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A History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church:
Being a Volume Supplemental to A History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church,
by Daniel Alexander Payne, D.D., LL.D., Late One of Its Bishops: Chronicling the
Principal Events in the Advance of the African Methodist Episcopal Church from 1856 to 1922:
 Electronic Edition.

Smith, C. S. (Charles Spencer), 1852-1923.

Funding from the Library of Congress/Ameritech National Digital Library Competition supported the electronic publication of this title.

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(title page) A History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Being a Volume Supplemental to a History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, by Daniel Alexander Payne, D.D., LL.D., Late One of Its Bishops, Chronicling the Principal Events in the Advance of the African Methodist Episcopal Church From 1856 to 1922
(spine) A History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church 1856-1922 Vol. II
Charles Spencer Smith
570 p.
Philadelphia
Book Concern of the A.M.E. Church
1922
Call Number BX 8443 .S65x (Dacus Library, Winthrop College, Rock Hill, SC)

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A HISTORY
OF THE
AFRICAN METHODIST
EPISCOPAL CHURCH

BEING

A VOLUME SUPPLEMENTAL TO A HISTORY OF THE AFRICAN
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, BY DANIEL
ALEXANDER PAYNE, D.D., LL.D., LATE
ONE OF ITS BISHOPS

CHRONICLING

THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS IN THE ADVANCE OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST
EPISCOPAL CHURCH FROM 1856 TO 1922

BY

CHARLES SPENCER SMITH, D.D.
Author of Glimpses of Africa, West and Southwest Coast.

BOOK CONCERN OF THE A. M. E. CHURCH
631 PINE STREET, PHILADELPHIA, PA.
D. M. BAXTER, MANAGER
1922

Page 2

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE REPRESENTING THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS

        We, the Committee on the History of the Church, appointed by the Council of Bishops, met on June 5, 1922, in Allen Hall, 631 Pine Street, Philadelphia, Pa.

        We examined the manuscript presented by Bishop C. S. Smith, Historiographer, and are pleased to make a favorable report on its contents.

        We heartily approve of the work, and commend the writer for the fair and most interesting way the matter is presented.

        L. J. COPPIN, Chairman.

        W. D. CHAPPELLE.

        J. ALBERT JOHNSON.

        Committee on Publication:

        L. J. COPPIN, Chairman

        J. ALBERT JOHNSON.

        W. D. CHAPPELLE.

        I. N. ROSS.

        J. R. HAWKINS.

        Copyright, 1922, by

        D. M. BAXTER

        Printed in the United States of America

Page 3

PREFACE

        AT the twenty-sixth General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which convened in St. Louis. Missouri, May, 1920, the author was elected Historiographer in lieu of assignment to an Episcopal District. In the order named, Bishop D. A. Payne, Bishop B. W. Arnett, Bishop H. M. Turner, and the Rev. John T. Jenifer (all deceased) preceded him in the position of Historiographer. The present task is to chronicle the doings of the Church from 1856 to 1922.

        The march of the African Methodist Episcopal Church may, for convenience, be divided into five general periods; the Sowing Period, 1787-1816; the Formative Period, 1816-1840; the Progressive Period, 1840-1863; the Expanding Period, 1863-1880; the Developing Period, 1880-1922. Bishop Payne's History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church fully covers the first two periods; and the third, partly. In the preparation of his history, Bishop Payne was greatly handicapped by the lack of authentic records, which is equally true of the author of the contents of this volume. History to be invested with intrinsic value must be buttressed by well authenticated facts. It is sheer folly--a monumental blunder--to attempt to make tradition, imagination, or rhetoric, either one or all, the foundation of accredited history.

        The material from which the present volume is framed is chiefly documentary and from works of reference, though the latter are few. The documents available are General and Annual Conference Minutes. The works of reference are the History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, D. A. Payne; Centennial Retrospect History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. J. T. Jenifer; Outlines of History, D. T. Tanner; an Apology for African Methodism, B. T. Tanner; Recollections of Seventy Years, D. A. Payne; My Recollections, A. W. Wayman; African Methodism in the South, W. J. Gaines; Scraps of African Methodist Episcopal History, James A. Handy; Africa and African Methodism, A. L. Ridgell; The Budget, 1787-1904, B. W. Arnett; Encyclopedia of African Methodism, R. R. Wright, Jr.; South African Letters, L. J. Coppin; Blue Book of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Africa, C. S. Smith.

        The reprinting in full of the Journals of the General Conferences of 1844 and 1860, and part of 1864 and 1868 is demanded, first, by the exigencies of the times in which they convened; and second, by the fact that presumably, there is but one copy of each now extant. The reprinting in full of the first three sessions of the South Carolina Annual Conference is required; first, because of the momentous issues immediately preceding and following the period which they cover; second, because they concretely define the three strategic points from which African Methodism expanded throughout the South, namely, Charleston,

Page 4

S. C., Savannah, Ga., and Wilmington, N. C., and third, because they will reveal to this generation the intrepid, daring, and heroic courage of the trailblazers who bore the banner of African Methodism throughout the regions made desolate and devastated by the ravages of war, but most gloriously enriched by the triumph of freedom. Moreover, the author probably has the only copy now available.

        A personal reference may be permitted. The author reached his seventieth birthday March 16, 1922. Of these seventy years, fifty-three were spent in public life, fifty-one of which were were devoted to the Christian ministry. He lived in the South from 1869 to 1878, and again from 1887 to 1900. He was a member of the House of Representatives of the Alabama Legislature, 1874-1876. Hence the opinions expressed and the observations made anent the Reconstruction Period in the South are based on personal knowledge and experience, and underlie the sundry opinions and observations expressed and set forth in this volume.

        In conclusion the author begs to quote a very pertinent observation from the preface to McTyeire's History of Methodism: "No one, with proper ideas, ever looked over a life that had been lived, or a book that had been written, without feeling and seeing that it might have been bettered."

CHARLES S. SMITH.

Detroit, Michigan, October 1, 1922.

Page 5

CONTENTS

Page 6

Page 11

To the Trailblazers, whose self-sacrificing and heroic labors made possible the expansion and development of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the West and South, this Volume is affectionately dedicated.

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CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS

        Period of Agitation 1787-1816--Period of Organization 1816-1820--First Period of Expansion 1820-1840--Second Period of Expansion 1840-1844--First Period of Development 1844-1851.

        WHILE the task of the author begins with the year 1856, in order to link up with the events from 1787 to 1856, he has deemed it advisable to construct the framework of the whole according to the plan indicated by the subheadings following the Preliminary Statement. What may be noted under the sub-headings from 1787 to 1856 should be regarded as a summary of the major events in the progress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church from its inception to the terminus of the third period of its expansion in 1856. This progress is noted in detail in Payne's History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Volume I. It should be borne in mind that prior to 1863, the operations of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States were practically limited to the regions outside of slave territory. Even here there was a limitation by reason of the sparsity of colored people dwelling on free soil. Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia, New York, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island constituted the area in which there was opportunity for the exploitation of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It should be noted that Western Canada afforded an additional area for successful endeavor on the part of said Church.

        The agitation that was begun in Philadelphia in 1787 for the organization of colored Methodists into a society separate and apart from the control of the white Methodists became infectious and speedily found supporters in other communities. The spirit of the time seemed to be ripe for the movement that was inaugurated by Richard Allen and his compeers.

        In 1816, at the time of the organization of the African Methodist

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Episcopal Church, sixteen delegates, representing five churches, participated in the proceedings. Of this number Philadelphia furnished five; Baltimore, six; Wilmington, Del., one; Attleborough, Pa., three; Salem, N. J., one.

        The agitation that had existed in Philadelphia and Baltimore prior to 1816 favoring the organization of colored Methodists into an independent organization had evidently reached Charleston, S. C. While Richard Allen and Daniel Coker headed the movements in Philadelphia and Baltimore, Morris Brown led one in Charleston. In the latter place it assumed form in 1817-18. At this time the organization numbered about one thousand. In 1822 the number had increased to nearly three thousand. Associated with Morris Brown in the work of organization were Henry Drayton, Charles Carr, Amos Cruickshanks, Marcus Brown, Stewart Simpson, Harry Bull, John B. Matthews, James Eden, London Turpin, and Aleck Houlston. They acquired a lot upon which they built a commodious but modest house of worship. They also owned their own "field of graves," which is to be understood as meaning a burial-ground. They were greatly elated over their success in being able to worship God under their own vine and fig-tree. Their rejoicing, however, was short-lived.

        An uprising of slaves in Charleston, in 1822, led by Denmark Veasey and Gullak Jack, having been discovered, the authorities of the State and city deemed it wise to suppress all assemblages of free colored people and slaves. Thus African Methodism in South Carolina was stifled to death in its infancy.

        None of the religious leaders who were associated with Morris Brown were implicated in the uprising. But rather than submit to being deprived of the right to worship God according to their own conscience, Morris Brown, Henry Drayton, Charles Carr, and Amos Cruickshanks emigrated to Philadelphia. James Eden, with a majority of the followers of Morris Brown, became members of the Scotch Presbyterian Church. James Eden subsequently sailed with the first emigrants who went from Charleston to Liberia, where he lived for many years. His death was lamented by all who knew him.

        Joseph M. Corr, who was elected secretary of the Baltimore Annual Conference in 1856, was among those who emigrated from South Carolina after the Veasey uprising was exposed.

Page 15

He was a native of Charleston and a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in that city prior to 1822.

        In 1819 William Lambert, a licentiate, was sent to New York to secure an opening for the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

        In 1820 Daniel Coker, one of the founders of, and the first bishop-elect in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, went to Liberia, West Africa, and subsequently to Sierra Leone, a British Colony adjacent to Liberia. While in Liberia, he acted for some time as the representative of the American Colonization Society. While in Sierra Leone he devoted much of his time to the work of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and was its first missionary to the Dark Continent, though Bishop Campbell claimed that one Rev. Boggs was the first.

        As early as 1822 a debate arose in the Baltimore Annual Conference relative to the Western Territories and the Annual Conference under whose jurisdiction they should be placed. The record refers to it as "the country west of the Allegheny Mountains." The record is silent as to whether at this time there were African Methodist Societies in any part of this vast territory.

        There is strong ground for presumption that the African Methodist Episcopal Church had gained a foothold in Charleston, S. C., prior to 1822. Among the charges reported at the Baltimore Annual Conference of that year was "South Carolina City," with fourteen hundred members. This "South Carolina City" evidently meant Charleston, S. C.

        In April, 1822, Washington and Georgetown, D. C., and Piscatawa became a part of the Baltimore Annual Conference. In the same year the Philadelphia Annual Conference ordained Charles Buttles for the express purpose of sending him as a missionary to Africa. This purpose, however, was not carried out.

        In 1824 the Philadelphia Annual Conference included five churches in Western Pennsylvania and six in Ohio, one of which was in Cincinnati.

        In 1825 the Baltimore Annual Conference refused the request of Moses Freeman to be sent as a missionary to Haiti. He was appointed pastor of Bethel Church, Baltimore.

Page 16

        In 1827 Scipio Beans was chosen by the Baltimore Ann Conference to be a missionary to Haiti. He went at once his field of labor.

        In 1830 Jacob Roberts and Isaac Miller, of Santo Domingo were received into the Baltimore Annual Conference. At same Conference Samuel Ente offered to go as a missionary Santo Domingo. The same year Richard Robinson, of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, was received into the Baltimore Annual Conference.

        On August 28, 1830, the Western Annual Conference was organized at Hillsboro, Ohio, embracing all the territory west of the Allegheny Mountains. There were 15 ministers and 1,194 communicants.

        In 1839 the total lay membership of the African Methodist Episcopal Church was 9,018. From 1816 to 1840 it had extended its operations into two additional States, Ohio and Indiana. This brings us to the second period of expansion, 1840-1844.

        In 1840 N. C. W. Cannon was appointed a missionary to all the New England States. In the same year the Canadian and the Indiana Annual Conferences were organized--the former to embrace all Canada, and the latter all the territory west and southwest of the Mississippi River. That which gave to the second period of expansion a distinctive setting and an historic value was the memorable achievements of William Paul Quinn, who was selected by the General Conference in 1840 as a missionary to the States west of Ohio. He was the first and the only person to be chosen by a General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to do general missionary work. It is estimated that in 1840 there were about 18,000 colored people in Indiana and Illinois. These people were chiefly engaged in agricultural pursuits. At the General Conference of 1844 Elder Quinn reported that he had established 47 churches with 2,000 members. He also reported traveling elders, 20 traveling preachers and 27 local preachers; 50 Sunday schools with 200 teachers, and 2,000 scholars; temperance societies had been organized and 17 camp meetings established.

        When the physical and legal difficulties that Elder Quinn had to encounter are considered--that the hounds of slavery

Page 17

were scenting his footsteps at every turn he took; that many of the white people were domineering while his own people were timid; that the Fugitive Slave Law practically established a system of espionage over the movements of the colored people in the North that deterred them from going into slave territory--that despite these untoward circumstances and galling restrictions, he should have possessed the moral and physical courage to defy the slave power by planting the banner of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in two great slave centers, Louisville, Ky., and Saint Louis, Mo., makes one, even at this distance of time, feel like reviving the plaudits that greeted him when he submitted his report to the General Conference of 1844. He had the faith and daring of Paul, the intrepidity of Francis Asbury, and the blood and iron of Bismarck. He was matchless in heroism, superb in courage, and relentless in his attacks on the foes of his people. He was a militant soldier of the Cross. He was a giant in his day. The General Conference of 1844 manifested its deep appreciation of his herculean accomplishments by electing him to the bishopric. His life and labors are both a lesson and a rebuke to the timid and faint-hearted of this day; to those in the North who shrink from accepting a place in our ministry in the South because there are Jim Crow cars and other restrictions and inconveniences to which colored people in that section are subjected. What are Jim Crow cars, restrictions, and inconveniences of the present compared to the hardships, restrictions, and inconveniences imposed by slavery? At times William Paul Quinn could find no other means of conveyance than an ox-cart and there were times when he had no place to lay his head. Only a super-man could have borne the brunt of the battle as he did and gloriously triumphed. There is dire need to-day for many of this type.

        In June, 1844, the African Methodist Episcopal Church Magazine made its appearance under the management of Rev. George Hogarth. It was a monthly publication.

        The decade between 1844 and 1854 may be regarded as the first period of development. At the session of the Baltimore Annual Conference in 1845, a series of strong and comprehensive resolutions on education were presented by Daniel A. Payne, Henry C. Turner, Thomas W. Henry, Adam S. Driver,

Page 18

James A. Shorter, John Henson, and Daniel W. Moore. It was ordered that the resolutions be sent to each Annual Conference with a respectful request for their adoption. At this Conference A. W. Wayman was ordained a deacon. A very peculiar situation developed in the Philadelphia Annual Conference during the session of 1845. It was none other than the superannuation (illegal, of course) of Bishop Morris Brown, who had been stricken with paralysis while he was presiding at the Canadian Annual Conference of 1844. The superannuation of a bishop by an Annual Conference was clearly the usurpation of authority that belongs solely to the General Conference.

        The Ohio Annual Conference met this year in Columbus and made a distinct gain in constructive work by creating "The Union Seminary of the African Methodist Episcopal Church." It is in order to say that at this session of the Ohio Annual Conference a committee was appointed to select a tract of land for the purpose of erecting a seminary of learning on the manual-labor plan. They selected one hundred and seventy-two acres of land in Franklin County, Ohio, twelve miles west of Columbus. The consideration was $1,720, to be paid in installments. The Book Concern was reported to be in a very unsatisfactory condition.

        The Baltimore Annual Conference of 1846 made it the duty of the preachers to form educational societies in their respective charges. It also ordered fasting and prayer among the churches on the first Friday in September. It provided for the delivery of a missionary sermon in 1847. A resolution was offered favoring organic union between the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Zion Wesley Connection, to be considered at the session of 1847. At the New York Annual Conference of 1846, a resolution was adopted providing for a Preachers' Aid Society. A message was also prepared and approved to be sent to the Evangelical Christian Alliance to convene in London, England, on the nineteenth day of August, 1846.

        It may be interesting to note that in the year 1846, the African Methodist Episcopal Church existed in fourteen States, namely: New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Michigan,

Page 19

Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri; also in Canada. There were six Annual Conferences--Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Ohio, Indiana, and Canadian. There were about 71 stations and circuits and 296 churches and preaching-places, 3 bishops, 62 elders, 48 deacons, 66 licensed preachers, 96 local preachers and 17,375 lay members within those 6 Conferences. A Home Missionary Society was organized in the Ohio Annual Conference, and divided into three districts--the Cincinnati, Sandusky, and Ypsilanti (Michigan).

        In 1847 the Baltimore Annual Conference adopted a list of questions for the examination of applicants for admission. At this session a petition was received from the first colored Wesleyan Methodist Independent Society of Baltimore, which had been organized about the year 1841, asking for admission into the Connection. D. A. Payne introduced a resolution in favor of establishing a mission on the West Coast of Africa. A constructive movement was initiated in the New York Annual Conference of 1847, providing for the appointment of a committee to draft a constitution for a Sunday School Union to be known as the "Allen Sunday School Union." In this year the Ohio Annual Conference appointed a committee to secure the services of a lawyer to obtain a charter for Union Seminary. Another committee was appointed to draft a course of studies. In this year, on June 5, Bishop Edward Waters departed this life at Baltimore, Md.

        The year 1848 was pregnant with events of major importance to the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Chief among these was the assembling of the eighth General Conference in the city of Philadelphia. Some of the doings of this General Conference were: the indefinite postponement of a recommendation of the Episcopal Committee to elect another bishop; the readoption of the constitution and by-laws of a missionary society which was organized in 1844; the establishment of a Book Depository in each Conference; the ordering of the Monthly Magazine to be made a quarterly, and a weekly paper to be printed to be called the Christian Herald; the adoption of a plan for common schools drafted by M. M. Clark; the appointment of D. A. Payne as Historiographer; and the equal division of the "two-cent money" at each Annual Conference--one half to be retained in the Conference

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to pay the bishops' salaries and to aid distressed itinerant, superannuated and supernumerary preachers; the other half to be sent to the General Book Steward to aid the Book Concern Further legislation had respect to the trial of a bishop; the definition and limitation of the power of trustees; requiring exhorters to employ their time and talents in the Sunday schools as teachers, and to lead and manage weekly prayer meetings; making a local preacher eligible to the order of a deacon after he had preached four years, on the request of the church through the Quarterly Conference. The phase of legislation that made this General Conference memorable was the decreeing:

That if any minister, preacher, exhorter, or member of a 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 never be readmitted during the lifetime of the two parties; and that any minister who shall marry such knowingly shall forfeit his standing in the Connection.

        As it relates to the Annual Conferences of 1848, it is worthy of note that the Indiana Annual Conference received a petition from a society of colored Methodists in New Orleans praying that body to consider establishing the African Methodist Episcopal Church in their city. The petition was presented by Charles Doughty, a native Louisianian, and a licentiate in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The petition was accepted, the prayer granted, and the bearer of the petition was ordained a deacon and sent back to take the pastoral charge of the "Louisiana Missions," subsequently called Saint James' Church. There was considerable agitation among the churches in the cities of Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, growing out of a struggle for supremacy between pastors and trustees. The course of this agitation and its termination are fully set forth in Payne's History, Volume I, pages 223-229.

        During the next three years, 1849-1851, among the events to be noted was the adoption of a resolution by the Baltimore Annual Conference (1849) to establish a mission in Africa and in the West Indies. The purpose of the resolution, however, did not materialize. This was caused by the desire to do being mistaken for the ability to perform. In 1849 emblems of

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mourning were found to be in evidence throughout the Connection due to the departure from this life of Bishop Morris Brown, in Philadelphia, on May 5. An interesting question that arose in the Philadelphia Annual Conference (1850) related to the right of certain female members to organize themselves into an association for the purpose of conducting evangelical and missionary work independent of the Annual Conference. At this Conference, the last Friday in June was set apart as a day of fasting and prayer for the abolition of slavery. This call to fasting and prayer was stimulated by the effects of the "Fugitive Slave Law." A committee was appointed to collect all the information possible relative to the history of the Church in the Philadelphia Conference, and to transmit the same to D. A. Payne. The Ohio Annual Conference (1850) organized a society to be known as the "Christian Herald and Book Concern Society." It also passed a resolution condemnatory of slavery, though it chose to be silent on the subject the year previous. Among the literary productions of 1850 was a very interesting account of a trip from New Albany, Ind., to Saint Louis, Mo., by J. M. Brown. This interesting narrative is to be found in Payne's History, Volume I, pages 242-244. At the Baltimore Annual Conference (1851) Bishop Quinn appointed Willis Nazrey his assistant or suffragan bishop until the next ensuing General Conference. This action was in keeping with a precedent established by Bishop Allen and Bishop Brown. Bishop Allen made Elder Morris Brown his assistant and Bishop Brown made Elders Edward Waters and W. P. Quinn his assistants. The question of the rights of stewards engaged much of the time of this session of the Baltimore Annual Conference. A long dissertation on the subject is to be found in Payne's History, Volume I, pages 244-249. In the Philadelphia Annual Conference (1851) resolutions were adopted condemnatory of the scheme of the American Colonization Society to deport free colored people to Liberia, West Africa.

        To the writer the wisdom of said action is questionable. The condition of the free colored people in the slave States was not as favorable as that of the bondmen. They were between the upper and nether millstone. The attempt of the American Colonization Society to form a government of colored people,

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by colored people, and for colored people on the West Coast of Africa, was a laudable undertaking. Had the condemnators and opposers of the American Colonization Society lent it their encouragement and support, Liberia to-day might be occupying a commanding position among the smaller nations of the earth; and there would have been less force to the slogan of Marcus Garvey, "Back to Africa." There are many colored people in this country ready, willing, and anxious to find a refuge beneath a flag that will mean to them in truth and reality protection for life, liberty, and property. Better that the bodies of these should fatten Africa's prolific soil than that they should be incinerated in bonfires in America.

        The New York Annual Conference, session of 1851, adopted an address to be sent to the members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the West Indies, in which they were urged to be represented in the General Conference of 1852. Bishop Quinn closed the Conference with a characteristic address. In referring to the appointments he said:

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 resist and starve him out, it is wrong for any other preacher to go and preach to them.

        Referring to ministerial comity, he said:

Do not cut and slash things because A or B had the charge there before you. Our work is not to tear down but to build up, to strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die.

        He sounded the following note of warning:

The brethren should exercise caution in forming unions with parties of men who have no permanent nor legal foundation--dissatisfied, split-off, or rebellious characters. It is not wise to preach for such.

        He ended with an observation on race relations, saying:

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 like to see us in the parlor. Our hope is in God's blessing on our own wise, strong, and well-directed efforts.

        The address is to be found in full in Payne's History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Volume I, pages 256-57.

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        There was considerable contention in the Canadian churches this year (1851), and at the session of the Canadian Annual Conference every minister was impeached for:

Rebellion against the Government and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in electing Samuel H. Brown to Superintend the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada until the sitting of the General Conference.

        The difficulty was overcome by Rev. Brown voluntarily relinquishing all claim to the office of General Superintendent, and throwing himself on the mercy of the bishop and Conference. This was accepted as satisfactory and all who were charged with rebellion were forgiven. This Conference adopted a strong deliverance on the subject of slavery. It decried that institution as:

A gross outrage against humanity, a positive violation of every one of the Ten Commandments, destructive of all political, moral, and religious rites; which is in itself theft, murder, robbery, licentiousness, concubinage, adultery, and everything else that is sinful and devilish between heaven and earth.

        The only items of business other than the routine that characterized the Indiana Annual Conference were: the adoption of a resolution favoring the presiding eldership; a declaration in favor of reducing the representation to the General Conference to at least one half; the reception of the first colored Methodist Church in Sacramento, Cal.; and the sending of pastoral letters to the churches in New Orleans, La., and Louisville, Ky. R. M. Johnson, who had been appointed to raise money to establish a seminary within the bounds of the Conference, reported a failure in consequence of the "Black Laws" of Indiana and other States.

        The General Conference of 1852 convened in the city of New York on May 3. Bishop Quinn presided. M. M. Clark, A. W. Wayman, and Edward C. Africanus were chosen secretaries. One hundred and thirty-nine persons were enrolled as members, though all were not present. D. A. Payne preached the opening sermon. Text: 2 Corinthians, 2. 16. Subject: "Who is sufficient for these things?" Bishop William Paul Quinn, who was the only bishop in the Church at the time, read the Quadrennial Address. It was an admirable composition.

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Among the needs of the Church to which he called attention were: the election of an additional bishop; the creation of the office of presiding elder; relief for the Book Concern; the revision of the Discipline; the reduction of the number of dele gates to the General Conference; and the licensing of women in the Church. As to the latter, he stated that he had given the subject some thought, but not enough to warrant him in expressing an opinion as to its merits.

        The chief acts of this General Conference may be summarized as follows: voting adversely on the proposal to license women to preach; and the election and consecration of Willis Nazrey and D. A. Payne as bishops. The ordination sermon was preached by M. M. Clark. The consecration service was conducted by Bishop Quinn, assisted by several elders. At this time I am forced to offer a criticism concerning the contention of Bishop Payne that priority of ordination and not priority of election determines seniority. The Bishop's point of contention will best be seen through his own language:

If five or ten men were elected at the selfsame moment, but one could be ordained at a time, and the first ordained is necessarily the senior of those who may be elected by the same ballot.

        The Bishop's contention runs counter to the practice of Episcopal Methodism relative to what constitutes seniority in the episcopacy. The first and paramount requisite is election; consecration is secondary. In the balloting for bishops at the General Conference of 1852, Willis Nazrey received nine more votes than did D. A. Payne. While it is true that they were both elected on the same ballot, the fact that Willis Nazrey received nine more votes than D. A. Payne shows that Willis Nazrey was the first choice of the General Conference. This establishes his priority of election over D. A. Payne. It is hardly thinkable to those who knew Bishop Payne's modesty and meekness that he would have been responsible for such a contention. It discloses the ambition of humanity, and Bishop Payne was human.

        The report of the committee on Revision of the Discipline regulating the composition of the General Conference relative to the basis of representation and the mode of election was rejected. The name of the Christian Herald was changed to the

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Christian Recorder. Among the distinguished visitors introduced to the Conference were Dr. Pennington, of the Presbyterian Church; Dr. Thompson, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, president of the Ohio Wesleyan University; and Rev. Charles Avery, founder of Avery College, Allegheny, Pa., an institution of learning for the education of colored youth. W. T. Catto was elected general Book Steward; M. M. Clark, editor of the Christian Recorder; and W. H. Jones, traveling Book Agent.

        For the first time the Church was divided into Episcopal Districts, three being formed, namely: the first, including the Philadelphia and New England Annual Conferences; the second, the Baltimore and New York Annual Conferences; the third, the Indiana and Canadian Annual Conferences. Bishop D. A. Payne chose the first district, Bishop Nazrey the second, and Bishop Quinn the third.

        At the close of the General Conference the three bishops met and organized themselves into a body to be known as the "Council of Bishops." The following decisions were rendered at their initial meeting:

        The first number of the Christian Recorder was issued July 1, 1852. At the New York Annual Conference (1852), held in the city of Buffalo for the first time, the humorous situation was presented of sixteen members being impeached for maladministration. I say the situation was humorous, as it appeared to have been a case of "tit for tat." The whole of the West Indies was placed under the supervision of a missionary whose name is not disclosed.

        The Book Concern and the Union Seminary were the chief

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objects which engaged the attention of the Ohio Annual Conference in 1852.

        There is but little to be noted in the proceedings of the Indiana Annual Conference in the year 1852. The Conference was greatly elated by the receipt of the intelligence that the officers of the South Hanover College, in Jefferson County, Indiana, had made provision for the education, free of charge, of three colored youths of that State. This year the New England Annual Conference was organized in New Bedford, Mass., on June 10, Bishop D. A. Payne presiding. T. M. Ward was elected secretary. The Conference boundaries embraced all the territory included in the New England States.

        But little business was transacted at the Baltimore Annual Conference of 1853. Bishop Nazrey was the sole presiding officer. His opening address was terse and practical.

        At the Philadelphia Annual Conference of this year, Bishop Nazrey presiding, Dr. J. J. G. Bias presented a document condemnatory of African Colonization, and advised those of our people who intended to migrate to go to Canada, Haiti, or the British West Indies. A comprehensive report on the Book Concern was submitted by M. M. Clark, General Book Steward and Editor. Bishop Nazrey took occasion to stress the duty of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to foreign missions. "We have as much right," said he, "to look after perishing Africa and the West India Islands as any other Christian Church upon the face of the earth."

        The Canadian Annual Conference was presided over by Bishop Quinn. H. J. Jones of the Philadelphia Annual Conference was received as an itinerant elder. London and Hamilton were made stations. A change was made in some of the circuits.

        This year Bishop Quinn presided over the Indiana Annual Conference. William A. Dove was admitted on probation. Basil L. Brooks, John Turner, and Elisha Weaver were ordained elders. The three latter subsequently became outstanding figures in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. A matter of record, which is not entirely clear, concerned the relation of Asbury Church, in Louisville, Ky., to the Indiana Annual Conference. The matter was investigated but not definitely settled.

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        Bishop Quinn was the presiding officer of the Ohio Annual Conference which convened in Washington, Pa., on September 17. A. R. Green and Hiram Revels were the secretaries. These two subsequently attained great distinction, Hiram Revels being the first of his race to be elected a United States Senator.

        Bishop Quinn presided over the session of the Baltimore Annual Conference which met in 1855. A. W. Wayman was the secretary. Number of lay members reported, 5,508. The opening of correspondence with the Liberia Mission of the Methodist Episcopal Church was recommended. C. Dunn, G. W. Moore, W. H. G. Brown, C. Hicks, J. M. Brown, J. L. Brister, C. F. Carr, and C. Dodson were elected delegates to the General Conference of 1856.

        The Philadelphia Annual Conference met this year at Philadelphia. Bishop Nazrey presided, assisted by Bishop Quinn. Joshua Woodlyn was the secretary. W. H. Jones resigned as agent of the Book Concern. The Committee on Missions advised the establishment of a Home and Foreign Missionary Society. Bishop Nazrey again pleaded for foreign missions, claiming that in the early days of the African Methodist Episcopal Church it had missions in Africa and Santo Domingo. The Bishop rendered a decision as to what would be a justifiable process of law; also as to members being in debt to one another. Dr. J. J. G. Bias, S. Smith, J. P. B. Eddy, J. M. Brown, Robert Collins, A. Johnson, L. J. Conover, and H. Dickerson were elected to the General Conference of 1856.

        Bishop Quinn presided over the New York Annual Conference. Leonard Patterson was the secretary. The number of lay members reported was 2,088. Edward Johnson and J. E. Dallas, of New York city, and Green Willis, of Long Island, were elected delegates to the General Conference of 1856.

        The New England Annual Conference convened at Providence, R. I. Bishop Nazrey presided. W. M. Watson was the secretary. Six hundred and sixty-one lay members were reported. There is no record of delegates to the General Conference of 1856 having been elected. Bishops Payne, Quinn, and Nazrey were present at the Canadian Annual Conference which convened in Chatham, July 21, 1855. The lay membership reported was 2,090. Benjamin Stuart startled the Conference by the introduction of a resolution petitioning the

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General Conference of 1856 to set aside the work in Canada into an independent body. The action of Benjamin Stuart was all the more startling because he had been a member of the Philadelphia Annual Conference for many years, and a resident of Canada only about twelve months. Then again, he was noted for his timidity, and it was never surmised that he would initiate such a bold movement. However, the man and the movement both appeared at the psychological moment. The resolution met with a prompt response in the hearts of all present. The three bishops assented to the measure as needful, just and beneficial. Bishop Quinn was apparently elated. The occasion was momentous and it signalized the first step toward the formation of the British Methodist Episcopal Church.

        The Ohio Annual Conference, which met in Columbus, in August, 1855, was distinguished by the presence of the three bishops. J. P. Underwood and Edward Davis were elected secretaries. Rev. Asbury and Rev. John F. Wright were introduced to the Conference. The latter delivered an address touching the proposal of the Cincinnati Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church to establish a school of a high order for the education of the colored youth. The address of the Rev. Wright was greatly appreciated and the Conference tendered him a vote of thanks. The report of the Board of Managers of Union Seminary was not encouraging. It was reported that a movement was on foot among the members of Marshall Circuit, Michigan, to establish an institution of learning to be called "Quinn Seminary."

        The three bishops were present at the session of the Indiana Annual Conference which met September 1, 1855, at the camp ground of the Lost Creek Settlement in Vigo County. Among those admitted on probation were Page Tyler and W. R. Revels. W. A. Dove was received into full membership; 3,503 lay members were reported--an increase of ten. A benevolent society in New Orleans sent a donation of $47. A communication was received from T. M. D. Ward giving an account of the California Mission. Recommendations were adopted appointing a committee to receive proposals from the Methodist Episcopal Church for co-operative work in education; to secure an interest in Union Seminary, and failing to do so to select a location

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somewhere in the State of Indiana or Illinois for a seminary; and to establish a publication to promote the interest of the work within the bounds of the Conference.

        This year (1855) witnessed the birth of a new Annual Conference--the Missouri. It convened September 13, in the city of Louisville, Ky. Bishops Quinn and Payne were present. John M. Brown, of New Orleans, was the secretary. The Conference began with a lay membership of 1,698. The ministerial corps contained a number of strong characters. The over-shadowing significance of the organization of this Conference lies in the fact that it took place in one of the strongholds of slavery. Again we are confronted with the force of the term "super-man." The Missouri Annual Conference was brought into existence by super-men, abounding in faith, courage, and daring.

MEETINGS OF GENERAL CONFERENCES: 1820-1856

        1820, Philadelphia, Pa., July 9; 1824, Philadelphia, Pa., May 1-11; 1828, Philadelphia, Pa., May 12-27; 1832, Baltimore, Md., May 10-21; 1836, Philadelphia, Pa., May 2-11; 1840, Baltimore, Md., May 4-14; 1844, Pittsburgh, Pa., May 6-20; 1848, Philadelphia, Pa., May 1-23; 1852, New York, N. Y., May 3-20; 1856, Cincinnati, Ohio, May 5-20.

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CHAPTER II
THIRD PERIOD OF EXPANSION: 1851-1856

        Pioneer Work in California--The First Society--Joseph Thompson, First Pastor--Difficulties with Sinister Local Preachers--Incorporation of First Society--T. M. D. Ward Arrived in California--John M. Brown Entered New Orleans in 1852, Remained until 1857--Arrested Five Times--J. W. Early, a Retrospect--Went from Virginia to Missouri--Joined the African Methodist Episcopal Church--Licensed to Preach--Ordained a Deacon--At New Orleans in 1842--Planned Organization of First Society--Charter Secured in 1848--Saint James' Chapel, New Orleans, Dedicated--Rev. Early Proved Very Successful in Establishing Churches in Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa.

        THAT the epoch-making movements may be chronicled in their order as to time, three of them will be narrated under the heading of the Third Period of Expansion, 1851-1856. Charles Stewart, a local preacher, was the first to plant the banner of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in California. He sailed from New York on board the S.S. "Brother Jonathan," December 1, 1851. His route was via Panama, which place he left January 17, and arrived at San Francisco on Thursday, February 11, 1852.

        On Sunday, February 14, he held a prayer meeting in the home of Mr. Edward Gomez, whom he had formerly met on the Danish island of Saint Thomas, now one of the Virgin Islands belonging to the United States. His wife was also known to Brother Stewart, as he had previously met her in New York city. After prayer meeting he visited the room of James Nicholson, Henry Butler, James Barton, and Henry Lewis, all of whom, from a religious viewpoint, he found to be salt which had not lost its savor. On Tuesday, February 16, at twelve o'clock noon, he again visited those four brethren, and engaged in a season of prayer and communion concerning the spiritual condition around them. In their prayers they entreated the Lord to show them what to do, and before parting concluded that on the next day three of them would go out and seek a place wherein worship could be held. The prayer

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meeting lasted for two hours. In searching for a place in which to hold religious services, they succeeded in renting a house for forty dollars a month. The owner was an Englishman--a carpenter. They engaged him to make a small pulpit and sixteen benches, for which they paid him one hundred dollars. On Monday, February 22, 1852, the house was dedicated, and sacrament administered by the Rev. George Taylor (white) of Boston, Mass. On Thursday, February 25, the first weekly prayer meeting was held. It was attended by a goodly number of people. On March 1, 1852, there arrived from England a colored preacher by the name of Joseph Thompson. He had been ordained by the Wesleyan Methodists. He was accepted as the pastor of the colored church. Shortly after he had assumed the pastorate, certain parties whose stay in California had been anything else than commendable, approached Rev. Thompson with the view of persuading him to receive them as local preachers in good standing. Brother Stewart remonstrated against this on the ground that the applicants were not of good moral character. Despite this remonstrance, they were received by Rev. Thompson, and on the following Sunday two of them occupied the pulpit. One of them was made treasurer. At the next period when the rent for the church was due and the landlord appeared for his money, it was found that the treasury was empty, though forty-five dollars had been collected. When Rev. Thompson called upon the treasurer and his associates, they informed him that they had no money, and if the landlord had the key to let him keep it. At this juncture Rev. Thompson, who seemed to be much distressed, called on Brother Stewart and apprised him of the failure of the treasurer to pay the rent. Brother Stewart remarked that he was not surprised. Determined not to be baffled, he engaged a lawyer by the name of Aldrich, from New Orleans, to draw up an act of incorporation for an African Methodist Episcopal Church. After the act of incorporation had been prepared, it was taken to the mayor for his signature and the seal of the city. The mayor not only readily signed the document and affixed the seal, but he promised to give them one hundred dollars when they were ready to build. He said that the Act of Incorporation should be taken to Sacramento, the capital of California, to have the Governor sign and affix

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the seal of the State. On Saturday, April 29, 1852, Rev. Thompson started for Sacramento. Upon his arrival there he stopped at the home of Rev. Barney Fletcher, formerly of New Orleans, to whom, as well as to other persons, he made known his mission. The next day, Sunday, he preached for them, and at the evening service they gave him a collection amounting to forty dollars. Monday, May 1, he waited on Governor Calhoun, who graciously received him, heard his story, signed his papers, and gave him one hundred dollars in gold. The kind Governor directed him to go to the Adam Express Company, where he received a gift of another one hundred dollars. He also received one hundred dollars from the Townsend banking house, as well as a letter to their house in San Francisco. Rev. Thompson received such financial aid while in Sacramento that he was enabled to return to his home with four hundred and fifty dollars. This greatly cheered the heart of Brother Stewart. In San Francisco the Townsend banking house and the Adams Express Company each gave Rev. Thompson one hundred dollars. Mr. Argentai, an officer of the Government, gave two hundred dollars. Lawyer Aldrich gave fifty dollars, while numbers of others contributed building material sufficient to erect a house. A lot was leased from the Presbyterian Church on Stockton Street, and a contract entered into for the erection of a church to cost nine hundred dollars. On August 8, 1852, the building having been completed, was dedicated by the Rev. George Taylor. Six days after, August 14, Brother Stewart sailed for home on board the S.S. "Oregon." While his stay was brief and his work local, it was nevertheless effective, and prepared the way for the coming of the Rev. Thomas Marcus Decatur Ward, who justly may be styled the original trailblazer of African Methodism in California. He was the first ordained minister to labor on the Pacific Coast as a representative of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was assigned to that field by Bishop Quinn in 1849, but did not succeed in reaching there until the close of the year 1852. In establishing the work of the African Methodist Episcopal Church on the Pacific Coast, Rev. Ward encountered great difficulties and hardships. On account of the gold-mining industry, California had become a rendezvous for adventurers from all parts of the United

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States and Canada. In the mad rush to secure the material, things possessing a moral and spiritual value were overlooked. Life was largely that of the Ishmaelite. Hence the moral atmosphere reeked with corruption. Conscience was perverted. Freebooters, with all their disregard for law, order, and decency, reigned supreme. A preacher was looked upon as a nuisance, a thing to be despised. Deaf ears greeted the solemn tones of the preaching of the gospel. A wild orgy of dissipation and licentiousness prevailed. Is it any wonder that amid these untoward circumstances the heart of the preacher often quaked, and was at times sorely tempted and tried? This also accounts for the slow growth of all Christian endeavor during that reign of wickedness on the Pacific Coast.

        It will be remembered that in 1841 Charles Doughty, of New Orleans, La., appeared before the Indiana Annual Conference with a petition asking for the establishment of an African Methodist Episcopal Church in New Orleans, and that his request was granted. On September 29, 1852, Rev. John Mifflin Brown entered New Orleans to take charge of the affairs of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, having been sent there by Bishop Quinn. This was certainly a bold adventure. Being a free man, figuratively speaking, he carried with him the shackles of his enslavement; for was it not possible for some over-zealous supporter of slavery to trump up a charge against him, and by the aid of the intrigue of the officers of the law, impose a heavy fine, in default of the payment of which he would be held as a chattel until the fine was paid? While this was a possibility, fortunately it was not his fate. He remained in New Orleans for five years, during which period he was arrested five times because he refused to prohibit slaves from attending his church services. Though the members of his church were free people of color, occasionally one or more slaves would slip in during the hours of worship as silent listeners. It has been said that the Rev. Brown's frequent arrest was due not so much to the disposition of the officers of the law to hamper and punish him, as it was to the envy and jealousy of his own people. During Rev. Brown's labors in New Orleans four societies were organized; one church was built at a cost of three thousand dollars, known as Morris Brown, and one was purchased at a cost of two thousand dollars,

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known as Trinity. He was pastor of Saint James' Church for three years. He was then appointed by Bishop Payne to take charge of the New Orleans Mission, which consisted of Morris Brown and Trinity. Other places in Louisiana besides New Orleans, in which he established churches, were Algiers and Covington. In 1857 he left New Orleans to assume the pastorate of Asbury Chapel, Louisville, Ky.

        Another historic character who deserves special mention is the Rev. Jordan Winston Early, who was born in Franklin County, Va., June 17, 1814. In 1826 his family removed from the State of Virginia to that of Missouri and located in Saint Louis. In 1828 he was converted and attached himself to a religious society. He served as superintendent of a Sunday school. In 1853 he was licensed as an exhorter. When about eighteen years of age he resolved to learn to read and write. Having no opportunity to attend school, he sought the aid of a Presbyterian minister who sympathized with him and offered to teach him in the evenings. The offer was gladly accepted. As he was employed on a boat plying between Saint Louis and New Orleans, which caused him to be frequently absent from Saint Louis, his progress in learning was slow. He persevered in studying until he was able to read. Through the favor of one of the mates attached to the steamer on which he was employed, he learned to write. He was required to compensate both the Presbyterian minister and the mate for the instruction they gave him. Up to 1832 he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, but as African Methodism had been introduced in Saint Louis through the efforts of William Paul Quinn, and a small society organized, he connected himself with it. For some years he had been preparing to preach the gospel. In 1836 he applied for a license to preach, which was granted him by George W. Johnson, a member of the Ohio Annual Conference. For the first two years of the existence of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Saint Louis, meetings were held in private houses, and on account of the growing power of slavery they were necessarily obliged to proceed very cautiously. These were perilous times, and none but men and women of brave hearts, true courage, and daring, were able to brook the terrible pressure of the law and public sentiment. The effect of Nat Turner's insurrection in

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Virginia, which took place on Sunday, August 21, 1831, was still felt. This insurrection had caused the slaves and free people of color to suffer untold barbarity and persecution in many of the Southern States. In course of time Rev. Early and others obtained a small log cabin, near the end of Main Street, in which they held meetings. The society grew rapidly in numbers, which necessitated the securing of larger quarters. An old mission house, located at the corner of Seventh and Washington Streets, was obtained from the Presbyterians. This was repaired, made stronger, and decorated. The mission house having become too small to accommodate the society, they secured a large hall on Broadway over an engine-house near the center of the city. As the membership increased and the meetings became more popular, the officers of the society began to discuss the advisability of buying a lot on which to build a suitable house of worship. At the end of two years they purchased a lot at the corner of Eleventh and Green Streets, on which they erected a church building. It was built of brick and cost five thousand dollars. It had an auditorium with a gallery, was seated with pews, and had a basement where Sunday school and class meetings were held. This was in the year 1840.

        In 1838 Rev. Early was ordained a deacon by the Indiana Annual Conference, which met at Indianapolis, Ind. He had often expressed a desire to extend the work of the Church wherever opportunity would permit. Having occasion to visit and remain some time in the cities of Burlington and Dubuque, Iowa, he took advantage of his stay to try and create a sentiment in favor of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. This he also did at Galena, Ill., where his business often called him. Here a lot was purchased and preparations made for building a church. Rev. Early dug the first stone from the quarry which was used in laying the foundation. Great effort and much sacrifice were required to complete the structure. This church in after years became a flourishing station, and was the place of Bishop Shorter's conversion in 1859.

        In the year 1842 business caused Rev. Early to spend much time in the city of New Orleans, where he began planning for the establishment of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and where he became closely allied with a number of men who

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were members of the Masonic fraternity, and with whom was led to confer on the utility of making an effort to organize a religious society. They agreed to try the project, provided permission could be obtained from the State authorities. Among those with whom he conferred was James Hunter, a man of worth and integrity. Among his friends was a member of the Legislature of the State of Louisiana, whom he persuaded to bring a bill before that body authorizing the establishment of an African Methodist Episcopal Church. The Legislature passed an enactment granting the organization of a religious society for free people of color, provided they should meet at a time between sunrise and sunset. In 1848 they secured a charter under those restrictions, a copy of which will be found in the Appendix. They were obliged to meet in private houses and that with great caution. They often had to conceal themselves from the police, meeting in an obscure room as far back from the street as possible; and keep a watchman near the entrance to the alley so that he might signal the worshipers in case they were being spied on, and thus enable them to disperse without being detected. No one of the present generation can form the least conception of the terror and disquietude that free colored people experienced who lived in the slave-holding States. As has been well said:

That infamous system of human oppression aimed to crush out all the light of the human soul. It made no compromise with wisdom or worth. All it called for was the utter subjection of the slave--soul, body, and spirit--in consequence of which there was constant jealousy exercised toward free colored people, for fear that they might diffuse some practical knowledge among the slaves or excite them to a desire for freedom.

        This seemed to fill the minds of the slaveholders with constant dread and apprehension and it led to the appointment of patrols who, like thirsty bloodhounds, kept vigil over the movements of the enslaved--more particularly over the movements of free colored people. Many devices were resorted to by the free colored people to evade the infliction of cruelty. The members of the society were kept continually under the surveillance of the slaveholders and other enemies of the infant church. In course of time a lot was purchased on Roman

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Street, on which was erected an attractive house of worship. It was dedicated "Saint James' Chapel."

        In 1851 Rev. Early returned to Saint Louis and began to expand the work of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He organized the mission at Carondelet with twenty-five members. In 1853 he organized a mission at Kirkwood. He subsequently established missions at Saint Charles, Roche Port, Washington, Jefferson City, Louisiana, Booneville, Saint Joseph, and Weston, all in the State of Missouri. It will thus be seen that he proved a powerful factor in supplementing the labors of William Paul Quinn in planting the African Methodist Episcopal Church west of the Mississippi River. The success of his work in that region as well as in New Orleans was phenomenal.

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CHAPTER III
SECOND PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT: 1856-1863

        Tenth General Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio, May, 1856--Episcopal Address Read by Bishop Payne--Majority and Minority Reports on Slavery--Interesting Discussion--Strong Debates on Both Sides--An Episcopal Seal Ordered to be Manufactured--General Conference of 1856 Noted for its Constructive Legislation--The Near Approach of Civil War--James Lynch--Preacher and Statesman--The Eleventh General Conference, Pittsburgh, Pa., May, 1860--Full Proceedings in Appendix--Provisional Proclamation of Emancipation Went Into Effect.

        THE Tenth General Conference convened in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 5, 1856. Devotional services were conducted by Bishops Quinn, Nazrey, and Payne. A. W. Wayman, Rev. James, and G. W. Brodie were elected secretaries. A. E. Green was chairman of the committee appointed to draft rules for the government of the General Conference. The following were among the delegates in attendance: J. P. Campbell, G. Hogarth, M. M. Clark, William H. Jones, Dr. J. J. G. Bias, John Peck, H. J. Young, A. W. Wayman, J. A. Warren, Peter Gardner, W. R. Revels, M. T. Newsome, R. M. Johnson, William Moore, R. Robinson, J. R. V. Morgan, J. P. B. Eddy, Elisha Weaver, and A. Woodford. The Episcopal Address was by Bishop D. A. Payne. It was informing, illuminating, and pungent with the flavor of intellectualism. It was by far the ablest deliverance that had been presented to a General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Some of the more striking passages were as follows:

Respecting the ministry we feel, as heretofore, that we all ought to cultivate our minds by the study of every science--physical, mental, and moral--so that we may be better qualified to study the Bible. No man should be more enlightened than the Ambassador of the Cross because no position is so commanding and no office freighted with such important results as his. Of all the ministers of Christ there are none who have more need of being thoroughly educated than those in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The literary advantages which the great Head of the Church has opened to our access demands
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our gratitude, our praise, our love. Twenty-one years ago there were but two institutions of learning of a high order in the whole United States where colored men could be educated in the same classes and on equality with white men. These were at Oberlin, Ohio, and Oneida, N. Y.

        A number of changes in the Book of Discipline were recommended. Emphasis was laid on the duty of the General Conference to give earnest attention to the cause of missions. It was pointed out that there had been a failure to prosecute the missionary work in Africa and Haiti which had been established in 1836. The report of the general Book Steward and Editor was comprehensive. The establishment of the office of General Traveling Agent was recommended. It was also recommended that the office of General Book Steward and the office of Editor be combined in one person. Other questions that engaged the attention of the General Conference were those relating to the churches in Canada, slavery, divorce, dress, Council of Bishops, bishops' residence, missions, and education. Peter Gardner, J. A. Shorter, J. R. V. Morgan, H. Young, A. Woodford, and W. R. Revels constituted the Committee on Slavery. The committee presented two reports--a majority and a minority. This produced a protracted and exciting debate that occupied the larger portion of two days. Among the other recommendations in the majority report was the following:

That page 124, in the Book of Discipline, 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 immediately emancipate them, he or they shall be immediately expelled."

        The minority of the committee contended that the existing provisions of the Book of Discipline relative to slavery were sufficient, and that there was no need for this amendment. The motion to adopt the majority report was lost. Among those who favored its adoption were Dr. Bias, J. A. Warren, M. T. Newsome, M. M. Clark, and H. J. Young. Among those who opposed its adoption were R. M. Johnson, J. P. Campbell, William Moore, R. Robinson, and J. R. V. Morgan. Those who favored the majority report held that the minority report was not sufficiently radical, while those who favored the minority

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report expressed the opinion that the majority report was too radical and might interfere with mercy and justice. The advocates of the majority report inclined to the belief that a state of things similar to those existing in the Methodist Episcopal Church was about to be introduced into the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. Bias said:

The Methodist Episcopal Church was once a truly apostolic church, but she suffered slavery to get into her bosom like a little acorn--an acorn that developed itself, struck its roots deep into its heart, threw its gigantic trunk up towards heaven, and made almost everybody tremble before its monstrous aspect.

        John Morgan was the leader of those who favored the adoption of the minority report. Those for whom he spoke seemed to be strongly inclined to the idea that the adoption of the majority report would do more harm than good; and that it would prove a hindrance to the progress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the slave States where it was then operating--Louisiana, Kentucky, and Missouri. The crux of the debate seemed to rest on the question whether church members holding slaves should emancipate them immediately as proposed by the majority report, or whether they should practice gradual emancipation as approved and advocated by the minority report. The contention of the minority indicated that they were afraid of offending the "good slave-holders"--those whom it was claimed were treating their slaves as though in the fear of God. The advocates of the minority report evidently forgot, if they ever knew, John Wesley's pronunciamento that "Slavery is the sum of all villainies."

        From 1848 to 1852 the Book of Discipline contained the following rule relative to divorce:

If any minister, preacher, exhorter, or member of our Society, who has been married shall separate and marry again while the former companion is living, he or she shall be expelled and shall never be admitted during the lifetime of the parties; and any minister who shall marry such knowingly shall forfeit his standing in the Connection.

        At the General Conference of 1852 the rule was altered so as to allow any one of the members to marry after obtaining a legal divorce, provided it was based on the act alluded to by our Saviour in the Sermon on the Mount. For some reason

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this amendment was not inserted in the Discipline. Dr. Bias moved the adoption of the rule on divorce as amended and adopted by the General Conference of 1852. This motion provoked quite a lengthy discussion which ended in indefinite postponement. A debate on the question of dress was precipitated by a motion to amend the rule on dress in the Book of Discipline so as to require each and all of our Annual Conferences to faithfully carry out the rule at each session; and provided that a minister was to be suspended for its violation, and that the preachers should conform to the requirement of putting off all superfluous and costly apparel. Though the amendment was opposed by such stalwarts as Dr. Bias, E. Weaver, J. R. V. Morgan, and A. R. Green, it was adopted by a vote of 24 for to 21 against.

        Another motion which provoked sharp debate provided for the appointment of three or five elders in each Annual Conference to be known as the

Bishops' Advisors in matters pertaining to the Conference and the removal of preachers, etc.

        Among the supporters of this measure were A. R. Green, R. Robinson, J. A. Shorter, and William Moore. It was lost by a vote of 15 for to 29 against. The question of requiring bishops to live within the boundaries of their respective districts was indefinitely postponed by a vote of 23 for to 2 against.

        Among other proceedings may be noted: the rejection of the proposal of the Cincinnati Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church to establish, or aid in establishing, a school of a high order for the education of colored youth on the ground that its promoter, Dr. Durbin, was an avowed colonizationist, and, therefore, nothing good could come out of it; the adoption of the report of the Committee on Missions favoring the organization of a Parent Society with headquarters at Baltimore; the limiting of the membership of the General Conference to traveling preachers who had traveled six full years in the Connection, and one regularly licensed local preacher of four years' standing for every eight hundred lay members reported at the previous Annual Conference; the requirement of a majority vote of all the members of the General Conference present and voting, and the laying on of the

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hands of a bishop and six elders, as prime requisites for constituting a person a bishop; prohibiting a preacher from remaining on one station or circuit longer than two years, and in one city longer than four years, except the Editor and General Book Steward; providing for checking the danger of destroying our itinerant general superintendency by dividing the Connection into dioceses, and amending section 3 of the Book of Discipline so as to require the bishops to travel at large among the people, and to visit every circuit and station, providing that while one might have charge of a specific Conference, yet in any Conference where the interest of the Connection should require the presence of a bishop, in the absence of the one appointed to that Conference, or jointly with him if present, it would be lawful for him to go; providing that in all cases of difficulty where the presence of a bishop was required it should be the duty of the bishop nearest to attend, when official notice was given by the officers of the church fixing the salary of a bishop at two hundred dollars a year, with board for himself, wife, and children under twelve years of age, also house-rent, fuel, and traveling expenses; stipulating that in estimating the allowance for a traveling preacher, the same provision for board, house-rent, fuel, and traveling expenses was to be the same as that of a bishop; the ordering of an Episcopal Seal to be manufactured under the supervision of Bishop Payne, its face to be embellished with an open Bible, and upon its border to be the motto, "God our Father, Christ our Redeemer, Man our Brother." The following resolutions were unanimously adopted:

        Whereas we the members of this General Conference have heard from Bishop Payne that the history of our Church will be completed in twelve months; and

        Whereas in view of the great difficulties under which he has labored in gathering material for said history; therefore,

        Resolved, (1) 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.

        Resolved, (2) 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 will be remembered that Bishop Payne was appointed Historiographer by the General Conference of 1848.

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        No General Conference from 1820 to 1920 was characterized by as much constructive legislation as that of 1856. It was in session for seventeen days. All honor and praise to the intelligence, insight, keen interest, patience, loyalty, and Godly judgment of the persons who composed it.

        In April, 1857, the Baltimore Annual Conference convened in Ebenezer Church, Baltimore, Md. This church is located in the southern part of the city. Bishop Payne, who presided over the Conference for the first time, was officially introduced. M. F. Sluby was elected secretary. Introductions included Rev. J. P. Campbell and Rev. David Smith, this being the first visit of the latter to Baltimore after an absence of many years. James A. Shorter was transferred to the Ohio Annual Conference. His going was deeply and sincerely regretted by the Baltimore Annual Conference. In this year A. W. Wayman laid the cornerstone of Saint Paul's African Methodist Episcopal Church, Washington, D. C., and dedicated Ebenezer Church in Georgetown, D. C. During this year Bishop Payne was active in social work in the city of Baltimore. He organized the first Mental and Moral Improvement Society in Bethel Church; he also organized the Mothers' Association, which he succeeded in forming at a number of important centers. Its object was to enable mothers to aid one another in training their children, especially their daughters. To use Bishop Payne's language:

Perhaps the greatest curse which American slavery entailed was the destruction of the home.

        Furthermore he said:

No home, no mother; no mother, no home. But what is home without a cultivated intellect, and what is the value of such an intellect without a cultivated heart?

        Bishop Payne made a brief visit to Carlisle, Pa., where he had been wont to spend his vacations while he was a student in the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. He entered the Seminary in 1835 and continued for two years, being forced to relinquish his studies at the end of that time by reason of failing eyesight. From Carlisle, Bishop Payne proceeded to his home at Wilberforce. After a short visit there

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he attended the Indiana and Missouri Annual Conferences. No details, however, are available in respect to the doings of those Conferences. The Philadelphia Annual Conference met in Columbia, Pa., Bishop Quinn presiding. Aside from the statement of Bishop Handy that a large amount of business was transacted, nothing can be said of its doings.

        In 1858 the Baltimore Annual Conference met in Israel Church, Washington, D. C., Bishop Payne presiding. Samuel Watts was elected secretary. The Conference was graced with the presence of many distinguished visitors, which included the Hon. James Pike, a member of Congress and formerly a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. John M. Brown became a member of the Conference by transfer and was appointed pastor of Bethel Church, Baltimore. The Revs. James A. Shorter, J. P. Campbell, and Peter Gardner were among the visitors. The Conference received the sad intelligence that Bishop Quinn, who had been assaulted the previous winter, was still unable to resume his official duties.

        This year the Philadelphia Annual Conference met in Philadelphia. Owing to Bishop Quinn's physical condition, Bishop Payne presided. There were a great many members of the Baltimore Annual Conference among the visitors. Among them was the Rev. A. W. Wayman. Bishop Quinn made his appearance near the close of the Conference, badly bruised and battered as the result of the assault previously referred to. His disfigured visage excited much sympathy for him and aroused great indignation against his assailants. Rev. Elisha Weaver accompanied him. In this year a young minister made his appearance in Washington, D. C., who was destined to become a great factor in the Church. The following is culled from Wayman's Recollections:

One day during this year a hack drove up to my door. I saw a young man, who had the appearance of a South Carolinian, get out and walk up on the front porch. I went to meet him. He asked if my name was Wayman. I said, "Yes, sir; come in." He then said that he was from Missouri and was on his way to Baltimore, where he had been appointed. He had his wife with him. I invited them in and made them welcome, remembering the advice of the good apostle, "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers." That young Carolinian was H. M. Turner, afterwards Bishop Turner. I gave him the name of "Plutarch" and he became known throughout the Church by that name.
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        The fourth General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, met this year at Nashville, Tenn. No bishops were elected.

        In 1859 the Baltimore Annual Conference met in Baltimore, Bishop Payne presiding. J. M. Brown was elected secretary. A. W. Wayman preached the annual sermon. Stephen Clark died while the Conference was in session. A prize essay was competed for. The subject was "Hugh Miller." A. W. Wayman was awarded the first prize. It will be remembered that the General Conference of 1852 divided the eight Annual Conferences--Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, Western, Canadian, Indiana, New England, and Missouri--into three Episcopal Districts. For some inexplicable reasons but few details, if any, of these Conferences are at hand, except those of the Philadelphia and Baltimore. Doubtless the records of many important events have been lost forever. Either that or there was failure to record them.

        From a national standpoint the year 1859 was made memorable by two events: the prohibition of slavery in Kansas by the adoption of the Wyandotte Constitution, and the antislavery insurrection at Harper's Ferry, which took place October 17, under John Brown, who was hanged December 2. Call him what name you may--fool, fanatic, madman, anarchist, revolutionist, would-be-murderer--he is the only being of whom the world has ever sung, "His soul goes marching on."

        A forecast of the political horizon pointed to the near approach of the Civil War. An impassable gulf had been formed between the forces of freedom on one side and the forces of slavery on the other. Evidently the slave-holding oligarchy had determined to cast the die and cross the Rubicon.

        In the Church the near approach of the eleventh General Conference was the magnet of interest. Before presenting the record of its proceedings, attention is directed to other items of interest. In March of this year Bishop Payne completed six years of incessant travel and labor, except for five months when he experienced an attack of nervous prostration. His traveling alternated between the East and the West. On his last trip East, March, 1860, he was joined by Rev. James Lynch, who was destined to win renown as a scholar, writer, preacher, orator, and statesman.

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        The Rev. and Hon. James Lynch was born in Baltimore, Maryland, January 8, 1839. His father, who was a merchant, was a freeman. His mother was a slave. Her husband purchased her freedom. Rev. Lynch was educated at Kimball University, Hanover, New Hampshire. In 1858 he joined the Presbyterian Church in New York city. He went to Indiana, where he spent some time in the ministry of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. From there he went to Galena, Ill., where he married. Subsequently, April, 1860, he connected himself with the Baltimore Annual Conference by transfer. In May, 1863, he and J. D. S. Hall, of the New York Annual Conference, went as missionaries to South Carolina. He labored at Port Royal, Beaufort, and Charleston, S. C., and Savannah, Ga., and was one of the original members of the South Carolina Annual Conference. From February 24, 1866, to June 15, 1867, he was editor of the Christian Recorder. In the same year he went to Mississippi as a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and served for a time as presiding elder of the Jackson District. At the same time he filled the position of assistant in the Educational Department of the Freedmen's Bureau. In 1869 he was elected Secretary of State, a position which he ably and efficiently filled. The author knew him personally, having met him in Jackson, Miss., in 1870. He was a man of fine attainments and the highest order of talent. Being one of the very few colored men in this country who were fortunate enough to obtain a college education prior to 1860, he not only wielded tremendous influence with his own people, but was regarded as an object of curiosity by the white people, particularly of the South. He died at Jackson, Miss., on Wednesday, December 18, 1871, and was buried in the city cemetery on the following Sunday. His reasons for deserting the African Methodist Episcopal Church in favor of the Methodist Episcopal Church are not known.

        In April, 1860, the Baltimore Annual Conference met in Washington, D. C., Bishop Payne presiding. J. M. Brown was elected secretary. James Lynch was received as a member by transfer from the Indiana Annual Conference. Several distinguished clergymen were introduced, among them the Rt. Rev. Bishop Payne, of the Protestant Episcopal Church of

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America, who was in charge of the diocese of Liberia, West Africa. Daniel Rideout was elected an elder. H. M. Turner, W. H. Hunter, G. T. Watkins, and Dennis Davis were elected deacons. The first two subsequently became chaplains in the United States Army. H. M. Turner was the first colored man to be appointed to that position. He was commissioned by President Lincoln. The Conference agreed to sustain W. H. Hunter for two years at Wilberforce University.

        The eleventh General Conference met at Pittsburgh, Pa., in May, 1860. The record of its doings will be found in the Appendix.

        In this year the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church convened in Buffalo, N. Y. The ratio of representation was fixed at one in thirty. The General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church assembled in Philadelphia, Pa. An adjourned session was held in New York City, June 6, when the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and a faction led by Rev. W. H. Bishop were reunited. There was no election of bishops this year by either of these two General Conferences.

        A striking incident which occurred in April, 1861, in African Methodist Church circles, was the refusal of the authorities of Baltimore to allow the Baltimore Annual Conference to convene in that city. The reason given by the Police Commission for this refusal was that the bishop of the Conference lived in Ohio and, therefore, could not enter Baltimore. Assurance having been given that the Conference would be held without Bishop Payne, permission was granted. The New England Annual Conference was held this year at New Haven, Conn. Bishop Payne presided. At the close of the Conference Bishop Payne called on the Rev. Theodore T. Holly, of the Protestant Episcopal Church, a young colored clergyman of brilliant intellectual endowment, who was subsequently elected missionary bishop to Haiti. Bishop Payne also paid a visit to the laboratory of Yale College. There he met Professor Silliman, Sr., who showed him the valuable and extensive library which he possessed. During the course of their conversation Bishop Payne asked the Professor if he thought slavery would be abolished. He replied, "Yes, I do believe that slavery will be abolished because there are Christians among the slaves."

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This, to Bishop Payne, was the reason advanced for the overthrow of the abominable system. The death of the Rev. J. J. G. Bias, M.D., took place at his home in Philadelphia, Pa. Bishop Payne preached the funeral sermon. He also secured the service of Mr. Sartain, a noted artist, to make a picture of Richard Allen, to be engraved for use in The Repository. Mr. Sartain made the steel engravings found in Payne's History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

        In answer to a general request, A. W. Wayman prepared an address to the bishops, ministers, and members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, bearing on existing conditions and urging continued loyalty to the Church. During the summer of 1861 an article appeared in the Christian Recorder from the pen of Rev. H. J. Young, giving an account of affairs in Canada. This article lodged doubt in the minds of some as to the real status of Bishop Nazrey. In October, 1861, all the members of the Philadelphia Annual Conference were requested to meet Bishop Nazrey in Philadelphia so that he might set himself right before them and the Church.

        The year 1861 was memorable for national and world-wide events. Nationally the supreme event was the bombarding of Fort Sumter, April 12, 13, by the Confederates. Other national events of a major character were the election of Jefferson Davis as the President of the Confederate States of America, February 9; the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, March 4, as President of the United States; and the battle of Bull Run, July 21.

        As to world-wide events, in this year (1861) the Austrian Empire received a new constitution; Victor Emanuel was made King of Italy; Spain, France, and England united in the Convention of London to enforce their Mexican claims and sent fleets to Mexico; and Prince Albert, Consort of Queen Victoria, died on December 14.

        In April, 1862, while Bishop Payne was in New York city, he attended a reception given to Rev. Alexander Crummell, a missionary of the Protestant Episcopal Church to Liberia. Remarks were made by the Rev. Highland H. Garnet. These two distinguished prelates were moral and intellectual giants in their day. Both saw service in Liberia. Dr. Garnet preached in the United States Senate Chamber, February 18,

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1865. He represented this country as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Liberia, where he died and was buried.

        In April, 1862, the Baltimore Annual Conference met in Washington, D. C. Bishop Payne presided. James Lynch was elected the secretary. John J. Herbert preached the annual sermon. John Lane organized an African Methodist Episcopal Church at Annapolis, in February. Rev. B. T. Tanner, who, at the suggestion of Bishop Payne had entered the Presbyterian Church and been ordained, was received as an elder. J. A. Handy was admitted on trial. H. M. Turner, E. Boyer, and Richard P. Gibbs were ordained elders. It is somewhat significant that Revs. Tanner, Turner, and Handy were subsequently elevated to the episcopacy. Among the visitors introduced to the Conference was the Hon. Owen Lovejoy, M.C., from Illinois. He had delivered a lecture in Israel Church a short time before the meeting of the Conference. The trustees had secured a permit from the mayor to have the lecture. When it was shown to Mr. Lovejoy he burned it, saying that he did not need a permit to lecture.

        At this Conference a request came to Bishop Payne from the Preachers' Meeting at Philadelphia to come to the Philadelphia Annual Conference and decide Bishop Nazrey's episcopal status. The Baltimore Annual Conference passed a resolution asking him to go. When the time arrived for Bishop Payne to decide the question, the whole matter took a different turn. Rev. W. H. Jones came into the Conference. He was introduced by J. P. Campbell as the accredited minister from the British Methodist Episcopal Church. Bishop Nazrey then arose and said, "that he had been charged with not resigning according to promise." He called on Rev. W. H. Jones to affirm that he had resigned. His answer was that Bishop Nazrey had presented his resignation to the General Conference of the British Methodist Episcopal Church, which was the only statement that he made. By mutual agreement the matter was allowed to rest until the next General Conference. This year Bethel Church, Baltimore, lost that sweet singer, Rev. Charles Dunn. James A. Shorter, M. Sluby, and A. W. Wayman were visitors to the Philadelphia Annual Conference.

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        On account of the Civil War the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, did not meet in 1862.

        January 1, 1863, the provisional Proclamation of Emancipation that was issued September 22, 1862, went into effect. This was the greatest event in the history of the nation since the adoption of the Declaration of American Independence. Well might the immortal Lincoln have invoked upon that act the favor and blessing of Almighty God, and the considerate judgment of all mankind.

        April 18, 1863, Bishop Francis Burns, the first missionary bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church to Liberia, West Africa, died at Baltimore, Md., aged 53. He was born December 5, 1809, at Albany, N. Y. He entered the ministry in 1838, and was consecrated a bishop at Perry, N. Y., in 1858. He was a member of the Liberia Annual Conference when he was consecrated a bishop, and his body was removed to that country for burial.

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CHAPTER IV
FOURTH PERIOD OF EXPANSION: 1863-1868

        James Lynch and J. D. S. Hall Went to Charleston, S. C.--Baltimore Threatened With Invasion of Confederate Army--Colored Men Drafted for Federal Service--A. W. Wayman Went to Norfolk, Va.--Made Second Visit to Norfolk Accompanied by Bishop Payne and J. M. Brown--Bishop Payne Journeyed from Norfolk to Nashville, Tenn.--Called on Governor Andrew Johnson--Organized Two Churches--Meeting of the Twelfth General Conference--Proposal for Organic Union with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church--Major Martin R. Delaney Left Wilberforce for the South--Bishop Wayman and Elisha Weaver Visited Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S. C.--Organization of the South Carolina Annual Conference--Bishop Payne Visited Europe--Bishop Wayman Toured Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia--Organization of the Virginia, Georgia, and Florida Annual Conferences.

        IN April, 1863, the Baltimore Annual Conference met in Baltimore, Bishop Payne presiding. There was no disposition shown on the part of the city officials to prohibit the Conference from meeting. W. H. Hunter, J. R. Henry, and James Lynch were ordained elders. A Rev. Mr. Lee of New York city, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, visited the Conference with the view of securing some colored ministers to go as missionaries to South Carolina, which had been taken by the Union forces. He called on Bishop Payne to discuss the matter. The Bishop informed him that the African Methodist Episcopal Church had once operated in South Carolina; and that the loss of South Carolina to the Church was occasioned by a terrible excitement in 1822, caused by the discovery of a contemplated insurrection on the part of certain slaves for the overthrow of slavery in that State. He further stated that the African Methodist Episcopal Church being an independent ecclesiastical organization, gave the idea and produced the sentiment of personal freedom and responsibility for the Negro; and hence the authorities waged a warfare on our Church until it was entirely suppressed. At the close of the recital of this incident Rev. Lee said, "The field is yours; go

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and occupy it." James Lynch was the first one to volunteer to go. He was accompanied by J. D. S. Hall, of the New York Annual Conference. What a contrast in daring and courage with the timid, if not cowardly disposition exhibited by many of our preachers in this day. Conference ties, dread of Jim-Crowism, together with an absolute lack of the spirit of self-sacrifice, are retarding the development of the Church, as well as hindering its expansion. The Civil War had not yet ended when the Revs. Lynch and Hall defied the armed forces of the slave-holding oligarchy, and carried the gospel to their kinsmen in bonds and fetters. When the ministry of any branch of the Christian Church loses the spirit of self-sacrifice, it has a "name to live but is dead." Well might we pray most earnestly for the return of the courage, daring, and self-sacrificing spirit possessed by James Lynch and J. D. S. Hall. The scope of the Divine Commission, "Go preach my gospel," is as universal as the abode of human habitation, and was never intended to be circumscribed by the metes and bounds of an Annual Conference, or of that of any particular country.

        During this year, 1863, Baltimore was threatened by an invasion of the Confederate Army. Every able-bodied Negro was arrested by the police and carried to the outskirts of the city to assist the United States Government in throwing up breastworks. A. W. Wayman, who was the pastor of Bethel Church at the time, was among those arrested, but when carried before the Captain was turned loose. Before leaving he made a brief talk to the officers present, saying:

Gentlemen, there is no need of the police officers running us down this way. All that was necessary was to let us know that we were wanted, and you could have had five thousand of us before sundown. All that I want is for some one to preach to my people to-morrow morning, and here am I.

        Rev. Wayman obtained a pass which secured him against further molestation. W. H. Hunter was among those arrested, and in the summer of 1863 was appointed Chaplain of the First Maryland Colored Troops.

        During the summer of 1863 an army officer was sent to the eastern shore of Maryland to a certain plantation where there were a great many slaves, for the purpose of recruiting them.

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When he had reached his destination, he rode across the fields and every Negro he came to he asked if he did not want to be a soldier. The answer was invariably, "Yes." All who thus answered were told to go to the wharf and await the officer's arrival. This was followed by a regular stampede, and by the time the officer got back to the boat--for he had come there by steamer--a great crowd was there. Among them was the county constable, who came to forbid the military officer taking the slaves away. The Captain's reply was, "I must carry out my orders." The constable then said, "Sir, I forbid you taking these slaves away." The officer answered, "I have orders from the Secretary of War to do what I am doing, and if you wish any redress go to him;" and then said, "Boys, go aboard." It is needless to say that the boys promptly obeyed. As the boat left its moorings they began to sing:


                         Fare you well, fare you well,
                         I am going away to leave you, fare you well.

        On reaching Baltimore they were drilled and uniformed and sent to the front. About the same time several companies went out from Bethel Church. The bones of many of them rest in the soil of Virginia. What a tragedy of fate that their kinsmen of this day should be burned, lynched, oppressed, and made the victims of all manner of injustice.

        In the autumn of this year, 1863, Rev. Wayman moved southward. He was prompted to go because he had been advised that the colored members of Butte Street Methodist Episcopal Church, South, at Norfolk, Va., being without religious leadership and instruction, desired to unite with the Baltimore Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and wished him to visit them. He gladly accepted the invitation, regarding it as an opportunity afforded by Providence for him to preach his favorite text, "I seek my brethren." When he went to the provost marshal for a pass to go to Norfolk he was informed that the military never interfered with religious affairs, and, therefore, he would have to write to Norfolk for what he wanted. However, after he had made certain other representations, he received a pass. At this juncture an important missing link is to be noted--the date of Rev. Wayman's departure for Norfolk. In all my research

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work for reliable historical data, the absence of specific dates is the greatest handicap. On arriving at Norfolk Rev. Wayman was met at the boat by Brother Peter Shepherd, who subsequently became an itinerant minister, and a member of the Virginia Annual Conference. Rev. Wayman's visit was rewarded by the reception of a church of eight hundred members and nine local preachers. Thus did another Daniel dare to enter the lions' den of American slavery. Note this, ye ministerial slackers of this day, with your D.D.'s, Ph.D.'s, LL.D.'s, etc., and yet who shrink from every opportunity and task requiring courage and sacrifice.

        Before leaving Norfolk Rev. Wayman promised the people that he would shortly return and bring Bishop Payne with him. In November, 1863, this promise was fulfilled. Not only did Bishop Payne accompany Rev. Wayman on his return journey, but also Rev. J. M. Brown. Another servant of God dared to be a Daniel. It is to be remembered that the Rev. Brown was cultured and scholarly, being an undergraduate of Oberlin College, Ohio. This trio of red-blooded pioneers found much to interest them in and around Norfolk and its twin-sister city, Portsmouth. One thing which pleased and delighted them was a Sunday school of about five hundred colored children, under the tuition and management of educated, pious white men and women from the North, who had left all the refinements of home, and gone to one of the darkest corners of the South to educate the children of the freedmen. It was a sight they had never witnessed before, and such as they had never expected to see. The contrast which this scene made with the previous state of things caused them to feel that the reign of slavery, darkness, and cruelty was passing away; and that of freedom, light, mercy, and love was dawning upon an outcast, outlawed, enslaved race. They visited the secular schools under the American Missionary Association in both Norfolk and Portsmouth, and also the encampment of the First Regiment of United States colored troops at the latter place.

        Schools for colored youth and United States colored troops in Old Virginia in 1863! Just think of that, and then think of the hanging of John Brown. To them, perhaps, one of the most wonderful things was the sight of

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United States troops and freedmen under their protection feeling the tall pines on the plantation of Governor Wise, and sawing them up into timber. Another sight equally interesting was a stack of arms for the use of the colored troops in what was said to have been the parlor of Governor Wise. It will be remembered that Governor Wise had threatened that in the event of another John Brown raid, he would not wait for the aid of United States troops, but would organize an army in Virginia and drive all the abolitionists in the North into Canada.

        In Portsmouth the North Street Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was placed in the possession of these pioneers to be incorporated into the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Revs. Wayman and Brown returned to Baltimore, leaving Bishop Payne to look after certain matters connected with the church at Portsmouth. Bishop Payne thought it wise to send to Norfolk a good disciplinarian as well as a sound theologian, and, therefore, he chose Rev. Brown. While at Norfolk Bishop Payne met the military governor, Brigadier-General James Barnes, who accorded him a kind reception. He also furnished him a general letter of introduction to the military commanders in the valley of the Mississippi. In December, 1863, Bishop Payne left Norfolk for the Volunteer State, Tennessee. He carried with him letters from the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Treasury. He called on Governor Andrew Johnson, who, after reading his papers, proffered him facilities for accomplishing the object of his visit. While in Nashville Bishop Payne organized two churches known, respectively, as Saint John's and Saint Paul's; and held the first Quarterly Conference of these two churches. He also paid a visit to the Hermitage, the home of General Andrew Jackson, about twelve miles east of Nashville.

        In April, 1864, the Baltimore Annual Conference met in Union Bethel Church, Washington, D. C., Bishop Payne presiding. B. T. Tanner was the secretary. The Conference was reinforced by the transfer of J. P. Campbell from the Philadelphia Annual Conference, and J. R. V. Thomas and J. D. S. Hall from the New York Annual Conference. R. A. Hall, Jacob Nicholson, J. R. V. Thomas, and G. T. Watkins were ordained elders. J. A. Handy was ordained a deacon. B. T.

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Tanner preached the ordination sermon. G. T. Watkins developed a depth and range of intellectuality that marked him as a preacher par excellence. For some unaccountable reason, when the Conference closed A. W. Wayman, for the first time in twenty-one years, failed to receive an appointment.

        In May, 1864, the twelfth General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church met at Philadelphia, Pa. Bishops Quinn, Nazrey, and Payne were present. The Conference was composed of all the preachers of the Connection who had traveled six full years, and one local preacher for every eight hundred members reported at the Annual Conferences immediately preceding the General Conference to which they might be accredited. Eight Annual Conference were represented. The membership comprised 104 itinerant and 30 local preachers. A. W. Wayman, the secretary of the previous General Conference, called the roll, and on its completion was again elected secretary, and A. McIntosh, the assistant. James Lynch, who had been sent to South Carolina to organize the Church, was made an honorary member. Some difficulty was experienced in the organization of the Conference due to a misunderstanding of the law regulating its composition. This was smoothed out by the Conference deciding to proceed with its business, assuming that whatever it might do would be right. At least, such was the tenor of a resolution presented by James A. Shorter and adopted by the Conference. The Episcopal Address was read by Bishop Payne.

        One of the chief items of business that engaged the attention of the General Conference was the election and consecration of Alexander W. Wayman and Jabez Pitts Campbell as bishops.

        A matter which was regarded of great importance was brought to the attention of the Conference by H. M. Turner. It was a proposal for organic union with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Despite the amount of time, energy, and talent expended in an effort, which undoubtedly on the surface was honest and sincere, to effect organic union between the two Churches in question, it proved a dismal failure.

        Fraternal delegates from the Methodist Episcopal Church presented themselves to a General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church for the first time. Those presenting

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themselves were Drs. Wise, Cunningham, Hill, Vanzant, and Armstrong. The greetings they extended were highly flavored with the fraternal spirit and made a most favorable impression on the Conference. It is somewhat significant that the fourteenth General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the twelfth General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the ninth General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church should have convened in the same city. A. W. Wayman, M. M. Clark, W. R. Revels, J. P. Campbell and John M. Brown were selected to bear fraternal greetings to the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the same being in session at Philadelphia. These constituted a quintette of sturdy, progressive characters with a wide range of vision. They were introduced to the Conference by Bishop Thomas A. Morris. Revs. Clark, Revels, and Campbell were the spokesmen. A great crowd was present to see and hear the African Methodist Episcopal Church delegation. It was thought at this General Conference that the colored ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church would be formed into separate Annual Conferences. This, however, proved not to be the case. A committee of local colored preachers, belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore, was present praying not to be turned over to the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

        The supervision of the work during the next four years was announced as follows:

        Further proceedings of the General Conference of 1864 will be found in the Appendix.

        At the session of the General Conference of the Methodist

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Episcopal Church, Davis W. Clark, Calvin Kingsley, and Edward Thompson were elected bishops. The General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church elected Sampson D. Talbot and John F. Moore bishops.

        In July, 1864, Bishop Payne visited New York city, and while there called upon the American Missionary Association and made arrangements to open a model school for girls in Baltimore. He also visited the National Freedmen's Relief Association to make arrangements for sending another missionary to South Carolina. Before leaving New York city he was taken ill, from nervous exhaustion, which prevented him from returning home in time to meet the Board of Trustees and attend the first Commencement of Wilberforce University.

        In March, 1864, Major Martin R. Delaney left Wilberforce for his work in the sunny, turbulent, bloody South. All the students and teachers accompanied him to the university gates and sang "The Star Spangled Banner," after which three cheers were given for the Major, three for General Saxton, six for the President of the United States, and a groan for Jefferson Davis. The Major was a man of fine talents and of more than ordinary attainments. He traveled extensively and traveled with his ears and eyes wide open. He knew much of men in the United States, Canada, England, Scotland, and Africa. He studied medicine at Harvard University, and would have been rich if he had practiced it as a profession for life. But he was too much of a cosmopolitan to stick to it. His oratory was powerful, at times magnetic. If he had studied law, made it his profession, kept an even course, and settled in South Carolina, he might have reached the Senate Chamber of that proud State. But he was too intensely African to be popular, and, therefore, multiplied enemies where he could have multiplied friends. Had his love for humanity been as great as his love for the black race, he might have made his personal influence equal with that of Samuel R. Ward or Frederick Douglass in their palmiest days. The Major was a great admirer of ancient heroes, especially those of Hamitic extraction, and he named his six children after them. Toussaint L'Ouverture, Alexander Dumas, Saint Cyprian, Soulouque, and Faustin were the names given to his sons. His daughter was named Ethiopia.

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        Among other things, the year 1864 was notable for the organization of the Red Cross Society and the Freedmen's Aid Commission.

        As it relates to domestic and foreign affairs, the Civil War continued; the Confederate cruiser Alabama was sunk by the Federal warship Kearsarge off Cherbourg, France; General Sherman occupied Savannah; slavery was abolished in Maryland by constitutional enactment; the Austro-Prussian war with Denmark was ended by the treaty of Vienna; Circassia was conquered by the Russians; war was waged between Peru and Spain; and the Taiping rebellion in China was suppressed.

        On Wednesday, March 15, 1865, Bishop A. W. Wayman, accompanied by Rev. Elisha Weaver, sailed from New York for Savannah, Ga., to which place Rev. James Lynch had gone from Charleston. Among those with whom Bishop Wayman early became acquainted was Rev. Charles L. Bradwell, whose guest he was during his stay in Savannah. James Lynch had already raised the standard of African Methodism in the city which was the terminus of Sherman's historical "March to the Sea." Bishop Wayman delivered a number of sermons and addresses; visited a day school that was held in what was once a slave-pen, and found in one of the table-drawers a bill of sale for human beings. En route North, accompanied by James Lynch and Elisha Weaver, the Bishop stopped at Charleston, S. C. During the afternoon of the first Sunday after his arrival Bishop Wayman preached in the Zion Presbyterian Church, which at that time was the largest church edifice in Charleston, selecting as his subject "I seek my brethren." He called a meeting for Monday night to see who would join with him in organizing a church. Less than a hundred yards from where he preached that Sunday afternoon stands Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, with a membership of over three thousand.

        The California Annual Conference was organized by Bishop J. P. Campbell April 6, 1865. J. B. Sanderson and J. H. Hubbard were elected secretaries. This Conference was delimited by the General Conference of 1860 but was not formally organized until the foregoing date. Rev. T. M. D. Ward, who was present at the organization of the Conference, had served on the Pacific Coast as a missionary for twelve years.

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        Early in May, 1865, Bishop Payne visited the American Missionary Association in New York City, and consummated arrangements for the partial support of our missionaries in South Carolina. Two days later he sailed on the government steamer "Arago" for Charleston, S. C., accompanied by James A. Handy, an elder; James H. A. Johnson and T. G. Steward, licentiates. When the steamer reached Hilton Head it was made fast to the wharf and all the passengers were obliged to go to the provost-marshal for passes, and to take the oath of allegiance before being allowed to proceed further. Crowds of soldiers and civilians hastened to the steamer to look for friends and to hear whatever news might be disseminated. At this place was a rude sanctuary which had been erected by James Lynch. While en route to Charleston they came in sight of Folly, Morris, James, and Sullivan Islands. They neared Fort Wagner, Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie, and Castle Pinckney. Fort Sumter first felt the shock of the guns of secession. Fort Wagner was rendered memorable by the death of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, the intrepid and gallant commander of the 54th regiment of Massachusetts, which was composed of colored troops.

        Thirty years to the day and the hour that the spirit of slavery forced Bishop Payne to leave Charleston, his native city, the South Carolina Annual Conference was organized. The proceedings of that body will be found in the Appendix.

        In the same year, 1865, Bishop Payne visited Savannah, Ga., which was the first American community visited by John Wesley, the great founder of Methodism. He and his brother, Charles Wesley, landed at Savannah in 1730, and he preached his first sermon on the 7th of March of the same year.

        In the month of April, 1865, while the Baltimore Annual Conference was in session, the soul-racking news was flashed throughout the world that President Lincoln had been assassinated. The Conference was appalled and dismayed. For a time it lost its poise. Tears welled up unbidden from every eye, and every heart quaked with fear and anxiety. So far as it was possible, the Conference expressed its feelings by the adoption of suitable resolutions. Touching remarks were made by the bishops and ministers.

        Other notable events occurring in the year 1865 were the

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beginning of the Salvation Army; and the death of Henry Highland Garnet, Minister Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Liberia, which occurred at Monrovia, the capital of said Republic, where his body was buried according to his request. The most notable event of this year was the surrender of General Lee, April 9, which ended the Civil War. Another history-making event was the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment to the National Constitution, December 18, abolishing slavery in the United States.

        In January, 1866, Bishop Quinn called an episcopal meeting in the city of Pittsburgh, Pa., in Wylie Street African Methodist Episcopal Church. Bishops Quinn, Payne, Wayman, and Campbell were present. Bishop Wayman was chosen secretary. The object of the meeting was to consider the status of the several districts and the educational work, and to arrange for the holding of a semi-centenary of African Methodism during the year. Bishop Campbell was appointed to write an address to the colored people in the United States. An adjourned meeting was subsequently held at Philadelphia to examine the affairs of the Book Concern. Elisha Weaver, acting editor of the Christian Recorder, asked for assistance in the work of editing that paper. The bishops appointed James Lynch editor.

        This year the Ohio Annual Conference met at Chillicothe. Bishop Wayman was a visitor. J. P. Underwood was elected secretary. Among the members present were H. J. Young, John A. Warren, J. A. Shorter, Samuel Watts, and G. H. Graham. David Smith, the oldest minister of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, had been sent into Kentucky as a missionary. He was very successful, having brought in a number of ministers and members, and several large churches. As there was no Annual Conference in Kentucky at that time, they were received into the Ohio Annual Conference. J. A. Shorter was appointed agent for Wilberforce University. This year the Philadelphia Annual Conference met at Princeton, N. J.; the Baltimore Annual Conference at Washington, D. C.; the New York Annual Conference at New York city, John Burley acting as secretary; and the New England Annual Conference at New Bedford, Mass. A delegation from the Preachers' Meeting of the Methodist Episcopal Church, consisting

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of Revs. Curry, Inskip, and Woodruff, visited the New York Annual Conference. Bishop Payne also visited this Conference and met with a warm reception. In the meantime Bishop Campbell had called a meeting in Louisville to consider the condition of the work in Kentucky. In addition to Bishop Campbell, Bishops Quinn and Wayman were present. Among the ministers present were M. M. Clark, W. R. Revels, H. J. Young, and John Turner.

        During the summer of this year Bishop Wayman attended a camp-meeting near Camden, Del., held by the ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was requested by the presiding elder, Rev. Henry Colclazer, to preach for them. Knowing the feelings of the Delaware white people toward colored people, the bishop hesitated to accept the invitation. The managers of the camp meeting, after a consultation among themselves, decided to request him to preach. When the announcement was made, a gang of rowdies threatened to assault him if he attempted to preach. Owing to the presence of a regiment of soldiers encamped near-by, he was enabled to preach free of interference. On April 11, Bishop Payne completed his Semi-Centenary and Retrospect of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. An affair of unusual interest was the convening at Savannah, Ga., of the second session of the South Carolina Annual Conference, the proceedings of which will be found in the Appendix.

        The fifth General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, met at New Orleans, April 4, 1866. A question of paramount interest before that body was lay representation. The change in the name of the Church to "The Episcopal Methodist Church" was voted, but later the Annual Conferences failed to concur. The pastoral term was extended from two to four years, though there was a strong sentiment in favor of removing the time limit entirely. William M. Wightman, Enoch M. Marvin, David S. Doggett, and Holland N. McTyeire were elected bishops. In this year a disquieting condition was created in this country and in Canada by the Fenian invasion of the latter country. The first successful ocean telegraph cable was laid.

        May 8, 1867, Bishop Payne sailed on the S.S. "Cuba" for England. Numbered among the passengers were two famous

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friends of freedom--William Lloyd Garrison and George Thompson, the noted and eloquent anti-slavery lecturer who had pleaded the cause of the enslaved in the West Indies. A committee visited William Lloyd Garrison, coming from a ship anchored opposite the S.S. "Cuba," and presented him with a purse of thirty thousand dollars, which his anti-slavery friends had raised as a reward for his labors and sufferings so that the remainder of his days might be made comfortable. By one of those singular coincidences--not always easily explained nor understood--there was among the passengers a wealthy man, who after witnessing the scene of the presentation, related that when a printer's boy, he was sent to placard the whole city of Boston in order to arouse a mob for the purpose of putting a rope around William Lloyd Garrison's neck. On May 18 the S.S. "Cuba" reached Liverpool, and Bishop Payne immediately proceeded to London. He remained there until August 18, when he left for Amsterdam to attend the Fifth General Assembly of the Evangelical Alliance. During his stay in London he visited numerous places and objects of interest and heard a number of distinguished divines, including Bishop Kingsley, of this country, the Rev. Newman Hall, Rev. William Arthur, the author of Tongues of Fire, and Dean Stanley. Among the social events which he attended was a breakfast given in honor of William Lloyd Garrison at Saint James' Hall, presided over by the Hon. John Bright, M.P. The principal speakers were the Duke of Argyll, Lord John Russell, and John Stuart Mill. Three hundred and fifty guests were present. Bishop Payne said grace.

        When Bishop Payne reached the seat of the Alliance he was amused to find the following inscription on a card containing the program of the services of the Alliance:

Introduction to the Fifth General Assembly of the Evangelical Alliance, in Amsterdam, August 18-28, 1867. Mr. Bishop Payne, Africa, lodged at Mr. Hoyeler, Burkenkant, U. C.

        Among the noted scholars in attendance were Dr. Steane, of London; Rev. Eugene Bersier, of Paris; and Professor McCosh of Ireland, who at the time was a professor in Belfast College. Subsequently Dr. McCosh came to this country and served as president of Princeton University, Princeton, N. J.

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From Amsterdam Bishop Payne went to Paris, where he spent three days attending a meeting of the Anti-slavery Conference. He was accompanied to this meeting by Rev. J. Sella Martin, a colored minister of pleasing personality, scholarly attainments, and great eloquence. On the return of Rev. Martin to this country he located at New Orleans, being in the employ of ex-Governor P. B. S. Pinchback as the editor of a weekly paper. Rev. Martin died and was buried in New Orleans. After a month's stay in Paris, Bishop Payne returned to London. The last of November he returned to Paris, where he remained until April 18, 1868. Then he journeyed to London, and after a few days went to Liverpool, from which place on the 27th he sailed for New York on the S.S. "City of Antwerp." The voyage occupied about twelve days.

        During the winter of 1866 and the early spring of 1867, Bishop Wayman made a tour through Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia. He visited Richmond, Va.; Warrenton, Raleigh and Charlotte, N. C.; Columbia, S. C.; Augusta, Macon, and Savannah, Ga. At the latter place the pastor in charge of the African Methodist Episcopal Church was the Rev. A. L. Stanford. Concerning him, an observation at this point is pertinent and relevant. Rev. Stanford, whose acquaintance the author formed in Mississippi in 1871, was a preacher of unusual and persuasive power. Being both magnetic and psychic, he swayed his audience at will. My opportunity to learn of these qualities was while listening to a sermon that he preached in the Methodist Episcopal Church at Meridian, Miss. Like the Rev. James Lynch, for some unknown reason, he severed his connection with the African Methodist Episcopal Church and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the early 70's he suddenly left Mississippi for parts unknown. In after years it was disclosed that he had settled in Liberia, West Africa, of which country he became one of the Justices of the Supreme Court, and where he died. This information was given the author when he visited Liberia in 1894.

        On his return to Baltimore Bishop Wayman visited Charleston and Columbia, S. C.; Charlotte, Hillsboro, Greensboro, and Raleigh, N. C.; Portsmouth, and Norfolk, Va. While in Charleston he was the guest of the Rev. R. H. Cain. Bishop

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Wayman had been at home but a few days when he received a letter from Bishop Payne requesting him to attend the South Carolina Annual Conference, which met that year at Wilmington, N. C. Revs. John M. Brown and Elisha Weaver visited the Conference. At that time the Conference embraced the States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It was the last session of the Conference before division. For three years its members had been sowing, reaping, planning, and praying; and I am deeply impressed that at this point a part of my task is to embalm their deeds and words in history without abridgment or modification. The proceedings of this Conference are contained in the Appendix.

        While the Conference was in session the corner-stone of a new church was laid, presumably that which is now known as Saint Stephen's African Methodist Episcopal Church. The whole Conference took part in the service. John M. Brown preached the sermon. Elisha Weaver was present as an interested spectator. On his return home Bishop Wayman was accompanied by John M. Brown, H. M. Turner, A. T. Carr, and W. H. Brown, all of whom were going to meet the Baltimore Annual Conference.

        On May 10, 1867, Bishop Wayman went to Richmond, Va., and organized the Virginia Annual Conference. W. H. Hunter, R. A. Hall, and W. H. Brown were present. The "father" of the Virginia Annual Conference was Rev. R. H. Parker. The United States Court was in session in Richmond while the Conference was going on. One day a panel of the petty jury, consisting of six white and six colored men, visited the Conference. The foreman made a speech of welcome. Could an exhibition of such interest in colored people, and friendship for them, be duplicated to-day in the capital of the once Empire State of the South? Shortly after leaving Richmond Bishop Wayman went to Philadelphia and held the Philadelphia Annual Conference. James Lynch was elected secretary. Rev. A. T. Carr, of the South Carolina Annual Conference, was a visitor. James Lynch was appointed pastor of Bethel Church, Philadelphia, but his stay was brief. At the close of the Philadelphia Annual Conference Bishop Wayman, accompanied by Revs. A. T. Carr and R. P. Gibbs, journeyed to Macon, Ga., where on May 30 he organized the Georgia Annual

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Conference. From Macon Bishop Wayman went to Tallahassee, Fla., where on June 8 he organized the Florida Annual Conference. Rev. Benjamin W. Quinn was the secretary. Revs. Charles H. Pierce and Allen Jones, formerly of Queen Ann's County, Maryland, were active and valuable factors in the organization of the Conference. En route home from Florida Bishop Wayman stopped at Columbia, S. C., and laid the corner-stone of a new church. There was a great deal of money placed in the corner-stone, which was removed by the officers of the church before the masons walled it up. But everybody did not know that fact. Some person, or persons, who saw the money placed in the corner-stone, supposing it was left there, went that night, pried out the stone and opened the box; but they found only a few papers.

        The chief event in national affairs was the Reconstruction contest between President Johnson and Congress.

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CHAPTER V
A RÉSUMÉ

        March of the Trailblazers--Lynch and Hall Southward in 1863--Other Trailblazers in the South--Encountered Great Opposition--The Ku Klux Klan--"Carpet Baggers" and "Scalawags"--White Supremacy in the South Never Challenged by Colored People--An Account of the Leaders of the Trailblazers and Their Followers--Another Class of Trailblazers.

        AT this juncture a résumé of the initial march of the trailblazers southeast, south and southwest is suggested as being proper and pertinent. The advent of Revs. James Lynch and J. D. S. Hall into South Carolina marked the beginning of the era of expansion of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the South.

        As the year 1840 marked a new era, so the year 1863 pointed to a new epoch. The institution of slavery was collapsing. Its doom was forecast by the advance of the Union armies. "Those whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad." The day of freedom's triumph was at hand. Its momentum could not be stayed. Destiny had decreed the return of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to South Carolina. May 15, 1865, when Bishop Daniel Alexander Payne proceeded to organize the South Carolina Annual Conference, a new chapter was opened in the history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Not a skeletonized chapter, but one filled with deeds of heroism, daring, self-sacrifice, and indomitable will, which matches the story of the Crusaders. Bishop Payne, with the two trailblazers who preceded him to South Carolina, James Lynch and J. D. S. Hall; and those who accompanied him there, J. A. Handy, James H. A. Johnson, and T. G. Steward; together with those who immediately followed them, and who went to other parts of the South--Bishop Alexander Washington Wayman, Elisha Weaver, R. H. Cain, George A. Rue, George W. Brodie, H. M. Turner, C. H. Pierce, Charles L. Bradwell, A. T. Carr, A. L. Stanford, S. B. Williams, Andrew Brown, Harry Stubbs, Samuel Drayton, Joseph Wood, W. J.

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Gaines, H. Strickland, S. B. Jones, William Bradwell, Thomas Crayton, R. Vanderhorst, C. Sampson, and Peter McLane--may be styled the trailblazers, who, fleet-footed and daring, penetrated the South Atlantic States, leaving here and there a burning torch to guide those who might follow in the same holy cause. When we take into account the trying circumstances of the times in which they acted, that they were a part of a despised and feeble people, strong only in faith and hope, and inspired by the Holy Spirit, we can, to some extent, realize how marvelous were their accomplishments in the face of unrelenting opposition, bitter persecution, and obstacles which were intended to be insurmountable. In many respects their experiences tallied with that of Paul, as set forth in 2 Corinthians 11:

In stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. . . . Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned. . . . In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers; in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

        Verily these men sowed in tears, and endured privations and sufferings which it is not possible for those of this generation to sense. They labored without thought or hope of earthly reward. No titles followed their names. They were pastors, and as such the people were wont to address them. They exacted no promises from the appointing power. They were willing to go wherever sent. They rendered cheerful and loyal obedience to their superiors, which was largely the cause of the successful progress of the work.

        Added to the many and various forms of opposition which they encountered was that of the Ku Klux Klan. The exact time when this bloody and murderous band was initiated is doubtful. Presumably it was in the year 1866. Its object was to terrorize the freedmen on the ground that it was necessary in order to maintain white supremacy. This purpose cannot justly be considered other than an excuse to conceal ulterior motives. At no time and in no section did the freedmen aspire to supremacy over the white people--not even after the adoption of the Fifteenth Amendment.

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        There are some basic factors anent Reconstruction days which have not yet appeared in print. Shortly after the close of the Civil War an organization was formed among the freedmen known as the Loyal League, an organization that was initiated by Northern white men, many of whom were ex-federal officers. The objects of the League were fraternal and cooperative. It aspired to bring all the loyal elements in the South into harmonious relationship, with a view of making secure the fruits of the Civil War. The only symbol of secrecy was a grip. The usual meeting place was a church or a school house. The only oath administered was that of loyalty and obedience to the government of the United States. There was not even the dream of making reprisals on the Confederates. To the marvel of the civilized world, neither during the Civil War nor after, did the slaves or ex-slaves exhibit a spirit of rancor, hatred, or revenge toward their masters or former masters. By a general uprising of the slaves during the absence of the Confederates, followed by a massacre of their wives and children, the Civil War would have been ended much sooner than it was. A general refusal to continue to work on the part of the slaves would have had a similar effect by cutting off the supply of food from the Confederates. There is no more striking picture in human history--and it challenges supreme admiration--than that of the patient, forgiving, forbearing, toiling slaves, guarding the hearthstones and tilling the fields of their masters who, amid the stress and storm of war, were striving to rivet more firmly the shackles of their oppression. Have their virtues of forgiveness and forbearance been justly rewarded? If the answer is to be found in the curtailment of privileges, the restriction of rights; in their being made the victims of mobs and having their bodies dismembered and burned, or strangled at the end of a rope; it is, yes. Otherwise, no.

        It is not altogether improbable that the organization of the Ku Klux Klan was suggested as an offset to the Loyal League. If so, the apprehension which doubtless inspired it was wholly unfounded. Admitting for argument's sake that the ground of its organization was well-founded, and for the purpose generally stated, namely, the maintenance of white supremacy, was it necessary, in order to accomplish this, to take advantage

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of the cover of night to assassinate preachers and teachers, burn churches and school houses, and wantonly murder civilians engaged in other pursuits? However, not all the Ku-Kluxing was done on one side. In many instances, where the trail of the Ku Klux became known, it was ambushed by colored men, and the horses of numberless Ku Klux went home without their riders. Whatever may have been the justifying cause for the existence of the Ku Klux Klan during the Reconstruction period, can the same be said for its revival in the year 1917? It seems as if an effort is being made to turn the hands of time backward. However, it is still true that whatever a people soweth that shall they reap. Furthermore, it is the inexorable logic of sequence that violence begets violence.

        Whatever might have been the degree of venality and corruption which existed during the Reconstruction period, growing out of the ascendancy of the Republican party in some of the Southern States, it was largely due to the attitude assumed by the majority of the white people throughout the South. The only elements excepted were the "carpetbaggers" and "scalawags." The first were Northerners and the second, persons of Southern birth. Among the latter were not a few persons of intelligence, character, and experience in public affairs--men of the type of ex-Governor Alcorn of Mississippi. The hatred of the Democrats for the "scalawags" was greater than it was for the "carpetbaggers." The word "scalawag" is a misnomer. The white men of the South to whom it was applied were of a flexible temperament, and disposed to make the best of the situation as it existed. They were willing to recognize the political rights of colored men guaranteed by the Fifteenth Amendment, and to guide and cooperate with them in the work of reconstructing the South on the basis of law, order, and respect for national authority. The Democratic element had determined not to recognize the legitimacy of the Fifteenth Amendment. Hence, when they were sought and importuned by colored men to fill public offices, as was frequently the case, they abruptly refused, asserting that they would never hold an office if it had to come to them by the votes of "niggers." By this refusal the Democrats threw away the opportunity to form an alliance with colored men which would not only have inured to the benefit of both, but would also

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have proved permanent. Against the cry of "Negro domination" is the fact that in only two of the Southern States--Mississippi and South Carolina--do the colored people outnumber the whites.

        It may be safely affirmed that the colored people do not desire to dominate the white people in any section of the United States. Cooperation is what the former desire, not domination. This is true in Church and State. It is a great pity that the bugbear of "social equality" is allowed to be dragged into circles of thought where reason and common sense ought to dominate. In fact, there is no such thing as "social equality" as a universal rule. There never has been and never will be. The right of every man to choose his companions is God-given. A consummation devoutly to be wished is the refusal of common sense to listen to the cry of "social equality" as applied to white and black peoples by political demagogues.

        Returning to the work of the trailblazers, the subject must be extended so as to include Bishop James A. Shorter, who led the forces in Tennessee, Texas, and Mississippi; Bishop J. P. Campbell, who led the forces in Arkansas; and Bishop J. M. Brown, who led the forces in Alabama. Among the trailblazers in Texas, aside from Bishop Shorter, were Johnson Reed, Richard Haywood, Samuel Carroll, John Mark, Charles B. Foster, and Charles Connor. These were the heroic spirits who traversed the plains of the Lone Star State in the days when the will of cowboys and cutthroats was a menace to law and order. They labored amid great hardships and inconveniences. Railroad facilities were very limited. The subject of religion usually provoked mockery and scoffing, both in private and public circles. Numbered among the trailblazers in Tennessee were D. E. Asbury, Basil L. Brooks, H. E. Bryant, J. W. Early, Bedford Green, Nathan Mitchem, L. N. Merry, Page Tyler, A. A. Williams, and G. L. Jackson. These formed a coterie of strong and aggressive characters. The trailblazers in Mississippi number the mystic seven--A. H. Dixon, James C. Embry, John Miller, Henry A. Jackson, Adam Jackson, Thomas W. Stringer, and Edward A. Scott. One of this number, James C. Embry, in course of time, was elevated to the bishopric. The trailblazers in Mississippi labored under an exceptional disadvantage, to wit, the opposing influence of

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Revs. James Lynch and A. L. Stanford. As Dudley E. Asbury was the scholar of the Tennessee trailblazers and James C. Embry, that of the Mississippi trailblazers, so John T. Jenifer was the scholar of the Arkansas trailblazers. His associates were L. F. Carter, Washington Hill, Reuben Johnson, John Lilly, Edward H. H. Pettigrew, R. A. Sinquefield, and William Young. The deadly malaria greatly handicapped these pioneers in their operations. The State was scantily equipped with railroads and its physical resources were poorly developed. They had to eat the bitter herbs of trials and discomforts. John T. Jenifer proved to be a leader and a conspicuous figure in the Church, and in 1912 was elected Historiographer. He was a member of the first graduating class of Wilberforce University.

        The man of scholarly attainments among the trailblazers of Alabama was Isaiah H. Welch, who was also a member of the first graduating class of Wilberforce University. The full quota of the Alabama trailblazers number the apostolic twelve. The following are their names: B. R. Bailey, F. I. Cozier, Lewis Hillery, Cain Rogers, H. Stubbs, Lazarus Gardner, T. A. Smith, T. H. Smith, G. Snowden, Prince Gardner, G. B. Taylor, and George Washington. The advance of these men was contested by the pathfinders of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church led by Bishop J. J. Clinton.

        In the same year in which the South Carolina Annual Conference was organized (1865) the Louisiana Annual Conference was formed under the supervision of Bishop Campbell. The last of the trailblazers to be noted are those who were connected with this Conference. At the time the Louisiana Annual Conference was delimited, it embraced the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas. Numbered among the trailblazers who labored exclusively in the State of Louisiana after the organization of that Conference, were John Turner, H. Reedy, Peter Robinson, Joseph Lloyd, and James Reece. John Turner was a stalwart and active personage in the Church for about a quarter of a century. He possessed a commanding personality and his intellectual equipment was above the average. The trailblazers throughout the South deserve a large place in the affections and gratitude of the African Methodist Episcopal Church for all time to

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come. While few of them had trained intellects, they all possessed an abundant measure of rugged common-sense, coupled with a high degree of faith and courage. They were well fitted for the stirring times in which they lived. They bequeathed to the Church of their choice a goodly heritage. Will their descendants conserve and perpetuate it?

        A deep sense of appreciation for unselfish labor would not permit me to close this chapter without making special mention of another class of trailblazers, although they were of a different race variety and engaged in a different work from that of the trailblazers of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. I refer to the unselfish and self-sacrificing class of men and women who followed the federal troops as they advanced southward during the Civil War and established schools among the freedmen. The first of these went out under the auspices of the American Missionary Association, closely followed by others who went out under the auspices of the Freedmen's Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and of the Home Missionary Society of the Baptist Church (North). Nashville, Tenn., and Atlanta, Ga., became the chief centers of their operations. As a result of their labors Fisk University (Congregational), Central Tennessee College, now Walden College (Methodist), and Roger Williams University (Baptist), were founded in Nashville, Tenn.; while Atlanta University (Congregational), Clark University (Methodist), and the Baptist College, now Morehouse College, were established in Atlanta, Ga. These are only a part of what is now a large group of such institutions scattered throughout the South for the education of colored youth. There were also a number of combined elementary and grammar schools established in relatively small communities. It was in these communities that the teachers among the freedmen were subjected to the greatest hardships and social isolation, amounting at times to persecution. Everywhere they were taunted with the epithet, "nigger teacher." They were despised and rejected by their own race variety for no other reason than that they sought to enlighten the children of the freedmen. They not only imparted secular instruction but were active in religious work on Sunday. They were in every sense true followers of the lowly Nazarene. A few of them suffered martyrdom for the

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cause they espoused. The names of Drs. Cravath and Spence, Professors Chase and Bennett, long associated with Fisk University; Dr. John Braden, the founder and veteran president of Central Tennessee College for many years; Dr. Ware, for long years the president of Atlanta University; Dr. L. M. Dunton, who gave a half century of service in connection with Claflin College, Orangeburg, S. C., and Dr. J. S. Hill, grown gray in service as the head of the Morristown Normal and Industrial College, Morristown, Tenn., stand first and foremost in the ranks of the veteran educators of colored youth. When the roll of the world's servants of the lowly is called by the Judge of all the earth, the pioneers of education among the colored youth of the South will be heard responding, "Here am I." May the memory of their good deeds be cherished by their beneficiaries unto the remotest generation.

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CHAPTER VI
FOURTH PERIOD OF EXPANSION: 1863-1868 (CONCLUDED)

        Bishop Payne Sailed from Liverpool for Home--His Mission to Secure Funds for Wilberforce University a Failure--Semi-Centenary of African Methodism--Thirteenth General Conference, Washington, D. C., May, 1868--Partial Proceedings in Appendix--An Epoch-Making Event--Southern Delegates Admitted for First Time--The "Two-Cent Money" Discontinued--A Yearly Sum of One Dollar per Member Ordered Raised--Failure of Organic Union Between the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church--J. A. Shorter, T. M. D. Ward, and John M. Brown Elected Bishops--Organization of the Kentucky Annual Conference--Passage of the Fourteenth Amendment--Impeachment Proceedings Against President Johnson.

        ON April 27, 1868, Bishop Payne sailed from Liverpool on the S.S. "Antwerp" for home. He had been absent for one year. Primarily Bishop Payne's visit to England was to solicit funds for Wilberforce University. As to his success, I prefer to let him speak for himself. Immediately on disembarking at New York he went to the rooms of the American Missionary Association and held an interview with Secretary Whipple, who asked him how he had succeeded with his mission. His reply follows:

        Poorly, because I find English Christians just like American Christians; they give power only to the powerful, and wealth only to the wealthy.

        On my arrival in England, Mrs. Burr, the lady of my boarding house, said that she feared I would not succeed, and added: "If you had come just after the war, when English enthusiasm was at its height, you might have obtained something, but now I fear it is too late." Another reason may be found in the fact that when I visited John Bright he said, "England has already sent one million dollars to aid the freedmen, and America has immense resources within herself to supply the wants of her people." I also sent a letter to the Bishop of Oxford--Lord Wilberforce, the son of the great philanthropist--applying for aid. He replied that he had "spoken to the American bishops, who were attending the Pan-Anglican Congress at that time, and they told him that it was not necessary for him to extend aid to the mission, as they had means to attend to the wants

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of the freedmen;" he also added that Wilberforce University was a race school, and he was opposed to any such exclusive schools.


        With the ending of the interview with Secretary Whipple, Bishop Payne took the train for Washington to attend the General Conference, which opened the morning of the day of his arrival in New York. Despite the author's veneration for Bishop Payne, he is led to observe that he views the cause of the Bishop's financial failure from a different angle from what he did. The strain of aristocracy in his blood insisted on his seeking social favors and amenities, and the association of the nobility and the cultured, rather than going around with an open hand in the attitude of a beggar.

        The culmination of two events of more than ordinary interest to the African Methodist Episcopal Church took place in the first half of the year 1868, namely: the celebration of the Semi-Centenary, and the convening of the thirteenth General Conference. At a meeting held by the bishops in Pittsburgh, January, 1866, the following program for the celebration of the Semi-Centenary was agreed upon:

        The instructions contained in the address were generally carried out, with the result that a respectable sum of money was raised, and a feeling of Connectional pride largely developed. The Philadelphia Annual Conference raised $2,073.96; the Baltimore Annual Conference, $1,054.45; the New England Annual Conference, $57.61; the Indiana Annual Conference, $518.69; the Louisiana Annual Conference, $300; and the Missouri Annual Conference, $252. The amount raised by the New York Annual Conference is not available.

        The thirteenth General Conference, which met at Washington, D. C., in May, 1868, was composed of the bishops, all preachers who had traveled six full consecutive years, and one local preacher of four years' standing for every eight hundred lay members reported at the previous Annual Conferences. Three bishops were present at the opening--Quinn, Wayman, and Campbell. Bishop Nazrey had retired to Canada. Bishop Payne made his appearance shortly after the opening of the Conference. When the roll was called, delegates from nine Annual Conferences responded. The Conferences represented were the Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, New England, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Louisiana, and California. There were also representatives from the States of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The status of this latter group was to be determined. They had been brought into the Church during the four years prior to May, 1868. Six Annual Conferences had been organized in the

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South during the same period. The California and Pittsburgh Annual Conferences had also been organized since the adjournment of the General Conference of 1864. In making up the roll of the delegates of the General Conference, those from California had evidently been entered. There is no record to evidence that the attendance of delegates from the South was anticipated. Unfortunately--and to an irreparable extent at that--the Minutes of this General Conference were not printed. The only known reason is that the General Book Steward, Joshua Woodlyn, did not see his way clear to print them. What parsimony! What shortsightedness! What is to be said of the bishops who tolerated such an irretrievable loss? Surely they could and should have prevented it. By so doing they would have preserved to the Church the proceedings of the most important General Conference held in its history since the first one convened. We are indebted to Bishop A. W. Wayman, Elisha Weaver, Bishop B. T. Tanner, Bishop W. J. Gaines, and J. C. Beckett for whatever information is available as to the doings of this General Conference. Bishop Tanner was one of the secretaries.

        The representatives from the South were pastors of churches which had been attached to some of the older Conferences previously mentioned. The names of but one of these groups are obtainable, those from Georgia. They were ten in number, as follows: H. M. Turner, W. J. Gaines, C. L. Bradwell, Andrew Brown, W. H. Noble, T. G. Steward, H. Stubbs, H. Strickland, and S. B. Jones. There was some opposition to the admission of the representatives from the South, except those who were connected with the Missouri Annual Conference, which at that time embraced the entire Southwest. If the General Conference had followed the constitutional rule that had been in force for fifty years, they would not have been admitted. As a solution of the problem, as well as to meet a grave emergency, William Moore, of the Philadelphia Annual Conference, moved that they be seated as delegates; and though, strictly speaking, it was a revolutionary step, suspending, as it did, one of the fundamental requirements for membership in the General Conference, it was adopted. After the vote had been taken, they were called to the altar and introduced as representatives from the South. As there were approximately

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104 itinerant ministers in the General Conference of 1864, we are safe in judging that there were probably 150 in the General Conference of 1868. It was the largest, the most imposing and representative body of colored men that had ever met at the Capital of the Nation. Among them were many of large intellectual caliber. Seven of those occupying seats as delegates were, in course of time, elevated to the bishopric--James A. Shorter, Thomas M. D. Ward, John M. Brown, Henry M. Turner, Wesley J. Gaines, Benjamin T. Tanner, and James A. Handy. The first three were elected at this General Conference. H. M. Turner was elected in 1880, W. J. Gaines and B. T. Tanner in 1888, and James A. Handy in 1892.

        Numerous measures were enacted. The "two-cent money"--that is, collecting two cents per month from every member of the Church, one half of which was used for the relief of the bishops, distressed ministers, supernumerary and superannuated preachers, and the other half to create a fund for the support of the Book Concern--was changed: and instead it was ordered that one dollar per year should be collected from each member of the Church; one fourth of which was to be used for the relief of bishops, supernumerary and superannuated preachers; one fourth to be equally divided between preachers who had not received their allowances, and the widows and orphans of deceased itinerant preachers; one fourth to Wilberforce University, and one fourth to the Book Concern. The office of presiding elder was instituted in such of the Annual Conferences as chose to adopt it. A radical change was made in the composition of the General Conference, involving both ministerial and lay delegates. Hitherto its composition had been general; henceforth it was to be particular and elective--the basis of representation to be one delegate for every seven members of an Annual Conference. Lay representation, instead of the representation of local preachers only, which had been common to the Church since its organization, was decreed. It was stipulated that two lay delegates should be elected to represent each Annual Conference, to be chosen by an Electoral College, which was to function according to rules enacted for its government. Three new elements were thus presented--an elective General Conference, lay representation, and the Electoral College. The

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Conference annulled an old rule which forbade the ministers of the Connection from writing and publishing anything without permission.

        The Conference was visited by a delegation from the American Unitarian Association for the purpose of tendering assistance to our educational work. The question of organic union with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church again came to the fore. At the General Conference of 1864 it was agreed to submit the question of union to a vote of the Quarterly and Annual Conferences of the two Churches, and report the result of the same to their respective General Conferences to be held in 1868. It was found that this had been done, and while the Conferences of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church had voted in favor of it, those of our Church had voted against it. It was proposed by our General Conference to continue negotiations, but upon a different basis. To this proposition the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church dissented, as evidenced by the adoption of the following preamble and resolution:

        Whereas this General Conference has been officially informed by a committee from the African Methodist Episcopal Church that they are not prepared to unite with us on the plan proposed by the Convention of the two Connections held in 1864 and submitted to the Conferences for ratification; and

        Whereas they have asked us to unite with them for the purpose of uniting on some other plan; and

        Whereas our people, in adopting the plan proposed by the aforesaid conventions, did it in good faith, and did not authorize us to offer or accept any other plan; therefore,

        Resolved, That we deem it inexpedient to meet with them according to their request.


        A very significant law was passed at this General Conference relative to incorporated churches. It was as follows:

Should any member or members of our incorporated churches refuse to be governed by the Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, by which they were made members of the said incorporation, he or they shall be called before the society, or a select number, as per Discipline; and if found guilty of insubordination, and not retracting, they shall be expelled for disobedience to the order and Discipline of the said Church. And further, should any class leader or steward intimate that he adheres to the charter and discards the law of the Church, as set forth in the Discipline, the preacher in charge shall remove
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such leader or steward at once. And should any local elder, deacon, or preacher favor by word, act, or influence such insubordination, he shall be called before a committee, as per Discipline; and, if found guilty, suspended from all official standing in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

        A board of women to be known as the Board of Stewardesses was created. A new general office was created--Corresponding Secretary of Missions. James A. Shorter, Thomas M. D. Ward, and John M. Brown were elected bishops and ordained May 25. Bishop Payne preached the ordination sermon. Joshua Woodlyn was elected Book Steward; James A. Handy, Corresponding Secretary of the Missionary Society; B. T. Tanner was chosen Editor of the Christian Recorder by acclamation.

        The First Episcopal District was composed of the Philadelphia, New York, and the New England Annual Conferences, Bishop Campbell presiding; the second was composed of the Baltimore, Virginia, and North Carolina Annual Conferences, Bishop Wayman presiding; the third was composed of the Pittsburgh, Ohio, and Kentucky Annual Conferences, Bishop Payne presiding; the fourth was composed of the Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri Annual Conferences, Bishop Quinn presiding; the fifth was composed of the Annual Conferences of the Southwest, including the States of Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas, Bishop Shorter presiding; the sixth was composed of the Annual Conferences of the Pacific Coast, Bishop Ward presiding; the seventh was composed of the South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama Annual Conferences, Bishop Brown presiding.

        During the Conference Bishop Payne made a statement touching his mission to Europe and its pecuniary results. A partial report of the proceedings of this General Conference (1868) will be found in the Appendix.

        In January, 1868, Bishop Wayman, accompanied by B. T. Tanner, started on a second tour through Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia. He met the Georgia Annual Conference at Macon, the South Carolina Annual Conference at Columbia, and the Virginia Annual Conference at Richmond. In April, 1868, the new Ebenezer Church in Baltimore was dedicated. The Baltimore Annual Conference for this year

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was held there. In September, Bishops Payne, Campbell, and Shorter organized the Kentucky Annual Conference in Louisville.

        The fifteenth delegated General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church convened at Chicago, Illinois, in May, 1868. Fifty-five Annual Conferences were represented by 231 delegates. The tenth General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church assembled in Washington, D. C., on May 6, 1868, with 105 delegates in attendance. The name of the presiding officer was changed from superintendent to bishop. There were four superintendents present. During this session a committee was appointed to draft proposals on union with the Methodist Episcopal Church. The report of the committee follows:

To the Bishops and Members of the Methodist Episcopal Church General Conference:

        We are ready to enter into arrangements by which to affiliate on the basis of equality, and to become one and inseparable now and forever, on the condition of full equality with the most favored of the Church. We desire the further stipulation that a sufficient number of those whom we may select to exercise the episcopal oversight over the colored element of the body may be set apart to that office, on the basis of perfect equality with all other bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church; as we have practically demonstrated that lay representation, especially in the law-making department of the Church, is at once sound, safe, and productive of harmony among the people. We hope that if at all compatible with the views of religious progress, you will adopt the same as the rule of the Church.

J. J. MOORE, Chairman.

J. N. GLOUSTER, Secretary.


        In national affairs two major events are to be noted, namely: the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868, investing the colored people with civil rights; and the conducting of impeachment proceedings in Congress against President Johnson. The trial resulted in his acquittal.

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CHAPTER VII
FIFTH PERIOD OF EXPANSION: 1868-1872

        Meeting of Annual Conferences--Second Session of the Georgia Annual Conference--Activities of T. G. Steward--North Carolina Annual Conference Organized at Greensboro--E. D. Bassett, United States Minister to Haiti--Ex-Governor Roberts of Liberia--Council of Bishops at Cincinnati--Activities of Bishop Wayman--Hiram H. Revels Admitted to the United States Senate from Mississippi--Thomas H. Jackson, John T. Jenifer, and Isaiah H. Welch, First Graduates of Wilberforce University--Council of Bishops at Columbus, Ohio--Organization of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church In America--W. H. Miles and R. H. Vanderhorst Elected Bishops.

        IN 1868 the Philadelphia Annual Conference met at Wilmington, Del., for the first time, Bishop Wayman presiding. Bishops Campbell and Ward were present, both of whom preached during the session. Bishop Ward was invited to preach at Grace Methodist Episcopal Church at night, but declined on account of throat trouble. Bishop Campbell filled this appointment. Bishop Brown preached for the Unitarians. A distinguished visitor was William Lloyd Garrison, a noted abolitionist. He made an eloquent address, referring to the past history of the colored people and what had been done for them. He said that as they were now free, they must stand on their own feet. Dr. D. P. Seaton was transferred to Wilmington, N. C. Dr. Seaton's career in the ministry was long and eventful. The presumption is that he was the first colored American to visit the Holy Land. His activities were varied. He was not only a minister but a physician, and a powerful factor in certain fraternal organizations. His works will not soon be forgotten.

        The New York Annual Conference met at Newark, N. J., Bishop Wayman presiding. Bishops Campbell and Ward were associate bishops. The Conference met in a new church, which was dedicated during the session. R. F. Wayman was the pastor. A delegation of ministers from the Newark Preachers' Meeting of the Methodist Episcopal Church brought fraternal

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greetings. The delegation consisted of Drs. Crane, Porter, and Freeman. Theodore Gould was transferred to this Conference to succeed Joshua Woodlyn at Fleet Street Church, Brooklyn, N. Y. Theodore Gould, along with many others, deserves special mention. His long and eventful career has been characterized by great usefulness and activity. He was assistant to Dr. H. M. Turner when the latter was Manager of the Book Concern. When Dr. Turner retired from the position of Manager in 1880, Rev. Gould was elected his successor. He held the title of D.D. from Wilberforce University.

        On February 6, 1869, the second session of the Georgia Annual Conference was held in Columbus. Bishop J. M. Brown presided. It was at this Conference that two representatives from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, were introduced and made some very interesting remarks. It was claimed that the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, proposed to carry out in good faith the terms of amity and alliance agreed upon with our Church, by the General Conference of their Church in New Orleans, in 1866. During subsequent remarks it was learned that one of the representatives, Rev. James Evans, was the chairman of the committee appointed by that General Conference on the condition of the colored people. It was also elicited that the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, intended to organize an independent colored body in connection with themselves. Co-operation and friendship were pledged to us, but with caution, as was evidenced by the expression, "Only while we were engaged in our one work." This had reference to politics. The African Methodist Episcopal Church was regarded as a politico-ecclesiastical organization in sympathy with the North. This opinion was largely shared by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. This, however, was a mistake. While the African Methodist Episcopal Church believed fully in the freedom of the race and appreciated those who brought about that freedom, it was not, and is not now, a political Church. It is quite possible that the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, already felt at that early date the serious transition which must take place with the formation of independent colored churches. Hence, it was deemed advisable for that Church to retain as many of the colored people as possible, which was clearly indicated by

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the utterances on that subject by the General Conference of 1866.

        At this session of the Georgia Annual Conference, nineteen ministers were admitted into full membership and ordained deacons. Among them were S. H. Robertson, Daniel Brown, Lawrence Thomas, and Daniel McGhee, whose names in this day are frequently referred to. Education absorbed much of the attention of the Conference. Support was pledged to Wilberforce University, the only school of note of which we could then boast. Ministerial education was warmly urged in an able sermon by H. M. Turner. T. G. Steward addressed the Conference on the "Rise and Progress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Georgia."

        The career of T. G. Steward demands more than passing notice. He first came into the fore in May, 1865, as a missionary to the freedmen of the South, being one of the three who accompanied Bishop Payne to South Carolina. He built the church at Macon, Ga., which bears his name, "Steward Chapel." He was pastor of the Metropolitan Church in Washington, D. C. He also served as a Chaplain in the United States Army. He is the author of several books, including Genesis Reread. He was the president of the Freedmen's Savings Bank, Macon, Ga., in 1869. In the same year he published a Sunday-school paper called The Sling and Stone, which the Georgia Annual Conference adopted and promised to help in sustaining.

        In March of 1869, the first session of the North Carolina Annual Conference assembled at Greensboro under the presidency of Bishop Wayman. S. B. Williams was elected secretary. The annual sermon was preached by W. H. Bishop. Joshua Woodlyn, General Book Steward, was among the visitors. He had a powerful and commanding physique, and his voice was of such volume and his gestures so striking as to gain for him the sobriquet of the "Swamp Angel."

        In April of 1869, the Virginia Annual Conference convened in Norfolk. W. D. W. Schureman was elected secretary and W. B. Derrick, assistant. R. J. Gassaway, J. E. W. Moore, and G. W. Pinchard were admitted on trial. John Lewis and Cato L. Dailey were continued on trial. W. H. Smith, Thomas Moore, Thomas W. F. Williams, Matthew Marshall, Aaron Pindel, and Jacklin Strange were admitted into full connection.

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W. D. W. Schureman was a remarkable pulpiteer. In fact, he was in a class by himself. While he did not possess scholarly attainments, he was invested with a large amount of native ability. This was especially true of his power of imagination and his ability to use figures and symbols of speech. W. B. Derrick, a native of Antigua, one of the British West India Islands, was a precocious youth, and in early life gave evidence of gaining prominence as an orator. He was happy and adroit in framing climaxes, which enabled him to arouse enthusiasm among his hearers at the close of his addresses. In 1890, on the resignation of Rev. J. M. Townsend as Secretary of Missions, he was chosen by the Council of Bishops as his successor. This office he held until May, 1896, when at the General Conference held at Wilmington, N. C., he was elected to the bishopric. The Rev. Jacklin Strange gained distinction for continuous connection as a member of the Virginia Annual Conference from the time of his admission in 1867 until his death on February 20, 1922--a period of fifty-five years.

        On April 29, 1869, the Baltimore Annual Conference met in Frederick City, which was the first time that it had met in that part of Maryland. This being the first instance in which a body of colored ministers had met in Frederick City, their presence excited a degree of interest bordering on the curious. It was humorously reported that a colored man in referring to them remarked, "They must be white men with black skins." J. A. Handy preached the annual sermon. Richard Govens, P. M. Onley, Shadrach Jones, and Joshua H. Hughes were admitted on trial. N. B. Sterrett, A. Jones, L. Benson, and J. H. Sliner were continued on trial. The services on Sunday were held in the City Hall, where sermons were preached by A. L. Stanford and J. A. Handy. The missionary sermon was preached by J. R. V. Thomas. One of the remarkable features connected with the career of N. B. Sterrett is that in 1920 he was still in the active ministry, serving as a Presiding Elder in the South Carolina Annual Conference. His death occurred on August 27, 1921.

        At the session of the Baltimore Annual Conference (1869) Joshua Woodlyn resigned his position as General Book Steward, and A. L. Stanford was elected in his place.

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        In May, 1869, the Philadelphia Annual Conference met in Bethel Church, Philadelphia. The presiding officer, Bishop Campbell, was assisted by Bishops Wayman and Shorter. The interest of the Conference was greatly augmented by the visit of ex-President Roberts of Liberia, West Africa; and E. D. Bassett, who had been appointed United States Minister to Haiti. He was the first colored man to be appointed to a diplomatic position. He and ex-President Roberts both made addresses. Responses were made by H. A. Johnson and Frisbie J. Cooper. A reference to ex-President Roberts will doubtless prove both interesting and informing. His full name was Joseph Jenkins Roberts. He is said to have been a trader in the early part of his career. According to the best sources of information he was an octoroon. In 1839 he was appointed to command a military force of three hundred Liberians in an expedition against a ferocious chief by the name of Gotora. The latter, with seven hundred men, attacked the little Liberian station of Heddington on the Saint Paul's River. The Liberian force, three hundred in number, was placed under General Roberts' command. Gotora and his followers were speedily routed. On the death of Governor Buchanan, September 3, 1841, General Roberts succeeded him in the governorship, and was the first colored man to rule Liberia. He was a native of Virginia and was born in 1809. He went to Liberia in 1829. While he was a trader, he developed very friendly relations with several native chiefs. Entering the Liberian Militia, he rose rapidly to a position of command. His success in the armed forces marked him out very naturally as the leading man of the Colony in succession to Governor Buchanan. He took up the reins of office as soon as the news reached Monrovia of Governor Buchanan's death, and later on was confirmed in the position of Governor by the American Colonization Society. He held the position until the first Tuesday in October, 1847, when he was elected the first President of the Republic of Liberia. He was inaugurated as President for a term of two years on January 3, 1848. In May, 1850, he was elected for a second term; in 1852, for a third term; and in 1854, for a fourth term, concluding his presidency, for the time being, December 31, 1856. On January 1, 1872, he was recalled to the presidency, and served his country in that

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capacity until 1876. He then refused re-election on the ground of age and enfeebled health. He died on February 21, 1876, two months after leaving the presidential chair, from the effects of a chill, caused by exposure in an awful downpour of rain, just after attending the funeral of a colleague. He was succeeded in the presidency by James Sprigg Payne. In 1847, President Roberts visited England, France, Belgium, Holland, and Berlin. While in England, he was granted the gracious privilege of an interview with Queen Victoria. In Belgium he received a most cordial welcome from Leopold I. In 1852 he made a second trip to Europe and in 1854, a third visit.

        On Sunday, May 10, 1869, by request of Bishop Campbell, Bishop Wayman dedicated the new church at Media, Pa. This year the New York Annual Conference met at Albany, the capital of the State. Bishop Campbell presided. Elisha Weaver was elected secretary. Bishop Wayman was in attendance. The annual sermon was preached by N. H. Turpin. On June 2, 1869, James A. Handy and Mrs. Rachel S. Trives were united in marriage in Bethel Church, Baltimore. On Sunday, June 20, 1869, Bishops Campbell and Wayman dedicated a new church at Pottsville, Pa. J. H. Rhoads was the pastor. Dr. D. P. Seaton was present. In June, 1869, an adjourned meeting of the Council of Bishops was held in Cincinnati. On Sunday morning, August 1, 1869, Bishop Wayman dedicated the new Pisgah Chapel in Washington, D. C. Further activities of Bishop Wayman to be noted at this time are as follows: Sunday, October 11, 1869, the laying of the cornerstone of the new Saint John's Chapel on Tessier Street, Baltimore, John J. Herbert, pastor; November 28, 1869, dedication of the new Union Bethel Church in Baltimore City, F. M. Sluby, pastor (owing to bad management this church has since gone out of our hands); Sunday, December 26, 1869, the re-opening of Saint John's Chapel on Butte Street, Norfolk, Va., which had been remodeled by J. D. S. Hall. This was followed by the dedication of a church at Greenville, Va., of which Jacklin Strange was the pastor.

        On March 4, 1869, General Ulysses S. Grant was inaugurated President of the United States. Other notable events of this year were the completion of the Pacific Railway and the official opening of the Suez Canal.

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        On January 28, 1870, the Georgia Annual Conference was opened in Americus. Bishop J. M. Brown occupied the chair. J. W. Randolph was secretary; T. G. Steward, recording secretary. There were six presiding elder districts. Among those admitted into the itinerancy were S. W. Drayton, George Christburg, Andrew Lowe, J. M. Cargyle, and E. P. Holmes. There was an effort made to have a branch of the Book Concern located in Atlanta. Sixteen ministers were ordained deacons. Fourteen were ordained local deacons, 17 were ordained elders. C. L. Bradwell was one of the number. Thirty-four licentiates were admitted. Fifteen were recognized in a local capacity.

        On February 25, 1870, Hiram R. Revels was admitted to the United States Senate from Mississippi, being the first colored man elected to that august body. Considerable excitement was in evidence for one or two days before his admission. An attempt was made to delay his admission by having his credentials referred to the Committee on Judiciary, with instructions to inquire whether he had been a citizen of the United States long enough to entitle him to be a senator. That motion having failed, Senator Wilson, of Massachusetts, moved that he be sworn in. Senator Trumbull, of Illinois, stated that such a motion was unnecessary, for it always followed that when the Senate refused to send the credentials of a senator-elect to the Committee on Credentials, he was sworn in. As Senator Saulsbury, of Delaware, had made objections, Vice-President Colfax ordered the calling of the roll. When the result was announced, there were forty-eight yeas and nine nays. Mr. Revels was then sworn in. He was conducted in front of the Vice-President by Senator Wilson. On March 7, 1870, Senator Revels delivered a lecture in Bethel Church, Baltimore, to a large congregation.

        The Virginia Annual Conference met this year at Portsmouth, Va. W. D. W. Schureman was elected secretary. The annual sermon was preached by John H. Offer. J. M. Morris, L. W. Lee, Robert Davis and John H. Reddick were admitted on trial; Robert Armstead, C. L. Dailey, Shadrach Jones, and John B. Lewis were admitted into full connection. The missionary sermon was preached by I. J. Hill. J. H. A. Johnson was transferred to the Baltimore Annual Conference. It will

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be remembered that Rev. Johnson was one of the three missionaries who accompanied Bishop Payne to Charleston, S. C., in 1865. The presumption prevails that on account of his brief stay in the South, he failed to adapt himself to the conditions then existing. He was of a phlegmatic temperament, lacked sociability, and was studious and thoughtful. He was of scholarly attainments and very proficient in secretarial work. He established a reputation for uprightness of character worthy of emulation.

        Hagerstown, Md., was the seat of the Baltimore Annual Conference for this year. J. R. V. Thomas was elected secretary. D. W. Moore preached the annual sermon. Bishop Campbell was among the visitors. J. C. Waters was received and elected to deacons' orders, and transferred to the Kentucky Annual Conference. Thomas W. Henry informed the Conference that Bishop Campbell's father, Rev. Anthony Campbell, was among the first colored ministers that had charge of the church in Hagerstown.

        The Philadelphia Annual Conference met this year at Trenton, N. J. Bishop Campbell presided. Bishops Wayman and Brown were among the visitors. The Bridge Street Church, Brooklyn, N. Y., entertained the session of the New York Annual Conference which met this year. Bishop Campbell presided. A. C. Crippin was the secretary. On Sunday, June 19, 1870, Bishop Wayman, assisted by W. D. W. Schureman, dedicated a new church at Suffolk, Va. On June 28, 1870, Wilberforce University sent forth its first graduates--Thomas H. Jackson, John T. Jenifer, and Isaiah H. Welch. The Council of Bishops met this year at Columbus, Ohio. Bishops Quinn, Payne, Campbell, Shorter, and Brown were present. On July 8, in Philadelphia, Bishop Wayman's only sister departed this life. On December 15, 1870, the North Carolina Annual Conference met at Newbern, N. C. This was its second annual session. S. B. Williams was chosen secretary. G. W. Brodie preached the annual sermon. Among the visitors was Henry J. Young of the Kentucky Annual Conference.

        The General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, met at Memphis, Tenn., in 1870. Many important measures were passed upon favorably. The episcopal veto, the war claim of the Publishing House, the authorization of the

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publication of the Southern Monthly Magazine, and financial provision for the printing of a new edition of the Hymn and Tune Book, were among the measures affirmatively considered. One bishop was elected--Rev. John Christian Keener, of the Louisiana Annual Conference.

        In 1866, of the 207,766 colored members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, reported prior to that date, but 78,742 remained. This decrease was chiefly due to the operations of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Those who clung to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, were set off into circuits, districts, and Annual Conferences. At their request they were constituted an independent body under a name of their own choosing, "The Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America." This was done in Jackson, Tenn., December 18, 1870. W. H. Miles and R. H. Vanderhorst were elected bishops.

        The Methodist Episcopal Church sustained the loss of two of its chief pastors. Bishop Edward Thomson departed this life at Wheeling, W. Va., on March 22, 1870. At the time of his election he was the editor of the Christian Advocate. Within less than one month thereafter, April 6, occurred the death of Bishop Calvin Kingsley, at Beirut, Syria. He was the editor of the Western Christian Advocate at the time of his election to the bishopric.

        The chief event transpiring in the nation was the adoption of the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution. In foreign circles the chief events were: the declaration of war by France against Prussia; the defeat of France, Napoleon III deposed, and the French Republic proclaimed; the German Empire declared; Amadeus, Duke of Aosta, son of Victor Emanuel, elected King of Spain; the Papal States annexed to Italy; and the Mont Cenis tunnel completed.

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CHAPTER VIII
FIFTH PERIOD OF EXPANSION: 1868-1872 (CONCLUDED)

        Meeting of Annual Conferences--J. F. A. Sisson, a White Man, Joined the Georgia Annual Conference--Robert C. Delarge and Robert Brown Elliott Elected Members of Congress from South Carolina--Annual Conference Sessions--Fourteenth General Conference, Nashville, Tenn., May, 1872--John Turner--Followers of the Trailblazers--Augustus R. Green--Other Followers of the Trailblazers--Communication from the Bishops of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church--Bishop Quinn Given a Supernumerary Relation--Organization of the Financial Department--R. H. Cain's Resolution on Civil Rights--Report on Church Union--Death of Robert Jackson, Lay Delegate from the New York Annual Conference.

        THE Georgia Annual Conference met in Atlanta on January 14, 1871. Bishop J. M. Brown, who was not able to reach the Conference in time to open it, telegraphed the Conference to proceed to business. Andrew Brown was elected chairman pro tem. T. G. Steward was chosen secretary, with S. H. Robertson as his assistant. The arrival of Bishop Brown was followed by that of Bishop James A. Shorter, Revs. B. T. Tanner, and Henry J. Young, of Philadelphia. A long list of applicants were admitted on trial. Eighteen ministers were ordained itinerant deacons and nine were ordained local deacons. B. T. Tanner preached the ordination sermon. Henry Strickland rendered yeoman service in Savannah. He completed the church-building known as Saint Philip's which was begun by A. L. Stanford, and saved our congregation in that city. A Mrs. Sarah Marshall paid the entire expense of the roof, which amounted to more than one thousand dollars. Nelson Beacham, Fortune Robinson, Washington Benjamin, and Eli Kimball were numbered among those who had departed this life. What immediately follows is taken from Bishop Gaines' History of African Methodism in the South.

It was intimated that the reports of the Annual Conferences in the past were too meager in detail to give a correct idea of the Conference doings; it was also gently hinted that the secretary in the future
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might be more copious in his reports, to the advantage of the Church. The hint was well taken, it seems, and acted upon. There is no doubt that the want of accurate data concerning our Church work, as a whole, is largely due to the brief and often unsatisfactory way of writing up the Minutes of the various Conferences; and that the history of our Church must lose much of interest, and thus suffer proportionately by too great brevity. Brevity may be the "soul of wit," but it is not that of history, and even prolixity may be better endured when important matters are before us and we desire positive and complete information concerning every detail, such as only full, approved Minutes can give.

        Fourteen ministers were ordained elders. Among them was J. F. A. Sisson, a white man, who subsequently went to Arkansas and the Indian Territory, and continued a faithful servant of the Church until called to his heavenly reward. He was a delegate to the General Conferences of 1876, 1880, and 1884. Macon was selected as the place for the meeting of the Electoral College. Steps were taken to organize a Home and Foreign Missionary Society.

        In April, 1871, the Baltimore Annual Conference met for the first time east of the Chesapeake Bay. It met at Easton, Maryland, Bishop Wayman presiding. J. H. A. Johnson was elected secretary. Bishop Brown was among the visitors, and preached in the City Hall on Sunday with great effectiveness. J. R. V. Thomas was transferred to the Louisiana Annual Conference, and John F. Lane to the Virginia Annual Conference. Dr. W. R. Revels was re-appointed to Bethel Church and James A. Handy to Ebenezer Church, Baltimore, respectively. The Virginia Annual Conference met this spring at Staunton, Va. This year the Philadelphia Annual Conference convened in Union Church, Philadelphia, Pa. Bishop Campbell presided. The Conference was honored with the presence of Bishop Quinn. During the year Bishop Payne visited a number of churches in Western Pennsylvania. In the autumn of this year, A. L. Stanford, who was the General Book Steward, left the Book Concern without any notice and went to Mississippi. At Portsmouth, Va., John Lane gained a great victory in the court in favor of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, when an attempt was made to eject him as pastor. All of the Annual Conferences elected delegates to the General Conference, which was to meet the following year.

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        In 1872, Robert C. Delarge and Robert Brown Elliott were elected members of Congress from South Carolina. The latter served two terms. Benjamin S. Turner was elected a member of Congress from Alabama--Selma District--and Isaiah T. Walls from Florida. J. Milton Turner, of Missouri, was appointed minister to Liberia, which gave him the distinction of being the second colored man to hold a diplomatic position.

        On January 5, 1872, the Georgia Annual Conference assembled for the second time in Savannah. Bishop Brown presided. The secretaries were J. F. A. Sisson, J. W. Randolph, statistical; and F. J. Peck, recording. The visitors included some ministers from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the Rev. Elisha Hathaway, of Bristol, R. I., a minister of the Christian Convention, who had within one year donated $59,000 for the elevation of the freedmen. In his address he stated that he had known both extreme poverty and abundant riches, and that he felt himself constantly made spiritually and financially richer by giving of his substance to the poor, thereby lending to the Lord. The committee on admission reported favorably the names of 48 persons; 16 were recommended for ordination as itinerant deacons; 7 were recommended for ordination as itinerant elders, and one as a local elder. The Conference had 180 full members and 48 probationers, which, it was claimed, entitled it to 32 delegates to the ensuing General Conference. H. M. Turner requested the Bishop and Conference to allow him to retire from the office and work of presiding elder. The literary reports were full of interest. The one upon denominations was especially potent, as it breathed a spirit of Christian brotherhood, which alone can unite all the kingdoms of this earth under the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. The report of the Committee on the State of the Country closed with this trenchant observation:

A free press, freedom of speech, freedom of educational advantages and religious privileges, applicable to all alike, without reference to race, color, or previous condition, will cause each bosom to thrill with rapturous joy.

        In March, 1872, two Annual Conferences were in session at the same time in Baltimore--the Baltimore and the Washington Conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The

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former, presided over by Bishop Simpson, was composed of white ministers; the latter, presided over by Bishop Janes, was composed of colored ministers. The Virginia Annual Conference met in Richmond, Va. W. B. Derrick was elected secretary. The annual sermon was preached by J. B. Hamilton. Among the visitors were Revs. B. T. Tanner and H. J. Young, the former representing the Book Concern and the latter, Wilberforce University.

        The Baltimore Annual Conference met in Union Bethel Church, Washington, D. C. James H. A. Johnson and J. H. W. Burley were secretaries. The annual sermon was preached by Dr. W. R. Revels and the missionary sermon by R. A. Hall. M. F. Sluby was received by transfer from the North Carolina Annual Conference, and W. H. Brown from the South Carolina Annual Conference. An unusual event was a visit to the President of the United States. At the appointed time the Conference marched in a body to the White House. President Grant was introduced by Mr. James L. Thomas to Rev. James A. Handy, who introduced the bishop and Conference to the President. The address of felicitation was read by James H. A. Johnson.

        The assembling of the General Conference of 1872 was invested with unusual interest and significance. It was the first time that it had met on Southern soil proper, and was the third time that it had met on former slave territory. Before noting the doings of this General Conference, it is fitting that I should attempt to delineate the character and equipment of the most conspicuous and active of the followers of the trailblazers. Added to this is the fact that the twelve years elapsing between 1860 and 1872 not only witnessed the most momentous and stirring events in the history of the nation, within the nation, but were prolific of events of world dimension.

        The Civil War, with its tremendous and far-reaching results, had been written large into our domestic history. Slavery, "the sum of all villanies"--thus described by John Wesley, the founder and apostle of Methodism--had been washed away in a sea of blood. Retributive and unerring justice had required that for every drop of blood which had been drawn by the lash from the back of a slave the same should be

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paid for in kind and degree by those who were responsible therefor. The domain of universal freedom had been enlarged, and henceforth the Stars and Stripes were indeed and in truth to wave "o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

        The General Conference of 1860 was composed of 3 bishops, 73 itinerant and 34 local ministers. Total, 107. At that time the operations of the African Methodist Episcopal Church were confined to the regions east of the Mississippi River, extending southward to include Maryland and the District of Columbia. Saint Louis was the only point occupied west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains. Five of the delegates who were in the General Conference of 1860 subsequently were elevated to the bishopric--A. W. Wayman, J. P. Campbell, J. A. Shorter, J. M. Brown, and T. M. D. Ward. Their character and equipment will be noted later on. Two other members of this General Conference, Revs. Elisha Weaver and Theodore Gould, in course of time were elected General Officers. Both filled the same position--Manager of the Book Concern; the former was elected in 1868, and the latter in 1880. Dr. Gould, whose remarkable career has already been commented on, was licensed to preach in 1853. He was ordained a deacon by Bishop William Paul Quinn in 1859, and by the same bishop was ordained an elder in 1862. His active ministry covered a period of about 65 years. He rendered effective service in the Philadelphia, New England, and New York Annual Conferences. He was manager of the Book Concern from 1880 to 1884. He died in Philadelphia in 1920, and was buried near Gouldtown, N. J., the place of his birth. At the time of his death he was the only surviving member of the General Conference of 1860. Surely his steps were ordered of the Lord. Of the 167 delegates who were in attendance at the General Conference of 1860, only 11 were members of the General Conference of 1872--William Paul Quinn, Daniel A. Payne, A. W. Wayman, J. P. Campbell, J. A. Shorter, J. M. Brown, T. M. D. Ward, J. J. Herbert, Deaton Dorrell, Theodore Gould, and John Turner. Bishop Willis Nazrey, who was a member of the General Conference of 1860, was connected with the British Methodist Episcopal Church in 1872.

        Rev. John Turner possessed a commanding personality, and in his latter days was quite patriarchal in appearance. His

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tall, well-shaped form, and his long white hair and long-flowing beard gave him a mark of distinction. It is known that he was a member of the General Conferences of 1872 and 1876. Presumably he was a member of the General Conferences of 1864 and 1868. His ministerial labors were confined to the Missouri Annual Conference. For some reason, after an eventful and useful career in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, he connected himself with the Protestant Episcopal Church and ended his earthly career while in its service.

        Rev. William Paul Quinn was the trailblazer west of the Allegheny Mountains. Among his followers were Charles H. Peters, Solomon H. Thompson, William Newman, Edward D. Davis, William Morgan, John Ridgeway, Jeremiah Lewis, Grafton H. Graham, James A. Shorter, Augustus R. Green, Edward Epps, John Gibbons, Levin Gross, S. T. Jones, John A. Warren, John Tibbs, Nelson H. Turpin, and Samuel Watts, who labored in Ohio.

        Willis R. Revels, William J. Davis, Thomas M. D. Ward, Levi W. Bass, Austin Woodford, William Jackson, W. A. Dove, James Curtis, Turner W. Roberts, Richard Bridges, Frederick Myers, Daniel Winslow, Charles Burch, W. C. Trevan, æneas McIntosh, and John B. Dawson were the chief toilers in Indiana.

        J. W. Early, John Turner, Charles C. Doughty, B. L. Brooks, Willis Miles, and Jacob Norago followed the trailblazers in Missouri.

        It cannot be said that any of these were scholars in the technical sense of that term. Among the laborers in Ohio, James A. Shorter, Augustus R. Green, Grafton H. Graham, John A. Warren, and S. T. Jones led in native and acquired ability. Grafton H. Graham developed pulpit ability beyond any of his compeers. He was a born gentleman, tender, smooth, and suave, and he had an admirable physique. Though he lived to a ripe old age, when the time for his retirement came, a congregation at Franklin, Ohio, consented to take him as pastor, where he continued in active service until the close of his earthly career. The character of Augustus R. Green may be termed kaleidoscopic. Not that he lacked force, but because of his diversity of gifts. He was a preacher, parliamentarian, and debater. In a forensic struggle he was a foeman worthy

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of any man's steel. He was keen of apprehension, of dogged determination and unyielding persistency. He labored for some time in Canada. In the General Conference of 1856 he was a member of the Committee on Canadian Separation, and was also a member of the Committee on Slavery.

        Among the followers of the trailblazers in Indiana who merit preeminence may be named Willis R. Revels, Thomas M. D. Ward, W. A. Dove, Charles Burch, W. C. Trevan, æneas McIntosh, and John B. Dawson. By reason of his superior intellectual training, Willis R. Revels was in advance of any of his compeers. He was both a preacher and a physician. He pastored many important charges, including Bethel Church, in Baltimore. He was a brother of Hiram R. Revels, United States Senator from Mississippi. The equipment and activities of T. M. D. Ward appear elsewhere in this volume. W. A. Dove was a very popular preacher and a great itinerant. He was much sought after on special occasions, such as revivals, church anniversaries, and camp meetings. W. C. Trevan, æneas McIntosh, J. B. Dawson, and Charles Burch were leaders of their class. The last of this group rendered efficient service in organizing and developing our work in Louisiana.

        Of those who followed the trailblazers in Missouri, the names of J. W. Early, John Turner, and Basil L. Brooks stand out prominently. Rev. Brooks did not render continuous service in Missouri, for he was in the organization of the Tennessee Annual Conference. He was a member of the General Conferences of 1872 and 1876. The character and equipment of Revs. Early and Turner have already been noted.

        A great deal of constructive work marked the period between 1840 and 1860. Bishop Quinn was the hero of that epoch. By his splendid achievements during the years 1840-1844 he made his election to the bishopric by the General Conference of the latter year a necessity.

        The General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which convened in Nashville, Tenn., May, 1872, was the fourteenth and the first delegated General Conference. It was composed of 7 bishops, 155 ministerial and 33 lay delegates. Total, 195. The general officers numbered 2: B. T. Tanner, Editor of the Christian Recorder; and James A. Handy, Corresponding Secretary of the Parent Home and Foreign

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Missionary Society. The session lasted for nineteen days. J. H. A. Johnson, of the Baltimore Annual Conference, was elected secretary; B. W. Arnett, of the Ohio Annual Conference, assistant secretary; and J. F. A. Sisson, of the Georgia Annual Conference, recording secretary. Bishop A. W. Wayman preached the Quadrennial Sermon. The sermon appears in full in the Minutes. Arrangements were made for the publication of a tri-weekly issue of the Christian Recorder.

        Greetings were received from the faculties of Fisk University and Central Tennessee College. The Indiana Annual Conference presented a petition asking that that Conference be divided.

        The following communication was presented from the Bishops of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America:

To the Bishops and Members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, assembled in General Conference at Nashville, Tenn., May, 1872:

        This comes greeting your honorable body, and hoping that the blessings of Almighty God may attend you, and that you may have a pleasant session. Dear Brethren and Sirs, this being the first session of your General Conference since we effected our separate organization, and as we desire to be at peace with all men, and especially with all Christian Churches; therefore we thought we would drop you a few lines, asking your honorable body to take some steps to settle the dispute that now exists between our churches with regard to our church property that you are now occupying, which you know is rightly ours by the decision of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, at their session in New Orleans, La., in 1866, and also at the session of the same General Conference in Memphis, Tenn., in May, 1870. We assure you that we wish to live in peace with your Church, and we do not wish to go to law for our Churches if it pleases your honors to appoint a committee to meet us.

        You may rest assured that the committee will be met with great respect on our part. We believe that these little questions of law are very injurious to our success, and we think that something should be done on both sides to stop the contention, and let peace be established among us.

        Your ministers have been very hostile to us in the past, forbidding us preaching in our houses of worship, that are occupied by your congregations, for which we are sorry.

        We only ask for that which is ours under the laws of the land, and we assure you that if we have any of your churches, we are ready and willing to give them up; and we ask your honorable body to turn over to our Church all the church property throughout the Southern States that belongs to our Church, without the trouble of lawsuits.

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        We await your answer. Direct to W. H. Miles, 189 East Tenth Street, Louisville, Ky.

W. H. MILES,
R. H. VANDERHORST,
Bishops of the Colored Methodist Episcopal
Church in America.


        A motion that there should be inserted in our Book of Discipline a clause for the purpose of empowering the various Annual Conferences to create a fund to be used for paying the expenses of the delegates to the General Conference was defeated. This was certainly the result of short-sightedness. The Episcopal Address was read by Bishop John M. Brown. It proved to be very scholarly and informing. Among the many suggestive observations, the following is of striking significance:

Sometimes men of little faith in themselves, and less in God, urge our absorption into other denominations. We have no favorable word for this suicidal advice, for everywhere prosperity and increased success attend our efforts to do good. Would it be proper, in view of this success, to enter upon the work of disintegration? The grand idea which led our fathers, and which controls us, is the unification of our race. Unification of Methodism is still unaccomplished. The fifty-six years of our organic existence, though, have not been in vain, when we consider the results which have followed the efforts put forth. Ours is a peculiar mission. We are to demonstrate the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. Have we accomplished this, and are the evidences of its accomplishment satisfactory to our minds? Our Church has always sought friendly alliance with the great Christian family, and has found but one denomination, the Unitarians, that has not repelled us, nor taught the doctrine of absorption.

        The address advised that the episcopacy be made more powerful, vigorous, and effective in all its parts, and that the office of presiding elder be made universal. The removal of the three-year restrictive rule relative to transfers was requested, and the need for the reinforcement of our home missionary work was pointed out. Attention was called to a recent appeal from Haiti; to the needs of Africa; and to the possibilities of extending our operations into Brazil, Cuba, and Mexico. Great stress was laid on the necessity for a trained ministry, and the General Conference was urged to devise the most liberal plans to make successful our Theological Seminary at Wilberforce.

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        Two distinctive events in connection with this General Conference are to be noted, namely, the granting of supernumerary relation to Bishop Quinn, and the organization of the Financial Department.

        Attention was called to the departure from earthly toil of William Moore, William H. G. Brown, Charles H. Peters, John A. Warren, Levin Gross, Richard M. Hogan, John Ridgeway, John H. Henson, Charles C. Doughty, Burwill Jackson, Max Steward, and Burwill Harris.

        Fraternal greetings were presented from the British Methodist Episcopal Church. A resolution was offered favoring organic union between the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. R. H. Cain offered the following series of resolutions on Civil Rights:

        Whereas, it is an established principle in the American Government that every citizen of this republic shall be secure in the enjoyment of all rights in all States, irrespective of race, color, or previous condition; and

        Whereas, these rights have been secured by the amendments to the Constitution of the United States since the war, and by the proper and just interpretation of the courts of the land; and

        Whereas, the laws of every State have been modified to harmonize with the growing sentiment of the nation, to accept the colored people of this country as a part of the American nationality; and

        Whereas, there does not now exist any statutory laws making discriminations between Americans because of their color; and

        Whereas, certain railroad companies in the States of Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky have assumed to make regulations violative of the said constitutional amendment by making the colored people who travel on their roads pay first-class fare, and thrusting them into second-class cars because of their color, and often abusing our wives and children by ejecting them from first-class cars; therefore,

        Resolved, That we, the representatives of the largest body of Christians of the African race in this country, hereby enter our solemn protest against this relic of barbarism and American slavery, as inconsistent with the rights of man and the principles which underlie our enlightened government.

        Resolved, That we enter our protest against the treatment and insults offered to the bishops and delegates of this General Conference on these roads while coming to Nashville.

        Resolved, That we hereby pray the Congress of the United States, now in session, to pass the "Civil Rights Bill," now pending, and offered by the Hon. Charles Summer, of Massachusetts, to the end that

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equal rights may be awarded to every American citizen traveling on the highways of the nation.

        Resolved, That we hail with thankful hearts the growing sentiment of justice in the mind of the nation, and shall seek by our labors as teachers and ministers of Christ, to elevate our race to that standard of virtue and honor which will entitle it to all the blessings flowing through the streams of civilization, moral worth, and Christian truth.

        Resolved, That the Hon. Charles Sumner is entitled to the never-ceasing respect and gratitude of the colored people of this country, and we hereby transmit to him our appreciation of his sterling worth and integrity in the principles of human liberty.

        Resolved, That we will never rest satisfied until, as American citizens, our race shall enjoy all rights and privileges on all the highways on this continent as do any other class of people.

        Resolved, That our influence and energies shall be given to that party and administration of government which shall guarantee to our race those sacred rights and protect us in them.

        Resolved, That representing, as we do, a Christian organization of three hundred and seventy-five thousand members and seven thousand preachers, with an attendance of more than a million worshipers, we claim a proper recognition from the officers of the law in this country, and demand civil rights in the name of Justice and Humanity.


        The resolutions were adopted by a unanimous vote.

        Rev. W. R. Revels then moved that a copy of them be sent to Hon. Charles Sumner. Adopted.

        An interesting report on Church Union follows:

To the Bishops and members of the General Conference assembled:

        Your committee appointed to consider the subject of Fraternal Union with other religious bodies, after careful and mature deliberation, would most respectfully submit the following:

        Therefore we cordially welcome to our ranks the friends of Jesus everywhere, of all nationalities: but especially would we say to our colored brethren: "Come thou with us and we will do thee good, for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel."

Respectfully submitted,

W. S. LANKFORD, Chairman.

W. D. HARRIS, Secretary.


        B. W. Arnett moved that the report be adopted. Carried.

        A new general office was created, that of Financial Secretary, and the name of the Book Concern was changed to that of the Publication Department.

        The following were elected general officers: W. H. Hunter, Business Manager of the Book Concern; B. T. Tanner, Editor of the Christian Recorder; John H. W. Burley, Financial Secretary; and W. J. Gaines, Secretary of the Parent Home and Foreign Missionary Society, who refused to accept the position.

        Mr. Robert Jackson, a lay delegate from the New York Annual Conference, died in Louisville, Ky., while en route to the General Conference.

EPISCOPAL DISTRICTS AND ASSIGNMENTS

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OTHER METHODISMS

        The sixteenth delegated General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church was held in New York, May 1-June 4, 1872. Seventy-two Annual Conferences were represented by 292 ministerial and 129 lay delegates; total number, 421. Among those who departed this life during this quadrennium were Bishops Baker, Clark, Thomson, and Kingsley. Thomas Bowman, William L. Harris, Randolph S. Foster, Isaac W. Wiley, Stephen M. Merrill, Edward G. Andrews, Gilbert Haven, and Jesse T. Peck were elected bishops. For the first time lay delegates were admitted to the law-making body of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Each Annual Conference was authorized to send two lay delegates, except those Conferences having only one ministerial delegate, such Conferences being allowed only one lay delegate. The ratio of ministerial representation was fixed at one delegate for every forty-five members of an Annual Conference. Each bishop was required to reside in a certain city designated by the General Conference.

        The eleventh General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church met in Charlotte, N. C., June 19, 1872. One hundred and forty delegates were in attendance. Six bishops were present. W. H. Hillery was elected secretary; Robert Harris, recording secretary. The salary of the bishops was reduced from $1,500 to $1,200 per annum. J. J. Clinton, S. D. Talbot, J. W. Hood, J. J. Moore, S. T. Jones, and J. W. Loguen were elected bishops. During the quadrennium, the Church passed through a severe ordeal. It grew out of a misunderstanding respecting the place of the meeting of the General

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Conference of 1872. Bishop Jones, who had been sent to Chicago in 1868, as a messenger to the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church with a proposal for a consolidation with that Church, finding that the union could not be effected at that time, entered into an agreement to continue the effort for the ensuing four years. He sought to have the meeting of the General Conference of his Church, in 1872, in New York City, so that the two General Conferences, being near together, could the more easily consider the matter of consolidation. Seemingly Bishop Haven, the proponent of consolidation on the part of the Methodist Episcopal Church, had held out to the leaders of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church the possibility, in case of consolidation, of their having a pro rata representation on the Episcopal Board, and in all other respects such recognition as their numbers entitled them to. But Bishop Jones, who was ardently in favor of Union, could not get the consent of his confreres to change the place of the meeting of their General Conference from Charlotte, N. C., to New York City. This was chiefly due to a growing doubt of Bishop Haven's ability to secure for them what he desired. The action of Bishop Jones in trying to force a change in the place of meeting of the General Conference of 1872 provoked prolonged and acrimonious discussion.

        Among the international and national events to be noted were the ending of the Franco-German War by the Treaty of Frankfort; the proclaiming of William of Prussia, Emperor of Germany at Versailles; the abolition of slavery in Brazil; and the great fire in Chicago, October 8-10, 1871.

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CHAPTER IX
THIRD PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT: 1873-1892

        Annual Conference Sessions--Council of Bishops, Washington, D. C.--Organization of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union--Intense Activities of Bishop Wayman--Organization of the Woman's Parent Mite Missionary Society--Council of Bishops the Guests of Hon. James G. Blaine at Luncheon--Fifteenth General Conference, Atlanta, Ga., May, 1876--A Daily Issue of the Christian Recorder Ordered--Other Doings of the General Conference--Petition from the Pittsburgh Annual Conference for a Change in the Name of the Church--Fraternal Greetings Ordered to be Sent to Various Denominations--Other Methodisms--Delegates to the First Ecumenical Methodist Conference.

        ON January 11, 1873, the Georgia Annual Conference met at Macon. Bishop T. M. D. Ward presided, assisted by Bishop J. M. Brown. The secretaries were William D. Johnson, J. W. Randolph, and F. J. Peck. Though the General Conference of 1872 had strongly condemned the wearing of robes by our bishops, the question was raised by H. M. Turner, who tried to initiate a movement to purchase and present a robe to the presiding bishop of the Conference, but failed. Thirty-seven preachers were admitted on trial. Thirty ministers were ordained elders and thirty-three were ordained deacons. An exodus of colored people from Georgia to Arkansas had been stimulated by paid agents, which decreased the membership of some of our churches. Many of those who sold themselves, as it were, for their passage money, were subsequently led to bitterly regret their course of action. The Conference agreed to divide and form a new one to be known as the North Georgia Annual Conference.

        On February 23, 1873, the Church was shocked by the announcement of the death of Bishop William Paul Quinn at Richmond, Ind. This was the first break in the episcopacy since the death of Bishop Morris Brown in 1849. Others who died during the year were Revs. J. H. Sliner, Baltimore, Md.; Lewis S. Lewis, Vincennes, Ind.; æneas McIntosh, Bloomington, Ill.; and Elisha Weaver, Richmond, Ind.

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        On April 9, the Virginia Annual Conference was held in Portsmouth. Bishop Campbell presided. Bishops Wayman and Shorter were among the visitors. On May 15, the California Annual Conference met in Stockton. Bishop Wayman presided. The annual sermon was preached by J. B. Stansbury. A concrete evidence of Bishop Wayman's activities and the development of the work during the year 1873 may be gathered from the fact that churches were dedicated at the following places: Saint Joseph, Mo., June 8; Saint Charles, Mo., June 15; Mattoon, Ill., June 22; Tuscola, Ill., June 23; Muncie, Ind., June 28; Elkton, Md., July 6; South Chester, Pa., August 17; Mitchell, Ind., September 21; Noblesville, Ind., September 28. Number of churches dedicated, 9. Time occupied, three months and twenty days. This was a record-breaking accomplishment.

        The Financial Board met this year at Indianapolis. The Indiana Annual Conference met at Richmond, and the Illinois Annual Conference was held in Keokuk, Iowa, Bishop Wayman presiding over both Conferences.

        The Council of Bishops met this year at Washington, D. C. Following this, the Financial Board again met. Wilberforce University was honored with the visitation of Rev. Émile F. Cook, of Paris, president of the French Methodist Conference, and of Dr. Marsh, of London, England.

        An event of general interest in this year was the organization of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. There is also to be recorded this year the death of Rev. Stephen Smith, of Philadelphia, a noted philanthropist, and the founder of the Home for Aged Colored People in that city.

        On January 8, 1874, the North Georgia Annual Conference assembled in Augusta. Bishop T. M. D. Ward presided. William D. Johnson was elected secretary. The Conference was honored by a visit from Bishop L. H. Holsey, of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America, who warmly congratulated us on our success as a Church. He referred to the tendency of all Christian bodies to unite and he expressed the belief that strength would result from the union of Methodism, especially of the colored branches. Dr. H. M. Turner made a spirited reply.

        On January 22 the Georgia Annual Conference convened

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in Thomasville. William D. Johnson and Francis J. Peck were elected secretaries. A controversy arose over the ratification of the action of the joint committee dividing the Conference. A motion of Dr. H. M. Turner to have the matter indefinitely postponed was ruled out of order by the Bishop, who decided that the separation of the Conference was settled in Macon in 1873. Four ministers were ordained elders. Eleven were ordained deacons. Twelve were admitted on trial.

        This year (1874) furnished additional evidence of the activities of Bishop Wayman and the further development of the Church in the dedication of churches at the following places: Canonsburg, Pa., February 1; Jacksonville, Ill., June 14; Crawfordsville, Ind., June 21; Peru, Ind., June 28; and Richmond, Ind., July 5. This was another record-breaking accomplishment--the dedication of five churches on five successive Sundays. On August 30 he dedicated a church at Terre Haute, Ind.

        The California Annual Conference met this year in Sacramento City. Bishop Wayman presided. The annual sermon was preached by I. N. Triplett. J. R. Dorsey was ordained an elder. On the return trip Bishop Wayman visited Oakland, San Francisco, and Marysville, Cal.; Virginia City and Carson City, Nev.; Omaha, Neb.; Ottumwa and Burlington, Iowa; Galesburg, Peoria, Jacksonville, Springfield, Lincoln, Decatur, Mattoon, and Champaign, Ill.; Crawfordsville, Rockville, Terre Haute, Indianapolis, Peru, Marion, and Richmond, Ind. The notation of these several places, located in six different States, furnishes a birds'-eye view of the progress of the Church in the territory embraced in them. On July 19 the Council of Bishops met in Bethel Church, Baltimore. The Indiana Annual Conference assembled in Terre Haute, September 2. The annual sermon was preached by A. T. Hall. D. P. Seaton was transferred to the Indiana Annual Conference and N. M. Mitchem, to the Tennessee Annual Conference. The Illinois Annual Conference met at Springfield, September 10. W. J. Davis preached the annual sermon. The Conference was visited by the governor of the State. The Missouri Annual Conference met at Kansas City, Mo., September 23. T. W. Henderson was elected secretary and J. H. Hubbard, assistant. John Turner preached the missionary sermon. Bishop Wayman

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presided at each of the three Conferences just referred to. On Sunday morning, November 1, the church in New York city was reopened. Bishop Shorter read the dedicatory prayer, and Bishop Wayman delivered the sermon.

        What may be called the chief activity of Bishop Wayman during this year was the prayer that he delivered in Springfield, Ill., at the unveiling of the monument to the memory of Abraham Lincoln. It was profoundly significant that the prayer should be offered by a member of the race for whose delivery from bondage the Great Emancipator met a tragic death. In connection with the ceremonies there was a procession led by Generals Grant and Sherman, Vice-President Wilson, and ex-Vice-President Colfax.

        Through the efforts of Mr. Cousins, agent of the Freedmen's Bureau at Xenia, Ohio, Bishop Payne secured a loan of $3,000 for Wilberforce University. During the last six months of this year Bishop Payne assisted in the dedication of a number of churches.

        The seventh General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, assembled in Louisville, Ky., May 1-26, 1874. A feature of this Conference was the appearance of the first fraternal delegation from the Methodist Episcopal Church. It consisted of Dr. A. S. Hunt, Dr. C. H. Fowler, and General Clinton B. Fisk. They delivered addresses "characterized by excellent taste and great ability." A lengthy reply was adopted by the General Conference. A commission was created to meet a similar commission from the Methodist Episcopal Church to adjust all differences between them. A similar commission was appointed by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1876. The two delegations became the famous "Cape May Commission." This year marked the laying of the cornerstone of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.

        The first General Conference (after organization) of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America met in Augusta, Ga., on March 19, 1873, one year in advance of its regular time of meeting, which was due to the death of Bishop Vanderhorst. Bishop Miles, being the only other bishop at the time, found that he could not meet the many pressing demands made upon him; hence the special session to elect and consecrate more bishops to assist in the general superintendency of

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the rapidly growing Church. Fourteen Annual Conferences were represented, showing that seven Conferences had been organized since the founding of the Church in 1870. Bishop W. H. Miles presided. J. W. Bell was the secretary. L. H. Holsey, J. A. Beebe, and Isaac Lane were elected bishops. The ordination sermon was preached by Bishop George F. Pierce, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The total amount assessed for the support of the four bishops for one year was $3,800.

        The Woman's Parent Mite Missionary Society of the African Methodist Episcopal Church was organized May 18, 1874. Mrs. M. A. Campbell was the first president, Mrs. C. M. Burley was the first secretary, and Mrs. Harriett A. Wayman was the first treasurer. The first convention was held August 16, 1874, in the city of Pittsburgh, Pa.

        In this year the Church sustained the loss by death of Rev. Henry J. Young, who rendered herculean service for the Church of his choice. He was a man of great aggressiveness and daring. While he was the pastor of Sullivan Street Church in New York city, he uncovered and forced the expulsion of a number of corrupt and dishonest trustees, a proceeding that gave him great prominence. He was an excellent pastor and an acceptable preacher. He was the pastor of Quinn Chapel, Louisville, Ky., some time prior to 1870.

        On January 21, 1875, the ninth session of the Georgia Annual Conference convened at Albany. Bishop T. M. D. Ward presided. William D. Johnson and J. M. Cargyle were the secretaries. Twenty persons were admitted as local preachers. Eleven licentiates were admitted into full connection. Six ministers were ordained elders, and four were ordained deacons. Education was emphasized, especially theological training. Bishop Ward, W. J. Gaines, and William D. Johnson were invited to preach in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. This was the first time that this courtesy had been extended by white people in the State to any of our ministers. The white citizens of Albany contributed some five hundred dollars toward the support of the Conference.

        In 1875, the Virginia Annual Conference met at Richmond. Bishop Campbell presided. Revs. J. A. Handy and W. H. Hunter were among the visitors. On April 21, the New Jersey

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Annual Conference convened in Camden. Bishop Shorter presided. On the same date the Baltimore Annual Conference met at Annapolis. Bishop Campbell presided. The annual sermon was preached by J. Nicholson. J. S. Thompson preached the missionary sermon. As this was the first time that the Conference had met in the capital of the State of Maryland, it paid its respects in a body to the Governor. John W. Burley was the spokesman of the Conference and was happy in his deliverance. The Governor seemed to be somewhat embarrassed by the presence of such an imposing body of colored men.

        The California Annual Conference met May 20, in Oakland. Bishop Wayman presided. The annual sermon was preached by J. Fletcher Jordan.

        At Fort Scott, Kan., on Sunday, June 20; at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, July 4; and at Lost Creek Settlement, Ind., on Sunday, July 11, churches were dedicated--all by Bishop Wayman.

        On August 26, 1875, the Indiana Annual Conference met at Detroit, Michigan. Bishop Wayman presided. James M. Townsend was elected secretary. Dr. D. P. Seaton preached the annual sermon; Dr. Willis Revels preached the missionary sermon. On Friday, August 27, the Conference received a dispatch from Canada announcing the death of Bishop Nazrey. This was wholly unexpected as he had been invited to visit this session of the Indiana Annual Conference. Revs. R. R. Disney and Walter Hawkins arrived from Canada as a deputation to extend an invitation to the bishop and Conference to attend the funeral of Bishop Nazrey at Chatham, on Thursday, September 2, at 1 o'clock. The invitation was accepted. About two hundred persons from Detroit attended the funeral. Bishop Wayman delivered the funeral discourse. He was assisted in the services by Drs. Seaton and Revels. The commitment service at the grave was conducted by Bishop Shorter.

        Sparta was the seat of the Illinois Annual Conference which met September 8, 1875. Bishop Wayman presided. Through the courtesy of the pastor and officers, the sessions were held in the Methodist Episcopal Church. G. C. Booth was elected secretary. John W. Malone preached the annual sermon. G. C. Booth preached the missionary sermon. He was a profound

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and versatile scholar, being an undergraduate of Yale University. He was well versed in the classics, particularly Greek and Hebrew. He filled the pastorate of Quinn Chapel in Chicago for two terms, and no minister who has ever served that church has been his superior intellectually. The great drawback that prevented him from becoming a leader was his passiveness and over-modesty. He was as gentle as a woman. He had the moral and intellectual equipment for leadership, but lacked dynamic force. He maintained a spotless reputation.

        On Sunday, September 19, 1875, Bishop Wayman dedicated a church at Cairo, Ill. F. Meyers was the pastor. On September 22, the Missouri Annual Conference met in Glasgow. T. W. Henderson was the secretary. The annual sermon was preached by B. W. Steward, and the missionary sermon by James H. Hubbard. W. A. Dove and J. M. Wilkerson proved of great help to the bishop in the conducting of Conference affairs. At Champaign, Ill., October 3, 1875, and at Baltimore, November 7, Bishop Wayman dedicated a church. The church in Baltimore was located on Stockton Street and known as Allen Chapel. Other churches dedicated by Bishop Wayman this year were Ebenezer, Detroit, Mich., November 14; one at Kokomo, Ind., December 5, Johnson Burden, pastor; and one at Seymour, Ind., December 19, H. H. Thompson, pastor.

        Cartersville, Ga., was the seat of the North Georgia Annual Conference. It assembled December 16, 1875. Bishop T. M. D. Ward presided. There was no event that took place to distinguish this Conference aside from the regular order of business. Twelve persons were admitted on trial. Eight ministers were ordained deacons and one was ordained an elder. Delegates were elected to the General Conference of 1876.

        The peace of the world was disturbed this year by the Egyptian-Abyssinian War. The Carlos insurrection in Spain was suppressed. Great Britain gained financial control of the Suez Canal.

        On January 29, 1876, the Georgia Annual Conference began its deliberations in Saint Philip's Church, Savannah, Bishop T. M. D. Ward presiding. S. H. Robertson was the secretary and W. D. Johnson the statistical secretary. An effort was made to provide each presiding elder's district with a parsonage

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to be used as a home for its presiding elder, but it was judged that the time was not ripe for the success of such a movement. The proposal was decidedly significant, coming so soon after emancipation. The times were ripe for its accomplishment, but the vision to see it was lacking. The price of cotton was high, there was no lack of employment, and money was plentiful. Those to whom the proposal was made lacked the will to do. The Conference adopted an arbitrary rule limiting the number of persons to be admitted on trial at any one session to thirteen, the number of deacons to be ordained to sixteen, and the number of elders to be ordained to eighteen. Delegates were elected to the General Conference of 1876.

        On January 30, 1876, Bishop Wayman dedicated a church at Kalamazoo, Mich. R. Jeffries was the pastor. On April 27, delegates of the Philadelphia, New York, and New England Annual Conferences arrived at Baltimore. There they were joined by the delegates of the Baltimore and Virginia Annual Conferences, and proceeded in a special train to Atlanta, Ga., to attend the Fifteenth General Conference. Prior to this the Council of Bishops met in Washington, D. C. At this meeting measures were adopted to facilitate the business of the approaching General Conference. Professor John M. Langston visited the Council, and expressed his views concerning the relations of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to the race. He was the bearer of an invitation from the Hon. James G. Blaine to the bishops to lunch with him at his residence. The invitation was accepted. Other guests present were Hon. George Hoar, of Massachusetts, and Hon. James A. Garfield, of Ohio. Doubtless neither the host nor any of the guests foresaw that four years hence Mr. Garfield would be elevated to the Presidency of the United States. The matter of the luncheon is noted on page 217 of Payne's Recollections of Seventy Years. By the way, what a furore it would have created had it been noised abroad! With what pitilessness, mercilessness, and spleen would a certain political party have made it the vehicle by which to hurl against Mr. Garfield the dogma of "social equality"! In inviting these distinguished divines Mr. Blaine merely exercised that right which belongs to each and all--the right to choose our associates, whether for an hour or for an indefinite time. The current events of

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the times were the chief topics of conversation during the luncheon, but in none did Mr. Blaine take more interest than in the subject of higher education. The Pittsburgh and the Ohio Annual Conferences were held in the month of April. Bishop Payne presided at both, thus closing eight consecutive years as the bishop of the Third Episcopal District. The reason for his serving beyond the four-year limit was his connection with Wilberforce University as its president.

        The sixth decade of the existence of the Church had now been reached, and thirteen years (counting from 1863) had passed since the standard of African Methodism had been planted in the South. For nine years the work of our Church in Georgia had gone on with varying success. Despite all the untoward circumstances, it had made substantial progress. It was eminently fitting, therefore, that the fifteenth General Conference should assemble at Atlanta, Ga., where it convened in May, 1876. Twenty-eight Conferences were represented. The membership consisted of 6 bishops, 4 general officers, 147 ministerial delegates, and 38 lay delegates. Total, 191. B. W. Arnett was elected secretary; J. M. Townsend, assistant; Mr. William C. Banton, recording secretary; T. W. Henderson, A. A. Williams, J. F. A. Sisson, statistical secretaries; and William F. Dickerson, reading clerk. The Quadrennial Sermon was preached by Bishop J. P. Campbell. The Conference expressed its appreciation of the discourse by adopting a resolution ordering its publication as a part of the proceedings. The Episcopal Address was read by Bishop James A. Shorter. The address was true to Bishop Shorter's form. It was brief and strictly businesslike. It was without special literary flavor and barren of philosophical treatment. It was confined to a review of the departments and institutions of the Church. In it was recommended a change in the Book of Discipline relative to Official Boards. Touching this matter, he said:

Experience has shown some of its provisions to be objectionable to many of our members and impracticable to many of our churches. There is also an unfortunate ambiguity in the language chosen, in some instances causing misunderstanding between pastor and people. The provision excluding our local preachers from membership in the Official Board has been especially grievous to that class of our brethren; and we, therefore, recommend a careful revision of the whole section.
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        Other recommendations were that the chapter on presiding elders remain as it was, leaving it to the option of the Annual Conferences; that the California Annual Conference be not attached to an Episcopal District and that it be visited annually by the bishops in turn.

        The Manager of the Book Concern was ordered to arrange for a daily issue of the Christian Recorder to contain the proceedings of the Conference. A resolution was adopted expressing approval of the action of the Managers of the Centennial Exhibition in deciding to close the Exhibition and grounds on Sunday. Bishop Payne was requested to preach a Centennial Sermon on Sunday morning, the 7th. The report of the Woman's Parent Mite Missionary Society was received, and the Conference resolved to do everything possible to facilitate its operation during the next quadrennium. Increased interest and enlarged support was pledged to the American Bible Society. A petition was presented on behalf of the laity asking that the Book Concern be authorized to print the Articles of Religion and a brief review of the rise and progress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in small book form, to be sold at a minimum price. A petition was received from the Independent Methodist Episcopal Church, of which Rev. Augustus R. Green was the founder. Branch book depositories were ordered to be established at Charleston, S. C.; Saint Louis, Mo.; Atlanta, Ga.; and New Orleans, La. The following explanatory statement was ordered to be included in the section of the Discipline regulating the election and duty of trustees:

Whereas, some of the States and Territories have special acts on their statute books governing religious bodies; therefore, the meaning and intent of this chapter, whenever it refers to the law of the State or Territory, is to be subject to said statute law, and not to any individual church corporation that is now or may be incorporated.

        The petition of the Independent Methodist Episcopal Church, previously referred to, was in the nature of a proposal to consolidate with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, on condition that the ministers and members of the said Independent Methodist Episcopal Church be received in the same relation in which they stood in their own Church. A

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further condition was that Rev. A. R. Green should relinquish all claims to the bishopric and be received as an elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. This proposal was dated at Richmond, Va., May 13, 1876, and was agreed to by our General Conference. A committee consisting of W. H. Hunter, D. Dorrell, W. A. Dove, B. L. Brooks, and M. B. Salter recommended B. F. Lee to the trustees of Wilberforce University for election as president.

        A resolution offered by H. M. Turner practically investing the bishops with the veto power was not adopted. The organization of two new Annual Conferences, the South Georgia and West Texas, was ordered. B. W. Arnett was requested to publish a pamphlet containing a list of the members of each Annual Conference and their appointments for the year 1876. H. M. Turner submitted his report on the Hymn Book which he had been authorized to compile. A petition was received from the laymen of the Philadelphia Annual Conference, asking that local elders, deacons, and preachers be admitted to membership in Official Boards. The Conference paid a visit to Atlanta University in acceptance of an invitation from its faculty. They were received by President Ware. Addresses on behalf of the Conference were made by W. F. Dickerson and B. T. Tanner. Among the sermons preached during the Conference was one by Rev. Dr. Sherman, a fraternal delegate from the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. A feature of the preliminary service connected with the sermon was the prayer offered by Bishop Payne, which is the first prayer printed as a part of the proceedings of a General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. A petition was received from the Pittsburgh Annual Conference, asking that the name of our Church be changed so as to read the "American Methodist Episcopal Church." The following were some of the reasons assigned:

The inevitable fact connected with the unchangeable laws of nature is that our descendants, within one hundred and fifty or two hundred years, will be Americans; not simply by birth and civil law, but largely in features, in habits and in traits of character. This conclusion may not be pleasant to some of us who desire to remain Africans in ourselves and in our descendants, and to some among the whites, who do not wish to associate with the descendants of Africans; but it will as certainly be true as that the sun rises in the East and
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sets in the West. Now those who desire to hold on to the word African, to make it honorable and significant in its application to us and our descendants, down to the fifth, sixth, or hundredth generation, must migrate to Africa. It cannot be done in America. Another reason for substituting the word American for African is that, on the one hand, no inference can be drawn from the name that we desire to keep up an invidious distinction on account of race or color; and that, on the other hand, the inference will be that we desire the world to know that we are Americans, Christian Americans; God first, our country next. Again, in changing a part of the name of our Church, if the word American is used, the abbreviation will be the same. The abbreviation of the distinctive words in the present name of our Church are A. M. E.; if the word American is used it will still be A. M. E.

        No action was taken. Numerous petitions were received from interested parties asking for the continuation of Bishop Payne as president of Wilberforce University.

        Rev. David Sherman, D.D., of the New England Annual Conference, and Rev. J. C. Tate, of the Holston Annual Conference, bore fraternal greetings from the Methodist Episcopal Church. J. H. A. Johnson, B. T. Tanner, and W. F. Dickerson were the fraternal delegates from our Church to the Methodist Episcopal Church. A letter of fraternal greetings was received from the British Methodist Episcopal Church. Letters of fraternal greetings were ordered to be sent to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and to the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America. During the quadrennium one bishop and sixteen ministers had entered into the rest that remaineth for the people of God. Bishop William Paul Quinn, whose passing has already been referred to, was eulogized by Bishops Payne, Wayman, and Campbell, and a number of the elders. Suitable notice was taken of the departure of Bishop Willis Nazrey, of the British Methodist Episcopal Church, to his final place of abode.

EPISCOPAL DISTRICTS AND ASSIGNMENTS

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        It may not be amiss for the author to say that the published proceedings of the General Conference of 1876 are the best arranged of those of any General Conference in the history of our Church. The secretaries were certainly methodical and painstaking. The general reports, sermons, and addresses are a distinct contribution to African Methodist literature. The Journal contains 229 pages.

        Henry M. Turner, Daniel P. Seaton, and John W. Asbury were fraternal delegates to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. H. M. Turner, R. H. Cain, and James A. Handy were fraternal delegates to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Other fraternal delegates were as follows: to the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America, F. J. Peck, A. T. Carr, B. L. Brooks; to the Protestant Methodist Church, B. F. Lee, T. W. Henderson, D. Pickett; to the United Brethren, J. R. Scott, G. W. Gaines, C. L. Bradwell; to the British Methodist Episcopal Church, G. T. Watkins, G. H. Shaffer, J. B. Stansbury; to the Wesleyan Methodist Church of England, Bishop J. P. Campbell and W. B. Derrick.

        The seventeenth delegated General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church met this year in Baltimore, Md. Eighty Annual Conferences were represented by 222 ministerial and 133 lay delegates; total, 355. The authorization of a new Hymnal, advanced action on temperance, provision for the holding of an Ecumenical Conference, and adverse action on the question of making the presiding eldership elective, were the most notable of the proceedings of the Conference. Bishop Morris and Missionary Bishop Roberts had ended their earthly career during this quadrennium.

        Louisville, Ky., was the seat of the twelfth General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. C. R.

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Harris, of the North Carolina Annual Conference, was the secretary. W. H. Hillery, Joseph P. Thompson, and Thomas H. Lomax were elected bishops. During the quadrennium Bishops J. W. Loguen, J. D. Brooks, Christopher Rush, James Simmons, and W. H. Bishop had been summoned to their final resting place--an unusually large number. The only event to be noted in the circles of Southern Methodism was the organization of the Brazil mission.

        As to world-wide Methodism, the outstanding feature was the initiation of a movement the object of which was the calling of an Ecumenical Methodist Conference, in London, England, September 7-20, 1881. The delegates to represent the African Methodist Episcopal Church were Bishops Daniel A. Payne, J. M. Brown, James A. Shorter, William F. Dickerson; Revs. James M. Townsend, Augustus T. Carr, James C. Embry; Mr. Alexander Clark, Professor Joseph P. Shorter, Mr. Nelson T. Gantt, and Mr. Joseph W. Morris. Bishop Payne presided September 17, and on the 12th read an essay on "The Relation of Methodism to the Temperance Movement." Professor J. P. Shorter read a paper on "The Catholicity of Methodism."

        Other notable events of this year were the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia; the proclaiming of Queen Victoria, Empress of India; the massacre of General Custer and his command of 300 troops by the Sioux Indians; the defeat of the Egyptians by the Abyssinians; the victory of the Kaffirs over the Boers in the Transvaal, and the perfecting of the telephone.

        December 18, 1876, Bishop Wayman encountered a new and unexpected experience, in that he was summoned to serve on the United States Grand Jury. His services extended through thirteen days. While this was a radical change from the performance of episcopal duties, he took it philosophically and performed the task willingly and earnestly.

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CHAPTER X
THIRD PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT: 1873-1892 (CONTINUED)

        Doings of Annual Conferences--Activities of Bishop Wayman--Antics of the "Praying and Singing Bands"--Emigrants Sailed on the Bark "Azores" for Liberia--Sixteenth Session of the General Conference at Saint Louis, Mo., May, 1880--Memorial for the Organization of a Sunday School Union--Adoption of "Wayman on the Discipline"--Nashville, Tenn., Selected Headquarters of the Financial Secretary--Distinguished Visitors--Ecumenical Methodism--Henry McNeil Turner, William Fisher Dickerson, and Richard Harvey Cain Elected Bishops--Other Methodisms--Domestic and Foreign Affairs.

        ON January 18, 1877, the Georgia Annual Conference convened at Bainbridge. Bishop Campbell presided. William D. Johnson was the secretary. Among the visitors was Dr. H. M. Turner, Manager of the Book Concern. In his opening address Bishop Campbell instanced the settlement of America and Africa, and referred to the scattering of the people at Babel. He also called attention to the fact that the three sons of Noah had in turn mastered the world, but that now possession must be in common. Dr. H. M. Turner, one of the vice-presidents of the American Colonization Society, pleaded that Congress should aid such colored people in returning to Africa as desired to do so. Representatives of the Friends' Society, in Philadelphia, distributed some books among the members of the Conference. Ten preachers were admitted on trial. Among them was S. D. Roseborough, who died in 1921. Wright Newman and Nathan Brown were admitted as local preachers. Four ministers were ordained as local deacons. J. W. Wynn was ordained a deacon under the missionary rule.

        In this year (1877) the Pittsburgh Annual Conference met at Williamsport, Pa. Bishop A. W. Wayman presided. C. Asbury was elected secretary. He also preached the annual sermon. The missionary sermon was preached by John G. Mitchell, who was known as the great biblical expositor. Among the visitors were Dr. H. M. Turner and Rev. J. C.

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Embry. The former was the Manager of the Book Concern, while the latter was Commissioner of Education. The Baltimore Annual Conference convened in Cambridge, Md. Bishop J. M. Brown presided. The Philadelphia Annual Conference met in Wilmington, Del. Bishop Payne presided. Bishops Wayman and Campbell, Revs. J. C. Embry and R. H. Cain were among the visitors. A committee from the Preachers' Meeting of the Methodist Episcopal Church paid the Conference a fraternal visit. The address of felicitation, which was delivered by the chairman of the committee, was responded to by Dr. R. H. Cain. On Sunday, June 4, a church was dedicated at Paducah, Ky. On Sunday, June 18, a church was dedicated at Covington, Ky. On Sunday, July 1, a church was dedicated at Meadville, Pa. At this place our people had the misfortune to lose their church by fire. The church was speedily rebuilt, much to the credit of the congregation. At the dedicatory services every dollar of the indebtedness was provided for. On Sunday, July 8, a church was dedicated at Hamilton, Ohio. Bishop Wayman was the officiating prelate at these several dedications. The Ohio Annual Conference met at Urbana. Bishop A. W. Wayman presided. J. P. Underwood was elected secretary. P. Toliver, a minister of great renown, preached the annual sermon. The missionary sermon was preached by J. P. Underwood. Rev. J. C. Embry, Commissioner of Education, and Rev. C. L. Bradwell, Traveling Agent of the Book Concern, were among the visitors. It is not amiss to say that about this time the Ohio Annual Conference led the Connection in the number of trained ministers. The Indiana Annual Conference was held in Indianapolis, Bishop J. A. Shorter presiding. One of the outstanding characters of the Conference was Dr. Willis R. Revels. The Kentucky Annual Conference assembled in Midway. At this place the people gave succor and aid to the author in November, 1869, when he was driven by the Ku Klux from Paynes, a small hamlet about five miles distant, where he was teaching school. John W. Asbury was the secretary, with J. W. Gazaway as assistant. John W. Asbury preached the annual sermon. Revs. J. C. Embry and C. L. Bradwell were among the visitors. The Tennessee Annual Conference opened in Nashville, Tenn., in the basement of the new Saint Paul's Church, September 26. The walls of the basement

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were built entirely of stone. The contractor was Edward North, an official of the church. At the time it was built it was the largest church edifice in Nashville owned by colored people. It was constructed during the pastorate of Nathan Mitchem, formerly of the Indiana Annual Conference. This was one of the two churches organized by Bishop Payne during his first visit to Nashville in 1863. The secretary of the Conference was C. O. H. Thomas. G. H. Shaffer was the assistant. The annual sermon was preached by Bedford Green. The Conference was largely attended and awakened a great deal of interest among the people. The West Tennessee Annual Conference assembled in Union City, October 4. The secretaries were D. E. Asbury and B. L. Brooks. R. F. Hurley preached the annual sermon with great effectiveness. A request for the use of one or more of the white churches in which to hold the services on Sunday was denied. The fair ground was secured for this purpose. D. E. Asbury preached the sermon, and, having had considerable scholastic training, and having innate ability as an orator, created such a favorable impression that numerous applications were sent to the Conference from white churches for ministers to fill their pulpits. The Conference voted to discontinue the presiding eldership. The Pittsburgh Annual Conference, having changed its time of meeting from spring to fall, met this year at Oil City, Pa., on October 25. Bishop A. W. Wayman presided. The secretaries were C. Asbury and T. A. Thompson. The latter preached the annual sermon.

        The North Georgia Annual Conference met at Eatonton on December 5. Bishop J. P. Campbell presided. Dr. H. M. Turner was present and vigorously pressed the claims of the Publication Department, of which he was the Manager. Fifteen ministers were admitted on trial; one was ordained a deacon and five were ordained elders. The pastoral reports showed a steady increase along all lines. There was seemingly a lack of esprit de corps in the Conference, and the business dragged along so heavily that the bishop was led to remark with emphasis "that he was sorry for one thing, and that was the slow method and process of conducting the business of the Conference." He further observed that "when he was gone to rest he wanted them to do him the honor of saying that they

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had heard him state that the rising generation would laugh at us for spending three days in making the reports from the various charges when it might be done in one third of the time." What would our good bishop think were he permitted to return to earth and witness in this day a Conference practically consuming three days in hearing the pastoral reports? This is not a surmise, but a fact, as was witnessed by the author at a Conference in October, 1920. This was not the fault of the Conference, but the result of the slow movements of the bishop.

        In April, 1877, Rev. Charles W. Mossell and wife sailed as missionaries for Haiti. They took passage on the S.S. "Alps." Their departure was witnessed by a number of interested and sympathetic friends, among whom was Bishop D. A. Payne. On July 4, in company with friends, Bishop Payne visited the grave of Charles Sumner, which awakened deep cogitation, reflected in the following observations:

The grave of Sumner was marked only by a plain marble slab bearing no inscription but his name. Thickly grown periwinkle covered the grave of the champion of freedom. Never was a statesman truer and more faithful to his country. Never was a reformer more devoted to his principles. Never was a champion of human rights more loyal to the cause for which he labored, lived, and died. Nature had given him a noble physique, a majestic presence, and a courtly manner, as well as a splendid intellect and an eloquent tongue. One was led to believe that a frame so powerful as his would have continued vigorous for at least eighty or ninety years, and that he might possibly have lived out an entire century; but his powerful constitution was broken by the murderous club of "Bully Brooks," that ruffianly United States senator from South Carolina, and fittingly a kinsman of the bloodthirsty General Butler, leader of the murderous Rifle Clubs, which aided in the butchery of colored people at Hamburg, S. C., in July, 1876. Sumner died at sixty-three years of age. The colored Americans, whose freedom and whose rights he eloquently pleaded and defended, should be foremost in erecting a monument to his memory; not to immortalize him--because he lives forever in the hearts of all the friends of human freedom and equal rights--but to mark the spot consecrated to the sleeping martyr.

        This year a new building, Shorter Hall, was dedicated in connection with Wilberforce University.

        As it relates to other Methodisms, there was recorded the death of Bishop E. M. Marvin, of the Methodist Episcopal

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Church, South. He was elected and consecrated a bishop at New Orleans in 1866, at the age of forty-three years. He was fifty-four years of age at the time of his death.

        The record of national and international affairs includes the findings of the electoral commission in favor of President Hayes; the ascendency of Porfirio Diaz to the presidency of Mexico; the beginning of the Russo-Turkish War; the annexation of the Transvaal Republic by the British; and the exploration of the Congo River by Stanley.

        On January 30, 1878, the Georgia Annual Conference convened in Saint James' African Methodist Episcopal Church, Columbus, Bishop J. P. Campbell presiding. James Porter was elected secretary of the Conference; W. J. Gaines, recording secretary; S. H. Robertson, statistical secretary. Among the visitors in the early part of the session was Rev. J. V. M. Morris, of Girard, Ala, pastor of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, South, who delivered an admirable and touching fraternal address. Later in the session the Conference was visited by the Rev. Joseph S. Key and J. A. O. Cook, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, both of whom delivered appreciative addresses. S. H. Robertson preached the annual sermon. The missionary sermon was delivered by G. W. H. Williams. A delegation from the North Georgia Annual Conference was present to urge the adoption of the preamble and resolutions which had previously been submitted to an Educational Convention, composed of delegates from the Georgia and North Georgia Annual Conferences. Earnest speeches were made by H. M. Turner, W. D. Johnson, and W. J. Gaines, each in his own peculiar style. Nominal trustees were appointed for the school then in existence, and the work of education received another impetus. Fifteen preachers were admitted on trial, including Allen Cooper, who is still in active service. Five ministers were ordained deacons; thirteen were ordained elders. On the fifth day the Conference was honored with an unexpected visit from Bishop T. M. D. Ward, who received a welcome of great warmth and cordiality. Bishop D. A. Payne was to have been present, but sent a letter explaining the reason for his inability to do so. In his letter, Bishop Payne laid emphasis on the importance and needs of our work in Haiti, to which the Conference responded by sending him a

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donation of fifty dollars. Data as to the session of the North Georgia Annual Conference of 1878 is lacking.

        The Ohio Annual Conference met at Circleville. Bishop A. W. Wayman presided. J. P. Underwood was elected secretary. R. A. Johnson preached the annual sermon, and B. W. Arnett preached the missionary sermon. The Kentucky Annual Conference met at Lexington. Bishop A. W. Wayman presided. John W. Gazaway preached the annual sermon and John Coleman, the missionary sermon. On September 26, the Tennessee Annual Conference assembled in Fayetteville. G. H. Shaffer was elected secretary, and preached the missionary sermon. The annual sermon was preached by C. O. H. Thomas. On October 24, the Pittsburgh Annual Conference met at Salem, Ohio. C. Asbury was elected secretary. The annual sermon was preached by J. M. Morris. The missionary sermon was preached by C. S. Smith, who met the Conference for the first time. Among the visitors were Rev. B. F. Lee, president of Wilberforce University, and Dr. T. H. Jackson, of the Ohio Annual Conference. On Sunday afternoon the Conference held its service in the Methodist Episcopal Church. C. S. Smith was the preacher. His subject was, "Death, Man's Best Friend." The discourse created a great sensation. It was heard by a large audience composed of white and colored people. On November 14, the West Tennessee Annual Conference convened at Paris. Bishop A. W. Wayman presided. D. E. Asbury was elected secretary. B. L. Brooks preached the annual sermon and H. E. Brant, the missionary sermon. This year was noted for an epidemic of cholera in West Tennessee, particularly in Memphis. The Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New York Annual Conferences held their annual sessions.

        During the year 1878, Bishop Wayman dedicated churches at the following places: Sunday, March 24, Saint John's Church, Cleveland, Ohio; Sunday, April 21, Harrodsburgh, Ky.; Sunday, April 28, Bainbridge, Ohio; Sunday, May 19, Erie, Pa.; Sunday, June 30, Belpre, Ohio; Sunday, September 22, Saint Paul's Church, Nashville, Tenn.; Sunday, October 20, New Brighton, Pa.; Sunday, November 3, Lexington, Ky.; Sunday, November 10, Paris, Tenn.; Sunday, November 24, Clarksville, Tenn.

        In this year, 1878, Bishop D. A. Payne gave orders that every

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pastor occupying the pulpit of Bethel Church, Baltimore, should make the responsive reading of the Holy Scriptures a part of public worship. About this time he attended a "bush meeting" in order to please the pastor whose circuit he was visiting. Here the antics of the "Praying and Singing Bands" again came under his notice, a description of which follows:

        After the sermon they formed a ring, and, with coats off, sang, clapped their hands, and stamped their feet in a most ridiculous and heathenish way. I requested the pastor to go and stop their dancing. At his request they stopped their dancing and clapping of hands, but remained singing and rocking their bodies to and fro. This they did for about fifteen minutes. I then went and taking their leader by the arm, requested him to desist and to sit down and sing in a rational manner. I also told him that it was a heathenish way to worship, disgraceful to themselves, to the race, and to the Christian name. They broke up their ring but would not sit down, and walked sullenly away. After the sermon in the afternoon, when I had another opportunity to speak privately to the leader of the band, he replied, "Sinners won't get converted unless there is a ring." Said I: "You might sing till you fell down dead and you would fail to convert a single sinner, because nothing but the Spirit of God and the word of God can convert sinners." He replied: "The Spirit of God works upon people in different ways. At camp meetings there must be a ring here, a ring there, a ring over yonder, or sinners will not get converted." This was his idea, as it was also that of many others. These "Bands" I have had to encounter in many places, and, as I have stated with regard to my early labors in Baltimore, I have been strongly censured because of my effort to change the mode of worship, or modify the extravagances indulged in by the people. In some cases all that I could do was to teach and preach the right, the fit and proper way of serving God. To the most thoughtful and intelligent I usually succeeded in making the "Band" disgusting; but by the ignorant masses, as in the case mentioned, it was regarded as the essence of religion. So much so was this the case that they believed no conversion could occur without their agency, nor outside of their own ring could there be a genuine one. Among some of the songs of these "Rings" or "Fist and Heel Worshipers," as they have been called, I find a note or two in my journal, which was used in the instance mentioned. As will be seen, they consisted chiefly of what are known as "corn-field ditties":


                         "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust;
                         If God won't have us, the devil must." . . . . . . . . . . .


                         "I was over there where the coffin fell;
                         I heard that sinner as he screamed in hell."

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        To indulge in such songs from eight until half-past ten at night was the chief employment of these "Bands." Prayer was only a secondary thing, and this was crude and extravagant to the last degree. The man who had the most powerful pair of lungs was the one who made the best prayer, and he could be heard a square off. He who could sing loudest and longest led the "Band," having his loins girded and a handkerchief in his hand with which he kept time while his feet resounded on the floor like the drum-sticks of a bass drum. In some places it was the custom to begin these dances after night service and keep it up until midnight, sometimes singing and dancing alternately--a short prayer and a long dance. Some one has even called it a "Voodoo dance." I have remonstrated with a number of pastors for permitting these practices, which vary somewhat in different localities, but have been invariably met with the response that you could not succeed in restraining them, and any attempt to compel them to cease would simply drive them away from our Church. I suppose that with the most stupid and headstrong it is an incurable disease, but with me it is a question whether it would not be better to let such people go out of the Church than to remain in it to perpetuate their evil practices, and thus do two things: disgrace the Christian name and corrupt others. Anyone who knows human nature must infer the result of such midnight practices to be that the day after they are unfit for manual labor, and that at the end of the dance their exhaustion would render them an easy prey to Satan. These meetings must always be more damaging physically, morally, and religiously, than beneficial. How needful it is to have an intelligent ministry to teach these people who hold to this ignorant mode of worship, the true method of serving God. And my observations lead me to the conclusion that we need more than an intelligent ministry to cure this religious fanaticism. We need a host of Christian reformers like Saint Paul, who will not only speak against these evils, but who will also resist them, even if excommunication be necessary. The time is at hand when the ministry of the African Methodist Episcopal Church must drive out this heathenish mode of worship or drive out all the intelligent, refined, and practical Christians who may be in her bosom.

        So far from being in harmony with the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ, it antagonizes it. And what is most deplorable, some of our most powerful and popular preachers labor systematically to perpetuate this fanaticism. Such preachers never rest until they create an excitement that consists in shouting, jumping, and dancing. To these sensational and recreant preachers I recommend the careful and prayerful study of the text: "To the unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you."


        On April 17, 1878, Bishop John M. Brown and Rev. A. T. Carr organized a Liberian Mission Church in Morris Brown African Methodist Episcopal Church, Charleston, S. C., which

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was composed of persons bent on leaving America for Liberia, West Africa. Rev. S. F. Flegler was appointed pastor; Clement Irons and Scott Bailey, local preachers and class leaders; Clement Irons, Scott Bailey, and John Batiest were appointed trustees. Thirty members were enrolled. They sailed on the bark "Azores" on Easter Sunday, April 21, 1878, for Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa, where they landed after a voyage of forty-three days. Rev. S. F. Flegler returned to America, but Clement Irons remained in Liberia, where he died. He was of a mechanical turn of mind, and having received some training in engineering before leaving the United States, constructed a steam-launch for service on the Saint Paul's River. The author met him in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, in November, 1894. Mr. Irons was adventurous, of keen insight, industrious, and possessed a character strongly marked with charitable and benevolent designs. It is men of his sterling worth, push, and enterprise that Liberia sadly needs.

        During the quadrennium ending April 30, 1880, the development of the Church had progressed satisfactorily. Many new church buildings had been erected, a considerable number of parsonages built, and the indebtedness of several local churches greatly diminished. Nine new Annual Conferences had been formed--Kansas, West Tennessee, South Arkansas, North Mississippi, East Florida, Columbia, North Alabama, Northeast Texas, and Indiana. The work of evangelism had not been neglected, and numerous accessions were reported, resulting in a favorable increase in the membership of the Connection.

        The sixteenth General Conference assembled in Saint Paul's African Methodist Episcopal Church, in the city of Saint Louis, Mo., on Monday, May 3, 1880, and continued until and including May 24. It was composed of 6 bishops, 5 general officers, 97 ministers, and 49 laymen. Total, 157. The delegates from the Columbia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Tennessee Annual Conferences were omitted from the list of delegates recorded in the printed Journal. There were twenty delegates from these four Annual Conferences in the General Conference of 1884. Presuming that they had the same number of delegates in the preceding General Conference, it would make the total membership of the General Conference of 1880, including the bishops and general officers, 177. There were

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34 Annual Conferences represented. The Quadrennial Sermon was preached by Bishop T. M. D. Ward. The Episcopal Address was read by Bishop J. P. Campbell. T. W. Henderson was the entertaining pastor. The printed Journal of proceedings contains 317 pages.

        After the devotional services, the Conference was organized by the election of B. W. Arnett, secretary; James A. Johnson and C. Asbury, assistant secretaries; M. E. Bryant, C. O. H. Thomas, and M. M. Mance, statistical secretaries. There was a reversal of the order of proceedings in that the Episcopal address was read before the Quadrennial Sermon was delivered. The following paragraphs from the Episcopal Address will indicate its strength and scope:

        Nothing has occurred during the past sixty-four years to shake our conviction in the utility and importance of the existence of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, nor to lessen our attachment to its institutions. We venture to say that, all things considered, there does not exist upon the American continent a more united ecclesiastical community than ours. Almost universal peace and harmony have prevailed among our members during the past four years. This has been exhibited in their submission to the doctrines, discipline, and government of the Church. With but few exceptions, there is harmony and unity among our ministers and laymen in adherence to the peculiarities of our ecclesiastical system. Revivals have been numerous, with the result that many souls have been saved to the glory of God. Thousands have been added to the Church, its borders have been extended, and our houses of worship and parsonages have been greatly increased in number, displaying an improved style of architecture. We are very pleased to be able to inform you that our preachers have been more liberally supported during the past four years than during any former period; nevertheless, there are too many instances where preachers and their families have had to endure much suffering. This, however, has not been for want of ability or general willingness of the people to support their pastors and families, but has been for want of right and proper management on the part of the stewards and the Quarterly Conferences. We have not yet reached the highest point obtainable in our Sunday-school work, in the selection of officers and teachers, and in the production of Sunday-school literature. We want and must have literature of our own hands, heads, and hearts, adapted to the wants and necessities of our schools.

        With every advancing year of history it is being shown that general education, under the care of the Church, is a powerful agency for good. The general demand for scholarly attainments, the wide-spreading intellectual light of our times, the impetus given by classical and scientific knowledge, leave us no alternative but to meet the emergency with

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extensive and energetic measures; or surrender all that we have obtained by our separate and independent existence as a Church, and abandon all our hopes and prospects for the future of our race. But this we cannot do. Our Wilberforce University, together with our collegiate and normal schools, must of necessity be sustained by us. Better that we had never borne the name of a separate and independent Church than that these now flourishing institutions should fail for the want of the aid and comfort that you can give.


        The Address contained a review of the various general departments, embodying such recommendations as were demanded by existing conditions. Following the reading of the Episcopal Address, Bishop T. M. D. Ward was introduced to preach the Quadrennial Sermon. Text: Acts 20. 18. Subject; "The Shepherd and His Flock." The effort fully sustained Bishop Ward's reputation for eloquence. Touching the power of the intellect, he said:

Brain power will be supreme. Encourage learning and you will live; despise it and you will die. An enlightened ministry, whose talents and calling have been consecrated to God, will make an intelligent, large-hearted Church. "Like priest, like people." We should select books that contain within as small a compass as possible the pith and marrow of the best authors upon such subjects which most interest and concern us. No man can learn everything, but what any other man has done we can do. Master whatever you take in hand. A knowledge of the classics, and especially of mathematics, will be great aids in the interpretation of the doctrines of the gospel.

        It has already been stated that Bishop Ward had a reputation for eloquence, and as a sample the concluding part of his sermon is quoted:

        Ye who come from the different sections of our ocean-bound Republic, our country, made one by the blood of a million men--a nation whose domain extends from sea to sea--purified in the hot furnace of civil war, is now rising into greatness, not through her vast possessions only, but by her respect for the rights of men. This nation, with her feet dipping in the waters of the Gulf, her head reclining on the granite peaks of Alaska, to such a country we re-affirm our unswerving allegiance. Men who come from the sunny Savannahs of the flower-spangled South; and from the rolling, teeming prairies of the West, as well as from the sunset land where Mounts Shasta, Hood, and Baker lift their white shafts to the clouds--to one and all, we say, be loyal to God, be true to yourselves, to your Church, and to your race. Avoid the pedantry of learning.

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        Crush out the imps of ignorance, vaunting ambition, treachery, political trickery, and hell-born caste, always placing true and tried men over the flock. Do all these things and we shall be a pole-star to the colored Methodists of America. Africa, long shrouded in pagan night, shall catch the silvery beams that stream from Bethlehem's star; Ethiopia, long despised, forgotten, and forsaken, shall stretch forth her hands to the Heavenly Shepherd, who to-day is ranging the cold, barren mountains of paganism, seeking the millions who have been torn by the wolves of superstition and idolatry.


        A matter that required considerable time for its discussion was the appeal of R. H. Cain from the action of the bishops and members of the Missionary Board in removing him from the office of Corresponding Secretary of the Missionary Department. Advocates for the appellant were W. E. Johnson, of South Carolina; C. O. H. Thomas, of Tennessee; H. M. Turner, of Georgia; T. G. Steward, of Philadelphia; and J. E. Hayne, of South Carolina. Advocates for the defense were James H. A. Johnson, of Maryland; A. M. Green, of Louisiana; J. C. Embry, of Kansas; and James A. Handy, of Maryland. On the call of the roll the appeal was not sustained by a vote of 144 nays to 35 yeas. Two other appeals were heard. One was that of J. D. Weir against his suspension by the Kansas Annual Conference for imprudent conduct. This appeal was referred to the Episcopal Committee, which recommended the reversal of the action of the Kansas Annual Conference, and the restoration of the appellant to his former standing in the Church. The other was that of Aaron Prindle against his expulsion by the Virginia Annual Conference. This appeal was referred to the Committee on Episcopacy, which reported it without action.

        Two protests were filed, one by Bishop Payne against the action of the General Conference in refusing to seat John G. Yeiser as a delegate from the New Jersey Annual Conference. A summary of the protest is as follows:


        The other protest was that of A. M. Green against what he claimed was an arbitrary ruling of the Chair in entertaining a motion to expunge from the records of the General Conference, without reconsideration, a matter that had been referred to the Committee on Episcopacy.

        Memorials were received from Boston, Wilmington, N. C., and New Orleans--the first requesting permission to ask for a ten-cent collection from the entire membership to aid in purchasing from the Charles Street Baptist Society a house of worship on the corner of Charles and Mount Vernon Streets, for the sum of $40,000; the second urging the organization of a Sunday School Union; and the third urging a change in the manner of creating class leaders. A manual known as Wayman on the Discipline was adopted, to be studied in connection with that of Baker on the Discipline. Permission was granted for the division of the Georgia, Louisiana, and Kentucky Annual Conferences. The bond of the financial secretary was increased from five thousand dollars to ten thousand dollars. The bishops were urgently requested to appoint one of their number to visit Haiti. The Committee on the State of the Church recommended the holding of a General Council of all the colored Methodists in the country. Nashville, Tenn., was selected as the headquarters of the financial secretary. The salary of the bishops was fixed at $1,800 per annum; and that of the general officers at $1,350; except that of the Secretary of Education, who, in lieu of a stated salary, should receive a commission of twenty per cent on every dollar that he collected. A resolution offered by J. B. Stansbury requiring bishops and elders to wear robes when officiating was lost. It was ordered that the trustees of local churches be required to submit the deeds of property to their respective Annual Conferences for examination as to their having been drawn in accordance with the form of deed in our Book of Discipline. A Commission was created to meet the General Conference of the British Methodist Episcopal Church for the purpose of arranging

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and effecting a modus operandi of cooperation in the missionary work in the West Indies and British Guiana, such cooperation to be known as the "Reunion of the African Methodist Episcopal and British Methodist Episcopal Churches in America." W. H. Hunter, J. A. Handy, J. M. Townsend, John Turner, Nathan Mitchem, Joseph E. Hayne, I. N. Fitzpatrick, J. T. Jenifer, and W. R. Carson were named as members of the Commission. Bishop Turner offered the following resolution, which was adopted:

Resolved, That in the event of an agreement of terms of union between the Commission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the General Conference of the British Methodist Episcopal Church being satisfactorily adjusted, the terms of union shall be submitted to the several Annual Conferences, and the adoption of the terms by two thirds of said Annual Conferences shall be regarded as binding.

        The bishops were authorized to revise the course of study for candidates in the itinerant work; to revise the rules of worship; to prescribe the services of the following days: Thanksgiving, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday; also to appoint days of prayer and fasting when in their judgment the condition of the Church or nation required it.

        The Conference had the distinction of receiving Dwight L. Moody, the great evangelist; Bishop R. R. Disney, of the British Methodist Episcopal Church; the Rev. William Arthur, A.M., president of the Wesleyan Conference of England; Rev. F. W. McDonald, a member of the Wesleyan Conference of England; the Rev. Wallace McMillan, a member of the Irish Wesleyan Conference, as fraternal delegates. The Rev. J. O. A. Clark, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, representing the Wesley Monumental Church, Savannah, Ga., and the Memorial Volume, was also received. This is the first time that representatives of the British Wesleyan Church visited the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. They were cordially received and were felicitous in the presentation of the fraternal greetings that they bore. Responses were made by Bishop Campbell, B. T. Tanner, T. H. Jackson, J. C. Embry, and W. H. Hunter.

        In response to the invitation of the delegates of the British Wesleyan Church to share in the work of the organization of an "Ecumenical Methodist Conference," to consist of two sections--an

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Eastern and a Western, the Eastern to include all Methodists in Europe and the Western to embrace all Methodists in North America--J. H. A. Johnson and Mr. Isaac Ware were appointed to represent the African Methodist Episcopal Church. At a meeting of the representatives of various Methodist bodies in Saint Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church, Cincinnati, Ohio, May 6, 1881, an agreement was reached for the holding of an Ecumenical Methodist Conference in Wesley Chapel, City Road, London, England, in August, 1881. It was not to have any legislative authority. It was not to engage in doctrinal controversies, nor to attempt to harmonize the various polities and usages of the several branches of Methodism. It was to engage in the consideration of such matters as would facilitate home and foreign work, promote fraternity, increase the moral and evangelical powers of Methodism, and secure the more speedy conversion of the world. It was to be composed of four hundred members, of which two hundred were to be assigned to British and Continental Methodism and their affiliated Conferences and mission fields. Two hundred were to be assigned to the various Methodist bodies in the United States and Canada and to their foreign work. In the distribution of the quota allowed the Western Section, twelve were assigned to the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

        In response to the appeal of Dr. J. O. A. Clark, the sum of one thousand dollars was pledged for the purpose of placing a memorial window in Wesley Monumental Church in Savannah, Ga. The amount was to be apportioned among the several Annual Conferences, which would average about thirty-five dollars each. A Committee on the Exodus of the Colored People from the South to the West was appointed. The election of bishops and general officers resulted as follows:

        A motion offered by W. J. Gaines, providing for the issuance

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of an African Methodist Episcopal Church Advocate, to be published in Alabama or Georgia, was adopted.

        At this General Conference a radical departure from a long established custom is to be noted, namely, that the Episcopal Committee assigned the bishops to the episcopal districts. Prior to 1880 the bishops had made the assignments.

EPISCOPAL DISTRICTS AND ASSIGNMENTS

NECROLOGY

        Rev. John W. Burley, Financial Secretary, a member of the Baltimore Annual Conference; Rev. James H. Madison and Rev. Charles Burch, of the Louisiana Annual Conference; Rev. Henry A. Jackson, of the Mississippi Annual Conference; Rev. J. W. Wyatt, of the Florida Annual Conference; Rev. John R. Scott, of the East Florida Annual Conference.

        As to other Methodisms, the meeting of the eighth General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, is to be noted. This body convened in Atlanta, Georgia, May 1, 1878. There were 149 clerical and 129 lay delegates. Dr. Thomas O. Summers was the secretary. The publishing house was reported

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insolvent. The Book Committee was instructed to put the house into liquidation in case no relief could be obtained. The Woman's Missionary Society was established. The Book Committee was given control of the publishing house. The convening of the fourth General Conference of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America, in Jackson, Tennessee, on August 7, is also to be noted. Rev. C. W. Fitzhugh was secretary. At the opening of the Conference Bishop W. H. Miles reported that he had organized a Washington Mission Conference, the nucleus of which was Israel Church, in Washington, D. C. Most of the time of this Conference, which covered thirty days, was spent in fixing the boundaries of the Annual Conferences and revising the Discipline. The prevalence of yellow fever proved a menace to the work of the Conference.

        In relation to domestic and foreign affairs, the Russians occupied Adrianople; a British fleet entered the Dardanelles; and the British occupied Cyprus under a convention with Turkey to uphold the treaty of the Ottoman Empire. It is worthy of note that if Great Britain had played fair with Russia, and had been true to the cause of the Christian religion, Russia would have gained a complete victory over Turkey, the freedom of the Dardanelles would have been secured to all nations, and the rule of the Ottoman Empire restricted. Great Britain paid for her covetousness of Cyprus in blood and treasure when she attempted to force the Dardanelles during the World War.

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CHAPTER XI
THIRD PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT: 1873-1892 (CONTINUED)

        Bishop Payne Sailed the Second Time for Europe--Founding of Western University--Tricennial Anniversary of the Election of D. A. Payne to the Bishopric--Meeting of the Council of Bishops--Presentation of a Plan for the Organization of a Connectional Sunday School Union--Bishop Campbell's Prize Essay--Seventeenth General Conference, Baltimore, Md., 1884--Bishop Brown's Historic Quadrennial Sermon--Much Adverse Criticism Provoked--Declaration on the Subject of Ritualism--Necrology--Episcopal Districts and Assignments--Revolt in South Carolina.

        ON July 9, 1881, Bishop Payne left New York on the S.S. "Egypt" for Europe, which was his second trip. The voyage from New York to Liverpool occupied ten days. The day after his arrival he visited the Wesleyan Conference. Later on he attended the first Ecumenical Methodist Conference. This year our educational work was strengthened by the founding of Western University, Quindaro, Kansas. It is located on a tract of land containing about eighty-nine acres, and is situated in a beautiful and healthful location. The land had previously been secured by the Kansas Annual Conference, which body is entitled to the credit of initiating the movement for the establishment of Western University.

        The Tricennial Anniversary of the election of Daniel A. Payne to the bishopric was held in Sullivan Street African Methodist Episcopal Church, New York City, May 11-13, 1882. The anniversary was initiated by Bishop A. W. Wayman. An elaborate program, in which a number of the most eminent persons in the Church participated, marked the occasion. Among the bishops who took part were Bishops Campbell, Brown, Ward, Dickerson, and Cain. Among the ministers present were G. T. Watkins, James M. Townsend, B. W. Arnett, J. G. Mitchell, John Turner, G. W. Brodie, James H. A. Johnson, C. S. Smith, M. F. Sluby, B. T. Tanner, T. G. Steward,

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W. J. Gaines, T. W. Henderson, James A. Handy, W. H. Hunter, J. T. Jenifer, T. H. Jackson, and M. E. Bryant. J. C. Watts, A.M., represented the laity. Bishop James A. Shorter was master of ceremonies. The bishop of the First Episcopal District, John M. Brown, and the pastor of the church, T. McCants Stewart, spared no pains to make the anniversary a distinctive event in the annals of African Methodism, and worthy of the bishop whom it was designed to honor. The congregation of Sullivan Street Church generously and loyally cooperated with the pastor in making the banquet a feast fit for a king. When Bishop Payne was elected there was not one minister in the Church who had a literary degree or an honorary title, but there sat with him at the table three persons with the degree of LL.D., seven with D.D., one with M.D., three with B.D., one with B.S., one with LL.B., and one with A.B. They had come from thirteen States, and represented eight of the nine Episcopal Districts.

        At the close of the anniversary the Council of Bishops met, at which time the Rev. C. S. Smith presented a plan for the organization of a Connectional Sunday School Union. As the bishops were somewhat fatigued by the exercises of the Tricennial Anniversary, they decided to hold a special meeting of the Council at Cape May, N. J., on the tenth of the following August. At this meeting a plan for the organization of a Connectional Sunday School Union was considered and adopted. The constitution provided that the senior bishop should be the president and the other bishops, vice-presidents. Rev. C. S. Smith was chosen secretary; Rev. Horace Talbert, recording secretary; and Mr. Isaac Meyers, treasurer. A Board of Managers consisting of one minister and one layman from each Episcopal District was designated, according to the requirements of the constitution. It also provided for the setting apart of a Sunday to be known as Children's Day to be held annually, at which time the Sunday schools throughout the Connection were to make contributions for the support of the Sunday School Union. The first observance of Children's Day was October 29, 1882.

        During the year 1882, Bishop J. P. Campbell offered a prize of fifty dollars for the three best essays on "The Scriptural Means of Producing an Immediate Revival of Pure Christianity

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in the Ministry and Laity of Our Church." This sum was to be divided into three prizes of twenty-five, fifteen, and ten dollars each. There were eleven contestants--ten ministers and one layman. The ministers were Frank Johnson, Alabama; John P. Barton, Talladega, Ala.; J. T. Williams, Bowling Green, Ky.; W. R. Carson, Dallas, Tex.; D. W. Timothy, Rahway, N. J.; John W. Taylor, Charleston, Mo.; J. K. Plato, Farmville, Va.; J. C. Embry, Leavenworth, Kan.; T. G. Steward, Philadelphia, Pa.; C. S. Smith, Bloomington, Ill. The layman was John F. Brown, Baltimore, Md. The Committee on awarding the prizes consisted of Revs. B. T. Tanner, T. Gould, J. M. Townsend, B. W. Arnett, and Mr. Parker T. Smith. The first prize was awarded to Rev. C. S. Smith, the second to Rev. T. G. Steward, and the third to the Rev. J. W. Taylor.

        The lapse of four years brings us to the seventeenth General Conference, which assembled on Monday, May 5, 1884, at 10 a. m., in Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Saratoga Street, Baltimore, Md. The membership consisted of 9 bishops, 5 general officers, 137 ministers, and 60 laymen. Total, 211. Number of Annual Conferences represented, 39. The Quadrennial Sermon was preached by Bishop J. M. Brown. The Episcopal Address was read by Bishop W. F. Dickerson. The printed Journal of the proceedings contains 424 pages. Bishop A. W. Wayman delivered the welcome address and spoke in part as follows:

Forty-four years ago to-day the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church met in this city and on this sacred spot. Five Annual Conferences were represented. The membership was composed of two bishops and thirty-two delegates, including itinerant and local preachers. Two other bodies met in Baltimore on the same day--the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the National Whig Convention, which nominated General Harrison for the Presidency of the United States. Forty-four years ago, when the General Conference met here, there was not one thoroughly educated man in our ministry; not one high school, college, nor university in the Connection. But to-day we look with pleasure to our splendid Wilberforce University located in the Buckeye State; to our Allen University at the capital of the Palmetto State; to Paul Quinn College in the Lone-Star State; and, last but not least, to the Jacksonville High School in the land of flowers. Bishops and delegates, we welcome you to the hospitality of our humble homes, and to the good things of
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life such as only old Maryland can produce. We welcome you to our churches and pulpits that you may preach to us the glorious gospel of the Son of God.

        J. C. Waters and W. H. Hunter made suitable responses.

        As it relates to patristic theology, the Quadrennial Sermon delivered by Bishop John M. Brown was an epoch-making event, marking, as it did, a close cleavage between Ecclesiasticism and Methodism. In its range, sweep, and extent, it stands out singly and alone as the most unique and scholarly Quadrennial Sermon to which the members of a General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church had ever listened. It not only produced a profound impression, but provoked strong adverse criticism. It was a challenge to the Church to depart from the tenets of Methodism and embrace those of Episcopalianism. The prelude to the sermon contained illuminating data relative to the history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The text of the sermon was Exodus 19. 6, and Isaiah 61. 6. Theme: The Priesthood. It was treated under three heads: 1. The Priesthood of All Ages. 2. The Jewish Priesthood. 3. Dissimilarity and Similarity of the Priesthood of All Ages and the Christian Priesthood. As the sermon covers twenty-eight printed pages, and is so multifarious in its ramifications that the formulation of an intelligible digest is not an inviting task, one paragraph will suffice to indicate the provocative cause of the adverse criticism. It is as follows:

Now, if what we have said be true, is it improper to ask is there any truth in the doctrine of Apostolic Succession and of an historic Church and Ministry? We have been taught that our episcopacy is an order and not merely an office and we have denominated our bishops as "Rt. Rev." This is the theory of our Church. Our Church theoretically and practically maintains the Apostolic Succession through the bishops. Our bishops are set apart to their work as an order by a service more solemn than that even of the Priesthood or Elder. They only can ordain. Thus we are, at least in theory, in accord with the Christendom of all ages and with the Christendom in nearly all the world. We claim descent from the historic Anglican Churches in America and Great Britain directly through Rev. Absalom Jones, and indirectly through Rev. John Wesley, both of whom lived and died as priests of these Churches. Is the Episcopal Church historic? Has she the Apostolic Succession? She has both.
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        The peroration is so apt and forceful as to warrant its quotation here. It follows:

        Double honor means, as almost every critic of note says, reward, stipend, wages. Dr. Clark says, "Let him that rules well have double pay, or larger salary." Why? Because in the discharge of his duty he must be at expense in proportion to his diligence in visiting and relieving the sick; in lodging and providing for strangers; in a word, in his being given to hospitality, which is required of every bishop or presbyter. No church nor class of officers in any Christian community that deal narrowly in the support of those who rule well can expect prosperity, nor will they have success. Years of my life, in youth, middle age, and matured manhood, have been given to the service of the Church; and I have not seen a church prosper that shut up its heart against the servants of God. Worn-out preachers are but poorly provided for. The most paid to any of them is what the New York and Philadelphia Annual Conferences pay and that is but three hundred dollars a year. Can a sick man live on so small a pittance? There were provided by God thirteen cities and other benefits for the priests, but there is not in all our Connection an acre of ground nor a log cabin which a worthy itinerant can claim as his own prepared by the Connection. What shall we do? We have pointed out the dignity, clothing, and robes of the priests. We have said that the order of bishops, elders, and deacons in the Christian Church is the same as that of the High Priests and Levites in the Jewish Church. God never intended to destroy their function nor their power. The servant of God should come to his work boldly, fearlessly, and in the fear of God--fearing no man, but trusting God.

        The ministry of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is in a transition state. Our aim should be high, our purposes one, all our forces concentrated, and our unification perfected. The question should be, what can we do to perfect our existence?


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        The Episcopal Address was marked by breadth of scholarship and the general knowledge of affairs. The business of the General Conference was outlined as follows:

The business claiming the attention of this seventeenth General Conference of our Church is, as always, vast and important. It is earnestly hoped and believed that with the devout and experienced brethren who are returned to this Conference, together with those who are here for the first time, many of the scenes of past sessions which are not written in the chronicles as evidences of wisdom and grace on our part, may be entirely avoided by a cooler discussion, and, perhaps, by wiser business methods, which may eliminate the personal and augment the general interest of all individuals and of the whole Church. In the transaction of business, however, we suggest that change does not always mean progress; that radical changes every four years in the laws of the Church which are found to work generally well are unhealthy to progress and baneful to the permanent peace and prosperity of the Church. Nor would we fail to suggest that all our laws should be so framed that not merely local, but general interests should be most subserved. In other words, the laws should fit the entire Church rather than any one part of it, for we find in very deed and truth that our Church is a unit--composed of Annual Conferences, stations, circuits, and missions.

        The closing part of the address sounded a warning as to a decline in reverence for Christian ministers, in the following words:

There was a period in the history of the Church when there was a proper reverence for ministers, when no unseemly levity was indulged in their presence; for while these men were not forbidding in their words or manners, they at the same time forbade that familiarity which breeds contempt. Can it be that the difference between the present and the past reverential demeanor toward Christian ministers is the result of a radical change on the part of the laity; or may it be that there is such a difference between the rank and file of those who once filled the office and those who fill it now that to the present incumbents of the holy office is due this lack of reverence? If this latter be true, might it not be well to press home upon the minds and hearts of all our ministers the necessity of observing that gravity which is so becoming and so necessary to adorn our holy calling? And this gravity is not incompatible with a joyous heart and a smiling countenance; for of the many things which detract most from the Christian ministry, none is more reprehensible than a pretentious, affected sanctity, which is wholly unbecoming to the minister and to his calling. A return to that gravity and dignity which shall inspire reverential awe and beget a holy confidence in us and our work, can
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certainly do nothing less than good. Nearly all denominations appear to be similarly affected.

        As usual, the address set forth the conditions and needs of the various departments.

        Report number one of the Episcopal Committee dealt with the dogma of Apostolic Succession in a series of eight declarations. It expressed deep regret that the dogma of Apostolic Succession, and a distinct and separate priesthood and ministry had been preached in our pulpits. The eighth declaration made its preaching a breach of discipline, subjecting any person found guilty thereof to trial, and if condemned, to suspension or expulsion at the discretion of the Committee by whom such a person should be tried.

        Further proceedings of the Conference included the appointment of a committee to investigate the difficulties in Morris Brown Church, in Charleston, S. C.; the adoption of a resolution eulogistic of the life and character of Wendell Phillips; the reception of Frederick Douglass and T. Thomas Fortune as visitors; taking a recess for the purpose of going to Washington City and paying respects to his Excellency, Chester A. Arthur, President of the United States; the appointment of a committee to consider organic union with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church; the adoption of a recommendation for the reorganization of a Mutual Aid Society; the adoption of a resolution commemorative of the death of J. F. Slater, who gave one million dollars in perpetuity for the education of colored youth; the appointment of William F. Dickerson, C. S. Smith, B. F. Lee, T. G. Steward, and A. M. Green, a committee to prepare a catechism for use in the Sunday schools of the African Methodist Episcopal Church; granting permission to the North Carolina Annual Conference to divide; empowering the bishops when necessary to divide any Annual Conference with and by the consent of a majority of the members of the same; the adoption of a resolution of thanks to the Rev. C. K. Marshall, of Vicksburg, Miss., for his able reply to Dr. J. L. Tucker, who had lectured on the immorality of the Negro; the adoption of a resolution endorsing Tanner's An Outline of Our History and Government for African Methodist Churchmen, Ministerial and Lay; making provision for retired

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bishops, and for the relief of the flood sufferers in the Mississippi Valley; ordering the business of the Sunday School Union to be conducted on a cash basis; and designating Wilberforce University as the place of the annual meeting of the Council of Bishops.

        The fraternal delegates were Rev. W. H. Saint Clair, Nashville, Tenn., and Rev. E. Roy, D.D., Atlanta, Ga., representing the National Council of the Congregational Churches in the United States; Rev. C. H. Meade and J. N. Stearns of the National Temperance Society.

        After a spirited discussion on the subject of Ritualism, the following resolutions presented by C. S. Smith were adopted:

        Whereas, we recognize that it is justly due to the righteous deeds, sublime self-sacrifice, and heroic devotion of those who conceived and fashioned the distinctive elements in the foundation and framework of our denominational organism that those who inherit, possess, and enjoy the fruits of their unwavering faith, unceasing diligence, and unremitting toil, should emphatically resent every effort calculated to work a hasty, unwarranted, and unnecessary departure from the landmarks established by the fathers; and

        Whereas, we believe that the doctrine, practices, usages, and genius of American Methodism, as believed, observed, and confirmed by the founders of African Methodism and their successors to the present day, should in their entirety, without modification, restriction, or enlargement, be believed, practiced, and conformed to by those entrusted with the continued preservation and development of African Methodism in its historical and progressive relation; and

        Whereas, we further believe that in all things essential as touching the doctrines, government, service, order, and work of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, there should be oneness of purpose, concurrent opinion, continuity of methods, and harmony of feelings and relations between the several factors that compose the whole;

        Resolved, That we hold as the result of our best knowledge and highest wisdom, based on the facts of history and the teachings and experiences of the same, resulting primarily from the origin and development of American Methodism, that it is highly inexpedient and unwise to permit any innovation in the concurrent beliefs, practices, and usages of African Methodism; and in view of this, we do not hesitate to affirm that the dogma of Apostolic Succession is foreign and repugnant to the concurrent beliefs and teachings of African Methodism, and that no bishop nor minister of the African Methodist Episcopal Church should be allowed publicly to proclaim opinions and views favorable thereto.

        Resolved, That as touching the usages and practices of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, we are free to aver that while it is

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desirable to secure uniformity in the order of the public services, and to enlist, so far as possible, the thought and spirit of the people in the same; and while we grant that the orderly repetition of the Decalogue, the Apostles' Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the responsive reading of the Scriptures may conduce to the attainment thereof, we strenuously deny that the use of a heavy and prosy ritualistic service by the public congregation will in any sense increase its spiritual interest, and we deprecate any and all efforts that favor the introduction of ritualism in connection with our public services.

        Resolved, That the wearing of robes, gowns, or surplices by the bishops or ministers of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is at variance with the simplicity of Methodist usages and should, therefore, be discontinued.

        Resolved, That all laws or parts of law in conflict with the spirit and language of this declaration be and the same are hereby repealed.


        On a call of the roll the declaration was adopted by a vote of one hundred twenty-seven yeas to eleven nays.

        The appeal of Bishop R. H. Cain from the decision of the Northeast Texas Annual Conference in restoring W. R. Carson to membership without examining the books, records, etc., was not sustained. The appeal of J. E. Hayne against the South Carolina Annual Conference was referred back to the Conference. Bishop Payne filed a protest against organic union with the British Methodist Episcopal Church. The text of the protest covers ten and one half pages of the printed Journal of the proceedings of the General Conference. There were no bishops elected. The publication of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Review (quarterly) was ordered. The general officers elected were: J. C. Embry, Business Manager of the Book Concern; B. F. Lee, Editor of the Christian Recorder; B. W. Arnett, Financial Secretary; J. M. Townsend, Missionary Secretary; C. S. Smith, Secretary of the Sunday School Union; B. T. Tanner, Editor of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Review; and William D. Johnson, Secretary of Education.

NECROLOGY

        Rev. H. A. Knight, Philadelphia Annual Conference; Rev. Deaton Dorrell, New England Annual Conference; Rev. A. T. Carr, South Carolina Annual Conference; Rev. William H. Noble, Georgia Annual Conference; Rev. M. M. Mance and Rev. H. D. Edwards, Columbia Annual Conference.

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EPISCOPAL DISTRICTS AND ASSIGNMENTS

        During the quadrennium from 1880 to 1884 considerable unrest was manifested in African Methodist circles in South Carolina, resulting in an organized revolt led by the Rev. W. E. Johnson. The chief cause of the revolt was factional strife. Rev. Johnson had a commanding personality and possessed many qualities of leadership. He was radical in his tendencies, to which sometimes his judgment was subordinated. The attack of the revolters centered around an effort to wrest Morris Brown Church, Charleston, from the Connection. The case was taken to court with adverse results to the disloyal parties. The decree of the court was that both of the contending factions enjoyed equal rights in the use of Morris Brown Church as a place of worship so long as they remained adherents of the African Methodist Episcopal Church; but should they terminate their adherence, their right to the use of the property would cease. It was a number of years before the spirit of revolt entirely disappeared.

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CHAPTER XII
THIRD PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT: 1873-1892 (CONTINUED)

        Bishop Payne Summoned to Chatham, Canada--Bishop Payne's Dissertation on Organic Union--Departure of Bishop William Taylor, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with a Band of Missionaries, for Africa--Eighteenth General Conference, Indianapolis, Ind., May, 1888--Resolutions on Organic Union Referred to Special Committee--Committee's Report--Election of Four Bishops--Commission on Revision Recommended that a Limited Veto Power be Vested in the Council of Bishops--Further Proceedings of the Conference--The Act of Bishop Turner in Ordaining a Woman Repudiated--Necrology--Episcopal Districts and Assignments.

        IN May, 1885, Bishop D. A. Payne went to Chatham, Canada, as he had been summoned there as a witness in the Court of Chancery to testify to the historical facts concerning the organization of the British Methodist Episcopal Church, and to what claims the African Methodist Episcopal Church had on the property of the former, which had been in their undisputed and unquestioned possession for twenty-nine years. The decision of the Court was to the effect that all property which had been deeded in the name of the British Methodist Episcopal Church should remain as such, and that the African Methodist Episcopal Church should continue in the possession of all property which had been deeded in its name. While it is true that a minority of the ministers and members of the British Methodist Episcopal Church strongly opposed organic union with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, yet since the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, in session at Baltimore, Maryland, May, 1884, confirmed and ratified its action in 1880 in re organic union with the British Methodist Episcopal Church, the propriety of Bishop Payne's appearance in the Chancery Court at Chatham as a witness for the minority is questionable. It seems to have been a refusal to respect and obey a solemn mandate of the General Conference and to defy the authority he was pledged to uphold. Despite this inference, the presumption is not warranted that Bishop Payne's opposition to organic union between

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the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the British Methodist Episcopal Church was purely captious. This is reflected in his dissertation, which is well-nigh prophetic, on how two religious denominations may become one. His statements are so pregnant with logic and reason that they justify their reproduction here. Not only this, but they should evoke the cogitation and study of the unifications of the present day. He reasoned thus:

(1) By absorption; (2) By unification. To effect oneness of two distinct denominations by absorption, whether they be similar or dissimilar, depends upon the qualities which distinguish the one to be absorbed. These qualities may be such as: (1) members; (2) intelligence; (3) purity; (4) wealth. If all these, or a majority of them, be out of proportion to the related body, then absorption is necessary; also when they stand related as one to three, or one to four, or two to four, in numerical strength; or when they are related as children to full-grown men in knowledge, in piety, in usefulness, this superior knowledge, piety, and usefulness, being demonstrated by what has been accomplished; likewise where the poverty of the one and the wealth of the other are related as one tenth to one hundredth, or one hundred ten thousandths to one million. But two or more religious denominations may become one when the aforementioned qualities are equally possessed by the parties desiring to be united in one government under the same Discipline. Such is the pride of the human heart that unless the Spirit of Jesus has taken entire possession of it, the more numerous, the more intelligent, the more pious, and the more wealthy will regard the less numerous, the less intelligent, the less pious, and the less wealthy as inferiors; therefore, they will reject all proposals for organic union. But if two or more different denominations sincerely and earnestly desire organic union--in answer to the solemn, marvelous, and immortal prayer of the Son of God, as given us in the seventeenth chapter of Saint John's Gospel--no inequality of numbers, of intelligence, of piety, nor of wealth will prove to be an insurmountable barrier. As to names and titles, be they genuine or not--devised by mortal, erring man--they shall not be able to stand against the omnipotent will of the Redeemer. What is true of names and titles is equally true of human organizations; for no particular form of Church government is indicated, much less commended, in the written word of God. Presbyterianism, Congregationalism, Methodism, Episcopalianism, and Papalism are all of human device and origin, designed to minister to human pride, human vanity, human dignity, or human power. All these must fade away before the presence of the conquering Son of God. The name Christian--that and that alone--will be able to stand before enlightened, progressive humanity, the glory of the millennium, and the consuming fires of the judgment-day to which we all are hastening, and for which we all ought to live.
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        The departure of Bishop William Taylor, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with a band of missionaries for Africa, was one of the significant events of 1885. It was a wonderful and daring adventure. It had no great missionary organization behind it like the Church Missionary Society for Africa and the East, or like the Wesleyan Missionary Society, or the American Board of Foreign Missions. The intrepid bishop and his band of missionaries placed themselves like trustful children in the hands of our Heavenly Father. How strong their faith!

        About this time the completion of Bishop Payne's treatise on "Domestic Education" was announced.

        The eighteenth General Conference assembled in Indianapolis, Ind., on May 7, 1888. It was composed of 9 bishops, 7 general officers, 182 ministers, and 86 laymen. Total, 268. Of this number 43 ministerial and 6 lay delegates were members of the General Conference of 1884. Fifty Annual Conferences were represented, including nine new Annual Conferences which had been organized during the quadrennium. Bishop D. A. Payne delivered the Quadrennial Sermon. Bishop T. M. D. Ward read the Episcopal Address. The organization of the Conference was effected by the election of M. E. Bryant, secretary; T. H. Jackson, C. Pierce Nelson, assistant secretaries; J. H. Collett, B. A. J. Nixon, statistical secretaries; C. Asbury, reading clerk; A. W. Upshaw, engrossing clerk.

        The addresses of welcome were delivered by Bishop J. P. Campbell and J. W. Gazaway. Responses were made by James A. Handy and B. T. Tanner. An unusual proceeding was the holding of a sacramental service in the afternoon of the first day. The sermon was preached by Bishop D. A. Payne. It is a significant fact that Bishop Payne preached three sermons during the Conference--the Sacramental, the Quadrennial, and the Ordination. This is the only time that such a course characterized the proceedings of a General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. For some reason the Quadrennial Sermon was not delivered until the morning of the fourth day. Text: Mal. 2. 4-8; Mal. 3. 1-5; 1 Tim. 2. 1-7; 1 Tim. 4. 12-15. Subject: The Church of the Living God--its Priesthood and Ministry in all Ages. No quotations

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can be made from the sermon, as it is not included in the printed Journal. The reading of the Episcopal Address was delayed until the afternoon of the seventh day. In extent it covers twenty pages of the printed Journal of the proceedings of the General Conference and embraces twenty topics. It was a strong and comprehensive deliverance. It was free of hesitancy and doubt. It visualized the conditions of those times, and emphasized the needs of the Church. The following paragraphs will indicate its trend:

        Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good, whether it be an old truth, an old hymn, an old science, or an old man. The demon change is the pest of American society. The oak which has braved the storms of a thousand years did not get its growth in a day. The wrestling with the storm and tempest only gave it strength and beauty. The lightnings have not scorched it, nor have the thunders demolished it. It is covered with scars, but not destroyed. The mushroom springs up in a night and withers in an hour; so do men and nations. The mountains are the emblems of omnipotence, the bulwarks of the earth. That which endures is of slow growth. Numbers do not always indicate strength. We build for the unborn centuries. The influences that surround us are very subtle. Men lack stamina, backbone, and brawn. We have become effeminate and nerveless. We are too impressionable to immoral influences. We often fear men more than we dread God. We are often ready to make laws, which we have not the courage to enforce; hence law is often sneered at. Anarchy always follows in the wake of lawlessness. The law knows no mercy and men should keep themselves out of its way. When the Church refuses to enforce her laws, she is worthless; she must have a face of flint and a will of iron.

        Ruggedness of character is the need of the hour. Men who dare to be true to God and to themselves are in demand both by the Church and the State. The fathers builded better than they knew. Their work has been tested; the building has been shaken not by foes without, but by traitors within. The open, manly foe has always been routed. Place none but true men on guard, and we shall hand down to unborn generations the glorious heritage, unbroken and untarnished, which we received from the fathers. Let each do his duty in his allotted time, sphere, and place, and no combination of circumstances, however unfavorable, will be able to root up the goodly tree of African Methodism. This tree will flourish in immortal beauty in the ages yet to be. We must not heed the Sanballats of caste, hatred, avarice, lust, and reproach, but work on as though we were working not for time only, but for eternity. Men do not always see results. Duty is ours, consequences God's. The great struggle with the slave power continued for generations, and the vestiges of that baneful institution

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still mar the fair vision of our common country. We meet its deadly influence everywhere, yet God and justice are marching on. There are two forces at work--barbarism and Christianity, right and wrong, virtue and vice, morality and impurity--which shall triumph? Who shall win? Who is winning? As a Church, we must not quibble nor truckle, but wield a trenchant blade, double-edged, cutting from heel to point. We are set as the censors of public morals. Not only will the millions of colored people on this continent and the millions in Africa and the islands of the seas feel our influence, but all Christendom will gauge our character by the moral triumph we shall win. Only God can give us victory in this fight, and through him our heaven-directed battalions shall take and hold the field. Our leaders must be the uncompromising enemies of wrong in every particular. We cannot afford to place bad men in the field. We may do it, but we shall reap the harvest, which will reflect no credit on us. There are many who follow us for the loaves and fishes. Hardness and endurance are demanded now as in days of yore. The earnest working man will tell you that faith, hope, and courage are demanded now as in former years. Our Church and school work demand great industry and perseverance. We have no millionaires at our back. Now and then a rich man, like Judge Chase or an immortal Charles Avery, will open his heart, provided we have someone to approach him. Then, to whom shall we look? To whom shall we appeal? Why, to the God of our fathers. We need prayerful, living, working, trustful, practical men. Wesley and Allen were not only able preachers, but practical business men; and then they were men of great industry; their motto was, "Always be in haste but never in a hurry."

        We sometimes forget the men who have given to the itinerancy the vigor and strength of early manhood. All men have not the gift of laying up treasures on earth. We should urge all men to prepare for the rainy day. We shall all wear a white crown if we live long enough. Few Methodist preachers can retire on a competency. We must care for the veterans. We conjure you by all that is great in Christianity to provide for the men who have given their best years to the service of the Church. When they can no longer work, make them feel that they are neither forgotten nor forsaken, and let them spend the years of feebleness and age without feeling the iron hand of want.


        Stress was laid on the observance of the class meeting, the prayer meeting, the love feast, and congregational singing. The address closed with the following recommendations:

The appropriation of $3,000 annually for our African work; $4,000 for our West Indian work; the obliteration of the Indian Mission Conference, unless it could be adequately financed; the purchase of new headquarters for the Publication Department at Philadelphia; the ratification of the purchase of the Southern Christian Recorder from Bishop H. M. Turner; the careful nursing of the Metropolitan Church,
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Washington, D. C.; a special appropriation for the relief of the Church at San Francisco, Cal.; the appropriation of $800 annually for the Pacific work; the creation of an African Mission Conference, subject to the judgment of the Missionary Board and the Council of Bishops; the opening of a branch Book Depository wherever the Southern Christian Recorder should be located; changing the law relative to sending the fourth of a dollar to Wilberforce University, so that it would be sent direct to the treasurer of the college instead of through the Commissioner of Education; the creation of an executive board for each Department, to consist of ministers and laymen residing in the city where such Department may be located, and to be chosen by the Annual Conference in which said Department may be established; providing that no bigamist shall have any place either in our Conferences or in our churches.

        The question of organic union between the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the British Methodist Episcopal Church, like Banquo's ghost, would not down, notwithstanding the action of the General Conference of 1884. During the morning of the second day's session, T. G. Steward offered the following resolutions:

        Whereas, since the last General Conference, final proclamation has been made of the accomplishment of organic union between the African Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States and the British Methodist Episcopal Church of Canada and the West Indies, and

        Whereas, delegates from the Annual Conferences lately composing the British Methodist Episcopal Church appear here duly accredited to this body; and

        Whereas, Bishop Disney, formerly a bishop of that Church, has been freely and fully recognized by the bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and has been associated with them in Annual Conferences in the United States; and bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church have been recognized in Conferences formerly belonging to the British Methodist Episcopal Church; therefore, be it

        Resolved, By this eighteenth General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the first General Conference of the British Methodist Episcopal Church thus referred to:


        The matter was referred to a special committee consisting of one member from each Annual Conference. On May 11 the committee reported as follows:

        We your committee to whom was referred the resolutions of Dr. T. G. Steward relative to the union of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the British Methodist Episcopal Church, after several vain attempts to satisfy ourselves upon the subject referred to us, submit the following resolution:

        Resolved, That as it is the sense of this committee that there appears to be something existing which gave rise to the resolution offered by Dr. Steward that should claim the attention of the General Conference, we therefore recommend that the matter be investigated by the Conference.


        Following the introduction of this resolution various motions were made and considerable discussion engaged in relative thereto. It was finally decided to consider the subject of union between the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the British Methodist Episcopal Church in a direct manner. Two attorneys were appointed on each side, the Conference to act as a jury. Ten minutes were allotted to each of the attorneys. T. H. Jackson and C. S. Smith spoke against the adoption of the resolution presented by T. G. Steward; J. E. Hayne and W. B. Derrick spoke in favor of its adoption. The resolution was then read and the roll called for the yeas and nays. T. H. Jackson submitted the point of order that as the bishop and delegates from the tenth Episcopal District were parties interested in the question before the house, they should not be allowed to vote. The chairman (Bishop Turner) ruled that as the union had been perfected they had a right to vote. T. H. Jackson appealed from the decision of the Chair. The appeal was not sustained. While the vote was being taken a number of delegates explained their votes. The record of the result of the vote shows that there were 186 yeas

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and 64 nays, and thus for the second time was the consummation of organic union between the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the British Methodist Episcopal Church reaffirmed. The disposition of the matter consumed the entire morning's session.

        The Episcopal Committee submitted a majority report recommending that five bishops be elected and that the salary of a bishop be not more than $1,800 per annum. A most novel proceeding followed the presentation of the report, namely, the presentation of three minority reports. Number one recommended that there be no increase in the number of bishops. Number two, that four bishops be elected. Number three, that three be elected. The question of the legality of three minority reports was raised. The ruling of the Chair was that, according to strict parliamentary practice, only a majority and a minority report were admissible. He stated, however, that he was inclined to allow all of the reports to come before the Conference. It was voted to receive all of the reports for consideration. The point was made for the second time that the rules only allow one minority report. As the raising of this point caused considerable confusion, the Chairman ruled that he would recognize only two of the reports as before the Conference--the majority and minority report. An appeal was taken from the decision of the Chair. By a vote of 162 yeas to 11 nays the Chair was sustained. After much discussion the majority report having been amended by substituting four for five, was adopted by 154 yeas to 79 nays.

        Saturday morning at ten o'clock was the time fixed for the election of four bishops. On the day designated, May 19, after all preliminary arrangements for the election had been effected, the Conference sang the hymn beginning, "Let Zion's Watchmen All Awake." Prayer was offered by Bishop Ward. On account of the temporary absence of the senior bishop, the Conference was addressed by Bishop Wayman, who urged that the election be entered into with due solemnity and seriousness. On the first ballot 244 votes were cast. Necessary to a choice, 123. W. J. Gaines having received 156 votes and B. W. Arnett 123, they were declared elected. On the second ballot B. T. Tanner, having received 125 votes, was declared elected. On the third ballot no one received the necessary

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number of votes for election. On the fourth ballot A. Grant, having received 138 votes, was declared elected.

        On the reception of Rev. Joshua E. Wilson, the fraternal delegate from the Methodist Episcopal Church, Bishop Campbell made the following address in response to his greetings:

Mr. Chairman:

        I feel inspired. Sir, I do not allow any man living between heaven and earth to have greater respect for Bishop Taylor than myself, nor to have a greater regard for the Methodist Episcopal Church. I remember having read that Barbara Heck, one of the pioneers of American Methodism, gathered together a number of people without any difference in race or color and formed them into a Methodist society. I love the Methodist Episcopal Church because we are her first and, therefore, her oldest daughter.

        No child well brought up can disrespect its mother, so we cannot disrespect the Methodist Episcopal Church. I would not have you think that we have done so. We have not done the same amount of mission work as your Church, but the spirit is on us now. I have been ready to go to Africa for full forty years, and, that, too, at my own expense. The temptation is strong now, and if none of the younger men who have been elected bishops will go, then the old man will go. I have gone to Europe and appeared before the Wesleyan Methodists at my own cost and will go to Africa if none of you young men will go. As far back as 1824 a black missionary of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, in the person of John Boggs, that great and good man, went to Africa. He had to return because he could not be supported. But since that time others have gone, taking their lives in their hands, as Bishop Taylor has done. We have not wealth as you have, sir, and therein lies the reason for our limited missionary work.


        The following was presented for consideration by Bishop Payne:

This is to inform you that the history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is completed. I was authorized by the General Conference of 1848 to write it. In searching for material, in arranging, in sifting the chaff from the wheat, and in putting all that is valuable in historic form, forty years have been consumed. The General Conference of 1856 ordered that when completed the Book Concern should publish it, and that I should be rewarded for my labors by a royalty of 25 per cent. At my advanced age this royalty would be of little or no profit to me, and, therefore, I beg that the order of the General Conference of 1856 be annulled and a new and different arrangement made with the Historiographer.

        The matter was referred to a committee of five.

        At the afternoon session of the fifteenth day, May 22, the

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Conference engaged in the election of the general officers, which resulted in the election of J. C. Embry, Business Manager; B. F. Lee, Editor of the Christian Recorder; L. J. Coppin, Editor of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Review; J. M. Townsend, Secretary of Missions; J. A. Handy, Financial Secretary; C. S. Smith, Secretary of the Sunday School Union; W. D. Johnson, Secretary of Education; and M. E. Bryant, Editor of the Southern Christian Recorder.

        Section 2 of the report of the Committee on Revision provoked a spirited discussion. The language of the text reads:

We further recommend that a limited veto power shall be vested in the Council of Bishops, who shall have authority to examine the certified record book of revised laws; and should a majority of the Council of Bishops find a measure adopted by the General Conference objectionable, and in their opinion calculated to prove detrimental to the interests of the Church, they shall have power to return the bill within three days after its final passage with their objections thereto; whereupon the bill shall again be put upon its passage by the General Conference; and if two thirds of the members present when the bill is so returned vote in favor of the statute, it shall then become a law--the objections of the bishops to the contrary notwithstanding. But should two thirds of the members not vote in favor of its passage after such a bill is returned within three days as above stated, it shall not become a law. Provided, however, that this law shall only apply to bills passed within not less than four days prior to the final adjournment of the General Conference.

        By a majority vote this section was ordered stricken from the report of the Committee.

        On the morning of the seventeenth day, May 24, the solemn service of the consecration of bishops was conducted. The Rev. C. P. Nelson, of the Columbia Conference, led in prayer, saying:

        O, Almighty and everlasting God, we approach thee as the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. We bow before thee in the attitude of prayer for the purpose of acknowledging thy great mercies and goodness toward us. We have met this morning for the ordination of four of our members whom we have, after prayer, elected to the office of bishop.

        O, thou God of Jacob, come in our midst this morning, fit and prepare our hearts for the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, forgive our past transgressions, and receive us as thy children. We pray thy blessings upon this General Conference. May we look to Him alone from whom

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all good things come. Bless him who shall deliver the ordination sermon at this hour. May the charge given be attended by the Holy Ghost, and may such an impression go out that men will take knowledge of us and say, "Surely they have been with Jesus." Now, Lord, take charge of the Church, the Church of to-day; guide, direct, and control it in the future as thou hast in the past. Thou hast been with the fathers and the pioneers in the darkest hours of their conflicts, led on by the sainted Allen, in the interest of a religion that acknowledges God as our Father and Man as our Brother. We thank thee that thou hast watched over us and hast defended us against the evil one. We thank thee for thy loving kindness and thy tender mercies toward us. Now, Lord, bless the words this morning; impress our hearts with the solemnity of the occasion, and grant us that which by nature we cannot have; and when the army of the Lord shall have accomplished its conflicts, bring us home; and all the glory shall be thine. Amen.


        Bishop Payne was the preacher of the hour. Text: Isaiah 11. 1-10. Theme: The Manhood of Jesus and Its Influence upon the Races, the Nations, and Humanity. Touching the influence of the manhood of Jesus upon the races, the Bishop said:

History records past facts; prophecy, what is to come. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb; one will not devour the other. They shall not dwell in unity but in harmony. This will be the influence of Jesus upon the races. All the races shall be harmonized, all nations are tending toward this harmony. All this shall come to pass, and "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountains." This holy mountain is the world with the Church sweeping through it. No other name can conquer the earth but the name of Jesus. Do not stir up man against man--the white man against the black man. Do not stir up, but harmonize them. Brethren, get down upon your knees and wrestle until you are consecrated. Remember how Fletcher got the victory over his temper. I beg you to follow his example. Hold on to Jesus until your name is changed. You cannot stoop down to anything that is hurtful. Having conquered yourselves you can conquer the world. I say, "Be ye strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."

        Further proceedings of the Conference included: an expression of thanks to the Sunday School Union for providing conveniences for the use of the General Conference, such as post-office, telegraph, telephone, stationery, etc.; the holding of memorial services; providing for night sessions beginning with Monday night, May 21, from eight to ten o'clock; disqualifying general officers from being members of the General Conference

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unless elected by their respective Annual Conferences; the rejection of a proposal to change the basis of ministerial representation in the General Conference from one for each twenty full members to one for each twenty-four; prohibiting a bishop from accepting a transferred minister against whom there is a charge or complaint; providing for the establishment of a branch Book Concern to be located at the place where the Southern Christian Recorder was published; ordering the purchase of the manuscript of the history of the Church prepared by Bishop Payne, which he values at $5,000, for $2,000 and granting him the reserved right of supervision and control of its publication; consideration of the report of the Commissioners on organic union between the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church; fixing the salary of a bishop at $2,000 annually, that of the Financial Secretary at $1,500 annually, that of the Editor of the Quarterly Review at $1,000 annually, and that of the Editor of the Christian Recorder, the Business Manager, the Missionary Secretary, the Commissioner of Education, the Secretary of the Sunday School Union, and the Editor of The Southern Christian Recorder, each at $1,350 annually; the disapproval of a measure to reconsider the law adopted making the presiding eldership universal; the adoption of a supplementary report of the Episcopal Committee authorizing the Council of Bishops, in case of temporary disability, sickness, or death of any of its members, to provide for the supervision of the work in the District over which the deceased bishop had charge; the presentation of a protest offered by J. F. Dyson against the election of general officers before their reports had been examined and their correctness affirmed by the several committees on general officers' reports.

        Action to prevent disruption of local churches, entailing the loss of members and property, as well as to conserve other vital interests, is reflected by the adoption of the following edict:

        Whereas, many sad experiences have been witnessed in our Connection from time to time in the loss of members and sometimes whole congregations and churches; and

        Whereas, said disruption and loss of members and churches are often the result of dissatisfaction on account of appointments made;

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        Be it ordained, that when such dissatisfaction may occur and disruption among our members is liable to ensue, that for the salvation of our members and property the presiding bishop shall call as many of the bishops as may be convenient, to advise with him for the good of that church or churches; and if a number of bishops cannot be brought together as aforesaid, the presiding bishop shall call some of the most experienced elders in that Conference to his assistance, who shall in conjunction with him make such change or changes as will redound to the best interests of the Church and to the glory of God.


        The Methodist Episcopal Church sent fraternal greetings through Rev. Joseph E. Wilson. It was the only body to do so. The following resolution recommended by the Episcopal Committee was adopted:

Whereas, Bishop H. M. Turner has seen fit to ordain a woman to the order of a deacon; and Whereas, said act is contrary to the usage of our Church, and without a precedent in any other body of Christians in the known world, and as it cannot be proven by the Scriptures that a woman has ever been ordained to the order of the ministry; Therefore be it enacted, That the bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church be and are hereby forbidden to ordain a woman to the order of a deacon or an elder in our Church.

NECROLOGY

        Among those who had joined the Church Triumphant were Bishop James Alexander Shorter, Bishop William Fisher Dickerson, and Bishop Richard Harvey Cain. Others were the Rev. George H. Hann, of the Iowa Annual Conference; Rev. Johnson Reed, of the Louisiana Annual Conference; Rev. William Bradwell, of the Alabama Annual Conference; Rev. J. F. A. Sisson, of the Indian Mission Conference; and General R. R. Rivers, lay delegate from the South Carolina Annual Conference.

        James Alexander Shorter, the ninth bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, was born of free parents in Washington, D. C., on February 14, 1817, and departed this life at Wilberforce, Ohio, on July 1, 1887. He was the son of Charles and Elizabeth Shorter. His opportunity for receiving an education was limited; he obtained a little in the day and Sunday school. Early in life he was sent to Philadelphia to learn

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the trade of a barber. While there he was entrusted to the care of Rev. Walter Proctor. When he finished his trade he went westward as far as Galena, Ill., where he was converted and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, as there was then no African Methodist Episcopal Church at that place. Shortly after his conversion he joined the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He also married a Christian lady, Miss Julia Ann Steward.

        In 1838 he removed to Washington, D. C., and united with Israel Church. When the Union Bethel Church was built, he transferred his membership to this church. In 1846 the Quarterly Conference of Union Bethel Church recommended James A. Shorter to the Baltimore Conference for admission. He was examined by a committee of which Daniel A. Payne was the chairman. The report of the committee was favorable and he was admitted to the Conference. His first appointment was to the Lewistown Circuit as the colleague of Isaac B. Parker. In April, 1848, he was ordained a deacon, and in April, 1850, was ordained an elder. In 1851, he was appointed pastor of Israel Church, Washington, D. C. At the Baltimore Annual Conference of 1857, he was granted a transfer to the Ohio Annual Conference.

        He settled at Wilberforce, Ohio, in order that he might find facilities for the education of his children. He was one of the founders of Wilberforce University, and at one time was its financial agent. His influence was very helpful in developing the interests of the university. He possessed such rugged honesty and sterling qualities as to favorably impress all with whom he came in contact, particularly his ministerial associates. At the General Conference of 1864 he received a large vote for the bishopric; in 1868 he was the first of three to be elected to that office. The other two elected were John M. Brown and Thomas D. Ward. His first assignment as a bishop was to the Southwest, where he organized the Kentucky, Mississippi, and Texas Annual Conferences. As to the high esteem in which James Alexander Shorter was held both as a churchman and a citizen, one writer has said:

He was a man of such rare excellence that human language, however eloquent it may be, or however ready in the pen of the scribe, cannot portray his character in too glowing colors.
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        Another writer has said:

He was a man of sterling integrity; his honesty was as transparent as a sunbeam. He was the uncompromising enemy of all kinds of peculation. His moral character was without taint or blur. No stain ever rested on his fair name.

EPISCOPAL DISTRICTS AND ASSIGNMENTS

        The event of interest to world-wide Methodism during the past quadrennium was the assembling of the second Ecumenical Methodist Conference at Washington, D. C., on October 7, 1891, which continued in session until the 20th. Bishop Wayman presided on October 15; Bishop Arnett was a member of

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the Executive Committee; Rev. B. F. Lee was on the Program Committee; Rev. J. C. Embry, on the Business Committee; and Rev. J. A. Handy, on the Finance Committee. The following is a list of the delegates who represented the African Methodist Episcopal Church: Bishops D. A. Payne, A. W. Wayman, T. M. D. Ward, J. M. Brown, H. M. Turner, W. J. Gaines, and B. W. Arnett; Revs. L. J. Coppin, J. C. Embry, A. M. Green, T. W. Henderson, T. W. Anderson, J. H. Jones, P. A. Hubbard, W. A. J. Phillips, J. N. Abby, L. H. Smith, and J. H. A. Johnson.

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CHAPTER XIII
THIRD PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT: 1873-1892 (CONCLUDED)

        Nineteenth General Conference, Philadelphia, Pa., May, 1892--Quadrennial Sermon Delivered by Bishop Gaines--No Record of It--Episcopal Address Read by Bishop Turner--Observations on Ministerial Mendicants Provoked Adverse Criticism--A Debatable Ruling Made by the Chair--Resolutions on Organic Union--Distinguished Visitors Introduced--Three Bishops Elected--Election of General Officers--Nine Annual Conferences Created--Other Matters that Engaged the Attention of the General Conference--General Statistics--Necrology--Episcopal Districts and Assignments.

        AS it relates to African Methodism, the distinctive event in the year 1892 was the assembling of the nineteenth General Conference, at Philadelphia, Pa., on May 2, which continued in session until May 24. It was composed of 11 bishops, 6 general officers, 227 ministers, and 88 laymen. Total, 332. There were 48 Annual Conferences represented. Addresses of welcome were delivered on behalf of the Philadelphia Annual Conference, by J. A. Handy; on behalf of the city churches, by L. J. Coppin; and on behalf of the citizens, by Mr. Hans Shadd. R. R. Downs was elected secretary with the privilege of naming his assistants. B. A. J. Nixon, J. M. Murchison, and M. M. Moore were designated as assistant secretaries; H. M. Cox and W. D. Chappelle, statistical secretaries; R. L. Beale, engrossing clerk; and J. R. Hawkins, reading clerk. Masters George Parvis and Paul Brock were appointed pages. The Quadrennial Sermon was delivered by Bishop W. J. Gaines. The Episcopal Address was read by Bishop H. M. Turner. No portion of the sermon can be reproduced here as it is not included in the printed Journal of the General Conference. Only the text is given, namely, Gal. 3. 28-29; Eph. 4. 31-32. It is noted in the Journal that the sermon was well received and elicited many favorable comments.

        The Episcopal Address covers sixty pages of the Journal and embraces forty-nine topics. The following paragraphs will indicate its trend and scope:

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        We trust you have well considered the grave, solemn, serious, and weighty business which will engage your attention while here in session; and that you have made it the subject of fasting and prayer, as well as deep reflection, with such light as experience, protracted reading, and labored research have been able to impart.

        We would not presume, however, that anyone in the Divine presence has been so intoxicated with a desire for notoriety or fame as to allow himself to accept the position of a delegate in the face of the consciousness of the fact that he is answerable at the bar of God for every resolution he may offer, and for each vote he may cast. For the duties and responsibilities of the General Conference exceed those of the Annual Conference in proportion as the light of the sun exceeds the light of the scintillating stars.

        The present session of the General Conference has convened upon the most sacred spot known to our widespread Church, and should awe every member of the same into the most solemn and deferential respect for each other's opinions, and exact the most rigid adherence to the rules of ministerial etiquette, sober thought, and reflection. Here Allen, Coker, Tapsico, Durham, Champion, Harden, Cuff and the other organic founders of our Church assembled on April 9, 1816. If we recognize the organic convention which established the Church, as a General Conference, then eight sessions out of twenty have met in this city, deliberated, and devised measures for the salvation of mankind. Here bishops have been elected and consecrated to superintend our branch of the Church of God who have long since gone to join the heavenly hosts. Their redeemed spirits are likely now hovering over our heads, and will take note of our actions and doubtless be infinitely more concerned about the measures we shall adopt than they could possibly be if they were present in the flesh. Here preachers have been licensed, deacons have been ordained, and elders have been consecrated to the exalted work of the ministry; under whose masterly preaching, like Ezekiel of old, the dry bones of unbelief and skepticism have shaken in the valley of incredulity until they have united in the symmetric beauty of a living faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Here the giants of primitive African Methodism have pleaded with God upon bended knees, and moistened the very ground upon which we stand with their tears that we might be the recipients of the inestimable privileges, gracious opportunities, and mighty responsibilities with which every delegate present to-day is invested. Here tens of thousands of sinners have heard the Word of Light and felt the arrows of keen conviction, while thousands have accepted the proffer of salvation through the blood of the Lamb, and are gracing the courts of heaven because they believed on Him who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

        The last three General Conferences have been unpardonably boisterous, and have detracted from the majesty of an assembly which should be venerable by reason of its exalted responsibilities. The sequel of this has been, in too many instances, legislation irregular and inconsistent.

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        The General Conference stands in contradistinction to an Annual Conference in that it presumably represents the intelligence, learning, experience, morality, and venerableness of the Connection. Every member is known to represent a constituency. Each minister speaks for twenty others, and the lay delegates may speak for ten thousand or more. Therefore, they cannot afford a preponderance of levity or litigiousness. Our ministry and laity at home take it for granted that the assembled wisdom of the Church has met here in council to devise measures for the good of the same; and that every question which may arise will be patiently and protractedly discussed, and both its merits and demerits thoroughly analyzed. This cannot be done, however, if a dozen men are on the floor at the same time vying with each other in voice tones. When the presiding officer assigns the floor to a brother he should be listened to until he concludes his remarks, or his time expires; besides, business could be transacted more rapidly and infinitely more satisfactorily. When a dozen men are clamoring for the floor at the same time and nobody is allowed to proceed, it is equal to an adjournment, for nothing is being done.

        You owe it to the dignity of yourselves to clothe the bishops with extraordinary powers so that they will be able to protect the honor of your deliberations, even if it should necessitate the suspension of twenty men each day in order to reduce the working quorum to one fourth the number entitled to seats upon this floor. For if the condition of things which has marked the proceedings of the last three General Conferences is to continue, twenty-five members could deliberate and answer the purposes for which we have assembled far more wisely than three hundred.

        We grant that our General Conference in late years has been composed of men of more literary culture than in the days of our fathers, but our learning must not make us mad. Nor does it follow even that acquaintanceship with a few Greek or Latin roots and some mathematics and philosophy better fits us for Methodist legislation. It is not infrequently the case that men of limited learning possess much more knowledge of Methodist economy, polity, and needs of the Church than many who have had quadruple advantages.

        Our Book of Discipline makes it incumbent upon every itinerant minister to collect his traveling expenses to and from the Annual Conferences. But hundreds of our preachers appear to be ignorant of this requirement; and at the close of our annual sessions there are almost invariably a number of preachers present who are unable to leave for their fields of labor without being assisted by the Conference, or remaining as a burden upon the community for a time, begging money to pay their passage home. Nor does the seeming helplessness stop there. Presiding elders not infrequently will bring to the Conference preachers who are candidates for admission, and who are unable to pay their way either back to their homes or to the field of labor to which they are sent. We hope the General Conference will by some legislation put an immediate end to this condition of affairs; and any

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preacher who is not able to collect his traveling expenses to and from his Conference, let him be instructed to remain at his post and send his report to the Conference by his presiding elder. It is certainly time to put an estoppel on this ministerial mendicancy. Moreover, any preacher who is too devoid of energy to raise his own traveling expenses is generally a dead weight upon an Annual Conference, except in the case of new missions. Thousands of dollars are wasted annually by the Conferences upon that class of mendicant preacher that might be devoted to mission churches at home and mission fields abroad, which would double the membership in a few years and save thousands from everlasting perdition.

        Therefore, in consideration of the fact that we are standing upon holy ground, and will no doubt be watched by the spirits of just men made perfect, as well as by the public press and professional gossipers, who delight to criticise and animadvert upon everything indecorous in a member of an ecclesiastical body, it is to be hoped, and we shall cheerfully presume, that every member of this august assemblage will demean himself in such a manner as will honor his exalted position, and promote the glory of God by his Christian conduct and influence.


        In respect to the organic convention that established the Church being regarded as the first General Conference, the logic of events does not allow this to be done. The assembly that met on April 9, 1816, was convoked solely for the purpose of informal conferences and the exchange of opinions as to what would be the best course to pursue under the circumstances to secure proper religious liberty for certain groups of colored Methodists. By no stretch of reasoning can that assembly be correctly termed a General Conference. This is now generally recognized, and the year 1820 is held to be the date of the meeting of the first General Conference.

        The observations on "Ministerial Dependents" were not favorably received. In fact they met with resentment as being an unwarranted challenge of the motives of a class of deserving ministers, of whom there are not a few. The characterization of this class as "ministerial mendicants" met with severe criticism. It was regarded as unjust and unfair to that class of ministers sometimes called "little men," or those who have to "beat the bushes." Were there more equity and righteousness observed in dealing with this class of men by the "big men" of the Annual Conferences, charity would be extended toward them instead of blame. As a rule these men come to the Annual Conferences with money sufficient to meet their expenses

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for travel, etc., but this speedily goes to meet the demand for what are called Annual Conference dues; also for subscriptions to Church papers, special assessments, and special pleas. The men who "beat the bushes" have been and are now the real burden-bearers, and as a whole deserve praise and not censure.

        At the night session of the fifth day a gracious and enthusiastic welcome was tendered to Bishop Turner on his safe return from West Africa. He assured the Conference that he had no right to claim the flattering and distinguished welcome accorded him. In an humble, unassuming way he gave a brief sketch of his labors in the establishment of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the Dark Continent.

        A debatable ruling was made by the Chair (Bishop Turner) to the effect that it would require unanimous consent to withdraw a matter in possession of the body, unless a different requirement was stipulated in the by-laws.

        A marked feature of the General Conference was the observance of the fortieth anniversary of Bishop Payne's elevation to the episcopacy. It was held by order of the Conference, on May 13, and was largely attended by members of the General Conference and the public. C. L. Bradwell, B. F. Lee, and Bishop T. M. D. Ward delivered eloquent tributes to the faithful labors of Bishop Payne. A. A. Whitman contributed a poem which was read by Miss Mamie Revels. The principal address was delivered by Bishop Ward and is as follows:

        For half a century Bishop Payne has contended for a high grade of intellectual excellence in the pupilt. During that time colored Americans have regarded him as the exponent of whatever improved the condition of our race. He himself had felt the blighting influences of slavery and with superhuman energy rose above all environments that tended to drag him down to degradation and ruin. In 1852, when it was decided to elect two additional bishops, there were a few men of advanced thought who determined to make Daniel A. Payne their standard-bearer. They said, "We need a man upon the bench whose trumpet will give no uncertain sound touching mental as well as moral culture." They knew the hour would come when the millions of our enslaved brethren would be made free. The duty of preparing our pulpit for the crisis was apparent. We needed a leader to sound the tocsin. He was elected and the taunt we had so often heard that African Methodism was the abettor of ignorance was forever silenced.

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His compeer, Willis Nazrey, who was elected at the same time, moved up and down the lines amid the smoke and roar of battle and shouted, "Forward!"

        In 1852 a new era dawned upon the Church. The Christian Recorder with its electric beams threw its light everywhere. Bishop Payne was not only the champion of intellectual excellence, he not only believed in the acquisition of learning and the dissemination of such ideas as would snap the fetters of ignorance, but he believed in a holy life. He believed in chastity, probity, and purity. Men denounced him because he was the uncompromising enemy of all forms and grades of immorality. He demanded of others what he himself wore--a robe unspotted. The young men saw in him an example of industry, integrity, and neatness.

        The summer found him at his devotions at the opening dawn. He observed and obeyed the laws of life. His work as an educator is known to all. To him we are largely indebted for the splendid array of high graded schools in our Connection. We all know he was the primordial influence that brought to us Wilberforce University. Almost alone and single-handed he managed this great institution in its incipiency. Now, what is Wilberforce? The crowning glory of the Church. It stands like a monument perpetuating through all coming times the name and memory of its heroic founder. The children of Wilberforce--Paul Quinn, Morris Brown, Western University, and Bethel Institute--all render honor to its noble founder. He has lived to see his Church increase from fifteen thousand to a round half million. He has lived to see the General Conference grow in number from forty to over three hundred. He has lived to see the political disenthrallment of four million bondmen. He has lived to see many of the colleges of the land throw open their gates to white and black. He has lived to see the South give forty millions to educate its black children. He has lived to see the banner of our Church float on the islands of the seas, and is permitted to listen to the tramp of our itinerants on the mountains and in the valleys of the Dark Continent. He has done that which few men have done--built one of the finest churches in the Connection--Bethel, in Baltimore--and yet there are men who sneeringly ask, "What have the fathers done?" The answer will come from wherever the banner of African Methodism kisses the breeze. He has given the only history ever written of our Church. Both in Europe and in America he has nobly and ably represented us. No word that I can say will describe the victory achieved by this great chief. We hold him up as a model worthy of your emulation. We would urge you to imitate his great virtues such as chastity, temperance, courage, industry, and a lofty purpose to lead men to a higher and a nobler destiny. He has lived to see erected stately houses of worship which are the pride and glory of our race; and now we who have followed him for twoscore years as a bishop, crown him as our leader and place fresh laurels upon his brow. Great chieftain, at the end of fourscore years and one, the golden sunset throws its radiance around

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thee. Thou need not fear, for thou shalt see that sunset rise amid the blaze and glory of the City of God.


        During the twelfth day's session, May 13, the following resolutions on organic union were adopted:

        Resolved, That a committee of one from each Annual Conference be appointed on the subject of the organic union of all colored Methodist Churches and especially of the African Methodist Episcopal and African Methodist Episcopal Zion Connections.

        Resolved, That in order to be more expeditious in this regard, the committee to be appointed is hereby requested to make the Articles of Agreement formulated by the Commissioners of the two bodies herein named the best of their efforts under this resolution.

        Resolved, That the committee be and is hereby requested to report to this body as early as possible, so that the action of this General Conference, if favorable to Organic Union, may be conveyed to other Methodist bodies interested in the proposed union.


        All other proceedings relating to Organic Union which were adopted not only during the General Conference of 1892, but during all previous and subsequent General Conferences, are included in Chapter XXIII. This is deemed advisable in order that those who are interested in a study of the subject may be able to do so in a connected and continuous manner.

        Among the distinguished visitors introduced during the Conference were Bishop J. A. Beebe, of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, and Rev. S. J. Campbell, of Liberia, West Africa. Others introduced were Dr. F. A. Durnley, representing the Philadelphia Sabbath Association; Dr. George Field, Secretary of the Sabbath Union; Rev. Mack Henson, a fraternal delegate from the Methodist Episcopal Church; Rev. E. J. Carter and Rev. P. J. McIntosh, fraternal delegates from the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church; and Rev. R. T. Brown, a fraternal delegate from the Methodist Episcopal Church. Bishop Beebee delivered an eloquent address favoring organic union. Suitable responses were made to the various messages of greeting from the other Churches by T. W. Henderson, J. E. Lee, T. N. M. Smith, Evans Tyree, C. Pierce Nelson, and J. M. Henderson. R. F. Hurley, J. T. Jenifer, A. M. Green, and C. Asbury were appointed fraternal delegates

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to the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

        The record of the first report of the Committee on Episcopacy shows that a majority and minority report were presented. The nature of the two reports is not given--a serious omission. The election of bishops took place at the morning session of the thirteenth day and resulted as follows: On the first ballot B. F. Lee having received a majority of all the votes cast, was declared elected; the second ballot resulted in the election of M. B. Salter and J. A. Handy. At the morning session of the seventeenth day the election of general officers took place with the following results: J. C. Embry, Business Manager of the Book Concern; H. T. Johnson, editor of the Christian Recorder; L. J. Coppin, editor of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Review; W. B. Derrick, Missionary Secretary; J. A. Armstrong, Financial Secretary; C. S. Smith, Secretary of the Sunday School Union; W. D. Johnson, Secretary of Education; A. M. Green, editor of the Southern Christian Recorder.

        Nine new Annual Conferences were created--Northeast South Carolina, Middle Mississippi, Central Alabama, South Florida, Puget Sound, Western North Carolina, Haitian, Liberia and Sierra Leone. This was the largest number of Annual Conferences ever created by one of our General Conferences. As to whether the creation of so many new Conferences at this time was a necessity, is a debatable question. The terms attenuation and expansion are frequently confounded. To illustrate: a pound of dough molded into a loaf of bread makes but one thing. Roll out that same pound of dough and cut it into a dozen biscuits and you have twelve things; but have you any more dough? Is it not a pound whether in the shape of a loaf of bread or a dozen biscuits? Attenuation is to thin out; expansion is to increase. The division of an Annual Conference is not necessarily a token of expansion. Boundaries do not in themselves necessarily constitute an Annual Conference. They are the minor factors. The essentials are expressed in the number of churches and members within the bounds of an Annual Conference. If there are five hundred churches and one hundred thousand members in a given area, their division into separate areas does not necessarily

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increase the number of churches or the number of members. Its sole effect is to increase the number of Annual Conferences. The argument that in many communities lack of proper accommodation for entertaining large bodies demands that the numerical strength (ministerial) of the Annual Conferences be kept within certain limits, is more of a makeshift than a fact. In Mississippi the Methodist Episcopal Church, with a much larger number of churches, ministers, and members than has the African Methodist Episcopal Church, has only two Annual Conferences. Within the same territory, made up of the same people with identical opportunities, and the same wage scale, the African Methodist Episcopal Church has six Annual Conferences. The absolute necessity for this is not apparent. Perhaps church politics, the desire to increase the number of delegates to the General Conference, both ministerial and lay, in a given Episcopal District, is the spring of the action rather than necessity.

        Other matters that engaged the attention of the General Conference were: the gift of Rev. J. H. Harper, of the Louisiana Annual Conference, of six hundred dollars to Harper Institute, Baton Rouge, La.; of the gift of five hundred dollars by Bishop Payne to the support of mission work in Africa; the presentation of a gold medal to Dr. J. M. Cargyle, secured by voluntary contributions, as a token of his skill and faithful service in restoring Bishop Wayman's health, the presentation being without precedent either as to anteriority or posteriority; the recording of a protest by Bishop Salter against the manner in which the Church Extension Society was created; increasing the basis of ministerial representation in the General Conference from twenty to twenty-five; expressing disapproval of the opening of the gates of the World's Fair on Sunday.

        Omitted from the list of introductions elsewhere given was that of Sarah J. Gorham, a most faithful and consecrated missionary to the aborigines of Sierra Leone, West Africa. She did not pitch her tent in Freetown, the capital of the Colony, and the center of civilizing influences; but she went out into the hinterland and instituted work among the raw natives and labored for their uplift until she was summoned to her eternal abode. She was a true missionary in every sense of the word.

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Many missionaries have gone to West Africa and have been content to establish themselves in civilized communities. Not so with Sarah Gorham. She eschewed the amenities of civilization so that she might render the greatest service where there was the greatest need. The memory of her self-sacrificing labors will not soon pass away.

        It cannot be truly said that this General Conference was noted for constructive legislation, and this despite the fact that there was a very liberal response to the call of the roll for the presentation of proposed changes in the Book of Discipline, resolutions, petitions, etc. The only constructive piece of legislation enacted was the creation of a Church Extension Society, the success of which has thus far fallen below the expectations of those who fathered it. There has been a woeful lack of appreciation of the legal and moral responsibility for the payment of the principal and interest of loans made by the Society to numerous local churches. Were the reverse of this true, the Society would be able to make a commendable showing as a result of its thirty years of operation.

        A very valued feature of the printed Journal is the inclusion of the general statistics of the Church covering the more important items. They are as follows:

        
Number of Stations, Circuits and Missions 2,481
Number of Church Edifices 4,124
Seating Capacity 1,160,838
Value of Property $6,468,260
Number of Members 475,365
Itinerant Preachers 4,150
Local Preachers 9,913
Sunday Schools 3,275
Schools and Colleges 23
Students 2,719
Graduates 221
Value of School Property $366,795

NECROLOGY

        Bishop Richard Randolph Disney, April 18, 1891; Bishop Jabez Pitt Campbell, August 9, 1891; Rev. M. Edward Bryant, Editor of The Southern Christian Recorder; Rev. J. H. Clay, of the Indiana Annual Conference; Mr. J. R. Carnes, lay delegate from the Georgia Annual Conference.

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EPISCOPAL DISTRICTS AND ASSIGNMENTS

        The Episcopal Districts were increased from eleven to twelve and arranged as follows:

        The work in Africa, Haiti, Demarara, Saint Thomas, and Santo Domingo was placed under the direction of the Missionary Board.

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CHAPTER XIV
SIXTH PERIOD OF EXPANSION: 1891-1898

        Rev. Boggs First Missionary to West Africa--Daniel Coker Went to Liberia and Sierra Leone--The Bark "Azores" left Charleston, S. C., in 1878 with a Company of Emigrants for Liberia--Bishop Turner Sailed for West Africa in 1891--Organized the Sierra Leone and Liberia Annual Conferences--Animadverted on the Native African--Ethiopian Church Organized in Pretoria, South Africa, by M. M. Mokone--First Preachers Ordained--James M. Dwane Visited America--Bishop Turner Went to South Africa--The Revolt of James M. Dwane--I. N. Fitzpatrick Sent as Special Envoy to South Africa by Bishop Turner--Cruise of C. S. Smith to West and Southwest Africa.

        BISHOP J. P. CAMPBELL is authority for the statement that one Rev. Boggs was the first minister of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to go to West Africa as a missionary. He went to Liberia in 1824. There is no information available as to the character or extent of the work which he established.

        About the year 1820 Daniel Coker, the first bishop-elect of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, went to West Africa, first settling in Liberia and later in Sierra Leone. While in Liberia he acted for a time as the representative of the American Colonization Society. Nothing is known of his activities in Liberia in behalf of the African Methodist Epscopal Church. His activities in Sierra Leone were largely confined to establishing the work of his Church in that Colony. There is no record of his success. When Bishop Turner visited there in November, 1891, he found two granddaughters of the Rev. Daniel Coker. According to the information obtained, Rev. Coker died in 1846. His son, Hillery T. Coker, died in 1890 in his fifty-sixth year. Tradition has it that the Rev. Daniel Coker succeeded in establishing one or more African Methodist Episcopal Churches in Sierra Leone.

        In the year 1878, Rev. S. F. Flegler left Charleston, S. C., on the bark "Azores" with a company of emigrants for Liberia.

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One of the most intelligent and useful members of the company was Clement Irons, a local preacher and an all-around mechanic, who, after his arrival in Liberia, constructed the first steam-propelled boat that plied the Saint Paul's River. It was from the deck of this boat that the Rev. A. L. Ridgel fell overboard and was drowned. Rev. Flegler organized a church among the company of emigrants aboard the "Azores" and held regular services. This church remained intact after the emigrants had landed and became the first regularly established African Methodist Episcopal Church in Liberia of which there is a record. Rev. Flegler subsequently returned to America.

        A notable event in African Methodist circles in 1891 was the departure from New York of Bishop H. M. Turner on board the S.S. "City of Paris," October 15, en route to West Africa. A number of friends were at the dock to bid the Bishop bon voyage. Among them were Dr. W. B. Derrick and wife, Rev. Theodore Gould, Rev. J. H. Morgan, and Rev. Israel Derrick. Bishop Turner reached Liverpool on October 22, and left for Africa on the 24th, stopping en route at the islands of Madeira and Grand Canary, the former being a possession of Portugal and the latter of Spain. On November 8, he reached Sierra Leone aboard the S.S. "Roquelle" and took up his headquarters at Freetown, the capital of the Colony. His coming was anticipated by Rev. J. R. Frederick, the first minister of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to go to Sierra Leone as a missionary. At the time of the Bishop's arrival Freetown had a population of about thirty thousand. The Bishop was accompanied throughout the voyage by Rev. J. R. Geda.

        On Thursday, November 10, 1891, Bishop Turner organized the Sierra Leone Annual Conference in the Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church, formerly known as the Lady Huntington Church. This was the first Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church organized in Africa. The organization included the following persons: itinerant elders, J. R. Frederick, J. R. Geda; itinerant deacons, H. M. Steady, M. Newland, D. B. Roach, George Dove Decker, and Joseph Coker. Rev. J. R. Geda was transferred to the Liberia Annual Conference. H. M. Steady was the secretary. The Conference remained in session four days, adjourning on Monday, November 14. It was an event of unusual interest among all classes

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of people, not only in Freetown, but in the regions adjacent thereto. Bishop Turner's striking personality, and his vigorous and eloquent speech captivated thousands, none showing greater interest than the natives, even where they did not understand his language. Within the bounds of the Sierra Leone Annual Conference are included the native tribes known as the Timnee, Caso, Akoo, Ebo, Sherbo, Mendi, Mandingo, Fullah, Limba, and Yennie. The lay membership of the Conference at this time was about 405, including probationers. The value of the Church property was approximately $10,000. Ten ministers, including two local preachers, received appointments. Three ministers were ordained deacons. The Sunday services were largely attended. The Bishop preached morning and evening. At the close of the morning service the Lord's Supper was administered to five hundred persons. The Love Feast at six a. m. was highly interesting. To quote the bishop:

The experiences given were familiar and unfamiliar. Some expressed themselves in good English, some in broken English, and others in this and that language. Some twenty languages were used in giving the experiences. But a large number could understand everybody and responses would come from all over the church, and tears would be shed. Never were so many languages used in a love feast in the African Methodist Episcopal Church; never were more terms used to express approval.

        In view of the conflict between the Germans, the English, and the French during the World War, the following observation made by Bishop Turner will doubtless be read with interest:

A singular fact is that anybody, white or colored, from America is welcomed out here in Africa, either on the coast or back in the interior; while the English, French, and Germans are hated. The native kings hate them, especially for robbing them of their lands. The French are hated as the devil. Americans are looked upon as the friends of the black man, and it somewhat modifies the prejudice of the natives toward them. France is more intolerant, it seems, in her colonial possessions than is England, and far less compromising. The Germans are abominated by the Mohammedans because of the ship-loads of rotgut whiskey they land along the coast to ruin the more heathen Africans. The English ships despise the German ships about the same; nearly every time they see a German ship at sea the entire crew will curse it for shipping poisoned liquor to Africa. The English ships carry a great deal, too, but they ease their conscience by saying, "Our
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whiskey is all first-class. It is inspected before it leaves Liverpool or London."

        Before leaving Sierra Leone, Bishop Turner called upon the Governor of the Colony--His Excellency, Governor James H. A. Hay. Touching white missionaries, Bishop Turner made the following observation in the ninth of his series of "African Letters" published in The Christian Recorder, Philadelphia, Pa., dated November 21, 1891:

        Several white American missionaries called upon me before I left Sierra Leone, and gave me some missionary items that I did not know. Those who called upon me consisted of men and women from Wisconsin, Nebraska, and one was from Ohio--a beautiful young lady.

        I find the following to be the result: From Nebraska there are five missionaries here; twenty-seven more coming. From Kansas there are nine and fifteen more coming. From Minnesota there are ten and eighteen more coming. From Ohio there are twelve. From Illinois there are four. A majority of these missionaries are ladies. But what beats all is they tell me one hundred and twenty-eight are now being trained, mostly in Chicago, to follow them. Almost every steamer is bringing missionaries, teachers, preachers, dressmakers, and tool-users. I had been told by the ship's captain of this coming out from America, but did not know the extent until now. The singularity of this movement is that all of these missionaries come from the West. Outside of middle New York, I find no Eastern, Northern, or Southern whites out here as missionaries. The present program of the missionaries from the West is to establish a line of mission centers back into the interior for four hundred miles, with mission houses and schools erected every fifty miles along the line, so that native runners can carry letters from one camp to another. To extend four hundred miles from the sea interiorward will require eight mission camps or centers. Travelers can find resting-places for this four hundred miles every fifty miles on their route. They say the African kings bid them welcome when they are satisfied that they are not Germans, French, nor English. They think Americans will not bother with their territory or slaves. While the Germans and French do not meddle with their slaves at all, they wish to gobble up their lands and mines. The English, on the other hand, are more reasonable in regard to territorial possession, and will free every slave they can.


        The large number of white missionaries referred to, both actual and prospective, were doubtless a part of Bishop William Taylor's ill-fated propaganda to establish a chain of self-supporting missions among the uncivilized natives in West,

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Southwest Africa, and the Congo. It will be remembered that Bishop Taylor was the first missionary bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church to be assigned to work in Africa. He was an intense enthusiast. An optimist of the optimists, and far more idealistic than practical. Vast sums of money were expended and many lives were lost in following out his chimerical scheme of attempting to plant self-supporting missions in the wilds of Africa. His idea was that his American helpers would speedily become acclimated and accustomed to the food and manner of living of the natives. However honest the intent, it was a colossal mistake.

        On November 21 Bishop Turner was en route from Sierra Leone to Liberia on the S.S. "Mandingo," where he arrived on the 23d. On his arrival at Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, he was met by Rev. S. J. Campbell and Clement Irons, and escorted to the splendid residence of General R. A. Sherman, an officer in the Liberian Army, where a grand welcome was accorded him. Shortly after this he proceeded up the Saint Paul's River on the little steamboat that had been constructed by Clement Irons. In the eleventh of his series of "African Letters," dated Muhlenburg, Liberia, December 4, 1891, the following observations are to be found:

I have just strolled as far out in the direction of Boporo--the Eden of West Africa--as my strength and convenience would permit. I have seen the African in his native town and hut, rather dwellings, and I have just had a long weep or cry at the grand field for missionary operations here, and because I am too old now to engage in it. But if there were roads cut through the country and bridges for horses and wagons to cross over, I would try it as old as I am. I am sure I could not stand the hills and valleys of this rolling country traveling on foot at my age, and then the hammock system of travel is too cumbersome for regular locomotion. But Africa is the grandest field on earth for the labor of civilization and the Christian Church. There is no reason under heaven why this continent should not or cannot be redeemed and brought to God in twenty-five years--say thirty at most. Note the reasons:

        Bishop Turner organized the Liberian Annual Conference at Muhlenberg, November 23, 1891. The membership was as follows: Itinerant Elders, S. J. Campbell and J. R. Geda; traveling deacons, Clement Irons, James Wilson, J. P. Lindsay, Ambrose Reed, Scott A. Bailey, William F. Cheesem, E. G. Lewis, and Charles F. White. E. G. Lewis was the secretary. Bishop Turner makes no mention in his African Letters of the number of lay members in the Annual Conference or the value of property. He merely says, "The prospects for our Church are grand." During his stay in Liberia, particularly in Monrovia, he was the recipient of many courtesies from high government officials, including the President and leading citizens. Among other persons that Bishop Turner met in Monrovia was Miss Jennie Sharp (white) from Webster Grove, Missouri, who went to Liberia in 1882 and remained there for over thirty years engaged in teaching. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. On the eve of leaving Monrovia, Bishop Turner was presented with the following address:

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MONROVIA, LIBERIA, December 5, 1891.

To the Right Rev. Henry M. Turner, D.D., Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church:
Rt. Reverend and Dear Sir:

        We feel that it would not be fitting for you to leave our shores without our putting on record the feeling of gratification with which we have seen you among us.

        Some of those who are allied to us by ties of blood, but who are divided from us by the misfortunes which have crushed out of them race pride and self-respect, have from time to time come among us and left among us sad impressions of the tidings and feelings of our brethren in the United States; and taken back to them evil tidings of this little Republic, like the ten spies, filling the hearts of the people with fear and dismal foreboding, and making wider the chasm which divides the scattered children of Africa from their fatherland.

        In you, however, we rejoice to meet a man of another stamp, and great as is our pleasure to greet you as an eminent theologian, a profound scholar, a true Christian, and the honored representative of a Church which has peculiar claims upon our interest and sympathy, we are yet more pleased to greet you as one whose race instincts are unimpaired, and who, seeing the weaknesses and shortcomings of your people, can look beyond them and perceive the elements of greatness which exist in them, and believe that God, in his wise providence, is fitting them for great things.

        To many of us you are personally a stranger, but to none of us are you unknown. We have heard of your battles for Africa, and the noble efforts which you have put forth to open the eyes of the descendants of Ham in the United States to their duties, responsibilities, and privileges, being such as to induce them to lend a helping hand to us in Liberia, who are, as we believe, the pioneers of that mighty host of Africa's sons whose blessed privilege it will be to break the chains of sin and ignorance with which Africa's millions are bound, and win this grand continent and its magnificent sons for Christ.

        We bid you God-speed as a bishop and trust that the seed sown by you during your visit may spring up, and bear abundant fruit for Christ and for Africa; and that the small beginning which you have made may, under the fostering care of the Almighty, grow into a powerful African Church.

        We bid you God-speed as a man who loves his race and trust that you may be spared to return to your people encouraged and fortified, bearing to them glad tidings of great joy, and that you may live to see some of the fruits of your labors in Africa and for Africa.

        We trust that it may be our privilege to see you among us again; but should this privilege be denied us, we assure you that our hearts go with you and our prayers shall ascend for you, as for all with whom--although separated from them by leagues of sea and land--we are co-workers striving to attain a common goal.

        To those of our brethren in the United States who are, like you,

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lovers of Africa and their race, we beg you to convey our greetings and assure them that there is room and work for them here, and that should they come among us, they will find a hearty welcome and a home.

        We beg, Rt. Rev. and Dear Sir, to subscribe ourselves your friends and servants.

Signed by
H. R. W. Johnson, President of Liberia.

H. W. Travis, Secretary of the Treasury.

H. A. Williams, Mayor of Monrovia.

G. W. Gibson, Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Monrovia.

Edward W. Blyden, D.D.

W. M. Davis, Attorney-General.

George W. Dixon, Superintendent of the Mount Montserrado Co.

C. T. O. King, Agent of the American Colonization Society and late
Mayor of Monrovia.

R. A. Sherman, Brigadier-General of the Liberian Army.

J. B. Perry, Pastor of the Presbyterian Church, Monrovia.

H W. Grimes, Ex-Attorney General.

J. B. Dennis, Merchant and Chief Mechanic.

Henry Cooper, Pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Monrovia.

J. R. Cooper, Esq., Merchant at Monrovia.

J. C. Dickinson, Esq., Merchant at Monrovia.

D. Ware, Methodist Episcopal Missionary, Monrovia.


        Bishop Turner left Liberia on his return to America early in December, 1891, and was accorded a most enthusiastic welcome at the General Conference of 1892. At this General Conference, and at his request, he was assigned to the episcopal supervision of Africa.

        Another epoch-making event which took place during the Fifth Period of Expansion was the rise of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Africa in 1892, and its subsequent visitation by Bishop Turner in 1898.

        On November 1, 1892, Rev. M. M. Mokone, of Pretoria, Transvaal, an elder of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, severed his connection with that denomination. The causes for this action dated back over a period of six years. Up to 1886 the white and colored ministers in the Wesleyan Church had met together in their district meetings. In that year the color line was drawn and each side was required to meet apart from the other; yet the colored brethren were compelled to have a white chairman and secretary.

        The Ethiopian Church was organized by Rev. M. M. Mokone

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with about fifty members in Pretoria, on Sunday, November 20, 1892. The first meeting was in the Marabastad native location. It was held in an old thatched house belonging to a native named William Makanda, who, although a Wesleyan minister, was in great sympathy with the Ethiopian Church Movement. In January, 1893, the Transvaal government recognized the Ethiopian Church. On November 5, 1893, the Ethiopian Church was formally organized in the Marabastad native location. Rev. George Weavind, Chairman and General Superintendent of the white Wesleyan Church in the Transvaal, was invited to preach the opening sermon. Being unable to be present the Rev. W. J. Underwood, one of the ministers of the Wesleyan Church, preached the sermon. Strangely enough he took for his text Gen. 28. 19, the same text that Bishop Francis Asbury of the Methodist Episcopal Church took at the dedication of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. The first preachers ordained in the Ethiopian Church were Rev. J. G. Xaba, September 24, 1894, and Rev. J. Z. Tantzi, January 5, 1895. They were ordained by Rev. M. M. Mokone, assisted by Rev. J. M. Kanyane, of an independent Church known as the "African Church."

        It was the privilege of a young woman to have a part in bringing the Ethiopian Church in touch with the African Methodist Episcopal Church in America. Miss Katie Monye, who lived at Johannesburg, Transvaal Colony, first called the attention of Rev. M. M. Mokone to a letter-head used by Bishop H. M. Turner. On May 31, 1895, Rev. Mokone wrote to the Bishop requesting information as to school facilities for his son. Later he wrote asking for information relative to the African Methodist Episcopal Church in America. In reply Bishop Turner sent a Discipline, a hymnal, and other books. It seemed advisable to several of the ministers of the Ethiopian Church to bring the matter of uniting with the African Methodist Episcopal Church in America before the next session of the Conference. Hence, at the third session of the Ethiopian Conference, held in Pretoria, March 17, 1896, it was resolved to unite with the African Methodist Episcopal Church. At this Conference the Rev. James M. Dwane, a Wesleyan minister, who was destined to become an outstanding figure, joined

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the Conference. Rev. James M. Dwane and Rev. J. G. Xaba were elected by the Conference to go to America and try and consummate the union.

        On April 5, 1896, Rev. Dwane left for America with the official documents, not waiting for Rev. Xaba. He arrived in America on June 10, 1896, just after the close of the General Conference of that year, and was presented to Bishop Turner by Rev. H. B. Parks, Secretary of Missions, and the Rev. J. S. Flipper. The introduction took place in Bishop Turner's home in Atlanta, Ga. The Council of Bishops and the Missionary Board of the African Methodist Episcopal Church accepted the proposition for the amalgamation of the two Churches. Rev. Dwane was appointed General Superintendent and returned to South Africa on September 22, 1896. Having been reobligated by the authorities of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in America, he was instructed to reobligate the ministers of the Ethiopian Church as a prerequisite to their reception into the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The appointment of the Rev. Dwane as General Superintendent was received with more or less dissatisfaction by the ministers in South Africa, who were already displeased by the way in which he had treated his fellow delegate, the Rev. J. G. Xaba. Moreover, he was not regarded as the one best fitted to direct the affairs of the new Church, having so recently joined it. The first session of the South African Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church convened at Lesseyton, Queenstown, Cape Colony, on April 7, 1897. Here the ministers formerly belonging to the Ethiopian Church were reobligated.

        In March, 1898, Bishop H. M. Turner reached Cape Town, South Africa, and at once proceeded to the Transvaal, visiting Johannesburg and Pretoria. At the latter place he called upon President Oom Paul Kruger and conferred with him on matters of interest to the African Methodist Episcopal Church. On March 9 of the same year he organized the Transvaal Annual Conference, and held the second annual session of the South African Conference. It was at this session of the South African Conference, held at Queenstown, Cape Colony, that General Superintendent James M. Dwane was made Vicar-Bishop. Bishop Turner left for America on April 27, 1898,

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leaving Rev. Dwane in full charge of the work. The creation of Rev. Dwane a Vicar-Bishop was wholly without authority, and the action of Bishop Turner relative thereto was repudiated by the home Church. There was no attempt made to discipline Bishop Turner for his usurpation of authority.

        Rev. A. A. Morrison established the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Cape Town, Cape Colony, on May 30, 1898.

        On September 28, 1898, Rev. Dwane left South Africa for America, to explain certain matters relative to the work of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in that field. In addition to this, it was thought best that he should be given a chance to observe the practical workings of the Church where it was thoroughly established. He returned to Africa in March, 1899. He held the second session of the Transvaal Annual Conference in that same month at Blomefontein. In April of the same year Rev. Dwane held the third session of the South African Annual Conference at Derbe Marcela, District King Williams Town. In July, 1899, a Presiding Elders' Council was held at Blomefontein, when marriage officers were selected, and their names sent to the proper government official. Rev. Dwane called a special session of the South African Annual Conference to meet at Queenstown on October 6, 1899. There were about thirty ministers present. The Conference was rendered memorable by the disloyalty displayed by Rev. Dwane, in that he advocated and led a revolt from the African Methodist Episcopal Church on the ground that the home Church had promised ten thousand dollars to establish a South African College and had both failed and refused to give it. All the ministers present at the Conference except four--the Revs. P. S. Kuze, Abraham Mugebisa, William Masholaba, and J. Z. Tantzi--decided to secede from the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The same day the four who refused to secede wrote to Bishop Turner relating the whole matter, and asking for advice and instruction. Meanwhile, the ministers who remained in the Church took immediate steps to adjust matters as far as they were able. Revs. Isaiah Sishuba, Henry Ngcayiya, J. Z. Tantzi, C. J. W. Roberts, Francis M. Gow, Joseph Spawn, John Sonjica, and several others held a meeting in Friendly Hall, Cape Town, in November,

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1899. The meeting was presided over by Rev. Isaiah G. Sishuba. It was decided to place the situation before the ministers and churches that had not withdrawn, so as to prevent, if possible, the trouble from spreading. To this end, a committee was appointed to visit the surrounding towns and enlighten the churches. The people, seeing the deception of Rev. Dwane, decided to stand by the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

        In response to an urgent cable sent to Bishop Turner by Rev. F. M. Gow, Rev. I. N. Fitzpatrick was sent to South Africa to adjust matters and to hold the Annual Conferences. Owing to the near approach of the General Conference of 1900, Bishop Turner was unable to visit South Africa to give his personal attention to the difficulties existing there. Rev. I. N. Fitzpatrick arrived safely in South Africa the latter part of February, 1900, and held the fourth session of the South African Annual Conference at Friendly Hall, Cape Town, on March 8, 1900. At this session Rev. H. M. Mokone, J. Z. Tantzi, Abel F. Gabashane, and Mr. F. M. Gow were elected delegates to the General Conference to be held at Columbus, Ohio, in May, 1900. The Transvaal Annual Conference could not be held owing to the outbreak of the Boer War. The most important act performed by Rev. Fitzpatrick during his visit to South Africa was that of initiating negotiations for the formal recognition of the African Methodist Episcopal Church by the Government of Cape Colony. Rev. Fitzpatrick left for America on March 28, 1900, having done much to restore confidence in the Church.

        An event worthy of note that took place in 1894 was the cruising along the west and southwest coast of Africa, from Sierra Leone to Saint Paul de Loanda, by Rev. C. S. Smith in the capacity of a private citizen and at his own expense. During the cruise a trip was made up the Rio del Ray, Cameroons and Congo rivers, ascending the latter as far as Matadi. The distance from Sierra Leone to Saint Paul de Loanda is two thousand and four miles. The cruise outward began at Sierra Leone on September 18, and ended at Saint Paul de Loanda on October 21. Three months and twenty days were occupied in making the journey from and to Liverpool. Among the noted places visited was Monrovia, the capital of Liberia.

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The results of his observations he embodied in a book, Glimpses of Africa, West and Southwest Coast.

        In 1895 Rev. C. S. Smith made a cruise of the West Indies and the mainland of South America, stopping at all the principal places en route, including Haiti, San Domingo, Cuba, and Caracas, Venezuela.

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CHAPTER XV
FOURTH PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT: 1892-1922

        Twentieth General Conference, Wilmington, N. C., May, 1896--Bishop Tanner Preached Quadrennial Sermon--Address of Welcome by the Governor of the State--Memorial Services--Bishops Brown, Payne, Ward, and Wayman Eulogized--Letter of Bishop Ward to B. T. Tanner--Episcopal Address Read by Bishop Arnett--The World's Parliament of Religions--Bishop Francis Asbury--Three Bishops Elected--Election of General Officers--Other Measures Passed on by the General Conference--Episcopal Districts and Assignments.

        THE year 1896 brings us to the assembling of the twentieth General Conference, which convened at Wilmington, N. C., May 4-22, 1896. This was the third meeting to be held in a Southern city. On the call of the roll 374 members responded to their names--8 bishops, 9 general officers, 239 ministers, and 118 laymen, representing 57 Annual Conferences. The usual proceedings attending the opening of the General Conference were observed. Immediately following the preliminary services, Bishop Tanner was presented as the preacher of the Quadrennial Sermon. Text: Psa. 80. 17. Theme: "The Church the Right Hand of God." The main topics discussed were loyalty and strength. Under the head of loyalty he stressed the need of loyalty to God, loyalty to his laws, and loyalty to the laws of nature. Turning to the topic of strength he discoursed as follows:

        The Church, which is as God's right hand in the work of subduing the world, must have strength. Loyalty subserves every purpose for which it was intended, but it cannot take the place of strength. God not only expects loyalty but he demands strength. "Be strong," said David to Solomon. "Be strong," said the prophet Azariah to King Asa. "Be strong," said the angel to Daniel. "Be strong," are the words of Paul to the whole Church. God's Church must be strong, but it can only be as strong as the men composing it are strong. Strong physically, strong intellectually, strong religiously.

        Fortunately, my brethren, we spring from a race famed of old for its physical powers. "It must be acknowledged," said Herodotus quite twenty-four hundred years ago, "whatever may be the cause, that

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the Africans are more exempt from disease than any other race." "The long-lived Ethiopian," was the song of poets. It is from this stock our forefathers sprang. How earnestly should we labor to preserve this element of strength. Thus far we may be said to have done fairly well. In the rehabilitation of our people since freedom, the health and vigor of the last generation have been taxed to their utmost through years of poverty and abuse. The mortality among us has been largely in excess of any other portion of the American people. But may we not hope that the stress is over, and that the coming generation will behold the old-time race vigor assert itself; as it certainly will if we do not allow sin to irredeemably weaken us. It was the blameless life of the Ethiopian--that blamelessness of which Homer speaks--that gave him his long life. Even so will it be with us. Virtue is always conducive to health. Would we enjoy the health of our fathers, let us imitate their spotless lives, and so possess the physical strength that has always characterized peoples of moral and religious habits. By so doing, and only by so doing, will we be able, as by the right hand of God, to present to him muscles of iron and sinews of brass.

        And so must it be intellectually. Would we as the right hand of God do good service for our King, we must be strong intellectually. To this strength we are called with a double call; one general, the other special. As to the general call to intellectual vigor, it comes to us in common with all who are the Lord's priests. Already have we had occasion to refer to the words of the prophets: "My covenant was with him (Levi) of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips; he walked in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts." (Mal. 2. 5-7).

        As to the full significance of all this we prayerfully invite your attention to what any recognized commentator may say. In the present moment it is sufficient that we consider the one statement: We are messengers of the Lord of Hosts. Messenger, that is, "one sent." No other body of men could possibly have a better conception of this than we, and for the reason that in some way or other, we have all played this role. Coming as we do from a class of people given to service--given to come when called, and go when sent--we fully appreciate the illustration the prophet makes. We know fully that it is the province of a messenger to simply carry the message given. This and no more. It is not for him to originate, to add to, nor take away. Simply to carry the message. Not a few doubtless know this by experience. And so it is in the matter under consideration--we are God's messengers. Let us see to it that we get the message from his mouth and deliver it precisely as it is given; even remembering the words: "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add to him the plagues that are written

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in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." (Rev. 22. 18-20.) This much comes to us personally and in common with all who minister in holy things. But, as said above, there are special reasons why we should be strong intellectually, strong in our knowledge of the truth, for it is truth alone that will make us free. Adverse conditions surround us. As a race we are misrepresented. Nay, more, God himself in no mean degree is misrepresented. In the past He was made to ordain and sanctify our slavery both by His word and by His providence. In the present He is made to enthrone caste in the place of the vile system of slavery which He swept away by a sea of blood. To justify themselves, the real facts and truths and principles of history are made to do service to the theories and prejudices of our calumniators. Henry Ward Beecher, though noted for his hatred of American slavery, at one time in referring to our race said: "You are an inferior race; all the great races have been white. If all your race has ever done were dropped into the ocean, nothing would be missed." An equally depressing note was sounded by Alexander Winchell, an American geologist, when he said: "Your descent is extra-human in that your race is pre-adamic."

        Our text says: "Let thy hand be upon the Man of thy right hand, upon the Son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself." Oh, that loyalty, strength, and courage might be given the Church. Oh, that these might be given unto us, forming as we do an integral part of that mighty hand of God, that holds the reins of the white horse that John saw, to whose rider was given a crown as he went forth conquering and to conquer. Let these be given us and how gloriously will we continue the work the fathers began! Allen, Brown, and Waters for loyalty; Payne and Brown for exactness; Ward for strength; Quinn, Wayman, and Disney for courage. Let their virtues be withheld; and already may there be seen written of us: "Mene, mene, tekel upharsin."


        The Conference was organized by the election of L. H. Reynolds, secretary; R. C. Holbrook, S. M. Murchison, assistants; J. C. C. Owens, D. T. McDaniel, statistical secretaries; Dr. P. E. Spratling, Cornelius Asbury, engrossing clerks; J. M. Palmer, stenographer; Charles S. Stewart, reporter.

        Hon. Elias Carr, Governor of the State, who was to have delivered the principal address of welcome, sent a letter to the Conference expressing his regrets that a prior engagement prevented his being present. The letter closed thus: "I trust your Conference will be largely attended and its great influence continue to be felt throughout the South." The Mayor, who

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was to have delivered an address of welcome, communicated to the Conference that sickness would prevent his attending, adding that he had "requested the Hon. D. L. Russell to welcome the delegates here on the part of the city." He further said:

It is a notable gathering and the citizens generally appreciate the honor accorded to our city. The Board of Aldermen at their meeting last night passed a resolution heartily welcoming the delegates and extending to them the freedom of the city.

        The address of Hon. D. L. Russell, the mayor's representative, evoked great enthusiasm. Among other things he said:

We are only recovered from a civil conflict in which our fair fields were dyed with the best blood of the land, and from the consequences of the restless period of reconstruction and reaction which followed it. It seems that in the fulness of God's own appointed time we are passing out of the wilderness where we have cried aloud and had no answer but the echo of our own wailing cry. The narrow walls of prejudice and intolerance are crumbling away. The clouds of hate are lifting. The shadows are changing to gray. There is heard a widening and increasing symphony. It is the martial music of marching humanity. The long night is changing into morn. Its bursting splendors are breaking on the mountain-tops of Southern thought and Southern patriotism. The minds of men are widening with the processes of the same.

        Other addresses of welcome were delivered by Bishop Gaines, on behalf of the Second Episcopal District; J. W. Telfair, on behalf of the North Carolina Annual Conference; and E. J. Gregg, on behalf of Saint Stephen's African Methodist Episcopal Church; A. J. Bonner (Presbyterian), on behalf of the city churches. Responses were made by Bishop Grant, on behalf of the bishops; O. P. Ross, on behalf of the ministers; and Counselor T. McCants Stewart, on behalf of the laity.

        The memorial services took place at the morning session of the third day and preceded the reading of the Episcopal Address. It was in every sense a deeply solemn occasion, commemorating the departure from this life, in the order of their going, of Bishop John M. Brown, D.D., D.C.L.; Bishop D. A. Payne, D.D., LL.D.; Bishop T.M.D. Ward, D.D.; and Bishop A. W. Wayman, D.D. The sterling qualities of this quartet of Episcopates is without a parallel in the history of the African

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Methodist Episcopal Church. They were four of that renowned sextet of Episcopates who so valiantly and heroically led the vanguard from 1868 to 1880. They were the trailblazers whose torches flamed and flared through the South, the Southwest, and the West. In the temple of fame, the fame that God esteems, are inscribed the names of Payne, Wayman, Campbell, Shorter, Ward, and Brown. Two of the sextet--Shorter (1887) and Campbell (1891)--had already reached the pearly gates awaiting the coming of their comrades. The panegyrist for Bishop Brown was his lifelong and bosom friend, Bishop Turner, who delivered an eloquent tribute to the memory of his deceased friend. The opening sentence of his address was a quotation from the scriptures: "There were giants on the earth in those days." (Gen. 6. 4.)

        Bishop Brown was born at Cantwell's Bridge, now called Odessa, New Castle County, Del., on September 8, 1817. At ten years of age he moved to Wilmington, Del., where he remained for two years in a Quaker family. He was a pupil of Mr. William Thomas, who taught the only colored school in the city. His Sunday-school instruction was mixed. He first attended a Presbyterian Sunday school. Subsequently he attended a Roman Catholic Church and Sunday school. The priest, the Rev. Mr. Carroll, offered to educate him in a Catholic school in Baltimore. His grandfather, who was a Methodist minister, declined the offer, being unwilling for him to forsake the religion of his ancestors. At the end of his stay in Wilmington, an elder sister took him to Philadelphia, thus giving him better educational opportunities than it was possible for him to receive in his birthplace. He found a home in Philadelphia first with Dr. Emerson and then with Henry Chester, an attorney-at-law, both of whom instructed him in the rudiments of education, the principles of religion, and the doctrines of the Bible. On their recommendation he attended Saint Thomas' Protestant Episcopal Church, composed of colored people. In 1836 he united with Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, on Sixth Street, near Lombard. He began the study for the ministry under the tutelage of the Rev. James M. Gloucester. In 1835 he began to learn the trade of a barber, which he followed for about three years. In the fall of 1838 he became a member of the Wesleyan Academy at

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Wilbraham, Mass., remaining there two years preparing for college. In the summer of 1840, on account of failing health, he returned to Philadelphia to recuperate. Here he continued the study of Latin and Greek under Rev. M. Harris, pastor of the Presbyterian church. Subsequently he entered Oberlin College, remaining there for nearly four years. In 1844 he opened a school in Detroit, Mich., where he became acting pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church on account of the death of the regular pastor, the Rev. Cary Hargraves. In 1846 he united with the Ohio Annual Conference and was ordained a deacon. His first appointment after leaving Detroit was Columbus, Ohio, where he remained for three years. In 1852 he was assigned to the pastorate of Saint James' Church, New Orleans. Bishop Brown was a born gentleman and by natural adaptation was fitted more for the Episcopalian than for the Methodist ministry. He was of decidedly studious habits. He ranked high as a scholar. His attainments consisted of wide reading, historic lore, familiarity with the thoughts of great thinkers, and the power to apply the same with the most enlightened and beneficial results. He had a pleasing personality and his manner was courteous and refined.

        Without designing to draw an invidious distinction, it is safe to say that Bishop D. A. Payne towered above all his compeers in those granite qualities of mind and heart that constitute the sum of true greatness. His career as a student is most remarkable and interesting. No man of any age, of any race variety or clime, ever studied more methodically than he; nor pursued systematic study with more uniformity and persistency. If asked how long he was a student, the reply might justly be given--his entire life. He was a born educator. His career as such began in his eighteenth year. He opened his first school in 1829, in a house on Tradd Street, Charleston, S. C., his native city. He continued to teach there until 1835, when he was forced to close his school at the mandate of the General Assembly of South Carolina. In the same year he took passage on a ship for New York city. In 1840 he resumed his work as an educator in Philadelphia, his school being located on Fourth Street, near Spruce. In 1843 he joined the itinerant ministry of the African Methodist Episcopal

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Church. His crowning work as an educator was in connection with Wilberforce University, Wilberforce, Ohio. He enjoyed the distinction of being its first president after it became an African Methodist Episcopal Church institution. He remained connected with the university in one position or another until the time of his death. Eternity alone can reveal the measure of the influence which he exerted for the development and prosperity of the university, as well as the number of youths whose minds he assisted in enlightening, and whose lives he helped to shape in the mold of correct thinking and upright living. His pastoral career was brief, onerous, and trying, but successful. His first pastorate was in connection with a Presbyterian Church in East Troy, N. Y. This was in 1837, and in the twenty-sixth year of his age. In 1842 he joined the Philadelphia Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church; and in May, 1843, was appointed to the pastoral charge of Gabriel Church, in Washington, D. C., where he served with great success for two years. In 1845 he assumed charge of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Baltimore, Md., remaining there for five years. During this time he was instrumental in securing the erection of a church edifice which, for artistic adornment, has been unequalled in the history of our Church. In 1850 Bishop Quinn appointed him to the pastoral charge of Ebenezer Church, Baltimore, but the congregation refused to receive him; notwithstanding that less than five years previous he had championed their cause against the exactions of the trustees of Bethel Church and secured for them, for a mere pittance, the property which they had so long desired. Well, as someone has said, "Ingratitude is the basest of crimes." May 7, 1852, the General Conference, in session in New York city, elevated him to the bishopric. He was the sixth in line in the order of his election. As a bishop he was tireless in his activities, methodical in his ways, highly instructive, a close observer of order and decency, and withal spiritually illuminating.

        Bishop A. W. Wayman will be remembered as the great commoner and itinerant. Modest and unassuming in his manner, easy of approach, a consoler of the aged and a friend of youth, he won for himself an abiding place in the affections of thousands of both sexes of all ages. Though of limited scholastic

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training he was a patron of literature, the author of a Manual on the Discipline, My Recollections, and an Encyclopedia of African Methodism.

        Bishop T. M. D. Ward won for himself the sobriquet "The old man eloquent." He possessed a fervid imagination, which enabled him to weave many poetic effusions, the most noted of which was A Sunset in the West. His nature was of the rugged type. His physique was of large proportion, far above the standard. His voice was sonorous, of deep and rich tones. He was genuinely eloquent, and possessed the virtue of brevity. He was deeply impressive and his hearers readily fell under the charm and sway of his eloquence. His pioneer work in California is in itself a monument to his love for his Church, his heroism, his self-sacrificing spirit, and his courage.

        The following letter characteristic of Bishop Ward will be read with interest. It was addressed to Rev. B. T. Tanner (now a bishop) during his career as editor of the Christian Recorder:

SAN FRANCISCO, December 15, 1856.

My dear brother in the Lord:

        You wish to know where I was educated. If you have ever been in Center County, Pa., you have seen a little valley called after the founder of the Keystone State. To the west of this valley are the Allegheny Mountains bathed in the golden glories of the setting sun. On the north are the Tussey Mountains, on the south is the Witney Mountain. Amid the winds that sweep over these pine-clad mountains, the forked lightnings that leap from mountain cave to valley deep, the thunder drums that mingle their sounds with the voice of the storm, from these I learned the lessons of God's power--the vengeance and the wrath of his ire. My soul was humbled when I heard God's thunder-horn summoning his armies to battle.

        The walls of those stately mountains, the sunlit and star-paved heavens, and the grass-clad earth were my alma mater. My books were the sweeping river, the opening rosebud, the babbling brooklet, the brilliant appleblooms, the thunder-riven oak, the russet peach, the flaming stars, the sparkling, limpid spring, and the soft whispering zephyr. The warbling of nature's feathered harpers often reminded me of the music which is heard in the city of God, the new Jerusalem. The frostbloom of winter and the green verdure of summer all reminded me of the mutability of life. Thus in passing through life I have found a gem of thought from this and the other Book. The only positions I have filled have been those of a plowboy and a Methodist preacher. Twenty-four years I have been an officer in the army of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and such I hope

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to be until my feet shall touch the other shore--the Edenland where with crown and harp, and robe and palm, I hope to spend a sunbright day, a cloudless noon and an ever-opening morn.


        On the resumption of the detailed business of the Conference, a disagreeable feeling was precipitated by what some regarded as an unfair ruling of the chair. This was accentuated when W. D. Chappelle rose to a question of privilege and said:

The trouble in the Conference leading to so much confusion arises from the tyrannical gavel that falls on the table.

        At this juncture Bishop Arnett proceeded to read the Episcopal Address. it is both unique and unusual. Unique, in the amount of historic data it contains; unusual, in its length. It fills 98 pages of the printed Journal, covers 50 topics, and comprises 37,324 words. It is felt that the reader will appreciate such portions of the Address as are set forth in the following paragraphs:

        We congratulate you as citizens of the commonwealth of humanity that we live in an age of religious liberty and toleration; an age of comparative theology, which has summoned the correlative forces of religion before the bar of public opinion, there to establish their claim to the right of public confidence and favor. In every contest, whether at home or abroad, it has been demonstrated that Revealed Religion is superior to Natural Religion in giving the real conception of God, his nature, attributes, and relations to the physical, spiritual, and intellectual world; the origin of man, his duty and destiny; the origin of evil, and its effect upon the physical, intellectual, and spiritual man; and the remedy for evil--the originating, meritorious, and receiving cause of salvation.

        The coordinate forces of Christianity were never more united than at this time; there is a general spirit of cooperation along the general lines of evangelization; the Evangelical Alliance of the world is bringing about a denominational reciprocity of respect and brotherly love. There is more unity of action on the great subjects now than has ever been before. Never in the history of the world were the auxiliary forces of the Church of God so active and so efficient. The Missionary Society, the Sunday school, the Bible Society, the Tract Society, and the religious press are furnishing the world with a living ministry and an open Bible.

        The strength of the Church is seen in its power and the number of the subsidiary forces of Christianity which contribute directly or indirectly to the support and spread of the gospel of peace and good will. In fact, they modify our social, religious, and political life; build up

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or destroy political parties; found institutions of learning; harness the secular press which furnishes Christian literature for the poor; organize the womanhood of the race into an army to fight intemperance, the foe of home and country; call young men and young women of all denominations to meet beneath the shadow of the cross to declare war against the social evils of the day and encourage denominational loyalty.

        We have great reason to rejoice that we live in this wonderful age which furnishes us with so many opportunities to do good and to work for the elevation of our race and the salvation of mankind.

        That the moral and religious leaders and teachers of the people should be trained is self-evident, and is in harmony with the demands of the age--wise statesmanship and churchmanship; for as a disciplined army demands a disciplined commander, so an intelligent and trained pew demands a good, intelligent, and trained ministry. The leaders of the African Methodist Episcopal Church from its beginning recognized the necessity of an intelligent organization, and a wise administration of the laws, usages, and customs of Methodism; therefore, they have always in a greater or less degree encouraged and supported the education of the people, and have been the pioneers of ministerial education, industrial training, and normal schools where some are taught how to teach others.

        There are some things which we desire to say through you to the ministers and members of the Church which relate, we think, to the success of its mission. In some places we find that there is a tendency to underrate the prayer meeting, a tendency to rely on self rather than on God. The lessons of the history of the Church are that the strongest men of the past were men of prayer, men who relied on the Divine arm. Daniel was a praying man; Elijah brought fire from heaven by prayer; Paul and Silas were released from prison by prayer; Luther won his victories by faith and prayer. The latter part of the year 1739 Wesley called a meeting of eight or ten persons to pray and the result was the organization of Methodism. In 1766 Philip Embury, Barbara Heck, and Aunt Betty met in New York city to pray, and American Methodism was born. In 1766 Robert Strawbridge, Aunt Annie, and ten others met at Sam's Creek, Md., and the tree of Methodism was planted. In 1787 Richard Allen and his associates were taken up from their knees while at prayer in Saint George's Methodist Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Pa., which led them to build an altar of their own where they could pray to God for the deliverance of their brethren in bonds. God heard the prayers of the fathers, and he answered by his lightning in the flames of war and thunders of the artillery; he answered and the prison doors were opened, and the bondmen and the bondwomen walked out in the morning of freedom.

        These sacred altars, with their perpetual fires, have been committed to the ministers and members of our Church. It is the imperative duty of our ministers to see that the fires do not go out; the members to see that the altars are not deserted. We need no strange fires, and

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want no new altars. Let us pray that the fire of the Holy Ghost may fall upon bishops, elders, and members, like it did on the day of Pentecost, and let us go out from this place with "cloven tongues of fire," proclaiming the gospel of peace and good will between man and man, family and family, race and race, nation and nation, between heaven and earth.

        There have been serious charges brought against our race by men who profess to be our friends; others have been brought by men who make no pretensions to friendship either for religion or for the Negro. We have been charged with ignorance, immorality, indifference, and disregard for the marriage vow, and the profession of a religion without morality. And some have gone so far as to say that we are worse off to-day than we were in slavery; that freedom has been a curse instead of a blessing, and that liberty has become lawlessness. The moral and religious teachers of the people have been charged with a lack of a true conception of human duties and responsibilities. These are serious charges. As representatives of the people in all conditions of life, we deny the false and slanderous accusations against the virtue of our women and the manhood of our men. We speak from personal knowledge of the moral and social conditions of the people and affirm that the ideals of our leaders are as high as the ideals of their neighbors; that their practical life is more in harmony with the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rule, and the life of the Man of Sorrows than those who are bearing false witness against us without any personal knowledge of the charges alleged.

        You will be called upon during your deliberations to give utterance to the position of the Church upon marriage and divorce. It is our deliberate judgment that we should take a firm stand upon this subject. Stand where the Church has stood during her existence; stand where the fathers stood on the subject and abide by the consequences. Let us by our action here strengthen the foundations of the hymeneal altar, binding husbands and wives with bonds so pure and strong that they can be broken only by death; that they can be separated but not parted; be one in responsibility and one in destiny.

        According to the resolution of Dr. J. T. Jenifer passed at the General Conference in 1892, authorizing the bishops to make such arrangements as were necessary to have the Church represented in the Parliament of Religions, which was a feature of the World's Fair, and for holding a Denominationai Congress, Bishop B. F. Lee, Bishop James A. Handy, and Rev. T. B. Caldwell were appointed a committee to carry out the purport of the resolution. Bishop B. W. Arnett was appointed General Manager and Chairman of the Committee on Program.

        Arrangements were made and our Church was represented in all the Religious Congresses and in the Parliament of Religions. Mrs. S. J. W. Early and Miss Hallie Q. Brown were our representatives in the Woman's World's Congress. In the Congress of African Ethnology Bishop H. M. Turner and Dr. J. T. Jenifer delivered addresses and Bishop B. W. Arnett presided, while papers were read by Professor

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W. S. Scarborough, Professor H. O. Tanner, and Bishop B. T. Tanner.

        Bishop W. J. Gaines and I. W. L. Roundtree represented us in the World's Temperance Congress. At the World's Educational Congress we were represented by Professor S. T. Mitchell, Professor H. T. Kealing, Professor Saint George, P. Richardson, Miss Anna Jones, and others. At the Congress of Missions we were represented by Dr. W. B. Derrick, Rev. R. A. Graham, Rev. G. W. Gaines, and others.

        The Congress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church was attended by all the bishops, general officers, and many of the ministers and laymen from all sections of the Church. The Missionary Congress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church was held on September 23, 1893. Bishop Turner presided. Addresses were delivered by Bishops Wayman, Tanner, Handy, Grant, and Drs. Johnson, Coppin, Smith, and others. In the official volume of the proceedings of the Parliament of Religions is to be found the photograph of our twelve bishops. This gives us a place in the history of the religious world that no other denomination enjoys. We think that much good was done for the race at the Parliament of Religions. Many of the foreign representatives met for the first time representative men and women of the race. We gave each of the foreign representatives a copy of our Book of Discipline, hymn book, Bishop Gaines' History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the South, Dr. Embry's Digest, The Proceedings of the Quarto-Centennial of the South Carolina Annual Conference, and the Budget of 1888. Never in all its history did the Church do a greater service to the race than by its participation in the Parliament of Religions.

        In 1899 we will be called upon to celebrate the centennial of one of the most important events that occurred in the eighteenth century--the ordination of Richard Allen by Bishop Francis Asbury on the day that he was set apart and consecrated to the holy ministry of the Church of God.

        That year was the beginning of an epoch in the history of Protestantism, an era in Methodism, and a Golden Age in the commonwealth of Christianity. It was best fitting that this great honor should be conferred on one who was the pioneer in race leadership--the pathfinder, the opener, the Moses to lead his people from the Egypt of ecclesiastical bondage to the Canaan of manhood Christianity. He was the first of his race to organize its moral and religious forces; he was the first to originate a plan for the release of his race and to execute the same. By the wisdom displayed in the laying of its foundation, our Church has been able to pass through four distinct organic periods; the Dependent Period, the Inter-dependent, the Semi-dependent, and the Independent, which began in 1816. Richard Allen leads the procession of all the ordained men of his race, and will stand at the head of the procession through all generations. We cannot do too much to honor his name, for after his call to the ministry he "grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him." Since God has given us such a priceless heritage, let

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us make ample preparation to celebrate the "Centennial Year of the Ordination of the First Negro of Protestant Christianity."


        The Address closed with nineteen recommendations filled with practical suggestions bearing on the various phases of Church activity.

        Two reports emanated from the Episcopal Committee--a majority and a minority. The majority report recommended the election of four bishops; the minority report recommended that no bishops be elected. Motions and counter-motions speedily followed the presentation of the reports. The first motion was to lay the minority report on the table. There was a demand for the yeas and nays. The chair ruled the motion out of order. The ground for this ruling was not apparent. Suggestion was made that the arrangement of the Episcopal Districts be effected before a vote was taken on the adoption of the majority report. A motion was made to amend the majority report by substituting three for four. At this point the Conference adjourned by limitation.

        Much discrimination and recrimination characterized the opening of the morning session on the day following the adjournment, which was precipitated by the appearance of slanderous utterances affecting some of the members of the Conference. One of the attacks was contained in a circular; the other, in an article that appeared in the Christian Recorder. These slanderous utterances were put out for political effect to weaken the chances of certain aspirants for the bishopric and other Connectional honors. Unfortunately, these underhand methods, as reprehensible and cowardly as they are, have steadily increased, and have proved a source of annoyance and fretfulness to each succeeding General Conference. The consideration of the report of the Committee on Episcopacy was resumed, and after much controversy it was decided to vote upon the following propositions: (1) Shall the Conference elect any additional bishops? (2) Shall four new bishops be elected? (3) Shall three new bishops be elected? (4) Shall two new bishops be elected? This course was agreed to by a vote of 140 yeas to 8 nays. Proposition number 1 was approved by a vote of 220 yeas to 53 nays. Proposition number 2 was rejected by a vote of 52 yeas to 215 nays. Proposition

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number 3 was approved by a vote of 210 yeas to 68 nays, the Conference thereby agreeing to elect three additional bishops. In accordance with this agreement, at the morning session of the ninth day, W. B. Derrick was elected on the first ballot. On the second ballot J. H. Armstrong and J. C. Embry were elected.

        The morning session of the tenth day was largely consumed with a discussion of what appeared to be in the minds of many, a very necessary thing--the need of retrenchment. To secure this it was proposed to consolidate the management of the Book Concern and the secretaryship of the Church Extension Society. Another proposal was to make one person responsible for editing the Christian Recorder and the African Methodist Episcopal Church Review. Still another proposal was to consolidate the Sunday School Union and the Southern Christian Recorder. A further proposal was the consolidation of the Missionary Department and the Southern Christian Recorder. The whole matter was finally referred to a special committee, which resulted in a presentation of two reports--a majority and a minority. The majority report recommended that the Christian Recorder and the African Methodist Episcopal Church Review be placed under one and the same editorial management; that the office of Secretary of Education be abolished, and that the Southern Christian Recorder and the supervision of general educational affairs be united in one person to be known as the Superintendent of Education and editor of the Southern Christian Recorder. The minority report recommended that there be no reduction in the number of general officers. After a spirited exchange of views, pro and con, participated in by a number of the delegates, the majority report failed of approval. By an inadvertence the action of the General Conference on the minority report is not recorded; the presumption is that it was approved. General officers were elected as follows: T. W. Henderson, Business Manager of the Book Concern; H. T. Johnson, Editor of the Christian Recorder; H. B. Parks, Missionary Secretary; M. M. Moore, Financial Secretary; H. T. Kealing, Editor of the African Methodist Church Review; J. R. Hawkins, Secretary of Education; R. M. Cheeks, Editor of the Southern Christian Recorder; C. T. Shaffer, Secretary of Church Extension; C. S.

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Smith, Secretary of the Sunday School Union (reelected for the third time).

        Other measures passed on were: a resolution offered by W. D. Chappelle to create a committee to revise and compile the Book of Discipline (not approved); the reconstruction of the Educational Department; the establishment of correspondence schools of theology; fixing the subscription price of the Christian Recorder at $1 per annum and of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Review at $1.25; amending the constitution of the Sunday School Union by making one of the bishops president instead of the senior bishop; requiring all applicants for admission into the itinerancy to be examined and recommended by a District Conference; approving the celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of the organization of the Tennessee Annual Conference; changing the basis of the ministerial representation to the General Conference from twenty-five to thirty; the election of Bishop Arnett as Historiographer; making the Secretary of Education an honorary member of the Board of Trustees of all universities and colleges; authorizing the preparation and printing of uniform blanks for Annual Conferences, the printing to be done by the Book Concern; creating a commission to select the place for the holding of the General Conference and to arrange for its entertainment; amending the constitution of the Church Extension Society; fixing the salary of a bishop at $2,000 per annum and that of a general officer at $1,350 per annum; the adoption of a declaration urging the better observance of Sunday; expressing sympathy for the Cubans in their struggle for liberty, and appealing to the United States Government to recognize the belligerents; disapproving the opening of the gates of the World's Fair on Sunday; the adoption of the hymnal in course of preparation by Professor Layton, chorister of the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, Washington, D. C.; referring to the Council of Bishops the matter of organic union with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.

        Fraternal addresses were delivered during the Conference by Rev. J. W. E. Bowen, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and by Rev. R. E. Hart, of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church. The addresses were warmly received and followed by suitable responses. The subject of foreign missions received

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careful consideration, which is reflected in a lengthy report of the committee having charge of that subject. In the report attention was called to Bishop Turner's visit to West Africa and the organization of the Sierra Leone and Liberia Annual Conferences. Attention was also called to the fact that South Africa is an inviting field.

        The consecration of bishops took place at the morning session of the 14th day and was very solemn and impressive. The sermon was preached by the senior bishop, H. M. Turner. Text: 1 Tim. 5. 22. The three bishops who were consecrated have gone to their final abode. Of those who assisted in the consecration of Bishop Derrick, Bishop Turner and Bishop Handy, J. H. Collett, W. H. Thomas, E. W. Lampton, and A. M. Green have departed this life. Of those who assisted in the consecration of Bishop Armstrong, Bishop W. J. Gaines and Bishop A. Grant, A. G. Scott, William Leake, T. C. Denham, and G. E. Taylor have answered to the final roll-call. The departure to the unknown regions of the following who assisted in the consecration of Bishop Embry is to be noted: Bishop B. W. Arnett, Bishop A. Grant, Bishop M. B. Salter, P. A. Hubbard, Theodore Gould, W. H. Thomas, Cornelius Asbury.

EPISCOPAL DISTRICTS AND ASSIGNMENTS

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        The duty of supervising the work in Africa was assigned to the Missionary Department.

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CHAPTER XVI
FOURTH PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT: 1898-1922 (CONTINUED)

        The Last Year of the Nineteenth Century--International and Foreign Affairs--Twenty-first General Conference, Columbus, Ohio, May, 1900--Memorial Services--Death of R. M. Cheeks--Five Bishops Ordered Elected for the First Time in the History of the Church--A Summary of Other Transactions--Necrology--Episcopal Districts and Assignments--Bishop Coppin Arrived at Capetown, South Africa--Communication of the Colonial Secretary--Formal Recognition of the African Methodist Episcopal Church--Bishop Coppin Purchased Bethel Institute, Capetown--Native Trailblazers in West and South Africa--Third Ecumenical Methodist Conference.

        THE year 1900 was the last year of the nineteenth century and, therefore, memorable. In international affairs, this year witnessed the amending of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, which concerned the construction of the Central American trans-isthmian canals by the adoption of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty. In foreign affairs there were the annexation by Great Britain of the Transvaal and Orange River Republics, South Africa; the Boxer Rebellion in China, with the siege and relief of the Foreign Legations; the Russian occupation of Manchuria; and the creation of Australia as a commonwealth.

        As it relates to the affairs of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the distinctive event was the convening of the twenty-first General Conference in Columbus, Ohio, May 7-25, which was the first time that it had met in the capital city of Ohio. Its membership comprised 11 bishops, 9 general officers, 272 ministers, and 126 laymen, representing 64 Annual Conferences. The total membership was 418. The printed Journal containing its proceedings numbers 504 pages. The Quadrennial Sermon was delivered by Bishop Abram Grant; the Episcopal Address was read by Bishop B. F. Lee.

        The Conference convened at ten a. m. in the Auditorium, a spacious and well-appointed building, centrally located. The bishops conducted the devotional services, at the conclusion of which Bishop Grant was introduced to preach the Quadrennial

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Sermon. His text was Gen. 28. 19: "And he called the name of that place Bethel." It was an able and illuminating discourse, from which the following paragraphs are quoted:

        Thirty-six hundred and sixty years ago Jacob gave the name of that place Bethel. September 15, 1796, Richard Allen, on another continent that was never known to Jacob, received a charter from the old Keystone State of the nation, legalizing the name of another place which Allen called Bethel. That was one hundred and four years ago, and now his followers, when they visit the historic city, Philadelphia, whether they are from America, the islands of the seas, or Africa, feel that they owe it to themselves to go and look at the place that Allen called Bethel; and then not rest until they reach the lower story and take a peep at the bones of him who named that place Bethel.

        Why should Jacob or why should Allen call the place Bethel? Because it signifies the House of God, for Jacob said, "This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." It comprehends man's relations to two worlds, and this means his relation and duty to his fellow man in this one, and his responsibility to his God in both worlds. Let us fully appreciate the fact that threescore years and ten is but a short time and that only the physical man can reach his full growth and decay in that period. But when the mental and spiritual man is through with the physical body and is unclothed of earthly environment, he will find that he has only begun to grow. Have you thought of the number of houses of worship we have in the Connection bearing the name Bethel? Start with the New England Annual Conference, then go to the metropolis of the nation, on to the city of monuments; rush to the capital of South Carolina, to the capital of Georgia, and of Arkansas, clear through until you reach California, then to Africa, and you will find monuments of loyalty to our Church and its founders in the churches named Bethel.

        The Bethel that Allen established is one of the branches of the Christian Church. At the close of the Civil War we numbered about 50,000 members and, according to the reports from our statisticians, in 1895 our membership was 543,604. At the close of 1899 we had 663,906, an increase in membership in four years of 120,302, or an annual average increase of 30,070. Now we have 204 presiding elders in our home work. In 1895 we had an enrollment of 4,365 ministers; in 1899 we had an enrollment of 5,245, an increase of ministers in four years of 880. In 1895 we had 9,749 local preachers, 6,356 exhorters, 215 local elders, and 649 local deacons. Our Annual Conferences now number 64. Our increase since 1895 has been 2,506 members per month, 835 per day, or 34 per hour. This is food for the consideration of the pessimists in our Church who think every week that something serious is going to happen.

        The sun sweeps through space with forty millions of burning worlds lashed to his chariot wheels, furnishing light and heat to all of them. The Church of God is passing through the world with all human inventions

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and institutions, all philosophy, reason, science, and art lashed to her wheels; and while all of these agencies essay to apply mind to matter, it is the gospel of Jesus Christ that gives use and beauty to their application. Hence, whatever her discouragement, the Church cannot die, for "he called the name of that place Bethel."

        For over one hundred and thirteen years our people under all circumstances and conditions have been coming to the agents of Bethel to receive counsel touching their welfare in this world, and to seek the best means of serving God acceptably; and when they were not able to reach us, we have gone to them. We have met them at times in the swamps, in prison houses, in courts of justice, in the Legislatures, in Congress, on land and sea; and we have met from time to time in our own councils to better inform ourselves. The age in which we live demands the very wisest consideration and counsel, and for this purpose we are now assembled at the capital of one of the greatest States in the Union. God grant that our deliberations and acts may have the approval of Him who holds in his hands the destiny of nations and people--of Him of whom it was said, "which is wonderful in counsel."


        At the afternoon session, the Conference was organized by the election of L. H. Reynolds as secretary; R. D. Brooks, W. D. Johnson, Jr., D. T. McDaniel, Sandy Simmons, W. B. Brooks, and H. H. Pinckney, assistant secretaries; P. A. Richardson and R. B. Brooks, recording secretaries; B. A. J. Nixon and H. D. Winn, reading clerks; Charles S. Smith, official stenographer; Charles Stewart, official newspaper reporter. Immediately on the completion of the organization of the Conference T. H. Jackson offered the following resolutions:

        Whereas, the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States, Canada, Africa, South America, and the West Indies, has existed as a distinct ecclesiastical body since 1816, having its own bishops, elders, deacons, stewards, class leaders, trustees, churches, and Sunday schools; and

        Whereas, the said African Methodist Episcopal Church has been, and now is, recognized in the ecclesiastical world as a factor in helping to evangelize the world and bring it to the feet of Jesus Christ, the world's Redeemer, in keeping with the great commission, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature"; and

        Whereas, the Ethiopian Church sent to the United States, Commissioners to the African Methodist Episcopal Church, seeking admission to membership in the same; and

        Whereas, said Commissioners were received into membership in June, 1896, by Bishop H. M. Turner and the whole Ethiopian Church, the act of reception being recognized as having been done in a legal

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manner by the Council of Bishops and the Missionary Board of the African Methodist Episcopal Church; and

        Whereas, Bishop H. M. Turner went to South Africa and organized two Annual Conferences and appointed a general superintendent over the same; and

        Whereas, the Conferences in South Africa, under the laws of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, of which they are legal members, elected delegates to this, the twenty-first General Conference; therefore be it

        Resolved, That this General Conference hails with delight the extension of our work in South Africa, and that we welcome with all our hearts the delegates therefrom to a seat in this General Conference.

        Resolved, That this General Conference endorse the action of Bishop Turner in organizing the work in South Africa and in appointing a superintendent over the same.


        The evening of the first day's session was devoted to hearing the address of welcome by Governor Nash of Ohio. He was introduced by Bishop Turner. Among other things the Governor said:

We give you all a most cordial welcome. There is ample reason why Ohio should always welcome to her territory religious bodies. The foundation of this great State was laid when the celebrated ordinance of 1787 was made by the Continental Congress. That memorable document declared that religion and education were necessary to the welfare of mankind. These were the teachings we received from our fathers, and following their teachings, it is always our pleasure and duty to welcome religious bodies to this State. There is also another reason not only why w