the gathering in of thousands of souls. My dear Lord was with
us, so that there were many hearty aniens echoed through the j
house. This house of worship has been favored with the awak-
ening of many souls, both white and colored, and I trust they :
are in the kingdom."
Then commenced that systematic series of opposition on the
part of certain elders of St. George's Church, which resulted in
the secession of the great body of the colored members of the
M. E. Church in Philadelphia, also the regions round about, and
the organization of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in
1816, at which time Rev. Richard Allen was elected and conse¬
crated its first Bishop. Thence, till the day of his death, history
regards him, not only as the founder, but also the master-spirit
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Let us, therefore,
look at him from that event till the hour when his earthly career
was finished.
After the organization of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church, Bishop Allen found it necessary, not only to provide for
the churches already under his care, but also to plan and mature
measures for the extension of the Connection, and the good gov¬
ernment of the whole, at the same time that he had to provide
for his growing family. But as he kept no private journal of his,
84
History of the A. M. E. Church.
official transactions, much of what he did as the leader of the
movements of the Connection we are compelled to look for in
journals* of the several Annual Conferences, the minutes of the
Quarterly Conferences, and extra meetings of the official board
of Bethel Church in Philadelphia.
In the latter he presided week after week and month after
month, from 1816 until October 6th, 1830, and in the New York,
Philadelphia and Baltimore Annual Conferences until the sum¬
mer of the same year. He was the pastor of Bethel, in Philadel¬
phia, as well as the Bishop of the Connection, nearly all the time
of his life, dating from 1816. This was business enough for one
man, as every one will admit who has ever seen the mammoth
congregation of that church; and what it is now, with a little
modification, it has ever been, if the Conference journals are to
be credited. He was perpetually employed in giving advice
about the planning of new circuits, and the founding of the indi¬
vidual churches which constituted them.
The Bishop's concern for the benefit of his oppressed kinsmen,
according to the flesh, was not confined to religious matters. He
did as much as he could for their secular improvement. In a
letter which was written at his instance to a Mr. Townsend, of Bal¬
timore (a white person), whose influence he solicited, he asked
him to procure a large number of colored boys, and send them
to Philadelphia, in order that they might be apprenticed to learn
the art of manufacturing nails. Thoroughly " anti-slavery," his
house was never shut "against the friendless, homeless, penniless
fugitives from the " House of Bondage.'7
The testimony of that pious man, the Rev. Walter Proctor,
says, the "house of Bishop Allen was a refuge for the oppressed,
and a house for the refugee from American oppression." The
same truthful witness informs us that "he was a man of most
active benevolence; he lived to be good and to do good."
This benevolence he exercised in more than one direction.
He was promised a salary of $500 per year. This he never re¬
ceived. All that he ever did receive was the sum of $80, not per
year, but for all his services. The balance due him in this direc¬
tion he bequeathed to the church. " I have," says Brother Proc-
* These documents afford very scant information concerning this ener¬
getic man. All have been examined that could be found in Philadelphia,
Baltimore and New Yorkj which embraced the field of his personal oper¬
ations.
Some of the Founders.
85
tor, "a knowledge of $1,400 being so bequeathed or given by him
to the church, at one time, when the house of worship was sold
and bought by us. This claim of $1,400 against Bethel in Phila¬
delphia, which the Bishop had served as a pastor, is confirmed by
the testimony of Jonathan Tudas, one of the most intelligent
of Bishop Allen's lay advisers. At one time the Bishop loaned
Bethel the sum of $4,000. At another time his claims against
Bethel amounted to $6,300, and once $11,700. At the time that
Robert Green sold it, Mr. Allen bought it in for the congregation
at the sum of $10,500."
The above statements, made by intelligent and active ad¬
visers of Bishop Allen, proved that he was of more use to the
mother church than a mere pastor—that while his tongue in¬
structed her, his purse was also furnishing her with mate¬
rial aid.
Bishop Allen was a father of six children—four sons and two
daughters—namely, Richard, Peter, John, Sarah, Ann and James.
These he educated as well as circumstances allowed. These
circumstances were two-fold—the opportunities for educating
colored children at that time, and the Bishop's own literary ac¬
quirements. That the Bishop made good use of these opportun¬
ities, as few as they were, is manifest in the fact that in 1818-19,
the secretary of the Baltimore Annual Conference was his son
Richard, then, as we have elsewhere shown, a lad of about twelve
or fourteen years of age. The penmanship, the style, and method
of the journal compares favorably with the best records now
kept by our secretaries, and better than the greater number of
his immediate successors, every one of whom have been men
of adult age.
His son John, who lived several years on the island of Hayti,
was skilled in the French language, and could translate it with
great ease and elegance. He also spoke the Spanish language. In
his latter years the Bishop carried on a boot and shoe store, which
trade and business he had learned in the earlier part of his life.
He retired from this business two or three years prior to his
death, at which time his estate was worth between thirty and
forty thousand dollars, all of which was accumulated by his own
intellect, industry and thrift.
The Bishop was a man of mixed blood, his mother being aj
mulatto and his father a pure African; this gave his complexion'
a soft chestnut tint, as is shown in the fine oil portrait of him,
86
History of the A. M. E. Church.
now in possession of his oldest daughter, Mrs. Sarah Wilkins.
The expansive forehead and the fulness of the lower eyelids in¬
dicate expansiveness of intellect and a ready command of lan¬
guage.
" When he lived he adorned the Christian life and profession;
when he died he was ready and prepared to go, having faithfully
accomplished, as a hireling, his day. Thus ended the earthly
career of one of the most useful lives of modern times.
"We ought to consider Richard Allen not a whit behind the
chief of protestant reformers, except in the matter of literary
attainments."
The above quoted passages are taken from a private letter ad¬
dressed to the writer by Rev. Walter Proctor, who was an eye and
ear witness of the sayings and doings of Bishop Allen, and who,
for upwards of fifteen years, enjoyed the intimate acquaintance
of that eminent servant of God. None of his coadjutors knew
him better, none loved him more sincerely.
There can be no more appropriate plan to speak of the consort
of the first Bishop of the A. M. E. Church than in connection
with her eminent husband—though her death occurred in 1850,
nineteen years later. An obituary notice was prepared at the
time, which we give in full:
MRS. SARAH ALLEN.
CONSORT OF RT. REV. RICHARD ALLEN.
In the course of events brought about by the dispensation of an all-wise
God, the Church, since the last sitting of its Annual Conference in this
district, have been called to mourn, and with sorrowing hearts to lament,
the death of Mrs. Sarah Allen, consort of the Rt. Rev. Richard Allen,
Bishop and founder of the African M. E. Church. Whilst it is true that we
should not mourn as those who have no hope, being assured that the right¬
eous have hope in their death, yet it is by no means criminal or unchris¬
tian to mourn the loss of those we love. And the more so when those are
called to the spirit land with whom we have been identified in matters of
moment, trial, and conflict.
The subject of this notice was one endeared to us by every tie which
could link one being with another, and as often as we look back upon the
early history of our Church, memory, that monitor of time past, clinches
upon our affections emotions too pungent and deep for expression. "We can
only say, " So seemetli it good and right, Oh Lord! "
Thankful we take the cup,
Prepared and mingled by thy skill.
In the death of Sister Allen the Church has not only lost a bright orna-
Some of the Founders.
87
ment—a jewel, precious—a relic of her formation when she was first seen
to glide from the stormy element of oppression, but has indeed lost a pillar
from the building, a mother in Israel. On Thee may we not cry, " Help,
Lord, for the godly man ceaseth." Our aged and dear mother was a native
of Virginia, Isle of Wight county, and came into the city of Philadelphia
to reside at an early age, being not more than eight years old. She was
united in marriage to Rt. Rev. Richard Allen about the year J80CL From
that period she has been identified as one of those noble spirits who, wilh
her husband, our venerable father in God, battled mightily for the estab¬
lishing of our beloved Zion. It might be well said that the Church, when
contending with a powerful adversary, had no more able advocate than
Sister Allen. A staff to her husband, and a counselor and the encourager
of the pioneers who, with the Bishop, labored hard to bring the Church
out of her captivity, and throw oft her oppressors. Her name will ever be
associated and endeared to the Church with those of Allen, Coker, Cham¬
pion, Tapsico, Webster, Waters, Brown, and others, founders and fathers
of this branch of the Church of Christ.
Mother Allen lived to a good old age, being eighty-five years when she
was called from labor to reward. This event took place in the city of Phil¬
adelphia on the 16th day of July, 1849, at the residence of her daughter,
Mrs. Ann Adams.
Reader, let us pause and think of her whose loss the Church mourns,
and whose departure from the land of the living has thrown the mantle of
sorrow over this community. Mark the upright man, says God, for his
end is peace.
We have known our sister long. We have cherished the liveliest senti¬
ments of regard towards her; never have we known her to be remiss in a
single duty which claimed her attention. To the young she was a faithful
counselor; the gay, the giddy, the careless and heedless met in Mother
Allen one who was faithful to advise even unto tears. The aged met a friend
sincere and true, without ostentation, but simple minded, frank and affec¬
tionate. To Mother Allen all had access, the high, the low, the rich and
poor. The friendless and the outcast found in her one unto whom they
could pour out their complaints, and tell their sorrows o'er. The poor,
flying slave, trembling and panting in his flight, has lost a friend not
easily replaced; her purse to such, as well as others, was ever open, and
the fire of those eyes, now closed in death, kindled with peculiar bright¬
ness as she would bid them God speed to the land of liberty, where the
slave is free from his master, and the voice of the oppressor is no longer
heard.
Her house was the resort of the brethren who labored in the ministry;
when weary and worn With the burden of duty, they found a resting place
indeed. Long will her motherly counsel be remembered by our itinerant
and local brethren, and long will it be, yea, ever, that the tones of her
well known voice shall sound upon the ear of the ministers of our Church.
As it regards her Christian profession, we may say that such was the
reflection thrown from it that no one could for a moment question or
88
History of the A. M. E. Church.
doubt but that she walked with God. The power of which was felt as
often as she opened her mouth either to rebuke, to counsel, or encourage.
In the Church truly a void has been made; a great light, indeed, has been
blown out; and Zion,.our beloved Zion, will long mourn the loss of Mother
Allen.
In conclusion, we can only say, Fare thee well, sister,
Thy happy spirit hath winged its way,
Far, far away.
Now, even now, thou art happier far than any of earth's sons whose pil¬
grim journey ends not yet. We bid thee farewell. We hope to meet thee
yet, where parting can no more take place ; we hope to walk with thee in
white, and in the upper sanctuary commingle once again and forever our
voices in anthems of praise to Him who hath loved us and given himself
for us. Fare thee well, sister. Wm. P. Quinn,
N. C. H. Cannon,
J. G. Beulah,
Israel Scott,
M. Brown,
J. Cornish.
The churches in the city of Baltimore were planted by the
Rev. Daniel Coker, of whose life and character it will be proper
at this point to give an outline.
The Rev. Daniel Coker was born 011 the eastern shore of
Maryland, in a state of slavery, and subsequently ran off from
his owner to the state of New York, where he so conducted him¬
self as to secure the confidence of the M. E. Church in the city
of New York. He became an ordained preacher under Bishop
Asbury. Sometime after he left New York and went to the city
of Baltimore, where he concealed himself until his friends had
purchased his freedom. The chief of these friends were Watts,
Hackett, Murray and Hilliard. The Rev. Michael Coate, an
elder of the M. E. Church, was also one among the chief ones who
secured the liberty of Brother Coker. This reverend gentleman
died in 1814. Toward him Brother Coker always cherished
feelings of the deepest gratitude.
The following was learned from the lips of a half-brother of
Brother Coker, and who in 1852 was living in the state of New
Jersey, in the village of Greenwich:
He also bore the name of Daniel Coker, to cover his escape
from the slave-hunter. He said that his brother, the subject of
this biographical sketch, was the son of a white woman, whose
Some of the Founders.
89
name was Susan Coker, by a slave whose name was Daniel.
Susan was an English woman, and was living in the family of
Isaac's* master. She had a child by her first husband, whose
name was Daniel; his father's surname was Coker; of course, he
bore it. Daniel's real name was Isaac Wright. When Daniel
Coker resolved to escape from the slavery in which he was held,
to cover his escape he also took the name of his white half-
brother, and became Daniel Coker, which name he ever after¬
wards bore. He obtained the elements of his education through
the perverseness of his young master, who would not go to
school unless his parents would allow Daniel to accompany him.
So while Daniel was his attendant at school, he busied himself
in learning to read, write, and cipher. Of his knowledge thus
acquired he made an excellent use, for he educated scores of
young men in the city of Baltimore, two of whom were Mr.
Clarke, of Little York, Pa., and Rev. William Douglas, the
talented and well educated pastor of St. Thomas' Protestant
Episcopal Church, in the city of Philadelphia, and the author of
a volume of sermons and a history of his own pastorate, entitled
"Annals of St. Thomas' Church."
We have no account of his conversion. He is said to have
been a man of uncommon talent, and he possessed more informa¬
tion on all subjects than usually fell to the lot of colored men
of his day. Those living who had the happiness of hearing him,
inform us that he was a powerful and eloquent preacher. It was
through his counsel that our people withdrew from the M. E.
Church, and by his agency were formed into an African M. E.
Church. He was not only their leader in this great movement,
but also their able and successful defender against the slanderous
attacks of their enemies.
Among the local ministers of Sharp Street Church, in Balti¬
more, he was pre-eminently useful, and during his connection
with that church laid a plan of finances which resulted in an
improvement of the original property purchased to the amount
of $3,000. For several years he acted the part of a school-teacher,
and his success in this important field of usefulness was such
that, whereas he opened the school with about seventeen scholars,
when he left it, there were as many as one hundred and fifty.
He was also a writer of respectable attainments, especially
* The real name of this informant.
90
History of the A. M. E. Church.
when we take into consideration the circumstances under which
he was placed—I mean the disadvantages under which he labored
in an educational point of view. The proof of the ability of
Brother Coker in this particular may be seen in a little book
which he wrote on the Slavery Question, and which was pub¬
lished in the city of Baltimore in 1810. The title page runs in
the following language:
A Dialogue Between a Virginian and an African Minister.
Written by the Rev. Daniel Coker, a Descendant of Africa, Minister of
the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore. Humbly
Dedicated to the People of Color in the United
States of America.
This little volume contains about forty-three pages. After the
Slavery argument is finished, the writer gives a " List of the
Names of the Descendants of the African Race Who Have Given
Proofs of Talents," "A List of African Churches," "A List of the
Names of African Ministers" who were in holy orders, and "A
List of the Names of African Local Preachers" at that time in
the United States. The writer also informs us that the number of
African Methodists in the United States at that period was 31,884.
He was, moreover, a man equal to the emergency of the hour,
and a real hero in times of great public trials and danger. This
feature of his character is seen in bold relief by the following
testimony of the talented author of a little work on Liberia,
entitled "The New Republic;" for our readers must be
informed that the subject of our historical sketch left this country
in 1820, among the first band of emigrants, to find a home and
untrammeled freedom in Africa. The diseases incident to that
climate soon laid the government officers and colonial agent in
their graves:
What a pall hung upon the prospects of the feeble remnant. Their
leaders fallen, without a guide, or counsel, or protection, they were like
sheep without a shepherd in the howling wilderness ; but He who led his
people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron, gave power to the
faint, and to them that had no might he increased strength.
Before his death Dr. Crozer committed his agency into the hands of one
of the leading emigrants, Rev. Daniel Coker, a colored clergyman. Find¬
ing himself at the head of affairs in a most perilous crisis, and feeling the
need of advice, he determined upon going to Sierra Leone as soon as the
condition of the sick would allow.
Some of the Founders.
91
At that hour, with the sick, the dying, and the dead about him, en¬
trusted with new responsibilities connected "with the welfare of a large
body of people, and the preservation of a large amount of property, with
no one to counsel or befriend him, how does this new workman on the
foundations of a new republic stand out to light? Does he flag, or flinch,
or fear? Alone he stands, with a dark present and a darker future; but
does lie draw fearfully and timidly back ? His language in that night of
toil is trulv sublime: " We have met trials; we are but a handful; our
provisions are running low ; we are in a strange, heathen land ; we have
not heard from America, and know not whether provisions or people will
be sent out; yet, thank the Lord, my confidence is strong in the veracity
of his promises. Tell my brethren to come ; fear not; this land is good;
it only wants men to possess it. I have opened a little Sabbath-school for
native children. Oh, it would do your hearts good to see the little naked
sons of Africa around me. Tell the colored people to come up to the
help of the Lord. Let nothing discourage the Society or the colored
people."
Herein do we not read the words of a stout-hearted Christian'hero ? He
daunted! He fearful! He dismayed! No! The work must be done,
though hundreds fall in the outset. He sees that Africa must be chris¬
tianized and civilized, and stands boldly relying upon the promises of God
that it will be done.
Such is the interesting light in which Daniel Coker is placed
by the hand of history. The historian quotes Mr. Colter's own
words, for they were addressed by Mr. Coker himself to the
friends of benighted Africa. And it is to this work of his in
Africa—this gathering of "the little naked sons of Africa" into
a Sunday-school around him—that Bishop Allen alludes when,
in the first revised edition of the Discipline, he tells us that
" God has spread the work, through our instrumentality, upon the
barren shores of Africa."
Some time after Rev. Mr. Coker gave up the command of the
colony into the hands of the officers appointed by the Society at
Washington, he emigrated from Liberia to the British Colony
of Sierra Leone. There he planted a church and reared a fam¬
ily. The building in which his congregation worshipped is still
standing (1852); it is built of stone, and is one of the largest in
the city of Freetown. Beside the pulpit is a marble tablet bear- :'
ing a memorial of his life and death. Two of his sons grew up i
to manhood. One of them became a successful trader with the
natives of the interior, and at his death endowed his father's
church; the other was living as late as 1861, and was then in¬
spector of police at Sierra Leone.
92
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Though not faultless, Daniel Coker was one of the most intel¬
ligent, active and heroic spirits that opened the glorious career
of the A. M. E. Church. The oldest circuits in the Baltimore
District were cut out and the churches planted by him. "Peace
to his ashes!" Honor to the memory of the man whose heroic
labors have shed additional lustre upon our ecclesiastical history,
and through whom alone, up to 1863, we have dared to say, "God
has spread the work, through our instrumentality, upon the
barren shores of Africa." God grant that we may meet him in
that better and brighter land, where the redeemed of the Lord
are made perfect through the blood of the Lamb.
In the Baltimore Conference of 1823, in answer to the question,
"Who have died this year?" the reply included, "Don Carlos
Hall, steward of the Annual Conference. He died on the 18th of
March, after a long and serious, as well as a lingering illness.
He died in the full triumphs of faith, in the 56th year of his
age, and much lamented by the Conference, by the Church, and
by his family and his friends in general. It will be remembered
that Brother Hall was a layman, and distinguished himself in
the General Conference, as also in all the early meetings of the
Baltimore Annual Conference.
Don Carlos Hall was amongst the first founders of the A. M.
E. Church in Baltimore. He and the Rev. Daniel Coker were
unceasing in their efforts to procure a place where they and their
followers could worship God in spirit and in truth. They first
assembled in Don Carlos Hall's house, and there held their
prayer and class-meetings, also their meetings for ecclesiastical
deliberations.*
The class-meetings were held there until his death in 1823,
and for years after. He held the office of both steward and
trustee as long as he lived. His charity and benevolence can be
told by those who are living witnesses; the old ministers also
can bear witness to his religious and exemplary walks. He
was beloved by everybody who formed his acquaintance. He
was a kind, loving husband, and a dear father. His last dying
words were, that he felt happy in the Lord, and that his
reward was on high. He said that he was going to die like old
Simeon, with Christ in his arms. Before the breath left his body
^In 1820 the Annual Conference of the Baltimore District was held in
his residence.
Some of the Founders.
93
he told them to raise him up; he then sent for all the members
of his family, and admonished them to meet him in heaven.
He raised the hymn:
The Lord into his garden, etc.
and while singing it he breathed his last, in the 44th year of his
age.
CHAPTER XII.
THE FIELD OF AFRICAN METHODISM IN 1832-1835.
Baltimore Conference—Philadelphia Conference—The General Confer¬
ence—The Black Code—The Book Committee of 1832—New York
Conference—A Missionary to Canada—Baltimore Annual Conference,
1833—Delaware Laws—Book Steward's Report—Rev. William P. Quinn
Admitted—Ohio Conference Record of 1833—Action in Favor of Com¬
mon and Sunday-Schools—Baltimore Conference Held in Washington,
D. C., 1834.
FOR several years it is to be noted that little business of im¬
portance was transacted in the Baltimore Annual Conference,
so that its history has been summed up in a few words. It seems
as if a change had passed over the entire character of this once
active and leading Conference. Either the master-spirits had
departed or they had backslidden, and the energy and enterprise
which formerly had distinguished it was transferred to the Phil¬
adelphia District. It opened its deliberations on Saturday morn¬
ing, April 21st, 1832, and the first thing after services it granted a
seat to Jeffrey Goulden, without the privilege of participating in
its affairs. We find here again Rev. Edward Waters acting as
assistant to Bishop Morris Brown, while Rev. Levin Lee was sec¬
retary. As Abner Coker desired to be exonerated from the duty
of being a delegate to the General Conference, having been elected
the year previous, Charles Dunn was appointed in his stead, and
so the record of any interest ends.
On May 8th we find the Philadelphia Conference in session,
Bishop Brown presiding, with the same assistant as at the Balti¬
more Conference. It continued in session two days, when it ad¬
journed to hold the Fourth General Conference (which it seems
was opened on the tenth and ended on the twenty-first); it then
resumed its deliberations upon the last named date.
Rev. Walter Proctor was elected a delegate to the approaching
General Conference. A case of breach of discipline before this
session leads to the reference, "according to page 200"of the
Discipline then in use, from which we draw the inference that
the original Discipline, which had but one hundred and ninety-
( 94 )
The Field of African Methodism in 1832-1835.
95
two pages, including table of contents, must have been revised in
the General Conference of 1824 or 1828.
The state of affairs at this date (1832) was such that our
churches in certain quarters were quite seriously threatened,
which led to the attendance at this Conference of a delegation of
three members of the society at Elkton for the purpose of request¬
ing that something might be done in behalf of the churches in
Maryland belonging to Smyrna Circuit, as the Black Code of
that state forbade any colored minister, as well as other colored
people belonging to another state, from entrance there, unless
they went in the capacity of slaves, or servants of some white per¬
son. They also prayed the Conference to ordain Brother Aaron
Wilson, a local preacher, and ordain him to take the oversight of
the churches alluded to, he being a resident of the state of Mary¬
land ; the said brother, however, was to remain pastor only until
some change might take place in the laws or the feelings of the
community so as to tolerate the presence of a minister of the
Lord Jesus whom He had been pleased to make a man of color!
In view of their peculiar circumstances the prayers of these
churches were granted, and Brother Wilson was ordained a deacon
at the same time with that eminent man, Joseph M. Corr.
Samuel Ente, who had located at the last Annual Conference,
was readmitted into the itineracy in this. Clayton Durham,
Walter Proctor and Charles Bohannon were elected to serve as
"Book Committee;" and we find that noble band of women, the
"Daughters of Conference," presenting the sum of $57.99 to the
Conference.
The New York Annual Conference met in the city of Brooklyn
this year, June 9th. Benjamin Croger and George Hogarth were
its secretaries, and for its good government, rules were adopted
which subjected the members to fines varying from twelve and a
half to fifty cents, if violated. These related to absence and
tardiness, to refusal to " come to order," and neglect to vote-upon
important measures.
Bishop Morris Brown presided this time, with Rev. John Cor¬
nish as his assistant for the session. Cuffee Spence and Eli N.
Hall were admitted on probation; Jeremiah Miller was sent as a
missionary to Canada, and Samuel George was recorded among
the dead, which items were alone of any note, and there are but
three things worthy of historical record in the affairs of the
Baltimore Annual Conference of the following year, 1833:
96
History of the A. M. E. Church.
At the opening of its session a committee of three was ap¬
pointed to inquire of the judge of the city court whether the
Conference could be allowed the privilege of stationing a preacher
over the church in Baltimore, who was a resident of another
state. Hagerstown, Fredericktown, and the Cattaxon Mountain
were attached under the pastorate of the Baltimore Church, and
Brother William Moore was admitted on trial to the itineracy.
The Philadelphia Conference of 1833 opened the 18th of May,
and it saw Rev. William Paul Quinn petitioning to rejoin the
Connection. He had made application to the Quarterly Confer¬
ence, or rather to the ministerium of the mother church in Phila¬
delphia, to reunite with the Connection on June 18th, 1828, at
which meeting the following action was had:
Resolved, On motion, that before we proceed any further in Brother Wil¬
liam Quinn's case, that he return to New York and consult his people
whom he now serves, and amongst whom he now belongs, and hear what
they say on the subject, and get tlieir consent for him or them to join the
Connection, one way or the other."
The present petition was referred to the New York Conference.
Inasmuch as the laws of Delaware did not allowT the ambassa¬
dors of the Cross, who were colored men, to itinerate in that
state, the churches on Lewiston Circuit petitioned Conference to
ordain Moses Robinson and Peter Lewis, a local elder, to min¬
ister for them in holy things, and their petition was granted.
The Salem Circuit, in New Jersey, was divided at this date.
The upper part was made to extend "from Woodbury upwards,"
and was called Burlington Circuit; the lower part to extend
"from Dutchtown downwards," and to retain the name of Salem
Circuit. The former embraced Woodbury, Pendleton, Snowhill,
Mount Holly and Burlington, containing two hundred and fif¬
teen members; the latter embraced Salem, Dutchtown, Bushtown,
Greenwich and Fairfield, containing two hundred and seventy-
nine members.
Perry Gibson was received on trial, and two preachers were
numbered among the dead, Charles Pierce and William Johnson,
the latter a deacon, and an old veteran of the Cross.
At this meeting the book steward reported one thousand copies
of the Discipline printed at a cost of $70, and five hundred bound
at a cost of $40. The amount of books sold was $20, and with
the statement of cash remaining from last year of $28, there
was also the recorded fact of a loan of $62 to carry on the con-
The Field of African Methodism in 1832-1835.
97
cern. It is evident that the book concern was not doing a great
amount of business, but for the times and under the circum¬
stances, perhaps, it may be looked upon as flourishing creditably.
The New York Conference began to transact its business
upon the 8th of June, in 1833, and opened with added rules for
preservation of order and decorum. It evidently had faith in
the influence of fines to bring this about, for this penalty
was the one attached to some of these rules. The Conference,
too, had reached the stage of appreciation of its own dignity
and importance as a body to require a post-office messenger, and
London Turpin was given that duty to perform—to bring to
Conference each day the letters directed to that body.
Francis Graham was received into Conference and afterwards
placed on trial as an itinerant preacher, while Rev. William
Paul Quinn was " admitted a member." He had petitioned this
body, as he had been referred to it by the Philadelphia Confer¬
ence of this year, and at last, after the action of that body and
of the Mother Church, covering a period of five years, he re¬
gained his position in the Connection. Immediately after his
reception he was transferred to the Western field of labor—to
the Ohio Conference, which had been organized in 1830.
One laborer had fallen—Enos Adams—who, after laboring
extensively through his charge, died of the small-pox, terminat¬
ing a useful life.
The Ohio or Western Conference was organized by Rt. Rev.
Bishop Morris Brown, in 1830, as has been said; but the first
record of its proceedings which are available for information is
that found in the printed minutes of 1833. * In this year it
opened in the city of Pittsburgh, and continued in session for
nine days. Bishop Morris Brown presided, and Rev. Lewis
Woodson was its secretary. Fifteen members were present,
seven being itinerants—Revs. John Boggs, Wiley Reynolds,
Austin Jones, Jeremiah Thomas, W. P. Quinn, Thomas Law¬
rence, James Bird—and the remainder local—Revs. Lewis Wood¬
son, Samuel Johnson, Abram D. Lewis, Samuel Collins, Samuel
Enty, Pleasant Underwood, George Coleman and Samuel Cling-
man,
*The journal containing the minutes of its organization, together with
the journal of the General Conference for several successive years, has
been lost.
98
History of the A. M. E. Church.
The Bishop delivered an appropriate and impressive address
to the Conference on the "importance of promoting harmony
and good feeling among themselves and all Christian people,
and that they should study to show themselves in all their pur¬
suits approved unto God."
Twenty-four points were reported for the five circuits, while
several were not given. Pittsburgh Circuit had three: Pittsburgh,
Washington and Uniontown, with an aggregate of 306 mem¬
bers; Zanesville Circuit had Zanesville, Captain, Mount Pleas¬
ant, Smithfield, Steubenville and Wheeling, with 205 members;
Columbus Circuit had Columbus, Arbana, New Lancaster, Cir-
cleville and Springfield, with 166 members; Chillicothe Circuit
had Chillicothe, Big Bottom, Jackson and Gallipolis, with 193
members; while Hillsborough Circuit embraced Hillsborough,
Wilmington, Zand, Dayton, Harden's Creek and White Oak,
with 126 members.
The total returned for the Ohio District was 1,194. William
Paul Quinn was stationed over the Pittsburgh Circuit, and
Austin Jones over Zanesville.
The secretary says that " the following important resolutions
were passed:"
Resolved, As the sense of this Conference, that common schools, Sunday-
schools, and temperance societies are of the highest importance to all
people; but more especially to us as a people.
Resolved, That it shall be the duty of every member of this Conference
to do all in his power to promote and establish these useful institutions
among our people.
He might well call them important. They constitute a new
era in the history of our Church, because they are the first of
the kind on record. Seventeen years had passed awav from the
founding of the African Methodist Episcopal Church before a
word was said in its Conferences on the important subject of
education; and it remained for this, the youngest and least of
the four Conferences, to give the first utterance on a subject so
vital to the interests of the colored race in these United States,
considered so in an ecclesiastical, social, moral, or political point
of view. In this case the order of light seems to have been
reversed. We always look for its rising in the east, but in this
instance its dawning was in the west!
The secretary tells us also that "At the close of this Confer¬
ence God was pleased, in a most miraculous manner, to display
The Field of African Methodism in 1832-1835.
99
his power at the love feast ' so that many souls were added to
the Lord;' thus giving a flat and eternal refutation to the oft-
repeated falsehood, that ' education destroys religion.' "
Jeremiah Thomas and Pleasant Underwood were ordained
deacons; and one of the traveling preachers had laid down the
cross for the crown. This one was Samuel Madison, a licentiate,
Avho was appointed at the last Conference to Hillsborough Cir¬
cuit, and "finished his course and his life together, dying in the
triumphs of faith." In this connection we learn, too. that
James Byrcl had charge of that circuit at that time.
At the last Annual Conference for the Baltimore District it
was voted to hold the Annual Conference for this year in the
city of Washington; accordingly, we find the members of the
same assembling themselves at Israel Church, about 9 o'clock,
on Saturday morning, April 19, 1834; and sat by adjournments
until Monday, the 28th, inclusive. Bishop Morris Brown pre¬
sided, with Rev. Levin Lee as secretary.
At the end of the printed minutes we find the following remarks:
The sitting of this Conference was attended with unusual success; it
being the first colored body that has ever convened in the Capital of the
United States, caused great excitement. Many hundreds, both of white
and colored, assembled at the preaching-house, especially on the Lord's
Day, and listened with delight to the embassadors of the cross."
We also learn that the authorities of the city expressed their
good feelings toward the Conference, and offered their protection
in case any occurrences should require such action. President
Jackson was waited upon by the Conference in a body, and His
Excellency expressed his warmest approbation of the work, and
wished hearty success to the cause. It is also recorded that the
ministrations of the ministers were very successful, fourteen
coming forward professing their faith in Christ and joining the
Society.
The Society this year was called upon to suffer the loss of the
Rev. Abner Coker. Mr. Coker, who had been one of the found¬
ers of the A. M. E. Church, was a useful and zealous local deacon.
He died in the fall of 1833.
The Society appears at this time to have been in great need of
traveling preachers, as we find it recorded that Frederick City
and Hagerstown were to be served only once in three months by
Rev. L. Lee, and William A. Nichols was apportioned to perform
the same service to Easton, Maryland.
100
History of the A. M. E. Church.
William A. Nichols had only been admitted into full connec¬
tion at this Conference, and Jeffrey Goulden on trial. Preachers
were stationed in Baltimore, and on Chambersburg, Columbia
and Lewistown Circuits.
The minutes state that the members in Society were reported,
but how many, or in what districts they were, is not stated; nor
do we find anything relating to the financial condition of this
Conference.
The Philadelphia Conference of this year was opened in the
usual manner on Saturday morning, May 24th. At this time
the Smyrna Circuit, in Delaware, was detached from the Phila¬
delphia Conference and attached to the Baltimore District. Rev.
Richard Robertson was received into the itineracy. He had been
ordained a deacon and an elder by this Conference in its session
of 1830, and that same year he returned to his field of labor in
Hayti. We find him at this date representing Trenton Circuit,
which he had been serving the three months prior to the opening
of the Philadelphia Conference. No report is to be found of his
work in Hayti, at least not to the Annual Conferences, though
such report may have been given to Bishop Brown.
This Conference was more fruitful in business and regulations
regarding the welfare of the Church than had been the Confer¬
ence at Washington. Although not the first item of business
transacted, the subject of education was the most important, and
a resolution was passed "that as the subject of education is one of
high importance to the colored population of the country, it shall
be the duty of every minister who has the charge of circuits or
stations to make use of every effort to establish schools wherever
convenient, and to insist upon the parents of children that they
send them to school; and that a sermon should occasionally be
preached expressly upon that subject; and that it should be the
duty of every minister to make yearly returns of the number of
schools, the number of scholars in each, the places where they
are located, and the branches taught on their circuits and stations,
and that every preacher who neglects to do so to be subject to
the censure of the Conference."
This stringent resolution can hardly be said to have originated
within the Philadelphia Conference. At the Ohio Conference
for 1833, a somewhat similar resolution was passed, and we may
conclude in the face of the fact that Bishop Morris Brown, who
was presidingj had. also presided over the Ohio Conference when
The Field of African Methodism in 1832-1835.
101
the resolution was passed, and that the Philadelphia Conference
of this year was to some degree influenced by the action of Ohio.
Bishop Brown was a man who was always ready to sustain any
action looking forward to the upward progress of the colored
race, and probably the passage of this resolution was greatly facil¬
itated by his actions. We have seen that no action wras taken in
the matter by the Baltimore Conference just closed, but the
reasons for the silence of that Conference upon such an important
work we are at a loss to determine, unless it be on account of the
Maryland laws being similar to those of various other states in
regard to the education of colored people.
The most important resolution tending to the uplifting and
benefiting of the members of the Church was passed in the in¬
terests of temperance. It reads, "that the subject of temperance
be strongly recommended to all our members, and that every
preacher in this Conference come under the obligation to abstain
from ardent spirits, and to cry against it wherever they go."
Efforts were made at this Conference to aid the Preachers' Aid
Fund, although in a somewhat indirect way, by a resolution
exhorting the preachers in charge to advise their members to
raise twelve and a half cents each a year to aid the publishing
fund, the profits of which are to be applied to the benefit of the
worn-out and sick traveling preachers. It was also made imper¬
ative for every preacher in charge to take up a collection in every
principal appointment oh his circuit, but for what purpose this
collection was to be applied is not stated. The Daughters of
Conference this year donated fifty dollars.
A resolution was also passed by which exhorters were deprived
of a seat in the Conference. Previously they had a seat, but no
voice in the proceedings. We have only one name, Charles A.
Spicer, added to the Connection in 1834, at this Conference, as a
local preacher. Two deaths are, however, recorded—Rev. Joseph
Harper, who had been admitted in the New York Conference of
1823 as an itinerant, and ordained in 1824, and Rev. Joseph Chain,
the latter a local deacon, who formerly lived on the eastern shore
of Maryland, and who was admitted on trial into the Baltimore
Annual Conference as early as 1820. The former was first ap¬
pointed to the Bucks County Circuit, Pa., under charge of Rev.
W. P. Quinn. He was ordained deacon at the Philadelphia Con¬
ference in 1824, and elder at the next Conference. He traveled
regularly until his death, and was laboring on the Trenton Cir-
102
History of the A. M. E. Church.
cuit when he died, February 1, 1834. His place was filled in that
work by Brother Robinson.
This year witnessed the session of the New York Annual Con¬
ference in Brooklyn, where it was opened under the presidency
of Bishop Morris Brown, assisted by Rev. Edward Waters, and
having Rev. George Hogarth as secretary. Its session lasted only
nine days, opening on the 14th and closing on the 23d of June.
By a special resolution Willis Jones, Joshua Jenkins and Caesar
Springfield, licentiates of New York, and Daniel Peterson, of
Philadelphia, obtained seats in the Conference, but no voice in
its deliberations. Francis P. Graham was ordained an elder.
Following in the wake of Ohio and Philadelphia, the New York
Conference took up the question of education, and, after discus¬
sion, unanimously passed a resolution "that we will use every
exertion in our power to advise and encourage our people to send
their children to Sabbath and other schools." While this resolu¬
tion was not as stringent in character as the one passed by the
Philadelphia Conference, it showed that the spirit was spreading.
The cause of temperance was introduced by the Bishop. He
called the attention of the brethren to Chapter II., Section 1,
Clause II. of the Discipline, which says: " Avoid all drunkenness
or drinking spirituous liquors, unless in case of necessity." The
members bound themselves to endeavor by example and influ¬
ence to enforce this rule in the aid of temperance. The curse of
gambling, then as now, seems to have' obtained a considerable
hold upon the people, for we find this Conference dealing with
the subject by a resolution to discourage the purchase and sale of
lottery tickets so far as they could by example and influence. It
is to be regretted that this question of gambling in any form, as
well as the purchase and sale of lottery tickets, was not dealt
with in a much more stringent manner.
The affairs of the Book Concern were examined, and Abram
Marks elected district book steward for 1835. It was also resolved
that the minutes of the three Conferences—Baltimore, Philadel¬
phia and New York—for 1834 should be published together.
About this time, Rev. N. C. W. Cannon, a man of very eccen¬
tric habits and irregular mode of thinking, but as active and
laborious as he was eccentric, wrote and published a book, to
which he gave the dignified title of "Rock of Wisdom." This
book was taken up by this Conference and examined. It re¬
sulted in the adoption of the resolution that "the book con-
The Field of African Methodism in 1882-1835.
103
tains many errors," and, we are told, "upon which Brother Can¬
non came forward and acknowledged that the book is full of
errors on almost every page." The secretary further says of it:
" It was found to contain many erroneous principles repugnant
to the Articles of Faith believed and taught by the Methodist
Church. Brother Cannon acknowledged this: his acknowledg¬
ment was received, and the book condemned by the Conference."
We also find Brother Cannon located the next day by his own
request.
From this Conference Bishop Brown went to take the pastoral
charge of the mother church in Philadelphia, taking with him
the Rev. John Cornish as his assistant, while Francis P. Graham
was sent to take charge of the Harrisburg Circuit in Pennsyl¬
vania.
Here again, at this point, we meet with a chasm in the history
of the Ohio Conference District, as the journal of 1834 is lost.
This leads us to turn again to the Baltimore Conference to see
what it was doing for the Redeemer's kingdom in 1835.
For the second time we see Rev. Stephen Smith present
in the Baltimore Conference, and for the first time John Jordan
and Joshua Gilbert. Whether the first mentioned alone, or the
two latter with him, aided in diffusing a new spirit into this Con¬
ference, which for several years past had exhibited very little vital¬
ity, we have no means of deciding. One thing, however, is evident,
and that is, it began to act on all points vital to the improvement
of the churches with its ancient vigor and wisdom. The well
known zeal of Brother Smith for all the various forms of moral
improvement, leads us to believe that he was the man in the
new measures introduced, although there is no record to that
effect other than results.
Brother Smith was admitted by vote into the Annual Confer¬
ence as a local preacher through recommendation from the Har¬
risburg Circuit, and ordained at their request in the year 1831,
but with the exception of one day he does not appear present
until 1835.
At this Conference a motion was introduced to inquire into
the sinfulness of the u e of ardent spirits, and another to organ¬
ize a temperance society. The former was sustained, but the
latter lost. In spite of this the Conference declared itself in
favor of " strictly and perseveringly recommending the temper¬
ance cause on the respective circuits and in their stations, both
104
History of the A. M. E. Church.
by example and precepts." It also provided that in case of de¬
fault the preacher offending should be dealt with as- in all cases
of imprudence and neglect of duty laid down in the Discipline.
It was made the duty of itinerants to impress on the parents
the duty of sending their children to school. But, following in
the wake of the active measures taken by the other Conferences
to promote education, this body did not exhibit much vigor in its
educational policy. _
Four delegates were elected to the General Conference of 1836,
Nathaniel Peck, Levin Lee, Basil Simms and Stephen Smith.
These were local preachers, and the reason for their election as
delegates to the General Conference is found in the fact that all
traveling preachers who had been in actual service for several
years were ex officio members of the General Conference; local
preachers were not, and, therefore, to have a seat and a voice in
the General Conference, it was necessary to elect them.
The church at Easton, on the eastern shore of Maryland, was
placed under the pastorate of Baltimore City, and the church at
Port-au-Prince was asked to nominate a man from among its
members competent to fulfil the duties of elder, who might then
take charge of it.
Of the ministry none had fallen by the hand of death this
year past but Rev. Scipio Beanes, who at the time was in Port-
au-Prince. As he was the first missionary selected and ordained
especially to preach the Gospel on the island of Hayti, a short
sketch of his life is pertinent in our history.
Scipio Beanes was born in Prince George's County, Maryland,
sometime in the year 1793. He was just about twenty years of
age when he moved to the city of Washington. He was born a
slave, and had obtained permission from his master to attend the
school which was then held in Prince George's County, in which
he obtained the elementary principles of an English education.
In 1818 Dr. Beanes, his master, made him a present of his free¬
dom. The next year he married Miss Harriet Bell, of Washing¬
ton City, daughter of one of the most influential members of
our church in that city for many years, being trustee and leader
at the time of his death, in 1845.
On the 19th of October, 1824, Scipio Beanes was struck with
conviction on account of his sins, and in a few months after he
experienced a change of heart in the first Little Bethel at Wash¬
ington, under the preaching of .Rev. Jacob Matthews. After his
The Field of African Methodism in 1832-1835.
105
conversion, he daily grew in grace, and in the knowledge of
divine things. The first office that he filled in the church was
that of assistant class-leader to Rev. George Hicks. Sometime
after this he felt deeply impressed to call sinners to repentance,
and he immediately obeyed the divine call. Having been duly
authorized in 1825 or 1826 to exercise his ministerial gifts by the
church at Washington, he was commissioned by Rt. Rev. Rich¬
ard Allen to visit the churches on the eastern shore of Maryland.
His labors among these societies were owned and blessed by the
Lord. He remained laboring in the Gospel among them as long
as his health permitted such service, but his delicate constitu¬
tion, the severity of the winter, and the bad accommodations
which were afforded him, compelled him to abandon the field
and return home. In this homeward journey the snow was so
deep that he was compelled to quit the saddle, and on foot pur¬
sue his journey, leading his horse nearly the whole distance from
Annapolis to Washington. The consequence was that he was
seized with a severe pulmonary affection, which induced his phy¬
sician to declare him in deep consumption, and to advise him to
go to some warm climate; so in 1826 he left home for Port-au-
Prince to improve his health. There he remained one year,
doing all he could by precept and example to lead the American
colonists, as well as the native Haytians, to a knowledge of
Christ, Avho taketh away the sins of the world. In the spring
of 1827 he returned home. The people had been benefited
through his ministrations, and his health was improved. The
result of his labors, as reported to Bishop Richard Allen, led the
latter to bring him before the Baltimore Conference of that year,
and the result of this introduction has been seen in the inquiry
and resolutions which led that body to ordain him doubly for
the mission in Hayti, and commission him to this point as one
among the six appointments read at that session—an instance
worthy of notice as being the only instance in the history of
our Church where the appointment to a foreign mission is re¬
corded as one and among the regular spots of labor in the regular
work of our ministry.
In little less than one year from the date of Brother Beanes'
appointment, he returned and reported (in 1828) that the num¬
ber in Society at Port-au-Prince was seventy-two, and that
place appears again in the regular work. One year from this
time he was admitted into full connection, and reported the
106
History of the A. M. E. Church.
number of 182 members in the Society at Port-au-Prince, and
it seems that between the time of his arrival from Hayti and the
opening of the Conference, he labored on the Easton Circuit in
the Baltimore District.
In consequence of his infirmities he located in 1829, and re¬
mained in this relation until the year 1831, when he was elected
to represent the church in Washington at the General Confer¬
ence of 1832, but it is not known whether he filled the office of
delegate or not. It is certain, however, that he was present at
the Baltimore Annual Conference that year until its close.
From this date we see and hear no more of him in the United
States until the record is made of his death at the Baltimore
Conference in 1835; but his wife tells of their return to Hayti
and Port-au-Prince in 1832, where he again took charge, the Lord
blessing his labors in the souls added to the Church. His health
improved at first, then began to fail. He was a great sufferer, but
a patient, uncomplaining one, and without flinching he continued
to labor. It was his wife's desire to return home, but the rapid
encroachments of the disorder prevented this, and he was con¬
tent to remain and die in Hayti, saying, "Heaven is as near to
Port-au-Prince as to Washington." He literally finished his life
and his labors together, for we are told that he baptized and ad¬
ministered the Lord's Supper on a Sabbath (January 12, 1835),
and went home to heaven the next morning at dawn, in the
forty-second year of his age. He was generally beloved by the
people, it seems, and esteemed as well. We are told that he
performed the marriage of the French ambassador, Mr. Denney,
himself a Methodist. His labors were confined, so said his wife,
entirely to the city of Port-au-Prince, because his health did not
permit him to travel over the island. So much we know of the
life and death of our first worker in the foreign missionary field
of the West Indies.
The ministers of the Philadelphia churches met in annual
assembly in 1835, but nothing of importance bearing upon the
welfare of the Church was done at this Conference. It followed
its action of the previous year by resolutions in favor of tem¬
perance, and by calling upon all the preachers to uphold it by
precept and advice.
There was a verbal petition bv a delegate from the church at
Reading, Brother George Dillon, praying that pastoral labors and
the preaching of the Gospel might be given more regularly to
The Field of African Methodism in 1832-1835.
107
the flock of Christ. Delegates were elected to the General Con¬
ference in the persons of Sampson Peters, Joshua P. B. Eddy,
Jeremiah Durham, William Henry, Clayton Durham and Walter
Proctor, representing respectively Trenton Circuit, Burlington
Circuit, Salem Circuit, Bucks County and Chester, while the last
two named were for Philadelphia. Elder Cornish was trans¬
ferred to Baltimore Conference, and Elder Scott to New York,
and all the churches in Maryland on the Lewistown Circuit were
placed under the charge of Rev. Andrew Massey.
In this Conference the Rev. Joseph M. Corr made a report
upon the state of the book concern, as its general book steward.
He had had printed one thousand copies of the Discipline, and
five hundred of these bound. One thousand hymn-books had
been printed and bound; also, two thousand minutes of the Con¬
ferences. The wrhole cost was reported as about six hundred dol¬
lars, including transportation to different places, commission,
etc. There were still some unbound Disciplines and several
hundred copies of minutes unsold, and which he feared would
be a " dead loss." He had sold hymn-books and Disciplines to
the amount of $300. He further stated that when he commenced
operations there were but $28.00 on hand, but he had " succeeded
in getting through writh all this huge debt," and had on hand,
clear of all present contingencies, $60.00, with which to com¬
mence the Publishing Fund, while he had received from the
circuit for the same object $12.19.
This report, which he hoped to have health and strength per¬
mitted him to render more correct another year, was his last—
the end of his labors as an excellent secretary for the Philadel¬
phia Conference, and as general book steward of the A. M. E.
Church. He died in October of this same year.
The New York Conference of 1835 met in Brooklyn on June 13th.
With the exception of a strong resolution making it the duty of
every traveling minister to use his utmost endeavors to promote
education, and a resolution to encourage temperance—two things
which had gone hand-in-hand down through the Conference—
nothing of importance seems to have been done. Bishop Brown
presided, and during this visit, assisted by Rev. Edward Waters
and Rev. Samuel Todd, laid the corner stone of the church on
Second street, New York.
The district book steward, who was the Rev. George Hogarth,
reported sales in the district for the year as amounting to $2G.87i.
108
History of the A. M. E. Church.
There were nine hundred and forty-seven persons members of
the New York churches, but only twenty had been induced to
purchase the minutes of the Annual Conference, although they
were but twelve and a half cents apiece. But it is evident that
the appreciation of the work of the book concern was growing in
spite of this, or there was good financial management, as in the
case of the Philadelphia Conference.
Of the ministry this year but one had entered the spirit world.
That one was Rev. Fortune Mathias, who had died in the city of
New York, aged seventy-eight years. He was born a slave, in the
state of Maryland, and among the first pioneers of color he en¬
tered the Methodist Episcopal Church in Norfolk of that state.
He had been a preacher of the Gospel for about forty-eight years,
and labored successfully, and with the high appreciation from
all classes in that vicinity. About ten years previous to his
death he got permission from his owner to move into New York
state, and there immediately joined himself to the itinerant ser¬
vice of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Such was his
ardent desire to carry the Gospel unto the poor of his brethren
in distant parts of the country, that he was somewhat grieved
because his brethren, at the sitting of the last Annual Confer¬
ence, refused him that privilege in consideration of his extreme
old age and aggravated state of bodily infirmity. He lived an
exemplary life of piety, and was an example to all with whom
he had intercourse. He was never backward in reproving sin,
and was always ready to give a testimon}^ of his hope in Christ.
CHAPTER XIII.
END OF THE DECADE.
Baltimore Churches in 1836—Philadelphia Conference Increases—Western
Churches—General Conference of 1836—Revision of Discipline for Pub¬
lication—Rev. Edward Waters Elected Bishop—Expansion of the West¬
ern Field—Book Concern Being Reduced to a System—Church Awakened
—A Petition From Canada and Buffalo—Missionaries Provided, but no
Support—Decree of Publication of a Quarterly Magazine.
THE secretary of the Baltimore churches, which met in Con¬
ference in 1836, has furnished little information concerning
their labors and successes. Brother James High, steward
of the Annual Conference, had died on the 9th of April of this
year. He was the successor of that remarkable man, Charles
Hackett, who was the successor of Don Carlos Hall, who took
such an active part in the early affairs of the churches. Like his
predecessors, Brother High was a layman. He had filled the
office of Conference steward for several years. Jeffrey Goulden
and Basil Simms were ordained as deacons, the former as itin¬
erant, the latter local.
This year closed the second decade of the history of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church, and we find the number of circuits
to be six and the number of stations two. The itinerants num¬
bered four: Rev. Edward Waters was pastor of the Baltimore
city church and the Baltimore County Circuit; Rev. Samuel
Todd was pastor of the church at Washington; Rev. John
Cornish was pastor of the Columbia Circuit churches, and Rev.
Henry Turner was assistant. The same preachers were pastors
of the Chambersburg Circuit. Three circuits, Lewistown, Easton
and Frenchtown, were destitute of pastors. The total number
of members was two thousand.
The decision must be that, comparing 1836 with 1826, the Bal-
timorean churches had lost ground. This at least appears from
the recorded facts. In 1826 there were seven pastors, now re¬
duced to four. In 1826 Frederick Circuit had ten appointments,
which were reduced to three ten years later. Harrisburg Circuit
had lost one appointment, having had nine in 1826. Easton and
Frenchtown Circuits made no report of their condition, so that
(109)
110
History of the A. M. E. Church.
we are unable to know whether they were abandoned entirely
or not. In 1826 the preachers' support amounted to four hundred
and forty-eight dollars. It was but three hundred and forty-two
dollars and nineteen cents in 1836. But there is every reason to
believe that this retrogradation was due chiefly to the influence
of slavery.
The Philadelphia Conference of this year, which met on the
10th of May, immediately at the close of the General Conference,
showed an increase, especially when we consider that the western
work had been set off in a district by itself within the decade,
and that then the total of members, including the western work,
reached 4,606, with sixty-five churches and fourteen pastors,
while now the total of members, with the western work omitted,
reached 3,344. There were but eight pastors in the Philadelphia
District for 1836, but they received a total of four hundred and
seventy dollars and eighty-two cents in salaries, while the four¬
teen had received but a few cents over six hundred and fourteen
dollars in 1826.
The Philadelphia Conference of 1836 admitted Henry C.
Turner as an itinerant preacher, and David Ware, Moore, Walker,
Thomas Pierce, Jacob Adams, Robert S. Holcom and Andrew
Radder in a local capacity. This year we find the record of the
death of Joseph M. Corr, on the 18th of October, 1835, in the'
twenty-ninth year of his age. Thus another gap was made in
the ranks of the early pioneers.
The Church had unbounded confidence in his ability as a man
and his integrity as an officer, and for the entire period of his
connection with the A. M. E. Church to the day of his death he
enjoyed this confidence, not only unabated, but with increasing
volume and power. When a mere licentiate, and that, too, a
local one, he was elected to the secretaryship of the Philadelphia
Annual Conference, which office he held to the day ©f his death.
He was also secretary of the Baltimore Conference from 1826 till
the opening of 1828, when he ceased to act, simply because en¬
gagements at home kept him away from that district till 1830.
It was in 1826 that the Philadelphia Annual Conference passed
a resolution constituting him secretary-general. He was the first
one who gave a report of the condition of the book concern, and
we do not hear of the existence of a hymn-book among us
until he reports the publication of a thousand copies in 1835.
As a general book steward, all things considered, no one has
End of the Decade.
Ill
yet been more successful than he. When he commenced his
labors in the book concern, in 1832, the sum of twenty-eight
dollars was all his capital, but within three years from that date
he had published one thousand Disciplines, one thousand hymn-
books and two thousand minutes of the three Conferences, and
reported about three hundred and sixty dollars in stock and cash
as clear profits.
The representatives of the New York churches assembled on
the 4th day of June in this year. Rt. Rev. Morris Brown and
Rt. Rev. Richard Waters were present as the leaders of the delib¬
erations. The items of business were few. The total number of
the members in th.e churches was seven hundred and forty-three.
Financially considered, they did as well as the other districts in
their moneys raised for their three pastors, the combined salaries
being three hundred and thirteen dollars and thirty-eight cents.
Over one hundred and seventeen dollars were raised as contin¬
gent money. Eight points are given: New York City, Brooklyn,
Flushing, South Huntington, John's Cove, Hempstead Harbor,
South Jamaica and Albany. Sampson Peters was received as a
probationer into the traveling connection. This was all, yet we
cannot say that the district had improved to a great extent.
Over two months later we find the Pittsburg or western
churches assembling, through their representatives, in Columbus,
Ohio. But it seems that little had been done during the year
for the Redeemer's cause. The statistics give a total of one
thousand one hundred and thirty-one members in Society at the
two stations and on the five circuits. At this time Pittsburg and
Cincinnati were the only stations, while the circuits consisted of
the Zanesville, Chillicothe, Hillsboro, Richmond and Uniontown.
These together gave a contingent collection of nearly one hun¬
dred and sixteen dollars. There were seven traveling preachers
doing the work in this Western District.
We have seen the work of the individual districts, and can
now turn for a view of the General Conference of 1836, which,
as we have intimated, held its session in Philadelphia in May,
immediately preceding the meeting of the Philadelphia Annual
Conference.
There were sixteen traveling preachers present: Rt. Rev. Mor¬
ris Brown, Edward Waters, Richard Williams, William Cornish,
John Cornish, Israel Scott, John Churlson, Moses Robinson,
William Moore, Jeremiah Miller, Samuel Todd, John Boggs,
112
History, of the A. M. E. Church.
Richard Robinson, William P. Quinn, Thomas Lawrence and
Samuel G. Clingman. The delegates were: Six from the Phila¬
delphia Conference—Clayton Durham, Walter Proctor, Shadrack
Bassett, Sampson Peters and Jeremiah Durham; three from the
Baltimore Conference—Nathaniel Peck, Stephen Smith and
Levin Lee; three from the New York. Conference—London W.
Turpin, George Hogarth and Edmund Crosby; and two from the
Western Conference—Abraham D. Lewis and George Coleman.
This body reviewed, amended and revised the Discipline for
publication. George Hogarth, of Brooklyn, N. Y., was elected
the general book steward of the Connection for the ensuing
four years, to fill the place of the deceased Joseph M. Corr. Res¬
olutions were passed in order that the book concern might be
benefited and its usefulness enlarged. The general book steward
was to be permitted to " publish such religious books, tracts and
pamphlets as may be deemed best for the interests of the Con¬
nection, the profits arising therefrom always to flow into the
general book treasury," but it was stipulated that such work
would be undertaken only "upon the recommendation of the
book committee, with the concurrence of the New York Annual
Conference." He was also to be " allowed twenty-five dollars for
revising and publishing the hymn-book and Discipline."
The time had arrived Avhen, on account of the spread of the
work of the Church, and the extensive labors which this exten¬
sion called upon the Bishop to perform, the Conference was
moved to consider the matter of selecting "an associate to take
part with him as a junior Bishop." The labor entailed upon
Bishop Morris Brown alone seemed to render it imperative that
such a step be taken, and, too, the best interests of the Connec¬
tion in promoting the general cause of the societies seemed to
demand aid in the burdensome work. It was finally decided
that such a junior or assistant Bishop should be elected, and as a
result Rev. Edward Waters was the one upon whom the mantle
of that position fell, and he was solemnly ordained a Bishop of
the African Methodist Episcopal Church on the 8th of May, 1836,
by the imposition of the hands of the Rt. Rev. Morris Brown and
several elders present.
The same year of his election Bishop Brown took him with
him to all the Conferences except the Western Conference, thus
giving him some idea of the field of labor. After this tour he
never left the regions of Baltimore only to attend the Philadel-
End of the Decade.
113
phia and New York Conferences, which was once a year. He
never presided in an Annual Conference only as a silent looker-on,
assistant of Bishop Brown, and though he sat in the episcopal
chair from 1836 to 1844, he never ordained a single minister, not
even a deacon. The second year after his election he requested
the Baltimore Annual Conference to locate him. Indeed, ever
after his ordination he held charge of the Ellicott Mills Circuit,
and sometimes of Bethel, in Baltimore. In the eighth year of
his episcopate he resigned his episcopal authority, although he
was able to travel as a Bishop, and returned to the ranks of the
effective elders till his death. This was occasioned by the wicked¬
ness of some rude white men who ran over him with their horse
and buggy, which accident he survived, but lingered only a few
weeks, when he finished his days in peace, in the month of April,
1847, in the city of Baltimore, Maryland.
There was a resolution that no preacher should be permitted
"to graduate into ministerial functions who is and continues to
be a member of a Freemason's Lodge." The futility of such a
resolution is apparent on its face. No church has ever yet been
able to expunge Freemasonry from among its ministry and laity.
It has been- repeatedly tried, Hot only by this, but by almost
every other church in Christendom, but without success. The
members of the Conference knew nothing about the order beyond
its existence, and to pass such a resolution was to enact a rule
which they could never carry into effect. Subsequent facts have
shown this to be true.
As a summary of the work at the end of the second decade,
we see that .in 1826 there were twenty-one itinerant ministers; in
1836, thirty-two; in 1826 there were ninety-five churches; in 1836,
eighty-six; the fourteen circuits of 1826 were reduced to twelve
in 1836, but the members, which in 1826 were six thousand nine
hundred and four in number, had increased to seven thousand
five hundred and ninety-four, and from one station we had seven
to report at this time. Salaries, too, had increased from a total
of $562.51^ to $926.39.
At the end of this second decade of the history of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church, we see some things to humble us
and others to make us to rejoice. We are humbled in seeing the
decline of the affairs of both the Baltimore and Philadelphia
Conferences, respecting the extent of their work and the number
8
114
History of the A. M. E. Church.
of their workmen, for they had less of both in 1836 than they
possessed in 1826. The delinquency of the Ohio or Western
District is also painful. Yet we have reason to rejoice:
First, because the western field—the regions west of the Alle-
ghanies—had expanded itself from a mere adjunct into an inde-
dent Conference District, embracing three stations, the same
number of circuits, and seven laborers to cultivate them. And
secondly, because the Connection had its eyes opened upon, and
its attention also turned to, the instruction of the rising genera¬
tion and the cause of temperance. Thirdly, the mind of the
ministry had also begun to reduce their book concern to a system.
The book concern was removed from Philadelphia to New York
or Brooklyn as a result of the election of Rev. George Hogarth,
local deacon, to the office of general book steward, as his resi¬
dence was in Brooklyn, where he conducted mercantile operations
with Hayti.
When the Baltimore Conference met in 1837 nothing of interest
took place, except the resolution to aid in raising a general fund
for the relief of worn-out preachers, but the Philadelphia Confer¬
ence, which convened in Philadelphia on the 20th day of May,
was one of unusual interest. It seems to have been animated by
a spirit of light and comprehensiveness unknown to it before.
As in the Baltimore Conference, so in this, a society was formed
auxiliary to the general fund. There were four ordinations:
Revs. Clayton Durham, Jeremiah Beulah and William Moore as
elders, and Brother John C. Spence as a deacon. Two local
preachers, namely, Abraham Bell and Jackson, were numbered
with the dead. Of the former it is said that " he was a man truly
devoted to God, and left this world in full assurance of a blessed
immortality; of the latter it is written that he was " greatly
esteemed for his unexceptionable fidelity."
This Conference was visited by William Yates, Esq., a lawyer
from the city of Troy, New York, agent of the A. A. S. Society,
and Rev. Joshua Leavitt, then editor of the New York Evangelist.
Both were cordially received, and both ably and kindly addressed
the assembled ministry on the important subjects of education
and temperance. After the address of lawyer Yates, the Confer¬
ence passed a resolution of thanks " for his able and thrilling
address," and as an evidence of how deeply moved it had been,
we find a subjoined resolution that there should be a " committee
of five appointed to draft some resolutions to offer to the house,"
End of the Decade.
115
and on the morning of the next day this committee made the
following report:
1. The Ministry.
We, the elders and preachers of this Conference, who, according to our
ability and the grace that hath been given to us, have in our day preached
the Gospel to our scattered and rejected brethren, sensible that like those
who have gone before us, the time of our departure will come also when
we must give an account of our stewardship, would enter upon the minutes
of this Conference an expression of grief at the withering effects of preju¬
dice against color, and in connection with it the deep solicitude we feel
that those who will hereafter rise to fill our places should possess the
means of securing every qualification for the ministry, that they may be
workmen that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly divining the word of truth.
Upon this it is evident that the salvation of souls and the right instruction
of the Church in the means of grace depend. Besides, the general im¬
provement of the people of color, their advances in knowledge and mutual
cultivation, render it necessary ; therefore,
Resolved, That our Rt. Rev. Father and Bishop, with such person or per¬
sons as he may associate with him, be a committee to prepare, or cause to
be prepared, an appeal or statement of the condition and wants of the
Church of Christ among the people of color in regard to the ministry, and
the obstacles which embarrass candidates for that office in obtaining suit¬
able preparations, and often hinder access even to the ordinary means of
education.
That the committee lay the same before the presidents and officers of
colleges and theological seminaries in the free states, with a respectful
entreaty that the advantages of education which their respective institu¬
tions afford may be extended to all persons alike, without distinction of
color.
And further, that the Bishop or committee, by correspondence with
brethren throughout the United States, with Christian philanthropists,
by appeals from the pulpit and press, and by all suitable means, endeavor
to awaken a general interest amongst ourselves and friends on this impor¬
tant subject, viz.: a suitable preparation for the pulpit or ministry.
2. Education.
Resolved, That as education is the only sure means of creating in the
mind those noble feelings which prompt us to the practice of piety, virtue
and temperance, and elevate us above the condition of brutes by assimi¬
lating us to the image of our Maker; we. therefore, recommend all our
preachers to enjoin undeviating attention to its promotion, and earnestly
request all our people to neglect no opportunity of advancing it, pledging
ourselves to assist them so far as it is in our power.
3 Temperance.
Resolved, That our elders and preachers, in their labors to promote the
cause of temperance, hold up the principle of total abstinence from the
116
History of the A. M. E. Church.
use as a beverage of all intoxicating drinks as the true and safe rule for all
consistent friends of temperance to go by, and as in accordance with our
Discipline and the resolutions of our former Conferences.
The remainder of the report was upon two topics of such im¬
portance that we append it also :
Punctual Attendance at Meetings.
Resolved, That the elders and ministers of our Connection do see that
the rules of our Discipline be duly observed in regard to the prompt and
punctual attendance at the times and places appointed for worship ; because
a habit of loitering on the way to meeting, coming in after the regular
hours, or after the exercises have begun, is extremely hurtful and injuri¬
ous.
Dress and Cleanliness.
Resolved, That the elders and ministers of our Church warn the people,
not only in regard to extravagance and useless ornaments and dress, as
our Discipline enjoins, but against a slovenly and ragged appearance,
which some unhappily, and we believe unconsciously, are not careful to
avoid, than which nothing perhaps does more to perpetuate the prevailing
aversion and prejudice against color. The malignity of prejudice, we be¬
lieve, would be much abated if our people were more careful, in their
persons and dress, to appear neat and cleanly.
This report was followed up by another resolution, which said:
That the members of this Conference, from a sense of duty to ourselves,
our people, and our friends, would express feelings of affection and grati¬
tude for those noble men who have extended their privileges of education
in their institutions of learning to all alike, without distinction of color,
and trust the time will soon come when over the doorway to every school
of science and literature in the country will be inscribed the Gospel
principle, " Ho, every one that thirsteth, come."
It is to be noted for the sake of those who see only the broader
privileges extended throughout the Northern institutions over
fifty years later, that at that early period there were but three
institutions for higher education to which young men and
young women of color then had access. These were Oberlin
College, in Ohio; Gettysburg Seminary, in Pennsylvania; and
Oneida Institute, in Central New York.
We also find a record of a more general interest in outside
matters pertaining to the race. Two delegates, Rev. David Ware
and Richard Robertson, were sent to the " Mental and Moral
Reform Society," and Rev. Shadrack Bassett and Noah C. Can¬
non were delegated to the " Philadelphia Association," while
there is noted the invitation to the members of Conference to
visit the "Orphan Asylum for Colored Children."
End of the Decade.
117
That the Church was becoming aroused to its necessities is
evident; that it had awakened to a full sense of these necessities
is not so apparent. There were opponents to education, and
especially the education of the ministry, within its own ranks,
though there were exceptions to the attitude these took. Bishop
Morris Brown was always in favor of education in the pulpit as
well as out of it.
The 10th of June brought together the ministry of the New
York churches, and found Bishops Brown and Waters presiding
over their deliberations, the most important of which had refer¬
ence to church extension; for a petition was received from St.
Catherine's, Canada West, and from Buffalo, asking pastoral care.
As a result, resolutions were passed to send missionaries thither,
and that they be " appointed to go into Canada and the western
part of the state of New York, to explore, and, as far as possible,
organize and regulate what Societies they can in these regions,"
with the added provision " that they shall be subject to the order
of the Bishops, and amenable to the Annual Conference of the
New York District, and, as far as possible, under the advice and
patronage of any charitable institutions established for mission¬
ary purposes." But no provisions were made for their support
for the work other than spiritual, in setting apart a day "for pub¬
lic prayer and supplication to Almighty God for the spread of
the Gospel and the success of the missionaries."
Willis Jones and Ceesar Springfield were admitted on trial as
local preachers, and Joshua Jenkins was received into full con¬
nection. Samuel Peters and Samuel Edwards were ordained,
the former an elder, the latter a deacon.
The book concern was looked after by the election of Benjamin
Croger, Samuel Edwards, H. C. Thompson and Eli N. Hall as a
book committee to aid the general book steward in its manage¬
ment. The Conference decreed the publication of a quarterly
magazine for the use and benefit of the Connection as another
step toward the exercise of what literary talent might be found
among the members.*
*In conversation with Rev. Richard Robinson many years ago, he in¬
formed the writer that he was the author of the motion to publish a mag¬
azine. During its publication no preacher in the Connection was more
active in selling the magazine or the minutes of the Annual Conference.
He was in the habit of taking bundles of them when on his pastoral
visits, and selling them among his flock. There was, too, an association of
Anti-Slavery Christians organized about that time in the state of New
118
History of the A. M. E. Church.
The New York Conference for 1837 reported 810 members
within its bounds, and but one was reported among the dead of
the year: James Thompson, 70 years of age.
As to the Ohio churches, the representatives assembled in the
city of Columbus, Ohio, on the 26th of August, 1837. They
were thirteen in number, and consisted of nine elders, one dea¬
con and two licensed preachers, with Bishop Brown at their
head, and Owen T. Burton Nickens, secretary.
Several resolutions commendatory of temperance and educa¬
tion were introduced, considered and adopted. In the report of
the churches, that at Pittsburgh showed a membership of 225,
and that at Cincinnati, 146. The churches of Uniontown Cir¬
cuit reported 187, Zanesville and Columbus had respectively
203 and 212. Richmond Circuit gave in 160; Chillicothe, 204,
and Hillsborough, 170. The total membership thus shown in
1837 for the Ohio Conference was 1,507.
John Caves, Claiborne Yancy and Turner Roberts were ad¬
mitted on trial; Fayette Davis and Samuel G. Clingham into
full connection. Job Dundy withdrew from the church, while
Elijah Brown had finished his ministerial career gloriously and
gone to his reward in heaven.
The work of the year 1838 was opened by the meeting of the min¬
isters who watched over the interests of the Baltimore churches,
in the city of Washington, D. C., April 22d. They were but ten
in number, over whose deliberations Bishop Brown presided, as¬
sisted by Bishop Waters. John F. Cook was secretary. Bishop
Brown did not forget to impress upon the minds of the preachers
the importance of encouraging education among themselves, and
especially among the rising generation. This was followed by a
resolution making it the duty of the preachers to deliver an address
on education in each of their congregations once a quarter. The
different points of moral reform were also touched upon.
York, for the purpose of supporting teachers and a missionary to take
charge of the social, intellectual and religious condition of the fugitives
from American slavery who had taken refuge in Canada. Rev. Hiram
Wilson was the first sent over from the state of New York for that pur¬
pose. His wife was Miss Harriett Hubbard, who married him in East
Troy, New York, for the special purpose cf aiding him in his truly benev¬
olent task. The writer knew her as teacher of the colored school which
was held in the basement of the church of which he then was pastor. She
was a woman of uncommon faith and powerful in prayer, well suited to
be the wife of a missionary.
End of the Decade.
119
One peculiar phase of our early work is laid bare to the gaze
of the Christian world to-day in a portion of the closing resolu¬
tions where thanks were tendered for the mercies of the session.
It is exhibited in all its simple pathos in the closing words:
"Also to the mayor and city authorities and citizens of Wash¬
ington generally, for their kindness and hospitality, and for our
safe and peaceful session."
Samuel Todd and Joshua Gilbert were reported among the
dead, and we find a time set for the commemoration of their
deaths, " as a mark of our regard and affection." Rev. Stephen
Smith was ordained a local elder, and Brother John Jordan a
deacon. A change was made in adding to the Columbia Circuit
Lewistown, in Mifflin County, and the entire number of mem¬
bers in Society within the Conference bounds was set at two
thousand six hundred and ninety-nine.
At the meeting of the Philadelphia churches eleven ministers
were present, and Bishop Brown was alone in the presidency of
this body. There was a vigorous and kindly spirit animating
the whole body, as seen in the journal for the session, yet there
was nothing of moment done, and, with the exception of learning
that the churches embraced in this district numbered no less
than four thousand two hundred and forty-four souls, there is
nothing deserving especial note.
In the New York Conference for this year, which met in New
York City on the 9th of June, 1838, we find both Bishops again
present, with fourteen other ministers, traveling and local.
Among its first acts was one tending to correct habits of sloven¬
liness in attire by attaching a penalty to any preacher who
might appear in other than proper and becoming apparel while
attending Conference. It was by no means a trivial matter,
whether viewed as a habit to be corrected or an erroneous opinion
to be rectified—thinking it a mark of Christian humility to be
clad meanly as a beggar, or of worldly pride to appear in the
costume of a gentleman.
Rev. Richard Williams, who was the missionary sent out by
the previous Conference to explore the regions of western New
York and Canada, for the purpose of planting churches wherever
the head of the Church should open an effectual door, made his
report. It appeared that he had established a Society at Roch¬
ester, consisting of twenty-six persons, and also licensed a local
preacher to watch over their spiritual interests. He had also
120
History of the A. M. E. Church.
planted one at Buffalo, with thirty-one members, and licensed
two local preachers. From thence he proceeded to Canada West,
where he had an interview with the civil authorities, and, ob¬
taining their sanction, then established one Society at Niagara
of twenty-two members, one at St. David's of twenty-nine mem¬
bers, and one at St. Catherine of forty, at which place he also
licensed two local preachers.
To this Conference there was a delegate by the name of Daniel
Laing, sent from Boston with a petition that a preacher should
be sent to found our Connection in that place; but Conference
refused to comply with their request unless they would give
assurances of their ability and willingness to support the preacher
who might be sent. Before adjournment Conference received
a reply from the brethren at Boston, declaring that they were
prepared to sustain a preacher, or at least to give him the sum
of seventy-five dollars.
Rev. Edmund Crosby was received into the itinerancy with a
view to go as missionary to the West, and was afterwards or¬
dained an elder for the same object. Eli N. Hall, by petition of
the trustees and people of New Haven, was ordained a deacon,
to serve the interests of that church, at the same time that
Brother George Weir was ordained a deacon to serve the Buffalo
Society. Israel Scott, who had located in the interim of Con¬
ference, was again united to the itinerancy.
It will be seen from the following sum that not much was
done by the three Conferences through their auxiliaries for the
" general fund," as the entire amount raised was just three dollars
and seventy-nine cents.
Excepting the passage of two resolutions affecting the cause of
education and temperance, nothing of importance was done by
the ministry of the Ohio Societies in the year 1838 beyond the
answers due disciplinary questions. We find that Rev. Wiley
Reynolds withdrew from the Connection, and Rev. David Smith
returned to it. Two deaths had occurred—Brothers Job Case
and 'Squire Ford. Of the latter we find it said that " he was
born in the state of Virginia, where he labored extensively in
the vineyard of the Lord, with the most abundant success. In
1834 he moved to Cincinnati, where he again commenced his
labors with renewed energy, until it pleased the Lord to trans¬
plant him from the Church militant to the Church triumphant."
CHAPTER XIV.
GROWTH WESTWARD AND IN CANADA.
Measures for the Improvement of the Ministry—Plan to support the Book
Concern—Plan for Replenishing the General Fund Approved—General
Recapitulation—Philadelphia Statistics—Admission of Willis Nazrey into
the Itinerancy—Increase of Numbers—Birth of the Canada and Indiana
Conferences—Canadian Work—Slim Support for Preachers—The Year
1840 was a Remarkable One—A Golden Opportunity to secure Fruits of
our Missionary Labors.
IN the year 1889 the Baltimore Annual Conference proceeded
to take some measures for the improvement of the ministry,
when it met April 27th, in Baltimore, to report and regulate
the affairs of the respective charges. A record of this attempt is
found in the following form: " That any person applying for
license to exhort or preach shall b.e examined before the Quarterly
Meeting Conference touching his acquaintance of the Articles of
Faith and Doctrines of the Christian Religion taught in our Dis¬
cipline, and if he gives satisfaction thereon, he may have a trial.
And the preacher in charge shall appoint a committee of three or
five preachers to hea,r him and judge his abilities, and report to
the ensuing Quarterly Meeting Conference." In this the Annual
Conference placed the exhorter and the preacher on the same
footing, not noting that as the exhorter is never allowed to take
a text, he therefore does not need the literary furniture which
is required in the preacher. If, however, the Quarterly Confer¬
ence had rigidly obeyed this rule given them by the Annual Con¬
ference, the result would have been an advance of man}^ degrees
in intelligence.
Rev. Jeffry Goulden and Rev. Thomas Henry were ordained
elders, and John Vozart deacon. It was decided that the " elders
in charge nominate the delegates who shall attend the General
Conference," and this was followed b}^ the motion which made
N. Peck a delegate from Baltimore city, Levin Lee and John But¬
ler for Washington City, Stephen Smith for Columbia, Pa., and
John Jordan for Easton, Md. The number of members in the
Baltimore District this year was two thousand one hundred and
thirty.
( 121 )
122
History of the A. M. E. Church.
But it was left for the Philadelphia Conference of this year to
make most marked advance in its spirit of liberality and free¬
dom as is evinced by its deeds. Fourteen elders, four deacons,
and fifteen preachers composed the number which so showed its
zeal and wisdom. From the first it opened its doors to the free
ingress of the people. It expressed its sympathy with their
enslaved brethren and its thanks to those who were laboring for
their emancipation. It set to work and formed plans to raise
funds for the support of the book concern. These plans made it
the duty of all traveling preachers to collect from every member,
through their leaders, two cents per month, or six cents a quarter,
the amount thus collected to be reported to every Quarterly
Meeting Conference, and transmitted to the general book steward,
requiring his receipt for the same, to be entered upon the minutes
of the next ensuing Quarterly Conference. And lastly, it pro¬
vided that the minutes of each Quarterly Meeting Conference
touching the subject of the first duty of all traveling preachers
mentioned in the plan, should be sent to the next Annual Con¬
ference, the delinquent preacher to forfeit and pay to the Annual
Conference, for the benefit of said fund, the sum of five dollars,
this amount to be taken from the amount of his salary returned
at the General Conference. The men who drew up this report
embracing this plan were Rev. George Hogarth, general book
steward, of Brooklyn, N. Y., Rev. John Vogart and Rev. John
Cornish. The only objectionable feature in this plan was that
relating to the last provision. It was impracticable because of
the indisposition of those authorized to inflict the penalty upon
the delinquents.
For several reasons, which may be apparent upon perusal, the
following address at this time is worthy of a place in our history
without abridgment. It was undoubtedly the composition of
the then general book steward, Rev. George Hogarth:
Beloved in the Lord :
The undersigned take this opportunity to lay before you the claims of
our aged, sick and worn-out traveling preachers, many of whom have spent
the prime of their life in your service, counting their time, their talents,
and even life itself not dear to them, but have rather sacrificed all earthly
comfort and family in obedience to the heavenly mandate requiring them
to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, and to
compel poor sinners to come to the bounteous table of the Lord. You
have heard them. Your s.ouls have been made to rejoice within you while
sitting under the pleasing strains and arguments that dropped from their
Growth Westward and in Canada.
128
lips from time to time in calling sinners to repentance, and in pointing
the mourner to the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.
But recollect that they are in the flesh ; age, infirmity, and all these debil¬
ities incident to mortality have crept upon them, and they are now thrown
upon the charities of the general Church for support the few remaining
days they have to linger in this evanescent state. To you, therefore, dear
brothers, the Church, in behalf of these ancient worthies and veterans of
the Cross, speaks in loud and urgent tones for a little pittance to sustain
them the few remaining days of their probation. And shall this appeal to
you, dear brethren, be in vain? We trust not, but feel encouraged with
the pleasing thought that you will not suffer the righteous to be forsaken,
nor see his seed begging bread. The profits arising from the sale of all
books published by the general book steward are applied to the above pur¬
pose ; and all donations of money, etc., directed to him at Brooklyn, New
York, for that purpose, will be thankfully received and carefully applied.
The claims of our young men, too, for aid to sustain them while they
are preparing themselves for the ministry (that they may become approved
workmen in the Lord's vineyard) are urged upon you, as the future pros¬
perity of the Church and of generations to come is dependent upon the
care we now take in raising up suitable teachers for our people well quali¬
fied in every respect. We, therefore, sincerely trust that you will unhesi¬
tatingly lend us your aid, dear brethren, in this laudable cause, as it is no
other than the cause of God.
To our white friends, upon whom Providence has smiled with all that
nature's bounty can afford—to you, poor Ethiopia's sons and daughters
look with long desires for the day when you will take her cause at heart,
and aid her young men on in the ministry that she may in due time be
able to stretch forth her hands to God. You will observe, by carefully
perusing these minutes, that the wants of our Church are many and urgent
upon us at present, and call loudly for aid from the charitable part of the
community, many of whom stand ready, we believe, to assist in raising the
character and standing of the ministry of our Church. All aid for the
above purpose will be gratefully received and duly applied if directed to
our general book steward, Brooklyn, New York.
We would remind our brethren throughout the Connection, as Metho¬
dists, to bear in mind the 22d day of October next as the Hundredth Anni¬
versary of Methodism, and as it is a special day set apart by all the Meth¬
odist churches in Europe and America as one of gratitude and praise to
God, we, therefore, trust that all of our brethren, in all of our churches,
will be careful strictly to observe it in worshipping and praising God for
his bounteous goodness.
Morris Brown, ]
Edward Waters, j Bishops.
George Hogarth,
Brooklyn, New York, August 1st, 1839. General Book Steward.
The foregoing is the first document of the kind which has been
chronicled by our secretaries, and, like the pastoral letters of 1826,
124
History of the A. M. E. Church.
which were undoubtedly the composition of Rev. Joseph M.
Corr, was an evidence of what incalculable use and benefit are
cultivated minds to act as guides in our ecclesiastical movements.
It is, too, the first appeal in behalf of ministerial support at a
time when they were most in need of it. It is also the first offi¬
cial effort in favor of ministerial education.
The recommendation to observe the centenary of Methodism
is also an evidence of enlarged views of ecclesiastical relations
and obligations. It also shows the strength of our attachment
to our noble Mother Church in England; for it was not a cen¬
tenary of American Methodism, but of Methodism, that is, Eng¬
lish Methodism expanded over the four quarters of the globe.
Notice was taken for future consideration of another point
bearing upon broad interests—that of free labor produce. Next
followed the election of delegates to the General Conference of
1840. They were seven in number, and embraced the following
named brethren: William Henry, of West Chester, for West
Chester; Thomas Banks, of Snow Hill, N. J., for Burlington;
Benjamin Wilkens, of Philadelphia, for Salem; Jeremiah Dur¬
ham, of Philadelphia, for Trenton; David Ware, of Philadelphia,
for Bucks County; Walter Proctor and Shadrack Bassett, of Phil¬
adelphia, for Philadelphia.
The Hurst Street Church, with its pastor and membership,
was received into the Connection. Alexander Davis, Robert
Collins, Berry W. Wilkens and Henry Brightman were received
on trial as local preachers, and Isaac Parker as an itinerant.
Thomas Bowser, " a local preacher and an exemplar}'' Christian,"
was numbered with the dead. The round numbers in this dis¬
trict were 4,304.
The 15th of June, 1839, beheld the pastors of the New York
churches convened in the city of Brooklyn to examine their
affairs and to adjust certain difficulties. Bishop Brown was
assisted by Bishop Waters. The former's recommendation urg
ing the members "to live in unanimity, peace, and brotherly
love," was much needed, for charges of "riot and schism"
and other troubles-threatened to disturb the desired harmony.
The field of labor in this district was enlarged by the planting
of a church in Lockport, Western New York; one in Toronto,
one in Maiden, one in Hamilton and Brandford, Upper Canada;
also one in Boston, Mass., and one in Providence, R. I. So that,
while Satan was inciting evil in the churches in one direction,
Growth Westward and in Canada.
125
Christ Jesus, the Redeemer, was carrying on the -victories of his
cross in another. Asa Jeffry was ordained a deacon.
Brother Abram Marks, for many years an ordained deacon,
was cut down by the scythe of death in 1838. He is spoken
of as a "staunch supporter of the doctrines of Christ," and as
going about " for many years doing good," The delegates elected
to the General Conference were five in number: Rev. Eli N. Hall,
Rev. Benjamin Croger, Rev. George Hogarth, Rev. Samuel Ed¬
wards and N. C.W. Cannon.
There was some trouble at Rahway, N. J., factions having
arisen, and the church there had been taken possession of by
one body under the name and title of African Methodist Epis¬
copal Church. This called forth a resolution "to assist our
brethren at Rahway with all the means in our power to bring
those intruders to justice."
The plan for replenishing the General Fund, which was adopted
by the Philadelphians, was approved by this Conference, and the
usual resolutions recommending education, temperance and fast¬
ing, and denouncing lottery dealers, were discussed and adopted.
This body also reviewed and put into a more practical form some
resolutions passed by the Philadelphia Conference in relation to
dispensing of books, pamphlets, etc., which produced " no inter¬
est to the Connection," and such sales in our churches and at our
altars were forbidden "without permission from the elder in
charge, with the concurrence of a committee whom he shall
choose to examine them."
The New York Conference of 1839 reported the total number
of members in these churches to be 1,222.
The minutes of the Ohio or Western Conference for this year
cannot be found, but a general recapitulation of members for
the four districts for the last four years gives the following:
Ohio. Philadelphia. Baltimore. New York. Total.
1836
1,131
3,344
2,052
743
7,270
1837
1,507
3,443
2,345
810
8,105
1838
1,81.7
4,044
2,794
1,053
9,708
1839
4,479
2,300
1,222
8,00 L
The annual transactions of the ministry of the Baltimore
churches for the next year (1840) were of very little interest, as
may be seen by the following synopsis of its proceedings in ses¬
sion, beginning April 16th:
Henry Brightman was received on trial, and Isaac Parker was
126
History of the A. M. E. Church.
referred to the Philadelphia Conference. Rev. William A.
Nichols was elected instead of Brother John Butler as dele¬
gate to the approaching General Conference. The preachers
were requested to solicit one cent per month from each member
in their respective charges to aid the General Fund. They
were also " enjoined to encourage the principles of education
and temperance."
The year 1840 was the year of General Conference, and as
exact an account as possible of the churches should be furnished.
The Baltimore churches showed an increase in membership in
some way over the preceding year, as we find a total of 2,636
members. The amount of salaries paid for the year was $487.87;
the moneys collected for contingent expenses reached $152.33,
and a total of twenty-eight itinerant preachers was reported.
There was also a slight increase in the Philadelphia District
membership, as it reached 4,659, with a total of salaries amount¬
ing to $665.21-g-. The contingent moneys summed up $201.45,
including $60.50 from the Daughters of Conference. The num¬
ber of preachers was not reported.
The Philadelphia Conference was opened May 23d. Its trans¬
actions were characterized by lack of vigor, though from what
cause we are unable to say. Education and temperance received
the usual attention, while lotteries were condemned, and reso¬
lutions passed dealing severely with those preachers who had
anything to do with them, even to expulsion from the Connec¬
tion as a final sentence. Some property transactions were
authorized, and the trustees of Lewiston, Delaware, were to part
with such a portion of the ground belonging to that church as
they might think proper for the benefit of the church. The
trustees of Indian River Church, in the same state, were "to
grant a deed of exchange for a piece of ground better situated
for the church in that place. Brother David Ware was offered
for the office of deacon, and was ordained. Two ministers had
died; one, Brother Simon Murray, died at the advanced age of
eighty-six. He was a " faithful minister," and the same who
was pastor of the Hurst Street Church at the time of its annex¬
ation to our Connection; the other, Rev. Jeremiah Miller, died
in his seventy-third year. He was one of the brave and hardy
pioneers of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and a
"faithful itinerant."
In the year 1840 a new agent of power was introduced into the
Growth Westward and in Canada.
127
body of the New York Conference; yea, more, into the very
vitals of the Connection. The brethren of this district con¬
vened this year on the 13th of June, in the city of New York.
Bishop Morris Brown presided, and the person who was to con¬
stitute this agent of power was no other than that remarkable
man, Willis Nazery, who applied for admission into the itinerant
ranks, and having passed a fair examination was put on his
probation. Probably no one thought that in twelve years from
that day, and in that very house, he would be elected and or¬
dained one of the Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church, and one of its most efficient.* There was nothing
striking in the physique of Brother Nazery but his height, which
was about six feet and two inches; nor was there anything
remarkable in his speech to arrest the attention of the beholder
and cause one to predict his future elevation, for all his sermons
and conversation were commonplace. It was his activity, his
promptness and general force of character that made the place
for him.
A missionary for all the New England states was appointed in
the person of Rev. N. C. W. Cannon—a very important and hon¬
orable commission. The preachers of this Conference were
obligated by a resolution to preach four sermons during the year
on the subject of education, and to take up collections for Sun¬
day-schools.
Brothers Shepherd Holcomb and E. N. Hall were admitted
on trial, and Brother George Ware passed into full connection.
Brothers Joshua Jenkins and Edward Thompson were ordained
deacons in a local capacity, and Brother Eli N. Hall an elder.
Again we find a slight increase in members, as reported from
the New York churches for 1840. Including the work in Upper
Canada and the missions in New England—Providence, R. I.;
Boston, Mass.; and Springfield, Mass., we find the number to be
1,276, The salaries amounted to $593.34, while contingent col¬
lections, with donations from Daughters of Conference, amounted
to $175.73; $29.22 were also sent in by the pastors of the mis¬
sions, circuits and stations for the General Fund.
Brother Asa Jeffrey, who was ordained a deacon at the last
session of this Conference, had fallen this year. Like the two
* He was elected and ordained at the same time with the writer. Sub¬
sequently, in 1856, he emigrated to the British Province of Canada West,
and became the first Bishop of the British Methodist Episcopal Church.
128
History of the A. M. E. Church.
mentioned in the Philadelphia Conference as having departed,
Brother Jeffrey was a man advanced in years, being in his sev¬
entieth year at his death. He had been admitted into this
Annual Conference in 1837, and his ordination as deacon, as will
be remembered, in the year 1889, was for the benefit of our people
at Lockport. For many years he had been a member and
preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is mentioned
by Rev. George Hogarth as a "man of exemplary piety," and it
was because of " his deep interest for the spiritual welfare of his
own people" that he came to the conclusion, four years previous
to his death, to become attached to our Church, and thereby
become wholly identified with us, being satisfied that it afforded
the best opportunity of doing the most spiritual good among us.
Old and infirm as he was, " he was truly zealous for the promo¬
tion of His kingdom," as was evinced by his effort to serve the
church at Lockport. Rev. Jeremiah Miller, one whom we
noticed in the Philadelphia Conference, was a member of the
New York Conference when he died, and this body gives excel¬
lent testimony concerning his life and character. For twenty-
three years he had been a member of our Church, and the Lord
had blessed him abundantly in his labors in the ministry. He
was a " very peculiar man in his manners and deportment," wTe
are told, yet it is added that " wherever he traveled, like the
apostles of our Heavenly Master, the observer could identify in
him the marks of the suffering and dying of his Lord and Mas¬
ter." Indeed, we find him, just before yielding up his life, a
strong worker in his protracted meetings, and " adding about
sixty-four souls to the Church as a seal to his ministry."
By the order of the General Conference held this year two
more Annual Conferences were brought into existence—the Upper
Canada and the Indiana, and from this point we date the organ¬
ization of our Canadian work. The Upper Canada Conference was
organized by the Rt. Rev. Morris Brown, in the city of Toronto,
July 21st, 1840. It was a fit place for such an important move¬
ment, first, because of the beauty of the place, whose location is
on the western banks of Lake Ontario, whose waters seem to
reflect the deep azure of that heaven in which the church trium¬
phant is now rejoicing, and to which the church militant is now
hastening; second, because the inhabitants of this city were pos¬
sessed of such a magnanimous and generous spirit shown
towards'the doAvn-trodden descendants of Africa when they sought
Growth Westward and in Canada.
129
an asylum from the cruelties of the "Fugitive Slave Law" of
these United States; and third, because it has always been the
great seat of learning and Christian benevolence for the western
portion of British America.
As to the particular manner in which this Conference was
organized, nothing appears on the face of the minutes. There
were twelve members of this first Conference. Elder Edmund
Crosby, missionary to Canada West, and the assistant of the
Bishop, Deacon George Weir, of Rochester, N. Y., with the fol¬
lowing preachers, all of whom were residents of Canada West:
William Edwards, Samuel Brown, James Harper, Alexander
Hemsley, Jeremiah Taylor, Daniel D. Thompson, Peter O'Banyon,
Jacob Dorsey and Henry Bullard. Brother Weir was chosen as its
secretary, and was ordained an elder, also, at this Conference.
Daniel D. Thompson and Peter O'Banyon were admitted on
trial, and Samuel Brown into full connection, while he, with
James Harper, William Edwards and Alexander Hemsley, was
afterwards chosen and ordained deacon, after which Samuel
Brown was ordained to the office of an elder. This suspension
of the law of the church was manifestly to serve some useful end.
The Conference embodied in the work of its first session reso¬
lutions against the use of ardent spirits and encouraging to the
foundation of temperance societies. It also resolved .that all its
preachers should preach expressly in favor of education, and
everywhere encourage it. Sabbath-schools were to be established
wherever possible, and the first Friday of each year was to be
set apart as a day of fasting, thanksgiving and prayer to Almighty
God for the general progress of the Gospel throughout the world,
and for the prosperity of our Connection, the first failure to ob¬
serve the same to cause the preacher offending'to be amenable to
the next Annual Conference.
The circuits designated as St. Catharine's, Brantford, London
Circuit and the West, together with Toronto Station, gave a total
of two hundred and fifty-six members in Society, and they were
manned by preachers stationed as follows: William Edwards was
sent to Toronto Station, James Harper was sent to London Cir¬
cuit and the West, Jeremiah Taylor was appointed to Brantford
Circuit, and Alexander Hemsley was sent upon St. Catherine's
Circuit.
From this organized beginning in new territory we turn to the
9
180
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Western Conference—the Ohio, or Pittsburg, as it was sometimes
called. It opened its deliberations in the city of Pittsburg on
the fifth day of September (1840), with the Rt. Rev. Morris Brown
presiding. There were seven elders, six deacons, and six preach¬
ers present. Mr. John B. Vashon, a layman, was chosen as its
secretary, and the usual resolutions on temperance, education,
Sunday-schools, the book concern and slavery were passed. That
we may note the utterance of the Ohio ministry of that period
upon this last-named question, Ave present the resolution :
We, the members of this Conference, are fully satisfied that the prin¬
ciples of the Gospel are arrayed against all sin, and that it is the duty of
all Christians to use their influence and energies against all systems that
rudely trample under foot the claims of justice and the sacred principle of
revelation. And whereas, slavery pollutes the character of the Church of
God, and makes the bible a sealed book to thousands of immortal beings,
therefore,
Resolved, That we will aid by our prayers those pious persons whom God
has raised up to plead the cause of the dumb until every fetter shall be
broken, and all men enjoy the liberty which the Gospel proclaims.
The Conference reported a total of two thousand four hundred
and forty-eight members in Society, a considerable increase oyer
the last report given in 1828, when the numbers reached one
thousand eight hundred and seventeen. The appointments at
this Conference were as follows: Thomas Lawrence to Pittsburg
Station, Henry Addenson to Cincinnati Station, Fayette Davis
to Chillicothe Circuit, Simon Ratcliffe and M. M. Clark to Hills-
boro Circuit, George Coleman to Zanesville Circuit, George John¬
son to Richmond Circuit, Samuel G. Clinghman to Uniontown
Circuit, Charles H. Peters to Columbus Circuit, Major T. Wilker-
son to Urbana Circuit, Austin Jones to Massilon Circuit. Robert
Johnson was transferred to the second new Conference formed
this year—the Indiana Conference.
This Conference was organized at a place called Blue River, in
Indiana, October 2d, 1840, when twenty-one ministers assembled
for that purpose, and conducted its deliberations. The elders
were Rev. William P. Quinn, Henry Addenson, Thomas Law¬
rence, Fayette Davis, Jeremiah Thomas; the deacons, Rev. George
W. Johnson, Claiborne Yancy, Robert Johnson and M. J. Wil-
kerson; the preachers, Robert Jones, Nathan Ward, Daniel Wins-
low, Shadrack Stewart, Henry Tryon, Matthew T. Newsom,
Benjamin Hill, Willis R. Revels, Matthew Sawyers, Thomas
Growth Westward and in Canada.
131
Winmon, Benjamin Scipworth. Henry Acldenson was made
Bishop Brown's assistant in the absence of Bishop Waters, and
Major J. Wilkerson was chosen secretary.
All the preachers mentioned above, excepting the first three,
were received on trial, together with M. M. Clark, and out of the
whole list only Robert Jones, Shadrack Stewart and Benjamin
Hill were itinerants.
M. T. Newsom was transferred to the Ohio'Conference this
year under Major J. Wilkerson. A total of one thousand one
hundred and sixty-eight in Society was reported from the dif¬
ferent circuits, which included Brooklyn Circuit in Illinois. It
was a meager support which the preachers and elders obtained
that year, as the entire sum only reached $234.88, to be divided
into six portions, in sums ranging from thirty dollars to fifty,
but it did better than the Canada Conference in its contingent
money, collecting $45.50, while the former collected $9.25; yet
the Indiana Conference, upon its organization, had twenty-one
members representing one thousand one hundred and sixty-eight
in Society, while the Canada Conference had twelve members
representing two hundred and fifty-six in Society. With nearly
five times the number in Society, and nearly double the number
of members, it raised nearly five times the amount—small though
the larger sum was. Claiborne Yancy was ordained an elder
at this Conference, and the preachers were appointed as follows:
George W. Johnson to Richmond Circuit, Robert Jones to Indian¬
apolis Circuit, Shadrack Stewart to Terre Haute Circuit, and
William P. Quinn and Benjamin Hill were sent to Brooklyn
Circuit, Illinois, and at the same time all these circuits were
placed under the oversight of Elder Quinn.
The year 1840 was not only remarkable for the organization of
new Conferences, but also for its literary movement; for, by the
statement of Rev. George Hogarth, who, at this time, was the
general book steward, the idea of publishing a magazine for the
benefit of the Connection was considered and discussed at the
Annual Conferences of this year. The General Conference, too,
was held this year in the city of Baltimore, but not a vestige of
the proceedings is handed clown to us. It is certain that the
minutes were never published, and we are led to infer that the
terror of slaveholders led to this death-like silence.
Another circumstance which renders this a notable year was
the fact that the last opportunity for securing the fruits of the
132
History of the A. M. E. Church.
labors of our three missionaries * to Hayti was lost through want
of zeal, tact, and missionary enterprise, as will be evident from
the following occurrence in the New York Annual Conference
the following year (1841). It seems that while the Conference
was progressing in the examination of characters, Rev. George
Hogarth, the secretary, impeached Rev. Charles A. Spicer"for
having accepted an invitation," at the Annual Conference of
1839, to become part of a delegation from this Connection to a
Convention of Methodists which was to meet in the month of
December last, in the city of Port-au-Prince, capital of the
Republic of Hayti, for the purpose of organizing themselves into
a religious body of that denomination in that republic; and our
Bishop, as he understood, had received an invitation from that
country to send such a delegation to that convention, that our
Connection might be represented in the formation of that body
of Christians in that country. But Brother Spicer, instead of going
to Port-au-Prince, as he offered himself, went to Europe, contrary
to the expectation of the Bishop and the Conference, and de¬
prived this Connection of being represented in that convention,
which has given another denomination of Methodists in this
country, in opposition to ours, the ascendency in the hearts and
feelings of that body of Christians, they having been wTell repre¬
sented there, j
* Brothers Scipio Beanes, Richard Robinson and Isaac Miller.
t While this is true, it was so at that time. Fifty years later our Church
is found to have a new hold upon that island, and bids fair to wield im¬
mense power in future.
CHAPTER XV.
CLOSING YEAES OF THE FIRST PERIOD.
Proper Observance of the Sabbath—Ordination of Willis Nazrey and
Others—Canada Conference—Promising Growth—Baltimore Conference
of 1842—Willis Nazrey Admitted into Full Connection—Action in Favor
of Missions—News from the Haytian Methodist Church—Action of
Conference—Educational Interests Looked After—D. A. Payne's Pre¬
amble and Resolution in Behalf of Ministerial Education—Financial
Embarrassment of the Boston Church—Providence Prays for Independ¬
ent Existence as a Station.
FOR the first time the ministers of the Philadelphia District
held their annual meeting before that of Baltimore was
convened, and, as we enter .the year 1841, we find its pro¬
ceedings the first to note.
They assembled in the City of Brotherly Love April 10th, as
usual, with Rt. Rev. Morris Brown presiding, and Rev. John
Boggs his assistant in Bishop Water's absence. Sixty members
made up the body-—fifteen elders, twenty deacons and twenty-
four preachers. Six men were admitted on trial—Thomas W.
Jackson, Samuel Murray, George Greenly, Lewis J. Conover,
John Butler and Wardle W. Parker. Seven were received into
full connection—James Burton, Benjamin Wilkins, Robert Col¬
lins, John Anderson, Nathaniel Murray, Ishmael Berry and
Isaac Parker. The last named and Samuel Murray were or¬
dained deacons. Rev. Adam Clincher had died in the seventieth
year of his age. He is spoken of as a " man of exemplary piety
and zealous in his Master's cause."
The proper observation of the Sabbath Day was touched upon
in a resolution instructing elders and preachers having charge of
circuits or stations to see that no preacher or minister keeps
open shop, oyster or eating-house, or shaving-shop on that day.
Another resolution was to the effect that any member of this
Conference failing to discharge the duties incumbent upon him
relative to the instruction of children should be amenable to the
Annual Conference for his dereliction of duty.
The trouble in carrying out this resolution lay in the fact that
they would admit men into the itinerancy who had neither tal-
(133)
134
History of the A. M. E. Church.
ents, nor culture, nor taste, which could get them to become suffi¬
ciently interested in the Sabbath-school to become themselves in¬
structors of the children and youths who were growing up daily
under their eyes. For lack of pastors qualified to oversee and
cherish Sunday-schools, hundreds of the most talented and in¬
telligent children of Methodist parents have forsaken us and
united themselves with the Presbyterians and Episcopalians,
whose ministers have been sufficiently educated to be earnest
workers in the Sabbath-schools of all the cities on the Atlantic
coast, from New Haven down to Washington, D. C.
It is to be observed that, as the statistics are compared with
the annual returns for the preceding year (1840), there is a de¬
crease in members in Society amounting to four hundred and
seven, as the report returns but 4,252 against 4,659 in 1840. Up
to this time the increase for the five years previous had been
slight, still it was an increase;, but there is no reason assigned
for such a decrease as occurs this year.
Both Bishops were present at the Conference of the Baltimore
District, which assembled May 8th, 1841. There were in addi¬
tion nine elders, seven deacons and ten preachers. Five preach¬
ers were admitted on probation. These were Benjamin Boyes,
John L. Armstrong, Thomas Hall, Darius Stokes and Wm. G.
Brown. Willis Nazery and John L. Armstrong were ordained
deacons, and Levin Lee Avas ordained an elder.
Numbered among the dead were Brothers Pha3ton Blake, Jacob
Howard and Southey Hammond, concerning whom we learn
nothing more than that they " died in the triumphs of faith."
It is a pity that the early Annual Conferences did not, through
intelligent committees, inquire into the life and characters of
their preachers who died, and report such a sketch of their lives as
would give them the credit due, and at the same time render their
biographies varied and interesting as they should be truthful.
The churches on the Columbia Circuit petitioned the Confer¬
ence to detach them from the Baltimore and attach them to the
Philadelphia District, but this was refused. All the laymen of
the churches who were office-bearers were hereafter to be admitted
to seats in Conference, but to have no voice. The office of dis¬
trict book steward for the ensuing year was filled by the selection
of Brother William G. Brown.
The statistics show a decrease of membership also in this dis¬
trict, in reporting 2,514 against 2,636 in 1840, a decrease of 122.
Closing Years of the First Period.
135
At this time there were in the Baltimore Station two Sunday-
schools, embracing two hundred and eight scholars and nineteen
teachers. The sum of $81.99 was raised to sustain them. Wash¬
ington City Station also reported two schools, in which were
two hundred and four children, with twelve teachers, and $17
raised for their support. Fell's Point had no school. Columbia
Circuit reported one school, three teachers and thirty scholars;
Lancaster, one school, three teachers and twenty scholars; Car¬
lisle, one large school in a prosperous condition; Gettysburg,
and Levviston, each, the same, and Baltimore Station reported
one day or common school, one teacher and fifty scholars. This
is the first report of Sunday and common schools on the records
of our Connection, and the Conference closed its deliberations by
pledging themselves to sustain common and Sunday-schools.
The business growing out of the pastoral relations of the min¬
isters of the New York District was transacted this year in Brook¬
lyn, where they convened the 29th of May, 1841. Neither one
of the Bishops were present at the opening, and we learn, inci¬
dentally, that at least the absence of one (Bishop Brown) was
due largely to the fact that he must attend the laying of the
corner-stone of Bethel Church, in Philadelphia, which ceremony
was to take place June 2d.
By his recommendation, Brother John Boggs, of the city of
New York, was selected as chairman, to officiate during his ab¬
sence, organize the Conference, and proceed to the business of
examination of members. Brother Richard Robertson was chosen
his assistant and Brother Hogarth was made secretary.
Jabez P. Campbell appears here for admission, with Charles
Burch, on trial as local preachers. The former also applied for
itinerant work, but, on the ground of his feeble health, Confer¬
ence refused the application. It saw fit, however, to recommend
him a§ one, among others, who might be ordained a local deacon,
at the discretion of Bishop Brown, and that he or another might
be placed at Providence, R. I., provided the Bishop found no
preacher there already ordained when he should visit that place
in the interval of the Conference. An irregular petition from
"the brethren" at New Haven for the ordination of Brother
Burch as a local deacon was the means of a refusal, as it pro¬
ceeded from a public meeting and not from a Quarterly Confer¬
ence. John C. Spence was also located.
Rev. George Weir, laboring in the Canadian regions, sent in-
136
History of the A. M. E. Church.
formation to the Conference of the prosperity of the churches
under his pastoral care, and expressions of the good feelings of
the brethren in those regions. It seems that the Railway Church
was still in pecuniary embarrassment, and in order that it might
be extricated, a committee was appointed for the purpose, which
was to act in conjunction with a Philadelphia committee.
This Conference detached the Binghampton Circuit from the
Philadelphia District and put it under the jurisdiction of the
New York District. We find, also, that aside from this enlarge¬
ment it made an appointment for the Baltimore District by
sending Sampson Peters and L. Conover upon the Columbia
Circuit, and one for the Philadelphia District also, while its other
appointments, eight in number, including Binghampton Circuit,
were filled by stationing Clayton Durham on Long Island Cir¬
cuit, John Boggs at New York, Eli N. Hall at Albany, Jeffry
Goulden at Rochester, George Weir at Buffalo, Charles A. Spicer
on the Binghampton Circuit, and N. C. W. Cannon on to New
England Mission. The Burlington Circuit of the Philadelphia
District was supplied by Israel Scott.
In a financial way, we find a decrease in the amount paid for
salaries, as compared with the previous year. There was raised
in 1841, $531.78, while the sum reached in 1840 was $593.34.
Contingent collections amounted to a smaller sum as well. There
was an effort to improve the finances by decreeing that "two
cents a month shall be collected from each member." We find
that even those helpful orders, the Benevolent Daughters of
Conference and the United Daughters of Conference, were not
able to reach the figures of the previous year in their offerings,
which, united, amounted to $72.47 this year, while they had
presented, in 1840, $92.50. But if the financial part of the work
was weaker in one direction, there was evidence that money
could be raised in the pledges of a total of $56.50 from N. C. W.
Cannon, Richard Robinson, Eli N. Hall, John Boggs, Charles A.
Spicer, Isaac Parker and the Philadelphia Church, in support of
the new enterprise, which was to make this Conference noted as
giving birth to the first literary measure known in the history of
the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It did this, as has
been already intimated, in the following resolution:
Resolved, That the^e shall in future be a magazine published, either
quarterly or monthly, for the benefit of the Connection, instead of the
minutes.
Closing Years of the First Period.
137
So we see, even though we find a decrease in the member¬
ship in the churches of fifty-one, that there was an increase in
the growing intelligence, which would push forward and strive
to uphold such a measure in the face of objections based upon
the financial disability of the Connection.
This Conference, too, presents the first instance in which the
report of the general book steward assumes a business-like form,
by which a clear view of the whole work of the Conference year
is given. By it we find a balance in favor of the book concern
amounting to $1,318.54.
The Indiana churches held their Annual Conference in Rush
County, on Blue River, assembling on the 27th of August. Rt.
Rev. Morris Brown presided, and Turner Roberts was made sec¬
retary. Only two elders were present, William P. Quinn and
Thomas Lawrence. Elder Quinn was, by motion, made an as¬
sistant to Bishop Brown, as Bishop Waters was again absent.
Thomas Elsworth, Allen Graham, Benjamin Coals and William
Douglas were admitted on trial, and the first named and the last
were also ordained deacons. Robert Jones was elected to the
office of an elder and Benjamin Hill was located. Elder Quinn
was appointed by Bishop Brown as presiding elder over the
states of Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, until the meeting of the
next General Conference. It closed its deliberations by electing
William Davidson as district book steward, and passing resolu¬
tions in favor of temperance and Sunday-schools.
The Indiana Conference showed vigor and growth in its re¬
ported increase of two hundred and sixty-two members in Society
for the Conference year.
The representatives of the Ohio churches assembled in Cincin¬
nati on the 11th of September, 1841. Three preachers were ad¬
mitted on trial: W. T. Newsum, W. C. Yancy and John Gibbons.
George Coleman was elected and ordained an elder. Daniel
Winslow, M. M. Clark and J. Gibbons were ordained deacons,
and Jeremiah Thomas, Claiborne Yancy and J. Gibbons were
put upon their probation as traveling preachers. Austin Jones
and Isaac Delaney were numbered with the dead, but no obituary
is given of these men to indicate their piety, their talents, nor
their usefulness.
Up to this date, and at the Indiana Conference of 1841, there
have been found no instances of transfers by motion in an An¬
nual Conference, which was evidently a departure from Metho-
138
History of the A. M. E. Church.
distic usage. Here we have the first record of the kind when
Turner Roberts was by motion transferred to the Indiana Con¬
ference.
Among the resolutions passed was one creating a committee of
three to draft an address upon the condition of our people, and
also, to construct a constitution to govern the Societies of the
Western Conferences. It appears that the preachers had com¬
plied with the resolutions passed by the last Conference relative
to the causes of temperance and education, and that these im¬
portant causes espoused by the Church were progressing among
the members of the Church, particularly in the large towns and
cities. The preachers were instructed to preach upon these sub¬
jects at least twice a quarter, and by every means in their power
to do what was possible towards furthering the objects in view
by increasing the educational interests, and suppressing, as far as
they could, intemperance, and especially the use of intoxicating
drinks. In this connection the Conference resolved that all can¬
didates for the itinerancy should be examined, and be required
to give satisfactory evidence as to their temperance principles
before being admitted into the traveling connection. The other
abuses—that of prolonging the hours of night service, and the
singing of fugue tunes and hymns, were corrected.
The second annual meeting of the pastors of the Canadian
churches was held in St. Catherine, Upper Canada, October 2d,
1841. As neither Bishop Brown or Bishop Waters were present,
Rev. Edmund Crosby was chosen the president, with S. Brown as
his assistant, and George Weir as secretary. This year George
Wilkerson was admitted on trial, and Jacob Dorsey, Edward
Gant, Jeremiah Taylor and Josiah Henderson were received into
full connection. The growth of this Conference was also prom¬
ising, as there was an increase of one hundred and eighty-three.
When the Conference year of 1842 opened, the Baltimore Dis¬
trict met on the 23d of April to make their parochial reports.
Both Bishops were present, and also nine elders, nine deacons,
and four preachers. We find Willis Nazery admitted into full
connection, and Henry AVaters and William Gaines into the
itinerant service on probation, while Aaron Wilson was reported
as dead.
The church in Hagerstown was attached at this time to the
Frenchtown Circuit. Among resolutions of minor importance
the following helped to constitute the business of this Conference:
Closing Years of the First Period.
139
Resolved, That every traveling preacher who shall neglect for one year
to take up the collections of two cents per month from each member for
the support of the ministry shall be expelled from the Connection, unless
he sends a letter or note to the steward of his circuit or station giving
satisfactory reason for such neglect.
Resolved, That the preacher from each circuit or station shall, in future,
produce at the Annual Conference a certificate, properly authenticated,
containing the number of Sabbath and day schools, scholars and teachers
within his charge, and also the amount of collections made during the year
for their support.
Twelve Sabbath and two day schools were found to be in ex¬
istence in the bounds of this Conference, while progress in good
work was exhibited in the petition which came to the Confer¬
ence, praying its influence and aid in establishing the African
and Foreign Home Missionary Society. This was received, and
Conference ordered that all our preachers on their circuits and
stations shall render their aid in promoting such a laudable
society.*
Nine hundred and eighty members were in Society at Balti¬
more City Station, four hundred and twenty-six on Fell's Point
Circuit, four hundred and fifty on Columbia Circuit, two hundred
and twenty-five on Chambersburgh Circuit, seventy-nine on
Lewiston, sixty-six at Easton, sixty-seven at Frenchtown, and
three hundred and ninety-two elsewhere. Their two-cent collec¬
tions amounted to $60.31, while the collections for contingent
expenses amounted to $117.63, of which Washington City raised
$30.50.
As we turn to the Philadelphia churches, the ministry of which
commenced their deliberations in the city of Philadelphia on the
21st of May, this year (1842), we find both Bishops present, to¬
gether with nineteen elders, thirteen deacons, and nineteen
preachers, making fifty-three in all. Rev. David Ware was chosen
secretary, and three preachers were admitted on trial—William
Webb, C. P. Gibson and Daniel A. Payne. Three were admitted
into full connection—Adam Driver, Abram Coursey and Stephen
Holcomb. Isaac Parker requested to be located, and his prayer
was granted.
There were reported among the departed this year Robert Hol¬
comb, John Hight and Henry Brown. The first named died at
the ripe old age of ninety-seven years, and had been a member
*This society was the result of the Convention held in Hartford, Conn.,
the August previous.
140
History of the A. M. E. Church.
of the church for twenty-five years. He is spoken of as a " plain,
simple-hearted Christian, a pointed and solid preacher, a good
husband, and a firm friend. He commenced his public labors
about 1822." John Hight and Henry Brown were both venerable
preachers of the Gospel in our Connection and "wore themselves
out in the service."
The Trenton Circuit was divided into two divisions, the east¬
ern portion bearing the name of Princeton, and the western that
of the Trenton Circuit. Strong efforts were made to have the
funds of the church properly looked after, and this Conference
passed some very stringent resolutions on the subject. Among
them, any itinerant preacher neglecting to take up collections in
his charge for the purpose of defraying the expense of the An¬
nual Conference, or neglecting to collect the two-cent money,
would be liable to expulsion from the ministry. The necessity
of these resolutions seems to indicate a lack of prudence in finan¬
cial matters among the itinerant preachers of that time.
Whether it had been customary for preachers, after making
their returns to Conference, to return to their charges without
being located, does not seem very clear, still, from this resolution,
it would seem that such was the case, as it prohibited any one
from returning and holding quarterly meetings without the
episcopal authority expressly granted under the penalty of ex¬
pulsion.
The local preachers and exhorters were required by this Con¬
ference to establish a home missionary society, which was to be
subject to the Annual Conference. But it can hardly be supposed
that the Philadelphia brethren really thought that the local
preachers and exhorters felt more intensely the need of mission¬
ary enterprise, and would evince more zeal in the sacred cause
than the itinerants themselves.
It was at this time that we have news again from the Haytian
Methodist Church, as it was now called, as it had separated from
the African Methodist Episcopal Church. At this period and to
this Conference news comes of the pecuniary difficulties which
it seems to have been suffering. Henry J. Williamson, on behalf
of the Church in Hayti, requested, through a petition, assistance,
and this the Conference promised to grant, and at the same time
gave Mr. Williamson a letter of introduction or recommendation
to the general public and another to the Hartford Conference.
But despite the resolutions to grant aid, the Church in Hayti
Closing Years of the First Period.
141
received nothing at that time. It was also recognized at this and
other Conferences that much good might result from sending
one of the Bishops on a visit to that island, but the efforts put
forth went no farther than mere resolutions, for some cause or
other, and it remained for later workers in the field to take a
view of the land that we might have possessed in full had we
fully seized as well as recognized the opportunities for our
Church. Every such failure is regarded to-day as a loss.
The Rah way church appears again to have been in an embar¬
rassed condition, and a collection was recommended to be taken
up for its relief. " The Church Magazine," too, which had been
established in 1841, appears at this early period of its existence
in " deep water." It had been published as a monthly, and the
first number had appeared in September of that year, but at this
Conference a resolution is passed to publish it quarterly. Still,
in spite of its embarrassed condition from so many and varied
claims, it strove nobly and, as a whole, wisely to steer clear of
future difficulties.
But if financial matters were somewhat clouded, the educa¬
tional interests were kept clearly before the brethren. The reso¬
lutions leading toward -progress in this direction are worthy of
being kept in mind as the first formulated effort toward a course
of regular study. It was first resolved, " That the elders and
deacons of the Connection make use of all the means in our
power from henceforth to cultivate our minds and increase our
store of knowledge." Then, second, " That we recommend to all
our elders and deacons, licensed preachers and exhorters, the dil¬
igent and indefatigable study of the following branches of use¬
ful knowledge: English Grammar, Geography, Arithmetic,
Rollin's Ancient History, Modern History, Ecclesiastical History,
Natural and Revealed Theology." These resolutions were intro¬
duced by the following preliminary: " Whereas, The great liter¬
ary advantages which the rising generation enjoys require more
than ordinary intelligence in the ministry that may be called to
instruct them; and, whereas, our excellent discipline cannot be
fully executed, nor our present plans of improvement fully con¬
summated without an intelligent ministry; and still more,
whereas, the word of God requires that the priest's lips should
keep knowledge, and they (the people) should seek the law at
his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts; there¬
fore, etc."
142
History of the A. M. E. Church.
These resolutions, presented by D. A. Payne at that date, were
the first strong, entering wedges to rive the mass of general
ignorance and force the ministry of our Church to a higher
plane of intellectual culture. Still, the state of both education
and temperance in the bounds of the Philadelphia Conference
for the year 1842 was promising. We find that at Princeton,
N. J., there were, under the pastoral care of H. C. Turner, one
common school, containing thirty-five scholars and one teacher;
one Sunday-school, with sixty-seven scholars and fifteen teach¬
ers; and one temperance society, with one hundred members.
At Trenton we find one common school, containing thirty schol¬
ars and one teacher; one Sunday-school, containing forty schol¬
ars and twelve teachers, and one temperance society, with thirty
members. Rahway, N. J., reported thirty scholars and six
teachers in its one Sunday-school, and sixty members in its one
temperance society. Gouldtown, N. J., under Rev. J. Beulah,
had one Sunday-school and thirty scholars. Bucks County Cir¬
cuit was under Rev. I. Parker, and had thirty scholars in its one
common school, and twenty-seven in its Sunday-school, which
was under the care of one teache.r. It also had one temperance
society, as did Attleboro and Buckingham Mountain. But the
largest work was being done at Philadelphia, under the care of
Bishop Morris Brown. Rev. D. A. Payne had under his charge
one seminary for both sexes, containing forty scholars; one lit¬
erary society, with twenty members; one Sunday-school, having
sixty scholars and nine teachers; and one temperance society,
with eight hundred members. The president of this last was
Dr. James G. Bias. There was also in Philadelphia, under the
care of Rev. David Ware, one common school, with thirty schol¬
ars, and one Sunday-school, with three hundred scholars and
twenty-four teachers.
Bishop Morris Brown held the pastorate of Bethel Church this
year, as he had done many years before, and his church gave
$120 of the total amount collected for contingent expenses,
which was $148.74.
According to appointment the pastors of the New York
churches met on the 11th of June, in Bethel Church, on Second
street, and transacted the business belonging to the district. Rt.
Rev. Morris Brown was present and presided, assisted by Rt.
Rev. Edward Waters. Rev. George Hogarth was chosed secre¬
tary. Henry Johnson and J. P. Campbell were two itinerants
Closing Years of the First Period.
143
who were admitted on trial, together with two local preachers,
Goldsbury Warner and John Scott. James Sharp was received
into full connection. We find financial embarrassments, as well
as in the other districts, for the church at Boston, Mass., prayed
Conference not to send them a pastor for the present year, as
their embarrassed condition would prevent them from giving
him a support; but they asked to be supplied with ministerial
help from Providence, R. I. The church at Providence, mean¬
while, petitioned to be dismembered from the New England
Mission and converted into a station, which was granted. Since
then the church at Providence has been the most efficient of all
the New England congregations, not only in pastoral support,
but also in sustaining all the institutions of the Church and
Connection. A body of Christians, who had recently seceded
from the Zion Wesley Church, prayed Conference to receive them
into the fellowship of the Connection, and be put under the
pastorate of the New York City Station. This was granted and
provisions were also made for constituting all the licentiates in
said church members of the Annual Conference.
The petition of the Haytian churches, which had been laid
before the Philadelphia brethren, was also brought up for consid¬
eration and resulted in securing the sympathy and promised aid of
the Conference. It was made the duty of all the traveling preach¬
ers to produce a certificate from their recording stewards, in
proof that they had done their best to raise the moneys created
by the two-cent system, expulsion from the itineracy to be the
penalty of neglect to produce such a certificate.
The report on education showed that there were taught in the
basement of Bethel Church, Second street, New York, one day
school, containing one hundred and twenty-one scholars of both
sexes, and one Sunday-school, containing thirty males and
thirty-five females, managed by eleven teachers.
When the general book steward made his annual report, in
which he presented his views of a plan for the improvement of
the concern, it was approved by all present. It was decreed that
the steward should procure a suitable room for a depository of
the books of the concern, and that whenever the book committee
was called upon to attend to the business of the concern, each
member of it should be allowed the value of a half day's work.
It was also decided that each subscriber paying one dollar an¬
nually should be entitled to one copy of the magazine, and that
144
History of the A. M. E. Church.
to non-subscribers the magazine should be sold at a price not
exceeding twelve and a half cents per copy; also, that the book
steward, with this committee, should have power to send out
two agents, one northward, the other southward, to solicit sub¬
scribers for said magazine, who should be rewarded for their
services by a ten per cent, premium, the duty of such agents to
be the entering the names of subscribers with the amount of all
their receipts on their subscription -books, and the making of
regular returns to the book concern. There were those who felt
that the proper progress in the Connection could best be brought
about by the publication of the magazine monthly instead of
quarterly, as the Philadelphia and Baltimore Conferences had
ordered, so Rev. Daniel A. Payne sent a communication to this
Conference (under whose control the book concern had been
placed by the General Conference), praying that the resolutions
of the afore-mentioned Conferences be set aside, and the maga¬
zine be published monthly. After due consideration it was
resolved, " That so much of the action taken by the Baltimore
and Philadelphia Conferences on the part of the publication of
our magazine be revoked, and that it shall he published monthly
instead of quarterly."
Rev. D. A. Payne also introduced resolutions concerning min¬
isterial education similar to those introduced by him in the Phil¬
adelphia Conference.
The general book steward and his colleagues were also instructed
"to publish the rise and progress of our Church, with a revision
of the life and death of the late Bishop Allen, the founder'of our
Connection; also the journal, or the life and death of the late
Joseph M. Corr, the former general book steward."
The Canadian churches gathered together on the second of
July, 1842, in the city of Hamilton, C. W., Bishop Brown pre¬
sided, assisted by Samuel Brown. Three elders, three deacons
and five preachers were present. Henry Ballard, a layman, acted
as Conference steward. Four were admitted on probation. These
were Peter Smith, Zachariah Estress, Austin Steward and James
Walke. At this meeting Josiah Henson was ordained a deacon,
and Austin Steward, the exhorter, in whose behalf the brethren
at Rochester had memorialized Conference, was received into the
itinerant service of the Church, and then immediately trans¬
ferred back to the New York Conference. Jeremiah Taylor, Jacob
Dorsey and Edward Gant were received into full connection.
Closing Years of the First Period.
145
Rev. James Harper and Rev. Alexander Hemsley were ordained
elders. This was the second year of the existence of the Canada
Conference, and the first time that we have a report of their
quarterage. We will exhibit their places of appointment and sal¬
aries received, so that we may judge somewhat of their financial
strength and progress, and also, that we may have data with
which to compare the subsequent financial condition of the
Church in these regions. Alexander Hemsley received $12.12 at
Toronto, Jeremiah Taylor received $22.23 on London Circuit,
James Harper received $20 on Branford Circuit, Josiah Henson
received $19.50 on Colchester Circuit, and William Edwards and
Jacob Dorsey received $24 on St. Catharine's Circuit, making a
total of $97.84. The contingent expenses reached the sum of
$57.70.
The territory of the Canada Conference was enlarged this year
by the addition of the city of Detroit, in the state of Michigan,
and Queensbush, in the township of Peel, Canada West.
On the* 25th of August, 1842, the ministers of the Indiana
regions met in the village of Yincennes, and spent eight days
deliberating on the condition and prospects of the work of God
committed to their care. There were present five elders, five
deacons, and ten licentiates. In the absence of Bishop Waters,
Elder Quinn was chosen to assist Bishop Brown, and iEneas
Mcintosh was made secretary. Six persons Avere put upon their
probation as itinerants—James Curtis, Israel Cole, Joshua B.
Dunlap, Bird Parker, iEneas Mcintosh and Willis R. Revels.
Turner Roberts was transferred from the Ohio Conference to this.
Two were ordained elders, George W. Johnson ancl William
Douglas, and two were located, Major J. Wilkerson and Robert
Jones. Rev. David Smith was appointed district book steward
for the state of Indiana, and Rev. W. P. Quinn for Illinois and
Missouri.
The Ohio churches held their annual deliberations this year,
beginning on the 17th of September. Nine elders, three deacons
and two licentiates constituted the number present. Henry
Adcusson was chosen assistant to Bishop Brown, as Bishop Waters
did not attend. William Newsum and Thomas Woodson, with
Watkins Lee, were received on trial; Augustus R. Green, David
Canyon and M. M. Clark, into full connection; and the last named,
with Augustus Green, were ordained elders; while Matthew T,
10
146
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Newsum, Thomas Woodson and Simon Ratcliff were ordained
deacons. Claiborne Yancy retired from the itineracy, and
Benjamin Roberts had finished his mortal career, leaving "a
bright testimony behind him." We find at this stage of the ex¬
istence of our Church a number of men entering the work who
were above mediocrity, to say the least. iEneus Mcintosh and
Willis Revels were head and shoulders above the others in the
Indiana District in intellectual endowments and literary attain¬
ments, and Woodson, Clark and Green were much above the
average.
There Avas proper and just recognition at this Conference of
what was denominated the "Western Missions" and missions
generally, and David Winslow was permitted to go home and
settle his private affairs, with the privilege of engaging after¬
wards in mission Avork lying in the bounds of the Ohio District.
Elder William P. Quinn's labors in prosecuting the Avestern
Avork Avere commended, and he Avas designated as entitled to
" that honor and esteem Avhich is clue and is paid to all men
of great minds and enterprising habits." Here Ave find the Avork
of the "Western Missions" summed up: It AA'as begun in 1840,
and noAV (in 1842) it is reported as including eight circuits and
stations, embracing a membership of about eight or nine hun¬
dred, and comprising a colored community of about tAvelve to
fourteen thousand.
CHAPTER XVI.
LITERATURE AND VARIOUS SUBJECTS.
Preparations for the Publication of the Magazine—Contents of the First
Number—The Magazine's Existence of Eight Years—Reasons for Fail¬
ure—Statistical Presentation-First Words on Ministerial Education—
Struggle in 1843 Between Ignorance and Knowledge—Bishop Brown fav¬
oring an Educated Ministry—Alexander Wayman and others Admitted on
Probation—D. A. Payne and Others Admitted into Full Connection—
Willis Nazrey Ordained Elder—New York Conference—J. P. Campbell,
Charles Burch and Thomas W. Jackson Admitted.
WE have already furnished the reader with the circumstances
under which the magazine of the African Methodist Epis¬
copal Church sprang into existence. After Conference
had decided to publish a magazine, the general book steward,
Rev. George Hogarth, set about making the necessary prepara¬
tions. The first copy, as has already been said, was issued in
September, 1841. That there was inherent strength and enter¬
prise, as well as liberal mindedness, existing in the bosom of this
poor and struggling people is shown, not only by the step taken,
but by the material which entered into the literary make-up of
the first number of this magazine and the prospectus which
heralded its advent. This prospectus is given here in full:
To the Friends of the African Methodist Episcopal Church:
Brethren:—The clergy of our Church, in their Conferences, have long
contemplated on the importance and necessity of a magazine, either
monthly or quarterly, published under the immediate supervision of our
Church as a circulating medium of intelligence throughout the wide ex¬
tensive bounds of our Connection. Such a work we consider, if properly
conducted, will be of vast importance toward advancing the interests of
our general Church, and at the same time convey such information period¬
ically through its pages, of the general progress of our Church, as every
friend and well-wisher of our Connection materially desires.
In embarking upon this laudable enterprise it becomes our duty in the
outset to inform our friends that such a work cannot be conducted with
dignity and honor to our people unless it meets with an ample supply of
pecuniary and intellectual means. A fear of failure in obtaining these im¬
portant contingencies had in a great measure prevented our brethren in
their deliberations from coming to any conclusions on this important
subject,
(147)
148
History of the A. M. E. Church.
But, judging from the present aspect of things that the times have
greatly changed in our favor as a people, light has burst forth upon us, in¬
telligence in a great measure has taken the place of ignorance, especially
among the younger portions of our people, opening the avenues to proper
Christian feeling and benevolence, our brethren, from those important
considerations, came to the conclusion at our last New York Annual Con¬
ference, held in June, in the city of Brooklyn, to order such a work, and
lay it before the public for their patronage.
In soliciting the aid of our friends we would wish it fully understood
that it is far from our intention to close our pages to the respectful commu¬
nications of any who may at any time be so kind as to contribute to the
advancement of our enterprise, as we assure our friends that we shall stand
greatly in need of talented contributors to our pages.
Among the prominent objects of our enterprise which call for imme¬
diate and particular attention, is primitive Christianity as was understood
to exist in the Methodist Church in Mr. Wesley's day ; a vindication of the
rights and privileges of our Church in all its bearings in this country as
African Methodists, its episcopacy and doctrines, holding up to the observ¬
ance of our Christian brethren, regardless of color, the importance of union
among us, not only as Methodists, but as worshippers before the same
Lamb in whose blood we are washed; the extension of the Redeemer's
kingdom among our brethren of color in this country, who are still perish¬
ing for the want of an opportunity of hearing his sacred word to their
advantage; the importance of turning the attention of our brethren to
the land of our fathers—the millions of souls who are enshrouded in mid¬
night darkness under heathenish superstition and idolatry—that the prayers
of our brethren may ascend to the ear of the Lord, that he may in mercy
raise up some of our young men and prepare them to carry to Africa's shore
the glad tidings of salvation, that the sunbeams of the morning may burst
forth with its radiant light upon these benighted regions and dispel the
shades of ignorance, superstition, idolatry and death that now lays them
prostrate in the dust; the necessity of contributing to the education of our
pious young men who may be called of God to the work of the ministry,
that they may be able to study unembarrassed to show themselves ap¬
proved of God, workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly divining the
word of truth.
Sabbath school and every other religious instruction shall meet with our
most cordial support, that our members, under God, may become remark¬
able for science and Christian piety and intelligence in this highly favored
land of Christendom. And last, but not least, moral reform in all its
branches shall command our special attention, as we are fully satisfied that
its principles open to the view the avenues to true Christian piety and
holiness.
This work will be issued from the press monthly, and our terms will be
$1 per annum, payable in advance; $1.25 at the end of three months, and
$1.50 at the end of the year.
The ministers in charge of our circuits and stations throughout the
Literature and Various Subjects.
149
Connection, or whomsoever they or the general book steward may appoint,
will become our special agents to solicit subscriptions, to distribute the
work, and collect the funds due from the subscribers and forward to us, for
which they will be allowed the usual commission.
The proceeds of the work, after all expenses are paid, shall be strictly
applied to aid our general Church according to the provisions of our discip¬
line. We sincerely hope that our agents will invariably, when they have
accumulated five or ten dollars, without delay forward the amount through
the mail, that the wheels of our vehicle may at no time be clogged for the
want of any immediate pecuniary support.
We are you-r affectionate brethren in the Lord,
George Hogarth, General Book Steward.
Samuel Edwards, "v
Joshua Jenkins, i cowmite.
Benjamin Croger, c
Willis Jones, J
Such was the prospectus issued by the editor. It is a straight¬
forward document that many other editors would do well to cop}^.
The first number was chiefly occupied by reports and minutes
of the several Annual Conferences which had been held through¬
out the past year. From the October number we cull the follow¬
ing short editorial upon the work of Bishop Brown:
This venerable servant of God, and presiding officer of our Church, is
this day, August 19th (while we are preparing our work for the press),
engaged in opening his Indiana Conference. We trust that it may be at¬
tended with glorious results.
This man of God, we can safely say, feels his mission deeply at heart.
The high, responsible station in which, under God, he has been placed for
the last twelve or fourteen years, he has filled with dignity and honor to
himself and to our general Church, which requires the gratitude of all as
brethren for his devoted zeal in the cause of God and of our Church, for
which cause he has not ceased to labor day and night, traveling through
hot and cold, east, west, north and south.
0, that we may always have such a Bishop that feels the interests of the
Church so deeply at heart! We trust that he will fail not to drop us a few
lines now and then for publication as he is traveling on to his several Con¬
ferences.
There is also a long letter from John M. Brown, of Oberlin
College, dealing chiefly with the question of Education among
the Colored People, and suggesting several possible means where¬
by the increase of education may be effected. ' Among other
things he says:
It is a self evident fact that the people of color of this country have -
been denied the privilege of a liberal education; therefore, it reasonably
150
History of the A. M. E. Church.
follows that they stand much in need of one. In order to get an educa¬
tion, they must apply themselves to study. In these days of light and
knowledge, every man, woman and child can become educated if he will.
The above declarations being evident, it follows, of course, that it is
the duty of all persons to improve their minds, and become educated. . . .
The various resolutions on the subject of education, passed at preceding
Annual Conferences, should be put in action, for until there is action on
the subject it will be impossible to accomplish anything.
Literary institutions should be selected by our Conferences, to which
those of our young men whom we shall hereafter choose as candidates for
the ministry may be sent that they may become prepared for the wrork.
In order to secure this, let there be committees appointed from each
Conference to seek out such institutions as will receive them on the most
favorable terms, and those committees make the most favorable report to
some body, that the Conference may be authorized to act for them in the
interval of the sessions. I would recommend the Oneida Institute, at
Whiteboro, N. Y., for the Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore Districts;
the Oberlin Collegiate Institute for the Ohio and Indiana Districts; and the
Toronto University for the Canada Districts. Neither of these schools are
Methodist institutions. I would advise that the young men first sent out
should only remain in those institutions. The course of studies for the
junior preachers the first four years should be marked out to them in a
manner similar to that of our white brethren.
I want to see our young men come up filled with the Holy Ghost and
cultivated minds. They must build up the foundation thus laid by our
venerable fathers. The names of those noble-hearted pioneers will long
be borne in mind. Generations yet unborn will call them blessed. Three
years, I think, with proper attention on the part of the student, will
accomplish this. Will our brethren act upon this important point without
delay ? Try, dear brother, and urge it upon them; for I consider it the
mainspring of all our future actions, and the life of our Church.
There was still another editorial which is of interest to us to¬
day—one upon the subject of " African Missions:"
Just at this time, August the 19th, while we are busily engaged in pre¬
paring our work for the press, our colored Christian brethren of all de¬
nominations are convened in Hartford, Conn., deliberating on the ways and
means for us to carry the gospel to poor, benighted, downtrodden Africa,
the land of our forefathers.
This is a cause of deep interest to us as a people, and naturally calls the
attention of every person who has one drop of African blood running in
his veins. Every Christian should be deeply interested in this glorious
work.
We sincerely hope that this convention will result in blessings on our
fatherland. Though at present it appears to be a day of small things in
this glorious cause, yet we feel that God will not despise it, but bestow
honor on those who are engaged in this praiseworthy work. What can
Literature and Various Subjects.
151
appear more acceptable in the sight of God than to see the descendants of
Africa as missionaries from our country, filled with the Holy Ghost and
cultivated minds, scattering themselves throughout those benighted
regions, and proclaiming the gospel of light and peace to those millions
of poor souls identified with ourselves in color, who in this gospel day are
still sitting in the valley of the shadow of death ?
We feel much embarrassed in mind that it is beyond our ability to be
present at the convention, though we have had an invitation from the
committee to attend, but they have our unceasing prayers to God for their
success.
With this first effort of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church to attain a literary standing in the great family of Chris¬
tian denominations, and to instruct her members in Christian
morals, Christian obligations and Christian enterprises, as well as
to create a love for science and philosophy through the medium
of the press, let us now ask what was the measure of her success
at the end of the first year ? Only three numbers were issued in
this period—one of eleven months.
The editorial of the May number will be the best and most
authoritative answer to this important question. It is well to
note here, for the better understanding of what follows, that the
Zion's Connection had at that time quite an imposing sheet,
which was edited by Rev. Jehiel S. Beman. It was called "The
Zion's Wesleyan."
To our Patrons and the Friends of our Cause Generally:
As much time has elapsed since our last number was issued from the
press, the minds of many, no doubt, are on a stretch to ascertain the
causes why we should, at our very commencement, suspend our operations
for such a length of time.
It should be borne in mind that upon the cover of our last number we
there issued a circular informing the public that as soon as nine hundred
subscribers, at one dollar each per annum, could be obtained (which
number is needed to defray the expenses of the work), that our next num¬
ber should be issued forthwith, monthly. We have waited upon the
friends of our cause with longing eyes for their patronage of this laudable
enterprise until now, but we are sorry to say, to our astonishment, we find
but few (out of the large numbers of our members dispersed throughout
the country) have lent their aid and influence in support of this important
work—a work which has long been wanted among us; which, if well con¬
ducted, is calculated, under God, to raise the character of our Church and
ministry in the estimation of the public, and place us on a footing inferior
to no other Christian denomination. The eyes of our people, however,
have been closed thus far to this important subject, much to the hurt of
our general cause; for, while the mantle of obscurity has been thrown
152
History of the A. M. E. Church.
over the efforts, progress and prosperity of our general Church for the last
twenty-five years, other denominations (many of whom are inferior to ours
in number of members) have their periodicals, through which the public
are informed of their existence, and are enabled to place an estimate upon
their character and standing among the various denominations of Chris¬
tians in our country.
In our last New York Annual Conference many of our brethren con¬
cluded that in this day of light and literature, and according to the prog¬
ress of our Church, it was high time we should awaken out of our moral
and intellectual stupor, and shake off this mantle of obscurity now pend¬
ing over our denomination, and place before the public, through a period¬
ical of our own, our doctrines and tenets, our efforts, progress and deter¬
mination, under God, to maintain a laudable standing among the various
denominations of Christians in our land. This feeling has not become
dominant in the hearts of most of those brethren thus associated, but, to
the contrary, they have gone forward with a holy zeal, determined to carry
out the measures thus adopted. Some have met with favorable results
thus far in soliciting subscribers, whilst others have not as yet been quite
so fortunate. We trust, however, that our brethren will renew their
efforts, and never rest satisfied until our magazine shall become established
permanently.
It is evident from this editorial that, while a few of the minis¬
try were manfully struggling to sustain this literary enterprise,
the great mass, both of the ministry and the people, were per¬
fectly unconcerned .about its success.
This magazine, after a varying and struggling existence. stopjDed
in the eighth year of its publication. During that time it was
the only medium through which the Church could exhibit its
progress in learning and the growth of talent among its members.
Thus ended the first venture of the African Methodist Epis¬
copal Church in the field of journalistic literature, and with the
single exception of a small memoir of a child published, it had
been the only venture in a literary line of the Chui*ch from its
beginning. Various attempts had been made to induce the book
concern to publish something. The manuscripts of one or two
books had been presented by the members, and Conference had
voted funds; but, until the appearance of the magazine in 1841,
nothing had been accomplished.
The chief reasons which might be assigned for the failure of the
magazine are the almost total want of learning among the laity
of the Church, the limited education of the ministers, and the
small number who were sufficiently educated or had the time
either to contribute to its support by writing or to appreciate the
Literature and Various Subjects.
153
efforts put forth.for its sustenance. Low as the price was, it was
too high for the majority of both ministers and laity who could
read, owing to the extreme poverty of the great mass of those to
whom the magazine naturally addressed itself. While it existed
the magazine showed that it was judiciously managed, and its
death showed no disgrace upon the Church, as many magazines
before and since, begun upon stronger foundations and wTith
brighter prospects of success, have been forced to succumb in a
much shorter period of time.
As a means of promoting and stimulating the literary spirit as
distinct from the work of the magazine, in the spring of 1842 a
literary society was formed bearing the name of the Union
Theological Association of Philadelphia, whose special object
was to cultivate the spirit of biblical research and that of the
collateral sciences. It included Bishop Brown and all the local
ministry of the sister churches. Its meetings were held in the
lecture-room of Bethel. It was very violently opposed by some;
but, in spite of opposition, it continued in existence for about
twelve months, when some of its leading members were removed,
two entering the itinerant service, and one died. The Rev.
Joseph Corr was elected president. He took an active part in
its work up to the time of his last illness. After his death the
Association became extinct. It died just as certain plants will
die, because there is no gardener to take care of it—just as an
army will become disorganized because there is no general to
command it—just as a house will go to ruins because there is no
one to repair it. During the twelve months of its existence
many interesting debates on various theological questions were
had, and several valuable essays were written.
The year 1842 was remarkable for the erection of new
churches in the Connection. We gather from letters written to
the editor of the magazine that not less than five were conse¬
crated to the worship of the Most High. The first was that
beautiful edifice in Philadelphia, Bethel, at a cost of about
$14,000. Then one was built in Lewiston, and one in Hollidays-
burgh, Pa.; one in Salem, N. J.; and one-in Elmira, N. Y.
From letters Avritten by a number of brethren it seems that
notwithstanding there was no extraordinary outpouring of the
Holy Spirit upon the Connection, yet the Lord did graciously
smile upon various portions of the Church, and added many to
the number of the redeemed.
154
History of the A. M. E. Church.
From the report of the general book steward we learn that
the publications issued by the concern cost it the sum of
$224.24, and the profits amounted to $333.57. The amount re¬
ceived into the preachers' fund from the New York District was
$36.02; from the Philadelphia District $28.75; and from the Bal¬
timore District $53.63; making a total of $118.40. The numer¬
ical strength of the clergy was as a total one hundred and sixty-
three, consisting of two Bishops, forty-six elders, fifty-four dea¬
cons, sixty-one preachers, and among these were sixty-five trav¬
eling preachers and ninety-eight local preachers. Of these, twenty-
nine belonged to the Baltimore Conference; thirty-nine to the
Philadelphia Conference; thirty-two to the New York Conference:
twenty-seven to the Ohio Conference; twenty-three to the Indiana
Conference; and fourteen to the Canada Conference.
There were twro thousand nine hundred and ninety-three mem¬
bers in the Baltimore District, four thousand eight hundred
and twenty-eight in the Philadelphia District, one thousand four
hundred and fifty-four in the NewT York District, four hundred
and forty-four in the Canada District, one thousand one hundred
and ninety-four in the Indiana District, and two thousand six
hundred and fifteen in the Ohio District—a total membership of
thirteen thousand five hundred and twenty-eight.
With this statistical presentation the year 1842 closes, and the
African Methodist Episcopal Church is introduced into a new
era in its history.
It will be remembered that ever since the passage of certain
resolutions at the Cincinnati Conference of 1833, calling the at¬
tention of the ministry and people to the common and the Sun¬
day-school education of the children, the same idea has been
echoed and re-echoed by almost every Annual Conference, but
beyond the passage of resolutions touching the subject, the Church
had not done anything. It will also be recollected that it was
not till four years afterwards that the first word was uttered on
the subject of ministerial education; that this occurred at
the meeting of the Philadelphia Conference, 1837, through the
agency of William Yates, Esq., a lawyer from the city of Troy,
N. Y., who acted in the premises as the accredited agent of the
Anti-Slavery Society; and that this movement of Mr. Yates was
sustained by the Rev. Joshua Leavitt, then the able and enter¬
prising editor of the New York Evangelist, himself a Congrega¬
tional clergyman, and one of the early advocates of impartial
Literature and Various Subjects.
155
freedom. The first article (excepting a single remark by
the editor of the magazine in the same year, and a short edi¬
torial in the magazine for December, 1842, penned by a minister
in the A. M. E. Church) was written by Brother John'M. Brown,
April 14th, in the year 1841, he being then a licentiate and a
student at Oberlin College, as has been previously mentioned.
But the year 1848 witnessed the commencement of that struggle
between darkness and light, between ignorance and knowledge,
between baptized superstition and Christianity, that shall never
end till victory shall sit perching upon the banners of the one or
the other; and we are certain that God will defend the right, and
crown it with the most glorious success.
April 22d, 1843, saw the ministry of the Baltimore District
gathering. The two Bishops were present, with ten elders, four-
deacons and thirteen preachers. Rev. Levin Lee was secretary.
Before commencing its business the Conference voted that all
the official members of the church in Baltimore and elsewhere
should have a seat but no voice. Benjamin Lynch and Perry
Stanton were admitted on trial as local preachers; Benjamin
Boyer, John L. Armstrong, Thomas Hall, Darius Stokes, William
G. Brown and Savage Hammonds were admitted into full con¬
nection, only one being an itinerant—Brother Armstrong.
An itinerant licentiate by the name of Adam S. Driver made
application for the orders of a deacon, at the same time that the
Quarterly Conference of Bethel, in Baltimore, petitioned the
Annual Conference to ordain Brothers Savage L. Hammonds and
Thomas Hall, two local licentiates, to the same rank in the min¬
istry. These three brethren were put into the hands of a com¬
mittee, consisting of D. A. Payne, John Boggs and Thomas W.
Henry, for nomination. The following statements will show
what was the result of this examination. It also shows the first
open conflict between the advocates of ministerial education and
the defenders of an illiterate ministry: A majority of the com¬
mittee was in favor of ordaining the three candidates. The mi¬
nority was opposed to it. Therefore two reports were made out
and presented to the Conference. The reasons assigned by the
majority were, in the case of one of the candidates, that a chris¬
tening or a marriage might be desired when the elder in charge
might be at one end of the circuit, and the minister, though upon
the spot, would be unable to act; another reason given in another
case was, that though there was no special need for the brother in
156
History of the A. M. E. Church.
question, " he might be ordained to gratify the Quarterly Confer¬
ence." Respecting the third case, it was argued that should the
brother be placed where a matrimonial ceremony was to be per¬
formed, he, if ordained, could serve, and being a poor old man,
it would greatly aid him, as thereby he might make some money.
But the minority report assigned one reason Avhy they should
not be ordained. It was that the candidates were all disqualified
for the office, because they had not the information required by
the Discipline. The counter report produced quite an excitement,
and one brother violently demanded whether we wanted a man
to know how to read Hebrew, Greek and Latin before we would
ordain him. In the speech that followed, education and those
who favored it were denounced.
In reply to this the minority arose and said that the remarks
were altogether gratuitous, because the report said nothing at all
about Latin, Greek or Hebrew, but was based simply upon two
instruments—the Discipline and the Bible. The minority also
maintained that every member of the Conference, and therefore,
the whole Conference, was most solemnly bound to heed the Dis¬
cipline, and still more to heed the Bible. At the conclusion of
these remarks Bishop Brown called the attention of the Confer¬
ence to the fact that he was placed in the chair not to carry out
the opinions of any man nor set of men, but to execute the Dis¬
cipline to its very letter, and he also declared, in a very decided
and emphatic manner, that if the whole Conference voted for
the ordination of the said brethren, in view of their disqualifi¬
cations he could not and would not ordain them. He also added,
that when men are sent out destitute of the needed qualifications,
the people do not blame the Conference, but the Bishop. As a final
result the report of the minority was adopted. The Conference
also adopted the preamble and resolutions on education which
had been previously adopted by the Philadelphia Conference.
At this Conference the church at Fredericktown, Md., which had
hitherto been a part of the Fredericktown Circuit, petitioned
Conference to give them a stationed preacher, i. e., to convert
them into a station, but this prayer was not granted.
Brother John Peck, of Pittsburg, Pa., prayed Conference to
recommend some means whereby he could be relieved from the
heavy debt for which he became responsible on account of the
church in Carlisle, Pa., whereupon a committee, consisting of
Brothers David Ware, George Hogarth and John Jordan, was
Literature and Various Subjects.
157
appointed to devise some ways and means to relieve Brother
Peck. After " due consideration," they recommended that the
trustees of the church at Carlisle become securities of Brother
Peck by endorsing a note for the amount due, with interest, at
the most extended time, and that the said trustees, with Brother
Peck, immediately institute collections, or by other means " raise
moneys to protect the note when due."
The Columbia Circuit, which was located entirely in the state
of Pennsylvania, prayed Conference at this time to detach them
from its jurisdiction and place them under the control of the
Philadelphia District. Another violent excitement was produced
by this petition. Some, especially those living in the state of
Maryland, contended that the praj^er ought not to be granted
because the churches of that circuit had been planted by the
agency of the Baltimore ministry, while on the other hand,
brethren living on that circuit argued that their prayer should
be granted because it was more convenient for them to attend the
Philadelphia Conference than this. The question was put to
vote and decided in the negative.
From the parochial returns it was found that the Lord had so
prospered the labors of the ministry since the last meeting of
Conference that there was an increase of nine hundred and six¬
teen members. The two-cent collections amounted to $88.59,
and the contingent collection to $138.11. A glance at the statis¬
tics of the Sabbath-schools and temperance societies shows that
at Baltimore City Station the Sunday-school at Bethel Church
contained one hundred and twenty scholars and eighteen teachers,
while the school at Ebenezer Church had one hundred and seventy
scholars and thirty-eight teachers. At Columbia, Pa., the Sunday-
school included ninety-four scholars and sixteen teachers, and
that at Harrisburg had fifty-three scholars and fourteen teachers.
In Chambersburg and Messersburg, each, there was one school
taught by whites. There were temperance societies—one each at
Bethel and Ebenezer, in Baltimore, Union, Columbia, Harrisburg,
Messersburg and Chambersburg.
On the morning of the 20th of May, 1843, the pastors of the
respective churches in the Philadelphia regions met and com¬
menced their annual transactions with Bishop Brown at their
head. There were local and itinerant elders to the number of
twenty-one, deacons to the number of thirteen, and preachers to
the number of twenty-four, making a total of fifty-eight.
158
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Aaron Johnson, Henderson Davis, Henry Davis, Abraham
Crippen and Alexander Wayman were admitted on trial—some
as local, others as itinerants. Samuel Murray, Daniel A. Payne,
George Greenly, Lewis S. Conover, John Butler, Wardell W.
Parker and Levin Bond were admitted into full connection. Rev.
Willis Nazrey was ordained an elder, Lewis Conover was located,
and Rev. Richard Williams was placed on the supernumerary list.
At this time and always prior, the Union Church, situated in
the Northern Liberties, was under the same pastorate as Bethel;
but the congregation of Bethel numbered two thousand souls,
while that of Union numbered two hundred. It was therefore
impossible for the stationed preacher (who was none other than
the Bishop himself) to give Union that attention which her own
individual affairs demanded. She therefore petitioned Conference
to give her a separate minister. This was granted by vote of the
Conference, but the trustees of Bethel Church, being also the
trustees of Union, refused to allow the Bishop to execute the
mandate of the Conference.
The Little Wesley Church, Philadelphia, and Mount Zion, in
Hamilton Village, sometimes called West Philadelphia, were
placed in a circuit.
Conference went into an election for delegates to the ensuing
General Conference, with the result of making a choice of Joseph
P. Cox, Daniel A. Payne, David Ware, Stephen Smith, Levin
Tillman, Shadrack Bassett, Aaron Johnson, Robert Collins and
Jeremiah Miller. It was then made the duty of the traveling
preachers to take up collections throughout their respective
circuits and stations to defray the expenses of the delegates.
D. A. Payne presented the preamble and resolutions touching
ministerial education, as in a former instance, and which will
be found given in full when the subject of ministerial education
is reached.
The report on Sabbath-scliools showed that within the bounds
of this Conference there were only seven, in which were six
hundred and seventeen scholars, taught by seventy-five teachers.
There were then three day schools, embracing about one hundred
and six scholars, with three teachers. There were six temperance
societies, embracing about one thousand four hundred and forty-
one members. One of these was founded by Dr. James G. Bias,
and contained one thousand and forty-seven members. It is
here proper to mention, as history demands it, that of colored
Literature and Various Subjects.
159
men there was none living in the American Union who showed
the same amount of zeal in the good cause as did this same Dr.
James G. Bias.
As in the Baltimore regions, so in this, the parochial reports
show that the God of Zion had graciously visited his people, for
there was an increase among the Philadelphia churches of one
thousand and thirty-seven souls. And the financial report stood
fair, for the two-cent moneys collected amounted to $77.72, and
the contingent collection to $254.05.
In the city of New York, on the 10th of June, 1843, the pas¬
tors of the churches in the New York regions were seen engaged
in the transaction of their business pertaining to the pastorates
in their charge, and continued in session during a period of ten
days. Bishop Brown presided alone, but there were present
fifteen elders, thirteen deacons and ten preachers. The Confer¬
ence sat with open doors. At this Conference a young man of
fine talents and liberal education was admitted on trial in the
itinerant department. He had formerly been a student of Oneida
Institute.
J. P. Campbell, Charles Burch and Thomas W. Jackson were
admitted into full connection. The first named and last were
also ordained elders. Brother Charles Burch was also ordained
a deacon.
The election of delegates to the General Conference was held,
and resulted in the choice of Samuel Edwards, Edmund Crosby,
Csesar Springfield, Benjamin Croger, George Hogarth and Charles
Burch.
The New York territory was enlarged by the creation of two
new circuits. One was the Haverstraw, which included Nyack,
Goshen, Rockland and Passaic. There was another that included
Hudson, Sandy Lake, Lennox and Bethlehem. There was
growth in another way as well. As with the other two regions
already noticed, the Great God of Zion had poured out his Holy
Spirit most graciously upon the New York churches, so that the
number added to their fellowship was seven hundred and forty-
nine souls.
The general book steward laid before the ministry the claims
of the book concern, endeavoring to show each one his relations
to it, and his duty to sustain it, urging upon all who were in¬
debted to it their obligations to make speedy remittance, and
clearly showing how their want of punctuality had embarrassed
160
History of the A. M. E. Church.
its movement. The hook steward also paid out to preachers and
others for commissions the sum of $104.38. This shows that the
book concern was in a better condition than it had ever been
before. Its contingent expenses were $222.92, while the net
gain on books, pamphlets, etc., sold and unsold, according to
their specific valuation, subscribers to the magazine included,
was $986.79.
When the opportunity came for those useful bands of Chris¬
tian women—the Benevolent Daughters of Conference, the
United Daughters of Conference and the Rising Daughters of
Conference—to lay their annual free-will offering upon the Lord's
altar, they gave a total of $117.68, which, up to this date, was
the largest sum ever realized from this source. The collections
for the two-cent fund amounted to $95.32, and the contingent
collections to $74.75. Sabbath-school statistics showed that there
were then in the bounds of the New York District eight schools
and two hundred and seventy-three pupils. The temperance
statistics showed the existence of ten temperance societies, em¬
bracing nine hundred and forty-nine members.
It was at this Conference that the Rev. Noah C. \V. Cannon
appeared for the third time as an author. The work produced
this time by his pen is entitled " History of the African Meth¬
odist Episcopal Church." Of its literary merits we shall speak
elsewhere. Here we shall only say that he was considered as
having violated the resolution of the last General Conference,
which prohibited our preachers from publishing any works
touching the history, doctrine, or discipline of our Church
unless permission was given them. The same General Confer¬
ence had directed the general book steward to make such a pub¬
lication for their special benefit, and the present publication
could not be accepted as authoritative.
The brethren terminated their annual deliberations by passing
resolutions in favor of education, temperance, Sunday-schools
and all kindred subjects, by denouncing policy and lottery deal¬
ing as covetousness and stealing, and by adopting the course of
study laid down by the last Philadelphia Conference for the
training of the young in the ministry.
This year the Canadian churches met in Toronto on July 1st
1843. Three elders, one deacon, and three licentiates were
present. Elder Cannon filled the chair, as neither of the Bishops
were present. Very little business was done, no new ideas being
Literature and Various Subjects.
161
advanced, and only the re-echoes of the doings of the other Con¬
ferences were heard on the usual subjects of education, etc. It
was decided to make an effort to influence the preachers to have
their churches closed at a suitable hour of the night, conforming
to the customs of the communities where they live, ''thereby
removing much of the odium commonly thrown upon our reli¬
gious worship."
It appears that there had been an attempt to organize the Con¬
ference at St. Catherine's, because of some local differences, which
must account for the small number present at Toronto.
On the 31st of August, 1843, the churches of Indiana were in
annual session in Indianapolis, with Bishop Brown conducting
their movements. Brother Robert Jones was made the Bishop's
assistant, and Brother iEneas Mcintosh secretary. Henry Cole
and Isaac Knight were put on probation, and Thomas Elsworth
wras admitted into full connection. Byrd Parker, Willis R.
Revels, Robert Johnson and Major J. Wilkei'son were ordained
elders, and Israel Cole, iEneas Mcintosh and James Curtis were
ordained deacons, and the ranks of the itinerancy were added to
by Major J. Wilkerson, iEneas Mcintosh, Henry Cole, Byrd
Parker and Henry Travan. Joseph P. Dunlap was the only one
who was located. The election for delegates to the ensuing Gen¬
eral Conference was held, and resulted in the choice of Thomas
Elsworth, Dennis Kiza, Benjamin Shipworth, Peter Smith and
Nathaniel Newton. William P. Quinn was appointed district
book steward, and a day of fasting and prayer to Almighty God
was set apart—the 11th of April—inasmuch as it was the date of
the founding of the A. M. E. Church in the city of Philadelphia.
It was also made obligatory upon the circuit, stationed and local
preachers to hold public services on that day wherever it would
be practicable. This was declared to be a standing rule for each
year. The ministers also decreed that no church should be suf¬
fered to be built among us, " until a deed, according to our Dis¬
cipline, be first procured, or a title bond is obtained for double
the value of the ground on which the church is to be built."
The amount realized to meet the contingent expenses amounted
only to $40.22. The Lord of the harvest, however, did not omit
to visit the churches, as may be seen by the number of souls
added to their communion the past year, which was five hundred
and ninety-eight.
11
162
History of the A. M. E. Church.
The little town of Hillsboro was the place of meeting for the
ministers of the churches placed under the jurisdiction of the
Ohio District while they were congregated to make their paro¬
chial reports for the year 1848. They opened their business
on the 15th of September. Bishop Brown presided, and Thomas
Woodson and A. R. Green were chosen secretaries. Eleven eld¬
ers, seven deacons, and five licentiates constituted the enrolled
numbers. Solomon H. Thompson, Carey S. Hargrave and Joseph
Fowler were admitted on trial. Matthew T. Newsum, John
Gibbons, Simon Ratcliff and M. M. Clark were also admitted.
John Gibbons and Daniel Winslow were ordained elders. We
find three members numbered with the dead—James Byrd, who
died November 7th, 1842, aged fifty-eight; Samuel Ente, who
died April 7th, 1843, and an aged minister of the Gospel, Fred¬
erick Rives, who died June 15th, 1843, at the advanced age of
eighty-six years. It is written of Brother Byrd that he traveled
and labored several years in the itinerant service of the Church;
while of Brother Ente it is said, that he commenced his labors
as an itinerant in 1829, in the Baltimore Conference, and that
year served under Brother Joseph Harper on the Harrisburg Cir¬
cuit. The next year he offered himself as a missionary to the
Isle of Hayti, but was not sent. The same year he was trans¬
ferred to the Philadelphia District, in which he located in 1831.
Brother Turner Roberts, who was last year transferred to the
Indiana Conference, was this year transferred back to this.
Conference planned the circuits within its boundaries in the
following manner: Chillicothe Circuit was made to embrace Chil-
licothe, Dry Run, Pepee, Big Bottom; Gallipolis Circuit: Galli-
polis, Big Run, Strait Creek, Piketown, Portsmouth ; Zanesville
Circuit: Zanesville, Dresden, Newark, Meig's Creek; Captiene
Circuit: Captiene, St. Clairsville, Steubenville, Mount Pleasant,
Macantyre, Stillwater; Hillsboro Circuit: Hillsboro, Grassy
Branch, Wilmington, Greenfield, Richland, Red Oak, White Oak,
Winchester; Hamilton Circuit: Hamilton, Springboro, Palmyra,
Harveysburg, Lebanon, Xenia.
The election of delegates to the approaching General Confer¬
ence resulted in the choice of Abram D. Lewis, Samuel Johnson,
John Peck and Samuel Collons, of Pittsburg, and Joseph Fowler,
of Cincinnati.
Educational statistics showed improvement among our people
for there were reported within the bounds of this Conference at
Literature and Various Subjects.
163
least thirteen common schools and about eleven Sunday-schools,
including over three hundred children. The report on temper¬
ance showed the existence of eight societies, but the reports are
by no means full. There was an increase of members, showing
that the Saviour of sinners had graciously visited the Ohio
churches the past twelve months, for the parochial reports show
the number of one thousand and seven.
We have already spoken of the excitement on the subject of
education^ It is proper here to remark that this excitement in¬
creased as the year 1843 dreAV to a close, creating on the part
of those who were in favor of ignorance and superstition feelings
of the bitterest and most uncharitable kind, and on the part of
those who were friendly to an intelligent and a thoroughly edu¬
cated as well as holy ministry, a firm resolution to speak and to
write till the dormant energies of the whole Connection should
be awakened and enlisted on the side of progress. The state of
feeling cannot better be depicted than by quoting the language
of the Rev. George Hogarth in an editorial from his pen touching
the subject:
Much as is said for and against the steps taken by our brother in his
epistles for the improvement of the ministry, no one has as yet come
forward with his pen to propose anything better. Great fear is entertained
by some that if the measures proposed by him are adopted by the General
Conference, discord and dissolution will necessarily take place in the
Church between the ignorant and intelligent portions of it; yet these very
brethren who manifest such fear will not come forward and propose any¬
thing as a substitute to the measure offered by our brother. They admit
themselves to be friendly to education, to an intelligent ministry, and an
intelligent congregation; yet they appear to be backward about coming
forward with their objections and views on the subject, that we may print
them so as, if they are better, to counteract those already offered.
We have already spoken of the great work of salvation this year
as we have noticed the different districts. It was a remarkable out¬
pouring of the Spirit, and began in the city of Philadelphia in the
following manner and under these circumstances: A young Pres¬
byterian minister, Andrew Harris, of classical attainments, took
suddenly sick, and died at the end of the week. He was the pastor
of the Second Presbyterian Church of color. Rev. Theodore
S. Wright, of New York, came by invitation to Philadelphia, with
a view to be present at the funeral of Brother Harris. AVhile there
he preached in the vacated pulpit from Psalms, cxix., 59-60, "I
thought on my ways," etc. The sermon made a deep and visible
164
History of the A. M. E. Church.
impression on the audience, and yet it was made evident by no sign
beyond the fixed attention of the people. His sermon was fol¬
lowed by an exhortation by Rev. D. A. Payne, and an invitation
to all who felt concerned about their souls to come forward and
occupy the front pews. This invitation was immediately re¬
sponded to by some half dozen young men and women, with whom
Ave prayed about an hour or two. This encouraged us to protract
the meetings, and every night witnessed an increased interest on
the part of the people, and a deepened zeal on the part of the
ministry. Soon the cries of the anxious inquirer were exchanged
for the shouts and rejoicings of the happy converts. The work
extended from St. Mary's street to the surrounding churches.
As it deepened sinners were awakened and converted to God by
scores and hundreds, till the whole city was enveloped in the
hallowed flames, and in every house and every church were heard
the cries of the convicted sinner or the praises of the redeemed.
Bethel shared largely in the grace of God. Her ministers preached
with more than common unction, and her converts were counted
by hundreds. Among the precious souls gathered into the
ark of safety during this season of refreshing from the presence
of the Lord, were many of the best educated and most respect¬
able youths of the city, and that, too, of both sexes. Nor was
the work confined to the city of Philadelphia. It extended to
all the churches of the Conference District. A voice from Prince¬
ton, N, J., writes under date of February 9th, 1843:
Dear Brother Hogarth:
While the Great Head of the Church has been refreshing with the show¬
ers of his grace other portions of his vineyard, we rejoice that we have not
been left to mourn over a barren and thirsty soil. It will doubtless be
pleasing to the friends of the kingdom of Christ, and more particularly to
those who have labored in this part of the work in years gone bjr. to learn
that the ground which they spent so much labor to prepare has become a
fruitful soil, and the seed whicli with so much care and anxiety was sown,
has been watered, and promises a harvest a hundred fold ; nay more,
already its fruit appears. The work has not been confined to any particular
part of the circuit, but at different and almost every part of our charge.
More than one hundred have joined the A. M. E. Church during the Con¬
ference year thus far.
Our people are seeking for holiness of heart, and our prayer is that God
will sanctify the Church and convert the world.
Another account of the work is from the Salem Circuit, N. J,
It bears date of February 11th, the same year:
Literature and Various Subjects.
165
While the Great Head of the Church has been visiting various parts of
the world with the outpouring of his Holy Spirit, he has not forgotten
this part of his vineyard. A sacred shower of his grace lias lately been
experienced on this circuit, and many souls, through its divine influence,
have become awakened and brought to a knowledge of the truth as it is
in Christ Jesus; and from the present appearance of things I am lead to
believe that there are many more who are seriously inquiring the way to
salvation.
I have taken into society on probation about one hundred and twenty
persons, who, I think, will become useful members during their day and
generation to the Church. Pray for me, brother, that the good Lord may
continue to bless the feeble labors of his servant, that he may become
more instrumental in his hands in the awakening of poor sinners out of
their wretched state of slumber and death.
Brother Israel Scott also writes from still another point, Bur¬
lington, N. J., under date of May 7th, 1843:
The Lord has been pleased to visit us here in a powerful manner. Dur¬
ing our protracted meetings about fifty were added to the Church, and
many testified that they had found the Lord to the pardoning of their
sins. At Snow's Hill eighteen were added to the Church. The Lord truly
has visited us on this circuit, and many souls have been inquiring the way
to Zion.
As for Baltimore, salvation was poured down upon it like a
flood. Bishop Waters, who was at the head of its pastorate, says:
The work of the Lord is going on with triumph among us. The enemy
has no foothold but what is disputed inch by inch.
Brother William II. G. Brown, then the district book steward,
writes from the same point, and says:
There has been lately one of the greatest revivals of religion known for
a long time in this city. About seven hundred members have become
attached to Bethel Church. The church has become so crowded that dur¬
ing service they are obliged to sit in each others' laps.
Brother Abram D. Lewis, writing from Pittsburg, says :
Within the period of eight weeks there were three hundred and two
members added to the Church, one hundred and eighty-six of whom have
been happily converted to God, and many profess sanctification.
This shows what the Lord was doing in the Ohio District.
The editor of the Church Magazine, writing from New York,
says:
Within a few months past the Lord has in a remarkable manner re¬
freshed his churches in various parts of our country by a glorious out¬
pouring of his Holy Spirit upon them, which has resulted in a general
166
History of the A. M. E. Church.
rush of earnest inquirers at the sacred altars for salvation—hundreds, yea,
thousands, have been happily converted to God and initiated into the
Church, and are now on their march to the heavenly Canaan. Many
churches of Methodists, Presbyterians and Baptists have held their pro¬
tracted meetings for several weeks in succession. Our portion of the Gen¬
eral church has also participated in these glorious revivals of religion, as
may be observed in the communications from our brethren. This precious
work of salvation, we are happy to say, continues in most of the churches
with the same blessed results. We sincerely hope that the Lord may con¬
tinue to carry it on among all his followers in all portions of his Zion, until
righteousness shall cover the earth as the waters cover the face of the great
deep.
So the Redeemer of the world visited the churches in the
memorable year of 1843, and opened up the flood-gates of sal¬
vation through his saving presence.
PART SECOND.
CHAPTER XVII.
OPENING OF A NEW ERA.
A New Period in the A. M. E. Church—Seventh General Conference—
Committee Appointed on Revision of Discipline—Condition of the
Colored Inhabitants of Illinois and Indiana—Work in Kentucky and
Missouri—Election and Ordination of William Paul Quinn to the Epis¬
copacy—Office of General Book Steward Created—Home and Foreign
Missionary Society —Conference of 1844—Good News from Canada.
WITH the year 1844 a new period in the history of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church opens. This year
the transactions begin with the sayings and doings of the
Seventh General Conference. This body met in the city of
Pittsburg, Pa., the 6th of May. Two Bishops were present, Rt.
Rev. Morris Brown and Rt. Rev. Edward Waters. Thirty-nine
traveling preachers occupied seats, and the local delegates were
twenty-seven in number, from the following five districts: Balti¬
more, Philadelphia, New York, Ohio, Indiana, the total number
being sixty-eight. M. M. Clark, George Hogarth and David
Ware were the secretaries. Among the important items of busi¬
ness that engaged the attention of this body was that of the Dis¬
cipline. A committee was appointed on the revision, and Daniel
A. Payne, George Weir, Benjamin Croger, A. R. Green and Willis
Revels were the appointees. At the time when the matter came
up before the General Conference, and the reconsideration of the
Preface to the Discipline took place, some were in favor of omit¬
ting it in our future publications of the Discipline; but the
majority were opposed to such a measure as exceedingly wrong
and heretical. Those who held views favorable to the omission
based their desire upon the supposition that its retention in the
Discipline had a tendency to perpetuate malignant feelings
against our white brethren of the M. E. Church. Others believed
no such assertion, and, therefore, the majority voted to retain
the Preface without alteration or amendment. The Discipline,
however was amended in the following particulars:
( 167 )
168
History of the A. M. E. Church.
The phrases "junior" and "senior" Bishop were altered to
"joint Bishops." The basis of the election of delegates to the
General Conference was changed as to the number of traveling
preachers in each Annual Conference so as to read: " The General
Conference shall consist of one delegate for every four hundred
lay members returned at the previous Annual Conference," and
the power to limit the bounds of each elective department was
lodged in the hands of the several Annual Conferences. Here
the admission of lay delegates to the membership of the General
Conference did really commence, but such was the feeling of the
itinerant preachers concerning their superior right to govern,
that they allowed only lay preachers, that is, local preachers, to
represent the laity. It was also provided that in the absence of
the Bishops Conference should " choose a president pro tern, to
preside over its deliberations. * On the fourth day the Discipline
was amended in five points: 1st. The regulation of the proceeds
of the book concern. 2d. The elements to constitute the Annual
Conferences. 3d. Regulation of the contingent expenses. 4th.
Limiting the number^of the Annual Conferences. 5th. Whereas,
the General Conference, prior to this period, could expel a Bishop
for "improper conduct." That phrase was stricken out, and the
phrase "immoral conduct" inserted in its place.f Upon this
day Rev. Daniel A. Payne introduced a resolution to institute a
course of studies for the education of the ministry. As soon as
read it was seconded, and, convinced as he was of the reasonable¬
ness and utility of the measure, he thought that the majority of
the Conference looked at it in the same favorable light, and that
it would be carried without much opposition; he, therefore, did
not make any speech for the purpose of convincing his brethren
of that utility and excellence which he believed was apparent to
all. But in that he calculated without his host, for as soon as
the Bishop had put the question to the house, the effect was like
unto that which follows when a fire-brand is cast into a magazine
of powder. With the greatest apparent indignation the resolu¬
tion was voted down by a large and overwhelming majoritv, and
the house adjourned amid great excitement. The next day, the
fifth of the session, as soon as the house Avas opened, and first of
all, Rev. A. D. Lewis, a brother of lofty stature, venerable appear¬
ance, dignified mien and delectable countenance, rose to his feet
!:"See Vol. II. of Magazine, page 4. t>See Vol. II. of Magazine, page 5.
Opening of a New Era.
169
and called for a reconsideration of the rejected proposition.
His motion was seconded and stated by the chair. This vener¬
able man then advocated its claims and demonstrated its utility
in a speech of uncommon eloquence and power. He addressed
the understanding, the conscience, the passions of the audience
till it was bathed in tears, and from many a voice was heard the
impassioned cry, " Give us the resolution, give us the resolution."
It was then put and carried without a dissenting voice. Imme¬
diately the Rev. John Peck moved the appointment of a com¬
mittee of seven "to select a proper course of studies" for the
young preachers. It was carried, and Bishop Brown appointed
Revs. Daniel A. Payne, H. C. Turner, David Ware, Richard Rob¬
inson, Abram D. Lewis, W. R. Revels and George Weir to per¬
form the task. It is also proper here to say that the indignation
evinced outside the General Conference by the intelligent laity
was equal to that excited inside among the prejudiced preachers.
Between the rejection of the resolution in favor of education on
the 4th, and its reconsideration and adoption on the 5th, wherever
the preachers went they were informed that if the proposition to
educate the ministry of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
were absolutely rejected, they would withdraw and organize an
ecclesiastical establishment that would be in favor of such a
measure. Ten amendments were made to the Discipline the
fifth day. They relate to the trial of traveling preachers, the
admission of itinerants into Conference, licensing local preach¬
ers, licensing exhorters, distilling and retailing spirituous liquors,
the catechetical instruction of children, public worship and the
trial of laymen. * On the sixth day the Committee on Education
reported the following scheme of studies, which was unanimous¬
ly carried : I. For exhorters—First year—the Bible, Smith's
English Grammar, Mitchell's Geography, our own Discipline,
Wesley's Notes. Second year—Original Church of Christ, His¬
tory of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Watson's Life of Wes¬
ley. II. For preachers—First year—Smith's English Grammar,
Mitchell's Geography, Paley's Evidences of Divine Revelation,
History of the Bible, Homes' Introduction (abridged). Second
year—Schmucker's Popular Theology, Schmucker's Mental Phi¬
losophy, Natural Theology, or Watson's Institutes. Third year
—Ecclesiastical History, Goodrich's Church History, Porter's
*See Vol. II. of Magazine, pp. 6, 7.
170
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Homiletics and D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation. Fourth
year—Geography and Chronology of the Bible, with a review of
the above studies. After the adoption of this system of studies,
Conference decreed that they should be placed as an appendix
to the Discipline. Sections 23, 24, 2-5 and 26 were re-adopted
without alteration, so also were chapters 3d and 4th. * Petitions
were received from Harrisburg, Oxford, Columbia and Mari¬
etta, Pa., requesting that their respective circuits be detached
from the jurisdiction of the Baltimore District and attached to
that of the Philadelphia. A long and exciting debate followed,
but the prayers of the petitioners were, in the end, rejected. As
to the other alterations and amendments which were made to
the Discipline, they are to be found in detail in the magazine of
that date.f On the eighth day Elder Quinn, who had been ap¬
pointed by the General Conference of 1840 to the very important
office of missionary to plant churches in the far "West, made the
following report:
Dear Brethren :—That duty I owe to this General Conference and the
western community at large, for a faithful notice of what has been done in
this enterprise, compels me to submit for your consideration a brief out¬
line of the rise and progress of our mission in the West. Being appointed
four years ago by your honorable body, then in session among our people
in the states west of Ohio, I now proceed to report to you as follows:
Number of colored inhabitants in the states of Indiana and Illinois..l8,000
Churches established 47
Communicants 1,080
Local Preachers 27
Traveling Preachers 20
Traveling Elders 7
Congregations 72
Lay Members 2,000
Schools 40
Scholars 920
Teachers 40
Colored Teachers 36
Sabbath-schools 50
Scholars 2,000
Teachers 200
Colored Teachers 100
Temperance Societies 40
Camp-meetings 17
Our people in these states are chiefly employed in agricultural pursuits
•'Magazine, Vol. II., p. 8.
1 Magazine, Vol. II., pp. 9-10-18.
Opening of a New Era.
171
and are rapidly improving themselves by cultivation of the ground, from
which they make, under the providence of God, a good living for them¬
selves and families, and sustain churches and schools in a manner truly
surprising. Although many of them, within the last ten or fifteen years,
broke away from the fetters of slavery and settled with their families in
these states, yet, by the dint of industry, they are not only supporting their
families, schools and churches, but many of them are also acquiring wealth
amid opposing laws and chilling prejudice. There is, however, a very good
state of feeling evinced toward our people by the more enlightened part of
the white community in those states. There are many useful mechanics
among them, such as shoemakers, blacksmiths and carpenters. They
have, in a word, every constituent principle among them, when suitably
composed, to make them a great and good people.
Beyond the limits of these states the mission has been extended to the
states of Missouri and Kentucky. Though slave states, yet a more friendly
feeling exists towards our enterprise among the ruling authorities than
could be easily anticipated. The church located in St. Louis is in a very
prosperous state. It numbers one hundred and fifty communicants. Also
the church erected in the city of Louisville, Ky., is in a flourishing con¬
dition. I am fully persuaded this mission, if faithfully conducted, will, at
no distant period, accomplish wonders for our people settled in these west¬
ern states in their moral and religious elevation. They need nothing more
than proper encouragement and proper direction in order to attain an ele¬
vated position that will be truly enviable.
This grand region of missionary enterprise is truly an interesting spot
to excite the benevolent sympathies of the spirit of missions, being broad
in its extent, inviting in its agricultural qualities, and grand in its commer¬
cial position. There is an immense mine of mind, talent and social quali¬
ties, all lying measurably in embryo, but by a proper direction of the
missionary hammer and chisel, they can all be shaped to fit in the great spir¬
itual building of God."
This report of Elder Quinn, as a statement of the condition
and prospects of our people west of the state of Ohio, presents a
graphic view of what they were at that time, and produced im¬
portant effects upon the minds of the brethren. For, up to the
present moment, many of the eastern men were prejudiced against
him as a man, but more particularly as a candidate for the epis¬
copal office. The majority of them went to this General Confer¬
ence with the determination to place another brother in that
important office, but when they saw how useful and important
Brother Quinn had been, they said within themselves, " Surely
this is the man for the Bishopric." The episcopacy was, there¬
fore, strengthened by the election and ordination of Rev. William
Paul Quinn to the office of Bishop in the Church of God under
the following circumstances:
172
History of the A. M. E. Church.
The subject of electing and ordaining another Bishop was in¬
troduced on the ninth day of the session, whereupon a commit¬
tee of seven was appointed to " confer with the Bishops, Rt. Rev.
Morris Brown and Rt. Rev. Edward Waters (both of whom at
that time were about seventy years of age), " to know of them
whether they in their judgment would be able to travel through
the Connection the ensuing four years, and whether there was
any necessity for the election and ordination of another Bishop."
The committee performed the duty assigned to them, and re¬
ported the concurrence of the two Bishops in the desire to see a
suitable man elected to that high office, as both felt their advanc¬
ing years. The next day, therefore, the brethren proceeded to
the election which placed Brother William P. Quinn in the epis¬
copal chair, and on Sunday morning, May 19th, 1844, he was
consecrated to that office by Bishop Morris Brown and five elders.
The office of general book steward was created at this Confer¬
ence* It Avas made his duty to travel throughout the Connec¬
tion to solicit support for the book concern. PoAver Avas given
him to make arrangements Avitli the district steAvards so as to be
supplied Avith books for sale in different parts of the Connection,
to remove books from one point to another, Avhere\Ter he deemed
it necessary, giving his receipt for the same, and to collect all
moneys from the district steAvards, preachers and local agents.
He Avas made amenable to the Annual Conference, haA'ing juris¬
diction over the book concern, and Avas subject to the interroga¬
tions of any Annual Conference in Avhose territory he might be
operating, and bound to ansAver, either in person or by proxy.
This General Conference also constructed the Parent Home and
Foreign Missionary Society. The last important act of this
body Avas to elect Rev. M. M. Clark as general book agent of the
A. M. E. Church. The total amount of moneys collected for the
support of this General Conference Avas $219.98, of Avhich the
city of Philadelphia gave $108.82.
As the important business of the General Conference of 1844
has been laid before the reader, Ave will iioav content ourselves
Avith making a few general remarks on its character. We believe
that Ave speak the sentiments of every intelligent and reflecting
mind Avhen Ave say that there Ayas never before such an amount
of talent and general information concentrated in any ecclesias-
* D. A. Payne was the author of the resolution creating this office, and
was subsequently elected to it, but declined to serve.
Opening of a New Era.
173
tical assembly among us since the memorable convention of
1816. And when we consider the difficult and important ques¬
tions discussed, we believe that we hazard nothing in saying that
there was as much unanimity and order as generally prevail in
such large and exciting meetings. The various amendments that
were made to the Discipline, and the new enactments that were
ratified, if faithfully executed by the different officers of the
church, tended to confer great and increasing benefits upon our¬
selves as a church in particular and the country in general.
The east was made personally acquainted with the west, and
the west with the east, and thereby friendships were formed
which tended not only to prove beneficial to the individuals con¬
cerned, but also serve to strengthen those cords of union which
we hope arid pray will forever bind our Connection together, and
keep us one till the church militant shall be assembled with the
church triumphant in the paradise of God. We cannot close
these remarks without briefly noticing the spirit of Christian
union which was manifested towards us by our white brethren
in Pittsburg. Their churches were kindly opened for the preach¬
ing of our clergy, and many of them daily attended the delib¬
erations of the Conference, evincing a liberality of feeling that
puts to the blush that narrow-heartedness which distinguishes
some professing Christians to-day. The General Conference
closed its deliberations on the 20th, and the members took leave
of the generous-hearted citizens who had spared no pains to
please and make them comfortable. This spirit leads us to
speak of our journey to this General Conference in this con¬
nection :
It was on the morning of May 1st that the majority of the
eastern delegation left Philadelphia for the seat of this General
Conference, taking the cars for Harrisburg, where this mode of
travel was exchanged for the packet boat. At this point several
white passengers joined us, among whom were two clergymen of
the Congregational Church in NeAV England. In this company
we proceeded to Hollidaysburg, again changing to the cars for
Johnstown, Pa., where we took the packet boat for Pittsburg, the
then smoky city of western Pennsylvania. The journey occu¬
pied three days, and its interesting character leads us to make
mention of it here. The scenery through which we passed was
indescribably beautiful, even as we find it nearly fifty years later,
but the mode of travel and the time taken gave an opportunity
174
History of the A. M. E. Church.
to appreciate the beauties of nature as it is not possible with the
swift, more direct locomotion of later days. Deep valleys and
towering mountains were overspread with the green drapery of
nature; crystal springs gushed out of the rocky hills; rivulets,
creeks and rivers flowed in graceful meanderings through the
vales, and produced musical murmurs among the shrubbery and
rocks over which they passed. The artificial waterfalls of the
dams contrasted their deep bass with the shrill accents of the
birds, and all things were well adapted to inspire the mind with
emotions of wonder, love and praise, causing the soul " to look
through nature up to nature's God." These valleys, mountains
and rivers seem to have been made to test the genius of man.
And he has gloriously evinced his God-like power in the struc¬
ture of canals—those mimic rivers, the formation of railroads, and
the application of steam power to these latter. He will not be
overcome by difficulties, for if rivers oppose the progress of his
canals, he will glide over them by means of aqueducts; if hills
intervene, he will pierce their rugged bosoms, and run his
liquid pathway through their stony hearts; he will climb their
towering summits and descend their precipitant sides upon in¬
clined planes, so that neither length nor breadth, nor height nor
depth, nor distance nor time, can hinder his locomotion, but
swift as the mountain eagle he flies from point to point, and
unites the most distant points of this rolling earth. But it was
not nature alone that made this journey an interesting one. It
was the companionship as well. Every evening the company of
fifty assembled in the cabin, and one of the clergy was appointed
to conduct the religious services, which consisted in reading and
expounding the Hol}r Scriptures, prayer, and singing the sweet
songs of Zion. At other times conversation embraced topics
natural, political, moral and religious. The. following incident
is worthy of note: One of our clergymen had been separated
from his brother when only two months old and gold into griev¬
ous bondage. More than thirty-two years from childhood to
manhood had elapsed, and he had never seen him; consequently
he knew not his person. That brother was now on the boat with
him as steward. He saw him again and again, and even spoke
to him, but knew him not, till one of the ministers who knew
them both introduced them to each other. Who can describe
such a scene or utter the rapture of their hearts ? They embraced
—they kissed each other—they rejoiced—they wept. "I cannot
Opening of a New Era.
175
express the emotion of my soul," said one, " but I feel all over."
The joyful surprise, like electricity, went from soul to soul, ex¬
citing the whole company. Upon this journey, the evening be¬
fore we reached Pittsburg, the venerable Bishop Brown was called
to the chair, and an invitation extended through a committee to
one of the passengers, an aged gentleman, and one high in civil
office, to address us. He complied with the request, and in the
midst of his interesting remarks urged us with great emphasis to
" establish a college " for the education of our children and young
men, as one of the most powerful and successful means of attain¬
ing the rights and dignity of American citizens.* We trusted then
that such wholesome advice, coming from one so high in office, so
experienced in age, so far-reaching in knowledge, and so virtuous
in character, would make a deep and lasting impression on our
minds, and after the lapse of many years we feel that such was the
case. He was followed by one of the Congregational clergymen,
whose eloquent speech, flowing from a generous soul, kindled
in our bosoms such a flame of Christian affection and fraternal
sympathy as made us feel that we are indeed the children of one
Father, the heirs of the same heavenly inheritance, and that
neither complexional distinction nor sectarian predilections can
sever those that have been washed in the blood of the same
Saviour, and whose hopes are in the same Gospel.
At Harrisburg Ave met in peace, at Pittsburg we parted in love,
hoping that in the morning of the resurrection we would all be
united in the same heaven to join in the same song of praise to
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It was thus auspiciously that
we were to enter upon the duties devolving upon us in the Gen¬
eral Conference of 1844, and we have already seen how this same
spirit of Christian union pervaded the city of Pittsburg during
our deliberations, and made it possible to feel that God would
crown with his blessings all that was done and said at that mem¬
orable session.
What was done in the Annual Conference in this year can be
told in a few words. The Baltimore churches met in the city of
Washington on the 8th of June, and continued their delib¬
erations for ten days. All the Bishops were present. Rt.
Rev. Morris Brown opened the Conference with an impres¬
sive address. Brother Samuel Watts was received on probation
* This gentleman was the President or Superintendent of the Public
Works of Pennsylvania.
176
History of the A. M. E. Church.
into the itinerant ranks, and Samuel Wilmore into the local.
Henry Waters, William Gaines and Adam S. Driver were received
into full connection, and John L. Armstrong was ordained an
elder. Brother William Gaines was ordained a deacon before he
had finished his probation. The rule of discipline was suspended
in his case for the following reasons: The church at Frederick-
town, Md., was destitute of an ordained minister, and as the laws
of that section of the country rendered it difficult to change
ministers according to our Discipline, and in view of the fact
that Brother Gaines had secured the confidence of the white
community, therefore it Avas deemed proper to set him apart for
that office.
The churches of Carlisle prayed Conference to alter the dimen¬
sions of the Chambersburg Circuit so as to make it consist in the
future of Chambersburg, Carlisle, Yellow Beaches and Messers-
burg, and that but one preacher be sent them for this year's ser¬
vice, Avhich was granted. Another petition prayed for the
division of the Harrisburg Circuit, and the division was made as
follows: The Harrisburg Circuit Avas made to embrace Harris¬
burg, Mount Joy, Marietta, Columbia and Wrightsville, Avhile
Lancaster, Pemingtonville, the Valley, Britton, Canastogen and
Russellville Avere constructed into the Lancaster Circuit. A mis¬
sionary society for the Baltimore District Avas organized as an
auxiliary to the Parent, Home and Foreign Society, and as a step
tOAvard the higher education. Rev. H. C. Turner Avas author¬
ized to establish a high school in the city of Baltimore.
The statistics shoAV the existence at that period of nine Sunday-
schools, Avith eight hundred and sixty-nine scholars; three com¬
mon schools, Avith one hundred and tAventy-eight pupils; one
educational society; one church library attached to Israel Church,
in Washington D. C., and containing forty-five volumes; also
three temperance societies, Avith one thousand and five members.
Numbered among the dead Avas p£ev. William Nichols. He
Avas one of the persons Avho aided the martyred Tony in cover¬
ing the escape of many slaves from the District of Columbia to
their asylum in Canada West. Soon after the arrest of Torry he
accidentally learned that he Avas knoAvn to be in connection Avith
him, and it is supposed the fear of being arrested Avas so great as
to induce the paralysis Avliich lead to his rather sudden death on
the 20th of September, 1843. He Avas a man of more than ordi¬
nary intelligence, and Avas firmly opposed to the extravagant zeal
Opening of a New Era.
177
and rude manner which distinguished so many of the leading
men of our denomination in the city of Washington, D. C.; for
in that early period the men and women who made the most
and the greatest noise, and the most extravagant gesticulations,
were regarded as the greatest Christians. Brother Samuel Dick-
erson was another who departed this life this year.
Four days after the rise of the Baltimore Conference, that of
the Philadelphia District was convened in the city of Philadel¬
phia, June '22d. The important transactions were few. Alexan¬
der Davis was admitted 011 probation as a local preacher, and
Brother Henry Davis as an itinerant. Following the example of
the Baltimore Conference, the Rev. David Ware was authorized
to establish a high school in the. city of Philadelphia. Little
Wesley, or Hurst Street Church, was converted into a station.
Rev. Walter Proctor was appointed a home missionary, and Rev.
Stephen Smith a foreign one.* The Conference was called upon
to record the deaths of two of its strong men and earliest labor¬
ers—Rev. Richard Williams and Rev. -Joseph Cox. The former
was one of the earliest itinerants—faithful among the faithless.
Many entered the itinerant ranks about the same time who were
like stumbling horses, for they were always falling down with
their burdens on their backs; others fell to rise no more, despis¬
ing themselves and disgracing the whole Connection. But this
minister of God was upright and faultless in his moral character,
and, always willing to obey the orders of his superior in office,
he performed some of the most painful, laborious and important
missions of the itinerant service. He was the first regularly
ordained and accredited elder who, amid great privations, carried
the banners of the African Methodist Church and planted them
on the shores of Canada and Western New York. During this
long and faithful service of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight
years he held some of the most important stations in the gift of
the Connection. As early as 1818 we find him in the pastorate
of Baltimore, and in 1840-41 we find him associated with Bishop
Brown as the joint pastor of Bethel, in Philadelphia. When he
died it was in favor with God, and presenting a spotless charac¬
ter to the world. Brother Cox Avas a man of more than ordinary
talents. His mind was vigorous and capable of grappling with
and mastering any subject to which he determined to devote his
* Neither the high school nor this missionary work was made an actuality.
12
178
History of the A. M. E. Church.
attention. One who knew him well says of his analytical pow¬
ers, that when he heard Joseph Cox in the pulpit he was reminded
of the corn-mills of South Carolina, out of whose hoppers the
grain comes fine as powder. Though not educated, in the popu¬
lar sense of the term, yet he had greatly enriched his mind by
various reading and patient reflection. As for native eloquence,
he had no superior in his day. Possessed of a splendid and
powerful pair of lungs, his voice was strong, round and full, and
when he became inspired with his subject he employed its won¬
derful intonations with the happiest effect. With its poAver he
repeatedly moved a congregation of two thousand souls; and
this was not the effect of ranting, but the legitimate result of a
soul inspired with the sublimity and importance of the great
theme of salvation, and possessed of an almost superhuman
power to give utterance to the holy, burning, heavenly emotions
that swelled it. Both the active Bishops presided at this Confer¬
ence. Bishop Morris Brown presided alone at that of the New
York District, which assembled fifteen days after the close of
the Philadelphia, as Bishop Quinn had left for the West. An¬
thony Treadwell Avas ordained a deacon, and Brothers Henry
Johnson and Isaac Parker Avere ordained elders in the Church of
God. The book committee Avas authorized to examine and publish
the biographical document of Jarena Lee, " if they should approve
of it and think it proper to do so." It was the same document that
Avas referred to them by the General Conference. An effort Avas
also made here to establish a high school Avithin the bounds of
this district for the " accommodation of the local preachers in the
study of grammar and other branches of useful knoAvledge."
These items indicate all the important transactions that took
place.
About three Aveeks and six days after the close of the NeAV
York Conference, the Canadian Conference assembled in To¬
ronto, Avith Bishop BroAvn presiding, Bishop Quinn being still
at the West. Peter Curtis, James Holly, Nelson Coil tee and
Peter Smith were admitted on probation, Avith James Walker
into full connection. William EdAvards and Josiah Henson*
*This Josiah Henson was the original "Uncle Tom" of Mrs. Harriet
Beecher Stowe's thrilling volume against American slavery, and had cause
with millions of his kinsmen according to the flesh, to rejoice in its over¬
throw by the strong arm of God, who has promised to '' break in pieces
the oppressor."
Opening of a New Era.
179
were ordained elders, while Edward Gant, Peter Smith and
Jacob Dorsey were ordained deacons in the Church. Alexander
Helmsley was located. Pleasant Underwood, from the Ohio
Conference, was, by resolution, admitted into this. Another
effort was made to have the churches closed at a suitable hour of
night. There is no doubt in the minds of the thoughtful ones
that late meetings, continued for several weeks in succes¬
sion, are damaging to the intellect, damaging to the pecuniary
interests of the individuals who persist in them, and to the
pecuniary interests of the church in which they are fostered.
The waste of vital power in the bodies of such " midnight reli¬
gionists," to say nothing of the waste of fuel and lights, greatly
outweighs the fancied benefits realized, and ought to constrain
every considerate man and woman to enter a solemn protest
against the unreasonable and unchristian custom. But it is true
that the pastors are responsible for both the usage and the dam¬
aging results. " Like priest, like people." A stupid pastorate
will produce a stupid flock; a fanatical pastor, a fanatical flock;
and the converse of this declaration is equally true.
Near the close of the Canada Conference Bishop Brown was
attacked by a stroke of paralysis, and after its close was conveyed
to his residence in Philadelphia by Rev. Noah C. Cannon, who
had succeeded him as chairman pro tem. of the Conference. This
was the last Canadian Conference that the Bishop ever attended.
After the rise of the Philadelphia Conference Bishop Quinn
proceeded to the West, with a view to hold the Conferences in
those regions. He set out in his own private carriage for Terre
Haute, at which place the Annual Conference of that district was
to convene on the 29th of August. When about twenty miles
distant some part of the harness broke, and the horse, naturally
fiery, took fright and ran away. The Bishop held him until
the reins gave way, and the front of the carriage being al¬
ready broken, he fell out, and as he still clung to the broken
rein, the horse dragged him some two hundred yards, when the
animal freed himself from the Bishop's control and fled, break¬
ing the carriage into pieces. The Bishop was severely bruised on
the left side and breast, and one of his arms was fractured.
Though almost insensible when raised from the ground, his pow¬
erful and vigorous constitution, as an auxiliary to the best medi¬
cal skill, enabled him to open the Conference two days later.
In the Indiana District this year Aaron M. Parker, Green Har-
180
History of the A. M. E. Church.
rison, Philip AVard, Cyrus Woods, Lee and Lewis Johnson
were placed on probation. James Curtis, Joshua Dunlap, iEneas
Mcintosh, Israel Cole and Byrd Parker were received into full
connection. Thomas Ailsworth, iEneas Mcintosh, James Curtis,
Benjamin Hill and Henry Travan were ordained elders in the
Church of God. Application was made from the School Conven¬
tion to confer with Conference relative to the best means for the
establishment of a general system of education in the state of
Indiana.* A committee was appointed, which reported favor¬
ably upon the plan proposed, with some slight alterations in it.
In connection with the subject of education, it was made the
duty of the preachers to deliver a monthly address upon that
subject. Rev. George W. Johnson was elected district book
steward, and the Church Magazine was recommended to the pat¬
ronage of our people. As early as 1844 the subject of the pur¬
chase of a homestead for a Bishop came before the churches for
consideration.f It was at this Conference that a delegate was
appointed to the Ohio Conference to consult with it in regard to
providing a homestead for Bishop Quinn, to be located some¬
where in the West.
The Ohio churches assembled at Columbus on the 17th of
September. Bishop Quinn presided alone, as Bishop Brown
was still ill. Henderson Gillespie, Eli Wilkens and Peter Jones
were received on probation, and William Newman and Thomas
Woodson into full connection. Thomas Woodson, Matthew T.
Newsom and Simon Ratcliff were ordained elders, and William
Newman and Solomon H. Thompson, deacons. It was at
this Conference that Brother Newsom proposed the idea of
selecting a suitable location for a seminary to educate young
men for the ministry. A committee was appointed to effect this
noble object, with power to make the selection somewhere in the
state of Michigan. This last was the only business of impor¬
tance that the Ohio churches transacted at this session. This
* Though there is no documentary evidence of the fact, it is said that
there was a convention of colored persons held in the West about this time
to promote the cause of education, and that the Rev. M. M. Clark was the
appointed agent of it.
TThe resolutions were never executed, and the Bishop was left to find a
home for himself, which he did in Richmond, Indiana. The Ohio Confer¬
ence determined to fix the Bishop's residence in Pittsburg, Pa., but as we
ftaye said, no place >va$ settled upon.
Opening of a New Era.
181
Conference was the last held in the year 1844, and the general
outlook for the progress of the Church in educational matters
was more cheering from that period. Its literature during that
year, as found in the pages of the magazine, may be reduced to
four subjects—biographical, ministerial support, revivals and edu¬
cational. Upon the last named subject the contributors to its
columns were Rev. John M. Brown, from Oberlin, where he was
then a student; Henry W. Simmons, of the District of Colum¬
bia; Mr. Abram Fields, of Philadelphia; and Rev. Daniel A.
Payne, who contributed essays on the education of the ministry.
These were all vigorous appeals for more learning in our midst,
and at the same time indicative of the minds among us already
influenced by that great lever in the uplifting of any nation or
race. But the causes of a revolution in the character of our min¬
istry had just begun to be planted like a few seeds in the ground,
and they required time to germinate, then to vegetate, and after¬
wards to bring forth fruit in the ripened revolution. The Afri¬
can Methodist Episcopal Church has been progressing steadily
from the time that the General Conference of 1844 acted in favor
of an educated ministry.
The biographical sketches of this period were more numerous
than those of any previous year, some of which were very inter¬
esting, commemorating, as they did, some of the workers in the
vineyard of the Lord. Among them is one upon the wife of
Rev. H. C. Turner, himself one of the strong men of the Con¬
nection. Of her, the Rev. Willis Nazery says: "Her life was
truly pious, and such as became a disciple of the Lord."
Good news is also sent from Canada by the Rev. George Weir,
who says that, despite the threatened division of the Church at
St. Catherine's, the faithful few had labored on with the glorious
result that a great outpouring of the spirit of the Lord had taken
place in the latter part of the previous December, and that at
this time "the peace and good feeling and Christian love that
now live in the Society is truly pleasant to witness." Spirited
accounts of the revivals which had taken place in Washington,
D. C., and in Baltimore, form also a part of the literary efforts of
the year.
' CHAPTER XVIII.
LINES OP PROGRESS IN 1845.
A Flourishing Condition in Schools and Temperance Societies—First Ac¬
tive Effort in Regard to a Connectional School—Measures for a School
East of the Alleghenigs—Comprehensive Report from the Book Concern
—Deplorable State of Affairs—Ignorance Among the Colored People
Regarding the Book Concern—Importance of an Enlightened Ministry
Evident—A Period of Light Dawning.
THIRTY-SEVEN ministers represented the Baltimore
churches as they assembled in Conference in the Monu¬
mental City on the 26th of May, 1845. Among them were
eleven licentiates, thirteen deacons, ten elders and three Bishops.
The secretaries were Rev. Levin Lee and Samuel Watts. To these
servants Bishop Brown delivered a feeling address, referring to his
own afflicted condition, and expressing the thought that he might
not be with the body again. The question of the privileges and
rights of members of the Conference, either itinerant or local,
who are on probation, and those who are in full membership, was
propounded for settlement as to whether any difference existed,
but the house was decided by the Bishop as the body to act in
the matter, according to the usual custom. The spirit and
movement of the ministers on the educational question at this
meeting is indicated by the following preamble and resolutions:
Whereas, The sacred cause of education is of such vital importance to
the interest of the Church in particular, and to the world in general, that
instead of being contented with what little we have done, we feel it our
duty to make new and greater efforts to advance its cause among us in
such a way as will result in a general diffusion of its blessings among our
benighted race; therefore,
Resolved, 1st. That we recommend to our ministers and people the im¬
portance of holding a general Convention in the city of Philadelphia on
the 30th day of October next, for the purpose of forming a literary institu¬
tion, and devising such other measures as will place the cause of education
among us on a solid and lasting foundation, so that all our people, in a
greater or less degree, may hereafter enjoy its benign influence.
Resolved, 2d. That there be central committees formed for the purpose of
carrying into effect the object embraced in the first resolution, and that
this committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees in other
( 182)
Lines of Progress in 1845.
183
places, for the purpose of securing a general attendance of all persons of
influence and means among us.
Resolved, 3d. That this committee shall consist of seven members of our
Church, viz.: four of the itinerant preachers and three of the laity.
Resolved, 4th. That a copy of this preamble and resolutions be sent to
each Annual Conference, with a respectful request for their adoption.
The names appended to this document as members of the
"Central Committee" were Daniel A. Payne, Henry C. Turner,
Thomas W. Henry, Adam Driver, James A. Shorter, John
Henson and Daniel W. Moore.
The Sabbath-schools, temperance societies and common schools
were all in a flourishing condition. In Washington City, Israel
Church had established a circulating library among its members.
One educational society to assist young men in preparing for the
ministry, together with two temperance societies and a mission¬
ary society, auxiliary to the " Parent," were among the institu¬
tions of that date in the limits of this Conference. Baltimore,
at that time under the pastorate of Rev. H. C. Turner, had a
flourishing Sunday-school of three hundred and eighteen schol¬
ars, one common school and a missionary society.
Brothers Christopher Jones and Aquila Scott were admitted
into the ranks of the local ministry, and Brother Samuel Wil-
more into the itinerant.
The Philadelphia ministers, fifty-six in number, held the
Philadelphia Conference in that city. It was Bishop Quinn
who delivered the annual address at this Conference. Brothers
I. Hollan, J. P. B. Eddy, Shadrack Blackstone, J. W. Stokes and
William Jones, were added to the Conference as probationers.
Alexander Wayman, Aaron Johnson, Henderson Davis and A. C.
Crippen were received into full connection. A. Wayman and
H. Davis were ordained deacons.
It will be recollected that Bishop Brown had been struck with
paralysis while he was presiding at the Canadian Conference of
1844, and from thence he became increasingly feeble, losing the
power of speech as well as that of locomotion, so that the pres¬
ent Conference of the Philadelphia District felt compelled, for
his own ease and comfort as well as for the general interest of the
Connection, to declare him " incompetent to travel and exercise
his episcopal office in the Church;" in other words, to place him
in superannuated relations to it. They also declared it their
opinion that he ought to receive annually while in that state the
184
History of the A. M. E. Church.
sum of two hundred dollars, and pledged themselves to raise
annually one hundred of that amount, and solicited the Balti¬
more and New York Districts to co-operate in raising the balance.
They also recommended " all the preachers in the Philadelphia
District to take collections in their several circuits and stations
to assist in carrying out this object." Sincere regret was expressed
that the body felt compelled to this necessity by an over-ruling
Providence " which deprives us of the long and useful labors of our
much esteemed and truly beloved father in God, Bishop Brown." *
It was on the '25th of .June that the New York churches con¬
vened for the annual transaction of their affairs. Their meeting
was held in New York City, and, though exceedingly feeble, the
venerable Bishop Brown presided alone during the first six days,
at the end of which time Bishop Quinn arrived and took his
place as president. Rev. M. M. Clark and Rev. George Hogarth
were secretaries. But three local men and one itinerant were
added to the Conference. Four deacons were ordained, in the
persons of E. C. Africanus, James Hyate, N. C. B. Thomas and
L. Tilman. Before the brethren closed their deliberations they
passed resolutions to "use every laudable endeavor to encourage
our young men to obtain a useful education." Brother Hercules
Schureman, the grandfather of that gifted and useful man, the
Rev. Wm. D. W. Schureman, was one of the two ministers called
to their reward this year. He was nearl}r one hundred years of
age. Charles Spicer was the other, and the magazine of that
year contains a sketch of him from the pen of Brother C. Burcli.
The Indiana churches held their Annual Conference this year
in Indianapolis, with Bishop Quinn presiding alone, and Brother
Mcintosh as the secretary. Three were added to the ministry—
Baker Brown, General Footle and Ishman Thurman—the first
as an itinerant, the two latter as local preachers. Henry Cole
was received into full connection, but the ranks of the itinerancy
were weakened by the location of Revs. Byrd Parker and Benja¬
min Hill. The items of interest are few, as, aside from the
reports of the existence of seven common schools and eight
Sunday-schools, and the above points, the minutes are barren.
* There is no question but that the brethren felt themselves justified in
their act by the inability of the Bishop, but it seems questionable whether
this act of an Annual Conference was legal. The General Conference is
the only power that can depose a Bishop from office oil any account
especially for a reason that does not imply an immorality.
Lines of Progress in 1845.
185
Again we find ourselves at St. Catherine's, Canada West, to
note the gathering of the Canadian churches. That Conference
opened on the 13th of September and closed on the 17th. Rev.
N. .C. W. Cannon was voted into the chair, as both of the Bishops
were absent, and George Weir and C. T. Williamson were made
secretaries. C. D. Williamson, Adam S. Lewis, Henry Bull,
Henry Stephens, Lewis S. Lewis and James Walker were the five
admitted to the Conference, the'latter as an itinerant; but, apart
from another endeavor to correct the pernicious habit of late meet¬
ings, there is nothing more to add concerning this Conference.
The Ohio churches were the next to convene in Columbus, on
the 18th of October. Four ministers were added to the itinerant
service—John P. Woodson, Edward Davis, William Heron and
Henderson Gillespie. James Turpine and Campbell Maxwell
were ordained local deacons, and Edward Davis a traveling
deacon, while S. H. P. Thompson and William Newman were
ordained elders. The. Urbana Circuit was divided into two
parts at this Conference: the one consisted of Urbana, embra¬
cing Springfield, Urbana, London, Goshen, Logan, Machadrack
and Larrimer, Muddy Creek; while the other, Carthagena,
included Troy, Carthagena, Van Wert, Fort Wayne and Eel
River. Conference also received into the Connection a congrega¬
tion in Delaware, 0., and one each in Athens, Hocking and
Beaver. But its action on the subject of education Avas the most
important of all. A committee had been appointed at the last
session, in 1844, and when now called upon to report, gave the
following, which was to be the basis, as far as actual action
went, of the schools of the Connection found in existence nearly
half a century later :
We, your committee appointed by the Ohio Annual Conference of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church, met in the city of Columbus, Sep¬
tember 17th, 1844, to select a tract of land for the purpose of erecting a
seminary of learning, on the manual labor plan, for the instruction of the
youths among us in the various branches of literature, science, agriculture
and mechanic arts, and also for those young men who may desire to pre¬
pare for the ministry. Being destitute of means to pay our traveling ex¬
penses to the state of Michigan to seek its location, we have selected one
in Franklin County, state of Ohio, twelve miles west of Columbus, and
two miles north of the National Road, containing one hundred and sev¬
enty-two acres of land, which can be purchased for $1,720, to be paid in
installments. M. T. Newsum,
Lewis Adams,
Thomas Lawrence,
186
Jltdorij of the A. M. E. Church.
Another tract of land was reported by Brother Lawrence, cov¬
ered with wood, and without any improvements. A committee
was appointed to execute the same. They did so, and then
recommended the purchase of the first tract. A traveling agent
had been appointed to raise moneys to pay for this property, in
the person of Major J. Wilkerson, who agreed to serve the Con¬
ference for one-third of all that he might collect. A report of
$'2,-587 for that purpose was encouraging. The next thing that
the Conference deemed necessary was a committee to draft a
constitution for this school in embryo, its government, etc. They
produced the following:
PREAMBLE AND CONSTITUTION.
preamble.
Whereas, We have long viewed with the deepest solicitude the impor¬
tance of providing for the instruction of the rising generation among us; and
Whereas, There is no institution accessible to our youth that meets our
views of their wants; therefore,
Resolved, That the Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episco¬
pal Church, which met in the city of Columbus, state of Ohio, October
24th, 1845, feeling a deep interest in the moral and literary improvement
of our youth, do devise a plan for the establishment of a seminary of
learning for the dissemination of useful knowledge among us, on the man¬
ual labor system, for those, who purpose entering into the ministry, and
all others who may deem it to their interest to apply themselves to the cul¬
tivation of their minds in those branches of science that may be taught
therein.
constitution.
Article 1. This Seminary shall be known and styled " The Union Semi¬
nary of the African Methodist Episcopal Church," subject to the Ohio
Annual Conference.
Art. 2. The object of this Seminary shall be the education of those
young men who purpose entering into the ministry, and the improvement
of our youth generally, both male and female, by instructing them in lit¬
erature, science, agriculture and the mechanic arts.
Art. 3. The condition of admission into the Seminary shall be as the
by-laws may from time to time prescribe.
Art. 4. The officers of the Seminary shall be a principal, a board of
thirteen managers, nine trustees, a secretary and treasurer.
Art. 5. The officers of the Seminary shall hold their office for the term
of one Conference year, by complying with the rules laid down in the by¬
laws for their government; but in case of failure to choose officers at the
stated time, those in office shall continue till others are chosen by the An¬
nual Conference.
Art. 6. The times of meeting, the times and the manner of choosing
Lines of Progress in 1845.
187
officers, their power and duties, the liabilities of its members, the causes
that shall justify dismembership, and generally the details of its organiza¬
tion shall be prescribed by by-laws.
Art. 7. The' funds of the institution shall be derived from contribu¬
tions, donations, legacies, scholarships, etc., and after the expenses shall be
defrayed, any surplus that may be, shall not be appropriated to any other
use or purpose than to aid the itinerant, superannuated and supernu¬
merary preachers and Bishops belonging to this district.
Provided, nevertheless, That a vote of two-thirds of the members of the
Annual Conference, at its session, shall be sufficient to alter or amend any
of the above restrictions, except those clauses that would destroy the true
interest and meaning of said institution, which shall not be altered.
The seventh article overlooked the fact that an institution of
learning has never any surplus for purposes outside of itself, and
foreign to its aim; also that with the growth of an institution of
learning there is always a multiplication of wants that must be
supplied. And, therefore, instead of being able to give away its
funds to objects foreign to the cause of education, it must always
be soliciting funds to widen its usefulness and perpetuate its ex¬
istence.
But the cause of education was on the increase. It has already
been shown that the Baltimore Annual Conference, at its session
in the spring of this year, passed.resolutions in favor of hold¬
ing a General Convention to consider the interest of education,
appointed a central committee for the execution of this laudable
purpose, and ordered a copy of the resolutions to be sent to all
the Conferences for their adoption. The time for holding it was
fixed for the 30th of October. This committee was faithful in
the execution of the work assigned to it. On the arrival of
that day eighty-six delegates from the Baltimore, Philadel¬
phia and New York Conferences, made their appearance at
the appointed place, viz.: Bethel Church, in the city of Phila¬
delphia. By virtue of his office as chairman of the central com¬
mittee, D. A. Payne called the Convention to order. Bishop
Brown was chosen its president, and Revs. J. Beulah, John
Boggs, John Cornish, Israel Scott, William Davis and Henry
Davis were made vice-presidents. The secretaries were Alex¬
ander Wayman and Joshua Woodlin. There was a business
committee, consisting of D. A. Payne, M. M. Clark, David Ware,
A. Fields, D. W. Moore, J. T. Costin and J. J. G. Bias. In the
afternoon session of the first day this committee reported the
constitution of a parent society to promote the cause of educa-
188
History of the A. M. E. Church.
tion. Its preamble and fifth article will show the design and
character of this constitution, as well as the institution it was
adapted to create and perpetuate :
preamble.
Whereas, The cause of education is of such vital importance to the in¬
terest of the Church in particular, and the work generally, that instead of
being content with what little we have done, wre feel it our bounden duty
to make new and greater efforts to advance it in such a way as will result
in the general dillusion of its blessings amongst our benighted race;
therefore,
Resolved, That inasmuch as there is being established a high school* in
the western section of the Connection for our special benefit, we hereby
constitute ourselves, who are members of this Convention, "A Parent
Education Society," for the purpose of aiding poor, pious and talented
young men in their preparation for the Gospel ministry in that institution,
or such other institution as shall be selected by the persons hereinafter
appointed for that purpose.
article v.
Qualified candidates may be aided in each stage of preparatory educa¬
tion for the ministry ; but, except in very singular cases, no applicant shall
be assisted ii the first stage who has not produced, from serious and respect¬
able characters, unequivocal testimonials of his hopeful piety, promising
talents and real diligence ; nor shall any person be continued on this found¬
ation whose instructor or instructors, except in very special cases, shall not
annually exhibit to tlie directors satisfactory evidence that in point of
genius, diligence, literary progress, morals and piety, he is a proper char¬
acter to receive aid from the sacred funds; in addition to which each bene¬
ficiary, after his admission to any college, shall annually exhibit to the
directors a written declaration that it continues to be his serious purpose
to devote his life to the Gospel ministry in the African Methodist Episco¬
pal Church.
These two points in the Constitution Avere zealously discussed
pro and con, but were finally adopted. A constitution for the
government of auxiliaries was also formed, and preliminary
measures adopted for the establishment of a manual labor school
east of the Alleghenies.
The purse of the parent society was to be filled by the payment
of one dollar and fifty cents annually, and by the aid of its aux¬
iliaries. But notwithstanding all that was said and done in the
Convention to establish and perpetuate this parent society, its
history is that of a child that dies as soon as it is born. Before
and after the Convention something was done to aid these young
*This was the projected Union Seminary of the Ohio Annual Confer¬
ence.
Lines of Progress in 1845.
189
men who were students in Oberlin College, but this was the work
of a few private individuals, of whom Miss Mary Still and Mrs.
Eliza of Philadelphia, with Mrs. Harriet Carroll, of Wash¬
ington, D. C., were chief.
The condition of the book concern in 1845 was painful. This
department of our ecclesiastical affairs was in a deplorable state,
as evidenced by the financial report of the general book steward,
and also the first annual report of the general book agent, which
is as follows:
To the Bishops and, Conference:
Brethren:—The general book steward and committee would here re¬
spectfully submit to your inspection a report of their doings since the last
Annual Conference of this district, and published as the minutes and pro¬
ceedings of that body:
1st. In the balance slieet which we place before you for consideration
you will find, upon examination, many outstanding debts in the hands of
brethren throughout the Connection, amounting to $1,626.42, due by
preachers' fund $115,52, and cash in hand $222.59, making a total amount
in favor of the book concern of $L,964.53. From this amount deduct
credit account to sundries $978,51, and you will find a balance carried to
stock account of $986.02.
2d. By our cash report you may see that $1,550.28 have been placed in
our hands during the past year, and that $1,327.69 have been paid out,
leaving a balance of $222.59 in the funds.
3d. Our Preachers' Fund account shows that $443.85 have been collected
during the past year, one-half of which—$221.92—has been applied to the
Bishops' salaries, etc., and the other half—$221.93, with the amount of
$311.09 collected previously—has been carried to augment our stock
account. The Bishops' salaries, amounting to $337.44, have been charged
to the Preachers' Fund account. Of this sum $221.92 have been paid,
leaving the Preachers' Fund still in debt to the amount of $115.52.
4tli. By referring to the report, you will see that during the past year
our contingent expenses amount to $372.00
5th. In our commission account you will observe that there has been
allowed to sundries commission on the sale of books $45.71, and also the
general.book steward's commission on cash received from sales of books,
etc., $75.89—making a total amount of $121.60.
In reviewing this report, you have a fair opportunity to see who of our
itinerant brethren have been most active during the past year in the sale
and disposal of our books and magazines, etc., judging from the field of
labor in which each brother throughout the Connection is engaged.
It is seen that about one-third of our itinerant brethren are allowed
commissions for their labors in the sale of books, etc.; the other two-thirds
are allowed nothing because they have done nothing.
If any of our brethren have sold books, etc., for the district steward,
190
History of the A. M. E. Church.
it is the duty of the steward to report annually for publication the amount
of cash received by them from each brother on account of such sales, and
such brethren to be allowed their portion of commissions placed to the
credit of the district steward.
Gth. You are here informed in our publishing report that our expenses
during the past year have amounted to $848.55. This has been greatly
augmented by the publication of our magazine, which we fear will become
a heavy burden upon our funds unless there be some other means pro¬
vided for their disposal. You will see by the general book agent's report,
which we will submit to your notice, that he has done but little for the
advancement of the interests of the concern during the past year. Unless
proper measures are entered into by this Conference, and vigorous effort
used by him in the sale and disposal of our books, etc., and procuring sub¬
scribers to the magazine, you may be assured that his bill of expenses for
another year will prove ruinous rather than a blessing to our funds.
There are several publications much wanted among us, which we have
hitherto mentioned, but for the want of means we have in a great measure
been prevented from attending to them. The history and life of Bishop
Allen and that of Joseph M. Corr we cannot publish until we obtain the
proper authenticated matter for preparation. The manuscript of Sister
Jarena Lee has been written in such a manner that it is impossible to de¬
cipher much of the meaning contained in it. We shall have to apply to
Sister Lee to favor us with an explanation of such portions of the manu¬
script as are not understood by us.
We, with respect, remain your brethren and fellow-laborers in the min¬
istry of the Gospel, George Hogarth, General Book Steward.
Benjamin Croger, \
Samuel Edwards, i
Joshua Jenkins, f Committee.
Willis Jones, )
Side by side with this comprehensive report of the general
book steward, which was accompanied by a clear, business-like
set of accounts, we place an extract from the first annual report
of the general book agent, M. M. Clark :
On concluding this report the agent would beg leave to suggest a few
thoughts to the consideration of the Conference relating to the book
agency. That an efficient agency is much needed follows from th6se con¬
siderations: 1st. There is not a circuit that your agent visited where he
had not been asked such questions as these by not a few indi viduals, viz.:
"When was the book concern established?" "What is the object for
which it was established?" " Does it belong to the colored people or to
the white people? " "Is there not, after all, some hoax in it? Is it not a
money trap?" Well, now, this ignorance, and a hundred times more,
prevails among our own Church members, and nothing but an active, effi¬
cient and enlightened agency can remove it and get the claims of our book
concern rightly before our people.
Lines of Progress in 1845.
191
This ignorance prevails not only in regard to the book concern itself
but also in regard to our books and their contents. The agent observed
in liis lecture not long since, that the power of the government of our
Church is lodged in four places—and when he had done lecturing, several
lay members and two or three preachers came to him to ask where those
places were, and, in order to inform themselves, bought Disciplines. From
that same place the agent has received, since he has arrived in this city, a
letter from an unknown friend, stating that the above lecture had awak¬
ened more than an ordinary degree of interest in that city, which shows
the necessity of enlightened lectures on the subject. An incalculable
amount of good might be done among our people in selling books, in en¬
couraging them in the education of their children, in setting before them
the sure and certain advantages arising from an enlightened education—
the advantages of virtue, of morality, of religion, of the refinement and
cultivation of the natural powers of the mind, and the making of a proper
disposition of them for the good of our common race, or the relation in
which one moral agent stands to another.
That these most desirable ends might in some degree be promoted by a
proper agency is manifested by a spirit of inquiry which the agent has
discovered among the young. Inquiry is everywhere made for books
other than those now published by the book concern. Inquiry is made for
the life of Bishop Allen—for the biographies of some of the fathers of our
Church, whose lives and labors have perished from the eyes of the Church,
but which ought to live on the enduring pages of history for the encour¬
agement of the rising generations in the path of virtue, morality and
religion, and for the satisfaction of surviving friends and relatives. In¬
quiry is made for the history of our own Church, concisely compiled and
elegantly bound, which will give it a more ready sale. Inquiry is also made
for the New Testament, to be bound in neat pocket-book style, some plain
and some gilded, and the demand is for it to be done in our own book
concern. Inquiry is made further for some works on science, to be com¬
piled and published by our own colored men, either on natural science, or
moral science, or mental science, or political science, or all.
Could our book concern be made to meet all these demands it would
prove abundantly useful to our race and Connection. And coulc1 the
agency be sustained free of cost to the book establishment—and would the
people give that encouragement to the sale of books and to the subscrip¬
tion for the magazine which the subject demands (I mean the whole of
our Church members), the urgent demands of our young people might be
easily met, and we could carry out all the objects for which the concern was
got up. Seventeen thousand members compose our entire Connection.
It is a reasonable thing to expect one half of that number—eight thousand
five hundred—would be regular annual subscribers to the magazine, which
would afford an annual sum of $8,500 from that source alone. It is also a
reasonable thing to suppose that among seventeen thousand members
$8,000 worth of books ought to be sold annually, in which case there would
be an annual sum coming into the concern of $16,500. Here. then, would
192
Hidory of the A. M. E. Church.
be an annual sufficient sum to meet all annual demands, and to publish
whatever books an inquiring community might ask. But such is the want
of interest on the subject, such is the want of taste for reading among our
people, except perhaps one-tenth part of them, that the books cannot be
sold, or subscribers obtained to the magazine, except at a very sparing rate,
barely sufficient to pay the traveling expenses of the agent, which con¬
sumes the whole of the profits on the books and considerable more.
For this consideration, your agent, after returning his sincere thanks
and gratitude to that body who created him the general book agent, for the
distinguished honor they were pleased to confer upon him, and at the same
time expressing his deepest regrets that he has been of little or no use to
the book concern since his election, in consequence of the unfavorable
state of things among us, and the accident which your agent met with on the
first of March last, which confined him to the house for four weeks and
prevented him from labor about six weeks, does, with the most profound
respect to this sacred body, beg leave, at the will of this Conference, to
resign this office, and to be disposed of in any other way which their
wisdom may direct. M. M. Clark, General Book Agent.
New York, June 21st, 1845.
The reasons which made the concern fail to produce what was
then desired by all, and expected by many, still exist, and are
the real cause of its failures from that day to the present. The
facts are, that after thirty-three years (up to 1878) it stood where
it did not cover its own expenses. It was, therefore, always in
debt and unable to pay, and it was frequently threatened with
legal process to enforce payment. During all that period of
thirty-three years we have had at the head of our book concern
some of the best cultivated talents that could be found in our
denomination. For our general book stewards and editors we
have had such men as Bishop Allen, Joseph M. Corr, George
Hogarth, Augustus R. Green, M. M. Clark, J. P. Campbell, James
Lynch, Elisha Weaver, A. L. Stanford, Joshua Woodlyn, W. H.
Hunter, IT. H. Turner and B. T. Tanner, with the best clerical
talent which each of these could associate with himself; yet,
notwithstanding, that period found us still crippled with debts.
The answer to why this continued failure, is found in the reasons
given by Rev. George Hogarth, who was a merchant by profes¬
sion, and therefore not accustomed to deal in oratory nor rhetoric,
but with the living facts of business life. He was no mere en¬
thusiastic admirer of his own denomination, so full of ambition
to reach the highest office in the gift of his brethren -that he
would buy their votes at the expense of contradicting facts and
palpable truths. He weighed things before he undertook to ex-
Lines of Progress in 1845.
193
press their value by words, and then he employed just such
words as really represented their value. There can be no hesi¬
tancy in affirming that what hindered the success of the book
concern in 1845 hindered the same in 1878. '
The literature of the year 1845 may be shown in the two fol¬
lowing productions from the respective pens of the general book
agent, Rev. George Hogarth, and Rev. D. A. Payne. The former
relates to the condition of our people in the state of Ohio in
1845. It is a gloomy picture of the religious condition, and had
it been drawn by the hand of an enemy, outside of our ministry,
one might be led to look upon it as a caricature. But there are
two reasons why it is worthy of our belief. It was sketched by
our own accredited book agent, who, in the course of his travels,
felt it his right, duty and privilege to inform the readers of our
Church organ concerning the condition of our people in all the
states which he visited; and scenes of this kind might be wit¬
nessed in many of our churches at a much later date in other
states north of the Ohio as well as in the states south of it, and
in the more enlightened regions of the east as well as in the west.
Their productions were printed in the magazine of that date.
Rev. George Hogarth's article is the first of a series on "The
Condition of Our People," and he says:
Thinking it will perhaps be gratifying to some to see some remarks from
the book agent in each number of the magazine on the condition of our
people, as I may learn it in traveling among them, I will here commence a
series of short essays on that subject. First, their religious condition—and
here on the onset I may justly say I have clearly seen the verification of
that true remark " like priest, like people; " as the priests are, so will the
people be. If the priests are ignorant, unacquainted with human nature,
unacquainted with the human mind, their manners low and unimproved,
so will the people be. That we need an enlightened, educated ministry no
one ought to deny. To give a case showing the necessity of this, permit
me to say that I attended a protracted meeting in a certain village where a
considerable effort was made to get persons to come forward to be prayed
for, but the effort proved unavailing. The minister in charge appointed
a meeting for the next night—a general prayer-meeting. After two or
three prayers had been offered to the throne of grace the brother again
called for mourners, and none coming forward, lie then called for one or
more benches to be set out; that done, he said that he would now take
another tact on the devil, that he intended to defeat him that night. He
then declared that the devil was in everybody in the house, and he in¬
tended to drive him out of them; that there was not one of them that had
13
194
History of the A. M. E. Church.
any religion whatever, therefore every member of the Church must now
come forward to the mourners' bench and get religion, for they had none;
they were all going to hell. Some eight or nine of the poor creatures, af¬
frighted at what their pastor said, came forward in great agony and distress
all professors of religion, too—and after they had been down to the benches
some time they arose, one after another, shouting and declaring that they
had again got religion. I observed that the most sober, and perhaps the
most exemplary members of the Church, did not comply with the earnest
solicitations of their pastor, and he himself observing this, said to them
that did not come forward that they must get religion again ; they were all
on the road to hell, local preachers, class leaders, stewards, and all. After
all those that went forward had been converted again—I say again, for they
professed to have had religion before—the pastor greatly exulted in the
fact that he had defeated the devil by getting several converts, and quietly
dismissed the meeting. While sitting there and viewing and reflecting
upon this whole transaction, my mind had never before been so deeply
impressed with the great importance of an enlightened ministry. Our
fathers who have gone before us and those who still do the best they can,
and for the great good they have done in organizing our Church, getting
it on a good basis, and giving things a proper direction, deserve our
gratitude and our thanks and our praise. But 0! my God ! what a work is
yet to be done! Our fathers have only laid the foundation and got the
timber in part together, and have left us, their sons, to erect the building.
But more particularly in regard to the religious condition of our people:
In this state (Ohio) there are from twelve to sixteen thousand colored
people. Of that number say twelve hundred are members of our Church ;
of this number, perhaps six-out of ten can read the New Testament. The
manner of worship in our churches here in the West is of a character
similar to the state of education among the preachers and people, confused
and disorderly, owing to the want of cultivated minds and manners. To
this remark, however, there are some individual exceptions of persons who
have a taste for more regularity and refinement in worship.
But few of our people can read our hymn-books correctly. This cir¬
cumstance tends to introduce disorder and confusion in our singing; the
great majority, not being able to use our hymn-books, make fugue tunes
for themselves, and these fugue tunes are always transcripts of low
thoughts, ignorance and superstition, hence, confusion in singing. Their
language used in prayer is also characteristic of the want of education,
being almost always incorrect, and when it is, only by mere chance. And
for the want of good language they cannot express, to the edification of
the Church, their own good thoughts, hence confusion in prayer.
Rev. D. A. Payne (now senior Bishop of the A. M. E. Church)
completed his essays on the "'Education of the Ministry" some¬
time in the autumn of this year, 1845. They were eight in num¬
ber, and created much excitement. It wa§ a vital question with
the Church at that time, and provoked much discussion, and
Lines of Progress in 1845.
195
even strife, between the intelligent and the ignorant. But this
movement in the right direction aided the Church largely in the
advanced steps it took soon after. The following essay is the last
of the series :
ESSAY ON TOE. EDUCATION OF THE MINISTRY.
BY IX. A. PAYNE.
The Ministers of the Gospel ought to be well educated.
We now conclude our essays by an appeal to aJl who are concerned, i. e.
the whole Church. And first: We appeal to the venerable fathers of the
Connection, and call upon you to assist us in this glorious enterprise by
giving your sanction to our efforts. While we acknowledge that your ad¬
vanced life and domestic cares may present insurmountable barriers to your
improvement, we hail you as the pioneers of the Church. You, with the
enterprising Richard Allen, have gone forth, the broadax of primitive
labors upon your shoulders, entered the forest, hewn down the timber, and
erected the stupendous fabric which now constitutes our Zion. O, cheer
us, then, while we labor to beautify and array it on to perfection ! Let it
never be said that you were opposed to the cause of sacred learning, or
that you hindered the car of improvement. But while you are descending
to your peaceful and honorable graves, let us hear your invigorating voices
saying unto us: "Go on, my sons, go on!" Then shall the bright pages
of history hand down your memories as a precious legacy to unborn gen¬
erations, who, with hearts of gratitude, shall look to this period and thank
heaven that their progenitors were not the enemies, but the friends of
education. Beloved young brethren, we appeal to you, because a glorious
career of usefulness lies before you—an uncultivated field, long and wide,
invites you to enter and drive the plowshare heavier throughout its length
and breadth. Truth declares that the soil is deep and rich, and will yield
an abundant harvest. Up ! up ! to the toil. The reward is in the fruits—
your resting place is in heaven. Put forth every effort, employ every
means, embrace every opportunity to cultivate your minds, and enrich
them with the gems of holy learning. Be not satisfied with little things,
lift your standard to the skies, and your attainments will be great. Swear
eternal hatred to ignorance, and let your banner float upon the breeze of
heaven with this inscription :
Wisdom to silver7 we prefer,
And gold is dross compared to her.
All difficulties then will fade away before you, and knowledge will be¬
come just what the Creator designed it to be, an element of your manhood,
in which you may live and move and have your being.
Venerable mothers of Israel! we call upon you to aid us in this glorious
reformation. Give us your influence ; give us your money; give us your
prayers. Hannah-like, dedicate your sons to the work of God before they
are born; then Samuel-like, they will be heaven-called and heaven-sent,
full of the spirit of wisdom, and full of grace. Teach them from their in-
196
History of the A. M. E. Church.
fancy to value learning more than silver and wisdom move than gold. Teach
them that the glory of their manhood consists not in eating and dressing,
but in the cultivation of the immortal mind and the purity of their morals.
Thus will you inspire them with the love of what is great and good, paving
the way to their future greatness and their future glory. 0, who can sleep
when earth and heaven are in motion! Who can stand aloof from a work
in which the angels find delight? Wlio will dare to oppose that which
God himself has decreed? The fall of ignorance is as certain as the fall of
Babylon, and the universal spread of knowledge as the light of the Son,
for the Lord hath said, " Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall
be increased." And who does not see that this divine declaration is daily
fulfilling? The press is pouring forth its millions of publications ever}'
year, in every form, and almost in every language, so that books and
newspapers are becoming as common as the stones in the street. Common
schools, seminaries and colleges are being erected in almost every land and
every nation. Lyceums, literary societies, are being instituted among
men of all ranks and all complexions, so that it may truly be said that the
beaming chariot of the genius of knowledge is rolling triumphantly on¬
ward to the conquest of the wrorld; therefore, the oppressors of education
must either ground the weapons of their unequal warfare or be crushed to
death beneath its ponderous wheels.
A period of light has already dawned upon the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. Its morning star was seen in the doings of the
General Conference of 1844; its opening glories were manifested in the
decrees of the Educational Convention of 1845. Blessed is the man or
woman who will aid the enterprise of heaven! Yea, thrice blessed is the
one who will hasten on this age of light! In relation to this subject we
can say with Moses, " O, that all the Lord's people were prophets ! "
As for ourselves, we have dedicated our all to this sacred work. We
have lain our souls and bodies, our time, our influence, our talents, upon
the altar of our people's improvement and elevation ; there we intend to
bleed, and smoke, and burn, till life itself shall be extinct.
The calamitous fact that our people are entombed in ignorance and
oppression forever stares us in the face; it shall be the fuel of the flames
that consume us, and while wre talk, and write, and pray, we shall rise
above opposition and toil, cheered and inspired by that God whose lips
have said, "The priest's lips should keep knowledge."
CHAPTER XIX.
1846-1847.
Baltimore Annual Conference—A Proposed Union with the Zion Wesleyan
Connection—Philadelphia Churches—Probationers Admitted—The Diffi¬
culties of 1848—New York Churches—Decrees of Conference—A Letter
to the World's Convention—The Canadian Churches — Kesolutions
Against Slaveholding—Ohio Churches—Statistics of the Ohio Confer¬
ences—Missionary Field Laid Out—The New York Churches.
rT^HE Baltimore Conference, at its annual meeting in 1846,
J[ made it the duty of the preachers to form educational socie¬
ties in their respective charges: They ordained general fasting
and prayer among their churches on the first Friday in Sep¬
tember, 1846. They requested the Bishops to appoint some one
of their number to prepare a missionary sermon to be delivered
at the next session in 1847. They resolved to publish the min¬
utes in pamphlet form that the pages of the magazine might not
be burdened with them. They declared themselves favorable
to a union with the Zion Wesley Connection, and they made the
disposition known in the subjoined form:
Whereas, It is a fact greatly to be lamented—on account of the disunion
in Christian fellowship, on account of the division of means to do good
and bless mankind, on account of the towering prejudices thrown up
as high as the heavens, reaching like the tops of Alpine mountains be¬
tween the two Connections, on account of the sacred cause of schools, day
and Sabbath, the cause of general education, and on account of the present
future and eternal welfare of immortal souls—that the two religious denom¬
inations of Christians in these United States, occupying nearly co-exten-
sively the same territory, are in the present positions a heavy weight, the
one to the other, in the high mission of the church militant in the spread
of the knowledge of the Lord among us, that is to say, the A. M. Episco-
cal and the A. M. Zion Churches; therefore,
Resolved, That if, in the providence of the Great Head of the Church,
any plan or system of means can be devised and matured by which the
two bodies can be amicably brought together into one consolidated body,
and in which they could both consistently agree upon terms of Christian
fellowship, we, the members of this Baltimore Annual Conference, enter¬
tain no objections to the same.
Rev. M. M. Clark gave notice that if nothing in the providence
of God prevented, he would call up the above for adoption at the
(197)
198
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Baltimore Annual Conference of 1847. This praiseworthy inten¬
tion was never carried into effect by Brother Clark, owing, I
believe, to the circumstance that he was in Europe at the time
of the meeting of said Conference.
The number of ministers assembled to transact the busi¬
ness of the Philadelphia churches in this same year was the
largest known heretofore. There were three Bishops, twenty-
one elders, fourteen deacons, and twenty-eight preachers—a total
of sixty-six. There were six young men admitted on probation
in the ministry—Edward Farris, William N. Brown, TI. J. Young,
Thomas Oliver and Richard Wilson. The secretaries of this ses¬
sion were David Ware and Alexander Way man. Henry Davis
and Alexander Davis were admitted into full connection. James
Burton had died. The whole number of members reported for
the Philadelphia District was five thousand one hundred and
seventy-one, of which one thousand eight hundred and twenty-
five were enrolled on the register of Bethel in Philadelphia, The
decrease, therefore, shows itself to be three hundred and forty.
At this Conference we find the location of the ministers as fol¬
lows: William Moore at Bethel, Philadelphia, where he received
only $200 in money as quarterage salary, though he had under
his pastoral care Bethel, containing one thousand eight hundred
and twenty-five members, with the Union Church of three hun¬
dred and twenty-eight members—a total of two thousand one
hundred and fifty-one; Willis Nazery was on the Princeton Cir¬
cuit, A. W. Way man at Wesley Church, George Greenly on Buck
County Circuit, Clayton Dickman on Chester Circuit, Israel Scott
on Burlington Circuit, J. L. Armstrong on Salem Circuit, Henry
Davis on Trenton Circuit, W. H. .Jones on Reading Circuit, An¬
drew Massey the Smyrna Mission, and Stephen Smith the County
Mission. The Conference concurred in the proposition of the
Educational Convention to erect a manual labor school east of
the Alleghenies. It also elected two book stewards for the dis¬
trict of Philadelphia. These were David Ware and .J. .J. G. Bias.
One motion was made, which we record as the precursor of the
great difficulties that took place in Bethel Church, Philadelphia,
in 1848. The sense of the house was taken to know if the con¬
stitution of Bethel Church was in accordance with the govern¬
ment and discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
This was decided in the negative. Then the following resolution
was passed:
1846-1847.
199
Resolved, That the Bishops be requested to address a pastoral letter to
the trustees and constitutional members of Bethel Church, Philadelphia,
stating the importance of making the articles of association conform in all
respects and wholly to the Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church in the United States of America, for the reasons which the Con¬
ference shall recommend, as far as consistent with the laws of Pennsylvania.
On Saturday morning, June 5th, the ministers of the New York
District met in the city of New York. Bishop Quinn presided
alone in this Conference. M. M. Clark and E. Africanus were
elected secretaries. As soon as the house was organized Bishop
Quinn rose and " briefly delivered his annual address to the
Conference, by invoking the attention of the members to the
consideration of the special care and protection of our lives and
health, through the mercy of God, during the past Conference
year, who has brought us from remote regions together in an
Annual Conference, for which we have great reason to be devot¬
edly thankful." He enjoined upon the members the all-impor¬
tant necessity of being deeply imbued with the spirit of the
Gospel of peace; that being seen by others as ministers would be
their best shield against reproach and their surest recommenda¬
tion as the stewards of Christ. He insisted upon the importance
of a strict conformity to order and decorum in debating ques¬
tions, and against that ungentlemanly and indecorous manner
of some who aim to elicit the sentiments of others with a seem¬
ing view to attack and ridicule them; also the great need of
cultivating a spirit of love and patience, of being much engaged
in prayer, and of entertaining a sacred regard for our characters
as ministers, who should aim at the highest attainments in Chris¬
tian manners and morals. The venerable speaker concluded
his remarks by solemnly invoking upon the Conference the ben¬
ediction of our Heavenly Father during its session. One itiner¬
ant and seven local preachers were received into Conference as
probationers—R. Smith, AVilliam M. G. Thomas, William Har-
man, Peter Schuyler, .James P. Thompson,. Voss Neal, Thomas
Demus and Reuben Leonard. Four brethren were admitted into
full connection—John Williams, Stephen Amos, N. C., B. T. and
James Hyatt—the two latter being itinerants. The total num¬
ber of members in Society returned at this Conference was two
thousand one hundred and seventy-nine. The decrease was one
hundred and two. The points had been filled the previous year
as follows: Eli N. Hall, Brooklyn Station, New York; John
200
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Boggs, New York City Station; Richard. Robinson, Boston
City Station; J. F. Beulah, Long Island Circuit; PI. Johnson,
New Bedford Station; Jacob Matthews, Providence, R. I.; George
Weir, Buffalo Station; Levin Tilman, Norwich Station; Charles
Burch, New Haven and Bridgeport; James Hyatt, Binghampton;
Thomas W. Jackson, Albany City; N. C. B. Thomas, Haverstraw
Circuit; E. C. Africanus, Hudson Circuit. These preachers'
quarterage salaries amounted to $1,056.08.
This Conference also decreed:
1st. That any of its traveling preachers who might neglect to
raise the two-cent money should be punished as in cases of im¬
moral conduct, unless he produces a certificate from the steward
of his charge showing that he had discharged his duty in rela¬
tion to the money.
2d. That a committee of three be appointed to collect all in¬
formation they can relating to the history of our Church, and
forward the same to the general book steward at as early a period
as possible, to be presented by him to the General Conference in
1848, and that M. M. Clark, E. N. Ware and J. J. G. Bias be that
committee. *
3d. That an itinerant society be formed among the members
of the Conference, whose benefits shall extend to all the travel¬
ing preachers in the A. M. E. Church, f
4th. That a committee of three be appointed to communicate
with the convention to be held in London, in the Kingdom of
Great Britain, in August next, on the subject of Evangelical
Christian Alliance, and that M. M. Clark, George Hogarth and
Edward Africanus be that committee.
Conference also expressed their concurrence with the Educa¬
tional Convention of 1845, to establish a manual labor school
east of the Allegheny Mountains.
When the time arrived for the report from the committee ap¬
pointed by the Conference to communicate with the World's
*The committee never discharged the duty assigned to them. The
chairman, though a person of fine talents, and one of the best educated
preachers in the Convention, was neither by nature nor taste fitted for
such a work. His colleagues were, in regard to historical taste, much like
himself.
tThis was the origin of what is now known as the Preachers' Aid
Society. It is a very useful organization, but its benefits are confined to
its own members in each Annual Conference where it exists.
1846-1847.
201
Convention from the Evangelical Alliance mentioned, it sent by
its delegate to said convention, Rev. M. M. Clark, the following
letter:
Brooklyn, July 15tli, 1846.
To the President and Members of the World's Convention of the Christian Church,
to be Held in the City of London, on the 19th Day of August, 1846:
Brethren:—The undersigned committee, appointed by the New York
Conference of the African Methodist Church of the United States of
America to correspond with your sacred body, do hereby, through our
delegates, Rev. M. M. Clark, of the New York District, formerly a student
of Jefferson College, Pa., and Eev. D. A. Payne, of the Baltimore District,
formerly a student of the Gettysburg College, Pa., send these presents,
humbly soliciting your particular attention.
It is known that the Church and people whom we represent have al¬
ways labored in this country under many embarrassments which would be
unnecessary for us at present to mention, being satisfied that a full account
of this portion of our history is given in the Episcopal Address to the
members of our Church, which you will find in the Preface of our Disci¬
pline, we now forward to you for your consideration, where you will learn
the full cause of our separation from the Methodist Episcopal Church of
this country.
The African Methodist Episcopal Church of America has been in ex¬
istence thirty years, as you may observe on the perusal of the historical
account given of the origin and continuation of its episcopacy, which may
be found in Chapter I., Section 1 of our Discipline.
Richard Allen was our first ordained Bishop, and Morris Brown, Edward
Waters and William Paul Quinn are his successors in office. We have
at present about seventeen thousand three hundred and seventy-five com¬
municants attached to our general Church, with about eighty itinerants
and ninety-seven local preachers, three of whom are Bishops, sixty-two
elders, forty-eight deacons and sixty-six licensed preachers.
The Church is located within fourteen states of the Union, viz.: New
York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and
Missouri, and in the British Province of Canada West. It is divided into
six districts, viz.: Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Ohio, Indiana and
Canada Districts. In each district there is held an Annual Conference for
the regulation of the spiritual affairs of the Church among its ministers,
and every fourth year a General Conference, by delegation from each dis¬
trict, takes place to make rules and regulations for its government. There
are about seventy-one circuits and stations and two hundred and ninety-
six churches and preaching places within those several districts.
For the support of our itinerant ministry contributions are made by the
members throughout our several circuits and stations. In some places
they are tolerably well provided for, and in others but poorly. We have
many useful institutions among us, especially by the females, for the aid of
the Gospel and mutual support of each other in time of affliction.
202
History of the A. M. E. Church.
The literary condition of our people, we are happy to say, is gradually
improving wherever our Church is established, as evinced in the organiza¬
tion and prosperous state of our numerous Sabbath and day schools, libra¬
ries, etc. Strong efforts are beiug made among us, as may be seen in the
resolutions of our late General and Annual Conferences, to raise the literary
character of our ministry, especially our young men who may hereafter be
admitted, and the dissemination of more refined intelligence among our
people generally.
To carry these resolutions into effect, our brethren west of the Allegheny
Mountains have succeeded in the purchase of three hundred and seventy
acres of land for the location of a manual labor school, and are now en¬
gaged in raising funds by subscription throughout the country to erect a
suitable building for that purpose, and on the 30th day of September last a
convention was held in the city of Philadelphia, as may be seen in our
Magazine, No. 8, page 277, to enter into ways and means for preparing
our young men for the ministry, and establishing a manual labor school
east of the Alleghenies.
We are using every measure in our power to. cany these designs into
effect, but we are sorry to say that in consequence of the limited means
among us our efforts are much paralyzed. AVe, however, sincerely hope
that the charity of the Christian Church generally will be turned in this
direction in aid of our cause.
Our book concern was organized in the early establishment of our Church,
but for the want of pecuniary means has been in quite a languishing state.
It is located in the city of New York, and conducted at present under the
supervision of Rev. George Hogarth, our general book steward, jmd Rev.
Benjamin Croger, Samuel Edwards, Joshua Jenkins and Eli N. Hall, the
committee acting with him. Its present stock consists of hymn books of
various kinds, disciplines, pamphlets, magazines, stereotyped plates, etc.,
valued at $1,587.99; the outstanding debts, etc., of $1,004.88 added, making
a total amount of $2,592.87.
In the circulation of intelligence among our people throughout our
Church we have published a magazine, intended to be a monthly period¬
ical, but for the want of pecuniary aid it has in a great measure failed since
it arrived to the tenth number of its second volume. Strong efforts will
be made by our people for its continuation, as we are satisfied that much
good has already resulted from its circulation, and we intend to raise the
tone of its literary character in our future numbers. We here forward
you a few copies of the several numbers published, soliciting your atten¬
tion, and humbly praying your sanction and aid in this particular branch
of our efforts in the promotion of the cause of Christ among us.
The cause of morality, we are happy to say, is on the advance among
us, particularly in the establishment of the numerous temperance and
other societies, which you will observe in the perusal of our magazine.
We sincerely hope that you will receive our delegates, whom we here
authorize to unite with you in "your deliberations, on the common platform
with the ministry of the General Christian Church, and in their preeenta-
1846-1847.
203
tion of the claims of the African Methodist Episcopal Church of the Uni¬
ted States of America upon your reverend body, give them a respectful
hearing.
We are, brethren, your fellow-laborers in the ministry of the Gospel of
Christ.
M. M. Clark, ^
George Hogarth, > Committee.
Edward C. African us, j
It was on the 31st of July that sixteen ministers of the Cana¬
dian District assembled in the " Queen's Bush," to set in order
the affairs of the churches committed to their care. Bishop
Quinn, together with three elders, four deacons, and eight preach¬
ers, constituted the little band. Brother Henry Hicks was the
secretary. Thomas Keith and Henry Smith were admitted on
probation. David D. Thompson, Jeremiah Taylor and Nelson
Countee were admitted into full connection. Blessed among the
dead was Brother Charles Williamson, of Baltimore, Md. He
was a son of Charles Williamson. Resolutions were passed re¬
quiring the preachers of the Provinces to preach against intem¬
perance, and in favor of all the reformatory measures of the age;
also requiring communications to be sent to the states to be pub¬
lished in the magazine and the Pittsburg Mystery, informing the
public of the peace, prosperity and harmony of the churches; and
also a resolution prohibiting the use of the Canadian pulpits to
slaveholders and their apologists. N. C. W. Cannon had been
stationed on Toronto Circuit, Alexander Helmsley on St. Cath¬
erine Circuit, Jere Taylor on London Circuit, I. Walker on Grand
River Circuit, S. Brown on Queen's Bush Circuit, and I. Palmer
at Amherstburg. The total amount of their quarterage as salary
amounted to $130.25, and $25.85 was collected for contingent
expenses.
The ministers of the Ohio churches met in the city of Cin¬
cinnati on the 12th of September. Bishop Quinn, with thirteen
elders, three deacons, and ten licentiates constituted the body.
Five were voted members of the Conference. These were E. L.
Ishmael, T. W. Stringer, Joseph McClarren, I. Coleman, J. M.
Brown. 0. T. B. Nickens and M. T. Newsum were secretaries.
David Conger, John Peck, William Herrin and J. M. Brown were
ordained deacons. The appointments for the year past were as
follows: Pittsburg Station was supplied by A. R. Green, Cincin¬
nati Station by Thomas Woodson, Allegheny Station by S. H.
Thompson, Union Circuit by T. G. Clingman, Washington, Pa.,
204
History of the A. M. E. Church.
by F. Davis, Captienne by G. Coleman, Zancsvillc Circuit by
, Massillon by C. G. Gillespie, Columbus Circuit by ,
Chillicothe Circuit by William Newman, Gallipolis Circuit by
M. T. Newsom, Hillsborough Circuit by T. Ratcliff, Urban a Cir¬
cuit by C. Peters, Carthagenia Circuit by William Herron, Ham¬
ilton Circuit by J. P. Woodson, Allegheny Mission by D. Conyore,
Detroit Station by J. H. Thomas. Their total quarterage amount¬
ed to $1,550.22, and the collection for contingent expenses was
$113.20. The total number of members reported by the Confer¬
ence District was three thousand one hundred and ninety-nine,
of which Pittsburg Station had three hundred and eighty-seven
and Cincinnati had two hundred and fifteen. These were then
as now the chief stations in the Ohio District. Chillicothe was
this year (1846) cut off from the circuit bearing that name and
converted into a station, and all the appointments south of it were
attached to the Hillsborough Circuit. At this period the Colum¬
bus Circuit consisted of Columbus, Lancaster and Cireleville;
but at this Conference Columbus was severed from the circuit
and converted into a station. All the appointments east of
Washington, Pa., were cut off from the Washington Circuit and
converted into one bearing the name of the Williamsport Circuit.
After this Brownsville was attached to the last named, and the
Forks to Uniontown Circuit.
The New York Conference had passed resolutions disapproving
"of the conduct of the AVestern Conferences for not enforcing
sections 4 and 5 of our Discipline in the collection of debts due
the book concern; " also calling upon them "to arouse to their
duty in supporting the Bishops and paying their traveling ex¬
penses." Wherefore a committee, through the instance of
Brother 0. T. B. Nickens, was appointed " to inquire how far the
New York Conference was justifiable in passing such resolutions."
This committee consisted of Nickens, Bvrd Parker, J. Peck,
J. M. Brown and E. Davis, who, after calmly and impartially
considering the whole question, reported to the effect that they
could not deny the fact that there had been neglect on the part
of the West; that this neglect was not altogether justifiable, and
hoped that measures would be adopted which would lead to a
speedy settlement of Western indebtedness. But at the same
time they expressed their opinion that the spirit of disapproval
of the New York Conference was not only out of place, but also
unjust. They declared that the New York brethren had based
1846-1847.
205
their actions upon false premises, and therefore their conclusions
were wrong. They denied that the book concern and Bishops
were embarrassed by the negligence of the Western Conferences,
and then they instituted a comparison by which they showed
that the indebtedness of the West did not amount to more than
$293.24, while the Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore Con¬
ferences owed $1,771.52. They charged the book concern with
delinquency in not supplying the West with hymn-books, Disci¬
plines and magazines; and also the traveling agent, not only for
having visited but a small portion of the West, and for not
visiting Canada at all, but also for ceasing to travel. They ad¬
mitted that they had been delinquent in respect to the Bishop's
salary, but declared they had done well, so far as his fees and
traveling expenses were concerned. The Conference then inves¬
tigated the financial affairs of the Union Manual Labor Sem¬
inary, and appointed a committee of three, consisting of A. R.
Green, Thomas Norris and E. Davis, to revise the constitution of
this literary institution. This revised constitution differs from
the original only in detailing the duties of the several officers
created for its management. A home missionary society was
organized, and three missionary fields laid out, one bearing the
name of the Cincinnati Mission, and embracing the several col¬
ored settlements within and near the Miami Valley, the towns of
Lawrenceburg ancl Indiana, twenty miles southwest from Cincin¬
nati; Richmond on the Ohio, twenty miles southeast; together
with Batavia and Brown County. The second field laid out was
in the northern part of Ohio, and was designated as the San¬
dusky Mission. The third was in the state of Michigan, and
was called the Ypsilanti Mission. Resolutions were passed in
favor of the various moral reforms of the age, and three days
were set apart for fasting and humiliation, in order that the God
of the oppressed might terminate their degradation and oppres¬
sion. Who knows how much these three days of fasting and
prayer had to do with the overthrow of American slavery in
18(35, twenty years subsequent. "On the side of the oppressor"
there is always power, but it is mere human power, consisting in
brute force sustained by a strong public sentiment and unjust
laws; but on the side of the oppressed there is always the
Almighty arm, which reveals itself at the tears and cries of
their broken and confiding hearts. Thanks be given to the
Most High God that he has promised to "break the op-
206
History of the A. M. E. Church.
pressor in pieces." When Israel cried, God came down to deliver
him.
Brother Henry Adcussion was one of the veterans who had
fallen during this year (1846), and a sketch of his life and death
was given at this session by Rev. A. R. Green. It was on the
10th of April, after a long and severe illness of nine months,
which he bore with Christian fortitude, that he left this world
in the full triumphs of faith and the blessed hope of immortal¬
ity beyond the grave. Brother Adcussion was an old warrior
Avho enlisted and fought in the cause of his Redeemer in the
Methodist Connection for nearly forty years, many years of which
he labored in word and doctrine, and for the last half-score and
more he had labored as an itinerant in the A. M. E. Church.
During this time he filled the most important stations in the
district, as well as some of the most humble He was a faithful
servant of his Master, and a worthy minister. He preached the
word fearless of the frowns or smiles of his hearers, built up be¬
lievers in the most holy faith, and persuaded sinners to come to
Christ. When asked by one of his brethren of his hope, he gave a
satisfactory evidence of his peace with God, and he then bade his
friends farewell, and as long as he could be understood his words
were, " Glory, glory, glory ! " and when his voice was so much lost
in death that he could not be understood, he expressed himself
happy by a signal with his hands, and exchanged the cross for
the crown—a world of sorrow and affliction for one of joy and
peace forever.
The minutes of the Indiana Conference were not published in
the magazine for this year (1846). We will now turn the atten¬
tion of the reader to other phases of the work of the Church.
With the year 1846 the third decade of the history of the A. M.
E. Church in the United States of America conies to an end.
In this last year there was nothing produced in the form of lit¬
erature, but a comparison of this third decade with the second
will give an opportunity to see whether we had been standing
still, retrograding, or progressing in this as Avell as in other
things.
II]) to 1886 we had no periodical and no literature. From 1841
we date the dawn of periodical literature in the A. M. E. Church,
for it was then produced and circulated by a quarterly magazine,
which was designed to be a monthly (but only came out about
quarterly), edited by one of the ministers of our Church. The
1846-1847.
207
character of this literature, however, is of an inferior kind, and
consists chiefly of letters about subjects interesting to but few
if any outside of the pales of the Connection. The editor him¬
self, as evinced by his leaders, was not possessed of what would
be called to-day a good common school education. In the decade
now closing we see the book concern assuming a more tangible
and systematic form than it had before in the previous decade.
The spirit of education, especially that of ministerial educa¬
tion, now began to manifest itself by deeds as well as words, for
we had one young licentiate at Oberlin College preparing
for successful labor in the territory occupied by the A. M. E.
Church. This spirit also exhibited itself by a convention espe¬
cially called for the discussion of the great principles of Chris¬
tian education, and in this convention an educational society
was formed, with two auxiliaries. The spirit of progress also
manifested itself in the purchase of one hundred and seventy-
two acres of land, for the sum of $1,720, for the establishment of
a manual labor school. Lastly, the Connection had been con¬
vulsed from center to circumference by the essays and the epistles
"On the Education of the Ministry." Then, in addition to these
things, the growth of the Church in other ways can be seen by
the comparative statistics which follow: In 1836 there were four
Conference Districts, in 1846 there were six; in 1836 there were
eighty-six organized churches, in 1846 there were two hundred
and ninety-eight; there were seven thousand five hundred and
ninety-four communicants in 1836, and sixteen thousand one
hundred and ninety in 1846; there were seven stations in 1836,
and sixteen in 1846; the salaries made a total of $926.39 in 1836,
and $6,267.43^ in 1846, while for other things in this last year
$963.59^ were raised in addition. In 1846 there were three edu¬
cational societies and one missionary society.
The Conference year of 1847 opened with the Baltimore
churches meeting in the monumental city on the 17th of April.
Six were admitted on trial—Daniel AW Moore, Thomas Williams,
Pollard, E. B. Hazzard, Simon Brown, Perry Dobson and
Samuel Thorne. Samuel Wilmore, Christopher Jones, Aquila
Scott and William H. .Jones were received into full connection.
The first mentioned was also located. Brothers William H.
Jones and P. E. B. Hazzard were ordained deacons. One of the
elders prepared a list of questions for the examination of those
who applied for admission into the Annual Conference, and as
208
History of the A. M. E. Church.
they were especially designed to test the fitness of the candidate,
as regarded both his knowledge of the law under which he would
he placed, and his willingness to carry out the provisions of the
laws of the Church generally, they were adopted by the Confer¬
ence. It was at this session that the First Colored Wesleyan
Methodist Independent Society of Baltimore, which had been
founded by the talented and energetic Rev. Jacob M. Moore some
five or six years previous to this, petitioned Conference for ad¬
mission into the Connection. This petition read as follows:
A Petition to the Baltimore Annual Conference of the A. M. E. Church in the
United States, now in session at Bethel Church, Saratoga street, Baltimore:
Keverend and Dear Brethren:—It is known to most of you the
serious difficulties to which we, the members of the Zion Chapel, have
been exposed for the last twelve months—they have been brought on
through the ambitious and unrelenting anxiety of the Zion Connection to
obtain territory in the city of Baltimore. But in the midst of all we yet
stand under our own vine and fig tree, authorized to take any course best
adapted to our welfare. We have three hundred and thirty-seven mem¬
bers regular in attendance to their classes, and a Sabbath-school containing
one hundred and fifty-two scholars and seven teachers.
Our official board is made up of eleven leaders, five stewards, nine trus¬
tees, seven preachers and two exliorters. And having learned by sad
experience that episcopal form of government is best adapted to the condi¬
tion of the people of color in the United States, therefore, we, the commit¬
tee authorized by the male members of the church, do petition your august
body to become a part of the Connection to which you belong, desiring to
obtain the privileges of all those who have come this way before us.
We expect this petition will meet with some opposition (and justly,
too,) from the many rumors and reports that have been in circulation, but
having confidence in the wisdom and Christian piety of those that compose
your Conference, we believe that you will give us a fair hearing before you
come to any conclusive decision. Therefore we submit our cause into
your hands, hoping to meet with your approbation.
Any further information in relation to the affairs of the Church will be
given by the undersigned, who are authorized with discretionary powers
to consummate any contract that may prove satisfactory to your Conference.
Yours in Christ,
J. M. Moore, \
His |
Mathias X Colbert, i
mark. f
ri T^st> / Committee.
Daniel X Parnell, (
mark. V
His I
Emory X Wolford, /
mark,
Baltimore, April 6th, 1847.
1846-1847.
209
Another document was also presented by Brother Moore from
the Annual Conference of the First Colored Wesleyan Methodist
Independent Society of Baltimore, which was signed by himself
as president and Emory Wolford as secretary, " by and in behalf
of the Connection." It contained the following resolution :
" That the preacher in charge be empowered to appoint a com¬
mittee of three to act under his instructions, and they shall have
discretionary power to make any contract, or adopt any book of
discipline for our church government, and all articles in the
constitution that do not conform to the book of discipline
adopted as above mentioned are hereby repealed." The commit¬
tee presenting the petition was interrogated touching the tem¬
poral and spiritual condition of that church, and a committee
was appointed from the Conference to investigate the affairs of
the church in question. The result of this investigation led them
to report:
First. That in our opinion the Zion Chapel never was really embodied
in the African Methodist Zion or Wesleyan Connection in the United
States. Second. Whereas they are an independent body, it is at their own
disposal to join whatever Connection or denomination they may think
best. Third. Whereas the petitioners do solemnly agree to alter all
articles in the incorporation and constitution within thirty days after the
embodiment, and to make valid according to law, so as to conform solely
to the Discipline of the A. M. E. Church, to receive any ministers whom
the Bishop in his godly judgment may think proper to appoint, and to do
all in their power to sustain him as a minister of Christ. We beg leave
to report further, that we found the financial affairs as represented by
Rev. J. W. Moore before the Conference.
We would say in conclusion, that we see no cause why Zion's Chapel
should not be immediately embodied in the African Methodist Episcopal
Church.
This was the finding of the committee, and it was signed by
J. J. G. Bias, chairman; Willis Nazery, John Jordan, A. W.
Wayman. Further evidence was laid before the Conference by
two of this committee to the effect that claims of certain persons
against Zion's Chapel hacl been repeatedly dismissed from court
as not legal. This evidence came in the form of a document1 from
the Baltimore County Court. The result was, that after discus¬
sion and a most powerful appeal from the Rev. Jacob M. Moore,
the following resolutions were presented and accepted without
debate:
14
210
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Resolved, 1st, That a committee of three be appointed on the part of this
Conference to see that the plan of embodying " The First Colored Wesleyan
Methodist Church of Baltimore be executed to the fullness of its spirit
and letter so as to comply in all respects with the Discipline arid Govern¬
ment of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of
America.
Resolved, 2d. That the said committee shall have plenipotentiary power
to employ lpgal counsel for the consummation of said purpose, to-wit: the
embodiment of the First Colored Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church
in the United States of America.
D. A. Payne, Darius Stokes and W. A. Jones were constituted
the committee, and discharged their duty by consummating the
embodiment. But the Zion's Chapel did not remain long in the
Connection—not much over three years. It was so much in¬
volved in debts that at the end of that time it was sold, and the
_ man upon whose ground it was built, and who held a claim of
ground rent against it for more than $500, with a mortgage of
over $3,000, bought it in and put it in the possession of the Afri¬
can Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.
If it be asked why did our churches in Baltimore suffer this
property to be sold to others, our answer is that we could not clo
otherwise; because, first of all, after the chapel became a part of
the Connection of the A. M. E. Church, for two successive years,
under the financiering of the preachers stationed over it, the
original debt was augmented instead of being diminished. Then,
secondly, during all this period our three other churches in Bal¬
timore were struggling most diligently to liquidate the heavy
debts that they had contracted prior to the reception of Zion's
Chapel into our Connection. And thirdly, It was to save them¬
selves from pecuniary ruin that they were compelled to let Zion's
Chapel pass out of their hands into others. Efforts were made to
prevent its sale by Rev. D. A. Payne, pastor of the church on
Saratoga street during the period mentioned, who at one time be¬
came responsible for the sum of $500 to save it from the sheriff's
hammer, and suffered severely both in purse and reputation for
the friendly effort. Rev. Jacob Moore, the pastor of the chapel
which*thus came to us at this session, remained an honored and
useful member of our Connection until he felt it his duty to
emigrate to Africa.
Rev. D. A. Payne brought forward a resolution in favor of
establishing a mission on the western coast of Africa as soon as
possible. This wras done after the business of the missionary
1846-1847.
211
society was over, and was sustained by the unanimous vote of
the brethren.
A long and severe debate took place upon the manner of
electing the delegates to the approaching General Conference. It
was questioned whether the people should elect their own dele¬
gates, or whether Conference should do it for them. Some de¬
clared that, as a matter of right, the people ought to do it; while
others declared that such a procedure would bring the Church
down from its present peaceful and elevated position to a level
with political parties of the day, and the result would be discord
as well as agitation, and even dismemberment of the Connection.
Some thought that the rules of the General Conference were con¬
tradictory upon the subject, while others deemed them harmo¬
nious; but it was finally decided as best for the peace and wel¬
fare of the Church that the Annual Conferences should elect the
delegates for the people. The delegates-elect were Revs. T. L.
Hammonds, Darius Stokes, D. W. Moore, J. M. Moore, Nathaniel
Peck, J. Evans, C. Jones, G. James, W. Webb and W. H. G.
Brown.
A new mission was formed from that portion of the eastern
shore of Maryland embracing Chestertown, Stillpond, Tuesburg,
Georgetown, Massey's Cross Roads, Millingstown, Chesterville,
Cecil Cross Roads and Morgan's Creek. This mission Rev. J. M.
Moore was sent to establish, and it was named the Kent County
Mission. It was at this Baltimore Conference that it was decided
to have a denominational seal manufactured, and a committee
was appointed to accomplish it.
Although there were a great many empty resolutions passed in
favor of various things pertaining to the welfare of the Church,
and a large number of other petitions presented, there was noth¬
ing more of general interest to record, except perhaps the atti¬
tude of the Baltimore Conference toAvard the Philadelphia. The
latter Conference had in 1846 entered upon its record a vote of
censure upon the former for publishing the minutes of the Balti¬
more District. Several members of the Baltimore District Con¬
ference had entered a solemn protest against these acts, and now
the last-named district made a record of its hearty approval of
the protest made by its members at the time mentioned, as car¬
rying out their views and sustaining the course followed by that
District Conference, With this action the Baltimore Conference
closed,
212
History of the A. M. E. Church.
The Philadelphia District met in session in the month of May
following the Baltimore Conference. Sixty-four members were
present, both Bishops being with the Conference. Patrick Ham-
bleton was received on probation as a local preacher, and J. P. B.
Eddy, J. Hollen, "Shadrack Blackstone, J. W. Stokes, W. H. Jones
and Perry Gibson were received into full connection. H. Davis
and A. W. Wayman were ordained elders, and John Butler a
deacon. D. Ware and Dr. Bias were elected district book stew¬
ards, and thirteen delegates were elected to the General Confer¬
ence of 1848, in the persons of Rev. W. Proctor, R. Collins, J.
Woodland, J. Hollen, S. Smith, D. Ware, T. Holcomb, T. Black-
ston, Thomas Gibbs, J. P. B. Eddy, J. J. G. Bias, G. McMullen
and H. J. Young.
On the 20th of May the funeral sermon of Bishop Edward
Waters was preached, and immediately afterwards the committee
from the Baltimore Conference, through Rev. D. A. Payne, pre¬
sented the episcopal seal to Bishop Quinn as the property of the
whole Connection. Rev. D. A. Payne prefaced it by becoming
remarks, which were responded to by Dr. Bias. The Conference
showed a growing recognition of the need of an intelligent min¬
istry, and passed resolutions indicative of that feeling.
On June 25th the ministers of the New York District met in
the city of New York to hold their Annual Conference. The
session, over which Bishop Quinn presided, was made a secret
one. T. M. D. Ward, G. H. Washington and W. Harnian were
admitted on trial, together with J. P. Turner, Edward Johnson
and J. L. Smith. L. Tillmon, D. Dorrell, John Elymore and J.
Stanford were admitted into full connection. E. Africanus, J.
Hyatt, N. C. B. Thomas and L. Tillmon were ordained elders.
The following named brethren were elected delegates to the Gen¬
eral Conference of 1848: Rev. S. Edwards, R. Parker, J. Jenkins,
G. Weir and B. Croger. Conference also adopted measures to
raise the salary and contingent expenses of the Bishop, and also
called upon the Western Conferences to do their duty towards
the Bishop. Resolutions were adopted to enforce the " two-cent"
collections on behalf of the magazine. A committee was ap¬
pointed to draft a constitution for a Sunday-school Union to be
entitled the "Allen Sunday-school Union." These measures, with
the appointment of a committee to prepare an obituary notice of
the life and death of Bishop Waters, made up the important
work of the Conference,
1846-1847.
The Canadian churches held their Annual Conference for this
year in what was called "The Queen's Bush," in Peel township,
wThere the ministry assembled on the BOth of July. Bishop
Quinn opened with an address. Thomas Keeth and Henry
Smith were received on trial, and David D. Thompson, Nelson
Countee and Jeremiah Taylor into full connection. The closing
of the church in Toronto against its elder, Rev. N. C. W. Cannon,
was laid before this body, and the opinion was rendered adverse¬
ly to the trustees for such action as "unjust and cruel in the
extreme." Brothers Dorsey, Henson, Smith and Curtis were
condemned, for retaining their certificates after they had with¬
drawn from the Connection, and when they had been demanded
of them "by the proper authorities." One resolution passed by
the Conference was strictly in keeping with the spirit of freedom
which obtained in Canada. It prohibited the use of the pulpits
to slaveholders.
The meeting of the pastors of the Ohio churches was held in
Zanesville, 0., on the 16th of October. Rev. Wm. Morgan, a
deacon of the M. E. Church, was received into full fellowship,
and Peter Gardner, Levin Gross, Robert Johnson and David
Wheelbanks were received on trial. John P. Woodson, H. C.
Gillespie, E. Davis and W. Herren were received into full con¬
nection as itinerants, with E. Wilkins as a local preacher. Levin
Gross, E. Davis, John M. Brown and William Morgan were
ordained elders, and David Smith and John M. Brown were
located. Rev. Thomas Woodson was numbered among those
who sleep in Jesus. His death occurred October 3d, 1846,
when he was in the thirty-fifth year of his age. The secretary
of the Conference adds to the record that "the deceased had been
for many years a devout servant of God, and labored extensively
as a local preacher, leaving all and going far and near to cry to
sinners, 'Behold the Lamb!'" He also says: "As a minister,
he was fearless of the scoffs or frowns of the world; he proclaimed
the truth of the Gospel, and when disease had wyorn away his
constitution, and affliction had well nigh disrobed his tabernacle,
he would say, 'All I desire is, the Lord's will be done, and our
cause go forward until the millions who are now groaning under
the iron hand of oppression shall be free, and the kingdom of
our Lord prevail over all the earth.'" Here was a dying saint
bearing his testimony against the crimes of a so-called Christian
republic—a republic calling itself the " land of the free and the
214
History of the A. M. E. Church.
home of the brave." His dying desire was for the overthrow of
the hand of oppression. God has heard that prayer, and broken
is the iron hand of the oppressor, though he still controls the
South without fear of punishment at the hands of an American
government.
Brother Fa}rette Davis was another who departed this life in 1847.
He died March 28th, in the thirty-eighth year of his age. We are
told that he " espoused the cause of Christianity when a youth,
and the last thirteen years of his life was spent in the cause of
his Master as an itinerant preacher in this Connection." Such
was his confidence in that Saviour whom he had so long obeyed,
that when death appeared he could say to his friends, " I have been
looking for this for many years. I am ready, I am willing to go
and reap my reward." Both of these brethren were members of
the General Conference of 1844, and each seemed to promise a
long life, but the Lord knew best. Two others are upon the death
list of the year—David Conyore and George Boler. The former
died on the 30th of April, at the age of sixty-five years. Forty
odd years of his life had been spent under the banner of Christ.
" For many years, although oppressed by cruel taskmasters, he
labored with his brethren in word and doctrine. Through the
providence of God he at length bought his time, after having
spent near threescore years in labor for his oppressors. Although
his body began to sink with age, and his beard to silver with
frosts of many winters, }Tet, when he found the chains oft' his
limbs, such was the zeal he felt for the cause of his Redeemer
that he labored much as a local preacher, and was ready to go far
or near to do his duty. The last two years of his life he felt it
his duty to engage all his time in the itinerancy, and was appointed
to several missions." AVlien advised to cease traveling, he said, " My
appointments are out and they must be filled. I never intend to
stop, but die in the field." Of Rev. George Boler it is written:
"He departed this life on the 3d of October, 1847, at Pittsburg,
Pa., in the sixtieth year of his age, after a severe illness of some
weeks. Brother Boler was one of the first pioneers in the Con¬
nection in the western field, and traveled many years in the
itinerancy, and labored extensively for the increase of Zion. He
embarked in th-is enterprise in the day of small things, as early
as 1822, and he stands in the field as a regular minister of the
itinerancy. When ministers had to travel from the West to
Baltimore and Philadelphia to receive their appointments, year
1846-1847.
215
after year, Brother Boler was in the ranks As to his
Christian career, he had been a folloAver of the Saviour for many
years previous to his ministry. About forty years of his life he
spent in the service of his God, and as he often said, ' although
weak and feeble have been my efforts, yet I feel that the Lord
has owned and blessed my labors—to Him be the glory and the
honor in time and eternity.' ■ The latter years of his life he spent
as a local preacher, yet was willing at any time to mount his
horse and brook the difficulties of an itinerant minister.
"' He died in peace with God and man,
And left the world and sin behind.' "
There were five funeral sermons preached at this session of the
Ohio Annual Conference; one on the death of Bishop Waters by
Rev. Thomas Lawrence, those of Brothers Woodson and Davis
by Rev. A. R. Green, and those of Brothers Conyore and Boler
by Rev. David Smith.
The society of people established by David Wheelbanks peti¬
tioned Conference to receive them into our Connection. This
petition was granted, and Brother Wheelbanks was sent to take the
pastoral charge of them. He was also received into the itinerancy.
Eight local preachers were elected delegates to the ensuing Gen¬
eral Conference: 0. T. B. Nickens, Wesley Roberts, John Peck,
Xenophon Lee, Jerret Jenkins, David Smith, William Morgan
and John M. Brown.
A committee of three, consisting of A. R. Green, George Cole¬
man and John M. Brown, were appointed to prepare and publish
two neat volumes of the lives and deaths of the several members
of our Church.
The Union Seminary next demanded the attention of the Con¬
ference. To promote its interest, a committee was appointed to
procure the services of a lawyer for the purpose of drafting a peti¬
tion to the Legislature of Ohio to give a charter; another was ap¬
pointed to draft a course of studies; and a third was chosen to have
the doings of the Conference in behalf of the Seminary published in
the Pennsylvania Freeman. They also resolved to appoint a clergy¬
man to open the Seminary as early as possible—this clergyman was
to be the pastor of the station at Columbus at the same time. The
object of this two-fold appointment was to furnish a support for
the teaching without creating an extra expense. The debt of the
Conference for the farm at this time was $595. Another act of the
216
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Conference was to authorize the board of trustees to set apart ten
acres of this farm, and divide the same into lots of a suitable
size to be leased or sold to any one who might wish to settle
around the institution to educate their children—the rent or
lease to constitute a fund for the support of the Seminary. This
would have been a wise step for any institution except that of
poor people like our own, as maybe seen. The property was
thirteen or fourteen miles from the nearest town, Columbus, 0.,
and was located in the midst of thrifty white farmers. To live
around an institution of learning at such a distance from em¬
ployment for the purpose of educating a family made it necessary
for that family to be in easy, if not entirely independent circum¬
stances, neither of which conditions could be found among our
people at that time. Therefore the resolution of the Conference
to attempt what was determined upon was both unwise and im¬
practicable, and the plan utterly failed. The Conference also
resolved to create a ministerial fund by a personal tax of two per
• cent, on their salary for the purpose of assisting in the education
of the children of deceased itinerants. It was an excellent reso¬
lution had it been put into execution. That the Conference felt
deeply the charges brought against the Western Conferences at
the New York Annual Conference of 1846 is evident by the fol¬
lowing resolution:
That this Conference prefer a charge against the New York Conference
for the unjustifiable charges against the Western Conference, published in
the minutes of the New York Annual Conference of 1846. And further¬
more, we prefer charges against the general book steward for neglect of
duty, in consequence of which we in the West have been greatly paralyzed
in our efforts to make the public more generally acquainted with the
Connection. We have in a number of cases received the people's money
for the magazine, and forwarded it, and he has failed to send it according
to his obligation. Therefore we have no encouragement to solicit subscrib¬
ers to the magazine, notwithstanding it is the only public organ of the
Connection.
Thus the Ohio Conference explains its position official^, as we
have seen it already explained in the said New York Conference,
by the committee appointed "to inquire how far the New York
Conference was justifiable in passing such resolutions."
CHAPTER XX.
THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1848.
Eighth General Conference—Bishop Quinn's Episcopal Address—A Third
Bishop—Monthly Magazine to be Made a Quarterly—The Christian
Herald—Book Concern Moved to Pittsburg—A Committee to Purchase
the " Mystery "—A Plan for Common Schools—Important Amendments
to the Discipline—Rev. D. A. Payne Appointed Historiographer of the
Church—Consecration of Bethel, Baltimore, in 1848.
I^HIS was the Eighth General Conference of the A. M. E.
Church. It was opened on Monday, the 1st of May, in the
city of Philadelphia. Present at that hour were fifty-five
ministers, at the head of whom stood Bishop William Paul Quinn.
Rev. M. M. Clark, Rev. A. W. Wayman and Rev. Edward Davis
were made secretaries. Ten committees Avere appointed—on the
book concern, the presiding elder question, the itinerancy and lo¬
cality, the episcopacy, education, home and foreign missions, on
temperance, on boundaries, on expenses of delegates, on altera¬
tion and amendment of the discipline. The Conference sermon
was preached by the Rev. Byrd Parker, and Bishop Quinn deliv¬
ered the address of the episcopal office. It is the first in the
history of our Church that appears in full on the journals. Hith¬
erto the secretaries had only alluded to the Bishop's address,
from which it is just to infer that this is the first written address
ever presented by a Bishop of the A. M. E. Church to its General
Conference, hence it marks a new phase in our history. It
abounds with judicious and useful suggestions. He was not
alone in his views respecting the necessity and propriety of the
presiding eldership, though it was the judgment of the majority
that the office was not needed, while some thought it would work
injuriously, and many younger brethren strenuously opposed it
on the ground that they considered the measure of an oppressive
tendency. Others considered it perfectly useless or too expensive.
It will be seen, however, that a very large minority favored it.
The committee reported in favor of adopting that office as a part
of our system. They sustained their report by the following
reasons:
1st. That there were many difficulties occurring on circuits and
(217)
218
History of the A. M. E. Church.
in stations which could not be satisfactorily settled without the
agency of presiding elders, as is attested by the experience and
observation of many.
2d. That the episcopacy needed the agency of presiding elders
in order that they might always be furnished with a full and ex¬
haustive account of the state of all the churches in their absence.
3d. That the episcopacy might always be able to make out
appointments intelligently, and to the highest satisfaction of the
Church.
4th. That the presiding eldership will prevent the alleged
necessity of premature ordinations, as well as the appointment
of young men to the charge of whole circuits and stations who
were mere licentiates or deacons, and therefore not fully qualified
for the able and efficient discharge of the whole routine of duties
incumbent upon a minister in charge.
5th. That there had never been a Methodist Episcopal Church
of any extent which had not the office of presiding or ruling
elders in name or effect.
This report elicited a very animated and stubborn discussion.
It was finally put and negatived by a vote of 48 against 33.
The action of the General Conference on Missions was as fol¬
lows : The Constitution and By-laws of the Society which was
organized in 1844 were re-adopted. The following report of the
committee was also adopted: The members of the com¬
mittee beg leave to say that, in the absence of any general report,
either from the parent or district societies, thus depriving them
of the opportunity of properly examining the field of labor, they
have found themselves surrounded with difficulties insurmount¬
able. We recommend a change in the plan of general ad¬
ministration in our missionary enterprise, believing, as we do,
that the failure is to be attributed to the officers of the law, and
not to the law itself. That in order to place this institution in a
high and flourishing condition, so as to secure the greatest amount
of good to the greatest number, avc recommend that there be an
annual report made of all the general and local operations of all
the district Societies, setting forth the true condition and extent
of the missionary enterprise. And we further recommend that
there be a missionary sermon delivered at each of the Annual
Conferences, and a collection taken up to aid in the aforesaid
object. Moreover, it shall be the duty of all the officers of this
Society fairly and faithfully to discharge all their duties. And
The General Conference of 1848.
219
furthermore, we recommend that there be a sermon preached
next Thursday, and a collection taken to aid the missionary fund."
The committee on the subject of the Episcopacy reported that
"the state of the churches throughout the Connection was in a
healthy and thriving condition;" that there was a "considerable
increase of circuits, stations and missions in every district;" and
that they "considered it important to elect another Bishop to aid
in the arduous and glorious enterprise of our growing Church."
They also recommended the consideration of a third Bishop.
The last portion of the report was indefinitely postponed. There
was much caucusing in regard to the matter of electing another
Bishop. Some proposed one man, others another; but the man
upon whom many eyes were turned on account of his splendid
talents and great powers of debate, as well as his pulpit eloquence,
was Rev. Byrd Parker. But at last the unanimous conclusion
was that they were not prepared to act at that time upon such an
important question.
The General Conference decreed that there should be a general
book depository in each Conference district, at the head of which
should be placed its district book steward. The general book
steward, Rev. George Hogarth, presented his report, whereupon
it was seen that $393.87 worth of stock had been disposed of, and
an estimate of stock on hand, including stereotype plates, was
placed at $958.99, with $169.76 in cash balance in hand. Bills of
considerable amount were standing against members of the Con¬
ference. The committee that investigated the report of the gen-
ral book steward also recommended the propriety of making
arrangements for depositing in the hands of the newly-elected
general book steward all the property of the concern, in order
that he might engage in the duties of his office as soon as pos¬
sible. The successor of Rev. G. Hogarth, who had filled the office
for twelve years, was Rev. Augustus R. Green, who was elected
to fill that office on the 13th of May, 1848. At the instance of
Rev. Thomas Lawrence, the monthly magazine was ordered to be
made a quarterly, and a weekly paper was also ordered to be print¬
ed, to bear the title of The Christian Iierald, which was given at
the instance of Rev. Dr. J. J. G. Bias and Rev. G. Stokes. Rev.
A. R. Green was also to be the editor of this our new Church
organ, with assistant corresponding editors. He was deprived of
early advantages for intellectual culture of a high order, but he
was possessed of great energy of character and a desire for in-
220
History of the A. M. E. Church.
formation, and made use of many opportunities to enlarge his
store of useful knowledge. His literary efforts, laid before the
public in several forms, show how far he succeeded in scholarship
and as an editor. In 1845 he published a pamphlet entitled "A
Treatise on the Episcopacy of the A. M. E. Church," "Duty of
Parents and Churches to Baptized Children," "An Examination
of the Mother Church." The book concern was decreed to be
removed from New York to Pittsburg, and a committee was ap¬
pointed to purchase the paper called The Mystery, with the press,
types and fixtures.
A plan for common schools, drafted by M. M. Clark, was
adopted. The pastor of every church was empowered to establish
a high school wherever practicable, provided that the Annual
Conference approved and sanctioned such a measure in their
respective districts. The four years course adopted at the Gen¬
eral Conference of 1844 was revised and recommended to the
young ministers, who were required to make themselves proficient
or fail of advancement to holy orders.
Some important amendments were made to the Discipline and
government. First, relating to the episcopacy, respecting the
trial of a Bishop, which was an improvement on the former
method—not so cumbrous, and also swifter in its execution. His
power was increased, and his support regulated. The power of
the trustees wras defined and limited. There was peculiar need
of such rules as the last at this time, as will be seen later on,
when we come to speak of the Philadelphia Church. The trus¬
tees had used the power originally given to that church for the
purpose of protecting it against the oppression of certain persons,
to become in turn the oppressors both of the ministry and the
people, and had produced in many sections of our Connection
the most violent commotions and riots, ending in several in¬
stances in bloodshed and the rending asunder of whole congre¬
gations. It Avas also made the duty of exhorters to employ their
talents and time in the Sabbath-schools as teachers; also to lead
and manage the weekly prayer-meetings. A licensed local
preacher was also made eligible to the orders of a deacon after
he had preached four years, and under the request of the Church
through the Quarterly Conference. It was also decreed that " if
any minister, preacher, exhorter, or member of our Society, who
has been lawfully married and shall separate and marry again
while the other is living, he or she shall be expelled, and shall
The General Conference of 1848.
221
never be readmitted during the life-time of the two parties. And
any minister who shall marry such knowingly shall forfeit his
standing in our Connection." An alteration was also made in
section 4, page 238, of the Discipline of 1844, concerning the
raising of the salaries of the pastors. The two-cent money at
each Annual Conference was also to be divided—one-half to be
retained in the district to aid distressed itinerant, superannuated
and supernumerary preachers, and Bishops' salaries; the other
half to be sent to the general book steward to aid the book con¬
cern. All of these alterations and amendments were needed,
and would have been beneficial in their results, if they had been
mildly and uniformly enforced.
Rev. John Boggs, one of the pioneer preachers, died on the
morning of the eleventh clay of the session. Proper resolutions
of respect were passed, and General Conference adjourned until
the following day. " For more than thirty years he had been
calling sinners to repentance, and during all that time he main¬
tained an unspotted character," is what was said of him, and the
individual testimony of the writer may be added to this.
Though Brother Boggs had been brought up without so much as
a common school education, and therefore never made much
impression in his pulpit efforts, yet so deep and consistent was
his piety that every one who knew him confided in his honesty
and was affected by his zeal. Though far advanced in life, when
the spirit of learning seized the ministry, he fell in with the
enthusiasm of the times and commenced the study of the Eng¬
lish grammar, and became so animated with his success that he
had been known to stop in the midst of his sermon and parse a
simple sentence. His labors were not confined to the East, but
were extended to nearly five hundred miles beyond the western
spur of the Alleghenies. There are those in the vicinity of Cin¬
cinnati to-clay who may remember his labors with emotions of
delight.
Thus we have summed up the principal incidents and doings
of the General Conference of 1848, to which we may add that
D. A. Payne was appointed the historiographer of the A. M. E.
Church at this session.
In this year the Philadelphia ministry met in Annual Confer¬
ence outside of the city of Philadelphia for the first time in
thirty-two years, and conducted their deliberations in the town
of Trenton, N. J., commencing on the 3d of June. The docu-
222
History of the A. M. E. Church.
ments laid before it were almost as numerous as those presented
to the General Conference, hut too particular and local to he of
general interest. Brothers William Catto, A. C. Crippen, T. C.
Oliver, J. J. G. Bias and H. C. Young were ordained deacons.
A young man from the British West Indies, who had previously
connected himself AvitJi the Zion's Connection, by the name of
Edward E. Garey, was among those who were received into the
itinerant service at this time, and was immediately transferred
by the Bishop to the Ohio Conference as pastor of the Cincinnati
station. He was a man of liberal education, with superior natu¬
ral endowments and a pleasing address. As a preacher he pos¬
sessed an amount of eloquence rarely found, and a style so pol¬
ished as to fit him for the most refined audience in the Union;
but his career was very short, and the blazing meteor went out
into obscure darkness.
The Society of Methodists in New Orleans sent the Indiana
Conference this year a petition praying it to take into considera¬
tion the propriety of establishing the A. M. E. Church in that
city. The prayer was granted, and Brother Charles Doughty,
who brought it, himself a native Louisianian and a licentiate in
the Methodist Church, South, was ordained a deacon and sent
back to take the pastoral charge of the " Louisiana Mission."*
In the Ohio Annual Conference an act of incorporation from
the state of Ohio was reported in behalf of Union Seminary, and
a sawmill was ordered to be erected on the farm. Rev. Abram
I). Lewis, a local preacher in the Pittsburg Station, was num¬
bered among the dead. He was among the earliest members of
that church, and for eighteen years had filled the office of a
deacon—as exemplary in his daily conduct as he was devout in <
his profession, a very impressive speaker, a faithful friend and
an affectionate husband and father.
The New York and Canadian churches were unmarked by any
unusual interest this year.
As we glance at the literature of the year we find the Christian
Herald absorbing the interest, and communications are noted
from the pens of the editor and assistants, A. R. Green and Revs.
J. M. Brown and A. W. Wayman. Then, too, the forms for lay-
* This mission is now St. James' Church, the largest congregation we
have in the state, though it has given the Church an immense amount of
trouble on account of rebellious leaders—those anxious to rule but unwil¬
ling to be ruled.
The General Conference of 1848.
228
ing corner-stones and dedicating churches were established this
year. At the close of the General Conference the necessity of
such forms was shown, but too late for the work to be done at
that session, and a committee of three was appointed to do the
work, and instructed to send the result of their labors to the
general book steward for insertion in the Book of Discipline,
thenceforward to be used as the established forms. This commit¬
tee consisted of J. M. Brown, Byrd Parker and I). A. Payne. The
committee, after having examined the forms used by the Prot¬
estant Episcopal Church and those of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church, resolved to strike out a new one for ours, and in this
effort they labored more to be scriptural than' to be original, be¬
lieving that in all the service of religion man ought to hide him¬
self beneath the glorious manifestation of the God-head as made
in his written word. The whole of the standing prayer follow¬
ing the prayer of Solomon is original. The form for laying
corner-stones was copied from the Liturgy of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church.
For many years prior to 1848 there was a struggle for suprem¬
acy between the trustees and pastors of many churches in our
Connection. This struggle originated in Philadelphia, and ex¬
tended itself to Baltimore, Washington and many other places.
These struggles, however, did not assume an open and violent
form till the year mentioned, when it began almost simultane¬
ously in Philadelphia and Baltimore, shaking those churches
with the violence of an earthquake, and causing the shock to be
felt from " Dan to Beersheba." The printed historical documents
which resulted from the trial and the decision of the civil courts
show that the trustees of Bethel Church, Philadelphia, had been
impeached and tried for certain offenses by the Rev. -John Cor¬
nish, the elder who was then stationed in that church. The
charges were tabled in the month of June. The impeached
trustees, anticipating the result, called a meeting in October (the
4th). Those present were Benjamin Miller, Benjamin Johnson,
Isaac Lisby, George Miller, Joseph Le Count, William Lee and
Joel Ware. In this meeting they passed resolutions to this effect:
Resolved, That the resolutions find proceedings of receiving the Eev.
John Cornish as elder or minister in charge, on the 14th of June, 1848, be
and they are hereby rescinded.
Resolved, That there is no minister in charge of Bethel Church accord¬
ing to its charter.
224
History of the A. M. E. Church
Resolved, That it is expedient for the trustees, ministers, exhorters and
leaders of Bethel to choose and elect one from their own body as a presid¬
ing ministtr in Bethel Church.
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to confer with the
ministers, exhorters and leaders of Bethel Church, for the purpose of
calling a constitutional meeting to select a presiding minister from their
own body.
Resolved, That Isaac Lisby, Benjamin Johnson and Joel Ware be that
committee.
The "constitutional meeting" was called, and a deacon by the
name of Rev. Shadrack Bassett elected for the pastorate of Bethel.
This was done on the 11th of October, seven days after their
first revolutionary meeting. Those who constituted this con¬
stitutional meeting were nineteen in number, while the official
board of the church at that date amounted to nearly one
hundred. *
On the 13th of October the committee to whom the original
impeachment was submitted sent each of the trustees the follow¬
ing notice:
Sir:—The committee to hear and try the complaint preferred against
you as a member and one of the trustees of the African Methodist Epis¬
copal Church of the city of Philadelphia by John D. Oliver, have found
you guilty of the first, second, third and sixth charges in said complaint.
You are hereby notified that, by virtue of the authority given me by the
Articles of Association and Discipline of the said Church, I do hereby
expel you from your office of trustee, and also from membership in said
church.
[Signed] John Cornish, Minister in Charge of Bethel.
The next step taken we learn from the following record:
As soon as the trustees were all informed of the decision of the com¬
mittee, they closed the church upon the entire congregation, and barri¬
caded the doors on the inside so that they could not be opened, t
Brother Isaac Davis, one of the trustees who was opposed to
the outrages of his colleagues, with some other members of the
" These nineteen represented that class of laymen who are always de¬
nouncing the preachers as a set of tyrants " lording it over God's heritage,"
and crying out for a democratical form of government by the people and
for the people. In this case nineteen people were acting for one hundred,
or the remaining eighty-one.
t From this we see nineteen men excluding from the house of public
worship a congregation of fifteen thousand persons whose money had paid
for the erection of that house—a " governing of the people by the people."
The General Conference of 1848.
225
church, entered one of the windows, removed the barricades and
opened the church. The rebellious trustees had them indicted
for forcible entry, tried before Judge Parsons and convicted. The
same judge restored the trustees to their possession of the
church. Rev. John Cornish, sustained by an overwhelming
majority of the members of Bethel, appealed from this decision
of Judge Parsons to the Court of Common Pleas. The cause
was heard. There were four judges on the bench. As two were of
opinion in favor of the expelled trustees, and two in favor of the
right of Rev. John Cornish as pastor, the judgment was of course
in behalf of Brother Cornish. Nothing daunted at this, the
expelled trustees appealed the case to the Supreme Court, who,
after a patient and thorough examination of these difficulties,
did, on the 2d of February, 1850, in the person of Chief Justice
Gibson, confirm the judgment of the Court of Common Pleas
in the following
Opinion.
If the meaning of the article in the amendments, upon which the ques¬
tion turns, be, that the trustees, ministers, exhorters and leaders should
elect their pastors from among themselves, the members of the corpora¬
tion have not been, as they most certainly intended and supposed them¬
selves to be, in communion with the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The doctrine and Discipline of that Church, as set forth in the published
exposition of it, is fashioned in a great measure after that of the white
Methodist Episcopal Church in England and America, in which the elec¬
tion and ordination of the priesthood by the General or Annual Confer¬
ences, the ordination of them by laying on of hands by a Bishop and
elders, and the fixing of their appointments by the Bishop, are cardinal
points, the last, of them a distinctive one. It is the rock on which the
Church is founded, and on which it has prospered. Remove this church
from it and it ceases to be Methodistic. The election and ordination of
elders, and the fixing of their appointments, are regulated by articles
which are fundamental; and how does the article in the amendment com¬
port with them? There is in the terms of it a remarkable want of preci¬
sion. It provides for the election of a presiding minister to superintend
the churches, to license preachers, and to preside over the churches agree¬
able to the Discipline.
The person who framed the article in the amendments probably had in
view the office of a presiding elder, whose duty in the Methodist Episcopal
Church is "to exercise within his own district, during the absence of the
superintendents (Bishops), all the powers vested in them by the govern¬
ment of the Church, provided that he never acts contrary to an express
order of the superintendent." His action, therefore, would be, at most,
provisional and subordinate to the permanent authority of the Bishop;
15
226*
History of the A. M. E. Church.
consequently, by that interpretation, and it is that which goes farthest to
reconcile the amendments to the standards of the Church, the induction
of the respondent by the Bishop was legal and canonical.
But in any aspect whatever, a congregational election of a presiding
elder would be neither. To say nothing of the fact that the Discipline
requires him to be elected by the Annual Conference, he might be taken
from the trustees, ministers, exhorters, or leaders, happen to be a layman,
and in that event who was to set him apart ? If he was to be ordained by
laymen, or not at all, the object of the amendment was to make the church
congregational, while it professed to be Methodistical, and it was, there¬
fore, a disingenuous one. The Annual Conference could not ordain him,
and its connection with the congregation would be virtually dissolved.
Besides, the word minister is not used in the Discipline as the specific
name of any clerical office whatever. The clergy are divided into bishops,
elders and deacons. The exhorters, local preachers and leaders are lay¬
men. With all the lights obtained from»an elaborate argument, I am un¬
able to understand the drift of this strange amendment.
But contemporaneous practice is a powerful interpreter of doubtful
meaning ; and when long continued by common consent, as in this instance
for more than thirty years, it is irresistible. Perhaps a legal presumption
might arise from lapse of time, that this fundamental article, irreconci¬
lable to the usage and practice of the Church, had been expugned in the
way known to the law. In every aspect it is a riddle, and the congregation
have been wise in treating it as a nullity. They could not have done
otherwise without abandoning their standard and falsifying the name of
the corporation.
But even if the corporation had power to choose its ministers, it has
failed to exercise it. Surely, then, professing to be a Methodist congrega¬
tion, and refusing to elect for itself, it might waive its right, and receive its
ministers from the hand of the Bishop, according to the regulations of the
Church with which it professed to be connected. If it might not, all its
spiritual acts since the amendments were adopted have been invalid, and
how far its temporal acts might be affected by reason of the illegality of the
appointment to office of the president of the board of trustees might raise
a serious question. Perhaps the acts of the elder in charge, as an officer de
facto, might be good ; but it certainly is not the policy of the corporation to
encourage strife and litigation. The best friends of its peace and pros¬
perity will not do so.
The respondent, therefore, is the legally inducted elder in charge, and
the trustees who were expelled by him pursuant to the discipline of the
Church have no standing in court. Judgment affirmed.
Supreme Court, February 2d, 1850.
The article above referred to is in the following words:
The trustees, ministers, exhorters and leaders, or such of them as shall
convene upon due notice given them after public worship in the church or
churches the Sabbath before such meeting, shall have power to choose and
The General Conference of 1848.
227
elect from their own body a presiding minister of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church to superintend the churches, to license preachers or ex-
horters, to preside over the church or churches agreeably to the discipline
thereof, and to do all other acts which are or may be assigned him to do.
And the said trustees, ministers', exhorters and leaders shall also have
power, with the consent of two-thirds of the members of the said African
Methodist Episcopal Church, from time to time, to make such alteration of
these and other articles of the said corporation, both to temporal and spir¬
itual matters, as they shall think expedient.
This last mentioned article is not the only objectionable and
unreasonable article in the constitution of Bethel. There is
another, or was at the time of these difficulties, that gave to the
trustees the power to prohibit the admission of any person into
the membership of the church whom they might dislike, or in
whose characters or manners they might see something objection¬
able—real or imaginary. Upon these two articles they were in
the habit of entrenching themselves whenever they felt like it.
Here is a case in point:
In 1847 the members of Union Church in Philadelphia, then
numbering several hundred, petitioned Conference to send them
a pastor; for, from its organization to that time, it had to
depend upon the stationed preacher at Bethel for the supply
of all its spiritual wants, so far as they related to preaching
and the regular means of grace. The petition was granted,
and Rev. Alexander Way man was appointed by Bishops Brown
and Quinn to minister to them. The trustees of Bethel, who
were also trustees of Union, heard of the appointment, and in¬
stantly sent a note to the Conference by their secretary, Rev.
David Ware, forbidding and really annulling the action of the
Conference, as well as the appointment of the Bishops. There
were men, both in the corporation of Bethel as well as outside,
who had foreseen the difficulties to which these articles would
lead, and were faithful to warn the people against them : none
were more zealous in this respect than that eagle-sighted man,
Dr. James J. G. Bias. His repeated warnings not only made
him unpopular with the trustees, but also brought down upon
his head, and upon all who thought as he did, the wrath of the
trustees' friends. In the Conference, at which the trustees vetoed
the appointing power, there were brethren found honest enough
to expose the mischievous consequences of giving back to the
trustees, and bold enough to resist them; but they were ordered
by the presiding Bishop—Bishop Morris Brown—to take their
228
History of the A. M. E. Church.
seats. But Bishop Brown did not thus act because he believed it
was wrong to oppose the trustees and right to heed their veto,
but because he preferred peace rather than strife; and knowing
the determination of the trustees, he thought it better to wave
the right vested in him than to have the church distracted by
the storm which he knew they would raise. This course did not
prevent the apprehended evil, however—it only postponed it to
a later period. It would seem that the safe rule, and the only
safe one, is the scripture rule—" First pure, then peaceable."
The suit that grew out of these troubles cost the people of
Bethel the sum of two or three thousand dollars and the loss of
five hundred members, who were expelled. In connection with
these matters we have the following pastoral letter addressed to
the "Trustees and Constitutional Maie Members of Bethel Church
in Philadelphia:"
Beloved Brethren and Fellow Christians:—It has been made iny
duty, by an action of the Annual Conference, to address a pastoral letter for
your consideration, relating to the disagreement of the Constitution or
Articles of Association of said Bethel Church with the Discipline of the
A. M. E. Church.
In discharging so weighty and responsible a duty, embracing so many
and so momentous interests, I beg leave to cast myself upon your indul¬
gence while I endeavor, in the spirit of my Divine Master, to give you
what seems to me good reasons why those Articles should conform to the
rules of our general Church laws. It cannot be disguised or denied that
those Articles, in consequence of their disagreement with the Discipline,
have caused much unpleasant feeling among the traveling preachers and
among all orders of Christians in our Church. That this feeling has crept
into private and public places, into the Quarterly and Annual Conferences,
and is fast creeping up (like the plagues of Egypt into Pharaoh's cham¬
bers) into the highest judicatories of our Church, and where its course
will end no one can foresee. Perhaps in an unhappy rupture of member¬
ship, which God in his mercy avert.
Fearful of such a deplorable result, and desirous to avoid all the painful
consequences which would inevitably flow out of that nature, I beg to
interpose my pastoral advice in obedience to the instruction given me by
the Annual Conference, and to entreat you to look to those most probable
results, and weigh them well in your cool and deliberate judgment and
reason. You have it now in your power to do what might require years to
undo when once the mind becomes excited to a high pitch of irritation,
for then it will be difficult, if not impossible, to effect a pacification.
But as I do not wish to address myself to j our fears, I appeal to your
unbiased judgment and reason whether it would not be better, upon the
whole, viewing the subject in its broadest aspect, for the sake of brotherly
The General Conference of 1848.
229
love and union among His ministers, His Church and flock, so to alter
these Articles of Association that they will conform to the Discipline of
our Church in the particulars which I will now endeavor to point out:
1. The first point of disagreement between those two documents may be
found in the last supplement, page 15, paragraph 6, where the preacher is
prohibited from exercising the plain law of the Discipline in receiving a
member into society, and is subject to this law of the Church which sets
aside the authority of our general Church law. See Discipline, page 79,
answer 11.
2. The next point is found in the supplement, page 10, paragraph 8,
where the power is vested in the trustees to elect a preacher to take charge,
under the corporation, for a term of three years, which clearly sets aside
all the power of the Bishops in the appointment of preachers under said
corporation. See Discipline, page 73, answer 2.
3. The supplement, page 16, and in paragraph 10, seems to contradict
itself where it places the licensing power in the trustees, with the preach¬
ers, exhorters, etc. And then says this licensing shall be done agreeably
to the Discipline of the Church, which is absurd! For the Discipline
admits not trustees in the Quarterly Conference, in which the licensing power
is vested. Therefore the document carries inconsistency upon its face, and
is objectionable, if for no other reason than its absurdity and inconsistency.
4. Although there are some other points of disagreement in these in¬
stalments, yet I deem those which have already been cited amply suffi¬
cient, not only to convince you of their disagreement, but also of the im¬
perative necessity of as strict a conformity to the Discipline of the Church
as may be.
1 need not repeat the great utility of preserving peace and harmony in
the Church, which are frequently interrupted, even by temporal matters,
nor need I remind you of the fact that our Connection is rapidly increas¬
ing in intelligence and wisdom, and that whatever errors were committed
by our forefathers, and handed down to us, will be scrutinized, exposed and
corrected by a wiser and better educated age, and though error may tri¬
umph for a season, yet truth crushed to earth will rise again, and reason
will sit enthroned and pass righteous judgment upon the actions of bygone
days, for the march of intellect cannot be stayed.
Without adding another argument, I submit this important subject to
your Christian and prayerful consideration, and as the Articles of Associa¬
tion provide for their own alteration, I humbly, yet sincerely and importu¬
nately, entreat you to give the whole subject that calm, deliberate and
faithful attention which it so greatly demands, and which, it seems to me,
God requires at our hands. Trusting that the Great Head of the Church
mav aid you in all your labors and efforts to promote his glory and the
peace and prosperity of our Church, I subscribe myself your fellow-laborer
in His vineyard, and the best wisher of all your interests—temporal, spirit¬
ual and eternal. William Paul Quinn.
Morris Brown, ) ,
William Paul Quinn, j
280
History of the A. M. E. Church.
The churches in Baltimore were two in number, and like those
in Philadelphia, had been owned and governed by one board of
trustees, the majority of whom were always members of the
mother church in that city. The lesser, called Ebenezer, had been
purchased from another congregation with a ground rent of $204
per annum. To meet this obligation, and to sustain its pastor,
was a serious difficulty with the poor people who worshipped in
it. Meanwhile, the house was too narrow, too short, and too
dilapidated for the comfort of the congregation. For these reasons
they desired to enlarge and otherwise improve it. But whenever
they determined so to do, they found themselves invariably op¬
posed and successfully hindered by the trustees of Bethel Church.
Fretted and galled by repeated movements of this kind, the
people of Ebenezer knew not what to do to deliver themselves
from such unpleasant circumstances: wherefore the writer advised
their pastor, the Rev. William H. .Jones, to persuade them to
purchase the property from the trustees of Bethel. This was
done, and a meeting of the male members of the incorporation
of Bethel was called to consider the proposition of the people at
Ebenezer. In this meeting the majority of the trustees proposed
to sell the property to them for one thousand—or, as some say,
five hundred dollars. The pastor* advised that inasmuch as the
people at Ebenezer were very poor, and desirous to improve their
house of worship, it ought to be sold to them for a ten dollar bill,
and, also, to let them use the five hundred or one thousand dollars
to enlarge and beautify the house. To this advice the brethren
present (excepting the trustees) agreed, and confirmed it by a
large majority, only five of the trustees voting against it.
Instead of submitting to this decision of the majority of the
male members, which was a constitutional number, the said five
trustees contended that another meeting should be called, on the
ground that all of the male members were not present. The
pastor complied with their request, and a second time did a ma¬
jority of the male members—legal voters—confirm by their votes
the said advice of the pastor. But even this could not satisfy
the five trustees. At this latter meeting the pastor of Bethel,
who was also ex officio chairman of the board of trustees, was
authorized to execute the will of the people. The deed was drawn
up by a learned lawyer, who had been for some time previous the
* The writer w as at that time the pastor of Bethel, in Baltimore.
The General Conference of 1848.
281
regular attorney of the church, chosen by these very five trustees.
The day and hour was appointed for the trustees to sign the deed.
The self-same hour the pastor was called to attend his dying,
motherless, infant daughter, a distance of forty miles away. Be¬
fore his departure he went to the lawyer's office and there met a
portion of the board of trustees. As time was rapidly passing
away, and steam and cars wait for no one, he inquired of the
lawyer whether it was necessary for him to remain until all the
trustees arrived. His answer was, "You can sign your name as
chairman in the presence of these, and the others can sign theirs
upon their arrival." The pastor signed and fled to the crib of
his dying child. Upon the arrival of the remainder of the five
trustees, they learned that the pastor's signature was made in
their absence, at which they became angry. From that hour was
dated the sowing of the seeds of discord and schism in their
seeming resolve to destroy him. Every means, fair and unfair,
legal and illegal, were employed to carry out their purposes,
which were even expressed in written resolutions. Congrega¬
tional meetings were called in which they and their partisans
came armed with clubs to enforce their resolutions. The reporter
of one of the daily papers was hired to report the pastor's ser¬
mons that matter might be found to indict him in the civil
courts. In the meetings the pastor met them armed with noth¬
ing but arguments, and defeated them. In the pulpit the truths
he uttered were such, that when published in the secular papers,
they were read approvingly by thousands who otherwise would
not have known them. Finally, after every rational and scrip¬
tural means were variously employed to convince these five
men of their errors, and lead them to repentance, they were im¬
peached, and summoned to trial before the assembled church. In
this meeting two women came, armed with a cudgel and a slug-
shot. As soon as they saw, from the testimony of the witnesses,
that conviction was certain, the women arose in the front pew,
where they had been sitting, and exclaiming, "It is enough!"
entered the altar, one of them striking at the pastor with
her cudgel, and the other assaulting one of the secretaries, Rev.
Darius Stokes, laying him almost speechless in his blood. The
activity of the pastor saved him from a blow which might have
crippled, if not killed him. This assault produced the most
terrible excitement, which brought in the city guards, who ar¬
rested the assailants and a few of their prominent abettors, and
232
History of the A. M. E. Church.
threw them into the watch-house, from which their friends soon
bailed them. This occurred about the last week in February,
1849. Within two weeks from that riot the trustees were again
arraigned before the tribunal of the assembled church, convicted,
and expelled for "Rebellion against the Spiritual and Temporal
Government of the Church." The lawsuit resulting from this
schism cost both parties together about $1,000.
In the progress of the troubles the Rev. Nathaniel Peck with¬
drew, and subsequently organized a society of his own, known
by the name of the " First Colored Methodist Protestant Church."
This brother was a local elder, and had been for many years the
leader of a class numbering from two hundred to three hundred
members. He was a man of large influence; but if presuming
upon that, to not only withdraw himself but to lead off the ma¬
jority, if not all his members, he " calculated without his host,"
as will be seen. After the expulsion of the rebellious trustees,
five in number, forty-five of their adherents withdrew and helped
to organize the above church. At the time of their secession,
the register of Bethel showed over twelve hundred members.
So the loss, if it could be so called, was very small, and exceed¬
ingly so when compared with the five hundred who were excluded
from Bethel, in Philadelphia, at a single stroke of the ecclesiasti¬
cal knife. These five hundred in Philadelphia united with the
organization just named.
This year the corner-stone of the largest, most convenient, and
beautiful piece of church architecture we had yet undertaken
was laid in Baltimore city, on Saratoga street, near Gay, on the site
previously occupied by the old building, which was purchased
from a Lutheran congregation in 1816. And as the founders of
the First Colored Methodist Protestant Church of Baltimore,
Md., assign the building of this house as one of the reasons of
their secession from the A. M. E. Church in the United States,
it is deemed proper just here to give an accurate account of the
same as history for the present and future generations :
In the great revival of 1842, all denominations in the states of
Maryland and Pennsylvania shared largely in it. The converts
in the Bethel Church of Baltimore were so numerous that the
house became absolutely too small for the worshippers. This
circumstance led the people to see and to talk about the need of
erecting another of larger dimensions. Meetings were called and
plans proposed. Some were in favor of adopting immediate
The General Conference of 1848.
238
measures for building, others were opposed to them. This oppo¬
sition became so violent that the lovers of peace and good gov¬
ernment sent Brother Alexander Murray to Philadelphia to urge
Bishop Morris Brown to visit Baltimore and quell the rising storm
by his advice. This was done on the part of the Bishop, but noth¬
ing decisive was effected by either party. In 1843. the 3d of May,
Bishop Brown appointed the Rev. H. C. Turner to the pastorate
of the three churches then in Baltimore, with headquarters, like
his predecessors, at Bethel Church, on Saratoga street. Full of
energy and practical wisdom, this remarkable young man set to
improving the condition of the flock committed to his care. In
his efforts he had to encounter and correct many an antiquated
error. Prominent among these were the classes, which had enor¬
mously overgrown the original number, twelve, ordained by the
illustrious founder of Methodism, and increased, not only to
twenty-five and fifty, but even to one hundred and three hundred
members.
Among the leaders who held charge of these mammoth classes
was the Rev. Nathaniel Peck, aforementioned. Pie at that time
was the leader of two classes which averaged about one hundred
and fifty persons each. Rev. Turner, perceiving that leaders at
the head of such huge classes could become a dangerous power
against the government of the church, began to reduce the mem¬
bers of his classes down to a reasonable figure. Of course this
excited the displeasure of Brother Peck, as well as others whose
classes were reduced. From that time until the hour he left
Baltimore, in the spring of 1845, when he was removed to the
station at Washington, he became a persecuted man. Meanwhile,
he had been taking up collections for building a new church,
on certain week-day nights, which had been set apart for that
purpose as well as for preaching, but the whole amount collected
by him during his labors in Baltimore for said object was less
than $100.
Rev. D. A. Payne, the person to whom Brother Peck alludes
in the Preface to his Discipline, was appointed by Bishop Brown
as the successor of Rev. H. C. Turner. Soon after his arrival in
the city of Baltimore to take charge of the three churches, he
was called upon by Brother Peck, and by insinuations advised
to pursue a course opposite to that of Brother Turner; at the
same time he was requested to let him (Peck) go into the coun¬
try and preach as he pleased and when he pleased. This last
234
History of the A. M. E. Church.
request the pastor (Payne) resolved to grant, but at the same
time, as far as reformation and progress were concerned, to walk
himself in the footsteps of his illustrious predecessor. As might
reasonably be expected, Iiev. D. A. Payne became as much the
object of dislike as Rev. H. C. Turner had been. And as he
vigorously prosecuted measures to raise the means for church-
building, this dislike became more manifest on the part of
Brother Peck. Finally, a meeting of all the male members was
called to decide by a constitutional vote the question as to the
building of a new church. Brother Peck and his adherents con¬
tended that they needed none; that if a new one must be built
they should wait until they had two-thirds the needed amount;
that, to use Brother Peck's published words, he " was of the
decided opinion that any effort on the part of the brethren to
make an immediate disposition of the property by pulling down
the old church and erecting a new one in its stead was prema¬
ture, uncalled for, and calculated to involve the church in debt
beyond its ability to meet." On the other hand, Payne and
his friends maintained that one-third of the amount needed to
build the required house of worship was all that was necessary
to begin with, and that a membership of over one thousand per¬
sons, together with the friends of the church, numbering one
thousand more, had resources within themselves sufficient to
raise the balance and pay jnmctually when due the notes which
might be given; and in that matter every cent of the actual cost
could be paid within eight years. When the question was put, a
cloud of members rushed to the right of the altar, as had been
requested, to signify themselves in favor of building the house as
soon as $5,000, or one-third of the needed amount, should be
raised. Brother Peck and about a half-dozen adherents took the
left hand of the altar as opposed to the measure. Still, against
this overwhelming majority, he sent to the next Annual Confer¬
ence a protesting document, which was unheeded, though he
was not treated unkindly either by word or deed. In about one
year from this decision of the people the sum of $5,000 in cash
and available notes was in bank—of the former about $4,500, of
the latter about $500.
August 2d, 1847, the corner-stone of the new Bethel was
laid on the site of the old edifice, and within twelve months
from that day the house was finished—a beautiful specimen of
the Romanesque style of architecture, about 83 feet by 64, having
The General Conference of 1848.
235
within its enclosures almost every convenience needed for the
purposes of an enlightened Christian congregation, and costing
about $16,000. By the day the key was put into our hands,
$5,000 of that sum was paid. By a written contract eight years
were given to pay the balance, in eight equal annual notes, with
interest on the whole amount payable half-yearly. All of these
notes were met by the day of their maturity, the majority
of them being paid a few days before. The result shows whose
calculations and judgment were correct.
On the 9th of -July, 1848, this majestic temple of the Lord was
consecrated with very interesting and imposing ceremonies. The
day that witnessed the finish of the beautiful house of God also
dated a new era in the history of the congregation worshipping in
it. Up to that time they were regarded by the white community
as the most ignorant, most indolent and most useless body of
Christians in the city. Since then they have been commended
as one of the most interesting and enterprising in it.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE CHURCHES, 1849-18S1.
Condition of the Baltimore Churches in 1849—Philadelphia Churches-
Death of Rt. Ilev. Morris Brown—Lost Records of New York and Can¬
ada—Statement of Ohio Churches—Deluded Philanthropists—An Unbe¬
lieving Disciple—Southern Men's Acquaintance with Northern Proceed¬
ings—Philadelphia Churches in 1851—Baltimore Churches—Fugitive
Slave Law—Difficulty in Canadian Churches—First Colored Methodist
Cliurch, Sacramento, California—Black Laws-
THE condition of the Baltimore churches in 1849 can be seen
from the following statements: There was but one ordina¬
tion at the Annual Conference, that of Rev. W. H. Jones
to the eldership. There had' sprung up a spirit of rebellion in
the church, and some measures seemed necessary to suppress it.
Such were taken, and resolutions were also passed in favor of
establishing one mission in Africa and one in the West Indies.
But this resolution to establish those missions by the Baltimore
Conference was not executed, just because it mistook the desire
to do for the ability to perform. The Conference was ignorant
of the truth—that it requires thousands of dollars to establish a
mission in foreign lands, especially in a land of barbarians and
savages, who, for a long while, almost always assume the repel-
lant attitude toward Christian efforts to turn them away from
idols and fetichism", anxl out of darkness into light; therefore no
aid can be expected from them, hence the entire support of the
missions must be raised at home. And, moreover, the member¬
ship included within the regions controlled by the Baltimore
Conference was utterly unprepared to undertake such a work—
unprepared, because they were too poor to raise the amount of
money needed for such a work.
The condition of the Philadelphia churches in the same year
may be briefly disposed of. Some expulsions and silencing of
members took place for the same reasons that forced the Balti¬
more church to take action, viz.: rebellion; and the preamble and
resolutions offered by Dr. J. J. G. Bias in the Baltimore Confer¬
ence to that end were substantially adopted in this.
The death of Rt. Rev. Morris Brown occurred this year, to-
( 236 )
SECOND SIS EOF Or TEE AFRICA*' COETEOLICT STIS COPAL CHURCH
'E THE UCICEL CCCCCC
The Churches, 1849-1851.
237
gether with that of the Rev. David Ware. Of the latter no
obituary notice is found. The former's life and works are men¬
tioned in another chapter.
Again the records are vacant by inability to find the New York
and Canada notes for the year; but the Ohio churches make state¬
ment of "fruitless efforts to promote the cause of literature by
publishing a Sunday-school hymn book, catechism, and a weekly
paper for the childrenalso that the same was true of the en¬
deavor to get the Conference to define its position in relation to
war and slavery.
In regard to the Union Seminary it was found that after the
debts upon the land were paid, there were left in hand, as an
itemized account, seventy-six dollars and forty cents ($76.40),
besides twenty kegs of nails, with various other appurtenances
of building, including glass, locks, nails and screws, together
with eighteen boxes and three packages of books.
The Ohio Conference numbered Rev. Samuel Collins with
those who fell asleep in Jesus this year, while the Indiana Con¬
ference reports the deaths of Revs. Robert Johnson and Benjamin
Cole. This last Conference found it expedient to deal sternly
as regards disciplinary measures this year, and other business
gave way to the execution of such measures.
As we turn to the year 1850 there is a vacancy, caused by the
lack of the transactions of the Baltimore Conference. But in
the Philadelphia Conference one of the first questions was,
" Whether it should be tolerated for women to form a Connection,
and appoint their preachers to stations in the several districts?"
This created a little discussion, and a resolution to appoint a
committee to consider the question was offered and passed, but
after a moment's reflection it was rescinded. The origin of this
question is found in the fact that certain women members of the
A. M. E..Church, who believed themselves divinely commissioned
to preach by formal licenses, subsequently organized themselves
into an association with the avowed intention of laying out a
field of usefulness for themselves, and making out appointments
for such a field after the manner of our Annual Conferences.
They held together for a brief period, and then fell to pieces like
a rope of san-d.
The last Frid ay in June, 1850, was set apart as a day of fasting
and prayer for the abolition of slavery. This is the second instance
on record of an Annual Conference in the A. M, E. Church setting
238
History of the A. M. E. Church.
apart a day for general fasting and prayer to the Almighty for the
overthrow of that infernal system of oppression, known through¬
out the civilized world as American Slavery. It must he called
infernal, because slavery is a crime against humanity—so heinous
in its spirit, and so barbarous in its manifestations, that none but
a devil incarnate, or otherwise, could have been the one to suggest
it. But more still I call it infernal because the fugitive slave,
escaping from the South to their asylum under the ajgis of Great
Britain, was pursued by four-legged bloodhounds on Southern
soil and by two-legged bloodhounds, on Northern soil, whose
villages, towns and cities were governed with Christian churches,
schools and colleges. And yet still more must it be called infer¬
nal because the Fugitive Slave Bill, which was in great activity
at this time, had provisions in it bribing the courts of justice
against the weak and defenseless fugitive, but in favor of his
avaricious claimant, on whose side already existed the American
sword and the American purse. And yet still more must it be
called infernal because the Fugitive Slave Law was enacted by a
civilized Christian government, which gave to a white man the
right to prove his ownership in a horse, a cow, or a bale of cotton,
at the same time that it denied a black man the right to prove
his own personal freedom, or that of his wife and children. It
was this state of things in the American Republic which was
crushing more than four millions of native Americans, and crush¬
ing them because they were descendants of the Hamitic family,
and which induced the African Methodist Episcopal Church to
fall on its knees again and again, and cry out to God against
their oppressors.
Brothers I. R. V. Morgan, Richard Barney and S. Holcomb
were introduced into the holy order of deacons. Andrew Rod-
dell had died, and some expulsions and withdrawals took place—
the results of the rebellion of 1848.
A committee, consisting of Brothers Nazery, Beulah and John
Cornish, was appointed to collect all the information possible rel¬
ative to the history of the Church in the Philadelphia District.
It was also made their duty to transmit the same to I). A. Payne.*
A home mission was also established for the city and county
of Philadelphia.
TLiis work was never performed. Had it been, the history of those
days would now be enriched by details which the lapse of time renders it
now impossible to attain,
The Churches, 1849-1851.
239
Again we find a hiatus in the records, and this time it is the
minutes of the New York churches which are missing in 1850.
The Ohio churches, however, are known to have assembled, and
to have ordained Joseph McLaren and Watkins Lee as elders.
This Conference also organized a society, to he named the
"Christian Herald and Book Concern Society," the object of
which was to aid the book concern, and promote the diffusion of
useful knowledge; but we have no further record that it ever
accomplished any actual work.
A resolution condemnatory of American slavery was passed
this year, though the Conference chose to be silent upon the sub¬
ject the previous year.
The cause of education, as it stood in the hands of this Con¬
ference, may be seen in the annual report of the principal of
Union Seminary, which is given elsewhere.
The general book steward also made a report, which is inserted
in full at this point:
REPORT OF THE GENERAL BOOK STEWARD.
To the Bishop and Conference of the Ohio District:
Beloved Brethren :—After another year's toil and much mental suffer¬
ing, it has become my duty to spread before you the proceedings of this
fiscal year, and the enterprise of the General Fund System for the bene¬
fit of the Connection. And while I have much to deplore, and great
reason for regret at the small advance we have made in accumulating
funds, yet we can, amidst all the gloomy scenes through which we have
been called to pass, rejoice in being permitted to say that out of all the
Lord hitherto hath sustained us! and to his Almighty guidance we attrib¬
ute the present existence of our enterprise, as well as our hope for future
success. First, the report of books sold this year has been very dimin¬
utive, from the fact that we could not raise money to print them. The
demand for hymn books has been very large, but to the present I have not
been able to supply them. This will answer the inquiry of the brethren
who have found it in their minds to consider our non-compliance bad
treatment when they sent in their orders. However small the amount
supplied, it will be seen by our balance sheet that a greater portion is yet
unpaid to the treasury. As we had not means to print the hymn book, we
felt duty bound to publish the paper regularly, as we had a few advance-
paying subscribers whom we wished not to disappoint, as well as to gain the
entire confidence of the Connection in carrying on regularly the organ of
the Church, which, if properly appreciated and sustained, would prove
one of the most powerful means both for revenue and general advance¬
ment of our cause. Much more is to be derived from the organ of the
Church in a Connection like ours than can be in any other way of raising
240 History of the A. M. E. Church.
funds and disseminating general information of our own cause, which is
by no means the least in our religious, political and civil elevation. And
it is yearly in its returns, while books will last for several years, conse¬
quently every subscriber to the j^aper who pays in advance is giving a
powerful impetus to the whole concern; for, as the paper succeeds, it will
give life to all the other departments.
The report this year of receipts for the second volume of the Christian
Herald, it will be seen, is comparatively nothing to what it should be up
to this date: out of the sum of eighteen hundied and fifty dollars subscrip¬
tion we have only received three hundred and twenty-six dollars and
seventy-four cents.
The press for means has been great, and it has demanded extensive
traveling to present the claims before the people. To accomplish which I
have traveled during the past ten months forty-four hundred and fifty
miles, and lectured and exhorted both preachers and people to come up to
the work, and have only to regret that our efforts were only successful in a
small degree ; and with the major part, all the good and flattering resolu¬
tions passed for relieving the book concern of her great liabilities have
died a natural death; and with one or two glorious exceptions, all the
pledges of raising funds is yet to be accomplished. Brethren who felt
fully confident of their ability to comply at any moment, are yet to be
found in the faithful number in this essential labor for the honor of the
cause and prosperity of Zion. It will be seen, by comparing the benevo¬
lent operations of the former with the present year, that there has been a
falling off from last year's report from that source of the sum of three hun¬
dred and ninety-seven dollars. This is truly discouraging, but when fully
understood it will, I trust, prove a means to arouse to emulation every
preacher and society in the Connection, for it is beyond contradiction that
the only reason for a depreciation in the funds is because there was less
effort made this year than was in the former, although the demand was
equally as great. To establish this fact, I need only to refer to our twin
cities, Pittsburg and Allegheny, who in the last year paid into the treasury
for the aid of the book concern two hundred and eighty-six dollars and
sixty-eight cents. We give to these cities the honor of raising within
thirty-eight dollars and sixteen cents of the entire sum raised this year
from the Connection. The same good feelings, and considerably better,
have been exemplified, so far as words are concerned, for the prosperity
of the concern, and the people were as willing as ever, we conscientiously
believe ; but the exertion was not made, as there always must be a leader.
As we had labored extensively at this point, through considerable oppo¬
sition that should not have been expected, I determined to let the subject
of raising funds be with the proper authorities appointed by the Connec¬
tion to this office; and to this we attribute the declension. This will, we
trust, be remedied for the future by the more efficient plan of quarterly
public collections, as has been adopted by all the Conferences that I have
been permitted to visit. The cash system adopted, I find, will have to be
the rule for business with our paper, for it is a demonstrated fact that if we
The Churches, 1849-1851.
241
have at this early period so great an amount from so few subscribers, the only
alternative is to receive whatever we do get in hand, and then if we are to
go on a little, we know how to measure our coat; but when hundreds of
dollars are expected, and then fall short two-thirds, it is too far behind for
any business to sustain itself under. Every dollar due the book concern
could and should have been paid, as well as the pledged funds, long ere
this, if it was only engaged in as any other lawful contract; and thus we
should at once rise to a condition that has by many been long desired.
Another subject which I feel it my duty to apprise you of is the failure
of the two Eastern Conferences to raise the sums proposed and published
as agreed to be raised, i. e., '' the two hundred dollars ($200) pledged at the
Baltimore Conference, to be forwarded to the agent by the first of August,
1850 " (and, to my detriment in business, I have not received but ten dollars
from Rev. L. Lee, of the whole sum), and the failure of the Phil¬
adelphia District to raise, by loan, three hundred dollars ($300) to aid in
printing hymn-books and paying Qur liabilities. Up to this time I have
not received one dollar of that amount; thus leaving us behind all former
calculations from those two points the sum of four hundred and ninety
dollars.
I need not proceed to explain any further the reasons for our making so
little progress in raising funds, for it is one of the greatest mortifications
of my mind to be compelled to exist at such a poor dying rate, and have to
mourn over the conduct of several of our itinerant brethren, whose actions
to me appeared to be anything but what they should be in regard to our
book concern and Christian Herald. We admit of our unworthiness to
fill so responsible a station as that reposed in me in this department of the
Church, but amidst all our imperfections, it was not our choice that placed
us here, therefore we feel aggrieved at any reflections emanating from
those who were well acquainted with every fact before we came to the
office.
We shall, however, give ourself and cause into the hands of Him who
knoweth the secrets of all hearts, and will render to all their just deserts.
In humble obedience, I remain your humble servant and fellow laborer in
the cause of our great Redeemer."
This document shows a very sad and gloomy state of things
among us, and prove how little we care for the cause of literature.
There dre several points in this report to which I wish to call
attention: '
(«.) The negligence of the Eastern Conferences. When the
book concern was located in the East, and under the management
of an Eastern man, the Western Conferences were always com¬
plaining. Now, at this time, from 1848-50, it was west of the
Alleghenies, and we see that the West is neglected by the East, as
the East had been neglected by the West. The West believed and
16
242
History of the A. M. E. Church.
said, " If the concern be moved west of the mountains we will
sustain it," but it was not any better sustained in the West than
it had been in the East.
(5.) The subscription list of the Church organ, then called the
Christian Herald, amounted to eighteen hundred and fifty dol¬
lars ($1,850), but only three hundred and twenty-six dollars
and seventy-four cents ($326.74) were received.
(r.) This failure was not due to any lethargy or neglect of the
general book steward, because he traveled during the year four
thousand four hundred and fifty miles, lecturing and exhorting
both preachers and people to come up to the work. And yet his
efforts were only successful in a small degree.
(d.) The support which he and the concern received was chiefly
local, being confined to Pittsburg and Allegheny. Now, what
was the money value of that support? Only $286.68.
(e.) Look at the treatment of the Baltimore Conference. They
had pledged $200 for the aid of the book concern. How much
did they pay ? Only $10, which sum was raised by one man
only—Rev. Levin Lee, of Baltimore City.
Look at the conduct of the Philadelphia Conference. They
pledged $300 to aid in printing hymn-books, and gave not one
dollar.
The Indiana churches report a few deaths—Samuel Miller,
Nathaniel Bowman ancl Robert Marsh, local preachers, and Isaac
Fourse, an itinerant. This year we have no record of the
Canada Conference work.
Among the literary remains of 1850 we cull the following as
showing something of the state of affairs at that time—affairs
particularly affecting the subjects of anti-slavery and coloniza¬
tion. Rev. J. M. Brown writes an account of a trip from New
Albany, Ind., to St. Louis, Mo., and his "Notes by the Way"
give us an insight into our condition as a people:
On the 5th of September Eev. T. Lawrence and myself, in company
with other friends, glided pleasantly from the wharf at New Albany, Ind.,
for St. Louis, Mo. During the trip we found ourselves comfortably situated
midst many defenders of the "Patriarchal Institutions." Having never
traveled in a region of the country so at war with every interest of the
colored man, I felt it a privilege to gaze upon the doomed shores of slave-
holding states.
The first morning after we left Albany we were detained hard by the
shores of Kentucky in consequence of the fog, and for the first time in
my life I saw plantation slaves. Being quite a curiosity to me I ventured
The Churches, 1849-1851.
243
upon the shore to behold what to me was a curiosity indeed, and about the
time our boat left one of these defenders of the "Peculiar Institution"
came aboard with his slave. Had a wild animal come aboard of the boat
I should not have felt more interest to see and know it than I was to see
and know that poor brother.
Soon we were under sail, and at the close of the second day we had a
sermon from a clergyman of Kentucky. As my faith is not very strong in
these Southern gentlemen in the garb of ministers, I could not feel to
approach his services other than Thomas did the Son of God— doubtingly.
He, however, manifested talent of an ordinary degree.
On the 7th we had the addition of a poor woman and child. She had
been separated from three other children by the cruel hand of slavery.
She appeared the wreck of human happiness. Her poor little ones gone,
and had she attempted to gain her liberty there stands in every county in
each state a bloodhound in human form ready to seize and drag her back
into slavery; and yet we live in a liberty-loving country.
Sabbath morning, the 8th of September, dawned upon us most sweetly,
on the gallant Mississippi River. Having been detained by fog and other¬
wise, we were compelled to travel on a most pleasant and sweet Sabbath,
which we had intended to spend in St. Louis, but were prevented; we had
to make the best of it. Our friend and brother, Lawrence, at 9:30
o'clock delivered a most excellent discourse, which led our minds from the
swearing and confusion of the boat to a better land. One thing was
remarkable: While our brother was portraying the evils of the slavery of
Egypt, all were ears; but so soon as he alluded to the slavery of this
country, the slaveholders and their friends darted into the doors of their
state-rooms as if shot at and missed. The sermon was one of Brother
Lawrence's best efforts, and brought out those who had any love for the
colonization scheme; and the friends of the institution thought that our
friend and your correspondent ought by all means to go to Liberia. Oh,
how he loved us! No place so good as Liberia! Neither religion nor edu¬
cation avails anything to these philanthropic oppressors. We conversed
with one person, in particular, who placed in our hands a letter from a
slaveholder in New Orleans to that more than excellent advocate for the
colonization scheme, Rev. Mr. Gurley, of Washington, D. C., and we found
that our friend was himself a slaveholder. But his slaves did not wish nor
would not leave their master, even to be free in Africa. He said that he
had tried to stimulate them with the idea of being governors, legislators,
etc., which is now big in the minds of the colonization friends. Poor
deluded philanthropists! Any colored man, matters not what his position
or competency may be in this country, a slave from the "cotton fields,"
gentleman's house servant, or boot-black, may go to the colonizationists'
Eden and become immediately a governor or statesman ! Such delusion is
nonsense in the extreme, and at once shows the respect which too many col¬
onizationists have for their pet colony. After conversing at some length
with our friend from New Orleans, who found your correspondent rather a
hard and unbelieving disciple, we left him abusing Douglas and other
244
History of the A. M. E. Church.
friends o£ the fugitives and slaves. I was convinced of one fact by my
conversation with him, viz.: that intelligent Southern men are infinitely
better acquainted with our proceedings at the North than we generally
suppose.
We had but one sermon, as our boat was so injured that we could not
proceed for some hours, and this threw everything in1o confusion. More
oaths I never heard in the same length of time.
Monday morning, September 9th, about two hours before day, we struck
a sand-bar, which frightened the passengers as well as myself. All
were preparing for a general rush into the water, but as no accident hap¬
pened, at 11 o'clock we reached St. Louis, or Illinoistown, opposite St.
Louis, and at 1 o'clock we reached Brooklyn, 111., and had a kind reception
by many of our brethren of the Indiana Conference. Brooklyn is also
opposite St. Louis, and mostly inhabited by colored friends. Of Brooklyn
I will speak more fully in another number, and until then adieu.
J. M. Brown.
The meeting of the churches in the Baltimore District for 1851
was marked by great excitement of spirit and irregularity of de¬
cision. Four brethren were ordained elders—Rev. William D.
Schureman, Samuel Watts, I. R. V. Morgan and Ed. I. Hawkins.
Bishop Quinn announced Rev. W. Nazery his assistant or suf¬
fragan Bishop till the next ensuing General Conference, agree¬
ably to Discipline; and that we may know how this appoint¬
ment was in harmony with the Discipline we are referred to
page 72, section 3. Bishop Quinn followed in this particular the
example set him by Bishops Allen and Brown. Bishop Allen
made Elder Morris Brown his assistant two or three years prior
to his election by the General Conference, and Bishop Brown
made Elders Edward Waters and W. P. Quinn his assistants
before the General Conference had elected them; and thus did
both the first and the second Bishops of the A. M. E. Church
pave the way for the election of their predecessors.
A case came before this Conference which it seems wise to note
because of the principle involved. A pastor and his chief stew¬
ard disagreed in regard to the amount needful for the former's
support. At the ensuing Quarterly Meeting or Official Board,
and in the absence of the steward, complaint was made against
him, and he was deposed. Subsequently, charges were brought
against the said steward, and a committee was formed to examine
him. In violation of the Discipline, one of the committee was
neither a local preacher nor an exhorter. They proceeded, how¬
ever, to examine the case, and found, in their opinion, sufficient
cause to suspend him until the ensuing Quarterly Conference.
The Churches, 1849-1851.
245
Meanwhile the steward exercised his functions as a preacher and
a deacon by burying or assisting in burying the dead, by marry¬
ing a couple and by christening one or more children. He justi¬
fied himself for so doing by asserting that the committee which
suspended him was illegal, and therefore the suspension was
null and void, or, in other words, he was under no obligations to
heed it. At the ensuing Quarterly Conference the said steward
was tried, in his absence, and pronounced expelled. He gave as
a reason for his absence that he could not hope for a fair trial, as
the majority were opposed to him. But the same Quarterly
Conference adjourned their meeting after the trial to another
night, at which time the steward sent in his appeal, or signified
his intention to appeal to the approaching Annual Conference,
of which he was a member. Pending this appeal, the pastor
held a love feast, and declared that the said steward was excom¬
municated; then he soon after met the Quarterly Conference,
and finished its business, utterly disregarding the appeal which
was laid before him. The steward presented his appeal at the
Annual Conference, the minutes of the proceedings of his trial
were read, and, "on motion, the proceedings of the Quarterly
Conference in the case of " were "ratified" by a vote of
23 to 15. A few days later in the session the following was pre¬
sented to the Conference by a brother:
Whereas, In view of all the circumstances by which the case of Brother
is surrounded,
Resolved, That lie be restored to liis official standing in the A. M. E.
Church.
A long and spirited debate followed, wherein it was claimed
that this Annual Conference had no power given it by the Gen¬
eral Conference to restore a man back to the Quarterly Confer¬
ence by which he was expelled, after the Annual Conference
itself had ratified their doings in the case, without the consent
of the said Quarterly Conference. Again, it was claimed that
the last motion said nothing about the steward's restoration to
Bethel Church, but its object was to restore him to the A. M. E.
Church, so that he could join where he chose. But the resolu¬
tion prevailed, and the steward was restored—not to Bethel
Church, the particular society from which he had been expelled,
but to the A. M. E. Church—to the entire Connection!
There are some points here worthy of the attention of history,
and of all who understand the science of government, both civil
246
History of the A. M. E. Church.
and ecclesiastical. We see here claimed that an inferior court is
above the superior; the court in which a man's case is first tried
is above the appellate court, and, therefore, has the right and
power to dictate what it shall and what it shall not do with the
condemned, who has appealed from its decisions to those whose
duty it is to redress the wrongs inflicted by oppressors. The ab¬
surdity of this view of the subject is apparent. Every one ac¬
quainted with the government of the Methodist Episcopal Church
knows that the Annual Conference is the court of appeals to the
local minister, and that the object of such a court is that the
errors committed by the lower court may be corrected. Take
away this power and the appellate court not only becomes use¬
less, but it is a solemn mockery. What would become of Church
or state if such an unreasonable and tyrannical doctrine should
become universal? Who ever heard of the .supreme court of a
state, or of the United States, sending to the lower court to ob¬
tain its "consent" to reverse one of its decisions? Then, too,
the Annual Conference itself did wrong in ratifying the pro¬
ceedings of the said Quarterly Conference: First, because the
committee of examination was improperly formed, as the rule of
discipline requires that it consist of local preachers, " or, for want
of preachers, as many exhorters or leaders." But one of that
committee was neither preacher, exhorter, nor leader. Second,
because the Quarterly Conference was in duty bound to correct
the error of the committee, and inasmuch as it did not, the An¬
nual Conference was in duty bound to send the case back to the
Quarterly Conference in order that they and all others might
learn to do their work according to rule. Third, because the
Quarterly Conference had no power to expel the said steward or
any other local preacher, for, from 1820 to 1856, the Quarterly
Conference of the A. M. E. Church had its power in the case of
a local preacher, deacon or elder, limited to acquittal, censure or
suspension; it had no power to expel.
No such rule that, when the Connection was formed in 1816,
provided for the trial of a local preacher by the Quarterly
Conference, was incorporated in the government of the A. M. E.
Church at "that day." The historical fact is this: In the con¬
vention of 1816, when and where the Connection was formed,
they—the immortal Allen and his illustrious associates—made
no provisions for the trial of preachers, neither local nor travel¬
ing. The organic law, which is nothing more than restriction or
The Churches, 1849-1851.
247
limitation of the power of the General Conference, was this:
" They shall not do away the privilege of our ministers or
preachers of a trial by a committee, and of an appeal."
Upon this negative organic law they made no enactments, ex¬
cepting in the case of a Bishop, and in doing so, they violated
this very law by depriving him of the right of appeal.
The fact that traveling elders have habitually expelled local
preachers, deacons and elders in the Quarterly Conference is no
proof that it is lawful or right; on the contrary, a habit or cus¬
tom, unsanctioned by law, is nothing more than ''antiquated
error."
It has been said that " our opponents tell us that the Quarterly
Conference can try the case of a local preacher, but has no power
to suspend him. If they mean anything by such a remark, it
must be this: that a court authorized to try a man for a crime
has no power to inflict the punishment." In answer to the first
proposition it may be said that the power of the Quarterly Con¬
ference to suspend a convicted local preacher has never been
denied, but its power to expel, under the rule in question, has
been denied; and, in respect to the second, we give this reply:
A court has authority to try a man for a crime, and, at the same
time, has no power to inflict punishment. This is really the
case in the state. A court tries a man for theft and convicts him
of that crime, but it has no power to punish him. The punish¬
ment is left to the sheriff, who takes the convict and places him
in the penitentiary, to be punished there. Again, a court may
try and convict a man for murder, but that court has no power
to punish him. The judge pronounces the sentence of death,
but he has no power to execute it; and if he or any of the jury,
or the whole of them, were to hang such a convict, they them¬
selves could be arrested, tried, convicted and hung for such an act.
To set the absurdity and injustice, as well as the illegality of such
proceedings, clearly before us, let us note a case in point. Our
Discipline, from 1816 to 1856, gave power to a committee, or a
court, consisting of a given number of elders, etc., to arrest, try,
convict and suspend a Bishop in the interval of the General
Conference. But, suppose that Bishop Quinn or Bishop Nazery
had been tried and convicted by such a committee, or court,
and that committee, or court, should have proceeded to expel
him, would anybody have submitted to it? Would not every
man, free from prejudice and loving the truth, as well as
248
History of the A. M. E. Church.
justice, have said that the committee had overleaped its power—
done what it had neither power nor right to do, and inflicted a
grievous outrage upon the Bishop?
That the view taken by some of the ministry was that illus¬
trated in the foregoing statements, may be seen in the subjoined
protest, which was drawn up and signed by thirteen of the
brethren present:
THE PROTEST
Of the Minority Against tiie Majority of Those who Voted, in the
Thirty-fourth Annual Conference of the A. M. E. Church, for
the Baltimore District, to Sustain the Doings and Decisions
of the ■ Quarterly Conference of Bethel Church Against the
Rev. .
We protest against the decision of the Annual Conference and also of
the Quarterly Conference—
1st. Because we believe that both of them have violated the written law
of the General Conference in the expulsion of the said Rev. from
the A. M. E. Church, and thereby have done the said gentleman a serious
and a grievous wrong. We base our protest upon the following argument:
The Quarterly Conference is the lowest court in which a local preacher can
be tried by our Connection. This court was wisely created by the General
Conference, and invested with a particular power, to be exercised in the
case of every local preacher brought before it as an accused person. But
the General Conference did also define the power which it gave to the
Quarterly Conference, in order that it might know where to begin and
whereto stop. Now, what is this definition? Hear it: "The Quarterly
Conference shall have power to clear, censure, or suspend him." Here it
may begin, but there it must end. It may begin with clearing, but it must
end with suspension ; beyond this limit it cannot go without trampling the
law under its feet and inflicting an injury upon the accused.
To clear, to censure, to suspend, are not woi-ds of doubtful meaning. It
would argue supreme folly in the man who would attempt to make them
signify expulsion. And yet this very thing has been done by the Quarterly
Conference; this very thing has been confirmed by the Annual Conference.
God tells us, that when he made the seas He also brake up for it a " decreed
place and set bars and doors, and said, ' Hitherto shalt thou come, but no
further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed.' " Now, why all this?
Why this decree? Why these bars and these doors? Because, He knew
as long as the sea flowed in this decreed place and stayed within these bars
and doors its undulating waters would prove a blessing to mankind, but
wliensover it forsook this decreed place and overleaped these bars and
these doors they must inevitably be destructive to mankind. This is true
of civil courts—if they have a decreed power they also have a limitation
set to this power, and if they exercise it in a wrong direction, or over¬
leap the fixed boundaries, it always inflicts an injury upon society. And
thus is it with the Church. If ever its courts put forth their power in a
The Churches, 1849-1851.
249
wrong direction, or leap over the decreed limitations, they inflict the most
grievous wrongs upon the people. Here, then, is the ground of our pro¬
test. We believe the Quarterly Conference and the Annual Conference
have overleaped their boundaries, and inflicted a grievous wrong upon one
of the best of their members—one of the noblest of their champions, who
fought their battles and achieved their victories.
2d. We protest because we feel that there is no security for a minister's
reputation, standing and usefulness while such outrages are allowed. The
arm of tyranny which struck down our brother on yesterday may strike
us down to-morrow. [Signed] Daniel A. Payne,
Thomas C. Oliver,
William Thomas Catto,
I. R. V. Morgan,
William D. W. Schureman,
Thomas W. Henry,
Robert Collins,
Stephen Smith,
William Webb,
Jacob M. Moore,
William H. Warturs,
J. H. Henson,
James A. Shorter.
There is another duty that history has to perform, and that is
to express her dissent from another decision in this case—that a
"suspended member could not appeal to the Annual Confer¬
ence."*
Now, suspension is an act of punishment awarded by an eccle¬
siastical court for some offence, real or imaginary, committed by
one holding office under its authority. But if the person upon
whom such a punishment has been inflicted believes it unjust,
he has no right of appeal to a superior court for redress!
Slaves may remain silent under such a decision—a freeman
never will, never can. A man too ignorant to know the differ¬
ence between right and wrong in ecclesiastical forms and govern¬
ment, may remain mute; but one who knows better, never can
do so without being recreant to his honest convictions. It is the
part of the historian, meeting such judicial decisions, to discuss
their merits, approving or condemning in the spirit of love and
the meekness of wisdom, as he has endeavored to do in this case,
which came up before the Baltimore Conference of 1851.
Other business of the Conference was to elect the delegates to
* This decision of the Baltimore Annual and Quarterly Conferences
was a violation of the third restrictive rule of the General Conference.
250
History of the A. M. E. Church.
the ensuing General Conference. The result of the election was
the choice of the following eleven brethren : Revs. Savage L.
Hammond, John Jordan, Robert M. Smith, John Gaines, Caleb
Hall, Thomas Williams, William Webb, Christopher Jones,
James Read, Robert Boston, Charles Sawyer.
This was the last Conference that was attended by the Rev.
J. M. Moore, for he sailed the next autumn for Liberia. He was
a gifted man, well read in both medicine and law, and one of
the most eloquent preachers that ever graced the pulpit of the
A. M. E. Church.
The approximate number of members in the Baltimore Dis¬
trict this year was ascertained to be four thousand seven hundred
and seventy.
The condition of the Philadelphia churches this year seems to
have been flourishing. The American Colonization Society was
brought forward for consideration, and the feelings and opinions
of the Conference upon the subject are indicated in the resolu¬
tions offered by J. J. G. Bias, Stephen Smith and William T.
Catto, which were adopted. They read as follows:
Whereas, That detestable scheme, the colonization movement, is again
formidably presented to the public for their support, and every means set
on foot to destroy the fixedness of this, our people, in this their native
country ; and
Whereas, Our religious and moral institutions must be disbanded in
the event of its success. Be it, therefore,
Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Conference that the highest object
of colonization is to remove, as it has removed, a large, increasing and im¬
proving free population, that they may hold our brethren the more quietly
and safely in chains.
Resolved, That we earnestly recommend the ministers of all denomina¬
tions to exert their influence against the direful tendency in carrying out
the above project.
Be it further resolved, That this Conference recommend to its members
to suspicion the motives and spurn the advice of any and every man or
minister, be he white or colored, who shall attempt to disturb and unsettle
the institutions that exist among us by attacking the permanency of our
people in their native land.
Rev. Dr. Willis, of Canada West, having addressed the Con¬
ference, Rev. A. R. Green presented the document hereafter
presented. It is worthy a place in history, and as it was
J. J. Gould Bias,
Stephen Smith,
William T. Catto,
The Churches, 1849-1851.
251
unanimously adopted by the Conference, it gave unmistakable
evidence of the abhorrence with which the people and churches
of the Philadelphia District looked upon the Fugitive Slave Law
of the American Congress, and of the deep gratitude of their
hearts for the generous spirit evinced by the English people:
As the time has arrived when it has become the duty of this Annual
Conference to make an expression to the people on the subject of our
condition in this country, and our feelings toward the British Government
for the benevolence exhibited in this time of peril and danger to the lib¬
erty of the colored race of these United States—
Whereas, The British nation, under the reign and royal majesty of
Queen Victoria, has, by its acts and deeds, shown a disposition to be friendly
to the negro in this time of oppression and enormous injustice and cruelty
by the government of this Republic and states of this Union to the native
freeborn colored, as well as the slave population, actually exposing them
(free colored persons) to all the perils of interminable bondage from one
end of the country to the other, and yet adding insult to injury by using
their prejudice to force them from the homes of youth and land of birth
to the shores of Africa ; and
Whereas, The people of Great Britain, viewing the cruelty of this
government and nation, styled a "Free Republic," against the thousands
and hundreds of thousands of her home-born children without cause, have
arisen, and, to stamp those wicked emanations called laws, enacted for our
destruction in this country, as acts of barbarism and of the dark ages, and
beneath the dignity of any enlightened and civilized people, have pub¬
lished to the world, and by sheltering the panting fugitive when escaping
from this land of blood, proved their Christian sympathy for us by open¬
ing their dominions and inviting us to the enjoyments of equal privileges
with the natural-born British subjects, and that when this prejudice of the
American people, or a majority of them, is falsely asserting that the black
and white race cannot possibly live together on equality, thereby giving
that libel on the character of God its true coloring, and exposing the fabri¬
cators to their own shame for attempting to impose upon the wise and
beneficent Creator the injustice of having omitted to appoint to us the
bounds of our habitation, but left it entirely with our paler American
brethren to choose it for us—first, by forcing our ancestors in part from the
land of their birth and enslaving them; and second, by removing their
posterity to another land as the only place where the fostering hand of the
Creator will be over us; and
Whereas, The entire treatment of the majority of the American people
is and has been such that so long as slavery exists, and colored people can
be sold here, there never will be confidence enough reposed in them to
take us in Ebony, nor any other steam vessel, across the ocean. Therefore,
Resolved, That under existing circumstances, in our judgment, it is un¬
wise and disadvantageous as well as impolitic for us to resolve that we will
not leave the United States, as every such resolve only goes to stamp us as
252
History of the A. M. E. Church.
being willing to suffer anything that may be imposed upon us rather than
remove or emigrate, thereby encouraging our enemies to greater aggres¬
sions, and emboldening them in their encroachments on our liberty, and
discouraging our friends, who are willing to receive us as part and parcel
of their people, free and untrammeled from the powers of wicked laws.
Resolved, That the action of the British people, by a renewal of their
sympathy for us, and inviting the long injured race and people of this
boasted land of liberty—the colored people—to the enjoyment of the bless¬
ings of liberty and equality, have won our entire confidence and highest
regard.
Resolved, That the benevolent exhibition of the people of Her Royal
Majesty in the province of Canada in granting protection and support to
the thousands of our race who were forced from their homes in the dreary
season of the year have proved themselves true patriots and friends of
human liberty.
Resolved, That the kindness of the British people in opening their hearts
and inviting us at this crisis to their land to enjoy the precious boon of
liberty and fraternity from the prejudice of American Christianity, is a
withering rebuke to the Christians of this land who are striving to encour¬
age the unholy principle at war with the spirit of the religion of the Lord
Jesus Christ, of separation of color.
Resolved, That we will ever cherish the fondest reminiscences of the
people who, in the time of persecution, have come forward and held out
to us a helping hand at this time of affliction and distress of our people.
Resolved, That as a religious body we will ever pray for the peace and
prosperity of the British Government, and shall, when emigrating from
this land of oppression, seek our homes in Her Majesty's dominions.
Resolved, That copies of this preamble and resolutions be forwarded to
Her Royal Majesty Queen Victoria, the Parliament of Great Britain, and
the Governor Generals of the Provinces of Canada and British West
Indies, as testimonials of our grateful remembrance of their philanthropic
acts toward us.
But the Fugitive Slave Bill produced more than this bitter
outburst of feeling against the United States; it forced many of
the best families of color to seek an asylum in Western Canada,
where they were safe alike from two-legged and four-legged blood¬
hounds.
Brother Jeremiah Biddle, a local preacher, was one of the
members who had departed this life, and the deaths of two other
brothers belonging to the Connection called forth an expression
of fraternal regard highly creditable to the Conference. The
two were Rev. George Hogarth, at the time of his death a mem¬
ber of the New York Conference, and Rev. Noah C. W. Cannon,
the master-spirit of the Canadian churches. Their prominence
in the history of the A. M. E. Church calls for the insertion of
The Churches, 1849-1851.
253
the resolutions passed in relation to the loss suffered by their
decease. In relation to Brother Hogarth, the following is on
record :
Whereas, It hath pleased Almighty God to remove from his earthly-
field of usefulness the Rev, George Hogarth, a local deacon in the A. M. E.
Church, and formerly, for the period of twelve years, the general book
steward of our Connection ; therefore,
Resolved, That we, the members of the Philadelphia Annual Conference,
do hereby express our sympathy and condolence with the family of the
deceased for their irreparable loss.
Resolved, That we also express our high esteem for the excellent charac¬
ter of the Rev. George Hogarth, who, as a deacon in the church of Brook¬
lyn, and a general book steward of the Connection, did prove himself a
man worthy of the confidence of his brethren and the grateful remem¬
brance of the Church in general.
Resolved, That we transmit a copy of these resolutions to the family of
the deceased by the hand of a committee of three members of the Phila¬
delphia Annual Conference.
A committee, consisting of J. P. Campbell, J. Beulah and A.
Cuppen, was also appointed to draw up an " essay " on the life
and death of the lamented N. C. W. Cannon, who, after due con¬
sideration, produced a similar series of resolutions, from which
we take the historical fact that Rev. Noah Caldwell W. Cannon
died in the town of Amherstburg, Canada West, on the 12th day
of September, 1850; that he had "traveled in the Connection in
perilous times," and was " one of the first pioneers in the cause of
our beloved Zion;" also that he labored "extensively for the
good of the race and benefit of the people at. large."
Brother Hogarth was one of the most intelligent ministers in
the A. M. E. Church. In business tact and knowledge he had
few equals and no superior. His publications in the form of
Disciplines and hymn-books were remarkable for the beauty of
their mechanical execution. His own productions were always
simple, clear and pointed. And, although not distinguished for
oratory, his sermons were always full of that warmth Avhich
belongs to the man whose heart is right with God. He was cut
clown in the midst of life and in the midst of his usefulness,
respected and loved by all who knew him.
As it respects Brother Cannon, a long and intimate acquaint¬
ance enables the writer to speak as one knowing him well.
Always presenting an invulnerable front, he was the uncompro¬
mising enemy of wickedness. He had many defects and com-
254
History of the A. M. E. Church.
mitted many errors, it is true; but these belonged to the head,
and not to the heart. His early education was very defective, but
this was his misfortune, not his crime. His mind was erratic
this was constitutional. These were his defects. As to his
errors, he was too polemic in his sermons; for, no matter what
his text or his subject might be, he invariably finished by an
attack upon baptism by immersion, and he seldom failed to
make masonic allusions. He was too fond of book-making,
while he had too little ability for such a work. His first publi¬
cation was entitled " The Rock of Wisdom," and was issued in
1834. The New York Conference wisely censured him for it, and
forbade its republication. A far more appropriate epithet would
have been "The Rock of Folly." It was a pretty good cure for
"the blues;" for no one of good sense could read it without
laughing, not on account of its wit and humor, but on account
of its absurdities, incoherencies and contradictions. One of his
pamphlets was entitled "Truth—Instruction to Youth, Seek Ye
after Knowledge." The subjects upon which it treats are the duty
of repentance, the Sabbath, marriage, immersion, and prejudice
against color. They were all heterogeneously mixed up and
incoherently discussed—without instruction, without sense and
without order. Another was called "A History of the A. M. E.
Church." It contains forty-four pages, and, notwithstanding its
failure as a history, it may be pronounced the best of all his
writings. From all we can learn Brother Cannon was the child
of pious parents. His father was Beaves Cannon, his mother
Rose Anne. He was born in Delaware, Sussex County. In July,
1806, he was converted at a camp-meeting between Laureltown
and Salisbury, in Delaware. His father was nearly seventy
years of age at his death; his mother was one hundred and six
years old at hers. Brother Cannon was extravagantly fond of
camp-meetings, and was in his element when conducting one of
them. Few men in our itinerant service labored so extensively
as he. He enjoyed a privilege of which but few can boast—of
laboring for his Lord and Master in every Conference District in
the Connection, excepting the Indiana and Missouri. His last
years were spent in efforts to train and confirm the Canadian
churches in the doctrines of the Gospel of Christ. In the Col¬
chester Settlement, C. W., he had built an encampment on a
piece of ground which was bought for that purpose, and also for
the erection of a house of worship. Beside the pulpit where his
The Churches, 1849-1851.
255
voice had often poured forth its thunder tones, beneath deep
shadows of the forest trees, his ashes sleep till the archangel's
trump shall wake them into life immortal. Over his grave lov¬
ing friends erected a rustic tomb, made of young saplings, in the
form of a parallelogram—a rough tribute of affection, it is ren¬
dered doubly interesting by being the sincere and unostentatious
love of those for whose spiritual benefit he had so zealously
labored.
At the New York Conference of 1851 the funeral sermon of
Rev. George Hogarth was preached; but, strange to say, no obitu¬
ary notice is given of him, notwithstanding he had been among
the most useful of the useful—one of the leading members of
this Conference. Revs. Thomas W. Jackson and Jonah Miller
were also numbered with those who sleep in Christ. A com¬
mittee was appointed to prepare obituary notices of them,
together with Brothers Hogarth and Cannon, but it is evident
that this duty was neglected..
Brother William Harmon was inducted into the office of dea¬
con, and Brothers James M. Williams and George Stanford into
that of elders. Resolutions against colonization, identical with
those of the Philadelphia Conference, were also passed in the
New York body.
An address to the brethren in the West Indies, prepared by the
committee for the purpose, Avas received and adopted by the
Conference. It reads:
New York Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in
America to the A. M. E. Church in the Empire of Hayti, Sendeth Greeting:
Beloved Brethren:—We, your brethren in the United States, feel
indebted to you, realizing as we do that you have been long neglected on
our part. The remembrance of such neglect gives us pain, which prompts
us to renew our correspondence and intercourse at this time. Hoping that
the renewal of this intercourse may not only continue but cement the
bond of union between us, notwithstanding the neglect on our part and
silence on yours.
We can assure you, brethren, we have never forgotten, though long neg¬
lecting you. Perhaps the growing and increasing progress of our Connec¬
tion on this side of the water, as well as the constant demands on our
talents and labors, may, as much as anything else, account for the neglect
we have been candid to confess. It is not only our desire to renew this
correspondence and certify our relations with you, but we desire to know
the state of your affairs and your prospects.
We therefore recommend, as conducive to a nearer relation and more
constant union, a correspondence with you and between you and our dis-
256
History of the A. M. E. Church.
trict book steward, the Rev. Eli N. Hall, of Brooklyn City. And also that
you represent your Church in the General Conference, which meets on the
first Monday in May, 1852, either by person or by proxy.
Your committee further recommends that 1 his Conference create a com¬
mittee, with the book steward, to continue this correspondence. Respect¬
fully submitted, Richard Robinson,
E. N. Hall,
E. C. Africanus,
J. P. Campbell,
T. M. D. Ward.
Henry Hicks, Secretary,
Bishop Quinn closed the Conference with a pithy address so
full of sound advice that it may be safely presented as a matter
of history, if not as one of the literary efforts of the year:
Brethren of the Conference:
In the providence of God we met here on the 29th day of May. We
have filled twenty-seven preaching appointments in the neighboring towns,
and have had a good time together. We have been enabled through Di¬
vine blessing to conclude our business as members of the New York Annual
Conference in peace, unity and love. During the session we have some¬
times talked loud, but mostly in good humor. Our voices are loud natu¬
rally, and we are apt to speak so when nothing ails us. We can easily fill
the church of the largest capacity in the land. Even our women preachers
are remarkable for power of voice.
Thank God! we are at peace with each other, and the affairs of the
Church are prosperous. External influences are sufficient to drive us to
this. See the difficulties we encounter from prejudice and persecution—
the Devil and the Fugitive Law. But we have now come to the concluding
matter of the Conference, namely, announcing the appointments for the
ensuing year. The making out of the appointments is at best a difficult
and trying business. So manv interests are to be considered. And when
we have done our best, after all, somebody is sure to be disappointed and
displeased. It is easy to know how a brother likes his appointment by the
expression of his countenance. If be is pleased he will come forward and
receive it with a smile, but if not he will frown.
Brethren must consider the difference in talents, abilities and gifts.
Some of our most learned preachers and men, well versed in the Holy Scrip¬
tures, and possessed of deep piety and fervent zeal, cannot govern a people.
Some cannot preach, but govern well; and some of the most illiterate men
in the Connection govern best of all, and churches prosper in their hands.
We have a fine audience to-day to witness our proceedings. This is an
indication of the prevailing interest felt in the appointments among the
people. Some are here from all directions in the district. Ordinary busi¬
ness and employment are laid aside, and all are curious to know "who will
be our next preacher?" Doubtless there are some here who, if the man
they imagine will suit them best is not sent to them, will fly to their places
The Churches, 1849-1851.
'257
and sow seeds of discord and death among the people ! No man is fit to be
in the church who calls a meeting to know whether the people will sustain
the coining preacher or not. I would not license him to pray in secret.
No preacher is fit for a charge who goes and calls the people together to
know whether they will receive him. Go and preach, brethren ! Do not
go and fight, for then you may be overcome or rejected. But go and preach.
Do not be controlled by any man or by any set of men. No man, no angel,
can find one clause in the canons of the Church by which you may be
rejected. Be patient. Many a man who has been refused has afterwards
been sought after and petitioned for by the same people who at first re¬
jected him. Some of the preachers kick because they have not all good,
fat appointments. This is not reasonable. Here the matter is : I receive
the places from you. Now, give me all good places and I will give good places
to you all. When a preacher goes to an appointment, and the people will
resist and starve him out, it is wrong for any other to go and preach to
them. Let them alone. Neither go to preach, sing, nor pray for them.
Go forth in the spirit of your station. Do not go to cut and slash up
things because A or B had the charge there before. Our work is not to
tear down but to build up, to strengthen the things which remain, that
are ready to die. Let not those on circuits seek out only the large or con¬
siderable places, and there rest in the enjoyment of ease and luxury, but
labor for the good of souls day and night. Be instant in season and out of
season.
Be careful of imposters. A great many are about. There is one Isaac
Davis, who has been in this city since the sitting of this Conference. He
is passing off for a fugitive slave, and collecting money. He has false
papers purporting to be from Bishop Waters, Bishop Brown, and even from
myself, too. I never gave him any.
The brethren should exercise caution in forming unions with parties of
men who have no permanence or legal foundation—dissatisfied, split ofl', or
rebellious characters. It is not wise to preach for such.
We should work together. Nine times out of ten when we look into
the face of a white man we see our enemy. A great many like to see us
in the kitchen, but few in the parlor. Our hope is in God's blessing on our
own wise, strong, and well-directed efforts.
May God bless us, and crown our labors with success.
The Canadian churches were in difficulty this year (1851), and
at the Canadian Conference every minister was impeached " for
rebelling against the Government and Discipline of the A. M. E.
Church by electing Samuel H. Brown to superintend the A. M. E.
Church in Canada until the sitting of the General Conference.
Brown pleaded guilty to the charge, but defended himself and
brethren by showing that they were led thus to act by the advice
of the Rev. Edmund Crosby, of the United States, in whose judg¬
ment he relied, and whose intelligence and integrity he respected.
17
258
History of the A. M. E. Church.
He said that Brother Crosby based his advice upon the fact that
the Canadian churches had been wilfully neglected by the author¬
ities of the Church ; that he was exceedingly sorry for them, and
that in consequence of their neglected condition they had a right
to do whatever they thought best for themselves.
The statements of Brother Brown were attested by Brothers
Helmsley, Warren, Taylor, Dawson, Smith and others. Brother
Brown then voluntarily relinquished all claim to the office of
general superintendent, and threw himself upon the mercy of
the Bishop and Conference to do with him whatever in their good
judgment they might think best.
On motion of Elder Campbell, who had presented the charge,
it was resolved that all the brethren charged with rebellion be
forgiven. This put an end to all the difficulties.
Rev. Samuel H. Brown cannot be too highly praised for
his ready compliance with what the Discipline of the A. M. E.
Church required, because it was evidently in his power to do the
Connection in Canada great harm, even if he did not succeed in
its entire overthrow. Had he been as turbulent, ungovernable
and ambitious as he was talented and shrewd, all the power of
the Church in the United States would have been insufficient to
subdue him, or prevent the mischief which he could have accom¬
plished.
After the adjustment of these difficulties, Brothers H. E. Ste¬
vens, Henry Dawson and Samuel Peterson were ordained deacons,
and the ordination discourse was delivered by Rev. -J. P. Camp¬
bell. The same day Brother Richard Warren was ordained an
elder—the discourse was by Rev. Willis Nazery. Brothers Henry
Brail and George Wilkerson were elected delegates to the General
Conference of 1852.
From the Colchester Circuit information was sent to this Con¬
ference concerning a parcel of land, two hundred acres in extent,
purchased for the use of the Connection, and situated in the
township of Sandwich. Whereupon, Bishop Quinn, his assist¬
ant, Rev. W. Nazery, and Rev. J. P. Campbell were authorized
to investigate the matter.
The spirit of the Canadian churches in relation to slavery can
be seen in this report of their committee to the Bishop and Con¬
ference :
Reverend Sirs:—Your committee, to whom was referred the subject of
Slavery, et';., beg leave tQ wake the following report:
'The Churches, 1849-1851.
259
Whereas, Slavery is a most gross outrage against humanity, and a posi¬
tive violation of every one of the ten commandments of God, and destruc-
truetive of all political, moral and religious rights; and
Whereas, Slavery is in itself theft, murder, robbery, licentiousness,
concubinage, adultery, and everything else that is sinful and devilish be¬
tween heaven and earth ; therefore,
Rf solved, 1st. That it is the bounden duty of all our ministers most faith¬
fully to lift up their voices against the monstrous iniquity, and more
especially American slavery, for reasons too obvious to be named, it being
the vilest upon which the sun ever shone, and in defiance of the laws of
God, the claims of humanity, and the rights of our poor, outcast, down¬
trodden brethren.
Resolved, 2d. That we will not open the doors of our houses of worship
to any slaveholding preacher or lecturer, or their aiders and abettors, under
any circumstances whatsoever, where we have a knowledge of the same.
Resolved, 3d. That the African Methodist Episcopal Church has been,
theoretically and practically, anti-slavery from its commencement until the
present, and was never otherwise known to be—empty and vain assertions
to the contrary, notwithstanding.
Resolved, 4th. That on account of slavery, oppression, and a desire peace¬
ably to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences, and
to secure these blessings to their children after them, were the causes that
impelled our fathers to found and establish, by the grace of God, this, our
beloved Zion.
J. P. Campbell, ~]
G. W. Johnson, j
H. Dawson, (- Committee.
H. E. Stephens, j
L. Anderson, J
At the Indiana Conference of 1851 Brother John A. Warren
was ordained a deacon and R. M. Johnson an elder. The dele¬
gates elected to the approaching General Conference were John
Garrow, William Douglas, James Dubois, Abram T. Hall, Fred¬
erick Myers, William H. Rice, J. L. Johnson and Jacob Green.
To support this delegation, together with the itinerants, an agent
was appointed in Rev. B. Parker.
Israel Cole and William H. Jones were the members of the
Annual Conference who had died during the year. Of the former
it is said that he had been an itinerant for nearly nine years, and
had " labored ardently for the salvation of souls."
Among the resolutions we find the Conference favoring the
presiding eldership, and resolving to memorialize the ensuing
General Conference on the quota of representation, so as to re¬
duce the delegation at least one-half.
260
History of the A. M. E. Church.
In compliance with a petition from the First Colored Metho¬
dist Church in Sacramento, Cal., it was received into the Con¬
nection and placed under the control of this Conference. One
Discipline, one hymn-book, a few copies of the Christian Herald
and twenty-five copies of the minutes were ordered to be sent to
the church at Sacramento, and Rev. W. R. Revels was authorized
to write them a letter. Pastoral letters were also to be written to
the churches in New Orleans and Louisville, Ky., but no traces
are to be found of them.
In regard to the establishment of a seminary within the bounds
of this Conference district, the agent, Rev. R. M. Johnson, who
had been appointed to raise moneys for the same, reported a
failure in consequence of the " black laws " of the states of Indiana,
Illinois, etc. This same brother was appointed missionary to
California, but never went, because the means to defray the ex¬
penses of his journey were not raised.
CHAPTER XXII.
BISHOP MORRIS BROWN.
His Death in 1849—An Extraordinary Man—A Christian and a Minister—
Itinerant Duties Over Thirteen States—His Early Training—His Personal
Appearance—Abreast the Age in Spirit—One of His Sermons—Discourse
of Rev. A. W. Wayman on the Death of Bishop Brown—Lines Written
Upon His Death.
THE Rt. Rev. Morris Brown was among those numbered with
the dead in 1849. The following is the obituary sketch
which, by appointment, was drawn up at the time:
The Rt. Rev. Morris Brown, the second Bishop or superintendent of the
A. M. E. Church, died on the 9th of May, 1849, at 5 o'clock a.m., aged
seventy-nine years and four months.
He was a man of extraordinary character, considered in a moral and
religious point of view. He was a native of South Carolina, and in early
life gave promise of a great and glorious manhood by his strict regard for
the principles of rectitude. This youthful promise was fully realized in
mature life, at which period he obtained a change of heart by faith in the
atoning blood of the Son of God. Thenceforward, his career, both as a
private and public character, was an illustrious comment upon the declara¬
tion of the wisest of oriental kings: "The path of the just is as the shin¬
ing light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day."
As a husband and father he was affectionate, watchful and provident:
ever setting before his family an example that pointed them to the " Lamb
of God which taketh away the sins of the wrorld." As a citizen, he held
the laws of his country in sacred regard, and paid a religious reverence to
the authority of the civil magistrate, rendering unto Cfesar the things that
are Ctesar's. As a friend, he was faithful even to a fault. As a man, he
treated all men as brothers: this could be attested by many, both on earth
and in heaven. If the poor asked alms, he freely gave and sent them away
rejoicing. If a neighbor in straitened circumstances applied for help it
was granted, to the utmost of his power. If the slave solicited means
to obtain liberty, the fetters soon fell from his limbs, and he stood
erect in the majesty of his holy freedom. As a Christian, he lived with
his eyes in eternity and his heart in heaven. As a minister of the Gospel,
he was zealous, devout, irreproachable. As a Bishop in the A. M. E.
Church, he endured much hardship, privation and suffering in the dis¬
charge of his itinerant duties over thirteen states in the union, pursuing a
course of conduct which was entirely free from arrogance, pride and
(261 )
262
History of the A. M. E. Church.
tyranny, accomplishing much good in the cause of the Redeemer, until, in
the summer of 1844, while discharging his episcopal functions in the An¬
nual Conference of Upper Canada, his glorious career was arrested by a
stroke of paralysis, beneath which lie was literally fading away until the
day and hour already mentioned, when he closed his eyes upon his
bereaved widow, his mourning children, and the scenes of this dark world*
to open them amidst the light and glories of the upper sanctuary.
The statements we now add will doubtless be gratifying to the
friends of the Bishop, and at the same time they will shed light
011 his character. He was one of those unfortunate men of the
Southern States who had no early literary training nor one
chance of obtaining it until the cares of a large and growing
family had rendered it impossible. He was full six feet high, if
not more, and well proportioned, but not corpulent. His coun¬
tenance was open, sweet, benevolent; his forehead broad and
advancing; his cranium was full, the apex very high, giving
the moral powers entire control of the animal propensities; his
eyes were dark and small.
As a preacher he was behind many of his brethren. He was
seldom eloquent, but there was a deep tone of piety running
through his entire discourse that always made an impression for
good upon the minds of his hearers. As the Bishop never had
so much as a primary-school education, it cannot be expected
that he should have left any personal records of his labors, nor
the exercises of his mind upon the various subjects which daily
engrossed his attention as the Bishop of the A. M. E. Church.
We, and all who knew him, can truthfully say, that notwith¬
standing all the literary disadvantages under which he labored,
he was, in spirit, abreast of the age, and to the utmost of his
knowledge and power encouraged the education of his people.
We can furnish 110 greater evidence of this than where he is seen
refusing to ordain a young itinerant because he had not the lit¬
erary qualifications required by the Discipline.
The writer has preserved, for the information of posterity, the
substance of a sermon which the Bishop preached in the city
of Washington in 1844.* Not, indeed, in his own language,
because he spoke very broken English; but it is, nevertheless,
a faithful picture of his simple and monotonous, but practical,
style:
*The writer took down the words as they fell from his lips.
Bishop Morris Brown.
2G3
OPENING SERMON
Preached Before the Baltimore Annual Conference of the African Method¬
ist Episcopal Church, Held in Washington, D. C.
By Rt. Rev. Morris Brown.
Hebrews xi. 24, 25 : " By faith Mow?, when he was come to years, refused to be
called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the
people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."
While I endeavor to speak to you this morning, my dear brethren and
sisters, I beg an interest in your prayers that God's blessing may rest upon
my labors; fori intend to speak as the Lord may give me power. My
labors have been great and tedious at the General Conference, so as to
fatigue me very much ; in addition to this, I took a cold on my way home,
so that I don't feel able to speak to you very long this morning. And in
these late years I have not been accustomed to divide and subdivide my
subjects. I will speak in all simplicity and plainness of speech. We dis¬
cover in the words selected for this morning's meditation, my brethren,
that Moses, when he came to manhood, preferred suffering affliction with
the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin. So we all ought to
take his example—forsake the pleasures of the world, and choose God as
our rich inheritance.
We discover, my brethren, that God led Moses through all his life, and
made friends for him, even among those who had been the enemies of his
injured people. For when his mother took and laid him in the bul¬
rushes, and placed him upon the river's bank, among the flags, she never
thought that her babe would find protection from the family of the
king's daughter. She sent her maid to fetch it to her: the tears falling
from his little eyes created a mother's feeling for the helpless infant.
Then said the sister of Moses, " Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the
Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? " And Pharaoh's
daughter said, "Go." So she went and called the mother of Moses, and
Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, "Take this child away and nurse it for
me, and I will give thee thy wagL-s." And when the child grew, she
carried it to the princess, and he became her son, and she caused him to
be educated in all the arts and sciences of the Egyptians. No doubt, my
brethren, that from the earliest period of his life his mind was impressed
with a great sympathy for his afflicted people. And it must not be sup¬
posed that he was without enemies; for, like Joseph, his standing and
the peculiar love which the royal family bestowed upon him, must have
excited the envy of his neighbors ; for those who are useful and men of
talents are always disliked by narrow-hearted persons. It will be recol¬
lected that the Children of Israel were led into Egypt by a mysterious
providence. Joseph, the favorite son of Israel, for whom wras made a coat
of many colors, was hated by his brethren, and by them was sold into
Egypt; and notwithstanding he was by this circumstance placed in a very
mean condition, yet so great was his piety that the favor of God rested
204
History of the A. M. E. Church.
continually upon him, which caused him to increase in popularity and
esteem with the king so that he soon became the greatest man in the
nation.
In the midst of his power a universal famine caused his brethren and
aged father to remove to the land of Egypt, where they were fed and pro¬
tected by the authority of the king. The services of Joseph secured his
family and immediate posterity, and that of his brethren, the favor of the
government of Egypt; but in process of time his greatness and goodness
were forgotten, and the hapless Israelites were cruelly oppressed until
Moses, who had become of age, was walking abroad one day, and seeing an
Egyptian oppressing one of his people, drew near and slew him. The
next day he saw two of his brethren contending with each other, and
when he went to make peace, one of them charged him with having slain
the Egyptian, which caused him to be afraid, so that he fled into the land
of Midian, and was there until God sent him to deliver his afflicted
people.
To make a practical use of the text, we say that but few, my brethren,
make a choice as wise as that of Moses. For we discover that, although
many profess to have forsaken the world and suffer affliction with the
children of God, they know but little about his love. They have the form
but not the power of godliness; for they will envy and backbite their
brethren. It was not so with Moses; for we wTill discover, my brethren,
that he set his whole heart upon God. His heart was in heaven because
his treasures were there ; for where the treasure is theie will the heart be
also. Many desire to serve God, but their hearts are upon the world, upon
its riches, or honors, or its lusts. I knew a man in Charleston, S. C., who,
if he is alive, is about eighty years of age. He was a slave, but he was
also a man of prayer; and he used to go with me on a Saturday night to
preach the Gospel to the slaves on the plantations in South Carolina. One
day he said: " If I should be a free man, I will give half my time to God,
the other half to my business." Some time after his master died and left
him free. A short while after this I called on him to go and help me
preach. He excused himself by saying if he left his work the people who
patronized him would complain and say that he neglected his business.
About six months after I called again to get his labors, but he was so full
of business he could not go. I went again the third time, but he was
making too much money to leave his business. I only tell this to show
how few will give up the world for God like Moses. Nothing, my friends,
could charm him of an earthly character. He was determined to glorify
his God, and so it is with the man whose heart is set upon heaven ; he will
let nothing keep him from doing his duty. No trouble, no crosses, no per¬
secution can hinder him ; and so it was in the days of Peter, when he
wrote his General Epistle to strengthen his Hebrew brethren under the
persecution of the Heathen Romans. So, I exhort you, my brethren, to
let nothing keep you from your duty to God, neither persecution, poverty,
nor affliction. Oh, lei your hearts be in heaven, and God will be with
you by night and by day; but if you grow weary and doubt by the way,
Bishop Morris Brown.
265
he will forsake you and let you go to yourself; for none get to tlie kingdom
or get his protection, my brethren, whose trust is not in him. 0, then, my
brethren, strive to live for God. As the apostle saith, faith, hope and
charity, but the greatest of these is charity—have charity, then, or love
for God, and he will give you grace to meet all things. Yes, my brethren,
where faith and hope shall fail, charity will bear you through the gates of
death in triumph. In this unfriendly world he will be with you as he is
with our dear brother Richard, Williams, who died last week in the tri¬
umphs of faith, and is now singing doxologies with the saints and angels
in heaven. Let his example encourage you, and then, like Paul, you will
be able to say : " I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith, I have
finished my course ; henceforth there is a crown laid up for me which the
Righteous Judge shall give me in that day."
Now, my brethren and sisters, deceive not yourselves, but love God as
did the Apostle Peter, who could say: "Lord, thou knowest all things;
thou knowest that I love thee." I would to God that all of you be stead¬
fast and immovable, always abounding in the works of the Lord. And let
the young, like Moses, refuse to be among the wicked, to enjoy the pleas¬
ures of sin for a season, but come and suffer affliction with the people of
God.
And let me exhort you, my Christian friends, this morning to lay aside
every weight and the sins which so easily beset you, and run with patience
the race which is now set before you. And, as Bunyan observed, though
I fell among thieves and was robbed, yet I still feel the jewels in my
bosom. So God will bless you and be with you when you come to the
gates of death. Don't deceive yourselves as you may deceive others, but be
honest before God. And you, my brethren in the ministry, set a good
example before the people. Oh, that God would let these few broken
remarks rest upon your hearts, and bring us all to heaven, for Christ's
sake. Amen.
These are Bishop Morris Brown's utterances, and it is fitting
that they he followed by extracts from the discourse on the life
and death of the Bishop, delivered in Ryder's (Jrove, near Balti¬
more, on the Kith of September, 1841), by Rev. A. W. Way man,
from the text found in Hebrews, xi. 4, " By which he obtained
witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by
it being dead yet speaketh." These extracts will serve as an
exhibit of our literature in 1849. The preacher divided his ser¬
mon into three heads: 1st. The faith of the righteous man.
2d. God testifies of two gifts. 3d. By the testimony of God, he
being dead yet speaketh. Upon the first he said, in conclusion:
Such a life as this, my brethren, cannot soon be forgotten; it may be
termed an evangelical faith—such faith as this Rt. Rev. Morris Brown had
from youth to an old man.
266
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Upon the third, after speaking of all those things which death
terminates here below, the preacher goes on to say:
In view of this subject, we feel authorized to receive much consolation
in reference to our deceased father, though dead he yet speaketh in a bet¬
ter world. We hope to see him again in that day when the Lord shall
come to make up his jewels, and will mingle in that innumerable company
which no man can number, that come up out of great tribulation, having
washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb ! The
faith of the righteous was tested by the sickness and death of our lamented
father and brother, Rt. Rev. Morris Brown, of whose public ministry we
need not speak only so far as necessary to set forth his Christian character
as a Bishop of the Church of God. He was (as you are all aware) a native
of Charleston, S. C. At an early age he obtained faith in Christ. He was
said to be a man of piety, which, doubtless, exerted a powerful influence in
preserving him from the fashionable vices of the generation. He was
ordained a deacon and elder by Bishop Allen, and was subsequently, in
1828, elected Bishop. He then became an associate with Bishop Allen.
They suffered together till March 25th, 1831, when Bishop Allen was called
hence by the voice of death, and left the Connection in the care of Bishop
Brown. From 1831 to 1844 he stood in front of the battle, and led on the
sacramental host. Through hot and cold, wet and dry, he went to regulate
the militant churches.
He fell under the stroke of affliction, far, far in Canada West, and
resting on the arm of his brother (N. C. W. C.), was brought to his resi¬
dence in Philadelphia. His afflictions were great, yet he attended several
of the Conferences, and often were of such a nature that at times his mind
appeared to be destroyed. His speech toward the last left him, yet he knew
every person who called to see him ; and while singing a song of praise he
would wave his hand as a sign that he had faith in God. In this state he
remained until the day before the sitting of the thirty-third Annual Con¬
ference of the Philadelphia District. The Lord blessed him with the return
of his speech; he spoke to his wife and children, and just about the rising
of the sun on the 9th of May, 1848, he bid his wife and children farewell,
and without a groan he fell asleep in death. Though dead, yet he speaketh
in the regions of light and glory of God, waiting the day of his appointed
time till his change shall come, when God shall call him forth to mingle
forever with the redeemed.
My brethren, he has left us in the wilderness. As his sons in the Gospel,
let us,follow his example. Though dead, he speaketh to-day from the
realms of bliss to his brethren, and says, " Come on! The victory will
be ours! "
The sermon of Brother Wa}nnan upon this occasion was fol¬
lowed by the reading of the touching lines of Rev. Robert M.
Johnson on the death of the same prelate, which are inserted
here:
Bishop Morris Brown.
TO THE MEMORY OF BISHOP BROWN.
He is gone from the toils and cares of life,
From a scene of confusion, the ferment of strife ;
On the plains of bright glory, all verdant and green,
In concert with angels, Father Brown will be seen!
He is gone from destructive and odious laws,
The glare of deception and prejudicial wars ;
With the choir of glory, who daily surround
The throne of the Lord, Father Brown will be found!
He has gone from reproach and decrepit old age,
Leaving with us his name to record as a sage ;
'Midst the blood-washed throng we'll find Father Brown,
Singing anthems of praise to the great three in One.
He is gone from all hunger, thirst and pain,
To regale in the riches of Heaven's domain !
Exultingly happy in the Saviour's mild beam,
And bathing his soul in salvation's pure stream !
He has gone from the field of the Lor 1 of Host;
He proved a true soldier, he died at his post!
'Midst the warriors of glory that merit renown,
All clothed in bright honors we'll see Father Brown,
He is gone from the Church, by which he was loved,
To join the Church triumphant above ;
There hard by the altar with elders bowed down,
In a concert of praise is the blest Morris Brown.
He is gone from the preachers with whom he convened
In annual successions to oppose wicked fiends;
Hence his loss from our ranks we all deeply deplore,
And weep at the thought Father Brown is no more!
He is gone from companions, children and home,
Just leaving a group his absence to mourn,
Although they must undergo great mental pain,
This thought should console them, their loss is his gain.
He is gone to enjoy what heaven contains,
Her enameled fields and elysian plains;
There to pluck the fruits of paradise,
And better than all, an eternal life.
CHAPTER XXIII.
GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1852.
Opening Sermon by Rev. D. A. Payne—Bishop's Address by Bishop W, P.
Quinn—Licensing Women—The Question Discussed—Election of Bish¬
ops—Rev. Willis Nazrey and Rev. D. A. Payne Elected Bishops—D. A.
Payne Ordained—The Christian Herald Changed to Christian Recorder.
THE General Conference of 1852 was opened in the A. M. E.
Church, in the city of New York, May 3d, about 10 a. m.
It was called to order by the Rt. Rev. William Paul Quinn,
and M. M. Clark, A. W. Wayman and Edward C. Africanus
were the appointed secretaries. One hundred and thirty-nine
persons were enrolled as members, but all were not in attendance.
Rev. I). A. Payne was called upon to preach the opening ser¬
mon, which is given below, with but two hours to prepare for
the occasion:
Who is sufficient for tliesc things ?—II Cor., ii. 16.
To comprehend the meaning of the Apostle in these words, it is neces¬
sary to remember that the cause of his writing the first Epistle to Corinth
was the existence of certain evils in the Church therein located, such as
the dissensions growing out of a preference on the part of some for Paul,
of others for Apollo, of a third class for Cephas, and of a fourth class for
Christ; also the incestuous person who had married his own father's wife,
and that after reproving for the first, he commanded them to cure this lat¬
ter evil by excommunicating the transgressor. After rebuking their spirit
of litigation, with every other prominent evil among them, he showeth
them the structure of the Church of Christ, briefly alludes to the manner
in which this Church is to be governed, and then closes with a graphic
description of the glorious results of the death and resurrection of Christ.
But in this, the second Epistle, he seems to have written for the restora¬
tion of the incestuous person, who had heartily repented of his sin, and
given the proofs thereof by an utter abandonment of his evil way. He
then compares the law of Moses with the glorious Gospel of Christ, showed
his faithfulness and diligence in preaching it, his power as an apostle to
punish obstinate sinners, and concludes with a general exhortation and
prayer ; from all of which it is evident that the ministry of the Gospel and
Church government were the themes that fill up his vision when he ex¬
claims in the language of the text, "Who is sufficient for these things?"
Do not our hearts respond "Who is sufficient for these things?" To con¬
sider these things as clearly, and yet as briefly as possible, is our duty on
this occasion, and may the Lord assist us in the important task.
( 268 )
General Conference of 1852.
269
First, then, the preaching of the Gospel. What do we understand by
this? Various are the answers given. Some there are who believe it to
consist in loud declamation and vociferous talking; some in whooping,
stamping and beating the bible or desk with their fists, and in cutting as
many odd capers as a wild imagination can suggest; and some err so griev¬
ously on this subject as to think that he who hallooes the loudest and speaks
the longest is the best preacher. Now all these crude ideas have their
origin in our education, for we believe just what we have been taught.
But if any man wishes to know what is preaching the Gospel, let him not
ask of mere mortal man, but let him find his answer in the teachings of Him
who spake as never man spake, and whose wisdom is without mixture of
error. Hear him in the matchless sermon on the Mount, teaching us to
find blessedness in poverty and meekness, in peace and righteousness, in
mercy and purity, and to find exceeding great joy in persecution for right¬
eousness sake. See with what divine skill he expounds the moral law, and
carries its application beyond the outward and visible conduct into the
interior and invisible workings of the human soul. Behold Him either in
private houses or on the sea shore, or in the temple, by parables of the
most striking beauty and simplicity, unfolding the great principles upon
which the moral government of the universe is based, enlightening their
understandings and warming their hearts with the sunbeams of eternal
truth. This is preaching—preaching of the highest kind. "VVe will do
well to imitate it, in aid of which let us look for a few moments at the
work of the Christian minister as a preacher of the Gospel; and
First. It is his business to make man acquainted with his relations to
his God as a sinner.
To accomplish this he must re-echo the thunders of Sinai until the
slumbering rebel is started into a sense of his danger, and looking into his
own heart, he sees it a cage of unclean birds, or a lair of hissing serpents
—the enemy of God by wicked works, and the enemy of his own soul.
Listening, he hears the fearful sentence : " Cursed is every one that con¬
tinue th not in everything written in the book of the law to do it." Look¬
ing below, he sees hell, as it were, moving from beneath to meet him at
his coming ; looking above, he beholds an indignant judge ready to pour
out the vials of his wrath upon his guilty and defenseless head. Now,
hear the cry of his anguished heart: " What shall I do to be saved ? " The
minister of the Gospel answers: "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and
thou shalt be saved." Immediately faith springs up in the soul of this
trembling sinner, and looking to Calvary he sees there the Lamb of God
who taketh away the sin of the world. With a bounding heart he ex¬
claims, " My Lord and my God," and feels, pervading his whole being, <:a
peace that passeth all understanding, and a joy which is unspeakable and
full of glory."
But the work of the Gospel minister stops not here—a flock of rich
souls is committed to his care, and it now becomes his duty to train
them for usefulness and for heaven. " But who is sufficient for these
things? "
270
Hidory of the A. M. E. Church.
"'Tis not a cause of small import
The pastor's care demands,
But what might fill an angel's heart,
And fill'd the Saviour's hands."
Therefore, with all possible diligence, he must feed the babes with the
sincere milk of the word until they are able to eat strong meat; then he
must feed them with that until they have attained the stature of a man in
Christ Jesus, and teach them by all manner of good works to glorify " Our
Father who is in heaven." But this does not terminate his work ; still he
must, with untiring diligence, arm every soldier of Christ with the pan¬
oply of God, and then lead on the sacramental host from truth to truth,
from grace to grace, from victory to victory, until each of them shall have
laid down his armor to take up his crown in heaven. " But who is suffi¬
cient for these things ? "
And yet, the work of the Christian minister stops not here ; for he is to
discipline and govern the Church. This brings us to consider :
Second. A very difficult and important part of a minister's duty.
Some of us believe that to discipline the Church simply means to try and
expel the incorrigible. Is not this a great mistake? Is it not the very
last thing the pastor should perform ? Nay, dear brethren, to discipline a
church implies more than this. It means to indoctrinate, to instruct, to
reprove, to admonish, as well as to try and expel. You see, then, wThat is
the pastor's duty; he is to make his flock intimately acquainted with the
doctrines of the Christian Church, instruct them in the principles of
Church government, reprove them for negligence and sin, admonish them
of their duties and obligations, and then try and expel the obstinate, so as
to keep the Church as pure as human wisdom, diligence and zeal, under
divine guidance, can make it. " But who," I ask, "is sufficient for these
things?"
Sufficiency is not to be found in man, but in God. Saith the apostle:
" Our sufficiency is of God, who also hath made us able ministers of the
New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter killetli,
but the spirit giveth life." Yes; our sufficiency is of God! But how is
this sufficiency to be obtained? Is man a mere passive being in the mat¬
ter; or does God require some action on his part? We answer, in this
respect man is not like a seed placed in the ground, which can be devel¬
oped by the morning and evening dews, together with the native warmth
of the earth and the sunbeams. He must use the mind that God has
given him ; he must cultivate this mind, and seek that aid which is given
to every one whom he has called to the work of the ministry.
First, then, let him cultivate his mind by all the means in his power.
With the light of science, philosophy and literature, let him illumine his
understanding, and carry this culture and this illumination to the highest
point possible.
Secondly, then, let him seek the unction from above, the baptism of
the Holy Ghost; let him live the life of faith and prayer—the life of un¬
spotted holiness; for such was our Lord and Master Jesus Christ the
General Conference of 1852.
271
Righteous—his head was all knowledge, and his heart all holiness. He
was as free from ignorance as he was free from sin. God grant that we
may all seek to be like him as much in the one case as in the other. Then
will we be able ministers of the New Testament, and be able with the
illustrious Paul to say, "Our sufficiency is of God." Now, it is for teach¬
ing sentiments like these that I have been slandered, persecuted and hated.
This has been the head and front of my offending. But brethren, am I
not right? Is it not proper that I should seek the improvement of those
who had not the chance of an early education? Yes; I have done it, and
still will seek the improvement of all my young brethren, that they may
be both intelligent, well educated and holy men. Like Moses, I can truly
say: " O that all the Lord's people were prophets." Yea, indeed, I would
that I was the most ignorant man among you, possessing at the same time
the amount of information which God has given me, and I deem it very
little compared with that which others enjoy.
But to return to the text, I ask who is sufficient to preach the Gospel of
Christ, and govern the Church which he has purchased with his own
blood? Who is sufficient to train this host of the Lord, and lead it on
from earth to heaven? Who is sufficient to guide it through this war
against principalities and powers, against spiritual wickedness in high
places, against all the hosts of earth and hell, and place it triumphant
upon the shining plains of glory? Who is sufficient? I answer, the man
who makes Christ the model of his own Christian and ministerial charac¬
ter. This man, and he alone, is sufficient for these things.
After the preliminary adoption of certain rules to regulate the
deliberations and the appointment of the different committees,
the Et. Rev. William Paul Quinn then delivered the Bishop's
address, which of all those hitherto given is the Lest, and reflects
credit alike upon his head and his heart. It is here presented
in full:
Beloved Brethren:—Another period of four years has passed since, in
the providence of God, we were permitted to assemble in a similar capac¬
ity. I am happy to see on this occasion so many faces with which I am
familiar ; and that Providence which has spared our lives should be grate¬
fully adored by us, and His presence supplicated for a continuance of his
mercies upon us. But while we are happy in the enjoyment of again be¬
holding the faces of each other, we should not be unmindful that death
has been in our midst and has called from among us many of our fellow-
laborers, among whom was our esteemed father in the Gospel, the Rt. Rev.
Morris Brown. Of the piety, labors, talents and exemplary life of this
good and dear man I cannot fully speak. I trust all of it is stamped upon
our memory, and I also hope some able hand may hand down to posterity
bis name, with all his usefulness and piety. It remains with us to emulate
his example, and strive like him to "do the work of an evangelist, and
make full proof of our ministry," that when our work, like his, is done,
272
History of the A. M. E. Church.
we may meet him and others of our brethren in "that rest that remains
to the people of God." Others have fallen whose loss we deplore, whose
virtues we will cherish, and whose names we will remember with the
liveliest emotions.
It is a source of heartfelt satisfaction to look over the labors of our
brethren during the last four years. Our Connection has wonderfully
prospered, and union and harmony to a great extent have prevailed ; our
borders are enlarging, and from east, west, north and south the cheering
tidings have come to us of our people flocking to the standard of truth.
Dear brethren, met, as you are, in the highest ecclesiastical court known
to our Church, to promote by your legislation the temporal and spiritual
welfare of our large and growing Connection, I humbly trust that in the
enactment of laws for its regulation you will have an eye to the general
good of the whole, and make only such as are strictly necessary, as
j)lain, concise and perfect as human learning and intelligence can make
them. In order to do this, you will have to invoke the Giver of all Good,
and may his blessing rest upon you.
In my address to you four years ago I had occasion to call your atten¬
tion to several things that I conceived to be of great importance to the
well-being of our Church, some of which were acted upon, and some were
not. To those which were not acted upon at that time I would again invite
your special attention.
The first of these is the electing of another Bishop. The necessity of
this must be at once plain to all without my entering into a minute detail
of all the reasons that suggest such a desire upon my ]>art; suffice it to
say, that the interest of the Church in all its bearings demand it.
The second thing to which I would call your attention is the creating
of the office of presiding elder. This is authorized by the Discipline, but
as yet has never been carried out. The want of them, in my humble
opinion, has been the cause of a great many mistakes m administering ^he
laws, while upon the other hand all difficulties would be removed and
harmony be restored to such portions of the Discipline that make provision
for the office. I hope, therefore, that during your deliberations this will be
carried out.
Our book concern still continues in an embarrassed condition for the
want of proper and adequate support; as also the organ of the Church,
which was ordered to be established at your last session. As you will be
put in possession of the general book steward's report during your delib¬
erations, I will not speak definitely on the subject, hoping, however, that
you will see that the whole concern is placed on a more permanent
foundation.
The Discipline of the Church will also claim a share of your delibera¬
tions, as in its present form it seems hard to be understood, and several
very important alterations might with propriety be made, especially in that
part relating to the ordination of elders and deacons. I would recommend
a thorough revision of all the Discipline, except the doctrinal part, and so
arrange it as to make it at once intelligible and easy to be understood.
General Conference of 1852.
273
I would suggest the propriety, also, of diminishing the delegation to the
General Conference. As it now exists, the representation is far too large
for our limited resources ; and I am of the opinion that business could be
facilitated, and our time of sitting would be shortened, while at the same
time it could be so arranged that every department of the Church would
be as generally and ably represented as now, providing the delegation was
lessened. I hope that you may look upon this suggestion favorably, as in
so doing you will afford great relief to the finances of the Connection, and
detract nothing from its general wants or privileges.
One more subject to which J would invite your attention, and then I
shall have done. The subject will, doubtless, come before you in some,
form or other during your session, as it occupied some of your attention
during the last General Conference. It is the licensing of women in the
Church. I have given the subject some thought, but not enough probably
to warrant one to give an opinion in the case. All that I ask is that some¬
thing distinct may be done that will be satisfactory to all, and the question
be put to rest.
Should you, dear brethren, give to these different subjects that consid¬
eration and regard that they seem to require at your hands, your time and
talent will be taxed to the utmost, and you will stand greatly in need of
Divine help that whatever disposition is made of them, it may be done to
the honor and glory of God, that when you go forth from this place you
may part with mutual good will, and in the hope of a better state of things
growing out of your unifed labors here. Let union and concession actuate
you, and when the time arrives for us to take the parting hand, each one
of us can go with renewed vigor and determination to battle with increased
hopes of success in the vineyard of our common Master. May his Holy
Spirit guide us in all our deliberations here, and when we are all done with
the duties of life, bring us with peace into His presence forever.
William Paul Quinn.
On Friday evening, May 7th, the question of licensing women
to preach, alluded to in the Bishop's address, was discussed with
a great deal of judgment and spirit. Rev. Thomas Lawrence
moved that license should be granted them. The motion was
put and lost by a large majority.
The hour having arrived for the election of Bishops, according
to a motion passed on Wednesday, all business was suspended for
that purpose. Revs. Stephen Smith, J. M. Brown and E. N. Hall
were appointed judges. A hymn having been sung, and a prayer
offered to the Great Head of the Church that he might overrule
the affairs of the Church, and especially guide the brethren in
their choice, the polls were opened, and the result was the election
of Rev. Willis Nazrey, of Philadelphia, Pa., a native of Virginia,
18
274
History of the A. M. E. Church.
and D. A. Payne, of Baltimore, Md., a native of Charleston,
S. C*
On the following Thursday they were both consecrated to that
responsible office by Rt. Rev. William P. Quinn, assisted by
several elders.
There are powerful reasons why I should here state that while
both men were elected at the same time, and Nazrey by nine
more votes than Payne, the latter was the first upon whom ordi¬
nation was confirmed, which established the right of seniority,
because it is not mere election that constitutes a Bishop. If five
or ten men were elected at the self-same moment, but one could
be ordained at a time, and the first ordained is necessarily the
senior of all who may be elected by the same ballot.
The third important discourse of the Conference was given
upon the occasion of the ordination, by Rev. Molson M. Clark,
the outlines of which we here present to the reader:
This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good
work.—I Timothy, chap, iii., verse 1.
The word bishop means overseer or superintendent. It was so used in
the Jewish Scriptures. Joseph was an overseer or bishop in Potipliar's
house. The Levites were overseers or bishops in the temple at Jerusalem.
Solomon appointed many thousand overseers or bishops to oversee the
work of building the temple. The apostles and primitive ministers were
bishops in establishing and overseeing the Gospel Church, and our Saviour
is the bishop or overseer of the souls of all men.
The idea of a bishop or overseer is seen in almost everything around us.
See the busy tribes of bees in their industrial labors—they have an over¬
seer or superintendent to direct their work. See the birds of passage ,
when the season to migrate to a warmer climate arrives—one takes the
course and pursues the passage in front of the marshalled train, who,
guided by an instinct peculiar to their nature, arrive with unerring cer¬
tainty at their destined haven.
Our episcopal ordination came down to us from apostolic hands with
but one small link missing out of the chain. It is known that St. Mark
was a bishop of the church of Alexandria for a number of years, and after
his death there was no regular succession to the time of Dionysius, a space
of two hundred years. (See St. Jerome, as quoted by Bishop Hoadley in
his controversy with Dr. Calamy).
* Four elders were put up as candidates by their friends: W. Nazrey,
R. Robinson, A. R. Green and D. A. Payne. Rev. W. Nazrey was elected
a Bishop by sixty-four votes; Rev. D. A. Payne was elected by fifty-five
votes. Rev. R. Robinson received forty-six votes; Rev. A. R. Green, forty
votes; and Revs. M. M, Qlark, J- Cornish, T. Henry and William Moore
each received one'vote.
General Conference of 1852.
275
Here (two hundred years) is the only link wanted to make the episcopal
chain entire from the Apostles down to our day. About this time, A.D. 250,
Constantine the Great embraced the Christian faith and became head of the
Church. He ordained Bishops, and placed them, under himself, over the
churches in the various Roman provinces. These Bishops, in their annual
assemblies, chose one of their number to preside. These presidents and
ex-presidents constituted the Archbishops, and these Archbishops made
a Pope. From the days of Constantine to the reformation in Germany,
the episcopal claim was unbroken. Then, at the reformation, many of the
regularly ordained Bishops passed over into the Protestant Church, and the
succession came down through the Church of England. When John
Wesley broke a small link from the English Church, he left episcopacy
behind, and again broke the episcopal chain. Our Church being a branch
from Wesley, and seeing that the chain had been broken, and desiring to
weld it or mend it again, did so in the ordination of Bishop Allen, our first
Bishop, for one of those who ordained him was himself ordained by Bishop
White, a regularly constituted Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church,
which never lost the regular succession. Here, then, we have the advan¬
tage of our white Methodist brethren, who cannot boast of regular episcopal
succession, it having been broken by Wesley, and was not renewed till
Asbury was ordained by Thomas Coke, LL.D., in the city of Baltimore,
December 27th, 1784. We, therefore, can trace back the claim of episcopal
succession, unbroken, to the primitive Church.
Our episcopal order commenced in the person of Rev. Richard Allen,
thence down to Brown, Waters, Quinn, and to Nazrey and Payne, who are
this day to be ordained. We hope to be excused if we conclude our re¬
marks with a few extracts from the sermon delivered by Thomas Coke just
before he ordained Francis Asbury, in Baltimore. He thus addressed him :
"1. A Bishop should possess humility. This is the preservatrix virlutum
—the garb of every other grace. As some one beautifully observes, other
graces, without humility, are like a fine powder in the winds without a
cover. Let a man be ever so zealous, ever so laborious, yet, if he wants
humility, he will be only like Penelope with her web, in the ancient fable,
undoing at one time what she does at another.
"2. He should have meekness. This is a passive grace which flows out
in the converse and the carriage. It is certain courtesy. Grace is poured
into his lips, for out of the fullness of the Lord he receiveth grace for grace.
" 3. His patience. This is the grace that ' endures all things,' that flows
out in sufferings and trials, and bears up the soul under every difficulty ;
sub pondere crescit. The more it is exercised, the stronger it grows.
"4. His impartiality. This is the rarest of all virtues, and yet one of
the most important for a ruler of the Church. There is nothing more in¬
tolerable to mankind than partiality in him that governs, and it always
springs, in part, from a meanness and a baseness of mind. It always meets
with resistance from the governed. But the Christian Bishop is without
partiality and without hypocrisy.
" 9, His wisdom. This reigns over ^11 his soul, He is prepared for it by
276
History of the A. M. E. Church.
the God of nature, and endowed with it by the God of grace. He was
born to govern.
" Finally, Oh thou man of God, follow after righteousness, godliness,
faith, love, patience and meekness. Be thou an example to the believers,
in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Keep
that which is committed to thy trust."
Oh thou "who art the Holy one of Israel, consecrate these, thy servants,
with the fire of divine love ; separate them for the most glorious purposes ;
make them stars in thy right hand, and fulfill in them and by them all the
good pleasure of thy goodness. Amen.
This discourse of Brother Clark was uttered in a power and
with a melting unction that bathed the audience in tears.
During the progress of our deliberations, certain distinguished
divines of other denoiniaations visited us, and were introduced
to the General Conference. Among these were I)r. Pennington,
of the Presbyterian Church, N. S.; Dr. Thompson, of the M.
E. Church, president of the Ohio Wesleyan University; and
Rev. Charles Avery, founder of Avery College, Allegheny, Pa.
The last named gentleman, having been introduced to the Con¬
ference by Rev. Stephen Smith, rose and said that he felt grateful
to God for the privilege he enjoyed of speaking in the presence
of the Conference. He spoke of the Allegheny Institute as a
place of learning for the colored youth of this country; that a
complete course of classical education could be obtained there.
Tie said that his hopes were, that in the further progress of his
college, young men would be educated for usefulness in the min¬
istry, in schools, and other colleges, etc., and concluded by urging
upon the ministers the importance of using their influence
among the people, by encouraging them to send their children to
schools and to college. He thought the great aims of the Cliurch
should be, first, to educate the young men for the ministry, and,
second, to educate the entire community for usefulness in society;
for our only hope of future elevation under God depended upon
this.
To this, Brother D. A. Payne replied, substantially, as follows:
Venerable Sir: As one of the Bishops elect in the A. M. E. Church, I
have the honor to reply to your appropriate remarks and excellent advice,
and in so doing, permit me to say that we highly appreciate all that you
have done and said, for we are sensible of the fact that if we are ever
elevated to the rights and privileges of American citizens we must become
an educated people.
When a mere youth, in my native city, Charleston, S. C., a wealthy
General Conference of 1852.
277
planter from the state of North Carolina, who was passing through that
city on his way to New Orleans and the West Indies for the improvement
of his health, which had been violently attacked by consumption, desired
to obtain an intelligent, free young man for his body servant. Application
being made to me, through the agency of my guardian, I called at the
Planters' Hotel to see him. There he endeavored to persuade me to travel
with him, and among the inducements which he plied to my mind was the
following statement: Said he, "Daniel, do you know what makes the
master and servant? Nothing but superior knowledge-—nothing but one
man knowing more than another. Now, if you will go with me, the
knowledge you may acquire will be of more value to you than three hun¬
dred dollars"—the amount of the salary promised by him. Immediately
I seized the idea. Instead of going to travel as his servant, I went and
chained my mind down to the study of science and philosophy, that I
might obtain that knowledge which makes the master.
Sir, in the language of one of England's greatest philosophers, " Knowl¬
edge is power;" and the history of nations, as well as that of human
progress, fully demonstrates its truthfulness. The most enlightened and
powerful nations of the earth were formerly among the most ignorant and
powerless; so, also, the most ignorant and imbecile in any given commun¬
ity may, by the same means, become a component part of the most en¬
lightened and powerful in it.
Let every minister, therefore, among us educate himself! Let every
mother and father educate their sons and daughters. Then, as water rises
to its natural level, so will we rise to the position destined by reason and
heaven. This is also the advice of all our real white friends both North
and South. . As it regards the institution which you have established, my
Reverend Sir, we have been there, and have knowledge enough of the stu¬
dents and professors to know that the latter are ripe scholars and Chris¬
tian gentlemen ; that they educate the heads as wrell as the hearts of their
pupils; that they labor to develop all their mental powers, and make them
useful members of society. And that this institution is exciting a happy
influerjce on the surrounding communities of Pittsburg and Allegheny is
evident to every one who will compare these two communities at the
present time with what they were eight years ago.
You, Reverend Sir, are the founder of this institution. The sculptor
who takes the rude marble out of the quarry and carves it into a beautiful
human figure, immortalizes himself by enshrining his genius in the almost
breathing statue, and to him the praise of mankind is due. But what
shall be said of or given to that man who takes the rude intellect of human
kind, and develops, cultivates and refines it? Sir, he does more to com¬
memorate his name and his greatness than monuments of brass—because
he places in heaven such monuments as will live and shine when the
blazing stars shall be blotted out from the map of the skies. It now re¬
mains for us to do all that is in our power, which is: First, to tender, in
the name of our hapless race, our unfeigned thanks for your noble efforts
to educate it; and secondly, to do our utmost to promote its prosperity.
278
History of the A. M. E. Church.
The committee on Revision of Discipline reported an amend¬
ment to the rule regulating the composition of the General Con¬
ference, the basis of representation and the mode of election.
A counter report was also introduced by Dr. Bias, which led to
the discussion of the relative merits. Under the greatest feeling,
Conference rejected both, and the committee resigned.*
After a thorough investigation of the condition of the book
concern, which by order of the General Conference had been
removed to Philadelphia, it was resolved to change the name of
our weekly sheet and call it the Christian Recorder. Rev. M. M.
Clark was elected editor; Rev. William T. Catto, general book
steward; and Rev. William II. Jones the traveling agent for the
book concern. These were three of the best educated men in
the Connection. During the next four years we shall see how
the concern prospered in their hands. As soon as possible after
the rise of the General Conference, and under the jurisdiction
and direction of the Philadelphia Annual Conference, the editor
issued the subjoined
PROSPECTUS
Op the Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church.
Our Church organ, the Christian Herald, was created by the General
Conference in Philadelphia in 1848. It commenced its career under very
inauspicious circumstances, with only a few subscribers; but the number
daily increased till sixteen hundred were obtained. Its former editor,
Rev. A. R. Green, who has now retired from the editorial chair, was inde¬
fatigable, day and night, in his devotion to the interests of the paper, and
did, to the extent of his ability, what he could to redeem the pledge set
forth in the prospectus. Our gratitude, with that of the membership of
our Church and of the community as far as the Herald circulated, is due to
him for his untiring zeal and efforts to sustain the paper during the past
four years.
We, his successors, conscious of our inability to fill his chair, and being
unaware to some extent of the difficulties which surround it, shall enter
upon the responsible duties with much caution, and with a firm determi¬
nation to do our whole duty, as God shall point it out, asking most fervent¬
ly the prayers and best wishes of the Bishops, itinerant and local brethren,
membership and community at large.
The paper shall be issued weekly in Philadelphia, Pa., at one dollar and
fifty cents per year, paid in advance.
*Tlie most important alterations and amendments to the Discipline
may be seen among the debates in the General Conference of 1852.
General Conference of 1852.
279
The objects to which the paper shall be devoted are :
1. Religion.
2. Morality.
3. Science and Literature.
The paper shall not know any social or geographical distinction among
our people of East or West, of North or South, but shall be the equal
friend of all.
The Bishops, the itinerant brethren, the locality, the laity, and all
friends shall have free access to its columns by their communications,
when not inconsistent with our position. Our reputation and honor are
here pledged to make it a paper—in print, in size, in type and in general
appearance—that shall give respectability and credit to us and to the
Church and community. It will be in form so as to be folded as a book or
pamphlet, that families and individuals may have books made of it and
preserved for historical references. M. M. Clark, Editor.
The officers of the Connection now stood as follows:' Rt. Rev.
W. P. Quinn, Rt. Rev. W. Nazrey and Rt. Rev. D. A. Payne,
Bishops; Rev. W. T. Catto, general book steward; Rev. M. M.
Clark, editor; Rev. W. H. Jones, general traveling book agent.
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE FIKST DIVISION INTO KPISCOPAL DISTRICTS.
A New Order of Things—A Committee Appointed to Aid in the Manage¬
ment of the Book Concern—New York Conference in Buffalo—A Stranger
as Foreign Missionary—Birth of a New Conference—Newr Home Mission
Field—First Division of Church Work into Episcopal Districts—The
Bishops' Respective Fields of Labor.
r T^HE doings of the Baltimore churches for 1852 cannot be had,
I and we now proceed to those of the Philadelphia churches,
that Ave may find an index to their condition. The Phila¬
delphia Conference was thronged with visitors from every Con¬
ference in the Connection but Canada. But a new order of things
was introduced—not one of these visitors was allowed to partici¬
pate in the deliberations. The reasons for this can be easily
stated. From 1816 it had been customary for brethren to visit
any Conference they pleased :
(//.) To the neglect of their own business, even for two, three
and four weeks at a time.
(b.) To the interference with the particular business and local
affairs of the district visited;
(r.) And thereby not only making an unnecessary tax upon
the funds, but also increasing the responsibilities as well as the
labors of the visited district, but
(d.) Also, often distracting the business and increasing its
difficulties.
(e.) If A, B or C desired to carry through a favorite measure,
and he feared the majority was opposed to it, all that he had to
do was to invito members from the neighboring district, and he
was sure of success.
Many of the honest-minded brethren saw these evils, and often
privately, sometimes publicly, complained of them for years;
therefore, at the session of the General Conference of 1852, they
passed a rule cutting of from a voice and a vote every one not a
member of the district in which a particular Conference was
held. So that, thenceforth till 1856, no visitor was allowed the
privilege only as a special favor.
The things mentioned were abuses of the Christian and frater-
( '280 )
The First Division Into Episcopal Districts.
281
nal privilege they had so long enjoyed—often, indeed, to the
spiritual profit of the district visited, and lis often to its detri¬
ment. At this meeting the venerable John Cornish requested
and obtained a superannuated relation to the churches. I)r.
James J. G. Bias was inducted into the office of an elder, and
Brothers George McMullen and Thomas Kinnard were ordained
deacons.
Gone to their everlasting rest was Rev. J. L. Armstrong and
Ishmael Berry. The former was an itinerant, the latter a local
preacher. No obituary of either is given, but of the former it
may be said that he was an active, intelligent and shrewd man,
an excellent preacher, frequently getting into ecclesiastical
troubles, but always getting out of them. Brother Shadrack
Basset returned to the bosom of the Connection at this Conference.
Revs. J. J. G. Bias, Stephen Smith, Robert Collins, J. P. B.
Eddy, and the three stationed preachers—Revs. William Moore,
H. C. Young and G. W. Johnson, were all elected to constitute
a committee to aid in the management of the book concern.
The western part of Philadelphia county, known as the Pen 11
District, Cohocksink, Kensington and White Marsh, were formed
into a mission at the instance of Dr. Bias, and at the instance of
Rev. S. Smith, the southern and eastern portions of the city were
formed into another.
The following points were decided by the bench of Bishops :
1st. Bishop Quinn, being in the chair, decided that when a
man has been impeached in an Annual Conference, he should
have no appointment to preach until his difficulties shall have
been settled. No dissent by his colleagues.
2d. The bench of Bishops decided that the preacher having
the charge of a circuit or station is the pastor of that charge until
his appointment to another charge is announced in the Annual
Conference to which he belongs.*
Bd. The bench of Bishops decided that when a preacher hav¬
ing the charge is applied to by another church, Avhose pastor died
in the interval ot the Annual Conference, for pastoral care, he,
the preacher in charge to whom such application is made, is at
liberty to give such pastoral aid as his other duties and obliga¬
tions permit.
■ Of course elections to office 011 the part of the General Conference
form an exception to this rule.
282
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Bishop Payne being in the chair, decided that the rule of the
Discipline, gi ving to the minister or preacher in charge, who may
differ from the majority of the society or the select number con¬
cerning the innocence or guilt of the accused person, the privi¬
lege of referring the case "to the ensuing Quarterly Conference
meeting," applied to all the cases enumerated from the com¬
mencement of section 26 to the said rule. No dissent by his
colleagues.
The New York churches met in session in the cit}r of Buffalo
for the first time. The business laid before them was of a very
exciting and perplexing character. All the brethren seemed to
have been Ishmaelites, for every man's hand seemed to have been
raised against his fellow. No less than sixteen stood impeached,
and the charges with specifications were quite generally " malad¬
ministration."
Brothers Thomas Doremus, John Elsemore, William H. Ross
and J. W. Jackson were ordained deacons. Another act of the
New York Conference was that it took in a stranger as a member
of the Conference, and appointed him as a missionary to the
West India Islands, putting the whole Haytian Empire and
Jamaica, the most important of the British possessions, under
his jurisdiction. The result was—failure.
Gone to his glorious reward was Brother John Williams, of
Albany City Station. He was a local preacher and a " man of
most exemplary devotedness, piety and Christian zeal—a man of
God."
The First Congregational Church in the town of Schenectady,
state of New York, petitioned to become part and parcel of the
A. M. E. Church, and be placed under the jurisdiction of this
Conference. Their petition was favorably received, and they
were formalty admitted to the rights and privileges of the Con¬
nection. The following official transaction of said church was
satisfactorily received:
Know all men by these presents:
This is to certify that the male members of the Church and congregation
that statedly meet for Divine worship in the house now known as the
First Congregational Church, in the town and county of Schenectady, and
state of New York, did assemble on the evening of the nineteenth day of
April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two,
for the purpose of organizing themselves into a body known as the First
African Methodist Episcopal Church of the aforesaid town, county and
The First Division Into Episcopal Districts.
283
state; and also to elect three trustees to act in accordance with the Disci¬
pline of the aforesaid church (see page 58 of the Discipline), in accordance
with an act of the legislature of the state of New York, for such purposes
made and provided, etc. At which meeting the Rev. James Morris Wil¬
liams presided as judge of the election, assisted by Rev. Henry Hicks and
Mr. John Jackson. They proceeded to nominate candidates as follows:
John Wendal, opposed by Francis Lature. John Wendal was elected by
five votes. Jacob Baker, opposed by Tobias Hartless. Tobias Hartless
was elected by a majority of three votes.
The presiding judge then announced as his decision that John Wendal,
Tobias Hartless and John Jackson were duly elected trustees of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church, and classed as follows, viz.: Class
No. 1, John Jackson; Class No. 2, Tobias Hartless; Class No. 3, John
Wendal. Class No. 1 will serve one year; second class, two years; and
the third class, three years.
The most important subjects which occupied the time of the
ministers of the Ohio churches this year were those of the book
concern and the Union Seminary.
In relation to the book concern at Philadelphia, the Commit¬
tee on Ways and Means assumed an attitude hostile to their
action, declared the book concern still within the bounds and
under the jurisdiction of the Ohio Conference, and recommended
the appointment of an agent to travel and raise means and col¬
lects the debts which the concern held against individuals in the
different parts of the country; and decided, also, to use all proper
means to liquidate the debts held against the Connection. Their
alleged reasons for so doing were:
(«.) The declaration of the officers at Philadelphia of their unwill¬
ingness and their incapability to assume the debts of the concern.
(J).) That no principle would be violated, nor any injury sus¬
tained, if the Ohio Conference, upon whose shoulders the burden
then rested, should act to save its own honor, to preserve the in¬
tegrity of the Connection, and to save one of its members from
total bankruptcy and disgrace. Five other resolutions, solemnly
protesting against the book committee in the city of Philadel¬
phia, were adopted.
Judging from the report of the principal of Union Seminary,
as well as other transactions of the Conference, we are led to be¬
lieve that its condition was not prosperous. It seems that the
whole amount of the salary which the principal received during
the entire year was but $85, and yet the school was never below
thirty-four scholars nor over sixty-two in number.
284
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Orders were given to lay out a portion of the farm into lots of
half an acre each, the whole number not to exceed, twenty-five,
these to be leased " for a term of thirty years, to be renewed in
valuation every five years, renewable forever," the price of each
lot to l)c $5, subject to an annual rent of $3, to be collected "on
the first day of December for the remaining four years of the
first valuation."
Now, when it is remembered, in connection with all these
arrangements, that the farm was located in an imaginary village
called Allenville, about fourteen miles from the nearest large
town or city, it would seem that the Conference must have been
dreaming, or that they had more faith in the credulity of our
people than the people had in them. As to the improvements
made there, a building was nearly finished at an expense of
$725. It was thirty-six feet by eighteen, with the first story nine
feet, and the second eight and a half feet high; having two rooms
on the first floor for teaching purposes, and four rooms with a
hall on the second floor. Such was Union Seminary in 1852.
Brothers Ridgeway, I. M. Williams and G. Andrews were or¬
dained deacons, and Rev. Lewis Woodson, a local elder from the
True Wesleyan Connection, was admitted a member of this Con¬
ference. Two local preachers, Brothers Allen Brown and Thomas
D. Lawrence, were among the dead of the year, but no account
of their character and usefulness is given.
The doings of the Indiana churches for this year may be stated
in very few words. Rev. John 'A. Warren, Horace B. Smith,
Lewis Johnson and Turner Roberts were ordained elders; Broth¬
ers I. W. Early, William Davidson, John Curtis, William Jack¬
son, L. W. Bass, Willis Miles, R. Bridges and William I. Davis
were ordained deacons.
There were some little disciplinary measures used; but all for
minor faults.
One piece of intelligence was gratefully received: The officers
of the South Hanover College, in the state of Indiana, Jefferson
county, addressing a letter to this Conference, to inform it that
provisions had been made for the education of three colored
youths of that State, free of charge.
A new Conference comes into being this year. By order of
the General Conference of 1852 the churches in the New England
states were severed from the jurisdiction of the New York An¬
nual Conference, and organized into a district called the New
The First Division Into Episcopal Districts.
285
England Annual Conference. These churches were a society in
Portland, Maine; one in Boston, one in New Bedford, and
one in Worcester, Mass.; one in Providence, one in Newport, and
one in Bristol, in the state of Rhode Island; one each in New
II aven, Norwich and Bridgeport, Connecticut.
After the organization the brethren laid out two missions: the
New London Mission, embracing New London, Norwich and
Plainfield, Conn., with Worcester, Mass.; also the Pittsfield Mis¬
sion, including Pittsfield, Lennox, Barrington, Lee, Williams-
town, Old and New Stockbridge.
As one entire generation had passed away, and more than one-
third of a century had elapsed from the organization of the first
Conference, and the doings of the first on record, to the opening of
the New England, it may be interesting to judge from a com¬
parison what progress the A. M. E. Church had made in knowl¬
edge and ecclesiastical transactions. This new Conference—the
first Annual Conference of the New England District—met in
Bethel Church, Kempton street, New Bedford, Mass., June 10th,
1852, Rt. Rev. Daniel A. Payne presiding. Rev. T. M. D. Ward
was made the secretary of the Conference.
The presiding Bishop delivered the address, reviewing briefly,
after his introductory relating to the nature of church work, the
advance, in the following passages:
Now, that the Head of the Church militant has enabled us to do some¬
thing toward the accomplishment of his own will in the great work of
salvation, is manifest in the progressive history of our Connection, let it
be remembered that about thirty-six years ago our fathers commenced
their operations as ministers of the Gospel in the cities of Baltimore and
Philadelphia under circumstances the most adverse and trying. The prej¬
udices of the community were against them, the institutions of the country
were against them, the laws of the country were against them, the literature
of the country made them its ribaldry. Poor, ignorant, despised, we have
gradually advanced from state to state until now our Connection unfurls the
blood-stained banners of the Cross from the mountainous regions of Maine
to the lowlands of Louisiana, and from the blue waves of the Atlantic to
the majestic billows of the Pacific ocean. First, the Philadelphia; second,
the Baltimore ; third, the New York ; fourth, the Ohio ; fifth, the Canada;
sixth, the Indiana; and now the New England Conference will constitute
the seventh of these royal sisters. I call them royal, because their Father
" Is the King of saints and angels, too."
Dim were the twin stars that first shone upon the states of Maryland
and Pennsylvania. They have not only continued to shine, but they have
286
History of the A. M. E. Church.
been increasing their luster and ascending the skies, adding to their num¬
ber until seven now form the glittering galaxy. May they continue to
ascend the heights of heaven, and to increase both in number and radiance
until they shall have formed a magnificent constellation, filling the firma¬
ment with their glory, and causing the American continent to bask in their
holy light.
The remainder of the address consisted of sound advice to
"educate ourselves by the light of science and philosophy," to
"labor for holiness of heart," to "he just men," and to "follow
the apostolic example in visiting much," with " the holy design
of instructing, admonishing, reproving and consoling as the
occasion may dictate," and lastly, to "care for the children,"
closing with these hopeful words :
Be not discouraged because your number is small. One hundred and
eight years ago a little band of six humble, despised, persecuted ministers
met in the city of London to do just what you have assembled to do.
These six, with Wesley at their head, constituted the first Conference of
Methodist preachers the world ever saw. Now that little band has multi¬
plied in Europe and America to thousands, and constituting a host of
energetic, earnest ministers as terrible "as an army with banners." Our
number now is seven, but who can tell what will be its increase a century
hence? May not one become a thousand, and two ten thousand? Re¬
member the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong!
William J. Fuller was admitted into full connection, and, with
James D. S. Hall, received the orders of deacon. The preachers
were stationed this year as follows: New Bedford, D. Dorrell;
Providence, James D. S. Hall; Boston, T. M. D. Ward; Bridge¬
port Station, Geo. A. Stanford; New Haven, W. J. Fuller; Port¬
land, T. C. Oliver. Newport and Bristol, with New London and
Pittsfield Missions, were to be supplied. The number in Society
was five hundred and two.
Sundry resolutions of importance were passed, censuring the
brethren for remissness in collecting contingent money, and cut¬
ting off such delinquents from any part in the avails of that
fund. Word having been received that if the church at Port¬
land, Maine, could receive a man possessing proper qualifications
the Society would be " revived and established at once," the Con¬
ference resolved to concentrate its energies for its relief and per¬
manent establishment. It also resolved to carry out the ten-
cent system for the creation of a permanent capital of $10,000
for the book concern, pledging themselves to sustain the Christian
Recorder,
The First Division Into Episcopal Districts.
287
The new home mission field was called for consideration, and the
Conference resolved to improve it by creating a fund, as per Dis¬
cipline, for those who would devote time to so doing; also to lift
collections quarterly, if practicable; to preach a sermon quarterly
upon the subject; to keep it before the people by frequent read¬
ing of that section of the Discipline relating to it to the congre¬
gation ; and to recommend the forming of auxiliary societies to
the Parent Society located at Philadelphia.
The New England Conference did not forget its fortunate geo¬
graphical location in its resolutions upon education, as evinced
by this portion of one:
While we admit that New England contains one of the smallest fractions
of our growing Church, nevertheless, there is no part of this great republic
more attentive to the disciplining and improving of the human mind than
those who are styled the denizens of the rock-land states of New England.
A set of "standing resolutions for the government of commit¬
tees" was also adopted, and, with those upon the usual topics
of intemperance, slavery and Sabbath-schools, made up the busi¬
ness of the Conference near the close of the session, which closed
the Conference work for the year.
This year, at the General Conference, the Church work had
been laid off into three Episcopal Districts for the first time—
the first Bishop's Council being held at its close. These three
districts were laid off, thus: First, embracing the Philadelphia
and New England Conferences and their territory, to which
Bishop D. A. Payne Avas assigned; second, embracing the Balti¬
more and New York Conferences with their territory, under
Bishop Willis Nazrey; third, embracing the Indiana and Canada
Conferences with their territory, under Bishop Quinn.
The year 1853 opened with the Conference of the Baltimore
churches. Not much important business was transacted, if Ave
may judge from the minutes. This was the first Annual Con¬
ference in Avhich Bishop Nazrey was the sole presiding officer,
and, as history gives few of his contributions to literature, Ave
present here his first annual address:
My Dear Brethren in the Gospel:—We should certainly be thank¬
ful to God for the privilege of assembling together in an Annual Confer¬
ence capacity. There have been some changes since your last Annual
Conference. I feel to be indebted to the members of this Annual Confer¬
ence for the position I now occupy—not that I wished it, by no means;
but for the confidence you had in me. I have visited many of your
288
History of the A. M. E. Church.
charges this year, and have traveled about six thousand miles, arid have
found many of the churches in a prosperous condition. I have come to
the conclusion that our people want a visit from some person, and it is my
candid opinion that if we act out the principle, our Church is destined to
spread over the land. God should, therefore, have the glory, and not
ourselves.
We have come together to render an account for our year's doings. It
should remind us all of our being brought before God to render an account
of oui stewardship, when our appointment will be fixed forever. Let us
have the great work at heart, and act as Christian ministers should act.
While we preach to others, let us take heed to ourselves, and let our motto
be honesty.
I will deal with you all as every Christian should do. I shall have no
pet nor pocket-pieces. Let every man examine the law well before he con¬
venes to caucus; and don't think when I call a man to order that I have
something against him, for it is the duty of every presiding officer to pre¬
serve order. Don't look to me for any favors beyond the law, for my best
friends stand before me as my enemies, and my enemies my friends.
Reformation is wanted among us, for we are responsible for the example
w'e present to the people. There is no use of our preaching to the people
to be holy when we are ourselves unholy.
There is another thing that will bring up something to mind. We have
been in the habit of leaving the most important part of the business till
the last, and examine the character before we ascertain whether the trav¬
eling preachers had done their duty according to the Discipline, page 131.
We shall defer the examination till after the Conference, and ascertain if
the traveling preachers have done their duties. These are the reasons
when a man is examined and there is something against him sufficient to
expel him, he goes with all that he has belonging to the Connection. [A
case in the New York Conference was referred to.] May the Lord preside
over our deliberations.
Thus the two newly-made Bishops took charge of their respec¬
tive work.
Two local preachers fell from the ranks of the ministry this
year—Brother Simon Brown and Brother Thomas Williamson.
The former has no notice given of his life and works. Of the
latter the writer's recollection can be given. Pie was a man of a
dark chestnut complexion, tall and erect in stature. He was an
acceptable preacher—not profound, but pathetic, and maintained
through life an upright character. His discipline was amiable,
hence he had many friends and admirers.
At the meeting of the Philadelphia churches Bishops Payne
and Nazrey presided, sometimes jointly, sometimes alternately.
Several episcopal decisions were required and made. Dr. J. ^
Bias presented a document condemnatory of African colonization.
The First Division Into Episcopal Districts.
289
and advising such of our people as intend to emigrate to go
to Canada, Hayti, or the British West Indies. Deacons Shep-
hard, Holcomb, J. Holland, C. Sawyer and C. Woodyard were
ordained elders. These items covered the important business of
the session.
The condition of the book concern is evidenced by an extract
from the report of the general book steward and editor, Rev.
M. M. Clark:
On presenting this report to the Conference, it will not be amiss to state
to the brethren that the past year has been one of experience and trial—
of experience to us in the proper management of the finances, not previ¬
ously having a practical knowledge of book-keeping. The most important
consideration in all business regulations is a systematic arrangement of the
finances. . . . This has been a year of trial to us also. The ministry
were to be tried as to their devotion and attachment to this great and noble
cause, the diffusion of books and papers among the people, and in the ex¬
ecution of the laws of the General Conference in reference to this depart¬
ment of our business ; the raising of the two cent money and the ten-cent
money, as recommended by the general laws of the Church to be raised.
The Baltimore District did admirably, all things considered, in raising the
two-cent money. ... It now remains to be seen what the other dis¬
tricts will do.
The following report of the finances and state of the book concern
will tell the sad story of the great deficiency in many sections of the
Church in point of interest and energy among the brethren in sustaining
this cause, which in usefulness to the community is next to the preaching
of the word; and for beneficial ends to the ministry, if fully appreciated
and supported, is second to none.
In conclusion, we would suggest to the Conference the propriety of
urging the necessity of purchasing the press and printing apparatus be¬
longing to Mr. George Eckert, who prints our paper, and who will sell us
his office, containing everything requisite for printing newspapers, books
and every kind of job printing, at a reasonable rate. Perhaps, at a fair
valuation, the property is worth not less than one thousand dollars, which
he offers to us for six hundred dollars—two hundred dollars in cash when
the bargain shall be confirmed, and two hundred per year till paid. . . .
A very experienced and competent foreman, Mr. Wise, who is now fore¬
man in the office, can be had to be foreman for us. and he would be willing
and is now anxious to learn colored boys the entire art of printing, and by
that means in a short time put the whole of the art into our own hands.
The art of making and binding of books, which is a separate trade and
distinct from the art of printing, might, at no distant period, be connected
with our printing establishment, and thus, give employment to a number
of both males and females in the respectable and useful arts of printing
19
290
History of the A. M. E. Church.
and binding. All of this vast amount of usefulness is now within the
competency of our Church to do for our race, and the bounds and utility
of such an influence upon the future destiny and happiness of our people,
growing out of an establishment of the kind, all time and eternity would
only be sufficient to explain.
But, despite this appeal, it was years before the publishing
committee had sufficient enterprise to purchase and work a press
of our own.
The annual address of the presiding Bishop gives, this year, a
more particular view of the condition of the Philadelphia
churches, as well as a general statement of the educational facil¬
ities enjoyed by the colored citizens included in the Conference
district. In it he says that " no less than four houses of worship
have been finished and dedicated" within the district. These
are described as " neat and sufficiently commodious for the pop¬
ulation around them." Two others are mentioned as nearly
finished, and as ready, " doubtless, to be consecrated within three
months." But the Bishop makes a solemn "protest against this
mode of building," in some cases, which he describes as not
"constructed on the health-promoting principle—too low in the
basements, or not sufficiently ventilated." He claims that "it
has been laying the foundation of disease and premature death
among both people and preachers for the last forty years." He
gives directions for construction based upon pure hvgenic prin¬
ciples, and says, that in view of this fact—poor construction—
" Who can wonder that such gifted preachers as Joseph Corr and
Thomas Woodson were cut down in the very midst of their
usefulness, and at a time when the Church most needed their
talents and piety."
On the subject of " education among the rising generation" he
says: "In the towns and villages we are, with few exceptions,
but poorly provided. These exceptions are in favor of Morris-
town, Fettersville, West Chester, Burlington and Bordentown.
These schools are not only provided with teachers of respectable
qualifications, but are also continued throughout the year. Other
villages have schools six months—some only three months." He
also notes the evil of the " perpetual change of teachers" as " very
injurious to children." The peculiar advantages which the citv
of Philadelphia had enjoyed for more than twenty years are also
noted: "During this period she has had almost always from
seven to fourteen private and three or four public schools, At
The First Division Into Episcopal Districts.
291
present she has no less than seven public, sixteen charity, and
seventeen private schools, making no less than forty to a popu¬
lation of about twenty-four thousand." In these schools " there
were (on the 1st of March, 1853), in the public and charity
schools, 1,914; in the private, 825, making a total of 2,319
scholars. The increased average attendance in the public schools
has been, for the past year, 190; in the private, 44, making a total
increase of 234." The Bishop calls upon the people, however, to
increase this increase, and speaks of the private schools " kept by
Miss Sarah Douglass, Miss Margaretta Forten, and Miss Ada
Hinton, as most excellent, as far as they go." He places the
high-school at the head of all, with " Professor Charles Reason as
the principal, assisted by Miss Grace Mapes, a young lady whose
qualifications are said to be of a highly respectable character."
Of Professor Reason he says: " In my humble judgment, it seems
as if he was born for the important office of an educator, not only
on account of his peculiar fondness for it, but also because of his
extraordinary aptness." Respecting the " diffusion of knowledge
among adults," he draws attention to a reading-room, established
by the directors of the high-school, "containing upwards of a
thousand volumes, and with funds sufficient to increase that
number to ten or twenty thousand." The attention "which our
people are giving to scientific lectures" is another evidence of
progress. He sums up the obstacles in the way of the success of
the book concern as " the ignorance of the mass of our people,
the want of capital, and the apathy of many in the itinerant
ministry."
Leaving the temporal, he gives a view of the spiritual condi¬
tion, noting the evils that retard the progress of our Sunday-
schools, and advising remedies in the shape of a Bible-class of
teachers formed for week-day, mutual instruction, furnishing
schools with books and maps, and the pressing of exhorters into the
service of the Sunday-school. Concerning Church government,
he gives this warning: "To those who would have the Church of
the Living God reduced to a form corresponding to the American
republic, let me say, stop and consider well what you are about."
This is the contrast presented: "A monarchy oppresses the
peasants—the American republic oppresses and enslaves every
man who has a drop of African blood in his veins, and hunts
the panting fugitive like a wild beast;" and he draws from it
the fact that " the purest democracy under heaven is the most
292
History of the A. M. E. Church.
despotic and unrelenting towards its victims. The form of a
government is nothing; its just laws, impartial administration
and equal freedom, everything."
Here is his advice respecting large churches like the one in
which the Conference was then assembled. It was reported as
having sixteen hundred and four communicants: "Now," said
he, "let twelve of its principal men lead off the six hundred and
four and establish another church of our Connection in the
western, southwestern, or northwestern part of the city. Let
this be done as soon as a convenient place can be procured
wherein to hold the meetings." His grounds for the advice are,
briefly: "1st. The man is not living who can discharge all the
obligations which such a church imposes. 2d. In a church as
large as Bethel there is too much latitude for evil-doers. 3d. It
is the surest method which can be adopted to prevent another
schism. 4th. It will do good because it will extend the bound¬
aries, influence and wealth of our Connection. All other denom¬
inations act upon this principle. There is talent now in this
church that cannot be brought into requisition just because there
is no space for its exercise, and, like a pent-up fire, if it is not
put out it will burn down. Therefore, let Bethel take my ad¬
vice, and the men who are now aspiring to be leaders, exhorters^
preachers, stewards, and trustees, will find ample room for the
exercise of their gifts and graces."
The "education of the ministry" is another topic in this
lengthy address.where advice is offered, and the reflection is added
" that sanctified knowledge is a power at once beneficent, glorious
and tremendous, because the man in whom it dwells is like an
angel of God armed with thunderbolts, crushing the strongholds
of the empire of Satan." He mentions the fact that the revivals
of religion, while not "as deep and extensive as in the years
1841-2," yet the Head of the Church " has most kindly distilled
upon us the evening and morning dews of his sovereign mercy."
With this the Bishop closes his most exhaustive address of the
year.
The New York Annual Conference of 1853 located William
Harmon and John Elsemore, at their request, and ordained
Thomas Legg, Edward B. Davis and Leonard Patterson deacons
at the same time that Rev. William H. Ross was ordained an elder.
Rt. Rev. Willis Nazrey, the presiding officer of this district,
managed the business of Conference alone this year. As in the
The First Division Into Episcopal Districts.
293
Baltimore Conference, so also in this, he introduced a change in its
disciplinary transactions, which has proved itself as beneficial as
it then appeared strange and unreasonable to many who can see
nothing good, right, or proper only in what has been done by
the fathers and rendered sacred by a number of years—that is,
by custom. It was an examination into the financial affairs of
the Conference before the investigation of character. At the end
of four years the several Annual Conferences found the change
so useful and beneficial that, at the General Conference of 1856,
they reduced it to a rule, by placing the fourteenth question of
discipline in the stead of the first, so as to always enforce the
judicious idea of the Bishop.
Bishop Nazrey also made some decisions involving some cases
in dispute as to government, which seemed to evince correct and
just judgment. His annual address to this Conference contains
nothing new or remarkably. He speaks of having visited all the
circuits and stations in the district during the past year, with
two exceptions, having traveled over six thousand miles since
the sitting of the Baltimore Conference for 1852, and he finds
himself impressed, by what he has heard and seen, to say: " It has
more plainly and fully set before me the duty of the A. M. E.
Church to assist in sending the Gospel to the heathen, who are
out of the limits of civilization and Christianity. We have, as
an Episcopal Church, as much right to look after perishing Africa,
the West India Islands, St. Domingo, and others—and all those
who are not christianized—as any other Christian Church upon
the face of the globe."
But in our opinion the good Bishop erred in his views of the
relation of the A. M. E. Church to the cause of foreign missions.
Now, the right to do a thing involves the duty to do it, but the
duty also involves the ability. Now, where there is no ability to
perform an act, there can be no duty to perform it; hence, to
exercise a right under such circumstances would place us in a
very painful and ridiculous position—even iri the position of the
man who commenced to build, but was not able to finish his
house, and, therefore, became the laughing-stock of his neighbors.
The zeal of the zealous Bishop outran his knowledge of the cost
and difficulties of establishing missions in foreign lands. Even
the planting of a foreign mission necessitates an outlay that our
Connection was not altogether prepared to meet in 1889; still
less was it in a position to meet it in 1853. The Church Mis-
294
History of the A. M. E. Church.
sionary Society raised last year the enormous sum of £230,000,
equal to $1,150,000. In 1884 the M. E. Church appropriated for
her foreign missions $381,898. The Wesleyan Methodist Mis¬
sionary Society raised for missionary work, in 1883, $680,905.
Then, as to the ideas of ecclesiastical inferiority, all men are
not equal in every respect. In regard to personal liberty, to
enjoy freedom, life, and to pursue happiness, all men are equal;
but as regards mental power, mental culture, the possession
of property, the extent of influence resulting from wisdom,
varied experience, variety and length of service, they are not
equals.*
It has been seen that the last newly made district wTas cut off
from the New York and organized into the New England Con¬
ference in 1852. In 1853, it, therefore, held its first annual meet¬
ing in New Bedford, the very place of its organization.
Rev. Ransom Parker was admitted on trial as a local preacher.
Rev. J. D. S. TIall was ordained an elder, and E. J. Adams dis¬
solved his connection with the A. M. E. Church to become the
pastor of one of the Presbyterian churches in Philadelphia, Pa.
The number in Society was set at five hundred and seventeen,
of which New Bedford had the largest share—two hundred and
twenty. The total of moneys collected reached $640.17.f
A review of the field, especially those points left destitute at
the- last Conference, and the missionary work was made in the
Bishop's annual address. The Society at Bristol "had become a
thing of the past," though they had a " neat little house of
worship built through the kind agency of Mr. Spooner, who
gave $200, and collected another $100 to pay the cost of its
erection.
In Newport were "found the elements of a thriving society."
Twenty-four persons had purchased a lot, and laid the founda¬
tion of a house of worship, but the work was poorly executed,
the location of this property most unfortunate, and the Bishop's
advice was to sell and purchase another site in a more eligible
* What is true of individual men is also true of individual organizations
of men, be they social, political, or ecclesiastical.
t Common sense tells us there is no equality between the A. M. E.
Church and the churches represented by these figures. An individual de¬
nomination, like an individual local church, is like a tree. It must attain
a certain age, and a certain amount of productive power, before it can pro¬
duce fruit.
The First Division Into Episcopal Districts.
295
situation. The church was left under the care of a local preacher,
Rev. Luke Waldron, a resident of Newport.
Portland, Maine, presented a "forlorn condition," yet not as
bad as Bristol. By bad management they had lost their house
of worship, still they were hungering and thirsting for a pastor's
care, while in Bristol there was perfect indifference. The whole
number in Society was eight, who gladly made provisions for
the support of a preacher for one year.
The condition of the New London mission, as well as that of
Pittsfield, led the Bishop to the belief that unless a single young
man of proper qualifications could be obtained, no one had bet¬
ter be sent to cultivate the field until a missionary fund could be
established to afford him some aid.
The New England District was then very far behind the Balti¬
more and Philadelphia Conferences in church building, but it
could be attributed to the greater poverty of the people, the small-
ness of numbers, and the short existence as a church.
Bishop Quinn presided over the Canadian Conference of 1853,
which assembled in Peel, C. W., July 13th. He was assisted by
Bishop Nazrey and Rev. W. H. Jones was the secretar}^. Brother
J. F. Copeland was received on probation as an itinerant and
agent of the Industrial Institute at Sandwich. Rev. H. J. Young,
from the Philadelphia Conference, as an itinerant elder, was re¬
ceived into this district. Aaron Mackey and Thomas Pearce
were also admitted into its membership, while H. L. Dawson was
located.
The city of London was formed into a station. Dansville and
Grand River were detached from the Hamilton Circuit, and the
latter was exalted to the rank of a station. A new circuit was
formed called the Brantford Circuit, which included Brantford,
Simcoe, Norwich and Grand River. The Colchester Circuit was
divided. Windsor, Sandwich and the Industrial Institute were
included in the one called the Sandwich Circuit, while Amherst-
burg and Colchester were reduced to one called Colchester.
Bishop Quinn was at the head of the Indiana Annual Confer¬
ence of 1853, Rev. I. A. Warren and Mr. William Jay Greenly
being secretaries. Benjamin Cruden, Bryant Smith and William
A. Dove were admitted on probation. Basil L. Brooks, John
Turner, Salem Campbell and Elisha Weaver were ordained dea¬
cons, while William Jackson, William J. Davis and Bryant Smith
were ordained elders. An agent, E. Weaver, was appointed to
296
History of the A. M. E. Church.
solicit funds for missionary purposes and itinerant aid. The
relation of Asbury Church in Louisville, Ky., to the Indiana
Conference was investigated, but not definitely fixed, wherefore
a committee, consisting of W. R. Revels, Byrd Parker and J. Cur¬
tis was appointed to adjust the matter. Bishop Quinn was also
requested to meet this committee.
The church at Indianapolis being in such proximity to the
railroad, its trustees were authorized to sell it and purchase an¬
other lot in a more favorable position upon which to erect another
house of worship.
The Ohio Conference assembled in Washington, Pa., Sept. 17th,
Bishop Quinn being the only Bishop present. A. R. Green and
Hiram Revels were the secretaries. M. J. Wilkerson was located.
George Andrews, .John.Tibbs and Thomas Handheld were ad¬
mitted on trial. Jeremiah Lewis, Jeremiah Bowman, Nelson
Carter and Samuel T. Wells were ordained elders; E. Epps and
John Tibbs, deacons.
On Thursday afternoon, September 22d, the Rev. Lewis Wood¬
son, a local elder from an evangelical church, came forward and
took the ordination vows, and was received into the Connection
as a local elder. He was afterwards placed upon two committees,
and participated in the business of the Conference from that hour
till he left the house for his own home. Before he left he ob¬
tained the certificate of his membership from Bishop Quinn,
written by the hand of Rev. Hiram Revels, one of the secretaries.
Some arrangements were made for the opening of Union Semi¬
nary upon the farm owned by the Conference, for the support of
the teacher and the boarding of the pupils.
A missionary society was formed, and the brethren also pledged
themselves to prepare for an examination in certain studies at
the next session, that they might be better fitted to do the " work
committed to their hands as ministers of the everlasting Gospel."
Had the promise been kept, it would have resulted in inestimable
benefit to the work and the workers.
CHAPTER XXV.
SOME LITERATURE OF 1852-63.
The First Number of the Christian Recorder—Contents—Extracts—"Ded¬
icatory Lines," by Rt. Rev. D. A. Payne—I)r. J. W. C. Pennington's
Contribution—An Editorial on Licensing Women to Preach—Arguments
Against It—Lines by Rev.T. M. D. Ward—Other Writers and Contributors.
THE prospectus of the re-christened weekly paper of the
Church, the Christian Recorder, has already been given. The
first number of this paper was issued on Thursday, July
1st, 1852. Its columns were almost entirely filled with the do¬
ings and sayings of the General Conference. Two pieces of
poetry, one obituary, and two or three short editorials made up
the rest of the matter. Some extracts from this first number we
purpose to give our readers, and possibly the most appropri¬
ate selection to first present will be found in the following " Ded¬
icatory Lines to the Recorder," by Rt. Rev. D. A. Payne:
Fly, wing'd Recorder, o'er the spreading realms!
With a fair tablet and a flowing pen,
Swift as the lightnings from the rosy east,
To where the sun displays his setting beams,
And paints the hills and clouds with glittering gold ;
From where the Northern bear laves his white limbs
In the clear water of the emerald lakes,
To where the Sunny South spreads out her fields
Of canes and rice, of cotton and sweet flow'rs.
O! do thou
Be the child of deep, of high research,
And contemplation sweet; their highest mount
Ascending, cast thine eyes, Recorder, cast
Thine eagle eyes o'er all the verdant lands
And dark blue seas; then piercing all their depths,
Extract the treasures hid by God's own hand
In their wide bosoms ever since the earth
Began to promenade the starry way,
And sweep the vast expanse, and smile, and bathe
Her virgin face in morning dews, and drink
The rushing sunlight. In golden caskets
Place these priceless gifts for wondering man.
( 297 )
History of the A. M. E. Church.
From the blue sky
Detach the glories of its countless orbs,
And fling them o'er his deathless soul. Array
Him with it. 'Tis a garment richly wove
In heaven's resplendent loom by the skill'd hands
Of angel weavers. Thine own pristine robe,
0 man! which deck'd thy form where majesty
And grace once brightly shone, and sweetly kiss'd
Each other's coral lips. Recorder, hear,
Whate'er thine eyes behold, note down—
The beautiful in nature, or the grand,
The curious or sublime.
In all the arts
Whate'er is useful to the world portray,
And show its application just to all
The ends of mortal life—the ends of God.
With chaplets cull'd from the bright fields of truth
And science, deck thy towering crest, and shed
Their pure, their vivifying light into
The darken'd chambers of the human soul,
To give the force of philosophic power.
0 teach ! and educate our hapless race ;
Into each mother's heart distil the dews
Of holy wisdom—teach her how to train
The infant mind, the rising youth, to deeds
Of godlike greatness. All that's just and right
Instill, instill! and urge on every man
To cultivate, unfold and strengthen all
The native forces of his mind, and then
The chains
Of mental bondage shall decay. With might
The bounding spirit then shall snap each yoke
Asunder, as old Samson did the ropes
That bound his giant arms. They then shall all
Rejoice in freedom's holy light, and ev'ry
Hill and mountain leap and clap its hands,
And echo the sweet song of liberty.
Seize the harp!
And with an angel's skill, an angel's voice,
Attune its strings to notes of life and joy ;
Soothe the deep sorrows of the sadden'd heart;
Wake ev'ry joy, fill ev'ry soul with bliss;
O swell its lofty numbers, sweet and loud,
Till the charm'd earth and list'ning skies echo
Its melting strains.
Some Literature of 1852-53.
299
The Church ! the Church of Christ!
Lead on from truth to truth, from grace to grace,
From one degree of virtue to the last
That caps the climax of the glorious height—
This sacramental, this embattled host
Lead on to fight the battles of the Lord.
'Tis our Emmanuel who does command ;
His flaming sword is winged with death,
Upon his blood-stained banner conquest sits,
And ev'ry friend shall fly—the field is ours!
Recorder,
Heed my good advice. With steps unfalt'ring
Press thy grand career unaw'd by threat'nings,
Alike unbribed by gifts of artful men ;
But as the sun, in his vast circle, moves
Right upward—onward move, an orb replete
With light, and life, and hope for each, for all.
The high vocation guard. O guard it well! »
The eye of God is on thee, and will watch
Thy hidden thoughts. Then, run, O run the race
Of glory. Fight the fv.'ht of holy faith ;
Ne'er, ne'er give o'er, nor lay thine armor down,
But to ascend on high and take thy crown.
The following is from the pen of Dr. J. W. C. Pennington, who,
though not a member of the A. M. E. Church, contributed this,
with others, to the literature produced through the agency of our
Church. He was a clergyman of the New School Presbyterian,
and highly distinguished for his learning. He received his
degree from one of the most popular universities of Germany.
The subject is a pertinent one to-day :
THE DESTINY OF THE COLORED RACE IN THE UNITED STATES.
It was remarked by a distinguished statesman that the future destiny of
the colored race will be identified with the interests of the Anglo-Saxon
race in America. That sentiment will be verified. The colored race will
never be entirely separated or removed from this country as a race, and
located somewhere else. History forbids the indulgence of the supposi¬
tion. Nowhere in the history of nations, where slavery has existed, have
the enslaved been entirely separated or removed from the land of their
oppression, except in the solitary instance of the Hebrews from Egypt,
and their separation was the effect of Heaven's purpose, or their destiny
to this day would have been identified to some extent with the land
of Miriam. The Grecian and Roman slaves, after their emancipation, had
their destiny with those nations, and rose to every degree of distinction as
300
History of the A. M. E. Church.
laborers, mechanics, merchants, agriculturists, manufacturers, men of
science and literature, men of professions—in religion, in medicine, in law
and the military profession. Tn all the Atlantic islands dependent upon
Spain, France and England, where slavery has obtained and emancipation
has taken place, the emancipated remain upon the soil, and have and are be¬
coming the owners of the same to a considerable extent, and are rapidly
rising in the scale of civilization, like the cloudless sun appearing above
the horizon, bending his way to the high point of the zenith, scattering
darkness and diffusing warmth and light abroad; so they in whose favor
right has triumphed over wrong and truth over error, are rising above the
night of ignorance and slavery to the bright zenith of civil, social, political
and religious privileges.
Such will be the destiny of the colored race in this country. That
thousands will emigrate while their condition is being agitated, to escape
from the noise and the strife of the mighty contest between truth and
error, like those who live in the immediate vicinity of the battle-field, to
secure their safety and avoid the sight of the deadly onslaught, flee to
more remote parts, is not denied. Some will take the false advice of the
colonizer, that their condition can only be improved materially by break¬
ing up every tie and happy association of their native civilized land, and
going to a purely heathen and, to a' great extent, barbarous country.
A few, attracted by the fact that Hayti has a government conducted by
their colored brethren, will seek repose under the shade of the mountains
of that eventful island, and be protected by the laws of the second colored
emperor in the history of man. Others, in consequence of the known
humanity and benevolence of the British Isles toward the colored race,
will go there to share their hospitality and good-will, and will improve as
those islands are rapidly advancing in all the arts of civilized life.
Many hundreds, amid a thousand opposing difficulties, will cross our
inland seas to the country reserved by a beneficent Providence for the safe
repose of abused humanity, and find comfort and succor under British
laws, while the two opposing elements, truth and error, shall be contest¬
ing upon the field of right for the unconditional freedom of the captive on
the one side, and his continued servitude on the other. Truth, it is pleas¬
ing to reflect, being armed cap-a-pie with omnipotent energy, will doubt¬
less place her victorious flag upon the high summit of conquest, and com¬
mand the admiration and shouts of an exulting world. While this fearful
contest shall be going on, the refugees on British soil will be advancing in
personal improvement, in mental culture, in the arts and sciences, and the
acquisition of ownership in the soil—all of which combined will secure
for them a public respect and confidence such as will make them feel at
home and at ease. But the millions will remain in this country and be
identified with the history of the white race, be that history what it
may.
The foregoing essay was to be continued in following issues of
the paper. The editor had also an editorial on " Licensing Women
to Preach," which we give:
Some Literature of 1852-58.
301
Four years ago this subject of licensing women to preach in the church
came up for consideration before the General Conference in the form of a
petition from the Daughters of Zion. It then went so far in their favor
that they were granted permission to preach in our churches, but not to
receive licenses from the Conference. They again petitioned this General
Conference to grant their license in all respects as men are licensed, and so
to graduate up to the highest office in the church.
The General Conference received their petition, and then a motion was
made to grant them their request. This brought on a spirited discussion,
in which a number of members took part, some on one side, and some on
the other. Finally, the vote was taken and lost, as may be seen from the
minutes.
In every sphere of labor, physical and moral, Providence seems to have
appropriated the proper laborers. In agricultural labor all the heavy work
is assigned to the man, because he is physically best constituted for it.
The same in all mechanical labor. In the army, in the navy, in mercantile
employment, and in all the learned professions where mighty thought and
laborious investigation are needed, the man, strong in body and mind, is
fitted by nature to execute what the weaker sex is incapacitated for, both
physically and mentally. Must the Church, that needs the most manly
strength, the most gigantic minds to execute her labors, confide them to
those whom nature has fitted for the easier toils of life? Shall the labors
of a Paul, a Silas, a Peter, a Luther, a Calvin, a Wesley, be trusted to the
weaker sex? Shall the mighty monuments of the translations and com¬
mentations of the Scriptures, and historical investigations of truth, be
committed to her who is clearly designed by the Creator to labors less,
much less, in exercise and exertion of body and mind ? Has this ever been
the case? No, verily. How has God appropriated the labors and toils of
his Church in all past time? When the ground was to be "tilled," and
"flocks" to be herded, whom did God employ ? When the Ark was to be
reared as a type of spiritual salvation, whom did God instruct to fashion it
after heaven's will, Noah or his wife? When the father of the faithful
was to be called and sent into strange and foreign lands to meet the frowns
of kings and the opposition of foes, was it the gentle, the easy, the confid¬
ing Sarah, or was it her lord, her head? When a proud, a haughty Pha¬
raoh, was to be instructed and counseled with the mighty plagues to be
wrought, who was the instrument, the well instructed Moses, or some one
of Israel's tender daughters? W.hen the mighty Oracles were to give forth
heaven's predictions of the coming Messiah, or a priest to typify the sacri¬
fice by bloody offering, or Israel's throne to be occupied, in type of the
Messiah's everlasting throne, who were chosen, the daughters or sons of
Levi? When the Messiah's grand mission was to be executed, was the
male or female form assumed ? When his mighty truths were to be pro¬
mulgated to a listless world, who were sent forth by heaven's Son, the
tender, gentle daughter of Israel, or her more hardy enduring brothers?"
Among the productions of 1853 we have selected two poems by
Frances E. Watkins (now Mrs. F. E. W. Harper) :
History of the A. M. E. Church.
THE SOUL.
Bring forth the balance, let the weight be gold !
We'd know the worth of a deathless soul;-
Bring rubies and gems from every mine,
With the wealth of ocean, land and clime.
Bring the joys of the green, green earth,
Its playful smiles and careless mirth ;
The dews of youth and flushes of health—
Bring ! Oh, bring! the wide world's wealth.
Bring the rich, rare pearls of thought
From the depths of knowledge brought,
All that human ken may know,
Searching earth and heaven o'er.
Bring the fairest rolls of fame—
Bolls unwritten with a deed of shame ;
Honor's guerdon, victory's crown,
Robes of pride, wreaths of renown.
We've brought the wealth of ev'ry mine,
We've ransacked ocean, land and clime,
And caught the joyous smiles away,
From the prattling babe to the sire gray.
We've wrought the names of the noble dead,
With those who in their footsteps tread,
Here are wreaths of pride and gems of thought,
From the battle-field and study brought.
Heap high the gems, pile up the gold,
For heavy's the weight of a deathless soul—
Make room for all the wealth of earth,
Its honors, joys, and careless mirth.
Leave me a niche for the rolls of fame—
Oh, precious, indeed, is a spotless name,
For the robes, the wreaths, and gems of thought,
Let an empty space in the scales be sought.
With care we've adjusted balance and scale,
Futile our efforts we've seen them fail;
Lighter than dust is the wealth of earth,
Weighed in the scales with immortal worth.
Could we drag the sun from his golden car,
To lay in this balance with ev'ry star,
'Twould darken the day and obscure the night—
But the weight of the balance would still be light.
Some Literature of 1852-53.
803
The second poem from the same pen is entitled:
THE DYING CHRISTIAN.
The light was faintly streaming
Within a darken'd room,
Where a woman, faint and feeble,
Was sinking to the tomb.
The silver cord was loosened—
We knew that she must die -
We read the mournful token.
In the dimness of her eye.
We read it in the radiance
That lit her pallid cheek,
And the quivering of her feeble lip,
Too faint with joys to speak.
And in the thoughts of life and fire,
Learn'd from God's encamping band,
Her words seem'd like a holy lyre
Tun'd in the spirit land.
We read it in the glorious spark,
Of strange, unearthly light,
That ever and anon would start
The dimness from her sight.
' Meet, 0 meet me in the kingdom,'
Said our lov'd and dying one,
I long to be with Jesus,
I am on my journey home.
Like a child oppressed with slumber,
She calmly sank to rest,
With her trust in her Redeemer,
While reposing on his breast.
She faded from our vision,
Like a thing of love and light,
But we feel she lives forever,
A spirit pure and bright.
Brother Edward Cephas Africanus died in 1853, a young man,
at the age of thirty-three years. The Philadelphia Conference
spoke of him as " a bright and shining light, a worthy, efficient
and zealous minister, and a rare example of true virtue and vital
piety," and as one who " towered high as scholar and pulpit orator."
Rev, T, M. D, Ward (now Bishop Ward) then wrote these lines;
304
History of the A. M. E. Church.
LINES ON THE DEATH OF REV. E. C. AFRICANUS.
'Twas good to see him die—to note the star
With beauteous beaming sink in western skies,
To keep its vigils in that, better world.
'Twas sweet to hear the music of his words,
As if some kindred ones in angel tones
Held converse with earth-dwellers, ere the morn
Smote on the hills and tipp'd the spires with gold—
Such was his voice, as if the furtive winds
Had borne a wandering strain from seraph lyres.
0, how triumphant, when the strippling bared
His bosom to the blow, and calmly bade
The monster do his worst. For he had bathed
His soul in Heaven's own dew, and deeply thought
How Jesus went into the vale alone,
Shook its unearthly caverns—broke
The crown and reft the sting—
And lighted heavenly fires along
The mansions of the voiceless tomb.
He is clothed in white—the starry crown
Entwines his lofty brow—an angel
Harp he strikes, and sweeps the
Sounding chords with songs divine.
One more specimen by the same writer is given:
THE HEROIC CHRISTIAN WARRIOR.
My soul, the conflict grows severe,
The troops of hell are drawing near—
But the strong guard that for the fight
Will guide thee to the worlds of light.
Gird on thy arms, march to the field,
With glittering blade and burnish'd shield ;
High floats the spotless flag of truth,
Upborne by hands that never droop.
The battle trump sounds long and loud,
Bidding each warrior grasp his sword ;
Jehovah's great Eternal Son
Will lead the fearless army on.
Metliinks I hear the glorious shout—
The victory's won, the battle's fought,
Emmanuel's troops have won the day—
His foes have fled in wild dismay.
Some Literature of 1852-53.
805
No more the clarion sound we hear
Thrilling each heart with hope and fear ;
The warrior wears the victor's palm
High in the bright and better land.
There in the realms of endless day,
Where stirring zephyrs lofty play,
We'll stand amid the spotless throng
And chant redemption's gladsome song.
Cease not the strife, my blood-bought soul;
Press onward to the blissful goal-
Broad streams of everlasting light
Will burst upon thy ravish'd sight.
Among other writers who contributed to the Christian Recorder,
and their productions, we note the following: Miss Sarah M.
Douglas' " Scientific Conversations between a Mother and her
Children;" Rev. A. G. Beman on the " Printing Press; " " Essays,"
by Mr. Johnson Woodlin; Essays upon "Christianity" and
"Women's Rights," by Miss Frances E. Watkins; "Essay" and
"Review of Mrs. .Johnson's Lecture on Physiology," by Miss Mary
Still; Essay on "The Soul," by Mr. I. C. Wear; "Review of Mr.
Wear's Essay," by Rev. Jabez P. Campbell; "Reminiscences by
a Colored Traveler," by Dr. Pennington; poetry, by Joseph W.
Curtis, and various productions from other writers.
20
CHAPTER XXVI.
AFRICAN METHODISM IN THE UNITED STATES IN 185), 1855.
The New England Conference—Testimony Against American Slavery—
Prosperous Condition of the Churches—Temporal and Spiritual Blessings
—Indiana Conference—State of the Book Concern—Christian Recorder
Suspended—Two Ministers to be Appointed to Bethel Church, Baltimore
—Bishop Nazrey's Practical Advice—Canadian Churches—A Startling
Movement.
IN the Baltimore Conference of 1854 five young men were
admitted to the itinerant field—Savage L. Hammonds, Sam¬
uel Watts, Jacob Brooks, William H. Hopkins and John H.
Gaines. Michael Sluby was admitted into full connection. Isaac
Brown, William H. Russell, William Cook and John Martin were
ordained deacons, and Pompey Finney an elder; the latter's rec¬
ommendation being that " he was aged and venerable." This
year witnessed the close of the labors of Bishop Nazrey as the
presiding officer of the Baltimore churches.
The ministers of the New England churches assembled in
Providence, R. I., this year, and Bishop Nazrey assisted Bishop
Payne, who presided over their deliberations. Rev. William J.
Fuller was secretary. Two young men were admitted on trial
into the itinerant ranks—Charles H. Pierce and William M.
Watson. Jacob Mitchell was received into full connection.
A resolution was adopted to expunge the name of every local
member from the minutes who should absent himself from the
deliberations of the Conference for two successive years. That aged
veteran of the Cross, Rev. Richard Robinson, called the attention
of the Conference to the Island of Hayti. He spoke of it as a wide
field of labor, promising a rich reward if a suitable young man
could be obtained to send into it.
Bishop Nazrey presented the claims of the Christian Recorder.
He said:
If the ministers and people would use their influence in favor of it, the
paper would be sustained. It was the great organ of the Connection,
through which we could hear from every part of it. We live too much
estranged from one another, and will ever be so until we will support a
weekly paper that can connect every portion of the Church by weekly
intelligence, That jt may shed light and truth among us, it must be ably
( 306 )
African Methodism in the United States in 1854, 1855. 307
supported. But this cannot be done without sleepless and untiring efforts
on the part of the ministry.
He concluded with 'the following appeal:
Let us, therefore, be aroused from our sleep. Let us take hold as one
man, laughing at difficulties and opposition. 0, let us but will it, and it
shall be done.
The Committee on Missions—William J. Fuller, James L.
Smith and Charles H. Pierce—reported a.constitution for a mis¬
sionary society, which was adopted. A society was immediately
organized according to its provisions, and the sum of $13.00 was
paid into the treasury. The Daughters of Conference from
Boston and New Bedford, Mass., and Providence, R. I., con¬
tributed a total of $114.50 to the moneys of Conference. The
support which the whole district gave its ministiy, not including
table expenses, fuel and house-rent, amounted to the sum of
$765.80. This was not a very mean sum when it is remembered
that the Conference was only two years old, and the total num¬
ber of communicants only six hundred and eight.
The testimony which Conference bore against American slav¬
ery may be seen in the report of the committee on that subject:
To the Bishops and Annual Conference of the A. M. E. Church now in session in
the City of Providence, R. I.:
"We, your committee to whom was referred the subject of slavery, beg
leave most respectfully to submit the following report as the result of our
deliberation:
Whereas, The slave power is bent on its course of systematic oppres¬
sion and injustice towards our race, robbing us of our liberty, breaking in
upon the peace of our homes, carrying many of our dear friends from a
land of liberty to that of cruel and merciless bondage, without due process
of law, regardless of all the groans and tears of a Christian community;
And Whereas, New slave territories have been added to it, wresting a
large section of country from the domain of freedom, a section whose
freedom from slavery rested upon a historic fact in the Annals of Ameri¬
can Legislation, bxit which has been denied by the slavery propaganda;
therefore,
Resolved, That we, as a body, do, in the name of Almighty God, utter a
solemn protest against slavery in all conditions, believing it to be the sum
of all villainies—that is, take wrong, violence and injustice; take cruelty,
hard-heartedness and contempt for the rights and interests of humanity;
take fornication, adultery, concubinage of the different races of the human
family, in all their acts—among all, there is none more cruel, more wicked,
more unrighteous, than the cruel system o' slavery. In its system are
308
History of the A. M. E. Church.
theft, robbery and murder. Add them all together, and the sum total
will be slavery.
Resolved, That in the enactment and passage of the Fugitive Slave Law,
and the more recent act, namely, the repealing of the Compromise of 1820,
in the passage of the Nebraska Bill—in these wicked and cruel acts are
burning coals of fire, which will burn to the lowest hell. Over them all
hovers the dark angel of night, covering them with the dark mantle of
wickedness.
Resolved, That we have entire confidence in the promises of God to de¬
liver the oppressed nations of earth from the thraldom of sin and slavery,
and to establish righteousness and truth, life and liberty, to all the human
race.
Resolved, That until our voices are heard no more we will wage a life-long
and sleepless warfare with the principles of slavery in all its varied forms.
Resolved, That we appoint a committee at this Conference, now in ses¬
sion, to wait on the Hon. William W. Hoppin, now Governor of this state,
and present to him a copy of our resolutions on the slavery question, and
ask his influence in behalf of the colored citizens of this state, many of
whom are members of our churches.
Voted that the committee consist of the Bishops of this Conference—Rt.
Rev. Daniel A. Payne and Et. Eev. Willis Nazrey. '
Rev. W. H. Jones, Chairman, "|
W. M. Watson, i Committee
Rev. G. A. Stanford, } on
C. H. Pierce, | Slavery.
Rev. James Hyatt, J
Providence, January 26th, 1854.
The examination of the affairs of the New England churches
exhibited a prosperous condition.
The Ohio churches held their Annual Conference in the cit}^
of Detroit, in the month of August. Bishop Quinn had presided
over the affairs committed to their charge from 1852 to the present
year. The acting secretaries were Green and Davis. H. C. Gilis-
pie was placed on probation as an itinerant, and E. Epps, -J.
Tibbs and S. T. Jones were received into full connection.
The churches in general were in good condition, as shown by
the parochial reports. Pleasant Hill Church was attached to the
Zanesville Station, Dresden to the Lancaster Circuit, and Troy
to the Urbana. The Meadville Circuit was formed. The Toledo
Mission was incorporated into the Sandusky Mission, and Beaver
was attached to the Allegheny Station.
The Union Seminary reported thirteen students during the
past year, declared its condition a favorable one, and the farm
under good culture.
African Methodism in the United States in 1854, 1855. 309
The two who had died during the year were Rev. John P.
Woodson and Rev. Thomas Lawrence. The former was a man
of thirty-four years, and died at the residence of his father in
Jackson county, Ohio., on the 21st of November, 1853, after a
" severe illness of most extreme suffering for more than a year,
which he bore with Christian resignation." Our efforts to collect
the facts of interest in his history were useless, but a sketch of
Brother Lawrence is herewith given. He died of cholera August
3d, 1854.
He was a native of South Carolina, and was born in Wilkes-
borough, near Granville Court-house, in the year 1805. His
parents Avere Samuel and Elizabeth Lawrence. His mother was
a praying woman. She often took little Thomas to class-meeting
from the time he was five years old; and, according to his state¬
ment, he was never out of the class-meeting afterwards. On a
certain occasion he was in company with his two aunts on the
way to a prayer-meeting in the country. They told him to step
aside while they were praying in a thicket. Here they remained
thus engaged till they became so happy as to rejoice aloud. This
circumstance so deeply affected little Tommy that he trembled
with fear on account of his sins, and begged his aunts to pray
for him, wThile he himself sought the Lord continually for the
period of three weeks. At the end of that time he went to hear
the word of God at the afternoon service. Under the ministra¬
tions his distress became so great that he ran out of the sanctuary
into a garden, where he prayed until one of the preachers found
him thus engaged, took him upon his knees, and instructed him
in the way of life. At night he returned to the house of God,
where many were praying. There also was his grandfather, then
an awakened sinner, crying for mercy at the hands of God.
The feelings of Tommy became very deep; he believed in
Christ, and rejoiced in a sense of his pardoning love. In this
faith he continued till his nineteenth year, when he received
license to exhort. This license was given him by Rev. Mr. Young,
of the M. E. Church. He exercised the gift as an exhorter for
four years, when he was licensed to preach by Rev. Wiley Rey¬
nolds, with whom he traveled in the Chillicothe Circuit, in the
state of Ohio. This was in 1828. At Chillicothe City he labored
for one week, and he was made to rejoice in the fact that the
Great Head of the Church sealed his labors with the conversion
of five persons.
310
History of the A. M. E. Church.
On the Chillicothe Circuit he labored three years, one year
with Brother Reynolds, one year with Brother Cousins, and one
by himself—the Lord blessing his labors in every direction. In
the third year lie experienced great difficulties through the oppo¬
sition of a zealous brother until' his third Quarterly Meeting, at
which time the Lord poured the grace of his spirit so copiously
that many were pricked to the heart, and twenty or thirty con¬
verted to God, two of whom became local preachers. In this
year he built a church in Chillicothe, and organized a society in
the Big Bottom. Brother Lawrence also organized one in Brown
County, one at Harden's Creek, and one at Piketon.
From Chillicothe Circuit he was removed to the Columbus
Circuit, where he married his first wife, Miss Joann Martin.
While riding this circuit he organized the society at Springfield,
now one of the most interesting churches in the state. He also
organized one at Muddy Creek, and one at Circleville. In those
times traveling was difficult, and the circuit so long that it
often took a man a whole day to reach a single appointment.
On one occasion he had to ride through a winter storm so
severe that when he reached his journey's end his feet were so
frozen to the stirrups that a friend had to knock them loose with
a stick.
At the expiration of two years he was sent back to the Chilli¬
cothe Circuit. During the first year of the second term he estab¬
lished the society at Gallipolis. This place had the character of
stony ground, and the enemy did all in his power to render the
labor of God's servant ineffectual by blasting the good seeds
which were sown. But Christ was with him and made him con¬
queror; for the ringleader of the ])arty who opposed him, who
was also the fiddler of the town, was led captive by the Prince
of Peace, and is now an itinerant preacher in the west. Another
of these ringleaders, who had given a corn-husking party with
the intention of destroying the good effects of Brother Lawrence's
labors, subsequently became the subject of redeeming grace, and
years later was an excellent man, a class-leader, a steward, and a
very pillar in the church at Gallipolis.
The society at .Jackson was also established by him. In this
church is the family of the Woodsons, of whom the father is
T1 lomas Woodson, and the mother, Jemima, who are remark¬
able for their piety, intelligence, and family government.
lie organized a society at Clinton during his labors, in which
African Methodism in the United States in 1854, 1855. 311
Brother Lee was converted, subsequently joined the ministry,
and became a traveling preacher in the Ohio Conference.
In the year 1834, while laboring on the Zanesville Circuit, he
organized a society in Wheeling, Va., which afterwards became
scattered to the four winds. He also organized a society in
Mclntyre; but this was like the hot deserts of Sahara that yield
nothing. If he formed a class, and placed it under a leader, by
the time he had gone halfway around his circuit this class would
turn out the leader and appoint some one else.
As a general thing, however, his labors on the Zanesville Cir¬
cuit were temporally and spiritually blessed. In this year his
wife died at Columbus, Avhere her ashes sleep in hope of a joyful
resurrection. While this sad event was transpiring he was at
Mount Pleasant holding his last quarterly meeting. From
Zanesville he was sent to Hillsboro Circuit. There, in 1835, he
organized a society at Martinsville. In 1836 he was appointed
to the Pittsburg Station. His appointment embraced three
churches—that in Front street, that on the hill, called Allen
Chapel, and the one in Allegheny City. During his labors there,
Front Street Church was enlarged and reconstructed. This ap¬
pointment lasted but one year. From this he was sent to Wash¬
ington Circuit. On this circuit he organized four societies: one
at Connellsville, one at George's Creek, one at the Ten Mile Run,
and one at Black Lick. From AVTashington Circuit he was re¬
moved to Cincinnati Station. This year he married Miss Melinda
Hill in the village of New Albany, Indiana. His labors in Cin¬
cinnati resulted in the conversion of many souls. In 1838 he
was re-stationed in the city of Pittsburg. There his labors were
blessed in an extraordinary manner, and the flock under his
care increased from two hundred and fifty to five or six hundred.
In this appointment he remained two years. At the end of that
time he was sent again to the Washington Circuit in Pennsyl¬
vania. During this appointment he organized a society at Red
Stone, and built a house of worship at Brownsville. From this
he was sent to Columbus Circuit, on which he labored two years
more, during which time he built the neat house that adorned
that city for many years, and added many to the sacramental
host. From thence he Avas moved back to the Zanesville Circuit,
Avhere he labored tAvo years. The first year but few plants sprang
up from the seed that was soavii. Meamvhile he formed a society
at Dresden.
312
History of the A. M. E. Church.
During this year he suffered from slander and backbiting, but
the slanderer experienced a change of heart, and confessed to
bearing false witness against him, consequently the second year
of his labors did not only witness the restoration of public confi¬
dence in him as a Christian minister, but also the revival of the
work of God in his hands. At the expiration of his service on
this circuit he was sent the third time to fill the Pittsburg Station.
At this time the state of religion there was cold and barren.
Brother Lawrence felt deeply interested for its change to a better
condition; and as many were guilty of both secret and public back¬
sliding, upon one occasion he took the text, "Will ye also go
awajT? " The unction of the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the
sermon, and an interesting work followed. At the end of one year
he was removed to the Allegheny Station. During his first year's
labors his opposition was great, nevertheless some good was at¬
tendant upon them. The second year was crowned with signal
blessings. A large number of young men were pricked to the
heart, constrained to cry aloud for mercy, and finally rejoiced in
a Saviour's love. By the end of this term ninety souls were added
to the flock. From Allegheny he was sent again to the Cincinnati
Station. This was in 1851. During his labors here he was com¬
pelled to direct his energies chiefly to raising money to complete
the erection of. a new house of worship which he found in pro¬
gress upon his arrival. In this effort he was as successful as the
state of the money market and the means of the people per¬
mitted : $3,000 was the amount raised.
In September, 1853, Brother Lawrence received his last ap¬
pointment—from the Cincinnati to the Pittsburg Station—and
from the hands of Bishop Quinn. There, in his old pastorate,
he labored with his usual acceptance till he fell a victim to the
cholera, August 3d, 1854.
Brother Lawrence was a man of tall stature, with a slight in¬
clination to corpulency; of a light complexion, with a round
face and an elongated head. His manners were open and pleasing,
and he was of a social, jovial disposition. He was illiterate, but,
notwithstanding, he was an instructive prea.cher. His style was
not brilliant, but clear and massive. He was not a razor, but a
broadaxe. He left a wife and three children to mourn their loss,
together with his beloved congregation and numerous friends.
The Conference summed up the general feeling when, in its
resolutions of respect, the ministers best acquainted with his
African Methodism in the United States in 1854, 1855. 318
character and usefulness said, that "the young men of the west
have lost a father, and the cause of education an advocate."
The Indiana Conference met—the fifteenth year of its labors
in this particular field—in the city of Indianapolis. Bishop
Quinn, who presided over the district, was absent at the opening,
but subsequently arrived.
William J. Greenly, an intelligent layman and an excellent
scribe, with Rev. E. Mcintosh, were secretaries. Five brethren
were placed upon probation as itinerants—W. Trevan, D. Rush,
G. Nelson, E. Wilkerson and J. M. Garrow. J. W. Early, Wil¬
liam Davidson, J. Bass and John Curtis were admitted into full
connection. Seven were ordained elders—John Turner, E.
Weaver, L. W. Bass, F. Myers, C. Doughty, Richard Bridges
and W. Miles. Three were numbered with the dead—John
Morgan, Abraham Burtch and Benjamin Crider. Of the three,
the first had been for sometime a member of the Indiana
Conference, and died October 9, 1853. " He was about fifty-two
years of age, and had been a member of the church twenty-four
years, a licensed preacher twenty years, fifteen a deacon, and four
an elder. During his ministry, in connection with the A. M. E.
Church, he was an active and useful member of this Conference.
He was firm and true to his Master's cause. The young men
who were placed under him had nothing of which to complain.
They loved him as a father and guide. He lived a Christian, a
faithful working man; he died at his post in full triumph of faith,
saying to many of the flock committed to his care, who stood
weeping about his bed: "Brethren, I am the object of your care;
I have been sent among you to serve you; be encouraged, and
put your trust in God ; I have examined myself and find nothing
wanting."
Benjamin Crider died August 5th, 1854. He " had long been
a minister and member of the M. E. Church, and but recently a
minister of ours; " but it is said of him that he "labored for its
good." Rev. Abraham Burtch died May 5th, aged forty-two years.
The Indiana churches showed an increase for the closing year
of three hundred and one. Four thousand four hundred and
ninety-three souls- were in communion with the Church of this
district.
Hill's Chapel, in Grant County, Ind., was attached to the La¬
fayette Circuit; Cabin's Creek Settlement to the Richmond Cir¬
cuit; and Graysvillc to the Madison Station. A mission was
314
History of the A. M. E. Church.
opened at Corvington, La., on Lake Ponchartrain, and one was
also ordered to be opened in St. Louis.
The annual meeting of the Home' Missionary Society was
held, and its claims advocated by Rev. J. M. BroAvn (now Bishop
J. M. Brown) and "Bishop I). A. Payne. Its agent, Rev. Elisha
Weaver, reported the sum of $414.90. The benevolent societies
of the Roman Street Church, in New Orleans, made a donation
of $33.00 to the Conference.
It was made the duty of each circuit and stationed preacher
to raise the sum of two dollars to aid the widows of deceased
itinerants. Thirteen dollars were contributed on the spot for
widow Morgan.
Action was taken on various questions, but the report upon
education showed the dawn of a new era for our people. These
extracts from that report will indicate the source of the new
light, and the prospects in store for us:
And in the great work of educating the rising generation of our people
in the Western free states, we have at present the greatest encouragement
from the Cincinnati Conference of the M. E. Church, which, at its last ses¬
sion in Hillsboro, took into consideration the many disadvantages under
which the colored people labor in the above states, and propose making
efficient arrangements for the obviation of those difficulties which hitherto
have retarded their educational progress, by a unanimous agreement on
their part to give to those of the colored people who will make an effort to
educate their children, and those for whom they act as guardians, their aid.
The said Conference proposes to co-operate with the A. M. E. Church in
this great and laudable undertaking. Whereupon, we recommend the
adoption of the following preamble and resolutions :
Whereas, the Cincinnati Conference of the M. E. Church, at its last
session (at Hillsboro), kindly and benevolently expressed its sympathy for
the free colored people of the Western free states, in view of the educa¬
tional disadvantages under which they labor, and unanimously agreed to
render them aid in the obviation of said disadvantages, and also in the
elevation of the colored people generally in said free states ; and
Whereas, the said Conference proposes a co-operation with the A. M. E.
Church in this great work ; therefore,
Resolved, 1st. That our people in the Western free states should be grate¬
ful to said Conference for its sympathy and kind offer.
Resolved, 2d. That the A. M. E. Church hails with hearty welcome and
heartfelt thanks the doings of the Cincinnati Conference as above ex¬
plained.
Resolved, 3d. That it shall be the duty of each of our traveling preachers
to establish and encourage day and Sabbatli-schools in their charges, and
to preach two or more sermons on the subject of education during the year.
African Methodism in the United States in 1854, 1855. 315
This report was signed by H. R. Revels, J. M. Brown, A. M.
Mcintosh, E. Weaver and L. W. Bass as the committee. A com¬
mittee, consisting of Revs. Willis R. Revels, iEneas Mcintosh
and Emmanuel Wilkerson, was then appointed to correspond
with the committee of the Cincinnati Conference and others of
the same denomination in the West, if need be. A committee,
consisting of the first two of the above committee and A. M.
Parker, was appointed to meet the Board of Managers and Trus¬
tees of the Union Seminary, first, to adopt such measures as
would promote its well-being, and secondly, to negotiate with
the Board aforesaid for such an interest in the institution as
would enable the Indiana Conference to participate in the gov-
ernment of the said seminary.
The Philadelphia Conference of 1854 assembled in Philadel¬
phia. At the opening of the deliberations Bishop Payne was
the only prelate present. His colleagues, Bishops Nazrey and
Quinn, subsequently came and aided him in presiding over the
business of the Conference. Nothing of much historic impor¬
tance was transacted. -Joseph H. Smith and William Norris were
continued on trial, and Ephraim Wilson, Robert Gibson and
William H. .Jackson were placed on trial. Brothers Richard Bur-
ney and Andrew Till were ordained elders. Rev. M. M. Clark,
who was elected editor at the last General Conference, and who
subsequently, through the resignation of Rev. W. T. Catto,
became general book steward, resigned his twofold office. Before
this act he made his annual report, which exhibited the true
condition of the book concern. From this we gather several
facts: That the cash on hand at the close of the previous fiscal
year was $12.70; the total receipts for the present year, $1,120.68;
the expenditures, $1,008.45; cash in hand, $52.23; its total in-
debtednesss, $189.54; its claims against others, $384.13; the
receipts of the store during the year, $245.24; the expenditures,
$243.23; the available stock in hand, $400.00; that all other
effects added and sold, the total profits would be $1,230.00; that
the book concern may be regarded as worth the sum of $1,780.00;
that the committee appointed by the Bishop to revise the hymn-
book had nearly finished their work; that it was the design of
the book steward to publish two forms of the hymn-book, one
for the peAVS, of large print and size, the other for the pulpit, of
smaller type and dimensions; that the weekly paper, the Chris-
ttati'Recorder, was suspended for the want of means; that it was
316
History of the A. M. E. Church.
his opinion, "nothing ought to induce the Conference to resume
its publication until by some effort the measure recommended
by the late General Conference be carried out in raising capital
to do its business. Every trial without a capital will prove an
utter failure in the present state of things. All confidence is
now lost. Therefore, let the public mind in reference to the
paper take its balmy repose; meanwhile, let a capital be raised,
and then resume under a fair prospect of restoring confidence."
The church in West Philadelphia sent a memorial complain¬
ing of the fact that many of its members who could, would not
contribute to support its institutions, and propounding the fol¬
lowing question: "Is a member of the Church, having the abil¬
ity to contribute for its support, and refusing or neglecting so to
do, an acceptable one, and as such entitled to all the privileges
of the Church?" It was referred to a committee, who answered
in the negative. There is a very important principle involved
in this question and answer, which does not fully appear in their
present form. It is this: "Is any man or woman a Christian
Avho can but will not support by their money the institutions of
Christianity?" The answer was equivalent to saying that if a
man or woman professes to be a Christian, but will not give money
to support the Christian institutions of the Church, that man,
or that woman, being able, is not a Christian, and therefore is
not entitled to the privileges of the Christian Church. Our
opinion is that this is a just decision. It seems that after due
allowance is made for absolute poverty, decrepitude and sickness,
110 one should be considered or treated as a reputable Christian
who does not give to all the institutions of Christianity accord¬
ing to his ability; provided, that the claims of these institutions,
are fairly laid before them. Even the widow, whose poverty was
so abject that she was reduced to two mites—a single farthing,,
could give—yes, give not one of those mites and keep the
other, but both—her all, even her all, her whole life, as the
original has it. Those who love much will give much; those
who love a little will give but a little; those who love none will
give none.
If the Lord loves a cheerful giver, and he assures us of this
truth, what must He think of him who gives grudgingly, and
how does he regard such a man? In the case of the poor widow,
a mean spirit, would have said, "You have but two mites, can
you spare one? No, you can't. Suppose you give one, what
African Methodism in the United States in 1854, 1855.
317
will you do for your bread and butter to-morrow? You will
Avant it, you better not give it; no, you better not." " I will,"
said the noble heart of this poor Christian, " I will give, not one,
but both—my all. I have a Father in heaven; He will provide
for me." It was done, and God did not betray her confidence.
She never wanted bread. No, never. "There is that scattereth,
and yet increaseth; and there is that withholcleth more than is
meet, but it tencleth to poverty." So, also, " The liberal soul shall
be made fat, and he that watereth shall be watered himself."
Marcus Brown and William Henry had died this year. The
former was a native of Africa. He was stolen, and sold a slave in
Charleston, S. C. There he was awakened and converted to God.
Sometime after his manhood he obtained his freedom through
the kindness of Elder Morris Brown, subsequently Bishop Brown,
and followed him to Philadelphia, Pa., in 1822-3. Here Brother
Marcus, under Bishop Brown's auspices, was permitted to exer¬
cise his ministerial gifts and graces as a local preacher. He was
perfectly illiterate, and could not utter the simplest sentence in
good English, and his pulpit performances „did not amount to
more than a plain exhortation, except when he was telling his
experience, as he very often did. He was the most illiterate
man that was permitted to occupy the pulpit o.f old Bethel. He
was a local man to be sure, but he had an influence over his in¬
feriors. He was a good man, and ended his career in peace.
In the city of Baltimore the session of the Baltimore Confer¬
ence was held in 1855. Bishop Quinn presided alone. Rev.
A. W. Wayman was secretary. Four young men were admitted
on probation into the itinerant field. These were Leonard C.
Speaks, W. W. Grimes, William H. Russell, John H. Gaines.
Charles Hicks was received as a local probationer. James Ster-
ritt was admitted into full connection, and Michael Sluby and
Jacob Brooks were ordained elders.
The members in Society were reported as five thousand five
hundred and eight; the contingent collection amounted to $258.09;
the two-cent collection to $193.28; for episcopal support, $153.98.
Conference decided to raise $200 for the last object the ensuing-
year. Local delegates were elected to the approaching General
Conference in the persons of C. Dunn, D. W. Moore, W. H. G.
Brown, C. Hicks, J. W. Brown, J. L. Brister, S. S. Carr and C.
Dobson.
After a protracted discussion it was decided that two ministers
318
History of the A. M. E. Church.
were to be appointed to Bethel Church, in the city of Baltimore,
one of whom was to take the special charge of a mission to be
opened in that city. Rev. J. A. Shorter was the mover of this
motion, and at the instance of Rev. A. Massey, the Lewiston
Circuit, in the state of Delaware, was divided into the George¬
town and Lewiston Circuits. When the cause of missions came
up,'resolutions were submitted and approved which, in addition
to home fields, looked to foreign lands by recommending the
opening of a correspondence with the Liberia Mission of the
M. E. Church in Africa.
As usual, the Philadelphia ministry held their Annual Con¬
ference in Philadelphia this year. Bishop Nazrev presided,
assisted by Bishop Quinn. Rev. Joshua Wood]in was secretary.
Four young men Avere admitted into the itinerant field as proba¬
tioners—Joshua Woodlin, Robert Gibson, John T. Jackson and
Jeremiah Young. Joseph A. Smith was admitted into full con¬
nection. Rev. William T. Catto withdrew from us and joined
the Old School Presbyterians. Three were numbered with the
dead—Edward M. Ferris, William Harmon and William N.
Brown.
The delegates elected to the General Conference of 18-56 were
Dr. J. J. G. Bias, S. Smith, J. P. B. Eddy, J. M. Brown, Robert
Collins, A. Johnson, L. J. Conover and H. Dic-kerson.
The general traveling book agent resigned from his agency.
So, within three years the three chief officers of the book concern
had all resigned and forsaken that particular field of labor.
Rev. William T. Catto, the general book steward, resigned within
three months from the day of his election ; Rev. M. M. Clark,
the editor and general book steward, resigned at the end of two
years; and Rev. William H.Jones, the book agent, now resigns at
the end of three years. This would seem to prove to every discrim¬
inating mind that our Church was not yet prepared to sustain a
literary department. These three brethren were among our best
educated men, and as for the last mentioned he was neither
wanting in intelligence, activity nor thrift, because lie himself
had published more literary matter upon his own responsibility
than the whole book committee put together. These facts mav
have set the brethren to thinking, as Rev. P. Gardner proposed
to be one of an hundred men to pay one dollar monthly for one
year to support the Chrix/i<(» Recorder, whereupon Rev. Stephen
Smith proposed to give one hundred dollars if fifty men would
African Methodism in the United States in 1854, 1855. 319
pay fifty dollars, or if one hundred men would give one hundred
he would give two hundred. But there was not enough public
spirit in the Conference to accept the propositions of either of
the two men. All that could be raised on the spot in this behalf
Avas $21.00; but it Avas resolved to publish the Christian Recorder
semi-monthly as long as it could be sustained.
The general book steAvard reported $988.57 as receipts for the
year, and $1,000.50 as the expenditures. Still the district raised
this year for the support of the Ararious institutions of the Church
$8,960.79.
The Committee on Missions advised the establishment of a
Home and Foreign Missionary Society; that all the means raised
for this purpose be forwarded to the general book steward, to be
deposited in the hands of the book concern treasurer, and believed
that if the rules of the Discipline on this subject Avere enforced, no
small amount of means could be raised Avithin a short time to
send one or more missionaries to Africa, or any other foreign
point. They also recommended the sending of a missionary to
take care of the Stroudsburg Mission, Avhich had been opened in
1853; and also to provide support for a city missionary Avhose
field should extend over Philadelphia and its vicinity. In this
connection a very revolutionary motion AAras injudiciously adopted
by this Conference. It empowered the Bishop to ordain a man
for missionary purposes by bringing him before any Quarterly
Conference of the African M. E. Church.
Bishop Nazrey's annual address this year Avas full of practical
advice. He still pleaded for a foreign mission, referring to the
fact that in the "early days of the Church" there Avas a "mis¬
sionary in Africa and St. Domingo from our Connection." He
felt that "the spirit had died," and prayed for an aAvakening.
He also said, "Those Avho Avill sit cIoavii in the Church and enjoy
all its blessings and privileges, and do nothing to sustain it, are
doing the work of the slaveholder in oppressing the poor or his
brother; and the minister or preacher Avho Avill favor such, or
encourage it, is partaking of and indulging in the same sin."
The Bishop, among other decisions, made two, Avhich for their
truthfulness and equity deserve special mention.
A question arose in Conference in relation to Avhat Avould be a
justifiable process of laAV. The Bishop decided—
" 1. That it Avas governed by circumstances; for instance, if a
member of the Church is acting under the direction of the com-
320
History of the A. M. E. Church.
liion law, and is bound by oath to make returns at a court or any
other place, according to law, and comes in contact with a mem¬
ber of the Church Avhose acts are about to make him violate his
oath or forfeit his obligation to the court, it would constitute a
justifiable process at law.
2. "If a member is in debt to another, or has done him a seri¬
ous injury, and is fleeing from justice, the aggrieved parties would
be justifiable in a process at the civil law, from the fact that in
the one case the Church has no power to act, and in the other
it has not time to arrest the parties fleeing from justice; and
other similar cases according to circumstances."
On the 19th of May the New York Annual Conference con¬
vened, Bishop Quinn presiding alone, with Rev. Leonard Patter¬
son secretary. Four preachers were admitted on probation—
Edward Thompson, Richard J. Cliff, .Jeremiah V. Thomas and
E. Sparrow. Leonard Patterson and Edward Thompson were
ordained elders for the itinerant service, and Joshua Jenkins for
the local. George C. Clark and Willis Jones were ordained local
deacons. The total number of communicants in these churches
were reported as two thousand and eighty-eight. The total of
the collections which were reported reached $2,505.64, many
Sunday-schools not reporting what was raised to sustain them.
The Daughters of Conference gave $206.68. Delegates to the
General Conference were elected: Edward Johnson and J. E.
Dallas, of New York City, and George Wills, of Long Island.
Brother Thomas Legg was the only one whose death was
recorded. Rev. J. M. Williams, one of the leading members of
the New York Conference, has written of him: " Brother Legg
was born in Sangerties, Ulster county, state of New York, De¬
cember 20th, 1820, and died in Newark, N. -J., September 8th,
1854, in the thirty-fifth year of his age. He was the subject of
converting grace in the year 1845. He connected himself Avith
the A. M. E. Church, in Second street, New York. He was
licensed to preach in 1847. In 1852 he joined the itinerant
service, and was appointed to the Huntingdon Circuit, Long
Island," which he traveled for two years. In 1854 he was ap¬
pointed to the West Chester Circuit, which he traveled about
three months, when lie was attacked by the hasty consumption
and bleeding at the lungs, which soon brought him to the grave.
He left a wife, mother, sisters and many friends to mourn their
loss. Brother Thomas Legg was a man of fine talents and of
African Methodism in the United States in 1854, 1855. 321
great promise as a Christian minister, and a young man of ardent
and devoted piety. Under a deep conviction of his ministerial
responsibility, he prosecuted his work with undeviating fidelity.
As his health declined, there was a manifest ripening for heaven,
and the people of his charge will not soon forget the almost
inspired words which fell from his lips as he addressed them for
the last time, almost from the borders of the grave. Brother
Legg was a zealous and useful laborer in the vineyard of the
Lord. He died as the Christian and Christian minister should
die—in the triumphs of the Christian faith; and in the solemn
hour of death he was permitted to realize that unto the upright
there ariseth light in the darkness. Our brother sleeps in .Jesus,
and rests in heaven."
The month of June saw the Annual Conference of the New
England churches in session in Providence, II. I. William Wat¬
son was secretary, and Bishop Nazrey presided alone. Two
young men were admitted on trial—Thomas Sunrise and George
A. Rue. Ransom Parker, a local deacon, was admitted into full
connection. Jacob Mitchell was ordained an elder; Charles II.
Pierce and William M. Watson, deacons. Six hundred and
sixty-one members were in communion. The total amount
raised for contingent expenses was only $60.45, while the total of
all moneys raised—for support of ministry and missions, two-cent
money, Sunday-schools and episcopal support—reached $1,101.52.
• A fault common to all the Conferences was the omission to
report amounts raised for fuel, house-rent and board for the pas¬
tors. It is certainly a great omission, at once unjust to the
people and to themselves.
Bishop Nazrey gave the Conference his usual wholesome advice.
Resolutions were passed on the usual subjects, and the ministry
parted without having made any provision for local delegates to
the General Conference.
The three Bishops were present at the meeting of the ministry
of the Canadian churches, on July 21st, in the town of Chatham.
Bishop Payne was president of the Conference, but the three
presided alternately. Brother I. W. Hall was received on proba¬
tion, and, with Benjamin Stuart, was ordained to the office of
elder, as was L. C. Chambers to that of local deacon. The com¬
municants of the churches were numbered as two thousand and
ninety souls. The total of moneys raised was $1,076.70,
21
822
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Rev. Benjamin Stuart here started the movement which we
shall see developed later on. He presented the following docu¬
ment :
Whereas, We, the members of the Canada Annual Conference of the
A. M. E. Church, now in session in the town of Chatham, Canada West,
see the great disadvantages under which we labor by not having a Dis¬
cipline in conformity with the laws of the province in which we live ;
therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is our indispensable duty to have a Book of Discipline
in accordance with the laws of Her Most Gracious Majesty, under whose
scepter we enjoy our rights as men ; and that we do hereby petition the
General Conference to set us apart as a separate body.
This preamble and resolution fell upon the ear of the Confer¬
ence like a clap of thunder in a clear sky. The mover of this
had been all his life a member of the Philadelphia Annual Con¬
ference, and had been resident in the province just about twelve
months. Apparently, he was the most timid man present—how
came it to pass that he should make so bold a movement. The
answer was found in every man's inner consciousness. There
was an absolute need for it. That need was clearly set foith in
the document presented, and every man present who was ac¬
quainted with the state of things in Canada knew that the docu¬
ment stated a fact that no reasonable man would attempt to
deny. Hence, after due consideration of the question, it was
unanimously carried. Bishops Nazrey and Payne assented .to
the measure as needful, just and beneficial. Bishop Quinn was
apparently elated. He arose and declared himself a British sub¬
ject by birth, which relation to the British government he had
never forfeited. He said that he had property in the province.
"Bishop Nazrey is already here," he continued; "I will soon be
here, and very likely my other colleague will ultimately make
his home here from the very force of circumstances. Indeed, I
believe we shall all make our homes here."*
It will be seen that we were approaching a period in which
some great changes were to take place. The Canadian churches
were to detach themselves from the A. M. E. Connection, and
education was to crystalize into a specific shape for our people.
The Ohio Annual Conference met in August, in Columbus,
Ohio. All the Bishops were present, and J. P. Underwood and
' Bishop Quinn's remarks were induced by the unhappy condition of
our people resulting from the action of the Fugitive Slave Law.
African Methodism in the United States in 1854, 1855. 323
Edward Davis were secretaries. John Ridgeway, L. T. Jones
and John Tibbs were ordained elders. Richard C. Gardener was
ordained a deacon.' James H. Payne was admitted into the itin¬
erant service on probation. One young itinerant, Rev. James
F. Copelancl, had died. He was a young man of twenty-six
years, well educated, urbane in his manners, prepossessing in
appearance and of sound character. He promised a long career
of usefulness, but so rapid Avere the invasions of that disease,
pulmonary affection, that he was able to preach but one sermon
in the Columbus Station, where he had been sent. He died
November 21st, 1854.
The Ohio churches had raised this year for preachers' support—
salaries alone—$2,034.45; and the total amount of moneys re¬
ported for 1855, in this district, was $2,497.93.
This was an interesting session. The Rev. Mr. Asbury of the
M. E. Church, once an itinerant, now a local preacher, was intro¬
duced to the Conference by Rev. M. M. Clark, and addressed the
body on the great question of education, substantially, as follows :
He resolved many years ago that if he ever became wealthy he
would act as a steward for God. Through his own labors, by
God's blessings, he had come into possession of some of the most
valuable real estate in the city of Columbus. By invitation of
Rev. M. M. Clark he had paid a visit to the Union Seminary. He
was disappointed in his expectations of it. He said that it did
not afford the conveniences nor facilities of a common district
village school, and that the population around it did not justify
its continuance. If it were his own property he would sell it
and purchase in another position where patronage and advan¬
tages could be found sufficient to sustain it. In a word, he recom¬
mended the establishment of a manual labor school, in which all
the sciences should be taught, but not the dead languages.
He alluded to an Annual Conference of the M. E. Church,
which, at a time when the state of education was so low among
the people of that denomination, had sent out four or five agents
to collect moneys for. educational purposes, but they had all
failed; finally, he was sent out, and, after great diligence and
labor, succeeded. Since the M. E. Church has multiplied semi¬
naries of the highest order, till they now number more than sixty,
besides ten colleges. He said laziness and a want of thrift are a
curse to the people of color—that the men who let their wives
follow washing clothes for their bread, till they sunk from exces-
324
History of the A. M. E. Church.
sivo labor into their graves, are murderers. He respected the
honest, intelligent, wealthy colored man as he does the Avhite.
If the colored people as a mass -would be laborious, industrious
and economical, all parts of the community, private men and
legislators, would come up to their help.
Many years ago he had labored for the advancement of Metho¬
dism, through heat and cold, sometimes with a sheet of frost
upon his face ; he was not discouraged ; he foresaw that his labors
would result in great good, and he has lived to see his hopes ful¬
filled. Now the M. E. Church is numerous, powerful and rich.
He related an interview which he had with Bishop Asbury
over forty years ago, in which that venerable prelate encouraged
him to persevere in his labors amid all the difficulties which sur¬
rounded him. He gave a sketch of his itinerant life. It abounded
in thrilling anecdotes, showing the hardships which the itin¬
erancy of that day had to endure, and the moral strength which
was furnished them from on high to conquer difficulties and win
souls for Christ.
About twenty-four hours after, the Rev. John F. Wright, agent
of the Cincinnati Conference of the M. E. Church, appeared in
the midst of our Conference. Bishop Payne was then called upon
by the Conference to present any documents or correspondence in
his possession touching the propositions of the Cincinnati Con¬
ference to establish a school of a high order for the education of
colored children and youth. After they were produced and read,
Rev. Wright addressed the Conference. He wished to have it
understood that he appeared there as an advocate of the highest
interests of the colored man. This venerable man of God then
showed in a clear and impressive manner the disadvantages under
which we labor. He said even the benevolent provisions of the
state laws of Ohio concerning our education -were, in many in¬
stances, rendered null and void through the prejudices of the
whites : this he confessed with shame. He showed the difference
between the power of the rich man and that of the educated,
making many pertinent remarks touching the great subject, and
alluding to the approaching General Conference of his own and
of our Church, and the good which might result from the com¬
bined action and influences of the two bodies.
It was an occasion for felicitous speeches, and they were made,
with the motion presenting Rev. Wright a vote of thanks, bv
M. M. Clark and A; R. Green, the latter referring to the time
African Methodism in the United States in 1854, 1855. 825
when he lay sick and helpless in Cincinnati and Brother Wright
visited him, consoled him, and prayed with him. He welcomed
this movement of the Cincinnati Conference as a heaven-sent
blessing, and thought that we ought to give it our hearty support.
Rev. John Peck, full of years and rich in experience among
his down-trodden race, rose and, in a powerful speech that was
full of pathos and fiery words, hailed the enterprise of the Cin¬
cinnati Conference as the very thing we needed. He had long-
listened to the professions of friendship which were made by the
members of the M. E. Church. These were all good in them¬
selves, but they were nothing more than words. Here, however,
was something practical—a deed that would result in real and
permanent benefit to our people. He had spent the better part
of a long life laboring for the elevation of his injured people,
and now in its decline he was about to see his ardent prayers
answered and his hopes realized. The M. E. Church had it in
her power to do much—it was her duty to do much—and she
was about to do something for the benefit of those who most need
her aid. With streaming eyes this " old man eloquent" sat down,
surrounded by the throbbing hearts of his brethren.
The report of the board of managers of Union Seminary was
a confirmation of the statements of Mr. Asbury. It was also
learned that the establishment of another seminary of learning,
to be called Quinn Seminary, was in the minds and on the hearts
of the brethren on Marshall Circuit, Michigan ; but while the
Conference resolved to give their "sympathies" to the enter¬
prise, these assumed no practical form. Such institutions are
not sustained by " sympathies."
The Indiana Conference met this year (1855) on the beautiful
camp-ground in the midst of the Lost Creek settlement, in Vigo
county, state of Indiana, September 1st. Bishop Payne was
president of the Conference district, but all three Bishops were
present, and presided alternately. Five were admitted on proba¬
tion—P. Tyler, Lewis Finley, Samuel Chandler, I. R. Revels and
York Collier. Of these but one has served the itinerant cause.
York Collier and David Wilson were recommended for the oflice
of local deacons, and Brother W. A. Dove was received fully into
the itinerant service.
The total number of communicants were three thousand five
hundred and three—an increase of ten. The total sum of moneys
raised reached $2,055.20, and the benevolent societies of New Or-
326
History of the A. M. E. Church.
leans donated $47.00. At this time the total amount in the mis¬
sionary treasury was 1150.15. Communications to Conference in¬
cluded a letter from Rev. Thomas M. I). Ward, giving an account of
the California Mission, and documents from Rev. Wright in rela¬
tion to the matters of education presented to the Ohio Conference.
The educational report came from the committee, recommend¬
ing that an " intelligent committee " be appointed, authorized to
propose and receive any proposition "which our brethren of the
M. E. Church have to offer." It also recommended that the pre¬
siding Bishop act with that committee. It further suggested that
"meanwhile we should be actively engaged in building up the
cause of education in our midst," and to this end the suggestion
was made, if negotiations failed to secure an interest in Union
Seminary, a location be selected "somewhere in the state of In¬
diana or Illinois for a seminary." It also recommended the
establishment of an organ " through which Ave can publish our
thoughts, thus concentrating our great work."
It will be seen by all these movements that aside from freedom,
the one great theme engaging the hearts and souls of the people
was that of education. This report was a most truthful document,
transparent as truthful, and bearing an awful testimony before
Gocl and Christendom against the pseudo-Christianity, pseudo-
philanthropy, and pseudo-democracy of this pseudo-Republic.
fror the first time, at the instance of the presiding Bishop,
particular days in the ensuing year were set apart to take up the
several Conference collections. The election of local delegates
to General Conference resulted in the selection of E. Mcintosh,
C. M. Barber, A. Hall, Y. Collier, D. Stokes and W. H. Rice.
Some changes took place in the district. The Alton Circuit
was divided into two—the Alton Circuit, embracing four churches
at Alton, Brooklyn, Ridge Prairie and Rocky Flat; the Chester
Circuit, embracing the six churches of Chester, Sparta, Mt.
Vernon, Bellville, Shoal Creek and Turkey Hill.- Madison
Church was attached to the Charleston Circuit, as it was too
poor to support a stationed preacher. The St. Paul Mission, in
Minnesota, and the Wisconsin Missions were voted to be opened
—the former embracing no other place, but the latter taking in
Racine, Milwaukee, Madison and Knoshea.
This year saw the setting off of a new Conference district—
the Missouri Churches, as they were to be called. For several
years past it had been seen by many that the Indiana Confer-
African Methodism in the United States in 1854, 1855.
327
ence stretched over such a vast territory that it was very expen¬
sive for many of the laborers at the extreme points to reach
annually the seat of Conference. Moreover, our churches in the
slaveholding portions found it very prejudicial to them to be
constrained to send their pastors into the free states, or to receive
pastors from them. It was therefore deemed judicious to divide
the Indiana Conference, and to call one of the parts the Missouri
—to embrace all the churches in the slaveholding states of the
West and Southwest. At the last meeting of the Indiana Con¬
ference, and according to the power vested in it by the General
Conference of 1852, it was decreed that this should be done, and
a committee was appointed to lay off the boundaries. This com¬
mittee, consisting of Rev. J. M. Brown, Rev. A. M. Parker and
Rev. W. R. Revels, reported "that the boundary be all the state
of Missouri; all Illinois south of longitude 38°, running in a
straight line from the Mississippi River to the Wabash; all Ken¬
tucky west of the Kentucky River; Tennessee, Mississippi, Lou¬
isiana and Alabama." This was approved, and the laborers
divided on the spot and notified to meet on the 13th of Septem¬
ber, 1855, at 9 a. m., in the city of Louisville, Ky. There the
following brethren appeared at that time in Quinn Chapel:
Bishops W. P. Quinn and D. A. Payne; Elders AVillis R. Revels,
Aaron M. Parker, John M. Brown, Willis Miles, E. Wilkerson,
Charles Doughty; Deacons Basil L. Brooks, Salem Campbell,
John M. Garrow, Page Tyler; Licentiate Lewis Finley. All
these were itinerants.
Bishop Payne pronounced the address of this new Conference,
of which John M. Brown, of Newr Orleans, was secretary. "The
Holy Communion was then celebrated by all the ministers and
brethren present. A deeply solemn and impressive season it
was." Rev. Tyler and Lewis Finley were placed as probationers
among the itinerants; York Collier and Clark M. Barber among
the local. Basil L. Brooks was ordained an elder. A preachers'
aid society was organized; also a missionary society, and a soci¬
ety for mental and moral improvement. The spirit and senti¬
ment of this new-born Conference on missions and Sunday-
schools were excellent, as the reports bore evidence. At its or¬
ganization the Missouri Conference contained one thousand six
hundred and ninety-eight members in Society. There were col¬
lected for contingent money $67.43, and the Conference ordered
the sum of $108.00 to be raised for episcopal support.
CHAPTER XXVII.
GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1856.
Quadrennial Address—Attention Called to the Increasing Literary Advan¬
tages—Need of Financial Improvement—Need of "Oneness of Adminis¬
tration"— The Book Concern Incorporated — Request of Canadian
Churches for Separation Granted—Report of Committee 011 Slavery—A
Lengthy Debate Results.
THE Tenth General Conference of the A. M. E. Church
convened in the city of Cincinnati, state of Ohio, May 5th,
1856. It was opened by Bishop Quinn, then senior Bishop,
who gave out the hymn,
" Come, Let us use the grace divine,"
and then addressed the throne of grace, after which Bishop
Payne read the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel of St. -John.
The secretaries finally elected were Rev. A. W. Wayman, Rev.
.James and Rev. George B roadie. A committee of one from each
Conference was appointed to draft rules for the government of
the General Conference, with A. R. Green chairman. His col¬
leagues were Wayman, of Baltimore; Moore, of Philadelphia;
Turner, of Indiana; Ed. .Johnson, of New York; P> roadie, of
Canada; and W. R. Revels, of Missouri. Their work received
the approval of the Conference.
The Quadrennial Address of the ISishops is of such a nature
that it is here presented in full:
Reverend and Dear Brethren:—In the opening of the Tenth General
Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, it is our duty to
address you 011 subjects relating to the g> neral government and prosperity
of the Connection ; particularly on such points the importance and utility
of which have been experimentally and providentially impressed upon
our minds.
Respecting the ministry, we feel, as lien tofore, that we all ought to cul¬
tivate our minds by the study of every science—physical, mental and
moral--to the end that we may be belter qualified for the study and just
apprehension of the great Book of Books—the Bible. The sciences to
which allusion is made unfold nature in her varied, interesting and beauti¬
ful forms, and thus introduce us to the God of nature, who made her for
and uses her as a medium through which he manifests himself to man.
( 328 )
General Conference of 1856.
329
God has also given us the Bible, and uses that wondrous book—like nature
—only as a medium for revealing to man such features of his character as
could not be realized by tho study of nature alone. In the statement of
this glorious truth we see the relation which nature bears to the Bible—
which science sustains to revelation. Consequently, he who w.ould read
his Bible intelligently, and understand it thoroughly, must also make him¬
self familiar with science ; for, as they mutually shadow forth the Almighty
One, so they mutually illustrate and confirm each other. Indeed, there
are many porlions of the word of God, the meaning, force, beauty and
truth of which cannot be realized without a large amount of scientific
information. To make this evident we could adduce many passages from
the sacred text. Let one suffice. That is the 139th Psalm, particularly
the 14th verse: "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully
made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."
A careful analysis of this text will show that it cannot be thoroughly un¬
derstood by the preacher, nor rendered intelligible to the hearers, without
some knowledge of anatomy, physiology, metaphysics and ethics.
No man should be more intelligent than the ambassador of the Cross;
because no position is so commanding, and no office freighted with such
important results as his. The instructor alike of the learned and the
ignorant, of the servant and his master, of the king and the peasant,
should be well furnished with every species of useful knowledge. And
still more : Of all the ministers oi Christ, there is no class who need to be
so thoroughly educated as those of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Called to traverse almost every section of this vast Kepublic--now in the
North, then in the South ; to-day in the East, to-morrow in the West; at
one time to speak in the presence of the most refined and enlightened ;
the next before the most ignorant and rude; sometimes advocating the
claims of the Cross before those who believe that God "hath made of one
blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth," and then
before those who ignore this divine truth by declaring that the man of
color is nothing more than the connecting link between the man and the
brute—they should so acquit themselves, both in and out of the pulpit, as
to constrain our enemies to acknowledge the doctrine of the unity of the
human race, and our downtrodden people as an integral part of it. We,
therefore, affectionately urge all our young men to bestir themselves, and
omit no opportunity of mental culture. That they may have the meats
to purchase needed books, let them abandon every needless expense,
especially such as cigars and chewing tobacco. Let them also postpone
the day of marriage till they shall have mastered the sciences, or made, at
least, some respectable progress in them.
The literary advantages which the great Llead of the Church has opened
to our access demand our gratitude, our praise, our love. Twenty-one
years ago there were but two institutions of a high order in the whole
Union where colored men could be educated in the same class and on an
equality with the whites. These were Oberlin and Oneida. The latter has
ceased to exist; the former still flourishes as a green bay tree, and has edu-
330
History of the A. M. E. Church.
cated more colored young men and women than all put together. One of
her graduates, Mr. George B. Vashon, is now filling a professor's chair in
Central College, N. Y. Iberia and the Albany Manual Labor University,
in the state of Ohio, are doing a good work for us. The last mentioned has
created, in its immediate neighborhood, a social and civil atmosphere in
which the colored man can breathe equality with others. Not only schol¬
arships but also ownerships can be purchased in it. This will enable
parents to send their children to it, not by permission merely, but as a
matter of right." *
Nor should we forget Avery College, founded for the special benefit of
our people by that noble and generous philanthropist, the Rev. Charles
Avery. That institution is doing her part in illuminating our minds, and
preparing the rising generation for extensive usefulness. We commend
all these to the liberal patronage of our people.
It is a cheering fact that colleges accessible to colored youth are multi¬
plying in every state north of Mason and Dixon's line, except Pennsyl¬
vania and Indiana. These are still " bending the knee to the dark spirit of
slavery," and will doubtless maintain this mean attitude till a progressive
public sentiment compels them to change it.
The property owned by the Ohio Annual Conference of one hundred
and seventy-two acres, has erected on it a small building for school pur¬
poses. During its last term there were but seven children in it. The
Annual Conference has done nothing for its support for the last two years;
hence it is in a very feeble condition, and greatly embarrassed for want of
pecuniary support. The Rev. Edward Davis is the principal. What can
be done to give it respectability and to command the public confidence?
The lands owned by our Church in Canada are still unimproved (so
far as we know) by the erection of any buildings for the education of the
rising generation. Three agents have been employed to collect funds for
the purpose of founding schools of a high order on the said lands, but not
one of them has been of any profit. It is for you to inquire into and de¬
termine the cause of these repeated failures.
The High School in Philadelphia furnishes excellent facilities for the
education of the young. We regret to hear that Professor Reason has left
it, as his abilities as a teacher are of the highest order; but we hope that his
successor will be found equal to the task of educating the numerous chil¬
dren and youth of that great city.
The Cincinnati Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church
is about to present a noble offering of Christian charity to the colored
people of the country, but with no intention of excluding any one on
account of color. Their agent, the Rev. John F. Wright, visited the last
annual meeting of the Ohio Conference. He will be present at this Gen¬
eral Conference to lay before you the proposition of the respectable and
* Shares could be bought for $25. The actual ownership was vested in
the shareholders, who were entitled to one vote for every share held by
each, in the election of trustees and other officers, and in the transaction
of all business at the annual meeting.
General Conference of 1856.
331
influential body which he represents. We trust that you will receive and
hear him in the same spirit of Christian regard and courtesy that made his
visit to the Ohio Conference so pleasant and gracious.
Canada, that genuine asylum of the oppressed, is also doing much for
the education and future elevation of our people. The government has
made ample provision for the education of the young without regard to
the color of the skin or the texture of the hair. From the common school
to the university, the colored youth has ready access. The only excep¬
tions are at St. Catherine's, Chatham, and a few other villages, where the
folly, ignorance and prejudice of the colored people themselves created
them. One of thfe Bishops has recently visited some of the best schools
in the Province, including that of Mr. King at Buxton, the Normal School
at Toronto, and the Lancasterian at London. Therefore we speak that
which we know when we sav, that while the literary machinery of the
Canadian schools are of the best kind, the moral and Christian teachings
cannot be excelled. This remark is specially true of the school under the
supervision of the Rev. Mr. Dillon. Truly, no one of unprejudiced mind
can visit these schools without thanking Cod for their existence, and say¬
ing of every colored man whose home is in Canada, "The lines are fallen
unto him in pleasant placesyea, he has " a goodly heritage."
The financial system of our Connection is greatly in need of improve¬
ment. It lacks ease in its play, as well as accuracy and promptness in its
execution. It bears the same relation to our movements that steam does
to the locomotive. Cannot something be done to give it vigor and effect ?
The book concern is in need of a patient, careful and rigid investiga¬
tion. Its improvement must be radical. Unless this be done we had bet¬
ter bring it at once to an end, or it will bring itself to a shameful termina¬
tion. It is true, and we feel proud to declare it, that during the last four
years the editorial chair has been filled with a great deal of tact and lit¬
erary ability; also that the book committee has proceeded with a caution
and judgment in contracting debts and meeting their obligations unknown
in the history of the concern for the last twelve years; yet it has not at¬
tained that position of prosperity and permanency which we all desire.
This is made evident by the fact that in four years we have succeeded in
publishing but thirty-nine numbers of our church paper! Whatever suc¬
cess has attended the sale of books, with the credit and debit account of
the concern, will be made known in the report of the general book steward.
The experience of forty years should convince every wise man among us
that something must be done, and that speedily, if indeed we wish to
make the concern prosperous, permanent and adapted to accomplish its
design in the publication and diffusion of useful knowledge among our
hapless people. To this end we suggest the raising of a capital—say from
ten to one hundred thousand dollars. This will enable us to put into the
establishment an able corps of editors, and secure such a number of lit¬
erary correspondents as will give to our paper and contemplated magazine
that elevated character which will command the respect and secure the
patronage of an enlightened public.
332
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Tlie cause of missions demands our serious and careful consideration.
But whether we are able to cultivate the foreign as well as the home field
is a grave and important question. Some think we ought to cultivate both.
One thing, however, is certain, for it is a fact of history that we have made
two attempts to occupy foreign fields, but have never maintained ourselves
in them. More than thirty years ago, in Africa and Hayti, we unfurled
the blood-stained banner of the cross. Did many rally bent ath it? If so,
where are they now? If there were fruits to the labors of those venerable
pioneers, one of whom now sits in our midst, whose gray hairs are now
an ornament to this imposing assembly, where are those fruits? Do oth¬
ers enjoy them ? Then the cause is a subject that challenges the inquiry
of your august body. Twelve years ago we established a parent missionary
society, and formed several auxiliai'ies to collect funds for missionary pur¬
poses, but their existence was like the flying cloud. 0, that the Head of
the Church would awaken in our hearts a deep, lively and abiding interest
in the cause of missions!
Oneness of administration is a great desideratum among us. But how to
realize it no one has yet been able to tell, and it is certain we never will be
able to accomplish so desirable an end until some standard shall have been
adopted to aid us in this good purpose, as .that of Bishop Baker. It is the
best which we have seen on Methodist Discipline, and although there are
many points in it which are not applicable to our economy, yetit is equally
true that there are many which exactly touch us, and upon these points
better counsel cannot be given than what is furnished in his excellent
manual.
To this end, we also cite your attention to page 64, section 5, and last
exception, five lines from the bottom; also page 65, answer to question
first; to page 70, section 4, in relation to the suspension of preachers by
the Bishop in the interval of the Annual Conference; to page 71. section 5,
"What is meant by Conference applying the law?" also to pp. 92-93,
" There should be some provisions made for arresting the character of trav¬
eling preachers who may do wrong, or be tearing the churches to pieces by
bad administration." An unequivocal law should he created for the trial
and exclusion of any member of the Annual Conference who might be
guilty of misdemeanor during its session.
The chapter on boundaries needs correction ; and also section 10, p. 241,
on raising a fund for the propagation of the Gospel.
The whole section touching the book concern needs to be remodeled
and abridged. Moreover, there should be such an equal distribution of
power that the ends both of mercy and justice cannot be defeated, nor
the chief officers compelled to stand powerless and see a church rent
asunder.
It is also recommended that a section be created to govern the case of
traveling preachers who may be in debt, and will not put forth the proper
efforts to meet their obligations. Lastly, we recommend such an arrange¬
ment of the chapters and sections of the Discipline that the items naturally
belonging to one may not be scattered over the surface of another; but
General Conference of 1856.
333
each subject, as well as each item of it, be put in its proper place ; that the
top of the margins be headed with captions indicating the contents of each
page; that the forms of trial be made to accord with the general rules or
constitution of the Church, and each made to express just what it means,
and nothing else.
In conclusion, dear brethren, permit us to exhort you to that holiness
of heart and life, without which no man can see God, and no one of
us can be made a real, lasting blessing to the Church over which the
Holy Ghost hath made us overseers; without which a preacher is per¬
petually contradicting his teachings by untoward example and scandaliz¬
ing the Great Redeemer's name. 0, for that holiness which is always
soaring towards heaven ! 0, for the mind which was in Christ! This will
give every one of us power to trample the world under our feet, keeping
us not only from evil, but from its very appearance, and make us to walk
so circumspectly that our character shall be like Caesar's wife, not only
pure, but unsuspected. This is the power which, while it causes us to
stand in the Church militant, will also plant us in the Church triumphant.
And now, being assembled in the General Conference, it is desirable that
all things be considered on these occasions as in the immediate presence of
God; that every person speak freely whatever is in his heart, to the end
that our condition may be improved, a greater number of souls saved, and
the Triune God forever glorified. Yours in the Gospel,
William Paul Quinn,
Willis Nazkey,
Daniel A. Payne.
The report of the general book steward and editor shows that
at the time it was presented the stock of the concern and its
claims upon others gave its total value, if these last were met, as
$768.40, the stock being deemed worth $500.00. The analysis of
the report of the chief officer of our financial and publishing
department, J. P. Campbell, exhibits several facts:
First. That the book committee had obtained an act of incor¬
poration from the Pennsylvania Legislature.
Second. That the stereotyped plates, which were introduced
in the days and service of Rev. G. Hogarth, the deceased book
steward and editor, had been repaired and rendered capable of
clear and distinct printing.
Third. That in two entire years they had been able to publish
only nineteen numbers of the Christum Recorder.
Fourth. That they were free from debts to their printer.
The following propositions are also presented:
First. That the office of general book steward and that of
editor be invested in the person of one individual.
Second. That the office of general traveling agent be abolished,
334
History of the A. M. E. Church.
and colporteurs lie substituted for it—this power to substitute to
be invested in the book committee.
Third. That both to put them in and to put them out of office
be "at the option of the committee."
For these proposed changes in and management of the book
concern they assigned the following reasons:
"We have reported against the existence of these general
officers for three reasons, viz.: First, because under the present
embarrassed state of the concern they cannot be supported; sec¬
ondly, because they are not immediately wanted to carry on the
working operations of the concern ; thirdly, because it would be
productive of more good to the concern to place all the agents of
it under the immediate control of the book committee or trustees
of the book concern."
It is a painful and mortifying fact to tell posterity that such
little support was given to the publishing department of the
Church from 1852 to 1856—a period of four years—that instead
of pouring forth from the press two hundred and eight numbers
of our Church paper, there were issued only thirty-nine—that is to
say, in every fifty-two weeks less than ten numbers ! It could not
have been from want of ability on the part of its editors, for during
these four years there were two of our best educated and gifted
minds filling the editorial chair. The first two years witnessed
the intellectual labors of Rev. M. M. Clark, who had been edu¬
cated at Jefferson College, Penn ; the last two, those of Rev.
Jabez P. Campbell, a man of fine talents, and a laborious student,
who by his own industry and application enriched his own
mind with many forms of knowledge. Never, from the origin
of the book concern, had we such able men in the editorial
chair. The office of traveling agent, too, was filled for three
years of that time by Rev. William II. Jones, an active, intelli¬
gent man. He was enterprising—more so than the whole com¬
mittee. Of his own accord, though for his own personal benefit,
he published a new edition of the " Life of Richard Allen," a
new edition of Nell's "Colored Patriots of the Revolution, or
Services of Colored Americans in the Wars of 1776 and 1812,"
besides thousands of "corn-field ditties," as they are quaintly
called. All things considered, the causes of failure must have
resided in the book committee, in the lack of unity between it
and the editor, and in the lack of intelligence among our people.
This committee did not contain a single literary man, and, hav-
General Conference of 1856.
335
ing no taste for literature and no acquaintance with the literary
world, the members were utterly disqualified for the management
of the literary department of the Church. Then, with the two
managing parties, officers and editor, lacking mutual confidence
in each other's opinions and views, with the views and measures
of the latter often in advance of the former, there could only be
friction and failure. But the chief cause, after all, lay in the
people. In a community of about twenty-five or thirty thousand
persons not five thousand could be found who were sufficiently
educated to read a newspaper readily and intelligent^. In a
congregation of more than fifteen hundred persons not one hun¬
dred could be found with a hymn-book in their hands. Twelve
months after the issue of the first number of the Christian
Recorder there were not more than one hundred subscribers in
the city of Philadelphia, notwithstanding there were at that
time on the churches' registers about two thousand two hundred
and seven souls, and in that district alone five thousand seven
hundred and thirty-six members.
The questions which came up before this General Conference
for debate and settlement, outside of the personal ones of appeal
cases, were those relating to the Canadian separation, slavery,
divorce, dress, Bishops' council, Bishops' residence; while educa¬
tion and missions came in for a share of the discussions, as well
as the Discipline generally, in the form of amendments touching
these and other questions.
The Committee on the Canadian Separation, consisting of
Revs. John Peck, J. P. Campbell, Dr. Bias, H. J. Young, J. A.
Warren, A. R. Green and A. W. Wayman, made a report in favor of
the " request" of the Canadian Church. This subject will be found
given in detail in another chapter, both as to actions and results.
The Committee on Slavery were Revs. J. A. Warren, Peter
Gardener, J. A. Shorter, J. R. V. Morgan, II. J. Young, A. Wood¬
ford and W. R. Revels, who, after due reflection on the sub¬
ject, divided into two parties and presented two different reports,
a majority and a minority report. The twofold action of the
committee produced a protracted and exciting debate that occu¬
pied the larger portion of tAVO days. The two reports are here
presented. The majority report reads thus:
Your committee, to whom was referred the subject of slavery, beg leave
to report that they have had the subject twider consideration, and would
suggest;
336
History of the A. M. E. Church.
First. That page 124, 13th and 14th lines from the top, be altered so as
to read: "The buying and selling of men, women and children, except
"with an intention to free them immediately ; or if he or they do not im¬
mediately emancipate them, he or they shall be immediately expelled."
Your committee are of the opinion, as that sentence is found on the
same list with a number of crimes named, some of which are of infinitely
less magnitude than that of buying men, women and children, that the
penalty should graduate with the nature of the crime. The penalty now
annexed to this many-headed sin in our Discipline is expulsion : but not
until after a long and indeterminate season of forbearance, which may
extend over a year or more, giving time for the habit of buying men,
women and children to become a fixed habit and settled custom. Hence
your committee believe that if men, women or children do not imme¬
diately emancipate them, he, she, or they ought to be immediately ex¬
pelled from the church, and not suffer a habit of slaveholding to grow
either upon the church or the individual.
Second. Your committee thinks that the Discipline, page 136, section 12,
should be so altered as to read: " We will not receive any person into our
society as a member who is a slaveholder, ai.d any that are now members
that have slaves shall be expelled, without immediately emancipating the
slave or slaves." We, your committee, believe that all sins need to be im¬
mediately corrected ; and we also believe slaveholding, as practised in this
country, is a sin of the first magnitude, and should not for one moment be
allowed in the holy communion of the Church of God.
Your committee, not desiring to enter into the discussion of the broad
Question of slavery, will offer for adoption the following:
Resolved, 1st. That the sin of slaveholding, as practiced in the American
churches, is a sin of the first degree, and the greatest known in the cata¬
logue of crimes—the highest violation of God's law—a shameful abuse of
God's creatures, shocking to enlightened humanity, and should unchurch,
and does unchristianize every man and woman who is a slaveholder.
Resolved, 2d. That the A. M. E. Church, composed, as it is, of colored per¬
sons identified with the slaves in chains, who never can be dissevered from
them in their sufferings, do deeply sympathize with them in their tears and
blood; and they shall have our constant prayers, good wishes and help as
far as it may be in our power to render them.
A motion to adopt was advocated by Dr. Bias, J. A. Warren,
M. T. Newsome, Henry -T. Young- and M. M. Clark, and opposed
by R. M. Johnson, J. V. Campbell, "William Moore, R. Robinson
and J. R. V. Morgan, but the question .when put was lost.
The minority report read as follows:
First. That in our book of Discipline, under page 124, in the Kules, we
find the buying and selling of men, women and children, with an intent to
enslave them, expressly forbidden. Also, under page 136, we find in posi¬
tive terms the following : " We will not receive any person into our society
General Conference of 1856.
337
as a member who is a slaveholder. Any person now a member, having
slaves, wlio shall refuse to emancipate them after due notice has been given
by the preacher in charge, shall be expelled." We are of the opinion that in
the above our sentiments as a Church are fully expressed. And while we
deplore that American slavery exists, we can do no more than pray that
God, in his providence, may hasten the day when equity and justice shall
be equally distributed to all mankind, and insist that out laws on that sub¬
ject be rigidly enforced. We furthermore recommend tbe passage of the
following resolutions:
Resolved, 1st. That we deprecate the spiritt in any professing Christian
denomination that would attempt to excuse its members from the sin of
slaveholding by offering as an apology the example of the apostolic church.
Resolved, 2d. That there is not the most distant likeness between them ;
for while the apostolic church in the then existing government was held in
a similar position to the A. M. E. Church now in government, both apostles
and followers were deprived from any protection from the existing laws,
much less to vote in making or abolishing them, as we are now.
Resolved, 3d. That while we have 110 voice in the affairs of this nation,
we recommend that both our preachers and people, like Israel of old,
set apart special days of fasting and prayer to Almighty God that he, in his
divine providence, may hasten the day when all oppression shall come to
an end, and when the whole earth shall be filled with his glory.
Resolved, 4th. That while we, as a denomination, have no power, so far
as political rights are concerned, but are groaning under the yoke and bur¬
den of oppressive laws, we do earnestly recommend the enforcement of our
law, as it is, on slavery.
The record of the General Conference then states that "J. P. B.
Eddy moved that the above report he adopted. It was opposed
by Messrs. Warren, Clark, Bias and Brodie, and advocated by
Messrs. Green, Campbell, Eddy and Woolford. The motion pre¬
vailed."
In the long and heated discussion upon the subject we find
the fear developed that the minority report was not sufficiently
radical upon the subject of slavery; while, on the other hand, we
find that the majority report was too much so, and might inter¬
fere with mercy and justice. The advocates of the latter report
referred to the fact that a state of things similar to that in the
Methodist Episcopal Church seemed about to be introduced
into the A. M. E. Church. Dr. Bias said that the M. E. Church
" was once a truly apostolic church, hut she suffered slavery to
get into her bosom like a little acorn; that acorn has developed
itself—struck its root deep down into its heart, thrown its gigantic
trunk up towards heaven, and makes almost everybody tremble
22
338
History of the A. M. E. Church.
before its monstrous aspect." Another idea presented in opposi¬
tion to an)'' "ultra-slavery action/' by Rev. John Morgan, was,
that the great object of the Church was "to give religious liberty
to the down-trodden man of color," that "the fathers of our Con¬
nection never designed that our preachers should not cross Mason's
and Dixon's line." It was also stated in opposition to the ma¬
jority report that much good had been done in the state of
Louisiana,. But for a clear view of the debate upon the subject,
which was then exciting so much attention, it is necessary to
give, in general, the substance of the individual remarks as found
in the records of that General Conference of 1856. Rev. Morgan
continued: "Though a thorough anti-slavery man, I will not
take out of the mouths of our brethren the bread of life by any
ultra anti-slavery action in this assembly. Some are great anti-
slavery men in the North, but not such in the South. I am
acquainted with one such man, who, being down South, and hav¬
ing heard that a certain slaveholder was in .search of him, imme¬
diately jumped into the cars, and went flying over hills and
vales as fast as steam could carry him."
Robert M. Johnson was opposed to the ultra ideas of Dr. Bias.
11 c knew there were many colored persons down South who had
purchased slaves on what is called "conditions," and these slaves
were freed just as soon as they would pay back the purchase
money. He hoped the majority report would be voted into
oblivion. W. R. Revels said this report opposed the spirit of
prayer—that Christ did not limit the preaching of the Gospel to
geographical lines. He told of cases where persons had purchased
slaves in the South with the intention to set them free, and in
■many cases the contract was made in the presence of a civil
magistrate. He Avould not have a rule created here which would
hinder such acts of mercy.
J. A. AVarrcn favored the majority report. He said we should
not regard policy, but always heed our duty. " The city in which
we are now deliberating, yea, the whole country, is looking for us
to take high grounds 011 this question—we have nothing to do
with the consequences.'" Rev. William Moore was opposed, and
referred to the general rule 011 the slavery question, and said:
" We need no more action 011 the subject. The majority report
cannot speak out our sentiments any better. The minority re¬
port is in keeping with our general rule, and expresses all that
need to be expressed,. In adopting the report of the majority Ave
General Conference of 1856.
339
have nothing to gain, but much evil to apprehend. If this is what
you call abolitionism, I am not an abolitionist. If men will take
such grounds as will drive acts of mercy out of the Church, I
have nothing to do with such abolitionists. I envy not the
Christianity nor humanity of such men. They will cast a man
out from the bosom of the church because he would buy a slave
to set him free."
M. T. Newsome said that every religious body was legislating
on this question, " but we desire to shun it. There is no differ¬
ence between the white man and colored. Both will enslave
their own blood. We are told that we have slaveholders now in
our Church. If we do not s;top our members from slaveholding,
our ministers will soon become slaveholders also. I say again,
every religious body is speaking out, and shall Ave not do the same.
Shall we fear to speak out? I say to-day, being 110 prophet nor
a prophet's son, if we allow our brethren to deal in this charit¬
able slaveholding, in less than twenty years we shall have prac¬
tical ones."
Elder Robinson rose and said : " If you take any of these
brethren who are so anxious to adopt the report of the majority
but two hundred miles south, you will find them holding their
peace; but being in Cincinnati we speak very loudly." He then
told how a package of magazines had been sent him while he
was stationed in Baltimore, and the postmaster had broken them
open to see if anything obnoxious to the institutions of the
South were contained in them. "Every colored man is an abo¬
litionist, and slaveholders know it."
J. P. Campbell said, in substance: "The position we now
assume is this: That we ought to do all that is in our power to
put down human chattelism, but nothing more. Can we alter
or change a single law in one of the slave states? We cannot.
But in all these states we can keep slavery out of the Church.
Now, the question is: Can we keep slavery out of the Church in
the free as well as the slave states? We can and do. The state
of Louisiana has bowed down to our Church by incorporating it
with an anti-slavery Discipline; therefore, if there is any stoop¬
ing, Louisiana has stooped to the black man. and as soon as she
rescinds her act of incorporation, we shall quit the Smith."
Elder John Peck said: "The hour is come when we are about
to repeal the charge of pro-slaveryism. The M. E. Church, with
a rule in its Discipline against slavery, just like ours, went on
340
History of the A. M. E. Church.
till it covered under its influence and protection hundreds of
thousands of slaveholders. If our brethren will trust in God he
will protect them."
A. W. Wayman said: "The statement of the first resolution
in the majority report is not true historically. It accuses all the
American Churches of practicing the sin of slavery. There are
the United Brethren, the Wesleyan Methodists and the' Covenant¬
ers, who never did allow the sin of slavery among them; and
the A. M. E. Church never did."
At this point M. M. Clark moved to strike out the word "all-'
and insert the word "some," but the speaker held that "the
whole must go down." He continued, saying that the M. E.
Church " can and will do something. Some of her leading mem¬
bers are in the civil departments of the country—some are gov¬
ernors, some judges, and others are in the state and nsftional leg¬
islatures; but what can we do? We have neither civil nor polit¬
ical power; hence, no civil or political influence, and, therefore,
the responsibility does not rest upon us. But there are many
things wanted to be done in our Church which we can do. We
want more vital piety, more holiness, more intelligence, more
sinlessness. These we can have, and these will greatly aid in lift¬
ing us out of the dust of degradation and elevating us to respect¬
ability in the land."
Brother Edward Davis was opposed to the majority report on
the ground of the good our Church had been able to do in the
slave states.
Elder Young spoke in favor of its adoption, saying that our
Discipline, with an anti-slavery rule, had clone no good; that we
should speak still more explicitly and boldly in the language of
the report, and more good would be accomplished.
When the main question was put, it was lost by forty against
six. The motion to adopt the minority report was then made,
which led to further argument. M. M. Clark opposed it, basing
his opposition upon the "fact that it was based upon our Disci¬
pline, and that was pro-slavery." He illustrated his position by
supposing himself to purchase a slave, requiring her to pay back
the purchase money. Before this is done she marries and has
children, who by law become his slaves as well; he dies insol¬
vent, and all are sold for debt; and lie asked: "Am I not guilty
of the sin of slaveholding? " He then continued: "Mr. Presi¬
dent, we have slaveholders in our Church; colored slaveholders
General Conference of 1856.
341
in the very state of Ohio! Not fifty miles from this city (Cin¬
cinnati), where I labored some years ago, I found a woman, a
member of the church under my care. That woman was then
holding slaves in the South. I notified her of her duty to eman¬
cipate her slaves according to the requisition of our Discipline.
She required the ' due notice,' or time allowed by the Discipline,
during which time she went South and sold her slaves for the
sum of $3,000, and returning, showed me the check on a North¬
ern bank for the said amount of money. I knew another per¬
son, a man, also a member of our Church. He held slaves in
the South, and when I gave him the 'due notice' of the Disci¬
pline, he acted as the slaveholding woman did, and is now living
upon the avails of twenty-one slaves. He still retains his stand¬
ing as a member of our Church."
E. Weaver argued at length to show that it was not expedient
to change the rule, and showed that M. M. Clark had misrepre¬
sented the Discipline. He (Weaver) also read the Discipline
touching the point at issue, showed its spirit and meaning, then
ridiculed adducing cases that occurred fourteen years before,
asking why the things of the present were not brought fonvard,
and why these slaveholding cases were not brought to light years
ago. Weaver closed his remarks by giving a concise view of the
history of the A. M. E. Church as it relates to slavery, and
showed its condition in the regions of New Orleans.
A. Woodfork thought that M. M. Clark laid too much stress
upon the phrase " due time," and that he had done wrong in not
expelling the slaveholders immediately. Said he: "I have
spoken to slaveholders as boldly as man ever did. I have done my
duty on this question, and God has both protected and blessed
me in my efforts." He then related an anecdote showing the
ignorance of a certain slaveholder.
M. T. Newsome said that the speech of A. Woodfork reminded
him of a certain preacher who took his text from the 40th chapter
of " Generations " and ended his sermon with the last of " Evel-
ation." He declared that if there be one man or woman in the
A. M. E. Church holding slaves, we cannot be an anti-slavery
Church.
R. Green read the first resolution of the minority report,
and defended the A. M. E. Church from the charge of slaveliold-
ing. He arraigned M. M. Clark for not doing his duty if he had
not expelled such slaveholders; and as he claimed he had, he
342
History of the A. M. E. Church.
questioned as to how the}' could now be slaveholders, having
sold'their slaves, and how could they be still living in the bosom
of the Church. He claimed that the A. M. E. Church was thus
misrepresented. He emphatically disclaimed the charge of its
having a pro-slavery Discipline, saying: "But the ' due notice'
required by the Discipline means nothing more than five or six
days at least—time enough for the slaveholder to take the neces¬
sary measures for emancipation. Therefore, Brother Clark misin¬
terprets the Discipline when he tells us that it is a pro-slavery
Discipline. The General Conference is called upon to set itself
right. She has been branded by some of her ministers as being
pro-slavery. This is false; therefore, this Conference must set
itself right. She is pure. She is free from the sin charged upon
her. Look, also, if you please, upon the helpless condition of
our Church in the South. Poor, ignorant, without civil or polit¬
ical influence, without friends, fettered by the very laws that
ought to have been made for her protection, what can she do to
help herself? She is in the same condition as the apostolic
church.
G. Broadie said we ought to discuss the question coolly and
deliberately. The color of a man's skin does not change his dis¬
position to apologize for slavery. He would ask the question,
What evidence have we this day that our Church is not pro-
slavery ? It has been affirmed on the floor that there are slave¬
holders in our Church, and he believes it. As long as we have
slaveholding churches hanging on to the Connection, so long
will we be bowing down to the spirit of slavery. Pie thanked
God that he "lives on free soil, and will, therefore, speak out
against the monster slavery. This very thing will tear our
churches to pieces."
At this point in the debate several brethren endeavored to ob¬
tain the floor. W. II. Revels was successful. He said that
Brother M. M. Clark deserved to be impeached for tolerating
slavery in the church under his pastoral care in the state of Ohio.
He then clearly showed that our Church was anti-slavery. He
wished to know if the written rule in our Discipline was a truth or
a falsehood? It had always prohibited slaveholding; it had
done so ever since the formation of our Connection in 1816; it
had never changed itself to suit white men or black men in the
far south nor the far north; it had always excluded slaveholders,
and " we demand from these brethren whether this rule, written,
General Conference of 1856.
O A O
o4o
printed and published to the four winds of heaven, is a lie? If
it he, why have they not proven this before? Why,do they not
prove it now? He who contends that our Church is pro-slavery,
with this law in his hands, has to contend with the fearful odds
of ten to one! They are joining the company of those who are
the Avorst enemies and slanderers of our Church at the time
they ought to be engaged in her defense. If these brethren
are so heroic, so brave, so valiant for the truth, why do they not
go down South and light the enemy on their own ground? Nay!
They stand at a distance, where the enemy can neither see nor
reach them, to discharge their riiles and field-pieces; this is
cowardly. But what is the position of the brethren who are
required to labor in the South ? They are like a man in the
wilderness surrounded by hornets. They are without a voice in
the Church general or in the state. They are without arms and
without the protection of those who have the power to protect.
They are gagged and fettered beneath the iron heels of the pow¬
ers that be—powerless themselves, they are down-trodden by
power, and yet these brave brethren who stand beyond sight and
hearing of the enemy demand that they shall do what no man
living under the circumstances can perform."
Elder Robinson again obtained the floor, and appealed to the
historical fact that our Church had occupied an anti-slavery posi¬
tion from the very beginning until now. These brethren, who
are so noisy and clamorous, joined the Church with this rule star¬
ing them in the face and looking them in the eyes ever since.
Yet, notwithstanding, they here to-day unblushingly tell us that
the A. M. E. Church is pro-slavery. As well might they under¬
take to demonstrate the absurd proposition that black is white
and darkness light. At the close of his speech, and after he had
stated that the young men made these speeches to show how well
they could speak, and that they knew better, he moved the pre¬
vious question.
This threw the house into great excitement, when one of the
Bishops obtained the attention of the house, and begged the
brethren to allow the greatest liberty, if by so doing this discus¬
sion should occupy forty-eight hours more, because it would
accomplish more for the cause of freedom, the cause of truth,
and the cause of God.
Pending this question, adjournment took place until afternoon,
when the discussion was resumed.
344
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Dr. Bias rose to defend himself, as he stated, "against the im¬
putations which were thrown out against him on yesterday."
He wanted the Conference to notice some things, and he proceeded
to make some severe retorts upon the other speakers, claiming
that all the "four aspirants to-the episcopal office were agreed on
this question." He quoted Bishop Payne's definition of slavery,
given as far hack as 1838, in an address delivered before the
Franklin Synod of the Lutheran Church, "Slavery is the assump¬
tion that it is right for one man to hold property in another,"
and that "he who enslaves a fellow man sins as much against
God as though he had enslaved an angel." "This," said Dr.
Bias, "is the daring, impious, heaven-insulting system we are
called upon to oppose and legislate against. Revels has made
out our case clearly; he has told us that slaveholders gave eight
hundred feet of lumber to build one of our southern churches;
those eight hundred feet are the fruit of the slave's labor, and
does not every one knoAV that it is also the blood of the slave?
To this very thing, so infamous and shameful, Brother Green is
shouting, 'Glory!'" The doctor also alluded to the fact that ever
since that time when Louisiana was a slave territory under the
French crown, she was a comparatively mild slaveliolding state;
so to quote her example was but to throw dust in our eyes. Her
governors, judges, and other officials, he said, have generally had
colored wives, so that their sympathies have generally been on
the side of the colored man, and this fact also accounted for the
phenomenon that there was more commercial and mechanical
enterjjrise among the few colored people of Louisiana than in
any other state in the Union.
Brother Green rose to set the doctor right. He again read
from the report of the committee, and declared himself prepared
to show, as he had already done, that the A. M. E. Church was
free from the sin of slavery. He also read the disciplinary rule on
slavery, and showed that in establishing our Church in a new coun¬
try we could not tell who Avere slaveholders till after they had
got in—after Avhich the rule is to be made knoAvn to them, and
if they did not repent by emancipating their slaves, they are to
be expelled. " If the preachers having charge of churches in
slaveliolding states Arill not execute the laAVS, the fault is theirs,
and not that of the Church. Where is the conscience of the
preacher, with this rule in his hand, that does not exclude a
slaveholder? To charge the Church Avith the sin of slavery
General Conference of 1856.
345
under such circumstances is to charge God with the sin of Adam,
who did previously transgress in the very face of the law Avhich
forbade him to eat the forbidden fruit. The Church is free from
this accursed sin—standing forth as a beacon light, and as glo¬
rious as the unclouded sun!"
The speaker had waxed eloquent, and as soon as he was done,
from every side of the house was heard the cry of " Give us the
question—the question! the question!" Amidst confusion the
question was put and sustained by a vote of forty in the afiirm-
tive and twelve in the negative.
Thus ended the debate on slavery in the General Conference
of 1856.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
GUN URAL CONFERENCK OF 1860—CONTINUED.
The Divorce Question—Points Involved—Proposed Amendment Postponed
—Lengthy Debate on Dress—Limitation of Bishops' Power Proposed—
Bishops' Residences—Synopsis of Impoitant Points—The Proposition
from the M. E. Church Concerning Education Injected—How a Bishop
Shall be Constituted —On Maladministration—The Bishops to Itinerate—
Their Salary—A New Episcopal Seal.
rT^IiE divorce question also came up for discussion. The rule
I of the Discipline, as found in section 28, page 139, from
1848 to 1852, touching this subject, says:
If any minister, preacher, exhorter, or member of our Society, who has
been married, and shall separate and marry again while the former com¬
panion is living, he or she shall be expelled, and shall never be admitted
during the life-time of the parties. And any minister who shall marry
such knowingly, shall forfeit his standing in the Connection.
But at the General Conference of 1852, by motion of Rev. R.
V. Morgan, this rule was so altered as to allow any one of our
members to marry after divorce, if he or she had obtained a legal
divorce, provided that divorce had been based on the criminal
action alluded to by our Saviour in the Sermon on the Mount.
This amendment, however, was not published in the revised
Discipline of 1852; therefore, Dr. J. J. G. Bias moved "That
section 28 be amended on page 188, by striking out question fourth,
with its answTer, and inserting the rule adopted by the last Gen¬
eral Conference.
There was then a movement to postpone indefinitely the con¬
sideration of this motion.
A discussion then took place as to the questions involved in
the settlement of the matter. Rev. M. M. Clark asked " whether
the divorce does absolve all connection with and obligations to
the woman ? If in the affirmative, can the man remain in full
standing? These are the points to be settled, and therefore must
be discussed." He hoped the motion for indefinite postpone¬
ment would not prevail.
Rev. John Peck said: "If a divorced woman is an adulteress,
so, also, a divorced man must be an adulterer, and had no more
( -40 )
General Conference of 1856—Continued.
847
right to remain a member of the Christian Church than the
woman."
Rev. C. Woodyard said that he wanted to know who was the
author of matrimony, lie answered it himself by saying: u Why,
God. God created but one man and one woman. Thus he in¬
dicated his will concerning marriage. Thus he has shown that
it is right for a man to have but one wife. Shall a man leave his
wife and marry another? God never gave a man the right to
divorce his wife. In reading the letters of Paul you will see
that no license was given to divorce." He quoted I. Corinthians,
7th chapter, 11th verse, and dwelt upon it with great emphasis,
and closed with, " I say with the apostle, 'Let not the husband
put away his wife.' I go for indefinite postponement."
J. P. Campbell said: " This is a serious, solemn question, and
so am I disposed to treat it. Has our Heavenly Father given
such a right to any man? This day let us take the highest pos¬
sible ground in Christian morals. Our fathers took this high
ground, in times, too, when the circumstances of our people
Avere more involved than at present. Shall wc, their sons, with
our boasted increase of intelligence, lower the standard? Shall
Ave come doAvn, or shall we stand upon the same lofty platform,
and ultimately shine as the stars in the firmament ? The rule
as Ave now have it is right. Therefore, let the proposition be
postponed now and eternally. We Avant time to think on this
question—yes, Ave want years—we are not disposed to tear doAvn
the pure and bright temple Avhich our fathers have erected. We
Avant time to think on so grave a question, and therefore Ave Avant
it indefinitely postponed; it Avill do us good iioav and forever!
Dr. Bias replied: " I entrench myself upon the teachings of
the Saviour. He said in his memorable Sermon on the Mount,
" Whosoever shall put aAvay his Avife, saving for the cause of for¬
nication, causeth her to commit adultery." Here it is evident
that an exception is made, and made in favor of the injured hus¬
band. He can rightfully divorce his adulterous wife, and there¬
fore rightfully remain in full standing in the church after a legal
divorce shall have rightfully been obtained. The position of
the brethren on the opposite .side reminds me of the Levite.
Suppose a slave brother has had the wife of his bosom torn aAvay
from him by the brutal and libidinous arm of slavery, shall he
never be alloAved to marry again? And if he should, Avould Ave
drive him out of the Church of God? Here is a case at hand:
348
History of the A. M. E. Church.
The Rev. Dntton, formerly a member of our Church, had his
wife torn from his arms and sent forever from him. The question
was considered, and Bishop Allen decided that it was right
for Button to marry another woman. The question at issue is
not what is the opinion of Brothers Campbell, Woodyard and
Peck, but whether the Bible has given an exception in favor of
an injured husband or an injured woman. I maintain and be¬
lieve that the woman who can prove her husband guilty of hav¬
ing violated the laws of chastity, has as much right to divorce him,
and remain in full standing in the Christian Church, as a man
under similar circumstances. All that I demand is, that the
statute law ordained by the last General Conference, and omitted
by the general book steward, be placed in the Discipline. I re¬
gard the brethren who occupy the opposite side as hypocrites, who
seem desirous to be holier than the Saviour himself. They would,
if they could, create a false standard of moral purity nowhere
recognized in the Holy Scriptures."
At the close of the debate the motion for indefinite postpone¬
ment was put and carried.
The debate on dress was introduced by the movement that sec¬
tion 29, which regulates the dress of our members, be amended
by saying: " Each and all of our Annual Conferences shall faith¬
fully carry out this rule at each session for the violation of which
any minister in charge may be suspended. Therefore, all our
preachers shall put off all superfluity and costly apparel."
Dr. Bias was opposed to such an amendment " because its tend¬
ency is only to hypocrisy. The Quakers are a very plain people
in their costume, but none are more proud than they." In re¬
gard to wearing a gold watch with a gold chain, what man shall
hinder him? He will wear whatever kind of watch he likes
best. To attempt to prohibit him is despotism in the extreme.
" Some men's alimentiveness is so very large that all their moneys
are spent to fill their bellies. The}r are afraid that the people
will not give them money sufficient for these wants. They want
to wear shad-belly coats, and have starched bonnets and sleeves
without gores for the women. Were the craniums of these breth¬
ren submitted to a phrenological examination, it would be found
that their acquisitiveness is very large, and you, Mr. Chairman,
know that it is a fact that the men who wear straight coats give
you the most trouble—other men give you the least."
Elder Robinson admitted the right of every one to dress as he
General Conference of 1856—Continued.
349
pleases, but it should be in uniformity with the usage of the
Church and the requirements of the Discipline. " If the women
have sleeves as large as bags, and gowns with no pleats in them,
it is nothing to us. Some of our preachers upbraid the people
for wearing rings and costly apparel, whilst they themselves wear
gold watches in their pockets." He was opposed to such incon¬
sistency, and desired to see uniformity as much among the min¬
istry as among the laity.
A. R. Green said that uniformity was all that was demanded—
the fault was in the preachers. When they took their minis¬
terial vows they pledged to keep all the rules, not for wrath, but
for conscience's sake. Later he said that he was with the doctor
in regard to eating, and added, "Our backs and stomachs are
robbing us of much money, so that we are unable to acquire
property. This is also one reason why our periodicals are not
sustained, and also why our children are not well educated. Our
people are now wearing gold watches at a cost of from fifty to
one hundred and fifty dollars, while many of these very extrav¬
agant men have not so much as a log cabin to cover their heads,
nor the means to supply the most absolute wants in the day of
affliction, in the time of need. This extravagance of our people
is a curse to them." He referred to the change which had taken
place in the congregation in Cincinnati during the last nine
months, and said that this was owing to the want of uniformity
among the preachers. If they would not be so extravagant, in a
few years they would have their own houses to live in. He
averred that many of our preachers on that Conference floor
were wearing more costly apparel than Nicholas Longworth.
E. Weaver was opposed to the amendment, as he thought there
was already law enough to govern all our preachers and people
in this respect. He claimed that this amendment conflicted
with the government of the Church, and if the attempt be made
to execute it, the result will be a breaking up of the entire
Church. One of the speakers on the opposite side wears a long-
beard; he did not see any more harm in wearing an extravagant
coat—if the one was a superfluity, so was the other. " If, as he
says, a gold watch is a superfluity, let him also cut off his long
beard, for I maintain it also is a superfluity. If this amendment
be passed, we may execute it indirectly, but not directly. I have
a gold watch in my pocket, and intend to wear it. It was earned
by my own hard labor—my gold chain is a present from friends
350
History of the A. M. E. Church.
outside of the Church." An attempt last year to execute this
rule upon dress in the Cincinnati Station brought confusion into
it, he claimed, and by ultraism on this subject did more harm
than good. He referred to a "very gay preacher" whom one of
the Bishops of the M. E. Church sent on a poor circuit—a cir¬
cuit as poor as Job's turkey—but when he appeared at the next
Conference he was the best dressed man in the house.
The preacher at the Cincinnati Station declared that the
church was not in confusion, and that it had sustained him in a
measure.
Elder Moore spoke in support of the amendment: "The min¬
istry ought never to attempt to rule the people if they will not
submit themselves to be ruled. The time has not yet come for
us to give encouragement to the present extravagance of our
people. Who can contemplate the extravagance of our people
without shame, pain and grief? Are the fathers to be set aside
by these young men who dress more like gamblers than as min¬
isters of Him who wore a seamless garment? Are the timbers
to dictate to the builders? No! Rather let them be hewn down
and made to fit in the sacred building. It is the duty of this Con¬
ference to dictate to these young ministers, and in the spirit of
economy tell them what is made for their good. We live now
in the most dangerous age the world ever saw. Respecting the
happiness of a man hereafter, that is another question; but
when he joins a plain Society like the Methodists, let him submit
to its rules." He was equally opposed to men going into the
pulpit with their mouths full of tobacco, spitting and squirting
out the filthy juice like a squirrel. "It is a shame! It is the
filthy habit of rowdies and topers, of which no minister should
be guilty ! Our young men must be made to submit; our people
also. No man is either a consistent Christian or minister of
Christ who will rebel against government."
Brother Morgan said: "Mr. Chairman and all you reverend
Bishops, please cast your eyes over this house, over this General
Conference, and survey the brethren from head to foot. Do you
see any conformity among them? It has been said that our
fathers were uniform. This statement is not true. Some of
them wore shad-belly coats, some straight ones; some wore clean
boots, some dirty; some clean shirts, some dirty ones; some
wore watches, some wore none; some used gold spectacles, like
one of the reverend chairmen, others wore silver ones, while the
General Conference of 1856—Continued.
351
majority wore none. Coffee, tea and some other eatables are per¬
nicious in their influences, as well as tobacco, because they are
calculated to destroy the foundations of human health by per¬
petually exciting the nervous system. Yet some of these very
brethren who are such great sticklers about dress are as extrava¬
gant in their use of these superfluous articles as others are in
that of dress. Superfluity in dress is a comparatively little evil
compared with superfluity in the use of coffee, green tea and
tobacco; for, while the former destroys a man's money, the latter
destroys his whole body, and precipitates him into an untimely
grave. Let us have uniformity in everything—from the Bishops
down to the least of us. If our zealous brother will cut off his
superfluous whiskers, I will take off any superfluous article that
I now Avear. Every man has the right to wear whatsoever he
pleases; to attempt to abridge this right is slavery. I say again,
I go for uniformity in everything—let us have it in prayer, in
preaching, in singing. But the idea of uniformity is impracti¬
cable. Let me utter my warning voice to-day: When the hour
shall come that this idea of uniformity shall be attempted, it
will prove an utter failure. Let those who are such sticklers for
uniformity first set the example. The young men are charged
with an attempt to destroy the Church. I repel with indigna¬
tion such an imputation. We have no desire to despise the
examples of our fathers—we are willing to and shall follow them
in all vital matters; but in things indifferent Ave choose to folloAV
the dictates of common sense. Our fathers were fallible men
like others."
Brother Green referred to our Saviour's Avearing a beard, Avhich
Dr. Bias met by the rejoinder that He also Avore a seamless
garment.
Brother Campbell said the brethren had given a Avrong con¬
struction to the Avord "uniformity." The Discipline meant
nothing more than plainness of dress. So, also, some had given
a Avrong construction to that Avhich says: "Ilend your hearts,
but not your garments." He thought if the brethren had read
their Bibles as diligently as himself, they Avould take a different
vieAV of its teachings 011 the subject under consideration. He
Avanted the brethren to know that Avisdom, piety and intelligence
put that rule upon dress in the Discipline. The greatest reform¬
ers of modern times Avere the sainted Wesley and his illustrious
coadjutors. They Avere guided by Avisdom, piety and intelligence
352
History of the A. M. E. Church.
when they incorporated the said rule in the economy of Metho¬
dism. Therefore, let it remain in our Discipline forever unal¬
tered. It has thus far guided us safely; it will guide us safely
in the future.
When the motion was put to amend, it was carried by twenty-
four against twenty-one.
Another interesting debate was upon the limitation of the
Bishops' power, or the Bishops' council. The special committee
to whom was referred the duty of amending the 70th page of the
Discipline reported the following:
Your committee.recommend that the second answer to question fourth
be so amended as to read, after the word " Bishop," page 70th, third line
from the top : " Or each Annual Conference may, after the appointments
of the preachers, proceed to choose three or five elders in such portion of
the Annual Conference District, so as to give the Bishops the fairest and
fullest understanding of the circuits and stations in the district, and be the
Bishops' advisers in matters pertaining to the district, and the removal of
preachers, etc."
The discussion was opened, upon, the motion being made for
its adoption, by Elder J. P. Campbell, who arose and said he was
opposed to it because it created a set of " advisers for the Bishops."
It was nothing more than an effort to abridge the episcopal
power, already limited by the wholesome provisions of the Disci¬
pline. The Bishop could do nothing without these "advisers,"
•and it was really putting the appointing power into their hands.
It was necessary to guard against radicalism, of which this report
was the seed that might, by and by, grow into a tree, sending
forth the fruits of ecclesiastical death. The report contemplated
the putting of the Bishops under the control of the " advisers."
"Were I the Bishops," he remarked in conclusion, "I should
feel degraded by such a measure, for I want to be a man, and not
a mere mouse."
Rev. A. II. Green rose in the defence of his report and favorite
measure. He was sorry to see men who did not want to have
counsel. It was the first time he had ever seen a deliberative
body so wise that it did not want counsel. These advisers, he
declared, would not take away the episcopal power.
Elder Morgan was opposed to this " revolutionary meas¬
ure." He claimed that these advisers Avould constitute a five-
winged angel to fly through the Connection and act as a perpet¬
ual spy over the conduct of the respective elders, and report
General Conference of 1856—Continued.
353
such and such a brother, " because dear Sister Mary was displeased
with his administration." " If we are to have these secret spies
over our actions," he said, "tell us to-day in plain English, and
you shall not have the opportunity of telling us again. The
Spanish Inquisition is not more objectionable than this five-
winged angel. 'Tis presiding eldership in another form. 'Tis
the same rabbit, only it has five feet—the same coon, only it has
five ears!"
"The author of this measure," said Rev. H. C. Young, who
rose to speak against the proposed amendment, "notified the
last General Conference of his intention, and I told him I
would meet him on this floor to present determined opposition
to it. If such a measure is to carry, I will now inform the Gen¬
eral Conference of my determination to dissolve my relations to
the itinerancy. What possible good can this measure realize ? I
go against this Bishops' humbug; for mischief and destruction
will follow in its footsteps. Let us bury it so deep that it shall
not have a resurrection for twelve years to come!"
Elder Robinson spoke in favor of the amendment. He was
opposed to presiding elders, but was in favor of the Bishop's
council. It would be nothing more or less than this brother or
that one, who, being well informed respecting the affairs of the
circuit or station, could give the Bishop intelligence respecting
the usefulness of A or B. They would surely give information
without attempting to control the episcopal power. It was well
known that one man was more competent than another to in¬
form the Bishops respecting the affairs of any particular circuit
or station, and such a man would be taken to help constitute
this council. He thought that the safety of the Church and the
advancement of the cause required the creation of these " ad¬
visers."
Brother Edward Johnson was opposed to this council. His
opinion, based upon facts, led him to the belief that such a
measure would destroy the entire union of our ministry and
Church. In his judgment, there was but one class of persons in
the ministry who would be free—it was this very council.
Everybody else—people, preachers and Bishops—would be en¬
slaved, and these counsellors would be the masters. This council
would bring the preachers to an account, and the Bishops also.
It would be an awful situation to be placed in, Not a soul there
23
354
History of the A. M. E. Church.
could tell what good that measure could do, but he could tell
what harm it would do—it would enslave the Bishops, enslave
the elders, enslave the people.
Elder Revels said it was known to every one who understood
our government that there Avas no denomination which required
its ministers to perform so much labor as we demanded at the
hands of our Bishops. They were continually traveling through¬
out the Connection—who could know as much about the field as
they ? This proposition was a reflection upon the Episcopal
Department of the Church, and he did not think fifteen mem¬
bers of the Conference would vote for it.
Elder Shorter rose and declared himself in favor of the meas¬
ure. He was a Low Churchman in principle. He would not
speak for the whole Connection, but for himself and the district
in which he lived. He thought the arguments of Brothers
Campbell and Johnson fallacious, and the measure good and
productive of good.
Dr. Bias said that on the one side the contest was for power,
on the other for principle. The fathers provided that the power
of appointment should never be in the hands of one man. No
such power was given in the Discipline of 1817. That of 1832,
which was the second edition, embraced the same principle.
Those opposed to the Bishops' council desire to subvert the fun¬
damental principle of our government. Those very men who
oppose it are the secret enemies of the episcopacy, going about
and stirring up the people to rebellion. The fact that the people
have submitted to the threats of the government of the United
States has produced the despotism which now obtains in that
government. " We do not propose to interfere with the appoint¬
ing power of the Bishop." He went on to say : "A merchant
skilled in the laws of the cast tin trade, coming West, must go
to some western man to be instructed in the commercial laws
regulating the trade of the West. If he does not, he is very
likely to be unsuccessful in his business. So, also, when the
Bishop comes into a new district, he must obtain information of
those resident in it."
Elder Schureman said: " I am not here as a young man nor
an old man, but as a minister of Christ. The labors of the old
men are those of the young—the sorrows of the old men are the
sorrows of the young—the glories of the old, if any at all, are
the glories of the young. There are honest men on the side of
General Conference of 1856—Continued.
355
those who oppose the idea of the Bishops' council. This meas¬
ure was proposed by Brothers Shorter, Green and their colleagues.
These five advisers are swift horses, indeed; but they are untried,
yea, unbroken colts—they are strong, but their mettle is too
great; they will doubtless look very fine when they come to be
harnessed up in the chariot, but I am afraid of them. I am
afraid that, moved by their fiery spirit, they will scarce give the
driver time to seize the bridle before they will begin to prance
and kick—and just as soon as they hear the whip cracking over
their heads, they will fly off with the speed of lightning, and
dash our chariot to pieces. Away with these fiery, untried, un¬
broken colts! Away with them! They seem beautiful, indeed;
but they have too much mettle. Away with them! Away with
this Bishop's council! Let the Bishops consult the Discipline,
the Bible, the Holy Ghost, and they will have counsel enough."
Elder Moore was in favor of the council. Said he : " If we are
to judge the future by the past, we are not sufficiently provided
with restraints upon our episcopacy. The harmony and peace
of the Church requires this measure. Does making a man a
Bishop make him infallible?" he questioned.
Elder Wayman thought the Bishops had counsellors, as pro¬
vided by the Discipline on page 70th. He expressed himself as
thinking that these brethren wanted a Bishops' council because
they wanted to be Bishops themselves, and as they could not
obtain the bishopric they wrere determined to obtain a board
of counsellors, get in that board themselves, and then control
the Bishops. He denied that those opposed to it coveted power,
but said that such was the case with its advocates, and that they
contemplated in that council far more than they expressed. He
concluded with this hypothesis: " Suppose this measure carries—
after the Bishops' counsellors shall have given him advice about
the appointment of A, B, C and D—what will he do wTith these
counsellors ? Who shall give him advice about them ? Of
course, these counsellors are the infallible men, and with them
wisdom will die."
Brother Green declared the advocates of the measure never for
one moment supposed that it would carry now. They knew
what materials they had to deal with. " I wish to know," he
concluded, "who of those now opposed to this measure can here¬
after go and preach that ' In the multitude of counsellors there
is safety.'"
856
History of the A. M. E. Church.
After this lengthy and free expression of opinion the question
was put and lost. Fifteen were found to vote for it, and thirty-
nine against it.
The Bishops again came up for discussion in a movement set
on foot by Rev. J. A. Shorter and A. W. Wayman, to the effect
that "l-Cach of the Bishops shall reside within the limits of their
respective districts, and the time to preside in their respective
districts shall be from one General Conference to another. Never¬
theless, nothing in this act shall be so construed as to conflict with
the other arrangements made concerning the episcopal power."
As usual there were vehement opposers and advocates. One
of the latter, Brother Green, labored to show that the wants of
the people required its adoption—the Bishops' usefulness also
required it. The Connection, he said, would be ruined if it was
not adopted.
Dr. Bias opposed the measure, thinking that the brethren
" were still aiming at the chair"—Bishop Nazrey being the target.
He thought such a measure would so derange the episcopal move¬
ments as to make it necessary to call an extra General Confer¬
ence to elect another Bishop. The Bishops should have the same
rights that the elders enjoy—the right of living wherever they
please.
Brother Green said in explanation that it Avas not his desire to
have the Bishops reside in, but preside over, their respective dis¬
tricts.
Brother Shorter said that Bishop Nazrey did not live out of
his district. If he were asked whether Conference was compelled
to pay the traveling expenses of Bishop Nazrey to Canada, his
answer would be, No. So, also, of Bishop Quinn. He was cer¬
tain that the three Bishops were with him in this particular.
Elder Moore agreed with him, and added, that were it possible,
the Bishops should be omnipresent; they ought to have their
homes in the district over which they preside. This measure
would not make slaves of them. They ought always to be where
they could be easily reached, so as to come to the cry of the
needy churches.
Elder Robinson was opposed, and considered two years long
enough for any one Bishop to preside over one district. Their
term should be like the elders.
When the proposition was finally put to the house, it was in¬
definitely postponed by a vote of twenty-three to two.
General Conference of 1856—Continued. 357
The subsequent action of this General Conference touching all
important points will be seen in the following synopsis:
They rejected the proposition of the Cincinnati Conference of
the M. E. Church to establish, or aid in establishing, a school of
a high order for colored youth, upon the ground that it seemed
to be the scheme of an avowed colonizationist,* and, therefore,
nothing good could come of it. Rev. M. M. Clark said, in effect,
that the M. E. Church was pro-slavery and colonizationist to the
backbone; that it must be the colored man's enemy; that "we
suspect the people who have been opposing and oppressing us
for more than two hundred years;" that the Anglo-Saxon was
treacherous, and given to breaking compromises; that he was his¬
torically known to be the oppressor of the weak, the despair of the
poor and ignorant, especially of the black man; that colored men
were too credulous; that, in fact, the General Conference must be
slow to close with any overture—" especially from men avowedly
colonizationists—another term for expatriation;" so, under such
fallacious reasoning, the brethren, honest in opinions and mean¬
ing well, suffered their prejudices against the scheme of African
colonization to induce them to reject one of the most benevolent
plans ever devised by man for the elevation of a down-trodden
people. The members did not see that, as education would be
an irresistible power, he who put it into our hands would prove
one of our best friends, for he would develop the inherent force
within us, which, acting like the upheaval of an earthquake,
must lay in the dust him who had planted his feet upon our
once prostrate bodies.
The Committee on Missions reported in favor of the organiza¬
tion of a parent society, with headquarters at Baltimore, but this
was neglected, though the General Conference hastily, at the in¬
stance of Rev. J. R. V. Morgan, and at the last moment, set off a
mission in Western Africa, with Rev. J. R. V. Morgan as mis¬
sionary ;f but that was the end of the mission in Western Africa.
Had the parent society been properly formed, and the planting
of the mission committed to its care under proper supervision,
the result would have been widely different.
* Dr. Durbin was referred to.
TRev. J. R. V. Morgan procured credentials and secured funds for the
purpose, but for some reason informally left the A. M. E. Church and con¬
nected himself with the Zion Wesleyan A. M. E. Church.
358
History of the A. M. K. Church.
Various amendments were made to the Discipline. The section
relating to the composition of the General Conference was one of
these. It was amended so as to read: "The General Conference
shall be composed of all the traveling preachers who have trav¬
eled six full years in our Connection, and one regularly licensed
local preacher of four years standing for every eight hundred lay
members returned at the previous Annual Conference." A
Bishop was to be constituted "by the election of the General
Conference; nevertheless it shall require a majority of all the
votes of the members present, and the laying on of hands of a
Bishop and six elders," while, if from any cause, there be no
Bishop in our Church, it was provided that " The General Confer¬
ence shall elect one, and the elders, or any seven of them who
may be appointed, shall ordain him."
No preacher was to be allowed "to remain in one circuit or
station longer than two years, and no preacher in one city longer
than four years, excepting the editor and general book steward."
The subject of maladministration was also dealt with, and points
more clearly defined. An article was also incorporated in sec¬
tion 3, regulating the duty of the Bishop, that there might not
be " danger of destroying our itinerant general superintendency
by dividing the Connection into dioceses." They were, there¬
after, "to travel at large among the people, and visit every circuit
and station, and while one may have the charge of a certain
portion of the episcopal labor assigned him, yet, in any district
where his presence and the interests of the Connection shall re¬
quire the action of a Bishop in the absence of the one appointed
to that district, or jointly, if present, to subserve the interests
of the Church in general, or in all cases of difficulty where the
presence of a Bishop may be required, it shall be the duty of the
Bishop nearest to attend when notice is given by the official offi¬
cers of the Church."
The Bishop's salary was also placed at $200 per year, with
board for himself, wife, and children under twelve years of age;
also, house rent, fuel and traveling expenses;" and provision was
made for raising that amount. A traveling preacher's allowance
was to be the same as a Bishop's.
Some important resolutions were also adopted, but not all
were carried out. " That all the amendments and alterations be
placed in a separate part of the minutes," was one of these, as
was also the one "that a committee of three be appointed by the
General Conference of 1856—Continued.
359
chair to revise the present hymn book, and present the same to
the Bislioj >s to he reviewed by them, and then to the book com¬
mittee in Philadelphia, with instructions to publish it as soon as
practicable."
An episcopal seal was also ordered, which was manufactured
under the supervision of Bishop Payne. Its face is embellished
with an open Bible, from which divine light is radiating; the
heavenly cross lying upon the book; the Eternal Spirit, in the
form of a dove, hovering over it; the title of the denomination
below the Bible. Upon the border of the seal is the motto: " Clod
our Father, Christ our Redeemer, Man our Brother."
The Ohio Annual Conference was also " requested, at its session
immediately preceding the next General Conference, to elect one
of the Bishops and two elders for the objects following: The
Bishop to prepare a written address, to be delivered at the open¬
ing of the General Conference, to be termed the Episcopal Ad¬
dresses on Ministerial Education, and on the Intellectual Eleva¬
tion of our Race."
Inducements were also offered by resolutions to any who might
deposit money in the book concern, interest being allowed, and
the preachers to be allowed a percentage 011 cash paid for books
and papers.
The following preamble and resolutions were also adopted in
reference to the history of our Church :
Whereas, We, the members of this General Conference, have heard
from Bishop Payne that the history of our Church will be completed in
twelvemonths; and
Whereas, In view of the great difficulty he labored under in gathering
materials for said history ; therefore,
Resolved, 1st. That we return our thanks to him for his unremitting labors,
believing that said history will greatly promote the religious, moral and
social elevation of our people.
Rfsolved, 2d. That we will do all in our power in the various charges to
impress upon our people the importance of each family securing a copy of
the same.
It was also resolved to allow the Bishop, " for this service in
writing the history of our Church, twenty-five cents 011 every
dollar arising from the sale of said book."
In this year of 1856, at the last Annual Conference of the
A. M. E. Church in Canada, one of the early pioneers and an
elder in the Church, Rev. Alexander Helmsley, was numbered
360
History of the A. M. E. Church.
among the dead of the year. He was born in Queen Anne
county, Md., 1790. He removed to the state of New Jersey in
the course of time, and married there in 1821. In 1823 he was
converted, and licensed to exhort in 1827, by Richard Williams,
an elder of the A. M. E. Church, and shortly after that he was
licensed to preach by Rev. Israel Scott, also an elder. He was
arrested finally by his pursuers, and lay in prison six months,
when Paul Brown, a lawyer, brought his case before the Supreme
Court of New Jersey, which liberated him. He removed to
Canada in 1886, and was ordained a deacon by Bishop Mor¬
ris Brown, in Toronto, in 1840. In 1842 he was made an elder.
He traveled until February 29th, 1854, when he was taken ill
with dropsy, and died November 15th, 1855. His last words
were the memorable ones of Bishop McKendree—"All is well;
all is well."
CHAPTER XXIX.
SEPARATION FROM THE A. M. E. CHURCH.
The Last Annual Conference of the A. M. E. Church in Canada—Episcopal
Form of Government Adopted—Relations of the B. M. E. Church to the
A. M. E. Church—Articles of Faith—The New Twenty-third Article by
D. A. Payne—Bishop Nazrey's Name Proposed for Bishop—Bishop Payne
Explains the Designs of the General Conference of the A. M. E. Church
—Organization of the B. M. E. Church—Bishop Nazrey Elected its First
Bishop—Reflections—Mission Established in Central America.
ASIDE from the General Conference of the year 1856, the
greatest events, and the only extraordinary ones, were the
dissolution of the Connection and the organization of the
British Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada.
The last Annual Conference of the A. M. E. Church in Can¬
ada assembled in the town of Chatham, C. W., on the 23d
of September, in the house of Sister Taylor. After the opening
exercises the usual committees were appointed to consider the
attitude of the Conference in relation to the approaching Con¬
vention for the organization of the new Church. Other business
of the Conference was then transacted. The St. Catherine's and
Dummondsville Mission were consolidated into one, and the name
of the Queensbush Circuit was changed into that of Peel Township.
Monday, the 29th of September, at 10 o'clock, was the time ap¬
pointed for the termination of the existence of the Conference.
At that time Bishop Quinn* rose and gave out the hymn,
" Come, let us join our cheerful songs," etc., and after the singing
of the two stanzas, he stopped, and called upon Rev. Samuel
Brown to pronounce the benediction. Bishop Payne f then pro-
* Bishop William Paul Quinn was then the senior Bishop. He filled
that place from 1852 to 1873—from May of the former year to February of
the latter—a period of about twenty years and nine months.
t Bishop Payne had been the presiding Bishop of the Province of Canada'
from June, 1854, till the close of the Canada Conference in September,
18f>6, a period of about two years and three months. He then became the
historiographer of the convention, because he was the accredited histori¬
ographer of the A. M. E. Church, whose mission in Canada was about to
terminate, and would be finished as soon as the convention had con¬
structed the missionary churches into a separate and independent organ¬
ization.
(361)
362
History of the A. M: E. Church.
nounced the historical fact that " the Annual Conference of the
A. M. E. Church in Canada is extinct, and the convention will be
opened at 12 m."
So the Conference became extinct. It had run a career of sev¬
enteen years, and we trust had accomplished something for
Christ and fallen man. In another half hour it would meet in
the convention to remodel the Church in Canada. It was to be
seen what spirit would animate its members, what principles
would guide their movements, and what would be the result of
their deliberations. At that moment Avhat would be the future
history of this branch of the Redeemer's Church was known
only to Him who sees the end from the beginning.
The hour of twelve having arrived, Rev. Samuel H. Brown
was appointed chairman of this convention until the body should
elect a Bishop or general superintendent, and Rev. William H.
Jones was appointed secretary yro tcm. As preliminary to the
important measures about to be entered into, it was suggested,
after singing and prayer, that a portion of God's sacred word
should be read, which was done—the ninety-second chapter of
Psalms being the portion selected and read by the chairman in
his usual clear, distinct and shrill voice. After the singing of
another hymn, followed by prayer, a committee of five itinerant
preachers of the Canadian churches was appointed, consisting
of the following brethren: Benjamin Steward, H. -J. Young,
Richard Warren, James Harper and W. H. Jones. The duty of
this committee was to examine the credentials of all the dele¬
gates, and report to the convention the names of those who
were entitled to a seat. Considerable opposition was made to
this by Rev. Stephen Smith, from the Church in the United
States, on the ground that it excluded local preachers. This was
opposed by Brother Young. Rev. A. R. Green said that this
convention came into existence by a grant of the General Con¬
ference of the A. M. E. Church, according to the usage of the said
Church and other Christian bodies. He, therefore, maintained
that he and others had as much right there as the preachers of
the Canadian Conference. He said he respected the rights of the
said brethren, but not the right to cut off himself and his col¬
leagues of the convention from acting on all committees, and he
proceeded to read that portion of the minutes of the General
Conference of 185G, which relates to this convention.
W. Jones maintained that his position was correct, and that it
Separation From the A. M. E. Church.
363
was not intended to cut off any person from the rights of the
convention. Stephen Smith held that if there were any dele¬
gates there—lawfully such—they were those appointed by the
General Conference as well as those elected by the Canadian
churches. The call issued by the Board of Bishops was then
read and explained by W. H. Young. The excitement rose very
high, but the foregoing committee was appointed by a vote that
carried all but three in the affirmative.
The next step also met opposition. It was moved to appoint
a committee to draft rules to govern the deliberations of the con¬
vention, and it was stated that it was not yet known who were
legal members of that body, but this committee was also ap¬
pointed. A. R. Green said that if this Avas the course they were
going to pursue a dangerous precedent would be established,
which would result in great mischief. He would " never }deld
his credentials to that committee." Rev. Thomas Stringer
claimed that it was wrong to proceed any further; that no com¬
mittee ought to be appointed until the convention was perfectly
organized, and this could not be realized till the credentials had
been examined and the members were known. S. Smith main¬
tained that the mode they were pursuing was contrary to cus¬
tom, but H. J. Young said that they would not be governed by
custom or usage—that the convention would establish a prece¬
dent for all future conventions.
After some further discussion a movement was made to adjourn,
which was carried by a large majority.
At 4:00 p. m. the convention reassembled and reported as fol¬
lows :
The Committee on Credentials report in favor of the delegates elected
by the people ; but refer those chosen by the Quarterly Conference for the
consideration of the convention. They further report S. Smith, A. R.
Green and M. M. Clark as the delegates from the General Conference of
the A. M. E. Church in the United States, and that M. M. Clark had dep¬
utized Rev. Elisha Weaver in his place. But they, the committee, are of
the opinion that M. M. Clark had no power to deputize any one in his
stead, as no provision is made for such a course. They referred the matter
to the convention.
Though fiercely opposed by the delegates from the states, be¬
cause of the rejection of Brother Weaver, on motion of Charles
Pierce, the report was adopted. But after an explanation by
Bishop Payne, touching Rev. E. Weaver as a substitute for M. M.
364
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Clark, Brother G. W. Broadie moved that he be admitted to a
seat in the convention, which was carried. Then S. Smith
maintained that those delegates appointed by the Quarterly
Conference ought to be admitted as well as those who were
elected by the people. H. J. Young said, as it respected the
manner of election by the people, Brother Smith was wrong.
He did not personally oppose the two classes of delegates nor
Brother Weaver, but, as a committee, felt that they were not at
liberty to admit them; therefore, it was submitted to the conven¬
tion. Some severe and bitter retorts were indulged in by both
sides, when Rev. A. R. Green stated that his opposition to the
report did not come alone from the reasons already stated, but
because the Bishops were omitted; but it was said, in answer to
this, that the Bishops were members ex officio—their right had not
been questioned, and it was not necessary to make mention of
them. Further contention took place, but the debate, which
had proven so severe and stubborn, was put to rest by the follow¬
ing motion of Rev. W. R. Jones:
Whereas, Two sets of delegates have been elected and sent to this
convention ; and
Whereas, The people have obeyed the instructions given them; there¬
fore, be it
Resolved, That all the delegates regularly elected be admitted; provided,
that no one circuit or station shall cast more than one vote.
Rev. Thomas Stringer, who had left his credentials at home,
was admitted to his seat, and Brothers Young, Broadie and
Smith were appointed to nominate permanent officers of the
convention; but this was opposed for various reasons, promi¬
nent among which was the opinion that the appointment of
Brother Brown in the presence of three Bishops was wrong,
though contrary views were held. The result was that the chair¬
man finally appointed a committee of three Bishops to report
permanent officers, after Avhich the convention adjourned for the
first day.
The second day's proceedings opened with singing, reading
of scripture and prayer. The Committee on Nomination re¬
ported the following as the permanent officers of the conven¬
tion: Samuel H. Brown, president; Thomas W. Stringer, vice-
president; George W. Broadie, secretary; and Benjamin Steward,
assistant secretary. The report of the Committee on Rules was
read and adopted, as was the following preamble and resolutions:
Separation From the A. M. E. Church.
365
Whereas, We acknowledge cheerfully the action of a member of the
Canadian Conference in presenting, by resolution to the General Confer¬
ence of the A. M. E. Church of the United States, an invitation to the
Bench of Bishops to be present at the contemplated convention to be held
in Chatham, Canada West, for the separation of the A. M. E. Church in
Canada from the A. M. E. Church in the United States; therefore,
Resolved, That we most cordially welcome the Bench of Bishops to par¬
ticipate with us in Qur deliberations in our convention, and we declare
them members de facto of this convention.
On motion of Rev. William Jones, a committee of five were
appointed to report a form of Church government, and the name
and title by which this new Church should thereafter be known.
This important and historic committee consisted of the following
named persons: Rev. W. H. Jones, formerly of Baltimore, Mary¬
land, U. S. A., then resident in North Chatham, C. W.; Rev.
H. J. Young, formerly of Philadelphia, Pa., U. S. A., then
resident of East Chatham, C. W.; Rev. T. W. Stringer, a licen¬
tiate, local preacher, formerly of Cincinnati, 0., then resident
of Buxton, Township of Raleigh, C. W.; Mr. Wiley Reynolds,
layman, resident at Windsor, C. W.; Rt. Rev. Willis Nazrey,
Philadelphia diocese and city, then resident five miles west
of Chatham; and Rt. Rev. D. A. Payne, Bishop presiding over
Canada, Baltimore and Charleston, S. C. Subsequently, Bishop
Nazrey resigned from this committee, and William BoAvers, lay¬
man, of St. Catherine's, succeeded him. This important commit¬
tee, therefore, consisted of three preachers and two laymen. It
was moved by Brother A. R. Green that the three Bishops and
delegates from the United States meet jointly with this commit¬
tee, as the better way. He remarked that the Canadian brethren
were disposed to carry everything their own way, and if the
Bishops and delegates from the states Avere not added, it Avould
surely create bad feelings; for, Avhen this committee should re¬
port, if the brethren Avere to object there would be endless strife;
but, as for his part, he Avould " hold his peace and say no more."
Brother H. J. Young Avas willing for the Bishops to meet the
committee as counsellors, but not Brother A. R. Green. Stephen
Smith maintained the vieA\rs of the last named brother, and read
the resolutions of M. M. Clark from the minutes of the General
Conference, relating to the establishment of a neAAr church in
Canada. He applied them to the point at issue, and maintained
that the organization of the neAV church could not be completed
till 1860. These views were opposed by W. H. Jones, Avho
366
History of the A. M. E. Church.
thought them ridiculous, and, if entertained, would place the
Canadian Church in the position of an amphibious animal, liv¬
ing in both elements, but having his home in neither. After
some further discussion Bishop Nazrey said that the future good
of the churches required that there be no ill feeling on this
question. He was of the opinion that the Bishops ought to be
members of the committee to draft the form of Church govern¬
ment, and the committee ought to exercise their own judgment,
bring in their report, and submit the results of their delibera¬
tions and labors to the convention for approval or rejection. As
respecting the name and title, he cared not much about that—a
name was comparatively a small consideration to him. He was
willing to adopt any name, if by so doing he could do good.
The discussion continued. A. R. Green said that, as he intended
to make his future home in Canada, he was anxious to have a
part in making the house which should be his future abode,
and he claimed that great injustice was done the delegates from
the United States. G. W. Broadie said he could not see where
such injustice had been done. He felt that " we are one, and
ought to act harmoniously." H. -J. Young said that he was
favorable to the amendment offered by W. H. Jones (to strike
out the words " delegates from the United States" ), because none
had been deprived of their rights nor of their seats. He was for
leaving off all the Bishops, and he would state his reasons as
being that if they Avere to give advice to the committee on any
point respecting Church government or doctrine, and should the
committee reject that advice, the case might be laid before the
convention, and in the event of the convention rejecting the
same advice by endorsing the vieAVS of the committee, a double
insult Avould then be offered the office and judgment of the
Bishops. He further said that the kindest feelings ought to ex¬
ist betAveen the brethren of the Canada Conference aiicl the
brethren from the states—that he Avas glad to have them there.
Rev. Elisha Weaver said that this Avas a case never before real¬
ized in history. There Avas a difference betAveen the relations
Avhich the Annual Conferences sustained among one another and
those which the delegates from the United States bear to the
convention; that the former may have a seat and participate in
the deliberations of any Conference they may visit, but cannot
vote; Avhile the latter may have all the rights in this convention
Avhicli may be enjoyed by the ministry of the Canadian churches.
Separation From the A. M. E. Church.
367
A. R. Green again repeated his views first littered, and Rev. John
A. Warren made a few remarks designed to conciliate the feelings
and unite the sentiments of the brethren. The motion to amend
was then put and adopted, whereupon Bishops Payne and Quinn
tendered their resignations as members of the committee, and
Bishop Nazrey, who was originally placed on the committee, also
resigned.
At the next session W. H. Jones offered the following docu¬
ment for the consideration of the convention :
Whereas, We, the people of Canada, connected with the A. M. E.
Church, labor under many disadvantages by being subject to the Discipline
of said A. M. E. Church, and by being part and parcel of said body; and
Whereas, When a deed was granted to us in the province by the
authorities thereof, it was understood'and provision was made for the gov¬
ernment of the A. M. E. Church in this province by the Book of Discipline
of the A. M. E. Church in the United States then existing, which was the
Discipline of 1828, and by such other laws and regulations as should from
time to time be adopted by conventions of ministers and delegates in
Canada; and
Whereas, The Annual Conference of the A. M. E. Church for the Dis¬
trict of Canada, composed of local and traveling preachers, which was in
session in their chapel in the town of Chatham, County of Kent, C. W.,
did, on the 26th day of July, 1855, in the presence of all the Bishops of
the A. M. E. Church, one of whom presided, unanimously petition the
General Conference of said A. M. E. Church to separate from the Church ;
and
Whereas, The said General Conference, on the 14th day of May, 1856,
did grant the petition of the Canadians, and the Bishops of the said
A. M. E. Church addressed circulars to the ministers and people of Cana¬
da, requesting and authorizing them to meet in convention, in the town of
Chatham, C. W., on Monday, the 29th of September, 1856, to organize a
separate, distinct and independent Church ; and
Whereas, The said convention is now in session ; therefore, be it
Resolved, That we hereby declare ourselves separated from the A. M. E.
Church.
Rev. Elisha Weaver moved to lay the above document on the
table, and added that the committee was sent out to draft a form
of government, and not to bring in such a proposition as that.
W. H. Jones said that he offered the document not as a member
of the said committee but as a member of the convention. Rev.
E. Weaver said that the chairman of the Committee on Church
Government was not authorized to introduce such a document,
and just as soon as such a one should be adopted, the privileges
of the delegates from the United States would be cut off. He
368
History of the A. M. E. Church.
said the body was not prepared for such a measure, and would
not be until the committee appointed to draft a form of Church
government should report. Stephen Smith said that they had
met there to organize a new Church, and then afterwards to de¬
clare the Canadians distinct and separate; but if this document
should be adopted at that time they would have turned them¬
selves out of Church. The committee was sent out to report
a form of Church government—that report must be made before
any such document can be acted upon.
A. E. Green said that if the document of Brother Jones be
adopted the vote of every man in the convention would be cut
off, but those Avho lived in the province, and it would lead to the
organization of distinct churches for the Canadians. Thomas
Stringer dissented from the remarks of A. R. Green, holding
that until a separation took place a new Church could not be
formed. To attempt such formation before, he felt, would be
treason against the government of the A. M. E. Church. He
declared that all bodies originated that way—they must declare
themselves independent before they created a government for
themselves. He went on to say that there were no hostile feel¬
ings against the Mother Church, but they wished the document
to go down to posterity and show that they were men; that they
must first pass the resolution to separate before they could treat
with the members of the A. M. E. Church as equals and as men.
An inquiry, then, elicited the answer that the document was
not the production of the committee, and Brother Green then
proceeded to say, that in the General Conference the Canadians
were asked if they intended to change the name, but they Avould
give no reply, saying that all they wanted was to secure a discip¬
line suited to their peculiar condition; therefore the General
Conference gave the power to remodel their church in connec¬
tion with the six delegates sent her. Brother Green then read
from the minutes of the General Conference, and explained them
as he understood them, closing with the remark, that after all
that might be done in the convention, if the people should not
approve, it would be a nullity—that the people, many of them,
were not prepared for a separation—and warning the convention,
upon "principles of reason," to let the people know beforehand
what it intended to do; then if they approved, well and good.
To this H. J. Young had to say, that these remarks were calcu¬
lated to scatter firebrands among the people. He, too, referred
Separation From the A. M. E. Church.
369
to the minutes of the General Conference, and maintained that
in the grant of the prayer of the petitioners, power was given to
separate and form a distinct Church. He ended by saying that
the delegates from the states were only sent there to co-operate
with them (the Canadians) in the good work.
This produced much excitement, and continued calls for the
question were heard. But the house was not yet ready for the
question, and Stephen Smith rose to say so, and to add,
that it was never supposed by the General Conference that the
Canadians intended to pursue such a course. "Remember," said
he, "how our brethren—I mean our brethren from the states—
have labored for the planting and training of the Church in
Canada. They have suffered hunger and many privations in the
hot summer and the cold winter to make you what you are, and
now this is the way you repay their kindness." But G. W.
Broadie said that if the language of the General Conference
meant anything, it meant separation—"to form for ourselves a
distinct and independent Church." He could not see what were
the reasons for the conduct of the American brethren. He had
seen men attempt to build a house outside of another, and had
also seen men build a house upon another, but he had never seen
them attempt to build one inside of another. He rebuked the
spirit of censure and retaliation manifested by both parties.
W. H. Jones, however, still maintained that the object of peti¬
tioning the General Conference was to obtain the right of sepa¬
ration, and he proceeded to explain the nature, scope and force
of the deed granted by the Provincial Government of Canada.
He referred to the separation of the white Canadians from the
M. E. Church, and gave an explanation of the call issued by the
Bishops, saying it gave them power to do that which they wanted
to do.
Rev. C. Pierce said, that when a man wants a wife he first pro¬
cures her consent, then he goes to the mother and obtains hers,
then follows the wedding, after which the mother has no more
control over her daughter nor her property; so, also, "we first
procured the consent of the Canadian people, then that of the
General Conference, and now we want to get married to the
daughter." Amid the laughter which followed this avowal Rev.
A. R. Green "objected to the marriage."
A movement to lay it on the table was followed by the move-
24
370
History of the A. M. E. Church.
ment of the previous question, which was put to the house, and
carried by a large majority. The main question was then called
for and submitted to the house, and was adopted by an over¬
whelming majority—only two voting in the negative.
The report of the chairman of the Committee on Church Gov¬
ernment was then made, which was as follows:
The committee appointed to report a form of Church Government for
the consideration of the convention, and the name and title by which the
contemplated new Church shall hereafter be known, begs leave to report:
First. That we recommend the episcopal form of Church government.
Secondly. We recommend the following title—uThe British Methodist
Episcopal Church."
Without debate, this was adopted by a large majority. A
committee of five was then appointed to draw up the condi¬
tions and relations which the Canadian Church would sus¬
tain to the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the United
States. This committee consisted of A. R. Green, chairman,
United States; Thomas W. Stringer, Canada West; Elisha Weav¬
er, United States; H. J. Young, Canada West; W. H. Jones,
Canada West. Two days had been spent in reaching this point,
and the third day's business was opened by the presentation of
the reports of this last committee—a majority and minority
report being the result of their deliberations. The modified
report of the minority read as follows: *
To the Chairman and Convention of the British M. E. Connection in the Province.
of Canada, now in session:
We, your committee, to whom was referred the subject of the relations
and conditions that shall exist between the A. M. E. Connection in Amer¬
ica and the British M. E. Church in British North America, beg leave to
report the following:
First. That in order to continue a reciprocity of feeling and interest, there
shall be a corresponding delegation from the two Connections, who shall be
allowed to participate in the deliberations in the General and Annual Con¬
ferences of the aforesaid Connections, but not to vote.
Second. If any of the ministers or members shall remove from one
Connection to the other, they shall be received by certificate with all their
standing and privileges they could have held in the Connection they shall
have left.
Third. That we adopt for the use of this Connection the A. M. E.
Church hymn book for the time being.
:ifThe originals of the majority, as well as of the minority report, were
misplaced, and never recovered.
Separation From the A. M. E. Church.
371
Fourth. That we relinquish all claims to the book concern in the A. M. E.
Church, in lieu of which we agree to retain all moneys due the said con¬
cern in our hand.
Fifth. And if the Bishop or Bishops of either Connection are present,
they shall be invited to sit with the Bishop presiding during their stay in
the session.
Such was the substance of the minority report, which H. J.
Young moved to adopt, and this was the occasion of one of the
fiercest debates ever witnessed.
Elisha Weaver opposed it, saying his opposition arose from
principle, religion and uprightness. He said, " We are still
united in love and union, according to Brother Jones' resolution,
and it seems that he meant this union to continue. But what
does the report say?" He then read the report, and added, "I
am opposed to the report of the majority because it does not do
what was intended by the vote of the General Conference. I
am opposed to it because so far as the two Churches are now re¬
lated it does not provide for the continuance of this union. If
you adopt the report of the majority this day you cannot hold
any union with the A. M. E. Church in the United States."
Rev. S. Smith moved to substitute the report of the minority
for that of the majority, and sustained his motion by the follow¬
ing laconic speech: " I wish to clear my skirts of the blood of
those whom I leave behind me, and let them know that I am
faithful to the interest of the A. M. E. Church. I now stand
upon a crisis, which is shaking the foundations of the A. M. E.
Church. If not properly met and mastered, it will so completely
destroy it that not so much as a fragment will be left behind.
Last Sunday morning two of your young men swore allegiance
to her at your sacred altars, but now they deny all allegiance to
her. Brethren, you are wrong—wrong—very wrong."
G. W. Broadie replied by saying: "Mr President, I rise to
show that the majority report is not the scarecrow, or humbug,
that the speaker would make it." He then read that part of the
minority report which tends to perpetuate the friendly rela¬
tions between the two bodies, and compared it with that in the
majority report which does the same thing, proving them iden¬
tical in meaning and spirit. He then showed the way in which
a father should treat his children, as an illustration of the man¬
ner in which the A. M. E. Church should treat the B. M. E.
Church, "There is no disposition," said he, " on the part of the
372
History of the A. M. E. Church.
brethren in Canada, to treat those of the United States unkindly,
as there is no disposition to act untowardly in respect to the
Church."
H. J. Young, in defending the views of G. W. Broadie and of
the minority, said that the speaker would make them all like the
Galilean sinners, who were depraved beyond all others; that the
fact was that the very language of the General Conference had
been used in the report. He read the report of the General Con¬
ference on the separation, and added : " ' But,' says the good gen¬
tleman, 'you shall adopt the Book of Discipline of the A. M. E.
Church,' whereas, the General Conference says no such thing.
These brethren would deprive us of every liberty as members of
the B. M. E. Church. They have entirely overleaped the obliga¬
tions placed upon them by the General Conference, and are med¬
dling with business that does not belong to them."
Brother Young then showed the financial relations between
the twro bodies, and declared the intentions of the Canadians to
do their duty. Rev. Kinnard said: "We want a connection
between the book concern of Canada and that of the A. M. E.
Church in the United States. I desire the union to be preserved
so far as the laws of both countries will admit, but I fear that
the brethren do not regard this. Now, brethren, sutler us to
dictate to you as your fathers, and do that which will make us as
one people, though we live on both sides of the lakes."
Then G. AV. Broadie moved that the resolution relating to the
Book of Discipline and the fifth article in the minority report be
struck out, and the third and fourth articles of the majority re¬
port be substituted therefor. But this was opposed by Rev S.
Smith, because " it will destroy the amendment which I have
offered," to which a reply was made that his motion was not an
amendment but a substitute, which view was sustained by T.
W. Stringer.
A. R. Green said that the doings of the majority were a trick,
because these brethren told the General Conference that they
desired but a change in the Discipline so as to make it harmo¬
nize with the British laws. He then read the twenty-third
article of the Doctrines of the A. M. E. Church, which is as fol¬
lows: " The President, the Congress, the Assemblies, the Gov¬
ernors and the Councils of the states, as delegates of the people,
are the rulers of the United States of America, etc." "This,"
said he, "is all that need be altered or erased in the Discipline
Separation From the A. M. E. Church. 373
of the A. M. E. Church. Something harmonizing with the British
Government should be inserted in its place. This was the pro¬
fessed wish of the Canadian brethren while they were at the Gen¬
eral Conference. Now they want something else—even the de¬
struction of the A. M. E. Church, both in the states and in the
Canadas. Now, in the sight of heaven, Mr. Chairman, take care
what you do. You are about to strike down the very strongholds
of the A. M. E. Church. I intend to live in the A. M. E.
Church. No circumstances, no clime or country, shall ever sep¬
arate me from it. There I shall live, there I shall die. I can go
home to my closet, and bending my knees before my Maker,
thank him for having given me grace to do my duty here on this
important question."*
W. TI. Jones considered these remarks out of place, but was
ignored by the speaker, who continued in a similar strain, urg¬
ing the adoption of the same law that governed the A. M. E.
Church, or the alternative of "no union among us." He stipu¬
lated for the' same Discipline, with only such changes as were
made necessary by its conflict with British law and government.
He endeavored to prove from the episcopal arrangements for
the next four years, which he read, that if they would'have the
benefit of Bishop Nazrey's administration this must be the
course, saying, that otherwise " our Bishops must come home,
and the fact is that you cannot have his administration or we
cannot admit his government in the states." He also stated that
'the book concern was embarrassed, and he laid its claims before
them, telling them to take their dollars and cents, and adopt
their report if they desired.
Rev. T. W. Stringer replied by saying: "This call gives us the
right to do what we are now doing. Were we to do what Brother
Green wants us to do, the independence, the individuality and
the manhood of our people would be taken away and destroyed.
If we were now to adopt the Discipline of the A. M. E. Church,
we should be acting foolishly, blindly and slavishly. To do so
is to act preposterously; for not one of us has read that new Dis¬
cipline. We know not what it is, and therefore we will not
adopt it until we shall have read it; yea, more, until we have
analyzed every sentence in it; not otherwise."
* Brother Green at last not only moved over into Canada, but became a
Bishop of a split from the B. M. E. Church.
374
History of the A. M. E. Church.
At this point Bishop D. A. Payne arose and said that he dif¬
fered from Brother Green in his views of the meaning of the
resolution passed in the General Conference touching the case at
issue. "These resolutions require the three delegates to come
here to learn first what are the wishes of the Canadian churches,
etc. Now, when men are sent by any body, civil or ecclesi¬
astical, to another of the same kind, to learn its will, they are
not sent to dictate to it. The Canadian brethren should be left
to think, speak and act for themselves, and thus show their own
individuality—thus demonstrate their power for self-government.
He had come to the convention with the intention of looking on
and studying its men and the things which encompass them,
and whenever he could suggest a useful thought or a beneficial
measure he would do so; but he felt that he had no power to
dictate what should be said and what should be done. He
wanted to see the manhood of the Canadians, and therefore he
desired to see them act out their own thoughts. No other con¬
ditions ought to be laid down but such as are sanctioned by the
common sense and rules of our times as evinced in the conduct
of all intelligent Christian bodies on both sides of the lakes and
on both sides of the Atlantic."
Brother Weaver said that he, Brothers Green and S. Smith were
acting in view of the decrees of the General Conference; but the
assistant chairman and his party were acting in view of the
call. " I do not believe that the minority report wants to have
the Canadians adopt the whole of the A. M. E. Church Disci¬
pline. If you will vote down the report of the minority, do it;
but I let you know this day, I intend to clear my skirts of your
blood."
Then Mr. Madison Bell arose and said: " I believe that the
brethren in Canada will do right, and are determined to tell the
brethren from the states what they will do; although the breth¬
ren from the states declare that we are doing wrong. To do
wrong, however, is not our intention, and if the delegates from
the states will let us alone, we will adopt just such portions of the
Discipline of the A. M. E. Church as will suit us, but no more."
Bishop W. P. Quinn then spoke, saying that he had much in
his mind to say, but that he would not say all. He thought that
the General Conference was deceived by these black coats—tliey
were all like moles—he was one himself when it suited his con¬
venience. The Canadians were doing just what the General
Separation From the A. M. E. Church.
375
Conference authorized them to do. He was the first man that
mounted a horse to go and see where the colored people were to
be found. He was also one of the first four men that joined the
A. M. E. Church. He was an Englishman by birth, and entitled
to all the rights of an Englishman, and intended to live in Can¬
ada. One of the Bishops had his home there already, and he sup¬
posed the others would not be long out of it. He did not want
to give up the people of Canada. The present chairman, Brother
Samuel Brown, was taken into the society and licensed by him.
He never would betray his trust, and he wanted to know if the
people of Canada meant to take an eternal stand against the A.
M. E. Church; if so, he would commence the fight himself.
Naming all the brethren present, the Bishop showed how he had
sustained his relations to them. He closed by saying that if the
Canadians would only acknowledge that they were the children
of the A. M. E. Church, he would be satisfied, to which sentiment
the brethren said, "Amen."
G. W. Broadie's amendment Avas then called for and adopted,
only one voting in the negative, after which the main question—
the adoption of the minority report with Broadie's amendment—
was then called for and adopted, with but two dissenting votes.
At the session of the afternoon a committee was appointed to
select such matter from the Discipline of the A. M. E. Church as
would be conducive to the interests of the B. M. E. Church in
Canada, and to prepare a preface for the new Discipline. Rev. H.
J. Young, W. H. Jones and George W. Broadie composed this
extremely delicate, important and historic committee. Rev. W.
H. Jones then moved the adoption of the Articles of Faith of the
A. M. E. Church, from page 19 to the ninth line on the 55th
page of the revised Discipline of 1856.
Bishop Payne suggested to Brother Jones to amend his motion
so as to read "adopt the Articles of Religion of the A. M. E.
Church, excepting Article 23d. The Convention assented to this
suggestion. Motion wras then made by W. IT. Jones to adopt an
article prepared by Bishop Payne as a substitute for the 23d, as
follows:
We acknowledge Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, as our rightful sovereign,
possessing supremacy over all the British Empire as it exists in Europe,
Asia, Africa, Australia, North America, South America, the West Indies,
and other islands of the ocean, and over the Governor-General and Pro¬
vincial Parliament of Canada.
376
History of the A. M. E. Church.
We also believe that no foreign potentate should exercise authority
within the boundaries of her vast dominions, and inasmuch as British
law throws the broad shield of equal protection over the life, the liberty,
and the personal happiness of all its loyal subjects, without regard to the
clime in which they were born, or the color of their skin, therefore we
believe it our duty ever to pray that the most high God may make the
reign of Her Majesty peaceful, prosperous and happy; that every member
of the royal family may be wise, holy and useful; and that the British Em¬
pire may continue to increase in power and prosperity till Christ himself
descends to reign on earth.
This substitute for the 23d Article in the Discipline of the
African M. E. Church was adopted, with the slight change of
inserting the word "hue" in the place of "color."*
Another amendment was offered in the addition of the follow¬
ing sentence: " It is lawful for Christian men, at the command
of the magistrate, to wear weapons and serve in wars." This
proposed amendment of Brother Green produced quite a spirited
discussion. There were those who felt and said that it was un¬
christian and decidedly wrong to insert such a sentiment and
principle in the Discipline and among the doctrinal articles of
the Church, although they admitted that it is the duty of Christ¬
ian men to defend their country whenever there was a necessity
for such a movement. The mover, however, argued that the col¬
ored man of Canada ought to put forth such a declaration; that the
times required it, and the Canadian government was looking to
see it done; while such a declaration would strike terror to slave¬
holders on the other side of the lake. He was supported by
Brother Young, who thought it in keeping with the teachings of
the Saviour himself, that to take up arms in defense of our wrives,
our children, our country, is a Christian obligation. The
speaker quoted Clirist as saying, " Let him who has not a sword,
sell his coat and buy one." The excitement became very great,
as he declared that he would obey the injunction were the slave¬
holders of the States to invade Canada.
It was finally submitted to the house and adopted, ten voting
in the affirmative, and four in the negative.
Many other portions of the Discipline of the A. M. E. Church
were altered at this session to suit the peculiar condition of the
B. M. E. Church.
* The phrases "Governor-General" and " Provincial Parliament " was
not in the original Article prepared by Bishop Payne, but were inserted at
the suggestion of A. li. Green.
Separation From the A. M. E. Church.
On the fourth day the afternoon was set apart for the election
of a Bishop to superintend the B. M. E. Church, and at that time
it was agreed that the election be made viva voce. W. II. Young
then presented the following resolution:
Resolved, That Rev. Willis Nazrey, a regularly ordained Bishop of the
A. M. E. Church, also a member of this convention, and a resident of the
province of Canada, be and hereby is elected the General Superintendent
or acting Bishop of the B. M. E. Church.
This was the signal for another war of sentiment and of words,
and the opposing parties rallied on either side and prepared for
battle. Rev. E. Weaver led the attack, and charged the Cana¬
dian hosts by saying: "That such an election would deprive
Bishop Nazrey of the right.to reside in the United States. The
act would also create great trouble in the states. It would place
the Bishop in a very awkward position, because he would be
compelled to preside over two distinct churches and administer
two distinct Disciplines."
H. J. Young replied by saying that the deputy from the
United States was laboring under false impressions, and took false
views of the affair. He then read the resolution of the General
Conference touching the question at issue. He claimed that
" this action of the General Conference was biblical." He also
stated that the Bishops had made their arrangements so as to
meet the wants of the Canadian Church, which Avas an additional
reason why they should elect Bishop Nazrey, as he was a resident
of the province, and would soon be a British subject. This fact
alone would give him authority and an influence in Canada
which no one among the Bishops could have.
This was but the prelude to an exciting debate between the
parties favoring and opposing the selection of a Bishop from the
states. It was claimed by some that there were those who would
be glad to get Bishop Nazrey out of the way so that an opportu¬
nity might be given those who aspired to the bishopric. Both
parties held their ground with equal pertinacity, and the discus¬
sion waxed high, when Bishop Payne arose and, proceeded to show
the convention what he conceived to be the design of the Gen¬
eral Conference. He read from the printed minutes of the last
General Conference, and then said: "Brothers Green and Weaver
do not understand their mission to this convention. They are
here to learn what are the wishes of the Canadians, not to dic¬
tate to them, still less to browbeat them, and force opinions upon
378
History of the A. M. E. Church.
them which they have here shown themselves determined to
reject. I say that these two brethren have overleaped the bounds
of their mission, as set forth in the plain English of the General
Conference. Here it is:
Resolved, That this General Conference appoint a delegation of three to
meet the convention in Canada, at the organization of the Church there,
who shall learn in person what connection that Church may desire with
the A. M. E. Church in the states, and what participation that Church may
wish in the book concern of our Church.
" In this resolution we see a clear recognition of the independ¬
ence, power and freedom of the Canadian Church to think and
act in all things for itself. The resolution, therefore, gives no
power to Brothers Green and Weaver, as delegates, to lay down
the conditions of union and friendly relations between the B. M.
E. Church, for the plain and simple reason that the General
Conference had previously said, in language clear and unequiv¬
ocal, what should be the conditions of perpetual union and
Christian fellowship between the two branches of the Redeemer's
flock. These conditions are two-fold:
"1st. A corresponding delegation shall always exist between
them.
" 2d. If any of the ministers or members desire to remove from
one Connection to the other, they shall be received by certificate,
with all tlieir standing, so that a friendly relation may continue
between the two Connections.
" These are the conditions, and the only conditions, laid down
by the General Conference in its collected piety and Avisdom. It
never empowered the three delegates to lay doAvn any other, and,
therefore, when upon the floor they tell us, as they have repeat¬
edly done, that unless you retain the title "African," or unless
you refrain from the choice of a Bishop, there can be no union
or friendly relations between the two bodies. I say—and I tell
them to their faces—in all Christian respect and brotherly love,
that they have overleaped the boundaries of their mission here.
Those who are sent to learn, I repeat, are not sent to dictate, still
less to threaten. The phrases, "may desire" and "may partici¬
pate," recognize the full and unfettered freedom of the Canadian
churches to think, act, choose or elect for themselves. Moreover,
I do not recollect a single instance in ecclesiastical history (ex¬
cept in the Roman Catholic Church) which constitutes a parallel
to this. Has it ever been heard of, in any clime or age, that a
Separation From the A. M. E. Church.
379
mother Church had sent a deputation to a daughter Church
which it had planted in a foreign land, under a foreign govern¬
ment, authorizing them to declare that if the said daughter
Church would not adopt its distinctive name and title there
should he no bonds of Christian union between them ? I also
doubt if any such thing can be found in civil or political history
outside of the Roman Catholic Church."
To these remarks A. II. Green replied by quoting the council
at Jerusalem, from which decrees had been issued touching the
"abstinence from meats offered to idols, and from blood and
things strangled, and from fornication." But the Bishop replied
to this by saying that the quotation was irrelevant, and he dem¬
onstrated the obtuseness of the intellectual vision of Brother
Green. He claimed that the quotation itself was fatal to the
argument of the brother and confirmed the correctness of his
own position. The action of this apostolic council presents a
dead contrast to the position of Brothers Green and Weaver, he
said. " The false or Judaizing teachers contended that the Gen¬
tile Christians at Antioch, Fvria and Cilicia should bend their
necks to put on and wear the burdensome yoke of the Jewish
laws, especially circumcision. But the apostles declared that
they would not be burdened with this yoke. No; they said, it
seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to them 'to lay upon you
no greater burden than these necessary things:' First, from
meat offered to idols; second, from blood; third, from things
strangled; fourth, from fornication. These prohibitions were
formed in the moral nature and necessity of things. Now, when
Brother Green can make it plain that the name of "African" is
necessary to the existence, happiness and increasing prosperity
of the Canadian churches', he will be able to show the parallelism
between the bone of contention in the Council at Jerusalem and
that which distracts the deliberations of this convention. The
apostles absolutely refused to burden the daughter Churches with
the laws and usages of the mother Church; but this brother and
his colleagues seem determined to force upon the B. M. E. Church
not only the laws and usages of the A. M. E. Church, but its
distinctive title also. This is as unjust and despotic as it is
unchristian and unnecessary. As to the election of Bishop Naz-
rey, wo maintain that the Canadians are exercising a right which
was always exercised by the Christians in the early ages of the
apostolic church, and this we are prepared to prove from the
880
History of the A. M. E. Church.
New Testament as well as from ecclesiastical history, when¬
ever it shall be proper to do so. God forbid that we should
attempt to deprive these brethren of a right which has always
been held sacred by the enlightened Christians of all ages, and
which was never denied, still less abridged, till the spirit of
popery or ecclesiastical despotism began to develop itself."
The motion to adopt the resolution for the election of Bishop
Nazrey was then submitted to the convention, and was adopted
by a unanimous vote.
Two or more portions of the Discipline of the A. M. E\ Church
relating to the maintenance of the ministry, were adopted with¬
out alteration. Before the close of this day's session a petition
from Brother Benjamin Smith, of Greytown, Central America,
was presented and read; but, by the advice of Bishop Payne, it
was not acted upon.
The fifth day opened its business with a document presented
for the consideration of the convention by Rev. G. W. Broadie.
It reads as follows:
Whekeas, We have, by a unanimous vote, elected to the office of Bishop
the Rev. Willis Nazrey, one of the Bishops of the A. M. E. Church in the
United States, to preside over the new organization in Canada known as
the B. M. E. Church ; and
Whereas, We believe that we have fully contemplated the idea and
spirit advanced by the General Conference ; therefore,
Resolved, That, in view of the same, we most earnestly solicit the Bench
of Bishops, and the brethren whom they may select to sit in council with
them, to grant us our request.
This document was adopted without debate. Then the adop¬
tion of the Discipline proceeded by adopting from page 90 ,to
page 126, with but two slight amendments—the one relating to
divorces and double marriages; the other to superfluity of dress.
The former reads as follows: " Except in cases of fornication, and •
the parties have received a bill of divorcement according to the
laws of the British government." Very little opposition was
made to this by Elder Young. The latter required the preach¬
ers to make a faithful enforcement of the rules against extrava¬
gant dress, but omitted the penalty. This was opposed by
Brother Young, who said that he wanted to strike out the whole
section if the penalty be rejected, for " without the penalty the
rules are of as much use in the Discipline as the fifth wheel
would be to a carriage. He thought that our fathers acted wisely
Separation From the A. M. E. Church.
881
in adopting the rules on dress, as there was too much extrava¬
gance among our people; that we could build many churches
among us with the jewelry which they so uselessly wore on their
persons, and he claimed that too many of our preachers indulged
our people in their extravagance.
Rev. C. H. Pierce spoke against retaining the penalty to this
rule, but T. W. Stringer was in favor of it, as it was given to us
by St. Paul, and was therefore fit and proper. Rev. Crosby also
sustained the rule, while Bishop Payne suggested that tobacco
chewing-and smoking should be embraced in the prohibitions,
because it was not only a superfluity, but was injurious in its
tendencies, injurious to the pocket, destructive to health and
life, and it was a "nasty weed." Bishop Nazrey suggested that
the wearing of goatees and long beards be also included.
The convention had not yet done with the election of the
Bishop, for A. R. Green read a document protesting against
the election by the convention, and replying to the position of
Bishop Payne, quoting, as before, the council at Jerusalem in
justification of his position. As a matter of course this paper
drew forth remarks, and Bishop Nazrey himself, as well as
T. W. Stringer, E. Weaver, Bishof) Payne, C. Pierce and H. J.
Young responded. The matter which had so vexed the conven¬
tion was again before it, and upon the question being asked
whether the three delegates had "learned" what connection
the Church in Canada desired with the A. M. E. Church in the
United States, and what participation that Church might wish
in the book concern, a reply came from A. R. Green, "Yes, we
learned by reading, hearing and reflection," followed by his
views of the statement of the chair. The chairman then put the
question whether the brother thought the B. M. E. Church fully
organized, to which he replied, "It was done at the General Con¬
ference, and also years ago." This drew forth another question :
"What do you understand by the term organization?" An
answer was given differing in no ways materially from what the
speaker had reiterated many times before, and ending with the
declaration that " it was no use for the delegates from the states
to remain any longer." E. Weaver replied to the brother, and
then the chairman said: "If the delegates go away before the
organization is consummated, complaint will be made to the
General Conference against them. The resolution under which
the delegates are sent here says that they are to meet the con-
382
History of the A. M. E. Church.
vention in Canada, at the organization of the Church, and learn
in person what connection it may desire with the A. M. E. Church.
Now the organization cannot be completed till the Bishop elect
shall have been conducted to his chair. Nor does the convention
know if Bishop Nazrey will accept the election. Ours is an
episcopal church, and a Bishop must be at its head to make it
perfect, so far as human action is concerned, and, therefore, we
maintain that we cannot consider our Church fully organized
till the Bishop accepts the election, and is in the chair as its pre¬
siding officer. Till then the B. M. E. Church cannot fully make
known her desires or wishes to the A. M. E. Church. But the
delegates seem anxious to go to the states to sow the seeds of dis¬
cord, and diffuse the spirit of dissatisfaction, and thereby make
the impression that Ave are opposed to the mother Church. If
they do this, we shall be constrained to make our defense against
such a false impression."
These remarks were followed by mutual altercations, crimina¬
tions, recriminations and explanations. The morning session
of the fifth day resulted in very little actual business, though it
was settled that the limits of the Annual Conferences should be
" All Canada East and West, British America, and all other
places which may be brought into this Connection." All the
forms for the consecration of the ministry, for laying of corner¬
stones and consecration of churches, as found in the Discipline
of the A. M. E. Church, were incorporated into that of the B. M. E.
Church, and the Bishop, or any elder having pastoral charge, was
empowered to receive any chapel or religious people during the
interval between the sessions of Conference—their action in such
cases being subject to review and confirmation or rejection by the
Annual Conference ensuing.
At the opening of the afternoon session, Rev. J. H. Young
suggested that the Bishops attend to the request made by the
convention to decide which of their number shall preside over
the B. M. E. Church. In compliance wTith the request, the fol¬
lowing document was read by Bishop Payne as the "Report of
the Bishops and elders appointed by resolution of the General
Conference of 1856, to determine which of the Bishops shall
preside over the B. M. E. Church:"
Whereas, The representatives of the Canadian churches did, at the
last General Conference of the A. M. E. Church, most respectfully request
and petition the said General Conference to allow or grant Rev. Willis
Separation From the A. M. E. Church,
383
Nazrey, if it be his pleasure to withdraw from it, to superintend the Church
in Canada; and
Whekeas, The said representatives did receive in reply the following
answer:
"This General Conference does not feel authorized to give one of its
Bishops to that portion of the Connection unsolicited ; therefore,
"Resolved, That when we shall be solicited for one (if before the next
General Conference), all our Bishops shall meet, with three elders selected
by them, and decide which of the Bishops shall serve in Canada, in accord¬
ance with the wishes of the Canadian Church."
We say, in obedience to the above resolution and decree of the General
Conference, and also the resolution of the B. M. E. Church, passed by a
unanimous vote on Tuesday morning, the 3d of October, 1856, that we,
the undersigned, met in the church at Chatham. Having duly considered
the important question submitted to us, we have concluded to "decide"
that the Rev. Willis Nazrey, of the Bishops of the A. M. E. Church, shall
serve in Canada, in accordance with the wishes of the Canadian Church.
[Signed]* Daniel A. Payne,
Eiciiaed Warren,
Thomas Sunrise,
Emsha Weaver (underprotest).
On motion of Rev. G. W. Broadie, the following preamble and
resolution were adopted :
" Whereas, We have been hitherto unprepared to show properly the
relations we wish to sustain to the mother A. M. E. Church in the United
States; therefore,
'' Resolved, That we now publicly announce in this convention that we
are now prepared to enter into a friendly negotiation with the said mother
Church, according to the provisions made by the General Conference of
the A. M. E. Church."
This day the convention adopted the Discipline of the A. M.
E. Church from page 193 to page 195, with two or three amend¬
ments, relating particularly to the election of trustees and the
duty of stewards. In the line of mental culture the convention
resolved to publish a quarterly magazine as soon as practicable,
and the following committee was constituted to draft a course of
studies to be inserted in the Discipline for the improvement of
the ministry: W. H. .Jones, Bishop D. A. Payne, H. J. Young.
*The name of Bishop Quinn does not appear in this document, because
he would not participate in the measure, as dictated by the General Con¬
ference, and, therefore, left the convention and returned to the United
States before his colleagues, the bishops and the "selected" elders could
meet to do as they had been instructed by the General Conference of
1856.
384
History of the A. M. E, Church.
On the sixth day the convention started out with the determi¬
nation to prevent more bickering over the ever-recurring tend¬
ency to revolt against the proceedings, as manifested by A. R.
Green, who was ready to read another document, but which the
house refused to hear until the minutes were read, and which the
brother would not read at all unless he could be heard first.
Bishops Payne and Nazrey both reasoned with him as to the
duties of the delegates, and at last the vice-president, Rev.
Thomas W. Stringer, said pointedly that the delegates had been
received and treated with the courtesy that was due them as
representatives of the mother Church; that their unkind and
dictatorial spirit had been borne with by the convention because
they came from that Church, and had they come from any other
they would never have borne with them. This settled the
matter.
When the business of the day turned to the laws, Bishop
Payne suggested, as part of the organic law of the B. M. E.
Church, and to be made the sixth rule defining and limiting the
powers of the General Conference, to wit: "They shall encourage,
support and cherish science, philosophy, and the fine arts, and at
each meeting examine into the condition of these several depart¬
ments of human industry as they exist among our people and
the surrounding community." On motion of H. J. Young, this
article was unanimously adopted.*
The same party moved that a committee be appointed to draft
rules for the government of the book concern, and Rt. Rev.
Willis Nazrey, Rev. W. H. Jones, and C. E. Hatfield were ap¬
pointed. The committee on preface to the Discipline were em¬
powered to revise and publish the Discipline. Another motion
empowered the Annual Conference to establish missions, form
circuits and establish stations. At this point the brother from
Central America, Brother Smith, was introduced to the conven¬
tion and gave an interesting statement of his labors in Greytown.
* Notwithstanding the unanimous vote of the convention, the Committee
on Revision and Publication omitted this article from the Discipline of the
B. M. E. Church. The chairman of the committee and his colleagues were
bound to the duty of calling the attention of the Bishop and the Connec¬
tion to the fact that this article, adopted by the unanimous vote of the
convention, was omitted. The omission was discovered on the issuing of
the Discipline from the press. This was not done, and that some one was
guilty of usurpation of power was very evident.
Separation From the A. M. E. Church.
385
He said that if he went back as a colored American from the
United States he could not obtain that protection for himself and
his mission which was necessary to make it successful. He had
never shown the Discipline of the A. M. E. Church to those who
constituted the small society which he had collected together,
consisting partly of English persons and partly of colored per¬
sons. "These people do not comprehend the distinction of
color and know not what the Discipline means, it being based
upon said distinction." G. W. Lawrence rose to say, after the
brother had finished, that he went from New Orleans as a British
subject and founded the first church that ever existed of any
kind in Greytown. He said that he had documents to prove it.
He went on to say that he was made a citizen of Greytown, and
helped to form the first municipal government there. He after¬
wards erected a church 30x60 feet. He left Greytown in 1852 to
represent the condition of things there to the General Confer¬
ence held in New York that year. He had done so in a par¬
ticular and faithful manner, and asked aid from their hands and
credentials from the Bishops, but no action was taken on the
case. He had given Brother Smith letters of introduction to
the mayor of Greytown, Mr. Martin, the English Consul, Mr.
Green and others, and it was by those letters that Brother Smith
obtained success. These letters, he claimed, were given in 1852,
while at New Orleans.*
After this episode the regular business was opened, and Bishop
Nazrey proceeded to say a few pertinent words upon the subject
of the finances of the church. He stated that " no government
could exist without means, and no church suffers so much as
ours for having abandoned the lesson which this truth teaches.
Among us everything depends upon free-will offerings. We have
taught the people that if they will they may, if not they may
leave it alone without incurring any guilt. Hence, our brethren
in the states have been forty years trying to establish a book
concern, with but very little success. Generally speaking, we
are poor men; there is no one rich among the itinerants. The
majority of us wefe thrust into the ministry at the very time we
*At the request of Bishop Payne, Brother Lawrence brought documents
to prove himself a British subject, and to show that he left New Orleans as
such. He declares that his missionary labors ^yyere prosecuted as a British
subject.
25
386
History of the A. M. E. Church.
were best fitted to make a comfortable living for ourselves and
families. Yes, we were thrust into it in the very bloom of our
manhood." The first two years of his labors as an itinerant he
received $104.00, and he spent $95.00 of this to buy horses with
which to serve the people. " Suppose one of us should, by acci¬
dent, become crippled as we leave this house, so that he shall be
unable to take charge of a flock: who will take care of him?
There is a case now in the bounds of this district, and should
the brother linger long, what will become of him? There is
no provision made for him. Brother Helmsly laid sick for
twelve months in this helpless condition. Now, therefore, while
we are taking care of other things, provide also for ourselves—do
something by which our wants can be met in the day of afflic¬
tion." There was a hearty assent to these sentiments evinced by
the "Aniens" that came from many voices. The Bishop also
showed the inadequacy of the two-cent collections, as decreed by
the General Conference of the states to sustain the preachers
in the time of sickness and old age. "I therefore advise you,"
said he, "that we add to the preacher's salary a certain amount,
which the Conference will demand of him to create a preachers'
aid fund, and require him to bring this amount with him to
the Conference." Samuel Brown proposed that each man pay
into the said fund in proportion to the amount which he may
receive on account of salary; he thought, however, that the
sum ought not to exceed the sum of $10.00. As a strong plea
for the measure Bishop Nazrey stated that during the four
years' sickness of Bishop Brown he had been to see him several
times when his wife had informed him that she had not a cent
with which to buy tea. Some were opposed to the measure
because of certain evils that might arise from the form which it
took, and then the idea was broached that the preachers were
all taxed to the utmost now, as well as others, to meet certain
necessities and charities. But the general sentiment was in
favor of working now for the object, while they were well and
strong, and endeavoring to establish a fund which would reflect
credit upon all, and then, " instead of pointing to the mother
Church as an example in this particular, we shall be able to say
to her, Come and do as we are doing." The result was that a com¬
mittee was appointed to draft a constitution for the preachers'
aid society.
The Sabbath which intervened between the fifth days' session
Separation From the A. M. E. Church.
387
and the last day of the convention was the day upon which
Rt. Rev. Willis Nazrey delivered the organization sermon of the
new British Methodist Episcopal Church. A crowded house was
present to hear him, ancl a vast number jammed the doors
and windows outside, and lent their voices to the choral of the
whole assembly as it sang that glorious hymn of Charles Wesley:
"Jesus, the name high over all,
In hell, or earth, or sky !
Angels and men before it fall,
And devils fear and fly."
After this opening the Bishop offered a very solemn and ap¬
propriate prayer, and then took his text from the whole of the
first chapter of the Epistle to the Church at Ephesus, dwelling
particularly on the ninth verse. It was a running comment
upon this interesting portion of the Word of God, full of practi¬
cal thoughts, very suggestive, breathing throughout a deeply
pious ancl evangelical spirit. The concluding prayer was
made by Bishop Payne, after which, on motion of Dr. M. R.
Delaney, the vast ancl delighted multitude requested Bishop
Nazrey to publish his discourse and to place a copy in the ar¬
chives of the B. M. E. Church.
October 6th was the closing day of the convention, which
opened a little later than usual. The different committees re¬
ported. That on the course of studies for the young ministers
reported progress. The next committee to report wras that on
fraternal relations which the B. M. E. Church may wish to sus¬
tain to the A. M. E. Church, and the participation they for¬
mally may desire to have in the book concern of the latter.
They reported as follows:
Whereas, The delegates from the A. M. E. Church in the United States
withdrew from the Convention before the B. M. E. Church was organized,
to learn in person what connection our Church may desire with the A. M.
E. Church in the United States, and what participation we may wish in
the book concern of that Church ;
We, your committee whose duty it was to show what connection the
B. M. E. Church in Canada wishes to hold with the A. M. E. Church in
the United States, beg leave to report that, in order to keep up a friendly
feeling and interest between the two Connections, delegates should be ap¬
pointed by the B. M. E. Church to meet the General Conference of the
A M. E. Church to fully participate in all their deliberations, but not to
vote ; and that the same privileges should be extended to our membf rs who
may meet in Annual Conference ; that all such delegates shall be elected
388
History of the A. M. E. Church.
at the Canadian Annual Conference at the session previous to the meeting
of the General Conference of the said A. M. E. Church. Should any of
our members or ministers wish to remove from the B. M. E. Church to the
A. M. E. Church, they may be received by certificate, with all the privi¬
leges and standing they hold in the B. M. E. Church. On our part we
pledge ourselves to keep inviolable all the above propositions.
We further suggest that neither the mother A. M. E. Church nor the
B. M. E. Church receive any circuit or station belonging to each other's
respective Connections.
We relinquish all claims to the book concern of the A. M. E. Church,
in lieu of which we hereby agree to return all the monies due the said
concern in our hands. * [Signed] C. C. Pierce,
W. H. Jones,
Jas. Harper,
H. J Young,
T. W. Stringer.
The suggestion concerning circuits and stations was in har¬
mony with the advice of Bishop Payne on the previous day's
session, when Brother Lawrence contended that the Central
American Mission should be placed under the care of the B. M.
E. Church. He said that whatever was done in relation to that
mission, he advised it to be done in such a way that would not
conflict with the claims of the Missouri Conference of the A. M.
E. Church, inasmuch as it was planted by that body.
A committee to draft a constitution to govern the book con¬
cern of the B. M. E. Church also reported. At the suggestion of
Bishop Payne, the motion which was passed a few days previous
was reconsidered and amended, so as to give power to the general
book steward or editor to publish a magazine, monthly if prac¬
ticable, and also a weekly paper whenever the necessary capital
can be created to sustain it. The appointment of the book
committee was postponed till the Bishop had read the annual
stationing of the itinerants. The design and motto of the
episcopal seal of the A. M. E. Church was adopted, with the
exception of the denominational name, which is to be supplanted
by the title of the B. M. E. Church. The publishing committee
was ordered to have the seal manufactured. A rule was also
adopted to make the local preachers or laymen who might be
members of the book committee liable to be tried in the same
courts as the traveling preachers.
The first General Conference of the B. M. E. Church was ap-
— *—
*The modified report of the minority may be seen in the printed min¬
utes of the convention, page 9.
Separation From the A. M. E. Church.
389
pointed to meet in the city of Toronto, on the 1st day of Sep¬
tember, 1860. The closing business was quickly dispatched. A
committee was appointed, on Bishop Payne's suggestion, to draft
a constitution to govern a literary and historical society. It con¬
sisted of Bishops Payne and Nazrey and Brother Harper. The
following rule was incorporated in the Discipline: "Any preach¬
er or exhorter having received license to preach or exhort, or
coming before the Quarterly Conference for renewal of his license,
if, on examination, it is found that he is not useful, or that he
has not attended the Sabbath-school, nor made proficiency in the
course of studies laid down for local preachers in the said Book
of Discipline, the said Quarterly Conference shall have power to
suspend the renewal of the license till he shall have complied
with the said requirements." Finally, all the minutes on Disci¬
pline were adopted, and the convention joined in singing the
hymn,
" Together let us sweetly live," etc.,
after which the benediction was pronounced by the vice-presi¬
dent, and the convention was declared adjourned sine die.
Thus terminated one of the most interesting and important
conventions ever held by the descendants of Africa on the
American continent. Its historic value and influence upon this
injured people and upon the world can only be realized a century
hence. Let it never be forgotten that the men who demanded
this distinct, separate and independent organization were all
emigrants from the United States. Several had been slaves, and
had fled to Canada to secure their freedom. Some were free
born, but had emigrated to escape the persecutions of the "Fugi¬
tive Slave Law." Some went to secure land and have a home,
which could not be obtained in the United States. They rejected
the title, "African Methodist Episcopal Church," because, they
said, first, that it made distinctions in the British Province not
cognizable by British law, and because there were at that time
about fortv colored men in the Buxton settlement and neigh¬
borhood who had white wives, and the adoption of that title
would cut off from membership every one of these white women
because they were not Africans. These reasons were emphasized
especially by Elder William H. Jones, who was evidently the
master mind in the Province of Canada, and one who was the
leading spirit in this convention, and who subsequently con-
390
History of the A. M. E. Church.
trolled the movements of the B. M. E. Church, for he wielded an
influence in it second only to that of Bishop Nazrey.
The convention having closed, the Conference convened on
the morning of October 7th, 1856, in the city of Toronto, and
after some informal deliberations it was opened with the usual
exercises of reading the Scripture, singing and prayer. Then the
Conference requested Bishop Payne to conduct Bishop Nazrey to
the chair, which he did, addressing him and the brethren in a
brief and suitable manner.
Bishop Nazrey replied as follows:
As the providence of God has brought us to this hour, and in view of
the labors I am about to enter upon, and of my responsibility in the Judg¬
ment Day, I render to my brethren my heartfelt thanks for the confidence
placed in me, as it manifests itself, by placing me at the head of their
affairs. I therefore pledge myself to endeavor to diligently and honestly
exercise my office independently of human bias, but dependency upon
God—to exercise it with that independence of man which belongs to the
character and office of an ambassador of Christ, so that I may be able to
accomplish the greatest possible good for the cause of Christ.
Dear brethren, I say again, I return you my sincere thanks and gratitude
for the confidence you have placed in me. I am with you in sorrow and
in joy, in prosperity and in adversity. Whenever you see a wrong act in
me, tell me kindly of it, and I shall be grateful for your faithfulness, and
shall manifest my gratitude by correcting it. Pray that God may assist me
in all my efforts to labor for your good, for the good of his Church, for the
good of all mankind, in order that I may do so with success.
As it regards you, my colleague, God grant that our minds may always
remain one in all our views and efforts to promote the cause of Christ and
the well-being of our downtrodden race and of our common humanity.
The Bishop's remarks were frequently indorsed by hearty
"Aniens" from the brethren. He then proceeded formally to
open the Conference by reading Matthew v. 1-17. He then an¬
nounced the hymn, and soon the regular business was opened.
The Rev. Samuel Brown, Avho had presided over the deliberations
of the convention Avith so much dignity, was the oldest preacher
in the province, and in view of this and his age as well, at the
suggestion of Bishop Nazrey, and the unanimous suffrage of the
brethren, he was invited to a seat by the side of the chairman
during the session of Conference.
The Conference ordered a mission to be opened in Central
America, and, in view of the reasons brought forth by Brother
Benjamin Smith for desiring association of the religious society
which he had gathered in that country with the B. M. E. Church
Separation From the A. M. E. Church.
391
in preference to the A. M. E. Church in the United States, es¬
pecially because of the protection which the British government
affords, it was resolved "That we receive Brother Smith and the
people collected by him into the itinerancy, provided he shall
sustain an examination." The Committee on Itinerancy reported
in favor of receiving Brother Smith, and Bishop Nazrey pro¬
ceeded to do so according to the Discipline, and the brother
was soon after elected to the deaconate by a unanimous vote, his
ordination taking place after adjournment.
The Grand River appointment was taken from the Branforcl
Circuit and attached to Hamilton Station. The committee's re¬
port upon a constitution for a literary and historical society Avas
adopted, and the following officers were elected: Rt. Rev. Willis
Nazrey, president; Rev. James Harper, vice-president; Rev.
George Broadie, secretary; Thomas W. Stringer, treasurer; and
Rev. Broadie, librarian; with an executive committee composed
of Rev. W. H. -Jones, C. H. Price, H. J. Young, Benj. Steward
and Mr. Madison Bell.
The newTs of the death of Brother Jeremiah Taylor having
reached the convention when in session, the Conference paid
tribute to his memory by a sermon, delivered by Rev. Samuel
Brown. Brother Taylor began his labors as a minister of the A.
M. E. Church in Canada, nearly twenty years before. He was
then without education, knowing not so much as the alphabet;
but he did not care for that. He had religion in his heart, and
that was enough for him, for "by the Holy Ghost he could tear
up all the sinners of the province." He did not, could not, and
would not learn till urged by his more intelligent and noble
wife, who became his teacher soon after she became his wife, and
succeeded in teaching him to read the Bible, hymn-book and
Discipline. Brother Taylor was indefatigable in his labors, re¬
garding neither heat nor cold, hail, rain nor snow, and Avent
to the execution of his Master's Avork, paid or not paid. His
moral character, too, Avas of the highest order; neither Avicked
men nor devils could corrupt him. All this and more Avas said
in this remarkable discourse by the aged brother, and Avhen it
Avas ended the Conference resumed its business.
The Pittsburg Book Publishing Committee appointed by the
Conference agreed to hold its next session in St. Catherine's.
Before reading the appointments the Bishop spoke as folloAvs:
"Suffer me to deal plainly Avitli you. Some of us join the itin-
392
History of the A. M. E. Church.
erancy with gladness. When we are buoyant with hope and
without experience, we are willing to be sent anywhere; but after a
year or two we hear of certain pleasant appointments, where the
people value the Gospel with its precious privileges and give it,
therefore, a liberal support: then we wish to go there, and if we
are not sent there we become angry. I shall always feel it my
duty to please God first; then, if I fail to please the preachers
and the people, I will leave them and their fault-finding to God,
who knows where and when to correct every error and every
evil. Let me say another word to the people; it is this: If they
pay but six cents a year they want the best preachers sent to
them, and they will be displeased if this is not done, as though
they had given thousands to support the ministry and the insti¬
tutions of the Church. This is all wrong. If people want the
ablest of men they should be willing to give them an ample
support, as others do, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. The
duty of the people is to support the ministry. This is biblical
and just—all that is said to the contrary notwithstanding. Then,
there are some of our preachers who have formed such a habit of
gadding that Avhen they are sent to the charge of a circuit or
station they will not remain faithful to their trust. Leaving the
flock in the hands of some local preacher, they run hither and
thither, and are sometimes absent for one, two, or three months.
This is all wrong, and the Conference ought to put a stop to this
bad habit. Such men ought to be disciplined for it. I have
held different charges for twelve years, and did not absent myself
but two Sundays from them. Brethren, be faithful; teach the
people, do them good, and God will bless you."
The appointments were then read, and, with the hymn and
benediction following, the first session of the Canadian Confer¬
ence of the British Methodist Episcopal Church closed.
CHAPTER XXX.
REVIEW OF EDUCATION TO 1856.
Founders of the A. M. E. Church—Daniel Coker the Most Intellectual of
the Sixteen—English, American and African Methodism—A Contrast—
Ohio Annual Conference First to Speak on Education in 1833—A Voice
Nine Years Later—D. A. Payne's "Epistles"—Bishop Morris Brown's
Advice—First Educational Convention in 1845—Wilberforce University
Founded in 1856—Bishop Payne's First Connection with It—The Hand
of God—Dawn at Hand.
THE founders of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
were all unlearned men. The most intelligent of the six¬
teen who organized the Connection was Daniel Coker, at
that time a schoolmaster in the city of Baltimore. He was suf¬
ficiently educated to publish a small pamphlet purporting to be
a "Dialogue between a Virginian and an African minister,
written by Rev. Daniel Coker, a descendant of Africa, minister
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore. Hum¬
bly dedicated to the people of color in the United States of
America. Baltimore: Printed by Benjamin Edes for Joseph
James. 1810." Such is the reading of the title page copied
from the tattered little pamphlet. *
In 1818 there was found no one in the Baltimore Annual Con¬
ference competent to act as secretary; therefore, the youthful
son of Bishop Allen, a lad of fourteen years, was constituted
secretary. He filled this office for two consecutive years. This
circumstance is a proof of the statement that the ministry of the
A. M. E. Church was, at the beginning of its career, an unlearned
body; and also of the fact that Daniel Coker, the most intelli¬
gent, was made so through the sympathy of his master's stubborn
son not by a regular course of instruction, but by a bit now and
then, going and returning from school.
In the Philadelphia Conference the most intelligent and best
trained intellect was Joseph M. Corr, who did not start with the
Connection, but entered it as a local preacher some time between
1820 and 1825. He appears as secretary of the Baltimore Con¬
ference in 1826. He was trained in Charleston, S. C., either in
* A manuscript copy of this little work is in the hands of the writer.
( 393 )
394
History of the A. M. E. Church.
the common schools of Mr. Thomas L. Bonneau, or at the school
of Mr. Mins. The former was a man of mixed blood, the latter
a white West Indian. In the schools managed by these two
schoolmasters of Charleston, S. C., nothing but arithmetic as far
as the "rule of three," reading, writing and spelling was taught.
Joseph Cox, who appeared at the Baltimore Conference in 1819,
was also a local preacher endowed by nature Avith a powerful in¬
tellect as a natural orator and logician, with about as much as a
primary school education; but he was well read. He lived up to
1843-44, having no superior in the itinerant ranks as an ex¬
pounder of the Holy Word of God.
English Methodism under .John and Charles Wesley began its
career with founding a school of learning for the sons of its
preachers, and one for the children of poor colliers (1739-48).*
Subsequently other institutions for higher education were origi¬
nated. So also did American Methodism commence its career
with planning and executing in behalf of education, f
Not so with African Methodism in America, because Allen and
his coadjutors were illiterate men. They founded no institution
of learning, and there is no trace of a thought in their minds
about a school of learning. The reason of this difference
between the beginnings of English Methodism, American Meth¬
odism and African Methodism in the United States is seen in
the fact that the founding of schools of learning is a result of
education. It does not proceed, but it follows in the wake of edu¬
cation. What is not in a man cannot be drawn out of him.
Therefore, it was not until 1833 that we hear the first voice speak¬
ing out on the subject. It was in the Ohio Annual Conference
of that date, during its session in Pittsburg, Pa. It was at that
time the youngest of the Conferences. Its sentiments are re¬
corded in the following resolutions :
Resolved, 1st. As the sense of this house, that common schools, Sunday-
schools and temperance societies are of the highest importance to all peo¬
ple, but more especially to our people.
Resolved, 2d. That it shall be the duty of every member of this Confer¬
ence to do all in his power to promote and establish these useful institu¬
tions among our people.
* A Hundred Years of Methodism, by Bishop Simpson, pp. 31, 32 and
252. Stephens' History of Methodism, Vol. I., p. 214.
tSee A Hundred Years of Methodism, p, 253. Also Stephens' History
of Methodism, Vol. I., p. 214.
Review of Education to 1856.
395
Nine years subsequent to this we hear another voice speaking
out distinctly in behalf of education. It was that of the Balti¬
more Conference, which was opened in the city of Baltimore on
the 2'2d of May. On the 1st of May the following preamble and
resolutions were discussed and adopted:
Whereas, The great literary advantages that the rising generation
enjoys requires more than ordinary intelligence in the ministry that may
be called to instruct them ; and
Whereas, Our excellent Discipline cannot be fully executed, nor our
present plan of improvement fully consummated, without an intelligent
ministry ; and, still more,
Whereas, The unerring Word of God requires that " the priest's lips
should keep knowledge, and they (the people) should seek the law at his
mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts ; " therefore,
Resolved, 1st. That we, the elders and deacons of the Connection, will
from henceforth make use of all the means in our power to cultivate our
minds and increase our store of knowledge.
Resolved, 2d. That we recommend to all our elders and deacons, licensed
preachers and exhorters, the diligent and indefatigable study of the fol¬
lowing branches of useful knowledge, viz.: English grammar, geography,
arithmetic, history, modern history, ecclesiastical history, natural and
revealed theology.
The preamble and resolutions were expanded and carried to
the Philadelphia Annual Conference, as we have seen, which met
in Philadelphia on the 20th of May, 1843, and finished its delib¬
erations on the 31st.
We have also seen the expansion of the Baltimore resolutions
into the following:
Inasmuch as, The light of science and literature is pervading every de¬
partment of society, and the rising generation will be prepared to enter
upon the stage of action with advantages far beyond what we have ever
enjoyed; and moreover,
Inasmuch as, The spirit of the Bible, with its letter, together with an
excellent Discipline, enjoins upon us ministers the duty of study; there¬
fore,
Resolved, That we recommend the following course of studies to be pur¬
sued by our traveling and local preachers, viz.:
First Year.—The Bible, Discipline, Smith's English Grammar, Mitchell's
Geography, and Bishop Emory's Questions.
Second Year.—Kollin's Ancient History and Mosheim's Church History.
Third Year.—Paley's Natural Theology and Schumacher's Popular The¬
ology.
Fourth Year.—Butler's Analogy, Neander's History of the Christian
Religion, and Paley's Evidences of Christianity.
396
History of the A. M. E. Church.
The Philadelphia Annual Conference did not stop at the adop¬
tion of this curriculum. It took another step in the right direc¬
tion by passing the following resolution:
Resolved, That the above recommendation be preserved and presented
to the next General Conference by the delegates of this district.
At this the opponents of an educated ministry became alarmed,
and resolved, if possible, to prevent its adoption by the General
Conference of 18-14, so that the fire was kindled; but the epistles
on the education of the ministry (of which there were five),
written between June, 1843, and May, 1844, inflamed it, and
threatened to consume the leader of the educational movement.
It was said by one that these epistles were " full of absurdity,"
" Infidels can do no more," and the statements of the fourth of
these epistles were branded as " Infidelity in its rankest form."
Others who could not handle the pen, or had not the courage to
appear in the columns of the church organ ( The African Methodist
Episcopal Church Magazine), privately called him "a devil." An¬
other writer charged the author of the " epistles" with branding
the ministry with infamy, and of " reckless slander on the gen¬
eral character of the Connection." So intense was the feeling
expressed in private circles against the " epistles" on the educa¬
tion of the ministry, that the editor of the magazine said, " that
great fear is entertained by some that if the measures proposed
be adopted by the General Conference, discord and dissolution
will necessarily take place in the Church between the ignorant
and intelligent portions of it." The leader of the educational
measures became alarmed, and resolved not to attend the Gen¬
eral Conference, because he did not wish to breed " discord,"
much less to produce the "dissolution" of the A. M. E. Church.
So he tendered his resignation to Bishop Morris Brown, the senior
bishop at the time, who refused to receive the resignation, and
said " Son, that is the very thing they want. They don't want
you to be at the General Conference; so you must go." In obe¬
dience to the advice and order of the Bishop, he went at the head
of the delegation. These were nine in number: Rev. Joseph Cox,
of Philadelphia, Pa.;* Rev. Daniel A. Payne, Philadelphia. Pa.;
Rev. David Ware, Philadelphia, Pa.; Rev. Stephen Smith, Phila-
*Rev. Joseph Cox died before the Conference year expired, and the
next on the list became the leader. These nine were called delegates, be¬
cause they were local preachers who represented the laity.
Revieiv of Education to 1856.
397
delphia, Pa.; Rev. Leven Tillmon, Philadelphia, Pa.; Rev. Shad-
rack Bassett, Trenton, N. J.; Rev. Aaron Johnson, Burlington,
N. J.; Rev. Robert Collins, Bucks' County, Pa.; Rev. Jeremiah
Miller, West Chester, Pa.
The particulars of the discussion in the General Conference of
1844, and its adoption of a course of studies for the improvement
of our ministry, have already been given.
In 1845 we have, as we have seen in previous pages, another
series of communications on the education of the ministry, en¬
titled "Essays on. the Education of the Ministry." These sof¬
tened clown the open opposition to the all-important question till
the General Conference of 1848. In 1845, at the instance of the
Baltimore Annual Conference, the first educational convention
was called. It was held in the city of Philadelphia. Several
days were devoted to considering various plans for promoting the
good work of education among the colored race of the United
States in general, but chiefly in the Connection of the A. M. E.
Church. The words and spirit of the call are shown in the fol¬
lowing preamble:
Whereas, The sacred cause of education is of such vital importance to
the interests of the Church in particular and to the world in general, that
instead of being contented with what little we have done, we feel it our
duty to make new and greater efforts to advance its cause among us in such
a way as will result in a general diffusion of its blessings among our be¬
nighted race; therefore,
Resolved, That this committee shall be composed of seven members of
our Church, viz.: four of the itinerant preachers and three of the laity.
Resolved, That a copy of this preamble and these resolutions be sent to
each Annual Conference for their adoption.
Daniel A. Payne,
Henry C. Turner,
Thomas W. Henry,
Adam S. Driver,
James A. Shorter,
John Henson,
Daniel W. Moore.
In the discussion opposite views and measures were advanced.
Some favored the organization of an educational association to
raise funds for educating young men for our ministry; others
favored the idea of founding a collegiate institution. The former
presented as arguments in favor of an educational association:
(t/.) The fact that the great want of our Church was educated
398
History of the A. M. E. Church.
men. (b.) That there were then at least three educational insti¬
tutions of learning accessible to colored students, and, therefore,
the pressing want of the A. M. E. Church was not a college, but
educated men to lead on its varied interests, (c.) That it was
possible by perseverance and unity to raise means sufficient to
keep at least a half dozen young men every year at some one
college, but that all our efforts and means combined were inade¬
quate to the founding and support of a single college.
The opposition maintained that we were adequate to the found¬
ing and support of a college. The two parties became set, and so
violent was their opposition to each other, that at one time the
convention was in danger of being broken up in confusion with¬
out accomplishing anything at all. Therefore, a compromise was
made by the adoption of both plans—that is to say, the conven¬
tion resolved to organize an educational association to educate
young men for the ministry; also, to enter into ways and means
to found an institution of learning in the West. Then there
arose another faction contending there should be one in the East,
also.
Finally, all three propositions were adopted. The society was
organized on the spot, and the convention adjourned. Each party
resolved to prosecute its favorite scheme. But for lack of unity
in purpose and oneness in action, and because we were all too poor
to assume individual responsibility, the project was abandoned.
0, ignorance! 0, disunion! Ye did curse and destroy Carthage;
ye can also curse and destroy the African M. E. Church. Not
the Christian Church; no, never! because that is for humanity;
but the African M. E. Church, because that stands for a single
race. The races perish; sometimes they become scattered to the
four corners of the earth, as in the case of the Jews. They are
without nationality, but scattered among all nations. Humanity
consists of all nations and of all races. She embraces every
human being, the most degraded as well as the most exalted;
but humanity can neither perish nor be scattered to the four
corners of the earth, because every spot of the earth is hers, and
shall be in her possession till the new heavens and the new earth
be brought into being.
The educational convention of which we have just written,
and of which we have spoken elsewhere, was opened on the 30th
of October, in the city of Philadelphia. This convention repre¬
sented the Eastern Conferences, viz.: Baltimore, Philadelphia
Revieiv of Education to 1856.
399
and New York. But it has been seen that the Ohio Annual
Conference had convened in the city of Columbus, 0., on the
18th of September, 1845, and heard a report from a committee
of three, which had been appointed in the autumn of 1844
to select a tract of land for the "Manual Labor Plan," about
fourteen miles southwest of Columbus, from which two historical
facts can be seen: First, that the influence of the action of the
General Conference of 1844 on the subject of education took im¬
mediate effect; second, that in her efforts for the founding of an
institution of learning Ohio led the van. The institution was
called Union Seminary. It did not succeed. Much time was
spent in collecting funds to buy the land (one hundred and
eighty acres, more or less), and to erect a comparatively small
frame building upon it. A primary school was kept up for sev¬
eral }^ears, but it was such a school as no intelligent parent would
send a child from Columbus, 0., fourteen miles distant, to at¬
tend, because better schools, supported by state funds, were at
their command and at their threshold in all the large towns of
Ohio. This institution called Union Seminary lingered till
Wilberforce became the property of the A. M. E. Church, when,
by a vote of the Ohio Annual Conference it was abolished,
and the property ordered to be sold for the benefit of Wilberforce
University. But the agents appointed to effect the sale allowed
the one hundred and eighty acres to slip through their hands
with but little profit to Wilberforce. "The Lord reigneth in the
heavens and in the earth." The former truth is admitted by all
thoughtful men, but comparatively few, even of professing
Christians, see the Almighty hand in the ordinary affairs of men.
The movements of the M. E. Church on the subject of general
secular education for the colored people of the United States,
and of higher education for those of the West, seemed to have
been simultaneous with the aspirations and longing after intel¬
lectual and moral, as well as religious, development on the part
of the master minds of the A. M. E. Church; for, in 1853, a
committee was appointed by the Cincinnati Conference of the
M. E. Church to inquire into and report to the next session
of the Conference "what can best be done to promote the welfare
of the people of color among us." In 1854 the said committee
made an elaborate report on the subject, and recommended
the establishment of one literary institution of a high order in
the West for the more effectual training of distinguished useful-
400
History of the A. M. E. Church.
ness; but especially to prepare a sufficient number of teachers,
male and female, to supply their schools with competent and
well-trained teachers, wherever colored teachers may be needed.
This report went on to say " there is a great lack of well qualified
ministers and teachers among the colored people, and we can
think of no better plan than this to supply the lamentable de¬
ficiency. It is probable the number of colored people in our
midst will greatly increase, hence the greater necessity of increas¬
ing the number of intelligent and pious ministers and teachers
to educate and train the race in a proper manner." The labors
of the committee, as we have shown elsewhere, resulted in
the founding of Wilberforce University in 1856.
Bishop Daniel A. Payne had traversed the state of Ohio in the
autumn of 1855 in search of some country town where he could
find a good school, surrounded by the best moral and religious
influences, in which he could place his step-children to be in¬
structed and trained for usefelness in the present life, and for
the blessedness of the life which is to come, and the associations
which constitute the sinless company of heaven. The Rev.
John F. Right and Rev. Mansfield French, the accredited agents
of the Cincinnati Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
having heard of his movements, informed him that they believed
the}r could supply his needs at Tawawa Springs, about three and a
half miles from Xenia, in Greene county, Ohio. They invited him
to go and see the beautiful location, and join them in founding
the contemplated institution of learning, because they believed it
was the very place and the very institution where his children
could be trained under the best moral and religious influences.
The invitation was accepted, and, in company with Rev. Mans¬
field French and his enthusiastic wife, Bishop Payne visited
Tawawa Springs, selected the most convenient cottage within
the campus, and therein moved his family, July, 1856.
Prompted by similar motives, Elder James A. Shorter (subse¬
quently Bishop Shorter) moved his family, embracing five
children, from Baltimore to Wilberforce.
It was during the management of Wilberforce under the
auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church that Rev. Wm. H.
Hunter, D. D., and Rev. Richard H. Cain received their training.
The former was the successful manager of our book concern from
1872 to 1876, and Dr. R. H. Cain was elected to the bishopric of
the A. M. E, Church in 1880.
Review of Education to 1856.
401
These facts already show that the hand of God was leading
these two branches of the Methodist family in the same direction
at the same time for the accomplishment of the same great end—■
the Christian education of a race—a race enslaved and ostra¬
cised by Christians in a so-called Christian land, and that, too,
in the name of Christianity. The clouds were blackening, the
darkness was growing deeper and deeper, and yet the dawn of
day was just at hand.
26
CHAPTER XXXI.
A REVIEW OF THE FIRST FOUR DECADES.
Events of 1856—Reports from Conferences upon the Subject of Education
—A Comparison—The Episcopal Fields of Labor to 1860—Visit of Rev.
Mansfield French to the Ohio Conference of 1856—Contemporaneous
Bishops—Results of Labors of the First Itinerants— 816 and 1856 Con¬
trasted—Tables of Comparative Progress—Summary in 1826—Summary
in 1856—Detailed View of the Results of the Fourth Decade—The Seven
Conferences in 1856.
VERY event in 1856 of more than ordinary occurrence in
the transactions of our ecclesiastical affairs, of which we
have any knowledge, may be summed up in the following
brief statements:
(a.) In the Ohio Conference the preachers' aid society was
organized.
(b.) In the Indiana Conference they organized a preachers' aid
society and an historical and literary society.
These were all formed at the suggestion of Bishop Payne, and
drafted in every instance by him, except in the case of the lit¬
erary and historical society of the Indiana Conference.
(c.) A model constitution for auxiliary missionary societies was
drafted for the Missouri District by Brothers Brooks, Tyler and
Miles.
(d.) The attitude of the Baltimore, Ohio, Missouri and Indiana
Conferences on the subject of education, which is expressed in
the reports of their respective committees, of which the ablest is
that of Ohio, as the reader will see by the examination of them.
The report of the Ohio Conference is the one first given :
To the Bishops and Conference:
Your committee, to whom was referred the subject of Education, begs
leave to present the following report:
Believing, as we do, that a correct education is the foundation of the
elevation of any people, and the principal lever in the divine arrangement
to raise us as a people out of that vortex of oppression and degradation
into which our enemies have placed us, we would here observe, that just
in proportion to an- individual's intelligence is he prepared to resist or
( 402 )
A Revieio of the First Four Decades.
403
calmly submit to the encroachments on his liberty. And what we say of
individuals is strictly true of nations under similar circumstances. Such
being our humble opinion of the subject under consideration, it might be
asked, in what sense are we to be educated—morally, religiously, mentally
and physically ?
Moral education consists in teaching correct habits of life. Wherever
the moral rectitude of a people is bad, whatever their intellectual attain¬
ments may be, that people are degraded and despised by the intelligent
and upright of their fellow men; therefore, the cultivation and practice of
good morals should be inculcated and instilled in the mind in childhood by
parents or guardians. If the mind is educated from infancy to abhor
bad conduct, it will carry this abhorrence to a greater or lesser degree all
through life.
On a religious education we cannot place too high an estimate, as it is of
the most vital importance to all. And here we would remark, that we
mean by religious education the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ, the
regeneration of the spirit, the sanctification of life, and the purifying of the
affections. This qualifies for every duty in life. Eeligious education
should always keep pace with the intellectual, in order to produce a well-
balanced mind.
Physical education : It has been truly said that a strong mind in a weak
body is as inconsistent as a large engine in a small boat, the wreight and
force of which will sink the vessel; hence, moral courage and physical
strength are necessary for the full development of man. This subject is of
the utmost interest to all people, but more especially to ours of the free
states, for wye have not only been shut out of the seminaries of learning,
where the immortal mind is developed in its divine proportions, but from
the workshop, the farm, and mainly from labor in general; hence the phys¬
ical system, as well as the intellectual powers, has deteriorated. If,
therefore, it be true that physical as well as moral culture is necessary for
the development of a perfect man, surely we, of all people, stand in need
of this development. Hence, while we seek mental training by the direction
of inspiration, let us not forget that this same inspiration commends dili¬
gence in business. Therefore, it is becoming that we should be careful to
develop the physical powers. In order to do this, it is essential to be
acquainted with the physical laws of our nature, which may be summed
up in the short sentence—cleanliness, diligence and temperance.
Mental education: A well educated and enlightened mind will so enlarge
the structure in which it dwells that no fetters forged, nor yoke framed, will
be able to hold it in oppression and degradation ; but in spite of all the com¬
bined powers of enactments or prejudice it will rise to the level of its
native talent, and from the dark cavity of oppression will stand forth in
the ima»e °* 8rea^ author in the scale of society for which it was de¬
signed. And while these are the convictions of our hearts, permit us to
present some of the errors of our people, who are daily neglecting this
?alperative obligation to God, themselves, their offspring, and society in
cenerflJ-
T>
404
History of the A. M. E. Church.
First, we find to our regret that a large number of the children, who
should be regular in attendance in day school, by sheer neglect are left to
run the streets, and learn habits that will prove an incubus on their future
life; and not only in the day, but in the holy Sabbath-school is this neglect
to be traced. And lamentable it is to say, that thousands of children, even
of professors of Christianity, are, instead of being sent to learn of God and
heaven, left free to run at large and desecrate the day of the Lord, and
wander in the path of vice to ruin and degradation. This we would, with
all earnestness of our souls, urged to be changed. We would beg leave to
dissent from the opinion of many of our people, who, as soon as a child
comes to the stage of twelve or fifteen years, think it is to the highest
interest of both parent and child to take it from school and put it out to
work for wages, thus depriving it of the most important period of its im¬
provement. For, while we would urge the duty of persons teaching their
children to work, it must be observed that about the age above referred to,
the mind is the most susceptible, and the reasoning faculties are just be¬
coming qualified to discern in a small degree the benefits accruing from
perseverance in study and appreciation of what they may learn. In no
period should there be so much exertion made to give the child the advan¬
tage of school as this, and there is no amount of money that can justly
remunerate the intellectual part for this act of the parents to their children.
Another fact to which we would beg leave to direct attention is this: the
indifference with which we look upon a child losing a day now and then.
This precious time, in a large degree, is permitted to run to waste, and
all of this would be obviated if parents only duly studied that every hour
the child loses from his class, and every lesson his class recites in his
absence, in such proportion will he be deficient in the lessons that the
regular student will be perfect in. And to this we must attribute many
of the complaints we so often hear of our children not improving in our
schools. Advantages are opening for educational purposes among us, but
we must prepare our minds to avail ourselves of these advantages ; and if
we cannot adorn our children's bodies with costly attire, let us provide
to adorn their minds with that jewel that will elevate, ennoble and rescue
the bodies of our long injured race from the shackles of bondage, and their
minds from trammels of ignorance and vice.
Ed. D. Davis.
Lewis Woodson,
G. C. Graham, ^ Committee.
M. T. Newson,
A. R. Green,
We now present the Missouri Report on Education:
Your committee to whom was referred the duty of reporting on the ed¬
ucational prospects in the bounds of this Conference, would respectfully
submit the following: We have had the same under review, and find that
there are ten day schools under the control of our Church in this district,
all of which are in a healthy condition. We are not able to report the
A Review of the First Four Decades.
405
exact number of pupils attending those schools, but are informed that they
are well attended. The age which we live in is one of expansive benevo¬
lence. The genial influence of our holy religion upon the heart pleads
the cause of humanity, in which it holds a controlling influence, and we
may confidently look to our educational enterprises as the instruments
which, in their direct and legitimate workings, are the medium through
which our humble efforts to evangelize our people are to succeed, till they
shall, like the sun, pour down their illuminating and melting influence
upon our sin-disordered world until every source of human wretchedness
shall be dissipated, and every moral wilderness shall rejoice and blossom
as the rose. It is a source of peculiar pleasure to your committee to see
that there is a general disposition among our people to encourage and sus¬
tain the cause of education. Nor is this applicable to our lay brethren ex¬
clusively, but a general interest is aroused among our clerical brethren
also, even among the elder division of them. There is a manifest deter¬
mination to master those sciences that are so much needed by the man of
God, that he may be adequate to the great work of the ministry.
Your committee is of the opinion that the Preachers' Moral, Mental
and Religious Improving Association will prove to be a material aid in the
improvement of every mind associated with it, and recommend the pas¬
sage of the following resolutions :
Whereas, Education is one of the principal means of creating in the
mind those noble feelings which prompt us to the practice of piety, virtue
and temperance ; which elevate us to the dignity of a man and a Christian,
and which assimilates us to our Maker. Therefore, we recommend all our
preachers to enjoin undeviating attention to its promotion.
The following is the Indiana Report 011 Education :
To the Reverend Bishops and Conference Assembled :
We, to whom was referred the business of making out a report on educa¬
tion within the bounds of the Indiana District, have matured that subject
as far as we have been able, and would respectfully state it as our opinion
that our people and our white friends have become somewhat properly
interested on this subject. Your committee firmly believes that education
proper leads to a true knowledge of the Great God of the Universe.
Without the mind is cultivated, it seems to be impossible for the inherent
beauties, energies and powers thereof to develop themselves. It should,
therefore, always be the appropriate work of the Church to attend to this
thing. Learning has always been greatly prized and highly cherished by
a great many, yet neglected by more. It has been confined to monasteries;
but these bars could not withstand the expansion of a heaven-enkindled
thirst for learning, which unbolts these monasteries, and is now striving to
give free vent to man's immortal nature.
Your committee finds the number of pupils in day and Sabbath-schools
to be one thousand four hundred and eighty-four in the bounds of the
August 8th, 1856.
406
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Indiana Conference. We rejoice to know that there are now coming into
existence a great many facilities for useful learning which are placed within
the reach of our people. Among these are Avery and Xenia Colleges, with a
few others East and West, which are offering great assistance to our people.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing facts, and as the grand center
towards which all useful knowledge tends is God, your committee would
recommend that each preacher, when he reaches his charge, do all that he
possibly can to encourage parents and guardians to do all they can for the
education and elevation of the youths under their control; and
Whereas, Our white friends are doing so much for the elevation and
happiness of our people, as in the cases especially of the Avery, Xenia
and Illinois Institutes;
Resolved, 1st. That this Conference is highly gratified with what has been
done and is doing in offering educational facilities to our people such as
the above.
Resolved, 2d. That we are much pleased with the project of the Rev. A.
R. Green to establish a publishing organ in Zanesville, O.
All of which we would respectfully submit.
The next report is that of Baltimore:
We, your committee to whom was referred the great subject of educa¬
tion, ask to submit the following: Education has claimed the attention of
all civilized nations for centuries. It wTas education that distinguished
ancient Greece and Rome. History informs us that Africa once produced
some of the most learned men that ever lived in their day; and what her
sons once were they can be again. All that is wanting is energy upon the
part of those who are identified with the interests of the race. It is
visible to the view of every rational mind that if ever the African Meth¬
odist Church is raised to that high and eminent position which our fathers
contemplated in her organization, she must educate her sons. The Disci¬
pline by which we are governed cannot be properly understood without
education; the rich treasures of the Holy Scriptures cannot be correctly
exhibited without it. We therefore beg leave to offer the following pre¬
amble and resolutions:
Whereas, We, the members of the Baltimore Annual Conference of
the African Methodist Episcopal Church, have beheld with delight the
great and glorious effects resulting from education among mankind, both
in the Church and the State ; and
Whereas, We are convinced that education is the only thing calculated
to elevate us as a people in this country, politically, morally and religiously.
Destitute of it, we must inevitably retrograde; with it, we may hope for
success. From the present indication we are led to believe that our race
shall be elevated. But much depends upon the exertions of the ministers
of the Gospel, as they should be the pioneers of the people, leading them
from one point of elevation to another. Therefore,
Thomas Strothers,
William A. Dove,
William Jackson.
A Review of the First Four Decades.
407
Resolved by the Baltimore Annual Conference in Conference Assembled, let.
That we regard education as the great luminary to light up the under¬
standing of the human family.
Resolved, 2d. That we recommend to the members of our Church
throughout the district that wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get
wisdom.
Resolved, 3d. That the members and delegates to the General Conference
be and are hereby instructed to urge upon that body to adopt some meas¬
ures for the more thorough education of the ministry.
A. W. Wayman, \
Levin Lee, |
Michael Sluby, >- Committee.
E. T. Williams, I
. W. H. Waters, )
We will now turn to the work of the Conferences for the
year. Bishop Quinn's field of labor for the years 1856 and 1860
included the Philadelphia, New York and New England Confer¬
ences. Bishop Nazrey's field for the same period included the Ohio
and Canada regions. Bishop Payne had Baltimore, Missouri and
Indiana. Therefore,• at the new Conference which sprang into
existence in the year 1855, it was Bishop Payne's work to organ¬
ize it, which he did, and its first annual session was held
August 2d, 1856. As has been said, it was an off-shoot of the
Indiana Conference, which up to this time had covered all the
states of Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky and Louisiana.
This year the total number of accredited members in Society was
set down at one thousand eight hundred and nine; itinerant
elders, six; deacons, three; licentiates, one. One death occurred
during the current year, in the person of William M. Rice, of
whom no biographical sketch was given. Thornton Smith was
admitted into the itinerant ranks. The cause of missions was
considered, and thrilling speeches in its behalf were made by
Elders John M. Brown and Willis R. Revels, the following pre¬
amble and resolutions being presented by Elder John M. Brown :
Whereas, There is a vast population without the Bread of Life in Cen¬
tral America, and no one has a^ yet occupied that territory; and
Whereas, We believe our Church is destined, under God, to diffuse
itself into every region where immortal souls are found; therefore,
Resolved, 1st. That this Missouri Annual Conference set apart a mission
in that vast region as soon as a proper man can be found.
Resolved, 2d. That our Bishop is authorized to appoint a man and open
a mission at any time during the year that he obtains the proper material
in men and means.
408
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Elder W. Revels moved to amend the last resolution by insert¬
ing: "So soon as proper men and means can be obtained." The
preamble and resolutions were well meant by the mover, and the
Conference meant well in adopting them, but the step was actu¬
ated by a zeal unenlightened by a sound knowledge of human
nature as well as geography, especially political geography. The
idea and belief that the African M. E. Church is destined to dif¬
fuse itself into every region where immortal souls are found is
fallacious, because all men will not accept the idea nor the facts
expressed by this Conference. And when we recollect that the
men who composed the B. M. E. Church, who were all raised in
the bosom of the African M. E. Church, had rejected similar
facts, it needs no prophet's eye to see that intelligent men of
color will be forever opposed to an organization that will sever
them from Christian brethren on account of their color, and cut
them off from almost all the practical sympathies which are
caused by the color line. Moreover, the geographical boundaries
create distinct and separate communities, states, nations and
governments. In these, where the laws are in harmony with the
moral principles of Christianity, distinctions on account of race
or color cannot exist; hence, social distinctions based upon race
or color cannot exist, and therefore every name, title and thing
which creates or has a tendency to create such barbarous dis¬
tinctions must and will be rejected. Hence, the idea and belief
that the African Methodist Episcopal Church is " destined to
diffuse itself into every region where immortal souls are found "
is both absurd and ridiculous. Such an idea and such a belief
can be entertained and cherished of Christianity alone.
The literary movements of this first Missouri Conference re¬
sulted in the adoption of a course of studies, and to every mem¬
ber an essay was assigned for the anniversary exercises of 1857.
Although the state of Louisiana was embraced in the first
Missouri Conference, such was the intolerant spirit of slavey
that the A. M. E. Church did not extend beyond the limits of
New Orleans, and it existed there only by a special charter
granted by the General Assembly of that state.
Our condition in St. Louis, Mo., was similar to that of New
Orleans—not by the right of Christian citizens in a Christian
country, but by mere sufferance, such as heathen authorities now
grant to Christian missionaries, did we exist in the state of Mis¬
souri and in the city of St. Louis.
A Review of the First Four Decades.
409
The Ohio Conference was the next in order to convene, and
the extraordinary occurrence was the visit and the speech of Rev.
Mansfield French, then president of the Methodist Female Col¬
lege in Xenia, 0., on the planting of Wilberforce University, at
Tawawa Springs, three and one-half'miles north-east of Xenia.*
After an introduction to the Conference by the presiding
Bishop he said substantially as follows: "Nations who do not
recognize their legitimate destiny, or the work that is as¬
signed to them, mistake both. The fathers of the Revolution
mistook both in their day, in agreeing with the South to forge
fetters for the colored man, providing they (the men of the
South) would help them to break the British yoke. But we are
all now smarting under it. How is the condition of the op¬
pressed colored man to be changed?" He continued: "The
effects of the first visit of Frederick Douglass upon the commu¬
nity of Xenia—and that, too, in comparison with the visit of
Dr. Thompson, of Dr. Allen Saxe, the poet, and of Horace
Greeley—were that the audience of Xenia did not regard the
color of the man, but the words that came from his great mouth
and issued from his great brain." Said he: "In a musical in¬
strument we do not regard the material but the sound." He also
alluded to the history and life of Rev. Lemuel Haynes, the first
colored minister of the Gospel in New England, and, so far as is
known, the first in the United States. "He was a man of mixed
blood. His father was a pure African. His mother was a white
woman of respectable ancestry in New England. He was tal¬
ented, well educated, pious and witty. Though born in obscu¬
rity, and of poor parents, abandoned by them in early infancy,
yet, by the forces within himself, and by himself, he made his
name famous in his day throughout all New England, and was
pastor of a white Congregational Church in Rutland, Vermont,
for thirty years, and in Grandville, N. Y., for about seven years.
His fame was not built upon talents and learning only, but by
talents and learning sanctified by the grace of God. At the great
age of eighty, having been a courageous soldier in the American
Revolution, he died a faithful soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ,
*This year, on the 2d day of «rnly, Bishop Payne moved his residence
from Cincinnati to Tawawa Springs for the purpose of aiding in founding
the Wilberforce University. Rev. Mansfield French, of the M. E. Church,
one of the agents of this educational establishment, visited and addressed
the Ohio and Indiana Conferences with great power and effect.
410
History of the A. M. E. Church.
leaving behind him an unstained memory and a noble family of
children." Mr. French added that one of the sons of Lemuel
Haynes was a college classmate of his. His name was William
Haynes. The last words of the dying saint were: " Happy!
happy !! happy!!! 0, what beauties I have seen! Glories of the
other world! What joys do I feel! I have seen the Saviour! " Mr.
French continued, saying: " It makes no difference what race or
color a man may be." He then proceeded to state the principles
upon which the proposed school would be based, and alluded to
the character of the men who should constitute the board of
trustees and the faculty. Allusions were made to Dr. Watts'
Euclid, to the ancient glory of the Hamitic race, to the influence
of the educated colored teachers and preachers that shall go forth
from the contemplated institution. Mr. French also met the
African colonization objection made by M. M. Clark at the recent
General Conference. He did not want to adopt a single princi¬
ple that the Lord would not approve, nor a single rule which
Jesus Christ himself would not approve. Moreover, he said that
if Dr. Durbin was the author of the scheme, or had the control
of it, he would have nothing to do with it.
This eloquent speech of Brother French (who was one of the
agents of Wilberforce University, and who did much to secure
the property and to found the institution) was listened to with
deep attention, and made a lasting impression upon his au¬
dience.
This year the Union Seminary gave the following brief report to
the Ohio Conference, and its progress, condition, etc., we shall see:
THE SEMINARY REPORT.
To the Bishops and Conference:
Your teacher appointed to the Union Seminary School begs leave to
report as follows: I can say but little of the prosperity of the institution.
I shall not here attempt to specify the number of scholars in each term
of the year, as I have done on other occasions, but proceed to state that
during the present Conference year I have had fourteen scholars in
attendance. And had the Conference made the provision for the school
that was in their power to have done, the school would have been far in
advance of what it now is. But I have tried to do the best I could,
under the circumstances placed, still looking to the Conference for help,
and hoping for better times. I hope that this Conference will do
something for the better success of the school. As I have in former
reports suggested some items for the prosperity of the school without
A Review of the First Four Decades.
411
effect, therefore I will not recapitulate, but will leave the matter to the
better judgment of this body. All of which I would mos>t respectfully
submit to this body.
It was signed by Edward D. Davis, principal. It was then
moved that the seminary farm be rented for five years, and the
trustees were empowered to grant to the lessee the power to clear
from fifteen to twenty acres of the lands, and that he should have
a lease on the east side of the farm. Bishop Nazrey was appointed
one of the board of managers, and Bishops Quinn and Payne
trustees.
We may now ask, at the close of the work of 1856, what was
accomplished by the first generation of laborers ? It is said and
believed that a generation is born into this world, and is taken
out of it within thirty-three or thirty-five years. These genera¬
tions enter upon the stage of human history, perform their part
in the great drama of life, and make their exit—some in a thun¬
der-storm, others in a cyclone, many in a calm, splendid, beauti¬
ful sunset, within that short period. Yet not all. Few are made
exceptions to the general law. Some of these reach threescore
years and ten, the biblical limit; a lesser number are permitted
to pass over this boundary. Of this lesser number very few
attain eighty, ninety, or one hundred years; seldom is one allowed
to pass into the second century. We say that not all of the same
generation die out within thirty-three or thirty-five years, but the
limit is set to every one's mortal career, beyond which he cannot
go. Some do not reach it because they cut themselves off by
their own vices and crimes. " Bloodthirsty and deceitful men
shall not live out half of their days." The good cannot die until
their work be done, because the work and the workmen are of
divine appointment, and are guarded by the Omnipotent. All
of God's reasons for such an arrangement are not known, but it
seems that he wills that there shall be no break in human history,
no wide and deep chasm which cannot be bridged, no chain with¬
out its connecting link. Unlike a man, he is not led backwards
and forwards by prejudice, passion or impulse. Unlike the mul¬
titude, he is not led by the rhetoric nor the oratory of the first or
last speaker. No! The Almighty Father of humanity guides
all his movements by unerring laws or principles originating
within himself, and which he has ordained, that every generation
shall dovetail itself into the past and the future. Thus Adam
and Seth, Enos and Enoch, Methuselah and Lamech and Noah
412
History of the A. M. E. Church.
are linked together. In the days of Noah came the deluge,
which swept all the wicked from the face of the earth. This
terrible catastrophe produced a deep and wide chasm in human
history, hut it was bridged over by righteous Noah and his three
sons, Shem, Ham and .Japheth. By these four persons and their
wives the generations of the ante-deluge have been dovetailed
into the generations post-diluvian, and through this Noachian
family has posterity received the traditions of the primitive
ages. The folio Aving table, presented to Dr. Adam Clark for his
Commentary, Avas prepared by William Blair, Esq. (See the
volume on Genesis, end of eleventh chapter):
CONTEMPORANEOUS PATRIARCHS.
Adam Noah Shem
Was contemporary Was contemporary Was contemporary
with with with
Lamech 50 years. Lamech 505 years. Lamech 93 years.
Methuselah. 24 years. Methuselah.600 years. Methuselah 98 years.
Jared 476 years. Jared 266 years. Noah 448 years.
Mahalaleel..535 years. Mabalaleel..234 years. After Flood:
Cainan 605 years. Cainan 179 years. Abraham ...150 years,
Enos 695 years. Enos 84 years. Isaac 50 years.
In like manner has the Head of the Church militant and tri¬
umphant joined the first generation of African Methodists to
the present, and will link it to the near future. Bishop Morris
BroAvn Avas the colleague of Bishop Allen ; Bishops Waters, Bi'oavii
and Quinn Avere colleagues. These three Avere conversant with
Allen. Payne, Morris. BroAvn and Quinn were contemporaries.
Payne was the colleague of Quinn for about tAventy years. Bish¬
ops Wayman, Campbell and Payne were co-laborers from 1864 to
1872. From 1868 to 1880 Bishops Wayman, Campbell, Shorter,
Ward, Brown and Payne Avere co-laborers. From 1880 to 1884
Bishops Payne, Wayman, Campbell, Shorter, John M. BroAvn,
Ward, Turner, Dickerson and Cain Avere colleagues.
But Ave are iioav to see Avhat results sprang from the labors of
the first itinerants of the Church. We are iioav at the end of the
tenth General Conference, Avhich completely covers the life time
of a generation of men. Thirty-five years had passed away, and
six years had given us time to observe some of the results of the
plans of Allen and his coadjutors; time enough to see Avhat
kind of influence they had exerted over their race, and Avhether
the existence of the A. M. E. Church had been beneficial or dam-
A Review of the First Four Decades.
413
aging to the communities in which her pastors had been operat¬
ing; time enough to know whether she was better in 1856 than
she was in 1816.
In 1816, among the itinerant co-laborers with Bishop Allen,
were Elders Morris Brown, David Smith, Jacob Tapsico, Richard
Williams, Henry Harden, James Cole, William P. Quinn, Ed¬
ward Williamson, Vinsion Blake, William Cousins, Thomas
Robinson, Charles Pierce, Jerry Millar, Daniel Coker, Abner
Colter and Thomas Hall. The laymen were Stephen Hill, Don
Carlos Hall and Jonathan Tudas. Don Carlos Hall, being the Con¬
ference steward, was allowed a seat, a voice and a vote. Stephen
Smith was ordained a local elder, as Avell as a deacon, by Bishop
Allen. In 1856, Morris Brown and Edward Waters, as Bishops,
with all the itinerants, local preachers and laymen who were
leaders from 1816 to 1818, had passed from the stage of action
to enjoy "the saints' everlasting rest." Only David Smith, the
itinerant, and Stephen Smith, the local elder, were present at the
end of forty years. Both of these, who were ordained by Bishop
Allen, and who were among the counsellors in the Annual Con¬
ferences from 1816 to 1818, had outlived their generation, and
had the privilege and satisfaction of seeing a band of young and
middle-aged men, vigorous, intelligent and earnest, leading on
the movements of the A. M. E. Church. They had the satisfac¬
tion of recognizing in them superior numbers and superior intel¬
ligence, and their bosoms were full of hope for a grander future.
The itinerants in 1856 were eighty-nine—five fold and nine
greater than all who composed the ministry of 1816. The lead¬
ers of these eighty-nine itinerants were Elders Augustus R. Green,
Alexander W. Way man, Jabez P. Campbell, William Moore,
Willis P. Revels, James A. Shorter, M. M. Clark, Richard Robin¬
son, John Turner and Henry J. Young. The local preachers
were twenty-nine, outnumbering the entire convention of 1816
by nine men. The leaders of these local preachers were Dr. J. J.
G. Bias, Jordan Early, George W. Broadie and JEneas Mcintosh.
But Rev. James J. Gould Bias was the chief of the leaders of the
local delegates who then represented the laity as well as the local
preachers.
The following tables will show the comparative progress of the
Church work from the end of the first decade in 1826, Avhen
Bishop Allen was presiding, to the end of the fourth decade,
when Bishops Quinn, Payne and Nazrey were presiding.
414
History of the A. M. E. Church.
SUMMARY AT THE CLOSE OF THE FIRST DECADE.
Circuits 10
Stations 2
Pastors or itinerants 17
Salaries for six pastors in Baltimore $448 30
Bishop's allowance 25 00
Letter bill 14 37}
Traveling expenses 9 00
Secretary's traveling expenses 9 00
Secretary's fee 4 00
Livery for preachers' horse 8 00
Conference (expenses for room) 3 00
Paid balance due to the Bishop 16 87}
$537 55
Salaries for ten pastors, Philadelphia District 614 20}
Total $1,151 75}
The total number of members was seven thousand nine hun¬
dred and thirty-seven.
This table represents the condition of three Annual Confer¬
ences—the Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York. At the end
of the fourth decade we are multiplied into seven Conferences—
more than double those of 1826. The total sum reported for
sixteen preachers' salary in 1826 was $1,062.50. In 1856, for
the support of one hundred and ten preachers, the sum of $14,-
887.20 was raised.
SUMMARY AT THE CLOSE OF THE FOURTH DECADE.
Circuits 63
Stations 64
Pastors 110
Places of worship 281
Preachers'salaries $14,887 00
Bishops' allowance 1,115 17
Contingent 688 20
Two-cent money 561 06
Sabbath-school collections 403 63
Book concern 43 64
Missions 195 02
Widows and orphans 9 26
Six-cent money 230 92
To make up deficiencies to preachers 47 50
Total cash collections $18,271 40
A Review of the First Four Decades.
415
The total number of members was nineteen thousand four
hundred and thirty-seven.
In the first decade there was but one Bishop; at the end of
the second there were three. Bishop Allen's salary was $75.00
per year and traveling expenses; every one of the three Bishops
received $371.72^-. The two-cent money reported was for the
Bishop's salary. It seems as though there were no Sunday-
schools in the Connection at that time, 1816. In 1856 the sum
of $413.63 was raised for Sunday-school purposes, but the number
of schools is not given. No book concern was reported in 1826,
although it was ordered in 1816, and Bishop Allen wras placed
at its head. There was no money raised in 1826 for support of
missions; in 1856 the sum of $195.00 was raised.
A more detailed view of the results of the fourth decade shows
us the condition of the seven conferences in 1856:
BALTIMORE DISTRICT.
Circuits 15
Stations 11
Pastors 23
Planes of worship 76
Preachers' salaries $
Bishop's allowance 171 72
Collected for contingent expenses 251 31
Two-cent money 122 00
Sabbath-schools 32 88
Total $577 91
The total number of members was five thousand two hundred
and seventy-nine.
PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT.
Circuits 14
Stations 5
Pastors 19
Houses of worship 70
Preachers' salaries $3,392 81
Bishop's allowance, 165 00
Contingent expenses 187 29
Two-cent money 214 40
Sabbath-schools
Total $3,959 50
416
History of the A. M. Ex Church.
The total number of members was five thousand and twenty-
two.
NEW YORK DISTRICT.
Circuits
Stations ?
Pastors 17
Houses Of worship 38
Preachers' salaries $2,320 87\
Bishop's allowance 301 18
Contingent 113 89
Two-cent money 75 48
Six-cent money 230 92
Sabbath-schools
Total $3,042 34£
The total number of members was one thousand nine hun¬
dred and six.
NEW ENGLAND DISTRICT.
Stations 8
Pastors 8
Houses of worship 11
Preachers' salaries $803 15
Bishop's allowance 68 79
Contingent 60 45
Two-cent money 29 53
Sabbath-schools 88 00
Total $1,049 92
The total number of members was six hundred and sixty-one.
OHIO DISTRICT.
Circuits 12
Stations 11
Pastors 22
Houses of worship 24
Preachers' salaries $2,503 52
Bishop's allowance 157 03
Two-cent money
Contingent 52 85
Sabbath-school 153 50
Book concern 14 83
Missions 27 84
Total $2,909 57
The total number of members was three thousand two hun¬
dred and twenty-five.
A Review of the First Four Decades. 417
INDIANA DISTRICT.
Circuits 8
Stations 12
Pastors 15
Places of worship 49
Preachers' salaries $3,346 15
Bishop's allowance 167 30
Two-cent money 119 65
Contingent 26 41
Sabbath-school 95 00
Book concern 15 31
Missions 136 53
Widows and orphans 9 26
To mke up deficiencies to preachers 47 50
Total $3,963 11
The total number of members was one thousand three hundred
and sixty-nine.
MISSOURI DISTRICT.
Circuits 4
Stations 10
Pastors 6
Places of worship 13
Preachers'salaries .. $2,520 50
Bishop's allowance 84 15
Contingent 86 00
Two-cent money
Sabbath-schools ..... 34 25
Book concern 13 50
Missions 30 65
Total.! $2,769 05
The total number of members was one thousand nine hundred
and seventy-five.
The California Mission, under T. M. Ward, had one hundred
and thirty-four members and eight preachers.
It is now seen that at the end of the fourth decade the Con¬
nection had stretched itself across the Rocky Mountains, and
rooted itself in California—not stretched but leaped—because in
1856 it had not a line of organized churches stretching from
St. Louis to California. We had no Societies west of St. Louis,
Mo. It was the gold fever that carried numbers of our laymen
27
418
History of the A. M. E. Church.
and a few of our local preachers to California, who were at
length gathered into a flock by a minister there.
Touching our missionary operations abroad, up to 1856 we
had been operating in behalf of the fugitives from American
slavery in the British Provinces of Canada West. Our work
there was purely missionary.
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE SECOND GENERATION OF WOEKEES.
Literary Qualifications—Present Bishops—Development of Christian Char¬
acter—Christian Education—Wilberforce University Under the Auspices
of the A. M. E. Church—Catastrophe of 1865—Methods of Work—Sum¬
mary of Results From 1863 to 1876.
WE have shown what the first generation of workers in the
A. M. E. Church was, and what it was not; what its
leaders did not do. and what they did do, to educate them¬
selves and that part of the Christian Church committed to their
care by the Invisible Head of the Church militant, who, though
unseen, still walks amidst the golden candlesticks, holding the
stars in His right hand.
We are now prepared to see what the second generation of
workers is, and what these workers are doing to develop their
Christian character. First, in literary qualifications, they are a
degree above their progenitors. Of the thirteen Bishops which
we have chronicled, the first four lived and died without having
attained so much as a good primary school education. Bishop
William Fisher Dickerson, one of nine who presided over the
deliberations of the General Conferences of 1880-84, was a grad¬
uate from the classical department of Lincoln University. Every
one of the present eight has attained a fair English education.
The majority of them have made some progress in the ancient
and modern languages, and some acquaintance with the mental
and physical sciences. So intellectually, they are better qualified
for leadership than the four who led the movements of the Con¬
nection from 1816 to 1852. What can be truly said of them?
Are they an improvement on the first generation of our preachers
and pastors? It is true that a majority of our itinerants are
destitute of a common school training; but there are at least
about one hundred who have obtained what is equivalent to a
good common school education, and about fifty or sixty who are
liberally educated men. Several of these are classically trained,
theologically trained, and legally trained. Among those who
have received no regular training in the schools are men of strong-
character, with clear, sound judgment, who are accomplishing
(419)
420
History of the A. M. E. Church.
much for God and man, both in winning souls and erecting
houses of worship and parsonages. As to the laity, are they an
improvement on the first generations of our people? We are
certain they are. Even many of the aged male and female
members of our Connection, who came out of the " house of
bondage" twenty years ago, having no knowledge of the written
word, because that divine book was sealed against them, have now
clearer conceptions of Christianity and its requirements than the
past generation. Second, in literary qualifications the present
generation is an improvement on the past. Have they also im¬
proved in moral sensibilities? This is a difficult question. The
affirmative can be given only in those societies where the min¬
istry has obtained a high moral development, and where a higher
estimate is set upon quality than upon quantity. Where the
idea and the sentiment of quantity are dominant there is found
less moral sensibility than that which characterized the mothers
and fathers of our Zion thirty-five or forty years ago. The good
seed have, in many instances, been overwhelmed by the bad.
This statement has been so extensively true that the good men
and women of our laity, and the conscientious among the min¬
istry, have been overawed, and too timid to make open resistance
against growing evils. Third, is the religious character of the
present generation an improvement on the past? The moral
character of a people is always affected by their religious views.
The moral binds us to our fellow man. The religious binds us
to our God. While a man may in many respects be better than
his fellow man, he can never be better than his God. So, if his
ideas of God be low, his ideas of man are consequently low. If
his conceptions of the laws, the government, and character of the
Creator be crude and erroneous, his ideas of his duty to his
neighbors, to wife, to his children, to his country, must also be
false. These divine laws hold good throughout the bounds of
the African M. E. Church.
Examining our societies in the New England and Middle
States, as well as those in Virginia and Maryland, you will
find that the moral sensibilities of our people rise with their
higher and more correct ideas of God, of his character, his laws,
and his government. The converse of this is equally true. As
you leave Virginia and Maryland and go towards the Gulf States,
excepting two or three cities, you will see and hear of such forms
of vice existing in our Connection as are almost incredible. This
The Second Generation of Workers.
421
contrast, resulting from the low and groveling conceptions which
our people entertain of God, is made manifest by what one of
our itinerants was heard to say: " I would rather meet God than
Bishop How are we to account for an irreverent, not
to say blasphemous, remark? Why, on the ground of a low,
miserably low, conception of that awfully holy God whom John
saw on the Island of Patmos, and whom he so sublimely describes
in Revelations, ii. 9-20. If that preacher had recognized the fact
that the Incarnate God is still head of the Church militant; that
he is as much opposed to sin in the A. M. E. Connection as he
was opposed to it in the seven Churches of Asia; that he who
abolished the ceremonial law has preserved forever the moral
law, as a rule of life for every one who professes to be his disciple
—I say if such reviews and sentiments had been held and cher¬
ished by that irreverent preacher, such an utterance could not
have fallen from his lips. Sin is of the devil. Every man living
in sin is a child of the devil—whether he be in the ministry or
in the laity, he is a child of the devil. To such our "God is a
consuming fire." Now, what has been said of the present gener¬
ation is true. We have among us some very good people, and
some very bad; some very intelligent, and some very ignorant;
some who may be called stupid, and others who may be called
learned. Let us now see what this generation is doing for the
development of Christian education among us, and with it the
development of Christian character.
The reader has already been informed how Bishop D. A.
Payne became connected with Wilberforce University. The
property known by this name was first instituted as a school,
under the auspices of the M. E. Church, in 1856, and Rev. M. P.
Gaddis, Jr., was its first principal, serving from October or
November, 1856, to June, 1857. His classes were all in the
elementary studies. He was assisted by his wife. He had little
or no experience in the school-room, but did the best he
could. As a pulpit orator he was above the average of Metho¬
dist preachers. He was succeeded, at the end of eight months, by
Mr. James K. Parker, a Baptist layman, a gentleman of excellent
moral character, and an earnest Christian—cool, forecasting,
judicious; no service was too menial for him and his earnest
wife to perform, if it would promote the welfare of the students
and the interest of the institution. He managed the school for
eighteen or twenty months, and retired highly approved of by the
422
History of the A. M. E. Church.
trustees. Prof. Parker was succeeded by Rev. Richard S. Rust,
D. D., LL. I)., an alumnus of the Wesleyan University. His co-
laborers were Prof. Geo. W. Wendell, A. M. (Wesleyan Univer¬
sity), Miss Mary .J. Allen (Wesleyan Academy), Miss Sarah Jane
Woodson (Oberlin), and Miss Adelaide Warren (Oberlin).
President Rust labored with great zeal and skill for the success
of the work assigned him, from June, 1858, to March 10th, 1863,
the date when the property and all its advantages were sold to
the agent of the A. M. E. Church. The president's labors were
crowned with success in more than one direction, for many of
the students were led to Christ under his ministrations. Several
of our most prominent and successful itinerants now occupying
the field were among his students, such as Rev. W. H. Hunter,*
formerly of the Virginia Conference (1844-45), and for four years
our general book steward (1872-76); Rev. John T. Hayslet, of
the New England Conference, and Rev. R. H. Cain, first super¬
intendent of missions in the state of South Carolina, a senator
of that state, a member of the House of Representatives of the
Congress of the United States, and in 1884 the junior Bishop
of the A. M. E. Church, having been elected and ordained in
1880. Many who were under Dr. Rust's training became
teachers in the South. To his personal influence the A. M. E.
Church is indebted for the splendid property we have at Wilber-
force; because he made the proposition to the writer to purchase
Wilberforce for the A. M. E. Church, and said: "The A. M.
E. Church can have it for its indebtedness ($10,000), but no
other party can obtain it for that sum." It was in the month of
March, 1863, when, under the pressure of the Civil War, the
trustees felt constrained to suspend operations and abandon
the enterprise, and the property was sold to the A. M. E. Church.
The following historical sketch of Wilberforce, written by Bishop
D. A. Payne, at the request of the authorities of the state of
Ohio, for the Centennial Exhibition in 1876, will give a full and
complete understanding of the entire work, from its inception
under the M. E. Church, down to 1876, when it had been in the
hands of the A. M. E. Church for thirteen years:
* Known during the civil war as Chaplain Hunter, of the fourth United
States colored troops, Col. Samuel Duncan. He, Chaplain Hunter, served
from September, 1863, to May, 1866. The chaplain is a man of tried and
sterling integrity.
The Second Generation of Workers.
423
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
WlLBERFORCE UNDER THE AUSPICES OP THE M. E. CHURCH.
It was one of the darkest periods of the nation's history when the Cin¬
cinnati Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, moved by the
inspiration of Christian philanthropy, appointed a committee of seven to
consider and report a plan for the improvement of the intellectual and
moral condition of the thirty thousand colored people of Ohio and those of
other free states, by furnishing them with such facilities of education as
had been generally beyond their reach. This period was that intervening
between the passage of the Fugitive Slave Bill and the breaking out of the
Civil War. The demon of slavery had reached the zenith of its power,
and was preparing for its deadly struggle with the genius of liberty. A
brief history of the enterprise was written by one of its chief actors, and
is too interesting and important a leaf in the history of our national pro¬
gress to be abridged. I therefore give it here verbatim et literatim. It is
from the pen of Rev. John F. Wright, D. D.:
" The mission Of Methodism, like that of the Gospel, is to every human
being. All classes have eagaged her attention, especially the poor, and
the colored people of this and other lands have shared of her sympathies
and labors. In 1853 some of the ministers and members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church saw and felt the necessity of a more liberal and concen¬
trated effort to improve the condition of and furnish the facilities of edu¬
cation to the thirty thousand colored people in the state of Ohio and those
of other free states. At the session of the Cincinnati Conference, held at
Hillsboro, September 28th, 1853, on motion of Rev. A. Lowery, it was
ordered that a committee of seven be appointed by the president to inquire
and report to the next Conference what can be best done to promote the
welfare of the colored people among us. Bishop James appointed the
following committee, viz.: John F. Wright, Augustus Eddy, A. Lowery,
GK Moody, J. T. Mitchell, William I. Fee and Charles Elliott. A majority
of the committee met, at the call of the chairman, at the Methodist Book
Concern, on the 9th of August, 1854, and, on a full and free discussion,
adopted the following brief outline of a plan which was judged best calcu¬
lated to answer the end had in view, and which the chairman was re¬
quested to elaborate in a report to be presented to the Conference:
" Resolved, 1st. That it is of the greatest importance, both to the colored
and white races in the free states, that all the colored people should receive
at least a good common school education ; and that for this purpose well
qualified teachers are indispensable.
" Resolved, 2d. That the religious instruction of the colored people is
necessary to their elevation as well as their salvation.
" Resolved, 3d. That we recommend the establishment of a literary insti¬
tution of a high order for the education of the colored people generally,
and for the purpose of preparing teachers of all grades to labor in the
work of educating the colored people in our country and elsewhere.
424
History of the A. M. E. Church.
" Resolved, 4th. That we recommend that an attempt be made on the
part of the Methodist Episcopal Church to co-operate with the African
Methodist Episcopal Church in promoting the intellectual and religious
improvement of the colored people.
" Resolved, 5th. That we recommend the appointment of a general agent
to carry out the object proposed in the foregoing resolutions, and to labor
otherwise for the improvement of the people of color.
" Resolved, 6th. That we will furnish all the Conferences in the free
states of the West with a copy of our resolutions, and respectfully request
them to co-operate with us.
" Resolved, 7th. That the editor of the Western Christian Advocate be re¬
quested to publish the foregoing resolutions, and call the attention of the
Conferences invited to concur in them in such remarks as he may deem
proper.
"John F. Wright, Chairman.
"A. Lowery, Secretary.''''
Dr. C. C. Elliott accompanied the publication of these resolutions with
an able editorial. The chairman of the committee was directed to commu¬
nicate this plan to the several Conferences in the West for their considera¬
tion and concurrence. This was done, and many of those Conferences
took favorable action on it, which showed that they were not only ready to
adopt the outline of this great movement, but to assist in carrying it out.
The committee, as instructed, made a report to the Cincinnati Conference,
held in the city September 23d, 1854.
We have but little space, and can make but a short extract from this
report. It says:
"We give no countenance to any theory which goes to deprive the
black man of his full share in our common humanity, but hail him as a
man, a brother, in accordance with that grand affirmation of the Bible,
which must forever settle the unity of the human race, that God 'hath
made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth.'
Hence, we cordially concede our obligation to do good to the colored race
according to our ability and their necessity. Here, then, is an extensive
field open for benevolent enterprise, where a part of the large donations of
the rich, and the smaller contributions of those of less ability, may advan¬
tageously mingle together, and where the patriot, the statesman, and the
philanthropist of every description may unite in the accomplishment of
this noble work."
Several resolutions were appended to the report. One recommended
the establishment of a literary institution of a high order for the education
of the colored youth, and one recommended the appointment of a general
agent. The report was adopted by the Conference, and John F. Wright
was appointed agent. The general agent, although he had to serve a large
district as presiding elder, labored quite extensively, by correspondence
and otherwise, in the work assigned to him, bearing his own expenses. He
succeeded in awakening a lively interest in the subject, and in attracting
the attention and exciting the hopes of the colored people.
The Second Generation of Workers.
425
At the session of the Cincinnati Conference, September 28th, 1855, the
committee, consisting of Rev. C. W. Swain, A. Lowery and M. Dustin, to
whom was referred the elevation of the colored people, reported the follow¬
ing resolutions, which were adopted by the Conference :
" Resolved, That we recommend the appointment of Rev. John F. Wright
as general agent for the Conference, to take the incipient steps for a col¬
lege for the colored people in this state.
" Resolved, That our delegates be, and are hereby, instructed to bring this
subject before the next General Conference for their sanction and assistance.
" Resolved, That it shall be the duty of our general agent to co-operate with
the African Methodist Episcopal Churches in promoting Sabbatli-schools
and other educational interests of the colored people."
The Conference associated with their general agent, C. W. Swain, A.
Lowery, M. Dustin and M. French, to carry out the first resolution having
reference to the eligible and valuable Xenia Springs property in Greene
county, Ohio. The general agent and the committee associated with him held
their first meeting at the Methodist Book Concern, Cincinnati, on the 31st
of October, 1855. All were present except the Rev. C. W. Swain. John F.
Wright was appointed chairman, and M. French secretary. At this meet¬
ing the agent was authorized to commence negotiating with the owners for
the purchase of the Xenia Springs property, that being preferred by the
committee as the most eligible location for such an institution. The agent
was also authorized to make an offer for the property, and to solicit sub¬
scriptions and donations for the object. The offer made by the agent in
behalf of the committee was declined, but the negotiations were continued
till the amount of difference between the parties was reduced to five hun¬
dred dollars. At this point Mrs. Judge McLean exerted her kind influence
in bringing about a contract for the purchase. An offer of $13,500 was
made to one of the principal owners, who laid it before his partner in the
East, and as no answer was returned to the western owner for a longer time
than usual, he inferred that his friend approved of the sale, and closed the
contract, agreeing to the payments proposed, and so informed his eastern
partner. The former letter had then been received, and he objected to the
terms on which Mr. D. had agreed to sell the property. He came in per¬
son, and Messrs. Wright and French, after a long interview, received from
him the most favorable terms upon which he would sell, as follows: One-
fourth of $13,500 to be paid down, or a note given, including ten per cent,
interest, at sixty days, with personal endorsers; the balance in one and
two years; notes to be given by the commissioners of the Conference for
the deferred payments, with approved personal endorsers, and all secured
by a mortgage on the property; six per cent, interest to be paid semi¬
annually ; allowing us only ten days to consider and comply with the con¬
ditions. Messrs. Wright and Freneh soon obtained an interview with
their associates at the General Conference at Indianapolis, and after a de¬
liberate consultation they all, except Rev. C. W. Swain, agreed, in order to
secure this valuable and in every way suitable property for this benevolent
object, that they would sign notes for the amount, and do what they could
426
History of the A. M. E. Church.
to procure endorsers. In the meantime this philanthropic work had been
presented to the General Conference, and referred to a committee consist¬
ing of Rev. Cyrus Brooks, Z. Connell, Moses Hill, H. C. Pilcher, M. Dustin,
F. C. Holliday and R. Boyd. On the 22d of May, 1856, through their chair¬
man, the committee made their report. It commences with a history of
the movement, and then describes the Xenia Springs property, including
fifty-two acres of ground, with a large edifice with numerous rooms, which
are well adapted for the purposes of a boarding-house, class and school¬
rooms, chapel, etc.; also, several cottages, well adapted to the use of pri¬
vate families. There are several mineral and other springs on the prem¬
ises, the whole having been fitted up for a fashionable watering place at a
cost of $50,000. It is situated in Greene county, Ohio, very near a good
turnpike road, about midway between Cincinnati and Columbus, and near
the railway. It is easy of access, and yet retired in a rural, beautiful and
healthy region, and in nearly as mild a climate as can be obtained north of
the Ohio river.
The following resolutions, with the whole report, were adopted by the
Conference with great unanimity, and without an expressed objection :
"Resolved, That in the judgment of this General Conference, the religious
education of the people of color in our land will tend most effectually and
speedily, under God, to their elevation in this country, and to prepare the
way for the restoration of the benighted millions of down-trodden Africa
to all the blessings of civilization, science and religion.
"Resolved, That we look upon the proposed plan for the education of the
colored youth of our land as of God, and as promising great good to the
people of color among us, and untold blessings to the land of their ances¬
tors ; and we do most earnestly recommend this noble work to the sympathy,
the prayers, and the generous benefactions of all who desire the elevation
of the entire family of man. v
"Resolved, That we bespeak for the agents of this enterprise a cordial
reception on the part of all Christians and philanthropists, hoping that
they may be successful not only in awakening sympathy and enlisting
prayers, but also in gathering funds to pay for the endowment of the insti¬
tution, so as to place it on an equal footing with the best institutions of
learning in our country."
Messrs. Wright and French with great pleasure heard of the favorable
action of the General Conference, and applied themselves with increased
exertions to comply with the conditions made by Mr. B., the hardest of
which seemed to be to procure men from pure philanthropy to endorse
their notes. Yet the}' found business men who determined to take the
risk for the sake of advancing the intellectual and moral improvement of
the most neglected and needy portion of our population. It was known
that another party stood ready to close the contract with the owners if they
failed, offering $1,500 more. They had until Saturday, the 24th of May, to
meet the conditions, and by diligence and continuous efforts the last
endorser was obtained half an hour before midnight, at which the time
allowed expired. As they are deemed worthy of imperishable honor, we
The Second Generation of Workers.
427
render the small tribute of here recording their names, with a clear convic¬
tion that their record is on high, and a strong hope that they will have a
brighter and more enduring reward in the decisions of the great day. The
names are William Wood, Alexander Webb, John Dubois and Morris S.
Hopper. The general agent advanced $375, and for the balance of the cash
payment, $3,000, a note was given at sixty days, endorsed by William
Wood, John Elstner and W. B. Smith & Co.—names never to be forgotten.
This enterprise was commenced by faith in that God who hath respect unto
the lowly, and who can control the hearts of all men, and its friends have
cause to thank God and take courage.
Immediately after the purchase the general agent entered upon his work
of soliciting funds to meet the note of $3,000, due in sixty days. He col¬
lected some in the West, and going to the East, he had some success in New
York, Boston, Providence, Woonsocket, New Bedford, and other places in
New England and New York. It ought to be said, to the honor of Dr.
W. G. Palmer, that a few days before the note matured, he loaned the
agent, on his individual note, the sum of $1,000, by which, with other
funds, the note was paid.
On the 30th day of August, 1856, application was made in due form to
the authorities of Greene county, in the state of Ohio, for the benefit of the
general law of the state, passed April 9th, 1852, and every requisition of the
law being complied with, the institution was organized and constituted a
body corporate under the name of the " Wilberforce University." The
corporators adopted articles of association, and elected a board of twenty-
three trustees. Some changes have taken place in the board since its first
organization. The present catalogue, however, will show the names of the
members of the board as it now exists. At the first meeting, John F.
Wright was elected president, and M. French, secretary. Rev. Professor
F. Merrick was elected president of the University. There was, however,
no demand at that time for his services at the institution, and the school
was supplied with teachers for the time being as they were needed. Rev.
M. P. Gaddis, Jr., was the first teacher employed. He was assisted by his
wife. They served for six months, at the end of which time they gave
place to Professor James K. Parker, who served successfully two years.
Professor Parker served as principal from February, 1857, to July, 1858, and
then retired with the commendation of the board.
Prof. Merrick having declined to serve, on the 30th of June, 1858, Rev.
Richard S. Rust, a distinguished member of the New Hampshire Confer¬
ence, was unanimously elected president of the institution. When offi¬
cially notified of his eltction, after finding that he could be released from
an important pastoral charge, he signified his willingness to accept the
appointment, and at the commencement of the fall term he entered upon
his work. He has shown himself well qualified for the position and emi¬
nently successful in his work. The number of students has varied from
seventy to one hundred. Many of them are very promising, and some
have made remarkable proficiency in their studies. Every year the school
has been visited with a gracious revival of religion, and many of the
428
History of the A. M. E. Church.
pupils have been made the happy subjects' of a work of grace, which is
deemed all-important to their usefulness in life.
This benevolent scheme is based on the supposition that the colored
man must, for the most part, be the educator and elevator of his own race
in this and other lands. Hence, a leading object of the institution is to
educate and thoroughly train many of them for professional teachers, or
for any other position or pursuit in life to which God, in his providence or
by his spirit, may call them. It has been a cherished idea with the
founders of the institution that a theological department should be organ¬
ized at the earliest period possible, in which young men called of God to
preach the unsearchable riches of Christ might receive that aid so essen¬
tial to prepare them for this great work. We are happy to learn that sev¬
eral young men have already entered this department who give promise of
great usefulness to the Church and the world. Our enterprise has enlisted
the hearts and received the favor of some distinguished statesmen and
other citizens of our common country, and is designed to unite and engage
the efforts of all Christians and philanthropists. Several of the leading
denominations of Christians are represented in the board of trustees. We
have good reason to believe this work is of God, that His hand is in it, and
His blessings will be upon it; and, therefore, we hope for good success.
ImiMediate Results.
The catalogue of 1859-60 shows a roll of two hundred and seven students,
the majority of whom are the natural children of southern and south¬
western planters. These came from the plantations, with nothing men¬
tally but the ignorance, superstition and vices which slavery engenders;
but departed with so much intellectual and moral-culture as to be qualified
to be teachers in several of the Western states, and immediately after the
overthrow of slavery entered their native regions as teachers of the freed-
man. A large number of students were gathered from the free states.
These derived the greater benefit from the instruction given at Wilber-
force, and were prepared for a higher sphere of usefulness. Dr. Rust had
also formed a class in the classics and mathematics, another in French,
and a third had commenced theological studies, of whom were six young
men who have since distinguished themselves in the pastoral and other
fields of usefulness, covering politics, the military service of the United
States, and the publishing department of the African M. E. Church. One
of these ran a short but glorious career as pastor, and since has gone to
enjoy the " saints' everlasting rest."
WlLBERFORCE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE A. M. E. CHURCH.
On the 10th of March, 1863, between 9 and 10 o'clock p. m., one of the
Bishops of the A. M. E. Church agreed with the original trustees * of Wil-
berforce University to purchase the property for the A. M. E. Church, to
*The original trustees consisted of twenty-four persons, four of whom
were colored.
The Second Generation of Workers.
429
be used as an institution of education for the colored race, which was at
the time excluded from all the schools of higher education, excepting two
or three, of which Oberlin was chief. Their admission into others, if
admitted at all, was on such conditions as few persons of color would
accept. This Bishop associated with himself Rev. James A. Shorter and
Mr. John G. Mitchell, who was at that time principal of a graded school in
the city of Cincinnati. These persons applied for and obtained a new
charter for Wilberforce in the name of the A. M. E. Church, according to
the general law of Ohio. Under this charter they organized a new board
of trustees, and the school was reopened on the 3d day of July, 1863, by
Professor John G. Mitchell. Only six children were present. They were
put upon the study of elementary English. During the first ten months
the school gradually increased in members, and progressed in knowledge.
Professor Mitchell was aided by his wife, Mrs. Fannie A. Mitchell. A t the
opening of the spring of 1864 the increasing members demanded another
teacher, and Miss Esther T. Maltby, of Oberlin, then a teacher in the
schools of the American Missionaf-y Society, at Portsmouth, Va., was
secured as lady principal and matron. She reached Wilberforce with a
Greek Testament in her hand. It wras her traveling companion all along
the journey from Portsmouth to Xenia. This circumstance I am particu¬
lar to mention, because the fact furnished us with a key to her character,
as it seemed to have colored her whole life ever since. She was an excel¬
lent Greek and Latin scholar, a good mathematician, and has no superior
that I ever saw as a disciplinarian. Zealous for the moral purity of the
children and youth committed to her care, she labored day and night to
induce them to be Christians as well as scholars. The ordinary religious
services of the institution were not sufficient for her; she, therefore, held
an extra prayer-meeting every morning, from eight to half past eight
o'clock, in which she read the Holy Scriptures, exhorted, sang and prayed
with those who were willing to attend her meetings, and succeeded in
leading many from their vices to lead an upright life, among whom was a
very playful and mischievous lad by the name of Thomas H. Jackson, who
united with the College Church, graduated from the theological depart¬
ment of the university, filled the chair of ecclesiastical history, pastoral
theology and homiletics for two years at Wilberforce, served in the pas¬
toral of a large church at Columbia, S. C-, for three years, and at the last
annual meeting of the trustees was elected to fill the same chair.
Then came the catastrophe of 1865. Professor Mitchell had been con¬
strained by the wants of the school to go out as a financial agent. The
management of the school was left solely to Miss Maltby, and, under God,
it was increasing in numbers and popularity. The progress of the students
was commendable, and classes were formed in Greek, Latin and lower
mathematics. Everything indicated a prosperous future, when suddenly
the buildings were set on fire by an incendiary. Within half an hour the
beautiful edifice was nothing but smouldering embers. The catastrophe
fell upon us like a clap of thunder in a clear sky. It was a time of lamen¬
tation for our friends and rejoicing for our enemies. Said one of the
430
History of the A. M. E. Church.
latter: "Now their buildings are burned, there is no hope for them."
Another said : " I wish lightning from heaven would burn down Wilber-
force." This one supposed that his impious prayer was more than an¬
swered. But we believed and said: "Out of the ashes of the beautiful
frame building a nobler one shall arise." Mr. Mitchell had gone to Xenia
with almost all of the students to witness the celebration of the fall of
Richmond. Two obstreperous female students were detained on the
grounds by way of punishment for acts of disobedience. I was attending
the Conference at Baltimore, and Miss Maltby was left alone. No; she
was not alone. As God was with Daniel in the lion's den, and with his
three brethren in the fiery furnace, so was He with her in the trouble at
Wilberforce. Without faltering one of the cottages was converted into a
school-room, and the scholars taught therein till the last of June, which
terminated the academic year, after which all the students from abroad
went home. The majority of the advanced students never returned, but
went to other institutions. Those who preferred Wilberforce came back
the next autumn. Meanwhile, we began to mature our plans for rebuild¬
ing. The result is before the country. The edifice will be finished and
dedicated next summer, and will be a larger, finer and nobler edifice than
the former. As respects the school, it passed through severe trials. Miss
Maltby's nervous system was so affected by the catastrophe that for twelve
months she was unfit for labor, and never returned. She is now a mis¬
sionary in Asia Minor, in the service of the A. B. C, F. M. Professor
Mitchell was compelled to be in the field soliciting funds to aid us in re¬
building, and, therefore, for a season, the management of the school fell
upon our most advanced student, Mr. J. P. Shorter, who acted his part
nobly, until we were able to secure competent professors, who were soon
found in the persons of Professor Theodore E. Suliot, Professor William
Kent and Miss Sarah J. Woodson.
Opening of the Departments.
The Theological and Classical Departments were opened in the autumn
of 1866, the Scientific in 1867, and the Normal in 1872. Graduates have
gone forth from all these departments except the Law, and only three have
been put upon the study of law.
Graduates from the Theological Department.
Rev. John T. Jenifer, B. D 1870
Rev. Thomas H. Jackson, B. D 1870
Rev. Isaiah H. Welsh, B. D... 1870
Rev. Benjamin F. Lee, B. D 1872
Rev. George T. Robinson, B. D 1872
Rev. Charles E. Herbet, B. D 1872
Rev. John W. Becket, B. D 1872
Rev. Henry A. Knight, B. D 1875
Rev. John Coleman, B. D 1875
Rev. John G. Yei|»er, B. D 1876
Rev. George C. Whitfield, B. D 1876
The Second Generation of Workers. 431
Classical Department.
Mr. Joseph P. Shorter, A.B 1871
Mr. Samuel T. Mitchell, A. B 1873
Mr. Alexander D. Delaney, A. B 1873
Miss Julia A. Shorter, A. B , 1873
Miss Mary E. Davis, A. B 1874
Mr. Samuel R. Bailey, A. B 1874
Mr. Andrew T. Bowles, A. B 1876
Normal Department.
Miss Almira Copeland, B. E 1873
Miss Virginia Copeland, B. E 1873
Miss Maggie E. Crabbe, B. E 1873
Miss Carrie L. Jenkins, B. E 1873
Miss Ella J. Green, B. E 1873
Miss Elizabeth W. Baker, B. E 1876
Scientific Department.
Miss Lottie P. Harris, B. S 1872
Miss Hal lie Q. Brown, B. S 1873
Miss Mary E, Ashe, B. S 1875
Miss Ella Z. Jenkins, B. S 1875
Miss ZeliaR. Ball, B. S 1875
Succession of Principals, Professors and Teachers Under the Auspices
oe the Cincinnati Conference of the Meth¬
odist Episcopal Church.
I.--Rev. M. P. Gaddis, Jr., Principal; Mrs. M. P. Gaddis, Assistant;
served six months.
II.—Professor James K. Parker, Principal; Mrs. James K. Parker,
Matron; Miss Maggie Baker, Teacher of Music; Miss Mary J. Allen,
Teacher of English for two years.
III.—Rev. Richard S. Rust, D. D. President (Wesleyan University), Pro¬
fessor of Theology and Mental Science ; George W. Wendell, A. M. (Wes¬
leyan University), Professor of Languages and Natural Sciences; Mary J.
Allen (Wesleyan University), Preceptress, Teacher of French and Mathe¬
matics; Sarah J. Woodson (Oberlin), Teacher of English Departments;
Miss Adelaide Warren (Oberlin), Teacher of Instrumental and Vocal
Music. Professor Wendell was succeeded by Professor Phiny S. Boyd,
A. B. (Oberlin); Miss Warren by Miss Buffington, of New York; and
Miss M. J. Allen by Miss Isabella Oakley.
Succession Under the Auspices of the A. M. E. Church.
From 1863 to 1865.
Rt. Rev. D. A. Payne, D. D. (Gettysburg), President, Professor of
Christian Theology, Mental Science and Church Government; John G.
Mitchell, A. M. (Oberlin), Professor of Greek, Latin and Mathematics;
Miss Esther T. Maltby, A. B. (Oberlin), Lady Principal, Matron, and Sec-
432
History of the A. M. E. Church.
retary of Faculty ; Miss Fannie A. Mitchell (Oberlin), Assistant Teacher
and head of Intermediate Department.
From 1866 to 1868.
Rt. Rev. D. A. Payne, D. D., President (Gettysburg Theological Semi¬
nary) ; Professor John G. Mitchell, A. M. (Oberlin); Rev. William Kent,
M. D. (England), Professor of Natural Science; Theodore E. Suliot, A. M.
(Edinburg, Scotland), Professor of Latin and French Literature, and Ad¬
junct Professor of Mathematics; Miss Sarah J. Woodson (Oberlin), Pre¬
ceptress of English and Latin, and Lady Principal and Matron. Miss
Woodson was succeeded by Miss Josephine Jackson, B. S. (Adrian, Mich.).
From 1868 to 1869.
This year finds Bishop Payne still acting as President, but not as a Pro¬
fessor, the Theological Department being managed wholly by Professor
Henry C. Fry, A. M., of Oberlin. Professor John Smith, of Oberlin, suc¬
ceeded Professor Mitchell; Mrs. Messenger succeeded Miss Josephine
Jackson; Rev. Thomas H. Jackson, B. D. (Wilberforce University), Pro¬
fessor of Ecclesiastical History, Homileticsand Pastoral Theology; WTilliam
B. Adams, A. M. (Amherst), Professor of Greek Exegesis and Adjunct
Professor of Mathematics; Dr. Wilson, Teacher of Hebrew and Hebrew
Exegesis; Roswell Howard, A. M., B. L, Professor of Law; Hon. John
Little, Professor of Law ; Mrs. Alice M. Adams (Holyoke), Lady Principal,
Matron, and Teacher of English. The latter was succeeded by Miss Lenore
Congdon. Miss Parker was of the Wesleyan Female Seminary, Oxford,
Ohio ; Miss Congdon, of Oberlin.
From 1870 to 1876.
Bishop D. A. Payne, President. Professor Jackson was succeeded by
Rev. B. F. Lee (Wilberforce University). Benjamin K. Samson, A. M.
(Oberlin), succeeded Professor Mortimer as Professor of Latin, Greek and
Mathematics, and Secretary of the Faculty. Rev. Benjamin F. Lee is in
turn succeeded by Professor Thomas A. Jackson and Professor Sampson.
The chair is now filled by Professor J. P. Shorter, the first graduate from
our Classical Department. Miss McBride was succeeded by Miss Ella J.
Greene in all things excepting the Languages.
Our methods in the Classical and Mathematical Departments are the
same as generally obtained in American colleges.
In the Normal Department we have the methods of Oswego. In the
practicing schools of the Normal Department there is nothing peculiar but
our methods of teaching orthography and orthoepy—here we employ anal¬
ysis—that is to say, immediately after a pupil has spelled a word, he is
required to tell how many vowels and how many consonants it contains;
to give the quality and quantity of every vowel; and to distinguish
the characteristics of the sub-vocals and the aspirates. We deem this the
best method of teaching the art of spelling, because it is most thorough,
and also because, when the principle is continually applied, and the habit
The Second Generation of Workers.
438
is formed in subsequent life, the individual will be satisfied with nothing
short of a thorough knowledge of any object which he may undertake to
scrutinize, or any subject he may begin to investigate.
In our Theological Department we employ both the inductive and de¬
ductive methods, allowing the largest liberty of investigation and expres¬
sion, excepting that which borders upon impiety and blasphemy.
Our aim is to make Christian scholars not mere book worms, but work¬
ers, educated workers with God for man, to effect which we employ not the
classics and mathematics only, but science and philosophy—the former
for their discriminating, polishing and cultivating influences; the latter for
the quickness and exactness which they impart to the cognitive faculty,
and the seed thoughts which they never fail to sow in the mind. And we
hold that the classics and mathematics, as science and philosophy, can and
must be consecrated to human well-being by teaching the sentiments and
the spirit of Jesus.
Our social surroundings: We are in the midst of a farming region, im¬
mediately encircled by ten families, who are educating their children in
our school—some of them formerly students, who, since they left us, have
married, and are now in their turn educating their children in their own
Alma Mater. The influence of the college upon their children is manifest
not only in their manners, but also in tbeir talents; for, of one hundred
and twenty-five to one hundred and fifty-three students who have annually
filled our halls during the last four years, none surpass them in mental
powers, and very few equal them in capacity or ability.
The Grounds.
The real estate of Wilberforce contains fifty-three acres of land finely
timbered, and abundantly watered with mineral springs. The campus
embraces about ten acres, five in front and five in the rear. It is traversed
by a ravine which at certain points becomes so deep as to eclipse the apex
of the cupola, ninety-two feet high. Its meanderings are east, southeast by
north, flanking and moulding the rear of the campus into graceful curves
and slopes, producing the form of a miniature table land, sharply defined
and beautiful. The front is level, with a slight indenture running south¬
ward. It is shaded by forest trees and a few evergreens.
Our property consists of fifty-two acres of undulating land, which was
heavily timbered when we bought it in 1863. It is traversed by a deep
ravine, through which a murmuring streamlet meanders winter and sum¬
mer. At the time of its purchase there were five mineral springs running
out of the sides of this ravine, which are at present reduced to three,
caused by the diminishing of the timber, which has been cut down for
fuel and other purposes.
The Buildings.
On these fifty-two acres of land we have ten buildings, exclusive of a
barn and stable. Nine of these buildings are cottages erected within the
campus. They are inhabited chiefly by students and families who came
38
434
History of the A. M. E. Church.
to educate their children under college restrictions and influences. The
main edifice is built in the center of the campus. The foundations are
of solid limestone. The superstructure is of red brick, three stories above
the basement, and 44x160 feet. It embraces a center and two wings; the
center is 40x52, the wings 40x60. This building contains eight recitation
rooms and one lecture room, one art and one music room, one library and
a large hall to be filled up as a museum. It has also five dormitories, with
forty bed-rooms and sleeping accommodations for eighty persons. The
basement contains fifteen rooms, which embrace the kitchen, pantry, store¬
rooms, dining-hall, laundry and sleeping apartments for all connected with
the culinary and laundry work. When the dormitories and cottages are
filled, the students often find comfortable accommodations in the commo¬
dious basement.
Our Library and Museum.
The library contains about three thousand bound volumes, and three
hundred pamphlets. The most of them are useful. Among these are few
books of reference. We have none that can be considered as rare. Our
museum is so small that we call it nothing more than the nucleus of a
future one.*
Grateful Recollections of Benevolence.
Before concluding this historical sketch it seems proper to make our
very existence an unquestionable fact; for at that time some of our own
short-sighted people, for whose special benefit we have always planned
and executed, had formally denied it.
In March, 1863, through the influence of Dr. Rust, our friends of the
Cincinnati Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church sold us property
for its indebtedness, which was $10,000, and that, too, at the time when an
agent of the state of Ohio stood anxious to buy it at a much larger price
for an asylum; and from others they could have obtained from one to
two-thirds more than we were able to give. Their liberality placed a valu¬
able seat of learning, with at least a thousand dollars' worth of furniture,
within our reach ; and therefore we ought to be grateful.
In 1867-68 the Society for the Promotion of Collegiate and Theological
Education at the West aided us in the sum of $1,800.
Let it be remembered that we were burned out in 1865. In 1867 we had
erected the western wing of our edifice; but its walls were not only un-
pictured, and its floors uncarpeted, but they were unplastered and rough ;
all around us presented an uninviting aspect.
At my earnest invitation, the good secretary, Dr. Theron Baldwin, came.
He saw the appalling obstacles which we had to face and overcome. His
soul was stirred to its depths, and his eloquent plea in our behalf induced
the society to vote us $1,800 for the year 1867. In 1868-69 they again voted
us $1,800. Although the funds of the society did not enable them to make
good the whole of this last vote, what we did receive was of signal benefit,
and we are therefore thankful.
*In 1883 a museum, small but perfect, and valued at $2,000, was built
by Professor Ward, of Rochester, N. Y.
The Second Generation of Workers.
435
The American Unitarian Association aided us from 1868 to 1875 at an
average of $500 per annum. The first twelve months of that time they gave
us $800. In all, about $4,000 have been received from them for purely ed¬
ucational purposes. We have also received benefit in the form of lectures
in different branches of, the natural sciences, including experimental
physics; also lectures on literature and philosophy. The lectures on liter¬
ature were both biblical and secular. They were delivered by the scholarly
professors of Antioch, and have been very serviceable to our graduates, not
only in stimulating them to deeper research, but also in publishing their
style, for which we ought to be grateful.
To construct our new edifice Rev. R. S. Rust, D. D., and Rev. J. F.
Wright, D. D., each gave us $100.
For our Endowment Fund, John Pfaff, Esq., of Cincinnati, and P. P.
Mast, Esq., of Springfield 0., each has subscribed $500. The latter is to
pay his subscription some time in the coming summer. In 1868 that noble
philanthropist, Hon. Gerritt Smith, sent us $500; the same year the equally
noble Chief Justice Chase induced an English gentleman to send us $300;
subsequently, the Chief Justice gave us $250; and in his last will be¬
queathed us $10,000. In this last instance he magnified his greatness in
making us. who are the poorest of God's poor in the United States, the
first object of his considerate benevolence. Now and here, we record the
facts that in 1869 we received through General Howard from the Freed-
man's Bureau, $3,000; and in 1870 we received from the same source, by
special act of Congress, $25,000, for all of which we ought to be grateful.
Total from the Freedman's Bureau, $28,000. All this has been spent in
building, excepting $3,125, which was paid to the agent as percentage.
Concerning our benefactors whose earthly career has been finished, we
hope they may be rewarded at the "resurrection of the just." Concern¬
ing those who are still living, we pray that they and theirs may never lack
a friend nor aid in the time of need or the day of adversity.
College Societies.
The Society of Inquiry on Missions was organized by the president for
the purpose of collecting information concerning Christian missions from
all sources, foreign and domestic, and to cultivate the spirit of missions in
the theological students, for whose especial benefit the organization was
brought into existence. Since then other persons have been admitted to
membership, but the extension of this privilege to persons not members
of the theological department has, in some respect, damaged the original
character of the society.
The Sodalian Society was organized by the students, the present Pro¬
fessor Shorter, then a student, being their leader. It is a debating club.
Its design is mutual improvement in composition, disputation and oratory.
Outside of the institution, but connected with it by bonds of earnest
friendship, is the College Aid Society, consisting chiefly of married ladies
and some of the oldest female students. Its aim is declared in its name.
The society came into existence through the wants of the college, and has
rendered signal services to the university in times of embarrassment.
4B6
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Wilberforce University Endowment Association, outside of the ihfctitu-
tion, consists chiefly of ministers and laymen of the Ohio, Pittsburg and
Kentucky Conferences, who are earnest workers in its behalf, and con¬
nected with it by a friendship as sincere as it is earnest. Its object is the
permanent endowment of professorships and scholarships.
Boarding Facilities.
Students can board in families for $2.00 to $2.50 per week. A boarding
club, consisting of the students, including both sexes, is called the Mutual
Relief Association. Board is furnished by the club for $1.50 per week.
The initiation fee is $3.20, including the first week's board; so that the
first month's board will cost a new member $7.50; after that, only $6.00
per month. It was first managed by a steward, a secretary and a treasurer,
elected from among themselves ; but at the end of every year they were
involved in debt. At the end of three years it was found that their man¬
agement was ruinous ; since then it has been gratuitously managed by one
of our professors, who has not only kept the club out of debt, but has had
a surplus for it at the end of the college year. They hire a cook, but take
turn to wait upon the table, thus reducing their expenses to the minimum.
The young men do the heavier part of the work; the young women the
lighter.
Sources op Income and Present Condition.
As respects endowment of professorships, we have an endowment of
$2,300, which yields assistance to two students, giving each the sum of
$70.50 annually. Ten thousand dollars of the Avery estate have been set
apart for our benefit; the interest at 6 per cent, is paid over to us semi¬
annually. Our Church treasury yields us an average of $1,000 annually,
tuition fees and rents amounting to about $5,000 annually. Bonds in the
Western Union Telegraph Company and the railroad between Pittsburg
and Cleveland were bequeathed to us by the late Chief Justice Chase,
amounting to $10,000 ; but this is at present not available.
Morally and intellectually, I believe, we compare favorably with sim¬
ilar institutions. We have a church within the university, by means of
which the moral and religious character of the students are beneficially
effected, so that many who come to us utterly careless of their spiritual
well-being leave us as earnest Christians. In this church we have also a
well-managed Sunday-school, taught by the professors and advanced stu¬
dents.
In the Normal Department are—Juniors 4
" " " " Seniors 1
In the Classical Department are—Sophomores 1
'' " " " Juniors 1
" " " " Seniors 1
In the Theological Department are—Freshmen 6
'' " " " Sophomores 2
" " " " Seniors 2
in different stages of preparation 20
The Second Generation of Workers. 437
In the Scientific Department are—Sophomores 2
" " " " Juniors 1
In the Training School of different grades 50
Different stages of English studies 46
Total 127
Summary of Results from 1863 to 1876.
Fully to appreciate the results of our efforts, it is necessary to remember:
First. That the 10th of March, 1876, will be just thirteen years since we
purchased the real estate of Wilberforce University at a cost of $10,000,
and the end of July, 1876, will be thirteen years since the school opened.
Second. That we had not a dollar when we made the bid for the
property.
Third. That we opened the school with but six pupils in primary
English studies, having but one teacher, and that we were burnt out about
two years after we made the purchase of the property. Our dormitories,
recitation rooms, library and chapel were all consumed, and our school
almost broken up. We had to begin anew. Now we have so far com¬
pleted our new building that we shall be able to dedicate it this summer.
The burnt edifice was made of wood, erected on a light brick foundation—
it was beautiful, but a light, airy thing. Our present edifice is of heavy
brick on a massive stone foundation. The cost, when completed and fur¬
nished, will be about $45,000.
Within thirteen years from the time we opened our primary English
school we shall have graduated thirteen young ladies and sixteen young
men—total, twenty-nine. All our graduates have been engaged in the hon¬
orable and useful employment of the pulpit and the school-room. Three
have been elected, to full professorships in their Alma Mater, and one is
principal of Lincoln Institute, a high and normal school in the state of
Missouri for the secondary education of colored youth. In addition to
these, scores of undergraduates have received partial education within the
past twelve years, who are now employed, or have been, as teachers and
preachers in the western and southern states, but chiefly in the latter.
Concerning the election of trustees and faculty. Inasmuch as Wilber¬
force is under denominational auspices, it was deemed prudent at the time
of its organization to have each Annual Conference represented by two
laymen and three clergymen, and therefore, inasmuch as there are twenty-
three Annual Conferences, there are one hundred and fifteen denomina¬
tional trustees. To these add nine honorary trustees and the six Bishops,
who are ex officio trustees, and we have the enormous board of one hundred
and thirty; but practically we have not more than twenty-four, the largest
number ever present at an annual meeting. The lesson taught us at the
end of twelve years is, that there is no need of having more than one
clergyman and one layman to represent an Annual. Conference, who may
have alternates. These, with ten or twelve honorary members, and the ex
officio, from whom a quorum can be convened within three hours' ride of
the University, would be sufficient for all practical purposes.
438
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Our own experience and observation for twenty years furnish strong ob¬
jections also to the annual election of the faculty. The power and skill
requisite to the successful working of a collegiate institution are attained
only by the long experience and observations of many years, and is too
important and valuable to be set aside for the gratification of the ambitious
and arrogant or the envious and malicious, as has sometimes been done.
Common sense dictates the abolition of such a rule, and the adoption of a
better.
We will now finish this historical sketch by remarking that the charter
of Wilberforce prohibits all distinction based on race or color. Like Chris¬
tianity, of which it is an offspring, its advantages and facilities are free to
all races. Though very poor, young and weak, all the leading denomina¬
tions have been represented among its teachers and its faculty as well as its
trustees. Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Unita¬
rians, Quakers and Roman Catholics have met here on common grounds.
To any thinking mind it may be clearly seen that if, without endow¬
ment and with very poor facilities, so much good has been accomplished as
these pages make evident, a thousand fold more could be effected if amply
endowed and ably officered. To this end its real, intelligent and consid¬
erate friends should wisely plan and diligently execute.
Daniel A. Payne,
President Wilberforce University, Greene Co., Ohio.
February 26th, 1876.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING.
Some Explanations—Young Women's Reading Room—First Literary So¬
ciety for Young AVomen—Young Men's Reading Room—Work Subse¬
quent to 1876—Bishop Payne's Successors in Office—Changes in Instruct¬
ors—Work Up to 1886—List of Other Institutions of Learning Under
the A. M. E. Church—Allen University—Morris Brown College—Paul
Quinn College—Later Work.
A PARTICULAR view of the progress at Wilberforce leads us
to note some later items. One of these is the Museum.
In our efforts to develop Wilberforce University we found it
necessary to have more than text-books in order that principles
taught in them might receive ocular demonstration, and inas¬
much as this demanded apparatus, we soon learned that while
grammar and arithmetic can be demonstrated by the black-board,
natural history cannot. The living flora and the living fauna
should be at our command, and when these cannot be obtained,
the museum, with its preserved and stuffed forms as specimens
must suffice; therefore, through the contributions of the friends
of natural science, we have a museum of which no institution as
young and poverty-stricken as ours need be ashamed, as every
one and any one can see who will put themselves to the trouble
to visit Wilberforce. The student can graduate now (1885) with
a better knowledge of God and his works than before the museum
was constructed, and, therefore, the better prepared to read and
interpret nature.*
In the above statement there occur two errors, which the facts
of history require to be corrected :
1st. The sum lacking to cover the whole cost of the museum
was $300. That sum Bishop Payne supplemented from his own
purse.
2d. The university did not agree to build the cases. Before
*On the 37th page of the Alumni Annual, entitled "The Wilberforce
Alumnal," the following statement is to be found: "Through Bishop
Payne's influence and untiring efforts the sum was raised within about
$200, which he met at a pecuniary sacrifice. The University agreed to
build the cases (which were designed by Professor Ward) at a cost of $250."
( 439 )
440
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Bishop Payne commenced to operate in behalf of the contem¬
plated museum he laid the generous proposition of Professor
Ward before the trustees at their annual meeting, begged them
to aid him in raising the $1,400 demanded by the professor, but
not a man volunteered his services. Finally, on motion of
Bishop Shorter, he (Payne) was allowed to put the museum in
the building, with the understanding that he (Payne) should
raise the funds to meet the expenses when consummated, and
then to hand over the receipted bills in proof that the museum
was paid for at no cost to the trustees. Bishop Shorter subse¬
quently gave $30, and his good wife $15. The facts of history
also require the statement that the cases cost about $250, which
sum was also raised by the Bishop. This additional sum for the
cases, with eight per cent, interest upon the first two notes, and
ten per cent, on the last or third note, raised the entire cost of
the museum to about $1,800, every cent of which has been paid
through the direct agency of Bishop Payne.
Another feature to be noticed is the Art Room. This bears
the name of J. F. W. Ware, that true friend of the poor
and needy, as well as the true lover of nature and art. We
had opened this department by employing a lady to teach
"free hand drawing." But we had no art models in wood or in
plaster of Paris, and only a few ordinary ones in the form of wood
cuts and lithographs. It was this generous and venerable Uni¬
tarian minister who gave to Bishop Payne the two hundred dol¬
lars to purchase the beautiful specimens now encased in the
"Ware Art Room." It may be interesting to tell how this was
brought about. During the civil war, raging from 1861 to 1865,
Mr. Ware was pastor of the Unitarian Church in the city of
Baltimore, Md. As soon as General Butler (1861) declared the
slaves coming within his lines " contraband of war," it was found
necessary that the friends of suffering humanity should care for
the helpless women and children who could not be employed in
military service. They must be fed, housed and clothed, or left
to perish. It was then that the humanitarians of the North began
organized efforts to furnish the needed help. These humanita¬
rians were found as far south as Baltimore and Washington,
D. C., and among the foremost of these was the Rev. John Foth-
ergill Waterhouse Ware, who, by personal efforts among the
generous of his own flock, took up collections to help feed and
clothe the distressed and needy " contrabands." Bishop Payne,
Institutions of Learning.
441
having his official headquarters in Baltimore at the time,
became acquainted with this excellent gentleman, which ac¬
quaintance continued up to Mr. Ware's death. After the trans¬
fer of his pastoral relations from Baltimore to Boston, he was
called upon by the Bishop (1877-8) at his summer residence at
Swamstead, near Lynn, Mass. After the usual courtesies he in¬
quired after the condition and wants of Wilberforce University,
and was told that the Bishop was then endeavoring to raise
funds to furnish the institution with models for the art room,
and also to purchase a museum for illustrating natural science,
whereupon he said, "I will give you $100 toward the art room,"
and suiting the deed to the word, he took out his cheque book
and filled out an order for $100, adding the remark, ''Whenever
you are in need of $100 for any such purpose you can always
obtain it from me." So the whole of that gift was spent in fur¬
nishing a portion of the models now in the cases. The next
year he was called upon again at his summer residence, and gave
another cheque for $100. But we have no professor for this kind
of work, and therefore it may be said to have been closed
for years. Whatever use has been made of the art room during
the last three or four years has been by students whose work
does not warrant the title of professor, for the professor ought
to be learned in his profession and skillful in his art. If he has
not these two qualities united in himself he is not worthy of the
title, but is a disgrace to it. The machinery is at Wilberforce,
but there is neither steam nor engineer to operate it (1885).
Another feature for elevation is the Reading Rooms. There
are two of these, the young women's and the young men's. Re¬
specting the first the following statement is transcribed:
In February, 1878, Mrs. Bierce took steps toward opening a reading
room for the young ladies. She secured about $30 with which to fit up the
room. The contributors to this were Judge Harmon, of Oswego, K Y.,
and Dr. N. T. True, of Bethel, Me. The Ladies' College Aid Society, of
Wilberforce, Mrs- A. M. Adams and Professor W. S. Scarborough, of
Wilberforce, and Mrs. Cooper, of Oswego Normal School, sent packages
of papers and ■ magazines. Fifteen periodicals were immediately placed
upon the tables. Bishop Payne subscribed for the New York Inde¬
pendent, The Methodist, TJie Christian Advocate, The Illustrated Christian Weekly,
and Golden Hours for the same; Professor Scarborough, The Oberlin
College Review, New England Journal of Education, American Missionary, and
N. Y. Weekly Witness; Mrs. Adams, The Congregationalist; Mrs. Bierce, The
Christian at Work, Ohio Educational Monthly, and secured the donation of The
442
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Woman's Journal. The editors of the Christian Recorder and Louisville
Bulletin donated their respective papers. Other friends have since donated
various subscriptions. The University granting a room and stove, the
room was fitted up, Bishop Payne adding the gift of two fine engravings
handsomely framed. A fee of ten cents was temporarily charged to cover
expenses of heating and lighting, and Mrs. Bierce managed the room alone
under a few rules until February, 1879, when she formed a YoungWoman's
Reading Room Association, with thirty members. The initiation fee
was set at twenty-five cents; anntial dues twenty cents. She was chosen
president. In September, 1880, she resigned, wishing to initiate the young
women into its management, while she could advise. Miss A. H. Jones, a
senior, was made president, which position she occupied until September,
1881. The association now found itself able to purchase chairs, and
to continue its subscriptions to two or three periodicals. The main ob¬
ject was accomplished—to imbue the young women with a love for read¬
ing, and an appreciation for the best kind of literature. It was no unusual
sight to find the room crowded with readers, while the awakened thoughts
and the wider knowledge of literature were evidenced in better rhetorical
work and more intelligent conversation. From 1881 to 1882 Miss Ella J.
Green was president. No subscriptions were renewTed, no new matter
placed on file ; consequently interest flagged among old students, and none
was awakened in the new. Save by a few old students, the room was neg¬
lected. In September, 1882, Mrs. Bierce (who had resigned her position in
the University the preceding year) was re-elected as Mrs. W. S. Scar¬
borough, and was again made president of the reading room association.
By untiring effort she succeeded in re-awakening interest, adding new
members, and raised among the members $15 to supply the room with new
matter. A few friends, Bishop Payne chief among them, still continued
some subscriptions. At this juncture Dr. C. H. Malcom, of the Bible
House, New York City, visited Wilberforce. Mrs. Scarborough enlisted his
sympathies and aid, so that up to the present (1885) he has sent weekly
a package of valuable reading matter, including The Illustrated Weekly. In
1883 the association placed in the room a hot air register. In 1884 Mrs.
Scarborough again resigned, and Mrs. A. J. Cooper was made president.
Since then nothing has been done for the reading room. At no time could
the association be termed self-supporting. The annual loss of old mem¬
bers, the increasing youth of new students, and the constantly diminishing
numbers generally made the revenue from the small fees exceedingly small
and uncertain. There being no university aid, and no other fund upon
which to draw, it requires constant interest, activity and influence upon
the part of the manager to keep up the reading room. Any relaxation of
effort produces an immediate effect. Until a permanent'fund may be es¬
tablished for its aid, it must rely for success chiefly upon its active manage¬
ment. The educational benefit cannot be calculated. Some of our best
minds have, through its influence, received their first impetus and stimu¬
lus to intellectual activity, which in turn has been communicated to .hun¬
dreds. One of the moral necessary appendages to any institution of learn-
Institutions of Learning.
448
ing should be so fostered and directed that all may be allured to take
advantage of its opportunities for education and improvement.
The following is a sketch of the first Literary Society for Young
Women: *
Wilberforce University is the property of the A. M. E. Church, and, as
such, whatever pertains to her should be of interest to all in that Church
especially. This is the apology we would offer for bringing to your notice
what, under any other circumstances, would be merely a local affair, of in¬
terest to none outside of the place in.which it occurred, and therefore not
worthy to burden the columns of the Recorder.
All progress in education, and especially at the university, should be of
interest to every one in the Connection ; yet, so great is the apathy £is re¬
gards its needs, that we often wonder if one-tenth part knows of its exist¬
ence. Wilberforce is one of the schools of our land which, in their capac¬
ity of Alma Mater (benign mother), do not, after heathen customs, seek to
rear only sons, but extend the same care to the daughters. It is in all that
relates to the education, the culture and the refinement of these daughters
that we are especially interested, that they may be polished after the
similitude of a temple ; and the daughters of Wilberforce are endeavoring
to gain the culture and polish which literary work alone can bestow.
There is a legend that in years past the literary enthusiasm of her daugh¬
ters rose to the degree of a literary society. Be that as it may, no traces
remain. The young men long ago organized the Sodalian, which lives,
has increased and flourishes. There they have enjoyed literary advan¬
tages for years, gaining mental vigor and intellectual culture, while their
sisters have been standing still or only making such progress as they were
able, alone and unaided. As months and years of the writer's labors
within its walls passed by, she saw with increasing regret the absence of a
similar circle for culture among the young ladies. Many were the discour¬
agements. The numbers in the upper classes were too small to warrant
an organization, and as some insisted that unless able to have a full com¬
plement of officers there was no use attempting informal work on trial,
the matter lay dormant for some months; but minds had been wrought
upon, and many silent determinations made that the desired day should
not be far distant. Numbers increased in the higher classes, self-confidence
grew more firm, and ability to do became more apparent. Then a new
effort was made to launch their boat. One evening in February, 1881,
after one of many exhortations, a company of three promised to begin im¬
mediately to engage the co-operation of all certain classes deemed desir¬
able. Everything succeeded, and Tawawa Literary Society was established.
It started timorously, but determined on success. The regular meetings
were held with closed doors throughout the year until November, when it
grew bold enough to think of a public meeting. Asking no man's assist¬
ance, they silently planned and executed all the preparations. Man's
curiosity (for there is such a thing) got the better of him, and inquisitive
* Written for the Christian Recorder.
444
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Sodalians and non-Sodalians plied interrogations with an eagerness that
indicated a great thirst for information. The young ladies, however,
proved that women can keep a secret, and " Come and see " was all that
was vouchsafed them. Loftily indifferent at times, and incurious as they
desired to seem, it was noticed that the Sodalians held their meeting the
night previous, so that they might " Come and see." December the 1st a
goodly audience assembled in the college chapel to witness the first public
meeting of the Tawawa Literary Society. ... It was notable that,
while the young ladies, one and all, deported themselves in a dignified
yet modest manner, there was an entire absence of affectation and embar¬
rassment, which usually accompany such occasions. The most severe
critic could find nothing to blame. The first public meeting is interesting
as showing what our young ladies can do, exhibiting an intellectual energy
and deportment pleasing to all, and it augurs much for the future. They
have entered well upon work absolutely necessary to the higher education
of women. This contact with literature opens up another world, and
minds hitherto accustomed to rove about, with no well-defined tastes or
aims, find therein every incentive to the formation of a taste for all that
pertains to the intellectual wealth of the ages. Student life and literary
life should be inseparable, as student life is ever a formative period in
varying degrees, wherein foundations are laid for all the future years. It
is a great mistake for every student in higher classes that he or she does
not enter a literary society. Mere text-books cannot educate. We must
live in the atmosphere of books, the thoughts of the noble and great, for
that education which makes us liberal—gives us a broad culture and
refinement. The mind must be a great store-house of knowledge outside
of text-books. Studying, reading and writing are the three labors of a
student's life. We have seen the advance since the young ladies have
possessed a reading-room, and now that they also possess a literary society,
it is still more marked. The society can wield a great influence over the
younger minds of the sex, implanting aspirations which are high and
noble. Conscious of its weakness, it should not stand still because of
present success, but spurred on by its motto, it should gain strength by
continued exertions, letting the world see that not only was a woman the
leader of the deed, but a woman will carry on the undertaking success¬
fully. Its influence will also be felt by the Sodalians. As stated in the
president's address, it is not a rival, but a co-worker in the same cause.
Thus the young men will feel its influence in the spirit of a proper emu¬
lation, which will cause them to look well to their laurels in the future.
So they may climb the heights together, as man and woman, each gaining
from the other, yet neither losing.
" Self-reverent each, and reverencing each,
Sit side by side, full-summed in all their powers,
Dispensing harvest, sowing the ' To-be ' "
The following is taken from the Alumnal, concerning the
Young Men's Reading Room:
Institutions of Learning.
445
The Young Men's Reading Room is under the auspices of the Young
Men's Reading Room Association. This association was organized by
Professor W. S. Scarborough during the fall of 1879. He corresponded
extensively with the editors of the leading journals and magazines, and
secured many papers gratuitously, and many at reduced prices. In addi¬
tion to this, Professor Scarborough contributed largely of his own means
toward advancing the interest of the association, putting it into an at¬
tractive condition, and making it a literary center for all who would avail
themselves of its privileges. He diffused among the students of the uni¬
versity an intense spirit in the interest of the undertaking. The venerable
Bishop D. A. Payne, D. D., LL. D., ex-president of the university, who is
always ready to assist in any laudable movement contributing to the ad¬
vancement of his race, donated several periodicals, including the Independ¬
ent, Lutherian Observer, Christian Advocate, Princeton Review and Christian
Register. He also presented the reading room with a number of miscella¬
neous papers, which proved indispensable for reference. He secured
through the New England Conference the gift of a very serviceable matting
for the floor of the reading room, and assisted otherwise from his own
private purse toward making the effort of Professor Scarborough effectual.
On the files were found very soon many of the leading papers, magazines
and reviews of the country. Professor Scarborough was its president from
its origin till 1881, when he resigned that the young men might be initi¬
ated into the work of maintaining and perpetuating a reading room.
Among the other donors were Mrs. Professor Scarborough, Dr. Furness, of
Philadelphia, and ex-Senator B. K. Bruce. Occasionally printed matter
would be gratuitously sent by editors, authors and publishers, and placed
on file. The young men who mainly assisted in its support and sustained
it were ^lessrs. M. H. Vaughn and T. D. Scott (now dead), of '80; Messrs.
E. A. Clark, G. T. Lewis, D. M. Ashby, J. N. Dodson, W. W. Jones, of '81;
and Messrs. J. R. Gibson, F. H. Mabsom, J. M. Gilmere, of '82, with a few
others. After three or four years of activity the interest among the stu¬
dents somewhat abated, and there was a lull until 1885, when the Rev. T.
H. Jackson attempted to infuse new life into the movement by adding
new ppriodicals and soliciting funds, but with nominal success. The hours
of reading were fixed from 6 to 8 a. m,, 12 to 2 p. m., 4 to 7 p. m., daily
except Sunday, and on Saturday from 4 to 9 p. m. The members of the
faculty were ex officio members of the reading room, and were entitled to
all the rights and privileges of the association. There are now enrolled
about twenty-five active members. At various times there have been con¬
nected with the association over seventy-five undergraduates from the
different departments in the university.
In 1876, as has been said, Bishop Payne was succeeded by Rev.
Benjamin F. Lee, D. I)., who administered the affairs of the uni¬
versity from 1876 to 1884. President Lee was successful in training
many young men and young women for eminent usefulness. In
1884 the General Conference elected him to the editorial chair
446
History of the A. M. E. Church.
of the Christian Recorder, and then Rev. Samuel T. Mitchell, a
local preacher, was put in the presidency of Wilberforce Univer¬
sity. How he will succeed in the perplexing office of president
of this poverty-stricken and debt-burdened institution is yet to
be seen. Both of these last-named presidents are alumni of
Wilberforce University.
The changes among the instructors of Wilberforce University
have been too many for its steady and uninterrupted progress
and prosperity. Under the auspices of the A. M. E. Church,
within twenty-two years, there have been in the presidency of
AVilberforce three changes. In the office of lady principal and
matron there have been nine changes. Among the instructors and
and professors there have been eleven changes. In the normal
department there have been seven changes in the office of princi¬
pal. In all, thirty-four persons have participated in the instruc¬
tion at Wilberforce from 1863 to 1886.*
This leads us to the following reflections:
(a.) Where there are such frequent changes there must follow
a lack of stability—a lack of stability produces weakness.
(b.) Where there are so many and such frequent changes, there
must be frictions, and frictions often result in discord; but dis-
* These thirty-four instructors are here given: President, Rt. Rev. D.
A. Payne, D. D., of Gettysburg Theological Seminary ; President, Rev.
Benjamin F. Lee, D. D., of Wilberforce University; President, Rw. S. T.
Mitchell, LL. D., of Wilberforce University; Dr. John G. Mitchell, A. M.,
Oberlin College; Miss Esther T. Maltby, A. B., Oberlin College ; Mrs. Fan¬
nie A. Mitchell, Oberlin College; Rev. William Kent, M. D., England;
Theodore E. Suliot, A. M., Edinburg, Scotland; Miss Sarah J. Woodson,
Oberlin College; Miss Josephine Jackson, B. S., Adrian, Michigan ; Rev.
Henry C. Fry, A. M., Oberlin College ; Professor John Smith, Oberlin Col¬
lege; Mrs. Messenger; Rev. T. H. Jackson, D. D., Wilberforce University;
William B. Adams, A. M., Amherst College; Rev. R. G. Mortimer; Dr.
Wilson; Roswell Howard, A. M., B. L.; Hon. John Little ; Mrs. Alice M.
Adams, Holyoke, Mass.; Miss Emma L. Parker, Wesleyan Female Semi¬
nary, Oxford, Ohio ; Miss Leonore Congdon, Oberlin College ; B. K. Samp¬
son, A. M., Oberlin College; Miss McBride, Oswego State Normal School,
N. Y.; Miss Ella J. Greene, Wilberforce University; J. P. Shorter, A. B.,
Wilberforce University; W. S. Scarborough, A. 1\I , LL. D., Oberlin Col¬
lege ; Mrs. S. C. Bierce Scarborough, Classical Course, Oswego State Normal
School, N. Y.; Miss Gussie E. Clark ; Miss H. M. Andrews, Potsdam Normal
School, N. Y.; Miss E. R. George ; Miss Anna J. Cooper, A. B., Oberlin
College; Miss Anna H. Jones, Oberlin College; Miss Mary E. Church,
A. B., Oberlin College.
Institutions of Learning.
447
cord is always damaging to the unity, peace and prosperity
of an institution.
(c.) As regards the students under such changes and evils there
must be much damage to the finances of the students, for new
teachers almost always introduce new methods, consequently
new books. These new books must displace old ones, however
good in themselves. Thus many an indigent student is placed
in a serious dilemma ; they must leave their classes or go in debt
to obtain these new text-books, or they must use their money for
needless new text-books, which money they need for bread and
butter.
(d.) These needless changes of text-books are generally occa¬
sioned by inexperienced teachers, who, being just out of college,
and destitute of professional training in a first-class normal school,
compel their classes to use the same books which they were re¬
quired to use in their own Alma Mater.
(e.) These frequent changes in the faculty of any institution
injures it by defeating the best plans of usefulness which the fer¬
tile brain of an educator can devise, by displacing them before
they have time to execute their plans. Thoughtful and educated
parents lose confidence in the institution where such frequent
changes occur.
Every year since 1870 graduates, either from the classical,
normal or theological departments, have gone forth from these
halls of learning.* Among these are teachers of primary and
graded common schools. Some are principals of the latter.
Three have occupied the honorable and useful position of presi¬
dents of colleges, while one has been elected to the very impor¬
tant and responsible position of editor of the weekly paper of the
A. M. E. Church—The Christian Recorder. Beside the graduates
already named, hundreds who have not remained to finish their
course have been prepared for eminent usefulness.
During the closing decade of 1876-1886, more institutions of
learning have sprung into existence than in any preceding it.
This list comprises the Johnson Divinity School, located at
Raleigh, N. C.; Allen University, located at Columbia, S. C.,
April 8th, 1881; Paul Quinn College, located at Waco, McLennan
county, Texas, April 4th, 1882; the Ward Normal and Collegiate
* The number of graduates in 1887 had reached ninety-five. In 1890,
the number had increased to one hundred and eleven.
448
History of the A. M. E. Church.
Institute, located at Huntsville, Texas, September 17th, 1883;*
the Scientific, Normal and Divinity Institute, located at Jackson¬
ville, Fla., in 1883; Turner College, located at Hernando, Miss.,
in the year 1881; Western University, located at Quindaro, Kan¬
sas; Morris Brown University, located at Atlanta, Ga. As for
Garfield University, it has not so much as a paper existence.
The enterprise has completely failed. About $2,500 was also
thrown away in fruitless endeavors to establish this school. The
cause of its failure may be stated in general terms—its projectors
began before they were ready, and involved themselves in debts
amounting to the above-mentioned sum. The founding of a
college requires a great deal of forethought and preparation.
This is true of those who can command a deep, long and wide
purse. Especially is this true of a people, or the leaders of a
people, who are poverty-stricken and unacquainted with enter¬
prises that require large sums of money to secure success. Col¬
leges are expensive things—expensive from the beginning, ex¬
pensive till their full development has been reached, and expensive
to maintain after this has been accomplished. Therefore, we
should never be in haste to " adopt a resolution " to found a col¬
lege. Resolutions cost nothing but thought, and in almost all
cases the thought of a single head. But the establishment of an
institution of learning worthy of the name of a college demands
more than paper resolutions, which cost nothing but a sheet of
paper, a pen, and a little ink. Allen University was founded by
Bishop W. F. Dickerson in 1881-82. The building is an old fash¬
ioned frame house, once the mansion of a slaveholding aristocrat
and democrat, but now consecrated to the mental training of
negroes. Its first class graduated in 1884 from the law department,
and embraced four promising young men.
In answer to a list of questions sent to Bishop J. M. Brown in
1885, the following facts are stated by him concerning the estab¬
lishment of Paul Quinn College and other educational work
within his work. By them some popular beliefs may be corrected:
I suggested the school which resulted in its establishment, in the fall of
the year 1872, at the Conference held in Houston, Texas. The circum-
*The Ward Normal and Divinity Institute has also no existence at the
present; and thus the $2,350.75 spent on the property, reported at the
General Conference of 1884, have been thrown away. It would have been
more profitably spent upon Paul Quinn College in the same state, which
school is still in debt.
Institutions of Learning.
449
stances were the great dearth of intelligence amongst the clergy of the
Texas Conference and their absolute inability to make the work of the
Church a success. I believe the brethren were good and sincere workers,
but needed help educationally, hence the suggestion. We organized the
school, appointed the Rev. J. M. Gilliard principal, and located the
school at Austin, Texas, where it remained for more than a year; but
imprudence and lack of judgment on his part caused me to remove him.
The Conference did not do more than collect money and purchase property
at Waco, where Quinn College is now located."
As to the question concerning the condition in which he left
the educational work when his term of office expired, he makes
answer:
1. The property at Waco was secured. 2. The school was established.
3. Mrs. Jones opened the school where it is now. 4. I left considerable
money in the hands of the treasurer, and secured $200 by a vote of "the
financial board," which was forwarded to him. Bishop Ward kept the
school in motion, but Bishop Cain gave it the name of " William Paul
Quinn College," and commenced the present building, I think—possibly it
was Bishop Ward. The school in South Carolina was suggested and organ¬
ized by appointing Rev. Joseph T. Thompson. Professor W. S. Scar¬
borough, LL. D., and Professor Joseph Morris, A. M., at different periods to
the school. We also purchased the property at Cokesbury, S. C., where
Professors Scarborough and Morris taught. This seminary which I organ¬
ized, Bishop Campbell did good in helping forward The theological
department of the school at Raleigh, N. C., was organized. Miss Dowes
taught in it, and the intelligent of our brethren helped her by lectures.
The property at Cokesbury was sold under Bishop Dickerson's administra¬
tion, and the proceeds were devoted.to aid in the purchase of Allen Uni¬
versity, Columbia, S. C.
While in charge of the Louisiana Conference, I established a school at
Baton Rouge, La. Rev. Morris Johnson was principal, and Mrs. Sarah
Waters was his assistant. The school did well, but poverty compelled us
to close it I might add, there was a most excellent educational
work commenced at Live Oak, Florida, but somebody was at fault for that
failure. Our system of changing a Bishop every four years had much to do
with the failure I am told that you have a most excellent
seminary at Jacksonville."
So we see that one man lays the foundation, another erects the
edifice upon that foundation, a third completes the building.
Bishop Brown has done something more than make eloquent
speeches in behalf of education—more than spinning out a beau¬
tiful theory on education. He has labored in the school-room,
and, as his letters show, he has planned in its behalf, and so
29
450
History of the A. M. E. Church.
planned that others could complete what he had neither time
nor opportunity to do.
The following communication from President Burgan shows
the condition of Quinn College in 1885:
William Paul Quinn College is situated at Waco, Texas, on the east side
of the Brazos River, about one mile from the busiest portion of the city.
It stands in a lot of twenty acres of feitile soil, which has a sufficient ele¬
vation above the greater part of the city to render it dry and healthy.
Fresh water is abundant, and the neighbors quiet and well disposed.
Waco is one of the leading railroad centers of the state, and is called the
Athens of Texas. The people enjoy the benefits of a good public school
system. Within her borders are three denominational institutions and one
business college. She has all the modern facilities of communication, and
her business men are thrifty and polite. The college was projected in 1784
by the Texas A. M. E. Conference in Austin, at which time Rt. Rev. J. M.
Brown, presiding Bishop, urged with fervent spirit that our Church should
establish an institution of higher education in the state of Texas. When the
matter was made known to the public it was strongly endorsed by white
and colored. Several of the leading citizens desired the college located within
their corporate limits, and offered inducements to that end, but Waco was
the favored spot. It seemed mere mockery for a people as poor as our
people were to take hold of such an enterprise, but being ambitious, zeal¬
ous, they pushed forward amid the scoffs of many, simply trusting in God.
Elders H. Wilhite and Carson canvassed the state, and with small sums,
gathered here and there by them and a few faithful men and women,
some of whom were Baptists, the first lot was purchased on the west side
of the river. Here Bishop Cain found the enterprise, and with a determi¬
nation to succeed, he sold this lot, and bought the grounds where the college
now stands. In 1881 steps were taken to erect the present brick building,
Elder Carson and the Bishop being the prime actors. At this stage of the
work there was a general co-operation of the leaders in our Church through¬
out the state and of the prominent citizens of Waco.
On the 5th day of April, 1882, the school opened with Bishop Cain,
D. D., president; H. T. Kealing, B. S., principal; Mrs. N. T. Jones, lady
principal, and Mrs. Demby, matron. The same faculty, with the change
of Mrs. Mary James as matron, opened school in September, 1882, and
closed June, 1883, with a large attendance, and with the consciousness of
having done much good. The faculty selected to open the school in the
fall of 1883 comprised six persons, with Bishop Cain president. As mem¬
bers of this faculty, I. M. Bunran, B. D., principal-elect, and Miss E.
A. Gaines, lady principal-elect, left their northern homes with hearts
elated to think that such a field of labor had opened to them so soon after
having finished school in June. They arrived in Waco on the 27th of Sep¬
tember, just in time to see the trustees, who had already decided not to
open school that year. The words of welcome from the trustees were that
no member of the new faculty was expected, and that they thought it best
Institutions of Learning.
451
not to open school. This, to some extent, quenched the fire which hith¬
erto had been burning upon the altar of ambition, and their zeal for the
work was somewhat abated. Finally, terms were agreed to, and they
opened school at the appointed time with only eight students. With the
exception of a few flying visits by Bishop Cain, these two young teachers
labored on amongst strangers with no word of counsel, no act of co-opera¬
tion, and with no sign of sympathy until the latter part of March, 1884, at
which time they were joined by Miss J. E. Adams as matron. By hard
work, and at the sacrifice of almost everything dear to'human life, they
closed a successful year's work in June with bright prospt cts for the future.
On the 24th of July, 1884, I. M. Burgan was elected president, and man¬
aged to erect a two-story frame building for the accommodation of young
men, and to remodel the dining-room. This makes at the time of this
writing (April, 1885), three buildings and an office on the premises'. This
school year opened October, 1884, with a fair attendance, which has been
steadily increasing until it has now reached seventy. Some of these stu¬
dents are quite promising. The school is pretty well graded, and is taught
by three teachers, all of whom are graduates from northern colleges. The
grounds are cultivated by male students, while the dining-room work and
much of the kitchen work is done by the female students. This gives
them ample exercise to render themselves healthy and active. The school-
work embraces the following departments, in which the branches usually
found in other colleges are taught: Primary, normal, preparatory, scientific,
classical and theological.
This, then, is the work in education, accomplished under the
hand of God, through the instrumentality of the A. M. E. Church.
It would seem to the thoughtful mind that with these founda¬
tions, and under wise guidance, the present workers and those to
come may build grandly for the good of the race and the glory
of his name.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
MUSIC AND THE FINE ARTS.
Origin and Progress of Music—Origin of Choral Singing—Composition of
the Choir of "Old Bethel" Church, Philadelphia—The Choir in the
Mother Church, Baltimore—Introduction of the Organ— Organization of
the Choir in Washington, D. C.—The Boston Choir and Organ—Choir
and Organ in Bethel, New York—Advance Movement in Sacred Music—■
New Bethel in Philadelphia.
IN the mother church, Bethel, in Philadelphia, the hest vocal¬
ists in 1840, who were members of the church, were Ely-
mus Johnson, Henry Gor, Lewis Seymour, and several women.
Among the latter was Mrs. Jane Johnson, the amiable wife of
Brother Elymus Johnson. These, with others, soon after the
dedication of New Bethel, on the 23d of December, 1841. organ¬
ized a choir and, with the consent of such an intelligent man as
Rev. Joseph Cox and the permission of Bishop Morris Brown,
introduced it into the gallery of the new building—the gallery
opposite the pulpit. It was occasioned by the fact that on the
day just mentioned, when the* dedication of New Bethel took
place, the "old people," who were opposed to singing by note,
appointed Brother Elymus Johnson to lead the congregational
singing, but, being rather weak in the chest, and consequently of
rather feeble voice, he failed to give satisfaction to the audience
because others whose voices were as melodious as his could not
;aid him. They would not join the congregational singing be¬
cause they were not allowed to sing by note. In the journal of
Elder Joseph Cox is found the following entrj^, dated Thursday,
December 23d, 1841 :
The singing to-day was not good, there being an opposition because the
old people are opposed to note singing. Elymus Johnson, the person ap¬
pointed by them, is weakly and the others would not help him. So we had
dull music to-day.
In 1842, June 9th, Brother Cox made the following entry: '
The musical department of the Bible Class Association of Bethel Church
takes this opportunity of informing this congregation that they will give
their first vocal soiree of choruses from eminent authors on next Thursday
( 452 )
Music and the Fine Arts.
453
evening, the 23d inst., in the above-named church, to commence at eight
o'clock, at which time and place you are religiously invited. The object is
to further the cause of the Norristown Church, Pa. Admittance, 12£ cents
each.
Rev. Cox hesitated to read this notice until he had made some
inquiry about it among the trustees and found that it had b«en
discussed by them and a majority were in favor, "but J. Wilson
and G. Miller rather opposed." On further inquiry he remembered
that the coming Thursday night had been previously set apart
to take up subscriptions for the benefit of Bethel, and after con¬
sulting the leading members of the choir the concert, or vocal
soiree, as it was named, was postponed. Subsequently this same
"vocal soiree" was held in Bethel church, and many of the
"old people,"particularly some aged sisters who professed sancti-
fication, were so greatly offended that, saying, " the devil has got
into the church," they left Bethel and never returned to her
communion. The excitement among the members of Bethel was
so deep and wide-spread that D. A. Payne (later Bishop Payne)
was called upon and requested to preach a sermon in defense of
sacred music. He came across a little book written by Mr.
Wesley on the same subject, which he found very inspiring and
useful.
The choir of Old Bethel* in Philadelphia was made up of some
of the most intelligent and devoted Christians in the church.
The effect of their singing in the public sanctuary on the Lord's
day was often most thrilling and as unctious as some of the most
spiritual sermons ever heard in Old Bethel. In those days it was
customary for this musical department of the Bible Class Associ¬
ation of Bethel Church to serenade particular persons at the
dawn of Christmas. No qne but those who have had their slum¬
bers broken by these' sacred serenades can realize their divine
*On the third Sunday of June, 1889, the farewell services of the church
were held in this " Old Bethel," which had stood for nearly one half a cen¬
tury, and preparations were made for the erection of the New Bethel.
This edifice was dedicated October 26, 1890, the addresses being made by
the senior Bishop, D. A. Payne, who, in his eightieth year, and still in ac¬
tive service, though very feeble, traveled from his home in Ohio to conduct
the ceremony. It was at the dedication of this New Bethel that four of
the singers who sang in the choir the day Old Bethel was dedicated again
lifted up their voices in the new structure—Mr. Hans Shadd, Mrs. Elizabeth
Armstrong, Mr. Henry Jones, and Mrs. Elizabeth Clark. So the aged ofles
link the past with the present in an ever continuous chain.
454
History of the A. M. E. Church.
sweetness and power.* The blameless lives of the men and
women who composed this choir, and the spiritual character of
their singing, soon reconciled a majority of the church members
and the congregation to their existence, and thus prepared the
way for the introduction of the organ.
It was at the dedication of 1841 that the following Sacred Ode
was composed by Rev. D. A. Payne:
A SACRED ODE.
Composed in the Pulpit of Bethel Church Directly After Its Conse¬
cration, and Dedicated to Its Bishops, Ministers and Members;
Descend ! descend! Thou gracious God of heav'n !
And with thy glory fill this beauteous fane;
Descend ! and let thy mercy here be giv'n ;
Descend! and let thy statutes here obtain.
O, here, the mantle of thy love outspread,
And let thy richest blessings here be shed.
Here may the light of holy truth dispel
'The moral darkness"of the human mind;
Defeat the combined pow'rs of earth and hell,
And achieve all the heart of Christ design'd.
Here let the dews of Christian love distill,
And peace divine each faithful bosom fill.
Speak here, Great Saviour! and the blind will see,
The deaf will hear, the dumb will sing thy praise ;
Lepers be cleansed, the maim'd will worship thee,
And from their graves the sleeping dead be raised ;
The halt will leap and tread the heavenly wray,
While flying devils shall thy wrord obey.
Lord! when thy people in this house shall raise
Their voice melodious to extol thy pow'r ;
Be they the morning or the evening lays,
Or in a mournful or a joyous hour—
O, let their songs, sweet as the voice of love,
Borne up by angels, rise to thee above.
And when thy children in this house shall pray,
And lift to heaven their confidential eyes ;
O, hear, benignant, every word they say,
And hasten hither from the op'ning skies
* One Christmas morning the writer was wakened out of a deep sleep by
this musical band, and it seemed to him that he was listening to the angelic
choir that saluted the ears of the wondering shepherds on the Saviour's
natal morning.
Music and the Fine Arts.
455
To press this altar with thy viewless feet,
And 'round this throne thy willing people meet.
Here let the thunders of thy law resound,
Its lightnings flash an omnipresent pain
In tyrants' hearts, till every slave unbound
Shall shout for joy and crush the oppressors' chain.
O, here let holy freedom speak aloud,
And freemen plead the cause of freedom's God.
Redeemer! may the cause of missions here
Receive a high, a most exalted place,
And many a herald go from hence to bear
The joyful message of redeeming grace ;
Bid home-born heathens and the pagans far
Receive the light of Zion's blazing star!
Here may the blood-stained banner of the Cross
In pristine beauty now begin to wave,
To guide the bark on sin's dark billows toss'd,
And show a ruin'd world that God can save.
Here may the heralds of salvation be
A spotless priesthood, and from error free !
Come, quickly come ! Thou God of Israel, here !
Eternal Spirit! let thy peace abound !
Make Bethel now a crown of honor wear,
And, like the sun, shed light and heat around !
Then shall the glory of this latter place
Shine forth, resplendent, with superior grace !
Adoring angels, from the clouds descend!
And promenade this consecrated aisle.
Bright cherubim ! your unheard voices blend
To inspire our worship with celestial style.
And thou, blest Saviour ! Thee our hearts implore ;
Come, sway thy sceptre here, for evermore!
Bethel! awake ! and educate thy sons
Who bear the message of the Lord of Hosts;
Let science elevate thy sacred ones,
And God inspire them with the Holy Ghost.
A flood of light this pulpit then shall pour,
And "baptized infidels " thy God adore.
Here may repenting sinners be forgiv'n
Through faith in Jesus and his cleansing blood;
Then have their names recorded in high heav'n
On tablets lasting as the throne of God !
O, Bethel! then how dreadful wilt thou be !
The gate of heav'n—a house of God for thee !
456
History of the A. M. 7?. Church.
According to the best information obtainable no one now liv¬
ing can say whether or not the introduction of the choir into
Bethel, Baltimore, was opposed ,by a,ny one. On the writer's
first visit to Baltimore, in April, 1843, the choir was in popular
favor. Its leader was a man by the name of James High. The
majority of all of its members were spiritual minded, and there¬
fore conducted the singing with great fervor and effect. They
sang " with the spirit and the understanding" also.
Instrumental music was first introduced into the A. M. E.
Church at Baltimore in Bethel by its pastor, in 1849 or 1850.
The present grand, temple-like edifice on Saratoga street, near
Gay, was constructed in 1848. When completed $5,000 had
been paid. The balance due on it was about $10,000, which was
divided into eight notes of equal amount. One of these had
been paid, and the second was nearly matured, and the payment
of it was rather difficult by collections. The pastor, therefore,
resolved to get up a concert of sacred music, accompanied by in¬
struments. He went to Washington, D. C., and secured the
services of Mr. James Fleet, the ablest colored musician then in
the District of Columbia. To consummate his plans Mr. Fleet
selected Miss Eliza Euston, at that time the finest soprano in
the District; Miss Fannie Fisher, the best alto; Mr. James
Wormley, the best if not the only performer on the bass viol;
and Mrs. Hermion Fleet, a pianist, the wife of Mr. Fleet, who
played on the flute and the guitar, as well as the piano, with
great skill. All the songs, the lyrics, were composed by the
pastor. He did this portion of the work in order that nothing
profane should desecrate the Lord's house. They were set to
music by Dr. Fleet. At the appointed time this quartette, led
by Dr. Fleet, appeared in Baltimore, and held the first concert
of sacred instrumental music in the A. M. E. Church. Bethel
was crowded with an audience eager to listen for the first time
to sacred songs accompanied by the piano, the flute, the guitar
and the bass viol. The audience was delighted, enraptured,
and thanked the Lord that they were permitted to see and hear
instruments always devoted heretofore to secular purposes now
consecrated to God's service. The financial results of this first
attempt were shown in the $300 net for the church. The second
grand concert, of a similar nature, was prepared and conducted
by Mr. William Appo, the gifted father of the present Mrs. John
F. Cook, of Washington, D. C. This concert was accompanied
Music and the Fine Arts.
457
by seven violins, all handled by master musicians. The solos
were sung by Miss Greenfield, subsequently known as "the Black
Swan." Until this concert of gtringed instruments not one of us
knew that the violin could be used with great effect in the serv¬
ice of the Lord. It gave us some idea, more or less correct, of
what was the inspiration of the Royal Musician when he wrote:
Praise ye the Lord.
Praise God in his sanctuary :
Praise him in the firmament of his power,
Praise him for his mighty acts,
Praise him for his excellent greatness,
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet,
Praise him with the psaltery and harp,
Praise him with the timbrel and pipe,
Praise him with stringed instruments and organs,
Praise him upon the loud cymbals,
Praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals.
The introduction of the organ into Bethel, Baltimore, was
during the pastorate of Rev. Savage L. Hammonds, in the year
1864. The last and present organ was put in under the admin¬
istration of Rev. George Watkins, D. D., in the year 1872. It
cost $2,500, and was built by Pomplitz, of Baltimore, Md.
The organization of the choir in Washington, D. C., was under
the pastorate of Rev. Charles Sawyer, 1843. It seems that this
occurred without opposition, though later considerable opposi¬
tion was made by one of the pastors to its continuance, but it,
was unavailing. It was generally true that the opposition came
from those who cared only for those "corn-field ditties" which
could produce the wildest excitement among the thoughtless
masses. Such persons are usually so because they are non-pro¬
gressive, and, being illiterate, are consequently very narrow in
views of men and things. A strong religious feeling, coupled
with a narrow range of knowledge, often makes one a bigot.
The organ was introduced September, 1864, and was paid for by
the avails of concerts and other entertainments given by the
choir, of which Mr. John A. Simms was the leader.
The choir of the Boston church was organized by Mr. Lewis
Major, who was not a member of the church, but the husband of
Sister Elizabeth Major, an intelligent, pious and praiseworthy
leader in the Sunday-school work. Mr. Major was the first chor¬
ister. He met with no opposition, because the membership of
our Church in the enlightened city of Boston was so intelligent
458
History of the A. M. E. Church.
that they regarded the introduction of the choir and the organ
as an advanced step in their religious public worship. This ad¬
vanced movement was made in the autumn of 1867, under the
pastorate of Rev. Ebenezer Williams. At the time of this event
the congregation was worshipping in a little building much like
a shanty, at No. 36 Anderson street.
The choir was introduced into our church in the city of New
York as early as 1830, under the pastorate of Rev. Samuel Todd,
to which no opposition was made. At that time William Moore
and Jeremiah Thomas were leading members of it, and both
became subsequently itinerant preachers. The organ was intro¬
duced in 1861, by Rev. Jonathan Gibbs. The opposition was
strong, and was led by a large number of the membership; but
no split ensued. At present (1886) there is no congregation
among us where the choir and the organ are more highly appre¬
ciated than in Bethel Church, in the city of New York. To
listen to its performances at almost all times is to be filled with
delight.
Such was the genesis of vocal and instrumental music in the
A. M. E. Church. Opposition to this part of our public worship
had been made at different times in different places since 1841-42,
but nearly always it had been overcome without rupture, as in the
case of Bethel, in Philadelphia, Pa. It is now an established
fact that the choir and the organ, where the congregation can
afford it, and the melodeon even, where poverty prevents the
purchase of the other, is now part of Chufch worship in the Con¬
nection and throughout its boundaries. But there has been an
advance movement in sacred music. In 1882, at the suggestion
of Bishop Turner, the thirtieth year of Bishop Payne's episcopate
was celebrated in Sullivan Street A.- M. E. Church, in the city
of New York, where Rev. Thomas McCants Stewart was then
pastor. At the close of the services a proposition to organize a
Connectional Sunday-School Union was offered by Rev. C. S.
Smith, of the Illinois Conference. This proposition was made
to the Bishops' Council, then sitting in the pastor's study. But,
inasmuch as the council was on the eve of adjournment, it had
not the time needed for its consideration; and, therefore, it was
ordered that Elder Smith should meet the Bishops at their an¬
nual meeting, to be held at Cape May, on the 9th of August, 1882.
Accordingly Elder Smith appeared there and presented a written
constitution carefully prepared, which was considered and
Music and the Fine Arts.
459
adopted, and an organization was effected. He was made
corresponding secretary, and the first celebration of Children's
Day was fixed for the 29th of October, 1882, in Bethel Church,
Baltimore, Md. To make the occasion as emphatic as it was
historic, original lyrics and original music was composed by Rev.
Benjamin T. Tanner, D. D., then editor of the Christian Recorder,
and also by the senior Bishop. These were five in number.
Dr. Tanner composed one on the theme: "Our Father's Church."
The other four were composed by the senior Bishop, to be used
for the special training of children on such occasions, or on
any occasion in which the agency of children is to be employed
in raising funds for benevolent objects. They were all set to
music for the occasion by Rev. Levi Coppin, at that time the
young pastor of the mother church of all the churches south
of Maryland on the Atlantic coast down to the Gulf of Mexico.
The music of these lyrics is both pretty and melodious. The
poetry of the "Easter Song" was composed by Bishop D. A.
Payne also, and set to music by Elder Coppin, to celebrate
Easter of 1884, in behalf of the cause of m issions. The music is
soft, sweet and full of life. Elder Coppin has also composed an¬
other entitled "Consecration of an Infant Daughter." About
the same time Elder William G. Alexander composed three
pieces of music entitled respectively, " Personal and Home Con¬
secration," "Consecrated Home," and "Reveal Thyself to Me."
For rich melody this last one is the gem of the three. We have
one piece composed by Rev. J. W. Randolph on " Personal and
Home Consecration," and two by Miss Bertha Wolf Cook—the
first bears as its title "Consecration of an Infant Son," the second
that of "Consecration of Children." Each of these has the merit
of original melody.*
From music we turn to the consideration of the fine arts as
cultivated in the A. M. E. Church. The first efforts to cultivate
artistic talents in this church was made in Baltimore in 1849, as
the subjoined circular will show:
LITERARY AND ARTISTIC DEMONSTRATION FOR THE EN¬
COURAGEMENT OF LITERATURE AND THE FINE
ARTS AMONG THE COLORED POPULATION.
1. For the best original poem, written in heroic verse, in meter or
blank, not containing over twelve stanzas nor less than six, of eight or ten
^Several of these various lyrics may be found, with their music, at the
end of Bishop Payne's " Treatise on Domestic Education."
460
History of the A. M. E. Church.
lines each, on any subject which the author may choose, one silver medal,
worth not less than $10; for the next best, a floral crown.
2. For the best original composition in sacred music, arranged for the
piano and accompanied with the voice, a silver medal, worth not less than
$10; for the next best, a floral crown.
3. Also for the best original sacred piece, arranged for the guitar and ac¬
companied by the voice, a silver medal, worth not less than $10; for the
next best, a floral crown. By the best we mean the most melodious and
accurate according to the lawrs of musical science.
4. For the best original temperance essay, written out and delivered,
containing not over five pages of foolscap, a silver medal, worth not less
than $5; for the next best, a floral crown.
5. For the best piece of oil painting on any historical subject, taken
from the Scriptures, and painted on canvass not less than two feet by three,
the figure or figures to be painted in full length, a silver medal, worth not
less than $35 ; for the next best, a floral crown.
6. For the best piece of embroidery in floss silk, representing a wreath
of roses, or anything else preferred by the lady, a silver medal, worth not
less than $10 ; for the next best, a floral crown.
7. For the best piece of embroidery in worsted, representing a dog or
any other creature which the lady may choose, a silver medal, worth not
less than $4; for the next best, a floral crown.
8. For the best drawing in crayon or painting in water colors, a silver
medal, worth not less than $4; for the next best, a floral crown.
All persons who may strive to obtain the above premiums must send
their names in a note, countersigned by two respectable persons known to
the undersigned, and addressed to him at his residence in Baltimore, Md.,
74 Park St., on or before the 20th of March next. D. A. Payne.
All these artistic pieces were produced except the oil painting,
and the premiums were awarded. In the following year the
same scheme was worked with similar effect in Philadelphia,
Pa. But as in Baltimore, so in Philadelphia, the oil painting was
not produced. There was. however, about this time (1849) a
youth by the name of Wilson, a son of a member of Bethel, in
Philadelphia, who had a gift in this direction, but it was uncul¬
tivated. He was tolerably good in proportion, but defective in
coloring and grouping. To young Wilson the same patron and
encourager of the fine arts gave the commission for an oil paint¬
ing to represent the parents of his first wife, Julia, and two
sisters, Caroline and Sarah Becraft; also two relatives, a lad of
seventeen and a girl of fourteen. In this painting, to which
was added a portrait of an infant daughter, the figures were seen
grouped in a garden attached to the old homestead—the old
home of William Becraft, the natural son of Charles Carroll, of
Music and the Fine Arts.
461
Carrollton. It is still in existence, and is certainly the work of
a genius, as it was made from life, all being original likenesses.
No one can tell to what eminence he might have attained had he
been trained in some school of design and lived long enough to
have had his talents fully developed.
Coming down to a later period, we find Henry Tanner, of
Philadelphia, Pa., who was born in Pittsburg, Pa., June 21st,
1859. He is a son of Bishop B. T. Tanner. The first picture
which he placed on exhibition was entitled " Inlet House," at
Atlantic City, N. J. This was followed by "Meadows," at the
same place. Then came "Burnt Pines in the Adirondacks,"
which was exhibited at the Academy of Arts in Philadelphia.
"Cape May Point," "Sheep in Pasture," "At the AVatering
Trough," "Dusty Road and Cedars" were exhibited at the
National Academy of Design. "Lions at Home" was exhibited
and sold at the National Academy of Design at New York.
" The Adirondack Reminiscence," " Study of a Lion's Plead,"
"Evening in the Pasture Lot," "Sunset at Atlantic City," "A
November Day," "Coast of Maine," "Fast Friends," "A Winter
Evening," and "A Cavalry Incident" were exhibited at the Penn¬
sylvania Academy. This young man has made models of sheep,
cows, deer, lions and tigers in plaster of Paris; also some models
of human figures; among the latter is a fine statuette of Bishop
Payne. His pictures have been exhibited at the National
Academy of Design in New York, the Pennsylvania Academy
of Fine Arts, Philadelphia; the Philadelphia Society of Artists,
the Exhibition at Louisville, Ky.; the Exposition at Chicago, at
New Orleans, at the Lydia Art Gallery, and at Washington, D. C.
Henry 0. Tanner was born in the bosom of the A. M. E. Church,
baptized in it, converted in it, and hopes to be fully developed
in her bosom as an artist. It is trusted that he may realize more
than " his ardent heart could dare to hope."
Bethel—The New Mother Church in Philadelphia, Pa.
Perhaps no event which has transpired within the last thirty-
five years indicate the progress of the African M. E. Church more
than the erection of the fourth temple from the blacksmith-shop,
in 17—, when Rev. Richard Allen converted it into a " Bethel"—
House of God—for such is the meaning of the word. His
progress in intellect, in sentiment, in planning and executing, to
reach a noble, beneficent end, is demonstrated in this beautiful
462
History of the A. M. E. Church.
temple, dedicated the last Sunday in October, 1890. The black-
smith-shop of this polished generation is a rough thing. What
must it have been two generations past? It was made as genteel
and convenient as was possible for the means which Allen could
command, and inasmuch as tradition and history represent him
as being opposed to all kind of demonstration and show, we may
reasonably infer that he was satisfied with simple neatness. This
inference amounts to certainty when we recollect the second
temple, in which we had the privilege of worshipping. It was
as plain as a Quaker's coat, and perfectly free from ornament, as
were all Methodist chapels of those days. Indeed, during the
first part of this century, and all of a hundred years after Wesley
organized his societies, the masses of his followers regarded deco¬
rations in the house of God as sinful things. As regards the
third temple, which was constructed in 1841, many still living
know that it was a fine improvement on the second. It is true to
the fact to say, it was elegant, so elegant that many were heard
to say, " How can any one worship the Lord in such a house?"
And yet, the pulpit was the only imposing part of the edifice.
It was made of three steps rising one above the other, and every
one shorter than the one below it, so as to give a pyramidal form.
Mahogany columns with pentagonal sides, adorned with globes
of light, assumed a rather majestic appearance. But who can
with pen or pencil accurately describe the fourth temple? We
shall try to give the reader of these lines some account of the
new Bethel:
(a.) Its front elevation, sometimes called the " facade," is of
rough white stone, with a tower on the north side. Its whole
facade is not an elaborate, but a plain gothic.
(.b.) As you enter the front door, the first thing that arrests one's
attention is the beauty of the vestibule, which is frescoed in-
grainly.
(<?.) Opposite the door of entrance is the door of admission into
the lecture room, the upper portion of which is decorated with
stained glass of various colors softly blended. By two staircases
on the right and left, of easy ascent, you are led up into the
auditorium, the floor of which is laid on an inclined plane, and
on this the pews or "sittings" are slightly drawn in semicircles
down to the base of the altar or pulpit. The seats in the galleries
are drawn in straight lines wTith the "sittings" below. Lines
of light drawn from every eye below and above will flash into
Music and the Fine Arts.
463
the preacher's eye, and rebounding, bring every eye in a line
with his. What is true of the sight is true of the hearing.
These combinations produce an almost perfect accoustic.
(d.) The galleries are lighted by three immense stained glass
windows, which are subdivided into smaller ones for ventilation
and for increasing or diminishing both light and air. Geometric
figures symbolize the existence, oneness and trinity of the Crea¬
tor of the universe. The idea of his eternity is represented by
three circles interlacing each other, and his trinity by three tri¬
angles united.
(e.) The divine spirit of comfort, holiness, truth, intercession
and sanctification is represented in the summit of the facade win¬
dow by a form of light descending from heaven to enlighten and
to bless the adoring worshippers. Over the pulpit and the choir
is a stained glass window. There is painted upon it a Greek
cross. In the center of it the divine dove is also seen, as if to
inspire the singers and the preacher who lead the holy services.
(/.) In the window, on the right of the pulpit, there is that
great emblem of the Christian faith—the Cross—with a crown
hanging on one of its arms.
((/.) In the window, on the left His star is seen guiding the
shepherds to the village of Bethlehem, and in the center is seen
the Great Shepherd, as large as life, with a lamb embosomed and
the sheep following him. If memory does not err, the Madonna
is pictured in the center of the facade window, holding the in¬
fant Christ in her arms. All the geometric figures and scriptural
symbols are painted in the colors of the rainbow, with all the
tints and hues of the precious stones mentioned in the Revela¬
tion of St. John, xxi. 11-21. These colors of the rainbow,
with hues and tints of the precious stones, are so softly and
perfectly blended as to make a glorious scene of divine
beauty, and (so profuse as to resemble the magnificence of the
starry heavens. As to the appointments in the basement, they
are complete. Each sex of the congregation has its own toilet
room; the church officers have theirs, and the pastor his, every
one of which is distinct and separate—every one of which is of
the most approved patent. For Sunday-school—both infant and
adult—for class meetings, leaders' meetings and Quarterly Con¬
ferences, complete arrangements are made. There is also the
pastor's study, the sexton's office, the library, the office of the
librarian, and the office of the superintendent of the Sunday-
464
History of the A. M. E. Church.
school. The whole edifice is heated by a steam engine in the
lower basement.
In reflecting upon this new Bethel, the following questions
arise:
(a.) Does not this magnificent temple lift us up above our con¬
dition ?
(I).) Does it confirm us in this present condition ? Nay! Does
it not summon us upon a higher plane of thought and action ?
(c.) How many of our preachers are equal to the duties, the
Christian obligations of such a pastorate, of such a flock, of such
a congregation as this temple will naturally attract?
There ought to be a succession of thoroughly educated pastors
occupying the pulpit of our New Bethel during the next thirty-
five years. Can they be found? By thoroughly educated pastors
we mean men whose intellectual natures have been well disci¬
plined by science, whose moral nature has been purified by the
word of God, and whose spiritual nature has been brought in sub¬
jection to the spirit of love, of holiness, and of righteousness.
Such pastors will not aim to have their hearers shout and sing, but
their highest aim will be to make them Christ-like—"the salt of
the earth"—" the light of the world ! "
CHAPTER XXXV.
EXTENSION OF THE CHURCH AT HOME.
Growth in Membership—Exaggerated Statements—Increase in Two De¬
cades—Preparations for Expansion—Political Struggle Between Slavery
and Liberty—Door Opened to the A. M. E. Church—Summons to Enter
the Far South—Under Military Protection—Missionaries Selected—Fare¬
well Sermons—Missionaries to the Freed men—Penal Laws of 1834 in
South Carolina—Bishop Payne's Exile—First Missionary Operations in
the South.
SINCE the celebration of the senior Centenary of the A. M. E.
Church in 1866, and within the two decades found between
1863and 1887, she has more than trebled herself. According to
the official documents, the minutes of all the Annual Conferences,
she then enrolled fifty thousand members. At the General Con¬
ference of 1884 she enrolled two hundred and forty-five thousand
five hundred and ninety-seven. It is positively affirmed by
many, especially those who accept hyperbolic statement, that we
now have five hundred thousand; but the accredited minutes of
all the Annual Conferences, tabulated and published by the sec¬
retary of the Parent Home and Foreign Missionary Society,
under the supervision of such a scrutinizing eye as that of its
president, Bishop Shorter, contradicts the boasted membership.
Therefore it may be deemed safe to say that at the present (1887)
we enroll about three hundred thousand members, more or less.
But be our statement more or less than the facts, if we take the
lowest number given by the secretary and president of the Parent
Home and Foreign Missionary Society within two decades, we
have more than trebled ourselves, not in numbers only, but in
almost everything that makes us remarkable as a denomination
of poverty-stricken people. But inasmuch as there is a cause for
every effect, let us look for the preparing cause of our marvelous
growth in so short a time. Let us note the preparation for such
an expansion. An earthquake is a sudden and unexpected up¬
heaving and sinking of the earth's surface, and doubtless there
is a long chain of causes for so terrible an event. Subterranean,
they were unfelt, unseen, unknown, until they reached their
focal power and focal point. Then they rent the earth, and like
30 ( 465 )
466
History of the A. M. E. Church.
a great anaconda, overthrew and swallowed up whatsoever was
found within its reach. And yet we are informed by some writers
that all earthquakes are preceded by rumbling sounds. So also
are great revolutions, civil, political and religious, preceded by
moral suasion more or less enthusiastic, by civil commotions
more or less violent.
Going no further back than 1815-29, we find Benjamin Lundy
and William Lloyd Garrison at work. We have nothing but the
gentle rumbling sounds of moral suasion against slavery. But
these sounds became more and more violent from 1852 by the
resolutions of the Democratic and Whig Conventions, held in the
city of Baltimore, Md., when the struggles between slavery and
liberty assumed a political form.
On October 17, 1859, the military raid of John Brown at Har¬
per's Ferry was a prophetic blast of the trumpet of eternal and
impartial justice, heralding the truth and the fact that just as
slavery was beaten in Kansas, and driven out by "the sword of
the Lord, and of Gideon," so slavery itself, enthroned on Southern
soil, would be driven out of the Great Republic by the same
sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. In the eye of the Christian
philosopher, the former (the convention) Avas prophetic of the
approaching civil war in favor of the perpetuity of slavery; the
latter (the raid) prophetic of its complete overthrow and its utter
extinction. So, then, these two events, which quickly followed
each other, Avere the rumbling sounds of that political earthquake
Avhich shook the nation from center to circumference, and SAval-
loAved doAvn the strongholds of the greatest despotism and abso¬
lutism that ever cursed a people and aroused the just indignation
of heaven.
Within two years from the time John BroAvn suffered himself
to be martyred in behalf of human freedom, there Avere tens of
thousands of John BroAvns rushing down into the despotic South
to enthrone the spirit of holy freedom and impartial justice.
Such Avere the facts and such Avere the truths Avhich Avere among
the providential arrangements for opening a Avide door of useful¬
ness to the A. M. E. Church; at the same time it Avas opened for
the varied Avork of the entire American Church—the Avork of
Christian education and Christian civilization of emancipated
slaves. In the month of April, 1863, on the 17th day of that
month, the Lord of Hosts summoned our itinerant ministry to
enter the far South, and on the 20th of May in the same year,
Extension of the Church at Home.
467
He ordered us to move forward. This movement he placed under
military protection. Rev. C. C. Leigh, a local preacher of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, then a financial officer of the Na¬
tional Freedman Aid Association, at the Baltimore Annual Con¬
ference, on the 27th of April, 1863, requested Bishop Payne to send
two of our itinerant preachers as missionaries to care for the moral,
social and religious interest of the freedmen in South Carolina,
who were then as sheep without a shepherd, left in that condi¬
tion by their former white pastors, who had fled before the ad¬
vancing and conquering army of the Union. Mr. Leigh gave a
graphic description of the deplorable condition of the freedmen,
which moved our hearts to the very bottom. He was requested
to tell how soon he would have these missionaries sent. He re¬
plied, "Within ten days."
The following preamble and resolutions were then offered by
Elder A. W. Wayman :
Whereas, The Rev. C. C. Leigh, of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
from South Carolina, has addressed us on the importance of the appoint¬
ment of missionaries to that coast; and
Whereas, He has assured the Bishop and Conference that the preacher
or preachers will receive military protection ; therefore,
Resolved, That we accept the offer, and the presiding Bishops be requested
to appoint one from this Conference and one from the New York Con¬
ference.
In accordance with this preamble and resolution, D. A. Payne
selected the Rev. James Lynch, of the Baltimore Conference,
and Rev. James D. S. Hall, of the New York Conference, to go
as missionaries into the state of South Carolina. These two
men were very unlike each other—James Lynch was always
hopeful, James Hall always fearful. Lynch was the bold lion,
Hall the timid lamb; Hall was the witty Irishman, Lynch the
far-seeing statesman; Lynch was born to be the skillful organizer,
Hall the trembling follower, ready to run at the barking of a
rat-terrier. They preached their farewell sermons in Sullivan
Street A. M. E. Church, New York, Sunday, May 17th, 1868.
Lynch preached in the afternoon. His mother, sister, and five
of the white pastors of the city were present to hear him. As
soon as he had finished his eloquent discourse, one of the latter
said, " Bishop Payne, that young man can do more good among
the freedmen than a regiment of white preachers." One may
imagine the effect of this sermon upon his mother and sister.
468
History of the A. M. E. Church.
The latter was so profoundly moved that in the evening of the
same day she called upon Bishop Payne to know if she could be
sent also as a missionary teacher to the freedmen. Her desire
was soon gratified by being sent at the exjjense of the ladies of
one of the white Baptist churches in the city of New York, and
she was stationed at Beaufort, S. C. Rev. James D. S. Hall, at
that time the pastor of Sullivan Street A. M. E. Church, preached
his farewell sermon at night, which was interesting and im¬
pressive. The following Wednesday, May 20, 1863, these mission¬
aries sailed out of the harbor of New York on the government
steamer Arago. The military officers on board were numerous.
They were chiefly captains and colonels. Among the numerous
passengers were four white women, going as missionary teachers
of the freedmen. They went, I believe, in the same spirit as
missionaries go to the heathen in Africa, Asia, or Polynesia.*
0 thou King of kings, thou Lord of lords! God of the races!
Loving Father of humanity! how marvelous are thy dealings
with the nations, with the governments, with the races, with the
families of the earth, with individuals!
In 1884-35 the state of South Carolina enacted penal laws pro¬
hibiting both white and free colored persons from teaching slaves
to read and write, under which laws Bishop Payne, when a young
man, was forced to close a flourishing school of free colored
children.f In May, 1863, he beheld free white and colored
preachers under military protection, on a ship of the United
States Government, sailing to South Corolina to teach the eman¬
cipated slaves how to read, how to write, hoAV to cipher, how to
study geography and grammar and history, and the constitu¬
tion of the United States; how to think, and speak and act as
American freemen! Only the sword of the Lord and of Gideon
could, within the life of a single generation, bring to pass such
wonderful changes!
The Arago is an historic ship. Standing upon the wharf gaz¬
ing upon her till she fades away beloAV the horizon of the Atlan¬
tic ocean, the heart went with her in earnest progress—the
ejaculations of faith that the Lord would give her a safe voyage
and land her living cargo safely at Hilton's Head, S. C.
Their names were Miss A. Bingham, Miss E. C. Konkling, Miss Sarah
Danby and Miss Eliza Wells.
t There were about five flourishing colored schools in Charleston at that
time, supported by beloved families, and taught by colored teachers.
Extension of the Church at Home.
469
The two James commenced their operations at Port Royal,
Eclisto and Beaufort, S. C., and as soon as the conquering
Union troops entered Savannah and Charleston James Lynch
followed in their footsteps and organized the forsaken sheep into
the fold of the A. M. E. Church.
May 9th, 1865, Bishop D. A. Payne sailed out of New York
harbor, accompanied by Elder James A. Handy and licentiates
James H. A. Johnson and Theophilus Steward. They sailed in
the same government ship, Arago, as additional missionaries to
the freedmen of the South. On the 13th they sailed into the
harbor of Charleston, S. C., and landed at its dock Saturday
afternoon, between four and five o'clock, under as clear a sky as
when the first named left Charleston, just about thirty years
and four days from, the hour he was exiled by the force of
Carolina's laws for the crime of teaching colored children how to
think and speak, according to the commandments of the "King
of kings and Lord of lords." Sunday morning at the dawn of
day he went to prayer-meeting at the Independent or Congrega¬
tional Church of color. At three o'clock p. m. he preached in
the colored Presbyterian Church on Calhoun street,* near King.
At night he preached at old Bethel, then under the pastoral
care of Rev. Theodore Lewis, a missionary representing the
great Methodist Episcopal Church, which, in 1844, was forced
out of Charleston on account of its anti-slavery character and
attitude.
Monday morning, May 16, 1865, Bishop Payne organized the
South Carolina Conference in the colored Presbyterian Church
already designated. Two itinerant elders, Lynch and Handy,
two itinerant licentiates, Theodore G. Steward and James H. A.
Johnson, who were subsequently ordained deacons, and one local
preacher by the name of William Bently, were the only persons
present at the opening of this Conference. Subsequently, Elders
R. H. Cain and Anthony S. Stanford, from New York and Phila¬
delphia; George S. Rue, from the New England Conference;
and the following brethren, natives of the state, joined us, viz:
Charles Bradwell, N. Murphy, Robert Taylor, and Richard
Vanderhost, subsequently one of the Bishops of the C. M. E.
Church. The whole number of persons who united with our
Connection was supposed to be about four thousand. This num-
* The present Calhoun street was then called Boundary street, because
it was the north limit of Charleston, S. C.
470
History of the A. M. E. Church.
ber includes North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, along
the coast and islands. Reports on temperance, missions and edu¬
cation were discussed and adopted. A historic and literary soci¬
ety was organized, also a preacher's aid society. Thus organized,
the South Carolina Conference was like a ship sent to conquer
other lands in the South—farther south.
May 9th, 1866, Bishop Payne left Wilmington, N. C., at the
head of twelve preachers—the apostolic number—bound to
Savannah, Ga., to hold the first annual meeting of the South
Carolina Conference, at which place forty itinerant preachers were
ordained, of whom fourteen were elders. Seven superintendents
were appointed to plant and train misssion churches. These
were Anthony L. Stanford and Henry M. Turner, for Georgia;
George W. Broadie and Samuel B. Williams, for North Carolina;
Augustus T. Carr and R. H. Cain, for South Carolina; Charles H.
Pierce for Florida and Alabama. This field of the A. M. E.
Church had been extended on the Atlantic coast from Washing¬
ton, D. C., on the Potomac, and Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va., on
the Elizabeth River, to Tampa, on the continent, and Key West,
in the Gulf of Mexico. As regards the pioneer work done in it,
the most active and successful laborers were Rev. John M. Brown,
who was stationed at Norfolk, Va.; Rev. James Lynch, who
had charge of the sea islands, Charleston and Savannah; Rev.
Anthony L. Stanford, who succeeded Lynch at Savannah, and
Rev. Richard H. Cain, who succeeded James Lynch at Charleston.
Stanford was one of the most eloquent young preachers that
ever appeared in our pulpits. He was made superintendent of
missions in south Georgia, but he did nothing outside of Savan¬
nah. The great work in north and south Georgia was accom¬
plished through the activity, self-denial and energy of Superin¬
tendent H. M. Turner. Superintendent Cain was equally active
and successful in the southern portion of South Carolina, whilst
Superintendent Carr pushed the work into Georgetown and
vicinity. If Superintendent Broadie had not become one of the
freedmen's bankers he might have become equally active and
successful in spreading the work through North Carolina. Su¬
perintendent Pierce, who had authority to open the gates of
Florida and Alabama, would have accomplished more than he
did, but as R. H. Cain allowed himself to be elected senator of
the proud state of South Carolina, and thereby damaged his
usefulness as an embassador of the Cross, so also, did Pierce in
Extension of the Church at Home.
471
Florida, and so also did Turner in Georgia. The only apology
which can be made for them is that for intelligence and organiz¬
ing power their equals could not be found in the laity, hence
politics laid hold of them and by a kind of conscription forced
them into the army of politicians.
Almost simultaneously with the extension of the Church on the
Atlantic coast was her expansion in the West. In December, 1863,
the Macedonian cr}^ came from Nashville, Tennessee. In response
to the invitation of the colored members of the Methodist Church
South, Bishop Payne took letters of introduction from Secretary
Chase, of the Treasury, and Secretary Stanton, of the War De¬
partment, to Governor Andrew .Johnson, whom he could not see
on his arrival, on the 6th of December—by which we mean to
say that he arrived at Nashville on the evening of the <5th, and
called at the capitol on the 6th to present his letters to the
governor, but he was too much interested in military affairs to
give him audience. He therefore called upon the comptroller
of the state, whom he found as inquisitive as he was communi¬
cative and courteous. He made many inquiries concerning the
numerical strength and worth of the A. M. E. Church, of the
condition of the freedmen in southeastern Virginia, and of the
condition of the people of color in Ohio, especially those in
Greene county. All these questions were answered according to
the Bishop's best knowledge.
Application for admission into the African Methodist Episco¬
pal Church was made on Tuesday, December 15th, about twenty
minutes after noon. This application was made by a committee
of seven, whose chairman was Rev. Napoleon Merry, a local
preacher of the M. E. Church, South, in whose house the meet¬
ing was held. Brother Merry was a man of fine presence and of
blameless character. The committee presented the following
instrument:
Whereas, It is the opinion of us whose names are hereunto subscribed
that a vast majority of the ministers and members of the Methodist
Church, South, have proven themselves disloyal to the Constitution and
Government of the United States by identifying themselves with those
who are now in open rebellion against it; and
Whereas, We believe it to be our duty as Christians and citizens to
bear our testimony against such unjustifiable conduct, as also to testify our
own loyalty to the country which gave us birth and the constitutional
government which controls as well by deeds as by words ; therefore,
Resolved, 1st. That we now, by our own voluntary act, do transfer our
472
History of the A. M. E. Church.
membership and Church relations to that ecclesiastical organization known
by the name and title of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the
United States of America.
Resolved, 2d. That a committee of several be appointed to invite the Rev.
Bishop Payne to organize us into a branch of the said A. M. E. Church,
and take us under his episcopal care.
Tuesday, the 15th, and Wednesday, the 16th of December,
1863, Bishop Payne took into the bosom of the A. M. E. Church
the two chapels named Caper's and Andrew's, with their stew¬
ards, leaders and trustees. Their names were changed into St.
John's and St. Paul's, and their officers were made to swear alle¬
giance to the government and Discipline of our Connection.
Such was the beginning of the extension beyond Kentucky.
Next came Memphis. All other towns on the eastern and west¬
ern banks of the Mississippi followed. Then Texas on the Gulf.
From the Sunday on which that zealous superintendent, William
Paul Quinn, organized a branch of our Connection in St. Louis,
Mo., to the period of the expulsion of slaveholders from Kansas,
our boundaries were confined to that city and some two or three
places within twenty or thirty miles from it. In September,
1859, we sent our first missionary into Kansas. He was a young
man named John M. Wiikerson, and was sent from the Missouri
Annual Conference to Leavenworth City, where our first society
was organized. Since then the Connection has extended itself
to the summit of the Rocky Mountains, and that one society has
multiplied itself into two Annual Conferences and forty-five
pastors, with two thousand three hundred and one members.
In the Kansas Conference for 1887-88 may be found eighteen
pastors and twenty appointments, with one thousand three hun¬
dred and twenty-one members. To supervise these pastors and
the flocks under their care, one presiding elder has been ap¬
pointed.
Beyond Kansas the work has been pushed into the state of
Nebraska as far northwest as Beatrice, Lincoln and Omaha. The
present condition of this widening field can be seen by the facts
from the report of the presiding elder, J. W. Barton, made up to
the 17th of October, 1887. The Kansas Conference was then
busy in holding its Twelfth Annual Session in St. John's Chapel,
Bishop John M. Brown, D. D., D. C. L., presiding. The secretary-
in-cliief was Rev. James H. Turner; recording secretary, Rev.
Daniel R. Jones; statistical secretary, Rev. George C. Booth, D. D.
Extension of the Church at Home.
478
This Kansas Conference's report of the Leavenworth District
states that at every point the charge has been made better by the
year of labor. Tonganoxie, Oskaloosa, Quindaro, White Cloud,
South Wyandotte, South Atchison, Port William, Bonner
Springs, Holton, Beatrice, Highland, Nebraska City, Hiawatha,
Atchison, Leavenworth, Leavenworth Mission (which was organ¬
ized by Rev. J. M. Turner, pastor at Leavenworth), Lincoln,
Omaha and Wyandotte are the points mentioned as prosper¬
ing. There was but one presiding elder for this Conference.
Wyandotte is reported as possessing the largest, most loyal and
prosperous church west of the Missouri River. These churches
were under such*men as Brother Henry Elya, Tonganoxie; Rev.
P. P. Dorsey, Oskaloosa; Rev. S. F. Jones, Quindaro; Rev. John
Breiver, White Cloud; Brother N. Jackson, South Wyandotte
and Port William. Rev. Frank Scruggs had served Bonner
Springs; Brother T. J. Peck, Holton; Rev. David R. Jones,
Beatrice; Rev. Richard Jackson, Highland; Rev. H. W. King,
Nebraska City. Rev. Milo Carr was at Hiawatha; Rev. R. Sey¬
mour, Atchison; Rev. James H. Turner, Leavenworth; Rev.
J. H. Turner, Leavenworth Mission; Rev. W. A. Moore, Lincoln;
Rev. P. A. Hubbard, Omaha; Rev. Gr. C. Booth, Wyandotte.
The finances were reported in excellent condition—the larger
churches (some of them) reaching one dollar 'per capita; others
seldom falling below twenty-five cents, but the dominant factors
being one dollar or fifty cents per capita. In the South Kansas
Conference, besides the Conference Missionar}^ Society, we find
one mite missionary and one literary society report.
This extension of our Connection west of the Mississippi does
not go beyond the Rocky Mountains. The Connection, as we
have already seen, had sent her missionaries into California
eight or ten years before the Civil War in Kansas and the still
greater Civil War created by the slaveholders of the South to
perpetuate slavery in the United States. Perhaps it will be a
more accurate statement to say that her first societies were
organized before that time. Our first regularly appointed mis¬
sionary, Elder Thomas M. D. Ward, was sent to California in
1854. He sailed in the ship "Star of the West," on April 22d.
He was then thirty-one years old. He arrived at San Francisco
May 19th, 1854. He was met at the wharf by Rev. Darius
Stokes, Fielding Smithea, John C. Lewis and Jeremiah Bank
Sanderson—all of whom were local preachers borne on the tide
474
History of the A. M. E. Church.
of adventure from the eastern states to California in search of
gold. Except Rev. F. Smithea, all have passed away from Cali¬
fornia to the regions of eternal life. Brother Ward found that
the church had been organized through the activity of a local
preacher from Baltimore, by the name of Philip Jackes, and a
white Methodist preacher; but it was all broken up for the want
of a regular pastor's care. The fractional parts he reorganized
in August, 1857. Assisted by Brother Stokes, he also organized
a society at Grass Valley in 1854. The chapel built by the
society was dedicated the 31st of the following December. Elder
Ward also organized the church at Los Angeles some time in
1800. At this point he purchased a lot, and upon it he erected a
house of worship. At Colona, Plaeerville, Petalama, Portland,
Nevada City, Mansville, Sacramento, Stockton, Chico, Red Bluff,
Marysville, Carson and Virginia City he also organized societies.
He reorganized, purchased a lot, and had a chapel built at Den¬
ver, Colorado, November, 1871. At San Francisco and Sacra¬
mento he was persistently opposed by Elder John J. Moore, of
the A. M. E. Zion Connection; and, on the other hand, was
aided by the preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Such has been the expansion of the A. M. E. Church at home
—first eastward, then westward; then southward, south-westward
and westward beyond the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific coast.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
EXTENSION IN FOREIGN LANDS.
The Island of Hayti—-Aborigines—Santo Domingo—Historical Facts—
Abolishment of Slavery—Failure to Restore Slavery in Hayti—Haytian
Heroes—The Haytians and the A. M. E. Church—Tlie Missionary Work
up to 1880—Re-establishment of the Mission in Hayti—Work in Port-
au-Prince—Early Work in Santo Domingo—Missionaries in the Spanish
Part—Work in Africa—The Missionary Society of the A. M. E. Church
—Our Own Foundations.
r HE island of Hayti belongs to the Western Continent, and
is related to the United States in the following manner:
The Spanish island, called Cuba, has nearly the form of a
caterpillar, with its curved tail dipping into the mouth of the
Gulf of Mexico, its body lying directly southeast of Florida, and
its head curved towards Hayti, which is directly southeast of it,
and is second in dimension to Cuba. Both of these islands are the
great islands of the Antilles, and constitute the keys to the Gulf
of Mexico, and both are warmed by its waters. The aborigines
we're red men, whose history previous to its discovery by Colum¬
bus (1492) is lost in the unknown past, but were reduced to
slavery by the Spaniards and the French.
The east side of Hayti, called Santo Domingo, was mastered by
the Spaniards, and is still ruled over by their descendants. They
are chiefly men of mixed blood, who are called throughout the
West Indian Islands " persons of color," in contradistinction to
the Negroes, who are the dominant numbers of the French side.
The French, or west side, was settled by immigrants from France.
These facts account for the two distinct languages on one and the
same island. They also account for their characteristic differ¬
ences.
History tells us that Christopher Columbus built the first fort,
and laid the foundations for the first town in the western hemi¬
sphere on this historic island. Slavery was introduced on the
island by the Spaniards, and the red men were their first slaves,
but they soon melted away before the white man's oppression as
wax before the fire, so that in 1507 the number of natives had,
( 475 )
476
History of the A. M. E. Church.
by hunger, toil and the sword, been reduced from a million to
sixty thousand, and all this destruction of the Carib'beans, as the
red men were called, was accomplished within fifteen years.
They were too weak a race to endure the white man's yoke of
iron and his heavy burdens, and, therefore, out of pure benevo¬
lence to them alone, Las Casas, a Roman Catholic priest, and
"other leaders in the Roman Catholic Church, who were desirous
to prevent the extinction " of these red men, recommended the
substitution of negroes from Africa, either because their bones
and muscles were larger and stronger than those of the Caribbean
Indians, or because their natural patience under the yoke better
fitted them to bear and to carry the heavy burdens of slavery, or
because the God of all the races and Father of all the families of
the earth had for the Negro a higher and nobler future than he
had for the Indian on that island and elsewhere. The abomin¬
able system of slavery was first abolished by law by the French
National Assembly, May 15th, 1795.
History further tells us that Napoleon I. "succeeded in restoring
slavery in most of the French colonies, but failed in Hayti. His
attempt resulted in one of the most terrible and bloody struggles
for freedom in the history of the world. The heroes of this
movement to crush out slavery and to maintain the free¬
dom of the blacks forever on that island wrere led by Toussaint
L'Ouverture, a pure negro, with royal blood flowing through his
veins—for his grandfather was the "king of Ardra, one of the
most powerful and wealthy monarclis on the west coast of Africa."
Toussaint was not only a warrior of the first order, but a con¬
summate statesman. In the administration of the government,
when he was its governor, offices of trust and honor were not
confined to color, but to merit. Perhaps it was this confidence
in the integrity of white men that led to his untimely and un¬
natural death by starvation in one of Napoleon's dungeons in
the Jura mountains. But the brave Dessalines completed the
work which Toussaint began. No slave has breathed on that
island since, and the slaveholder's voice has been silenced forever.
But in all ages, and among all races, slavery has demoralized both
the slave and the master. The truthfulness of this statement is
demonstrated by the history of the .Tews. All the vices of their
Egyptian masters were adopted by them, and stained their entire
subsequent history. What is true of the Israelites has been true
of the Haytians. Added to the vicious habits of their Spanish
Extension in Foreign Lands.
477
and French masters were fetichism and cannibalism, heightened
and intensified by Romish superstition, and combined with all
these evils, there were the envy and jealousy already existing
between the men of mixed blood and the blacks, and thus we
see abundant reasons for the evils which have broken the unity
and distracted the peace of the Haytians, and which have also
damaged their commerce and weakened their political strength
and power.
To aid in making the Haytian nationality and government
strong, powerful and commanding among the civilized nations of
the earth ought to be the desire and the aim of the African Meth¬
odist Episcopal Church. As the Haytians have completely
thrown off the white man's yoke in their national affairs, so have
the leaders and members of the A. M. E. Church in ecclesiastical
affairs. As the Haytians have been endeavoring to demonstrate
the ability of the Negro for self-government during a period of
over eighty-four years, so also have the leaders of the A. M. E.
Church been endeavoring to demonstrate the abMity of the Negro
for self-government during a period of seventy-two years. But
what people can succeed in self-government unless they base it on
the rock foundations of Christian principles? These principles
^ill always create and perpetuate a public sentiment antagonistic
to vice and crime, individual and national. Now it is just at
this point that the African Methodist Episcopal Church ought to
come to the aid of the Haytians, and if she comprehended the
attitude into which the God of history has led her, she would
realize the Macedonian cry. This cry comes to her from the
emigrants, who left the United States to enjoy unfettered—we
ought to say—equal personal freedom and political rights in the
domains of the black Republic. Many of these emigrants were
members of the A. M. E. Church, who, finding themselves in a
foreign land, surrounded by a population half Roman Catholic
and half heathen, called upon Bishop Allen to send them an or¬
dained missionary to care for their moral and spiritual education ;
not to ignore the moral for the spiritual, nor the spiritual for the
moral, but to care for both, and to cherish both even as the God
of Mt. Sinai did bind them together.
The circumstances and the hour demanded the man, and the
man of that hour in the history of that island was Scipio Beanes.
He was found in the Baltimore Conference, as has elsewhere been
stated in detail. He succeeded in organizing several societies in
478
History of the A. M. E. Church.
the French part of the island. He returned to the United States
and made his report at the Baltimore Conference, and Avent back
again to Hayti, and labored in this, our first missionary field,
until the Lord of the vineyard called him to rest from his toils.
His ashes are still enshrined in the bosom of Hayti. He was
succeeded by Rev. Richard Robinson, but, for reasons unknown
to the Church, he returned home to the United States, where he
labored sometimes in the Baltimore Conference, sometimes in the
New York Conference, and sometimes in the Philadelphia Con¬
ference, in which he at last finished his labors upon this earth.
The young and weak societies were left in the hands of un¬
trained local preachers who struggled according to their abilities
to perpetuate the work, which passed through many vicissitudes.
Finding themselves unequal to the difficulties which sprung up
in their way, they again sent over the Atlantic sea the Macedo¬
nian cry. Again and again it was heard, but Bishop Morris
Brown had neither the men nor the money to respond to this
appeal; therefore our Haytian brethren, the majority of whom
were natives of the United States, organized themselves into a
religious body called the "Union Methodist Church," and in this
form they tried to exist, but at last the lack of competent
leaders caused them to be . reduced to a mere cypher. Once
more the Macedonian cry, up to 1842, was expressed by
letters. Finally they sent a brother by the surname of William¬
son to meet the Philadelphia Conference in the city of Philadel¬
phia, and then and there, by letter and oral statements, he
laid the claims of our Haytian brethren before the Church.
The letter was read, the statements considered, and the accred¬
ited agent was recommended to the Connection for aid; but, as I
have already stated, he obtained little or nothing.
Subsequent to the death of Bishop Morris Brown, and during
the lifetime of Bishop Quinn, letters calling for aid were sent
from Port-au-Prince, the last one coming from Samana, Santo
Domingo. This touched the heart of the Connection as no other
did, and Bishop J. M. Brown, then president of the Home and
Foreign Missionary Society, was authorized to respond to it, but
a controversy arising, his plans were not put in execution. From
1878 to 1880 Bishop James A. Shorter managed the work. At
the General Conference of 1880 the work of re-establishing our
mission in Hayti was formally submitted to Bishop Shorter, who
promised to execute it "if he had to go through a man as large as
Extension in Foreign Lands.
479
Elder Robinson." This pledge the energetic Bishop made good,
and in its accomplishment he had the efficient service of Elder
James M. Townsend, the secretary of the missionary depart¬
ment of our church, and Elder Charles W. Mossel and wife as
missionaries. Brother C. W. Mossel was a graduate of Lincoln
University. He was a man of healthy and robust appearance,
with an apparently powerful physical organization, capable of
resisting malarial diseases and the general effects of tropical cli¬
mates. His wife was of medium size, with a rather delicate but
healthy constitution, capable of enduring hardships and fatigues
of an ordinary kind. She also possessed poetic and musical
sensibilities, together with those of a high moral character that
gave her an heroic spirit, and fitted her for the self-denials and
privations of a missionary life. Elder Mossel and his wife
sailed from New York to their missionary field on the historic
island of Hayti in the spring of 1879, after a meeting in Sullivan
Street A. M. E. Church, at which the elder delivered a farewell
address, as Brothers Lynch and Hall had done before him when
they, too, sailed from the same port to their field of labor in the
South. These missionaries to Hayti carried with them a multi¬
tude of prayers that Jesus might go with them to shield them
from the dangers of the ocean, guide them safely to Port-au-
Prince, and grant them great success in their efforts to assist in
making the Haytians a great nation by making them truly and
earnestly Christians. The prayers of the friends of Christian
missions were answered. They made a safe passage across the
Atlantic, and began their labors at Port-au-Prince, the capital of
the government. Here, amid great opposition, Brother Mossel
and his judicious wife succeeded in organizing a new mission,
planting and training a mission church, also planting and train¬
ing a mission Sunday-school and a mission day school, in
which both the French and English languages in their elemen¬
tary forms were taught. Sister Mossel, who was placed at the
head of this school, managed it with great skill, and would have
succeeded on a large and extensive scale if the missionary board
could have furnished them with ample means. In addition to
the lack of means to operate the school 011 a grand and com¬
manding scale, another obstacle to success arose in the shape of
the civil war which broke out on the island and caused great
suffering on the part of our missionaries, and doubtless short¬
ened the life of Sister Mossel, who died shortly after their return
480
History of the A. M. E. Church.
to the United States, not long after the General Conference
of 1884. During her stay in Hayti, with all her labors as a
missionary, this heroic woman made time—we might say stole
it from her domestic cares and her work as a teacher and princi¬
pal of the school — to compose a beautiful march which she
dedicated to the illustrious President Salomon, who conquered
his enemies in the civil war previously mentioned, and restored
peace and unity to his country.
Rev. Charles Mossel was succeeded by Deacon S. G. Dorce, B. D.,
a graduate from the theological department of Wilberforce
University. This young man had been sent from our mission
in Hayti by Brother Mossel to be trained for work in Hayti
upon his return home. This work he undertook after obtaining
the best training that Wilberforce could give, and which he had
the capacity to receive, but being destitute of the missionary
spirit, at the end of one year of labor, perhaps in less time than
one year from the day he became the successor to Brother
Mossel, he returned to the United States to obtain a wife and re¬
mained in the itineracy of the Church in this country. His suc¬
cessor was the Rev. John Hurst, B. D., also a graduate of Wilber¬
force University, who, like Brother Dorce, was sent from our
mission in Hayti by Elder Mossel to be trained for work
there. He has fine talents, and is courteous and gentlemanly,
and should be placed at the head of our mission day school,
where he may have the opportunity to demonstrate his ability
as an educator, if the power be in him. It is to be hoped that he
may succeed as a teacher, and rise to the eminence of an edu¬
cator, to which exalted plane comparatively few teachers ever
ascend.
In the Spanish part of Hayti, on the east side of the island,
there is another republic, in which the Spanish language is
spoken, as we have seen. Its capital is San Domingo, which
name is also applied to the whole island at times, and then
again limited to the Spanish part. Some time after the Ameri¬
can emigrants had settled in the French part of the island, in
1824, a small portion of them went to the town of Samana, in
the northeast part of San Domingo. It was from this part that
the last Macedonian echoes were heard. But by indefinite
information, received from time to time through the United
States consul at San Domingo, it seems that we have turned our
backs upon Samana and opened a new mission at San Domingo,
Extension in Foreign Lands.
481
the seat of government for the Republic of " Santo Domingo."
So it was left for a local preacher in our Church, and an officer of
the United States government, to revive the missionary work of
the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the republic.* From
what can be learned, this generous man revived our mission at
his own expense. Being a member of the A. M. E. Church in
the United States, he did not allow the honors and dignities
with which he was clad as an officer of one of the grandest repub¬
lics on the globe to make him forget his allegiance to the Lord of
lords and King of kings. No, but with the humility and zeal
of a Christian missionary to the heathen, he went in search of
his brethren, whom he found like unto smouldering embers.
He gathered them together, hired a house for two years, dur¬
ing which time he repaired and furnished the old chapel.
He also increased the membership, and under his leadership a
good Sabbath-school and a day school were organized.
Since the accomplishment of the good work of infusing new
blood into old veins at San Domingo, Rev. Alphonso H. Mevs
has been made the regular missionary of the A. M. E. Church at
that place. Brother Mevs was also a graduate of Wilberforce.
Since his advent another mission has been opened at Barahana.
The official statement made in the Missionary Record for Novem¬
ber, 1887, gives us the following exhibit of the condition of our
mission work in both republics: At that time Rev. A. H. Mevs
and his wife had been in the country one year and nine months.
This gave us three workers, including Rev. H. C. C. Astwood as
superintendent, aside from the four native helpers, Franschan
Clandie, Simon Hall, Charles Williams and Adam Rogers, in
San Domingo; while in Hayti there were Rev. John Hurst, at
Port-au-Prince; Rev. Joseph Day, at Miragoaine Circuit; George
Cadanche, at Archaie; Charles Dorce, at Grande Plaine, etc.;
Pauli Audige, at Les Moines de Petion; and Samuel Day, at
Segur and Bizoton. The statistics show that there were in the
society one deacon, thirty-eight members, one probationer, three
local preachers, one exhorter, an average of one hundred for the
congregation, four stewards, two class-leaders, five trustees and
one assistant. There were also two day schools, with three
teachers—F. J. M. Clandie, A. H. Mevs and Adam Rogers—and
* Hon. C. C. Astwood, who represented the United States at San
Domingo as consul at that time.
31
482
History of the A. M. E. Church.
fifty pupils. The branches taught in these schools were simpty
what we call the common branches. The one church was valued
at $2,000. The Sunday-schools were two, with five teachers.
The financial statement showed that $30.85 were collected by the
stewards, $25.51 by the trustees, $2.50 in the Sunday-school,
$50.85 as the support received from the church", and $500.00 as
support from the general board.
From the Missionary Record of .January, 1888, we clip the fol¬
lowing additional view of our prospects in the Spanish part of
the island:
Brother Mevs, the present city missionary, and Brother Adam Rogers
have organized a mission at Barahana, as well as a day school, which are
giving promise of success. Our congregation in San Domingo City has
outgrown the little chapel, and it becomes necessary to build a house in a
suitable spot. When it is remembered that this is the capital, the oldest
city in the New World, and that ours is the only Protestant Church, all
will agree that we should erect such a mission house as will not only be a
credit to the city, but such a one as will give to the Connection itself pres¬
tige and influence. The people of wealth and position have promised
Brothers Aetwood and Mevs substantial aid when we convince them that
we intend to do something worthy of their support. One of the most
centrally located and desirable lots in the city can be had for about one-
half its appraised value for this purpose. One thousand dollars will pay
for the ground, and the people will do a large share toward paying for the
building. We shall not rely upon the few members of the mission, for
officers of state, merchants and capitalists have alike agreed to do their
part when we shall have done ours.
When we consider the truth that no race of men can establish
and perpetuate a strong government upon political principles
which are nothing more than an embodiment of human selfish¬
ness, we are led to the opinion that to make a government strong
and stable, and the nation it represents powerful and truly great,
and to perpetuate its power and greatness, the divine approba¬
tion, shield and blessing must be obtained and secured. But
the divine approbation, shield and blessing can be secured only
by conformity to the divine will as it is expressed in the Deca¬
logue and the Beatitudes. In view of which we believe it is a
dictate of Christian wisdom and benevolence that the African
Methodist Episcopal Church ought to concentrate her moneys
and men upon Hayti until her missions shall be developed into
a separate and independent ecclesiastical body like that given to
Sierra Leone by the Church of England, or that given to the
Extension in Foreign Lands.
483
Cape of Good Hope by the British Wesleyan Methodist Church.
Add to these high considerations the heroism, the patriotism
and statesmanship of Toussaint L'Ouverture and Dessalines, of
Petion and Boyer, and the tens of thousands who fought and
died to establish a black nationality in the Western Hemisphere,
and thus dedicate that island to human freedom. It seems
well to emphasize the belief that it is the paramount duty of the
A. M. E. Church to consecrate her energies upon that spot till its
two-fold republic shall have attained a strong Christian charac¬
ter, and by the very force of that character shall be able to leap
upon a commanding position among the civilized nations of the
earth. Two thousand dollars spent per annum upon the British
West Indies is a work of supererogation, because the powerful
and wealthy churches of England have been civilizing and
Christianizing her subjects for more than half a century. Its
inhabitants are not heathen. No; they are Christians. They
are not a semi-barbarous people. They are a highly civilized
people. Why waste our time and money when distracted, needy
Hayti is calling upon us for aid? Said our Lord Jesus: "T. am
not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." The
semi-heathen and the absolute savage are calling for us in Hayti
and in Africa to lead them to a knowledge of the truth as it is
in Christ Jesus. We shall show both Christian benevolence and
Christian common sense by following the example of Jesus; for
that example is typical for all times and all races. The semi-
heathen in Hayti, the barbarians and savages of Africa are call¬
ing upon all Christendom to rescue them from the pit of idol¬
atry into which they have fallen, and from the vices and crimes
concomitant to its various forms. Instead of spending two
thousand dollars per annum on an episcopal failure in the name
of the "Organic Union," let us spend that sum on one of the
schools in the French part, and a like amount on one in the
Spanish part of that island which has been rendered sacred to
every man and to every woman, to every boy and girl, in whose
veins are flowing one drop or more of Hamitic bloocl—if there
be such a thing as Hamitic blood, distinct from and opposed to
Shemitic and Japhetic blood; for the Lord our God "made of
one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the
earth."
But we now turn to our work in Africa, of which a brief notice
has been given elsewhere, relating to the past as it existed and
484
History of the A. M. E. Church.
still exists in Africa; that is, in Liberia. To this place several
of our preachers went from time to time, pledged to organize a
branch of the A. M. E. Church in Liberia; but, for lack of sup¬
port, connected themselves with missions belonging to the dif¬
ferent white denominations of the United States. Daniel Coker,
one of the original founders of the A. M. E. Church, was one
of the first to attempt it; but obtaining no support from
that Church which he helped to organize, he left Liberia and
settled in Sierra Leone, where tradition says he built a stone
edifice, in which he labored till his career on earth was
finished.
AVe come now to examine and consider what is called "Our
Work in Sierra Leone, Africa." This British colony was origi¬
nally founded as an asylum for Africans who had been bought
for rum and money, or captured by violence, by white slave
traders. The slave ships in which they were imprisoned were
caught on the high seas by British cruisers, and they were
restored to their natural and heaven-given freedom. It was
here in Sierra Leone that the "Church Missionary Society" com¬
menced its work for the enlightenment and salvation of Africa.
This occurred in 1816, the very year that produced the founding
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, Pa.,
U. S. A. The systematic efforts of the first missionaries of this
society, led by Rev. W. A. B. Johnson, were greatly blessed by
the Great God of Missions, so that, Avithin the short period of
six years, "nearly two thousand of the freed slaves, adults and
children, were in the mission schools, several thousand were
attending public worship, and some hundreds had become Chris¬
tians." The work continued to prosper, but at a great sacrifice of
life. Within twenty years "fifty-three missionaries and their
wives died and consecrated West Africa to the Lord Jesus Christ."
In 1851 the Bishopric of Sierra Leone was founded, and the
first three Bishops—Vidal, Weeks and Bowen—died within three
years of their consecration. Within forty-six years "the native
church was organized on an independent basis, and undertook
the support of their own pastors, churches and schools, aided by
a small grant from the Society. It now also carries on the out¬
lying missions established by the Society in the Bullum, Quia
and Sherbro counties." The Christian population of the country,
according to the census of 1881, is thirty-nine thousand, of whom
one-half is accorded to the Church of England.
Extension in Foreign Lands.
485
The Society still retains the charge of the Fouruh Bay College,
the grammar school and the female institute, and has an outly¬
ing mission at Port Lohkoh, on the high road to the interior,
with a view to reaching the Mohammedan tribes. The Fouruh
Bay College is affiliated to the Durham University, and African
students have taken the degree of A. B. and the theological
license with credit. Other young Africans, sons of Sierra Leone
clergymen and merchants, are graduates of Oxford and Cam¬
bridge. "There are now about fifty ordained African clergymen
on the west coast (including Voruba and the Niger). Four of
these are government chaplains." The societies' missionaries
"have reduced to writing several of the West African languages,
and have published grammars, vocabularies, portions of the
Scriptures and other works." One missionary, Dr. Koelle, com¬
piled an important work called "Polyglotta Africana," compris¬
ing more than one hundred languages. The Bishop of Sierra
Leone, Dr. E. G. Ingham, appointed in 1887 the Rev. James
Robbins, a native pastor of Holy Trinity, Freetown, first Arch¬
deacon of Sierra Leone. "The native church willingly under¬
took the entire pecuniary burden of this appointment." A
branch of the Church of England Temperance Society and a
Purity Society have been established at Sierra Leone "to meet
and deal effectively with the two greatest sins of Africa. The
Purity Society is an association of Christian men and women
organized against the sin and practice of adultery, which has
done much in London to rescue abandoned women from the
power of the Evil One.
The British Wesleyan Methodist Church have also many mis¬
sions in the West of Africa. They are next in numbers and
moral influence to the missions of the Church of England, and
perhaps have more real converts from among the heathen. They
have also numerous Sunday-schools and day schools in Sierra
Leone.
It will be seen by the foregoing that the African Methodist
Episcopal Church has not sent the Rev. J. R. Frederick into the
wilds of Africa to originate a new missionary work, but he has
been sent into a field which has been in existence for a time cov¬
ering about seventy-two years; so we are now building, in the
case of Zion's Chapel, upon other men's foundations. It is now
our purpose to show what is not and what is original of our
work in West Africa. The analysis of the "Conveyance of Mis-
486
History of the A. M. E. Church.
sion Property in Freetown, Africa," under date of June 3d, 1887,
brings to our view for consideration several historic facts occur¬
ring during a period of fifty-three years. They are these :
"The lots No. 46 and 47, situated in Wilberforce street, Free¬
town, Africa, being the respective sites of Zion Chapel and the
school building adjacent thereto," became the property of twelve
trustees representing a religious body which had cut itself off
from all its environments, by which is meant from all the Chris¬
tian missions then in existence, and made itself independent of
all. The members of this Zion Chapel placed themselves under¬
time "Rules, Regulations and Discipline" of the preachers of said
Zion Chapel. They, the trustees, were bound to permit, suffer
and allow and receive such preachers as might be appointed to
the pastoral office, according to the Rules, Regulations and Disci¬
pline which the preachers and leaders of the said Zion Chapel
might be pleased to adopt, subject to the proviso that the person
or persons so appointed should preach no other doctrines than
those contained in the Scriptures, and that he should possess
" sufficient ability and moral conduct." Vacancies occurring in
the board of trustees could be filled by any one who might be a
member of some religious body in Sierra Leone. This extraordi¬
nary board of trustees, representing Zion Chapel and the religious
society worshipping in it, came into existence as far back as 1835,
and at the end of about thirty-five years, that is, at the end of
one generation, all of these twelve trustees had died except Isaac
Barnett, who lived until December, 1870, leaving no will behind
him. Then Zion Chapel and its out-buildings fell into the hands
of his lawful heir, a daughter, Mrs. Mary Ann Wilson. This
daughter and her husband, Ezekiel Cartwright Wilson, trans¬
ferred, on the 22d of May, 1878, the said Zion Chapel and its her¬
editaments (the school-house, etc.) to a new board of trustees of
twelve men. These trustees were endowed with the same power
and authority as the trustees of 1835, but in time this second
board was by expulsion and death reduced to the number of
four. From the hands of these four Zion Chapel, with its her¬
editaments, was conveyed over to a new board of trustees, again
consisting of twelve men, representing the Lady Huntingdon's
Society. This conveyance was made in 1862, and the new board
received the property upon "trust forever for the use and benefit
of the said society." Again this board was reduced by death to
two members, but it seems that these two increased their num-
Extension in Foreign Lands.
487
her to six. These six were the ones who, on the 30th of June,
1885, "made proposals in the form of an appeal to the African
Methodist Episcopal Church in'the United States of America
for bringing about a union or amalgamation of the said members,
leaders and preachers of said Zion Chapel of tfie Countess Hunt¬
ingdon's Connection, as aforesaid, and the said African Methodist
Episcopal Church." Arrangements having been made by Bishop
Shorter, Secretary Townsend, Bishop Campbell, Dr. Roberts and
Prof. Outland, Executive Committee of the Board of Managers
of the Parent Home and Foreign Missionary Society, to consum¬
mate the proposed union or amalgamation, Rev. John Richard
Frederick was sent out by the committee as their agent*to accom¬
plish the work. We shall soon see the result of Brother Fred¬
rick's mission; but first we may note an analysis of the " Con¬
veyance of the Mission Property in Freetown, Africa," as that
conveyance is set before the Church:
First. It is evident that Zion Chapel and its membership,
trustees, preachers and leaders, originated with disaffected mem¬
bers of other missionary churches existing in Sierra Leone previ¬
ous to the 27th of January, 1835. Second. That, being dissatis¬
fied with their environments, they organized a society which
they considered a model one, better than all others, and formu¬
lated a Discipline and organized a government better, or at least
more to their taste, than all others surrounding them. Third.
This ecclesia was governed chiefly, if not entirely, by a board of
twelve trustees, the apostolic number, the reason for their assum¬
ing Avhich not appearing, at least upon the surface. It may be
supposed that, like the divinely inspired twelve, they could
conquer the world. If so, the result shows that they were led
far astray in their opinions. Fourth. They and their successors
staggered under the burdens, and met difficulties which they
could not overcome, and the last twelve, seeing that they could
not stand alone any longer, threw themselves into Lady Hunt¬
ingdon's Society, to remain with it " forever." What vicissitudes
they passed through in this form and in this Connection are hidden
from our gaze, but as trustees of Lady Huntingdon's Connection
they came with proposals to the A. M. E. Church. This proposal
held two elements as its constituent parts—union or amalgama¬
tion. The agents of the A. M. E. Church, the executive com¬
mittee, did not consent to the first, but to the second. They
may have believed that we have enough of "organic" or any
488
History of the A. M. E. Church.
other kind of union with foreign religious bodies, and accepted
"amalgamation," which differs widely from "union," especially
" organic union." Let us mark the difference. Organic union
chains two independent bodies together and allows them to sep¬
arate again whenever the conditions, in part or in whole, are not
faithfully fulfilled, or become violated by either party. But
amalgamation is a great thing absorbing a little one, as a shark
swallows down a mullet, or a mackerel, or a shad. And yet the
shark may be compelled to eject the mullet and the mackerel
and the shad.
Why the trustees of the Lady Huntingdon Connection looked
all the way across the Atlantic Ocean to the African M. E.
Church, and call on her for " union or amalgamation," when there
were such rich and effective denominations around them in Sierra
Leone, is yet to be ascertained. It is not apparent, unless the
board which made the appeal inherits the antipathies of the
original twelve.
The report which Brother Frederick sent us shows that he
had done everything possible to make the conveyance of Zion
Chapel, its school-house, and other hereditaments, secure to the
African M. E. Church in the United States. This transfer was
wTell considered, first, by two public or general meetings held on
the 12th of January, 1887, and on the 18th day of March, 1887,
in which it was, by formal resolution, proposed to change the
name, title or designation "Zion Chapel," and call it "The Zion
African Methodist Episcopal Church." We say that this change
of name and title was considered by a general meeting of the
whole of the members, leaders and preachers held on the 12th of
January, 1887, and more than twTo months afterward, on the 18th
day of March, 1887, it was again considered and ratified by a
unanimous vote, and subsequently duly transcribed and attested
in the records of books of said Zion Chapel. For this careful
transaction Brother Frederick deserves our approbation and
sincere thanks. We are to rejoice at this acquisition, not as
a victorious general rejoices over a territory which he has con¬
quered through the loyalty and prowess of well-trained soldiers,
but as a man rejoices when he has received as a gift a valuable
piece of property from the hand of a generous neighbor. Let us
never disappoint the expectation of the donors. Let us give
them a good school and good teachers, and let us train their
children as children ought to be trained, in the Sunday-school
Extension in Foreign Lands.
489
and in the day school. Let the pastors we put into the pulpit of
Zion A. M. E. Church in Sierra Leone, West Africa, be spotless,
well-trained, steady, shining stars, held in the Saviour's hand—
star-shining in his light and glowing in his luster.
Let us now call attention to a different gift, which may be de¬
nominated '£ the Virgin Gift." It is a conveyance of land to the
board of missions of the A. M. E. Church, U. S. A. Pastor John
Richard Frederick reports that the king of the Small Scarcies
River, and several chiefs, have invited the African Methodist
Episcopal Church to establish a mission church and school within
their boundaries, and have also given by deed ten acres of land
for that purpose. These ten acres are in the town of Ro Manga,
on the Small Scarcies River. They seem to be well watered by
two brooks as well as by the river. This property was secured to
the missionary board of the A. M. E. Church by a deed on the
26th of November, 1887. It may be called the "Virgin Gift,"
because no mission house or school was on it at the time it was
deeded, and as yet it does not appear that any attempt has ever
been made to utilize it for mission purposes.
Pastor Frederick has reported through the missionary record
that he has sent a missionary by the name of Moses D. Davies
to commence our mission at Ro Manga, and has also given him
particular instructions as to his conduct and methods. These
instructions, too important and historic to be mutilated by
abridgment, are here given entire :
The Lord has been pleased to open for us the way for the extension of
mission work in the direction of Small Scarcies River. We have accepted
the call, and are now reidy to show our obedience by ■ undertaking the
work on the strength he has faithfully promised to bestow. By virtue of
the authority vested in me as the representative of the mission of the
A. M. E. Church at Sierra Leone and Liberia, on the west coast of Africa,
I herewith appoint you as a missionary, subject to the approval of the
Parent Home and Foreign Missionary Society of the A. M. E. Church, to
enter upon this most important work, fully believing that the Holy Spirit
has directed us, and that by the aid of this same spirit you will be instru¬
mental in the hand of the God of Missions in accomplishing much good in
that dark corner among heathens and Mohammedans, who are waiting to
receive the message of pardon and peace through Christ, our Saviour. We
solemnly feel the importance of our position in engaging and sending you
to labor in the vineyard of the Lord, but we believe in him who has said?
" Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."
You are appointed as a schoolmaster and exhorter, and at the same time
to render any and every service necessary to the advancement of the mis-
490
History of the A. M. E. Church.
sions. If you are to be a blessing to the people on the Small Scarcies
River, and labor to be successful, it will be your duty to cultivate very ex¬
tensively the language of the people. You are aware that there are mixed
tribes to be found in that part of the country—Timneh, Susu and others—
yet the Timneh is the commonly spoken language of the people. We
would, therefore, strongly advise you to enter at once upon the study of the
language, and hope that ere long you will be able to speak in their own
tongue the wonderful works of God. At present there is a great barrier
between you and them, which will, in a measure, be removed by an
acquaintance with the language. You cannot win people's hearts so well
as to get at their ears. "Faith cometh by hearing." Study the people as
well. Get into their minds by throwing yourself into connection with
them. Let them feel that you love them, if you are to gain their confi¬
dence and bring them to Christ. Never forget that while you are studying
them they are studying you, too. They are going to try to find out your
motive in coming to them. Your life will soon tell. You must live down
mistaken notions. Let the people see the image of Christ reflected in your
life and conversation. You are sent out as a missionary, and not as a leader,
to seek for souls, not for your own interest. Let them see that you have
forsaken home and all earthly prospects for Christ's sake and the gospel.
Do all for the gospel's sake.
You will be stationed at Ro Manga, but you are expected to itinerate
through the country as often as opportunities offer. Wherever you go, sow
the seed. One very important object we would wish you to keep always
before you, and to be instilled into the minds of the natives, is a spirit of
independence. We entreat, and actually beg you, to instruct and train the
people to the principle of self-support. This is one of the great aims of
the A. M. E. Church, to which you are connected. We believe the weak¬
ness and failures of many of our Christian missions are largely to be at¬
tributed to a lack of discipline in this direction. Do all you can to incul¬
cate a spirit of self-support.
You have no authority to introduce any foreign rites or ceremonies.
Don't let the people think that our religion is cumbersome. Plain reading
and expounding God's word with singing and prayer is what we would
recommend. Avoid everything like interference with their long-established
customs. AVe strongly emphasize the importance of nationalizing converts
to Christianity. Beware of the Sierx-a Leone traders you meet with on the
river.
And now, if you will be happy and prosperous in your work, remember
that you are not your own—"you are bought with a price." "Be the
servant of the Lord," not with eye service as men-pleasers, but with single¬
ness of heart as unto the Lord. " No man can serve two masters." " Seek
first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things
shall be added unto you." Let God be foremost in all you do. " Not
slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." Remember, " the
servant of the Lord must not strive, but be patient towards all men, apt to
teach, not greedy of filthy lucre." Be watchful. "Continue instant in
Extension in Foreign Lands.
491
prayer." Finally, "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are
honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any
virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things," and the God of
peace shall be with you. Amen. J. R. Frederick.
No one can read the instructions given by Brother Frederick
to his subordinate without yielding an unqualified approval.
But will he be competent to make good the pledge given to the
king and his chiefs, of the Small Scarcies river in Africa? There
are two answers to this question:
(«.) If the missionary board of the A. M. E. Church will
furnish the competent men and the needed money, Brother
Frederick will be able to redeem his pledge.
(b.) If the board will not—or cannot—furnish the men and
the money needed, he will fail.
But the missionary board will not be able to supply the men
and the money if the Connection will not put the power into
their treasury. In these two properties, given to us without
money and without price, the solemn voice of the God of
Christian missions may be heard calling upon the A. M. E.
Church to labor in heathen lands, as he called Abraham to wan¬
der among the heathen Canaanites. The God of missions is
about to test us as he tested faithful Abraham when he com¬
manded him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Shall we, will we
heed him as did the obedient patriarch ? Perhaps, it may be,
that our money is our Isaac. Will we give it up? Not cents,
but dollars; not a hundred dollars, but thousands, tens of
thousands shall be needed for our work in Hayti and Africa.
Not spasmodically or annually, as some of our preachers get up
protracted meetings and excursions; but daily, weekly, monthly,
quarterly—as regularly as the sun rises and sets, as the moon
comes and goes, as the year begins and ends. And here a
solemn warning may be given, not to go and waste time and
money upon Christian countries like Canada and the British
West Indies. These countries do not need the men nor the
money of the A. M. E. Church. Great Britain has been supply¬
ing their intellectual, moral and spiritual wants for more than
one hundred years. She is not bankrupt. She is still able to
supply the wants of all her people and subjects in Canada and
the West Indies. But the half civilized people of Hayti and the
heathen of Africa call aloud for help. Do not go into Christian
492
History of the A. M. E. Church.
communities to split their churches in the name of "organic
union." Do not attempt to crush out the protesting party in
the name of "organic union." Do not imperiously tell them
they do not exist when the lawful civil authority acknowledges
and defends their existence, and thousands of witnesses attest
their existence. That is ecclesiastical imperialism. It is reli¬
gious Ctesarism. Ecclesiastical imperialism—religious Csesarism
is not the work of Christ—it is the work of Satan. But this
is the work of Christ: From our army of four hundred thou¬
sand let us send a detachment of well trained troops, armed
from head to foot—let them go and unfurl the blood-stained
banner of the Cross upon the dark continent. Let them never
call a halt till they have constructed a stronghold in the very
heart of Africa. This will be doing something worthy of being
called a great Church. The man who performs great deeds, and
he only, is to be called great in the sight of God and holy angels-
So, also, the Church that performs great deeds, and she only, is
worthy of being called a great Church. There is nothing great
in building upon other men's foundations; let us go and dig out
our own trenches with our own workmen; let us lay our own
foundations in our own deep trenches, and upon them erect in
Havti and Africa temples dedicated to the worship of the
Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. Then, alongside of
them, let us build school-houses consecrated to our Lord and
Master .Jesus Christ, and teach therein the Word of God in the
languages which the heathen speak, by which we can turn them
from the power of sin and Satan unto God. No amount of time
and money spent in such work can be wasted. No amount of
millions spent in support of missionaries who can teach and
preach in the heathen languages can be a work of supererogation.
May the Saviour of the world stimulate us to such a glorious en¬
terprise, and lead us onward in such a gospel movement.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
THE CONNECTIONAL SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION.
A Grand Enterprise—The Man for the Work—Rev. Dr. C. S. Smith—His
Proposition—Organization of the Sunday-School Union— Removal from
Bloomington, 111., to Nashville, Tenn.—Financial Management—Supply
of Sunday-School Literature—The New Publishing House —The Sunday-
School Union and its Future—Road to Success for all Departments-
Closing Reflections.
NEXT to the founding of our higher schools of learning,
perhaps, the Connectional Sunday-School Union is the
grandest enterprise of the A. M. E. Church. God always
makes a man with peculiar qualifications for particular work.
Thus, as the leader of this enterprise, he made Rev. Charles S.
Smith, D. D. It was at the celebration of the thirtieth anni¬
versary of the present senior episcopate in the city of New York
where Secretary Smith made his first impression upon the mem¬
bers and friends of the A. M. E. Church. The day after the cel¬
ebration the Bishops held an extra council in the pastor's study
of Sullivan Street A. M. E. Church. Just as they were about
to close their deliberations, Elder C. S. Smith obtained permis-
sion to interview the Bishops. It was then and there he read
a paper which outlined the Sunday-school system he desired us
to adopt. Seeing that they could not adopt such a paper with¬
out discussion and disputation, the senior Bishop suggested that
inasmuch as they had not time then for debate, the author of the
document be requested to be with them at their annual meeting
to be held that year at Cape May. So at Cape May, N. J., Elder
C. S. Smith met the Bishops' Council. There the merits of the
document were fully discussed and debated, after which, it was
unreservedly adopted by the majority of the Bishops, who ordered
the organization of the board of managers, to be effected in No¬
vember, 1882. They also ordered that the organization should
take place at Norfolk, Va.
At the time and place appointed the following brethren were
present: Bishops Brown, Campbell and Payne; Polders Levi J.
Coppin, John W. Beckett and Horace Talbert. The constitution
was read, and the board of managers organized, but not without
( 493 )
494
History of the A. M. E. Church.
a fierce and determined opposition from one of the Bishops.
From this meeting Secretary Smith went forward encouraged, but
not perfectly free from the fear that he would he opposed in many
directions. In the midst of his fears he visited the Annual Con¬
ferences to solicit their co-operation. This was cordially given
bv the sagacious leaders of every Annual Conference up to the
meeting of the General Conference of 1884. There his plans
were examined, the constitution carefully considered, discussed,
and once more approved by the supreme authority of the A. M. E.
Church. From this unqualified endorsement of the General
Conference one might have supposed that he would meet no
further opposition.
Secretary Smith commenced his operations at his own home.
A prudent economy dictated this act; but his experience soon
led him to the belief that Bloomington, Illinois, was not the best
place for his operations, because it was not a central point. There¬
fore, on the first of .January, 1886, he moved his office to Nash¬
ville, Tenn. Perhaps he could not have made a better location,
as subsequent events have proven. From that elevated plateau,
as from a mountain summit, he was enabled to survey the field
in which Providence has called him to operate, and formulate
and execute his plans of usefulness. As the leader of our Sun-
day-school movements he has exhibited skill in more than one
direction :
(a.) In preparing and getting up our Sunday-school requisites,
and also in managing our finances.
(b.) The man who cannot make his own capital is one who
could not keep and increase a capital if it were given to him.
Secretary Smith received no capital from the Church, because
it was too poor to give one to him. But he made a capital for the
Sunday-School Union. A most favorable notice has been taken
of his Avork by one of the leading journals of Nashville, Avhich
Ave now lay before our readers:
The purpose was to systematise the Sunday-school work among the col¬
ored people, to provide them Avith a literature and text-books, to extend
the work of the Sundaj'-schools by the organization of new schools, to
provide for Sunday-school institutes, and to aid improvident schools by
distributing the issues of the concern among them free of charge. Mr.
Smith was made corresponding secretary at the General Conference of 1884,
and was told to go ahead. He returned to his station, at that time in Bloom¬
ington, 111., and began the work in earnest, fully com7inced by this time that
he was engaged in a useful undertaking. His first step Avas to establish an
The Connectional Sunday-School Union.
495
annual children's day throughout the Church for a general collection in
behalf of the work. Then he began the process of founding a literature.
At this time the colored Methodist Church had but two Sunday-school
publications in the entire country, a Child's Recorder and a Sunday-School
Catechism, published in Philadelphia.
Developments soon proved that Bloomington was not centrally enough
located, and that the necessary assistance needed was not there. Mr.
Smith had lived a short period in Nashville, and was acquainted with
its pre-eminence as a center of Methodist interests, and the existence and
facilities of the Southern Methodist Church in this city. He made a tour
of all the southern cities, and engaged the attention of these communities
without result. He placed the matter before the great publishing houses,
in and out of the Methodist Church, at the East. The desire was that the
publications of the Union should go through an already established pub¬
lishing house, as the Union was totally without the means of erecting a
place for printing their papers, magazines and books. The eastern pub¬
lishers declined to aid him. In none of the southern cities, except Nash¬
ville, was a ghost of a chance. Nashville was decided upon, and the South¬
ern Methodist Publishing House undertook the work of publishing the
Union's literature. The secretary removed his material and himself to
this city in January, 1886. At this time he was publishing the Child's Re¬
corder a'nd the Sunday-School Review, both monthlies, with a circulation of
ten thousand and six thousand respectively—a four and eight-page paper.
He was also revising the Church Catechism, issuing a collection of songs
for Sunday-schools, a Sunday-school primer, a teacher's class-book, and a
record for Sunday-school secretaries, and was still looking after the other
purposes of the organization.
The total receipts for the fiscal year of 1885 were $2,903.42; for 1886,
$7,615.98; for 1887, $12,659.24; ending next month, the receipts will be
$15,000.
The concern is now publishing, in addition to the above, a Teachers'
Quarterly Magazine, a Scholar's Quarterly, a Juvenile lesson paper, and a Gem
lesson paper. The combined circulation of these periodicals is about one
hundred and forty-five thousand every three months. Two of these, the
Juvenile and the Gem, are weekly. There are, therefore, two quarterlies,
two weeklies, and one monthly. In addition, once a year there is pub¬
lished a Jubilee Gem, containing an exercise for "Children's Day," which
has a circulation of two hundred and twenty-five thousand copies, the
postage on which is $210 in a single mail. The Southern Methodist Pub¬
lishing House has continued throughout this period, from the beginning of
the location in Nashville, to publish all these periodicals, and has received
this year from the concern a fraction over $10,000 for this service.
The concern has never, during all this time, asked for an
hour's credit, and is to-day owing no man anything. Finally,
it capped the climax of this astonishing performance by pur¬
chasing the four-story stone-front brick building, No. 206 Public
496
History of the A. M. E. "Church.
Square (north side), for $9,000—paying $5,000 cash, and having
two years to pay the balance. The concern will take the build¬
ing and give it an attractive exterior and interior appearance.
For the present the existing relations with the Southern Meth¬
odist Publishing House will be maintained. The design further
involves the founding of a regular appointment book establish¬
ment. Relations have already been established to this end with
Harper Bros., Lippincotts, Phillips & Hunt, and other book
publishers of the country. The force of editors and clerks, and
all the attaches of the institution are colored. There are, besides,
a corps of contributors, whose literary aid goes into the whole,
and other editorial work is paid for to various sources as wanted.
The publications circulate principally in the United States.
In addition to this they are sent into Canada, -Nova Scotia,
the Bermuda Isles, British Guiana, Hayti, San Domingo, and
the west coast of Africa. In this country they reach every
state and almost every territory. They go as far northwest as
Montana, as far west as California, into New England, and ail
over the South. They are sent directly upon order to colored
Sunday-schools, not alone in the Methodist Church, but in other
denominations. The fact that there is no other colored church
that has this character of enterprise causes the onus of supplying
a large demand for Sunday-school literature to devolve upon this
concern. We have said that no enterprise undertaken by our
Connection can compare with this successful movement but
that at Wilberforce, and in one respect it transcends Wilberforce.
Both are educational; both care for the moral and religious as
well as the intellectual culture of our children and youth; both
look beyond the present to the future generations of the descend¬
ants of Ham. But it is to be hoped and prayed that after the
successful establishment of our Sunday-School Union at Nash¬
ville it will never be allowed to languish and suffer as the edu¬
cational work at Wilberforce has done.
If no rival and opposing influences are brought to bear upon it, if
Sunday-school unions spring not up in every episcopal district, it
cannot so suffer. Then, as to its future, we answer in the spirit
of biblical faith and hope: All the promises which the Lord our
God made to the patriarchs and the prophets were conditional:
they were based upon law—the law of obedience, of faith and of
love. If these were fulfilled on the part of the people represented
by the patriarchs and prophets, God's promises would be fulfilled;
The Connectional Sunday-School Union.
497
if this threefold law were ignored, instead of blessings the dis¬
pleasure of God fell upon them. Even so has it been in all the
ages, with all the races, for the Eternal has no respect for
rades, as such, but he has the highest regard for the character of
a race. Character is formed only by obedience to law, faith in
the divine Law-giver, and love for His inimitable character.
Therefore, if the leaders of the A. M. E. Church will heed this
law and the principles logically flowing from it, the blessed future
of our Sunday-School Union and every other department of our
work will be secured and shall succeed. Not that only, but more.
Every department shall enlarge its special form of usefulness, and
perpetuate that specialty ad infinitum. Now, one of the principles
logically resulting from this threefold divine law is concentration
and unity. If all the pastors and superintendents of our Sunday-
schools will unite as one man and use no other literature in
their Sunday-schools but such as we shall always furnish them,
the Connectional Sunday-School Union will enlarge its useful¬
ness; and if they will concentrate their strength and power upon
this department it will be perpetuated as long as the Connection
shall exist. These reflections and these principles, and this three¬
fold divine law apply to all and every department of our
ecclesiastical organization.
And now, having completed the work as the historian of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church, the writer thinks it cannot
be finished with any better words than the command which the
Lord our God gave to Abraham: "And when Abram was ninety
years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said
unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou
perfect."
We cannot do better than to echo this command, and say
to all and every man, woman and child of the African Meth¬
odist Episcopal Church, as individual elements in it, and to the
aggregated whole African M. E, Church: The Almighty God is
thy God, who has led thee on from one degree of strength to
another until thou hast attained a little productive power. Do
not be proud of it, for pride does not become mortal man. Do
not boast of it, for boasting is the breath of pride. Remember
that God looks at the proud afar off. Rather be modest, be
humble, be grateful, be obedient, be loving, be faithful, and He,
the Almighty God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, will raise thee to
32
498
History of the A. M. E. Church.
a higher plane of strength, of power, of usefulness, and consequent
greatness. Listen to him, as Abraham listened, when he says
unto thee, "African Methodist Episcopal Church, I am the
Almighty God, walk before me, and be thou perfect." Be thou
perfect in ever}'- one of thy members, be thou perfect in every
one of thy departments, " and I will make thee to multiply ex¬
ceedingly;" "and I will make thee exceeding fruitful;" "and
I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed
after thee in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be
a God unto thee and thy seed after thee." Listen, A. M. E.
Church, 0, listen, and when thou hearest, obey the command of
the Lord God Almighty when he says, "Walk before me, and be
thou perfect." " I have formed thee, and I have led two genera¬
tions of thine; I can, I will, I shall, lead a thousand generations
further and higher than I have led thee and thine. Only walk
before me as Abram did, and with me as Enoch did." " Fear not,
I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward." " Walk before
me, and be thou perfect."
GENERAL INDEX.
A New Era, 167.
Ability of the A. M. E. Church to pro¬
vide for itself, 11.
Abolition, 339.
Adcussion, Henry, 206.
Adams, E. J., 294.
African Colonization, 288.
Africanus, Edward C., 303: lines on his
death, 304.
African Missions—an editorial, 150, 151.
Allen, Richard, 3, 4; proposes the erec¬
tion of a church, 5; chosen Bishop,
14; his death, 68; biographical sketch
of, 71-83.
Allen, Richard, Jr., 16.
Allen, Sarah, consort of the first Bishop
of the A. M. E. Church, 86; her death,
86; obituary notice, 86-88.
A. M. E. Church and Foreign Missions,
293.
An irregular petition from New Haven,
Conn., 135.
Animosity of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, 52.
Appeal in behalf of ministerial support,
122, 123.
Appendix to the Minutes of the Balti¬
more Annual Conference (1822), 24.
A revolutionary motion, 319.
Asbury, Francis, 4, 6.
Asbury, Rev. Mr., 323; his address on
Education, 323, 324.
Astwood, H. C. C., 481.
Avery, Charles, 276; his address to the
General Conference of 1852, 276.
Baltimore Churches, 230.
Baltimore Conference, 14, 16,19, 20, 21, 27,
39, 40, 41, 46, 55, 57, 64, 92, 94, 96; visits
President Jackson, 99; 103, 114, 121,122,
125, 134, 138, 155, 175, 182, 197, 207; receives
a petition from the "First Colored
Wesleyan Methodist Independent So¬
ciety of Baltimore" for admission
into the Connection, 208, 209; results
of an investigation, 209; resolutions,
210, 236, 245, 287; close of Bishop Naz-
rey's labors in the diocese, 306; 317;
report on education, 406, 407; condition
of in 1856, 415.
Baltimore, Richard, 37.
Bassett, Shadrack, 23, 281, 397.
Beans, Scipio, 55; a missionary to Hay ti,
66; his death, 104; biographical sketch,
104-106.
Beginning of the office of book stew¬
ard, 16, 17.
Bethel Church, Baltimore, 3; possesses
the oldest documents, 3; laying of the
corner-stone, 232, 234; consecration,
235.
Bethel Church, Philadelphia, 3, 135, 461-
464.
"Rias J. J- 158, 281, 288, 318, 337, 344, 346,
;!,7: 348, 351, 354, 356, 413.
"Rirth of the Canada and Indiana Con¬
ferences, 128, 129. _ _
Rishoos, elected, 14; important points
decided, 281, 282 ; 287, 288, 290, 291, 292;
rleoision on what would be a justifi¬
able process at law, 319, 320; at Cana¬
dian Conference, 321; quadrennial ad¬
dress, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333; limita¬
tion of power, 352-356; contemporane¬
ous, 412.
Boggs, John, 221.
Boler, George, 214, 215.
Book Concern, 61, 107, 114, 117, 189, 278,
281; 283, 315; management, 334; Meth¬
odist Episcopal, 425.
British Methodist Episcopal Church,
390, 391, 392.
Broadie, George, Secretary of Tenth
Annual Conference, 328; on slavery,
342.
Broadie, Philip, 61-63.
Brown, J. M., 149; his account of a trip
from New Albany, Ind., to St. Louis,
Mo., 242, 243, 244, 314, 327; statement
concerning Paul Q,uinn College, 448,449.
Brown, John, 466.
Brown, Marcus, 317; his death, 317.
Brown, Morris, 22; admitted into full
connection, 26; 32; elected and or¬
dained Bishop, 58; preached the fu¬
neral sermon of Bishop Allen, 68;
stricken with paralysis, 179; his death,
236; obituary, 261, 262; his sermon to
the Baltimore Conference, 263-265; his
kindness to Marcus Brown, 317.
Campbell, Jabez P., 135; admitted on
trial, 142; admitted into full connec¬
tion, 159; chief officer of publishing
department, 333; analysis of his re¬
port, 333, 334.
Canada Conference, 128, 138, 144, 160, 178,
185, 203, 257, 295, 321, 322 ; petitions to be
set apart as a separate body? 322; last
annual session as a part of the A. M.
E. Church, 361.
Cain, Richard H., elected to the bish¬
opric, 400.
Cannon, Noah C. W., 102, 127, 160, 179;
his death, 252; biographical sketch,
253, 254, 255.
Canadian Churches, 257; led into rebel¬
lion, 258; difficulties adjusted, 258.
Character of the Conference of 1818, 18.
Choir of Old Bethel, Philadelphia, 453;
introduced in Baltimore, 456; in Wash¬
ington, D. C., 457.
Christian Recorder, 278; M. M. Clark
elected editor, 278; prospectus, 278 ;
286; when issued, 297; extracts, 297, 298,
299; contributors, 297, 305; its claims
presented to the New England Confer¬
ence by Bishop Nazrey, 306; Editor
Clark resigns, 315; suspends publica¬
tion, 315; 318, 333, 334, 3:35.
Church Magazine, 147; prospectus, 147-
149.
Clark, M. M., elected general book agent,
172; 197, 201 ; important discourse, 274,
275, 276; elected editor of the Chris¬
tian Recorder, 278; his report, 289;
resigns the editorship, 315; 334, 340.
Coke, Thomas, 3.
Coker, Abner, 27 ; his death, 99.
Coker. Daniel, 12; elected Bishop, 14;
declined the bishopric, 14; his trial,
15; expelled from the Church, 15; his
reinstatement, 29; 88, 89; publishes a
pamphlet, 90; 393.
( 499 )
500
General Index.
Colored members of the M. E. Church
send in their resignations, 4, 9, 10.
Colored slaveholders, 340, 341.
Condition of the Church in the South,
342.
Consecration of First Bethel, Philadel¬
phia, 5.
Contemporaneous patriarchs, 412.
Convention, educational, 397.
Conyore, David. 214.
Cornish, John, 95.
Corr, Charles M., 50.
Corr, Joseph M., 43; his death, 107; 110,
290, 393.
Cox, Joseph, 177, 394.
Cuba, 475.
Daughters of Conference, 56, 95, 136,
160.
Davis, Fayette, 214.
Debate, in reference to Western terri¬
tory, 21.
Decade, detailed review of the Fourth,
413-417.
Delegates to the General Convention in
1816, 13.
Delegation from Elkton, Md., attends
the General Conference, 95.
Dickerson, William Fisher, 419.
Difficulties under which the ministry
labored, 53.
Discipline, on divorces, 346; 348, 358; re¬
vised for the B. M. E. Church, 384.
Discovery of a contemplated insurrec¬
tion in South Carolina, 45.
Discussion, on slavery, 337, 338, 339, 340,
341, 342, 343, 344, 345; on dress, by the
Tenth General Conference, 348-352; on
limitation of the Bishop's power, 352-
357.
Ecclesiastical Compact formed by
the General Convention in 1816, 13.
Editorial upon the work of Bishop
Brown, 149.
Education, of colored people strictly
forbidden, 53; 141, 187; report of com¬
mittee to prepare a constitution for a
parent society to promote the cause
of, 188; 207, 239, 290, 291; report made to
the Indiana Conference, 314; 323; a
school of high order proposed, 324,
326; resolutions for the promotion of,
.394, 395; delegation in behalf of, 396,
397; M. K. Church on Wilberforce
University and education, 399, 400, 401;
the attitude of the Baltimore, Ohio,
Missouri and Indiana Conferences,
402-407; Christian, 421.
Embury, Philip, 4.
Ente, Samuel. 65, 95.
Episcopal districts, 287.
Events in 1856, 402.
Examination of the affairs of the New
England Conference, 308.
Expansion of the Western field, 114.
Extension of the Connection, 56, 57.
Extinction of the A. M. E. Church in
South Carolina, 45.
Extract of the Discipline of 1817, 43.
Fasting and Prayer for the abolition
of slavery, 237, 238.
Fine Arts in the A. M. E. Church, 459,
460, 461.
"First Colored Methodist Protestant
Church," 232.
Forms for laying corner-stones and ded¬
icating churches established, 223.
French, Mansfield, speech to Ohio Cpn-
ference on planting Wilberforce Uni¬
versity, 409, 410.
Gaddis, M. P., Jr., First Principal of
Wilberforce University, 421.
Gardner, P., makes a proposition re¬
garding the Christian Recorder, 318.
General Book Agent, first annual re¬
port, 172; 189, 190 ; 279; resigned, 318.
General Book Steward, 143, 144, 159, 160,
172; report, 190, 191, 192, 193; report, 239,
240, 241, 242; several points, 241, 242;
278; resigned, 318; report, 319; 333.
General Conference of the A. M. E.
Church, 40, 58, 94, 111, 131, 167, 172, 173,
217, 268-279; first division of Church
work into episcopal districts, 287; 293,
328; on slavery, 335-345; on divorces, 346-
348; on dress, 348-352; on limitation of
Bishops' power, 352-356; rejects the
proposition of the Cincinnati Confer¬
ence of the M. E. Church to establish
a school for colored youths, 357 ; vari¬
ous amendments made to the Disci¬
pline, 358; revises hymn-book, 358,
359; orders episcopal seal, 359.
General Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, 4.
General Convention, to form an ecclesi¬
astical compact, 7, 13 14,16; to consider
the interests of education, 187, 188; to
remodel the Church in Canada, 362-389.
Green, A. R., 324, 341, 344.
Greytown, 384, 385.
Hackett, Charles, 39.
Hall, Don Carlos, 17, 19; his death, 39; 92.
Hall, James D. S., 286, 294; missionary
to the freedmen, 467, 468.
Harden, Henry, 17, 35; sent to New
York, 35; 36.
Harper, Frances E. W., poems in Chris¬
tian Recorder, 302, 303.
Haynes, Lemuel, first colored minister
in New England, 409.
Hayti, 475; inhabitants of, 475; intro¬
duction of slavery, 475; slavery
abolished, 476; attempt to restore slav¬
ery defeated by Toussaint L' Ouver-
ture, 476; condition of the inhabitants
of Hayti, 477; African Methodist
Episcopal Church and the Haytians,
477; organization of the " Union Meth¬
odist Church," 478.
Haytian Methodist Church, 140, 143.
Helmsley, Alexander, 359, 360.
Hogarth, George, 57, 95, 112; article in the
magazine of 1845,193,194; his death, 252.
Home Missions, 54.
Hymn-books, 315.
Indiana Conference, 130, 131, 137, 145',
161, 179, 180, 184, 206, 259, 284, 295, 296; fif¬
teenth annual session, 313; 325, 326, .327;
report on education, 405, 406; its con¬
dition in 1856, 417.
Institutions of learning, 447, 448.
Itinerants, 412, 413.
Johnson, Robert M., 266; lines to the
Memory of Bishop Morris Brown, 267;
338.
Jones, Absalom, ordained by Bishop
White, 4.
Jones, William H., 278; resigns position
as book agent, 318; 334.
Laborers, first generation of, 411, 412,
413; second, 419, 420.
General
Index.
501
Lambert, William, 34 ; a missionary 35-
his labors in New York, 35. '
Lawrence, Elizabeth, mother of Thom¬
as, 309; her death, 311.
Lawrence, Thomas, sketch of liis life
300-313.
Laws prohibiting white or free colored
people teaching slaves, 468.
Lee, Benjamin F., president of Wilber-
force University, 445; editor of Chris¬
tian Recorder, 44(3.
Legg, Thomas, biographical sketch, 320,
321.
Leigh, C. C., 467.
Letter of commendation to the Balti-
moi'eans concerning Rev. I. Miller, 64;
from the society in Hayti asking rec¬
ognition as a branch of the African
Methodist Church, 65; to the World's
Convention of the Christian Church,
201-203.
Lewis, A. D., 168, 169.
Licensing women to preach, 301.
List of ministers in the A. M. E. Church
six years after its organization, 38, 39.
Literary qualifications, 419, 420.
Literature, 193, 297-305.
Louisiana, 339.
Lynch, James, 467; a missionary to the
freedman, 467; 469.
■ltby, Esther, teacher at Wilber-
tce University, 429.
fhias, Fortune, 108.
nbership, growth in, 465.
Membership of the Philadelphia Dis¬
trict in 1824, 44.
Methodism — English, American and
African, 394.
Miller, Isaac, 67.
Miller, Jeremiah, 128.
Missions, Home, 287; relation of the
A. M.*E. Church to Foreign, 293, 294-
Liberia in Africa, 318; resolutions and
comments on, 407, 408; in the South,
470.
Missionary Society, 296, 314; in Western
Africa, 357. .
Missouri Conference, organized, 327; re¬
port on education, 404, 405; adopts a
course of study for its ministers 408;
review of, 408; condition in 1«oM17.
Mitchell, John G., professor at Wilber-
force University, 429.
Mitchell, Samuel T., President of Wil-
berforce University, 44b.
Morgan, John, 313.
Morgan, John, 338.
Na^rey Wil/Lis, 127, 134; ordained an
elder, 158; elected B^Pj'^ducesa
annual address, 28/,
change in disciplinary t, a • < ^
292, 293; his address to the jncav
York Conference. 293, cl(,>^ f°
labors in the Baltimore Conference,
306; presents England
tian Recorder to the iual address
Conference, 306, 307, 319;
to the Philadelphia c°nVv!f, R,'itish
r.f l'ibov from 18o() to lobU, -mi.
™ relies erected, 153. . ..
New ch . d Conference, organization,
N|8T- 28ti' 287,, 294, 295, 306, 321; condi-
TCumerica"streiigth of the clergy, 154 ; of
^xn?mbers, 154.
New York Conference, 32, 37, 70, 95, 97,
102, 107, 111, 117, 119, 124, 125, 13-5, 142, 178,
184, 199, 212, 255, 282, 283, 292, 320; condi¬
tion of in 1856, 416.
New York territory enlarged, 159.
Nichols, William, 176.
Notice of the death of Rt. Rev. Richard
Allen, 69.
Ohio formed into a Conference District,
Ohio Conference, 97; important resolu-
IM,8?®1' 98' i00> m- 1W> ^0, 145,
162, 180, 203, 204, 205, 206, 213, 237 ; 283 296
0O8, 322; on education, 394 ; 399; reports
on education, 402, 403, 404; visited by
Rev. Mansfield French, who speaks
on the planting of Wilberforce Uni¬
versity, 409, 410; its condition in 1856,
416.
Organization of the Methodist Church
in America, 4; of the African Meth¬
odist Episcopal Church, 13-18; of the
British Methodist Episcopal Church,
361-392; organization of the A. M. E.
Church in Tennessee, 471, 472.
Our Exact Fathers, 17.
Pastoral Letter, 228, 229.
Paul Quinn College, 448, 449, 450, 451.
Payne, Daniel A., admitted on trial, 139;
admitted into full connection, 158; 168;
essay on the education of the min¬
istry, 195, 196; 210; appointed histori¬
ographer of the A. M. E. Church, 221;
sermon before the General Conference
of 1852, 268-271; elected Bishop, 274; his
reply to Rev. Charles Avery, 276, 277;
282; address at the first session of the
New England Conference, 285, 286;
poem in the first issue of the Chris¬
tian Recorder, 297; 298, 299 ; 306, 321, 324,
327, 382, 400; field of labor from 1856 to
1860, 407; historical sketch of Wilber¬
force University, 423-430; President of
Wilberforce, 431; Sacred Ode, 454, 455;
offers prizes for fine arts, 460, 461.
Peck, John, 325, 339.
Pennington, J. W. C., 299; on "The Des¬
tiny of the Colored Race in the United
States," in the Christian Recorder,
299. 300.
Petition from the First Colored Meth¬
odist Independent Society of Balti¬
more, 208; of the society of Methodists
in New Orleans, 222; of Union Church,
Philadelphia, 227; of First Colored
Methodist Church of Sacramento.
Cal., 260; of First Congregational
Church of Schenectady, N. Y., 282, 283.
Philadelphia Conference, 26, 31, 32, 33, 43,
50, 56, 58, 60, 66, 94, 96,100, 106, 107, 119, 122,
133, 139, 157, 177, 183, 212, 221, 236, 237, 280,
288, 292, 315; resolutions, 395, 396; con¬
dition 111 1856, 415.
Plans to support the book concern, 122.
Praise to the early workers, 54.
Preliminary causes which led to the
organization of the African Meth¬
odist Episcopal Church, 3-8.
President Jackson and the Baltimore
Conference, 99.
Proctqr, Walter, 33, 86, 94, 177.
Proof of the ability of the A. M. E.
Church to provide for itself, 11.
Proposed union with the Zion Wes-
leyan Methodists, 197.
Questions before the General Confer-
502
General Index.
• ence. 335; slavery, 335-345; divorce,
3i6-3i8; dress, 348-352: limitation of
Bishop's power, 352-356.
Quinn, William Paul, 7, 96, 98, 131, 137,
146; missionary report, 170; elected
and ordained Bishop, 171, 172; meets
with an accident, 179; 199; his address
to the New Yflrk Conference, 256, 257;
address to the General Conference of
1852, 271, 272, 273 ; 281, 287, 295, 308, 322;
field of labor from 1856 to 1860, 407.
Ralston, R., 4.
Reason. Charles, 291.
Recapitulation of members, 125.
Records of the origin of the Philadel¬
phia Church, 3.
Remarkable outpouring of the spirit,
163-166.
Report, of Book Steward, 96, 107, 154;
"Committee of Five," 115, 116; Com¬
mittee on Education, 169, 326; Commit¬
tee on Slavery to the New England
Conference, 307, 308 ; 314, 315, 326;
General Book Steward, 333 ; 335-337,
363, 402-407; of Union Seminary to the
Ohio Conference, 410, 411.
Resolutions, against Free Masonry, 113;
to institute a course of study for the
ministry, 168; on education, 182, 183;
indicating the feelings and opinions
of the Philadelphia Conference rela¬
tive to the American Colonization
Society, 250; relative to the Fugitive
Slave Law of the American Congress,
251; rejative to the decease of Rev.
George Hogarth, 253; of the Canadian
churches relative to slavery, 259; 364,
365; relative to Bishop Payne and the
history of the Church, 359; regarding
the setting apart of the Canadian
Conference as a separate body, 367; to
send missionaries to South Carolina,
467.
Result of the separation from the
Methodist Episcopal Church, 9-12.
Revels, W. R., 296, 338, 342, 343.
Revivals, 232.
Ricks, Arnold, 37.
Rise of African Methodism in the city
of New York, 34-37.
Roberts, Jacob, 67.
Robinson, Richard, 36, 306, 339, 343.
Rush, Benjamin, 4.
San Domingo, 319.
Schools, 183; report of committee, 185;
report of committee to draft a consti¬
tution, 186, 187.
Separation from the M. E. Church bene¬
ficial to the colored man, 9.
Sketch, of the life of Rev. Thomas Law¬
rence, 309-313; of the life of Thomas
Legg, *20, 321; of Wilberforce Univer¬
sity, 423-438.
Slavery, 45, 335, 336, 337.
Slaveholders, fear of the A. M. E.
Church. 45; give money for a church,
344; in Ohio, 341.
Smith, C. S., founder of the A. M. E.
Sunday-School Union, 458, 459, 493, 494.
Smith, David, 3.
Smith, Stephen, makes a proposition to
raise means for the support of the
Christian Recorder, 318, 319.
South Carolina Conference, 469, 470.
Statistics—M. E. Church, 10; of mem¬
bership of the A- M- E. Church, 33,
South Hanover College makes provljjS
ion for free education, 284. ,
Strawbridge, Robert, 4. "f
Struggle for supremacy between trustees*
and pastors, 223-227, 230-232.
Stuart, Benjamin, 321, 322.
Study, course of, 395.
Supreme Court, opinion, 225.
Testimony of Daniel Coker's worth,
90, 91.
The historian's task, 2: stronghold of
African Methodism, 26, 27; accursed
system of slavery, 45 • chartered fund
for the spread of the Gospel and relief
of traveling preachers, 56; black code,
95; Church awakened, 117; labor field
in New York District enlarged, 124;
church at Providence, R. I., 143;
church magazine, 141, 143, 144, 147-149,
150-153; Zion Wesleyan, 151; Disci-'
pline, 168,169,170, 2^0, 278.
Three founders elected deacons, 26.
Three points of history, 1.
Trial Qf Daniel Coker, 15.
Trouble at Rahway, N. J., 125,141.
Tudas, Jonathan, 7.
Union Theological Association of
Philadelphia, 153.
Union Manual Labor Seminary,
215,216. m.
Union Seminary, 283, 284, 296, 308.
325,399.
Ward, T. M. D., 286; poem on the d<#*.&
of Edward C. Africanus, 304, 305.
Ware, a. F. W., 440.
Warren, John A., 338.
Waters, Edward, ordained deacon, 16;
elder, 19; 70; chosen Bishop Brown's
assistant, 94; elected and ordained
Bishop, 112; his first and last tour of
the Conferences, 113; requests to be
located, 113; resigns his episcopal
authority, 113; meets with an accident,
113; his death, 113.
Wayman, Alexander, 158; funeral ser¬
mon of Bishop Brown, 265, 266; 340.
Weaver, Elisha, 341, 349.
"Weir, George, 135, 136.
West India Islands, a stranger sent as a
missionary, 282.
White, Bishop, ordains Absalom Jones,'
4.
Wilberforce University, sold to the A.
M. E. Church, 422; under auspices of
the M. E. Church, 423; brief history
by Rev. John F. Wright, 423; com¬
mittee's report, 423,424; resolutions re¬
lating to, 425; immediate results, 428;
under the auspices of the A. M. E.
Church, 428: new charter, 429; de¬
stroyed by fire, 429; opening of theo¬
logical and classical departments, 430,
43l; faculty, 431, 432; methods of
work, 432, 433; buildings and grounds,
433, 434; aid from various sources, 435;
college societies, 435; endowment
fluid, 436; facilities, source of income
and present condition. 436; summary
of results from 1863 to 1876, 437, 438;
literary societies and reading-room,
443-445 ; change among instructors and
the result, |46, 447.
ZlQN Chapel, 209, 210,