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GENERAL
LIBRARY

The Author and Two

of His Ministerial Sons

HISTORY of the AFRO-AMERICAN GROUP o///ie EPISCOPAL

CHURCH

By

GEORGE
RECTOR
Author
ST.

F.

BRAGG,
Xe^ro

D. D., (Wilb.- Univ.)

JAMES FIRST AFRICAN CHURCH, BALTO.

Priest on Southern Soil,"

of "First of

"Men

Maryland/'

etc.,

and Historiographer

of

the Conference of

Church Workers

CHURCH ADVOCATE
1425

PRESS

McCuLLOH
1922.

Street

Baltimore,

Maryland

/3

73

Copyright applied for 1922 by

George Freeman Bragg,

Jr.

Gift

TO
The
author's

beloved

mother,

in

Paradise,

his

wife and
black

daughters, and all of the noble

men and women,

in

and white,

living

and departed, who

in his

anywise

have aided him

contention for a "Square

the

Deal" toward
in the

Negro People

Church

THIS

VOLUME

IS

AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

CONTEXTS
Author's Preface

--D.,

23

The

Introduction
Right Rev. T. DiiBose Bratton, D. D., Bishop of Mississippi.
I.

27
LL.

Afro-American Church

Work

29

Early Baptisms of African children mixed character of the white population; free Negroes, slaves and "the Great House;"
special ministrations.

II.

Early Educational Effort

and

Religious
33

In Goose Creek Parish, S. C, in 1695; school established in Charleston in 1743; schools in Maryland in 17 50 and 17 61; Dr. Johns in 1819 prepares a special work for the instruction of the blacks; early records of the Maryland Convention; Bishop Elliott of Georgia in 1841 and 1847 on the care of the blacks; the institution of the "slave gallery;" an old Virginia document of 1801 witnessing the remarkable aptitude of the blacks.

III.

Organized

Work

in

the North

42

Racial organizations consistent with the Catholicity of the Church; exceptional and remarkable characters, Phylis Wheatley

Early emanciand Benjamin Banneker. pations; free Negroes attending white Methodist Church in Philadelphia, turn to

10

The Afro-American Group

the Church; Richard Allen's account "the disturbance" and the result.
of

IV.

The

Free African Society

53

Its origin

assisted

and benevolent work; especiallyby Episcopalians and Quakers;

united by correspondence with similar soNewport and elsewhere; cared for the sick as well as constituting a moral reform agency among the black group; eventuates in "the African Church," and, subsequently, this African Church becomes the first Episcopal Church in this country of persons of African descent.
cieties in Boston,

V.

St.

Thomas African Church, Phila. 59 A group of African Methodists become

own
Churchmen, and bring with them their edifice; first example of "collective
bargaining," on the part of the African race; the "conditions" put forth by them accepted; fully received with all the rights of other Episcopal congregations; Absalom Jones licensed as a Lay Reader; by the dispensing vote of Convention, ordained to the ministry; parish school in 1804; a rectory secured; its second rector a white South Carolinian; William Douglass of Maryland, its second Negro rector; Douglass our first Church historian; S. Thomas renders distinguished services.

VI.

St.

Philips African

Church, N. Y.

81

congregation of trained Churchof African descent; established under the nurturing care of Trinity Church; Peter Williams chief founder; only four rectors during a period of more than one hundred years; all of them persons of African the present rector. Rev. Dr. descent; Bishop, has been in charge for more than thirty-five years, the longest period of service, as rector of one parish, of any colored priest.

The

first

men

OF THE Episcopal
VII.

Church

II

St. James First African Churcei, Baltimore

-----priest
in

90

on Southern soil; Baltimore June 22. 1824; problem of bringing together free Negroes and slaves; Rev. Joshua Peterkin a Southern white man second rector; the first ordination in St. James Church; ordination of other colored men; a day school
first

The

Negro

first

service

held

long before the Civil War; institution of a

Benevolent Society; many missonaries go out from the parsh; a heroic witness on
slave territory.

\^III.

Christ Church, Provtdexce, R.

The
first effort

I.

102

of

Alexander Crummell; ad^

mitted a regular parish in union with the Convention of Rhode Island in 1843; the. first colored parish from which lay deputies were admitted in any diocesan Convention; its rector visits England and is received by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York; Rev. Mr. Stokes, its rector, becomes a missionary to Africa: parish passes out of existence.

IX.

St.

Lukes Church, New Havex

106

Established by Rev. Eli W. Stokes in June 1844; admitted into union with the Convention of Connecticut; a record of good work in this college city; Rt. Rev. Dr. Holly
late
istry.

number

Bishop of Haiti, a former pastor; a of its communicants enter the min-

X.

The Church
Philadelphia

of the Crucifixion,
Ill

Established by a white layman in 1847; a parish with a white vestry; a long struggle for admission into union with the Convention; Bishop Alonzo Potter's .great speech from "the throne" on its behalf;

12

The Afro-American Group

parish strongly

endowed during the long

and prosperous rectorship of Rev. Dr. H. L. Philips. Abundant in all good works.

XI.

St.

Matthews Church, Detroit

117

Organized by a former colored Baptist min_ ister who had come into the Church, "Parson Monroe;" interrupted through the con-

Bishop Holly received

troversy of the Fugitive Slave act; the late from the Roman

communion

in this

Church and ordained

to

the diaconate; parish disolved, later restored; sustained a vigorous growth in later years; a number of eminent ministers

from

this parish.

XII.

Ct.

Philips

Church, Newark, N.

J.

121

Established about the year 185 6; the first colored congregation in the State of New Jersey; during the second decade after Civil War, Fathers Massiah and Harper wrought most acceptably: a great work was wrought under Father Hobbie, a white Marylander through the faithful preparatory work of Father Hobbie colored priests have ever followed in the rectorship of the parish.
;

XIII.

St.

Philips

Church, Buffalo, N. Y.

123

War

Established about the close of the Civil by Bishop Coxe who manifested the warmest personal interest in the work; greatly built up under the present rector.

XIV.

Ix THE General CoNVEXTiox OF 1868

The Freedman's Commission and
its

125

work

discouraging reports from Georgia and South Carolina; loss of large numbers of colored communicants in such dioceses; resolutions of General Convention looking to a recovery of our lapsed colored communicants.

OF THE Episcopal

Church

13

XV.

Ix THE General Convention of 1871 129

of Bishop Atkinson; the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Churcn reports on the work of the Freedman's Commission; resolutions with respect to the work; report upon the African

Comment

Mission.

XVI.

The

Mission Schools
St.

132

An important work
burg, Va.;
coln

carried on at Peters, Stephens Church the outin

to Linpreparation for Holy Orders; St. Stephens Normal School successor to the Freedman's School; colored teachers for the public schools of Virginia; a remarkable work of one woman. Mrs. Ruford, in the county of Brunswick.

come; two pupils of the school sent

University,

XVII.

After the Civil

War

136

Some conditions previous to the war; John K. Green of New Berne, N. C, had a pew
^

in a

white church; beginnings in Kentucky

under Bishop B. B. Smith; from the Episcopal addresses of a number of Southern Bishops with respect to the situation and
their attitude.

XVIII.

Fighting Against Ignorance

142

Labors of Daniel Alexander Payne, John M. Brown, and others against ignorance within the African Church; extracts from the writings of African Methodists indicating the utter ignorance of the masses and their opposition towards education.

XIX.

The Vexing

Situation

150

Growth after long and patient waiting; a new problem arises; the ecclessiastical relations of the black man; the "Sewanee
Conference" considers the subject; their findings not acceptable to colored Church-

14

The Afro-American Group

men; the policy of restriction and friction; the Negro question in diocesan assemblies; Negro priests memorialize General Convention; the Suffragan and Missionary Episcopate; the undecided question of "status:" the action of the General Convention of 1916.

XX.

Conference of Church Workers Among Colored People - - -

161

Origin of the Conference; the Cliurch Commission for work among the race; the Church Advocate; King Hall, Archdeacons and other agencies; memorializing General Convention; educating the Negro clergy in ecclessiastical proceedure; introducing our workers one to another; interpreting the Episcopal Church to the race, and
interpreting the powers of the race to the

Church.

XXL

Some Veteran Friends

169

Bishops Atkinson, Lyman, Johns, Whittle, Smith, Quintard, Whittingham, Howe, Stevens, Young, Dudley, Mr. Joseph Bryan, General Samuel C. Armstrong, Mrs. Loomis

L.

White and

others.

XXII.

TERS,

Some Self-Made Strong ChaarcAND Others

. .

172

James E. Thompson, Cassius M. C. Mason, James Solomon Russell, James Nelson Deaver, Henry Mason Joseph, Henry Stephen McDuffy, Primus Priss Alston, Paulus Moort, Henry L. Phillips, August E. Jensen, Joshua tor Tunnell

Bowden Massiah, William Vicand John W. Perry; Deacon,

ness Betchler, Miss Alice Roosevelt, daugh_ ter of President Roosevelt, a worker within our group.

OF THE Episcopal

Church

15

XXIII.

The Clergy

List Prior to 1866

185

Absalom Jones, Peter Williams, William Levington, James C. Ward, Jacob Oson,
Gustavus V. Caesar, Edward Jones, William Douglass, Isaiah G. DeGrasse, Alex-

ander Crummell, Eli Worthington Stokes, William C. Munroe, Samuel Vreeland Berry, Harrison Holmes Webb. James Theodore Holly, William Johnson Alston, John
Peterson,

XXIV.

Rt. Rev.

Samuel David Ferguson,

D. D., D. C. L.

-----

201

Birth and Baptism in Charleston S. C; carried to Africa when six years of age; educated in the mission schools; ordained to the ministry by Bishop Payne; consecrated a Bshop in New York in 1885; his successful work in the Episcopate.

XXV.
XXVI.

Bishop John Pavxe and Others

208

Rt. Rev.

Edward Thomas Demby,

D. D.

------

212

Elected Bishop Suffragan in Arkansas for colored work; born in Delaware, raised in Philadelphia; wrought in the South; first colored priest consecrated in this country a Suffragan Bishop.

XXVII.

Rt. Rev.

Henry

B.

Delany, D. D.

213

Elected and consecrated Bishop Suffragan of North Carolina for colored work; born in Georgia; raised in Florida; educated at Vice-President St. Augustines, Raleigh; and Busness Manager of the school; a member of the Church Commission for Colored Work; Archdeacon of colored work
in

North Carolina.

16

The Afro-American Group

XV^II.

Rt. Rev. T.

Momolu

Gardiner, D. D. 214

Elected Bishop Suffragan of Liberia, by the House of Bishops; rescued from heathendom; educated in the mission schools; confirmed and admitted to the ministry by

Bishop Ferguson; York, June, 19 21.

consecrated

in

New
215

XXIX.

Our Numerical Strength

Number
of

communicants, and clergy by

dioceses; by provinces; a general of the same.

summary

XXX.

Our Church
Institutions

Schools and Other

_

219

The Bishop Payne St. Paul Normal and

ville;
St.

Divinity. Petersburg; Industrial, Lawrence,

Augustine, Raleigh: Fort Valley Industrial, Fort Valley, Ga.; St. Athanasius, Brunswick. Ga.; St. Marks for Girls, Birmingham; Vicksburg IndusOkolona Normal trial, Vicksburg. Miss.; and Industrial. Okolona. Miss.; Gaudet Normal and Industrial, New Orleans, La.; St. Marys School for Girls. Germantown, Pa.; the American Church Institute, St. Monicas Home, Boston, Mass.; the Home for the Homeless, Philadelphia; the House of the Holy Child, Philadelphia; House of St. Michael and All Angels, for crippled children; St. Marys Home for Boys, Baltimore; St. Katharines Home for Little Girls, Baltimore; the Maryland Home for Friendless Colored Children, Ellicott City, Md.; the Crummell Home for the Aged,

High and

Washington, D.

C; St. Agnes Hospital, Raleigh, N. C; Good Samaritan Hospital, Charlotte. N. C.

in

XXXI.

The Work

the Provinces

226

New England; New York and New

Northwest; the Southwest; the

Jersey;

Washington; Sewanee; the Mid-West; the

Pacific.

OF THE Episcopal

Church
-

17

XXXII.
XXXIII.

The Matter
The

of Self Support
-

244
251

Fruit of the System

XXXIV.

Some Black

Men
the

of

Mark

258

XXXV. Character
Crummell

Great

Thing,
262
-

XXXVI.
XXXVII.
XXXVIII.

Ordinations From 1866

Clerical Directory
-

267
285
29.^

...
-

Closing

Word

APPENDICES
1.

Bishop Paret axd the African Methodists

298

2.

"My

Last Work, etc."

304
307

3.

Philips Brooks

4.

Address to Southern Bishops

St.

310

5.

Louis Convention
-

314
318

6.

Fixing the Point of Contact

7.

The Right Thing

to

Do

319

LLV ST RATION S
-

1.

Frontispiece

The Author and two

of

his

Ministerial Sons
2.

Bishop White, Absalom Jones and Richard

Allen
3.

page 26

The

Baltimore Conference (1917) of Church

page 160

Workers
4.

The Conference
Bishops Holly,

of

Church Workers at the

-

Consecration of Bishop Delany

5. 6.
7.

page 168
page 194

Demby and Del.\ny

. -

Deaconness Bechtler
Bishops

page 180

John Payne, Ferguson and Garpage 204

diner

THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE

The Author
tions
feels that the difficulties
is

and hard condibrought to birth

under which the present volume

should be known.
exacting character.

Our

ministry has been of a laborious and

Believing thoroughly in self-support

we

have been thrown completely upon the love of our people,

who, although both loving and

margin

loyal,

by reason of their pov-

erty have not been able to vouchsafe a support with sufficient

to cover such outside ministries, to our group, as the

times seem to require.

for others, both in the

What we

have been enabled to do

community and elsewhere, required

the greatest economy, self-sacrifice and incessant labor. are happy because of the service

We
we
all

we

have been privileged to

render under such circumstances.

With

this in

mind,

humbly beg our

friends

to

be merciful as they note the

shortcomings of our story.

However, we

feel that

with

the imperfections of the work, a distinct contribution has

been made in the

field of

Church

literature.

We

desire in this public

manner

to express our grateful

thanks and appreciation to the Bishop of Mississippi, the Rt.

Rev. Dr. Bratton, for

his loving co-operation

and help

in

connection with this work.

We

not only sincerely thank

of our parish,

Mr. Edward

P. Morris, a

communicant
volume, but

and a Virginia young man, for

the conspicuous part taken by

him

in connection

with

this

we

feel particularly

honored

in being able to

24

The Afro-American Group

own
group, presented by us for Confirmation,

have one of our

linotype the matter of the book, and also prepare the forms
for the press
;

and

all this at a

considerable saving to us.

And
ciation

in the

same connection, we must express our appre-

and thanks for the helpfulness of Mr. William H.

printer, also a

Knox,
and

communicant

of St. James, Baltimore,

a graduate of St.

Paul School, Lawrenceville, where he

a picture of the author, the Rev. C.

learnt his trade.

The

frontispiece

is

R. Dawson, Cumberland, Md., and Rev. Gustave H. Caution, assistant to us,

by the appointment of

his Bishop.

In

their infancy each of

them

laid in the author's arms,

when
to

they received their Christian names.

On

June

3,

1922 the

author presented them both for ordination

the diaconate, and

Mr. Caution

Mr. Dawson

to the priesthood.

o < en

<

PQ

<
Q < X o
a:

INTROD UCTION
The
Rt. Rev.

By Theodore DuBose Bratton, D. D. LL. D.

of this valuable book,

THE
I

Bishop of Mississippi whose introduction AUTHOR

have been accorded the honor to write,
is

the His-

toriographer of the Afro-American Episcopal Church.

For many years he has been the repositorv

his people,

of the records of
in-

and

to

him have gone those seeking authentic

and
essayist

formation.

As

editor

during thirty years past,

his

own

publications of current history have

become

sources, in

large measure, of this labor of love for his people and his

Church.

The book

is

written out of the fullness of mature

years and vast experience.

To

singular facility for gathering

exact facts have been added Dr. Bragg's love of his

Church

and of his people, and the enthusiasm of the historian

loves facts but loves
still

book

is

the story of the

more the life which lived them. Church of the Incarnation in Ameriits fruits,

who The

can Negro Life, and of

story to every

an entransingly interesting

Churchman who loves to watch what the Lord God is doing among the sons' of men. With the conclusions and deductions there may not be unanimity among readers for all alike the story will be illu;

minating and fascinating

as

the faithful record of

growth
in

and progress which

eyes.

is

God's doing and marvellous

our

To

the student of history reverence for the past

in

is

found-

ed upon the assurance of God's hand busy

shaping ends,

and the proof of

it

in the sure progress of nations

and races

28
which have put
tion of
its

-The Afro-American Group

their trust in

Him.

Each past

is

the founda-

future, and,

however

faulty,

may

be trusted be-

cause

God is able to bind the broken. The author has not hesitated to count
for

the rents in the

tells,

foundations of the Zion whose towers he

erently grateful
turrets
of

while revher

the beauties which distinguished

stability

and joyfully confident of the

city, as

and security

God's holy

opening her gates more and more wideof

ly she

welcomes the races

men.

Through

the wide open gates the

Negro has entered and

has become a builder together with God.

The

task of the

standard-bearers

is

very great, very sacred and encompassed

it is
is

with

difficulties;

but

supremely the task of the Negro,

sufficient

for w^hich
to

God's grace
to

the

ability to plan

and

execute,

organize and to administer the affairs of

Church has been demonstrated.

to lift up, to edify, to

The

task of the leaders

is

encourage and to regenerate by God's

grace, the great mass of their

backward people; but

it is

su-

premely their

task.

What

is

needed from white friends and

is

co-members of the Church

great

the ability to recognize the

transforming, regenerating power of grace working in the

Negro

race,

and the ready sympathy

to be the leaders

to help

on the up-

building, by honoring the strong, balanced, spiritual characters raised

up by
is

God

and examples of
in grace as they

their

people.
in age. It
is

It

thus that peoples

grow

grow
is

for this that Dr. Bragg's book, in every chapter,

an unconscious appeal.

God

bless the

book and

its

message to the Church, to the

faithful of both races in the bonds of Jesus Christ our

Lord

and Saviour.

Theodore DuBose Bratton

July, 1922.

CHAPTER
When
to

I.

AFRO-AM ERIC AX CHURCH WORK

the

Church

of

England came

to

America,

it

sought

embrace

all of

the people, without respect to race.

Despite

the difficulties and

unfavorable conditions the very early

records of parish churches disclose the fact that babes of Afri-

can descent were brought to Holy Baptism and incorporated

into the

Church
class,

of Christ.

The

children of the slaves or

servant

were

diligently instructed in the

Church Catecountry had

chism, and, at the proper time, brought to the Bishop for

Confirmation.

That

is.

after the

Church

in this

received the Episcopate.

But,

it

must be remembered that

the Episcopate was not obtained until the year 1787.

The
reli-

English Society for the propagation of the Gospel in Foreign

Parts manifested a special interest in providing for the

gious instruction of the slave population in the American

colonies.
all of

The white
same

population in these colonies were not

the

class or quality.

Nor were

the

more numer-

ous elements especially friendly to the Church of England

and her method of presentation of the Gospel.

circumstances
it

Under such
was widewas
a

was not

at all strange that there

spread indifference with respect to the religious training of

the slave population.

And, then,

at the first, there

general feeling that Baptism operated in converting the slave

into a free
fied that

man.

Until the consciences of

many were

satis-

Baptism did not destroy the relation of master and

little

slave,

but

progress

was made

in the

conversion of the

30

The Afro-American Group

All along there were those whose

slaves to Christianity.

tender consciences suffered no change in this matter, and

gradually,

many manumissions

ensued.

By

degrees,

owing

largely to this conviction, there

came

into being an ever in-

creasing class of "free Negroes."

A
the

number

of very sincere
set

white Christians

in

their

last

will
in

and testament

free

forever their slaves.

Then,
there
is

North, following the

Revolutionary

War,
It

was

a general, or gradual,

eman-

cipation of slaves.

from

this period that

formal organithen on to
life

zations
the

among Civil War,

the colored people date.

From
Church

the record of organized

is

among

the people of African descent

to the

confined almost exclusively

largest

Northern
resided.

States,

where the
carried

number

of "free

Negroes"

In the South the religious instruction of

the colored people

was

on under varying forms.

Usually the black people of a particular plantation

the same religious faith of their masters.
the white churches there

who

attended any religious instruction gave in their adhesion to

In a number of was always "the Negro gallery" for the slaves. In some places where the slaves were exceedingly numerous special chapels were erected for them in which they were diligently gathered and instructed. Uni-

formly white ministers were placed over these chapels.

gallery" in white churches, there
ible" institution
real thing, istrations of

But,

simultaneously with these special chapels, and "the Negro

came

into being an "invis-

among

the slaves, which, to them,

was the

despite their formal attendance

upon the min-

white ministers. This institution was the native Negro Church, the great conservator of religious fervor and zeal among the black people of the South. This institution

produced the famous "ante-bellum"

Negro

preacher,

the

celebrated spiritual songs of the slaves, as well as those beautiful characters

known

in the old

Southern dialect

as "the

OF THE Episcopal
uncles"

Church
altogether,

31

and "the mammies."

possibly,

However,
in this

"the

Great House"
borne

was the
But

chief civilizer

and Christianit

izer of the black

in

man.

connection

must be

mind

that the blacks reached by "the Great

were but
finement,

a fractional part of the great masses.

the occupants of the mansion house were people

House" As a rule, of much rewas con-

education and

tenderness.

The

"great house,"

with

its

elegantly furnished rooms and equipment

stantly the scene of the display of the highest intellectual

and

social life of the country.

Attached

to this institution

were any number

midst of the

of servants, such as cooks, porters, valets,

maids and other attendants.

life

These

lived constantly in the

reflecting the

of "the great house," and,

its

same, were transformed into

likeness.

Many
in
fact,

of

them

were the constant attendants

theatres,

of those they served, at balls,

hunting

parties,

lectures,

and,

wherever
shared

the people of the great house were, by their sides and at their

command
in the

were, their black

men and women.

They

worship of family prayers and listened to the reading

of the Scriptures,

and the comments made thereon.

They
And,

were
in

attentive listeners as they waited in the spacious dining

room upon

distinguished judges, statesmen and others.

their contact

many ways,

with the great house was to them

a university training.

On

the other

hand the great masses

life,

of the black race

on

plantations, in

hard out-door

were constantly

in contact

with and lived

in the life of the "overseer class,"

and "the
life,

poor whites," and reflecting that low coarse and vulgar

were likewise transformed

into

its

image.

After the Civil

War

the religious
a

life of

the colored people of the South as-

sumed

new

setting.

Rather, the "invj<?ible" Negro Church

32

The Afro-American Group

all

which had existed

adjust
itself to

along,

became "visible" and began to

the changed situation of affairs.

The
life,

foregoing observations with respect to the religious

in general, of the colored people are

most helpful,

as

throwing

light

upon the

situation

when we come

to narrate

the specific effort of the the race.

Church

in

Church extension among

Possibly

we

can more fully appreciate

if

many

of the

diffi-

culties in this particuular field

we

ever keep in

mind

that

ours

is

the only one of the great representative religious bodies

of this country, which,

tain

from

first

to last, has sought to main-

a comprehensive unity, embracing all sections of the

all races.

country as well as

CHAPTER
Dr. Carter G. Woodson,

II.

EARLY EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS EFFORT

in his

admirable book, ''The

History of the Negro Church," (1922), gives an account of

a very early effort in South Carolina, which
as there given:

we

reproduce

**The

first

successful
of

worker

in this field

was the Rev.

the colony of

Samuel Thomas
South Carolina.
as early as

Goose Creek Parish

records

in

The

show

that he

was thus engaged

1695 and that ten years later he reported twenty

black communicants, who, with several others, well understood the English language.
his instruction
as

By 1705 he had brought under

one thousand
slaves,

many

as

'many of
and great
'*

whom,'
numbers

said he, 'could read the Bible distinctly

of

them were engaged

in learning the Scriptures.'

When
ever,

these blacks approached the

Communion

Table, how-

some white persons

seriously objected, inquiring

wheth-

er

it

was

possible that slaves should

of a

go to heaven anyway.
of liberal slave-

But having the co-operation

number

holders in that section, and working in collaboration with

Mrs. Haig, Mrs. Edwards and the Rev. E. Taylor, who

Baptized a number of them, the missionaries in that colony

prepared the
slaves.

way

for

the Christianization of

the

Negro

Becoming

interested in the thorough indoctrination

for their instruction,
least to

of these slaves,

Mr. Taylor planned

encouraging the slave holders to teach the blacks at

34

The Afro-American Group

Manifesting such

the extent of learning the Lord's Prayer.

interest in these unfortunate blacks, their friends easily in-

duced them

to attend

church

in

such large numbers that they

far as the missionaries

could not be accomodated.

"So

were

permitted," says one, "they did

evangelization,

all

that

was

possible for their

and while

so

many
it

professed

Christians
to raise to

among
ness

the whites were luke-warm,

pleased

God

Himself devout servants among the heathen, whose faithful-

was commended by the masters themselves."

This
interest in evangelizing the

In sojne

of the congregations the

Negroes constituted one-half of the

Communicants.

Negroes

was extended into other parts. In 1723 Rev. Mr. Guy, of St. Andrew's Parish, had among his Communicants a slave, "a sensible Negro who can read and write, and come to church, a catechumen under probation for Baptism, which he
desires."

new

stage in the progress of this

movement was

reach-

ed in 1743

when

there

was

established at Charleston, S.

C,

a special school to train Negroes for participation in this

missionary work.

This school was opened by Commissary

Garden young men

Church.

and placed in charge of

of color,

Harry and Andrew, two

the

who had

been thoroughly instructed in

the rudiments of
It

education and in the doctrines of

not only served as the training school for misits

sionary workers, but directed

at^tention also to the special

needs of adults

who

studied therein during the evenings.

From

this school there

were sent out from year

to year

num-

bers of youths to undertake this

work

in various parts of

the colony of South Carolina.

so

After having accomplished

much good

for about a generation, however, the school

was, in 1763, closed for various reasons, one of them being

that one of the instructors died and the other proved
ineffi-

OF THE Episcopal
Such
is

Church

35

the interesting story as related by Dr.

Woodson.

In the colony of Maryland, as far back as 1761, the Rev.

Thomas

Bacon, a clergyman of the Church of England, inau-

gurated a free school for black children in Frederick county.

And

even long before this date the same clergyman had inin

augurated a school
of both races.

Talbot county, for the poorer

classes

commenting on this early venture, Mr. Lawrence C. Worth, the assistant of the Enoch Pratt Library, as well as historiograyears ago in a published essay

Some

pher of the diocese of Maryland, said

"Mr. Bacon had

set

an example

in the

Province in

re-

gard to the Christian education of Negro

slaves,

which was
the

not generally to be followed by either clergy or laity for

many

generations.

It

was probably

his

work among

Ne-

groes which led to the project of founding a sort of manual

training industrial school for poor children.
tion paper circulated in 1750, he remarks

In a subscrip-

upon the profaneespecially

ness and debauchery, idleness

and immorality

among

the poorer sort in this province, and asks for yearly

subscriptions 'for setting up a charity

working school

in the

Parish of St. Peter's, Talbot county, for maintaining and

teaching poor children to read, write and account, and instructing

them

in the

knowledge and practice

of the Chris-

tian Religion as taught in the

Church

of England.'
list

"A few months

of subscribers,

later he

had received from a goodly

the Proprietary and

among them

Lady

Baltic

more, Cecelius Calvert and Bishop Wilson, a

sufficient

fund

for the running expenses, and in the course of a

his

subscriptions

permitted the purchase of

few years one hundred

acres of land, and the erection of a suitable brick

school.

home and
thereafter,
thirty

Thus,

in the year

1755, and for

fine

many

Talbot county boasted a

charity school;

but,

36
years later,
tees

The Afro-American Group

when Bacon and
it

nearly

all

of the original trus-

were dead,

was turned over

to the

county for use as

a poorhouse.
its

The

institution seems to

have been born before

time, so far as

Maryland was concerned."

historian, in writing of the
-

Hawks,

the

Church

Maryand

land Diocesan Convention of 1819, says:

lending libraries were recommended to

"parochial

the parishes,

the religious instruction of the blacks became an object of

interest.

The

present assistant Bishop of Virginia, (Johns)

then a presbyter, presented to the Convention a number of

copies of a

work he had caused

to be published, designed for

the instruction of the Negroes.

These were thankfully

consent, then

re-

ceived and the benevolent effort to colonize the free people

of color in Africa,

with their

own

making by

the

American Colonization

Society, received the hearty ap-

probation of the Convention."

The

rector of St. John's Church,

Washington, D. C,

in

1824, in making his annual report to the Convention, said:

"A
and

class of colored people has

been formed, amounting to

about forty,
to

who

manifest an earnest desire to learn to read,

unite in the forms of worship established by our

venerable Church."

In the journal of 1824, Mar3dand Convention, the rector

of Trinity Parish, Charles count}^, says:

"The

black comin their

municants present the most interesting appearance

In that same report one white Baptism
twenty-six blacks

great devotion and regular attendance on Divine worship."

is

given against

who

received the same sacrament."

All of the Southern Bishops manifested the most tender

care towards this portion of their Episcopal duty.

Bishop

Whittingham, Maryland, was particularly conspicuous and

OF THE Episcopal
zealous in the matter.
possible personal

Church
came

37
into the closest

He
them

constantly

touch with the slaves, and, directly, and

himself.

personally, instructed

Indicating the serious-

ness of his studies in the

matter after the close of the Civil

War, when
part:

plans and methods for this w^ork were being dis-

cussed, writing to the Bishop of South Carolina, he said in

"Long

before the Civil

it,

War

had been driven

to

meditate upon

(the Missionary Episcopate) by conviction

that the blacks in

my own

diocese could not be efficiently

provided for on our present scheme."

Bishop Stephen Elliott, of Georgia, was a native of South

Carolina.

Before becoming the Bishop of Georgia he had

most affectionately and devotedly labored among the Negroes

of his native State.

In

his

very

first

Convention address
began with

as

Bishop, 1841, he reviews at great length the subject of the

religious care of the black people.
ficant paragraph:
tics

He

this signi-

"The

religious instruction of our

is

domes-

and of the Negroes upon plantations,

in

a subject that

never should be passed over

Bishop."
Six
years
later

the address of a Southern

his

in

Convention address of

1847, he was particularly gracious in his treatment of the

same
river,

subject.

In part he said: "During the

last

week

visited the mission upon the north side of the great Ogeechee

under the charge of the Rev. William C. Williams.

neat country church has been erected by some of the planters

of that side of the river,
services,

which was

sufficiently

completed for

but not for Consecration.

I officiated in it

on Sun-

day the 18th of April, when eight candidates were presented

for Confirmation, the
first fruits
is

of the labors of their earnest

missionary.

Mr. Williams

pursuing the only plan which

will be of any service with this class of our population, identifying hmiself w^ith their spiritual condition

and going

in

38

The Afro-American Group

as their pastor

and out among them

pression
is

and guide.

The

im-

that the Negroes are averse

It
is

from the

services of

our Church.
aversion

a great mistake except so far as that

may have

arisen

from ignorance or

neglect.

Let a

clergyman of the Episcopal Church settle anywhere in the

midst of them and make himself comprehended among them

and minister

at their sick beds,

and be with them

in their

moments

of temptation

and

affliction,

and prove himself their

friend and teacher, and very soon will they

their hearts

welcome him
It

to

with the same true affection with which they

now

cling to those

who now

labor

among them.

is

my

earnest hope that our Episcopal planters will take this matter
into consideration

and make arrangements for the employ-

ment

of missionaries of their

own Church,

so that masters

and servants may worship together

the bond of peace.
It

in unity of spirit

and

in

would tend very much

to strengthen

the relation of masters and slaves by bringing into action the

highest and holiest feelings of our

common

natures.

There
side,

should be

much

less

danger of inhumanity on the one

or

of insubordination on the other, between parties

who

knelt

upon the Lord's Day around the same Table, and were partakers of the

same Communion."

THE SLAVE GALLERY

The
Quite

ordinary reader,

who

is

not well-informed

is

more

than apt to look upon the "slave gallery" in one aspect only.
likely such

may

regard that particular kind of provis-

ion for the slaves as a manifestation of prejudice, pure and

simple.

But surely such

a superficial observation

would not

be indicative of a desire to express the truth.

When

one recalls the actual condition of the people

brought hither from the barbarism of their native land, their

ignorance and general unpreparedness in every particular

OF THE Episcopal

Church

39

for an intelligent participation in public worship, and, with

abundant doubt entertained with respect

assimilate

to their capacity to

and incorporate

ideas,

the slave gallery

was a

most convenient testing and proving ground for the unexplored ignorance thus brought close enough for experiment.
Said

Thomas
is

Jefferson,

''Man

is

an imitative animal.

This

quality

the

germ
is

of all education in him.

From

his cradle

to his grave he

learning to do

in the ordinary work-day-life the slave

what he sees others do." If, was steadily learning

his spiritual

through such a process, certainly

religious aspirations needed the

powers and
this

same treatment, and

he

certainly received through the agency of the slave gallery.

Here he was brought

same was
strictly in

into constant contact with the best in

that line, and the provision

made

for his reception of the

keeping with that made for his acquireskill.

ment

of worldly

knowledge and

The
for,

fact

is

the ex-

periment proved a complete success;

gallery
es.

out of the slave

came enlightenment, conversions, and Negro churchof these

Out

came awakened powers and ambitions for

It

group-leadership.
ful progress

accounts
f

largely

for

the

wonder-

made by

the

reedmen immediately following the

War. For it was not the field hand, or the quarterNegro who became the leader and group preacher, but rather the Negro from ''the slave gallery," who by his contact with
Civil

the best expressions of religion, and his closer association with the best of the whites,

had

sufficiently

incorporated such

ideas as to reflect the same,

and inwardly grow through a

continuous outward reflection of what he had received.

Thus

"the invisible institution" became a mighty visible force.

But the remarkable powers

long before the Revolutionary
addressed to a

of the

Negro were discovered

as witnessed

War,

by a

letter

1801 by the

member of the Virginia General Assembly in Hon. Judge Tucker, and quoted in the history

4"

The Afro-American Group

Dr. Booker T. Washington.
**It

of the late
letter

In quoting

this

Dr. Washington says:

seems to

me

to describe in a

remarkable

way

the process and the

method by which the

Negro masses have advanced slowly but steadily before emancipation, more rapidly but not less steadily since."
This
letter
is,

in part, as follows:

"There

is

often a progress in

human

affairs

which may,

indeed, be retarded, but

which nothing can

it is

arrest.

Moving

with slow and

distant periods.

silent steps,

marked only by comparing

it

The

causes which produce

if

are either so

minute

as to be invisible, or,

perceived, are too

numerous

human control. Of such among the Negroes of this country. It is so striking as to be obvious to a man of most ordinary observation. Every year adds to the number of those who can read and write and he who has made
and complicated
is

to be subject to

a sort

the advancement of knowledge

any proficiency
to others.

in letters

becomes a

little

centre of instruction

"This increase
evolving the spirit

of

knowledge

is

the principal agency in

we have

to fear

In our infant

country, where population and wealth increase with unex-

ampled

rapidity, the progress of liberal

knowledge

is

propor-

tionately great.

In

this vast

march

of the

mind the blacks

who

are far behind us,

may
sir,

be supposed to advance at a pace

equal to our

own

but,

the fact

is

they are likely to ad-

vance

faster,

the growth and multiplication of our towns

tend in a thousand ways to enlighten and inform them.

The

very nature of our government, which leads us to recur perpetually to the discussion of natural rights, favors speculation

and inquiry.
a

By way

of

marking the prodigious change

this class of

which

few years had made among

men, compare

OF THE Episcopal

Church

41

the late conspiracy with the revolt under

Lord Dunmore. In
in the other,

one case a few solitary individuals flocked to that standard

under which they were sure to find protection

they, in a body, of their

own

accord, combined a plan for

asserting their claims

and

rest their safety

on success alone.

The
good
;

difference

is,

then they sought freedom merely as a

it

now

they also claim

as a right.

This comparison
I insist

speaks better than volumes for the change

on.

"But sir, this change is progressive. A little while ago their minds were enveloped in darkest ignorance; now the dawn of knowledge is faintly perceived and warns us of approaching day. Of the multitude of causes which tend to
enlighten the blacks
materially check.
uation.
I

know

not one whose operation

is

we

can
sit-

Here, then,

the true picture of our

Nor
it.

can

we make
power
to

it

less

hideous by shutting our

of water,

eyes to

These, our hewers of

wood and drawers

possess the physical

to

do us mischief, and are invited

justi-

do

it

by motives which self-love dictates and reason

fies.

Our

sole security consists then, in their ignorance of

this

power and

of their

means

of using

it

security

which

we

have lately found was not to be relied upon, and which,

it

small as

now

is,

everv dav diminishes."

CHAPTER

III.

ORGANIZED WORK IN THE NORTH

It
is

interesting to note that scarcely

had the American

Revolu-

Church been organized, following the

tionary

close of the

War, when

it

began immediately to interpret the

Catholicity of the

Church by creating Negro congregations,

its

and ordaining black men to

ordination of a
it

Priesthood;
of a

Negro

priest,

and creation

when by the Negro parish,

declared racial organizations to be consistent with the

Catholicity of the Church.

Within nine years from the

in

consecration of our

first

Presiding Bishop, Bishop White, in

1787, our
first

Lambeth Chapel, England,

colored Epis-

copal parish, in the city of Philadelphia w^as in successful

operation with a membership of over four hundred persons,

and a man of the black race had been ordained by Bishop

White

as the pastor of this congregation.

In that early day through exceptional and remarkable

characters of African descent, the shadows of a series of
brilliant events

were given forth

to the
it

world.

Necessarily,

such characters were few; but, then,

must be remembered

that with all of the advantages of the white race there

was

not a multitude of such exceptional characters

among them.

With

the serious disadvantages and handicaps of the mass

it
is,

of the black race in America,

indeed, remarkable that

there

should

arise

such

conspicuous

and

able

characters

among them.

OF THE Episcopal
In
all

Church

43
dislife

candor, however,

it

should be noted that the

advantages and handicaps at this particular epoch in the

of the black

man were

not so

much from without

fell

as

from

within

for, in a sense, his exterior

disadvantages were noth-

ing in comparison with those which

years.

upon him

in later

At

that time, so early

it

from barbarism, the greatest

reflect themselves.

of all handicaps,

is

remarkable indeed that any notable

examples of intuitive adaptability should

The
ward

very fact that they did would seem to indicate that outdisadvantages, after
all,

were not very formidable. Benjamin Bannehad already become a

his scientific

Just about the time

ker, of

we

are considering,

Maryland,

of the African race,

famous and noted character because of

know-

ledge, issuing in the stated publication of an

almanac which

was reckoned
distinguished

as

an authority, throughout the country.

The
time

Virginian,

Thomas

Jefferson,

at

that

Secretary of State, in expressing his thanks and appreciation

for a copy of the above mentioned publication, wrote

Ban-

neker as follows:

Sir

thank you sincerely for your

it

letter

and

the almanac

contained.

than

do

to see such proofs

Nobody wishes more as you exhibit that Na-

ture has given to our black brethren talents equal to

those of the other colors of men, and that the ap-

pearance of the want of them

is

owing merely

to

the degraded condition of their existence both in

Africa and America."

A
and,

still

more remarkable example

Phyllis

is

that

of

Phyllis

Wheatley, of Boston, Mass.

was born

in Africa,

when

only a girl of six or seven years old, fresh from

paganism, with other African slaves she was brought to Bos-

44

The Afro-American Group

She was purchased
in the

ton and sold into slavery.

Boston

"slave market" by a cultivated gentleman, a

Mr. Wheatley,

and adopted into

tion

his family.

All her schooling and educaof that cultivated

were received within the atmosphere

She became one of America's
to the
12, 1773.

home.

earliest poets.

Her

volume was dedicated

of

Right Honorable, the Countess

Hunington, July

school education, and by only

family, she, in sixteen

Without any assistance from what she was taught in the month's time from her arrival, attainmost
difficult parts

ed the English language, to which she was an utter stranger

before, to such a degree, as to read the

of the Sacred Writings, to the great astonishment of all

who
in a

heard her.

The

publisher of Miss Wheatley's poems,

note in the book, says:

"As
lisher

it

has been repeatedly suggested to the pub-

by persons

who have

seen the manuscript,

to suspect they

that

numbers would be ready

were

not really the writings of Phyllis, he has procured

the following attestation from the most respectable
characters in
least

Boston, that none might have the

their origin."

ground for disputing

Then
cy,

follow the names of eighteen of Massachusett's

citizens,

most distinguished
the

among whom

are His Excellen-

Thomas Hutchinson, Governor of the Commonwealth; Hon. Andrew Oliver, Lieutenant Governor; and "John
all

Hancock,"
ment:

of

whom

subscribed to the following state-

"We, whose names

pages,

are underwritten do assure

the world that the poems specified in the following

were

(as

we

verily believe) written by Phyl-

OF THE Episcopal
a

Church
but a few years

45

lis,

young Negro

girl,

who was

since brought an uncultivated barbarian

ca,

from Afriunder the

and has ever since been, and now

town.

is,

disadvantage of serving as a slave in a family of

this

She has been examined by some

of the

best judges,

and

is

thought qualified to write them."

General George Washington, our

first

President,

and
him,

father of the country, under date of February 2, 1776, ac-

knowledging the

receipt

of

a *'poem"

dedicated

to

wrote Miss Wheatley

"I

as follows:

thank you most sincerely for your polite

notice of

me

in the elegant lines

I

you

inclosed, and,

however undeserving
and panygeric, the

may

be of such enconium
strik-

style

and manner exhibit a

ing proof of your poetical talents, and as a tribute

justly

due

to you, I

would have published the poem

I

had

not been apprehensive that, whilst

to give to the
I

only

meant

world

this

new

instance of

your genius

might have incurred the imputa-

tion of vanity."

In relating these kind and generous expressions of

ington and Jefferson, the author
fact
is

Wash-

not unmindful of the

that both of

them were Churchmen and Virginians.

it

And
of

the author considers

one of the pleasures of by Washington

his life

in this place to bear witness to the fact that the

same

class

Virginians

represented

and

Jeft'erson,

have, invariably, sustained in their attitude toward the black

man

the same noble courtesy and generosity of spirit.

Since
inti-

six years of

age the author has continuously and most

in the life of the

mately lived

same

class of

white men, and

46

The Afro-American Group

every remembrance of the graciousness and helpfulness of

such contact

is

like

sweet fragrance which

fills

the

air.

AN
As
States, following the

ELECTIVE AFFINITY

a gradual emancipation

commenced

in the

Northern

Revolutionary
their

War,
set

the select class of

Negroes who obtained

for their moral welfare

freedom

about to organize

and the preservation of the peculiar

impress which differentiated- them from the great mass of

uncultivated people of African descent.

Soon there were

centers of "free African societies" in Boston,

Newport,

New
of

York, Philadelphia and elsewhere.

such
societies

Invariablly, the

men

sought as close alliance as possible with the

men

of quality of the

white race with

whom

they had been

it

associated before freedom

came

to them.

Eventually

was

because of this bond that a group of people of African descent,

worshipping with the white Methodists, when humilia-

ted and treated amiss, turned to the Episcopal

city of refuge.

Church

as a

And
come

thus did the

first

colored Episcopal con-

gregation in this country and the

to her ministry
St.
first

first

black

man

ordained

into being.

Thomas African Church,

its

Philadelphia being the very

organization of

kind in this country and exerting a

life
its

wonderful influence on the subsequent religious

race,
it
is

of the

important that the details leading to

final es-

tablishment be given at some length.

The
the

distinguished black man, Richard Allen,

first

who became
Methodist

founder and

Bishop

of

the African

Episcopal Church, in a manuscript left by him, and written

for

him by
of

his son,

very minutely

tells of

the circumstances

which

finally led to "the parting of the

ways," and the eveninto

tuation

"the

free

African society"

an

Episcopal

Church.

The

"manuscript" from which

we

quote was written a

OF THE Episcopal

Church
of
St.

47

number
**Rev."

of

years

after
it is

the establishment
that

Thomas

Church, and, thus

throughout Allen refers to

the time of the early events

Absalom Jones.

At

narrated, Jones, of course, had not been ordained.

But

at

the time of the writing of the manuscript he had long been

in

Orders.

portion of the manuscript reads as follows

THE ALLEN MANUSCRIPT

"I

saw the

necessity of erecting a place of worship for

.

the colored people

proposed
city,

it

to
I

the most respectable

people of color in the

I

but here

met with opposition.

had but three colored brethren who united with

me

in

Absalom Jones, William White and Darius Jinnings. These united with me as soon as it became public and known by the elder who was
erecting a place of worship
the Rev.

stationed in the city.

The

Rev. C. B. opposed the plan, and

would not submit to any argument we might raise; but he was shortly removed from the charge. The Rev. Mr. W. Mr. W., was much took the charge and the Rev. L. G.

opposed to an African Church, and used very degrading and

insulting language to us to try to prevent us

from going on.

We
we

all

belonged to

St.

George's Church

Rev.

Absalom

Jones,
selves

William White and Darius Jinnings. We felt ourmuch cramped; but my dear Lord was with us, and
if
it

believed that

was His

will, the

work would go

on,

and that we would be able

of the Lord.

to succeed in building the house

We

established prayer meetings and meetings

of exhortation, and the

souls

Lord

blessed our endeavors

and many

were awakened; but the elder soon forbid us holding

any such meetings.

colored brethren and
of worship.

We

viewed the forlorn state of our

of a place

saw that they were destitute They were considered as a nuisance.

on
seats placed

A number

of us usually sat

around the wall and on

and the sexton stood

Sabbath morning

we went

to church,

48
at the

The Afro-American Group

door and told us to go
in the gallery.
sit.

He

told us to

go and

we would

see

where

to

We

expected to take the

seats over the ones

we

formerly occupied below, not knowing

any better.

We

took those seats.

Meeting had begun and

they were nearly done singing, and just as

seats the elder said:

we

got to the

"Let us pray."
I

We

had not been long

on our knees before

talking.
I

heard considerable scuffling and loud

raised

my

head up and saw one of the trustees,

H
pulling

M
him
off
is

having hold of the Rev. Absalom Jones

his

knees and saying, ''You must get up;

you must not kneel here."

prayer
over."
will

now, or
said,

Mr. Jones replied, "Wait until Mr. H. M. said, "No, you must get up call for aid and force you away." Mr. Jones
prayer
is

"Wait

until

over,

and

will get up

and

trouble you no more."

With
S

that he beckoned to one of the

to

other trustees,

Mr. L
to

come
all

to his assistance.

He came
this

and w^ent

William White
and we

to pull

time prayer was over,

him up. By went out of the

subscribed

church in a body and they were no more plauged by us in

the church

Notwithstanding

we had
as the

largely towards furnishing St. George's Church, in building

the gallery, and laying

new

floors;

and just

house was
the

made comfortable, we were turned out from enjoying

comforts of worshipping therein.

"We
selves.

then hired a store-room and held worship by ourw^ith threats of being

Here we were pursued

if

disown-

ed and read out of meeting,

the place

we

did contrive to worship in

we had

hired

but

we

believed that the

Lord would
raise

be our friend.

We

got subscription papers out to

money

to build the house of the

Lord.

By

this

time

we had

waited on Dr. Rush and

Mr. Robert

Ralston and told them

it

of our distressing situation.

We considered

a blessing that

the

Lord had put

it

into our hearts to wait

upon these gen-

OF THE Episcopal
tlemen.

Church

49

They

pitied

our situation and subscribed largely

towards the Church, and were very friendly towards us and

advised us
treasurer.
fluence.
I

how

to

go on.

We

appointed

Mr. Ralston our

by
his in-

Dr. Rush did much for us

in public

hope the names of Dr. Benjamin Rush and

Mr.

Ralston will never be forgotten

first

among

us.

They

w^ere the

gentlemen

who

espoused the cause of the oppressed,

and aided us

in building the
in.

house of the Lord for the poor

Here w^as the beginning and rise But the elder of of the first African Church in America. the Methodist Church still pursued us. Mr. I called upon us and told us that if we did not erase our names from the subscription paper and give up the paper we would be publicly turnd out of meeting. We asked him if we had
Africans to worship

violated any rules of discipline by so doing.

He

replied, "I

have the charge given

me

by the Conference, and unless you

submit

will read you publicly out of meeting."

We

told

him

that

we were willing
if

to abide by the discipline of the

Methodist Church, 'and

violated any

you will show us where

no rule violated

law

of discipline of the
if

Methodist Church,

we have we

will submit, and

there

is

in the discipline,
out.'

we

will proceed on.'

He

replied,

'we will read you

We

told

him that
off

if

he turned us out contrary to the discipline

we

should seek further redress.

We

told

him we were

dragged

our knees

in St.

George's Church, and treated

we were determined to seek out for Lord being our helper. He told us that we wxre not Methodists, and left us. Finding we would go on and raise money to build the church, he called upon us again and wished to see us altogether. We met him. He told us that he wished us well, and that he was a friend to us, and used many arguments to convince us that we were wrong in building a church. We told him that we had no place of
worse than heathen, and
ourselves, the

50
worship and

The Afro-American Group

we
did not

mean
if

to go to

St.

George's any

more

as

we were
seal

treated so scandously in the presence of all

the congregation present, 'and

you deny us your name, you

can not

up the Scriptures from us and deny us a name

in heaven.
spirit

We believe
in truth.'

heaven

is

free to all

who worship

in

and

And

he said: 'So 50U are determined

to go on.'
replied,

We

told him, 'Yes,

God
all

being our helper.'

He

'We

will disown

you

from the Methodist conhad no reason

to

nection.'

We

went out with our subscription paper

and met with great

success.

We

complain

of the liberality of the citizens..

out
the

"The first day the Rev. Absalom Jones and myself went we collected three hundred and sixty dollars. This was greatest day collection that we met with. We appointed

a committee to look out for a lot

the Rev. Absalom

We
it.

Jones,

William Gray, William Wicher and myself. upon a lot at the corner of Lombard and Sixth
authorized

pitched

streets.

They

me

to go

and agree for

did accordingly.

The

lot

belonged to

Mr. Mark Wilcox.

lot.

We

entered into

articles of

agreement for the

on Fifth

Afterwards the committee

found a
city

lot

street in a

which

we
me

bought; and the

hands and wished

authorized

me
I

to give

more commodious part of the first lot they threw upon my I told them they had it up.
and they were
I

to agree for the lot,

all satisfied
it

with the agreement

had made, and

it

thought that
hands.
I

hard that they should throw

I
I

upon

my

told

was them

would sooner keep

had
rriade.

it

myself than to forfeit the agreement

I

And

so

did.

We

bore

much

persecution

from many

of the

Methodist connection, but we have reason

deliverer.
I

to be thankful to

Almighty God, who was our

cellar.

The

day was appointed to go and dig the

in the

arose early

morning and addressed the throne

of grace, praying

that the

Lord would

bless our endeavors.

Having by

this

OF THE Episcopal
time,

Church
as I

51

two or three teams

of

my own, ...
I

was the

first

proposer of the African Church,

the

put the

first

spade into
first

ground

to dig the cellar for the same.

This was the

African Church or meeting house that was erected in the

United States of America.

We

intended

it

for the African

sta-

preaching house or church; but finding that the elder

tioned in the city w^as such an opposer to our proceeding of

erecting a place of worship, though the principal part of the
directors of this church belonged to the Methodist connection,

and that he would neither preach for us nor have any-

thing to do with us,

gious denomination
it

we held an election to know what reliwe should unite with. At the election
There were two
Church
of
in favor of the

was determined.

Meth-

odists, the

Rev. Absalom Jones and myself, and a large ma-

jority in favor of the

carried.

England.

This majority

Notwithstanding

we had
I

been so violently persebeing attached to

cuted by the elders,

we were

in favor of

the Methodist connection, for

religious sect,

was confident there was no or denomination, that would suit the capacity
suits best for

of the colored people as well as the Methodists, for the plain

and simple Gospel

the

any people, for the unlearned

;

can understand, and the learned are sure to understand

reason
that

and
the

the

Methodists are so successful

of the colored people,
is

in

awakening and conversion

the preachers

the plain
cases

doctrine and having a good discipline.

But

in

many

discipline, until

pecially to

would act to please their own fancy, without some of them became tyrants, and more esthe colord people. They would turn them out
them no
trial,

of society, giving

for the smallest ofFense, per-

haps only hearsay.

class

They would

frequently in meeting the

impeach some of the members of

whom
'I

they had heard

an ill-report and turn them out, saying

have heard thus

of society,*

and thus of you, and you are no more

member

52

The Afro-American Group

side.

without witnesses on either

This had been frequently

first

done, notwithstanding that in the

rise

and progress

in

Delaware State and elsewhere, the colored people were their The greatest support, for there were but few of us free.
slaves

would

toil in

their little patches

many

a night until

midnight

to raise their little truck to sell to get

something

to support them,

more than

their

white masters gave them,

little

and

we

used often to divide our

support

among

the

white preachers of the Gospel.

This was once

a quarter. It

was

in the

time of the Revolutionary

War

between Great

Britain and the United States."

CHAPTER
Following the incident
delphia,

IV.

THE FREE AFRICAN SOCIETY

in
St.

George's Church, Phila-

the group of people of African descent

who had

practically been ejected therefrom, got together

and on the
an "African
St.

12th day of April, 1787, organized the "Free African Society."

Finally this society resolved

later the

itself into

Church" and
is

African Church became

story of
it

Thomas
Society"

Episcopal Church.

The

"The Free African

exceedingly interesting for

furnishes us with the records

and doings

of the first organized

body of people of African

descent in this country.

How

did this

first

group of emancipated black people

set

about to use their freedom?

Did they

set to

work

to con-

serve and improve the morals of their people and cultivate

their religious life, or,

were they carried away with an

ex-

travagant sense of their

own importance?

Because of the

mistreatment they had received from one group of white

persons did they rashly run to the conclusion that
all

white

persons were their enemies, or, did they wisely discriminate

and carefully seek

to

ally

themselves with the best white

people of the community?

The

records of this venerable

and ancient society of black people make unmistakably clear

their

profound solicitude and deep concern for the moral

advance and spiritual interests of the race with

whom

they

were

identified.

Naturally,

we

ask the question,

how was

it

possible, at

that early day for any group of Negroes to

become possessed

54

The Afro-Americax Group

knowledge and education
requisite for

of sufficient general

launching even so modest an institution?

sible for

How

was

it

pos-

them

to

become the pioneers along

It will

a line hitherto

unexplored by any of their kind?

be well for us to

remember that from the very

few
tian
their
as they

earliest times, in

America, as

may have

been, there

was

a class of truly Chrisin

and sympathetic white persons who were unwearied

devotion to the welfare of the black people.

They

kindly touched their lives and freely imparted to them every

help they could
dition
first

whereby both

their

mental and moral con-

would be

affected for good.

When,

therefore,

the

emancipations took place in Pennsylvania, the group of

black people thus set free, were ambitious to conserve and

improve the good things they had already received.

very

The

name "Free African

it

Society"

indicated
free.

separation

from the other Africans who were not

This separation
of those yet

was necessary and

their freedom.

was

for the highest

good

detained in slavery, as well as for those

who had

gained

They would

thus become worthy exemplars

It

to the black race yet in bonds.

would beget hope on

that

their

part.

It

would strengthen

the hands and hearts of the beneall

volently disposed whites to do

was

in their

power
from

to
all

hasten the time

black slaves, and

when
all

the fetters
free

would be
men.

lifted

would be

The
ty"
all

people called Quakers and Episcopalians were espec-

ially interested in

helping to
to be.

that

it

ought

make "the Free African SocieUnder such circumstances the

society started out

upon an untried venture and they were

helped by the reflection that they could
for guidance

much encouraged and turn at any moment

and

help, not simply to

white friends, but to the very best and holiest of the white
race within their midst.

And, even

at

this

late

day, the

OF THE Episcopal

Church

55

worthy example

of our honored forbears in this particular

commends

itself to

our most serious consideration.

The

initial

effort

was

in the direction of a

benevolent

and moral reform

life of

association.

Through
soon, they

appropriate com-

mittees they concerned themselves with every phase of the

the black people.

And,

were

in corrspon-

dence with similar groups of African people in Boston,

port, R. I.;

Newwhich
like a

New York,

and elsewhere, and the

epistles

passed between these several African societies reveal the most

beautiful moral and religious aspiration.

Anything

spirit of retaliation or a disposition to irritate the whites,

was

foreign to such communications.

In the calm deliberations

of this little society of "free Africans," there

was

a constantly

growing sentiment removing them further and further from

the wild and noisy excitement of the Methodists of those
times.

The Quaker and

It
is,

Episcopal influences which had en-

droned them
them.
ple just
first

in their early struggles

were daily captivating

bondage"
in the

indeed, most inspiring to note that African peoof

emerging from "the house

very

organization constituted by them should enact:

"No man
certificate

shall live
is

with any

woman

as

man

and wife without she on record."

Early in the
indicated
its

lawfully his wife, and his

to the clerk to be put

must be delivered

life of

the Society there appears a case

which

firmness in the matter of discipline.

It reads thus:

"Whereas, Samuel

S.,

one of the members

of the Free Afircan Society, held in Philadelphia, for the benefit

of the sick, has so shamefully deviated

from our known

tender wife and

rules,

hath often, unnecessarily,

left

his

child,

and kept company with a common woman, sometimes

56

The Afro-American Group

quarrelling, fighting and swearing, for which he hath been

long and tenderly treated wnth, but he has not forsaken

his
S.,

shameful practices,

we

therefore, disown the said

Samuel

from being a member of our societ}^ till he condemns the same in life and conversation, w^hich is our desire for him." Indicative of the society's desire to welcome the aid of
sympathetic white friends in the conduct of
the original articles of
its

its

affairs,

in

constitution

is

the following:

"We
to

unanimously agree to choose Joseph Clarke

always understood

be

our Clerk and Treasurer: and whenever

it is

another shall succeed him,

that one of the people called Quakers, belonging

to

one of the three monthly meetings

is

in Philadel-

phia,

to be chosen to act as

Clerk and Treasurer

of this useful institution."

In one of the
society
is

epistles

from

this

society to the

Boston

this

wise and judicious advice:

"It affords us matter of satisfaction to find that

you are united with us

yard,

in laboring in the

same vinethe

we

seriously hope to the

honor of

God and

benefit of

mankind
their station

Let none be discouraged

however low

among men may

is

be, for

we

find in

Holy Writ

that the race

not to the

swift, nor the battle to the strong; but that

one

who

has on the shield of faith shall chase a thou-

sand, and

two put ten thousand

to flight.

Here

is

encouragement for us of the African

Scriptures declare that
sons.

race.

The
of per-

God

is

no respector

We

beseech you, therefore, in

much

brotherly

love, to lay aside all superfluity of naughtiness, es-


OF THE Episcopal
pecially

Church

57

gaming and
as

feasting; a shameful practice,

that we,

a people,

are particularly guilty of.

While we
it is

are feasting and dancing

many

of our

complexion are starving under cruel bondage; and

this practice of

ours that enable our enemies to

fit

declare that

we

are not

for freedom;

and

at the

same time

this

imprudent conduct stops the mouths

of our real friends cause.

who would

ardently plead our

Let

us, threfore,

dear brethren, learn to be

wise by fearing the Lord, and show that

we

have a

good understanding by forsaking our foolish practices.

Towards
solved
itself

the latter part of the year 1792, the Society reinto

a

Church organization, the style of the corporation being, "The Elders and Deacons of the African Church." From that time on the body was chiefly concerned
in arranging for the erection
edifice

of a church building.

The

was occupied

for the first time

and solemnly dedicated

on July 17th, 1794.

representative citizens

The

clergy of nearly every denomina-

tion in the city of Philadelphia, as well as

many

of the

most

were present

at the

opening of

"The
"The

African Church."

Carved on white marble

in a conspicuous

part of the front of the building were these words:

people that walked in darkness hath seen a great light"

Isaiah ix
:2.

The
his text.

preacher upon the occasion took the same words for

Near

the close of this most excellent discourse by

the Rev. Dr.

Magaw,

occur these words:

"On
in

the right improvement of your present ad-

vantages depends, perhaps, the fate of your brethren

bondage

in

every part of the world.

Strengthen

58

The Afro-American Group

the hands of your friends everywhere by your pure

and unexceptional conduct.

ered with darkness.
deliverance of those

This will be

to 'let

your light shine' in favor of the multitudes yet cov-

This will be encouraging the

who

are bound."

CHAPTER
ST.

V.

THOMAS AFRICAX CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA

far,

Thus

"the African Church" was unconnected with

any of the various religious bodies.

thereafter, the people ofthe "African

However, very soon

Church" determined

to

unite themselves and their church building with the Episcopal Church, and, the official

document declaring such purBut, before doing

so,

pose

is

dated August 12, 1794.

they

specified three conditions, which were agreed to by the authorities of the Episcopal

Church, viz: They should be

;

re-

ceived as a body, already organized

they should have guar-

anteed to them local independence and self-control of their

aftairs,

forever

and, lastly, that one of their

number should
fit,

be licensed as their
as their minister.

"Lay Reader," and,

of

if

found

ordained

The preamble

the historic

document declaring

their

purpose reads as follows:

"Whereas, a few

of our race did in the

name and

fear of

God,
a true

associate for the purpose of advancing our friends in

knowledge

of

God,

of true religion,

and the ways and

means

to restore our long lost race to the dignity of

men and
in

of Christians," and, continues the preamble,

"God

mercy

and wisdom has exceeded our most sanguine wishes,

brethren to

in bless-

ing our undertaking, and has opened the hearts of our whfte
assist in

our undertaking

Having

seen the

dawn

of the

Gospel day, we are zealously concerned for the

gathering together our race into the sheepfold of the Shep-

herd and Bishop of our souls

For

all of

the above pur-

60
poses

The Afro-Americax Group

it is

needful that

we

enter into and forthwith establish

of

some orderly Christian-like government

the

former usage

in

Church

of Christ; and, being desirous to avoid all apevil,

pearance of

by self-conceitedness, or an intent to pro-

mote or

establish
it

any new human device among us

to all the

Now

be

known

world and

in all ages thereof,

that we, the founders and trustees of said house, did on Tuesday, the 12th day of August, in the year of

Our Lord one

thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, resolve and decree

to resign

and conform ourselves to the Protestant Episcopal

of

Church
ory of

North America, and we dedicate ourselves to God, imploring His protection; and our house to the memSt.

Thomas,

the Apostle, to be henceforth

known and

called St.

Thomas African

Episcopal Church of Philadel-

phia; to be governed by us and our successors as follows."

Definite action
of the Episcopal

was taken upon the part

as

of the authorities

Church
record

evidenced from the following,

from the

official

"Philadelphia, September

9,

1794.

At

a meet-

ing of the Council of Advice and Standing

Com-

mittee of the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal

Church

in

Pennsylvania, in the Bishop's House.

Present, the Right Reverend Bishop

White and

quorum

of the

members.

The

Bishop laid before

the Council the Constitution ofthe African

of Philadelphia,
color,

Church

a congregation of the people of

who

having erected a building for the public

worship of God, do

now

in

consequence of free and

mature

deliberation, propose

and request

to be asso-

ciated with the Protestant Episcopal

United States and

;

in particular to

Church in the commit all their

ecclessiastical

affairs

to

the rule and authoritv of

OF THE Episcopal
the Bishop and
nia.

Church
Pennsylva-

61

Church

in this State of

The

Bishop and Council are pleased with the

application

made

as above,

and are willing

to accept

the terms.

"Resolved and declared, therefore, that

as the
tion,

as

soon

Trustees or Deputies of the said congrega-

being duly authorized, shall sign the Act of

Association of the said church in this State, they

shall be entitled to all the privileges of the other

congregations of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

"Agreed that Dr. Samuel

Robert Blackwell be
tees or

Magaw
to

and

Dr.

committee

meet the Trus-

Deputies of the African Church, and see

them

ratify the

Act

of Association.

"Extract from the Minutes,

"Samuel Magaw, "A member of the Council"

On
and
the

Sunday, October

12, 1794, the

St.

Rev. Dr. Blackwell

formally

appeared in the pulpit of

fully

Thomas Church and

this

announced the reception of

of the Episcopal

congregation into

communion

Church.

Shortly thereafter the congregation, through the Trustees, sent in a petition,

and request for the ordination of Ab-

salom Jones

as their minister.

portion of this petition

reads as follows:

"With due

deference to your wisdom,

we presume

to

present to you our well-beloved brother,,

Absalom Jones, a
as a can-

man

of

good report, of Godly conversation and zealously

in

engaged

promoting religion and virtue among us

didate for the above purpose.

utility

And

in consideration of the

of

having such a person clothed with authority to

62
visit

The Afro-American Group

the sick, attend funerals, administer the ordinances of

Baptism and the Lord's Supper, reproving, exhorting and

following the wandering and careless to bring them into
the sheepfold of Christ, and in view of the reverence and
respect in w^hich he
is

held by the generality of our color, and

of his zeal for the prosperity of the

in

Church, and

his assiduity

doing good for

men we
;

therefore

humbly hope

that his

want
in

of the literary qualifications required by the

Church,
Signed
of
St.

may, under our circumstances, be dispensed with."

behalf

and by appointment of the congregation

Thomas Church, Willaim Gray, William White, William Gardner,

Henry Stewart, Trustees.

as indicated

The

above petition was duly considered by the Bishop and

Standing Committee, and action taken

following

from the

*'An address or letter to the Bishop and clergy of the

Protestant
Episcopal

Church
of

in

Philadelphia,

written

in

very respectful and affectionate terms, from the trustees and

other
representatives the

congregation

of

the

African

Church,

now

called St.

Thomas Church

of Philadelphia,

was
of

laid before the Council,

communicated through the hands

the Bishop, representing

be expedient to
qualified
ter,

among other things, that it would have among themselves a pious and duly

man

of color to discharge the functions of a minis-

and recommending for the said purpose Absalom Jones,

of

man

good report and Godly conversation.

Whereupon,
them

the Council being heartily disposed to favor the address and

application as above, and entirely satisfied as far as to

doth appear, of the moral and religious character of the person recommended, do agree in opinion and respectfully advise that the

most regular mode of proceeding for the Bishop

to give his sanction

and approbation

to

Absalom Jones

to

OF THE Episcopal
officiate as a

Church
etc., in

63
the said church,
of the
in the

Reader

of

Divine Service

and a candidate for Deacon's Orders, till the meeting Convention of the Church in this State, which will be

month

of

Maj' next.

The

Seventh Canon,

ratified in

Gen-

eral Convention, requiring

with regard to the learning of

dispensed with by two-

those to be ordained that the requisition of an acquaintance

with Latin and Greek

is

onl}' to be

thirds of the Convention of the State to

which the candi-

date belongs, and for good causes

moving thereunto; the

recommendation
vention.

to

the Bishop to eftect the foregoing, to

have the signature of the names of a majority of such con-

Extract from the book of MiiiuteSj

"Samuel Magaw,

"A member
The

of the

Council and Secretary"

convention which assembled in Christ Church, Phil-

adelphia, June, 2, 1795, acted favorably in the premises, as

the following witnesseth

was moved and seconded that the knowGreek and Latin languages, in the examination for Holy Orders of Absalom Jones, a
"It

ledge of the

black man, belonging to the African

Church

of St.

Thomas

in this city, be dispensed

with agreeably to
provided.
it is

the canon in such cases

made and

Renot
to

solved that the same be granted, provided,

to be understood to entitle the African

Church
of

send a clergyman or deputies to the Convention or

to

interfere with the general

government

the

Episcopal Church, this condition being

made

in con-

sideration of their peculiar circumstances at present.

"James Abercrombie,
''Secretary"

t)4

The Afro-American Group

Absalom Jones was ordained to the diaconate by Bishop White in St. Thomas Church, August 6th, 1795. But, prior
to his ordination the Bishop first explained the nature of the

"condition" in the dispensing vote of the Convention; and

secondly, exacted a pledge of the Trustees with respect to

the support of the

man

to be ordained.
in

Inasmuch
later years

as the

temporary "condition" referred to

was

oft quoted in defense of the continued ex-

clusion of St.

Thomas Church from

it

representation in the

Diocesan Convention,
refer
to

will not be amiss in this place to

of

"an interpretation"

that

"condition"

by the

"minority" of the committee of the Convention of 1850,

appointed to consider the application of
St.

Thomas
at rest

parish.

The
cisive

majority of the committee "would gladly see this

laid

whole matter

permanently and quietly

by a deyears
of-

and expressive vote of the Convention, where

it,"

fifty

of universal acquiessence has placed

It therefore,

fered the following resolution

Resolved,

That

it

is

inexpedient to repeal the

Eighth Revised Regulation, and that the committee

be discharged from further consideration of the
subject."

Happily, there was a "minority" on that committee, and

they were not of the same mind as the majority.

So the

"minority" presented
report the following

its side,
is

and, from their most inspiring

taken:

of St.
to,

The undersigned, while granting the Trustees Thomas Church did agree to the restrictions referred can not see why such assent should prevent the present
from seeking a removal of a prowhich the congregation have found by experience to

authorities of that church

vision

OF THE Episcopal

Church
The

65
said

be burdensome and injurious to their interests.

restriction

was imposed and agreed

of
St.

to, let it

be remembered,

not according to the records cited at the time of receiving

the

Church

Thomas

into

the fellowship with

the

Church

in the diocese,

but nearly a year afterwards,

when

the question of the dispensation of certain literary qualifications in the person selected for their minister

came before

the Convention, 'this condition being

made
to

in consideration

of their peculiar circumstances at present.'

"The

restriction

and the agreement

it

are, therefore,

in the opinion of the

undersigned, not to be viewed in the

light of an original

compact contemporaneous with the ex-

istence of the
in the diocese.

Church

of St. Thomas as a part of the Church The agreement they yielded to, the restriction,

in their peculiar exigency,

by no means interferes with the

right of the congregation to petition

now

for a repeal of

the prohibition which their present 'pecular circumstances'

may

render highly oppressive and detrimental to their pros-

perity.

"But what were the peculiar circumstances

restriction

to

which the

ought
salom

The words 'at present' in charity, to be strictly limited. The Reverend AbJones, the first minister of St. Thomas Church,
passed in

1795 refers?

though very deficient

try,

in literary qualifications for the minis-

was

'man of good report and Godly conversation.'

He

was held

in great reverence

and esteem by the colored people

of our city.

Zealous for the prosperity of the Church, and

doing good, he was especially beloved in con-

unwearied

in

sequence of his devotion to the sick and dying at the time

of the prevalence of that awful scourge, the yellow fever.

Administering to the bodily as well as spiritual wants of

many poor

sufferers,

and soothing the

his people,

last

moments

of

many

departing souls

among

he became greatly endeared

66

The Afro-American Group

Hence, when they formed a congrega-

to the colored race.

tion in

order that

the\'

might worship

God

according to the

doctrine and

discipline of the

Church

of their choice, they

fixed their hearts

upon having

their kind friend

and helper

for their minister.

"He who

had already

won

his

way

to their hearts by

labors and sacrifices of Christian love that no one can hear

of without emotion,

must be the shepherd

of their souls in
this, their

Christ Jesus. So that they would succeed in

darling

wish, they were content to submit to inconvenience and to

loss; for

him

their friend

and brother, bound

so closely to

their hearts by the

sympathy of past

afflictions,

they were

ready to be placed for the time being in a position of inferiority.

They were

fully sensible that he did not possess the

requisite

literary

qualifications

for

the ministry, but they

spirit,

knew and
relgious

loved his self-sacrificing

and consistently

life.

When,

therefore, the great difficulty in the

way

of his ordination

was removed by the dispensing vote

to,

of

the Convention, the condition on which, in this case, the dis-

pensation

was agreed

the congregation of St.

Thomas had

succeeded in their great desire.

In their feebleness they sur-

rendered to the far stronger power, the right which the

Church had already given them,

in

order that their

little

flock might be watched and ministered to by a shepherd

whom

they loved.

The

undersigned earnestly submit wheth-

er, after

the expiration of so

many

years,

advantage should

be taken of the concession which the petitioners yielded in

their then peculiar exigency?

More

than a half century has

passed

away
is

since the adoption of the restriction, which, they

now
has,

respectfully ask
it

may

be removed.

Their present pastor,

believed, far superior literary qualifications to the

Rev. Absalom Jones, having passed a very creditable examination for the diaconate and priesthood before the Rt. Rev-

OF THE Episcopal
erend Bishop Onderdonk of this

Church

67

city.
to,

*'The very wording of the restriction referred

viewed

in connection with the facts above stated, shows that both parties, the
St.

Convention on the one hand, and the Trustees of

the other, thought of
it it

Thomas Church on

only as a

temporary proviso, and that

would be rescinded when the

It
is

'peculiar circumstances' spoken of should cease.

be-

lieved by the undersigned that the 'peculiar circumstances'

of the church of the petitioners at that time have in a great

measure changed

that special peculiarity aimed at in the

restriction has ceased,

from the

fact above stated,

with

re-

gard to their present minister of the parish

The

under-

signed submit that the Eighth Revised Regulation be rescind-

ed on principle.

No

test of

admission should be adopted here

which

is

at variance with the precepts of our Redeemer, and

in the

with the practice of the Church

the undersigned

Apostolic times

and
if it

would

ask whether the said regulation be

It

not inconsistent with both?

may

well be asked

be consistent with the declaration of the great Apostle to the

Gentiles,
flesh
*if

meat make

my

brother to offend,
lest
I

will eat

no
to

while the world standeth,

make my brother

offend,' thus to

wound

the feelings and to interfere with the

peace and prosperity of a company of brethren.

They can

not be expected long to reconcile the inconsistency of their

pastor being
fit

to preach the

word

of

God and

to administer

His Holy Sacraments and yet incapable of having any part

in the

Councils of the Church.

Can we
in

reasonably look for

their

advancement and improvement

knowledge and virtue

seems also

while
tion,

we

continue to give ground for attacks upon their posito lessen their self-respect?
It

and thus help

to the undersigned, well

worthy

of consideration,

whether
believed

the repeal of the Eighth Revised Regulation

to

would not tend

It
is

produce peace

in

our

own Convention?

68
that

The Afro-American Group

many
of the
it.

members
is

of this

body are conscientiously

re-

opposed to
joice to see
St.

It

an offence to them, and they would

it

rescinded."
did not

Thomas

win

its

fight at that time.

The

vote
on,

of the clergy

was 44

to 42.

But the controversy went

and

in the

Convention of 1862 or 1863, the regulation was

rescinded and St.

the Convention.

Thomas Church admitted into union with The two clergymen on the minority side

championing the cause of our group were the Rev. Messrs.

Henry

E.

Montgomery and G. Emlen Hare.

year of the ordination of

The same

the names of persons recorded as

Absalom Jones, 1795, members of St. Thomas

aggregate 427.
the church,

The first election of vestrymen w^as held in March 28, 1796, and the following persons were
first

chosen as the very

church

officers of

any congregation

of persons of African descent in the

United States: John

Exeter, William Gray, wardens; William Coleman, secretary;

John Emory,

clerk of the church; Charles

Bunkan,

Ishmael Robins, Charles Golding, William Colston, James

Dexter, Peter Mercer, Alexander James, Henry Stewart,

Samuel Jackson, Robert Turner, Joseph Williams, William Thomas, Rutland Moore, James Forten, Kent Burry, Jacob
Gibbs, John Church. In 1804 the vestry established a day school for the instruction of the youth.

Each member

of the Educational
to contri-

Society thereby called into existence

was required

bute an annual

sum

of one dollar.

The

board of trustees

continued to carry on the school up to the year 1816; beyond

which time no minute of the proceedings appear.

fact

worthy

of note in connection

with the school

is

the expense
trust

of instructing ten

male scholars was provided out of

funds coming through Rev. Dr. Bray, the English commis-

OF THE Episcopal
ssiry.

Church

69
this school,

Rev.

Mr. Douglass
it

says

with respect to

"It appears that the vestry finally gave up the control of the
school and placed
of
its

in the

hands of Solomon Clarkson (one

members) who

also for a considerable

number

of years

afterwards, was paid from the same charity for the tuition
of the aforesaid

number

of scholars.

Besides, there
in the

was a

female school taught by

berties,

Madam Hand

Northern Li-

supported from the same source."

s

Watson

Annals, 2nd volume, page 263, ed. of 1854, has

note concerning the above mentioned charity:

this interesting

"This ancient charity originated with the Rev. Dr. Bray,

American missionary, the Bishop

rents of a large lot in this city
of the expenses of

of

London and Mr. D'In

Alone, secretary to King William.

1774 the ground

were

set

apart for the payment

two schools

for blacks, one for each sex,

to be educated gratuitously.

'The

Associates'

in

England

are perpetual; and from their appointments, three of our

citizens.

tors
dith,

and governors. Those

Churchmen, constantly serve the schools as direclately in service were Wm. MereS.

Thos. Hale and James

Smith, Esquires."
St.

Says the author of the Annals of

last

Thomas: "For

the

fifteen years,

at least,
It

this charity

has been turned in

some other

direction.

has

been ascertained that ever

since the suspension of the school here, the net

sum
in

of nine

hundred dollars, arising from said ground rents, has been

forwarded
to

London
the

annually.

We have
taken
in

been

communisaid

cation with 'The Associates' in England, through their sec-

retary
schools,

respecting

ground

for

suspending

and have recently received

is

replication

a polite

note,
to

from which

taken the following extract: 'The trust

is

which you allude

for the support of schools in British

America.

The

Associates have always been

is

advised

that

the term 'British America'

tobe construed as comprising

70
the territory

The Afro-American Group

now known
by that name, and not the territory

which was
it is

so considered prior to the peace of 1783,

'

and that

their

duty to apply the trust accordingly."

left

In 1809, through a legacy

in the

by

Wm.

Bradford, Esq.,
St.
sit-

hands of Bishop White and Dr. Benjamin Rush,

the possessor of a "parsonage,"
streets

Thomas Church became

uated in Powell
street,

between Fifth and Sixth

and

Pine and Spruce

streets.
St.

The

people of

Thomas were

active leaders in the

general improvement of the people of African descent in that

early day.

One
of

such enterprise was

"The African

Society

for the Suppression of Vice and Immorality."

number

them

petitioned

Chief Justice Tilghman

for his approbation, and having secured the same, they pro-

cured other indorsements from some of the most conspicuous

characters in
Justice

America at that time. Tilghman reads as follow^s:

The

petition to Chief

"A number

of the free people of color

have asso-

ciated themselves in a society by the name, title

and

description of the African Society for the Suppression of Vice and Immorality

among

the people of

our

own

race.

They have

for a long time viewed

evils that

with painful anxiety the multiplied

have

occurred and do daily occur, for the want of such

advice and instruction as they feel desirous of giving,

by visiting some of the more dissipated parts of

the city,

and suburbs, on proper occasions, and

using such persuasive measures as

may be

best cal-

culated to produce reformation of manners

among

them.

They, therefore,

solicit

your Honor's ap-

probation and concurrence in behalf of the society."

"John Trusty, Chairman'

OF THE Episcopal

Church

71

The

Chief Justice

in his

indorsement said: "I have read

the articles of the African Association and approve of them.

The

object

is

highly commendable, and there

is

reason to
effects."

hope that the association may produce very beneficial

Benjamin Franklin said: "I have also read the articles

of

the African Association,

in the opinion

and heartily concur with the

above expressed."

Chief Justice

Jacob Rush said: "Every rational plan to reform the

people of color will always have

my

approbation.

The

effort

now

proposed to be made, by means of religious instruction

at seasonable time, has, therefore,

and conversation,

my

cor-

dial w^ishes for its success."

ABSALOM JONES

With
White
says
in

respect

raised to the dignity of a priest (he

Absalom Jones, the first black man was priested by Bishop 1804), the Rev. William Douglass, a successor
to

"He was
never taught
light

born a slave;

his

young

ideas,

therefore,

were

how

to shoot

forth their rays of intellectual

at

and beauty.

He

had arrived

manhood before he was

initiated into the first branches of a

tion.

common

school educa-

He

became somewhat

proficient in these by dint of

self-application, during intervals

from

his secular labors.

By

industry, frugalit}^ and

economy previous

to his entering the

ministry, he had accumulated

in real estate
.

some means which he invested

of several neat dwellings,

He

w^as the

owner

the value of which

we

have not ascertained.

day school

was taught by him while he pursued

its

a course of preparation

for the ministry, and also for sometime after he entered

duties and responsibilities.
in the

upon

When

he took charge of the

church he was

49th year of
is

his age."

The

following narrative

from the original manuscript

written bv himself

72
"I,

The Afro-American Group

Absalom Jones, was born in Sussex, Del., on the 6th I was small when my master took me of November, 1746. from the field to wait and attend on him in the house; and being very fond of learning, I was careful to save the pennies that were given to me by the ladies and gentlemen from
time to time.
I

soon bought myself a primer, and begged to

I

be taught by anybody that

found able and willing to give

after this, I

me

the least instruction.

Soon

was able
I

to pur-

chase a spelling book; for as

my money

increased
.

supplied

myself with books,

ness for books gave

among

others, a

Testament

For, fond-

me

little

or no time for the

amusements

that took up the leisure hours of

my

companions.
evils,

By
and

this

course

became singular and escaped many

money.

also

saved

my

"In the year 1762

my

mother,

five brothers

and

a sister

were
with

sold,

and

my

master.

was brought to My employment

the city of Philadelphia

in this city

was

to wait in

the store, pack up and carry out goods.

In

this situation I
set for

had an opportunity with the clerk to get copies

so that
I

me;

was soon
hand.

able to write to

my mother my

and brothers

with

my own

My

spelling
I

is

bad for want of proper

master the liberty
In

schooling.

In the year 1766

asked

of going one-quarter to night school,

which he granted.

that quarter,

learned addition, troy weight, subtraction,

apothecaries' weight, practical multiplication, practical division

and reduction. "In the year 1770

I

married a wife

who was

a slave.

soon after proposed to purchase her freedom.

mistress agreed for the

To

this her

sum

of forty pounds.

the

money

in

hand

got an appeal
I,

Not having drawn and John Thomas,

of the principal

my

father-in-law, and
city.

called

upon some

Friends of this
others

we

received

From some we borrowed and from donations. In this way we soon raised

OF THE Episcopal
thirty

Church

73

pounds of the money, her

mistress, Sarah King, for-

giving the balance of ten pounds.

By

this time,

family was increased, and

tude.

was much hurried

in

my master's my servi-

my
that

business to

assist

However I took a house and for seven years made it work until twelve or one o'clock at night to my wife in obtaining a livelihood, and to pay the money
to purchase her freedom.
little

was borrowed
application to

This being
in

fully

accomplished and having a

money
1778
I

hand,

made

my

master

in the year

to purchase

my own
met with

freedom

but, as this

was not granted,

fortunately

a small house
fifty

and

lot of

ground, to be sold for one

hundred and
the

pounds Continental money.

I

Having
I

laid

by some hard money,

lot.
I

sold

it

for continental

and purchased

My
was

desire for

freedom increased
house and
lot

as

knew

that

while

a slave

my

might be taken
to

as the

property of

my

master.

This induced me

make many

applications to

him

for liberty to purchase

my

freedom; and

on the

first

of October, 1784, he generously gave

I I

me

mangood

umission.

have ever since continued in

still

his service at

wages, and

find

it

my

duty both late and early to be

that a kind Providence
I

industrious to improve the

little estate

has put in m)- hands.

of small houses

Since mj- freedom

lot

have built a couple

let for

on the same

which now

twenty-

two pounds

a year."

In reporting the death of Absalom Jones to the Convention of Pennsylvania in

1818, Bishop

White

said of

him:

"I do not record the event without a tender recollection of

his

eminent

virtues,

and

of his pastoral fidelity."

Upon
vv'ere

his

tomb

in the old

churchyard where

his

remains

buried was inscribed the following:

"To

the

memory

of the Rev.

Absalom Jones, who, born

a slave,

and becoming

possessed of freedom by good conduct,

ble by a course of virtuous industry,

and rendered respecta-

was

principally instru-

74
mental
in

The Afro-Americax Uroup

founding the African Church of
first

St.

Thomas,

in

which he was the

ties of

pastor; and after discharging the du-

the ministry faithfully during twenty-two years, he delife,

parted this

February

13,

1818, aged 71 years 3 months

and 3 days."

St.

The Rev. William Douglass, who assumed the charge of Thomas in September 1834 in his history of that parish,

issued in 1862, says:

"I w^ould have you to

mark well

the following

language used by the founders of this church: 'Being desirous,' they say, 'of avoiding
all

apearance

of evil by self-conceitedness, or an intent to pro-

mote or
tered
like

establish

any new human device, they en-

into,

and established an orderly Christianof

government and order

of Christ.'

former usage

in the

Church
less

They

desired nothing

more nor

than to become a branch of the

;

One Holy,

Catholic and Apostolic Church

'in

which the pure

word
all

of

God

is

preached, and the sacraments duly

in

administered

according to Christ's ordinance,

those things that are of necessity are requisite to

the same.'

For

this exhibition of practical

wisdom

on
It

their part,
is

we

should rejoice and be thankful.

St.

not the boast of

our people has hitherto been

Thomas won

that the mass of

to her standard.

Yet

it

can not be successfully denied that she has

exerted a powerful influence for good

among

other

denominations of her brethren since organized into

religious bodies.

Whatever

of taste, order

and

in-

telligence

be

now

discovered

among

the

various

colored churches here,

may

in

a great degree be

traced to the stimulating influence of St.

Thomas.

OF THE Episcopal
She stood alone
change
at

Church

75

one time in favor of the educa-

tion of the ministry

is

and people.

But

a favorable

now

universally taking place.

She was

once spoken of in disparaging terms on account of

her care for cleanliness and decency in the house
of worship, her carpeted aisles, her

pews and organ.

But now she

I

is

closely imitated in all these respects.

repeat that

it is

not our boast that the mass have

flocked to our Zion.

It

The

time has not yet arrived.

should be remembered that though our people

are rapidly improving, they are not yet fully devel-

oped.
tional

Our

sober,

rational

and inimitable devoEpistles

service,

the

Lessons,

and Gospels

statedly read, are

to raise
tians
;

what they

actually jieed in order

them

to the dignity of intelligent Chris-

but, they are not as yet generally prepared to

appreciate them,
ions.

owing
is

to their early pre-possess-

But the day

at

hand when from previous

investi-

intellectual training the rising generation will be

fully

competent and every way disposed to

gate matters closely.

erned, as too

They

will no longer be gov-

many

of their elders are

now, by

su-

perstitious notions, false premises

clusions.

and

illogical con-

They

will

become honest and candid

searchers after the truth.

Then, the time

will have

arrived for St.

Thomas

to arise in her strength

and

make an

aggressive

movement

to

challenge her

brethren of other names to compare notes w4th her

in regard to the basis of their ecclessiastical struc-

tures."

Mr. Douglass

in the introduction of his

Annals thus

ac-

counts for the Methodistic attraction:

76

The Afro-Americax Group

*'As

Methodism addressed
and
affections

itself chiefly to

the

feelings

among

undisciplined

which minds

are always strongest

the

great

majority

gave their adherence to that system.

of the success of this
their folds

Another cause
gathering into

denomination

in

more

of the colored population than

any

other,

may

be ascribed to their itinerancy.

This

class of ministers, at the

time referred

to,

made no

pretentions to literary qualifications, and being despised

and persecuted
naturally
like themselves,

as religious enthusiasts, their

sympathies

turned

towards the lowly,

who,

were

of small estimate in the

sight of worldly greatness."

The

enemies of the Episcopal Church of our

own group

have industriously sought to create the impression, especially

as pertains

to

the far South, that sympathetic feeling did

not exist between the black and white members of the Episcopal household during the days before the Civil

War.

In

South Carolina the sympathetic feeling was so genuine and

productive that there were as

many

colored as white comof

municants.

Illustrating

somewhat the type

South Carolinian

the white

South Carolina clergy,

we

introduce at this point the story

as rector of St.

of the procuring of a white

Thomas Church, Philadelphia. During the summer of 1826,

the Rev. P.

Van

Pelt, a

white priest in charge of one of the most important white

parishes in the diocese of South Carolina, visited the city of

Philadelphia.

During

his stay there

he frequently officiated

Thomas, with much satisfaction and benefit. The people of this African Church had become so thoroughly carried away by reason of his most acceptable
for the people of St.

ministrations,

that 'ere his return

to

South Carolina, the

OF THE Episcopal
vestry of St.
invitation to

Church
a hearty

77

Thomas extended him

become the rector

and unanimous
Bishop White,

of the parish.

Dr. Abercrombie and others of the clergy, knowing the desire of the

congregation to secure his services, and believing

of

that such

would be productive
Pelt to accept the

Mr. Van
ments
until

call.
;

much good, strongly urged At length, regarding it as

upon
his duties as rector

a duty, he accepted the call

but owing to previous engage-

at the South, did not enter

June 1827.
York,

In 1830

Mr. Van

Pelt

was appointed

secretary of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society

in

New

as well as editor of its periodical.

spect to the departure of

Mr. Van

Pelt

With reMr. Douglass says:

"On

the eve of separating, the congregation, as

a testimony of their affectionate regard, presented

him, in addition to other substantial memorials, a

large and beautiful silver pitcher.

Mr. Van

Pelt

was

young gentleman

of very prepossessing ap-

pearance, fine talents and oratorical powers of a

high order.
trations he

During the three years

of his minis-

blessing

was very successful through the divine upon his labors, in promoting true and

vital godliness

among

the people of his charge.

In

1829, he presented to Bishop

White 44

persons for

Confirmation.

The Sunday

School rapidly grew

Its

in its dimensions,

and greatly flourished.

fame were

spread
tions,

among the colored people of from among whom large

to the school,

other denominaaccessions

made
first

they having at that time no

Sunday Schools
gestion.
ible

of their

own.

An

organ, for the

time was introduced into the church at his sug-

Mr. Van

Pelt, evidently,

made an
St.

indel-

impression upon the congregation of

Tho-

78
mas.

The Afro-Am eric ax Group

The
elder

members
I

of that time

have since

departed this

life; but,

never

knew them speak

most glowing

of the days referred to unless in the

terms, as pleasing reminescenses of the past.

I feel

confident that

it is

not possible

now

for

And me to

introduce into the pulpit a clergyman more acceptable to our hearers

excepting our venerable and

the Rev. P.

beloved

Bishop than

Van

Pelt,

D. D."

At

the time of the publication of the ''Annals'' 1862,

the Rev. Dr.

Van

Pelt, w^hile

still

secretary of the Domestic

of

and Foreign Missionary Society

the Church,

was

also

professor of oriental languages in the Theological Depart-

ment

of Burlington College,

N.

J.

The
of
St.

Rev. Dr.

Van

Pelt

was followed

in the rectorship J.

Thomas, by another white clergyman. Rev.

M.

Douglass.

On

the 17th of September, 1834, the Rev.

Wiluntil

liam Douglass, ordained in Maryland during the preceeding

June, took charge of
his
St.

Thomas, where he remained

death in 1862.

The
It
is

case of

Dr. Van Pelt

is

deserving of special emphasis.

in itself

an interpretation of race relations between the

better class of colored

and white persons of that period North

is

and South.
clergyman

Note
to

that this

the

first

Instance on record

where a vestry

of a colored congregation Invited a white

settled over

become regularly

them

as the recac-

tor of their parish.

The man who was

called

and who

cepted was at the time rector of a white congregation In the

State and diocese of South Carolina.

That Dr. Van

Pelt

was an ordinary 5^oung white man

is

sufficiently contradicted

by the avidity with which the authorities of the Missionary

OF THE Episcopal
Society of the

Church

79

Church sought and obtained

his services three

it

years thereafter.

The
all

incident

is

important as

illustrates

the contention that

along from the very beginning the

high-class white people of education

and good breeding, demost sympathe-

spite the institution of slavery, exercised the

tic

and helpful attachment towards the black people

the black

Any number of the most radical and man have been men born and

outspoken friends of
reared on the
soil of

South Carolina.

We

cannot forbear

in giving

another in-

stance of such devotion.

The

Rev. Dr. John H. Elliott,

of the Ascension,

some time rector

ton,

of the

Church

Washing-

D. C, and one
a

of the national figures in the Episcopal

birth, at the time of the great

Church,

South Carolinian by

controversy over the admission of St. Marks, Charleston, in

union with the South Carolina Convention

in 1876,

leader of that section of the committee which

was the recommended

In
his in defense

the unconditional admission of the colored parish.

memorable speech upon the

of his contention,

floor of the

Convention

among
is

other things, he said:

"That
before
to

it

our

interest,

no

less

than our duty

God

to

do what

we

can to elevate this race

win them over

to the side of religion

in

and order,
and

them with confidence sincerity, to wean them from and

to inspire

our good will

their ignorant

self-constituted teachers,

and to weaken the

triple

cord of religious, political, association and castefeeling,

by which they are

good Christian, or sensible

is

now held in bondage, no man will deny. Yet it

proposed to us to repel a large and influential col-

ored congregation, of whose piety and respectability

and sympathy with us there

is

no dispute, because
in the

we do

not care to

sit

with them

same Con-

80

The Afro-Americax Group

vention, or allow

them

to

have a voice, however

of their

humble,
because

in the

government

own

church, or

we

can not bring ourselves to face certain

unpleasant consequences which may, or

follow their introduction.

may
as

not,

Instead of joyfully tak-

ing them by the hand and welcoming

them

our

co-workers

in

bringing about a better state of feel-

ing between the

two

races, w^e are asked to

deepen
last

the chasm already existing, to cut

away the

bridge of communication by which

we may

reach

a better understanding, and to convince them, once

and forever, that where we have the power, we

mean
ity,

to wield

it

against every semblance of equalit

even thought

be in the

Church

of Christ.

We
but

may do our

best to put another face

upon

it,

this will be their

reading of

it,

and they will find

this construction sustained

by the great majority of

civilized

men, even of our own race and color."

CHAPTER
ST.

VI.

PHILIPS

CHURCH, NEW YORK

Philadelphia,
is

While

St.

Thomas Church,

the

first

and
it

oldest of colored Episcopal Churches in this country, yet,

must be remembered that the people

brought up as "Methodists," and,
in

of

St.

Thomas were
life, in

maturer

a body,

Absalom Jones, the first pastor of this same congregation, was 49 years of age when ordained On the other hand the people who first to the diaconate.
conformed
to the

Church.

constituted St. Philips Church,

New

York, had been most

carefully trained, and brought up in the worship and

ways of

the Church.

The

Rev. Peter Williams, the chief founder,

in the

and

first pastor,

was confirmed

eighteen years of age, and for quite a while

Church when a youth was assistant to

the Catechist, having in charge the early training of the

people.

Almost from the very beginning Trinity Parish,

this

New
as

York, maintained work among the colored people, and

work grew

in

volume

steps

were taken

to gradually pre-

pare the colored group for the active

work

of a parish,

and

Church, under the guidance,

Trinity Church.

as

well as material assistance, of

At

the time of the founding of St. Philips,

1818, the

total population of

New York

City was about 160,000

of the African race.

12,000 of
sixty

whom

were descendants

Only

colored persons were tax-payers, and only

16 were

qualified to vote.
ly abolished,

Slavery, at that time, had not been entirein

complete emancipation being effective

1827.

82

The Afro-American Group

the

As

work

of instruction in conection with Trinity Parish

invited increasing numbers, for

more

efficient

care a

room

over a carpenter's shop on Cliff street,

now

Peck's

slip,

was
abso-

secured, and fitted up with only such furniture as

lutely needed.

was

Sometimes services were held

in the evenings,

and when such was the case illumination was secured by

candles fixed on square blocks and placed at intervals around
the

room

Mr. George

Lorrillard, a wealthy

New

Yorker, being

interested in the work,

made

a lease of a parcel of ground on

Collect street, afterwards Center street, to the parish of St.

Philips for 60 years, at an annual rental of $250, and at

the expiration of this time the land should become the pro-

perty of the Church.

Thus

a site for the church building

was

secured, an effort

was now put forth towards

left

the erec-

tion of an edifice.

In this the congregation was assisted by

Trinity Parish, and also by $2400

through the will of

its

Mr. Jacob
first

Sherred, to aid the congregation in

work.

The
the

building

was

a frame structure, 60-50.

Bishop Hobart

spoke in high praise of the

new church and mentioned

important fact that the greater part of the work on the

building was done by
tell of

Negro mechanics, which,

galleries

incidentally,

the industrial position of the race, even in that early

day.

The

edifice

had

on both

sides

and

in front,
little

and contained altogether 144 pews.

over $8,000.

Its

cost

was a

The

building was solemnly consecrated on the

3rd of July, 1819.

The

first

Baptism

in the

Church occurred

on the 19th of the same month, the name of the child Christened being Samuel Saltus.

On

the 20th of October of the

same

year, 1819, the ordination of the Parish's faithful

Lay

Reader,

Mr.

Peter Williams, occurred.

The Commercial
Jr.,

Advertiser, the day following, with respect to the event,

said:

"Yesterday morning

Mr.

Peter Williams,

was

OF THE Episcopal

Church
in
St.

83
Philips

admitted to the Holy Order of Deacons

Church, by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Hobart.

is

The new

deacon

a person of color,

who, being possessed of good natural

his intellectual faculties

parts, has

much improved

by intense
tracts,

study and application, and has written several

little

which abundantly show that with

persons.

God

there

is

no respect of

Mr. Williams

is

of unexceptional morals,

and

his

zeal in the cause of our blessed

it is

Redeemer

is

well known, and,

devoutly to be hoped that he be a useful minister in the

Christian Church, and of great service in propagating the

Gospel among

his

African brethren."

The

great joy which the people of St. Philips experienced

for a time to be

was destined

overshadowed by a heavy

afflic-

tion; for, on the evening of

December

8,

1821, a
it

fire

broke

out and the church was destroyed.

for
its

Happily

was insured

full value,

and very soon another even more attractive

was

in course of erection.

The

second edifice was duly con31, 1822.

secrated by Bishop Hobart,

December
itself

With

this

great triumph over difficulties,

increased spiritual

activity

was manifested, which showed

classes presented for
St.

for several years in large

Confirmation.

On May

7th,

1826, in

Philips Church, Bishop

in the year

Hobart Confirmed 115 persons,

in 1832,

and

1829 48 were confirmed and

70

re-

ceived the laying on of hands.

Philips Church, the Rev. Peter the Priesthood.

On

July 10th, 1826,

in St.

Williams was advanced

to

the Rev.

Towards the beginning of Mr. Williams began

18, of the

the year 1840, the health of

to fail.

On

the evening of
as usual

October

same

ear,

he retired to his rest

at his residence,

68 Crosby
spirit

street,
fled.

but before the light of

another day his

officiated

had

Bishop Onderdonk,

who
but

at the

funeral in St. Philips Church, remarked,

before morning he

awoke "not

to the light of this world,

84

The Afro-American Group

to the glorious splendor of Paradise."

newspaper of that
Jr.,

time,

said:

"The Rev.

Peter Williams,

son of Peter

street, was born in New York City." It was generally understood that Mr. Williams was more or less a protege of Bishop Hobart. In 1808 he delivered an oration on the African Slave Trade in which he strongly depicted its horrors. By some his claim to the authorship of this oration was doubted, deeming it above his capacity; but Bishop Moore, who understood all the facts in

Williams, tobacconist, 53 Liberty

the case, publicly testified to the contrary, and his affidavit

accompanied by others, was printed with the oration.

Rev.

William Douglass,

at

that

time

rector

of

St.

Thomas Church,

Philadelphia, in a sermon the next

month

following his death to his

own

cengregation, said, of the late

Mr. Williams: "He

brethren generally.
influence

manifested a deep concern for the im-

provement, not only of the people of his charge, but for his

Hence, he was fond of contributing

his

and pecuniary means towards supporting the

vari-

ous organized instrumentalities that had a tendency to elevate and improve the condition of his oppressed people.
. . .

He was
perhaps,

not conspicuous in such matters.

less

For no man,
popular

was

given to display, or aimed

.

less at

applause than he

If

he could hide himself from personal

gaze he seemed best pleased

Did he

see a promising

youth

who

lacked nothing but the necessary advantages to

enable him to reflect credit upon himself and people, in a

moral and intellectual point of view, he was the

man

that

would spare no pains

to get such

an one

in a situation favor-

able to the development of his powers.

He

took delight in

seeking out such cases.

city of

There
owes
its

is

now

a high school in the

New York

that

establishment to his untiring

efforts."

Bishop Onderdonk, in

his

Convention address of 1841,

OF THE Episcopal

Church

85

thus alludes to the late Rev. Peter Williams and the parish

over which he had presided

"This excellent brother,

themselves, had been for

as

you well know, being one of

years the faithful, devoted

many

and eminently useful pastor of a parish formed of Africans and

their descendants.

better ordered parish the diocese

does not possess.

Air. AVilliams added to sincere and en-

lightened piety, and a grade of talent and theological ac-

quirements quite above mediocrity, great soundness of judg-

ment and prudence

ples.

in action,

and a just appreciation, a

sin-

cere love and a consistent adoption of sound

Church

princi-

Trul\' attached to his flock and cordially devoted to

their best interests, he took heed unto

them with

a wise re-

gard to what most concerned their duty and welfare in the life that now is, and their well-grounded Christian hope of
that which
is

to

come.

He
of

fed

them with

a faithful

and

true heart, and ruled them prudently with

all his

power."

Following the death

Mr. Williams,

the parish

was
this

without a settled rector for quite a while.

period a
times,

During

number

of

well-known white clergy were,

at diverse

the acting pastors.

Among

this

number were: Rev.

of St.

Messrs. Benjamin Evans, Donald Fraizer and Ralph Hoyt.

Following Mr. Hoyt, the Rev. Samuel V. Berry, one

Phillips'

own

sons, acted as pastor for quite a while.

its

In 1845 the parish began

seven years' fight for ad-

mission into union with the Convention of

New

York.

It

was

a long

and interesting one.

Dr. James

McCune

Smith

and Mr. Alexander Elston were

vention.

elected deputies to the

Con-

The

people of St. Philips, in showing their grati-

tude to their foremost friend and advocate, the Hon. John

Tav. elected

him

for the second time as their representative

in the diocesan Convention.

Mr. Jay

in declining a repeti-

tion of the

honor paid the warmest tribute possible to the

86

The Afro-American Group

He
said that never

parish.

had he esteemed himself

so highly

honored than the previous 5ear, when he answered "roll call"

as the representative

from that African

parish.

For many years there was a celebrated and venerable

character in connection with St. Philips
first

Church

from

its

days "Father John Peterson," who, as a pioneer educalaid the

tor,

intellectual foundations for scores of colored

men, many

of

whom

in later life attained national

fame.

He
and.

was an educator.
the very year
Potter, he
the

But from the

Civil

earliest days of the parish

in
a^.l

he had manifested an active interest

of

its affairs,

War
to the

closed,

by Bishop

Horatio
this

was admitted

permanent diaconate. In

capacity he

was

of special value
in the rectorship.

and service to the parish

Father Peterson was active

during vacancies
in

making arrangements

for the initial Conference of

Church

Workers which assembled

in

New York

in 1883.

The
a

parish of St. Philips has sent into the ministry quite

of
its

number

own

sons.

Among

those in the early minis-

try of

the

Church were Alexander Crummell, Hezekiah

to Africa;

Green,

who went
life in

DeGrasse,

who

laid

down

his

young

the

West

Indies,

and Samuel Vreeland Berry,

South following the close

a pioneer priest of the Civil

St.

and teacher

in the

War.
more
This
is

Philips possesses property in value of possibly

is

than a million of dollars.

of
its

not because of the wealth

people; for St. Philips

by no means a wealthy con-

gregation.
it

And

especially during the present rectorship has

less than three hundred communicants more than 2,500 from the poor and ordinary workers. Its wealth is easily explained when the wonderful growth of

been built up from

to

New York

City
it

is

recalled.
lots for

Besides

its

own immediate

church property

had

burying purposes and other

OF THE Episcopal
small pieces of real estate.

Church

87

Being continually forced further

the increasing business area, the

up the island because

value
of
its

of

holdings
it

increased
to

marvellously

with
again,

every

change

in location

was bound

make.

Then,

upon
of

the whole the parish has had good business

its affairs.

management

Especially

is

this true

during the past well-nigh

forty years.

For more than

a period of one

hundred years

this parish

has had only four rectors, and

all of

them have been descen-

dants of the African race.

Mention has already been made

of the superior intellectual qualifications of the Rev. Peter

Williams over men of

his

his day.

He was

clearly a leader of

day and generation.

In June 1859 the Rev. William

Johnson Alston, a native of North Carolina, graduated from

Kenyon

College, Gambier, Ohio, and

was ordained deacon

so

by Bishop Mcllvaine.

For the next year or

of St. Philips.

Mr. Alston
after a short

became the acting pastor

the rectorship of St.

In 1862 he accepted

Thomas, Philadelphia, but

St. Philips as

while there he returned to

that parish

the second rector of

where he remained

until his death.

The Hon. John

P. Green, Cleveland, Ohio, one of the

distinguished leaders of the race in this country, also an ar-

dent and staunch Churchman, in his most excellent autobio-

graphy published

in

1919, notes some interesting data with

respect to the early life and struggles of the Rev.

ston,

which we give elsewhere

in this

volume.

a native of

North Carolina,
a former

a resident of

Mr. AlMr. Green, many years of

Cleveland,

is

member

of the Senate of that State.

The
the

Rev.

Mr. Alston was

succeeded in the rectorship of

St. Philips

by the Rev. Joseph Sandford Atwell, a native of

West Indies. Mr. Atwell first

labored in Kentucky, then in Virginia;

to Georgia.
It

and from Virginia he went

was from the

88

The Afro-Am ericax Group

rectorship of St. Stephens Church, Savannah, Ga., that he

was called to St. Philips. He was a thoroughly educated man, receiving his literary training at Coddrington College
in the
ity

West

Indies,

and

his theological training in the

Divin-

Hall, Philadelphia, which eventuated into the present

Philadelphia Divinity School.

Mr.
made

Atwell's rectorship did

spirit

not last very long before his translation to the

world.

But

his

short administration

profound impression

upon the community.

The

fourth and present rector of St. Philips, the Rev.

is

Hutchens C. Bishop, D. D.,

a native of

Maryland.

His

father and mother were united in holy

matrimony by the
as

Rev. William Douglass, a Maryland born man, as well

the
soil.

first

black

man

ordained to our ministry on Southern

Long

before the Civil

War

the parents of the present

rector of St. Philips

were among the most conspicuous charin

acters laboring together

the building up of St.

First African Church, Baltimore, at

James whose font Dr. Bishop

the
older

received

his

Christian

name.

Later

brothers

and
St.

sisters

of

Dr. Bishop were among the pioneers from

city, the

James who established the second congregation in that Chapel of St. Mary the Virgin. It was in this new
that

home

Hutchens C. Bishop was Confirmed and further

instructed in

Church

principles.

In due season he entered

first

the General Theological Seminary, being the

colored

student to be received and graduated.

Because of an unfortunate "ritualistic controversy," in

which the parish with which he was

Albany, and was ordained

identified

was involved,
Albany

he was transferred by Bishop Whittingham to the diocese of

to

the diaconate in the

Cathedral by Bishop William Croswell Doane of that diocese.

The

following year in the same place by the same

Bishop he was advanced to the Priesthood.

Laboring for a

OF THE Episcopal
while
in

Church

89

Albany, ^Maryland, and South Carolina, he was

finally called to the rectorship of St. Philips,

assuming the

charge January

1,

1886.

From

that time to the present the

in every

historic parish has sustained a

phenomenal progress

way under

the wise, efficient and judicious administration of

the Rev. Dr.

Hutchens C. Bishop.

CHAPTER
ST.

VII.

JAMES FIRST AFRICAN CHURCH, BALTIMORE, MD.

St.

Thomas Church,

Philadelphia, the

first

of all our

colored Episcopal parishes,

was

really a congregation of col-

ored Methodists conforming to the Episcopal Church.

the case of the second,
St. Philips,

In

New

York,

wt

have a

group of colored persons under the w^ing of Trinity Church,

duly instructed and prepared for the work of initiating a
parish of the Episcopal
descent.

Church among

the people of African

In that of

St.

James

First African Church, Baltimore,

we have something

entirely different.

The founding

of St.

James introduces our first great missionary hero of the black William Levington appears to have been born in the lace.
city of

New

York about
came

the very year St.

Thomas Church,

Philadelphia,
St.

into being.

For nearly twenty-five years

Thomas Church was

all this

a "living w^onder" in all America.

existed as the only such congrega-

During

period

it

tion in the

United

States.

When

one

recalls

those early

days with the undeveloped character of our country during

the infant period of our republic, and the numerical weakness
of

the

Episcopal Church

readily imagine the

among the whites, he can wonder and astonishment with which St.

Thomas was

viewed, a congregation of persons of African

descent with a minister from their

own

group.

Under what circumstances Mr. Levington removed from

New York

to Philadelphia are not

known.

But, so far as

OF THE Episcopal

Church
first

91

our investigation has gone, he was the

St.

man

ordained in

Thomas Church

since the ordination of

Absalom Jones,

the founder of that parish, in 1795, at which time

Mr. Levthus
it

ington was an infant in the city of

New

York.

And

came

to past that the little

African babe born in

New

York,
of

after having received his priestly light

from the shrine

Absalom Jones, was the first where slavery reigned, and

Jesus Christ, in
spirit,
I

of his kind to penetrate the land

successfully plant the cross of

saying as he journeyed southward,

bring, simply to

"Nothing
It
all
is

in

my hand

Thy

cross

cling."

not to be wondered that

we have

almost no data at

with respect to the personal history of the Rev.

Mr. Levby no mis-

ington.

He was
came

a pilgrim in a strange land, sent

little

sionary board, and with but

of those he
to help.

appreciation on the part

He

left

behind two "manuscripts,"

but of such a retiring nature was the man, neither one of

these

documents supply us with any personal particulars of

the man, the hero of such remarkable accomplishment.

first

The
to

of these

documents

relates the story of his

coming

Baltimore, and of his final success in the erection of the edifice

;

while the second

is

a defense of his policy of

admitting

the slave population

to

the

same

spiritual

equality in the

Church

as

enjoyed by the free people of color.

the
first

From

document we quote: "It

is

right that the

Christian public and the

members

of the

Church, together
or

with the rising generation, should

rise to

know who

what gave

the establishment of St.

James First African ProtesBaltimore soon after

tant Episcopal Church, in Baltimore; for their information

I

note the following.

visited

my

ordination,
here, after

March
which
I

14,

1824, and spent three or four weeks

returned to Philadelphia; and the Rev.

Dr. Wyatt asked Mrs. L. Douton and Mr. Isaac Whipper

if

they thought that

could get up a school and be supported

92

The Afro-Americax Group

They me
told
six

here while trying to raise a church.

could, and each of
after they

him

that I
;

them

oftered to board

months and
it

had conversed with some of

their friends about

they wished the doctor to write to Philadelphia for me, which

with the cordial consent and approbation of the

late Rt.
I

Rev.

and V^enerable Bishop Kemp, he did immediately.

in

arrived
so

Baltimore on the 26th of May, of the same year

but

gloomy were the prospects that there was no place

to

to be

had

conduct divine worship and hold a school and but

little

exertion made.
of the

However, with
service

blessings of the great

I

Head
I

Church, the 23rd of June,

got a place where

per-

formed divine
until the last of

and held a day and Sunday School,

to the present

March, 1827, when we moved

after

church.

"Nine months
no probability
L. D. and
it

my

arrival here there appeared to be

;

of establishing a church
I.

so

much

so that

Mrs.

Mr.

W.

withdrew from the concern.

yet

But be
I.

remembered, that although Mrs. L. D. and Mr.

W.

withdrew from the concern,

sent church.

much

respect

is

due them

for their benevolent act toward the establishment of the preI

owe much
his

gratitude to the Rev. J. P. K.

Henshaw
ed

for his individual influence

and counsel

in

behalf

of the Church,

and for

eloquent sermon which he preach-

(Gen. 28:17) when the church was consecrated to the

service of

Almighty God

and

also to S.

Young,

Esq., for

his friendly counsel

and individual

influence,

and may the

names
those

of R.

Nelson and E.
in the
all

J. Coale, Esqs., ever be dear to

who worship
it
;

church, and

w^orship in
in
it

and

those
of

to read the

Word

all who may hereafter who are and who shall be taught God for it was by the solicitation
;

of the above

which the

named gentlemen, that the lot of ground on church is erected was generously given by James

Bosley, Esq., on the 19th day of April, 1825; and by their

OF THE Episcopal

Church

93

further solicitation, a few days after, Peter Hoffman, John

B. Morris and George Warner, Esqs., gave donations of

fifty dollars each,

and Mr. G.

W.

gave

five

thousand bricks;

at

which time they

also kindly consented to superintend the

building

and appropriation of the funds contributed for

I

erecting the church.

the

sincerely pray that the Divine

Head

of

Church
to

will abundantly reward in this

world and
I

in the

world

come

everlasting

life.

And when

and the present

worshippers

in the said

church shall cease to venerate their

slept

worthy names, having

our posterity, w^ho

with our fathers, may those of

of

may have knowledge

their

them

as

our

worthy benefactors, venerate

eration.

names

to the latest gen-

"William Levington,
"Pastor of

Mr. Levington was

age,

St. James F. A. P. E. Church." young man about thirty years of

and he had thrust upon him

in addition to the

matter of

gaining a support and the erection of a building, one of the

knottiest problems that could have been presented.

He

had

not taken upon himself the mission southward for the purpose of establishing a "chapel of ease," simply for free
groes, but to help

Nefree.

and benefit the entire

race,

bond and

portion of "the free colored people" were aggressively

bent upon the exclusion of the slave population, and greatly

aggravated the burdens of

this

black missionary by their per-

sistent efforts in that direction.

Manuscript No.
It reads:

2,

will give

some idea

of this controversy.

"We
vote,

are

MANUSCRIPT NUMBER TWO asked by some persons why we have

constituted

our brethren members of the Church, and entitled them to

who

are in bondage,

who

are above twenty-one years,

and who comply with the requisites required by the constitution.

94
"First;

The Afro-American Group

we
answer, the Apostle
ssivs

whether bond or
is

free ye are all one in Christ Jesus, for he that

called in

the

Lord being
is

a servant,

is

the Lord's freeman.

Of

a truth

God
Him.

no respector of persons; but

in every nation he that

is

feareth

Him

and worketh righteousness,

I

accepted with

(Gal. 3-28;

Cor. 7:22; Acts 10:34-35).

"Secondly; the

lot of

ground was generously given by

and the
citizens of Bal-

James
timore,

Bosley, Esq., as a site for a church and school for the

benefit of the African race forever,

New

York, Boston, Troy, Hartford, Albany, Phila-

delphia, and elsewhere, gave donations

toward erecting the

church, and Peter Hoffman, Esq., took a distinguished part

In its erection

without which,

we

believe,

we

should not have

got one yet erected.

"Thirdly.
erable Bishop

In August, 1827, our late Rt. Rev. and Ven-

Kemp, met with

free

number

of us in the church,

and told us that the great object

that both

in erecting the

church was
prepare for

bond and
;

might serve
all

God and
a wise

another world

and above

people in the world he thought

we ought

to be the

most united.

Can
of

man with
have
?

feeling heart, suppose that we,

some

whom

felt the

yoke of bondage, should draw a line of separation

the day be darkened forever

No,

let

we should do it? Have we all not one Father? Hath not one God created us? Why should we deal treacherously every man against his brother? (Mai. 2:10). The Church is none other than the House of
on which

God, and

this

is

the gate of Heaven. (Gen. 28:37).

"We
tial in

charitably ask the Christian public shall

we

be par-

the

House

of

God, and

at the gate of

judges of

evil thoughts.

No, we

will

Heaven become remember them that

(Heb. 13:3).

are in bonds as

bound with them

ourselves.

"Thus we,

the vestrymen and minister of the said church,

acquiesce with the Apostle and our late venerable Bishop,

OF THE Episcopal

Church

95

whose unwearied
admonitions

labors,

whose

instructive

may we

never

forget.

example and holy William Levington,

Thomas

B. Rose, William Warrick, Philip Myers, Levin

Brown, Henry Davis, Peter Dennis, Henry Johnson." The estimated value of the lot upon which the church

was

built

was $2,000.

The modest

edifice cost

about $2,300,
soli-

and the money was

citations of

raised, mainly,

through the personal

that

Mr. Levington. He made several trips north for purpose. From his last report to the diocesan convenit is

tion of 1834,

revealed that a balance of $637.73

was

still

owing on the property.

last report,

Rev. Dr. Joshua Peterkin,

off this

who

fol-

lowed Mr. Levington, paid

indebtedness.
rector

In that
say that
his

Mr. Levington
are in

says:

"The

would

although the constitution of the church gives to those of

brethren
church,

who much
it

bondage the right

of

membership

in the

dissatisfaction has prevailed

among some
Great Head

of his of the

free brethren; yet with the blessing of the

Church,

has been happily and finally settled."

a handful of people, comparatively speakits

Although but
ing, St.

James Church, with

in

day school, exerted a marvelIts indirect influence

ous influence

the community.
its

being
of

far greater than

direct impress

upon the

race.

Many

the afterward active

their educational

men and women of the race received training under Mr. Levington. The wife

of the late Bishop A.

W. Wayman,
girl,

of the African

Methodist

Episcopal Church, as a

received her education in St.

James Church under Mr. Levnigton. The same was true of the mother of Bishop Levi J. Coppin, (A. M. E. Bishop)
an alumnus of our Episcopal Divinity School
phia.
in

Philadel-

The same was true of William Douglass, the first colored man ordained to our ministry in Maryland. It was
the presence of Levington in this city which discovered and

brought into the Church such a useful

man

as the

Rev.

Mr.

96
Douglass, of

The Afro-American Group

whom
Bishop Alonzo Potter said
St.
:

"As

a reader

of the Liturgy he

was unsurpassed."

James has had an

eventful history, and, although until the present rectorship

it

never had more than one hundred communicants at any

yet, the

one time,

moral, spiritual and intellectual influence

all

exerted has been entirely out of

proportion as contrasted

with numbers.
in

There were only two colored congregations

Baltimore at that time having colored pastors and control

St. James was one of these, while was the other. Bethel abounded in numbers and ignorance. The Rev. Dr. D. A. Payne, ''the great Negro apostle of education," later Bishop of the A. M. E. Church, came to Baltimore in 1843 to assume the charge of Bethel. In the next few 5 ears he erected a very beautiful

of their

own

local affairs.

Bethel A.

M.

E. Church

church for that congregation.

that congregation,

With

respect to the past of

Bishop Payne alludes in the following

paragraph:
of the

"On

the 9th of July, 1848, this majestic temple

Lord

w^as consecrated

with very interesting and imposthat witnessed the finish of the

ing ceremonies.
beautiful house

The day of God also

dated a
it.

new

era in the history of

to that time they

the congregation worshipping in

Up

were regarded by the white community

most indolent and most
teresting
useless

as the

most ignorant,
in the city.
in-

body of Christians
as

Since then they have been

commended
in it."

one of the most

and enterprising

We

do not believe that a more useful, educated Negro,

than Bishop Daniel A. Payne has ever lived.

scarcely any of our great leaders have been

And, yet, more generally

all

hated and persecuted than he.

occasions he

Ever5rwhere, and upon

his onslaughts

was militantly aggressive with

on

ignorance and "Baptized superstitution," as he characterized

it.

He

was, preeminently, not only learned, but a

fearless.

man

of

God, absolutely bold and

OF THE Episcopal
It

Church

97
in Bal-

was

just about the time of

St.

Dr. Payne's advent

timore that
the
benefit

James Church gave birth to an institution for of the whole community, which proved the
in a

instrument of drawing together

kind of brotherhood a

large portion of the reputable and substantial colored

the city.
It

men

of

was the organization

of St.

James Alale Bene-

ficial Society.

The

leader in this

new

enterprise

was Harrison

Holmes Webb, a native of Pennsylvania, who at that time was Lay Reader and teacher of the day school of St. James Church and a candidate for Holy Orders. Subsequently he was ordained both deacon and priest, and, after serving as
the assistant minister, became the rector of the parish.

His

was

the second ordination in the church, the Rev. Eli

W.

Stokes having been ordained there in October, 1843.

St.

James Society proved the point

denomination
in the city

of union for colored

men

of every

who had

at heart the

well-being of the race, and the preservation of the highest and

best ideals.

This

society not only cared for the sick,

its

and

buried the dead, but

regular meetings proved "a forum"

of

where

all

the things

which concerned the advancement

its

the racial group were discussed, and where

educated

in

parliamentary proceedure.
in

members were Man\ of them not

only became fluent

debate and powerful in argument, but

in the

thoroughly furnished

knowledge

of affairs generally.

Following the death

of

\lr. Levington in

1836 the Rev.

to

Joshua Peterkin. white, who was strongly inclined to go

Africa, as a missionary, changed his

mind and came

to St.
a

James
years

to save

it

from perishing.

His ministry of only

few

was most

fruitful and helpful.

Dr. Peterkin was the

Early
duin addition to his

honored father of Bishop Peterkin of West Virginia.

in the forties the
ties

Rev.

Mr. Mcjilton,

elsewhere, assumed the rectorship of St. James Church,

as his

wherein he continued for about sixteen years, having

98

The Afro-American Group

Mr. Harrison H. Webb, who
after ordination

lay assistant

became the
ceeded

assistant minister of the parish, and, in 1857, sucin the rectorship of the church.

Mr. Mcjilton

The

administration of the Rev.

fruitful.

Mr. Mcjilton was

exceedingly

The

congregation steadily advanced under him.

his assistant, in a

Having duly prepared Mr. Webb,

most

beautiful letter to the vestry, he tendered his resignation,

and earnestly recommended the election of

successor.

his assistant as his

The

administration of the Rev.

Mr. Webb

as

rector and teacher of the day school continued until the year

1872,

when

he resigned.

It

was during

the latter part of this

St.

rectorship that

some forty

of the

younger folk of

James,

under the leadership of Messrs. C.

M.

C.

Mason and Wil-

liam H. Bishop, Jr., initiated St. Philips Mission in the newer and growling section of the city. The mission became
quite thriving indeed, but Bishop

Whittingham was

indisit

posed to

its

continuance because of the weakening effect

exerted on St. James, and he endeavored to re-unite the two.

But the young people were determined

TTially

so the mission for-

disorganized

itself,
it

and, the

week following, the same

as a

persons composing

were organized

new

missionary

venture of Mt. Calvary Church, under the name of "the

Chapel of
large,
it

St.

Mary

the Virgin," and, although numerically

has continued to this day as a mission chapel of

Mt.

Calvary Church.
St.

so

much

James Church was much weakened by these removals so, that upon the application of the vestry to Rev.
St.

Dr. Hodges, rector of

Pauls parish, the rector of

St.

Pauls assumed the charge of the spiritualities of the congregation, furnishing a priest

from that parish

as the regular

pastor of St. James. This arrangement became effective from

Advent, 1873, when the Rev. Isaac L. Nicholson (afterwards

Bishop of Milwaukee) assumed the pastoral charge.

The

OF THE Episcopal

Church

99

era of St. Pauls' guardianship terminated with the 31st of

December, 1888, when the Rev. B.

priest,

W.

Timothy, a colored
the rector of St.

resigned the appointment

made by

Pauls.
unsafe,

In the meantime the old edifice had been adjudged

the
(a

congregation temporarily meeting at

Chapel,
location

Mission of

Howard Emmanuel Church) while a new

was sought.

So weakened had the congregation be-

come

that at the request of the vestry Bishop Paret assumed

full control of its affairs.

During

this unsettled period the

Rev. Henry Tarrant, white, the Rev. William H. Wilson

and the Rev. Francis John Clay Moran, white. Archdeacon

of the Diocese for
fall of

Colored Work,

officiated.

During the

1890 the congregation was settled

in

East Baltimore

in

an edifice which was purchased by the Bishop on High

street,

which had formerly been a white Baptist Church. The

in charge.

Rev. John C. Anderson was placed

Everything

was
that

so discouraging

and the congregation dwindling away

did not remain a full year, but resigned

Mr. Anderson

while the Bishop was away in Europe, the Archdeacon supplying the vacancy until a settled minister could be secured.

After an extraordinary effort Bishop Paret succeeded in

curing the acceptance of the Rev. George F. Bragg,
that time rector of

se-

Jr., at

Grace Church, Norfolk, Va.

The

Rev.

Mr. Bragg

arrived in Baltimore to take charge of St.

Church on November 17th, before Advent of that same year,

His rectorship has continued

James 1891, and, on the Sunday next

officiated for the first time.

to the present time.

at the juncture of North and was duly consecrated by Bishop Kemp on the 31st of March, 1827, the corner-stone having been laid on the 10th of October preceeding. At the consecration, the morning service was said by the Rev. Dr. Wyatt, rector of
first

The

edifice located

Saratoga

streets,

St.

Pauls.

Dr. Henshaw, rector of

St.

Peters Church, after-

100

The Afro-American Group

first

wards the
said

Bishop of Rhode Island, preached the conse.

cration sermon
:

With

respect to this service Bishop

Kemp

"The

congregation was large and devout, the responses

delight-

were well made and the chanting and singing quite

ful."

The

present edifice on Park avenue and Preston street,

was erected during the year 1901, the cornerstone being laid on Sunday afternoon, June 22; the first service was held in the new church on the 10th of October of the same year.
St.

James was organized

as

an independent parish and

its

has continued such through

first

all

the days of

weakness.

Its

rector and founder,

Mr. Levington, had no

fixed sal-

ary.

The
sum

Rev. Harrison H.
as salary,

Webb

received a very insigni-

ficant

which was augmented from funds de-

rived

from school teaching.

Up

to the time the present rec-

tor took charge thirty-five dollars a

month was

the highest

mark
5'ear.

registered on pastoral support, and that for only one

When

the present rector took charge his entire sup-

port came through the Bishop. gation and a

Not only

has a

new

congre-

new church

edifice

been called into existence, been advanced to comits

but the congregation, long

since, has

plete self-support; in addition to contributing

to diocesan

full share

and general

objects.

During

this

period some

four or

five of its

members have entered

the

Holy Ministry,

and

a charitable institution initiated a regular diocesan affair,

by the rector, has be-

come

under the authority of the

diocesan convention, with the Bishop as President, ex-ojficio.

On

Saturday, June

3,

1922

at the

Cathedral of the In-

carnation, Baltimore, the rector of St.

James

First African

Church, had the pleasure and the privilege of presenting to

OF THE Episcopal
Bishop

Church
whom

101

Murray
in his

for ordination,

two young men

and baptized

he

had held
tave

Mr. GusH. Caution, who was made deacon, and Rev. Cornelius R. Dawson who was advanced to the priesthood.
arms
as

babes

CHAPTER

VIII.
R.
I.

CHRIST CHURCH, PROVIDENCE,

While Alexander Crummell was

for the ministry,

in

Boston, preparing
in
St.

whose ordination took place

Pauls

Cathedral, that

city,

an attempt to rear a colored congrega-

At that time I., was made by him. Rhode Island was a part of the Eastern Diocese. After Dr. Crummell had given it up, this mission was served by two white clergymen, Rev. Messrs. Frank and Richmond. At the regular annual Convention of the Diocese of Rhode Istion in Providence, R.

land assembled in

St.

Stephens Church, Providence, in June,

1843, "Christ Church" was regularly admitted as a parish in

union with the Convention.

interest, since

This simple
first

fact

is

of historic

such was the very

admission of colored
in this

laymen
try.

as delegates in

any Diocesan Convention

coun-

their

Four colored men attended that convention and took seats as deputies from a parish made up of persons of

African descent.

The names of these men were James W. Benjamin Barney, John M. Ray and George Head. Johnson, Johnson and Ray were the wardens of the parish, and
George Head was church
history
it is

clerk.

As an

interesting bit of

well to reproduce the words of one of the white

Said he, in submitting

clergy having charge of this parish.

his

annual report

"This

is

the only colored church in

New

Eng-

land, though there are several meeting-houses of

.OF

THE Episcopal Church

103

different sects in the city of Providence.

vices,

The

ser-

the church and the worshippers, present an

appearance of order, neatness and regularily which

are seldom equaled, and can hardly be surpassed.

The
all

organist

is

a colored girl
is

under twenty years

It
is

of age,

and the music

excellent.

hoped that

persons truly interested in the welfare of this

portion of the people will attend the services

able, see for themselves,

when

and

assist this

needy branch

of our vine (which has just been received into our

Convention)
stance."

with

their

prayers

and

their

sub-

During the following month, August, Rhode Island had

her
first

Bishop consecrated
of Baltimore.

in the

person of the Rev. Dr.

Henshaw

In October of the same year, 1843,

in Baltimore, in the little

African church whose consecration

a

sermon Dr. Henshaw had preached,

fore, the first ordination in that

number

of years beIt

church occurred.

was

that

of Eli

W.

Stokes,

(a friend of Dr.

Henshaw) by Bishop
St.

Whittingham.

j\Ir.

Stokes very soon after his ordination

went
in

to

New

Haven, Conn., where he organized

Lukes

Church

that city in June, 1844.

a

Mr.

Stokes only remained

New Haven

few years;

but, in the meantime, he

in 1846.

was

advanced to the prisethood by Bishop Brownell

That
of

same year he responded

friend.

Bishop

to a call from Henshaw, and accepted

his

old Baltimore
rectorship

the

Christ Church, Providence.

In his

new

charge

worked
the

diligently, but,

with a few members.

Mr. Stokes The debt upon

little

church was a heavy burden.

So he determined to

make
and

a pilgrimage to

England

for the purpose of soliciting

funds to free the church of debt.

its

The mention

of this visit,

success,

is

so pleasingly stated in the

annual address

104

The Afro-American Group

we reproduce the same here. Henshaw in his Convention address of 1849
of the meeting of the last annual

of the Bishop that

Bishop

says:

"At the time

Convention, the Rev.

Christ Church in this

Eli
city,

W.
was

Stokes,

rector

of

absent, in Europe,

for the purpose of soliciting funds to liquidate the

debt by which the "parish has been embarassed ever

since their house of w^orship

was

erected.

In conse-

quence

of a certificate required by the

laws of Eng-

land, furnished by me, he

was received with great

kindness by the Archbishops, Bishops and Clergy

of our

you that
cess,

Mother Church and I am happy to inform his mission was crowned with entire suc;

and the

liberal contributions

which he received

in

that distant land have enabled the gentlemen

holding the property in trust to make a satisfactory

settlement with the mortgagees.
is

The

congregation

now

free

from
of

debt,

and our colored brethren

have wisely made over their corporate property to

the

"Board

Commissioners for Church Buildcome.

ing" with a view of security against embarassment

and encumberance for the time

tian generosity

to

The

Chris-

with w^hich our English brethren

to

answered the appeal made

addressed by

them

in behalf of that

feeble parish has been duly

acknowledge

in a letter

me

to

His Grace, the Archbishop of

Canterbury, and through him, to the Church over

which he

so worthily presides."

The
and

next year the Rev.

Mr.

Stokes accepted an appoint-

ment from the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society,

sailed for Liberia,

West

Africa, to labor in that field.

OF THE Episcopal

Church

105

During the years following Christ Church made a desperate and earnest effort for existence, but the odds were too heavily
against
it,

and, finally,

it

pased out of being.

Its

members
city,

became attached

to St. Stephen's

Church

in the

same

and, within recollection of the present author, who, during

the rectorship of Rev. Dr. Fiske, preached in St. Stephens,

there were some eighty or one hundred colored

cants connected with that parish.

communi-

In recent years under the

separate colored congrega-

patronage of Bishop Perry, a

tion, the
is

new

"Church

of the Savior" has

come

into being,

and

in a

constantly growing and increasing condition.

All of

the Bishops of

Rhode

Island,

Henshaw. Clarke. IVIcVickar,

and the present diocesan, have been particularly

devoted friends of the colored race.

warm and

CHAPTER
SAINT LUKES CHURCH,

IX.

NEW HAVEN, CONN.

to

On
Order
first

Sunday, October

1,

1843, in St. James First African

the

Church, Baltimore, Bishop Whittingham admitted

of

Deacons, Eli Worthington Stokes.

It

was the

ordination of a colored

man

in that

congregation and

the second such within the diocese of

little

Maryland.

There was
went

opportunity for

Mr.

Stokes to exercise his ministry in

after his ordination he

the territory south.

to

Thus, soon
in

New

England, settling
a

New

Haven, Conn.

There were
white churches
Rev.

number

of colored persons attending the

in that city,

and under the leadership of the

1844, and the very next

Mr.

Stokes they were gotten together and St. Lukes

parish constituted, June 4,

week

following

St.

Lukes was admitted

into union with the Dio-

cesan Convention as a regular parish with representation in

that

body.

The

congregation worshipped regularly in

brick chapel belonging to Trinity Church.

it

Nine years
street

later

purchased

its first

church

edifice

on Park

which had

been erected and used by a Baptist society.

This building

was reconstructed
consecrated.

for the uses of the

Church, but was never

exat other times, clerical

The

parish
it

underwent many changes and

lay,

periences; sometimes

had

and

administrations.

In the spring of 1885 the congregation increased so rapidly

under the
it

rector, at that time the

Rev. Alfred C. Brown,

that

was deemed necessary

to adopt

measures to enlarge

OF THE Episcopal

Church

107

the building, and a legacy left for the special purpose of

adding a chancel encouraged the people to proceed

in

the

work without delay. About six hundred dollars was raised among the people of the parish and with the assistance of many kind friends among the church people of New Haven, the work was pushed forward and completed at a cost of about two thousand dollars. On December 7th, of that same year St. Lukes was consecrated to the worship of Almighty God by the Rt. Rev. John Williams, Bishop of Connecticut, assisted by the clergy of the city
ren.

and

visiting breth-

The

parish has had nine rectors or settled clergymen.

In
first

1856, the Rev. James Theodore Holly, afterwards the

Bishop of Haiti, assumed the rectorship, remaining there

until

1861,

when

he headed a band of colonists settling in

Then followed the Rev. Samuel V. Mr. Berry w^as succeeded by the Rev. William F. Floyd, M. D., a West Indian. Dr. Floyd was succeeded by another native of the West Indies, the Rev. Alfred C. Brown. The author was well and intimately acquainted with the Rev. Mr. Brown, and it is a genuine pleasure to state in this connection that Rev. Mr. Brown was
the republic of Haiti.

Berry of

New

York.

one of the

finest types of the "able Christian

gentleman" that

ever graced any ministry.

He was

universally beloved by all

who knew

him, and the late Bishop Dudley brought keen

distress to the people of St.

to take charge of the

ville,

Lukes when he called Mr. Brown Church of the Merciful Savior, Louisafter laboring successfully in Louishis native

Ky.

iVIr.

Brown
upon

ville for a

while returned to
his

home

in the

West

Indies and settled

farm.

The

Rev. William H.

Morris, D. D., a native of Baltimore, but

the

who had

entered

Church from the Presbyterians, succeeded Mr. Brown

at St. Lukes.

108
Strange as

The Afro-American Group

it

the priesthood,

was one

may appear Dr. Morris never advanced of the ablest men ever admitted
illy-fitted

to
to

our ministry.

But he seemed
Illustrating
his

for pastoral

work.

He was

an exceedingly "high" Churchman, and a bitter confighting

troversalist.

propensity,

though
in the

only a deacon, he had charge of the important

work

diocese of Georgia, St. Stephens parish, Savannah.

stituted a

He

in-

number

of innovations,

among them
late

the introduc-

tion of

Eucharistic lights.

The

Bishop Beckwith reto his Bishop's

monstrated with him.

Dr. Morris replied

a master in

remonstrance with an argument embracing sixteen pages of

fools-cap paper.
satire.

He was

the use of cutting

The

result of the controversy

was

his

Bishop

left

him, ecclessiastically speaking, suspended between the heavens

and the earth.

he depose him.

He would

give

him no w^ork

neither

would
of the

Finally his friend Bishop

Turner

African Methodist Church, gave him an

"appointment,"

number of years he sojourned among the Methodists. But he was just as much "unconquerable" among them as in the Church. He carried his "ritualism" among the Methodists and sought to make them conform until they "waxed fat and kicked." By some means he got back home again and breathed his last in full and loving communion
and for
a

with the Catholic Church.

At

St.

Lukes,

New

Haven, a white

priest.

Rev. Oliver

S.

Prescott served the people most acceptably for a long while.

He was

very greatly beloved by them

all

for one of the spethis parish

is

cial traditions

which has ever characterized

its

unfeigned loyalty.

In 1901 the Rev. Eugene L. Henderson,

at that time in charge of St. Philips, Annapolis,

was

called

He did a great and important work. It was during his administration that the present handsome church was erected. Mr. Henderson resigning to accept the
to the rectorship.

OF THE Episcopal

Church
in

109

Archdeaconship of the colored work

Georgia, the parish

again became vacant, and the present earnest and most faithful rector, the

Rev. Harry O. Bowles, then of Toledo, O.,

was

called to the charge of the church

and
first

is still

the incum-

bent.

When
St.

the author of this

volume

became acquaint-

ed with

Lukes there were three laymen

in that parish that

greatly impressed

him by reason

of their generous devotion

of the three

to the interests of the parish.

One

was James

VV. Stewart, a prominent colored business man, caterer for

Yale University, and

cil
;

at

one time a member of the City CounPhillips and

the other

two were Charles H.

Moses T.

Rice.

Stewart and Philips were the two wardens, while

Rice was the faithful treasurer of the parish.

Mr.

St.

Lukes has sent some valuable men into the Christian

ministry.

Other prominent and useful professional colored

Lukes Church during
their college

men
da>s.

attending \'ale University were influenced to the Church

St.

through contact with

Among them was

Charles E. Cummings, who, going

west

as a pioneer school teacher, entered the ministry of the

Church and

established St. Augustines Church, Kansas City,

Mo.

The

Rev. Alonzo Johnson, a former vestryman of the

parish, after preparation at

the ministry and took charge of St.

ford,

King Hall, Washington, entered Monicas Church. HartConn., which had been established by St. Lukes Church
years ago,

during the rectorship of Rev.

Many

Mr. Henderson. Mr. William J. Heritage, removing

in politics.

to

North Carolina, became

quite a political factor in that State

during the days the colored people were

There
they
in

was

surely a time

when

the black people

were
;

in politics.

And when

they lived they lived in clover

but

when

died, they died all over.

Hence,

clover" that William J.

was while they "were Heritage was elected Register

it

of

Deeds

of one of the counties in the eastern section of the

110
State.

The Afro-American Group

Some time afterwards Mr. Heritage entered the ministry of the Church laboring arduously in the diocese of East Carolina until a few years ago, while Dean of the
Colored Convocation, he was retired on account of increasing age.
diocese of
so also
is

The

Rev. C. A. Nero, a priest late at work in the

is

North Carolina,
the Rev.

another son of

St.

Lukes parish

W.

Q. Rogers

of Atlanta,

Ga.

The

for-

bears of Dr.
editor of
St.

W.

E. B. DuBois, the well-know^n author, and

The

Crisis,

were concerned with the founding of

Lukes Church, and Dr. DuBois himself was Christened

Lukes.

in St.

CHAPTER

X.
PA.

THE CHURCH OF THE CRUCIFIXION, PHILADELPHIA,

The

diocesan journal of the Convention of Pennsylvania,

for the year 1852, has the following:

"The movement which resulted in the establishment of this church was made by a respectable gentleman, (Mr. Thomas A. Latimer) a layman of St. Pauls Church of this
city,

not longer than the 15th of February, 1846.

Circumof col-

stances had

made known

to

him

that a large

number

ored persons resided in the neighborhood of Bedford street,

extremely poor and wretched as to physical comforts, and,

possible,

if

more

destitute of

moral and

spiritual

advantages.

ment.

was directed towards their spiritual improveroom of suitable dimensions, gave inforextensively that it would be open on every Sunday mation
His
first effort

He

rented a

evening for Divine Worship, and invited the colored population to attend.

"For nearly three-fourths

of

the

first

year the mission

was

chiefly dependent for religious services on the rectors of

of the largest of our city churches.

some

"On

the

first of

November, 1846, Rev. Edward C. Jones

at a building

became connected with the mission, and Divine Worship was

conducted by him statedly
called

on Bedford street

Temperance Hall.
also visited assiduously

"He
Mr.

among

the colored poor at

their miserable habitations in the neighborhood.

How

long

Jones continued his labors does not distinctly appear. In

112
less

The Afro-Americax Group

than
six

months, however, after he commenced the misof his assistance

sion

was deprived
it

and the burden of sustain-

ing

was thrown back upon the gentleman with

whom

it

had

originated.

He

had recourse a second time

before, at

to the parochial

clergy

who had

much

personal inconvenience, gen-

erously bestowed their services.

to

This was too onerous, both

In
this state of

them and

to him, to be long maintained.

difficulty

he applied for counsel and assistance to the Bishop.

his exertions in a short

"By
ganized.

time a church was duly orso zealously

The gentleman who had begun and

work of member of the
vestry
;

prosecuted this

charity to this time, w^as invited to

become a
ed

but he declined

his co-opera-

tion in this way.

.

Eleven other gentlemen were then appoint-

Notice of their appointment and of the establishment of

the mission, in a

manner which promised greater permanency

namely,
in

and

efficiency,

as

an

"Episcopal Free

Mission

Church" was given

one or more of the daily

city

news-

papers on the 12th of April, 1847."

This parish seems

tion,

to

have been admitted at one Convenlist.

then informally omitted from the regular

a

And

for

more than

dozen years the subject of

in

its

admission was

w^armly debated

Convention.

We

have no mind to follow

the discussion of the subject through the several Conventions.

How^ever,

it

should be noted that while the great body of

the people composing the mission were of the colored race, the governing body, the vestry, were
all

w^hite

highest standing in the city and diocese.

point the fight

in

was exceedingly
this

interesting.

men of the From this view^The final scene

Convention when
shall record in the

matter was permanently settled,

of the late venerable Bishop of

we
D.,
ter.

words

Central Pennsylvania, Rt. Rev.

M.

A. DeWolfe Howe, D.

LL.

D., in his Mernoirs of the late Bishop Alonzo Pot-

Says Bishop How^e:

OF THE Episcopal

Church
when
the ques-

113

"No
tion

individual

who was

present

was

finally disposed of has forgotten or

can

ever forget Bishop Potter's explanation of the vote which he was about to cast. Few Bishops in the
history of our Protestant Episcopal

Church have been more backward than this calm, impartial man, to sway by authority or influence by the public deof ecclessiastical

livery of his opinions the action

bodies over which he presided.

On

most matters
to in-

concerning which he thought

terpose,

it

worth while

he did so in personal conversations with individual members before or during the recess of

Convention, and
assembly not by
others to

his

views reached the ears of the

his

whom

mouth, but through the lips of he had submitted them with such

convincing force that they had adopted them as their own, and spontaneously spoke in their advo-

This habitual reticence of the Bishop when were on the carpet led some oersons to impute to him an undue timidity and caucacy.

exciting questions

tion, a disposition for the sake of

all

keeping favor with

for or against

men to shun committing himself any. The customary restraint of his

to
it

influence gave

On

to exert it. the question of admitting to seats in the Con-

great

power when he was moved

vention representatives of the parish called 'The Church of the Crucifixion,' the worshippers of

which were colored persons, no man could accuse

him
tice

of repression or ambiguity.
in

On

that occasion,

and on others

were

in

which he saw that truth and jusdanger of being compromised, he spoke

with a freedom, decision and manliness, not often exhibited by those in high places. He was consid-

114

The Afro-Americax Group

erate and tolerant to the last degree .... but
a crisis
his

when
and

came and he must

cast in his lot

and bear

testimony or see 'truth fallen in the

street,'

himself chargeable with blame-worthy reserve and

caution, he

came out with an enviable heroism, and

astonished and electrified those

who had

esteemed

him over-cautious.

"On
might

the occasion referred to, the Bishop did

not even request another to take the chair that he

offer his

remarks from the

floor of the

Con-

vention (a formality observed by a presiding

officer

when
and

he

erative assembly)
in the

would take part in but from

the debates of a delibhis elevated

position,

gown

of office,

poured forth the honest

and almost impassionate

only deny to

recoil of his soul

injustice, that

from that

measure of prejudice and

would not
of

men

of the proscribed race liberty to

in

appear

for

themselves

the

counsels

the

Church, but
ed by

also the privilege of being represent-

men

of the

dominant

race,

though occupying

the foremost rank in the social circle.

The

Bishop

did not refrain from abjuring that peculiar type of

Christian charity which would both hold the Afri-

can in legal disability to confer with brethren in

the

household of Christ on matters of

common

interest

and

also to repel

from counsel any who

with generous fraternity had braved the rebuke of

the

community and sought

"The
throne,

writer of this

to do him good. memento does not allege

the

parliamentary propriety of such an oration from the

still

less

the usage of the diocese

it

from the

chief seat of

which
is

was

uttered, in calling,

when

a vote by orders

had, the

name

of the Bishop be-


OF THE Episcopal
fore instead of after the clergy

Church
;

115

but he records

it

as

a solitary instance in the Episcopate of

ter in

Alonzo Pot-

which an overwhelming sense

of expression quite

of right

moved
wont,

him

to

an assertion of privilege, and a freedom

and fervency

beyond

his

and which would be dangerous

as a precedent for

men

more impetuous temper. Could that speech be recovered and spread upon these pages, though the majestic presence and commanding tone of the
of

speaker were wanting,

all

it

would be recognized by
in

as a

specimen of spontaneous, unpremeditated

eloquence of which few orators

of forensic life are capable.

any department

"The

Bishop's course on this occasion

was no
whose
quesines-

doubt prompted by

his interest in the race for

in

moral elevation and welfare the Church

tion

was

established.

He
men

had always had an

of

structive

sympathy

for

low degree, and

pecially for those

who were

suffering the degra-

dation of personal or ancestral bondage.

for

His care

them had been manifested

in

his

boyhood, at

his brother's

house in Philadelphia, and again in

his ministry to colored people

while a professor at
p.

Schenectady."

(See

Howe's Memoirs
in

231).
St.

After serving about six months

charge of

Thomas
to the

Church, the Rev. Henry L.

Phillips,

D. D.. ordained

ministry by Bishop Stevens in 1875,

was

called by the white

vestry to the charge of the parish of the

cifixion.

Church

of the

Cru-

From

a material viewpoint, or even

a congrega-

tional point of view, there

was

little

or nothing to the

work

when Henry

L. Phillips, assumed the burden.

It so hap-

pened that the present author, a very young man, not even
ordained, paid a visit to Philadelphia, and he readily recalls

116

The Afro-Am hricax Group

the scene in the old delapidated building on Eighth street,

which greeted him.

Crucifixion.
third
of
a

Here we
he

first

met with Rev. Dr. Phil-

ops in the early da\s of his ministry at the

Church

of the

What
century,

wrought there during more than

would make entertaining and helpful

Besides the excellent buildings,

matter for an entire book.

church and parish house, and parish summer home, when he

resigned and

was made rector-emeritus, the endowment

for

the parish had already reached quite $25,000.

When

the

present rector of the parish, Rev. Robert

H. Tabb, coming
as the assis-

immediately from Camden, N.

tant minister of the parish,
it

J.,

was secured

was with the

fixed purpose of

becoming the rector

Dr.
Phillips.

of the parish

upon the retirement or

Despite the changes of population, and other

difficulties

and hindrances, by reason of the strong foundaand

its

tion laid,

endowment, the good work

of social
is

re-

demption and Christian edification among the poor

failingly carried on.

-un-

The
talented

presence in the city of Philadelphia of ten colored

separate congregations, with an equal

number
to

of able

and

young colored

priests

ministering

the

same,

witness to the powerful and far reaching influence for good

of

Henry L.

Phillips in that one

community

all

these years.

CHAPTER
ST.

XI.
DETROIT, NHCH.
a colored Baptist minishis

MATTHEWS CHURCH,

"Parson" William C. Munroe,

ter of education

and attractive manners, found

way

to

the Church, and on September 6, 1846, in St. Pauls Church,

Detroit, Mich., he

was made a deacon by Bishop McCrosky.

in his day, w^as a great

"Parson" Monroe,

character in

work

among our
ored people
roe

racial group.

Detroit was the terminus of colhither

note,

who had come

some

from the South. Mr.

and
also

Mun-

was

a teacher of

much

interested in

the "John

presiding

Brown movement." It is said that he was the officer of the John Brown Convention held in or
Be-

near Detroit, previous to the raid at Harper's Ferry.

cause of the Fugitive Slave

Law, enacted

in

1850, and the

consequent scattering of the people, the mission that had

been started suffered
appearing.

many

checks, disappearing and then re-

In 1851 a neat chapel

it,

was furnished and

a small

congregation moved into

feeling that they had

made

good beginning.

However,

slave arrests
fled

and continual hunta

ing around for such

who had

from the South, exerted

very disastrous effect upon the work.

The

public

mind thus
with the

becoming unsettled, the majority

of those identified

mission, although not effected directly by the law,

restive

became
himself

and

left

the country.

Mr. A4unroe found

at this time

with only

five families

and only twenty persons

as his stable adherents.

In 1855 Bishop Holly was ordained to the diaconate

in

118

The Afro-American Group

church, and shortly afterwards left the country for a

this

trip of inspection in the republic of Haiti.

About 1859, Mr.

Munroe
engage

also left the country for Liberia,

in

missionary work, and thus the

Finally, in

West work

Africa, to
in

Detroit

went gradually down.

sold, debts paid

1864 the property was

as "St.

and the balance invested

Matthew's

Fund."

The

neuclus of a congregation was held together

by Miss Margaret Scott, w^ho, on leaving Detroit for Africa,

committed her colored friends

istered in the

to the care of the city parishes.

Baptisms and Confirmations of colored persons w^ere adminwhite churches until a sufficiently large number

of colored

communicants could be organized.

call issued

In November, 1880, under a

by the Rev. Dr.

Worthington, afterwards Bishop of Nebraska, then Dean of

the Detroit Convocation, about twenty-five colored
nicants assembled in St. Johns parish house with the

communew
It

Bishop, the Rt. Rev. S. S. Harris, D. D., presiding.

was

decided to secure a
services

site for

the

new

church.

For

tw^o 3^ears

were held

in a hall, the clergy of the city officiating

until the Rev.

G. Mott Williams, former Bishop

of

Mar-

quette, took full charge.

consecrated in 1883.

The church edifice was erected and Mr. Williams carried on the work most

successfully for several years.

He

left

it

to take

up missionary

work

in

the

city.

After a succession of white ministers

which operated disadvantageously by relieving the colored

people from a proper sense of their

own

responsibility

and

kept

many

of the colored people out of the Church, the wis-

dom

of calling a colored

man

as rector

became apparent and

and purity

resulted in the change of policy,

and the Rev. Charles H.

Thompson, D. D., a man of life, was called as first

tered

of scholarly attainments

rector of the

upon

his duties April,

1890.

new church. He enThen it was that the real

and the actual respon-

feature of parish

work presented

itself

OF THE Episcopal
sibility of

Church

119

caring for an up-to-date church opened before the

gaze of the people

side.

who had

hitherto been assisted on every

difficult

To

Dr. Thompson may be attributed the

work

of cementing the colored adherents of various white

churches into a consolidated congregation, although few in

number.

His was an arduous

task,

and he

left

it

after three

years so well disposed toward the administration of a colored

clergyman that the Church determined to

colored

call

as
fell

good a on the

man

as

could be found.

Happily, the lot

Rev. Joshua B. Massiah, a native of the

uate of the General Seminary, a

West

Indies, a grad-

man
and

of culture, refinement,

wide reading, deep

tially fitted for the

spirituality,

in every

way

providen-

work.

Mr. Massiah had

previously vis-

ited

England and preached by

special invitation in the his-

toric pulpit of St. Pauls Cathedral,

an honor conferred on
Father Massiah

no other colored clergyman

in the

world.

was one
ship

of the ablest

clergymen

in the diocese.

His rectorand per-

was characterized by an

intense devotion to the v^ork

which required
sonal self-denial.

a rare degree of faith, persistency

The

parish

was greatly

built up.

He

en-

larged the church, fitted up a beautiful chancel and altar,

put

in

an excellent pipe organ and built a rectory and guild

Resigning
St.

rooms adjoining the church.

uary, 1906.

Matthews he

entered upon the rectorship of St. Thomas, Chicago, in Jan-

He was

succeeded at
St.

St.

Matthew^s by the Rev.

Andrews Church, Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Bagnall continued until February, 1921, when he resigned to accept work with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Father Bagnall
Robert
Bagnall of

W.

advanced the interests of the parish very greatly, especially

in increasing its list of

communicants, and by becoming a

After a short

decided influence and force in the community.

interval Father Bagnall

was succeeded by the Rev. Everard

120

The Afro-Americax Group

Daniel, the present rector, who, for a

W.

number

of years,

had been the senior curate of St. Philips Church,

New

York.
is

The

Rev. John Albert Williams of Omaha, Neb.,

this parish.

product of
of Detroit.

Once he was newsboy on the

streets

Bishop Worthington, at that time rector of one

of the parishes of that city, became

much

interested in him.

Following

his ordination,

more than

a quarter of a century

ago, he took charge of the

work he

has ever since successfully

pastored.

In addition he became one of the most prominent

and

influential

clergymen of that diocese.

For

number

of

years he filled most acceptably four distinct positions at the

same time
chaplains.

secretary of the Diocesan Convention, editor of

the diocesan paper, historiographer, and one of the examining

For

number

of years past he has ably edited

The Monitor, one

of the ablest

weekly publications

in this

country devoted to the interests of the colored race.

CHAPTER
ST. t'Hll.IPS

XII.
N. J.

CHURCH, NEWARK,

This congicgation was

instituted about the year

1856.

The

author has never been able to come in possession of the

earliest records of St. Philips,

Newark.

we remember

distinctly the parish

During the eighties was served by the Rev.

Joshua B. Massiah and the Rev. Thomas G. Harper. Later, and for a very long time, its rector was Father Reeve Hobbie,
white, a native of Maryland, and a firm and affectionate
friend of this author.

Father Hobbie was one of the best

white

men

thar nas ever pastored a colored congregation, and

the people of St. Philips were perfectly devoted to him.

tainly he

Cer

we have ever had. In his very elegant home, for he was a man of some means, surrounded by his large and interesting family, we always felt completely at home on the number of occasions that we have
was one
of the dearest friends

been
first

his guest.

In 1894 Father Hobbie attended, for the

time, our Conference of

Church Workers Among ColPhiladelphia, in

ored People, held in St.

Thomas Church,

connection with the Centennial of that parish.

that striking "procession" of all the clerg\^ in

When
it

he saw

their vestments

he was perfectly mtoxicated with delight, and

was then

and there he decided,

tant,

if

possible, to secure a colored assis-

and, later, have his vestry elect

elect the assistant to succeed

him

rector-emeritus,

and

him

as rector.
at the

Accordingly

he turned to us lo

name

the

man, but

same time he
not
a

imposed upon us one

restriction.

He

cared

whit

122

The Afro-American Group

in complexion,

whether the man selected was bright or dark

as obtained in

but he must be one capable of sustaining as "advanced ritual"

any of our churches.

We
111.,

named

the Rev. B,

Wellington Paxion, then of Cairo,

and he was secured

and ultimately maae rector

right to choose his
this

of the parish.

Father Hobbie was a peculiar man.

He

claimed the
in

own

friends,

and he was discriminate

matter irrespective of color.

More

than any other he

compelled our respect for "advanced ritual" by reason of

the utter sincerity and reality with which
it

was employed.
at

In few places have

in St. Philips

we

felt

more completely
his

home than

during the days of

incumbency, as well as

in his

own home.

He

thoroughly appreciated the fact that

there existed great intellectual and social variety

and

differ-

ences within the colored group.

of our

Some

years ago

when one

visited the old

Church Conferences met in the city of Boston, we homestead of William Lloyd Garrison, the Church
institu-

great Abolitionist, which then had become a

tion for members to find among the
of our racial group,

and great

was our joy

Sisters of that institution a

daughter of our

dear and much-valued friend, Father Reeve Hobbie.

CHAPTER
ST.

XIII.
N. Y.
established by
St.

PHILIPS

CHURCH, BUFFALO,

If

we

mistake not

St. Philips, Buffalo,

was

the late Bishop

Coxe
first

in the year

1865.

Like

Philips,

Newark,
its

w^e

have been unable to secure reliable data as to

days.

founding and

The

present rector of St. Philis

ips,

the Rev. E. Robert Bennett,

a son of St. James, Balof

timore.

Bishop Coxe and Bishop

Wilmer
civil

Alabama, may
toward
of

have differed widely with respect to

government, but

no two men were more

their

at

one

in

their sentiments

black brother than these

all

two noble Bishops

that

our

Church, one the symbol of

Southern
ern
life,

was good
It

in

the old

and the other the highest expression of North-

life, in

the good old days of the past.

was

a rare priviIt

lege to

know

such

men and enjoy

their great esteem.

was
af-

in the year

1889 that Bishop Coxe received the author

at the

Episcopal residence in Buffalo with such

fection that

warmth and

we

can never forget the scene.

first

We
as

were then
were,

at Norfolk, in

our

charge, and were visiting Buffalo in

response to a "call" to St. Philips.

As young
Today on
us,

we

we

were
lem.

in the

midst of a controversial fight occasioned by an

article of ours in

The Church
power

of

the

Negro probto

The

Bishop talked so lovingly to

in his

and was ready

do anything

to have us accept the call to Buffalo.

fighter,

Bishop Coxe was something of a

and he was not

without appreciation of the position which

we

sustained.

We

could not entertain the idea of seemingly running "under

124

The Afro-American Group

But, our greatest difficulty in accepting the call was

fire."

going to

an earthly heaven.
that city,
delight.

time was almost like going to There were but few colored people in and personally, our cup would have been filled with
Buffalo at that

Somehow, we had

it

in

our heart to give our

life

for the benefit of our racial group

and we wanted

to be in

the midst of

much

of the

rough material

in order to bring

out

all the possibilities of

our nature.

However,
visited

the extreme

loveliness of Bishop

Coxe and

the fact that Buffalo

was the
the

only city in this country which

we had

where

colored Episcopal Church was the largest ecclesiastical racial

group, rendered
cision.

it

somewhat

difficult for us to

reach a de-

We finally decided to remain in Norfolk. A few years later a call to our liking came.
hard and
difficult field

It

was

to a

but in the midst of thousands of our

to

racial group.

So

we came

Baltimore and here

we

are

today.

Father Bennett, the present rector of

gotten a

St.

Philips,

has

new

property and very greatly built up the parish

which was

in a state of rapid decline.

CHAPTER
IN

XIV.

THE GENERAL CONVENTION OF 1868

agency instituted by the General Church,
folin

The

first

lowing the close of the Civil

the Southern States

War

on behalf of the work

among

the people recently emancipated,

was "The Freedman's Commission."

effort in the

With

respect to this

General Convention of 1868, the Domestic and

as fol-

Foreign Missionary Society of the Church reported

lows

"The Freedman's Commission

eral

authorized b\

the

Genof

Convention and formally organized by the Board

in

Missions

1865, presents a statement of

its

work during
It

the three years past which will challenge your attention.

has received from

of the

all

sources over $87,000, and at the close

summer had 5,500

children under

its

nurturing care.

What

has been done by us in this field must be regarded

rather as an evidence of our good wishes towards these emancipated millions of the South than as a

work commensurate

with our responsibility or with the demands of the hour.

can claim no more than that
to educate a race

We

we have

tried to

do something

suddenly elevated to political power and

It

equality in the midst of their ignorance and inexperience.

is

the conviction of your committee, after careful considera-

tion of all

the facts that while schools alone are valuable

will

agents,

they

not

accomplish

their

full

purpose nor

realize the full intention of the

Church

unless thev are con-

126

The

Afro- American Group

nected with permanent missionary work, and prosecuted under the supervision of the resident parochial clergy or of
the duly appointed missionaries of the Church.

Experience

shows that the Negro will value the school only for the secular

knowledge it imparts unless he be made Church working in and through the school as
w^ell as his

to

feel

the

his spiritual

guide as

temporal benefactor.
in the
it

The Church

has

no proper
all

call to

engage

work

of school teaching at

except as she can

make

subserve her dominant purpose,

viz: the gathering into her fold for religious instruction

discipline of those

and

whom

she teaches in her schools.

The

school and the mission, or the school and the parish should
not, as a rule, have been disconnected.

To

the fact that they

itself

have been, that the commission confined

alone
is

to

schools

due the feeble and

as such

superficial influence

which the

Church

has thus far exerted over that race.

The

time has come

when

unless the commission can be brought to

it

subserve a strictly missionary use

as a

work
is

of the

Church
first

may as The

well be abandoned
true order of the

and then the school, the one the chief, the other the auxiliary. For this kind of work there is a demand which no words of your committee can adequately describe."

work

the mission

The
tion

result of this report

was

the adoption of this resolu-

''ResrAved,
solicitude

That

this

the missionary

House regarding with increasing work of the Church among the

so little has been

Freedmen, and deeply lamenting that

in
this

done

direction,

make

the following recommendations to

the Board of Missions:

OF THE Episcopal

Church

127

1st.

That one

or

the freedmen in

the Southern Dioceses

more missionaries be appointed to visit who were formerly

to

communicants
to ascertain

of the

Church,

examine their condition and

former attach-

what can be done

to revive their

ment and
2nd.

relation to the

Church.

That

the schools established by the Freedmen's

as

Commission be henceforth treated

to the missionary

more

directly auxiliary

work, and that such

as shall be

organized

hereafter be placed under the di-rect influence of the clergy-

men within whose

be established.
3rd.

parishes or missionary stations the\'

may

pare colored
to their

That every men for

people."
are

effort

ought

to be

made

at

once to preminister

the ministry, so that they

may

own

There

some other notes

in

diocesan reports, which

are illuminating with respect to conditions at that time.

Bishop Young, of Florida, says: "It

here to state, that in
is

is

deemed proper
which

this, as in

every Southern Diocese, there

ability,
is

an earnest desire, to the extent of our

in

unhappily very limited

comparison with the

last need, to

provide for the intellectual and spiritual necessities of the

colored race.

The
of

last report

on the State of the Church

signs in this direction,

makes mention
so that no one

some encouraging

who may

feel so disposed in his heart,

need be

under apprehension
the people of the

in approaching the Bishop, the clergy,

in

Church

Florida, and offering any aid,

especially for the benefit of this particular people, an impor-

tant part of the

Church
of

care."

Bishop Beckwith,

Georgia, says:

"The number
six

of

communicants reported
large loss

at the

Convention

of this diocese in

1866, indicates a falling off of

is

more than

hundred. This

due for the most part

to the altered condition

of the colored population of the State."

128

The Afro-Am ericax Group

Bishop Atkinson,

North Carolina, sounds

says:
at

very

en-

couraging note.
tine's

He

"The

establishment of St. Augus-

Normal School

Raleigh, under the charge of the

D. D., for the education of colored J. Brinton Smith, scholars of both sexes, who are to bind themselves to become teachers for a certain number of years, of the ignorant of
Rev.
their

own

race, promises to be of incalculable benefit to that

class of

our population

who

so

much need

the influence of

religious education to enable

them

rightly to understand

and

enjoy the duties and privileges of freedom."

Bishop Davis, of South Carolina, says:

communicants
loss of

in the diocese has

been

"The number of much reduced by the

our colored members.

In 1860

we had

nearly three
three hun-

thousand colored communicants reported.

Not

dred were reported to the

tion of

last

Convention.

In the condi-

many
of the

of our parishes

it is

impossible to ascertain

how

many

freedmen

still

adhere to the Church.

Many

have joined the Northern Methodists.

teachers of their
in

Many

have followed

own

color

but

if

our services

were revived
some of

our suspended parishes,

fanatical

we might hope
political

to rescue

them from the

are subjected.

and

preaching to which they

In one parish only have they adhered to the

Church.

Two

congregations of colored worshippers have

been gathered together, as in former days, to make their

chapels resound with their hearty prayers and praise.
this
is

But

the only successful effort to

to the

win them back

to

our fold.

These remarks apply

ton there
bers
is

freedmen. In the city of Charles-

a self-supporting church of free colored

mem-

who

have adhered steadily to the Episcopal Church,

a

under the care of

white rector."

CHAPTER
IN
Bishop Atkinson says:

XV.

THE GENERAL CONVENTION OF 1871

"The
efforts in
this

diocese for
are

the spiritual improvement of

the colored

race

not as

promising of good results as are desired by the friends of the

freedmen.

While

in

some few places they seem

to apprein

ciate the teachings

and ministrations of the Church,

most

cases they have separated

themselves from the ministry of

the Church, and given themselves to the guidance of igno-

rant teachers of their

own

race,

who

are leading

them

into

the wildest excesses of delusion and fanaticism."

The Domestic and

report says:

Foreign Missionary Society,

in

its

"There

are

now

about forty teachers at the

its

South, and twenty-two hundred children under

It
is

charge.
it

the aim of the commission to

essentially
life.

make
to

the schools

has

established

Christian,

and

incorporate

them
it

into parochial

Instructed by the voice of the board,

would have gladly lent its aid to the Bishops of the Church in sustaining, on some adequate scale, a living, faithful pastorate for our colored population, but
it

has been beyond

its

power.
tion.

The crying want of this people is spiritual ministraThey are left emphatically "as sheep without a shepit is

herd," after falling a prey to irreligion and error, and sometimes,

it

said, to the grossest

forms of superstition.

Does
for

not become this Church, which formerly did so

much

their spiritual care

and nurture,

to interpose
in

between them

and the gulf into which they are

danger of plunging?"

130

The Afro-Am i-ricax Group

In connection with this suhject the following resolutions

were presented and adopted

"Resolved That the work of missions among the colored
,

people demands and deserves the hearty, united and systematic

support of

all

the
in

memhers

of this

Church.

Resolved,

That

while abating

no respect the duty

of Christian education,

greater prominence be given to strictly missionary and pastoral

labors

among

this class

of our

Southern population,

whereby they may be saved from

which
their fathers

total loss to the

Church,

and from relapse into the grossest forms

of superstition

from

were rescued."

The same
in

report has the following reference to the

work

Africa:

"Upon

the western

coast

of

the continent of

Africa,

where, a half century ago, only darkness was

visible, there is

now
and

a fringe of light.

In a region once devoted to idolatry

cruelty, a Christian civilization has taken

up

its

abode,

and bearers

of the Cross, in the true spirit of martyrs,

its

have

carried thither

blessings.

"It

is

somewhat disheartening

that our faithful and self-

sacrificing Bishop for

Cape Palmas and parts adjacent, who temporarily sought relief from climate and toil by a return
to his native land,
is

at length obliged to
It
is

w^ithdraw altogether

from

his foreign charge.

dispiriting also at this point of

time, to see but one white missionary of his

former

stalif

re-

maining
rest.

at his post.

Death or

disease has taken

But

a handful of Christian

women,

exiles

away the from home

for their Savior's sake, and twelve colored clergymen, Liberian or native, are diligently

employed with

catechist, in the interest of the mission.

a small band of Nine churches and

OF THE Episcopal

Church
fifty

131

seventeen stations, four hundred and

communicants, a

thousand children under Christian instruction, a hospital,

an orphan asylum, the Book of
tongue, and
a

Common

stated ministry of

Prayer in the Grebo word and Sacraments in

inhabitants, are the
It
is

the midst of a region

swarming with
interior stations

present palpable fruits of this Christian enterprise.

proposed

to

establish

near

the

highland

country, by which tribes of a superior order will be brought

under influence.

The movement
It

is

prompted by the
fail

appli-

cation of the natives.

should not

to

countenance and help of the Church.

missionaries
of

At
are

command time when

the the
that

Mohammedan

error

penetrating

country

in

every direction to

make converts

to the Crescent,

ought not the followers of the world's true Prophet

to rival

them

in zeal for the Cross of Christ?"

This

is

significant,

from the Convention Journal

of

South
re-

Carolina, for the year 1871:

ports increased
efiforts

"The Rev.

E. L.

Logan

among

the poor whites in his parish,

who

are in a state of moral and spiritual darkness as deplor-

able as the heathen, worse off than the Negroes."

He

is

of

the opinion that the colored people can be

dividuals, that his hopes of

won

over by inhav'e

them coming over en masse

diminished with further experience."

CHAPTER

XVI.

THE MISSION SCHOOLS

The Freedman's Commission

the one at Petersburg, Va.,
in

Schools in the South, were

Particularly

instrumental of great good to the black people.

charge of Misses

Amanda
St.

Aiken, Sallie

Coombs and Miriam.

The

formation of

Stephen's Church, Petersburg, was under the guidance and

direction of the ladies of this school.

Two

of their pupils

who

could neither read nor write at the beginning were,

finally sent to

Lincoln University, Pa., where, after gradfitted for the ministry of the

uation, they

were

Church,

or-

dained, and gave forth magnificent records of service.

These

men were
diocese of

the Rev.

Thomas W.

Cain, w^ho labored in Vir-

ginia and in the diocese of Texas.

He

twice represented the

Texas

in the

General Convention of the Church,

and

lost his life,

faithful at the post of duty in the great

It
is

Galveston

disaster.

peculiarly interesting to note the

following fact with respect to the Rev.

Mr.

Cain.

Mr.
could

Cain, although a man, at the end of the Civil

neither read nor write.

War,

His father was sexton of Grace

Church, Petersburg, and one of the vestrymen of that church,

employing Mr. Cain,
Later
Sr.,

as sexton,

was Mr.

S.

M.

Byrd.

Mr. Byrd

entered the ministry and became the leading

clergyman
sions

in the diocese of this

Texas.

In the history of mis-

we

have

unusual picture of these two

men

sitting

together in two successive General Conventions representing

the diocese of Texas.

One,

of the very best Virginia blood

OF THE Episcopal
and highest
social standing

Church

133

the other a former illiterate slave

whose father had been employed by the former.

From

the

influence

and

impress of this same Grace

Church, Petersburg, went forth Peter Andrew Morgan.

labored in Philadelphia,

He

New

York, Brooklyn, Petersburg,

rest.

and

finally.

New

Orleans, where he entered into

of Ohio,

It

was while Bishop Leonard,

was a

rector in

Brooklyrx,

N. Y.,

in his early ministry that

he began to take

the

first

lessons in a life

which has been most remarkable

its

from that time

structive help in

to the present for

affectionate

work among

the colored race. It

and conwas Bishop

Leonard who heartened and cheered Peter Andrew Morgan

in those

hard days of struggle

in

Brooklyn.

Besides the mission school

filled

work

these

Northern

ladies

with the true missionary

of

spirit,

entered the humble

in the re-

homes

many

of the

freedmen and greatly helped

construction of such homes, along the lines

demanded by the
is

new

order of

affairs.

One

of the

most beautiful and really

that which

touching chapters

in the

record of these days,

pictures the heroism, these

bravery and unswerving devotion of

Northern white women.

The same

thing was true of

the white

women

of the

South of quality and breeding.

very heart

In the county of Brunswick, Virginia,

in the

of "the black belt," during the latter part of the seventies

and early

eighties,

Mrs. "Pattie" Buford, a cultivated South-

ern lady of refinement, gave up herself completely in ministering as an angel of mercy

of these black people,

among

the poorest of the poor

and by her wonderful devotion won

the love and confidence of the colored people of that entire

region.

the

Through her influence a young colored man entered Church who was destined to prove the most conspicuous
all

constructive leader for his people of

our colored clergy

134

The Afro-Americax Group

day and generation.

in his

This young man was James Solo-

mon

Russell of the adjoining county of Mecklenburg.

in

At

the

time of the present writing,

addition to the

St.

Paul

School, Lawrenceville, called into being by him, for well-

nigh thirty years he has most acceptably

filled

the post of

Archdeacon of the colored work

in the diocese of

Southern
in

Virginia. Mrs. Buford founded a hospital and infirmary the county of Brunswick for the needy colored people,

of

that section.

By

her influence also an entire religious body

of one Bishop,

some twenty or more ministers and about

Church.

2,000 members professed themselves as ready and desirous

to enter the Episcopal

By some means

the move-

ment miscarried
ters, actually

but the Bishop and a number of the minis-

entered the Church, and were prepared for the

diaconate at the Bishop Payne Divinity School.

er result of the feeling towards the

As

a furthcreated,

Church thus

large congregations of colored Episcopalians were soon form-

ed

in the counties

where

this religious

body w^as principally

situated.

In connection with the work of Rev. Giles B. Cooke, a

former

stafif

officer of

General Robert E. Lee,

as rector of St.

Stephen's Church, Petersburg and principal of St. Stephen's

Normal

School,

were associated
(sisters of the

as

teachers

number
as

of

white ladies of the best families of Virginia, such

Misses Beckwith

the

Bishop of Alabama), Misses

others.

Weddell, Mrs. Giles B. Cooke and

in or near Gordonsville, Va., a

There was

also

Mrs. Brent

who

also

main-

tained in those days a most interesting

work on

behalf of
in divers

Negroes.

Any number

of colored

Sunday Schools

parts of Virginia w^ere taught by native white teachers.

In Lunenburg county Mrs.

of

M. M.

Jennings, the mother

Mrs. Joseph

S.

Atwell, for

many

years on her

own

estate,

maintained an exceedingly interesting educational and

re-

OF THE Episcopal
ligious

Church

135

work; while Mrs. Miles

in

Halifax county, pursued

the same course.

The

Rev. Dr. George

W.

Dame,

in addi-

tion to his clerical duties as rector of a parish in the city of

Danville, for a time was superintendent of public education

for Pittsylvania county; and. in this capacity, he

was among
part,

the

first

to introduce colored teachers in the colored public

schools of the State.

These

teachers, for the

most

were

Normal School, Petersburg, Va. Mr. John H. M. Pollard was sent out from this school as a
trained in St. Stephen's

teacher in northern Virginia, and

that he

it

was while thus engaged

was

privately prepared for the ministry by the Rev.

William

M. Dame, D.

D., at that time rector of Christ

Church, Alexandria, Va.

An
we

extremely large colored Sunday School was being

carried on in the city of Alexandria.

Many

such efforts as
in-

have briefly alluded to were carried on under white

fluence in various sections of the South.

Of

all

names

in

connection with the

rise of St.

Stephens

Church, Petersburg, that of the Rev. Dr. Alexander

W.

Weddell

is

first.

While

yet

layman

he became their

acknowledged leader and most aftectionate champion.

CHAPTER
It

XVII.

AFTER THE CIVIL WAR

may
all

not be generally known, but previous to the Civil

alike.

War,

Negroes were not treated

There were

dif-

ferent classes of Negroes then as exist today.

Quite a num-

ber of the "elect" of the race enjoyed exceptional favors and

privileges because of their calibre
ties.

and many amiable quali-

In Charleston there were a considerable' number

of

who

were respected communicants

treated with

white parishes and were

thing existed in

marked

respect.

The same

other parts of the South.

A
owner

Mr. James Bishop

in St.

of Annapolis,

Md., was

"pew"
author

Annes Church,

that city, situated almost in the

center of the building.

Many

years after the

war

this

while on a
St.

visit to

Annapolis attending morning service at

seat in the family

Annes Church, occupied a

pew with
his book,

others of the Bishop family.

Senator John P. Green, of Cleveland, O.,

in

has this most interesting account w^ith respect to his

father and Christ Church,

own

New

Berne, N. C.

He

says:

"Unquestionably
literar5^

my

father possessed a great desire for

attainments, and did his utmost to reach to some

excellence along that line.

This talent on

his part

was recog-

nized during
tion sought

all his life.

Men

of learning

and discriminain conversation

him

in his store

and engaged him

to such an extent that

much

of his valuable time

was

lost in

OF THE Episcopal
this

Church

137

way, and even the Bishops of the Episcopal Church (of

which he was a member)

spectively

always

Bishops
may

Ives and Atkinson, re-

visited

and conversed with him when

they

made

their Episcopal visits to old Christ

Church

in that

town.

"In

this

connection

it

not be amiss to state that

although born and reared a slave, and residing in a slave

community,
receive kind

my daddy
his

so deported himself as to merit

all.

and

and courteous treatment from

family a

He owned

and occupied with

pew

in

Christ Episcopal

Church, which was the most wealthy and aristocratic congregation in that part of the State
;

while the other members,

;

with two exceptions,

tenacious he

sat in the galleries

and

as

proving
it

was

of

what he conceived

to be his rights,

how may

be stated that

when

the Rev. Dr. Buxton,

(white) clergy-

man
robe,

of the Episcopal

Church, married him and

in 1837,

my mother
his clerical

in Fayetteville,

N. C,

and did not wear

bill

he would not give him

which he carried

in his

vest pocket for him."

It

should be stated just here that the elder Green at the

age of twenty-one,

when

his apprenticeship

was ended, was

the proud possessor of one thousand dollars, which he had

earned by doing extra work during

this

his

spare hours; with

business

money he purchased

his

own freedom and began

of the

for himself as a

merchant

tailor.

But we have been writing

ters

few exceptional charac-

among

the race.

The

great bulk of Episcopal Negroes

received their spiritual ministrations through special agencies

and chaplains.

Hence, following the close of the Civil War,

special ministrations
their

many

of

them broke away from such

and

followed the leadership of

men

of

own

race.

This

ladical change of affairs constituted a sore trial

for

and problem
to

the

Southern Bishops

who were minded

shepherd

138
both races

The Afro-American Group

in the

one fold, and, at the same time fully recog-

nize the change

made
few

in the civil relations of the people just

emancipated.

brief extracts

from the early Conven-

tion addresses of Southern Bishops will clearly indicate their

mind

in

not sanctioning any discrimination on account of

race or color, and in extending the heartiest possible

to the freedmen.
fail

welcome

careful reader of such addresses will not

to be impressed

with the deep sincerity and earnestness

this matter.

of the Bishops

with respect to

1866.

casion to allude twice to St.

Bishop Smith, Kentucky: "I have had ocMarks African Church

on Green street to the ordination of its minister, and the first Confirmation there. The mission and the high school connected with it, which was chartered by the Legislature last winter, without much Almost remarkencouragement by the clergy able have been the providences which brought the minister and the teacher here (Mr. and Mrs. Atwell) who are now carrying on the work so well and so successfully, and which have supplied from abroad the greater part of the means to sustain the enterprise, until such time as this Convention and
this

community

shall be aroused to

some

just con-

ception of the solemn responsibility which rests upon

us to take care of this class of Christ's neglected

poor among us under the sheltering wing of the

Church we love
1866.
then,

so well."
Atkitisofi,

Bishop

North Carolina: "When

we shall have colored ministers or not, we really ask ourselves whether we shall have ministers for the colored race or
ask ourselves whether
not. And is it to be endured that a Church which claims to be the Catholic and Apostolic Church in

we

North Carolina shall systematically refuse to do anything for the religious welfare of one-third of the people of North Carolina? Shall we, like the

OF THE Episcopal
priest

Church

139

and Levite, see the wounded man lying halfdead and pass by on the other side and leave him to be ministered to by some hated Samaritan? This would be to confute our own pretensions, and it is to be remembered with regard to this subject, as with regard to schools, that the question is not whether there shall be colored ministers, but what sort of colored ministers there shall be. Colored ministers have been, are, and will be amongst us. Shall they be men taught in the Church, ruled by the Church, imparting the doctrines of the Church, or shall they be fanatics and political emissaries self-commissioned or sent by some foreign, and it may be, hostile society."

1867.

Bishop Ou'intard, Tennessee: "Let us

at

once, dear brethren, prove to the

fully alive to the physical

world that we are

in

and intellectual well-beonce ours

bonds, but

ing of a people
are

who were

Gospel of the grace of God." Tennessee Committee, of the same year: "It is exceedingly desirable not only to do all in our power to promote the general welfare of the freed people who dwell among us, but also to bring the youth and the adult population under the influence of the Church, and that steps should be taken at the earliest possible moment looking towards
our brethren
in the blessed

now

the education of the more intelligent for the sacred ministry in order that they may be qualified to do the Church's work among those of their color." 1868. Bishop Young, Florida: "I have thought much and anxiously on this subject, beloved brethren, since
I

assumed the responsibility of the episcoI

pate of this diocese, and

so direct

and hopeful

in its results as to

can conceive of nothing provide for

the elementary education at least, of the better class

of their present ministers; for their accepted reli-

gious teachers and guides they are and will continue They are to their clans as chiefs to tribes, to be.

and whether thev talk sense or nonsense, teach

fet-

140

The Afro-Americax Group

ishism or Christianity, advise them to pursue the evil or the good, they will heed their teaching and follow their guidance, for they thoroughly believe
in

them.

To

must
tions

direct their leaders.

operate on the masses, therefore, we So settled are my convic-

on this subject, that I am resolved, if the means can be had, to establish a school for this purpose.

Many churchmen, perhaps, would disapprove of such an undertaking, and wonder that so un-Churchly a scheme could be thought by the Bishop of Florida. But will such tell us of something For surely no Christian better that can be done? can maintain that it is better to do nothing."
my
1869. Bishop Johns, Virginia: "I must express gratitude for the favorable circumstances under which this congregation (St. Stephens, Petersburg) commences its course, I trust of increased prosperity This first complete organizaand usefulness
tion of a congregation of this kind in this diocese trust I commences with encouraging prospects.

that under Gid's blessing it will prove a safe and edifying example and pattern to be successfully fol-

lowed by many others."

tion of this State

Bishop Beckwith, Georgia: "The populaof this number is over one million Does four hundred thousand are colored people. If so, how the Church owe a duty to this people? can she best perform that duty? There is no diffi1873.
;

culty as to the

first

question.

The Church

does

owe
I

them

a duty.

The

second

is

full of difficulty.

do

not propose to discuss it; my desire is to induce you Why should not the Church to think of it send a missionary Bishop to these four hundred thousand colored people?"

Bishop Howe, South Carolina: "I find 1873. myself inclined to think at least from present observations and reflections, that if our Church is to do any work of moment among this people, it must be Let a Missionary done by the Church at large.

OF THE Episcopal

Church

141

Jurisdiction be erected by the General Convention with express reference to these people, and let a

missionary Bishop be consecrated

who

shall give his

as the

whole time and thought

to this

work; who,

executive, not of a single diocese, but of the entire

Church, shall organize congregations, provide them with Church schools and pastors, and in due time raise up from among the colored people themselves deacons and priests who shall be educated men, and competent to the work of the ministry It would seem as if the Church, even in lack of prece dent, ought to be able to provide for our perplexity."

CHAPTER
Of

XVIII.

FIGHTING AGAINST IGNORANCE

all

the pioneer laborers in the educational field

the masses of ignorant colored people, before the Civil

among War,

none deserve more hearty

African

appreciation

than

Dr.

Daniel

Alexander Payne, Bishop John

others
in

M. Brown,
Episcopal

and the few

the

Methodist

Church who

labored so heroically in the face of almost incredible indifference and opposition, within the group
itself.

An

extract from Bishop Payne's early

effort,

and a

clip-

ping from the denominational organ of those times will give

some idea

of the

inveterate opposition manifested towards

of the leaders in the African

education by

many

Methodist

Church

itself.

Dr. Payne, a Lutheran minister, and a man of great

education, in 1842,

was received "on

trial" into the

A.

M.
set

E. Church, by the Philadelphia Conference.

to

He

at

once

work

to prepare a

scheme of instruction for the ministry

General Conference of

of his church,

which was adopted by the Philadelphia Conyear, 1844, the

in

ference.

That same
met

the connection

Pittsburgh, Pa., and he introduced

before that body the same measure with

what

success will

appear from the extract given in his

own words:

"Upon

this

day the Rev. Daniel A. Payne introduced a

resolution to institute a course of studies for the education of

the ministry.

As soon

as read

it

was seconded, and, con-

vinced as he was of the reasonableness and the utility of the

measure, he thought that the majority of the Conference

OF THE Episcopal
looked at
in the

Church
light,

143

it

same favorable

and that

it

would

be carried without

much

opposition; he, therefore, did not

make any
rent to

speech for the purpose of convincing his brethren

of that utility
all.

and excellence which he believed was appawithout

"But
as

in that he calculated

his hosts, for as

soon
effect

the Bishop had put the question to the house, the

like

was

unto that which follows when a fife-brand

of

is

cast

into a

magazine

powder.

With

the greatest apparent in-

dignation the resolution was voted

down

by a large and

overwhelming majority, and the house adjourned amid great

excitement.
the house

The

next day, the

fifth of the session, as

soon as

was opened, and

lofty
stature,

first

of all,

Rev. A. D. Lewis,

a brother of

venerable apeaprance, dignified

rose to his feet

mien and delectable countenance,

and called His moand

for a re-consideration of the rejected proposition.

tion

was seconded and

its utility

stated by the chair.

"This venerable man

demonstrated

then

advocated

its

claims

in a

speech of

uncommon

eloquence

and power.

He

addressed the understanding, the conscience,

'till

the passions of the audience,

it

was bathed

in tears,

and

from many

a voice

the resolution; give

was heard the impassionate cry, 'give us us the resolution.' It was then put and

carried without a dissenting voice."

Such

remarkable change of front and attitude wrought

over night needs some explanation.

follows

The

historian gives

it

as

'It is also

proper here to say that the indignation evinced

outside of the General Conference by the intelligent laity,

was equal
ers.

to that excited inside

among

the prejudiced preach-

Between the

rejection of the resolution in favor of edii-

144

The Afro-Am ericax Group

its

cation on the 4th, and

the 5th,

re-consideration and adoption on

wherever the preachers went they were informed

that

if

the proposition to educate the ministry of the African

Methodist Episcopal Church were absolutely rejected, they

would withdraw and organize an

that

ecclessiastical establishment

would be

in

favor of such a measure."

The

year preceeding, 1843, at the Baltimore Conference,

in

Dr. Payne had engaged

a similar fight.

He

gives the

following account of the same

'*An itinerant licentiate by the

name

of

Adam

S.

Driver

made

application for the Orders of a Deacon, at the

same

time that the Quarterly Conference of Bethel, in Baltimore,

petitioned the

Annual Conference

to ordain

Brother Savage

L.

Hammonds
in the

and Thomas Hall, two

local licentiates, to

the same rank in the ministry.

These three brethren were

put

hands of a committee, consisting of D. A. Payne,

John Boggs and Thomas

W.

Henry, for nomination.

open con-

"The
flict

following statement will show what was the reIt also show^s the first

sult of this examination.

between the advocates of ministerial education and the

''A majority of the committee

defenders of an illiterate ministry:

was

in favor of

ordaining
to
it.

the

three

candidates.

The

minority was opposed

Therefore, two reports w^ere made out and presented to the

Conference.

The

reasons assigned by the majority were, in

the case of one of the candidates, that a christening or a marraige

might be desired when the elder

circuit,

in

charge might be at

one end of the

spot,

and the minister, though upon the

;

case

would be unable to act another reason given in another was that though there was no special need for the brothmight be ordained
to gratify the

er in question, 'he

Quarterly

OF THE Episcopal
Conference.'

Church
it

145

Respecting the third case,

was argued that

should the brother be placed where a matrimonial ceremony

was

to be

performed,
it

he,

if

ordained, could serve, and being

aid

a poor man,

would greatly

him

as thereby

he might

make some money.

''But the minority report assigned one reason

why

they
all

should not be ordained

disqualified for the

It

was

that the candidates

were

office

because they had not the informa-

tion required by the Discipline.

The

counter report pro-

duced quite an excitement, and one brother violently de-

manded whether we wanted a man to know how to read Hebrew, Greek and Latin before we would ordain him. In
the speech that followed, education, and those
it,

who

favored

were denounced.

In reply to this the minority arose and

said that the

remarks were altogether gratuitous, because the

all

report said nothing at

about Greek, Latin or Hebrew, but

the Discipline and

was based simply upon two instruments,

the Bible.

The

minority also maintained that every

mem-

ber of the Conference and therefore the whole Conference

was most solemnly bound

Bible.

to

heed the Discipline and the

At

the conclusion of these remarks. Bishop

Brown
any
very

called the attention of the Conference to the fact that he

was placed

in the chair not to carry out the opinions of

its

man

or set of men, but to execute the Discipline to

letter,

and he

also declared in a very decided

if

and emphatic

manner, that

the w^hole Conference voted for the ordina-

tion of the said brethren, in

view

of their disqualifications, he

could not and would not ordain them.

report of the minority
It

As

a final result, the

was adopted."

was in the year 1845, Rev. Mr. Hogarth, the General Book Steward, sent the following which was published in The A. M. E. Magazine, the official organ of the denomination:

146

The Afro-American Group

"Thinking
it

will, perhaps, be gratifying to

in

some

to see

some remarks from the book agent

in traveling

each

number

of the

magazine, on the condition of our people,

as I

may

learn

it

among them,
in the outset I

will here

commence

a series of

short essays on that subject.

First, their religious condition

and here

may

justly say I have clearly seen

the verification of that true remark, "like priest, like people;"

as the priests are so will the people be.

That we need an

enlightened, educated ministry no one ought to deny.

give a case showing the necessity of this, permit
I

To

me

to say

attended a protracted meeting in a certain village where

a considerable effort

was made

to get persons to

come forward

to be prayed for, but the effort

ister

proved unavailing.

The min-

in

charge appointed a meeting for the next night

general prayer meeting.

After two or three prayers had

been offered to the throne of grace, the brother again called

for mourners,

and none coming forward, he then called for

set out; that

one or more benches to be

done, he said he

would

now
feat

take another tact on the devil, that he intended to de-

him that

night.

"He
there

then declared that the devil was in everybody in

the house, and he intended to drive

him out

of

them

that

was not one

to the

of

them

that had any religion whatever,

therefore every

member

of the church

must now come

for-

ward
none.

mourner's bench and get religion, for they had

They were all going to hell. "Some eight or nine of the poor
their pastor
said,

creatures, affrighted at
in

what
been

came forward

great agony and

after they

distress

all

professors of religion too

to the benches

and

had
after

down
I

some time, they arose one

another,
religion.

shouting and declaring that they had again

got

observed that the most sober and perhaps the

w^ith

most exemplary members of the church did not comply


OF THE Episcopal

I;

Church

147

the earnest solicitations of their pastor, and he himself ob-

serving this said to them that did not come forward, that

they must get religion again

hell, local
all

they were

all

on the road to
all.

preachers, class-leaders, stewards and

After

those

who went forward had

been converted again

say again, for they professed to have had

religion before

the pastor greatly exulted in the fact that he had defeated the devil by getting several converts and quietly dismissed
the meeting.

"While

sitting there

and viewing and

reflecting

upon

this

whole transaction,

my mind
who

had never before been so deeply

impressed with the great importance of an enlightened ministry.

still

Our
in

fathers

have gone before

us,

and those who

do the best they can, and for the great good they have
organizing our church, getting
it

done

on a good

basis,

and giving things proper direction, deserve our gratitude and

our thanks and our praise.
is

But,

my God, what

work

yet to be

done?

Our

fathers have only laid the foundain

tion,

and got the timber

part together, and have left us

their sons, to erect the building.

But more particularly

to

the religious condition of our people.

In this State (Ohio)

there are from twelve to sixteen thousand colored people.

that

Of

number say twelve hundred are members of our church of this number perhaps six out of ten can read the New Testament. The manner of worship in our churches here in
the West is of a character similar to the state of education among the preachers and people, confused and disorderly, owing to the want of cultivated minds and manners. To
this

remark, however, there are some individual exceptions

of persons

who have

a taste for

more regularity and

refine-

ment
Iv.

in

worship.
of our people can read our

"But few

hymn book

correct-

This circumstance tends

to introduce disorder

and con-

148

The Afro-Americax Group

fusion in our singing; the great majority not being able to use our hymn-books,

make fugue tunes

for themselves,

and
ig-

these fuge tunes are always transcripts of

low thoughts,
in singing.

norance and superstition, hence confusion

Their

language used in prayer also

is

also characteristic of their

want
it
is,

of education, being almost always incorrect,

and when
good lan-

only by mere chance.

And

for the

want

of

guage they can not express

their

to the edification of the church,

own good

thoughts, hence confusion in prayer."

Bishop Payne,
says

in his history,

commenting upon

the above

"It

is

gloomy picture

of the religious condition,

and

had

it

been drawn by the hand of an enemy, outside of our

ministry, one might be led to look

upon

it

as a caricature.
It
in

But there

are

two reasons why

it is

worthy

of our belief.

was sketched by our own

to

accreditted book agent,

it

who,

the course of his travels, felt

his right,

duty and privilege

inform the readers of our church organ concerning the

all

condition of our people in

the States which he visited

and scenes of
churches at a

this

kind might be witnessed in

many

of our

much

later date in other States north of the

it,

Ohio

as well as in the States south of

and

in the

more

en-

lightened regions of the East as well as in the West."

Those

of our readers

who

are well informed with reof

spect to "the

Great Awakening," and the preaching

in

Jona-

than Edwards, will have no difficulty

source of

accounting for the

many

of the religious manifestations of the masses

of the black race.

ories of that noble
late

All the more should

we

cherish the

memthe

band

of the "black elect," of

whom

Bishop Daniel Alexander Payne of the African Metho-

OF THE Episcopal
dist Episcopal

Church

149

Church, was the conspicuous leader.

Few

of

us are able to sincerely appreciate the nobilit\' of the highclass

men

of color

who

fought with

all their

might

this luhite

influence of "the Great Awakening" upon our group. Dr. McConnell in his history of the American Church says: "It would be an interesting study to trace the effect of the Great Awakening upon the Negro race in America. There is good

reason to believe that their peculiar type of emotional religiousness, divorced

from the sanctions

of conscience,

is

due

to this

movement which

for the first time brought within

their reach a conception of Christianity

their peculiar race

which

fitted itself to

temperament.

There does not seem

has dominated

to

be any evidence of their characteristic type of religion previous to this time.

people."

Since then

it

them

as a

Now
of affairs

the remarkable thing

is

this.

This very condition

made manifest

the fact that a section of the black

race, like the

white race, had the power to withstand and

successfully resist the influence of this

"new

cult"

upon them.

Closely following this period note the

ley

rise of

Phyllis

Wheat-

and Benjamin Banneker.

Note

also the

group of black

people

who

left

the Methodists and

became Episcopalians.

Note the number of real able black men produced' by the two churches standing for the highest ideals, the Episcopal
and the Presbyterian.

From

the

Presbyterian side these

:

names

will suffice to carry the point

John Glouster, James

all

W.

C. Pennington,

Henry Highland Garnett, and John

black as midnight, took

Chavis.

The

latter,

that Princebe-

ton could give him, and in the State of

North Carolina

came

a celebrated

educator of the white youth.

The

remark-

able thing

was

positive evidence that the race could attain

the noblest ideals, despite the background of barbarism, and

a not

always helpful white environment.

CHAPTER

XIX.

THE VEXIXG SITUATIOX

Nothing was further from the thoughts
than the introduction of a "color-line"
in

of the Bishops,

clergy and Southern laity, immediately after the Civil

War.

Church extension

among

the colored people.

At

first,

despite the remarkable

devotion of

many

of the

most prominent whites, and their

it

sympathetic touch with the colored people,

looked as

if

it

were
them.

utterly impossible to impress a goodly

number
in

of the

race with the deep sincerity of the

Church

welcoming

However, well-nigh

into the second decade after the

in the attitude of the

war, a marked change began to appear

colored people towards the

Church

and

this

most favorable

change proved the occasion for arousing the fears of the

illiberal

whites with respect to possible dangers in the social

in the

order of affairs which might obtain

event that colored

people came into the Church in large numbers.

The

ecclessiastical

politicians

got

busy.

No

infelici-

tous action upon the part of colored

lated such fears.

Churchmen had
body
in the

stimu-

But, in

all

the Southern country the Episreligious

of

copal

Church was the only

And, although men

white men,

setting an

example of absolute equality

like

family of Jesus

Christ.

Richard Hooker Wilmer,

Thomas Atkinson and

core,

others of their class. Southern to the

defended

this policy of absolutely

ignoring the "color

line," the

storm of opposition arose.

off in

Both Virginia and North Carolina had started

right direction.

the

But, in South Carolina and Georgia, where

OF THE Episcopal
the

Church

151

Bishops and clergy were minded to pursue the same

course, bitter opposition

of the laity.

was manifested on the part

in

of

many

After waiting for a decade, in South Carolina,

the
application
of
St.

the issue

was presented
to

Marks
parish.

Church, Charleston,
Diocesan Convention,

be admitted into union with the

as a regular

and full-fledged

It aroused a storm of opposition and controversy extending

over a number of years.

The

contagion reached the Diocesan

Council of Virginia, and, after many }ears of earnest and

determined discussion, certain limitations

placed upon

in the future,

were

Negro representation

ta the

Diocesan Council.

In the meantime the "Sewanee Conference," composed of

Southern Bishops and leading white clergy and

called to

laity,

was
in

meet

at

Sewanee, Tenn., July 25, 1883, for the

action the Negroes of the South.

purpose of arriving at some definite policy of

Church extension among

Of

course no Negroes, clergy or laity, were invited to

in
this

participate

conference.

Whereupon
of the

the Rev.

Dr.

Alexander Crummell, rector

ton,

of St.

Lukes Church, WashingChurch, called

the same year

and the senior Negro clergyman

together the colored clergy and laity of the country to meet

in the city of

New

York, during the

fall of

for

mutual conference with respect

to the

matter occupying

the minds of the

members

of the

Sewanee Conference.
ex-

The

findings of the

Sewanee Conference, with the

ception of the dissenting vote of Bishop

Wilmer,

of

Alabama,

were unanimous.

The "Sewanee Canon,"

was presented to same year in the city

expressive of the
the General

conclusions of that body,

Con-

vention meeting that

of Philadelphia.

In a few words the Sewanee plan authorized the segregation in any diocese of the colored people

under the direction

and authority of the diocesan, with such missionary organization as might be necessary for
its

purposes.

The Negro

152

The Afro-American Group

laity

Conference of colored clergy and

which asembled

in

New York

City, the

month previous

to the assembling of

the General Convention, presented a united

front against

the "Sewanee Canon," and appointed a committee to attend

at the

General Convention and exert every means

to

in their

power

encompass the defeat of the proposed Canon.

adopted in the House of Bishops, but the

The Canon was

that

House of Deputies refused to concur. So it was lost. But, was not the end of the matter. It was rather but the In the meantime the work necessarily suffered beginning. during a period of discussion extending over a number of years. We do not mean to imply that the two things had
any connection, yet
it
is

a fact that just about this time a

movement was obtaining throughout the Southern States by which the Constitutions of very many of the States were so
altered as to admit of the "disfranchisement" of the great

body

of colored voters in that section of the country.

It so

happened that many Southern laymen

in State affairs

who were prominent

in the affairs of the
in

were likewise prominent

Kingdom
Southern

of

God.

Thus

in

few years

number

of

dioceses,

the proposed Sewanee legislation which

failed in the national legislature of the

Church, was incorsev-

porated into diocesan law.

eral

This action on the part of

Southern dioceses, effected a radical change of front and

attitude

upon the part

of the

Negro

clergy and laity em-

braced in the Conference of Church Workers

among Col-

ored People.

This conference originated

"color-line " legislation.

in

an effort to prevent any

The

conference desired that col-

Churchmen should have identically the same status as When, in spite of all effort in that direction, it became manifest that colored Churchmen must choose between
ored
others.

existing without

any fixed status

as

an appendage to the

OF THE Episcopal
white church,
local
or,

Church

153

have an independent being apart from the

in the

white church, with union

General Convention,
But,

the Conference unhesitatingly chose the latter course.

before committing

itself to

the Missionary District plan, in

it

a memorial sent to the General Convention of 1889,

re-

quested of that body a definition of the status of colored

Churchmen.

There were two

reports

upon the memorial.

minority report,

The

majority report, exceedingly kind and courteous, diplo-

matically evaded the point at issue.

The

championed by Phillips Brooks met the

issue completely.

By

a very close vote the majority report prevailed, and, thus,

the question of status, as yet, has not been satisfactorily settled.

Thereafter the Conference hesitated no longer.

for definite status
of

fight

was

initiated.
in St.

Finally, at the Conference

Church Workers held

Lukes Church,

New

Haven,

Conn., September, 1903, a Commission of Fifteen was constituted to seek an audience with the Bishops in
dioceses, and, after

Southern

mutually going over the situation, request

said Bi;hops to originate the necessary legislation to be pre-

sented the General Convention, which

to

would be

satisfactory
of

both

sides.

Through

the

prompt courtesy
the

the late

Bishop Dudley, then chairman of the House of Bishops, such

meeting was held that same

sion,

fall in

Church

of the

Ascen-

Washington, D. C.

The

meeting and our reception by

the Bishops

was magnificent.

They

asked for further time

six

for consideration of the matter.

at

After

months they met

Sewanee, and politely and kindly declined to accede to our

After having been denied that ''fatherly" help,
in

request.

which,

our perplexity,

we

craved,

the

Conference of

Church Workers, meeting in St. Philips Church, Newark, N. J., September, 1904, the one hundredth anniversary of

154

The Afro-American Group

Absalom Jones
it

the ordination of
its

to the priesthood,

framed

own

memorial, sending
in

to

the General Convention,

meeting

Boston the next month.

The legislation which we asked of General Convention was the adoption of the Canon prepared by the late Bishop Whittingham, of Maryland, at the request of Bishop W. B.

W. Howe,

of

South Carolina, and others,

in

1873.

The
the
yield

only addition suggested by the Conference

provision whereby the several
their

itself

was

diocesans,

who might

territory

for

the Missionary District, should

to the

consti-

tute a Council of

Advice

Missionary Bishop.

At Bos-

ton the subject was discussed and a commission created to

report upon the matter at the
tion of

Richmond General Conventhe leadership of the

1907.

At Richmond, under
But
it

Bishop of Texas, a brave and heroic fight was made for the
adoption of the measure.

tion of the 'S'uffragan Episcopate,"

was defeated by the injecwhich was supposed to

the Missionary

be sufficient to afford
Episcopate.

what was sought by

In 1910, at Cincinnati, the Suffragan Bishop Legislation

was completed, but from

advocate of
tured to put
its
it

that date to the present, not a single

utility

for

work among Negroes

has ven-

to the test.

At

the General Convention of 1916, held in St. Louis,

the Conference of

Church Workers made

its

final

and

last

effort in the direction of a definite status for colored

Churchas will

men.

Never was the cause more ably presented than

in the

appear in the report of the majority,

journal of 1916.
in

But

the "minority" report

won, and we again went down

defeat.

The

Bishops of North Carolina and Texas, together

with the representative of the Conference of Church Workers conferred,

and came

to the conclusion that

it

would be
of the

the part of

wisdom

to "hold

up" and give the friends

OF THE Episcopal

Church

155

Suffragan plan a fair opportunity to demonstrate.

In the
in

meantime, that
vain,

all

our labor would not prove utterly

between the Bishops above named and the Bishop of

all of

Arkansas,

whom

were staunch supporters

of the
to

Mis-

sionary District plan an effort might be

made

make an

interpretation of the utility of the Suffragan plan.

Thus

far all that has been

done has been accomplished

through such source.

section of the minority

report,

which was adopted

at

St. Louis, will clearly indicate the

fundamental principle for

fighting, as

which the Conference

of

Church Workers were

It

well as the subtleness of the opposition.

was

a case

where

we were

defeated by "extremes."

Of

course, those

who were

absolutely opposed to any "color-line" under any form were

naturall\- against us.

On

the other hand, those

in

who thought

that
us.

we should be "restricted" The union of these two

defeat.

our rights, were also against

antagonistic forces apparently

the minas

wrought our
ority report

At any rate the extract from which follows would seem to indicate

much.

The

section reads:

"But apart from

in the

the

principle

involved,

the

plan of a Separate Racial Jurisdiction for Negroes

South,
if

once put

in operation, will in
difficult, if

our

opinion

make

it

exceedingly

not impos-

sible, to try the

plan of a Suffragan Bishop as proif

it

vided by the General Convention,

shall

be
so.

found expedient and possible

in the

future to do

No
tion

race prefers to occupy a subordinate position,

beneficial such

however necessary and

subordina-

may be considered under certain conditions. But when race development is once appealed to,
and race ambition once excited, the Negro will

156

The Afro-American Group

quite certainly aspire to
equality
of

with the white

man

in

every particular.

Many

them

will, therein-

fore, prefer a

Bishop of their own race, with an

separate

dependent jurisdiction

from the white

man, rather than a Suffragan Bishop, who, however well qualified for the Episcopate,

would

still

be under the jurisdiction of the white Bishop.

this

For

reason the plan of a Separate Racial District

will

make impracticable and

futile

any attempt on

the part of a Southern Bishop or diocese to try any

other plan."

Thus, our opponents,

in stating their case, justify us in

our contention, and almost confess

failure of their

in

advance the certain

own

scheme.

Colored Churchmen do not

object to one Bishop and one Convention, in which all

may

share the same divine equality, without respect to race or

color.
this

Since white

Churchmen

are the ones

who

object to

arrangement, and demand a white Convention with a

white Bishop, they should be willing to concede to their

black brethren
the same
liberty

and independence which

it

they claim for themselves.

not,

But whether they concede

or

we
It

can not deny our

own manhood

by failing to contend

for all the rights of man.

would

be a very great error for any to imagine that

the Southern Bishops, as a whole, have been at all

in their
cil, all

luke-warm

endeavors to bring together in the one diocesan coun-

races, clergy

and

laity. It

was

the "martyr-like" spirit"

of a

number

of

Southern Bishops in upholding the rights of

the black man, in the one diocesan council, necessarily engen-

dering a certain bitterness of feeling, which disposed the

great body of

colored clergy to memorialise

the

General

Convention for the Racial

District, as an alternative, so as

OF THE Episcopal
to

Church

157

render unnecessary the sufferings of the Southern Epis-

copate and pave the

way

for a lasting peace.

gi\'e
:

But one example we

South Carolina.

The

Rev.

J.

H.

]\1.

Pollard

had removed from the diocese of Virginia to the diocese of

Bishop Howe, of that diocese,
in

making

up the

clerical roll of

enough inserted the

members of the Convention, naturally name of the Rev. J. H. \1. Pollard.

by the Bishop.

vigorous fight followed with respect to the correctness of

list
;

the

as furnished

The

Bishop was sus-

tained

and be

it

said to the eternal praise of the clergy, they

stood unflinchingly by the Bishop.

Bishop

Howe

plainly in-

timated that he would resign his

office of

Bishop rather than

acquiesce in the disfranchisement of a priest because of his

color.

At

the close of that remarkable Diocesan

in

Conven-

tion of

South Carolina
follows

1887, Bishop

Howe

expressed him-

self in part as

"I will say a

word

or

two before
I

go.

This

is

the 97th

Diocesan Convention that has been held during a period of

nearly one hundred years, and

presume that within

all

these
this

years there never has occurred

session

the withdrawal of a

what has taken place at large number of those who

rep-

resent their churches in this Convention.

of
is

And

it

is

worthy
It

remark that some

but as

of these are the oldest in the diocese.

a matter of very great regret to

fact,
I

me we

that such
I

is

the mel-

ancholy

review the question

do not see

how
It
visit

we
is

could have acted otherwise than

have done

not only the privilege but the right of the Bishop to

every parish in his diocese, and,

God
in

helping me, unless the

I shall visit

doors of the churches are locked against me,

as usual
tion.

them

whether they are or not

I

union with

this

Conven-

But

trust that our brethren will reconsider their

it is

action and see whether

sufficient

ground for those old

158

The Afro-American Group

parishes to go out because a colored clergyman, well learned,

who
a

has sat in a Convention in Virginia,

is

here."
that
it

Here was an actual condition. It matters not minority that was opposed to the recognition of
Church
of Jesus Christ.

was
at-

equality in

the

The

feeling existed.

The

titude of colored
of

Churchmen found

expression in the words

strife

Abraham
to

to

Lot: "Let there be no

between

us, for

we

are brethren."

And

this attitude

took definite shape in a

memorial

the

General Convention for "an alternative

So that by
its

plan," Missionary Districts.

employment the

occasion for any future unpleasantness w^ould be avoided.

this effort of

On

peace and good-will, as well

self-respect,

as the preservation

of our

own manhood and

to posterity.
is

we

are willing to go

down
It

interesting to note just here that

when Bishop Winwas

rector of St.

chester of Arkansas, in his early ministry,

Johns, Wytheville, Va., he invited the Rev.

Mr.
U.

Pollard to

preach

in St.

Johns Church on a Sunday morning.

At
S.

that

time Senator R. E. Withers, a

member

of the

Senate,

and Judge Boulding of that

city,

were members

of the vestry.

Judge Boulding, who was present

that particular

Sunday

morning, was so much pleased w4th the sermon of the Rev.

Mr.
sion.

Pollard that at the close of the service he presented him

his

with a volume with

autograph

as a souvenir of the occa-

CHAPTER XX.
THE CONFERENCE OF CHURCH WORKERS

AMONG COLORED PEOPLE

No
the

one agency, perhaps, has contributed more towards

of the

growth

Church among our

racial

group than the

Conference of Church Workers among Colored People.

late

The

Rev. Alexander Crummell, D. D. LL. D.. rector and

St.

founder of

Lukes Church, Washington. D. C. may very

properly be considered as the father and founder of the Conference.

Following the meeting of the Sewanee Conference, the

initial

meeting of the colored clergy of the United States,

of Dr. Crummell, assembled in the Church of Holy Communion. New \'ork City, during the fall of 1883 .From that time to the present these Conferences have been regularly held. There was the omission of the one of
at the call

the

1891 which had been appointed to meet

in

Nashville, Tenn.,

because of the illness of the late Archdeacon Calbraith B.

Perry,
volved.
of

Tennessee,

upon

whom

the

arrangements

de-

Until the year 1919 these meetings were held an-

nually; but in 1919 at the Cleveland Conference a scheme

of several Provincial Conferences

was adopted

for the

two

years between every third year, at which time the whole, or

General Conference would thereafter convene.

The
York
1886
in
it

second Conference was also held in the city of

1884.

New
In

In 1885
in

it

was held

in

Richmond, Va.

was held

St.

Lukes Church. W^ashington. D. C.

162

The Afro-American Group

first

This was the

Conference attended by the present author

;

(then as a la_vmr.n)

and

it

was

at this

Conference that a

this time, it was "Negro Conference." That is, it only included Negro workers among the race. Possibly the occasion for instituting the change was the voluntary presence of two distinguished white clergymen in work among our people.

new

departure was inaugurated.

a

Up

to

strictly

The Conference was

a hearty welcome

quick to express

its

pleasure and accord

by

immediately making the change to

"Church Workers Among Colored People."

These two
St.

white clergymen were Rev. Dr. Calbraith B. Perry of

Marys and Rev. George

B. Johnson of St. James, Baltimore.

all

And from

that day to the present time all workers of

orders of the ministry and laity have been accounted members

of the body.

The most

important action taken

at this

Conference was

the adoption of a

"memorial"
in

to

the General Convention

which met the next month

Chicago, praying the appointfor

ment

of a

Church Commission

Work among

the Colored

People.

The

idea as well as the drafting cf the paper

was
was

born of Rev. Dr. Perry.

heartily

The memorial

as thus drafted

and unanimously adopted by the Conference.

The

General Convention created the Commission.

life of this

During the
at the

Commission the work was very greatly advanced,

it

and, although

had

its

defects,

its

abolition

was not

will of our Conference.

It

would have been

more
efficient

utterly impossible to have secured a

better or

chairman of that Commission than

the illustrious Bishop Dudley, who, for so

its

many

years
in

was
un-

head and

who

gave himself without measure, and,

wearied devotion to every interest which concerned the black

man.

Bishop Dudley thoroughly loved and thoroughly be-

leived in the black

man. and was alwavs

his ceaseless

advo-

OF THE Episcopal
cate and defender.

Church

163

Upon

the invitation of the Rev. Cal-

braith B. Perry, the 1887 Conference

was held

in St.

Marys,

Baltimore, at which time the author, a "groom' of but a day

and yet a Deacon, was elected secretary of the Conference,

with Rev. Dr. H. C. Bishop, of

New

York, chairman.

From

that time to the present, with the exception of about three

years, the author has continued in office as secretary of the

Conference of Church Workers, and has actually attended

every session held since that day.

"The Church
Conference that

Advocate,'' edited by the secretary of the

Conference, has been so intimately joined together with the

it is

hard to think of one without at the

same time thinking

of the other.

By

the joint

work

of the

above mentioned "union" a number of things have been

realized.

After a season of rather prolonged education, rep-

resentation of the group

was secured upon the commission

late

through the appointment to that body of the

Rev. Dr.

Alexander Crummell.

And

w^hen death removed Dr.

Crum-

mell the elevation to the vacancy of Bishop Delany was

realized.

den,

King Hall, with the Rev. William Victor Tunnell, warwas inaugurated in the city of Washington, as a theolounder the auspices of the Church Commission
of
its

gical seminary,

and during the days

into the ministry a

continuance,

it

prepared and sent

records of service.

number of men who have made splendid King Hall was not closed in accordance
In due season following the

with the judgement and w^ishes of the Conference of Church

Workers among

the group.

necessary campaign of education, colored priests were given

the opportunity for supervisory and administrative

work

as

Archdeacons.

The

Conferences of Church Workers have met in various

sections of the country.

As

far

South

as Charleston, S.

C,

164

The Afro-American Group

and
as far

as far north as Boston,

west

as

Cleveland, Ohio.

With

rare exception, in ever}- diocese

where the Conference

has convened, the diocesan has been present and extended

every courtesy.

Many
it is

have been the unusual courtesies ex-

tended by our white brethren, but

we do

not think that

we

err at all

when

declared that nowhere in the history

of these conferences has greater consideration and courtesy

been extended than

sions,

in

the diocese of Ohio, upon tw^o oca-

under the leadership and inspiration of the Rt. Rev.

of Ohio,

William A. Leonard, Bishop

Bishop DuMulin.

and

his

Co-Adjutor
the

On

both occasions the opening services

in

under most pleasing auspices, took place

Bishop's

Cathedral with the support of the Cathedral choir, and

no man could have been more gracious and

the good Bishop of Ohio.

solicitous,

then

Bishop Leonard, from

''offender" along this line.

his

youth, has been a steadfast

in

In Brooklyn,

Washington,

as

well as in CleVeland, no

work

has been dearer to his heart

than that among

this

his colored brethren.

And

the author of

volume

feels greatly

honored

in the fact that the

Bishop

of Ohio, covering almost the entire period of our ministry,

has ever
friends.

been one of our most devoted

and affectionate

The knowledge

of the sincerity of his friendship

has wrought mightily in us in the midst of struggle and conflict.

Alany have been the

benefits of these annual conferences.

They have interpreted to both races the black man at his best. Through these conferences the colored people have come to know and somewhat understand the purpose of the Episcopal Church. They have proved the means of introducing to each other our own colored laity and linking them together for constructive work. The Conference has furnished to our own colored clergy the opportunity for prac-

OF THE Episcopal
tice,

Church

165

and imparted an

ecclessiastical education

which could not

it

have been realized elsewhere.

By means
work.

of

many

of

them
learnt

"have found themselves," and have been inspired and rendered more hopeful in their
to
difficult

They have

do by doing.

Their entire

life,

social,

intellectual

and

ecclesiastical has felt the invigorating influence of the forces

inseparably connected w^ifh such meetings.

And

those

who

enjoy the privilege of membership in diocesan assemblies have

been ennabled to carry into such relationships a training and

a culture

which otherwise would not have been

possible.

Prof. Charles

H. Boyer,

a native of

Maryland, and

graduate of Yale

University, the dean of the collegiate de-

partment of

St.

Augustines School, has been connected with

that institution for

more than a quarter

of a century.

He

is

one of the strongest and ablest of the colored

country.

laity in this

While

this

book was making ready for the

press,

we

received a personal note

from our friend Prof. Boyer,

is

which, while not intended for public print,

worthy

of such,

showing

as

it

does

how

such

men

are valued in the

Church

by the people of the white group.

I

Says Prof. Boyer

have just returned from Wellesley College, Mass.,

I

where

had been conducting a mission study

class

on the

Negro
I

and the Church, at the Episcopal

a very interesting class of

Church Conference.

had

twenty-one persons, includ-

ing priests, theological students, teachers, social service workers, missionaries

and some extra

visitors at times; there

was

also one missionary

from China and a young woman prepar-

ing to become a missionary to Liberia. "It

was

a great experience to

me.

won them

all

over

completely to full sympathy with the Negro's side of the

question,

and received a

rising vote of thanks

from them

at

166

The Afro-American Group

way
I

the close of the last recitation, for the

had taught

them, and also received their assurance to pray and

for bringing the
citizenship

work

Negro

into his full

measure of American

and Christian fellowship.

too,
I

"Outside of the classroom

courtesies of the conference.

was accorded
I

all

the

In fact

was considered the

guest of the conference while ther^."

^J^^im^S^

CHAPTER
Amcng
the Bishops

XXI.

SOME VETERAN FRIENDS

who became most

active in this

work

after the Civil

War

were Atkinson. Lyman, Johns, Whittle,

Smith, ,Quintard, Whittingham,

Howe, Stevens and Young.

of

At

a later period

were Dudle\

Leonard

Ohio, Ranodlph,

Cheshire, Paret, KinsoKing and Johnston of Texas.

Among

the clergy were Drs. Saul and ALatlack of Philadelphia, Drs.

Babbitt and A.

Toomer

Porter, of South Carolina, Rev. Dr.

C. B. Perry of ALiryland and Rev. Giles B. Cooke of Virginia.

Later Drs. Smedes, Sutton and Hunter of

School,

St.

Augusof

tines

Raleigh,

X. C, and Archdeacon Joyner

of

South Carolina.

few

the distinguished laymen: the

Stewarts of Richmond, Va.,

Va., Messrs.

Mr. Joseph Bryan, Richmond,

H. E. Pellew and Judge Bancroft Davis of Washington, D. C, Mr. John A. King of Long Island, Mrs. Loomis L. White of New York. Nor could by any possible means the names of Henry Codman Potter, Bishop of New York and Phillip Brooks. Bishop of Massachusetts, be omitIt would be entirely out of the question to catalogue all ted.
of the

names

of such as

were conspicuous

in this

work, and,

hence,

we have named

but a few. with nearly

all of

whom

the author enjoyed personal acquaintance.

Bishop Stevens of Pennsylvania, a Georgian by birth,

was the

first

to

make

provision for the theological training

of colored

men

in Philadelphia.

Rev. Dr. R. C. Matlack,

secretary of the Evangelical Educational Society, was fore-

most

in

providing scholarships for worthy candidates for the

170
ministr}-;
liberality,

The Afro-Americax Group

and Rev. Dr. Saul of Philadelphia, with generous
gave
his

means

to aid the

good work
the
first

in various

sections of the South.

He was among
at

to donate

money

for the purchase of

permanent property for the Bishop

Petersburg,

Payne Divinity School

Va.

Pellew's connection with the Church Commission for

During Mr. work

among
his

colored people, he

over the country inspecting the

was almost continuously traveling work and quietly bestowing

to sustain the same.

means here and there

Rev. Drs.

Porter and Babbitt in South Carolina wrought w^ith sincere

devotion and apostolic zeal.

Rev. Calbraith B. Perry and

as

Rev. Giles B. Cooke wrought

have before or
since.

few,

if

any, white
in

men
many

Archdeacon E. N. Joyner

South

Carolina, labored for a long period in the midst of

obstacles, bravely
ble

and most successfully.

Rev. Reeve Hob-

and Rev. John H. Towmsend

in the State of

New

Jersey,

won

the love and affection of colored people and performed

magnificent constructive work.

Gen. Samuel C. Armstrong was not

communicant

of

the Episcopal Church, but, certainly, no one outside of the

Church, exerted without any special design, a more helpful

influence in
its

extension

among

the colored people of the

to this author.

country.

General Armstrong was very dear

of

By appointment

the

Governor

of

Virginia the present

author served as a trustee of that institution representing the

strong, and

Commonwealth of Virginia. He saw much of Gen. Armwe frequently communed together. Strange as it may appear, the General became very fond of us for the same reason that very many have not liked us so well. He greatly admired in us the disposition not only to do our own
thinking, but the aggressiveness w^hich

we

sustained in try-

ing to convert others to our convictions.

Of

all

the letters

OF THE Episcopal
in the possession of the

Church

171

author he prizes none more highly

than a very brief one from Gen. Armstrong, when, in going north on a certain errand, we requested a line of him. He

wrote: "I

know

you, and have confidence in you."

Those

few words

over the signature of

Gen.

S.

C. Armstrong ap-

pealed to every noble impulse of our nature and inspired de-

termination and purpose to ''make good."

But we
influence of

started out to

remark concerning the unconscious

of the extension of

Gen. Armstrong on behalf

the

Episcopal Church among

the colored

people.

While
its

Hampton

has always been "undenominational," both

fa-

culty and board of trustees have contained in abundance not

only members of the Episcopal Church, but

men and women

of the highest and noblest type, creating an atmosphere in

which the common and vulgar simply could not exist. The most helpful portions of the services from the Book of Com-

mon
life

Prayer have

all

along constituted the normal daily defamily, teachers and pupils.

at

votions of the

Hampton
of
its

The
such

and atmosphere sustained

Hampton

inspired

ideals as led

many

graduates in after

life to

unite with

the Episcopal Church because the ideals presented by the Church seemed to agree more thoroughly with the Hampton
life,

and the Hampton atmosphere. Thus, Gen. Armstrong, with no design whatever to promote any particular sect or advance the interests of any religious body,
the

Hampton

spirit

interpreting his
interest

own

vision, did unconsciously serve the best

in

of

true

religion

helping on Church

extension

among

the colored race.

number

of the best

clergymen the Church has ever

laity in business

had and many of the most helpful

and

in

professional life scattered all over the United

States w^ere

once children of Samuel C. Armstrong.

CHAPTER
James E. Thompson, who,
had been quite active
in the seventies,
in St.

XXII.

SOME SELF-MADE STRONG CHARACTERS AND OTHERS

as a

youth and a young man,

James Church, Baltimore, early

Louis, Mo., where, while

removed

to St.

pursuing secular work, manifested an earnest interest in doFinally he got together a little work ing missionary work. known as the Mission of the Good Samaritan. He was made a deacon by Bishop Robertson and later a priest. Some

few years
lar

after he

removed

to

Chicago

to

undertake a simi-

work.

As

a result of his endeavor in that city, he

became
of St.

the founder of the present large and flourishing

Church

Thomas with more

than a thousand communicants.

left St. Louis,

In the meantime, having

he w^rote to Balto

timore and influenced Cassius

St. Louis.

M.

C.

Mason

remove

to

Mr. Mason was one

of Cassius,

of a very large family of

Masons

christened in old St. James,

Baltimore.
of the

Richard
brilliant

Masons, the father

timore.

was one

most

and active colored men

of his generation in the city of Bal-

He was

a boot and shoe maker, and often did he

remark

to the present author of his

having made boots or

shoes for His Excellency President Tyler.

He was
were

an un-

compromising Churchman. All

brought up
in the

of his family

steadfastly

Church.

His son, Cassius, was elected a

member

of the vestry of Sr.

tained his majority.

He

James Church before he had athonorably and creditably served in

every position open to a layman in the Church.

As

young

man he

took the leading part, with other young people from

OF THE Episcopal
St.

Church

173

James

in

1867

in establishing the present

congregation of

St.

Mary
its

the Virgin, Baltimore.

At
it

new
to

mission

was

St.

Philip, but

name of the was afterwards changed

first

the

present
in

title.

Thus
his

it

was

after such pioneer

good

work

the city of

birth,

that the call

St.

came

to

him

through a former communicant of

shall not

James
in

to
St.

go west.
Louis.

We
He
St.

go into the details of

in that diocese,
its

his

work

took Orders

founded All Saints Parish,

Louis, and was

rector to the day of his death.

Bishop

Tuttle, his honored diocesan, on the day of his death, ALarch

21, 1917, wrote the following his his cjiary

"In the

earl}

morning

of this day, Rev.

C.

M.

C. Mason,

rector of All Saints, St. Louis, died of pneumonia, after a

short illness.
of
this

Godly man,
a

a devoted pastor, the builder

up

parish

into

strong self-supporting parish of five

hundred communicants.
the only one left

The
been

senior
in

priest

of

the

diocese

who had

steady service with

life.

me

for

the whole thirty years of

my

Missouri
me.
I

He was

a wise

counsellor for

me and

Avith

shall

sorely miss him,

God

be thanked for his faithful

life

and abounding good

work."
In
to
his

Convention address the same good Bishop alludes

Father

Mason

in this wise:

"One

of our clergy has fallen,

a

the Rev. C.

M.

C. Alason.

He was

remarkable leader to

his congregation,

and, indeed, to the colored people of the

in planning,

city

Clear-headed and stout-hearted, wise

life,

energetic in executing, holy of

usefulness in which he

he

filled a

sphere of great
loved.

was highly respected and deeply

are to get on without him."

We

hardly

know how we

The

character of

Father

fluence ambitious youth of our group

Mason ought greatly to who may become

at a

in-

ap-

prised of the almost insuperable difficulties which he over

came.

His young manhood was

time prior to the

many

174

The Afro-American Group

now
established for the benefit of the

schools and colleges

race.

And,

in addition to all this, like

Moses, he was "slow

been endowed with

of

speech." Cassius

Mason must have

extra-ordinary faith, with a stammering tongue and other

handicaps, to leave the shoemaker's bench and set out for
the priesthood.

But, thus he did, and what he wrought in-

terprets to us the marvellous

mercy and goodness

is

of

God.

The name
praised,

of

James Solomon Russell

his ministry

well-known and
In the

throughout the whole Church, because of what

God

has

wrought through

and

service.

present case,
years to the

we have a simple country great Hampton Industrial

first

lad going for a

few

School, and leaving

before graduation to be "the

student" of what was to be

a great Southern "School of the Prophets" for colored

men.

With

the little start he received at

young Hampton, and the

training received at the theological school in Petersburg, in

the midst of ceaseless missionary endeavor, by the help ot

God, he has given us

a true

and faithful interpretation of

how well-made

a "self-made"
difficulties

man

can emerge, even in the

midst of supreme

and constant burden bearing.

he ha>

The

churches he has brought into existence, the great school

life

brought to birth and built up. and the righteous

led are all evidences of a

wonderful and remarkable man

who

has wrought heroically and efficiently to the glory of God,

and the amelioration of a suffering people.

returned
to this

He

has recently
visit to

country from a most enjoyable

the

Republic of Liberia.

Another notable example

structive leadership of the
in the character of

of

the

"self-educated"

con-

Negro priesthood

presents itself

James Nelson Deaver.

young man

having a

fair

high school education, a musician, and a gen-

eral "hustler,"
little

having already accumulated a wife and three

children,

was minded

to

endure "hardness" to the

last

OF THE Episcopal

Church

175

limit in order to attain the desire of his heart.

Going out
him

from

St.

James, Baltimore, to the backwoods of Maryland,

first

he had his

taste of

the hardships which awaited

then to Florida, and from Florida to

lastly, to

West

Virginia, and,
into being

Atlantic City, N.

J.,

where he brought

from

its

very birth, the self-sustaining congregation of St.

Augustines Church.

He

too has vindicated the call w^hich

their part,

God

gives to those

who, without any fault on

find themselves without collegiate training.

Henry Mason Joseph, formerly a school master in the West Indies, came to this country and secured employment
as a professor in St.

Augustines School, Raleigh.

all

He was

an

able

and well-learned man, with

the

marks

of the rarest

culture and refinement.

He made

an impress upon the whole

as

community
or since.

of Raleigh, colored

and white,

few men before

Upon

his

resignation,

the greatest pressure

was

brought to bear upon the part of the community

have him reconsider
his

at large, to

determination.

While

at St.

Augus-

tines he took Orders.

He was
men

ordained deacon in 1883 by

Bishop

Lyman and

priest the next year

by the same Bishop.

of

Among

the "pioneer"
large.

the

name

Henry Stephen
first

McDufify looms

He was

one of "the
St.

fruits" of

the labors of P'ather

Brady who planted

Marks Church,

Wilmington, X. C.

Father Brady brought him into the

Church and Baptized him.

tines.

He was
first

trained at St. Augussolicited

He

travelled over the

North and personally

church

the funds for the erection of the

edifice of St.

Josephs, Fayetteville,

N. C, and,

then, returning, with his

own hands
wrought
tiful
field, St.

for

the most part, erected the building.

He

heroically in Asheville,

where he

built a

most beau-

church, in Brooklyn,

N. Y., and

finally in his present

Augustines, Philadelphia.
of the pioneer clergy-

Primus Priss Alston was another

176

The Afro-Am eric ax Group

laid

men who
work
in

strong foundations in connection with the

Charlotte,

N. C,

his first

and only work.

Rev.

Mr.

Alston was ordained deacon in 1883 and priest in 1892 by

Bishop Lyman.

He was
own

a "prince" as a financial solicitor.

Extremely cautious and conservative he never

gently care for his
serving the Church.
personal
interest

failed to dili-

while faithfully

Dr. Paulus Moort was an exceedingly interesting character.

in life

He came

to this

country from the

his

West

Indies early
First at

and spent much of

time in preparation.

Petersburg, then at Raleigh, and finally at the Philadelpliia

Divinity School from which he graduated.

He
priest,

afterwards
in

took a course in medicine.

He was
in the

ordained deacon

1882

by Bishop Lee, and later

Stevens.

same year

by Bishop

He became

rector of Trinity Church,

in

Monrovia,

Liberia, and

was again

America

in

1889

as the clerical

deputy
eria.

to the

General Convention from the District of Lib-

He

and the Rev. Thomas

of the

W.

Cain

of

Texas, were

the only

Negro members

House

of Deputies of that
sat in the

General Convention.
Bishops.
of his

Bishop Ferguson

House

of

Upon

a later visit to this country in the interest

work he was
St.

stricken

and

died.

His funeral took place

from

Thomas Church,

Philadelphia, and Bishop Lloyd,

at that time the

head of the Missionary Society of the Church,

obsequies.

was present and took part in the were laid away in a cemetery near

His remains
any ade-

the city of Philadelphia.

Much,

indeed,

would have

to be written to give

quate idea of the extreme value of the missionary and other

labors of the Rev. Dr.
of our group
It so

Henry L.

Phillips, the senior priest

in Pennsylvania.

and the Archdeacon for work

happens that he has resided

in the city of

Philadelphia

for w^ell-nigh a half century.

This

city has

been the chief

center of interest in the

work among

the race and Dr. Phil-

OF THE Episcopal
ips

Church
of wealth

177

by

his intimate

knowledge

of

men

and influence and most

and benevolent
country.
of

disposition, has rendered peculiar

valuable service on behalf of the

tire

With

respect
itself,

city

Philadelphia

work throughout the ento his work and influence in the the large Church constituency

which we have, with ten or more colored congregations and

clergy abundantly witnesseth.

N. Thompson, born Bishop Gregg of Texas early

J. J.

in

Jamaica, was ordained by

in the nineties.

He

did good

work

at

Tyler

in that State.

In company with others, white,

he passed the most creditable examination for ordination to

the priesthood.

He

attended the regular morning service of

the white parish church in a

solving being present,
the lessons.

town

of

Texas, Bishop Kinto

and according

assignment,

read

The
stood

event of a colored priest thus appearing in

the chancel of a white church caused some local feeling, but

the

Bishop

bi^avely
to

behind

and suj^ported
in a

Father

Thompson.
made, almost,

Removing
if

Mobile, Ala.,

few

years, he

not entirely, a self-supporting parish of the

mission of that place, which had existed as such for a

of years.

number

Later, he removed to Brunswick, Ga., and re-

peated

the

same

treatment,

constituting

St.

Athanasius

Church, Brunswick, a self-supporting parish.

time, he organized a

At

the

same

new

mission at Waycross, Ga.

the ablest

August E. Jensen, from the Danish West Indies, one of young men sent out by King Hall, Washington,
after
to

D. C, moved

good work

in

Tampa

and Jacksonville,

Fla., re-

Croom

in the diocese of

Washington, where he
and religious work.

rendered exceptionally

fine educational

In 1903 Bishop Scarborough invited him to Asbury Park,

N.

J., to

"try his hand" with the

five

little

mission at that point.

year. Fath-

He

could promise him only

hundred dollars a

er Jensen accepted.

By

the end of the year he had organized

178

The Afro-Americax Group

was
called as
lot,

the mission into a self-supporting parish, and

its

first

rector; and, at the

same time upon the church

ground was broken for a rectory w^hich was completed three

months

later.

His health having

failed, for a while, he rerest,

signed the rectorship.

After a period of

he resumed

work, and immediately planted a strong and vigorous mission in Trenton, the capital city of

New

Jersey.

Joshua Bowden Massiah, among the older and best educated of the clergy, served a

number

of points in the country.

He was

graduated from the General Theological Seminary,

After an unusually successful work
in Detroit,

New

York.

he removed to Chicago where he procured a magnificent

church

edifice

for

St.

Thomas Church, and from

built
it

few

hundred communicants

up

to nearly one thousand.

priest,

He

enjoyed the distinction of being the only colored

special invitation preached in St.

who, by London.
V

Pauls Cathedral,

The
''first

Rev. William Victor Tunnell graduated from the

General Theological Seminary,

honors" of the
class,

New

York,

in 1887,

with the

he being the only colored person

therein.

He

w^on the prize of a gold watch for extemporan-

eous speaking.

After constituting the long struggling

St.

Augustines mission, Brooklyn, into a parish, he resigned to

a-^cept a professorship in history in his

alma

m.ater,

Howard
in

University, Washington,

D. C.
city,

Some

years later

King Hall
charge
to

was
as

established in the

same

and he was placed

of the

warden.

When
its

it

became the policy

Church

concentrate on one theological institution. King Hall was

closed,

and

students transferred

to

the

Bishop Payne
returned

Divinity School, Petersburg, Va.

to the professorship at

Warden Tunnell

Howard.

In the meantime, he re-

tained the pastoral care of St. Philips mission, Anacostia,

D.

DEACONNESS BETCHLER

OF THE Episcopal
C.

Church
Board

181
of Education

For

a time he

was

member

of the

of the city

of Washington.

John W. Perry, a pioneer clergyman in the diocese of North Carolina, spent his entire life in that one diocese, and in connection with the mission at Tarboro, where he not only
did good work, but left behind a

name and
at St.

a character as a

perpetual asset to the community in which he lived and died.

He,

as well as his wife,

was educated

Augustines, Ra-

leigh.

Many
our group
dice."
ler,

have been the charming and sweet characters of

Southern white
as

women who

have wrought among and

in

though there was no such thing

that of Deaconess
birth,
is

as "race preju-

However,

Mary Amanda
worthy
life in

Becht-

North Carolinian by
special honor.

of special

men-

tion,

and

She gave her

sweet ministries

among

the poor in connection with St.

ington, under the pastoral supervision of a

Marys Chapel, WashNegro priest, a

Dr.

native of South Carolina, the Rev. Oscar L. Mitchell.

Macka\ -Smith
Bechtler.

(rector of St. Johns parish) "in the presence

of Dr. Huntington, explained these circumstances to

Miss

Of

course he expected her to decline the

call.

He
Her
his

put the question directly to her, and asked her

about working under the direction of
reply
color
a colored

how

she felt

man.

was

that

if

the

man

is

a Christian

and

gentleman

made no

difference to her.

And

Dr. Mackay-Smith

by cross questioning could not get her to retract that state-

ment.

He
was

left

her without urging the call and asked her to

consider the matter further.

It

But her statement

w^as final."

the good pleasure of this author to

meet Deaconess

Bechtler frequently and

we thank God
made

for every

remem-

brance of such a true, pure and beautiful type of

hood who, for Christ's

with our group.

sake,

herself perfectly at

womanhome

182

Thk Afro-Am ericax Group

This
is

not the only instance of this character.

But

it is

one of great significance.

orial

Quoting from the beautiful mem-

memory: "Attention to kindred and relations as well as she loved them, was not allowed to interfere with a single engagement at her post of duty. Her dearest friends, even though they may have come from far, would have to wait until her appointment with the poorest Negro
volume
in her

child
it

had been kept.

An
it

appointment to her, even though

be a poor waif,

was
if

a sacred duty; and

would be kept

as

conscientiously as
official.

had been with

in a

a prince

or a State

She was once asked

somewhat sneering way:

'Do you worship where you work?'

never luorship anyw^here
else.'

Her answer was:

the fact
is

'I

And

that unless

known to attend a service elsewhen there was one at St. Marys. She made her Communion regularly at the altar where she worked, kneeling side by side with those among whom she
out of town, she was never

where

at

an hour

labored."

Miss Bechtler was a Southern woman.

Roosevelt,

Miss Ethel

was not only

Northern woman, but she was the

a joy

daughter of the President of the United States, an occupant

of the

White House.

Miss Roosevelt found

fill

it

and a

pleasure to regularly
in this

her post as a Sunday School teacher

fact that the priest in charge

same chapel, despite the

was

a
It

man
is

of African descent.

a thing

most

difficult for the

present generation of

educated colored people to appreciate the deep sincerity of the

best blood of Virginia immediately following the Civil
in helpfulness

War

towards our group.

Just a few years after

the war, a
jacket,
natti,

young Virginian who had worn a Confederate had become a clergyman of the Church in CincinFor several Sundays
a

Ohio.

colored

woman

of

some refinement, with her daughters, had attended

the

OF THE Episcopal

Church

183

church of which the clergyman was rector, occupying the

This lady sent in a request to the vestry for emthe rental of a pew. The vestrymen seemed somewhat begging barrassed. The young rector, vacating the chair, and
"free pews."
to be excused, requested the senior
left the

warden

to preside.

As he

room he expressed
let the

the wish that the vestry might

find

it

convenient to

lady have rhe pew; and, he added

resignathat in case they could not, they might consider his The lady got the pew. That parish. tion as rector of the

clergyman was none other than the good and brave Bishop Kinsolving. of Texas, the Rt. Rev. Dr. George Herbert girl, a native of LynchSome years after the war a young
burg. Va.,

who was
a

attending school in Philadelphia, and

devout member of the Episcopal Church, upon colored her return to her Virginia home, where there was no of the Episcopal Church, was unsuccessfully urged by one

had become

white ladies of that community of the Episa seat copal Church to attend the white church and occupy

most

influential

in the family

pew. the In the "color question" debate which came before past, the Rev. Arthur S. Virginia Council, in days that are

Lloyd (now Bishop) and Rev. Dr. Carl E. Grammer, proSeminary, both fessor of Church History in the Virginia young men, made as radical speeches upon the floor of the
Convention for the
and free admission of colored deleMann gates as could have been possible by any man. Major belt," who a distinguished layman, living in the "black Page, had politically suffered by reason of the ignorance and stupifull

registered dity of black voters, in spite of the same, boldly

his opposition to

any "color line"

in the

Church

of

God. And
It

we

could

name

instance after instance of this sort.

was

difficult situation,

and we must,

in

honor

to this class of dis-

tinguished Virginians in whose

life

we have

ever lived, say

184

The Afro-Americax Group

that they valantly did the best they could, but the illiberal

whites on the one

side,

and the unpreparedness of the colored

on the other hand, severely handicapped them in the realiza"As a man thinketh tion of the best wishes of their hearts.
in his heart, so
is

he"

CHAPTER
THE CLERGY
1.

XXIII.

LIST PRIOR TO 1866

in

Absalom Jones, deacon

1795 and priest

in 1804.

By

Bishop White of Pennsylvania.

the life of
2.

Elsewhere particulars of

Mr. Jones have been

given.

Feter Williams, deacon in 1819, priest in 1826.

By

Bishop Hobart.
3.

William Levington, deacon

Bishop White of Pennsylvania.

in 1824, priest in 1828. By Mr. Levington would have

been ordained to the priesthood in Maryland, but for the

death of Bishop

an up-set

of the stage coach, as he

Kemp, occasioned by injuries received from was returning from Phil-

adelphia, whither he had gone to take part in the consecration of Bishop

Onderdonk.

At

the request of the ecclesiastito

cal authorities of

Maryland, Bishop White advanced him

because of the vacancy in the

the priesthood.

And

Maryland
Balti-

Episcopate, Bishop
the
first

Onderdonk

of Pennsylvania, officiate4 at
in St.

Confirmation ever held

James Church,

more.
4.

James C. Ward, deacon

in

1824.
it

By Bishop White.
does not appear that

Mr. Ward was

a school teacher, and

he was ever in pastoral work.

5.

He

only lived a few years.

Jacob Oson, deacon

in

Christ Church, Hartford, Conn.,

February 15th, 1828, and

priest the next day,

February 16th.

By Bishop Brownell.
catechist

and lay

Mr. Oson, who had been a useful reader among our people in New Haven,

had studied theology there under the Rev. Harry Croswell

186

The Afro-American Group

West
Africa, by the Mission-

sionary to the fieid of Liberia,

ary Society of the General Convention.

However, he
life

did

and

at the time of his ordination

had been appointed a misin this

not reach Africa, inasmuch as he departed this

country before the appointed time of

of labor.
6.

his sailing for his field

Gustavus V. Caesar, and Edward Jones, were ordained

by Bishop Brownell of Connecticut,
reached Africa and there labor-

to the diaconate in 1830,

for the African field.

ed.
7.

They

William Douglass, deacon, June 22, 1834.

In recording

By Bishop

Stone of Maryland.
of
its

this ordination, the first

kind in Maryland, and anywhere else south of Penn-

sylvania, Bishop Stone says:

"On

Sunday, 22nd,

preached in

St.

Stephens

parish, Cecil county (Sassafras

Neck), and admitt-

ed to the Order of Deacons, William Douglass,

(a colored

man), and

in the

afternoon of the same

day

Confirmed three persons.

Many

persons

who were
tion,

present never before witnessed an ordinaI

and

am

sure that the impression

to the

made upon

their

minds was favorable

Church and her

institutions.

In the afternoon by previous arrange-

ment, the church was given up to the colored people,

and the Rev. Mr. Douglass preached

to

them

an interesting sermon."

Mr. Douglass was

Onderdonk.
him

ordained

priest

in

St.

Thomas

Church, Philadelphia, February

14, 1836,

by Bishop H. U.

The

Bishop records the impression made upon

as follows:

''On Sunday, February 14th,

(African)

in
I

St.

Thomas
th<^

Church, Philadelphia,

admitted


OF THE Episcopal

Church

187

Rev. William Douglass, deacon, to the Holy Order

of Priests.
I

Mr. Douglass

is

man

of color;

and

take the opportunity of recording

my

very favor-

able estimate of his highly respectable intellect,

and

most amiable
mind,

qualities,

which entirely relieved

anxieties I

my
felt

in his case,

from the

had long

in reference to this

department of Episcopal dut>\

itself,

He

ministers to a congregation at unity in

much

attached to him, and improving, under his

pastoral care, in the principles and duties of our

common
8.

Christianity."

Isaiah G. DeGrasse.

Bishop Onderdonk of

New

York,

thus records this ordination: "Wednesda\', July 11, 1838

In

St.

Philips Church,

New

York, admitted Isaiah G. De-

Grasse, a young
tions
to

man

of African extraction,
literary

whose examinaap-

had evinced ample

and theological attainments,

Deacon's Orders.

Mr. DeGrasse was immediately

towns
of Jamaica,

pointed to the charge of the missionary station comprising

the colored Episcopalians in the

Newton

and Flushing, Queen's count\

the happy translation of

."

In the Convention of 1841 the same Bishop reported

Mr. DeGrasse,

as follows:

"The Rev.
young man

Isaiah

G. DeGrasse, Deacon,

of African extraction,
its

who had

entered

ministry and prosecuted

duties with talents

and

ecquirements of a superior order, having removed

to the

West

Indies,

and made there an impression

promising great future usefulness, was soon taken

by a happy Christian death, to the account of
short stewardship."
9.

his

Alexander Crummell D. D., LL. D.

in
St.

On May

1,

1842,

Pauls Cathedral,

Boston,

Mass., Alexander

188

The Afro-Americax Group

Crummell was ordained deacon by Bishop Griswold. He was ordained priest in Philadelphia in 1844, by Bishop Lee, Dr. Crummell was of Delaware, acting for Pennsylvania.
baptized
in,

and was a parishoner of

St.

Philips Church,

New

York.

He was

a very bright youth, and

when about

twenty years of age was bold and courageous enough to apply to be received as a student in the General Theological

Seminary.

He

had the strong backing and influence of

Bishop George Washington Doane, of

New

Jersey,

Dr.

Whittingham, dean

of

the

seminary,

and the Honorable

and because of
his

John Jay.
list

But he

failed to be admitted,

persistency in the matter his

as

aid of

name was dropped from Whereupon, by a candidate for Holy Orders. his strong friends, he was admitted a candidate in
and,
in

the the

the

diocese of Massachusetts, attended the theological seminary

in

Boston,

due season, ordained to the ministry.

Bishop Clarke, of Rhode Island, w^riting

many

years after-

wards with
"I

respect to his examination for the diaconate, said

remember
to

that Dr. Croswell afterwards re-

marked

me, that no candidate for the ministry

his

had ever passed through

hands

who had

given

him more

entire satisfaction."

Dr. Crummell's grandfather was an African king. Shortly after his ordination as priest, an

unexpected opportunity

came

to

him

of

still

further pursunig his studies at the Uni-

versity of

Cambridge, England.

After having received

his

degree from that institution, he removed to Liberia,

West

Africa, where, in addition to ministerial labors, he became a

professor in the College of Liberia. the close of the Civil
settling in

Some few

years after

War

he returned to this country and

St.

the city of

Washington, he founded

Lukes

Church

at the

National Capital.

He was

the author of a

OF THE Episcopal

Church

189

number

of books

and

tracts.

prominent and distinguished

Presbyterian minister of Philadelphia, Dr.

son, said of

Matthew Ander-

him:
ever truer to his fellowman, and

"No man was

to the

Negro, than was Dr. Crummell, and no

man

understood more thoroughly the mode of thought,

the cast of mind, the aspirations and in the inward
longings, than did he, and no

man had

greater love

and admiration for

in their future,

his people, or greater confidence

than he."
In
St.

10.

Eli M'orthington Stokes.

1,

James Church, Balin

timore, October

1843,

Mr.

Stokes was ordained deacon by

Bishop Whittingham.

He was

ordained priest

1846

in

New

Haven, Conn., by Bishop Brownell.

Stokes was deeply and fervently imbued with the
spirit.

Mr.
his

missionary

Reference, elsewhere, has been

made

to

founding of
in

St.

Lukes Church,
I.

New

Haven, and

of his

work word
the
race.

Providence, R.

Right here
of

we want

to say a

of the late Bishop

Henshaw

Rhode

Island, not only

warm

friend of

Bishop

Mr. Stokes, but likewise of the colored Henshaw came to the Episcopate from the
In Baltimore
First African
its

rectorship of St. Peters Church, Baltimore-

he was the ever faithful friend of

St.

James

Church

He

delivered the sermon at the consecration of

first edifice.

He

officiated at the funeral of the

Rev.

Mr.
the

Levington,

the founder

of

the

parish.

Going from

South to the North, he carried with him a faithful and true

heart for the black people in his
first effort of

new

field of labor.

The

very

Dr. Crummell had been

in the city of Provi-

dence. Dr.

Henshaw had

only been a Bishop for about two

months when he penned the words which we quote.

journal
is

In his

the following entry

190

The

Afro-A.mericax Group
after

"Twentieth Sunday
12th,

Trinity,

November
in

(1843).

conducted Evening Prayer

It

Christ Church, Providence.

sented to

having been repre-

brethren
fice,

me that the congregation of our colored who occupy that neat and commodious ediin a debt of

were involved
I

about $2,000 for

fol-

the building,

invited
in the

them

to

meet me on the
they

lowing evening
suggesting
a

church for the purpose of

plan

by which

might

relieve

themselves from their embarassment.

The meeting
was received
pecuniary

was well attended,

with approbation,

the plan proposed

and a subscription was made

liberal, considering the

which was highly

in the

ability of the people

If they steadily persevere

work, there

is

reason to hope that by the pay-

ment monthly

of small

sums which they can afford

to spare, this people will be able, chiefly by their

own

contributions, to extinguish their debt with-

in the allotted period."

In 1846, Rev.

Mr.

Stokes in his

first

report to the Dio-

cesan Convention of

Rhode Island

says:

"I

commenced my

labors in

this

parish,

the
re-

29th of

May

last past,

and have continued the

gular services of the Church three times on every

Lord's Day, and on every Friday evening.

am

encouraged by the prompt attendance of the congregation

who

are

now

anxious to liquidate the

debt on their church edifice; and are willing to do

all

that

is

within their power to accomplish that

laudable object; and from their prompt response

to a call that
I

made on them,

to contribute

some-

OF THE Episcopal

Church
debt on
the

191

thing towards the payment on the

church
tion

edifice,

before the sitting of the Convenin the

which resulted
collections.
I

sum

of $22.50, at only
as to re-

two

feel so far

encouraged

commend them
generally."

to

the sympathies of the diocese

laid

Mr. Stokes, after proving a true down his life in Africa. From
is

missionary to the end,

a correspondent in the

"Spirit of Missions" under date of February 27,

1867, the

following
in

taken: "His death will be greatly felt just

now

our mission.

ing old man.

He was a He died in
C.

thorough-going, energetic, workthe faith of the Gospel he had

preached."
11.

IViUiafu
in

Miniroe.
priest
in

Mr. Munroe was

ordained

deacon

1846 and

1849 by Bishop McCrosky.

Reference is made elsewhere to his work in Detroit. He removed to Africa where he labored and died. 12. Samuel Vreeland Berry. Mr. Berry was ordained deacon in 1846 in New York by Bishop Horatio Potter, and
priest in

1849 by the same Bishop.

Father Berry labored

in the cities of

New

York, Buffalo and

New

Haven, Conn.
forth a

After the Civil

War, when Bishop Atkinson gave

generous invitation for clergy, colored and white, to come to

his

diocese

and labor among the colored people,

first to

Father
to

Berry was among the very

ville,

respond.

Going

Ashe-

tional

N. C, he labored long and and pastoral work until worn

in the

earnestly, both in educaout, he returned to his

home
13.

north to

die.

Harrison Holmes Webb.

early in the forties
in

'Mr.

Webb

came

to Balti-

more
with

from Columbia,
Church,
in

Pa.,

where he had

been engaged
St.

the lumber business.

Connecting himself
1843, he was con-

James

First African

192

The Afro-American Group

Very soon thereafter he became very
In 1847, with others, he organized
Society,
St.

firmed.

active in the

work, being appointed lay reader and teacher of the parish

school.

James Male

Beneficial

an institution in that early day which

In 1853 he was ordained deacon by Bishop
the clerical assistant of the Rev.

comprehended the most substantial and respectable colored

men

of that city.

Whittingham and became

Mr. Mcjilton,
Whitehouse
advanced him

the rector of the parish.

In 1856 Bishop

of Illinois, acting for the Bishop of

to the priesthood.

Maryland,

Shortly afterwards, upon

he succeeded him as rector

the withdrawal of
of the parish.

Mr. Mcjilton,

He

continued therein until 1872, when, be-

cause of advancing old age, and infirmities, he resigned the

rectorship.
14.

He
in

entered into

life

eternal

December

12, 1878.

James Theodore Holly, D. D., LL. D.

Bishop Holly
in 1829, of
in

was born
the

Georgetown, District of Columbia,

Maryland parentage.

He

was Christened and Confirmed

Roman

Catholic Church.

He was

taught the trade of

a shoemaker.

He was

of that remarkable

group of colored
Brooklyn,

men about

that time,

who became

thoroughly distinguished

as ''self-made."

He worked

at his trade in

New

York, and from there he removed to Detroit, Mich., at

which

latter place,

having arrived
the

at

manhood, he renounced
of

Romanism and
Church.

entered

communion
in the

the

Episcopal

He

taught school, both in Buffalo and Detroit,

conventions of colored

and became a towering figure

men

held in the free States before the Civil

St.

War.

He was
trip

ordained deacon in

Matthews Church,

Detroit, in 1855,
of

by Bishop McCrosky.

Soon thereafter he made a

inspection to the republic of Haiti, and

upon

his return the

next year, he was ordained priest by the Bishop of Connecticut,

and given the charge of

St.

Lukes Church,

New

Haven.

Resigning the rectorship of

this

church In 1861, he headed a

OF THE Episcopal band

of colonists

Church

195

who

settled in the republic of Haiti.

Here

he organized the Convocation of the Haitian Church, being

elected
its

dean.

In 1874, in the city of

first

New

York, he was

consecrated the

Bishop of the Haitian Church.

His
1911.

death occurred in Port au Prince, Haiti,

March

13,

One

writing from Haiti at the time said of the funeral:

"No

one remembers seeing such a funeral.

The

Presi-

dent sent a company of his

Guard

of

Honor, the Palace

Band (the best in the West Indies) and four aids-de-camp. There were six magnificent w^reaths and a profusion of boThe crowd that followed was immense the side quets. walks and balconies were crowded with people to see the

to

funeral go

by.

The Mayor

of

the

city

sent
go,

inquire

ihrough what
to

streets the procession

would

and then sent

have those streets perfectly cleared.

People have told us

that after the funeral they could not find a piece of

mournof those

ing in town; everywhere they were told that 'Bishop Holly

had cleaned them

out,'

so great

was

the

number

who thought it their duty to take mourning for the Bishop. The funeral services began punctually at eight in the morning, and it was one o'clock when we were leaving the churchyard where
his

remains were buried.

There were eleven

clergymen

in attendance."

On

the occasion of

Bishop Holly's one

visit

to

Great
invi-

Britain, to attend the

Second Lambeth Conference, by

Stanley, he preached in

tation of the late

Dean

Westminster
extracts
of

Abbey on St. James Day, a most eloquent sermon, from the peroration of which went the rounds
English-speaking world

the

"And now on

the shores of old England, the

I

cradle of that Anglo-Saxon Christianity by which

have been in part, at

least,

illuminated, standing

196

The Afro-American Group

beneath the vaulted roof of this monumental pile
redolent with the piety of bygone generations during so

many

ages; in the presence of the 'storied

urn and animated bust' that hold the sacred ashes

and commemorate the buried grandeur

illustrious personages,
I

of so

many

catch a fresh inspiration

and new impulse

our
of

of the divine missionary spirit of

common

Christianity; and here in the presence

God,

of angels

and of men, on

this

day sacred

to the

memory

of an apostle

whose

blessed
I

name
lift

was

called over

me

at

my

baptism, and as
last

up

my

voice for the

first

and perhaps the

I

time in

any of England's sainted shrines,

dedicate myself

anew
tant

to the

work

of of

God,

of the

Gospel of Christ
in the far dis-

and the salvation

isle

my

fellow-men

of the

Caribbean Sea that has become the

chosen
''O

field of

my

special labors.

thou Saviour Christ, Son of the Living

God who, when Thou wast

of the race of

spurned by the Jews

Shem, and, who, when delivered up

by the

without

cause

Romans

of the race of

Japheth, on the day of thy ignominous crucifixion,

hadst

Thy

ponderous cross born to Golgotha's sum-

mit on the stalwart shoulders of Simon the Cyrenian of the race of

Ham,

pray Thee,

precious

Saviour,

remember that
come
in the

forlorn, despised

and

re-

jected race

whose son thus bore

to distribute

Thy

cross

when
of thy

Thou

shalt

power and majesty

eternal

kingdom

lasting glory.

And

give to
at

Thy crowns me then, not a

of ever-

place at

Thy
the

right

hand or

Thy
I

left,

but only the place

of a gate-keeper at the entrance of the

Holy

City,

new Jersualem

that

may behold my redeemed


OF THE Episcopal

Church

197

brethren partakers with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,

of
all

the joys

of

Thy

glorious and

everlasting

kingdom."
15.

William Johnson Alston.

Mr. Alston was born

P.

in

Warrenton, N. C.

few years ago

a distinguished friend

of the present author, the

Hon. John

Green

of Cleveland,

Ohio, published an exceedingly interesting autobiography.

Mr. Green, pushing on towards

eighty years of age,

is

still

vigorous and active, and as one of the wardens of St.

An-

drews Church, Cleveland, may be seen on any Sunday morning passing the contribution plate.

while active in national

first

affairs.

He has been Many years ago

member
of the

for a long

he was the

colored person ever elected a

Ohio Sen-

ate.

During

the administration of President

office of

occupied the
ington.
State of

United States
father

McKinley he Stamp Agent at Washmerchant

tailor in the

Mr. Green's
J.

was

North Carolina well-nigh

a century ago.

The
IVlr.

Rev.

William
P.
eye

Alston as a youth and a young man, served his

In his book

apprenticeship under the elder Green.

John

Green

says:

"For eight years he was under

his

my

father's

and finished
" 'William,'

apprenticeship

cum magna

laude."

Continuing

at length, he says:

as

he was called, was for years bubbling

over with animal spirits; he was rude, boisterous and untidy,

and more than once had

to be disciplined.

It

was

the general

opinion of William that he was a 'ne'er-do-well,' and that he

could come to no good end.

On

one occasion he tied up his

small wardrobe in a bandanna handkerchief and shipped to

'sail

before the mast,' however he

was intercepted by
'flogged.'

my

father before the departure of the schooner, taken with his

luggage back to

his

home, soundly
his

and given some

wholesome advice for

government

in the future.

"Shortly thereafter he was invited to participate in the

198

The Afro-Americax Group

which held Sunday afternoon

exercises of a singing society

sessions.

He

accepted the invitation, became a regular and

his
in-

most interested member, and ultimately announced

tention to study theology for the Episcopal ministry.
resolution

havmg been

received with

father, the late

Oscar Alston of

This marked favor by his Raleigh, N. C, he was, in

a way, matriculated in an institution at Chapel Hill,

N. C,

where he was prepared

at

for college.

After that he was gradfifties;

uated from Oberlin College in the later

and, finally,

Gambier, Ohio, became a full-fledged

In

priest in the Epis-

copal Church.

many
both

years this true and tried servant of

Philips Church,

God,
St.

as rector of

St.

New York
life

and

Thomas Church,

Philadelphia, preached "Jesus Christ

and

Him

crucified;"

and

his

sweet exemplary

was

beacon light to
stranded and

many

w^ho perhaps otherwise

would have been

lost.

The

following anecdote related by Rev.

Mr. Alston

to

my

dear mother in

my

presence goes far to prove the almost

in religious edu-

intolerable conditions

which prevailed even

cational institutions in the

United States prior

to the Civil

War.
"Being the only colored student
to the abolition of slavery, Alston
at Kenyon Colege, prior was the cynosure of all

eyes; and, at times not a little at a loss for companionship

and even

association.

To

such an extent was this true that

stroll in the

on one occasion while taking a

old college

suburbs of the

town

he, )ivas

confronted by a cow,

him with

a friendly stare, turned out of his

as the

who honoring way gave him

"gangway,"
it.

vulgar expression of our day would have

at the unusual recognition and courtesy shown humble brute Alston saluted her and exclaimed: "Good morning Mrs. Cow." It goes without saying we

Delighted
the

him by

had a hearty laugh over the incident.

OF THE Episcopal

Church
same time
is

199
recalled

"Another story related by him

by the former.

at the

During

summer

vacation while exerting

himself to add to the contents of his meagre purse he shipped

as a waiter

on a steamer and went

in search of

some other

re-

munerative emplo\ ment.

tive will recall that

The

older readers of this narrafifties

during the latter part of the

the

whole country was

in the grip of a

most trying panic, which

made
any

it

almost impossible to procure remunerative labor at

price.

William

in that

remote section, soon made

this

discovery; and, since the boat had gone and funds were ex-

tremely low, he was "open" to any job that presented

itself.

He

soon found

it

in the

shape of a small mountain of earth

w-hich had been formed by the excavation of a large hole, to

be used as a cellar.

The owner
if

of this

mountain offered
In a

to

pay him the sum of thirty-five dollars and furnish him with
a shovel

and wheel-barrow
the
his

he would remove

it.

jiffy

he

accepted
off

proposition,
coat,

and without delay,

having

"peeled"

disregarding his flaccid muscles and

tender hands, he bent to his task.

At

the end of

two weeks

he had finished the undertaking and received his compensation

which he had

in his

pocket

when

the boat returned to

conve\ him back to Cle\eland."

Graduating from Gambier, Mr. Alston, that same

1860 he was advanced
Potter of
16.

year,

1859, was ordained deacon by Bishop Mcllvaine of Ohio. In

to the priesthood

by Bishop Horatio

New

"^'ork.

John Peterson.

It

is

to be sincerely regretted that defi-

nite data

with respect to such an exceedingly interesting and

Rev. John Peterson has not

historical character as the late

been accessible to

this author.

Father Peterson,

as he

was

was an old New was contemporaneous with the rise of St. He was a school master. But along with
affectionately called,
life

Yorker, and

his early

Philips Church,
his

educational

200

The Afro-American Group

the most active interest in
all

work he took
St.

of the affairs of

Philips Church, and late in life he

was ordained (June,

1865) to the perpetual diaconate by Bishop Horatio Potter.

The
long

late

in the republic of Haiti, a staunch

Hon. William F. Powell, former U. S. Minister Churchman, and a lifefriend of the author, has often discoursed with

warm

us with respect to the period

when

he was a pupil of "Father

Peterson"

in

New

York, and of the various boys, pupils of

life

that school, who, in after

became noted and distinguished

for the service they rendered both public

and

private.

the Consecration of Bishop John Payne, upon his return to Africa, he took with him a colored clergyman. Rev. Thomas A. Pinkney, from South Carolina. The record of Mr. Pinkney's ordination to the diaconate we have been unable to obtain. Later he was advanced to the priesthood in Africa by Bishop Payne. About the same period, a young colored man of Baltimore, G. W. Gibson, who had studied under Rev. Dr. H. V. D. Johns, rector of Emmanuel Church, Baltimore, removed to Africa where he was ordained and became one of the most influential of the clergy of that mission. Hezekiah W. Green, from St. Philips Church, New York, a colonist, was also ordained in Africa by Bishop Payne.

NOTE: Following

CHAPTER XXIV.
BISHOP FERGUSOX

The
late

Rt. Rev.

Samuel David Ferguson, D. D., D. C.

L.,

Bishop of Liberia, was born

1842.

His mother was a

in

deacon
infant,

a Baptist
his

in Charleston, S. C, in Roman Catholic and his father a Church. He was quite sick when an

and

mother took him

at the time,

to

the Episcopal

Bishop

Gadsden, who,

was
little

in

Charleston, and had the

six years

Bishop baptize him.

of age his parents

When

Samuel was about

removed
in the

to Liberia taking
life

him with them.

plac

The

father very soon departed this

little

and the mother

ed her

boy

hands of Bishop John Payne.

He,

therefore,

grew up

in the

mission settlement, became a work-

er, a teacher,

and, finally a clerg\ man.

On
in

the feast of St.

John
God.
hands

the Baptist, in the city of

New York
persons on
his

1885, in Grace

Church, he was duly consecrated

a Bishop in the

Church

of

Among
in

the very

first

whom

he laid his

Holy Confirmation on
But
his first

return to Africa w^as T.

Momolu
District.

Gardiner, the present Bishop

Suffragan of that

Episcopal act following his consecra-

tion

was

in the birth State of the

man who had

trained him,
the
late

and whose successor he was.

At

the request of

Bishop Whittle of Virginia, he administered Confirmation

for the first time to a class of colored persons in the city of

Norfolk, Va., connected with what was

as the

Church

of the

Holy Innocents,

known at the time now Grace Church.

in

At that

time, the late

Archdeacon Pollard was

charge of
first

this congregation.

As Bishop Ferguson was

the very

202

The Afro-American Group

who was
it is

person of color

a full

member

of the

American
race.

House
what

of Bishops,

not altogether unwise to dwell some-

at length

upon the record which he made for the

In the

For the race was ever present with him

this he has repeatedly said to the author.

in all of his acts;

first place,

he conscientiously
his seat in the

made House of

it

a point to be present

and occupy

Bishops, and ever alert with respect

to the transactions of that

House.
it was always well While he was never "ob-

In

his attire

and person he was immaculately neat and

he had anything to say

attractive.

When
yet

done from every point of view.

trusive,"
rights.

he

invariably

claimed and

exercised

all

his

He was
He

uniformly treated with the same consider-

ate courtesy
his order.

and attention bestowed on other members of

never once had Mrs. Ferguson accompany
country, although she frequently accompanied

him him

to

this

in the countries of

Europe.

Bishop Ferguson was wise

risk the possibility of

and sagacious, he was not willing to

the least discourtesy so far as his wife

was concerned.

At
sisted

the Cincinnatti General Convention he not only as-

with the celebration of the Holy

Communion

at the

opening of that great body, but he w^as chairman of one of

the important committees of the

House

of Bishops..

One

of

the prominent daily newspapers of Cincinnatti in writing up the opening session of the General Convention, had this to say

"No more
Episcopal

striking

contrast,

nothing

more
that

highly significant of the absolute democracy of the

Church could be conceived than

in the old cathedral.

which was presented

there
is

That
In

no pride of race nor of wealth recognized

by the Church was markedlv demonstrated.

OF THE Episcopal
the

Church
like

205
any other

congregation,

entering

alone
less

worshipper and attracting far

attention than

many

of the others present, sat J. Pierpont

Mor-

gan, a lay delegate to the Convention and of no

more account

in its deliberations

than the lowliest

district,

layman from the most remote missionary

the altar celebrating the

Holy Sacrament and passing the cup to the kneeling worshippers, was a Negro, the white-bearded Bishop of Cape Palmas, Africa, the Rt. Rev. Samuel David Ferguson, whose race and color made no worse and no better
than any other
office

man

in

the holy place, but

whose

placed

him

far

above

the

ruler

of

Wall

street."

When
in

he attended the General Convention of 1907, held

of the noblest
laity,

Richmond, Va., one

and most generous-

hearted of the Virginia

the late Joseph Bryan,

every provision for his comfort at his

own

expense.

made Mr.
at

Bryan secured him the very

Miller's

best

of

accommodations

Hotel,

first-class

establishment

among

colored

people, and daily placed at the Bishop's disposal a carriage

and a footman.

Upon

the part of "vulgar" white people

to create a sensation because to

some attempt was made

ception.

Bishop
re-

Ferguson accepted the invitation

Governor Swanson's

But

the sensibilities of this particular element ex-

perienced an even greater shock

of the late J. Pierpont

when

in the magnificent car

Morgan, together with Bishop and Mrs. Potter and a number of other equally distinguished Churchmen and Churchwomen, the Bishop of Liberia was observed as the machine speeded its way up Grace street from
the Capitol, conveying the party to a special dinner.

Bishop

Ferguson was a cultivated Christian gentleman, and he

206

The Afro-American Group

nobly demeaned himself as though there was no such thing

as color

where people

of such a type

were assembled.

he gave forth

\Vhen he met with his brethren in 1907 at Asbury Park, somewhat of a general summary of his work
his

during

Episcopate up to that time, and, as a matter of perinsert

it

manent record we

here.

He
we

said in part

"Now
I

brethren, over in Africa

are laboring

and when

was
I

called to this responsible office, do

is

you know the thing

which troubled me most and

that

troubling

me now?

It
I

is

this:

might make

a failure of this great calling.

knew

thati stood as a representative

man and
I

prayed to Almighty

God

to enable

me

to succeed.
I

can not say that there has

tell

been any great success; but

paring the

can

you,

my

friends,

com-

Church
to be

to

work with what it was when it pleased the give a Negro Bishop to Africa, we have nothing
of."
last

ashamed

The
vention

Bishop then stated that since the

General Con-

1,217 persons have been baptized of

whom

1,158
re-

were from heathenism; 637 have been confirmed.

cord

The

during twenty-two years of the Bishop's episcopate,

fifty

compared with the

years preceeding,

is

as follows:

1835-85
Baptized
1,869
1,035

1885-1907
7,688

Confirmed

3,949

Communicants

419

2,372

Of
cans.

communicants over 65 per cent, are native AfriThere are now in the field twenty-seven clergymen,
the

eleven of

whom

are

natives;

fifty-nine

catechists

and lay
are

readers, thirty of

whom

are

from heathenism.

There

2,246 Sunday School pupils, 1,943 day pupils and 577 boarding pupils.

OF THE Episcopal

Church
last

207

The
tion

Bishop continued: "Since the

General Conven-

the contributions have been $20,338.93.

The

people

are trying to help themselves

more than ever

formerly

when

they wanted to build a church they wrote over here and

begged money

now

they are trying to do

it

themselves.

May

God Almighty

bless

you and

bless

this

Conference; bless

every effort you art putting forth and crown them with

abundant success."

Looking back

to

the

days

made

for Missionary
it

Districts

when an heroic effort was and Negro Bishops in this

to
all

country,

will
to

be

heartening
that none

intelligent

Negro
in

Churchmen

know

more thoroughly beleved

the righteousness of that effort than the Bishop of Liberia,

and the Bishop of Haiti.

CHAPTER XXV.
BISHOP

JOHN PAYNE AND OTHERS.

in

John Payne was born

in

Westmoreland county, Virginia,

Nay, brethren, there
is

my

African Cavalla home.

now

23, 1874.

On

the 11th of July, 1851 in St. Paul's Church,

first

Alexandria, Va., he was consecrated the

Bishop of our

African Mission.
tersburg, Va.,
is

The "Bishop Payne

named
in his

Divinity School," Pe-

honor.

Some little time before his consecration, speaking at his Alma Mater, the Theological Seminary of Virginia, among
other things Dr. Payne said:
"I shall be excused,
to
I

am
it
is

sure, for

making some reference

and enjoyment.
A-nd,

my own,

endeared as
of

by the hallowed associations of

toil

some ten years

brethren, of
this,
it

missionary

can not say

I

less

than this:

Much

as I love

our Antioch,

have found more than another Antioch

in

my
this

African Cavalla home.

Nay, brethren, there

to

is

now

in

wide world, no place

in Africa,

me

like

that

my

home."

(Day Dawn
It

1858).

was

this

godly
at the

man who gave

to the

Church Bishop
out,

Ferguson,

who

time of the above utterance was a boy

of about eight or nine years of age.

Worn

and having

come

to the land of his birth to die, in his last report to the

Missionary Society, he said: "Thirty-three years' connection

with one of the most unhealthy portions of the globe has
left

me

the

wreck

of a

man.

But

claim that in devoting my-

self to

preaching

among

the Gentiles the unsearchable riches

OF THE Episcopal
of Christ,
I

Church
I

209
did obey
lit-

was no

fool.

On

the contrary,
I

erally the

command
the author

of

my

Lord.

did follow in the very

footsteps of Apostles,

Martyrs and Prophets."

When
to her

was

a boy, the

widow

of Bishop T'ayne^

longing for her "Cavalla

home," brought comfort and peace

In the homes

weary

soul,

by voluntarily taking up missionary work

St.

in connection

with

Stephens, Petersburg.

of the colored people of Petersburg she

and dear friend.

She and the author's

of friends.

was ever a familiar own grandmother

at

were the dearest

Upon
letters,

the passing of the one

who

taught the author his

and

whose knees he
of Bishop

learnt his Catechism,

Mrs. Martha Payne, widow

Payne, communicated to
ing beautiful tribute.
It

The
was

Spirit of

Missions the follow1891

:

in the year

''Dear old Mrs. Caroline

9th,

W.
so

Bragg passed away on the

and

at the

advanced age of
she
felt

eighty-five.

When
my

asked by

someone how
firml\all

when

near death, she answered

and sweetly: 'God's promises have been

life,

support

my

and

now
St.

can rest

my

heart entirely upon

life

them

and have

peace,'

and calmly she breathed her

out on her

Saviour's breast.

Stephens Church was crowded at her

funeral with white and colored persons,

ladies

many

of our best

and gentlemen delighting to show their appreciation

of a singularly holy life.

The
it

Rev. Dr. Gibson preached

her funeral sermon, a most beautiful tribute to departed

worth.

All

who

heard

wished that they could deserve

all felt

such a tribute from such a man, and

that every

word

was
here
;

true.

We

owe

to

her the colored Episcopal Church

owe her ? Truly, a holy servant of God has passed away and may we be the better for such an illustration of God's grace among us." Mrs. Martha Payne in Petersburg, spent her life amongthe colored group. That is to say, she worshipped and made
but what do not

we

210
her

The Afro-Americax Group

communions
in a

colored church and gave

all

her time

in visiting, helping

and consoling the poor and needy among

the colored group.

When

the author, a

mere boy,
his

so to speak,

removed

to

Norfolk, Va., to begin

work

in the ministry, of all the

white friends he made

persistent in

in that

community, none was more

Virginia.

motherly contact and helpfulness than Mrs.

of

Johns, the

widow

the late Bishop Johns,

of

These

facts

mentioned by us are of fundamental importance.

The

rising generation, colored

and white, hardly

realize the

actual and true relations between the races, of people of

many newspapers, They omit the good while they publish that which irritates. Our testimony is firsthand. We record the things we know. From six years of age we have lived in and reflected the life we record. What we have given are but samples. The author, if the scope of
quality, of that period.
histories, like

Our

dwell only on the sensational.

the

present

work
in the

permitted,

might go into

details

w^ith a

respect to such an eminent character as

Gen. R. L. Page,

commodore

Confederate Navy.

No man
improvement

took a profounder interest in the education and

of the colored race than did

General Page.

He

was an
us,

elderly

man

while

we were

but a boy.

Yet, both of

by the Governor of the State of Virginia, had been ap-

pointed to represent the

board of control of
leave Norfolk for

Commonwealth as trustees on the Hampton School. Often we would Hampton together and in the meetings, as

elsewhere, there

kindliness obtaining between father

true of

was nothing evident but the gentleness and and son. And such was Col. Walter H. Taylor, adjutant of the late Gen.
images of too

Robert E. Lee.

The
in

many

of these

grand characters crowd

all,

our memory.

We

can not mention them

and

thus,

OF THE Episcopal

Church

211

we

shall

borrow language from our own learned Dr. Crum-

mell, to express the tribute of our heart for

them

all.

In 1846,

in the city of

New

York, Rev. Dr. Crummell

life

delivered a magnificent eulogium on the

and character of

Thomas
some

Clarkson, of England.

In noting, with Clarkson,

of the eminent co-workers in the

same

cause,

Dr. Crum-

mell said:

"A more

ardent, devoted, unselfish set of

hath never seen.

men the world Such manifestations of philanthropy, such

amid
all

tokens of love, such displays of kindness to the lowly and

the abject; have rarely been equalled

the histories of

goodness which time hath ever recorded on her ample page.

Their disinterestedness
almost in vain
fish

is

equal to their other virtues.

It

is

we

look

among them

for the intrusions of sel-

purpose or vaunting ambition.

Their exhibitons

of

self-sacrifice

and

of fearless hearty zeal, their demonstrations

of brotherhood
ing.

and equality, are really touching and subdue-

Honored and revered be these glorious men. They shed light upon our pathway in our day of darkness, and now as we are emergng from the gloom let us not forget
their goodness."

CHAPTER XXVI.
BISHOP DEMBY.

The Right Reverend Edward Thomas Demby, D.

sight in the Province of the Southwest,
of

D.,

Bishop Suffragan of Arkansas, with special episcopal over-

was born

in the State

Delaware, and raised

in

the city of Philadelphia.

at

His

literary training

was received

Howard

University,

Washcon-

ington, and Wilberforce University in Ohio.

In 1894-96

he was

Dean

of

Paul Quinn College, Texas.

He was
in

firmed by Bishop Spaulding of Colorado,

who

transferred

him

to the diocese of

Tennessee where he engaged

priest

work,

and where he was ordained both deacon and

Gailor.

by Bishop

After working

in

Illinois,

Missouri and Florida,

of the

he returned to Tennessee and was

colored
several

made Archdeacon

work

of that diocese.

Dr.

Demby

is

the author of

works among which are the following: "The Devoand

at the

tions of the Cross,

View

of Exegetical Studies;"

Holy Mass;" ''A Bird's-Eye "The Writings of SS. Paul and

James;" "The Holy Sacrament of the Altar and Penace;"

"The Manual

of the

Guild of One

More

Soul."

Elected

Bishop Suffragan of Arkansas by the Council of that diocese,

on the Feast of

St.

Michael and All Angels, 1918, he was

in

duly consecrated a Bishop

Saints Church, St. Louis,

the

Church

of

God,

in

All

Mo.

CHAPTER
The
Rt. Rev.

XXVII.

BISHOP DELANY

of

Henry B. Delany, D. D., Bishop Suffragan North Carolina, many years ago, a young man, a MethoChurchly persuasion, came
that he could
into
to St.

dist of

Augustines School,

Raleigh, from Florida to receive an education.

So deficient

was he

fit

none of the existing grades, and

a grade had to be

made
to

for him.

The atmosphere

soon beto the

came very congenial

Church.

him and he was converted

While

there in his early years he fell in love with

girls;

one of the school

united in

and eventually the couple were

the bonds of Holy Matrimony.

These two

"chil-

dren of St. Augustine" have practically spent their lives on

the school grounds.
rose to important positions as teachstill

Mrs. Delany rapidly

er in the school

and matron, which position she

holds,

while Dr. Delany rapidly rose to important positions until

It was while ni such capacity North Carolina, Rt. Rev. Dr. Cheshire, elevated him to the position of Archdeacon for the colored work in the diocese. November 21, 1918, he was duly consecrated Bishop Suffragan of North Carolina in the chapel of the institution where he had spent his life sine early man-

he became

its

vice-principal.

that the Bishop of

hood.

CHAPTER
The
Liberia,

XXVIII.

BISHOP GARDINER.
Rt. Rev.

ragan of Liberia,

T. Momolu Gardiner, D. D., Bishop Suffwas born in heathendom near Cape Mount,

West

Africa, January 30, 1870.

of

He

passed through

the mission

schools

that missionary

district.

He was

ordained deacon by the late Bishop Ferguson on the 30th of

August, 1896 and priest by the same Bishop, April 22, 1906.
Elected as Suffragan Missionary Bishop by the House of

Bishops in
in

St.

Louis, in October, 1920, he

of

was consecrated
City,

the

Church

the

Incarnation,

New York

on

Thursday, June 23, 1921, the occasion being the

that he had

first visit

made

to

America.

Six Bishops, about fifty clergymen and a large congre-

gation were present.

His Excellency Charles Dunbar Bur-

gess King, president of the Republic of Liberia, a

Churchto at-

man, and

his staff,

came from Washington expressly

tend this service.

Church
sermon.

officiated.

The Presiding Bishop of The Bishop of Liberia

Wilcom

the

American
the

preached

The

attending presbyters were the Rev. Dr. Hut-

chens C. Bishop and the Rev. F.

EUigor.

The

Bishop of

New York

and the Bishop of

New

Jersey present-

ed the Bishop-elect.

Besides the Presiding Bishop the follaid their

lowing named Bishops

hands upon the head of the

elected Bishop: Gailor, Lloyd,

Matthews, Overs and Man-

ning.

CHAPTER XXVIX.
OUR NUMERICAL STRENGTH.
In
all

parts of the country, especially in the

North and
of

West

there are

numbers

of colored people
is

communicants

white parishes, and there

no posible way
statistics

to estimate the

number
sons.

of the same.

Thus, the

here given pertain

only to congregations composed exclusively of colored per-

By

dioceses, the

number
total

of seperate colored congrega-

tions are given,

and the

number

of

communicants

re-

ported from such congregations.

PROVINCE OF
Diocese

NEW ENGLAND.

No.

216

The Afro-American Group

PROVINCE OF WASHINGTON
Pennsylvania


OF THE Episcopal

Church

217

PROVINCE OF THE MID-WEST

Ohio
Southern Ohio
Indianapolis

700 719
68
1,218

4
1

Chicago
Springfield

2 2

69
7

Quincy
Michigan

2
3
1

631

Western Michigan

72
the

Number of congregations within Number of Communicants 3,484.

Province

18.

PROVINCE OF THE NORTHWEST

Minnesota
Nebraska
Colorado
2
1

179
115

2
1

195
41

Towa
Number
ber of

of congregations within the Province

Communicants

530.
4
1

6.

Num-

PROVINCE OF THE SOUTHWEST

Kansas
Missouri

155

412
150

W.

Missouri

Oklahoma
Arkansas

2
5

82
158

Texas

4
1 1

99
22
8
the

W.

Texas

Dallas

Number of congregations within Number of communicants 1,186.

Province

20.

218

The Afro-American Group

province of the pacific
California
1

186

Los Angeles

1
1

211
35

Oregon

Number

of congregations within the Province

ber of communicants

432.
RECAPITULATION
England

3.

Num-

Province

1,

New

States: 6 congregations, 1,968

communicants.
Province
tions; 8,125
2,

New York

and

New

Jersey: 28 congrega-

communicants.
3,

Province
municants.

Washington: 82 congregations; 9,544 comSewanee: 125 congregations; 6,582 commu-

Province
nicants.

4,

Province
municants.

5,

the

Mid-West:

18 congregations; 3,484 com-

Province
municants.

6, the

Northwest: 6 congregations; 530 com20 congregations; 1,186 com-

Province
municants.

7,

the Southwest:

Province
cants.

8,

the Pacific: 3 congregations;

432 communi-

Total congregations
851.

288.

Total communicants

31,-

The number
deacons and

of

colored

clerg\-

at

work

Bishops

2;

priests, see directory.

CHAPTER XXX.
OUR CHURCH SCHOOLS THE BISHOP PAYNE DIVINITY SCHOOL, PETERSBURG, Thomas W. Cain was
a candidate for

VA.

the

first

colored person to become

Holy Orders

in the diocese of Virginia.

He

attended

Lincoln

University,

from which he graduated.

in

Peter A. Morgan, also from Virginia, after leaving Lincoln

University,
diocese of

became a candidate for Holy Orders

Pennsylvania.
Air.

the

Cain taught for sometime

In the meantime, John

before finally entering the ministry.

H. M.
teacher,

Pollard,

who

has gone to northern Virginia as a

was

privately

prepared

for

deacon's

orders

and

ordained with the class at the Virginia Seminary in 1878.

influence of

That same year in the county Mrs. Pattie Buford,

It

of
it

Brunswick through the

appeared
as
if

an entire

organized body of colored people were about to enter the

Church.

was

absolutely

certain

that one

young man,

James

S. Russell,

an undergraduate of Hampton, was ready

to enter

upon

a course of preparation for the holy ministry.

To

care for his training and any others which might be at-

tracted, the trustees of the Virginia Theological School,

upon

the premises of the property of St. Stephens Church, Peters-

burg, the Rev. Giles B. Cooke being rector, in the fall of

the year" 1878 opened a branch school of the Virginia
logical Seminary,
St.
life

Theo-

with the Rev.

in charge.

Thomas

Spencer rector of
first

Johns Church

During the
were

year of the

of this institution there

six students.

The

Rev.

220

The Afro-American Group

Pollard, deacon,

Mr.

who had become

Mr. T.

the assistant of the

Rev. Giles B. Cooke, attended in preparation for his examination for the priesthood;

W.

Cain, then teach-

ing in one of the departments of St. Stephens

Normal School
fif-

Mr. James

S.

Russell and the present author, a boy of

teen years of age.

In addition to these Church people there

of the C.

were two other students: a Mr. Stinson, pastor

E.

M.

Church and a Mr. C. D. Cooley, pastor of a Baptist congregation. During the years following many other students
entered, a
ers.

number

of

whom

were former Zion Union preachbranch school and became

The

institution ceased as a

aseparate and distinct corporation.

the institution

About the year 1890

was almost

at the' point of death because of

the effect of counciliar action in restricting the colored

bership of that body.

of

The

Rev. John Wesley Johnson,

first

memnow

New

York, but then the

graduate of that institu-

tion

and the pastor of

St. Philips Church,

Richmond, Va.,
stu-

in addition to his pastoral in the institution.

work, was appointed a professor

By

his

good and faithful work new

dents were brought in and a

new

chapter in the

life of

the
able

seminary begun.

The

institution has sent forth

many

men

to

fill

the ranks of the ministry.

THE

ST.

PAUL NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL,

LAWRENCEVILLE

In the spring of 1882, just ordained as a deacon, Rev.

James

S. Russell,

took up his residence in Lawrenceville, Va.,

as missionary to the colored people of that section.

From

the start both the church and school

encouraging growth.

It

was

at a

work sustained a most time when financial help

and sustenance depended wholly upon the personality of the worker to successfully present his mission before the chari-

OF THE Episcopal
tably inclined in the North.
success in

Church

221

Dr. Russell met with amazing

making

friends for his

work

increasingly, as

it

ex-

panded

in

many

directions.

Thus, about thirty-three years

ago, w^ith faith and hope the St. Paul

its

Normal School began

hand
of the

existence under the wise guiding

its

man who
In

had created the conditions for

five

timely birth.

1921
in-

hundred and seventy-seven students attended the

stitution.

The
is

school

owns 1,596

acres of

land and the

entire plant

valued at $220,000.

ST.

AUGUSTINES NORMAL AND COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE,

RALEIGH, N.
C.

St.

Augustines

is

a continuing

guished Virginia lawyer,

Thomas

Atkinson,

monument to who
its

that distin-

entered the

ministry of the Church and became one of

Bishops.

most useful
in

Bishop Atkinson of North Carolina in 1865

the presence of the devastation of the Civil

first

War, was

the

one in

all

the Southern country to

come out bravely and

and

persistently for the Christian education of the Negro,

to declare his purpose of

founding an institution of learning

for the

consummation
it

of that purpose.

He

reiterated the

declaration that

was colored teachers and colored ministers

invited black

for the colored race, or the colored race without teachers

and ministers.

He

and white men

in orders in

other parts of the country to come to his diocese and

work
Jersey

among
became

the colored people.

In 1867 he founded
J.

St.

Augus-

tines School

and the Rev.

principal.

Brinton Smith of

New

its first

He was

succeeded by Dr. Smedes,

a

Dr. Sutton and Dr. A. B. Hunter, the later retiring but

short while ago after twenty-five years of most successful

and faithful
the Rev.

labors.

His successor

is

the present principal,

Edgar H. Goold.

222

The Afro-Am ericax Group

the fort valley high axd ixdustrla.l school,
fort valley, ga.

The Fort

Valley School was formally taken over as a

diocese of Atlanta in the year 1918.
its

Church school by the

Since then the diocese has given liberally to

support.

Six
It
is

hundred and sixty-two students were enrolled in 1921. Negroes

the South.

considered one of the very best industrial high schools for

in

Air.

Henry A. Hunt

is

principal.

SAIXT ATHAXASIUS SCHOOL, BRUXSWICK, GA.

St.

Athanasious, started as a mision school in 1884, deit

veloped into a high and training school, and in 1910

incorporated and has since
ciency until
tic

was
effi-

grown

steadily in size

and

now
Mr.

it

is

a good secondary school, with domes-

science,
is

manual trainng and music departments.

The
Au-

principal

W.

Augustine Perry, graduate of

St.

gustine and of Yale University, also the son of the late Rev.

John

W.

Perry of Tarborro, N. C.

It

had three hundred

students in 1921.

St.

Marks School
eight pupils.

for Girls, Birmixgham, Ala.

in a rented

This school was organized thirty years ago

The pioneer work and foundation, largely due to the Rev. Mr. Van Hoose, white, a devoted deacon of the Church, and if we mistake not, at one time the mayor of the city. The active work was carried on for a long while by Mr. Auguste, a talented colored man from
room with
Jamaica, until the present principal. Rev. Charles Wesley

Brooks of Maryland, w^as secured for the work.

students in 1921.
Its

It

had 253
fifty

property

is

valued at more than

OF THE Episcopal

Church

223

thousand dollars and the race has contributed more than

twenty-five thousand dollars towards
its

support.

The

Vicksburg Industrial School, Vicksburg, Miss.

in a sense gives

This institution which now

way

to the

Okolona

School, has an enrollment of 250 students and has

done good work.

Okolona Normal and Industrial School

The 380
became
a

acres of

land and buildings of the Okolona

School are conservatively valued at $150,000.

This school

Church

institution only during the past

two

years.

Mr. Wallace A.
Bishop Bratton
is

Battle

is

the founder and president and

the honorary president.

Hoffman

is

St.

Marys School, Keeling, Tenn.

a graduate of Fiske University,
is

Mrs. Laura Smith,

the principal of this school,

where there are about

fifty girls.

The

property

valued at $20,000.

The Gaudet Normal and Industrial New Orleans, La.

Within the
past year this school
It
is

School,

was formally taken over

admirably situated about

by the diocese of Louisiana.

a mile and a half
principal,

from

New

Orleans.

The

founder and

Mrs. Frances Joseph Gaudet,

to take over her school in

in asking the Epis-

copal

Church

which she and her

husband have labored for many years for the benefit of her
race, did so

with the conviction that only

in this

way

could

the school gain the highest measure of success.

.

.The American Church Institute For Negroes

This incorporation
is composed was organized

exclusively of persons of
in

the white race, and

1906, with a view of

224

The Afro-American Group

directing and financially assisting the educational institutions

of the

Church

for the colored race.

All of the forementioned

;

institutions are connected therewith

and the money

officially

given by the general

of the institute.
tion of

Church

is

disbursed through the agency

At
is

the present time an annual appropria-

$120,000

made

to the institute

by the Presiding

Bishop and Council.

This appropriation covers nearly half

of the present budgets of the schools.

The

remainder must

be raised by special gifts and tuition fees.

St.

Marys School
is

for Girls,

Germantown,
girls,

Pa. with a

This

most admirable boarding school for

beautiful and attractive property in

it
is

all

the

Germantown, Pa., and work of. one Negro woman, Sister Lela Mary,
Its entire sup-

trained by the All Saints Sisters, Baltimore.

port
is

is

derived from fees and solicitations of Sister Lela, w^ho

an energetic

woman, and who

is

doing well a noble and

self-sacrificing w^ork.

church institutions for the benefit of the group

S.

Monicas
This

Home

for Sick Colored People, Boston, Mass.

is

institution

delightfully situated on the large area

once occupied as the

home

of

William Lloyd Garrison.

The

Sisters of St.

Margaret

are in charge.

The Home
children

of the

Homeless, 1327 Fitzwater

street,

Phila-

delphia, Pa.

This

is

temporary home for

women and
are

where they

receive

Church teaching and

trained in household work.

The House

of the

Holy Child, 625 N. 43rd

is

street, Philadel-

phia, Pa.

This

an institution for children.

OF THE Episcopal

Church

225

The House

of St.

street, Philadelphia,

Michael and All Angels, 611 N. 43rd Pa. For the surgical treatment and

the mental and religious instruction of crippled chidlren

of our group.
St.

Marys Home
orphanage
Saints.
is

for Boys,

Baltimore,

Maryland.
Sisters

This
of All

under the auspices of the

S. Katharines

Hojne for
is

Little Girls, Baltimore,

Md. This

institution

under the care of All Saints

Sisters.

The Maryland Home

Ellicott City,

for Friendless Colored Children, 61 -A

Md.

diocesan institution for the train-

ing of neglected boys.

dent.

The

Bishop of Maryland, presi-

The Crummell Home Not yet in operation.

S.

for the Aged, Washington,

D. C.

Agnes Hospital, Raleigh, N. C.

Hospital, Charlotte,

Qood Samaritan

N. C.

CHAPTER XXXI.
THE WORK IN THE PROVINCES
IN
St.

THE PROVINCE OF NEW ENGLAND

St.

Augustine and

Martins, a congregation of more

at

than four hundred communicants, located

street,

21

Lennox
on

Boston, Mass., had

street, further

its

birth about the year 1885,

It

Anderson

down town.

was projected under

the auspices of the Society of St.

John the Evangelist, Bishop

It

Hall, of Vermont, at that time being the Provincial of the

order, manifesting a special interest in the work.

was
his

here in connection with the

work

of this congregation that

Bishop Charles H. Brent of Western

early ministry.

New York
all

began

One

o fthe largest and most influential of

our con-

gregation, St.

Bartholomews, Cambridge, Mass., came into

being, as a part of our group in the year 1908, in a very peSt. Peters Church contained number of colored communicants. Possibly a third of the entire communicant list w^ere members of the colored group. In another section of the city there was a declining white congregation know^n as St. Bartholomews

culiar

and interesting manner.

a very large

Chapel.

In connection with

St. Peters,

under the leadership

in da^^s

of a venerable colored

communicant, John H. Brown,

by gone, reared

in St.

James

First African Church, Balti-

as St. Andrews Society. members of this guild concluded to withdraw their dance from St. Peters and attend in a body the chapel

more, there was a guild

known

The
attenof St.

OF THE Episcopal
Bartholome^v.

Church

227
in

This they

did,

and very soon they came

such strong numbers that they actually took charge,

the

whites scattering to other congregations.

the eloquent Rev. Dr.
vicinity

Soon thereafter,
appearance
in that

McGuire made

his

and was put

the

in

charge of the work.

Following Dr.

McGuire came

present rector,

Clane, and the congregation

Since that time
St.

Rev. Walter D. Mcnow numbers 796 communicants.

street,

Cyprians Mission, Berkley

It has

Boston, has come into existence.

St.

170 communicants.

some years ago by

the rectorship
of

Monicas Mission, Hartford, Conn., was inaugurated St. Lukes Church, New Haven, during
the

Rev. Eugene L.

Henderson, and a

former vestryman of that parish, Alonzo Johnson, taking

Holy Orders, became

About
came

the

first

pastor of the mission.

a decade in the past a very talented

in the

Methodist
Indies,

clergyman, P. G. Moore-Brown, born

into the

West

with the

Church through Bishop Perry, and, as a result, assistance of a number of colored communicants
of one of their

who preferred the ministrations we have the present Church of

I.

own

group,

the Saviour, Providence, R.

IX

THE PROVINCE OF XW YORK AND NEW^ JERSEY

In 1898, Bishop Potter received into the Church, Rev.

E. George Clifton, D. D., a minister from the A.

M.

E.
is

Zion Church.
St.

The

result of the effort of

Dr. Clifton

Davids Church, numbering now some 724 communicants.

first

Dr. Clifton has been the

and only

pastor.

About

the year 1904 the City Mission Society inaugu-

rated an effort
resulting in the

among the colored people in West 63rd street work of St. Cyprians Church, and industrial
Rev. John

settlement.

The

W.

Johnson of Virginia, was

228

The Afro-American Group

work and
society
is

called to the charge o fthis

still

in charge.

It

reports

625 communicants.

later venture of this

same

is

the
in

Church

of the

Messiah with four hundred communicants

charge of Rev.

M. N.
Africa.

Wilson, a clergyman from the diocese of Sierra Leone,

Other growing congregations in the diocese of New York have since made their advent. Such as St. Judes, the Crucifixion, St. Clements, Mt. Vernon and St. Simon the
Cyrenian,

New
is

Rochelle.

In the diocese of
congregation
St.

Long

Island the oldest and principal

Augustines, Brooklyn, Rev. Dr. George

Frazier Miller, rector.

This congregation had been strug

gling for a long time and upon graduation and ordination in

1887, the Rev. William V. Tunnell

fore resigning
it

was put

in charge.

Be-

in

1891 to accept a professorship

in

Howhome

ard University,
for the work,

Mr. Tunnell
and
in

succeeded in securing a
it

having

incorporated as a self-sup-

porting parish.

In more recent times

St.

Philips,

Dean

street Brooklyn,
in

Rev. N. Peterson Boyd, D. D., minister

charge, with

335 communicants has been built up into

tion

a flourishing condi-

under

its

present energetic pastor.

street,

Then

there
St.

is

St.

Barnabas Mission, Belmont

Brooklyn, and

Ste-

phens Church, Jamaica, and one or two other small points

in that diocese.
St.

Philips,

Syracuse,

came

into

existence

more than

twenty-five years ago, chiefly through some communicants of

the Church of the Crucifixion, Philadelphia, who had removed to that place. It has struggled along all these years,
and, recently, through the special interest of Bishop Fiske

and

others, has entered

upon

new and

aggressive period of

activity.

OF THE Episcopal

Church
of the

229
one work
in

the diocese of

Mention elsewhere has been made Western New York.

oldest organized

The
alluded

work

in the State of

New

Jersey,

dating back as far as 1856, St. Philips, New^ark, has been

to.

In this particular church in 1904, the Confer-

ence of Church Workers met.

w^ho attended regularly
its

No more
Mann,
had

interested persons

sessions there

were than Bishop

Lines and Rev. Dr. Alexander

of

of Boston, but then

Orange, N.

J.

Dr.

Mann

in his parish in

Orange
Bishop

quite a respectable group of colored communicants.

Lines,

who had

just

come

to the diocese,
this

was

filled

with en-

thusiasm for the extension of

of the
best

work.

The

organization

Church of fortune came

the Epiphany soon followed, and the very

to the

work

in the selection of the

man

to

test the possibilities of the

new

endeavor.

The

present priest

in charge,

Rev. George Marshall Plaskett was selected for

the task.

Epiphany has already become

in the diocese of

a great missionary

and inspiring force

steadily advancing

Newark.
this force

The

parent

church of the diocese being effected by

planted the

Church

of the Incarnation in Jersey City.

And,
ity,

directly

from the

light that

Epiphany

reflected,

we

have

a very large and flourishing congregation at Montclair, Trin-

with

its

240 communicants.

And

at

Paterson a magniJ.

ficent plant,

church and rectory, with Rev. Robert

John-

son in charge of St. Aidan's Mission.

In the diocese of

New

Jersey our oldest effort

is

St.

Augustines, Camden, established in 1886 by the Rev. J. H. Townsend, while rector of St. Johns that city. This mission
is

the successful survivor of

many
life

vicissitudes

and seems

to

have put on
pastor. Rev.

new and

vigorous

under

its

present energetic

Robert A. Jackson, a Baltimore boy.

The

second effort of the Rev.

tined to be crow^ned with very great success.

Mr. Townsend was desOf Atlantic

230
City and
send
all
is

The Afro-American Group

St.

Augustine

we have

already written.

Mr. Town-

a very

the credit
to the

giving meek and modest man, and he to the one whose advice he strictly foUowedj
insists in

and

man whose
this all the

leadership accomplished the good re-

sults.

But

more magnifies the busy parish parson,

two cities, in addition to his own work, found work so splendidly for his colored brethren. The success of the Atlantic City work directly inspired And the man who the successful work at Asbury Park. wrought at Asbury Park found the time and the opportunity to plant the mission at Red Bank; and, again, the sucwho,
in these

the time to

cess

at

Atlantic City stirred up the heart of the Rev. E.

Vicars Stevenson of Plainfield, to put forth some effort in

that city for the colored people, and, through discourage-

ment,

disappointment,
is

and mistakes,
the

St.

Marks

Mission,

that city,

now

a real energizing force.

work
at

at Elizabeth.

And

And then came the same man who wrought well

in establishing the

Asbury Park has succeeded

J.

work

in

Trenton, N.

IX

THE province OF WASHINGTON

Henry
L, Phillips,

Since early in the seventies Rev. Dr.

a native of Jamaica, has been a resident of the city of Philadelphia.

of

He

has seen St.

Thomas Church and

a

the

Church
list

the

Crucifixion with

combined communicant

of

about one hundred.

A warm

friend of Bishops Stevens and

Whitaker, Drs. Matlack and Saul, and thoroughly and well

known by

all of

the influential

Churchmen

of Philadelphia,

he has constantly in diverse ways used his whole influence

towards Church extension among the group

Pennsylvania.
of the

in the diocese of

In a true sense today he

himself.

is

the Archdeacon

work begotten by

Since the period above

mentioned the following congregations have come into being

St.

Simon the Cyrenian, the

largest

congregation of the

OF THE Episcopal

Church
its

231

group, reporting 735 communicants had

sion of the

origin as a misof St.

Church

of the Crucifixion.

The Chapel
as a

Michael and All Angels was donated by a lady

orial for the use of the sisters

memchil-

and the colored crippled

dren of that institution.

the neighborhood

Later a regular congregation from

in

was reared

connection with the chapel.

The

congregation had a most remarkable growth under the

administration of Rev. J. D. Haredwood, and

years ago he resigned the work, some

when

few

two hundred

of the

congregation followed him, and the independent parish of

Church of St. John the Divine was organized. Under the fostering care of one of the Convocations, St. Augustines Church was initiated and very greatly built up by its present energetic pastor. Father McDuffy. The only
the

colored congregation served by a white priest

is

St. St.

Marys,

Bainbridge

street,
in

under the fostering care of

another section of the city
is

Marks

Church.

Then
of St.

the thriving

Church

Monicas, under the pastoral care of the Rev.

Richard Bright.

The

Philips

Brooks Memorial Chapel,

under the fostering care of Holy Trinity Church and immedaitely under the pastoral care of J:he Rev.
is

Edgar C. Young

another flourishing work.

Some

years ago an industrial

work and mothers' meeting were begun in Germantown, and now we have the splendid work of St. Barnabas, Germantown, under the able leadership of the Rev. Earnest S. Thomas, during the past fifteen years. Then there is the mission at Elmwood, Holy Cross Chapel. St. Marys Mission, Chester,

and

St. Cyril's

Mission, Coatesville, Rev. E.

E. Durant in charge.

Recently a
the
J.
first

new work

has been organized in Erie, Pa,,

of

its

kind in that diocese.

Some

years ago the Rev.

W.

Livingston got together a few communicants and

St.

organized the mission of

Augustine, Harrisburg,

(now

21)2

The Afro-American Group

Church
of the

the

Holy Cross)

in

charge of the Rev.

W. M.
and

Parchment.

From

the very beginning

Bishop Darlington

took the most affectionate interest in the

has continued to this day to
solicitude.

new

mission,

make

it

the object of his special

of

During the administration

Harrsburg, the second mission

the Rev.

E.

Oxley

at

in the diocese
is

H. was
pro-

opened.

This was the mission

at

Altoona, which
its

gressing and

now

has a minister of

own

in the person of

The work in Pittsburgh was an old way back to the time of the Rev. William H. Wilson who went to Pittsburgh during the Episcopate of Bishop Kerfoot. But it was in a state of slow death when
the Rev. E. A. Craig.
one, dating

Bishop Whitehead procured the services of the Rev. Dr.

Scott

Wood who
active

very greatly revived

it

and enlarged the

to retire

work.

His health breaking down he was forced

from
five

work, and was succeeded by the present pastor,

Rev. Shelton H. Bishop,

who

has built

it

up

to

more than

hundred communicants.
St.

The name

has been changed

from

Augustines to Holy Cross, and the location from

to Pittsburgh proper.

Alleghany
St.

the late Bishop

Matthews Mission, Wilmington, Coleman many years ago

community where
it is

Del., organized by
is still it

alive awaita force

ing the right treatment which will constitute

and

power

in a

very

much

needed.

In the diocese of Maryland there are

ored congregations.

five separate col-

Reference has already been made to

is

St.

James.

Numerically the largest congregation

St.
is

Marys,
also a

a chapel of

Mt. Calvary

parish.

St.

Katharines

chapel of this same white parish.

Both

of these chapels are

parish.
St.

served by the clergy of

Mt. Calvary
is

Philips,

Cumberland,
St. Philips

is

in

charge of the Rev. Cornelius R. Dawson.

to be placed

Church, Annapolis,

under the care

OF iHE Episcopal
of the author of this volume, and

Church
who
is

233
have the
assis-

to

tance of the Rev. Gustave

H. Caution.

In the diocese of Washington

we

have

St.

Lukes

parish,

Rev.

Thomas

J.

Brown,
a

rector; St.
of
St.

Marys, Rev. Oscar L.

Johns parish; Calvary
care of

Mitchell,

pastor,

chapel

Church and

the Chapel of the

I.

Atonement under the

the Rev. F. A.

Bennett;

St.

Monica's, Rev. George A.

Fisher, pastor, St. Philips, Anacostia, Rev.

in charge.

W.

V. Tunnell
is

mission in connection with the Cathedral

in

charge of the Rev.

Mr. Douse.

In Prince George's county

and

St.

Mary's and Charles, there are two or three small

missions under the oversight of the Rev. J. E. G. Small.

In the

city of

Washington the separate church movement

was

initiated

by a group of colored communicants connected

with the Church of the Epiphany, of which the Rev. Dr.

Charles H. Hall was rector.

Dr. Hall encouraged them

and became

active in the matter.

He was

joined by Rev.

John Vaughan Lewis,

and
a

rector of St. Johns Church.

Through
on 23rd
Hall

Dr. Hall the old chapel was donated by Secretary Stanton,

parishioner of
St.

Johns donated the

in
St.

lot

street.

The work

being

Johns parish. Dr.

dropped out.

In 1873 the Rev. Dr. Alexander Crummell

it

took charge of the work, and

had a continuous growth.

The

following year, 1874, Dr. Crummell effected a regular

canonical organization and a vestry was elected.

years later St. Lukes

few

Church was organized and Dr. Crummell, with the major portion of the people removed to the new site. From 1880 the work at St. Marys assumed the
special

aspect under

St.

Johns parish, of social-missionary

it

work among the very poor of the neighborhood in which was located. In West Virginia we have three missions. The oldest,

at

234

The Afro-American Group

is

Charlestown, about thirty-five years of age,

the Rev. J.

in

charge of

H. Hudson.
is

In Shepherdstown and at the capital, Charleston,

small mission in each place.

As we

travel

southward the number of points increase

and the number of communicants to the points decreases.

We

shall

only mention the more important ones of some

appreciable numerical strength.

The

chief

work

in the diocese of

Virginia

is

St. Philips,

Richmond, Va., Rev. Junius L. Taylor, D. D.,

reports 178 communicants.

rector.

It
this

During the

past

few years

congregation, after maintaining an existence ever since shortly

after the Civil

its

War,

has become entirely self-sustaining

under

capable and exceedingly energetic rector.

Virginia, St. Stephens, Petersburg,

The mother church in Rev. Emmett E. Miller,

taining.
tor,

has also become entirely self-susJ.

Grce Church, Norfolk, Va., Rev.

as a mission
St.

D. Lee,

rec-

admitted

church

in

1888, has also become

self-sustaining.

James, Portsmouth, begun just before

the author

moved

to Baltimore, thirty years ago,

its

under the

able leadership of

present rector,

is

rapidly approaching

the point of complete self-support.

said

The same

thing can be

of

St.

Cyprians Church, Hampton, Va., Rev. E.

H.

Hamilton

in charge.

THE PROVINCE OF SEWANEE we have not a single congz-egation reporting as many as two hundred communicants. The oldest congregation is St. Cyprians, ,New Berne, established in 1866 by Bishop Atkinson. It reports 140 commuIX
In the State of North Carolina
nicants.
St.

Ambrose, Raleigh
communicants.
In

(formerly

St.

Augustine)
St.

leports

148

Wilmington, where

Marks Church was

established by the Rev.

Mr. Brady

in

OF THE Episcopal
1872,

Church
And
in Charlotte,

235

we

have 161 communicants.

a very important educational

work

of the

where Church has been

maintained

for

many

years

we have 115 communicants.

Apart from
municants,

these

congregations mentioned, excluding the

school chapel of St. Augustine's, Raleigh, reporting 136 comless

than one hundred communicants are reported

from each

of the other congregations in

St.

North Carolina.

We

had forgotten

Matthias, Ashville, reporting 114.

In South Carolina

we have two
its

congregations reporting
each.
St.

more than two hundred communicants

independent parish from

Marks, an
Cales-

birth in 1866, reports 292.

vary Church, presided over by Archdeacon Baskerville,

tablished about 1847, as a slave chapel, reports 243.

There
Lukes

are

two others reporting more than one hundred,

of the

St.

parish,

Columbia, dating back to the seventies, reports 108.

The Mission

Redeemer, Pineville, reports 122.

In the diocese of Georgia there are three congregations

reporting more than one hundred communicants each.
oldest

The

work

is

the self-supporting parish of

in 1861,

St.

Stephens,

Savannah, established
nicants.

and

now

reports 190
of
St.

commu-

The

self-support'ing
St.

parish

Athanasius,

Brunswick, reports 220.

Augustines Mission, Savannah,

presided over by Archdeacon J.

H. Brown,
St.

reports 120.

In the diocese of Atlanta the highest number of com-

municants reported

is

49 by

Matthias, Atlanta.

St.

Pauls in the same city reports 42.

In Florida
nicants.
as
St. Philips, Jacksonville, reports

237 commu-

None

of the other missions in that diocese report

many

as seventy-five.
St.

In Southern Florida

Agnes,

Miami

leads with 280;

St.

Coconut Grove, 212;

tricks,

St.

James, Tampa, 159, and

Pa-

West Palm Beach, 104. In Alabama we have two works

each reporting more

236

The Afro-American Group

At Mobile
is

than one hundred communicants.

the self-

supporting Church of the

nicants,

and

at

Good Shepherd with 132 commuBirmingham St. Marks Church with 112
is

communicants.
In Mississippi our largest congregation
in V'icksburg,

and reports only eighty-five communicants.

have
cants.
St.

In Louisiana

we
In

Lukes Church,

New
is

Orleans, with 106 communinearly

of
fifty

This congregation

years

old.

Kentucky we have the Church

Louisville, with

the

Merciful

Savior,

two hundred communicants.

NOTE

Of
within
ored

three very old

works we have an added

w^ord.

St.

Cyprian's,
its

New

Berne, N.
a

C,

in years of the

long ago, held

membership
late Isaac

men of moment the

late

the State of

number of the more influential colNorth Carolina. We recall at this H. Smith, the Negro banker. The

Rev. Dr. Joseph C. Price, of the Zion connection, one

of

the most celebrated orators this country has produced,

in early life

was
Prof.

member

of the mission school of this conin his

gregation.

John Wesley Cromwell

"Negro

in

American History/' records Rev. Thomas H. Battle with

the following concerning Joseph Charles Price:

"It
the

was

in the year

1862 when

Sunday School of

St.

I was superintendent of Andrews Chapel that I was led by

Providence on a bright Sunday morning to the church door.

There
I

stood for several minutes and while standing there

saw

a little black barefooted

boy coming stepping along on

the railroad track.

I

When

he got opposite the church door

in the

halted

him and invited him

last

Sabbath School.

He
come
his

liked the services so well that he w^as constrained to

again.

At

he joined the Sabbath School and became a

punctual scholar.

From

his

stern,

yet pleasant looks,

nice behavior and other virtuous elements that

were main-

OF THE Episcopal
tained in
tion

Church

237
atten-

him Sunday

after

Sunday he attracted my
scholar.

more than any other would laugh at him because

Sunday
in

While other

scholars

of his boldness of speech

and

his

eagerness to answer the questions that were put forth.

the midst of these abuses

One
I

which he

received,

was compelled to words: 'The day

my hand on his will come, my dear

lay

head and exclaim these

scholars,

when

this

boy

Price will shake the whole

civilized world,

and some of you

Little did

will be glad to get a chance to black his boots.'

I it

think
did."

my
late

prediction

would come

to pass so exact, but so

The
St.

Dr. Price was a

warm

and dear friend of the

present author.

Marks

congregation, Charleston, w^as constituted im-

mediately after the Civil

War

of a

number

of the most cap-

able and influential persons of our group.

We

recall

C. C.

Leslie the wholesale fish merchant, C. C. Birnie, occupying

a

most responsible position

in

the cotton exchange of the

city, the Crafts and

many

others of similar public standing.

The

children of these people were sent to some of our best

St.

colleges.

Marks was
in
St.

self-supporting from

its

very birth.
pretty

In Savannah,

Stephens Church,

we had
Savannah

much
ton.

the

same potential conditions

than thirty years ago

as obtained in Charles-

More

we

visited

as the

special guest of this parish,

and

at their expense.

We

were

royally entertained by them.

We

have pointed out these

facts in order to indicate the golden opportunity

which the

Church

lost at that

time in not putting ino effect the Mis-

sionary District plan.

At

various points

all

through the

South w^ere groups of colored people connected with the

Church such
out their

as the above.

They needed

a chance to

draw
our

own powers

in laboring to bring the people of

group into the Church.

Instead of being given that oppor-

238
tunit\',

TiiK Afro-Am ERicAX Group

they were discouraged,

disheartened and depressed

in diocesan

through the agitations of the "color question"

assemhlies.

When we

consider the eagerness of the black

it is

people of those times to rise and be somebody,

surprising that after fifty years

not at

all

we

are so
is

few

in

numbers
still

in

the Southern States, but the w^onder

that w^e are

alive

and heroically striving "to hold the fort."

courage and moral stamina
life for

It takes

unusual

in the

midst of advancing racial

black

men
is

to hold

on to "the white man's church,"

without any fixed "status"

merely

tolerated.

When

it

recalled how^ persistent our eftort has been

from the Civil

War

to the present times in providing mis-

sion schools throughout the South, the

number

of teachers
it

employed, and the vast amounts expended, and

all

in spite of

note the smallness of the

number

of

communicants

re-

ported,
it

we

have at least the comfort and the consolation that

life

all

has resulted materially in the improvement of the

of the black people,

athough

we

have profited but

little

in

direct

Church

extension.
failed to take

Such was inevitable under a system which

note of the imperative requirements of the
cial life.

new

trend of ra-

The

colored people eagerly availed themselves of

whatever educational opportunities that were presented. But

with respect to their organized
life as

body of Christians

no organization could prevail among them which did not

enter into their entire

wanted
other
their

life, social, civil and intellectual. They They had ambition to be everything that people were. They may have been wrong, but from point of view none but their own leaders could guide

to rise.

them

to the

haven where they would

be.

The

talented, earnest

and sincere Bishop of South Caro-

lina stated the situation in these

words

said Bishop

Guerry:

"No

white

man

can work effectively or satisfactorily

among

OF TfiE Episcopal
a race that he can not visit socially.

Church

239

large part of a Bishop's

influence and success comes through social contact with his

people.

How

then can he represent a race or understand

their needs unless he can enter their

homes and come

into

personal contact with them?"

And many
is

years ago the

venerable Bishop of Dallas said: ''The only solution of this

problem

as yet presented

which

at all likely to be useful

is

to found missionary districts

among them and appoint

mis-

sionary Bishops to take charge of them with the same rights

and powers

as all other

missionary bishops enjoy."

IX

THE PROVINCE OF THE MID-WEST

In the diocese of Ohio

we have
its

three separate works.

St.
is

Andrews, Cleveland, reports 384 communicants.

the oldest in the diocese, and
birth dates with the
It has a

This

coming

of the present Bishop to that see.

magnificent plant,

and,

if

we
of

mistake not,

is

monument

of the material lib-

erality of Bishop

Leonard

to the glory of

God and

in loving

memory

Mrs. Leonard.
in

The

remaining congregations, one

Toledo and the

Augustines,

other in Youngstown, report more than one hundred com-

municants each.

The

youngest of these,

St.

Youngstown,
its

a little

more than
manner.

half a score years ago,

had
an

origin in a remarkable

A colored woman,
who had

Mrs.
in

Berry, of the Baptist persuasion,

never been

Episcopal Church, distressed by the irreligion of the race in

that community, had a "vision" that an Episcopal

Church

was
this
city,

the one thing needed to better conditions.

She followed

up by calling on the rector

and urging him
to

of St.

Johns Church, that

Lord.

come

to the help of the

The
of

mission of St. Augustines soon followed.

Bishop Vincent of Southern Ohio has

his

monument

endeavor

in the

hadnsome

edifice of St.

Andrews, Cincinnati

240
with
its

The Afro-American Group

325 communicants.
all of

There

are three other congre-

gations in the diocese,

them save one reporting more

than one hundred communicants.

The

only congregation

we

have

in

Indiana

is

St. Philips,

Indianapolis with 68 communicants.

In the State of

Illinois,

our largest work

is

that of St.

Thomas, Chicago, with 1160 communicants.

At Evanston

we have

another congregation with

less

than one hundred

communicants.
In the diocese of Springfield there are two missions, both
of

them reporting

less

than one hundred communicants.

In

the diocese of Quinc}' there are

two very small

missions.

In

the

diocese

of

Michigan we have

St.

Matthews

Church with 550 communicants, and the recently organized

mission of
St.

Cyprian pushing on tow^ards one hundred

in

communicants; and

Western Michigan,

Grand Rapids,

we have

St. Philips

Mission with seventy-two communicants.

IN

THE PROVINCE OF THE NORTHWEST

In Minnesota

we have
St.

St.

Philips, St. Paul,

with 125

Thomas, Minneapolis, with less than one hundred communicants. In Iowa we have St. Marry the Virgin, Keokuk, with less than one hundred communicants. In Omaha, Nebraska w^e have the Church of St.
communicants, and
Philip the Deacon, a

monument

to the liberality of the late

Bishop Worthihgton, with

115 communicants.

The

late

Bishop Millspaugh, while dean of the Cathedral, organized

St. Philips.

In Colorado, at Denver,

we have

the

Church

of the

Re-

deemer, with 149 communicants, and the Epiphany, Colorado

Springs, with less than one hundred communicants.

OF THE Episcopal
IN
In Kansas
ports as

Church

241

THE PROVINCE OF THE SOUTHWEST

we have
as

four missions, but no one of them re-

mam'

one hundred communicants.

In Missouri

we have
have
St.

the largest

work within

the Province, All Saints,

St. Louis,

with 412 communicants.

In

West Missouri we

Augustines, Kansas City, with one hundred and

forty communicants, and St. Matthias, St. Joseph, with ten

communicants.
largest of
nicants.

In Arkansas
is

we

have

five congregations, the

which
In

St.

Marys, Hot Springs, with 82 commu-

largest being the

Oklahoma we have three congregations, the Redeemer, Oklahoma City, with forty-eight
In the diocese of Texas

communicants.

we

have four con-

gregations, St. Augustine, Galveston, being the largest with

sixty-seven communicants.

In the diocese of Dallas

we

have

one congregation with eight communicants.

of

In the diocese

West Texas we have one

congregation with twenty-two

communicants.
IN

THE PROVINCE OF THE PACIFIC

In the diocese of California with 186 communication,

diocese of
w^ith
St.

we have one

congregation

Augustines, Oakland.

In the

Los Angeles

w^e have St. Philips,

Los Angeles,

211 communicants.
congregation,
St.

In the diocese of Oregon

Philips,

we have

one

Portland,

with

thirty-five

communicants.

One way

to realize the value of the seed planted

by

col-

ored priests before the Civil

War,

is

in tracing one-half of

our present communicants in the entire country to their effort

directly or indirectly.
to the consecrated

And when we

have given

full

value

and loving services of white

priests

among
our

our group, the significant fact remains, despite their prestige,

and the financial resources

at their backing, that in all

242
investigations
initiated by

The Afro-American Group

we
have not discovered one missionary effort
to self-

them among colored people and brought

supporting efficiency.

We

simply

make record

of the fact.

The
to

aggregate

number

of colored

communicants reported

by the colored congregations in the following cities

amount

more than

thirteen

thousand: Boston, Brooklyn,

New

York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington.

in all of these large centers

The work
priests.

was

initiated

by colored

Boston and Washington

first ''separate"

may need
in

a qualifying word.

The

colored congregation in Boston

was

initiated

by Bishop Hall of Vermont,

1885.

But, really, this was

the colored part of a white parish, St.

The
and

actual beginning of
is,

John the Evangelist. that springing from the race, was,

of St.

the large

Church

Bartholomews, Cambridge,

In Washington shortly after the Civil

War,

colored com-

municants of the Church of the Epiphany initiated the "separate" congregation idea, and that idea

was encouraged by
was not
until 1874,

Drs. Hall and

J.

Vaughan Lewis; but

a

it

under the leading of Alexander Crummell that the group

was canonically organized,

to the

vestry elected

and admitted
as they

into union with the Convention.

When

the parish migrated

new
if

site

those

who remained
to

behind became,

are today, a part of the family of St. Johns parish.

Now
others,

you add

the aforementioned six cities four

St.

Chicago, Detroit,

Louis and Atlantic City,

we

have altogether more than sixteen thousand colored commucities. The work in Detroit was organized by a former colored Baptist preacher who came into the Church. In St. Louis, Chicago, and Atlantic

nicants reported from these ten

City the organizer was one

cant of
St.

who had

been a former communi-

James
were

First African

Church, Baltimore.
in this field for the

The
most

white

men who have wrought

of the highest culture

part,

and elevation of char-

OF THE Episcopal
acter.

Church

243-

They were devoted and

sincere

and their spiritual

ministrations were helpful in the extreme, and contributed

towards substantial character-building.

But the work of

is

building up from within, into self-support and efficiency

peculiarly associated with the constructive leadership of
bers of the group

mem-

whose self-expresson

is

attempted.

CHAPTER

XXXII.

THE MATTER OF SELF SUPPORT

It
is

pertinent to ask the question:

Whose

fault

is it

that

we

have so few self-supporting congregations among our

?

group

At

the very beginning, a group of colored people

from
and

the Methodists deliberateh* decided to become Episcopalians

on three conditions.

Although

it

was

in the year 1794,

they had not very long enjoyed "freedom," yet they came

not as beggars, but as self-respecting men.

With

the aid of

philanthropic friends, they had already erected their

own

church

edifice.

They purposed

to

conform

to the Episcopal

Church and bring along

ditions: 1st,

their building onthe following conto be received as

They were

an orgaiiized body

of the African race; 2nd, they

were

to have guaranteed to

them forever control

their

of their
fit,

own

affairs; and,

3rdly one of

number,

if

found

was

to be regularly ordained as

their pastor.

The

conditions were accepted and St.

Thomas
to

African Church given every privilege accorded

Episcopal congregations.

other

Later, in order to secure the dis-

pensing vote of the Convention whereby their future pastor

might be exempted from examinations

representatioji in the Convention.

in

Greek and Latin,

necessary for his ordination, they surrendered the privilege of

Previous to the ordination of Absalom Jones, in an Interview between Bishop

White and

the trustees of St.

ThoFirst,

mas Church, two

distinct things

were accomplished.

OF THE Episcopal

Church

245

Bishop White made perfectly clear to the trustees the effect

of the "condition" to
satisfied

which they had assented.

They were

on that

score.

Next, before ordaining Jones, Bishop

White exacted a pledge of support for him. They were an independent parish with
their affairs,

local control of
full re-

and readily and cheerfully assumed the

sponsibility of the support of their minister.

five years the

For

sevent}^-

same plan alone, obtained with

as parishes

all of the

Afri-

can congregations brought to birth. There were no missions;

all

were started

with the responsibility of sup-

porting their

own

ministers.

Although

it

meant great

self-

sacrifice upon the part of the various groups, they never com-

plained,

and much magnificent constructive work, before

the 'Civil
parishes.

War, was accomplished

by these pioneer Negro

After the Civil

War

the

same model was

in

at first intro-

duced

in

the

Southern States

work among our group.

In 1866 he

Bishop Atkinson,
the idea from St.

who had
James

been a rector in Baltimore, got

First African Church.

had

St.

Cyprian's,

New

Berne, N.

C,

organized as an inde-

pendent parish and admitted into union with the Convention.

But

the sentiment in

North Carolina was

far

from
to the

being heartily with Bishop Atkinson,

either in this partcular

matter or on
ministry.
It

his

determination to ordain colored

until

men

was not

1873 that he ordained

his first

colored candidate.

In he Virginia Council of 1869, of which the late Rev.

Joseph

S.

Atwell was a member,

determined effort was

made, led by the Rev. Dr. C.

J. Gibson, brother-in-law of Bishop Atkinson, for the admission of St. Stephens Church,

Petersburg, Va., as a full-fledged parish.

The

discussion
It

was

long and animating, and the matter hotly contested.

a real

was
defi-

genuine

fight.

The

application for admission

was

246
nite

The Afro-Am ericax Group

and direct and had been guided by the Rev. Dr. Gibson,
as

who,
a

chairman of the committee on new parishes, brought

unanimous recommendation favoring the immediate admis-

sion of the parish.

The

petition, signed

by the rector and

vestry of St. Stephens, after reciting all the necessary particulars, concluded: "therefore, respectfully pray

your honor-

able body to receive us under your direction as a parish with

all the rights

and

privileges of other parishes of the Diocese/'

The

discussion of the matter occupied

most of the time of

that memorable Convention.

At
but
St.

last a

kind of compromise prevailed, whereby colored

full privileges,

clergymen were admitted to the council with

Stephens was not admitted as a parish, but "taken

its

under the care" of the council, and

interests cared for

It

by

the "standing committee on colored congregations."

a very disastrous effect
in

had

upon that congregation, and resulted

of appeal to the colored race.
it

changing

its

whole course

For Rev. Mr. Atwell had

built

up with the most

intelli-

gent and influential class of our group, and was aiming to

make

large increase in the

at the

same

direction.

He was

so disleft the

couraged

turn of affairs that in a few years he

diocese, accepting

work

in
St.

Georgia.

In Savannah, Ga.,

Stephens Church had been ad-

mitted into union with the Convention as a regular parish.

Mr. Atwell was

called to

its

rectorship and through the in-

fluence of the late Bishop Whittle of Virginia,

and Bishop

Whittle's brother, Col. Whittle, residing in Georgia,

Mr.
orIt

Atwell was well received and given a seat

of

in the

Convention

that diocese.

In 1866

St.

Marks, Charleston, had

ganized

as a regular parish.

After waiting for ten years

applied for admission into union with the Convention, but

after long and stormy debates extending over

some

years,

its

application

was

rejected.

OF THE Episcopal

Church

247

In the meantime there was a certain sentiment maturing

in the

North

as

well as in the South against the ordination

of

Negroes

to the ministry.

In the North there was a cer-

tain priest by

name Rev.

W.

T. Webbe, who

in his paper

The Standard, argued

ordination of Negroes.

earnestly and vigorously against the

In the South, there were not a few

who

maintained that such should not be permitted to go

further than the diaconate.

Out

of this

atmosphere a kind

of sentiment gradually obtained in favor of the "dependent

state," attaching colored congregations to

white parishes, or

placing them entirely under the supervision and direction of

the Bishop without the status of parishes.

The
special

aspiring, self-respecting

and industrious element of

Thereafter,

our group were discouraged and disheartened.

attention

was

directed

towards the very poor and

least intelligent of

the personal help

Bessie."

who more readily responded to and kindnesses of "Mr. Charlie" and "Miss
our group,
reflection of such a system of

Thus, by constant
it

"dependency"
Possibly, the
of

has long since become the normal habit.

most of our colored clergy, through long years and dependence,

almost
unconsciously,
are
to such a system.
it is

submission

nailed

down

However,
if

evident that
is

any advance until a way

found whereby

we can hope for but little we can put our

group

colored congregations on a permanent basis of self-support.

If a clergyman, ministering to a comparatively small

of

communicants, for years having received the major por-

tion of his support through the Bishop, with only

two or
he

three hundred dollars coming directly

from the people served

in the matter,

by him, seriously attempts to apply himself

will find great difficulty in reaching the conclusion that he

can safely trust his entire financial support to his

own

people.

248

The Afro-American Group

So accustomed to repose, heroic action becomes normally

unnatural.
It

seems to us that

all

diocesan mission churches not

having the status of a parish, should be denied the right to

elect a vestry.

The

Bishop of the diocese upon the nominaappoint whatever

tion

of

his

missionary, should annually

vestry or business committee that

are
ties,

may

be required.

Men who
socie-

members
are

of all the secret orders

and other Negro

vestrymen.
it

so that they

have

little

or no time to give to
as

Church
If

concerns

absolutely

worthless

the

mission ever reaches the status of a parish

the labors of the clergj^man

will be through
else.

He

has to do the thinking and planning.

is

more than through anyone His own

of

self-

respect
for, if

at stake
is

more than that

anyone

in the mission;

he

not wholly lost to self-esteem he can not bear

the idea of forever receiving the

major portion

of his sup-

port through his Bishop.

looks to

Since,

then, the Bishop

rightly

him

in this matter,

he should be so placed as to be

able to effect the desired result.

to

He

should have authority

make a selection of the men who are to be trained under him for vestrymn. Men, who being free of ''entangling alliances" will delight in giving their time to Church concerns,
and laboring together with
pendence and self-support.
the' missionary in reaching inde-

Year by

year, by this

method,
ineffi-

the minister can leave off those

cient,

who

prove themselves

and substitute others

in their places.

The whole membership

up among the members
in constant

of the mission should be divided

of this board.

Each one should keep

touch with the persons committed to his charge.

The weekly

meetings could be made of great account, not

only in hearing the various reports, but for educational and

spiritual purposes as well.

Under

present conditions

we

believe the

scheme suggest-

OF THE Episcopal
ed
is

Church

249

the best practical agency for the promotion of self-sup-

port

But the Bishop the members of our group. must thoroughly approve such plan, and the missionary or suffragan Bishop in charge must have the necessary force of

among

character, broad experience, industry and persistency to put

the thing across.

Here

is

a mission of

us say the missionary in

two hundred communicants. Let charge has selected the best and most

active ten persons in his congregation,

are anxious and willing to serve.

men and women, who These names are forwardon

his part.

ed to the Bishop, and, in due season, he sends to each a for-

mal appointment, subject

ary as presiding
officer.

to revocation

This

"vestry," or business committee assembles with the mission-

The
is

board organizes and plans

its

work.

district, consisting of

twenty members,

is

given to
of

each committeeman.
his

He

to see

and know each member

group and
affairs.

labor to rightly educate

Church

them with respect to who says: "Give us this Each communicant

day our daily bread," should be asked to give back to

portion of that "daily bread."

God

The

contribution asked of

each should cover

all

the needs of the work.

be asked to pledge so

much

a day for the

Each one should work of the Church,

including missions and other special needs.

by the

dili-

gent

work and

co-operation of such committee, an average

of five cents a

day per communicant was secured and paid

into the treasury of the Lord, there

would be

a total

sum

of

$3,600.

If at first they did not quite reach the

mark, another

year they could do better, and so on until the desired amount

is

secured.

The
in

and workers

would come both to pastor following up such a simple plan would prove
training that

a great blessing in itself.

in his best
tee,

Then

again, the pastor could put

work

in the

weekly conferences with the commit-

and through each committeeman he would directly and

250

The Afro-Am ericax Group

effectivel}-

more
cal

touch the entire congregation on the practi-

and administrative part of the work.

The

success of the

plan would eliminate from the chancel "begging" and "urging."

It

would render unnecessary

the various entertain-

ments for raising Church money, whereby the wicked one

'^raises

the devil in the Church."

The

church building

it-

self

would more and more truly become

full of

the house of prayer.

The

rendition of the services and the preaching

would

be-

come glorious and

of raising

power,

for,

with the heavy burden

money lifted from body and soul would be free

the shoulders of the pastor, both

to

proclaim with power the ever

lasting Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The
else.

plan

is

not only simple but can be successfully workloves

ed by any

man who

God more
itself.

than he loves anything

If the minister, in his

But no plan can work

heart,

for

would rather remain a parasite he is thereby unfitted working a plan which means the destruction of depen-

dency.
minister

Our Lord says, "Ask, and ye who asks of Him wisdom and
may
be
full.

shall

receive."

Any

grace to successfully

operate such a simple plan for His glory, will certainly receive, that his joy

CHAPTER
THE FRUIT OF THE SYSTEM
Often,
large

XXXIII.
AX HEREDITARY INFLUENCE
upon the part
of

in the past, the significant silence

numbers
Church,

of our

Southern clergy, with respect

to race

affairs generally,

but more especially with respect to policies

in

of the

work among our group, has been

inter-

preted by colored leaders without, as a necessary enforced

submission on their part demanded by the authorities of the

white group with

whom
we

they are associated.

great

many

colored people seem to accept and believe this to be true.

In this matter
clergy.

are not disposed to defend the colored

The

record they have

made must

give forth

its

own

Interpretation.

But, so far as such attitude being forced

in authori-

upon them by the Bishops and other white persons

ty,

we

unqualifiedly deny.

We

have sustained an actual ex-

perience of

more than

thirty-five years in the ministr\',

and

even before

we

entered the ministry

we had

the reputation of

being outspoken and aggressive.

We

have continued such.

In view of the same, our testimony on behalf of those with

whom we
ought
to

have differed, and in some things, radically

in this matter.

so,

have weight

When
we do
up

the author left Virginia for

Maryland

in

1891,

not believe that any colored clergyman of the Church

to that time laboring in that State

had ever received more

our aggressive and

liberal financial support despite the fact of

militant attitude.

252

The Afro-American Group

Before taking charge
in

Norfolk, Va., Bishop Whittle

in that city

wrote

to each of the

white rectors

commending

the author
his

and requesting from each rector a statement of

All of the replies

attitude towards the colored work.

were

exceedingly pleasing.

The

vestries of

two

of the w^hite

parishes of that city pledged one half of the stipend

upon

which the author commenced work.

AVhittle's letters

The

answers to Bishop

w^re
has

all

turned over by the Bishop to the

in possession.

author, and he

now

them

Instead of trying to suppress, intimidate, festraiu, ^r in

any way interfere with the plans and

in

policies of this

author

promoting the work entrusted to him, directly the oppoattitude

site

was sustained by

the prominent w^hite laity as

well as by the clergy.

Our
in

friendship and intercourse

trust

was
and
in

genuine and sincere.

co-operation.
those

There was absolute mutual

Whether

the Norfolk Convocation, or

many informal

gatherings in the study of Rev. Dr.

Lloyd, in the midst of clouds of ascending smoke, there was

the

utmost freedom and cordiality.

The

author had his

view^point

upon

all

matters discussed, and the brethren will

certainly bear us w^itness that there w^as no hesitancy

upon

our part

in clearly stating

our point of view.

As we now recall those early days of our ministry, and remember how graciously we were received and treated by

many

of the

most prominent laymen of that

city,

we marvel

at their

spontaneous and w^hole-hearted generosity.

After
a rectory.

we had erected Grace Church, w^e planned to The lumber merchant with whom we had
word we could
secure from

build
dealt

in the erection of the

church said that without any further

security than our

him

all

the

material desired.
friend, Col.

We

called to see our

warm

and devoted
as treasurer

Walter H. Tavlor, who had acted

OF THE Episcopal
of our church building fund.

Church
we

253
requested

In substance,

that between the two,

Major

W. W.

Old and

himself, one

would make a note for five hundred dollars, the other indorse the same, and the money thus secured turned over to him, as
treasurer for disbursement
in

the erection of the

rectory.

The material being we needed the cash

consented.

provided for on our

to

own

personal promise

pay the workmen. Col. Taylor readily

Only, he reminded us that

we might

die in the

meantime

or leave the diocese; and, thus

some proper memSo he prepared

a

oranda of the obligation should be noted.

paper to which
all

the

members
was
built

of

the vestry of

Grace

Church
on

subscribed, simply recognizing the obligation as one

.

to be paid
it,

The
its

rectory

and the very

last dollar

including the lumber

bill,

was

fully paid within

it

two

months from
be obtained.

completion; although at the time

the

commenced we knew not from what source

was funds would

The
was
was

late

Mr. Joseph Bryan

of

Richmond, Va., was one

of the finest types of a rich

noblemen produced by Virginia.

active in doing good,

He
He

man, and ever

and every

phase of the colored

a

work experienced
differed

his helpfulness.

man

of strong convictions and resolute in the expres-

sion of the same.

He

from us with respect

floor

to the

method

of racial

adjustment

in connection

with the diocesan

Convention.

Occupying the

of

the

Convention he
got the floor and

pressed his side with

all of his powders.

We

most earnestly sought

said.

to break the force of

what he had
he ever
re-

And
as

mained

was more than once. true and faithful a friend

this

And,
as ever
left

yet,

we had

in the

State of Virginia.

The

very year

we

land, seeing a splendid opportunity for a

mouth, Va.,
liciting

we were

bold enough to

Virginia for Marynew work in Portswrite to Mr. Bryan soas a

him

to build the

church outright

memorial.

His

254
prompt note

The Afro-Am ericax Group

of

reply will give an intimation of the man.

Writing us under date of June 27, 1891, he said: "I have yours of yesterday and must say that you present your case
very strongly, and
I

feel

encouraged to believe that the work

not suffer for

you are engaged

in will

want

of ability in the

workman.

can not at this time comply with your request,

is

although the proposition

certainly a very tempting one,

and as you say the investment w^ould no doubt reap a rich

reward, but
I

have lately had to decline a great

many

very

tempting offers, though not of the same character, and this

must share the same

the matter,
I

feel a

Without making any promises in distinct interest in the work you propose
fate.
is

and believe that the oportunity

a good one, and

shall be

glad upon a more propitious occasion to render you some

help."

few months

later

we removed from
However,

the diocese, hence

did not follow up the matter.

in the difficult

work

we had undertaken in Maryland, when we solicited his help.

Capt.
J.

he never failed to respond

Barron Hope, editor

the great

of the

Norfolk La?idmark,
Virginia.

was

certainly one of

men

of

In the

Landmark of 1890, was this mention of the author's work: "Mr. Bragg is doing an excellent work here among his people
and has the confidence of
going out from
city
is

all

our citizens.

The

influence

his parish to the

people of his race in this

very great and

known

to be

most excellent

in

its

character."

At the same period in a letter received from the late Gen. Samuel C. Armstrong, were these weighty words: "I know you and believe in you, and wish you every success."

We

were the same individual then

;

as

now, only more

impetuous then because of youth

and, yet,

we

never discern-

ed the least disposition upon the part of the white people in

OF THE Episcopal

Church

255

whose
to an}'

life

we

lived to humiliate, fetter or

as a Christian

gag us with respect

a gentleman.

manly utterance
in

man and

The

daily white newspaper, of the

town where we were

brought up,
diaconate,
intelligent

writing of our expected ordination to the

other things said of us, "one of the most
in this city,

among

young colored men

and one who en-

joys in a large degree the respect and confidence of the com-

munity."
(it

And

Col. R. P. Barham, the editor of that paper

was

in

conenction with this paper

we

got our

first

lessons

in

journalism) was ever one of the most faithful friends the

black people ever had in that section.

Some
work.

years ago one of the best and truest Bishops in the

Southern States appointed a colored priest to supervisory

A
to

number

of years afterwards this Bishop confessed

to us that the failed

man had proven

far

from being

a success.

He

relieve the Bishop of

mention others of weight.

well educated.

many minor things, not to The man was genial, kind and
office it

But he was

deficient in the

both black and white.

In such an

knowedge of men, is not enough to

know

colored

men

he must also
first

know white men.

work long before we had It was not

We
because

had not been on our

the services of the best physician in that city.

but because
est class of

we were financially we had become

white people

able to
so well

command such services, known among the highthat this eminent

in that

community

physician

was glad

to display his interest in

our labors by

rendering profesional services to the members of our family

free of all charge.

On
at

coming

to Baltimore the

Hon. Skipdeath the

with Wilmer placed

services

our disposal for our work any legal

of his firm
.

(free of charge) of

After

his

same was true

the

Judge Conway

W.

Sams and
reflects

likewise of
inanity and

Hon. George R. Gaither.

If

one

lack of ideas, whether black or white, he will reap according

256
to his

The Afro-American Group

own
reflection.
If

our

men have

failed to take

advan-

tage of the friendliness of the best white people all around

them and remain ciphers

in activity

and experience,

it is

their

own

fault.

No

one has kept them

down

but themselves.

During

the present

summer, 1922, the author was con-

versing with a colored priest laboring in the far South.

He

has charge of
is

two

missions, the

combined strength of which

and
his house.

about sixty communicants.

In the w^ay of support he re-

ceives

two thousand

dollars a year

He

claims

that the Bishop and the white people generally are just as
nice

and kind

as they

can

be.

Why

is

he not accomplishing

greater results with such substantial support?

There

is

but

one answ^er.

The

system under which he operates tends to

pauperize instead of developing self-respect.

the system.

The

fault

is

in

Sixteen hundred dollars of his stipend comes through the Bishop, and only four hundred from the people served by

him.

As long
it

as

human nature

not be content to
as

is what it is, why should he "mark time," and hold on to a good thing

long as
If
it

lasts?

be true that a

number

of our colored clergy of the

South have no views of their own, and are entirely submissive,

and are inclined not to function

in racial affairs, cerlaity are responsi-

tainly, neither the

ble.

white Bishops or white

is

Such attitude on their part

the direct and logical

fruit of the system

under which they operate.

is

Human
ceives the

nature

the

same under a black skin

as

it

is

under a w^hite covering.

The

colored clergyman

who

re-

major portion

of his salary through the Bishop,

who
ing,

finds the Bishop rather sympathetic,

is is

and not over exactplan.

not the

man

to enthuse over a

new

He

has

his,

and

satisfied.

And,

besides, he can enjoy

more peace and

quiet in dealing with the white Bishop than in dealing with

OF THE Episcopal
a colored vestry.

Church
why
is

257
should he be

Having

a good thing

anxious to give

it

up? Under the present system he simply

can not "enthuse" over self-support.

the least thing which, perchance,

Nor

he going to do

may

effect the peaceful

and

happy relations already sustained.

He

has reached his Alabama.

CHAPTER XXXIV.
SOME BLACK MEX OF MARK
"They were,
Bruce
in

as a rule, studious, earnest, ambitious

whose public conduct

men,

as illustrated by

Mr.

Revels and

Mr.

the Senate,
in the

Mr. Rainey
Coals of
fire

and by Mr. Rapier, Mr. Lynch and House would be honorable to any race.

were heaped on the heads of all their ene?nies when the colored men in Congress heartily joined in removing the disabilities of those
pressors,

who had

before been their opit

and who, with deep

them with
magnanimity

regret, be

said,

have conso far

tinued
as

to treat

injustice
,

and ignominy ; and

chivalry,

charity,

and Christian kindness

at an advantage."

Twenty Years
vol.
ii.

were involved, the colored men appeared

of Congress, by the

Hon James G.

Blaine,

p.

515.
of these five distinguished

One

men

of color, the

Hon.

John R. Lynch, of Chicago, still survives. Major Lynch is a Churchman. At one time he was Speaker of the House of
Representatives of Mississippi.
gress

He was

member
is

of

Con-

from that State for several terms.

He

now
in

a retired

paymaster of the United States Army, and resides

Possibly

Chicago.

Hon. Robert Brown

Elliott of

South Carolina,

was
a

the most learned and resourceful black

man

that ever
also

occupied a seat in Congress.

Gen. Benjamin F. Butler,

time,

member

of

Congress

at the

was

one of the ablest

fol-

constitutional lawyers of his day.

Gen. Butler paid the

OF THE Episcopal
lowing tribute
day
in a speech

Church
FoUowng him
bill

259
the next

to ths black

man.

on a certain pending

he said

"I should have considered

tional argument,

more

at length the constitu-

were

it

not for the exhaustive presentation

by the gentleman from South Carolina,

the law, and the only law quoted

(Mr.

Elliott)

of

against us in this case that

has been cited, to wit, the Slaughter-House cases.

the true instinct of freedom, with a grasp of

He,

w^ith

mind
he

that shows

him

to be the peer of

any

man on

this floor, be

who

he may,

has given the full strength and full power of that decision
of the

Supreme Court."

Blanche K. Bruce,
as a

who

served the full term of six years

of Mississippi,

United States Senator from the State

in

was

born

Prince
of

from one

Edward county, Va. Two very brief extracts Mr. Bruce's speeches in the United States Sen-

ate will reveal the spirit of colored public leaders in the days

immediately following the close of the Civil

*'I

War.

ask Senators to believe that no consideration of fear

or personal danger has kept us quiet and forbearing under

the provocations and
souls.

wrongs that have

so sorely tried our

But

feeling kindly towards our white fellow-citizens,

appreciating
classes, and,

the

good purposes and

all,

offices

of

the

better

above

abhorring war of races,

we determined
good sense and

to wait until such time as an appeal to the

justice of the

"
act

American people could be made." The unanimity with which the colored voters
is

with a party

not referable to any race prejudice on

their part.

On

the contrary, they invite the political co-op-

eration of their white brethren ,and vote as a unit because

proscribed as such.

They

deprecate the establishment of the

is

color-line by the opposition, not only because the act

un-

wise, but because

it

isolates

them from the white men

of the

South and forces them,

in sheer self-protection,

and against


260

The Afro-American Group

upon the
basis of

their incHnatoin to act seemingly

a race

prejudice that they neither respect nor entertain."

Doubtless what Senator Bruce said was generally true

with respect to the South as a whole.

But

certainly there

were exceptions.

When
still

the author

was a

lad about eighteen

years of age, he began the publication of a weekly newspaper

The

Lancet.

We
this

have the bound copies of that paper.

Bearing on
reproduced

very point,

we

give a clipping (which

was

in

The Lancet) from

19, 1883.

the Petersburg, Va., Index-

Appeal

of

February

Col. Barham, editorially, had

this to say:

"We
Lancet.

invite

attention to an extract in another

of

column

from the organ

the colored

people in this city

The

We

are glad to record this evidence that the col-

ored people are beginning to liberate themselves from the

fetters of prejudice
in

and passion, and

to

view party matters

is

their
it

proper light.

The Lancet, however,

mistaken

when

assumes that the Democratic party has proscribed

the Negro.

The

history of the party in this city contradicts

It

the assumption.
<:redit of

must be remembered
it

to the

enduring

the Democratic party that

first

threw down the

barriers of the color-line in politics,

^o the

and elected colored men

Common

Council, and appointed colored

first

men on

the

police corps.

The

vote the writer hereof ever cast for

a Democratic

ticket, on which was the name of a colored man, was beaten by the colored people themselves, who,

^ejecting the overtures

tic

made

in

good

faith

by the Democra-

party, distinctively

and defiantly and proscriptively drew

the color-line, and arrayed themselves under the leadership

of

men who were

aliens in blood, in

sympathy and

in in-

terests

with our people, and

who

simply used the colored

voters for their

own

ends."

OF THE Episcopal

Church
issue,

261
of

The same newspaper,

period, said editorial!}':

in

another

the

same

"We

have given our opinion

if

as to the date at

which a

State Convention,

held at

all,

should be held, and have

urged that the

call for

such Convention should be broad and

comprehensive enough to admit by representation, and on

terms of perfect equality, every man, white or black, Funder
or

Re-Adjuster,

who was
in

willing to

work and

vote

for

Democratic success

1884."

Such

liberality nearly forty years

ago?

But the

Wade
it

Hamptons and Lees

It in
is

are no

more!

most pleasing

to give forth this testimony for

was

connection with this same Index-Appeal,

when

only six

years of age. that

J.

we started Hampden Chamberlayne,

out as an errand boy for Captain

at that

time editor of the paper.

CHAPTER XXXV.
CHARACTER THE GREAT THING
Some
years ago the late Rev. Dr. Alexander
St.

Crummell,
his

while rector of

Lukes Church, Washington, founded the

which he was the president during
and
real able

Negro Academy,
life

of

time.

Many

of the scholars, authors

men

of the race constitute this organization.

1898, not long before his death, Dr.

During the year Crummell delivered an

which
said
w^e live,

able address pertinent to the very times in

which we

herewith present.
is

Dr. Crummell

"Nothing
to
rise
it

more natural than the

anxieties of w^ronged

and degraded people concerning the steps they should take

above their misfortunes and to elevate themselves.
is

Thus

that the colored people in meetings and conven-

tions are constantly plied

ers say will lift
1.

with the schemes their public speakto higher levels.

them up

(a)

One prominent man

in this

will address an assemblage

somewhat
to

manner:
to destroy the prejudice against
If

'The only way

is

our race

become

rich.

you have money the white

man

will

respect you.

He

cares

more

for the almighty dollar than

is

anything

else.

Wealth then

the only thing by which

we

can overcome the caste-spirit.

Therefore,

I say,

get

money;

for riches are our only salvation.'

(b)

"Another speaker harrangues

the only

his

audience in this

manner
'Brethren, education
difficulties.
is

way

to

overcome our

Send your children

to school.

Give them

all

OF THE Episcopal
the learning you can.
self-denial.

Church

263

To

this

end you must practice great

Send them

to college,

and make them lawyers

and doctors.
will

Come

out of the barbershops, the eating houses

and the kitchens, and get into the professions; and thus you

command
(c)

respect of the whites.'

starts

"But now
is

up your practical orator.

is

His

absorbing fad

labor; and his address

as follows:

'My
scholars,

friends, all this talk about learning, all this call for

and lawyers and doctors for our poor people

Industrialism
is

is

nonsense.

the solution of the

whole Negro

problem.

The

black

man must

learn to work.

We
till

must
and

have manual labor schools for the race.

We

must

farm, ply the hoe and rake, and thus, by productive labor

overcome inferior conditions, and secure strength and

fluence.'

in-

(d)

"We

have another

class of teachers

who must

not

be passed over.

Our

political leaders

form not

a small ele-

ment
In
they
as

in the life of

our people, and exert no petty influence.

all classes;

fact,
tell

they are the most demonstrative of

us most positively that
'in a

and

democratic system, such

it

we

are living under, no race can be respected unless

office.

can get political influence, and hold

life of

Suffrage

is

the

any people, and

it

is

their right to share in the offices

of the land.

Our
it

people can't be a people unless their lead-

ing

men
2.

get positions, and take part in government.'

"Now,

would be
For there
money,

folly to
is

deny the importance of

these expedients.

a real

worth w^hich the Alin political

mighty has put

in

in letters

and learning,

franchises, in labor

and the

fruits of labor.

These

are,

with-

out doubt, great agents and instruments in

tion.

human

civiliza-

"But

deny that either of them can gain for us that

is

elevation which

our great and pressing want.

For what

264

The Afro-American Group

need as a race
is

we

an elevation which does something more

or,

than

improve our temporal circumstances,

alters

our

material condition.

We

want

the uplifting of our humanity.

of our

We

must have the enlargement

manhood.
Vv^ith

"Many
gone down

man and many

many

peoples, laden

riches have

to swift destruction.

In the midst of the grand-

est civilization

a nation has been eaten out with cor-

ruption and gone headlong to ruin.

chies

The

proudest monar-

and the most boastful democracies, have alike gone

to

down
3.

grim

disaster.
is

"There

no

real elevation in

any of these things.

of

The

history of the

world shows that the true elevation

men comes from

"But money
franchises.

living forces.
is

not a living force.

;

Farms and property

itself,

are not living forces

nor yet

is

culture of

nor

political

Those only

are living forces

which can

uplift

the souls of

men

to

superiority

living forces, not simply

life,

acting upon the material conditions of

their innermost being;

but permeating but mighty

and moulding the

will.

invisible,

powers

of the reason

and the

"Now, when men

say that

money and property

;

will

elevate our people, they state only a half truth

for wealth

There must be some manhood precedent for the wealth to act upon. So too when
only helps to elevate the man.
they declare that learning or politics will they give us but a half truth.
lift

up the

race,

"These

all

are simply aids and assistances to something

;

higher and nobler

which both goes before and reaches

essentially an

far

beyond them.
elevation which

They
is

are, rightly used, agencies to that real

inward and moral

process.
lose,

"Don't be deceived by half truths; for half truths

not seldom, the fine essence of real truth, and so becomes

OF THE Episcopal
thorough
deceits.

Church

265
errors.

Half truths are oftimes prodigious

lies.

Half truths are frequently whole

4.

"What
It
is

then

is

the mighty
tells us,

power which

uplifts the

fallen?

Cowper who

'The only aramanthine flower

is

Virtue;

The

only lasting treasure. Truth.'

"But what does the poet mean by these simple but beautiful lines? He means that for man, for societies, for races,
for nations, the one living

and abiding thing

;

is

character.

"Character
in,

is

an internal quality and

it

works from withit

outward, by force of nature and divine succours; and

uses anything

and

all

things, visible
of the souls of

and

invisible,

for the

growth and greatness

building of society.

men, and for the up-

It seizes

upon money and property, upon

its

learning and power, as instruments of

own

purposes; and

even

if

these agencies should

fail,

character abides, a living

and

a lasting thing.

"It
acter
is

is

character which

is

the great condition of life; char-

the spring of all lawful ambitions and the stimulant

is

to all rightful aspirations; character

the criterion of mental

of enterprise

growth

character

is

the motive
is

power

and the

basis of credit; character

the root of discipline and selfof true reli-

restraint

character

is

the

consummate flower
of civilization.

gion

and the crowning glory

"I

3.

am

asked, perchance, for a

more
is

definite

meaning
of the

of this

word

character.
:

My

answer

in the

words

Apostle, St. Paul

'Whatsoever things are

true,

whatsoever

things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever

things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report,
if

there be any virtue,

if

there be

any

praise, think

on these

things.'

These

are the elements

of character.

266

The Afro-Am ericax Group

"All this equally applicable to a

man

or a community;

for,

(a)

If a
is

pure; he

man is not a man

not truthful and honorable, just and

of character.
If a family in a neigh-

borhood, father, mother, girls and sons, are truthless and dishonorable, unjust and impure, no one can regard

them

as

people of character.
nation, with a race.
ties,
it is

Just so too
If
it
is

with a community, with a

destitute of these

grand quali-

whatever

else

it

may

be,

whatever
it is

else

it

may

have,

if

devoid of character, failure for

a certainty."

CHAPTER XXXVI.
NEGRO ORDINATIONS FROM 1866 TO THE PRESENT
1866.

Peter Williams Cassey,

d.,

August

13, Kip. 16, Smith,

Joseph Sandford Atwell,

p.

d.

December
1869.

Ky.

May

7,

1869, Johns.

Charles Otis Brady,

d.,

N. Joseph Durant, d., William F. Floyd, M. D., d., June H. for) John Williams.
1871.

June 16, John Williams. August 1, Stevens.

24, Stevens,
p.,

1874

(xN.

W^illiam H. Wilf.on,

d.

Jan. 22, Clarkson,

p.

1877, Kerfoot.
p.

Joseph Robert Love,

M.

D., d. January 29,

Young,

1877,

Coxe.

Deposed by Bishop Holly.

d,

William Henry Josephus,

Henderson Maclin,
d.

June 23, Stevens.

Quintard.

1872.

March

3.

1873.

William Gaillard McKinney,

Prince Tunison Robers,
ordination in
d.

d.

July 27, Coxe.

20, Atkinson.

Nov.
1874.

The

first

North Carolina.

George H. Jackson, d. James E. Thompson, d.

son.

May May

13,

Green.

Deposed.

29, Robertson, p. 1877. Robert-

1875.

James B. McConnell,

d..

May Quintard,

Deposed.

268

The Afro-American Group

d.

William Heuston Morris, D. D., July 25,

H.

Potter.

Henry L.

Phillips,

D. D.,

d.

June

17, Stevens, p.

1876

Ste-

vens.

1876.

George A. C. Cooper,

d.

June

4,

Lyman.

1877.

Alfred Augustus Roberts,

Pinckney.

d.

Feb.

11,

Pinckney,

p.

1879,

Charles H. Thompson, D. D.,

d.

Nov.

18,

1877, J. P. B.

Wilmer,
Peter
vens.

p.

Nov.
d.

18, 1879,

Wingfield (for La.)

p.

Andrew Morgan,

June 21, Stevens,

1879, Ste-

1879.

William Augustus Green,

Clarkson.

d.

May

28, Clarkson, p.

1883,

William Cheshire,
Joseph G. Bryant,

d. d.

June June
d.

13,

Quintard.
1882, Pinckney,

19, Stevens, p.
his

Deposed, not affecting

Charles E. Cummings,
Robertson.

moral character.
2,

September

Robertson,

p.

1882,

Thomas White

Cain,

d.

December

21, Whittle, p.

1882,

Whittle.
1880.
Cassius

M.

C. Mason,

d.

September 26, Robertson,

p.

1883,

Robertson.
1881.

Thaddeus
John

Saltus, d.
d.,

February

6,

W.

B.

W. Howe.
April
7,

Ossian Alston,

Quintard.

W.

Perry, d. June 12,

Lyman,

p.

1887, Ly-

man.
1882.

Osmund

St.

James,

d.

January 29, Pinckney.

OF THE Episcopal
Isaac

Church

269

Edgar Black,

d.

James Solomon
7,

Russell, d.

March 5, Quintard, deposed. March 9, Whittle, p. February

April 24,

1887, Whittle.
d.

Hutchens C. Bishop,

W.

C. Doane,

p.

1883,

W.
Hannibal
S.

C. Doane.
d.

William Rufus Harris,

man.

April 30, Lyman,

d.

p.

1884 Lyman.
p.

Henderson,

April 30, Lyman,

1884, Ly-

d. June 4, Seymour, p. 1883, Seymour. John Pallam Williams, D. D., d. June 22, Lee, p. 1883,

Joshua B. Hassiah,

Stevens.

John Benjamin Williams,

mour.
Paulus Moort,

d.

June 22, Lee,

p.

1887, Sey-

M.

D., d. June 22, Lee, p. 1882, Stevens.

1883.

Henry Stephen McDuftV, 1888, Lyman.

Primus
Priss Alston, d.

d.

May
13,

13,

Lyman,
p.

p.

June

3,

May

Lyman,

June 26, 1892,

Lyman.

Edward Hezekiah Butler, d. May 13, Lyman, p. April 13. 1889, Weed. Henry ALason Joseph, d. February 25, Lyman, p. 1884,
Lyman.
Alfred R. Anderson,
d.

September
1884.

10,

Quintard. Deposed,

Thomas G. Harper,

d,

June
d.

11,

Stevens, p.

October 28,

1885, Starkey.

Alfred Constantine Brown,

1885,
xNiles.

June

11, Stevens, p.

June

2,

1885.

Benjamin

W.

Timothy,

d.

June 20, Robertson,

Whittle.

p.

July 11,

1887, Tuttle.

William E. Howell,

d.

December

11,

270

The Afro-American Group

d.

D. Wilson Taylor, John Thomas

Joseph

December
December

11,

Whittle.

Deposed.

Harrison, December 11, Whittle.

11,

W.

Carroll, d.

Whittle,

p.

1914, Ran-

dolph.

1886.

Freeman

W.
13,

Dunn,

d.

June
d.

3,

Lyman.
9,

Di. Aug. 15, 1892.

p.

William Paterson Burke,

July

Whittle,

February

1890, ,Whittle.
d.

Walter Lewis Burwell,

1889, Peterkin.

July

9,

Whittle,

p.

April 26,

George Edward Howell,

d.

July

9,

Whittle,

p.

December

27, 1910, Guerry.

1887.

George Freeman Bragg,

tle,

Jr.,

D. D.,

d.

January

12,

Whit-

p.

December
d.

19,

1888, Whittle.
4,

George G. Middleton,
January
8,

June

Adams

(for Miss.)

p.

1896, Hale.
d.

William Victor Tunnell,

June

5,

Littlejohn, p.

Decem-

ber, 1887, Littlejohn.

Beverly

M.

Jefferson, d.
d.

June
9,

9,

Whittle, Di. Dec. 27, 1887.

Mark

R. Nelson,

June
d. d.

Whittle, Di. August 13, 1888.

9,

Layfayette Winfield,

June

Whittle.

Deposed.
B.

Joseph Silas Quarles,

September 23,

W.

W.

Howe,,

p.

October

7,

1903, Capers. 1888.

Benjamin Franklin Lewis,

d.

June

20, Randolph. 21,

Deposed.

Edward N.
p.

Hollings, d.

December

W.

B.

W. Howe.

April 17, 1895, Capers.

John Henry Dixon,

M.
d.

D.,

December

29, Paret.

1889.

John Alfred Holly,

March

17,

,John Williams.

OF THE Episcopal

Church

271

Henry Baird Delany, d. June 7, Lyman, p. May 2, 1892, Lyman. Consecrated Bishop Suffragan, November 21, 1918.

Thomas W. Vaughan,

d.

June
d.

30, Whittle.
p.

Joseph Fenner Mitchell,

1896, Randolph.

June 30, Whittle,

July

5,

William

J. Heritage, d.

December

31,

Watson,

p.

October

20, 1899, Watson.

1890.

William Montgomery Jackson, D. D.,

p.

d.

March
p.

23, Dudley,

January

15, 1893,

Dudley.
1,

John Henry Simons, d. June 17, 1891, AtwiU.

Benjamin
I.

Whitaker,

November
1892, At-

Jack, d. June 13, Tuttle, p.

May

4,

will.

John Wesley Johnson,

1891, Whittle.

d.

June 20, Whittle,

d.

p.

June

19,

James Thomas Kennedy,

11,

September

7,

Lyman,

p.

June

1915, Horner.
d.

Joseph Alexander Brown,

12. 1892,

December December

3,

Whitaker,
Gregg,

p.

June

Whitaker.
d.

James

J.

N. Thompson,
16,

14,

p.

May

1894, Kinsolving.

1891.

William Hiliary Costen,

Deposed,

d.

January

18,

W.

A. Leonard.

May
d.

14, 1894.

Alfred H. Lealtad,

May

24,

McClaren,
24,

p.

May

31,

1892, McClaren.

George Frazier Miller, D. D.,

p.

d.

May

W.
p..

B.

W. Howe,
10, 1892,

June

24, 1892, C. K. Nelson.

Richard Bright,

d.

May

24,

H. C.

Potter,

June

C. K. Nelson.

272

The Afro-American Group

p.

John Albert Williams, d. June 11, Worthington, 18, 1891, Worthington. John G. Urling,
Dudley.
d.

October

November

8,

Dudley,

p.

June 20, 1894.

Di. April 26, 1895; aged 73 years.

1892.

George Walter Honesty,

June
4,

M.

D., d.

March

13,

Quintard,

p.

1894 Gailor.

Deposed.
D., d.

Henry Alexander: Saturnin Hartley, M.

Quintard,
p.

March

13,

October

14,
d.

1892, Quintard.
25,

Matthew McDuffie,
1893.

May

Weed,

p.

September 26,

Gray.
d.

Ferdinand Meshack Mann,

June

8,

C. K. Nelson,

p.

April 24, 1906, C. K. Nelson.

Owen

Meredith Waller,
p.

M.

D., d. June 12,

H. C.

Potter,

January

15,
d.

1893,

H.

C. Potter.

Robert Blair Bruce,

A.

June 23, Randolph.

Deposed (Not
a Bishop in the

effecting his character).

Became
p.

M.

E. Zion Church.
d.

David D. Moore,

July 22, Weed,

d.

1909,

Weed.

Charles L. Simmons,

November
1893.

21, Randolph, p. July

23, 1914, Randolph.

Walter Henry Marshall,

d.

June

11,

Whitaker,

p.

Novem-

ber 21, 1894, Atwill.

Maximo

Felix Duty,
p.

M.

D.,

D. D.,

d.

June

11,

Whitaker,

December

23, 1894, C.
d.

K. Nelson.
p.

Oscar Lieber, Mitchell,

Barker.

June 21, Randolph,

1894,

Thomas

J.

Brown,
d.

R. A. Smith,

June 25, Thomas, p. 1894, Dudley. July 5, Randolph. Deposed.

d.
.

John Randolph Brooks,

Satterlee.

d.

November

26, Randolph, p. 1898,

OF THE Episcopal
Daniel Ernest Johnson. D. D..
p.
d.

Church
December

273
22, Spaulding,

June

5,

1895. Spaulding.

Deposed, but subse-

quently restored.
Isaiah Pinroy Daniels, d.
25. 1896. Pierce.

December

2*0,

Pierce, p.

January

John Baptist Macebo,

13,

d.

December
1894.

31, Capers, p.

January

1907, Knight.

Stephen Decatur

Phillips, d.

October

8,

Randolph,

p.

June

1897. Whitaker.

John C. Dennis, d. October Randolph. 1895.

A. V. C. Cartier.

8.

Randolph,

p.

July 24, 1898,

1895.
d.

Quintard.
d.

p.

1895. Quintard.
Gra\', p.

James Nelson Deaver.

Merritt D. Hinton.
d. d.

May
12,
9.

9.

November
Deposed.

11.

1899. Peterkin.

May
June

Thompson.
Cheshire,
p.

James Edward King.

Cheshire.

June

9.

1904,

Thomas Burke
7.

Bailey, d. June 9, Cheshire. Eugene Leon Henderson, d. June 8. Cheshire,

p.

October

1897, Scarborough.
d.

Robert Josias Morgan,

June

20,

Coleman

deposed

went

abroad and was made

1896.

a priest in

Greek Church.
Dudley.
p.

Alexander Hamilton McNeilll,

d.

January
31.

19,

Edmund

Robert Bennett,
Nicholson.

d.

May
M.

Nicholson,

1896.

George Alexander McGuire.

p.

D.. d. June 29. Vincent.

of the "African

1897, Vincent.

Founder
September

Or-

thordox Church."
Charles Wesley Brooks,
Paret.
d.
6,

Paret,

p.

1897,

274

Tut: Afro-Americax
Clifton,

Group
December
20,

Edward George

D. D.,

d.,

H. C.

Potter, p.

1898,

H. C.
1897.

Potter.

August Ernet Jensen,

1899, Gray.

d.

May

27,

Satterlee,

p.

June

24,

Godfrey Redfield Jackson, d. May 27, Satterlee. Benjamin Wellington Paxtcn, May 27, Satterlee.
27, 1899, Hale.

p.

IVIay

Arthur Goff Coombs,

6,

d.

September

12,

Walker,

p.

February

1900, Gray.
d.

Franklyn Abraham Isaac Bennett,

p.

October 31, Capers,

November

30, 1898, Capers.

1898.

Charles Leon Suthern,

Jackson Matthias
2,

d.

January
d.

17,

Randolph.

Mundy,

February

Dudle}-,

p.

April

1905,

Woodcock.
D., d.

Edward Thomas Demby, D.

March

16.

Gailor,

p.

May

8,

1899, Gailor, September 29, 1918, in All

Saints Church, St. Louis, consecrated Bishop Suff-

ragan of the diocese of Arkansas.

John Speight, d. September 11, Weed, William George Avant, d. September

ber 1899,

p.

1915,

Weed.
p.

25,

Watson,

Octo-

Watson.
d.

Deposed.
p.

Charles B. Prichett,

September 25, Watson,

Decem-

ber 21, 1910, F. F. Reese.

Charles Christopher Cephas Mapp, d. June 5, Satterlee. William Bryant Perry, d. June 26, Randolph. Deposed June 28, 1901. Rev. George F. Bragg, Jr., D. D., 1425 McCulloh Street,
dolph.

1899.

Robert Gordon,

d.

June

11, Kinsolving, p.

February, 1905,

Johnston.

OF THE Episcopal
Joseph

Church

275

Emmanuel Tucker, M.
1901, Gray.

D., d. July 9, Whitaker, p.

George Bundy,

M.

D., d. July

9,

Vincent,

p.

July

3,

1900,

Vincent.

Deposed.
d.

John Belton Brown,

December

10,

Randolph,

p.

Decem-

ber 20, 1915, Darst.

1900.

Richard

Temple Middleton,
October
12,

d.

July

10,

Thompson,
December

p.

1903, Bratton.
d.

Charles Irwin Smith,

1901, Gray.

August

1,

Walker,

p.

21,

Deposed.
d.

Joseph Wilberforce Livingston,

p.

December

9,

Millspaugh,

May

8,

1902, Millspaugh.

1901.

Thomas George Brown,

Robert Lee Wilson,
d.

d.

June

2,

Whitaker,

p.

May
5,

25,

1902, Mackay-Smith.

June

2,

Dudley,

p.

April

1907,

Woodcock.
Robert Davis Brown,
d.

June

19,

Lawrence,

p.

June 21,

1903, Vincent.

David Richard Wallace,

Gailor.

d.

July

6,

Anderson,

p.

1902,

Edward Sherman
February

Willett, d. July 21, J.

6,

1902, J.

N. Morrison, N. Morrison.

p.

1902.

Everard Washington Daniel,

1903. Edsall.

d.

May

25, Worthington, p.

Albert Eustace Day,

16, 1904,

d.

May

25, C.

K. Nelson,

p.

December

C. K. Nelson.

Natianiel

Peterson

Boyd,

d.

December

9,

Hunington,

p.

December

18, 1904, Burgess.

276

TfiE Afro-Am ERicAX Group

1903.

Robert Wellington Bagnall,

6,

d.

June

23, Randolph, p.

June

1905, Randolph.
d.

Milton Moran Weston,

6,

June

23, Randolph, p.

December

1905, Strange.
d.

David LeRoy Ferguson,

1905, Vincent.

June

28, Vincent, p.

January

1,

1904.

Alfred A.

St.

Clare Moore,

d.

January

3,

Whitaker,

p.

May

29, 1904,

Whitaker.
d.

Montraville E. Spatches,

February 24, Gray,

p.

Febru-

ary 27, 1905, Gray.

Charles H. Male,

d.

February 26, Cheshire,

p.

July 25,

1905, Cheshire.

Emmett Emanuel
Arthur

Miller, d. February 27, Gibson,

p.

Jan-

uary 25, 1905, Gibson.

W.

H.

Collier, d.

May

29, Satterlee.

Julius Robert Coxe, d. June 12, Francis.

Spent

all of

his

ministry as the traveling secretary of Dr. Booker

T. Washington.

Harry Oscar Bowles,

23, 1905,

d.

July 17,

W.

A. Leonard,

p.

July

W.

A. Leonard.
d. Sept. 21,

John Richard Logan, D. D.,

Horner,

p.

Septem-

ber 29, 1905, Horner.

Floarda Howard,
3,

d.

October

2,

R. H. Nelson,

p.

February

1907, Coleman.
p.

Junius L. Taylor, October 27, Randolph,

1906 Randolph.
p.

Robert Henry Tabb,

d.

October 27, Randolph,

August

22, 1906, Scarborough.

Roger Clinton James,

Randolph.

d.

October 27, Randolph,

p.

1907,

OF THE Episcopal
Charles Louis Somers,
Gibson.
1905.
d.

Church
16,

277
p.

December

Gibson,

1906,

Henr\- Bartholomew Brown,

d.

March

25, Millspaugh, p.

January 25, 1906, Millspaugh.

Hubert Ashtley

St.

A. Parris,

M.

D., d. June

6,

Gray,

p.

February 24, 1906, Gray.

William Burton Suthern,

10,

d.

June

18,

Darlington,

p.

June

1906, Darlington.
d.

Samuel Whitmore Grice,

Robert Nathaniel Perry,
19,

August

22, Capers, p. Septem-

ber 19, 1906, Capers.

d.

August 20, Cheshire,

p.

May

1907, Cheshire.

1906.

Alonzo Johnson,

d.

June

6,

Brewster,

p.

February 22, 1908,

Brewster.

David Franklin Taylor, D. D.,

p.

d.

January 25, Kinsolving,

January

4,

1911, Kinsolving.
p.

John Samuel Simmons, d. June 6, Brewster, 17, 1907, C. K. Nelson.

November

Edmund

Harrison Oxley,
1907, Satterlee.

d.

June

10, Satterlee, p.

May

26,

James Henry King,

d.

June
d.

17,

Strange,

p.

December

22,

1907, Strange.

William Thurber Wood,

C. VanLoo,

June

17, Strange, p.

December
2,

20, 1908, Strange.

J.
d.

October

18, Satterlee, p.

February

1908,

Satterlee.

Edward Douse,

d.

October

18,

Satterlee, p.

November
p.

1,

1907, Satterlee.

William Edward Gilliam,

tember 26, 1909,

d.

December

9,

Randolph,

Sep-

W.

A. Leonard.

278

The Afro-American Group

d.

Robert Bagnall,

December

9,

Randolph,

p.

June

17, 1908,

B. D. Tucker.

1907.

Earnest Sydnor Thomas,

1908, Whitaker.
Jesse

d.

June

9,

Whitaker,
Guerry,

p.

June

7,

David Lykes,

d.

September

18,

p.

October

4,

1908, Guerry.

Henry T.

Butler, d. April 3, Randolph, p. October 24, 1915,

B. D. Tucker.

1908.

Erasmus Lafayette

Baskerville, d.

January
Guerry,

19,

Burton,

p.

December
Jacob R. Jones,
d.

21, 1908, Burton.

September

18,

p.

September

15,

1909, Guerry.

John Johosaphat Pusey, Walter T. Cleghorn, d.

1909,

May 28, W. M. Brown. May 28, W. M. Brown, March

d.

31,

W. M.
d.

Brown.

Augustus C. Roker,

May
28,

28,

W. M.
p.

Brown, June

16,

1915, Thurston.

W.

A. Tucker,
cock.

d.

May
d.

Brown,

April 10, 1910,

Wood-

George E. Benedict,
J.

June
d.

7,

Whitaker.
7,

DaCostia Harewood,

June

Whitaker,

p.

June

6,

1909, Whitaker.

Walter D. McClane.
Whitaker.

d.

June

7,

Whitaker,

p.

June June

6,

1909,

W.

A.

S.

Wright,

d.

June 21, Adams, June

p.

6,

1909,

Harding.

John Walter Heritage,

Strange.

d.

3,

Strange, p. July 17, 1910,

C. E. F. Boisson,

d.

June

7,

Ousborne,

p.

December

21,

1909, Bratton.

OF THE Episcopal

Church

279
p.

George Marshall

Flaskett, d.

June

Greer,

]\Iay

31,

1909, Lines.

Andrew Alaynard

Forsyth,

d.

October

1,

Weed,

p.

Febru-

ary 14. 1912, F. F. Reese.

James Frederick Fortesque

dolph.

Griffin,

d.

February

4,

Ran-

1909.

James King Satterwhite,

ber
7,

d.

June 28, Cheshire,

28, Cheshire, p.

p.

Septem-

1910, Cheshire.
d.

Robert Josias Johnson,

7.

June

September

1910, Cheshire.
d.

Sandy Alonzo Morgan,

June 24, Gibscm.

p.

December

21, 1910, Gibson.

John Henry

Scott, d.

June 24. Gibson,

d.

p.

1^10, Gibson.
p.

David Jonathan Lee,

Samuel Alelville
Joseph

July

4,

Randolph,

July 28, 1910,

B. D. Tucker.
Pitt, d.

January

17,

C. K. Nelson.

M.

ALatthias, d. July 18, Brooke, p. 1912, Brooke.

d.

William / lexander Bruce,

1910, Fawcett.

December

)9.

Fawcett,

p.

1910.

Edward Newton

Peart, d.

May
d.

22, Partridge, p. July

11,

1911, Greer.

Robert Zachariah Johnstone,

11,

July

5,

Whitaker,

p.

June

1911, ALackay-Smith.
d.

Ebenezer Holman Hamilton,

25. 1912, B.

July 29, Randolph,

p.

May

D. Tucker.
29, Randolph, p.

John Taylor Ogburn, Ph. D., d. July 25, 1912, B. D. Tucker. Jc'n Stewart-Braithwaite,
d.

May
p.

De-^ember

9,

C. K. Nelson,

November

17, 1913,

C. K. Nelson.

28C
J(;!ui

The Afro-Am hricax Group

Brown
Klliott,
d.

December

27,

Guerry,

p.

1912

Guerry.
1911.

William Emmanuel Hendricks,

uary 25, 1912,

d.

June

11,

Greer,

p.

Jan-

Van Buren.
d.

Arnold Hamilton Maloney,

1912,

June

11,

Greer,

p.

July

4.

Murray.
September 24, Gravatt,
p.

Simeon N.

Griffith, d.

1914, Gra-

vatt.

1912.

Samuel Arthur Emmanuel Coleman,

1912, E. E. Reese.

d.

June

2,

Greer,

p.,

George Gilbert W^alker,

d.

June

2,

Greer,

p.

January

19,

1913, MiUspaugh.

Frederick Alexander Garrett,

d.

June

2,

Rhinelander,

p.

January 25, 1913, Garland.

Aubre\ Anson Hewitt,
29, 1914,
d.

June

5,

B. D. Tucker,

p.

May

Weed.
D. Tucker.

Basil Kent, d. Sept. 25, B.

Herbert William Smith,

1914, Vincent.

d.

Nov. 25, Garland,

p.

Alarch 21.

Robert

I.

Johnson,
Strange.

d.

Jan.

9,

Strange,

p.

May
Ma}-

19,

1915.

Uriel Eerdinand Humphrries Gunthrope,

p.

d.,

18,

Greer,

June

1914, Greer.
d.

William

S.

McKinney,

May
18,

18. Burgess, p.

1917, Bur-

gess.

Edward G.
Philip

Jones, d.

Ma

Rhinelander,

p.

June

5,

1914,

Colomore.

M.

Prowell-Carrington,
3.

d.

June

6,

B. D. Tucker, p.

June

1914, F. F. Reese.

OF TJiE Episcopal
1913

Ckurch

281

Byron E. H. Floyd,

d.

June
d.

6,

B. D. Tucker, p.
6.

Llmer \1. \l. \Vright,

24,

June

B.

D. Tucker,

p.

June
1915.

1914, Burton.
d.

Jcsephus Macdonald,
Cheshire.

June

29, Chesphire, p.

May

9,

Joseph H. Hudson,
Cheshire.

d.

June

29, Cheshire, p- Sept. 23, 1914.

Daniel E. Johnson,

Jr.. d.

July 27, Winchester,

p.

July 27,

1914, Winchester.

Joseph T.

Jeitre_\s, d.

1913, Gibson,
d.

p.

1914, Gibson.
p.

Henr\ Archibald Swann,

1914, Burch.

Dec. 21, Burch,

Dec. 21,

Charles Alcnzo Harrison,

B. D. Tucker.

d.

Dec.

B.

D. Tucker,

p.

1914,

1914
Jcded'ah Edmead,
Brooke.
Shelton Hale Bishop,
d. d.

April

7,

Brooke,

p.

June 24, 1915.

July
1915,

June

7,

Greer,

p.

4,

Ousbourne.

John X. Samuels-Belbcder, d. June 1915, T. L Reese.

E. Irvin Georges, d. 1914,
/^.thanasius

7.

Greer,

p.

June

11.

Mann,

p.

1915,
d.

Mann.
10,

Napoleon Bonaparte Boyd,

December

Gib-

son, p. Dec. 28,

1915, Gibson.

1915

John Randolph Lewis,

Tucker.
,

d.

June

11.

Randolph,

p.

1916. B. D.

James

.-^.Ivin

Russell, d.

June
11,

11,

Randolph,

p.

1916, B. D.

Tucker.

Edgar C. Young,

d.

June

Rhinelander,

p.

1916.

Rhinelander.

282
St.

Thi- Afro-Americax

Group
p.

Julian A. Simpknis,

d.

June 27, Guerry,

June 28, 1916,

Guerry.
Charles Sylvester Sedgewick,
1916, Harding.
d. Sept. 25,

Harding,

p.

June,

Osmund Henry Brown,

d.

September 25, Harding,

p.

1916, Harding.

John Henry Brown, d. Sept. 29, Weed, p. 1917, Weed. Ro}al Sullivan Hoagland, d. Dec. 19, Harding.
1916.

George V. Fowler,

d.

June, Harding,

p.
p.

D. Redman Clark,
2,

d.

June June
d.

18,

Rhinelander,

February

1917, Garland.
d.

C. Canterbury Corbin,

18,

Greer,

p.

1917, Greer.
p.

Charles L. Emmanual,
ruary
2,

June

18, Rhinelander,

Feb-

1917, Garland.
p.

Julian C. Perry, d. June 29, Guerry,

N.

J.

Ward,

d.

June 29, Mann.

d.

W.

A. Gibson,

June 29, Mann.

d.

P. George

Moore-Brown,

September 29,

J.

D. Perry,

p.

1917, J. D. Perry.

1917.

Charles Conrad Garfield Howell,

1918, Lawrence.
E. Adolphus Craig, d.

d.

May
p.

17,

Lawrence,

n.

June 23, Greer,

1,

1917, Sherwood.

Meade Burnette

Birchett, d. July

B. D. Tucker, p. 1918,

B. D. Tucker.

William N. Harper,
Robert A. Jackson,

M.
d.

D.,'d. July 3, Darst, p. 1918,

8,

Darsn
p.

July
d.

Gibson,

p.

1918, Gibson.

George Alfred Fisher,

A.

September 21, Kinsman,

Sep

tember 27, 1918, Rhinelander.

Thomas

Stokes, d.

November

4,

Lines.

OF THE Episcopal
1918.

Church

283

Harrj- Ellsworth Rahming,

d.
d.

April 25,

J.

D. Perry,
p.

p.

Frank Norman Fitzpatrick,

ber 23, 1918,

June

2,

Harding,

Decem-

Demby.
September
5,

A.

Myron Cochran,
19,

d.

Cheshire, p.

December
1921,

1920, Delany.
d.

Roger Edgar Bunn,

Delany.

September

15,

Cheshire,

p.

G.

M.

Blackett,

d.

March

28,

Mann,

p.

December

22,

Mann.
1919.

Charles AVilliam Nelson,

iVIatthews.

d.

January

1,

Matthews,

p.

1920,

John Edwin Culmer,

1920,
Elliott E.

d.

August

31,

Mann,
p.

p.

March

29,

Mann.
d.

Durant,

1919, Rhinelander.

1921, Garland.

1920.

Claudius Adolphus Nero,

22,

d.

February 29, Delany,

p.

May

1921, Delany.
d.

L.

M. Graham,
Quinn.

Harding.
20.

John
John

B. Boyce, d.

June
d.

Woodcock,

p.

February 27, 1921,

W.

Freeman,
solving.

1919, Harding,

p.

February 27, Kin-

Thomas D. Brown,
Brown.

d.

June

13,

Gibson,

p. i\.Iarch

15,

1922,

Harold Foster-Percival,
27, 1921,

d.

July 12, J.

I.

Reese, p. February

T.

I.

Reese.

Joseph T. McDuffie, November 28. B. D. Tucker.

C. E. Green,
d.

September
d.

8,

B. D. Tucker.
17, Beatty, p. 1921, Beatty.

James A. Johnson,

September
1921.

Edward

Ellis, d.

January 23, Brown.

284

The Afro-Americax Group

d.

Cornelius R. Dawson,

May
4,

5,

Murray,

p.

June

3,

1922,

Murray.
Louis H. Berry,
d.

July

Williams.
18,

B. Washington Harris,

d.

December

Delany.

Q. E. Primo,

d.

March

29, F. F. Reese, p. 1922, F. F. Reese.

1922.

Gustave Hamilton Caution,

d.

June
11,

3,

Murray.

John Howard Johnson, d. June Bernard G. Whitlock, d.

Manning.

CHAPTER XXXVII.
CLERICAL DIRECTORY
Rt. Rev.

Edward Thomas Demby. D.

Little Rock, Ark.

D., 1852 Cnjss Street,

Rt. Rev.

Henry

B. Delany.

D. D..

St.

Augustines School,

Raleigh, N. C.

NEW ENGLAND
dence, R.
I.

PROVINCE

Rev. P. George Moore-Brown, 169 Lippitt Street. Provi-

Rev. Harr\ O. Bowles, 26 Sperry

Street.

New

Haven. Conn.
Hartford.

Rev. Osmond H. Brown, 148 Walnut

Street,

Conn.
Rev. D. LeRo\ Ferguson, 41

Warnock

Street, Boston, Street.

Mass.

Rev. Walter

D. McClane, 38 Essex

Cambridge,

Mass.

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY PROVINCE

Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop, D. D., 217

W.

133rd Street.

tRev. Robert

Xew York, N. Y. W. Bagnall, 70

York. N. Y.

5th Avenue,

New

York, N. Y.

Rev. E. George Clifton, D. D., 313 E. 157th Street.

New
York, York.
York,

tRev.

Maximo

Felix

Duty,

M.

D.,

D. D.,

New New
New

2405 7th Avenue.

Rev. John

W.

Johnson. 175

W.

63rd Street,

N. Y.
Rev. Jedediah Edmead. 2101 Madison Avenue,

N. Y.

286
Rev. Flcarda

The Afro-American Group

Howard, 27

W.

99th Street,

New

York, N. Y.

Rev. John
Rev.

Howard Johnson, 175 W. 63rd Street, New York. H. A. McLean, 219 E. 127 Street, New York.

tRev. E. N. Peart, 867 E. 224th Street,

Rev. H. A. Swann, 212

W.

134th Street,

New New

York.

York, N. Y.
Street,

Rev.

Owen M.
M. N.

Waller,

M.

D.,

762 Herkeimer

Brooklyn, N. Y.
Rev.

Wilson, 206 E. 95th Street,

F.

New

York, N. Y.
Street,

Rev.

George

Miller,

D. D.,

121

N. Oxford

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Rev. N. Peterson Boyd, D. D., 1610 Dean Street, Brooklyn,

N. Y.

Rev. C. Garfield

Howell 725 Belmont Avenue, Brooklyn,

Street, Jamaica,

Rev.

W.

N. Y. S. McKinney, 41 Grand

(L. I.)

N. Y.
Rev. F.

Wilcom EUegor. 140 Warburton Avenue, Yonkers,

N. Y.
R. Bennett, 166 Goodall Street, Buffalo, N.

Rev.

Edmund
Y.

Rev. William

S.

Mackay, 411 Cedar

Street, Syracuse,

N. Y.

tRev. Arnold H. Maloney,

New

York.
St.,

Rev. Robert Davis Brown, 25 Orleans

Newark, N.

J.

Rev. C. Canterbury Corbin,

Park, N. J.

114 Sylvan Avenue, Asbury

Rev. James N. Deaver, 1709 Artie Avenue, Atlantic Citv,

N.J.
Rev. Frank N. Fitzpatrick, Plainfield, N.
J. J. J.

Rev. August E. Jensen, 93 Spring Street, Trenton, N. Rev. Robert A. Jackson, 1137
S.

9th Street,
St.,

Rev. Robert

J.

Johnson, 267 Governor

Camden, N. Paterson, N.

J.

tRev. T. A. Jones,
sey City,

M.
J.

D., 265-a Fairmount Avenue, Jer-

N.

OF THE Episcopal
Rev. C.

Church

287

W.

Nelson, 115 Liberty Street, Elizabeth, X.

J.

Rev. George

M.

Plaskett, 30

Webster

Place. Orange,

N.

J.

WASHINGTON PROVINCE
Rev. Richard Bright, 2135
S.

58th Street. Philadelphai, Pa.

Rev. A. G. Coombs, 612 N. 43rd Street, Philadelphia. Pa.

Rev. Fred A. Garrett, 1932 Bainbridge Street, Philadelphia,
Pa.
Re\-.
J.

DcCostia Harewood, 5615 Westminster A\enue.

Philadelphia, Pa.

Rev. John Richard Logan,

Philadelphia, Pa.

D.

I).,

1408

S.

22nd

Street,

Rev.

Henry

S.

McDuftV. 2010

x\.

17th Street,

Philadel-

phia, Pa.

*Rev. Henry L.

Phillips,

D. D., 202 E. Sharpnack

Street,

Germantown, Pa.
Rov. Robert H. Tabb, 620
Rev. E.
S.

S.

8th Street. Philadelphia, Pa,

St.,

Thomas. 112 \\\ Rhittenhouse

Philadelphia.

Pa.

Rev. Edgar C. \'oung, 5817

Pa.

Filbert

Street,

Philadelphia,

Rev. George F. Bragg,

Baltimore.

Ja.,

D. D., 1425 McCulloh

Street,

Md.
Md.

tRev.

J.

W.

Livingston. Springfiedl, Aid.

Rev. Cornelius R. Dawson. Cumberland,

Rev. Gustave H. Caution. 1211 Division Street, Baltimore,

Md.
Rev. Scott

Wood, D.

D., 711

Anaheim

Street,

Pittsburgh,

Pa.

Rev. Shelton H. Bishop, Monticello. Pittsburgh. Pa.

Rev.

W. M.

Parchment, 603 Foster Sreet, Harrisburg. Pa.

Rev. E. A. Craig. Altoona. Pa.

Rev. E. E. Durant, Coatsville, Pa.

288

I'hh Afro-Amirican

Group
Virginia.

Rev. Joseph H. Hudson, Charles

Town, West

Rev. William V. Tunnell, 2420 6th Street, Washington,

D. C.
Rev. Oscar Lieber Mitchell, 728 23rd Street, N.
ington,

W., Wash-

D. C.
Street,

Rev.

Thomas Jacob Brown, 1411 Corcoran

ington,

Wash-

D. C.
11th Street,

Rev. F. A.

I.

Bennett, 651

N.

E.,

Washing-

ton,

D. C.
Collier,

Rev. A.

W. H.
ington,

1929 15th

Street,

N. W., Wash-

D. C.

Rev.

Edward Douse, Fort Reno, Teneleytown, D. C.

Rev. George A. Fisher, So. Capitol and

Streets,

N. W.,

Washington, D. C.
Rev.

W. M.

Jackson, D. D., 506 Kastle Street, N. E.,

WashWash-

ington,

D. C.
E.,

Rev. John

W.

Freeman, 1262 Florida Avenue, N.

ington,

D. C.
Washington, D. C.

Rev. Linton

M. Graham,

Rev. J. E. G. Small, Croom, Maryland. Rev. M. B. Birchett, Effingham Street, Portsmouth, Va.
Rev.

Henry T.

Butler, Lawrenceville, Va.

tRev. A. N. B. Boyd, Berryville, Va.

Rev. Joseph

W.

Carroll, Bracey, Va.

Rev. John C. Dennis, Broadnax, Va.

Rev. Byron E. H. Floyd, Houston, Va.

Rev. C. E. Green, Lawrenceville, Va.

Rev. Samuel
"f'Rev.

W.

Grice, Petersburg, Va.

John Thomas Harrison, Totaro, Va.

Ellis,

Rev. Ebenezer H. Hamilton, Hampton, Va.

Rev.

Edward

416 Pearl

Street, Charlottesville,

Va.

Rev. Basil Kent, Lunenburg, Va.

Rev. Lorenzo A. King, Alexandria, Va.

OF THE Episcopal

Church

289

Rev. David Jonathan Lee, 100 Kent Street, Norfolk, Va.

Rev. Joseph F. Mitchell, Berryville,
V^a.

Rev. E. E. Miller, 226 Halifax Street, Petersburg, Va.

Rev. Joseph T. McDuffie, Newport News, Va., 2111
shall

Mar-

Avenue.

*Rev. James

S. Russell,

D. D., Lawrenceville, Va.

Rev. James Alvin Russell, Lawrenceville, Va.

Rev. John H. Scott, Millers Tavern, Va.
Rev, C. L. Somers, Rectory, Va. Rev. Junius L. Taylor, D. D., 506
St.

James

Street, Rich-

mond, Va.

SEWAXEE PROVINCE
tRev. T. B. Bailey, Kinston. N. C.

Brown, Washington, N. C. Rev. R. Edgar Bunn, Wilson, N. C.

Rev.
J. B.

Rev. A.
Rev.
S.

M.
N.

Cochran, Raleigh, N. C.
Edenton, N. C.

Griffith,

tRev.
Rev.
Rev.
Rev.

W. J. Heritage, Edenton, N. C. J. W. Heritage, Fayetteville, N. C. W. N. Harper, M. D., Belhaven, N.

J. E. Holder, Kinston,

C.

N. C. Rev. Eugene L. Henderson, Durham, N. C. Rev. Robert L Johnson, New Berne, N. C. tRev. Roger C, James, Durham, N. C. Rev. James E. King, Charlotte, N. C.
Rev. Jacob R. Jones,
i^sheville,

N. C.

*Rev. James T. Kennedy, Lincolton, N. C.

Rev. B. Washington Harris, North Carolina.

tRev. C. A. Nero
Rev. E. Rev.
S.

(New York)
N. C. N. C.

Willett, Wilmington,

M. M.

Weston, Tarboro, N. C.
St. Parris,

tRev. H. A.

M.

D., Wilmington,
St.,

*Rev. Erasmus L. Baskervill, 54 Bogart

Charleston, S. C.

290
Rev.

The Afro-Americax Group

J. B. Elliott,

Columbia,

S.

C.
S.

Rev. George E. Howell, Summerville,

C.
S.

Rev. Charles A. Harrison, 18 Jasper Street, Charleston, Rev. Julian C.

Perr,v,

C.

Sumter,

S.

C.
S.

Rev. Robert N. Perry, Columbia, Rev.

St.

C.
S.

Julian A. Simpkins, Spartansburg,

C.

*Rev.

J.

H. Brown, 422

W.

Bolton Street, Savannah, Ga.

*Rev. E. L. Braithewaite, Griffin, Ga.

Rev.
J.

Stewart Braithewaite, Savannah, Ga.

tRev. E. H. Butler, Pittsboro, N. C.

Rev. A.

M.

Forsyth, Darien, Ga.

Rev. Aubrey A. Hewitt, Columbia, Ga.

Rev. G. R. Jackson,
Rev. P.

St.

Simon's Mills Ga.

M.
A.

A. Prowell-Carrington, Thomasville, Ga.

Rev. C. B. Prichett, Waycross, Ga.

tRev.

S.

M.

Pitt.

Rev. Q. E. Primo, Albany, Ga.

Rev. Walter H. Marshall, Fort Valey, Ga.
R. Lewis, Brunswick, Ga.

Rev.

J.

Rev. C. E. F. Boisson, Pensacola, Fla. Rev. G. Rev. Rev.

M.

Blackett,

Miami,

Fla.

J. E.

Culmer, Tampa, Fla.

J. S.

Simmons, Cocoanut Grove, Fla.

*Rev. William T. Wood, Palatka, Fla.

Rev. John R. Brooks, Mobile, Ala. Rev. Charles
Ala.

W.

Brooks, 320 18th Street,

S.

Birmingham..

Rev.
Rev.

J.
S.

T.

Jeffreys, Jackson, Miss.

.Alonzo

Morgan, Vicksburg, Miss.

Rev. D. F. Taylor, D. D., 2704 Carondelet Street,

Orleans, La.

New

Rev.

Rev.

W. A. Bruce, 6th W. W. Cheshire,

and Ewing Avenue^ Nashville, Tenn.

Bolivar,

Tenn.

OF THE Episcopal

Church

291

Rev. James A. Johnson, Memphis, Tenn.

fRev.
Rev.

J.

H. King, Keeling, Tenn.

Alundy, Henderson, Ky.

Rev. E. E. Hall, Lexington. Ky.

J. \l.

Rev. H. F. Percival, Hopkinsville, Ky.

Rev. George G. Walker, 11th and Walnut Streets. Louisville,

Ky.

MID-WEST PROVINCE
Rev, Robert Bagnall, 1012 City Park Avenue, Toledo, Ohio.

Rev. E. H. Oxley. D. D., 728

Ohio.

W.

7th Street. Cincinnati,

Rev. John T. Ogburn. Ph. D.. 614 Parmelee Street. Youngs-

town. Ohio.
Re\-.

H. AV. Smith, 647 E. Spring

J.

Street,

Columbus, Ohio.

Rev.

N. Samuels-Belboder, Dayton, Ohio.

Ohio.

Rev. William B. Suthern, 2169 E. 49th Street, Cleveland,

Rev. Everad

W.

Daniel. 329

St.

Antoint

St,.

Detroit.

Mich.

Rev. E. A. Christian, Henry Avenue and Sherman Street.

Grand
Rev. Charles
S.

Rapids, Mich.

Sedgewick, 6517 Firwood Avenue, Detroit,

Mich.
Rev. Louis H. Berry, Indianapolis, Ind.

Rev. John H. Simons. 3632 Prairie Avenue. Chicago.

Rev. D. E. Johnson. D. D.. 816
111.

111. 111.

Rev. Henry B. Brown. 1944 Ridge Avenue. Evanston.

S.

15th Street. Springfield,

Rev. D. E. Johnson.

Jr..

Cairo.

111.

NORTHWEST PROVINCE
Rev. A. H. Lealtad, 465 Mackubin Street,
St.

Paul,

Minn.

Rev. John Albert Williams, 1119 X. 21st Street, Omaha.

Nebraska.
Rev. William E. Gilliam. Colorado Springs. Colorado.

292

The Afro-Americax Group

Humboldt
Street,

Rev. Harry E. Rahming, 2144

Colorado.

Denver,

SOUTHWEST PROVINCE
Rev. D. R. Clark, 2931 Locust Street,
St. Louis,

Mo.

Rev.

Montraville

E.

Spatches,

1023

Highland Avenue,

Kansas, City,

Mo.

Rev. E.

M. M.

Wright, 316 Stewart Avenue, Kansas City,

Kansas.

Rev.

Thomas D. Brown, 407 Lindsay

City,

Street,

Oklahoma
Muskogee,

Oklahoma.
Roker, 645
S.

Rev. Augustus C.

3rd

Street,

Oklahoma.
Rev.

W.

E. DeClaybrook, Beaumont, Texas.

Rev.

J. B.

Boyce, Tyler, Texas.

Rev. L. C. Dade, Galveston, Texas.

Rev. Bernard G. Whitlock,

Hot

Springs, Ark.

PACIFIC PROVINCE
Rev. Walter T. Cleghorn, 1501 Essex Street, Los Angeles,
California.

Rev. David R. Wallace, 847 35th Street, Oakland, Cal.

* Archdeacon
t Non-parochial

CHAPTER XXXVIII.
A CLOSING WORD.

The

author having had over thirty-five years of active

life,

ministerial

with some

little success,

feels that

it

is

per-

mitted him to venture a word of advice with respect to future plans, or policies for

work

in

Church extension among

the colored people.

The

regular

diocesan
it

system should obtain.

But,

in

order to strengthen
lations, there

and promote the most harmonious

re-

should be a temporary alternative plan which

may

be employed instead of the normal system.

The admin(under the

istrative

and supreme authority of

this

plan,

House
group.

of Bishops) should be the diocesan Bishops concerned,

together with the Missionary Bishop, the native head of the

Under no circumstances should

this

vital

part of

the Missionary District plan be dispensed with.

Absolute
right-

harmony and cooperation are minded Negro Bishop capable

constructive

indispensable.
of

Any

leading and performing

ops share in the

see

work would rejoice in having the diocesan Bishwork to such an extent. In fact, we do not

how

he could hope to attain large success in any other

w^ay.

Booker Washington was the honored principal

gee; but he had a wise and able board of directors.

of

TuskeGeneral

Samuel C. Armstrong was the head

tute,

of the

but he had one of the ablest corps of

Hampton Instimen in this counso thoroughly

try to uphold him.

General Armstrong studied

294

Thi- Afro-Am ericax

Group
made such
n

well the various projects he had in mind, and

clear analysis of them, that

when

presenting them before the

board he seldom failed to carry through a single plan.

'I'he

same thing would be true

if

in the

matter

now under
But

consideration

there were an Advisory Beard with power,

and

a real

constructive

Negro

as

Missionary Bishop.

such a Bshop must be chosen with respect to real ability, and

not chiefly because he

is

"a good and safe Negro."

The

vestry system as applied to our work, in most cases,

It

has proven worse than a failure.

needs remedying.

training in the

work must be given

should
be

to

most

of the

men which

they did not and could not receive at the seminaries.

practical

Many

agencies

introduced

and

vigorously

pushed.

All such, and more, are possible in a Missionary

District with a

Negro Bishop, having

the supervision and

cooperation of the diocesan Bishops Vvithin his district.

The
Bishops.

fight has never been to get

Jt has

from under the white

always been the other way.

The

fight has

been to rid the work of the dominance of diocesan Conventions,

and place the Bishops

in actual control,

and thus, have

a genuine Episcopal

Episcopal

in

The
Church.
says

late

Church among Negroes, and not one name but congregational in practice. Dr. Booker T. Washington, was in thorough
as applied to

sympathy with the IMissionary District plan

our

In his "Story of the Negro," Dr. Washington

"In

my

opinion, there

is

no other place

in

which the Ne-

gro race can to better advantage begin to learn the lessons

of self-direction
I

and self-control than

in

the

Negro Church.

say this for the reason that in spite of the fact that other

interests

have from time to time found shelter there, the

as of other
its

chief

aim of the Negro Church,

branches of the
the funda-

Christian Church, has been to teach

members

OF THE Episcopal
mental things of
life

Church
them
a desire

295
and enthu-

and create

in

siasm for a higher and better existence here and hereafter.

More

than that, the struggle of the masses of the people to

support these churches and to purify their

own

social life,
dis-

making
cipline

it

clean and wholesome,

is

itself a

kind of moral
as

and one that Negroes need quite

1

people. In fact,

doubt

if

there
is

is

much any other way

as other
in

which

the lessons that Christianity

seeking everywhere to enforce,

could be brought
in so

home

to the masses of the

as

Negro people

thorough-going a way

through their

controlled and directed by the

members

of

own societies, their own race."

for any
race, the

There never was

over.
filled.

more glorious day destined

group of people than that awaiting the black

world

That which men

It
is

believe utterly impossible will be ful-

the voice

from on high declaring

lain
:

to the black

race,

'Though ye have
wings of
a

among
is

the pots, yet shall ye be

as the

dove

that

covered with silver wings

of a

and her feathers

like gold."

The "wings

dove" bring to

us the sure truth of escape, while the "silver and "gold" imply

prosperity and felicity.

in the

In the darkest hour of our sojourn

of

American house
their escape,

bondage 'among the

vision
their

pots,' did the

Almighty interpret

this

through our fellows, who,

making

in

own

personalites foreshadow

the high destiny of their group.

In the glorious future for

its

which the black race

is

being prepared

dominant note will

be as expressed in these immortal words of Toussant

verture in his French prison, on the eve of his death

L'Ou-

"Therefore may we hope that

of Christianity appear

in this race will the spirit

it

more

fully than

has yet
its

shown

itself
its

among
fidelity,

the proud whites;

its

show
its

itself

in

gentleness,

disinteredness and

simple trust.

The proud

w^hites

may

scorn this hope, and point to the ignorance and

passions of

my

people, and say, 'Is this your exhibition of the

296
spirit of the

The Afro-American Group

Gospel?' But not for this will

we

give up this

hope.

This
in us

ignorance, these passions are natural to all men,

and are

aggravated and protracted

b}-

our slavery.

Re-

move them by

the discipline and stimulus of freedom,

begun
re-

in obedience to

God and
is

fidelity to all
all
;

men, and there

mains the love that embraces

bear to be betrayed, but

the
to

meek

faith that can

ashamed

doubt; the generosity

times renewed

that can forgive severe offenses

and seven

the simple, open, joyous spirit which marks such as are of the

Kingdom
It

of

Heaven."
little

was that

American boy
as

whom God
destitute

raised

up

from "among the pots"

hope

utterly

and without

as has ever characterized

any

human

being, Frederick

Douglass, who, in his person, revealed the true destiny of the

black

man

in giving the highest possible interpretation to the

Law
hood.

of Love, for the benefit of the

In an address delivered by

whole human brotherMr. Douglass in Decemand

have seen the
in-

ber, 1890.

among

other things, he said:

"I have seen dark hours in

my

life,

darkness gradually disappearing, and the light gradually

creasing.

One by

one,

have seen the obstacles removed,

softened,

errors

corrected,

prejudices

proscriptions
all

relin-

quished, and

my
sum

people advancing in
of general welfare.

the elements that that

make up

the

remember
justice,

God
and

reigns in eternity and that, whatever delays, disappointments

and discouragements may come, truth, humanity will prevail."

liberty

Long

before the Civil

War, when Mr. Douglass was

in

the field striking hard blows against slavery, in imitation of

the white clergy
text, "Servants,

who

used to preach to the slaves from the

attracted unusual

Obey Your Masters," he

this

attention by his solid thrusts in that direction.

literary critics
special effort

By many

was pronounced the best

OF THE Episcopal

Church

297

piece of satire in the English language.

few years before

the death of

Mr. Douglass,
at Anacostia.,

Elizabeth

him

in

home
if

Md.

Cady Stanton, visited Quoting Mrs. Stanton: "1

asked him

he ever had the sermon printed.

it,

He
I

said 'No.'

Could you reproduce

could.
the

said I.
if

He
tried,

said,

'No;
I

could not
if

bring back the old feeling

and

would not

The

blessings of liberty I have so long enjoyed, and

I

many

tender friendships

have with the Saxon race on

both sides of the ocean, have taught

of forgiveness that the painful

me
recall

such sweet lessons

memories

of

my

early days are

almost obliterated, and

would not

them."

And, when Douglass thus

black race that shall be

spoke, he portrayed the

whole

when

Christianity has

wrought a

complete transformation.

Note
"p."
is

In the

list

of Ordinations "d."

is

for deacon

and

for priest.
is

The

date of ordination to the priesthood

of several

not given for

we

failed to find records of the

same

in the official list of the

General Convention.

On

page 208, the second line of the sketch should read:

9,

"January

1815.

He

entered into rest eternal, October"

APPENDICES

APPENDIX ONE.
BISHOP PARET AND THE AFRICAX METHODISTS

The

author will forever hold

in special

honor and rev-

erence the

memory

of the late Rt. Rev.

Dr. William Paret,

Bishop of Maryland.
in the diocese of

We

hoped

to

have begun our ministry

Maryland, and had been recommended most

strongly, indeed, by the late Bishop Whittle of Virginia.

We

had made arrangements to that end

that privilege because Bishop

and

lo,

we were

denied

Paret would not consent to

our coming into

his diocese.

been impressed by one

us that

He had been mislead. He had from whom he sought knowledge of

maker." iVIany years afterwards,

we were

a "mischief

when

the Bishop had reason for believing that the extent of

our "mischief making," was nothing other than a resolute

courage
in

expressing our

own

convictions,

he

put

forth
in

strenuous and earnest efforts to have us acept

diocese.
in the

work

his

The

sincerity of his

change of mind evinced

itself

unusual fact of assuming our entire support and that

at

a rate of several

hundred dollars beyond any allowance

to that

he had hitherto

made

work.
radically differed
in

And, although the good Bishop

the Historic Episcopate,

from

us with respect to our great contention,

adjustment of

we

always, to the end, remained the

warmest and
colored work.

closest friends.

Most

frequently did the Bish-

op take counsel with us with respect to various aspects of the Before the creation of the diocese of

Wash-

ington, he had about decided, while permitting us to retain

OF THE Episcopal
our rectorship, to appoint us
his

Church

29Q

Archdeacon for the colored

and the volume
of col-

work.

But

the diocese being divided,

in the diocese of

ored work being

not obtain.
of

Washington, the plan did

Bishops.

We

understood most thoroughly the opposition

racial
It

Bishop Paret to the scheme of

was
hesi-

absolutely and entirely a matter of principle.

Between the
But he

Suffragan Episcopate and the Missionary he never once

tated to express a preference for the Missionary.

was against

both, for he thoroughly believed in a diocesan

Convention without any "color line" and he had both the

courage and the vigor to maintain
his position.

Possibh" no other Bishop in the

its

American Church, from

of

birth

until

now, enjo\ed the distinction

meeting

in

friendly conference all the Bishops of the African Methodist

Episcopal Church.

Bishop Paret readily and cheerfully

act-

ed upon our suggesticni, and

we had

the high privilege of

bearing his gracious invitaton to our

warm
his

friend, the late

Bishop Turner, then Senior Bishop of

church.

We

ac-

companied them

to the

Episcopal Residence and presented

ea:h to the Bishop of Maryland.

Sometime afterwards

in

The

Spirit of

Missions for May, 1897, Bishop Paret gave

forth an account of that meeting, and the impressions

made

upon him.
meeting

It

was not, however, the General Conference

but simply the annual meeting of the
is

at that time,

Bishops of that church. Here

the African Methodists:

what Bishop Paret

said about

"Some two years ago the General Conference of the body known as the African Methodist Episcopal Church was holding
its

triennial session in the city of Baltimore.

to

Although

wanted much
for

learn

what

their

organization and their

it

work were, mportant

duties of

my own made
I

impossible

me

to be present at their sessions; but

sent a note to


300

The Afro-American Group

Bishop Turner, asking an opportunity

their presiding officer,

tQ become acquainted, and he named a time when their Bishops would call upon me. They came to my house, seven
in

number, and we had a very pleasant and profitable

inter-

view of some two hours' duration.

"I

fitted to be leaders,

was soon convinced that these were strong men men and really leading strongly and wisely. Some, I am sure, were thoroughly educated, whether all were I cannot say; but if not, natural qualities and experience had
been well used.

Their presiding Bishop, Turner, began the

conversation by telling

me

that he learned his

first

Latin and

Church which he had never lost very room where we were sitting, from the lips of in the Bishop Whittingham, and the whole conversation proved
Greek, and
his love for the

clearly on the part of almost all the seven, a kindly

and loving

appreciation of our

own

national branch of the Church, and

it.

a readiness for kindly relations with

"I cannot give details, because

counted

much

of

what

was
fully

said

on both
all

sides confidential.

They

talked freely and

on

points, begging

me

to ask questions,

and when
re-

any

special point
it

was

raised,

Bishop Turner immediately

ferred

to the

one

whom

he thought specially fitted to an-

swer.

The

extent of their work, their organization, their

their ordinations,

financial methods,

the training and edu-

cation of their candidates, the powers and duties of their

Bishops, their methods of worship, the morality and spiritual character of their people, their educational institutions
all

these

were explained.
Episcopal Church
in the
is

"The African Methodist

body.
It

powerful

numbers more communicants

United States

than our

own National Church, and

its

has
its

many more who

Its

have received

ordinations

and

it

has

missions in Africa,

and

at other points

beyond the national

limts.

organiza-

OF THE Episcopal
tfon

Church
efficient..

301

is

strong, wise
in

(humanly speaking), and

The
think,

Bshops being few

number (but eleven

is

or twelve,

when

their

number

full),

have each a

district as large as

six or seven of

our dioceses, which they are able to administer

by the effective help of the presiding elders, and their oversight seems very thorough

and strong.

As

they

tell

it,

they

have many preachers and exhorters, unordained and with

imperfect
qualifications,

lay

preachers;

but they claim to

hold a high standard of preparation for their priesthood, and

to keep

qualified.
ley's

men relentlessly in their diaconate until they are fully They set forth a liturgy nearly following Wesits

Prayer Book, and they are pushing

it.

use in congrega-

tions as they find the people fitted for

Their educational
expected to have

system

is

remarkable.

They keep up
some

not only schools and

is

high schools; but each Episcopal district

its

college or university, and

of them, like the

Wilber-

force College, in Ohio, are well equipped and effective; and

to sustain these, besides

one dollar a year which they request

from each member

require
tional

for the general expenses of the church they

from

each, as a duty, one dollar for their educa-

work.

Of

course, they do not receive

it

from

all

of
to

their six or seven

hundred thousand, but they gave me

least half of

understand that at
this leads to that

them do contribute.

And

wonderful
is

fact that this great organization

of

colored people
help at
all

entirely

self-supporting,

receiving no

money

from the whites.

"In comparing their great work and results among the

colored people with ours, so puny,
parison,
I

humanly speaking,

in

com-

asked w^hether they could see any reason for the

difference,

and

their

answer was that

we were

pauperizing

those to

whom we
we

ministered, while they

were building up

their Christian self-respect.

They

asserted that there

was

no need that

should keep up such continual missionary

302
support, that

Thk Afro-Am hricax Group

it

was wise and well

to use missionary

money

freely on opening

new

fields

and fresh enterprises, but that

be,

every

new congregation should

from the beginning,

pushed rapidly into self-support and helping others.

The\' had proved the contrary thoroughly.

They

ridiculed the idea that the Negroes, even the poorest, could

not give.
"I

am

sure that in this they have touched one of our

it is

great defects; but

the remedy.

easier to see

it

than to find and applv

praying,

As a result of the interview^ I am wishing and more and more, that in some wa}' by God's good

providence a path might be opened for closer understanding

and kindly co-operation between that strong Christian body

and ourselves.

Can

it

ever be?

"WiLiAM Paret,
"Bishop of Maryland."

They
all,

accept practically our whole system doctrine and

adapted to racial needs.

the}-

But, with respect to the man-

hood of the black man,

did
in

hold to that as tenaciously as

Union. And on their behalf, we might well apply the spirit dominating Henry Wnter Davis, when on the floor of the National Con-

Henry Winter Davis

to the

this matter,

gress he eloquently said

"If

weakness;

we must fall, if we must

let

our

last

hours be stained with no

fall, let

us stand amid the crash of the

in its ruins, so that history

falling republic

and be buried

may

take note that

men

lived in the middle of the nineteenth cen-

tury worthy of a better fate, but chastised by

sins of their forefathers. to
testify

God

for the

Let the ruins of the republic remain

greatness and
sit

to

the latest generations our

let

our

heroism.

And

Liberty, crownless and childless,

upon

these ruins, crying aloud with a sad wail to the nations of

OF THE Episcopal
the world:

Church

303

'I

nursed and brought up children and they have

"

rebelled against me.'

When men
rise

point sneeringly at the African Methodist

it is

Episcopal Church

because of thorough ignorance of

its

and

history.

It

should not be judged from the standit

point of the ideals to which

has not yet attained; nor by

comparing

it

with the oldest and ablest expressions of orlife.

ganized church
productions,

Rather must

it

be judged by

its

best of

remembering always the

which
it

extreme

depths

ignorance

in

was born.

Any number
this

of the best

men
the

the race has produced, born under other ecclessiastical

environments, were drawn to the help of

organization by

mute appeal

of the ignorant masses for help.

And

h\

the exhibition of genuine self-sacririce such pioneer colored

men, under the blessing

out of darkness.

of

God, succeeded

in

bringing light

Bishop Payne came to African Metiiodism

;

from the Lutheran Church

Bishop Tanner from the Pre-

byterian Church, and Bishop John Albert Johnson from t^e

Church

of England.

The

real

educated

men

of this denomi-

nation have wrought victories for high Christian ideals that

can hardly be appreciated by the white Church

who

are ig-

norant of race

life at first

hand.

With our
its

intimate know-

ledge of African Methodism, and

the least doubt in the

leaders,

we have

not

world that whenever the Episcopal

Church
no great

is

sincerely disposed in that direction, there will be

difficulty in the
this

way

of church unity

and complete
vital

fellowship with
principle

great

body contending for one

will
it

which under no circumstances

surrender or

compromise.
the

That

is

the full and complete recognition of

manhood
It

of the black

man.

would be

utterly impossible for self-respecting

men

to

do otherwise.

304

The Afro-Americax Group

APPENDIX TWO.
''my last
"Since
able lot of

work upon
I

earth''

my

last

annual address

have purchased a desir-

ground and have

built a rectory

and church (now

used for a day school and Sunday School also).

colored

layman

is

licensed to lay read, with privilege of exhorting.

is

lady from Virginia

in

charge of the day school.

The
re-

moneys expended
tired

in building

and conducting the work here

came from abroad.

Bishop of
I

The Rev. J. S. Johnston (now the West Texas) without whose earnest
expended

co-

operation

could not have begun this work, has had charge

in the erecis

of the disbursements of all the funds

tion of the buildings, etc

I
it

feel that this

I

my
it

last
it,

new work on
it

earth.

If

be of God, and
;

do not doubt

will in due time be established

fail.

if it is

not of God,

will

and should
"I

am
of

glad to spend

my

last

days for the benefit of a race

affect the

whose elevation or continued degeneration, must

future
this,

our Southern country, for generations to

come.

"These people have by

toil

and sweat redeemed

this

Southern land from the wilderness; they nursed and tended

us in our childhood; and today

we

are Indebted to their in-

dustry for whatever great degree of agricultural prosperity

we

enjoy.

They

are with us for weal or woe, and

less

It Is

our

bounden duty, no

than our Interest, to do

all

within our

power
for

to

promote their temporal and

I

spiritual welfare.

"For myself

can truly say, that

If I

ever have done

for

much

him (the Negro) he has likewise done much

childhood up
to. this

me from
his lips

my
and

hour.

Some
first

of

my

earliest lessons

of faith
life.

and child-like trust have been taught

me by

From him

learned

that 'the thunder,'

which


OF THE Episcopal
caused

Church

305.

my

timid heart to throb, was the voice of the Great

'the air

Father and that

infinite
love.'

around

me was
of

the great sea of His

to

Never have words

has spoken to

wisdom come

me

from Christ with more power and permanence

than

of impression

when He

me through

this oft-despised

man. some
the

May my

place in heaven be as well assured as that of

of these friends of

my

childhood.
is

"And

to my mind, power of God and

this

of all realizations of Christ as

the

wisdom
in the
;

of

God, the most sublime

and beautiful

the unity in their several gradations of all

orders and degrees of

men

body of the dear Lord

where mutual love doth reign where mutual helpfulness prevails where the superior wisdom and riches bestowed on
;

the one part of the body continually flow forth to relieve the

poverty and ignorance of the other, to flow back

of a blessedness

in returns

beyond

all

the gifts of

human

intelligence.

Oh,

this

is

the great need of the Church, and of the State.

That we could have more of the mind of Christ. This would be the resolver of all doubts, the clew to all labyrinths,
the grand Catholicon for
all

distempers, the universal solof unity, peace and con-

vent, the great indissoluble

bond

cord."

Fro?n the Convention address

(1884)

of

Bishop

Richard Hooker JVibner.

"contrary to the mixd of Christ"

"It introduced, needlessly, as
feature of class legislation.
It
is

thought, the objectionable

set off mission-

proposed to

ary organizations for th colored people, not on the ground

of their incapacity
color.
I

and ignorance, but upon the ground of

say 'not on the ground of incapacity or ignorance,'

for
in

it is

notorious that there are multitudes of white people

of our States

some

who,

as

it

regards intelligence, educa-

tion and manners, are not superior to the colored population


306

The Afro-American Group

to that class of colored people

and are quite inferior

who
If

are

prepared to enter the communion of this Church.

then a

separate missionary organization be desirable for any of our

people on the ground of their incapacity and ignorance

and that point

is

the one

now

to be

determined

why

is

it

not equally desirable for people of all colors?

"Why
in

then introduce the

word

'colored,' except to

draw

Church
a

legislation the color-line

and thus bring into op-

eration

caste

and

class

legislation

a hitherto

unknown
saw

feature in

Church

legislation?

This was,

as I thought, the

un-Catholic feature in the canon.

For my own
legislation,

part, I

no

sufficient reason for

any special

and proposed

to the

Conference a resolution which embodies the sentiments

of this present address. " 'Resolved,

The
the

resolution

was

as follows:

That

in

judgment

of the Bishops

and

other clergy and of the laity assembled to consider the relation

of the

trary to the
licity

Church to mind

the colored population,

it

would be conCathoall

of Christ, inconsistent with true

and detrimental to the best interest of

concerned,

to provide

any separate and independent organization or leg-

islation for the peoples

embraced wthin the communion of

the Church.'
*'

'Contrary to the mind of Christ," because containing

the element of 'partiality'

and

'respect of persons'

in

His

Church which
Christ was,
sal

He

purchased with His most precious blood.

when 'made man,' the manifestation to UniverHumanity of the Divine Fatherhood. In His body, the Church, there was to be no recognition of race, color, condition or estate.
in

Barbarian, Scythian, bond or free, w^ere one

Him
all,

through His Incarnation.

faith,

Thus, through Him, Our

Lord, there was one

of

one baptism, one

God and
it

Father

above

all,

through

all

and

in

them

all.

" 'Inconsistent with true Catholicity,' because

legislated

OF THE Episcopal

Church

307

inv'diously for a class, and thus introduced the element of

caste into a

'Kingdom which

is

not of this world.'

" 'Detrimental to the interests of all concerned.' because

it

tends to throw

oft"

the one part, the least wise and capable,

to themselves, thus depriving

them

of the fulness of privileges

granted to others, and also depriving the other part of the

body of the benefits which flow from the exercise of the

graces of condescension and sympathy which can only find
full

scope in

integral

Wilmer
ference

in his dissent

unity and union." (1883) Bishop from the findings of the Sewanee Con-

APPENDIX THREE.
RISHOP brooks' great SPEECH OX BEHALF OF OUR GROUP
In the General Convention of 1889, the Rev. Dr. Phillips

Brooks, a clerical deputy from the diocese of Massachuaddressing the House of Deputies, said
is

setts,

"I call attention to the fact that this

stitute

motion

to sub-

one report for another report, and therefore

it is

upon

this report as well as

upon the resolutions that

desire to

speak.

can easily say

why

it

was considered not merely

desirable but absolutely necessary that the minority report

should be presented.

The

points are these, which indicate

a distinct inadequacy in the report of the majority as to the

condition of things with which

we

find ourselves confronted.

"In the
distinctly
sity of

first place,

the report of the majority does not

and cordially recognize the right and the neces-

the petition

made

to them, the condition of things

that

make such

action justifiable.
it is

On
on

the contrary

it

implies

throughout that
the

an entirely unnecessary appeal, and that

this question.

Church stands

clear already

The min-

oritv do not think so.

308
''In the

The Afro-American Group

next place the report of the majority appeals to

the history of the

to carry

Church, but the majority absolutely decline

historical statement in the first place

forward the

into the statement of a distinct proposition,

place, into a declaration of

and

in the second

what ought

to be done.

"Now,

it is

because the Church does not stand clear upon

this question,

because the colored clergy have their right to

doubt, because any

man

of color

would have most profound

reasons for doubting, as to whether he could occupy a position in

which

a priest or

man
is it

could respect himself, and

this

it is

upon that that the minority asks

the
first

Convention

to say in

place, that there

good ground for the asking of

is

this question,

and secondly
rest,

not simply an historical fact

upon which we may

but that there should be a clear

in this

statement of the principle that

branch of the Church

of Christ,

of Christ, as throughout all the

tinction
color,

Church

no

dis-

whatever, whatsoever or wheresoever of race or

as a distinct
is

and therefore

and necessary consequence

if it is

of that, the principle

legislation of

nothing
in

not a declaration of
place, that
is

whatever kind,
is

whatever

based

on race or color,

contrary to the spirit of Christ.

"We

ask the acceptance of this report and these resolu-

tions, first

because they are true.

It

is

impossible

it

is

im-

possible for us to

waive the facing of

If

this question

whether

the resolutions are true or not.

they are true let the

to vote for them.

Church be brave enough, bold enough

"While
themselves,
of the

I I

am
is

willing to let consequences take care of

all

do with

my

heart think that the best policy

Church

in line

with the profoundest duty of the

Church.

We

can not appeal to the colored race until

this question.

we

have given a clear and distinct answer on

stand paralyzed before the

We

Negro

race.

If I

were

of that

OF THE Episcopal
race
this

Church

309
of

I would never, as a Negro, enter into the ministry Church until that question was answered.

"It seems to
clearly

me

the
in

and adequately
first,

Church can answer the question no better terms than those emI

braced in the

second and third of those resolutions.

believe that our missions to the colored people will be para-

lyzed unless
it
is

we

are able to

make some

clear statement, for

impossible to appeal to the race unless

we have

first

given them a clear and distinct answer.

**But
it is

not in view of the consequences, disastrous as but

it is

they

may
a

be,

in

view of the

essential righteousness

of the thing, in view of the frankness

and manliness with

which
as
is

Convention

like this

should answer such a question

is

put before them.

Yea

or nay

the answer
is

demanded

by

this question

and

is

just the

answer that

given by the

resolutions of the minority:

Are they
if

true, or are they not

so,

true?

If they are true, say so;

so.

they are not

then say

they are not

**It is

impossible for this Convention to reject those reso-

lutions for any reason

which will not carry

to the

world

at

large any other reason that the belief that those statements
are not true.

"We,

of the minority, believe with all our hearts that

they are true; and therefore

we purpose

to vote for them,

this

and we believe
vention.

it

to be

our duty to present them tp

Con-

"I do not

know how
do not care

other churches in this country,

do

not ask
question.

how
I

other Christian bodies are standing on this

to consult their records.
I

know

that the color line has again and again presented itself as a
difficult

question

among them.
But
I

do not care to compare

church with church.

do care for the Church of our

310

The Afro-American Group

love that she shall establish herself as the leader of men's

consciences, that she shall be brave

and true and

fearless.

dare to look forward to the time

Christ
in

when

in

the ministry of

our Church, above

to

all others,

there shall be no line

drawn simply
tate

mark

the color of men's skins, to incapaci-

men

for functions of the ministry,

with

all

the rights
re-

and

responsibilities

whatever attached

to them,

without

ference to the race to which they belong."

APPExNDIX FOUR.
At the 19th annual meeting of the Conference of Church Workers Among Colored People, held in St. Lukes Church,

New

Haven, Conn., September 15th, 1903, a Commission

respect
to

of

Fifteen was created to seek an interview with the Bishops in

Southern dioceses with

the

adjustment of the

Historic Episcopate to the needs of the colored race.

the kindness and courtesy of the late Bishop
tucky, chairman of the

Through
of

Dudley

KenCol-

Commission

for

Work Among

ored People, an audience was secured in the city of

ington at the Pro-Cathedral on

Wash-

Monday, October

26, 1903.

Bishop Dudley presided

in this

conference and the Rev. Geo.

F. Bragg, Jr., D. D., and the Rev. Prof. J.

the Bishop Payne Divinity School,
selected by the

W.

Johnson of

Petersburg, Va., were

Conference Commission to be their spokes-

men.

Bishops from the following dioceses and jurisdictions

were present: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Lexington, Massachusetts, Mississippi,

see,

North Carolina, Tennes-

Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington,

West

Virginia

(Bishop Coadjutor) and the jurisdiction of Southern Florida.

The members

of

the Conference

Commission present

were: Rev. Messrs. Bragg, Bishop, Miller, H. L. Phillips,

Waller, Tunnell, E. R. Bennett, Johnson and Archdeacon

OF THE Episcopal
Pollard.

Church

311

Laity

Messrs. Dr. J. C. Norwood, R. R. Horner,

Walker

W.

Lewis and Solomon DcCourcey.

TO THE BISHOPS IN SOUTHERN DIOCESES
in

AX ADDRESS

"Venerable Fathers

God:
you our sincere thanks
to the invitation of the

"We
for your

desire, first of all, to tender

prompt and ready response

in friendly conference

Conference of Church Workers

to

Among

the Colored People,

meet

with representatives from that

body, with respect to matters pertaining to a branch of the

Church's missionary work

are profoundly interested.
culties

in

which you,

as well as ourselves,

There

are grave

and serious

diffi-

which interpose and hinder the advancement

of

of the
shall

Kingdom

God among
it

the colored people, and

if

we

seem, in this address, to confine ourselves wholly to one of

these disadvantages,
is

because, in our judgment, the reit

moval

of the

same

carries with

the solution of most of the

remaining ones.

"Those

of us

who work

in the South, or

have worked

in

the Southern States, can and do most cheerfully testify to the

unfailing kindness, love, gentleness, and deep interest in this

work which have

characterized

many

of our white brethren.

The

peculiar conditions which militate so stubbornly against

any great advance of the Church among the colored race are
to be sought interest

on their part.

from other causes rather than from any lack of While the members of our own race
race, yet such are

sustain the profoundest respect, good-will, and appreciation

for the

dominant

our racial idiosyncrasies

it

and past
difficult

ecclesiastical education, that w^e find

increasingly

to adjust ourselves, ecclesiastically, to the

seeming

demands
"It

of our white neighbors far

and brethren.
to

is

from our purpose

condemn

or indulge in

unkindly criticism.

We
it

desire simply to state the fact.

As

at present constituted,

would

seem utterly impossible for

312

The Afro-Am ericax Group

the colored clergy and laity to receive equal and impartial

treatment and consideration in the several diocesan Conventions.

As

a result,

much

is

said

and done which hinders rath-

er than advances the cause of

our Lord.

We

are supremely

desirous

that peace,

friendship

and love should mutually

obtain between us; and in furtherance of such a laudable

end, to the glory of Almighty
souls,

God and

the salvation of
offices in

all

we

are led to ask of you your good

securing

such additional canonical legislation as will remove us from

the humiliating and undignified position in

which we

find

ourselves in the Church.

The
demand.

Historic Episcopate does not touch us as closely and

as helpfully as the needs of the great

body of our people

This

is

not so

much

because our Diocesan Bishops

are indisposed to do their utmost in this particular, but rather

because the civic and social condition obtainng between the

two

races renders

it

dfficult for

them

to

do

so.

Diocesan

convocations for colored people, subject to the control of

diocesan conventions, as established in several dioceses, do

not meet the requirements of the situation and have not been
fruitful of satisfactory results.

ditions already distressing.

They greatly aggravate Too often it is the case

conthat

prominent laymen

in

our diocesan conventions are also prom-

inent in civic conventions which do not so lovingly deal with

the civil concerns of the colored race.

believe that the

Our

people do not

men who minimize

their civic rights

and

privileges can safely be trusted to advance the

their spiritual interests.

human

side of

"In view of the present exigencies, and pre-eminently,

a measure of peace and good-will, on both sides,
it is

as

our

calm and deliberate judgment, the result of many years of

patient observation, study and prayer, that the prosecution
of our

work

in the

Southern States, among the colored peo-

OF THE Episcopal
pie,

Church

313

should be placed more directly under the general Church.

believe that there should be missionar}^ jurisdictions ex-

We

tending through two or more dioceses, with a Bishop at the

head of each, drawn from the same race represented by the

clergy and people

among whom he

is

to labor.

Thus, we

would

respectfully, but

most earnestly, ask of the General

Convention, through you, our Right Reverend Fathers:

"The
(a)
tion,

adoption of a canon, not mandatory , but permissive

embracing the following general features:

"That it shall be lawful for the General Convenupon the request of two or more Diocesan Bishops con-

tiguously situated to constitute into a missionary jurisdiction

their territory, as pertaining to the colored race.

(b)

"The Diocesan

Bishops wihin the bounds of each

missionary jurisdiction thus constituted to compose an

visory Council for
tory.

Ad-

work among

colored people in such terri-

(c)

Such jurisdictions

to be absolutely

independent of

diocesan conventions, and represented in the General Con-

vention as that body (d)

may

prescribe.

"Any

jurisdiction constituted

under

this

canon

to

be altered, re-arranged, or terminated at the will of the General

Convention.

"Such

in brief outline are the salient points of the adap-

tation of the Historic Episcopate to the needs of the Afro-

American people."
* * * *

"We
is

are animated with but one single purpose, and that

to see

our beloved Church take hold of our race and carry

of our

to

them the Gospel

Lord Jesus Christ

cruel injustice
in
is

as received

and

taught by this Church.

ful

done to a

faith-

body of missionary workers

our

field

when

it

is

made

to

appear that our persistent and earnest efforts in this

314

The Afro-American Group

direction are inspired by an unholy ambition to seek exalted

positions
for

the

leaders

in

this

movement.

The

present

want

of a general system of action in this missionary de-

partment of the Church's work makes our labor more strenuous and
difficult,

keeps self-respecting people out of the

it

Church, and makes

candidates for

harder to get suitable and sufficient

Holy Orders.
and repudiate any insinuation that
important step in the creation of an

"We
what we

utterly abhor

ask

is

the

first

African Church apart and separate from our present American Church.

Separate jurisdictions and conventions do not

imply separate and distinct churches.

We

are in the one

Church by

virtue

of

Holy Baptism; and

the

Episcopate,
visible

whether diocesan or missionary, constitutes the

ex-

pression of the unity of all the parts in the one Catholic

Church

of Christ.

"And now, Right Reverend

case with you.

Fathers in God,

we

rest

our

We

are

most anxious that you should have

will be a pleasure on our part to re-

the benefit of any additional light or information which any

of us can impart, and
it

spond to any questions which

in connection

may

suggest themselves to you

to place

with

this subject.

We have endeavored
among our

before you the main facts, and a general outline of the legislation

which we deem necessary for the successful and agof

gressive prosecution

the

w^ork

race by

the

Church

in

which we have the honor of claiming sonship.

APPENDIX
THE
ST.

FIVE.

LOUIS GENERAL CONVENTION

Extracts from the Majority Report at the General Convention held in St. Louis, in 1916:

We

are not

unmindful of posible grave conse-

OF THE Episcopal

Church
we

315

quences of such establishment, which

reasonably to anticipate.
"First

have endeavored

among

these consequences

is

the violation of the

principle of Diocesan Unity, by the establishment of a separate jurisdiction in the territorial diocese.
iously be questioned

While

it is

may

ser-

whether a
in

territorial diocese

indeed a

principle of the
it is

Church

every age of her history prevalent,

certainly true that the division of

lies

has prevailed and persisted since the

man into dawn

racial fami-

of history;
is

and equally true that while the

territorial diocese
is

clearly

man-made, the
lief, in

division into races

God-made.
men,

In our be-

providing ecclessiastical organiaztion for the developof the races of

it

ment and education

would seem

far

wiser to adhere closely to the establishment of God's nature

than to those of man's

artifice.

No

one of us can look to the

end and discover God's purpose for the separate races of man,
but no one

who

has had any experience of the races, but

knows

that each has racial characteristics and differentiations

which must be reckoned with whenever the races come into

relation with one another.
cal differences

We

are persuaded that the radi-

between the Negro and the Anglo-Saxon, of

is

which the color

neither the gravest or the greatest, consti-

tute sufficient reason for departing

from the custom (not the

principle) of territorial division, long revered, but seriously

inapplicable to the

harmony
of each.

of the two, as well as to the

normal development
as such,

In our view,

it

is

consistent

wtih God's appointment that the

racial family

be recognized

and consistent with our own unfailing method of

Church.
in

practical administration in the

Wherever

the

Neto

groes have turned to the

Church

sufficient

numbers

w^arrant

it,

congregations of their

own

race have been or-

ganized by our authority.

Wherever

priests of their race

could be found to minister to them, they have been settled by

316

The Afro-American Group

us as the heads of the ecclessiastical race families.

We

re-

spctfuUy but boldly urge the consideration that in presenting

their

memorial for the establishment of

race

racial districts, the

Negro

has logically

and consistently interpreted not

only the necessary conclusion from God's creation, but the

natural result of our ecclessiastical training.
their viewpoint their request
is

a natural one.
it
is

Viewed from Viewed from

outcome
of

the vantage of

Church

practice,

a natural

her consistent proceedure.

Viewed from the vantage of the racial life, it is natural that the Church should thus law of conform herself to God's law, which she can not change,
rather than to ecclessiastical law, which

may
is

be changed and
is

modified
'*

when conformity

to that

which

higher

desired.

When we

have helped the Negro to the

achievement of racial

self-sufficiency,

which

is

born of accom-

plishment, to self-mastery, which follows moral victory, and

to pride of race,

which

is

only possible

when

these victories

have been gained,

we

shall

have fixed within him the passion

is

for social integrity,

racial

which

as justly natural as
is

is

that for

reproduction.
if it is

Separation of races

greatly misin-

terpreted,

not recognized to be the

first

necessary step
is is

towards the achievement of those ends.

This
It

fully recogdifficult to

nized by the Negro leaders of the South.

conceive

how anyone
its

can imagine that a race can be honored

by repression, or helped to self-expression by the practical

destruction of
racial

identity.

If the

sympathy
is

of the

white race

is

to be gained at such cost, the price

is

too dear.

Happily, this
representative

not necessary, for in proportion as the racial

truly and faithfully the representative of

is

his race, does he

both merit and receive the sympathy which

helps,

and the respect which honors and elevates.

We
tion the

have not forgotten that in her constitufor the election of Suffragan

Church has provided

OF THE Episcopal
Bishops,

Church

317

who may

be racial.
it

But although

this provision has

existed for six 3'ears,

has not been found desirable for the

confessedly designed purpose was, at

Negro
first

race,

though

its

proposed to provide spiritual leadership for them.

is still

The
be-

door of opportunity
lieve that
it

open for

its

use.

Those who

will not

meet the

case, respectfully ask that a

like permission be given to

them

to use the proposed consti-

tutional provision for the missionary jurisdiction

lines.

upon

racial

We

ask only for the same permission to use this exto

use,

pedient,

which has been granted

the expedient of

the Suffragan.

"The proposed amendment

is

not mandatory.
It

It

does

not require the proposed organization.

does not infringe

~upon the diocesan rights nor force the unwilling assent of

the Diocesan Bishops, or the Negroes themselves.
It perIt

mits organization where desirable and practicable.

be

many

years before a full

complement

of

may Negro Bishops is

either needed or

may

be provided.

But while the amendis it

ment

will not be mandatory, neither

is

prohibitive, as our

constitution practically

as

it

now

stands.

Does anyone

suppose that an American diocese will ever set a Negro or

an Asiatic or an Indian as Bishop over the diocesan family?

And

if

Negro and

Asiatic are to be, perhaps,

more and more

become, constituent parts of American dioceses, can anyone

suppose that this does not

mean

restriction

and prohibition of

the free, full exercise of ecclessiastical franchise and liberty?

Can anyone maintain

is

that for

them the

birth into the

Church
is

birth into the 'liberty of the sons of

God?'

It

quite

true that the races have a Bishop, the Diocesan Bishop, of

the white race.
ability to

But

is

there one

who

does not confess his inin

be the Bishop of another race in the sense and

is

the

power that he

Bishop of

his

own

race?

And

does not


318
this

The Afro-American Group

deprive the races of

men

of Christian rights to

and

bless-

ings,

which the blessed Incarnate Christ came

bestow?

"

We
it is

affirm that

it

is

not an effort to solve a

problem,
of

distinctly an effort to
It
is

do justice to a great race

God's people.

an effort to afford to that race,

theirs,

brought into our midst through no wish of

every
if

means

of self-development.

We

confidently believe that

it

there be any solution of the problem,

w411 be revealed only

when we have fulfilled our duty who cannot command it."

in

doing justly by a race

APPENDIX
"Now
does not
es
I

SIX.

FIXING THE POINT OF CONTACT

submit the point at issue really
is:

Where

shall
it

the point of contact be?

As

it

stands at the present time

take place in the parishes.

There
is

are colored parish-

and there are white parishes.

There

no rule

to prevent

intermingling, and there ought not to be.

But

as a

matter
is

of fact a division exists in the smallest unit, w^hich

the

parish.

Now we
seems to

have attempted to bring about the union

is

in the diocese,
ble.

and that attempt

the cause of

all this

trou-

It

me

perfectly consistent with the theory of

equality that the point of contact between the races should

take place in this (the General) Convention, rather than in

the

diocesan
is

convention,

and that apart from economical

at all

usage there

no reason

why

there should not be an

organization of colored
as their

men with
House

their

own

Bishops, as well

own

presbyters, the Bishops of

in the

which organizations
and Deputies from

should have seats

of Bishops,

the congregations should have seats with equal rights in this

house with deputies from the white congregations.

the speech of the

From

Honorable Seth Low,

in the

General Con-

vention of 1889.


OF THE Episcopal

Church

319

APPENDIX SEVEN.
"The men who favored
methods, but they favored

a racial jurisdiction favored

first of

it

not as a fad, or as a fancy, or merely as the

it

many
it

because they believed

was
and

right and the only right thing for the

Church
in
its

to do,

that the

Church never would prosper

was done.
give the
it

Negro work

until that right thing

They
a

believed the duty of

the

Church was
to set before

to

Negro

square deal in the

in

Church, whether he got

not
;

anywhere

else

the world or
to

him an open door

of hope

and

make him
recognized

understand that the Church of the Living

God
the

no

social, or political, or racial difference

whatsoever, and that

in the

Church every human being stood on

other

same footing

as

every

human

being."

The Rev. Dr. William

Meade

Clarke, late editor of

The Southern Churchman, on

the eve of his translation.

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