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Bishop B. iU. flrnett. D.D.
Secretary Bishops' Council.
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1900.
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INTRODUCTION.
On account of tlie number of papers and the importance
of the subjects contained therein, it has become necessary to
publish the papers so that they may be examined and the
historical data contained therein may not be lost.
Closing up the century the African Methodist Episcopal
Church has become world-wide in its influence, organization
and power. Its ministers are administering at the altar of
many nations and speaking many languages, therefore, it is
necessary that the correspondence of the Bishops' Council
be put in such shape that it may be used to the advantage of
the church and preserved to posterity and become a part of
the history of the closing century of African Methodism.
It is a source of congratulation to know that the mission
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to the darker
races of the world is manifested in the appeals coming from
the foreign lands for the church to come and organize and set
up the banner of manhood Christianity.
The prayers of the fathers have been answered and Ethi¬
opia is stretching forth her hands to God, and at the close of
the century the sons of Allen and Quinn and Payne have
belted the globe and are standing as sentinels on the out¬
posts of our civilization.
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPIS¬
COPAL CHURCH IN SOUTH AFRICA.
FROM THE IZWI LABANTU (" THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE," )
NGOLWESI-BINI, 11 JANUARY, 1898.
The opening services of St. Peter's Church, Pretoria,
commenced at 11 a. m., on Sunday, December the 5tli, 1897.
So far as the history of this church is concerned it will
suffice for our purpose to-day to say that the Rev. Joseph
M. Kanyane, pastor of St. Peters, left the English Church in
1889, and formed what was known in this state, (Transvaal,)
as the " African Church." He had only thirty members
when he left the Anglican Ohurch. This work has grown
much since that time. There are now about twelve churches,
nine hundred members and a considerable number of schools.
By means of a deputation in the person of Rev. J. M.
Dwane, General Superintendent, sent to America in 189G, a
union between the A. M. E. Church, the oldest colored peo¬
ples church in the world, and the Ethiopian Church, organ¬
ized by Rev. M. M. Mokone, in 1892, and the African Church,
organized by Rev. J. M Kanyane in 1889, and the one organized
by the late Rev. N. Tile, in 1882, was effected.
The General Superintendent, and Presiding Elders,
Mokone and Kanyane, addressed a letter to the government
of this State last February, 1897, informing the said govern¬
ment concerning the union above referred to, and to acquaint
them with the' fact that these churches are one, and will
henceforth be known as the African Methodist Episcopal
Church.
Owing to the growing wants of the place, it was decided
about a year or two ago, to build a larger place of worship.
The work was started and the foundation stone laid on the
19th day of April, 1896. The building has cost £900, but
when all the internal arrangements are completed the whole
cost of the building will be £1000. It is one of the largest,
neatest and grandest native churches in South Africa. It
was feared that owing to rinderpest having destroyed cattle
and rendered people unable to move about in their wagons,
there would not be many people at the opening service. But
these fears were removed. People walked long distances and
came in large numbers. The location was crowded on Saturday
night. The General Superintendent, Rev. James M. Dwane,
arrived in Pretoria on Saturday afternoon and was very far
from being well, having caught a severe cold on his way
from the Colony. It was thought that a good night's rest
would do him good. On Sunday morning he was no better,
but worse, and everyone felt anxious about the General
Superintendent's health. However, he was determined to do
the work, and grace was given him, and services crowned
with great success. All this we attribute to the many earn¬
est prayers of God's people which were offered 011 his tehalf.
The procession from the mission house to the church 011
Sunday morning, was a long, orderly and most attractive one.
It is estimated there were about a thousand people. The min¬
isters were all in robes, people and children nicely dressed;
especially the latter. On the procession's reaching the church
the Rev. J. M. Kanyane, presiding elder and pastor of the
church, made a few necessary explanations to the vast assem¬
bly, after which Rev. J. G. Xaba, secretary of the conference,
introduced the General Superintendent to the stewards and
trustees of the church. Mr. John Diale, on behalf of the
stewards and trustees of the church delivered the keys of the
church to the General Superintendent as a token of the fact
that they will ever after submit to the discipline and doctrine
of the A. M. E. Church, etc., etc.
The Rev. J. M. Dwane, having received the keys, said he
was pleased to see so many people on that most interesting
occasion. lie thanked the ministers and officers of the church
for the great honor they have conferred 011 him in asking
him to open the grand church. It is a great day with them,
a great day in the history of our church, not only in this
State but in the whole of South Africa. He said that some
people in the Cape Colony were busily engaged in misrepre¬
senting the great work of God in which we are engaged.
They are doing their level best to mislead the public, and in
hopes .that by so doing they will succeed in pursuading the
government of the Cape Colony, Ratal, Free State, and the
Transvaal to believe that we are a disloyal people, that our
church is a " mania," " a dangerous movement," " a rising
— 6 —
against government," etc., etc. He said that the devil was
not competent to manufacture or utter greater lies than these.
Everyone knew very well (continued Mr. Dwane,) that a
more loyal people to "the powers that be" will be found
nowhere on the face of this earth than the people of the great
church to which we have the honor to belong. The African
Methodist Episcopal Church is second to none in the world
in teaching all those committed to her charge, their bounded
duties, namely, that "every soul be subject unto the higher
powers. For there is no power but of God, the powers that
be are ordained of God," and to " render unto Cresar the
things which are Caesars, and unto God the things that are
God's." He was not at all sorry about lies and misrepresen¬
tations that are being circulated about us and our work, nor
did he regard these things as bad signs respecting the future
history of our people. When the people get uneasy and the
devils restless about the work of God, he (Mr. Dwane,)
always takes it as a sign that the Lord is going to do a good
work. No church could be in a healthy state without trou¬
bles of some kind. Persecutions and difficulties are the life
of all true and great movements. The apostles gloried in
tribulations and we glory in oppositions. His word to them
was " Africa for Christ." Let all our plans, all our new
churches, all our sermons, all our prayers, be filled with the
spirit of Jesus. Let this mind be in you which was also in
Christ Jesus.
His prayer is that the blessing of God may rest on all
our proceedings in connection with the opening of this church,
lie now takes the key as the representative of the A. M. E..
church, and opens the church in the name of God, Father,
Son and the Holy Spirit. In this church nothing else will be
preached but the pure doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ,
founded on the new Testament.
The procession passed up the aisle reading psalm Ixxxiv.
The supervising ministers, with those appointed to take
part in the service, took their seats in the pulpit and on the
platform. After a Sesuto hymn was sung, Rev. M. Mokone
read 1 King viii, 23-51.
The meeting was lead by Rev. S. II. Sinamela in singing
hymn 234, " pakamisa ingcinga zetu," then the Supervisor
prayed.
The Supervisor, Rev. James M. Dwane, ascended the
pulpit and delivered the dedicatory address with graphically
extraordinary eloquence.
The morning's collection amounted to £33. This large
church was so full that hundreds of people were obliged to
remain outside. The afternoon service was also a great suc¬
cess, and Mr. Kumalo of Johannesburg, was its able chairman.
The platform was well filled with ministers and there
were several white friends present who came to bless this
great forward movement. The addresses were all to the
point and were attentively listened to.
After votes of thanks to the chairman the meeting
closed with prayer and benediction.
At night the church was again packed. The Rev. Jos.
Kanyane read prayers of the Church of England and was
assisted in the reading of scripture by two of the deacons.
The singing was simply grand. In the evening service we
noticed that there was a larger attendance of white people
than in the morning and afternoon services. The pulpit was
again occupied by the General Superintendent whose sermon
Rev. Xaba ably translated into dutch.
At the close of the services the pastor and stewards
announced that the amount of £800 had been paid and that
only £100 remained as a debt on the church. " If the Lord
be for us who can be against us ?"
HISTORIC EPISTLE.
REV. JAMES M. DWANE, SUPERINTENDENT OF OUR SOUTH
AFRICAN WORK, TO THE BISHOPS.
His Personal Experience Told From a Heathen Child To
a Christian Divine—His Mother Hears a White Man
Preach—Dwane in the Bushes Viewing White Chil¬
dren—He Visits United States, Etc.
Dordrecht, South Africa, September 25, 1897.—To the
Rt. Rev. Henry McHeal Turner, D. D., LL. D., D. C. L.;
To the Rt. Rev. Wesley John Gaines, D. D.;
To the Rt'. Rev. Benjamin W. Arnett, D. D.;
To the Rt. Rev. Benjamin Franklin Lee, D. D., LL. D.,
Ph. D.;
To the Rt. Rev. Abram Grant, D. D.;
To the Rt. Rev. Benjamin Tucker Tanner, D. D., LL. D.;
To the Rt. Rev. Moses Buckingham Salter, D. D.;
To the Rt. Rev. James Crawford Embry, D. D.;
To the Rt. Rev. James Anderson Handy, D. D.;
To the Rt. Rev. William Benjamin Derrick, D. D.;
To the Rt. Rev. Josiah Hayes Armstrong, D. D.;
United States of America:
My Lords—I beg you most respectfully to hear me while
I in my humble way attempt to approach your lordships on
behalf of our work in South Africa.
My visit to the United States was not only a short and a
hurried one, but I missed your last General Conference to
which I was sent by our church as a deputation and conse¬
quently did not see enough of your church and beautiful
country with its magnificent scerlery of vast and attractive
forests, your splendid cities and great institutions of learning.
I should have very much liked to have been there in time for
your late General Conference, but I reached your country on
the 24th of May, 1896, too late for your Conference. I
regret this very much as I am doubtful if I shall ever visit
America again. But it is 110 use crying over spilt milk and
must therefore pass on.
I thank the lit. Iiev. William Benjamin Derrick, D. D.,
for his kindness to me during my short stay in the City of
New York. Dr. Parks, Missionary Secretary, assisted me
much on my way to Philadelphia Conference. When I shook
hands with the Rt. Rev. Abram Grant at the Philadelphia
Conference, I felt that I was holding the hand of a holy man
and a father in Israel. His words of wisdom and love affected,
me much. Dr. Coppin's pleasant smiles and looks did me
good, especially while he was singing, "We Shall Know Each
Other Better." I spent an evening with the Rt. Rev. Josiah
Haynes Armstrong and Mrs. Armstrong at W ashington, and
a pleasant evening it was. Dr. Johnson of the Metropolitan
A. M. E. church rendered me a great help in simplifying
matters connected with my journey at the railway stations
and shall not soon forget the beautiful sermon he preached
on one Sunday morning there. I was sitting 011 the same
pew with dear sister, Mrs. Moore. It was a very sweet service
and I enjoyed it. The Conferences, services, Lovefeasts which
I had the privilege of attending at Atlanta, Ga., and other
towns in the south were, indeed, times of refreshing from the
presence of the Lord. The Rt. Rev. H. M. Turner's house
was my home and I have no language to express my grate¬
fulness to the good Bishop and his kind lady, dear Sister
Turner, and their dear daughter, now in heaven with Jesus.
It will be a great disappointment in this country if the Bishop
does not bring Mrs. Turner with him here next January.
My friends in the south are many; Dr. and Mrs. Lee,
Rev. and Mrs. Screen, of Macon, Presiding Elders Coffee,
dnd Mixon, and hundreds of others. I think the best way
of mentioning them is simply not to mention them, for I
have forgotten the names of most of them. I thank them
all for their kindness to me. The Lord bless you all. There
was nothing that pleased me so much as to find you just like
our people here in Africa, with only one exception, namely,
that some of your color has been tampered with in the United
States. What a pity!
As I did not visit all the districts, but spent the greater
time of my travels at Atlanta and other southern towns,
— 10 —
some of your lordships do not know me, and so think it
necessary that I should in the first place introduce myself to
you, my lords, so that you may know who I am, whence I
am, and whither I am going, Tmt trust that I shall not weary
you.
Give us a first-class college.
I was born during the flood at a place called Ever Kuwa,
in the District of Queenstown, Cape Colony, South Africa.
Both my parents were heathen. Some time after the flood
my parents removed. to the lower districts and settled near
Middle Drift. Perhaps I ought to have explained to you
that when I speak of having been horn during the flood I do
not mean Noah's flood, but an African flood, which took
place in 18-48. Noah's flood would make one to be very,
very old.
I was brought up as a heathen boy at a heathen kraal,
or village, as you would call it in America. In this Kraal I
was not like a child in America; there a child has many good
people around him who care for him and do not cease day
and night working for his good. Children there ought to be
very thankful to have praying fathers and mothers, to have
holy and devoted ministers of religion who teach them about
Jesus and His love. Oh, what a sweet thing it is for a child
to kneel on its mother's knee and pray,
" Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,
Look upon a little child,
Pity my simplicity.
Suffer me to come to Thee."
But, alas, it was not so in the heathen kraal where I was
brought up and grew. We had no ministers, 110 teachers, 110
schools, and no one to tell us that under us are the everlast¬
ing arms of one that sticketli closer than a brother, even
Jesus. No, the condition of our kraal was a deplorable one.
We were simply enveloped in ignorance *and darkness. But
news reached our village respecting the arrival and presence
of a white man in the neighborhood of our kraal, called by
those who had seen him " umfundisi'" (teacher or missionary),
and strange things reported and circulated in the kraal about
him. One day called Sunday by the white man, 011 which he
usually met all those that were willing to hear his words, my
mother, together with some other heathen women, out of
curiosity, I believe, went to hear the white man. On their
— 11 —
return in tlie evening my mother related to us some of the
sayings of the white man. That there is a great God who
inhabits the heavens and is the maker and keeper of all; that
all men were sinners before him, and that unless they are
converted and accept His Son whom He has sent to save
them through His death, they will be punished eternally.
My mother was not aware that the words she was relating to
us were sinking very deep into my heart and making me
very uneasy. I became restless and felt that things were not
straight between me and the great God ahd was anxious to
make them right if it was in my power to do so. But how
was this to be done, was my great difficulty, under which I
had a hard struggle.
Hays and nights rolled on, but there was no improve¬
ment in the state of my mind. Another thing which proved
to be a trouble and hindrance in my way was the Kaffir word
" Ukuggoboka," used for conversion. The white teacher said
we were to be converted in order to please God, but the
spiritual meaning of the word conversion was unknown in
those days. Ukuggoboka literally meant cutting open or
piercing through a cloth or any hard substance with a sharp
instrument such as knife or assegi. Some of the people
who had heard the white teacher said that our chests were to
be operated upon in this way, and then God would be pleased
and accept us. However, the idea of undergoing such a
painful operation did not recommend itself to my mind.
I dreaded it very much. It seemed to me an awful thing.
I looked round in the kraal for assistance. I needed some
one to guide and show me the way, but there was none to be
found in the whole village as the people were all heathen
and Christianity had not been introduced. Kay, some of the
statements of my heathen friends made my way darker. They
told me that one time the great God sent his son into our world
for some special wofk, and that while his son was about this
work white men seized him and cruelly killed him, and that
God is angry with them for this wicked crime and is going
to destroy all the white race, that white people know this
and are trying to get all the other races involved in their
guilt and to share the punishment which God is about to
bring upon them. This is the way they accounted for white
men and white teachers coming into the country and we
were warned that if we were to escape the doom of the
— 12 —
whites and live, we should keep away from them and their
teachings.
The words of my heathen friends and the difficulty of
conversion confused and troubled me. For some days I was
perplexed. I tried hard to give up the thought of seeking
God, hut did not succeed. There was something within me
before which 1 was not able to stand. It shook my whole
being, making me utterly powerless. The words of the
white teacher had gone far down into my soul and heart. I
could not shake them off, though I tried my best to do. so. I
could not get rid of the sense of guilt and liability to punish¬
ment produced in my heart by the teacher's words which had
formed part of my existence and over which I did not seem
to have any control. I had no rest day and night. I wanted
to know and find God, but how and where to find Him I did
not know. At last a thought came into my mind about my
sister, who was a Cliristiau and married to a Christian man.
I was very young when she got married and so did not kuow
her very well. It struck me that she would be the best per¬
son to speak to about this thing. I asked and obtained my
mother's permission to visit her. I did not tell mother the
object of this visit. One morning I started for Annsliaw,
where my sister and her husband lived. As I was going 011
my way to the place ot the converted ones, the thought of
conversion troubled me. " I wonder if I shall find people at
Annshaw suffering from the effects of conversion," said I to
myself. I reached the place in the afternoon and was shown
my sister's house, which I found to be the nearest to the
white man's house. There were thorn trees between the two
houses. My sister, her husband and their children received
me kindly. The fact of their living so close to the white
man's house, although it did not seem to trouble them, was
not pleasing to me. However, they seemed to be happy and
enjoyed life better than I did. Nor did they appear to be
suffering any way from the effects of conversion. Of course I
could not judge very well as they were completely covered
up with white man's clothes except hands and faces. Next
morning I saw some children playing in front of the white
teacher's house and was informed that they were his chil¬
dren. I went near them but hid myself among trees so that
they may not see me. I saw one child, then another and an¬
other as they were running to and fro before the house.
They were all white, but oh, so white. People often told me
that white men had come into the country but had not seen
one myself, nor had the faintest idea that they were so white.
I had never seen a white person before. The thing was more
than I could bear. I did not believe them to he human be¬
ings. When I asked which way they had come into our
country, I was told that they came from the sea and that
they say that there are people and dry lands in the sea. I
thought they were lying and that they were no human be¬
ings, but some kind of higher order of water animals.
Every time the white man's children ran to the direction
where I was hiding myself my heart beat fast and made
me tremble. I ran "back to my sister's house. As I was sit¬
ting in the house and thinking over this unsatisfactory state
of things I heard some one telling my sister that the white
teacher was coming to her house, " Yininale " (oh, dear me)
said I, hiding myself. As soon as the white man had left *
the house I told my sister that I was going home and could
not remain longer with them, but said no more. Thus I re¬
turned to the heathen kraal sadly disappointed. I began to
think that perhaps my heathen friends were right after all in
what they told me about the white man's crime of killing
God's Son and their coming destruction, and that we ought
to keep away from them. When I got to the kraal the
heathen noticed that I had covered myself with white men's
clothing (a shirt), and great was their laughter. They called
me the " shirted one" on account of the white thing I had
over my body. This shirt was given me by my sister at the
Annshaw Station, but owing to the strong prejudice of the
heathen against white people's clothing, who considered it
not only a dirty habit but an injurious thing to one's health
to wear them, I threw away the shirt and went about as
before like the rest. There was one thing that remained
unchanged, I could change my opinions about people and
things, I could go to the mission station and leave it again,
wear a white man's shirt and throw it away to please the
people at the kraal, but the impression produced on my mind
and heart by the words of the white teacher of a good and
loving God, which words were related to us by the women
who had heard him, particularly my mother, this impression
I say remained the same. It dwelt within me and was eating
me up and making me miserably helpless. I did not know
~n-
what to do and where to go for help. I have been to the
mission station itself, thought I to myself—the place where
the converted ones dwell—and here is a marvelous thing that
although I had even seen the white teacher, whom I was now
not only compelled to disbelieve, but formed a low opinion ot
and held to be a dangerous, lying creature, and yet his words
I could not despise, but they despised me. My existence was
a self-contradictory one, full of wounds and sores caused by
the white teacher's words, and which need so immediate heal¬
ing or I perish. The last thing tried was a dancing business.
I made up my mind to kill the badness of heart by going to
the dancing parties and by giving myself to worldly pleas¬
ures. I thought that perhaps this would make my conscience
easy and that by degrees I would get over my present feel¬
ings. So one night I resolved to go to a heathen dance,
although I used not to go before I started dancing in earnest
and kept at it the greater part of the night. This dancing
party afforded me no help. My condition now grew worse.
The white teacher's words tortured me almost to death. I
found now that there was no help for me in the kraal. My
heart was heavy and sore; I wanted to know and find God.
I resolved to go to the Mission station again. My moth¬
er having consented to my going I went, reaching my des¬
tination in the evening. On Sunday I attended service. The
white teacher, Rev. William Sargeant was his name, preached
to the people, and after the service he walked quiet!}* and
harmlessly down to his house. The following Sunday things
went on peaceably as before. The Ivaffir the white man spoke
was broken and I could not understand very well. After Mr.
Sargeant Rev. Garner came, who was himself succeeded by the
Rev. Lamplough. Mr. Lamplougli was an earnest and a good
man, especially his good wife, everybody liked and got on
well with them. In addition to going to'church I attended
day and Sunday schools and was in Mrs. Lamplough's class
in the Sunday school. The difficulty of white people's color
was now entirely gone. When I asked where I was to find
God, I was told to get educatic n first, to be able to read my
Testament and then I would be able to know and find God.
I worked learning to read, and in a few months time I man¬
aged to read my Testament. I understood things now far
better than I did before. In my heart I made no improve¬
ment. The badness of my soul was growing. "Where is God,"
-1S-
I asked. I can read now but God have not found. Tell me
where to find him for I am sad.
I was told to work for God, if I wanted to have peace
with Ilim I was to do something for Him. I went to a large
heathen village and told the heathen that I wanted to teach
their children if they would send them to me every day, and
over sixty heathen children came, but I had no clothes, and
so I went to the chief Kama to ask for some clothes and he
gave me a piece of cotton sheet which cost three shillings.
I took great care of this piece. I used to wear it during
school hours and as soon as my school was out I used to put
it carefully away. It was not a convenient thing to wear
while engaged in teaching work, because it was one square
piece of cloth and I used to throw it around me and leave
only one arm—the right arm—uncovered with which I
pointed letters. It went down as far as my knees. I remem¬
ber 011 one occasion I passed in Mxumbee, the village
where I was teaching, on his way home from Peuleni, Rev.
11. Lamplough. My school was just out, and, consequently,
I had not my cloth over me—I felt ashamed. The parents
of children were so pleased with the progress their children
were making in my school that they offered to pay me two
shillings and sixpence a quarter. I was glad to find that
they were pleased with the work I was doing for God, but
did not care for payment as I was not working for that; my
great object was to find God, and was told that if I worked
for Ilim I would find Him and be at peace with Him.
At the end of another quarter, a meeting of parents was
held, at which the people expressed publicly their satisfaction
and appreciation of my services and offered to increase my
salary from two shillings and six pence to three shillings a
quarter (that is 72 cents a quarter). I worked in this way
for three long years, trying to gain favor with God. And
yet, although I had followed all advices given me by those I
considered understood these things well, and .that I had
obtained some little education, enabling me to read my Kaffir
Test, and that I had not only worked for God, but had gone
through many troubles and hardships in the prosecution of
that work, my condition was no better than it was at the
heathen kraal. It is true that I had gained some light on
many matters, but things between me and God wer£ as
crooked as they were at the heathen kraal. All the helps I
— ic —
was receiving did not seem to be bringing me any nearer to
God than I was before. My sadness of heart wras increasing
and becoming intolerable. The Rev. and Mrs. Laniplough
did me some good while I was at the Annsliaw Mission station,
and I wished to be near them. I went and consulted my
mother, and asked her to give me into the hands of these
good people, for whom I had a strong liking. And so I left
my school and went to Mr. Laniplough with my mother. We
found him in his study. As neither of us understood English
we asked a servant girl named Nggale to interpret for us.
Mother having explained the object of our visit to him, that
it was to hand me entirely into the missionary's hands, I
noticed a smile on his (Rev. Lamplough's) face. This kindled
hopes in my heart that our visit was to be successful, and so
it was, for the " good little man " ( Rev. Laniplough) received
me very willingly and arranged for me to live at the station
in order that I might attend day and Sunday schools. As
soon as I had arranged everything and got settled I went to
the people and asked them about God. "Where is God?
Will you help me and tell me where to find Him?" They
told me to pray much and God would reveal Himself to me.
This I did for many months, but I obtained no relief from
praying—110, my trouble grew and was getting worse every
day, so much so that one night I wept bitterly, " Where is
God? For three long years I worked hard to please Him;
for months I worked hard getting education in order to be
able to read my Test, and having been praying now for some
months for peace. Oh, God, where art Thou ?" I went
alone in the night and walked down to the river, but 110
peace and the heavens seemed closed against me. When I
prayed the devil told me that my prayer was disagreeable
and annoying everybody in heaven. I11 this great agony of
soul I found myself in front of the native minister's (Rev.
Pamla) house and went inside crying. A prayer meeting
was* held and a woman found peace with God. I went back
to my room and wrestled with God. The next morning I
was lying down on the ground unable to pray or do any¬
thing. I did nothing and tried nothing. All I did if I did
anything at all was simply to give way for God. I was
literally tired and done up. I left God to work alone, to do
everything in me as lie pleased while I lay helpless at His
feet. Just at this point a great change took place. A new
creation was affected witliin me. My whole being was revo¬
lutionized. How this was done I cannot tell, hut one thing
I know, I became a new man. I found God and Him of
whom the prophets spake, the pearl of great price. There
was great ease, great peace'and great joy. Everything around
me was new and lovely.
A strong love for preaching took hold of me. I felt that
woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.
It was 011 a Thursday morning when I found God. On
Sunday I went out to preach. This was not long before the
visit of the Rev. William Taylor (now Bishop Taylor) of the
Methodist Episcopal Church of America. The Rev. Ii. Lam-
plougli took me in his house and I lived in their house a
number of years. I was educated at the Ilealdtown Wesley an
Institute, but my chief educators to whom I owe a great deal
were Mr. and Mrs. Lamplougli, especially the latter. I took
my first appointment as a minister in 1875 and was ordained
011 the 15th day of January, 1881, at Port Elizabeth, and the
ordination charge on that occasion was delivered by the late
Rev. William Sargeant, the first white missionary I saw and
whom I feared so much.
During the course of my ministry I have seen great
revivals of the work of God among the heathen. The great
object of my life is to do good, to spend and be' spent in
uplifting the people of this land, in making known to my
countrymen the truth as it is in Jesus. This I am deter¬
mined to do, God being my helper.
My lords, I have thus introduced myself to your lordships
in ordfer that you might know and understand me hereafter.
THE BISHOPS' COUNCIL CONVENED AT WILBERFORCE, JUNE 17TH,
1898. BISHOP H. M. TURNER READ THE FOLLOWING REPORT,
WHICH ON MOTION WAS RECEIVED AS INFORMATION.
Rev. II. B. Parks, I). D., General Secretary of the Mis¬
sionary Department, A. M. E. Church, and Members of the
General Board of Missions:
In keeping with a sense of duty and due respect for the
venerable Board of Mission, I beg to submit an epitomized
report of my recent visit to the distant land of South Africa,
where I went, by your approval,- to give organic validity to
our Missionary work in that foreign field, which work has
— 18 —
been organized and put into operation since tlie adjournment
of our last General Conference. It would be a useless con¬
sumption of time to review liow copies of The Voice of Mis¬
sions, sent to South Africa, brought us in contact with the
Ethiopian Church, and how subsequent correspondence
caused the said church to appoint a delegation to wait upon
our last Generl Conference and request admission into the
A. M. E. Church, and how, upon the failure of the delegation
to reach America in time to meet the General Conference,
an improvised session of the North Georgia Annual Confer¬
ence was called to meet by its Bishop, and how the said im¬
provised conference, after examining the papers and docu¬
ments of said delegation, admitted the same into our traveling
work, and through the delegation the Ethiopian Church, and
how the President and Secretary of the Missionary Depart¬
ment appointed the Rev. James M. Dwane, the chairman of
the delegation, superintendent of the late Ethiopian Church,
and authorized him as one of our elders to return to South
Africa and to receive the ministers and members officially
into the A. M. E. Church, and superintend the same till the
arrival of a Bishop.
The foregoing is so well known to our church in all parts
of the world that a repetition of the same would be a waste
of time.
In order to visit that field and impart to our Missions
there the stamp of Episcopal recognition and authority, we
left our residence in Atlanta, Ga., February 7tli, to discharge
this duty. Rev. Dr. L. J. Coppin and the members of Bethel
Church, Philadelphia, Pa., halted us by the way and ten¬
dered us a grand reception, with a large number of ministers
from adjacent churches, as an expression of their approval.
Dr. John M. Henderson and his large congregation, with a
number of ministers, graced b}7, the presence of Bishops
Grant and Derrick, did the same in New York City the
following evening.
On February 12th we took shipping for Liverpool, Eng¬
land, and from there we went to Southampton by railway,
halting a few days in London till the next ship was ready to
bear us to Cape Town.
We left Southampton, England, as soon as the vessel was
ready, and started to the point of its destination. "We
encountered a severe gale on the first night of our departure;
— 19 —
but upon reaching the Bay of Biscay, where we expected
serious weather, we found it calm and our passage across it a
pleasant one. But just before reaching Cape Blanco, the
ship steamed into a sand fog, and for nearly four days the
surroundings were productive of unpleasant apprehensions.
The trip, afterwards, was delightful Till about a day
after crossing the equator, when the southeast trade-winds,
combined with the equinoctial gales, met us fifteen hundred
miles earlier than usual, and for twenty-six hundred miles
we rode the most frightful billows that any one on the ship
had ever before witnessed on that section of the ocean.
Great fears were entertained for the safety of the ship,
as it was loaded down to deep water mark with railroad iron
and locomotives, and therefore had no spring in her. Many
slept with life preservers fastened upon them, when able to
sleep at all, but we committed our destiny into the keeping
of God, and felt as contented as if in a land palace. God
was on our side, however, and the ship reached her port in
safety.
At Cape Town, a city of 73,000 inhabitants, we disem¬
barked and were met at the dock by Rev. M. M. Mokone,
Presiding Elder; Rev. J. M. Kanyane, P. E., who had come
1,100 miles from the interior to meet us, and Rev. Marcus
Gabashana, who had come about 700 miles, and Rev. John
Tule, of the Baptist church, and Rev. P. S. Kuze, both of
Cape Town, and a number of others whose names we cannot
recall at present. After an exchange of greetings, they drove
us to one of the fine hotels of the city, that we might be the
recipient of every comfort, but we pre-emptorily refused the
expensive accommodations and told Brother Kuze, our pastor
there, to drive us to his own house, and allow us to share his
accommodations. He did so, and we spent four days in
Cape Town.
While in the city, we attended our church, which is at
present a very fine and spacious hall, which they rent for the
use of worship. A grand reception was tendered us, which
the American minister and other diplomats attended, and
many of the most select inhabitants of the city, among whom
were members of every church, and the gathering consisted
of every color and almost every nationality. The order,
style and refinement, which our eyes beheld surpassed by far
our most flattering expectations. As we have somewhat
— 20 —
described Cape Town in onr correspondence to the papers, it
is unneccesary to repeat. Suffice it to say, that the people
there are exceedingly anxious for a large church, and a few
of our scholarly and able pulpit powers who can 'measure up
with ministers of other nationalities, in all that appertains to
pulpit mastery, which I assured them the A. M. E. Church
had in large numbers. It is a grand field with vast possi¬
bilities for our church, and is located in as healthy a region
as the world affords. While the surroundings are picturesque
and present a sublimity by reason of the table mountains,
capped with snow at timefc, and convolutionary clouds, are
ravishing to the sight and staggering to the imagination.
Ho more inviting field can be found anywhere on earth,
for some of our scholarly divines who may possess the spirit
of Missions, and vast multitudes of intelligent, well to do,
and indeed wealthy people would gladly become attendants
and members, for no colored minister, till a year or so ago,
was found in Cape Town. All the ordained ministers at
least were white. True the colored people are members of
the different churches, in common with our brothers and
sisters in white; they, however, have begun to discover that
churches of their own and ministers of their own race, with
the required learning and ability, would be of far more benefit
in a progressive measure, than worshiping among the whites
all the time, where they are compelled to occupy a subordi¬
nate status.
Leaving Cape Town upon the Harrow Gauge Railroad,
we traveled over three days through the most rugged region
of country, for at least five hundred miles, our eyes ever
beheld. A description in detail we will not pause here to
give; but the remainder of the distance was beautiful, and
indeed romantic beyond description. At the end of three
days and a half we reached Johannesburg, nearly eleven
hundred miles from Cape Town. The city papers having
announced the time for our arrival in advance, brought a
large number of Americans, white and colored, including the
Jubilee Singers, to the railroad station, where we were wel¬
comed by them in a manner highly complimentary and even
flattering. Carriages awaiting us, soon conveyed us to a
delightful stopping place, in company with Revs. Mokone,
Kanyane and Xaba, who attended us from Cape Town.
We found two A. M. E. Churches at Johannesburg, and
— —
such was the multitude who came to hear us preach, we had
to leave the church and hold service in the public street to
accommodate the people. Rev. James M. Dwane, the super¬
intendent., was here awaiting us and conducted the service in
the native language, and translated our sermon with marve¬
lous readiness, which we tried to deliver. The presence of
an A. M. £. Bishop was regarded by the colored people, to
say nothing of our membership, as an extraordinary occasion.
AVc spent the next two days in receiving delegations and
shaking the hands of thousands.
From Johannesburg we went to Pretoria, the capital of
the Transvaal Republic, where Elder Dwane had ordered
the Conference to meet. When we arrived at the depot the
scene beggared description. Thousands were there to meet
and greet us, and give vent to their gratified emotions, in a
manner which made us feel exceedingly humble, and really
brought, tears to our eyes. We were driven to the residence
of Rev. M. M. Mokone, where hundreds of children, dressed
in white, came and sang before us, and after .a number of
speeches of welcome had been delivered, and translated into
English by Elders Dwane and Xaba, and vociferous cheers
almost rent the skies. Handshaking was next in order.
When we were through ,we could scarcely work our fingers.
A little friction arose between the two congregations, as to
which pastor we should stop with, but Elder Dwane silenced
the trouble, by deciding that we should stop with Rev. M. M.
Mokone and board with Rev. J. M. Kanyane. It was a little
inconvenient for us, but we are always for peace.
Next morning Conference assembled in the large brick
church, of which Elder Kanyane is pastor, and seventy-one
brethren answered to their names, some, however, being
local preachers. After religious services by Elder Dwane, as
he could speak in a language that all understood, Rev.
Jacobus G. Xaba was elected secretary and Rev. Abel S.
Gabasliana, assistant.
The Bishop appointed the necessary committes, assisted
by Elder Dwane. The Conference remained in session a
week and was honored with the presence of two kings and
one chief, who had come a great distance to witness our
deliberations, with large numbers daily filling the church.
We imparted all the instructions we could as to conference
business in the A. M. E. Church, which they appeared to
imbibe with surprising readiness.
While many of the ministers speak and understand
English, yet for the benefit of the whole, every motion made
had to be translated into English for our benefit; indeed all
the sermons, Missionary and Educational addresses, and
conference fioor debates, had to be translated into English
before we could understand them. Yet many of them were
highly eloquent and displayed a common sense that almost
dumbfounded us. While higher education is far more preva¬
lent in this country than in South Africa, among our people,
we believe the preponderence of common sense is in their
favor. They have large heads, massive brain and the flash
of intelligence, in great numbers, among them. And the
result is made manifest in their business transactions, we
predict that in a few years hence, some of the greatest men
of the race will be found in South Africa. Owing to the
great distance to reach Pretoria, many of the ministers who
should have been present failed to get there, and another
conference was regarded indispensable, and the conference
resolved to divide and let the territory of the Transvaal
Republic and the Orange Free State, constitute the Transvaal
Annual Conference, and Cape Colony, Ratal and Zulu con¬
stitute the South African Annual Conference. But this, we
judge, will not remain over one or two years, for another
conference will have to be formed. Indeed each colony and
each of the republics will have to constitute an annual con¬
ference territory in a few years hence, to avoid the great
distances which many of the brethren have to travel.
Discovering that the last General Conference had dismem¬
bered the local ministers, the conference, by resolution, asked
the Bishop to allow their local membership to remain as the
old law provided. We decided they might do so, during the
Missionary status of their Annual Conferences. As Elders,
Presiding Elders and Deacons were all wearing about the
same kind of ministerial robes, a committee was elected to
designate the kind of ministerial vestments that should be
worn by the Elders, and another kind to be worn by the
Deacons, but unordained preachers shall not be entitled to
any robe, and we may here pause to remark that when the
members of the Conference appeared in their robed attire,
they presented an imposing appearance, which makes the
minister's person sacred in the eyes of both the civilized
and the heathen, and imparts a deferential respect which is
potential of great good, and enables them to exert civil, as
well as religious influence among the heathen. The Con¬
ference resolved to observe all the general days required by
the church, and gave me money for Doctors Moore and
Shaffer; and as Easter Sabbath appeared during Conference,
when the ministers were chiefly absent from their work, they
designated another Sabbath to raise money for missions,
which we are certain they will cheerfully and gladly do.
One of the most remarkable things connected with the
Conference sessions, was the independence displayed by every
member of the body, up to the close of both Annual Con¬
ferences. Not a living preacher, and some of them had
starvation places, asked for one penny from the Missionary
Department, to assist them in taking care of themselves and
their wives and children; every time a brother rose to his
feet we expected to hear some appeal to the mother church,
as they call the church in America, for financial assistance to
prosecute his work, but not one man asked for a penny.
There was not a pauper preacher in the more than a hundred
who are members of the two Conferences. The only request
they made of the mother church was to assist them in build¬
ing a college or seminary, and supply it with scholarly
teachers from the graduates of our own colleges in America,
and they assured us that if the mother church would do so
they would furnish the lands and they would have their
governments to pay as much as we pay to sustain the
teachers. If we pay $5,000 the government would pay
$5,000, and if we pay $10,000 or $20,000 they will have the
government to pay $10,000 or $20,000. One of the kings
said that if the A. M. E. Church in America would send ten
or twelve teachers and supply the books and other apparatus,
and provide for their support, he would make his subjects
build the houses necessary for a college, but his kingdom
would be too much out of the way and inconvenient of
approach, to accept of his proposition.
The Conference having adjourned, we left Pretoria for
the next Annual Conference at Queeustown, some six hun¬
dred miles distant.
We again halted at Johannesburg a few days, and were
waited upon by the pastor and elders of the Presbyterian
— .
Church, and were told they desired to unite with the A. M. E.
Church. We preached for the congregation that night,
opened the doors of the church and the pastor and elders
walked up and gave us their hands, and all the members did
the same. I wrote out an appointment for the pastor to the
same church, and they named the said church Turner Chapel
A. M. E. church, by a resolution just before the benediction
was pronounced. The next night another Congregational
church and its pastor also united with us, and the following
Sabbath night the minister who came from the Presbyterian
church, went and received the pastor and members of an
independent Methodist church ; so that while we found two
churches in Johannesburg, we left five congregations upon
our departure, each with its own pastor. More than a
dozen other congregations sent for us to come to different
' points and receive them into the A. M. E. Church, but we
had neither the time to spare nor the money to meet
expenses, as we had not provided for the enormous expense
which attended our travels, especially, when we had to pay
more for two trunks than we did for our own tickets, for
trunks are not included in railroad tickets as they are in this
country. And had not the South African brethren given us
$175, we would have been short financially, for such expenses
we have never had to confront—$3.00 an hour for a carriage
at Johannesburg and other places and every other expense at
the same rate, was simply frightful.
Leaving Johannesburg we proceeded to Bloemfontein,
the capital of the Orange Free State, where we preached,
lectured and arranged with the Secretary of State and
the President for the recognition of our ministers, as they
had been the victims of some restrictions by the government.
Some parties had told the government officials that the
A. M. E. Church was some new bogus organization, but the
scene changed when he looked at our papers. Having ad¬
justed matters at this point, we halted here and elsewhere
till we reached Queenstown, the seat of the new Annual Con-
ferenqe.
We were carried to the finest hotel of the city, but we
objected to the variety of comforts which the hotql furnished
and we were finally carried over among the people of our
own race. As we had no church in Queenstown, we held
our Conference in the Salvation Army hall, and we think it
would be useless to give the Conference proceedure here, in
detail, as it was very much like the one we held in Pretoria,
except that a number of ministers who were at the Transvaal
Annual Conference, had become acquainted with our mode
of transacting business, and rendered great assistance in
making the deliberations of the second Conference much
more easy upon the bishop, than the first, as they knew how
to take hold of matters, and in many instances, you would
have thought they were some of our experienced brethren
from this country. At the end of another week Conference
adjourned, and in a roundabout way we returned to Cape
Town, where we preached and lectured in the finest theatre
of the city, by an arrangement effected by Mr. Frances Gow,
a man of exalted intellectuality and whose home is a palace.
With a wife, who, though born and raised in Africa, is the
peer of almost any lady we have ever seen belonging to our
race. The parting reception with which the people of Cape
Town honored us, surpassed by far The first; diplomats,
Church of England ministers, Baptist ministers, and the
wealthy and the elite of the city were out in great num¬
bers. The singing, music and speeches were all of high
order. They were determined that an A. M. E. Bishop
should never have an excuse for not coming again.
The foregoing is but a small sketch of our observations,
work and experiences during the six weeks we spent in South
Africa, and we have never come away from a place so
reluctantly, for we would have given anything within the
bonds of reason to have remained at least three months
longer. We left Cape Town on the steamship Boslin Castle,
April 27, with a large concourse of people upon the docks,
waving hats and handkerchiefs at us, as long as they could
see us.
Our membership in the South African Conferences is
as follows:
Transvaal Annual Conference. 5,879 members; 902 pro¬
bationers, and the three congregations which we received
after the adjournment of the Transvaal Conference, amount¬
ing to 334, gives us 7,175 in the Transvaal Annual Con¬
ference.
South African Conference, 2,785 members and 840 pro¬
bationers, gives us 3,G25.
So that our membership in South Africa amounts to
the grand total of 10,800, and we should not he surprised if
the number is not doubled by the next session of our General
Conference. We ordained 31 Elders and 29 Deacons at the
two Conferences. Some eight of the ministers who had
already been ordained to the eldership, insisted upon having
a regular Elder's certificate from the A. M. E. Church.
Nothing else would appear to satisfy them, and as we could
not give them the document they demanded without reordi-
nation, we ordained them over and left them contented and
delighted with their parchments.
The following is a copy of resolutions adopted by both
the Transvaal Annual Conference and the South African
Annual Conference by a unanimous vote. We submit the
resolutions' which you may read for yourselves:
Resolutions Adopted by tiie Transvaal Annual Conference
at Pretoria, April 5, and by the South African Annual
Conference at Queenstown, April 16, 1898,
To His Grace, Rt. Rev. H. M. Turner, D.D., LL.D.
Whereas, The South African A. M. E. Conference and
the Transvaal A. M. E. Conference are at such a great dis¬
tance from our mother church in America, and requires so
much time and expense for a Bishop to get among us, and as
his lordship has told us, a Bishop will seldom be able to come
to this distant field; and
Whereas, The growing needs of our church in South
Africa, which we believe is destined to spread and multiply
to the surprise of the Christian world, would require regular
and constant Episcopal supervision, and more so at our yearly
Conferences as new members, Deacons and Elders will be in
constant and pressing demand; and
Whereas, Other Christian Churches of Episcopal form
have several Bishops here in easy touch, under some of whom
members of both conferences in South Africa have served
and labored and know, and can testify of the benefits to the
church of which they are the Lord's servants;
Resolved, That we humbly and reverently pray his lord¬
ship, the Senior Bishop of the A. M. E. Church, our present
honored chairman, to consecrate our general superintendent,
and invest him with the power of ordination, that we, in
South Africa, may also have Episcopal supremacy present
with us, and such recognized authority as will keep our
— —
ministry and church here in harmony with our mother, the
A. M. E. Church, the world over.
Resolved,—That if our prayer be granted by his lorbship,
the senior Bishop, that the Suffragan, or Missionary Bishop
be regarded by us, as subject to the regular Bishop of Africa
who may be appointed from time to time, and he shall take
orders from his lordship, and to the law making powers
known as the General Conference, even to the extent of
ceasing to exercise the functions of his office; and we hereby
renew our fidelity to the A. M. E. Church and covenant
afresh to abide by its rules and authority, and assure his lord¬
ship, the primate we only ask this favor in the interest of
bur church in South Africa.
We remain, Reverend Father in God, your children in
Christ.
Jacobus G. Xaba,
Benj. Kumalo,
Abel S. M. Gabashana,
Jantyi Z. Tantsi.
After the adoption of the foregoing we kept the matter
under consideration for about two weeks and finally asked
Elder Dwane to submit his opinion of the matter to us in
writing, and the following is his letter upon the subject:
Queenstown, Cape Colony, South Africa, Apr. 18, '98.
The Rt. Rev. H. M. Turner, D.D., LL.D.:
Your Grace—Having heard the request made of you by
a resolution of the two Annual Conferences, I most humbly
and respectfully beg to inform you that I am a loyal minister
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and am deter¬
mined to live and die so.
If it will be in keeping with your judgment that I should
be the chief representative of the A. M. E. Church in thi3
country, I shall be obedient and loyal to the regular Bishop
of Africa, whoever he may be, or any other ruling power of
the church, and do all in my power to unite our people and
build up a great wing of our church in South Africa, and
should I be directed to cease exercising the functions of the
office, I will comply without a murmur and fill any appoint¬
ment assigned me. While I may not be the man for the
place, nor do I covet the hard work and travel, which the
duties will involve with its sacrifices, yet I see that such an
arrangement is an absolute necessity in our present condition,
if it is possible to make it.
I have the honor to be, Your Grace, your obedient
servant, James M. Dwane,
Superintendent.
Having carefully, prayerfully and protractedly considered
the petition, and though realizing its force and reason, we
resolved, nevertheless, not to comply, as we were apprehen¬
sive that a number of non-progressive men, void of the spirit
of missions, and caring nothing for Africa and never having
a progressive thought, seek conspicuosity by fault-finding,
and in many instances, as we believe, have never been born
of God, would try to raise a howl by pretending that we were
doing some great wrong; but we changed our mind and
resolved to do right, whatever might be said or done by men
who study more to fetter and shackle the church than to
advance it and lift it up, and we did so for the following
reasons:
1. We saw its necessity; for the Church of England has
eight bishops and the Roman Catholic has five bishops, with
two deans and two archdeacons in the same territory now
occupied by Brother Dwane.
2. We found Brother Dwane a most excellent scholar,
speaking, reading and writing four different languages,
which we could not do, and possessing a Christian character
as clear as a sunbeam. He has a wife, who spoke before the
Conference, and displayed astonishing intelligence.
3. In Brother Dwane we found a man who travels,
makes any sacrifice for his .church, and even subjects his
family to want and need, that he may spread the work of
our Lord and Saviour.
4. South Africa is over 13,000 miles, almost 14,000,
away, and for a'Bishop to visit South Africa and travel over
that vast territory, and go to the points where he is needed,
and where the people are begging for him will cost between
$1500 and $2000 if he travels like a gehtleman; and to us it
appeared foolish to throw away that much money every year,
with two months of travel on the ocean, where he can reach
no.one unless the captain should ask him to preach once on
the ship, and then be told not to talk too long. That money
expended in erecting churches and helping schools would be
far more profitable to the church.
— 29 —
5. The storms and sea mountains with which we had
to wrestle for 2600 miles, would make every Bishop and min¬
ister in the church, grant such a small and reasonable request
in three minutes, had they been in them.
6. The variety ot languages spoken in that section
appeared to us that it would be wise, in the incipiency of our
work, to have a man who could comprehend them, till our
brethren became more acquainted with our rules and regula¬
tions.
7. The South African Brethren, as will be seen by their
resolution, did not ask us to ordain a regular Bishop for the
A. M. B. Church, but simply a Vicar Bishop, to be subject to
the regular African Bishop, and do his bidding, whoever that
Bishop may be, and we are very certain it would not be our-
self after the General Conference; yet if God shquld prolong
our life, we would gladly accept it as aged as we ate. And
while we went through the regular form of ordaining Bishops
as found in our book of discipline, we used the words Mission¬
ary or subordinate Bishop for South Africa through the ser¬
vice,
8. We knew that we were violating no law, if the reso¬
lutions adopted by the General Conference of 1884 are legal,
for they simply make a bishop a big elder, and as we tried to
get the Bishops to leave them out of the last edition of the
Discipline, as scores of other things have dropped out, or been
left out from time to time, and they-having refused to leave
them out, is a declaration that a bishop is nothing more than
a chairman or chief elder. Hence, had we ordained a regu¬
lar Bishop, sure enough, we would have simply violated the
law of mode, but not the investiture of sacred rights. To us
the doctrine is revolting, but there it remains in our book of
Discipline, to make us the laughing stock of every man of
sense, or of the reading world.
9. We further granted the request because it is evident
that our foreign fields will have to look out for themselves,
and put forth their own leading men, and the man who can
not see the truth of this assertion must be intellectually blind.
10. Finding in the Christian Recorder the death of
Bishop Armstrong and knowing that his vast territory had
to be divided among the present Bishops, was the event,
liowever, which caused us to reach a decision more inexorably
than did anything else. For no Bishop can now spare the
— 30 —
time to go to South Africa under three years, and a number
of ministers will have to be ordained there next year.
These ten reasons we think sufficient to justify our
action. We have two more, however, which we may give at
some future time, but we trust we shall not be forced to
deliver them. All we ask for Vicar-Bishop Dwane is finan¬
cial aid, to help him to travel in sections where we have no
church and where he is already in great demand.
The brethren of South Africa with the Vicar-Bishops
have determined to establish the A. M. E. Church in Masli-
onalaud, and if they do so, the distance will be long and
expensive, and Brother Dwane should be aided with his ex¬
penses, as this will give us African Methodism practically 011
the north, west, south, and in east Africa.
They propose to have the continent of Africa belted by
our next General Conference.
While a regular bishop was present with the brethren in
South Africa, we allowed them to elect two delegates from
each Annual Conference, as they had joined the A. M. E.
Church anyway, by a unanimous resolution, before the last
session of our General Conference at Wilmington, N. C.
But the two delegates appointed to visit our last General
Conference failed to reach America till after the adjournment
of said Conference. We, therefore, decided that they were
members of the A. M. E. Church from the time the Ethiopian
Church ceased to exist, and they united with the A. M. E.
Church by resolution, and were therefore entitled to repre¬
sentation in General Conference.
Having reported the most prominent features connected
with our visit to South Africa, and having laid the founda¬
tion of a branch of the A. M. E. Church, which we are
satisfied will numerically equal the Mother Church in less
than forty years, unless it is stabbed in the house of its
friends, we submit this report in the consciousness of having
endeavored to do our christian duty, and trust it will be
satisfactory to you and to our church at large.
Fraternally yours,
II. M. Turner.
Steamship Lucania, Atlantic Ocean, May 28, '98.
— 31 —
UST OF APPOINTMENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA.
We deeply regret that we have lost one sheet of the
paper containing the appointments, and all the names do not
appear, sheet number 4 is lost, but we do not think more than
a half dozen names are missing, as we remembered several
names.
II. M. Turner.
TRANSVAAL ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
PRETORIA DISTRICT.
joseph m. kanyana, p. e.
St. Peters (cir)—Joseph M. Kanyana.
Ethiopian Church (cir.)—Samuel James Brander, As¬
sistant P. E.
Roodepoort (sta.)—Jonas R. Phala.
Kaalplaats (sta.)—Thomas T. Siromu.
Scheirpoort (sta.)—Jacobus Mosaka.
Doorpoort (sta.)—Nathaniel James Boy a.
Cooningburg (cir.)—Johannes Thlabane.
Appies River (cir.) —Solomon R. Modipa.
Haitingsburg (cir.)—Hans Aappie.
Moime (cir.)—Paulus Ramutloa.
Schuldpadfontein (cir.)—Jonah R. Thabe.
Makapanspoort (sta.)—Simon Malibane.
Pietersburg (cir.)—J. M. Lebala.
Dwaars River (sta.)—Jonathan Thoka.
Makau (sta.)—To be supplied.
Elands River (sta.)—To be supplied.
— 32 —
ORANGE FREE STATE DISTRICT.
JACOBUS G. XABA, P. E.
Vereeniging (cir.)—Jacobus G. Kaba.
Ilielbron (cir.)—Samuel J. Mabote.
Croonstat (cir.)—Simon II. Sinamela.
Bloemfontein (cir.)—Benjamin Kumalo.
Buthabutbe (sta.)—Nicholas Mokone.
Ladybrand (cir)—Philip Botha.
Frankfort (cir.)—David Masiza.
Senekal (cir.)—Johannes Moruane.
Paris (cir.)—Bethuel Tsibele.
Bothaville (sta)—Solomon Molotse.
Yrede (sta.)—Klaas MaCharles.
Malans (miss.) Kraal Paulus Bodiba.
Yiljoen's Drift (sta.)—Abiel Melato.
Sodas (sta.)—Samuel T. Moahlodi.
Ficksberg (sta.)—To be supplied.
Harrismith (cir.)—To be supplied.
Winberg (cir.) Paul Mazwi.
Smithfield (cir.)—W. G. Kaka, Sta.
JOHANNESBURG DISTRICT.
REV. I. G. SISHUBA, P. El.
Ebenezer and Campbell Chapel (cir.)—Rev. I. G. Sisliuba.
Krughersdorp (sta.)—Rev. Bertram Nojekwa.
Roodepoort (sta.)—Rev. Matthew R. Shugu.
Mitchell's Hall and Cape .Churcli (cir.)—Rev. Henry J.
Neikerk.
Turner Chapel—Rev. Edward Tsewu.
Heidelberg—To be supplied.
POTCHEFSTROOM DISTRICT.
REV. ABEL S. GABASHANA, P. E.
Klerksdorp (cir.)—Rev. Abel S. Gabashana.
Buffelsdoorn (cir.)—Rev. Marcus Gabashana.
East Leigh (cir.)—Rev. Johannes Mathaka.
Khunoana (cif.)—To be supplied.
Bloemhof (cir.)—To be supplied.
— 33 —
SOUTH AFRICAN ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
CAPE TOWN DISTRICT.
REV. M. M. MOKONE, P. E.
Cape Town (cir.)—Rev. M. M. Mokone.
Cape Town (miss.)—Rev. A. A. Morrison.
PORT ELIZABETH DISTRICT.
REV. P. S. KUZE, P. E.
Port Elizabeth (cir.)—Rev. P. S. Kuze.
Craddock (cir.)—Rev. E. G. Mpinda.
Middleburg (sta.)—Rev. B. Booysen.
QUEENSTOWN DISTRICT.
REV. P. J. MAVAVANA, P. E.
Seplan (cir.)—Rev. P. J. Mavavana.
Lesseyton (cir.)—To be supplied.
Macubeni (cir.)—Rev. Steven Mdliva.
Mkapusi (cir.)—Rev. Kleinbooi Rasimeni.
Qoqodala (cir.)—Lev. John Nondiza.
Swaart Water (cir.)—Rev. W. G. Mashalaba.
Ingcobo (cir.)—Rev. Peter Nqabe.
Kimberley (cir.)—Rev. C. Noke.
Kimberley (miss.)—Rev. D. Ndiyaza.
Ndofela (cir.)—Rev. J. Moyedi.
Queenstown (cir.)—Rev. II. R. Ngcayiya.
Kimberley (sta.)—Rev. M. M. Roman.
Indwe and Dordrecht,—Rev. Sunday Keyi.
KING WILLIAMSTOWN DISTRICT.
REV. J. Z. TANTSI, P. E.
Xukwane (cir.)—Rev. J. Z. Tantsi.
East London and King Williamstown (cir.)—Rev. Peter
Lisa.
Debe Marele (cir.)—Rev. J. M. Gqamane.
Dyamala (cir.)—Rev. M. J. Mpumulwana.
'Kwelera (miss.)—Rev. J. Makambi,
— 34 —
POXDOLAHD DISTRICT.
rev. av. w. sikaveyiya, p. e.
Mpa (cir.)—Rev. W. W. Sikweyiya.
Htabankulu (cir.)—Rev. S. Mtintso.
Ibisa (cir.)—Rev. John J. Mbasa.
Buffelsdoons (cir.)—Rev. S. Tutu.
Qumbu (cir.)—Rev. A. Mgqebisa.
General Conference Delegates.
South African Conference.—Rev. J. M. Dwane, Queens-
town, Cape Colony, S. A.; Rev. J. Z. Tantsi, Iquibica, via
King WilliamstoAvn, S. A.
Transvaal Conference. — Rev. Jacobus G-. Xaba,
Vereeniging, S. A.; Rev. M. M. Mokone, Cape Town, S. A.
The following resolution was offered by Bishop W. B.
Derrick, at the Bishops' Council, June 17, 1898, Wilberforce,
(_)., commending Bishop Henry M. Turner, D.D., LL. D., on
his trip to South Africa.
Whereas, Bishop Henry M. Turner, D.D., LL. D., hav¬
ing visited South Africa, and in his going did visit the inter¬
ior of said country to a further extent than any churchman
of the race in the interest of our mission work, and
Whereas, The distance of travel, both by land and sea,
required more than ordinary physical vigor, as well as devo¬
tion of soul and heart, and
Whereas, He having been successful in his trip, organ¬
ized two Annual Conferences composed of men of education
and high intelligence, besides that admitting of thousands of
lay members of the connection.
Resolved, That we hail with inexpressible delight the safe
arrival back to the bosom of his church and loved ones. It
is further
Resolved, That we are pleased with the success which has
attended his efforts. Be it further
Resolved, That our prayers shall ascend the throne of
heavenly grace that as he glides life's highway towards the
twilight, he may become stronger spiritually, morally and
intellectually, and at last when life's work is done he shall be
enabled to exclaim at eventide, "it shall be light."
The Bishops' Council convened in Baltimore, Md., Jan-
— 35 —
uary 5, 1899, Rev. Dwane came before the Council and read
the following report giving an account of the condition of the
work in South Africa.
Baltimore, January, 1899.
To the House of Bishops :
My Lords :—I most respectfully beg to remind your
Lordships that nearly three years ago I was in this countfy,
sent by my people as a deputation with high credentials and
full powers to act in their behalf. But at that time I labored
under a great disadvantage inasmuch as I did not know
the people of this country nor how I was to be received. The
situation was, however, soon changed. The Bishops returned
from the General Conference and received me graciously.
The welcome I received from ministers and churches was so
enthusiastic and cordial that I felt ashamed of myself and
fell upon my knees and thanked God. When I left my
country to visit you, some people were laughing at me for
coming so far and undertaking so perilous a journey to come
and join a black people's church in this country. We were
told that all the Methodist Churches in the world had entered
into an agreement in one of their Eccumenical Conferences
that they would never enter any country or mission field
where there was another Methodist body already at work.
Long articles appeared in papers assuring the public that
such was the case and that therefore my mission to the
United States of America would be a failure inasmuch as no
Methodist Church would receive me. I was denounced as
dangerous to the peace of the country. Associations were
formed in the country by ministers for the purpose of stamp¬
ing out of the country the movement we were organizing.
Governments were appealed to to lend their helping hand in
this matter. Some of the magistrates responded and willingly
rendered all the help they could to defeat my object and to
get me into trouble. People were so sure that I was going
to be arrested and imprisoned that even my own friends got
frightened and deserted me. Yes, "I became a stranger
unto my brethren and an alien unto my mother's children."
Ps. 69, 8. The great and combined influences of the white
churches, backed up by magistrates, were all thrown against
us. But the worst part in this thing was that some wicked
attempts were made by our nearest relations to deprive me
— 36 —
of my children. But they completely failed. Only God
knows what my poor wife and children had to go through.
I would like to advise, through your lordships, the unmarried
men of these states when they want wives, to go and ask the
Lord to give them wives that will stand by them in the
darkest of hours. I have been very fortunate, and thank God
for giving me the best woman in the world.
When I crossed the Atlantic ocean nearly three years
ago my feelings then were very different from what they have
been this time. My heart was sorely tried and troubled, but I
had great faith in the God whom I serve. I had too great a
love for my people and country to he defeated. Oh Africa,
" if I forget thee, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I
do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my
mouth," if I prefer Africa above my chief joy.
The grand and cordial receptions the churches in this
country gave me over two years ago, cheered and encouraged
me in a way that I cannot explain to you, for I have no lan¬
guage nor ability for it. I spent three months in this coun¬
try visiting your cities, inspecting your work and church
institutions, and was amazingly pleased to see and witness
the capabilities of my race even when placed in extremely
adverse circumstances. I glorified God and took courage.
Your lordships will remember how that learned scholar
of Georgia, Rev. J. S. Flipper, D.D., presented me to His
Grace, Bishop H. M. Turner, D.D., at a special session of the
Georgia Conference, and that after presenting my credentials
and making a full statement of my case, how I was examined
by a committee of seven and on their report and recommen¬
dations was received, with the church I represented into the
A. M. E. Church. I was by this House appointed General
Superintendent of your missions in South Africa, and three
copies of a very valuable and well drawn up document,
bearing on the constitution of our church in South Africa,
was placed in my hands and have proved to be of great
service to us in carrying on our work there. I read it care¬
fully through, and found that it had three signatures. It
had the signature of His Grace, Bishop Turner, as President
of the House of Bishops. It had the signature of His Grace,
Bishop Arnett, as Secretary of the House of Bishops. Then
it had a special statement of His Excellency, the Governor
of Georgia, about the standing and influence of the A. M. E.
Church in the United States, written by himself in his own
hand-writing. The great seal of the A. M. E. Church was
on it. It had the great government seal of the whole state
of Georgia, and the Governor's signature. To my opinion
the House of Bishops has never done a wiser thing since it
organized. I was afraid of losing these papers. You know
that that year many ships and lives were iost on your shores,
and people in the South were talking a great deal about leap
year being a very unfortunate year for sailing, and I noticed
that the Bishop was uneasy about my going home in the
month of August. These things made me doubt that I
would reach my people, and so to make sure of saving at least
one copy of this document, I posted one copy to Africa three
weeks before I started, and took only one with me ; the third
I arranged to tollow me. I then wrote to my people in
Africa informing them of this arrangement and instructing
them that if the ship goes down to the bottom of the sea
with the copy in my possession, they were to go to the Hon.
J. L. Bradlield and get the copy I had sent through him, and
carry on the work of God. After writing from Hew York to
his Grace, the Senior Bishop about my poor children, I com¬
mended myself to God and embarked for South Africa on
the 26tli of August, 1896.
On landing at Cape Town, the " Invo," a native paper
representing white hhurches in South Africa, especially the
Wesleyians, "The Christia-Express," representing the
Scottish Church, and published at the Lovedale College,
and other South African papers and periodicals, greeted me
with showers of denunciations and abusive articles. A public
meeting was called at King Williamstown to give me and
my slanderers an opportunity of facing each other before the
public, but my opponents would not come to the meeting,
and sought to take advantage of an act passed in the Cape
Parliament a few years ago, which empowers the colonial
government to arrest and imprison for three months without
any trial any person suspected of being dangerous to the
peace of the country. Some devoted their energies and
abilities in trying to prove through newspapers that the
movement we were leading was a rising against the govern¬
ments of the country. Things went so bad one time that it
was thought unsafe for me to travel, but no fear of man was to
hinder me from doing that which I considered to be the duty
— is —>
I owed to God and my race. The inconsistency of those who
opposed me placed them in a very unenviable position before
the public. Some of them were amongst my leading sup¬
porters before I came to America, and not a few advised me
to join the A. M. E. Church, hut the strong opposition which
broke out afterwards unnerved them, and they became my
bitterest enemies. They were so cowardly mean and low in
their attacks upon me and my work, and piled up such heaps
of lies, that I answered them not a word, hut went on with
my work. God has blessed us, God is blessing us, God will
continue to bless us. Glory to His name! Instructions con¬
tained in my commission from the House of Bishops were
strictly carried out and adhered to. I met the First Annual
Conference at Lesseyton, March, 1897, and received all the
ministers and churches into the A. M. E. Church. I rejoice
to say that the meetings held in connection with the session
of that Conference were made the means of doing good
among the people. On account of the increasing demands
of our work, I appointed two presiding elders, and appointed
myself for the Cape Colony. This brings us to the year 1898.
The A. M. E. Church is taking bold steps in the matter
of missions and ;s placing herself in an honorable position
before the civilized and Christian world. The year 1898 will
be remembered throughout coming ages in the history of our
churches as a year in which a great forward movement for
the evangelization of the continent of Africa was organized
by his Grace, Bishop Turner. In the name of my people
and country I most sincerely beg to thank this Council for
sending His Grace, the Senior Bishop, to go and organize
work in connection with our missions in South Africa. We
feel proud of the honor you havQ done us in selecting this
most distinguished prelate of the church to visit Africa.
My Lord, Bishop Turner, you have no idea how you
have endeared yourself to the people of that land. Your
words of wisdom and love, your sermons and addresses, your
fatherly advices to our ministers and laymen, your holy and
edifying conversations with our people who had the privilege
of meeting you are " like unto leaven which a woman took
and hid in three measures of nieal, till the whole was
leavened." Henry McHeal Turner's name is very dearly
beloved in Africa, and will be remembered by thousands and
thousands of grateful Africans as long as their memories will
—to—
last them; and will be handed down to coming generations
as a memorial to the daring and heroic services of the man
of God whose heart burned so much for the welfare and up¬
lift of his race that he counted his life not dear unto him, but
fought bravely for his Master, faced insurmountable difficul¬
ties and dangers for the advancement of the kingdom of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The absolute necessity of having some one take charge
of this work during the absence of a bishop was so keenly
felt that the ministers presented memorials to his Grace, the
presiding Bishop, at both of our Annual Conferences praying
that the General Superintendent should be consecrated for
that office. The earnest and yet loyal entreaties of the rep¬
resentatives of the churches prevailed, and your humble and
unworthy servant was consecrated and ordained Vicar-Bishop
of your church in South Africa.
When I was here nearly three years ago, our member¬
ship was not more than three thousand, but when the Senior
Bishop went to South Africa, he found over ten thousand
members as the result of one year's work, and about a
hundred preachers. Since his Grace, Bishop Turner, left us
we have received over one thousand members into our church,
and the letters that I have received since I have been here
show that the work of God is going on, especially in the
Colony. Of course I do not mean to say that we have no
troubles and difficulties to contend with in Africa. Nay, our
enemies are many and strong, but we are engaged in a good
cause, and therefore have nothing to fear. Our work takes in
the Cape Colony, the Colony of Natal, the Free State Repub¬
lic, the Transvaal Republic, and native territories. We now
propose to establish our work in the North, and consequently
before I left home I had an Interview with the Rt. Hon. J. C.
Rhodes, about establishing a branch of our church in the
North, and some able Christian young men are being pre¬
pared to go up to Rodesia, Kalahari Desert and Zambezi as
missionaries. One of these young men is well acquainted
with the people and dialects of the countries above mentioned,
and is making a great sacrifice in giving up a good and pay¬
ing Government situation in Cape Town for the gospel's
sake. All that these young men want is to be sent there.
We are going to try and get a wagon, six mules, and food
for the road and send them forth. We have some good
— lb —
Christian young Abyssinians who are studying for the minis¬
try in our church. We are preparing to send them to Egypt,
Soudan and Abyssinia to establish the A. M. E. Church.
I have written letters to King Manelek informing him of
our intention to send missionaries into his country. It is my
intention to go with them and see them settled there. These
things will cost us money. The wagon, mules and food to
take men to Zambezi, Kalahari Desert, etc., will cost us
$500. Taking missionaries to Abyssinia, etc., will cost us
not less than $1000. Where this money is to come from I
do not know, but I believe in the God of Missions and in his
hands I rest my case.
Our policy in South Africa is to make all our missions
self-supporting. Consequently we are using and will con¬
tinue to use men who know and speak the languages of that
country, and are familiar with the manners and customs of
the numerous tribes of that vast continent. Our great anxiety
is not to Europeanize Africans, but to Christianize them.
Hence the policy we propose. Misunderstandings have been
created and harm done to the cause of missions and to our
people through employment as teachers and missionaries
of persons not at all acquainted with the people or with any
of their languages.
Your Lordships have doubtless heard of our great Afri¬
can preacher, Rev. Janjie Gqamana. But what good would
it do to bring him to America? Ho good at all. .He would
scarcely be fit for your kitchen work. I have been a
preacher for over thirty years and my race seem to think
that I have been of some service to our country. I have
worked hard to fit myself for the work of the ministery in
the way of studying, but all this does not in the least qualify
me for work in America. Before I could be of any use to the
people here, I would need to acquire a sufficient knowledge
of the English language and the ways and customs of the
people.
We have able and devoted men in Africa who have ren¬
dered noble service in our church. Among these I may
mention the Rev, M. M. Mokone, a scholarly gentleman, a
linguist and a disciplinarian; the Rev. J. G. Xaba, a linguist
and a scholar, a great and brave fighter for right. The Rev.
Z. Tantsi, a mighty preacher and revivalist, a peace loving
brother and Christian brother. I mention these brethren
hot because other brethren in Africa are not as able, devoted
and successful as these are, but because in 1900 you will see
these men and will be able to verify my statements, and will
find that I understate rather than overstate their merits.
But do I by this mean to say that any of these African
brethren could be used as pastors or connectional men here ?
hTo; that is not my meaning. hTo right thinking man would
ever dream of sending them to America where they would
not only be literally useless but where their presence would, I
am afraid, be as unacceptable to some few friends, as mine have
been. I say few friends, because wherever I have been in
the United States, I have been kindly received by our Bis¬
hops, ministers and people, and have been treated royally.
True, a few weeks ago, I thought some of my friends were
going to make things too hot for me, but my past experiences,
the difficulties and troubles that I have gone through, have
been a great help to me, in preparing me for the battle of
life. So that now, thank God, I am not thin-skinned, but
am able to stand some amount of friendly or unfriendly
criticism or opposition from friends or foes.
What I have said about men in Africa is applicable to
our brethren in this country. Their excellent qualities and
usefulness here do not fit them for our African work. In
Africa they would have everything against them. On the
other hand our South African work would have in these men
a great deal that would be against it and no good would be
done. The church would have to waste thousands and
thousands of dollars annually to keep men idle. The presence
of our American brethren in Africa would not be as unac¬
ceptable as mine is to some here, because my training has
been, I think, somewhat different from that of some of my
friends.
The spirit I have inherited from my forefathers, and the
wholesome inspirations of the traditions handed down to me
from my ancestors, compel me to act kindly and gentler-
manly to all, especially to strangers. This spirit has been
strengthened in me by the purifying influences of Christianity,
so that any person in my country who would attempt to
expose and publish your imperfections and disqualifications,
however great they might be, I would oppose him. But this
does not alter the fact that our American brethren would be
useless in' Africa and a burden to the mother church. Two
— # —
years ago 1 made a suggestion to have one of our African
languages taught in our colleges, especially to young men and
young women who intend to go to Africa. As far as professors
and teachers are concerned brethren from this country are
preferred, because in the educational departments Kaffir lan¬
guages are not so much needed as English is, and children
make greater progress and learn much quicker under non
Kaffir speaking teachers than from those who speak it. I
believe in God the Father the Son and Holy Spirit. I believe
in the books of the Old and Hew Testaments: that they con¬
tain every thing necessary and essential to my salvation. I
want my heart and life, I want systems and organizations,
and everything else to be in harmony with the teachings of
this great book. I believe in our holy religion that it will
make us good, and good to each other. When men begin to
fight each other, about little technicalities of the law, it is
always a sign to me that we are drifting away from the faith
once delivered unto the saints. Let the case of the Pharisees
in the Jewish Church, be a warning to us. Were they not
as truly earnest for the right and well meaning ? Were they
not actuated by best motives as any of us to-day? What
was the cause of their failure ? They clung too much to th.e
letter of the law than to the spirit of it, hence their corruption
and downfall. Their eyes got dim and lost sight of the true
nature of the Kingdom of God and made a great fuss about
law. They met a poor man who had previously laid helpless
near the pool Bethesda, without any one to render him the
help he so mueh needed, but Jesus had commanded him to
take up his bed and walk and had made him perfectly whole.
This fills them with wrath and indignation. They do not
stop to ask if the work done is good or bad. Ho. They are
more concerned about the law than about the salvation of
this poor man. " It is not lawful for thee," said they, " to
carry thy bed" on the Sabbath day. On one occasion the
Lord had to be very plain with them and declared that " the
Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath."
The world is as hard to-day as it was in the days of our
Savior, to learn that law is made for man and not man for
the law. Our dear Lord has fixed this thing so beautifully.
Yon ask me how, "He hath made us able ministers of the
Hew Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the
letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." May God write in
Our hearts this blessed truth. " And make it plain upoil
tables, that he may run that readeth it." O, that he would
enable me to crucify all self in me and to have a brighter and
clearer conception of the kingdom of his grace.
The whole of this universe is moving. Discoveries and
improvements are being made everywhere in the scientific
and political worlds. The same activity prevails in the moral
world. Ever since Christ's command to his apostles to go
into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,
the messenger of peace has been busy at work. It is a
noticeable fact that in the Christianization of the world, the
greatest propagators of the gospel who have been owned of
God as instruments in spreading the gospel, have always been
regarded in the world as law breakers. Our Lord and his'disci-
ples were so regarded. All the great reformers who have
shaken the world have been accused of being law breakers, in¬
ventors or creators of things that were not. Martin Luther,
John Wesley, George Whitfield and hundreds of others are
among the men we refer to. If the keeping to the spirit of
Christ's religion is regarded as creating or breaking the law,
then John Wesley and other reformers were creators. Episco¬
pal and non Episcopal Methodist Churches created by Wesley
are'filling the globe. They number as follows: Members
, preachers , churches , schools and col¬
leges . I like law, but when law comes in the way of
progress and of the bettering of humanity, it misses its call¬
ing and ought to be made to keep to its place.
The African Methodist Episcopal Church, created by
Richard Allen, is going to cover the earth as waters cover
the deep. If you have no faith in it, if you think that this
thing is going to be a failure in Africa, " Jesus did not think
so." Allen did not think so ; hence the Church of Africa to
which we all have the honor to belong. Unbelief in this
glorious progress of missions, is the worst kind of disease
that can afflict a community or an individual. If we want
God to use us and this great church of ours, in the conver¬
sion of sinners and advancement of his kingdom in the world,
let us be Christ-like, let us be broad and liberal and remember
that the whole, world is tending toward liberalism. Let us put
the best constructions on everything. " Perfect love, believ-
eth all things, hopeth all things." May God help us not only
to preach these things but to practice them.
-u-
Your Lordships will remember the decision of the first
General Conference of our church, when all our first Bishops
were present. You will remember that at that General Con¬
ference charges of Mai Administration were brought against
our Bishops. Some of the brethren contended that the Bis¬
hop had broken the law of the church. After the Elders
and the General Officers of the church had engaged in a
general discussion, one of the Bishops arose and gave a
memorable discourse, during the discussion of which he
exclaimed "Why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck
of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able
to bear." After the speeches of the accused the presiding
Bishop gave judgment that those who from among the gen¬
tiles had turned unto God should not be troubled with so
much formalism and technicalities of the law, except as were
necessary for peace and good understanding of the two
parties. The spirit of charity and mutual forbearance pre¬
vailed at that Conference. We need, to-day, as much light
and grace, as much singleness of heart as our first Bishops
had. The work we are called upon to do is so vastly great,
our responsibilities so tremendously big and weighty, and
the time at our disposal so little, that it is not only a child's
play but a sin to waste it 011 little technicalities of the law.
We have to evangelize the continent of Africa. " Our pro¬
cedure may be unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the
Greeks foolishness." But we know " that we are debtors
both to Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and
to the unwise." Another aspect about our African work
about which I would like to say a word is the dissimilarity
of the two continents which effect our work in the same way.
When the dollar was introduced among our societies in
South Africa, people gave thirty cents because a dollar in
Africa means thirty cents. Lecturing and explaining was of
no use and we were compelled to adopt the language of the
country and use four shillings instead of dollar money. I11
all of our books the name dollar money now disappears. I11
the "Preachers' Aid Association," special legislation will
have to be made to meet our case. In fact all the other
denominations, now laboring in South Africa, have found it
necessary to altar and modify the policies and procedures to
suit Africa. The burning question with the Methodist
churches is the term of ministerial appointments to circuits.
— 43 —
I am not now going to discuss this subject, whether the swift
circulation of preachers keeps our doctrine pure or not,
whether the interest of our church in large cities would be
served better by a longer period or not, all I want to say is
that the rigid enforcement of a limited period would not work
well in South Africa, that it would be better to leave this mat¬
ter entirely in the hands of the Bishop, who would, if he
were a wise man, consult the chiefs. There are many
other things which I could easily enumerate to illus¬
trate my point. Africa and America are now joined
together. " What, therefore, God has joined together,
let no man put asunder." What I have stated is enough
to show your lordship that the great work upon which
you have just entered in Africa, a work which ought
to make every heart leap for joy, needs all the sym¬
pathy, all the attention, all the prayer and all the help you
can give to it.
Jambs M. Dwane.
After listening to Rev. Dwane's report on motion it was
received as information.
Bishop W. B. Derrick moved that the Secretary of the
Bishops' Council be instructed to announce the approval of
the Bishops' Council of the establishing of a school in South
Africa as soon as possible.
The Secretary of the Bishops' Council was authorized to
make application to the President of the United States to
certify to the legal status of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church in the United States of America.
After visiting the President the Secretary was directed
to the Secretary of State, who stated that the statement of
the history and the condition of the church was necessary to
go on file in the State Department of the Government.
The following statement was presented to the Secretary
of State:
Wilberforce, Ohio, January 18, 1899.
Hon. John Hay, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir :—The African Methodist Episcopal Church
has recently organized Annual Conferences in South Africa
and appointed the Rev. J. M. Dwane as Superintendent of
— 46 —
Missions of the said Conferences. The African Methodist
Episcopal Church is unknown to the Governments of South
Africa officially. It is our desire that you will give a state¬
ment, a certificate to the legal existence of our denomination
in the United States to be attached to the within appointment
as Superintendent, as a recognition of the status of the Afri¬
can Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States.
The A. M. E. Church belongs to the Methodist family
founded by John Wesley in 1739, and is one of the American
branches which was organized in 1766, in New York City.
The first organization of our district branch was organized
by Richard Allen, November, 1787, and the said church was
incorporated in Philadelphia, Pa., September 15th, 1796.
The denomination was organized in Philadelphia, April 9th,
1816, by representatives from congregations of Baltimore,
Md., Attleberry, Pa., Philadelphia, Pa., Wilmington, Del.,
and other places.
Richard Allen was elected the first Bishop, and the fol¬
lowing have been his successors :
Morris Brown, 1828.
William Paul Quinn, 1844.
Daniel A. Payne, 1852.
J. P. Campbell, 1864.
T. M. D. Ward, 1868.
Henry M. Turner, 1886.
R. H. Cain, 1880.
Wesley J. Gaines, 1888.
Benjamin T. Tanner, 1888.
Benjamin E. Lee, 1892.
James A. Handy, 1892.
Josiah H. Armstrong, 1896.
Edward Waters, 1836.
Willis Nazery, 1852.
A. W. Wayman, 1864.
James A. Shorter, 1868.
John M. Brown, 1868.
Wm F. Dickerson, 1880.
R. R. Disney, 1875.
Benjamin W. Arnett, 1888.
Abraham Grant, 1888.
Moses B. Salter, 1892.
W. B. Derrick, 1896.
James Embry, 1896.
Bishop Henry M. Turner Avas appointed by the Bishops'
Council to visit Africa and to organize the same. On the
9tli of March, 1898, he organized the Transvaal Conference,
and on the 12th of April, 1898, he organized the South
African Conference.
The following is the work of the South African Con¬
ference :
— 47 —
MEMBERSHIP.
SOUTH AFRICAN CONFERENCE.
(TRANSVAAL CONFERENCE.
3.625
6,841
Plus three congregations received after the adjourn¬
ment of Transvaal Conference with a membeship 334
7,175
Grand total for South African and Transvaal Conferences 10,800
NUMBER OF MINISTERS.
Elders 31
Deacons 29
Licentiates 40
Total 100
CHURCHES AND MEMBERS.
Number of Churches 5,175
Valuation $6,150,175
Number of Parsonages I«75°
Valuation $624,423
Indebtedness $752,964
Number of Schools 41
Valuation $756,475
Teachers ..... 165
Students 5»257
Graduates 660
Annual Income $115,560
SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
Schools 3,447
Officers 2I,5I4
Teachers 37,9I6
Pupils 362,421
Volumes 233,53^
— 48 —
The African Methodist Episcopal Church was the first
denomination of the race to organize a school for the moral,
intellectual and industrial training of the race. As early as
1846 the church established a Seminary at Columbus, 0., and
out of that school has grown Wilberforce University, he
largest school of the denomination. The church has t41
defferent schools, 165 teachers, 5,257 students and have
graduated from the school under the management of the
church 660 persons in Theology, Science and Normal de¬
partments.
FOREIGN CONFERENCES.
Sierra Leone i
Liberia x
Bermuda i
Nova Scotia i
Ontario i
Demerara i
Santo Domingo i
Hayti i
Total 8
UNITED STATES.
Number of Annual Conferences 52
Bishops 9
General Officers 9
Annual Conference Roll 45825
Presiding Elders in America 222
5,085
Presiding Elders in Foreign Countries 20
Local Preachers 8,409
Exhorters 5,250
Probationers 575836
Members 556,289
627,784
Grand total 632,869
Stewards 24,727
Stewardess 27,624
Class Leaders.. '. /.. 24,421
Trustees 23,255
Trustee Boards .- 4,850
Sextons . 5,172
—P—
The above is a general outline of our organization, pro¬
gress and numbers. The call from South Africa has been
answered by our organization. We now appeal to the
authorities of the general government to officially or semi¬
officially recognize our denominational status in the United
States in such manner as will commend our representatives
to foreign governments, so that our ministers may be author¬
ized to marry and to bury the dead in the name o± Christianity
and our Christian civilization.
We leave this matter in your hands for action, is the
prayer and the petition of the Bishops of the African Meth¬
odist Episcopal Church. We remain,
Yours for God and the Race,
Benjamin W. Arnett,
Secretary of Bishops' Council.
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE
COMMONWEALTH.
Harrisburg, Pa., February 4th, A. D., 1899.
Pennsylvania, ss.
I do hereby certify that the African Methodist Episcopal
Church, which issued the foregoing and annexed diploma,
was incorporated and now is a corporation existing under the
laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
caused the great seal of the State to be affixed the day and
year above written. W. W. Griest,
(Seal.) Secretary of the Commonwealth.
NO. 953. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting:
I certify that the document hereunto annexed is under
the Seal of the State of Pennsylvania, and is entitled to full
faith and credit.
In testimony whereof I, John Hay, Secretary of State of
the United States, have hereunto subscribed my name and
caused the seal of the Department of State to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington this 25th day of Feb¬
ruary, A. D. 1899, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the one hundred and twenty third.
John Hay,
(Seal.) Secretary of State.
AN ADDRESS
FROM THE TRANSVAAL AND SOUTH AFRICAN CONFER¬
ENCES TO THE HOUSE OF BISHOPS, A. M. E.
CHURCH, U. S. A.
King Williamstown, April, 1890.
To the House of Bishops of the A. 31. E. Church, JJ. S. A.
May it please your Lordships we, the undersigned, heg
respectfully to inform your Lordships that the Transvaal An¬
nual Conference which commenced its session 011 the 29th
of March, 1899, at Bloemfontein, the capital of the Orange
Free State Republic, and the South African Annual Confer¬
ence, which convened at Debe, April 12th, 1899, appointed
us to write an address to you.
Most Reverends and fathers in God, we wish in the first
place to refer very briefly to the past history of Christian
Missions in this country. We owe the white races of Europe
a great debt which we shall never he able to pay in this life.
When we were yet unable to help ourselves, God moved our
white friends and used them as His instruments in Christian¬
izing and civilizing the people of this country. Rev George
Schmidt was sent out by the Moravian Mission Society,
landed in Cape Town 1737, and organized a mission in
Genadendal.
The London Missionary Society sent their Missionaries
in 1799, Rev. Keicliener and Dr. Vauder Kemp, and these
two were followed by Rev. Mr. Williams, who established
himself in the Cat River settlement. The latter seemed to
have made more impression 011 the natives than his prede¬
cessors, hut unfortunately his ministry was of a limited
duration. The Mission Station at Kuruman was founded by
Dr. Moffat in 1819. Revs. Rieds, Brownlee, Thompson, Ross,
Shaws, Appleqards the great pioneer and translator of the
Kaffir Bible, Holden, Lamplough, Waters, Lord Bishop
Colenso Bishop of Ratal ISobantu, (which being interpreted
is) Father of the people, and Bishop Callaway and a host of
others did a noble work for God and our race, and have
placed us under great obligations to the white race. To us
it seems almost a miraculous thing for these early mission-
— 51 —
aries who, notwithstanding a great many disadvantages
against which they labored, achieved so much for the ad¬
vancement of God's kingdom, that we are compelled to own
God's hand in the way they did. However grateful we may
be to our benefactors, we are strongly of opinion and are
deeply convinced that the time has come for the people of
this country to show that the religion they profess to have
received is genuine and real, that it has made them strong in
the Lord and in the power of His might. The grand men to
whom reference has been made in the preceding lines did not
only preach, warn and urge, but died praying, that the natives
of this country should cease from leaning so much on mis¬
sionary societies in Europe, but to learn to stand on their own
feet, as this would not only be a reflection on the teachers
who taught them and the doctrines they taught, but would
be a sure proof that the work of Christian mission among
the native people is a complete failure. The man of this
country must not take a secondary place but a leading part
in the evangelization of Africa, hence the organization of our
church in South Africa. We are very sorry that we have
been misunderstood, that the object and aim of our church
have been malignantly misinterpreted by missionaries and
others, from whom we expected better things. This is
nothing but a wholesome and a legitimate outcome of mis¬
sionary work. This is nothing but an answer to the prayers
of missionaries, churches and friends in this country and over
the sea. It grieves us, therefore, to see this good work being
opposed by those who came out to civilize and Christianize
the dark races. Foreign teachers cannot do much more than
they have done; it would be unwise on our part to expect
much more from them and it would be foolish on their part
to think that they can do much more than they have done.
Dissatisfaction has often been expressed at the apparent
smallness of good achieved compared with the means em¬
ployed, the moneys and lives that have been spent in propa¬
gating the gospel among the natives. The cause of this is
self evident. Foreign teachers have not only to work against
the disadvantage of not knowing the people, their language
and their custom, but they belong to another nation, their
color is different, their language is different, their ideas are
different and their sympathies are very often not with the
people among whom they labor. In studying mission work
in different lands we find that if this work is to be a lasting
success, the man of the conntry must do the work. This will
not only be an effective way of spreading, but most economi¬
cal. The people of this country can do the work cheaper and
successfully. There is another thing we want to point out
which makes employment of native agencies absolutely nec¬
essary. The service of European missionaries is badly needed
in colonial towns and in the states, amongst the whites who
are degraded and hopelessly sunk in vice and sin, while in
England, America, France, Germany and other European
countries superstition and heathenism are rampart.
Being in deep sympathy with the white races of the
world we do not think it a wise policy worthy of any states¬
man to keep white missionaries on mission stations, where
they could do but little good, when there is so much need and
demand for their service among the whites. We add further
that the churches organized for white races in other countries,
good and noble as they are, do not, and cannot suit the
people of this country, who need a church and organization
that will agree with the country, its condition, climate and
tradition of its people. It would not be difficult to illustrate
what we mean, but do not think there is any need of doing
so. In accordance with our deep conviction and sincere de¬
sire of doing good to our fellowmen and glorifying God, we
severed our connection with the white churches in this land,
and in 1896 decided to unite with you, the oldest colored and
African church. To accomplish this end a deputation was
sent to your last General Conference in the persons of Revs.
J. M. Dwane and J. G. Xaba. We are grateful to the Bis¬
hops and the Mother Church for the way they treated our
representatives in 1896, and for receiving the Etheopian
Church, and for ultimately sending Ilis Grace, Bishop II. M.
Turner, the Primate of the A. M. E. Church, to amalgamate
the two bodies and organize the conferences. Ilis presence
here caused a great and wonderful success, not only to mem¬
bers of the Etheopian Church, but the Christian community
at large and heathen in general. His fame moved the hearts
of kings, chiefs and headmen, who had to travel thousands
of miles to see the great Bishop of their own race, whose ex¬
traordinary talent led many to join the A. M. E. Church.
Further, we thank His Grace, Bishop H. M. Turner, for
ordaining our General Superintendent, J. M. Dwane, a Mis-
— S3 —
sionary Bishop, to keep our church in running machinary
with Episcopal rights, also rendering many gratitudes in
anticipation for the regular Bishop promised to he sent us
after the General Conference.
The call of our suffragan, Bishop Dwane, to America by
our Senior Bishop and the endorsement by the House of
Bishops, the consecration of Missionary Bishop Dwane
proved success in the Transvaal and South Africa Con¬
ferences recently held by him, for which we greatly thank
you.
The spiritual condition of the church in general is most
pleasing, though in some places we fail to meet and pay the
demand of the people, especially in the Free State, where
some municipalities take prominent part in religious
persecutions, and through the instigation of certian mission¬
aries of other denominations have imprisoned and debarred
some of our ministers from attending and visiting their con¬
gregations within their jurisdiction; nevertheless our mem¬
bership, thank God, is increasing to a multiplicity.
We regret to report that, owing to the recent pestilence
which has destroyed our cattle all over South Africa, and
locusts annihilating our crops and grass, and prevalent drought
for three successive years, our financial state has been bad,
notwithstanding, we thank God for having preserved and
guarded us through these times of temptations, tribulations
and hardships, hoping that in future things will be ameliorated,
God being our shield and helper. As to policy it is our con¬
comittant desire and determination to civilize and evangelize
our country, Africa, in general, with no respect of person or
nationality. We, as a body, beg respectfully to assure you
our loyalty to the House of Bishops and law making powers
and also keeping in accordance with the right Episcopal
supervision of the African Methodist Episcopal Church,
hoping and trusting that our fathers will perpetually remem¬
ber us in prayer that the great Engine of heaven carry us to
His kingdom keeping our " motto," " God our Father, Christ
our Redeemer and man our brother." Amen! Amen!
Your obedient and humble children,
Jacobus G. Xaba,
B. Humalo,
A. S. Gabashane,
M. M. Mokone,
July 20, 1899.
Rev. 31. 31. 3Iokone, Cape Town, Cape Colony, South Africa.
Dear Sir and Brother :—I enclose you a letter in behalf
of the Bishops' Council, as directed by. them. You will use
this to the best advantage of the church and the interest of
the members. You will consult with Superintendent James
M. Dwane, as he is your official head. The letter is addressed
to the official head and the commissioners. The reason we
address it thus, you will see, we must recognize the represent¬
ative of the head of the church of South Africa, Bro. Dwane.
We will be pleased to hear from you at any time.
Please transmit to me the minutes of the first Conference,
if in manuscript, and we will have it printed; send me copies
of minutes of the first and second Annual Conferences, as I
want a complete history of the work in Africa to present to
the General Conference.
You will convey my hearty and cordial greetings to each
member of the church, Conference, and the numerous friends
of the self-government of the Negro race. I remain,
Yours for God and the Race,
Benjamin W. Arnett.
HOUSE OP BISHOPS AFRICAN M. E. CHURCH.
To the Rev. James M. Dwane, Superintendent of Missions
of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in South
Africa; Very Rev. M. M. Mokone, P. E., Rev.
Jacobus G. Xaba, P. E.; Rev. A. S. Gabashane,
P. E.; Rev. Benjamin Kumalo, P. E.; Com¬
missioners and Representatives of the
South African and Transvaal
Annual Conferences of the
African Methodist Epis¬
copal Church.
Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and the
Lord Jesus Christ:
Since we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of
the love which you have to all saints, our joy can find no ad¬
equate expression in words.
Beloved sons of the church, your address of no date, to
the House of Bishops, was received through His Grace,
Bt. Rev. II. M. Turner, D.D., LL.D., President of our Coun¬
cil, and read to the entire body, and we greatly rejoice at its
hopeful, prospective and encouraging contents. We were all
delighted to hear from the South African and Transvaal
Conferences through you. We are sure that you express the
spirit and sentiments of the ministers of the two Conferences,
which proclaim your devotion to the church, and fidelity to
our African brethren and her descendants, wherever scattered
throughout the globe. We your fathers in the gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ believe that the African Methodist Episco¬
pal Church is an ecclesiastic child of Providence, and that
the fathers, who began its organization over a hundred years
ago, planned far beyond their expectations; and had they not
been actuated and propelled by the Holy Spirit they would
never have succeeded so grandly.
We are more than pleased that you hold in grateful re¬
membrance those grand and ever to be complimented heroic
missionary pioneers, who brought you the church and the
gospel, far back in the eighteenth century: such men as Rev.
George Schmidt, Dr. Moffat, Revs. Reid, Brownlee Thomp¬
son, Ross, Sliaws and others should be held in perpetual
veneration. AVe, too, have been the recipients of many divine
and precious favors by consecrated brothers in white, who
preached the gospel to us, administered baptism, and the
Lord's Supper, generations ago. We are now able, how¬
ever, to preach the gospel ourselves; fill every position in
the church; manage our own departments, Colleges and
Universities, and direct our own Spiritual and financial af¬
fairs, just as you will be able to do, we trust, in the near
future. Like you, we Afro-Americans will always be thank¬
ful to the grand galaxy of our white brethren who made
infinite sacrifices for our Christian enlightenment.
We are also thankful to learn that the primitive white
missionaries, and leaders, set before you the value of self-
reliance, and endeavored to teach you that you should not be
religions mendicants upon the Christian charity of Europeans
for all time; we hope you will teach the same to your mem¬
bers, to your children and rising youths, as we have been
doing in America since the birth of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. The African and his descendants in all
parts of the world should let the peoples of the globe see that
we are men in common with other men, and that we can take
care of ourselves, our wives, our children, and our church, as
industriously, as economically, and as faithfully as persons of
any other race. Self-dependence, racial manhood, and the
power to manufacture good conditions out of bad and dis¬
couraging surroundings is the one great need, so far as it re¬
lates to the children of Africa in any and every part of the
globe.
The African races are one whatever their tribal differ¬
ences may he; or whether they live upon the continent of
Africa, or in Asia, America, Europe, or upon the Isles of the
Sea. The color of our skin, though in many instances varie¬
gated, and the texture of our hair sets forth the fact the
world over that we are the children of the sun, and, beyond
personal differences, which exist among all people, our inter¬
ests civilly, religiously, industrially, and educationally should
he one and inseparable; and may our Heavenly Father help
you, as ministers of our great African Methodist Episcopal
Church, to preach, teach and exemplify in your lives this
great doctrine upon which our future, as one race and people,
so much depend.
We, your chief pastors, most highly commend the follow¬
ing, which we quote directly from your letter to us, the House
of Bishops. You say, "The men of this country must not
take a secondary place, but a leading part in the civilization
of Africa; hence the organization of our church in South
Africa." We concurr with you, and are pleased to learn you
fully realize your duty in this connection and have resolved
to adjust yourselves to the grave responsibility. Every people
since time began have had to put forth their own leaders, re¬
formers and heroes, and we can not afford to be an exception
to the rule.
His Grace, Bishop Turner, realized that fact when he
ordained one of your number to the Vicar or Suffragan Bis¬
hopric, in compliance with your own request, and the same
doctrine has been the genius spirit and propelling force of
the African M. E. Church, from its inception. And we trust
you will thoroughly equip yourselves for this great work, by
constant and hard study, and a consecration of your lives and
services to Christ.
We are greatly gratified to learn that Ilis Grace, Bishop
Turner, was so royally received, kindly and fraternally
treated, and that his presence was productive of so much
good and happy results in South Africa. His heart is in
Africa, he has made several visits to the great continent, the
home of our ancestors, and wherever he has gone in Africa,
people have been blessed, churches have been organized, and
complimentary reports have been sent to the House of
Bishops. The Bishop has the confidence of the church and
of our race in this country. While he is respected and
venerated by millions of white people about as much as he is
by our own. If he was not the Primate of our church, we
would be glad for him to settle in South Africa or some
other section of the continent, as he is so anxious to do,
notwithstanding his age and growing infirmities.
We are also pleased to learn that the consecration of
Rev. James M. Hvvane as Vicar-Bishop, by our Senior, has
met with general approval. It is an extraordinary act upon
the part of our Senior to venture upon the consecration even
of a subordinate Bishop, without authority from the General
Conference, but the extra occasion and unique circumstances
surrounding the work in South Africa, and the variation of
tongues prevailing there, and unexpected deaths of two of
our younger Bishops ; and feeling that the Ethiopian Church,
which had sunk itself in the African M. E. Church, was justly
entitled, though small in number, to consideration. The
House of Bishops, almost unanimously, endorsed and even
commended the act of our Senior, while the ministry and
laity of our church are practically unanimous in their ap¬
proval. We prayerfully hope that our brethren and ministry
of South Africa will put forth every endeavor to enlarge our
borders, increase our numbers, make every sacrifice and with¬
hold no labor or toil to make our church in the eyes of God
and man, mighty for the accomplishment of good and the
civilization and redemption of Africa, a speedy fact.
You shall have our co-operation, and you may rest
assured that the General Conference which will meet on the
first Monday in May, 1900, will make every provision neces¬
sary to mann and support our work, not only in South
Africa, but in every part of that great coutiuent. The action
of our ensuing General Conference will settle every issue,
and remove all doubts and silence all speculation.
— 58 —
The House of Bishops would not venture to indicate any
line of policy that may be enacted into law, hut you may rest
assured that satisfactory legislation will be made, and the land
of our ancestry will he carefully and wisely looked after.
You refer to the persecutions and misrepresentations
you have been the victims of, and the trouble you have had
with some of the municipalities of the Orange Free State;
we beg that you will not allow any of these negative agencies
which appear to be operating against you, to discourage you
in the least. They are the usual concomitants of new
movements and progressive forces inaugurated for the bet¬
terment of mankind, when you shall be better understood
they will disappear and sunshine and prosperity will follow.
When the African M. E. Church was first organized the
founders and fathers had like conditions to confront, but now
the Arrican M. E. Church is recognized as one of the great
religious bodies of the civilized world; while the tongue of
misrepresentation is silent forever.
We bless and praise God, the great head of the church,
to learn of your spiritual growth, increase of membership and
enlargement of Christian influence among our people. We
beg that you preach a whole gospel, let there be no race lines
or discriminations; open the doors of the church for the
reception of members from every class of humanity; be they
black, white, swarthy, olive colored, red 01* yellow, and let
your efforts be cosmopolitan, to bless and save mankind.
The term African M. E. Church is not understood by us, to
restrict the privileges of the church to persons of darker hue.
Africa is a continent, and the name does not imply, in con¬
nection with our church, persons limited to the Aborigines
of the country. The founders never intended to establish
race and color lines, but they meant the building up of a
church that would by its very spirit, life and action, protest
against it, and broaden the conception of humanity, which
was viewed too narrowly when our church was organized.
You say in conclusion, " We as a body beg respectfully
to assure you of our loyalty to the House of Bishops and law
making powers, in keeping with the right of Episcopal super¬
vision of the African Methodist Episcopal Church." We are
delighted with this declaration of fidelity to the church.
Such language means, if this 01* that does not suit us, as a
part of the church, we will remain in its bosom and contend
for such reforms and alterations as you may think to he wise
and necessary; this is manly, this is honorable, this is worthy
of praise, especially in a church like ours, where all are
equals except, of course, in the grades of the ministry, where
licentiate preachers, deacons, elders, presiding elders, general
officers, as heads of departments, and bishops are clothed
with separate and distinct functions of different degrees in
the same church; beyond this, we are equal, and in the
General Conference every delegate and member is equal.
Even the bishops there, are only presiding officers, unless an
attempt is made to over-ride or tamper with the fundamental
law of the church, when the House of Bishops have power to
bar legislation and protect its basic usages, regulations and
restrictive rules.
Be faithful brethren to God, true to the church, and the
peace of God which passeth all understanding, keep your
hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of
His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, and the blessing of God
Almighty the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be among
you and remain with you always. Amen.
A reply to the representatives of the South African and
Transvaal Annual Conferences, and forwarded to the same,
by order of the House of Bishops of the African M. E.
Church.
After having recited our hearty thanks and congratula¬
tions on the work you have accomplished in the short time
you have been connected with us, it is a great pleasure to
inform you of the following facts in relation to the numerical
strength and ability of the Church of Allen.
— 00 —
THE ANALYSIS OF A. M. E. CHURCH
CONFERENCES, 1899.
NUMBER OF CONFERENCES IN THE UNITED STATES.
i st District, 4 Annual Conferences, Bishop A. Grant.
' " Bishop J. A. Handy.
' " Bishop Benjamin F. Lee.
" " Bishop Benjamin W. Arnett.
" " Bishop Benjamin T. Tanner.
" " Bishop Henry M. Turner.
" " Bishop J. C. Embry, (dec'd.)
" " Bishop W. B. Derrick.
" " Bishop M. B. Salters.
" " Bishop Josiah Armstrong, (dec'd)
" " Bishop W. J. Gaines.
2d
S (
4
3d
a
3
4th
a
4
5 th
c t
4
6th
i t
7
7 th
i i
6
8th
i (
6
9th
i t
4
10th
a
6
nth
i i
4
Total...,
.. 52
FOREIGN CONFERENCES.
Africa... 4
West Indies 3
British America 3
Total number of Conferences 10
Number of Conferences in United States 52
Number of Foreign Conferences 10
Total number of Conferences 62
PRESIDING ELDER DISTRICTS.
ANNUAL MEETINGS. QUADRENNIAL MEETINGS.
America 232 868
South Africa 9 36
West Africa 4 36
West Indies 4 16
British America 3 12
Total Conferences per quarter... 242 Quadrennial meetings... 968
Bishops 9
General Officers 9
Conference Roll 4,825
Presiding Elders 222
— 61 —
Presiding Elders, Foreign 20
Total 5,085
Stewards 24,727
Stewardess 27,624
Class Leaders 24,421
Trustees 23,255
Total 100,027
Local Preachers 3,4°9
Exhorters 5,25°
Probationers 5 7» S35
Members 556,289
Grand Total 632,683
Trustee Boards 4.850
Sextons 5U72
CHURCHES AND MEMBERS.
Number of Churches 5,172
Valuation $6,150,175
Number of Parsonages 1,750
Valuation $624,423
Indebtedness $752,964
Number of Schools 41
Valuation $756,475
Teachers 165
Students 5>257
Graduates 660
Annual Income $115,560
SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
Sunday Schools 3 >447
Officers 21>5r4
Teachers 37>9I4
Pupils 362,421
Volumes 263,538
ANALYSIS OF THE MINISTERIAL SUPPORT OF THE
A. M. E. CHURCH, MAY 1, 1897, TO MAY 1, 1898.
9 Bishops at $2,000 per annum $ 18,000
9 General Officers at $1,350 per annum 12,15°
— 62 —
222 Presiding Elders at an average per year of$637.70... 141,570
3856 Pastors and Missionaries at an average of $190.26,
per year . 735*4°3
Pastors' and Presiding Elders' Traveling Expenses 26,421
Total Ministerial Support $ 931,544
THE AVERAGE AMOUNT EXPENDED BY THE A. M. E.
CHURCH, GENERAL EXPENSES.
For the Year $1,570,329 04
By the Month 130,860 75
By the Day 4*360 02
By the Hour 181 75
By the Minute 30 28
By the Second 50
Bishop H. M. Turner organized the A. M. E. Church in
South Africa, March 23, 1898. He formed two Annual
Conferences, the Transvaal with a membership of 7*175
The South Africa Conference with a membership of. 3*625
The Bishop ordained Elders 31
The Bishop ordained Deacons 29
Rev. H. C. C. Astwood was appointed to superintend the
missions in Cuba. lie organized the A. M. E. Church in
Santiago, Cuba, August, 1898; the first Protestant Church
organized on the Island.
May the blessings of God the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit rest and abide with you and all the members
and followers of the Son of God in South Africa, is the prayer
of the Bishops of the A. M. E. Church.
I remain, yours for God and the Race,
Benjamin W. Arnett,
Secretary of Bishops' Council.
CUBA.
The Bishops met in Council and considered the propriety
of establishing work on the Island of Cuba. After consulta¬
tion it was resolved that the church establish a mission on
the Island of Cuba and that the Rev. II. C. C. Astwood be
appointed superintendent of the same.
The Secretary of the Council was authorized to notify
— 63 —
Rev. Astwoocl of liis appointment, also to notify the Mis¬
sionary Secretary of the appointment of the said Rev. II. C.
C. Astwood.
The following correspondence speaks for itself and gives
full information of the steps taken and the report of the
Superintendent of Missions in Cuba:
Wilberforce, Ohio, May 9, 1898.
Rev. H. P. Parks, 61 Bible House, New York, N. Y.
Dear Sir:—This is to inform you that the Bishops at
their Council in Philadelphia, Pa., April 27th, appointed the
Rev. Ii. C. C. Astwood, Superintendent of Missions to the
Island of Cuba, and have fixed his salary at the rate of one
thousand dollars per annum.
You will please take notice and act accordingly. By
order of the Bishops' Council.
Acting Senior Bishop.
Benjamin W. Abnett,
Secretary.
Wilberforce, Ohio, May 2, 1898.
Rev. H. C. C. Astwood, Bryn Mawr, Pa.
Dear Sir and Brother :—This is to inform you that the
Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, in
council assembled, has tendered you the position of Superin¬
tendent of Missions in the Island of Cuba. They desire you
to visit the Island of Cuba with the army of the Union and
to establish churches arid schools, and assist the natives, as
far as may lie in your power, to relieve the distressed, to feed
the hungry, cloth the naked, to educate the masses and
secure to them, as far as possible, the blessing of our Chris¬
tian civilization.
Your compensation is to be one thousand dollars per
annum, not including traveling expenses. You will please
indicate to me at as early date as possible, of your acceptance
or rejection of the tendered appointment. I remain
Yours for God and the Race,
Dictated. Benjamin W. Arnett.
— 64 —
Wilberforce, Ohio, May 2, 1808.
Rev. H. G. C. Astwood, Bryn 3Iawr, Pa.
Dear Sir and Brother:—Yours, in answer to mine of
April 28tli, is at hand and the contents noted. I am pleased
to know that you accept the position of trust tendered you
by the Council of Bishops. Be assured you will have the
hearty co-operation of each of the Bishops, the sympathy of
the church and the prayers of the Christians of all denomi¬
nations. I have notified the President of the United States
of your appointment and asking for you the proper recogni¬
tion, and the protection of our Mission and the love and
mercy to the struggling patriots of Cuba. I will communi¬
cate with you further on the matter. Bishop Abrain Grant,
of Philadelphia, will present you and your cause to the
President of the United States.
Please inform me as to the proper time that you can
enter upon your mission and keep me posted as to the plans
of your operation so that I may be able to keep the Bishops'
Council informed and render whatever assistance needed for
the execution of the important work committed to your care.
I remain Yours for God and the Pace,
B. W. Arnett.
Wilberforce, Ohio, May 2,1898.
Hon. William McKinley, Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir—This comes to inform you that the African
Methodist Episcopal Church, through its Bishops, April
28th, appointed the Rev. H. C. C. Astwood, as Superin¬
tendent of Missions to the Island of Cuba.
He is instructed to work in harmony with the religious
and benevolent forces that may accompany the army and to
do whatever is possible to relieve the Cubians and, especially,
that portion that belongs to our race. Being aware as we
are, that though the generosity of the people is unbounded,
yet there may be special work to the unfortunate members of
our race, and feeling it to be our duty to assist in this work,
we have commissioned the above named gentleman, who is a
scholar and a native of the West Indies, a Spanish scholar,
he speaks and reads the Spanish language and can edit a
paper in the Spanish language. Tie will be of great service
to the colored soldiers and others, being one of the most
— 65 —
intelligent men of the race. He was at one time Counsel to
the Island of San Domingo.
Bishop Grant and he will call upon you and put them¬
selves in harmony with the authorities that may occupy the
Island, and also with the forces that carry relief to the in¬
habitants of the Island.
The Bishops desire me to express to you their heartfelt
sympathy in your trying position and assure you of their
prayers for the ultimate success of the cause of humanity as
represented in your humane policy as indicated in your mes¬
sages and addresses. I remain
Yours for God and the Race,
Dictated. Benjamin W. Arnett.
Executive Mansion, Washington, May 5,1898.
My Dear Sir :—I beg leave to acknowlege the receipt
of your letter of the 2d instant, calling attention to the ap¬
pointment by your church of Rev. H. 0. C. Astwood as
Superintendent of Missions in the Island of Cuba, and to say
that by direction of the President it has been forwarded to
the Secretary of War.
The President is much gratified by the cordial expres¬
sion of confidence and good will of the Bishops and wishes
me to thank them sincerely, through yourself.
Very truly yours,
J ohn Addison Porter,
Secretary to the President.
Rt. Rev. Benjamin W. Arnett, D.D.,
Wilberforce, Ohio.
Bryn Mawr, June 14,1898.
To the Venerable Council of Bishops of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church, Wilberforce, Ohio.
Venerable Fathers in God, Greeting :—Saluting you in
the Spirit of our Divine Lord and Master, and praying for the
guidance of his Holy Spirit in your responsible deliberations,
I have to submit that, since receiving your Commission for
the responsible position of Superintendent of Missions for the
— 66 —
Island of Cuba, for the purpose of establishing our beloved
Zion in that splendid but bleeding Island, where more than
one million of our people are in religious as well as political
bondage, I have given the matter a careful and prayerful
consideration. I am not unmindful of the confidence you
repose in me, and the honor attached to such a high and
noble purpose, but I am sensibly impressed with the great re¬
sponsibility. I have been greatly encouraged by Bishops
Grant, Tanner and Arnett, and such General Officers as Dr.
Henderson, Shaffer, Moore and Johnson, which have some¬
what encouraged and nerved me up to the work, until I have
determined, in face of the grave hinderances that have
assailed me in the very setting out, to take hold in earnest,
to do the Lord's bidding through you. It was my purpose
and hope to meet you in person, so as to meet all of the
Fathers and receive their personal and individual benediction,
which I feel assured that I would have gotten; but financial
reasons which I could not overcome prevented me, and, if
through the interposition of my friends with your venerable
body the means can yet be sent to me, I think it would be of
incalculable value, if only but to touch the hem of your gar¬
ments, because Divine inspiration in the undertaking of such
a great work is often revealed by contact with those who are
the directors.
In preparing for the great task I have begun, the ardu¬
ous work in putting such portions of our Book of Discipline,
general laws, rights and ceremonies of our church, into the
language of the people to whom I am sent, this, I think, to
be highly essential, with a collection of suitable hymns, which
will make a book about one half the size of our new hymnal.
I hope to be able to place the manuscript, properly translated
and compiled, into the hands of our General Manager of The
Book Concern, some time during the month of August, or as
soon thereafter as possible. I desire the book to emanate
from our own Publicational Department, so that there can be
no doubt in the hereafter as to which church belongs the
priority of the issuance of such a work. I am getting along
well with the translation. I shall translate from the Book of
Discipline, the Articles of Religion, the Catechism of Faith,
the Sacrimental, Baptismal, Matrimonial, and Burial ceremo¬
nies, together with our entire ritualistic services, to be com¬
piled with the hymns in one book. If you desire anything
— 67 —
else to be added, I wish you would suggest it now, so as not
to retard the work. After the translation is completed I will
need the services of a Spanish scholar, whom I have in mind,
to go over the work carefully with me, as well as the proof,
so that the errors that I observe in many of the translations
of the Bible in the Spanish language might not appear. This
expense will not be large, and will be provided for long before
his services are needed.
If you make it possible for me to come to Wilberforce by
telegram, to meet the Council, it will be a benefit all around.
I will, with your authority, make some appeals in the West
and South, through our churches and otherwise, which will
more than refund to the Department the outlay. I must
make provision for the establishment of my first church in
Havana before leaving. I purpose establishing the first
church in Havana, then proceed to Santiago de Cuba, then
to Baracoa, then to Manzanilla, then Cienfuegos; all of this
I hope to do before the sitting of the next General Confer¬
ence. I cannot now say what point in the interior of the
Island I will first visit; that must be left to circumstances.
You may ask where the money and the men are coming from
to do this. I can only say I don't know; it is the Lord's
business and I am sure he will provide. Bishop Grant says,
march forward and take no back step. Bishop Turner found
in the heart of Africa a Vicar Bishop, and we may find in the
heart of Cuba men to do the Master's bidding.
The Missionary Secretary, who is a very careful business
man, seema to have some misgivings in regard to the work,
and but for his timidity in meeting the first outlay of three
hundred dollars, I might have been far upon my road to suc¬
cess. Bishops Grant and Turner advised him to do what I
wanted in this matter, but he hesitated, upon tangible
grounds, fearing that he had not the authority without posi¬
tive instructions from his Board, fearing to use his own dis¬
cretion in the matter. We ought not to be pessimists in
undertaking this work; timidity will do more harm than any¬
thing else. I would suggest, if you may allow, that because
of the increased work in Africa, if the task be too unwieldy
for the grasp of the Secretary, that this special work be at¬
tached to one of the Episcopal Districts and placed under the
supervisions of one of the Bishops, who, in your Godly judg¬
ments, would be willing to take the responsibility and relieve
— 6S —
the Secretary. I do not fear the issue nor the responsibility;
but to start out under a timid leader would cause me to lose
my courage and be detrimental to the work. This is but a
suggestion.
I hope I have made myself intelligently clear. 1 stand
ready to do the bidding of "the Fathers. All I ask is your
prayers, your encouragement and your support; and, God
willing, I hope to do a work which will redound to the glory
of God, the benefit of Cuba, the agrandisement of our church,
the satisfaction of our Bishops, which will be all of the rec-
ompence I desire, until the final day, when I shall get my
reward in that better land, where we will all celebrate the
grand Jubilee.
With my deepest veneration, and prayerful consideration,
I have to remain with deep humility,
Your servant in Christ our Lord,
H. C. C. Astwood.
REPORT OF REV. H. C. C. ASTWOOD, SUPER¬
INTENDENT OF MISSIONS OF THE
A M. E. CHURCH FOR THE IS
LAND OF CUBA, Etc.
Bryn Mawr, Pa., September 24, 1898.
To the Venerable Council of Bishops and Board of Home and
Foreign Missions of the A. M. E. Church, Through the
Rex). H. B. Parks, D.D., 61 Bible House, New York City.
Venerable Fathers and Brethren, Greeting :—Through
a kind, benificent and over-ruling providence, great conflicts,
dangers and scenes that bring sorrows as well as comfort and
satisfaction, I have the privilege to report in accordance with
your commission the successful establishment of our beloved
church, as the first regular protestant body upon the Island
of Cuba.
I left New York through the courtesey of the President
of the United States and Secretary of War, on the U. S.
Transport S. S. Yale, August 11th, 1898, and arrived at
Santiago on the 16th of the same month. There are some
incidents in connection with the voyage which I deem
— 69 —
of sufficient importance and interest to relate. The 8th
Regiment of Illinois, colored regiment, was on board, the
first colored regiment in the United States or in the world
officered exclusively by colored troops, by an Anglo-Saxon
people. This generous and patriotic act belongs to the
broad-minded, liberal and non-discriminating chief executive
of the State of Illinois, Governor Tanner, who takes front
rank in history as the only man with the courage to do
justice to a down trodden race, by giving equal advantages
to die in common with all other defenders of the national
domain. God bless Governor Tanner, who is entitled to the
life-long gratitude of the race.
Dr. Henry C. McCook, the great Presbyterian Divine of
Philadelphia, Chaplain of the 2d Pennsylvania Regiment, and
special Commissioner under instruction of the Secretary of
War, to report upon the graves of the national heroes dead,
was also a passenger on board. To this broad minded and
dignified Christian gentleman the Church as well as myself
are greatly indebted for my phenominal success in Cuba. I
cannot find words with which to thank and praise Dr.
McCook for his sympathy for us and the Cuban people, the
cause of humanity, the defense of the rights of a people when
found worthy and his pensonal consideration for me. He is
a great and good man as well as a public benefactor. We
had on board Senor Antonio Bravo, a prominent and popular
Cuban barrister, commissioned by the Cuban Junta, with his
attache, Messrs. Florintino, Iiussel and several other Cubans
who could not speak English intelligibly. I became at once
in demand as interpreter, which brought me in touch with
Dr. McCook. He inquired of my work and became immedi¬
ately interested in the religious condition of Cuba. He said
to me that I had in hand a very important work, and stood
in a position to reflect prominence and credit upon myself as
well as the beginning of a great religious propaganda. He
said with my knowledge of the language, I could start at
once a nondenominational church, calling it the American
Protestant Church for Cuba, or some other appropiate name.
He thought that the Bishops of my church would approve it,
he would guarantee my salary and would interest his church
and other religious denominations in America to become
interested in it. I thanked him for the consideration but told
him I could not consider it for the reason that I was commis-
— 70 —
sioned by the African Methodist Episcopal Church and was a
minister of that denomination. He thought the name would
he against us, or any other denominational name, for a grand
evangelical work. But church loyalty caused me not to
waver, and the Br. respected my scrouples and engaged me
as his confidential interpreter and secretary which would not
interfere with my religious duties. This generous offer was
quite a God-send to me, considering the meager provisions
made by the Secretary of Missions to begin the work.
Through this agency I was brought in contact with leading
officials and prominent Cubans. My practical knowledge of
public affairs, the language and Spanish American customs
enabled me to be very useful to Br. McCook in his investiga¬
tions, and gave him the advantage of being more thoroughly
informed than any public officer in Santiago. I am sure that
the experience and aid given to General Lawton and General
Wood by this practical scientist, philosopher, humanitarian
and public benefactor, was invaluable and greater than that
given by any other single individual down there. I met also
Mr. Q. F. Barrett, the General Secretary of the Cuban Be-
partment of the Y. M. C. A., on the day of my arrival, an
excellent gentleman of experience and great zeal for the
work. He was completely worked down and anxious to get
home to recuperate. He was advised of my coming through
the Philadelphia papers and greeted me with the remark,
that your coming is quite a God-send, I don't know what I
would have done had yon not come, it was impossible to
leave the work and yet my friend and I are completely
worked down. He suggested that I take over the work in
connection with my church labors and he would see Mr.
Miller on his arrival in the United States in regard to the
compensation. I might inject here that Mr. Miller, because
of some unjust criticism of the New York Sun 011 account of
prejudice regarding the work, has decided to discontinue it
for the present, from the 17th of next month. He invited
me to the rooms where arrangements could be talked over.
After helping Br. McCook to locate and care for the five
Catholic Sisters who came over as nurses for the Civil Hos¬
pital of which we shall speak later, I met Mr. Barrett at the
rooms of the Y. M. C. A., corner of San Juan de Hupomeceno
and Jugue streets. They were two spacious and well fur¬
nished rooms, with a good supply of literature and an
— 71 —
abundance of stationery of every kind, with every con¬
venience for the soldiers to come to read and write their
commuications, without cost either of literature, pen, ink or
paper, and forward them to their homes. There are few
letters written from Santiago that are not written upon this
material. We arranged that I should purchase the furniture
for account of the church, consisting of five large tables, four
rocking chairs and fifty other chairs, all cane seated, for
which I gave him an order on the Secretary of Missions for
the amount. The rent was to he divided between us, the
compensation for keeping the rooms open continually would
be left to the decision of Mr. Miller, who decided as before
stated. I took hold of the work with courage second only to
the work of the church itself. Its mission, benefits and
blessings to the people of the army cannot be estimated, not
even by those who founded it.
THE WORK BEFORE US.
The work before us was tremendously difficult. On
landing in Santiago I was completely amazed, nay more, I
was appalled at the scene. The awfulness of the aftermoth
of war was still apparent. Had it not been for the love of
duty, I like Jonah would fain have fled; but the grace of
God, the love of humanity and obedience of Christian duty
nerved me 011 to conflict. The whole scene presented a picture
not easily forgotten and a mass of suffering humanity in a most
deplorable condition. The frontage of harbor and confused
streets reeking with filth, and these narrow cobbled-stoned
avenues seemed like the slums of darkest America, whilst
every house seemed a fortification with iron bars, the inmates
prisoners and every person upon the streets a drunken
soldier. This wTas the appearance of Santiago when I first
landed. The innumerable drinking saloons were filled with
the rabble, soldiers intoxicated, armed and unarmed, white
as well as black, filled the streets and blocked the way.
The poor Cubans, not a single one intoxicated as I could
observe, but many of them half clad, with the cruel stamp of
reconcentration on their faces, half starved and diseased,
begged for alms by the way. The sick, the maimed, the halt
and the lame seemed to throng the thoroughfares as they did in
the days of the Master, and how I longed for the presence of
the Savior as I looked upon the suffering masses. How
sweetly His word rang in my ears, " I am the bread of life/'
etc., and to the sick, " Be thou clean," and to the sick of the
palsy, "Take up thy bed and walk." But he was not there
and the condition was sad beyond description, with seemingly
110 one to aid.
THE CIVIL HOSPITAL.
The civil Hospital is one of the most important public
institutions in Cuba. If charity and humanity means Chris¬
tian duty, I think the part I took in this work with the good
Dr. McCook was the most important and the most worthy of
all. The Doctor was appointed by Governor Wood as the
general inspector of the institution, to look after its re-organ¬
ization. I was his interpreter, Secretary and companion in
tribulations; not a single person in the institution could
speak a word of English; but three hundred perishing, souls
were huddled together in the most sorrowful manner possi-
tle.
It was under the care and supervision of seven Catholic
sisters and two priests and eight or ten assistant nurses; 110
doctors nor real pharmacists; two of the sisters acted in the
dispensary. There were no Doctors; they had left: no salary
had been paid to the employees for months. You can imag¬
ine the condition of such an hospital. The mother superior
was in charge and doing all in her power to sustain the insti¬
tution. The great consternation came when the five Catholic
sisters, who had arrived from the United States, put in their
appearance. They were taken to the hospital by Dr. McCook
to assist those already there. At first they were pleasantly
received and made welcome; but I will never forget the effect
upon them and us, as we passed through the wards of suffer¬
ing humanity. Men, women and children; many upon the
floor without bedding, many in a state of semi-nudity; pros¬
trated with the distressing dysentery, fevers of every kind,
sores, and gracious knows what not, and the effluvia arising
therefrom, this state of contagion was almost unbearable. My
eyes had never beheld such a sight, the miseries of which my
pen cannot write.
Poor Charles Franklin, of Colorado ! His voice will ever
ring in mine ears as he raved in the agony of despair. He
heard our voices, talking in English; poor colored boy, he
raved until we were forced to go to his ward. When he saw
— *0 —
Us, with the look*of the demoniac in his eyes, he tried to leap
from his bed. He begged for his home, his mother, and for
medicine; he wanted to be taken away; he cried for water,
and wanted to go away, and could only be quieted when Dr.
McCook took him by the hand and knelt in prayer. What a
fervent prayer it was: it seemed to touch poor Franklin's
sensibilities, he quieted down like a child, we left him with
the assurance that the American sisters would care for him.
But, poor fellow, in a day or two he was gone; he succumbed
to the cruel ravages of yellow fever, and when we inquired
for him we were informed that his body had been consumed
upon the funeral pile and his ashes left in the valley of Cuba's
Gheana.
The dead-house filled up every morning with eight, ten
and twelve bodies, and it was a sickening sight to see the old
pest cart, with the corpses every morning, without a board or
anything else to cover the taken-out, to be dumped in the
trenches or burned. It was a grewsome sight! Notwith¬
standing this the number never diminished; the ambulance
brought in every day from ten to twenty more, to sicken
and die.
When we returned to the hospital the next morning to
see how the Sisters were getting along, they had flown like
birds stampeded and could not be restrained to remain in
Santiago another day; they had to be gotten on board the
Yale and returned to the United States. The report they
brought back from the land of affliction I do not know. W e
learned that the Spanish Sisters, who seemed so pleasant,
were indignant at the coming of the Americanos, who became
afraid and suspicious of their actions, which precipitated their
flight, and they, the Spanish Sisters, under the orders of the
Archbishop, were determined to leave the hospital. General
Wood was completely non-plused, and Br. McCook, with his
interpreter, had to take up this sad and humane work.
The Doctor is an old experienced hospital man ; he was
made the general inspector and set about at once to re¬
organize the same. He advised with Mr. Antonio Bravo,
and other leading Cubans, and soon secured the services of a
leading Cuban physician by the name of Dr. Zamora, who
had been formerly employed in the hospital. He secured two
competent pharmacists, three Cuban sisters, with five other
women nurses; increased the help up to about thirty persons,
to replace those that had left. In a few days the entire force
was re-organized. He had everything provided that was
needed for the sick; secured an additional doctor for the
night service; insisted that beds, cots, blankets, plates, knives
and forks, and the other utensils absolutely necessary for the
sick and for a comfortable hospital be provided, and within
a week this invaluable humanitarian institution was in a
good condition.
I could write pages in regard to this work; how the
Doctor's charity partook ot a personal character, in the use of
his individual funds; but what I have said in this report is
sufficient for the purpose intended. Miss Barton never saw
any of this intense suffering, and if the Christian people of
America could have seen the condition of this hospital when
Dr. McCook began its re-organization, they would have wept
copiously in sympathy for this sad condition. I have often
wondered how this good man can ever be compensated in
this life for this noble and generous deed. My presence with
him was imperative because of the language, and I never
gave my services more gladly and willingly in any cause,
though at the risk of my life.
The A. M. E. Church should be proud and thankful for
the part it took in rescuing these poor perishing souls.
The hospital now gives thanks to the Giver of every good and
perfect gift, and to the good Presbyterian divine, as it is upon
a practical basis, and humanity and suffering are to a great
extent relieved.
THE GRAVES OF THE NATION'S DEAD.
This humanitarian duty having been accomplished, the
Doctor turned his attention next, but with greater zeal, to the
location of the graves of the Nation's dead, the special duty
assigned him by the Government. No duty, in my judg¬
ment, seemed greater to the Nation than this; and whilst the
Secretary of W ar was being slandered in every conceivable
manner, his heart went out toward the heroes that fell in the
defense of our nation's honor. Brave men had left their
homes, their mothers, wives, little ones, and friends, and all
that was dear to them, to lay upon the sacred altar of Na¬
tional sacrifice their precious lives for the honor and defense
of their cauntry, humanity and human liberty. History,
from the beginning of the days of cruel war and conquest,
does not record a page more glorious with deeds of heroism,
daring and patriotism than the achievements at Sibona,
El Caney, San Juan and Guasimo. The landing of the
American troops at Diqueri and Guantanimo will illumine
the pages of American history brighter than any yet recorded
within its eventful pages. The names of Shafter, and Law-
ton, and Wheeler, and Wood, and Roosevelt, and other brave
officers, with the thousands of loyal and valiant men, who
dared the impregnable parapets of these impregnable fort¬
resses, will be sung by the bards through the coming ages in
tones more sweet and sacred than America or Columbia, with
the refrain made louder and sweeter with the chorus of the
valor of Dewey, Schley and Sampson, and the boys behind
the guns of the greatest navy that ever entered a naval con¬
test, when Degama's and Cevera's fleets went down. I must
be pardoned for this seeming digression and extravagance in
honor of these patriotic men who fell, and whose graves the
Nation was so anxious to locate by the zealous efforts of the
indomitable Dr. McCook.
The drive from Santiago to San Juan Hill is a magnif¬
icent one ; the landscape is indescribable. Hill and vale seem
to vie with each other as they spread out their magnificent
livery to charm the eye. Every variety of tree and shrub¬
bery ; from the tiny blade of grass to the magestic and out¬
spreading mangoe-tree, with thousands of its luscious fruit,
upon which our troops and the natives fed—more stately and
imposing than the oak, proclaiming itself the queen of the
forest; while the lofty palms tow.ered up as silent sentinels,
guarding the posts where the silent dead were sleeping upon
fames' eternal camping ground. The first day was one of
sad recollections as we ascended the hill of San Juan and
looked across the plain of death from an eminence, entrenched
all around, in which the Spanish soldiers laid, seems as form¬
idable and as secure as the Gibralta itself. From the fort
and the place where the dreaded block-house stood, we could
see the bloody angle where our boys were swept down by
Spanish bullets as they forded the pass of the San J uan river
to cross the bloody field of death.
On they came in the face of a fire as fierce and galling
as hades itself, but they would not waver, the rough rider,
the 71st New York, the 13th Massachusetts and other regi¬
ments from the regulars, baptizing the soil of bleeding Cuba
— —
with their blood, and when defeat seemed certain and a
schedule iminent, the glorious 9th and 10th Calvalries, 24th
and 25th Infantries, like demons rushed to the front and to
the rescue, snatched victory from impending defeat and
drove the Spaniards from their trenches and the hilltops,
into the city of Santiago. The names of these colored boys
in blue will go down in history as the bravest of the brave,
and none but the coward will be mean enough to deprive
them of the honors so rightfully earned by the sable sons of
America. The battle was won, but at what a tremendous
cost, and here Dr. McCook and I, under the rays of a burning
torrid sun which seemed to dry up the very blood in the
veins, with kodak and pencil, went from mound to mound
locating the sacred spots, writting down the inscription upon
the humble slabs of the fallen martyrs. In vain I plead with
him not to work so assiduously; born and reared as I was in
the tropics, yet I could feel my strength giving away under
the terrible strain and I could see the Dr. failing as the days
went by, but he would not stay his efforts. Many a silent
tear did I drop as I took inscription after inscription from
the silent mile posts that marked the resting places of these
brave men, and though amid carnage and the din of battle,
many were so carefully done by the hands of loving com¬
rades: my heart throbbed as I wrote, " He fell remembering
the Maine," I. P., and other touching inscriptions. I am not
now writing the eulogies of these bravest of brave men, but
simply showing the character of some of the work in which
the church was engaged, preaching the gospel to the living,
helping to administer to the sick and dying, and paying a
loving tribute to the memory of the valiant and sainted dead.
After passing a week or more around the memorable
San Juan the Dr. turned his attention toward El Caney.
El Cane}' ! So ably defended by the valiant Spanish General
Baril del Rey and his noble six hundred followers ; my audi¬
tors cannot realize what the taking of El Caney meant. We
left Santiago one morning at six, the sun had not yet lifted
itself above the magnificent hills. We traveled in a splendid
and staunch ambulance furnished by the chief surgeon, Dr.
Evarts, drawn by four splendid mules, with a skillful white
Georgian as driver. The party consisted Dr. McCook, Senior
Pablo Benapre Serra, the photographer and I. The scenery
was more beautiful even than that of San J uan, but the
— 77 —
roads; Oh, what terrible roads! We soon realized why the
carriage drivers would not attempt the route. Gullies and
mud ponds, bringing the ambulance at times up to the hub
in mud and slime, broken wagons and dead animals by the
wayside, the animals being devoured by the voratious and
insatiable buzzard which infested the valley of dry bones and
a slough of despond as terrible as the one described by
Bunyan in his Pilgrim's Progress. By and by, thanks to the
skillful, driver, we reached El Caney. I shall not now at¬
tempt a description of this rugged and historic town with so
many sad and lamantable reminiscencies. We stopped at
the plaza, where Baril del Rey fell. The old Catholic church
which was turned into a Spanish fortress was a demolished
and ungainly pile, without altars, doors or windows; all
desecrated and fallen it was an ominous sight. Nature
seemed to be weeping as we entered this funeral pile, the
resting place of so many American and Spanish dead. The
heavens were darkened with clouds and the rain was dropping
pit-a-pat in single drops, as it were, but Br. McCook would
on with his sacred mission. Just boyond the town, perched
upon a summit as steep as the sides of a sugar loaf com¬
manding the surrounding county for miles, stood the grim
fortification of El Caney defying approach, and it is to be
wondered now how any army would dare approach such an
impregnable position. It seemed like madness to attempt it,
and yet the American army under Lawton did it. From
every approach as we looked from the top of this defiant
eminence seemed impassable, notwithstanding, the brave
and intrepid American General, by tact and ability and the
mad bravery of his men, they were hurled against the Spanish
entrenchments, and through a flame of death the American
boys crossed the hill tops and field streams and gullies, and
doing the seeming impossibility from 6 o'clock a. m. to 4
p. m., when El Caney fell. Never was a more daring act
performed by soldiery. On we went through the pelting
rain, Br. McCook and I, led by two Cuban guides, for four
long hours, marking the spots where the heroic men fell and
I felt after the voyage was over, having circumvented the
town, weary and worn, that our healths were undermined
and our work near done. The photographer was taking the
scenes from the top of the fortification, while we circumlu-
cated the fortress and the town looking up the graves of the
— 78 —
sainted dead. He was prostrated and could not again accom¬
pany us to the fields. But the Dr. did his work well and
complete, locating the graves both of the Americans as well
as the one Cuban of the many who fell. His report, when
made public, will be a marvel and a manuscript which must
become invaluable and imperishable to the nation as well as
to the friends of the fallen.
In this little town not capable of accommodating more
than 3,000 people, 30,000 men, women and children were
crowded into it to escape the bombardment of the city by
our navy, and here the seed of pestilence and death were
sown that made Santiago a charnel house, filling the hospitals
with patients reeking with typhoid, malaria and dysentry,
from which it has not yet recovered. El Caney is more ter¬
rible to the memory of the Cubans than any incident of the
war. Then the Dr. began the investigation of the field
hospitals and the remaining work of the San Juan hills.
The very day this work was to have been completed, pre¬
paratory to the winding up at Sibone and Guassimo, the Dr.
succumbed to an attack of malaria fever, which prostrated
him. He unwillingly and loathfully gave up the work or
what he called the completion, but I thought that it had
been more than complete, and I am vain enough to think that
my persuasion largely induced him to take passage on the
Segurancia to come home. I could not bear to see the life of
such a good man sacrificed to further danger and exposure.
I have met, in my eventful lifetime, a great many good and
philantrophic apostles of truth, but I have never met a man
more largely endowed with generous gifts and the real spirit
of the Master than Dr. Henry McCook, of Philadelphia. His
work in Santiago will live in history, if impartially written,
as the most useful and self-sacrificing of any man who had
gone there, and his church and friends should build for him an
imperishable monument in their memories for a man of such
noble worth and splendid achievements; and the African
Methodist Episcopal Church with its bishops, ministers and
laity should feel proud that they contributed so loyally and
largely toward the success of the glorious work done for
humanity and the nation.
THE FIELD OF CHRISTIAN LABOR.
I now come to our field of Christian labor; but having
— 79 —
devoted so much time and space to the work of charity,
humanity and patriotic duty, that our Christian efforts must
be briefly stated. Cuba, to all intents and purposes, is and
has been for centuries dominated by the Roman Catholic
Church. Its despotism, and absolute dominion, makes it re¬
sponsible for the moral and religious training and customs of
the people. Its decadence and past grandeur are marked by
the almost deserted and splendid edifices that record its past
grandeur. The imposing cathedral fronting the military
square is its most renowned temple; then comes Dolores,
San Francisco, Carmen, Sata Lucia, Desamparada, Belenito,
Cristo, Trinidad, Santo Tomas, San Baribu, Capilla, and San
Jose, as the monuments of its fallen austerity. Because of
its false teachings, and opposition to Cuban liberty, the men
have become skeptics, and the women, ever faithful yet
doubtful, until the mass on the Sabbath days that were wont
to be attended by thousands, are frequented now by but
dozens of these faithful women, trying to hold on to the
teachings of Christ as they have been taught, by appealing to
the Master through the blessed Virgin and the saints.
The men have nearly all protested, those who are not
longing for Protestantism; and who hailed the coming of
our church with enthusiasm are skeptics, evolutionists, free¬
thinkers, high critics, Sweden Borgeans, agnostics, infidels,
Universalists, and Spiritualists; the lower classes are given
up wholly to this superstition. This last class are the most
numerous and dangerous of the whole. The American civil¬
ization down there tends to aggravate this condition. The
Sabbath day is being desecrated as never before. The Amer¬
ican Government, which has done so much to free Cuba from
the Spanish oligarchy and tyranny, is doing more to eternally
damn it by its unrighteous and unchristian teachings than
any other agency. The Government's wagons are heard the
loudest, rumbling over the rough cobbled-stone streets, with
their horrid sound to dim, as it were, the sound of the Sab¬
bath bells on the Lord's day, in the ears of the people at
home and the prayers of American mothers, fathers, wives,
husbands, children, brethren and friends, whose memories are
blotted out by the voices of the American soldier and citizen
in the innumerable saloons, dealing out death and destruction
on the Lord's day. During the week these revelers stalk
boldly through the street at noon-day, and make night hide-
— 80 —
ous by their wickedness. My auditors must not tliink that
this picture is overdrawn; it is not. The hundreds of soldiers
in our hospitals are not brought there by the neglect of the
Secretary of War; many are brought there by that deamon
that destroys soul and body, strong drink. The Government
has provided amply for them, but the lack of Christian sym¬
pathy by the subordinates who administer, in some instances,
are too horrid to describe. But a chapter black as night
might be written from the wails of those who have gone up
and are still going out of great tribulation. The inmates of
every hospital, save that of the nautical, are buried in their
winding sheets, without a board to encase their sacrificed
bodies, by the subordinates of a Nation with millions in its
coffers, and who has lavished millions unstintedly to be
squandered by worthless and incompetent dispensers; and
this is not the fault of the Secretary of War, either. Of
course, there are noble exceptions, such as the good and tal¬
ented Dr. W. B. Banister, of the U. S. Volunteers, whose
hospital tent I had the pleasure of visiting. His treatment
of his colored employees and his care for the sick I carefully
watched, and on board the ship on our homeward-bound trip
he had the care of the sick and convalescent; and, but for his
care and skill, some of them would have found a watery
grave. But this is not strange; his father is an Episcopal
minister of Christ, in the State of Alabama, and this young
man doubtless received sanctified impressions from his pious
father. This Godly man can feel proud of his.son to know
that his bread has not been cast upon the waters for nought:
it is found after many days. Thank God for Christian
fathers. We purposely make mention of this splendid young
man, whose deeds are worthy of emulation, and whose meri¬
torious worth entitles him to higher honors, in such broad
contrast with acts of Dr. Kenedy, who denied the reading of
the Scriptures and prayer to a dying man in the nautical
hospital, and the haughty and prejudiced surgeon of the
Ninth Volunteer regimeut of immunes from New Orleans.
President McKinley's and Secretary Alger's ears will
tingle when their sympathetic souls be made aware of the
unwarranted mismanagement of affairs by uncompetent and
indiseriminating subordinates. Profanity and intemperance
are the greatest evils that our civilization is teaching in Cuba.
The poor little Cuban boys and girls are becoming contami-
— 81 —
nated by the fearful conduct of some of our men. The first
tuition they get is indecency, and the awful oaths and blas¬
phemy that they hear and enunciate daily along the streets,
is apalling. They profane the name of God and Christ in a
fearful manner, and when the poor little urchins are rebuked
for it they become affrighted and amazed, and in their inno¬
cence and look of surprise they cry out, Americana, which is
the only word of defense they know. But what can you
expect in a city where there is not a single school or a single
court of justice to control license and crime; this is Ameri¬
can civilization in Cuba. Decent Cubans are horrified and
live imprisoned within their homes, leaving their countrymen
to be judged by the rabble that mingle with our rabble, made
horrid and debasing by our own vulgar teachings. This is
the real condition of Cuba'to-day. Ge'nerals Lawton and
"Wood are good mandators, but they seem ignorant of the sur¬
roundings. The reports coming to them from their many.
staff officers are conflicting, and the heavy military duties
devolving upon them make it impossible for these two com¬
petent men to be advised of the real condition of affairs.
They are being made prejudiced against the Cubans and their
ability to govern themselves by the element who would
perpetrate absorption of this splendid island, and wipe out
the spirit of independence for which they fought and to which
we pledged ourselves. The only hope for the Cubans is that
means be placed at the disposal of General Lawton to estab¬
lish a civil government in Santiago, manned by the intelligent
Cuban element there, organize the courts of justice, open up
schools and let education, morality and justice take the place
of license, immorality and profanity. In speaking with
General Lawton the day before I left, he said to me: Mr.
Astwood, I want you to say to the President and Secretary
Alger, and the Adjutant General, how we are getting along.
Tell them how well I am pleased with the colored troops,
especially the Illinois and Kansas regiments; tell them I
hope these men will be kept here indefinitely and that the
other immunes be taken away, and give me men like these
upon whom I can rely that can be controlled.
Speaking of the Civil Government he said that General
W ood was a good man and faithful, he was working like a
slave to correct the abuses ; he wanted to organize the courts
and schools and other branches of public work, but the lack
— 82 —
of funds embarrassed him to such an extent that he really
did not know what to do. The custom dues were but little
more than sufficient to meet the exorbitant expenses of the
custom house. The municiple dues, divided into semi-annual
payments, had all been collected by the Spanish officials up
to the day of the surrender, in advance, leaving that branch
of the government powerless to meet the excessive salaries
of the courts and schools, to say nothing of the Civil Hos¬
pital and sanitary measures which had to be met daily. The
conflict or condition, he said was appalling. Peace measures
were progressing satisfactorily, and he hoped soon to be able
to get the city upon a peaceful and satisfactory basis, but
money was the one thing needful. General Lawton is a
good man, a great soldier and popular leader, and should be
encouraged and helped. His task is "not an easy one; both
he and General Wood ought to be given the financial aid
needed, for which Cuba is amply responsible, so that civil
government and Christian civilization can overthrow the
present state of lawlessness and unchristian condition preva¬
lent there.
Under these unfavorable conditions protestantism was
launched by our church in Cuba, planting the flag of Chris¬
tian liberty side by side with that of the Nation. The flag
of Allen and universal protestantism, the foundation of the
rock upon which the church of Christ has been built in all
ages. Other protestant denominations must soon follow, per¬
haps more amply prepared with men and money than ours
for the great work, but we have led the wTay to a glorious
future in the evangelization of darkest Cuba. The church
was established on the 17th of August, 1898, in the joint
rooms of the Y. M. C. A. and the* African Methodist Episco¬
pal Church, on San Juan Nepomeceno and Jague streets.
On the following Sunday we held three services and con¬
tinued them every Sabbath day since, and on every Wednes¬
day and Friday night, up to the time of our departure.
Under the advise of our friend, Dr. McCook, we held
nightly conferences with many Cuban friends, explaining the
nature of the Scriptures, the difference of the two churches,
the sacraments, and the significance of the word protestant in
connection with our religion, the doctrine of the original
Catholic Apostolic Church, etc. We explained that we did
not come to antagonize the Catholic church, but rather to
— S3 —
impress upon the minds of those who were disposed to save
their souls a clearer way to Christ. We pointed out certain
errors, and a more direct way to approach the Savior; that
we confessed to God alone, and did not believe in the infalli¬
bility of man, and that we recognized no mediator between
God and man, but the man Jesus Christ. These conferences
did much good and created many friends and sympathizers
for the church. Bro. H. B. Parks, our Missionary Secretary,
provided us with thousands of Spanish leaflets with Bible
lessons and incidents from the New Testament and Gospel
stories, which were freely circulated among the children and
adults. They were gladly received and read. All of our
meetings were attended by some Cubans. We invariably
read and explained a chapter from the gospels to them, and
sang a Spanish hymn, to their delight. We do not pretend
to present a large roll of membership in such a short time,
but the results are encouraging. We have inscribed on our
book eleven members, including two licensed exhorters,
George W. Haywood, of Kansas, and Lieutenant Jamieson,
of Illinois. Bro. Haywood reports the outlook at St. Louis
to be encouraging. His official report will come to hand
shortly, to be published through'the columns of our church
papers.
The parents and children are very anxious to have our
Sunday School regularly organized, which we will speak of
in our recommendations. The outlook is really bright and
encouraging. We were able to carry on the work of the
Y. M. C. A. by keeping open the rooms from 7 o'clock a. m.
to 10 o'clock p. m., where the soldiers were freely furnished
with Christian literature and writing material of every kind,
furnished by the International Commission of the Y. M. C. A.
of New York City, through Mr. William B. Miller, Secretary,
and C. F. Barrett, General Secretary, who was supplimented
by me. This work has been a blessing to the army and
Christian civilization. I made ample provision to keep it
open, pending with an arrangement with the Association in
New York. , Both the church and Young Men's Christian
Association are indebted to Paymaster Smith, of the United
States army, for his generous gift by voluntarily furnishing
the rooms with electric light at his own cost, amounting to
$20.00 for the first month and $4.80 for every month as long
as he is in the city. This is praiseworthy and speaks well
for this Christian and philanthropic gentleman. We could
only extend to him our prayers and thanks.
I had the satisfaction of performing a duty, just before
my departure, both pleasant and sad. The night before I
left, a Cuban child, ill to die, was brought to me to he bap¬
tised. At the time I was holding a conference with a num¬
ber of Cuban friends of the best families in Cuba, explaining
the methods of our church. The mother and a member of
our church from New Orleans by the name of Katie Sylvesta,
presented the child. It was quite sick, and we had the pleas¬
ure of administering the first Protestant baptism in Cuba in
the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Q-host. The
ceremony was observed with great attention. I was partic¬
ular in going over the obligations in Spanish, as well as in
English. After recording the name in the record and giving
the Certificate of Baptism, the mother and friends were sur¬
prised that there was no charge attending the ceremony. I
explained that none of the sacraments of our church were
attended with any cost; all was as free as salvation. It was
a marvel to them. The next morning the death of the child
was announced. Its burial could not take place before 4
o'clock, and I had to embark at 2. I hurriedly finished my
business, left for the house at 1 o'clock, and my last act in
Santiago was to commit the body by the first regular cere¬
mony of a Protestant church of the poor little Cuban baby.
It was a sad and painful duty.
THE COLORED SOLDIERS.
I cannot close without saying a word in behalf of the
brave colored soldiers already alluded to, the 9th and 10th
Cavalry, and the 24th and 25th Infantry; at the hills of San
Juan they crowned themselves and the race with eternal glory
and renown, equal in valor, in military discipline and heroism,
equal of any troops upon the field, which begat for them
the plaudits of every unbiased American. A captain of the
regulars on board the transport that landed us, said to me :
We may blow all we want to but the victory of San Juan
belongs to the colored boys. I was there, he said, and for
my part, I would not be so mean to try to rob them of it.
They dashed up the hill, the rough riders and the 71st, he
said, were gone; our boys were beat; and but for the colored
boys we would have been completely annihilated. They won
— c8S~
the day. Thomas Bowles, of the hospital corps, a white
man from Hertford County, North Carolina, said to me 011
board of the Seguranca, Rev. Astwood, I shall never forget
the bravery of the colored soldiers. He said they were
forging their way along the death angle when a white com¬
rade fell wounded; he was left by his company and was
calling in the agonies of death for help, they did not stop for
him ; just as he fell two colored boys of the 24th, one
wounded in the foot and one in the lung, hobbled by, stooped
down and picked up their white comrade and brought him
to the rear; for this act, he said, I shall always stand by the
colored man. I could weary you with the deeds of valor of
these brave regiments. The 8th Illinois and 23d Kansas
volunteers are an honor to themselves, the race and the
Nation, officered entirely by colored officers, from Colonel
down.
The best dispensary and medical corps in and around
Santiago is managed by Dr. Wesley, of Chicago, and his
brave and energetic assistant, Dr. Chevis, whose deeds of
kindness to the sick Cubans as well as his soldiers, has en¬
deared him to all, and has made him the most popular phy¬
sician of the line. The 9th Louisiana boys are to be pitied.
They are a splendid lot of fellows; the best drilled and
efficient, but because of the incompetent and negro hating
white officers of the South with their cruelty, Colonel Crane
excepted, "they are in a demoralized condition. When I left
600 of them were sick, 9 of the non-commissioned officers
had resigned, two had died, and many were suffering from
exposure, abuse and neglect, and a tyranny, they say, second
only to slavery. Hundreds are crying to be free from such a
demoralizing condition. The colored soldier leaving the
United States as volunteers, with white officers, should be
tabooed. The President will be devoid of sympathy if he
further insists upon separate regiments; he should not place
over them white Southern officers. The experiment is a
failure. The war proves that there is no need of separate
regiments; the white and black soldiers fought, bled and
died side by side, and if an unwarranted prejudice is main¬
tained by insisting upon exclusive colored regiments, they
should be officered by competent colored men, or not at all.
OUR HOMEWARD VOYAGE.
Our voyage homeward was without any particular inci¬
dent, save one. We had a splendid time, pleasant weather,
seventy convalescents returning, with about forty on the sick
list—five from the dreaded yellow fever, the others from ma¬
laria and typhoid fever. We have four female nurses from
New Orleans, two white and two colored. Dr. Bannister
watched and cared for these men as for his own people and
children, without which many would have found a watery
grave. It was soon found that no provisions had been made
for the sick but the regular travel rations. About thirty of
them at least could not have subsisted upon these rations.
Dr. McCook's large heartedness was again demonstrated by
placing the generous gift of two hundred dollars to provide
for such nourishment as would be suitable for the men. It
was furnished by the Steward of the ship. This last act of
the Doctor's should be told in every soldiers home in Amer¬
ica, and to every officer of the Government, from the Presi¬
dent down. Sunday we had Divine services on board, con¬
ducted by Dr. McCook. His faithful administration to the
sick; the impressive lesson of home, of loved ones, of mother
and wife, and friends; his illustration of religion as a natural
evidence of faith, and the doctrine of the atonement, by the
vicarious sacrifice of Christ for us, will not soon be forgotten
by those who listened to the eloquent divine. If my report
has been unnecessarily long jmu must pardon the transgres¬
sion. I have tried as briefly as possible to lay before you the
important incidents in connection with my duties, and com¬
ing under my observations. If I have been tedious, I hope
at least that the sympathy and love you have for humanity,
our brave boys, and the interest you have in the poor suffer¬
ing Cuban people, will compensate in a measure for your
over-taxed patience.
I ought to say that the reports against the Cuban people
and their inability to govern, themselves are not only exag¬
gerated but wicked. A more intelligent, kind, docile and
industrious people cannot be found among the Latin American
countries. Of course, they have the low, ignorant and de¬
praved just as we have; but the better classes are up to the
times in every way, polite in their manners, well dressed and
chaste in their behavior. Before the war Eastern Cuba
abounded in well-kept truck farms, splendid cattle ranches.
— 87 —
and beautiful sugar plantations. Around and about Santiago
there were nine sugar estates, producing 526,000 quintals of
sugar, or 52,600,000 pounds. Lest there be some skeptics, we
will give the name and product of each estate. In the Dis¬
trict of San Luis the Union producing 150,000 quintals, the
Hatillo, 75,000; the Santana, 70,000; the San Luis, 80,000.
At Moran, the San Sebastian, 60,000. At Dos Caminos, the
Majorana, 60,000; the Sabanillo, 40,000; the Palmarejo,
SO,000; the Bellaco, 30,000. Besides these, there was
a large production of coffee, cocoa and tobacco; and these
people are called lazy. The low element of the American
people coming to a country devastated by three years' war,
all concentrated into cities, their homes and plantations de¬
stroyed, starving to death, expecting to find a thrifty and
prosperous people, with bountiful homes and splendid re¬
sources, is perfectly ridiculous. Hot a month from El Caney
desolation and distress throughout the country. The only
wonder is that the people are so orderly and law abiding.
The charge about their bravery and patriotism of the Amer¬
ican soldiers has been successfully vindicated, and denied by
those who have had the privilege of meeting the governing
classes of the Cuban people, who are convinced that they are
quite capable of self-government; and, with a military super-
villianUe of the Uniten States for a short time, to enable them
to recuperate from foreign aggression, it would be as respon¬
sible in my judgment second only to the United States. The
only hope for the country is complete independence.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
I must now conclude on this lengthy report with but a
few recommendations. The church is established upon a rock
as imperishable as the great announcement of the blessed
Master, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my
church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
It is left for the African Methodist Episcopal Church to
carry out this injunction. I left with the sacred promise to
return in November, or to provide some one in my place,
with the assurance that the Sabbath meetings would be
strictly attended to by the exhortors and Chaplain Chives,
of the 8th Illinois Regiment, alternatily. I would recom¬
mend for the continuance of the work that an appeal be
made immediately by the friends of the evangelization of
— 88 —
Cuba, without regard to color, denomination or sect, for
$15,000 monthly, to build the first protestant edifice to God
and Christ and Christian hnmanity in that semi-religious yet
benighted land. And if this report can reach the philan¬
thropic Miss Gould, or Miss Drexell and the thousands of
our religious denominations in this Christian land, what a
blessing it will be for bleeding Cuba and for these perishing
souls. My prayers are that it will reach them, and that they
will come over into Macedonia and help us. I recommend
that an organ and a suitable young lady to teach for the
Sunday School, be at once obtained to take hold of the Sun¬
day School work, which will be the greatest lever to the
development of this ponderous undertaking; and that a pro¬
fessor for a day school be also provided immediately. This
appointment will soon be self sustaining. The church must
realize the importance of its undertaking and gird on the
whole armor of faith, to push the work forward. I shall
look to our good friend, Dr. McCook, the Bishops and the
Missionary Department to give me this help and recognition,
and appealing to the American people for the erection of this
first temple as a monument to Christ, civilization and national
patroitism and heroism, and to the honor and glory of God,
and the Christian liberation of an enthralled people.
To the Bishops and Missionary Department: I have
done the work thou gavest me to do. Twice now have
I acted as your pioneer. In San Domingo, the oldest city in
the New World, by the grace of God I planted the first
standard of protestantism for which the sainted and pious
father, Daniel A. Payne, was good enough, in the history of
the church, to give me honorable mention. Now again, at
your behest, I have gone farther, in the face of danger and
death and obedience to duty and church loyalty, side by side
with the flag of American liberty, I have for the church, to
God and country, planted the flag of Christian liberty and
African Methodism in Cuba. Already, Before Jehovah's aw¬
ful throne, Nearer my God to thee, and other sainted hymns
have been sung, God's word read and preached, and the
grand old Doxology, coming down through the centuries,
Praise God from whom all blessings flow, has been sung to
the name of Jesus, and of which I feel proud and thankful.
To the Council of Bishops and the Missionary Department,
who deemed me worthy to be chosen for this great work, I
— 89 —
feel proud of the Church of Allen ; it leads the van and Afri¬
can Methodism proclaims the first sound of the gospel bells
in Cuba. If aught that I have done, in connection with
the charitable and patriotic work with Dr. McCook and
establishing the church, have added greater lustre to her
already illustrious and brilliant history, I am content, and
only ask a place for me and mine in your hearts and prayers
here, and an humble asylum in the brighter world when the
work of life shall have ended. With this feeble effort and
thanks for your patience and generous consideration, I sub¬
mit this, my humble report, with great veneration and respect.
Your humble servant in Christ,
II. C. C. Astwood.
Bryn Mawr, January 29, 1900.
To the Venerable Council of Bishops of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church, Washington, D. C.
Venerable Fathers, Greeting:—The work assigned to
me by you as Superintendent of Missions of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church for Cuba, under the Department
of the Board of Home and Foreign Missions, in my judgment
is in as good condition as the circumstances and financial
ability of the Department will admit. There have been some
embarrassments and disagreements relative to the operation
of the work, caused by the intermeddling of officious minis¬
ters, who are not at all acquainted with the operation of
mission work in new fields, generally, especially where Cath¬
olicism predominates, so as to cause some friction between
the Department and the Superintendent; but the general
condition of the work would have been the same had the in¬
cident not occurred. To make the matter plain to the
Council, I must give in detail as brief as possible the under¬
lying cause of this disagreement. After my appointment in
July last, by the Missionary Board, no provisions were made
for my travelling expenses, nor a dollar for the prosecu¬
tion of the work. I had intended, however, to proceed, and
asked the Missionary Secretary an advance of fifty dollars on
my salary, Bishop Turner having promised to make some
appointments for me through the itinerary of the work, from
my point of residence to Cuba. At that time the yellow
fever broke out in Cuba and did not diminish until late in
— 90 —
September. The letter, however, was sent to me by Bishop
Turner, and thinking that it would meet with the approba¬
tion of the pastors of the churches, I requested Bishop Grant
to indorse it, and read it to the Preachers' meeting, so as to
get the co-operation of our home churches in the state. It
was met with the most violent opposition and criticism by
Elder Copin and others, which was the death knell of any
successful opperation in this section. Pending this, the Mis¬
sionary Secretary had deducted from my salary the fifty
dollars advanced, and I was ordered to go, with nothing to
go with. I went to Hew York and consulted with the Sec¬
retary and informed him that I was about to proceed upon
my itineray through the Southern churches, as laid out by
Bishop Turner, lie objected to it upon the ground that as
the fight precipitated by the brethren had reached the South,
it would be a pretext on the part of some to injure the Easter
Day collection; that I had better confine my operations to
the East, and he would visit some points with me. I thought
his reasoning plausible and as he was the active agent of the
department, I abandoned the Southern trip and began the
work in this section; and after a humiliatiug, tiresome and
fruitless result, I abandoned for the time the effort. I visited
three of our churches in the Hew York Conference, Harris-
burg in the Philadelphia, Steelton, Darby, Chester and various
churches in the city and vicinity, with the following result,
not sufficient to pay the traveling expenses: Straw Bridge
and Clothier, $10 ; Lit Brothers, $2; Bryn Mawr A. M. E.
Church, $5; Preachers' Meeting, $5; Union A. M. Church,
$4.25; A. W. Gil, Dominican Counsel General, $5; C. T.
Shaffer, $2 ; Jacob Deitz, $2; cash, $1; Warren Lee, 50 cents;
cash, $1; B. Bros., $1; Wayne A. M. E. Church, $3.42:
cash, $3; Chester church, $2; Albert W. Ilamer, 50 cents;
Samuel Mailing, $1; E. G. Towusend, $1; J. B. Holland,
$1; I. Warner Arthur, $2; Reading A. M. E. Church, $2;
making a total of $56.67, covering a period from July to
October. I visited almost every store, religious organization
and many philanthropists in Philadelphia, the answer was
almost uniform regarding Cuba, that it was useless to spend
money there just now ; come again when the difficulties were
settled. With my knowledge of Catholic countries I had
determined to be cautious how to proceed for the honor and
dignity of our church which had been successfully planted
with the good will of the Cuban people. The contention
— 91 —
and discord against American institutions on account of their
independence, the Cubans were in no mood to take kindly to
our religious teachings; our church had one advantage, that
we stood for human liberty and Cuban independence, and al¬
though we had been successfully established we would not
proceed pending the contention for their independence againt
our government. And not willing to appear hostile to our
own government by seeming to side with the Cubans, I
thought it very inopportune to proceed before the United
States declared its final intention regarding Cuban inde¬
pendence, since the exchequre of the church did not admit of
extravagant proceeding. This was my position and I so
stated it to the Missionary Secretary, Bishop Turner, Bishops
Grant, Handy and Arnett, and publicly to the Woman's Mis¬
sionary Meeting held in Philadelphia recently. Pending this,
the brethren began to annoy Bishop Turner with letters, who
ordered me pre-emptorily to leave for my work. I wrote
him again the conditions and stated that it was, in my
opinion, useless to go under the circumstances, yet if he
thought it expedient, there were steamers leaving New York
every Wednesday, if he would order the Missionary "Sec¬
retary to place my traveling expenses at my disposal, and
a month or two advance to leave with my family, I would
proceed at once. His only reply was that if I was not gone
by the first of November he would order my salary stopped.
This arbitrary order meant that I must go to Cuba without
a dollar with which to pay my traveling expenses, nor a cent
to leave my family, nor a dollar with which to carry on the
work where we had no meeting house nor any visible means
of support, and but eleven members. I again answered both
the Bishop and Missionary Secretary I stood ready to proceed
to Cuba whenever my traveling expenses were placed at my
disposal. Pending this the Secretary came to New York in
the latter part of November, I forgot to state that in my
letter to Bishop Turner I told him that if my attitude was
unsatisfactory I would take work in this country, under him
or Bishop Grant. The Secretary and I discussed the matter,
the South African trouble had just happened; I said to him
that I did not want to aggrevate the troubles in the Mission¬
ary Department, nor embarrass its financial operations, and
was willing to settle this matter amicably, so as not to bring
about any friction whatever; that I was tired of hearing
about church contensions. He said to me if I would resign
the work so as not to give a pretext to those who were fight¬
ing the Easter Collection, he would pay my salary up to the
first of January and see that I was provided with an appoint¬
ment by Bishop Grant or Turner before that time, ami send
me my money before Christmas. I told him I would do any¬
thing to settle the matter amicably; would think of his
proposition and would write him regarding it. Upon reach¬
ing home I thought over the matter, not wanting to get into
any further controversy with the Primate of the church, I
dictated my resignation and sent it officially to the President
of the Board of Missions and the Missionary Secretary, and
placed copies of it in the hands of Bishop Arnett, the Secre¬
tary of the Council, under the condition that I would be
given work as agreed between the Missionary Secretary and
myself. No reply has come from the President nor the Mis¬
sionary Secretary accepting my resignation nor any provision
made for an appointment as agreed. Realizing this extra¬
ordinary condition, on the ninteenth of this month I wrote
to Bishop Turner and Secretary Parks withdrawing my
resignation, and so informed Bishop Arnett, advising them
that I would transfer the whole matter to the Bishops'
Council. This communication has been treated with the
same discurtesy and contempt as my resignation. This is, in
brief, the condition of affairs. In the light of all precedence
and justice I stand as Superintendent of Missions to Cuba
until my resignation is accepted and provisions he made for
me in accordance with the law of our church.
Under the circumstances I would recommend that to
have a thorough knowledge of the work, the Superintendency
be continued until the meeting of the General Conference;
that the Bishop of the First Episcopal District, accompanied
by the Superintendent of Missions, visit the work in March,
proceeding to Havana by way of Tampa; from thence to
Cienfuegos, then to Santiago, the original seat of our work,
returning by way of Nassau New Providence, (or any Bishop
that the Council may elect.) This will convince the church
that I am right, and will give the necessary information for
future operations in Cuba and other Catholic countries.
Those who do not understand the difficulties in establishing
Protestant work in Catholic countries must he skeptical re¬
garding this matter. The Wesleyans in San Domingo and
Hayti, after years of expensive operations dating hack to
more than a half century, have not made an hundred con-
verts in the two republics. The African Methodist Church,
for fifty years and more, has labored incessantly in the same
republics with 110 better results, llow can it he expected,
then, that in less than two years, under extraordinary circum¬
stances, I, without money or material, could have done more
than what has been done in Cuba. Much has been said about
the few paltry dollars paid to me, in establishing the church
at the risk of my life and the pauperization of my family had
I fallen ; hut 110 account is taken of ray twelve years' service
in San Domingo, realizing all of the property we have there,
and establishing the work at San Domingo City, and acquir¬
ing two valuable properties there, at a great civil law suit,
dispossessing the Wesleyans, who had usurped our property
there; established the work at Macoris, and acquired valuable
property there; established the work at Monti Christy, and,
through my brother, the successful work at Porto Paix. This
is my record, and all without money, price or renumeration.
I have 110 disposition to involve my church in disputes.
I come to the highest administrative tribunal and here lay
down my cause. You are the sole arbitors, from whom I can
have no appeal. The destiny of my family and myself are in
your hands ; I shall abide absolutely by your decision. I have
done what I think best for our cause in Cuba and abide by
your godly judgments without a murmur or appeal. I have
been taught that correct discipline is to respect authority. I
have never allowed the profane, nor the press, nor the public
to come between me and my church; nor can you find a
scratch of a pen of mine, fullsome as I have written, against
a single chief pastor of our church.
With my profound respect and craving your apostolic
benedictions, I have to remain, your humble servant in Christ,
II. C. C. Astwood,
Superintendent of Missions for Cuba.
Bryn Mawr, December 6,1899.
lit. Rev. Henry McNeal Turner, JD.D., LL. £>., Primate of the
A. 31. E. Church, and President of the Home and. Foreign
31issions.
Your Grace :—Your several letters regarding the Cuban
work have been received, as well as the one to my attorneys,
and have had careful and prayerful consideration. Because
of the many caustive things said in them I would not make
haste to answer, trying to guard against intemperate utter¬
ances that might cause a breach between myself and the head
of the church. The dispositions taken by many of the min¬
isters for selfish motives, to embarrass the operations of the
Department and to place you 111 hostile relation to me, have
been carefully considered. This provocation could not effect
my loyalty to African Methodism, which has^ been tried in
the balances. The tempting offer by others could not cause
me to turn my back against the great institution created by
Allen, nor convert me into an ingrate like Vica Bishop
Dwane. No! The ambition I had to represent Cuba in the
coming General Conference could not serve to satisfy the
cravings of those who would cause strife in the church; my
idea of sacred things goes beyond my personal ambition or
individual interest. Tempted, as I am, to go to Cuba, after
the deliverance of President McKinley's message, is not suf¬
ficiently inducive to cause a revolt or a rupture between the
President of the Board and myself. Placing all of these
things beneath my feet, and after prayerful consideration, I
have this day placed at your disposal and that of the Council
of Bishops and your Board, my resignation, to take effect on
the first of January, 1900, and requesting of you to make
provisions for me, if possible, with the co-operation of Bishop
Grant, to a position in the Philadelphia Conference, or any¬
thing else that you might feel disposed to elect.
With my earnest prayers for your success in every way,
and for the prosperity of the General Church, and asking for
your apostolic benediction, I have to remain with great ven¬
eration and personal regards, your humble servant in Christ,
H. C. C. Astwood.
The General Conference of 189G attached the South
American work with the Third Episcopal District. After
much consultation Bishop Benjamin E. Eee visited the island
and held an Annual Conference and returned. The following
is the report of his visit to the Annual Conference:
The General Conference of 189G attached the Haitian
and San Domingo Conferences under the Second Episcopal
District, under James A. Handy. After considerable corre¬
spondence Bishop Handy visited the island and held an An¬
nual Conference and makes the following report of the work
and his impressions of the same:
—95 —
BISHOP J. A. HANDY'S TRIP TO HAYTI.
On Tuesday afternoon, December 5th, 1899, the good
Dutch Steamer Willem of Amsterdam sailed for Port au
Prince, Ilayti, W. I. I was accompanied by Rev. Dr. John
Ilurst and his son S. Prince Hurst.
After a pleasant passage of six days and nine hours, the
ship was anchored in the beautiful bay of Port au Prince.
After awhile the pilot and doctor came aboard and permission
given and the passengers went ashore.
We entered the beautiful and quiet city of Port au
Prince, the capital of the Republic of Hayti, W. I. 1 was in
the city of precious memor}7—0, what thoughts clustered
around me as'I recalled, in 1824, the Rev. Richard Robinson,
our first missionary to this city and to this Republic.
I received from Rev. P. E. Dorce, a royal welcome to
Hayti. He met me at the Custom House, thence to St.
Paul's A. M. E. Church, on St. Ann Square. A large con¬
gregation of members and citizens awaited our arrival.
After religious services of thanksgiving and praises to His
name for safe arrival, we repaired to the dining room in the
parsonage, and justice was done to the contents found there.
We spent eleven days in the city, holding five days' ses¬
sion of the Ilaytian Annual Conference, which was one of
the most interesting conferences that we ever attended.
We called at the palace and made our obeisance to His
Excellence, President Samm. We were received as Ameri¬
can citizens and as high official of the A. M. E. Church of the
world. We also visited the American Legation and paid our
respects to Minister Powell.
Port au Prince, the capital of the Republic of Ilayti, is a
city of no small magnitude. It stands at the head of Port
au Prince Ray, one hundred and eighty miles southeast of
the Carribean sea. The city is striking and picturesque.
The streets are of good width, an aspect of cheerful elegance
prevails.
The people are well behaved. They are in possession of
a goodly heritage; they have a grand country. The religion
of the country is Roman catholic. The Weslians, Episco¬
palians and our A. M. E. Church are here. Tropical fruits
and vegetables are here in abundance. Coffee, cocoa, hog-
— 90 —
wood, maliogany, walnut and bignum white are the staples
of the country.
All the domestic animals for food or labor are here in
abundance. Our church is the third; it ought to be the first.
Our work needs over there episcopal supervision. We should
lay out the West Indies work in an Episcopal District and
assign a Bishop to that district. It sadly needs our over¬
seeing. The pay is too low; it needs to be raised and graded.
In a word, the work of our church in the island needs, if we
would thoroughly and fully develop it, $10,000 to $15,000
annually, and ten to fifteen of your most pious and learned
ministers. The mission work of the West Indies scouts the
idler and the drone. It calls for valiant, earnest Christian
preachers; men who will go, and stay, and work, taking God
and their wives with them; and if they are not married, don't
you send them and don't you go.
The parochial school is at every station. We need the
missionary wife to take charge of the girls in the parochial
and in the Sunday Schools.
Fifty per cent, of the darker races are the inhabitants of
the West Indies; they are crying for Protestantism.
We need at least $20,000 for our mission work in the
West Indies and South America for the coming quadrennial,
and an improved episcopal supervision.
Our missionaries should be of the highest type of our
cultured and sanctified ministry, full of Christ and the Holy
Ghost. Our Missionary Board should be made up of our
broad-minded Christian ministers.
I am satisfied that a Bishop domiciled in the West
Indies as President of the Episcopal District, is the thing.
The system or management of the work in that country is
to-day demanding our hands.
Yours truly,
James A. Handy,
Second Episcopal District A. M. E. Church.
Baltimore, Md., 1900.
"VISIT TO SOUTH AMERICA," BY B. F. EEE,
BISHOP.—THE DEMERAEA ANNUAL
CONFERENCE.
This conference was organized under the auspices of the
B. M. E. Church by Bishop Willis Nazery, in 1878. Bishop
Nazery held a second session later and Bishop R. R. Disney
held two sessions. Under the African Methodist regime
Reverend Reuben A. Sealy held a session in 1896, on order
of Bishop II. M. Turner, under whose supervision the church
had placed all foreign work.
The conference territory comprised all the Windward
Islands, Trinidad and the Province of British Guiana.
The General Conference of 1896 described all the
church work of this territory as missionary work without
conference boundaries, but attached, in parts, to several epis¬
copal districts. Nevertheless, as the tendency of our church
polity is to classify all its operations in annual conferences
and to give all parts equitable representation in General Con¬
ference, the tendency is to organize all mission work suf¬
ficiently well to elect delegates to General Conference. The
work, formerly the Demerara Annual Conference, was at¬
tached to the Third District.
On the nineteenth of November, 1899, I sailed from pier
8, New York, on the ship Madiana, of the Quebec line, Cap¬
tain Robert Frazer, Commander, for Georgetown, British
Guiana, South America. Doctors M. M. Moore and II. B.
Parks, in their respective offices, arranged fully and kindly
for the expenses of my trip. Doctors Parks, Cook, Hender¬
son (John U.), Harper and others saw me off.
Five days later brought us to land again, the islands of
Porto Rico and Saint Thomas. On the morning of the sixth
day we touched at Frederickstead, Saint Croix, where we
spent several hours. The morning next after we touched at
Basse Terre, Saint Christopher, where we took on several in¬
teresting passengers, including the West Indian agent for the
Quebec line, Captain , Mr. Todd, a prominent man of
Saint Kitts, and two representatives of the West Indian British
Federation, Mr. Manchester, of Saint Christopher, and Mr.
, of Nevis. These gentlemen were enroute to their
parliament in Saint Johns, Antigua.
— re¬
passing 2STevis and Montseratt we readied Saint Johns,
Antigua, at about 9 a. 111., Wednesday, Nov. 2Gtli. Saint
Johns being the native place of Bishop William Benjamin
Derrick, D.D., of the A. M. E. Church, was all the more inter¬
esting. I visited its public library, public park, prison, the
Wesleyan day school, chapel and parsonage and several busi¬
ness establishments. Feeling it an almost irresistable duty,
I wrote, in the dry goods store of a friend of Bishop Derrick,
a letter to the latter.
It was between'9 p. 111. and 10 p. m. when the Madiana
moved on to Guadaloupe, touching at two towns, Basse Terre
and Point a Pietre, spending the entire day, Nov. 27tli, at Point
a Pietre. This island is all French. I had interesting ex¬
periences struggling through a French that is not a French.
It was United States' Thanksgiving Day. The shipping in
the harbor and the roast turkey at the U. S. Consulate
awakened a good deal of patriotism. On the twenty-eighth
of November we reached Saint Pierre, Martinique. Martini¬
que is interesting as the birthplace of L'Empresse Josephine
and the exile home of the King of Dahomey and four out of
his four hundred wives.
The evening of the same day we touched at Dominica
and Saint Lucia, spending several hours at the latter island,
the first land presenting a wharf front since we left New
York. Saturday morning, November 29th, we anchored in
the beautiful bay at Bridgetown, Barbados. Rev. Reuben A.
Sealy was on board the Madiana as soon as day dawned.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday were spent ashore. On
landing we passed at once to the Colymore Rock A. M. E.
Church, entered through the vestry, after solemn service
there and then in the chapel proper. The A. M. E. Church
has cause for gratitude to Rev. Reuben A. Seal}T for the wis¬
dom, patience, persistence and piety exercised in developing
the Lord's work in Barbados. Possessed of less of any of
these qualities lie would have failed.
Colymore Rock Church is of white lime stone walls, two
feet thick. Its ground area is fifty-six by thirty-four feet,
independent of the vestry room. The building is finished
very tastefully.
On Sunday I preached twice, addressed two meetings in
Colymore Rock and one in our church in Ronen, where Rev.
Thornhill Spencer was pastor. This is a suburban part of
— 99 —
Bridgetown. Besides this work we had two other small
missions on the island. The young preachers in charge,
Brothers Spencer, Matthews and are men of respect¬
able training and piety. Rev. Reuben A. Sealy is a success¬
ful presiding elder—rigid and possibly severe as compared
with the U. S. presiding elders, following the Wesleyan rules
in this respect, but kind withal. He has trained, disciplined,
these young men. But for his characteristic example and
training we should have no standing nor ministry in Bridge¬
town. lie has his church under good discipline also. His
good mother is one of his class leaders. The home of the
Sealy's is a parsonage indeed.
The public service at Colymore Rock Church is worship¬
ful and Methodistic. The choir does not sing for the church
but with the church; all but everyone joining earnestly in
the hymns and spiritual songs, till four hundred voices lift
their hallelujahs to God. The Sunday School is attended and
managed well. It is said that Colymore Rock church has
been of signal inhuence and good in its community and tor
that reason our pastor maintains an excellent reputation in
Bridgetown.
Dec. 2nd, we, Rev. Sealy and the young preachers and
myself, sailed to Georgetown, British Guiana, arriving the
same night. Revs. J. E. Ii. Franklin, of Anna Catlierina,
and W. II. Severn joined us out in the bay. In the morn¬
ing, Dec. 3rd, we proceeded to Anna Catherina, about two
miles distant by cabs, driven by Coolies. There we opened
conference at 4 o'clock p. 111. Rev. Augustus Butler was
made secretary and Rev. T. L. Spencer assistant. The busi¬
ness of the conference was completed at 5 o'clock p. in.,
Dec. 4th. The conference included the St. Thomas confer¬
ence and Demerara conference and so elected delegates to
General Conference from both and changed the name of the
former to Windward Islands Conference, and that of the lat¬
ter to British Guiana Conference, for the reason that the
former name, St. Thomas, only an island name, and the lat¬
ter, Demerara^ only a county name, were too restricted.
In the Demerara conference, as I found it, there were
two good church buildings and four appointments. The
church property in all this work cannot belong to the A. M.
E. connection, because said connection is not known at hnv
in any of that part of the world. Only churches that are in-
— in¬
corporated and recorded are known. Our preacher cannot
perform the marriage ceremony. The property is held by
our ministry in trust for the people.
The assignment of ministers included two to Trinidad
and one to St. Thomas.
Concerning the voyage, which included about five weeks,
I would say, to me it was of great interest. I was in coun¬
tries of Denmark, France and England. Sons of .Africa
made up the majority of the population in every case, in
some instances being in the ratio of 180 to 5. Some are ver}T
wealthy, many are exceedingly poor. On the French and
Danish Islands all, so to speak, are Iioman Catholic; 011 the
English Islands and Province a majority are protestants—
Wesleyan, Episcopal and Congregational. Our church is
weakest of all. It is humiliatingly weak; its weakness
brings it in contempt and prevents persons of wealth from
allying themselves to it.
The irregular support, the failure and unfaithfulness in
respect to obligations, the flaming publications of annual ap¬
propriations by our Board of Missions are not hidden from
those among whom we operate as a connection. Indeed, un¬
less we change our course in respect to foreign activities, I
cannot see how we are to obviate ultimate disgrace in abso¬
lute collapse.
Our church would be attracting in the British West In¬
dies were it strong in its movements. As it is it is always 011
the platforms of apology. I11 Georgetown the B. M. E. and
A. M. E. churches have maintained a line of activity twenty-
seven years, yet we have not a foot of land, though we have
professed to be " supporting " our work there. On the other
hand, when I was there, a Rev. Anderson, Baptist, had been
there eight months, and without any aid from outside, had
effected an organization of one hundred and fifty members,
secured a lot and erected a large, respectable edifice. The
A. M. E: Church has, in too many cases, had inefficient men
in this work.
The Rev. J. E. R. Franklin, at Anna Catherina, has
done a commendable work. He built the church in which
we held Conference out of connection, but holds it ready to
turn over to the A. M. E. Connection 011 business arrange¬
ments. lie is an earnest, hard worker, and has a model
wife. lie controls a school, hiring a teacher. The school is
— 101 —
patronized by negroes, coolies and Chinese. His school build¬
ing is a part of the chapel. The latter is quite neat, of wood
and said to have cost five thousand ($5,000) dollars, an esti¬
mate that seems too high. Ifev. Franklin is a native of the
County Demarara.
Rev. Augustus Butler has built a neat church structure
at Tuschen. I did not visit Tusclien. Brother Butler is an
industrious minister, of exceedingly delicate health, who,
while waiting patiently for the A. M. E. Church to send sup¬
port, works industriously as a sail-maker with his own hands to
provide for his family. I cannot blame him, but praise him,
though it brings him under the ban of some of our own Brit¬
ish preachers. Paul was a tent-maker and our Master
worked ; shall the poor minister of to-day lose rank among
his stilted, robed fellows because he does not make himself
"chargeable" to his brethren, but rather works, that he may
eat ? " Neither do I condemn " him.
My conclusion is that the A. M. E. Church can do great
good in these islands and province, but not without large
expenditures; far larger than even its appropriating figures
and to which its practice bears no comparison. Every mis¬
sion commenced under our appropriating promises and ended
under our absolute failures, proves our irresponsibleness, ex¬
poses us to ridicule, drives our loyal preachers to other
denominations and causes our loyal laity to discard us ever
afterward. Every time our preachers laboring for us, fail for
a long while to get money with which to pay their board,
we are discredited, and though we may attempt to resume
work on those islands years after, the discredit remains.
From Saint Thomas to British Guiana and Trinidad this dis¬
credit stands against us—Colymore Church alone being an ex¬
ception, and this because of the peculiar strength of Reuben A.
Sealy. This can be overcome, but never by the present methods.
Of course, there is this to be said in favor of not doing more
for this part of our work: the colored people of those coun¬
tries are in far safer condition than those in the United
States. The wealthier there could save the poorer much
easier than we can save ourselves here. There are abundance
of church facilities for all there ; as there are not for all
colored people here; but this is no argument to account for
our swelling pretentions and flagrant failures there. Let us
either pay our vows or abandon the work to stronger
— 102 —
churches; any method but empty spread-eagleism, for a
elm reli.
I have no doubt that the same money, and far less ma¬
chinery, used in the (J. S., would do much more for the black
race than we are doing in the Windward Islands, South
America, and indeed Africa itself. In the whole of the
work as I found it in the Demerara and St. Thomas Confer¬
ences, we have about six hundred members. We make pre¬
tentions to support seven to nine preachers, at no less than
two thousand ($2,000) dollars per 3'ear. Expend this sum in
the Indian Conference, the Oklahoma Conference, West Vir¬
ginia, the missions of all our domestic conferences, and it
will bring us ten-fold results. Expend it at Payne, Turner
and Allen Seminaries—judicially, and it will excell by a
liundred-iold. Submitted in Christian fraternity,
B. F. LEE, Bishop,
Special Assignment 1806-1000—The Third Episcopal District.
THE REPORT OF THE GENERAL TRUSTEES OF
THE METROPOLITAN A. M. E. CHURCH
TO THE BISHOPS OF THE AFRICAN
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH,
MAY, 1900, COLUMBUS, O.
The question has been asked by what authority the
Financial Board assumed any responsibilit}r in relation to the
finishing of the Metropolitan Church. The following report
of the Trustees and the action of the General Conference,
1884, will answer that question. Dr. J. A. Ilandy read the
following report on the Metropolitan Church:
To the General Conference of the A. 31. 13. Charch, United
States of America, in sessio?i at Baltimore, 31(1., 31<nj, 1SS4,
Union Bethel, Washington, D. C., sends greeting:
Reverend Fathers in God :
Whereas, The General Conference, at its session in the
— 103 —
year 1872, at Nashville, Tenn., did ordain that a Connectional
Metropolitan Church should he erected in Washington City,
1). C.; and
Whereas, The General Conference of 1876, at its session
in Atlanta, Ga., did affirm said order to have built a Metro¬
politan Church in the said City of Washington, 1). C.; and
Whereas, The General Conference at its session in 1880,
at St. Louis, Mo., did re-affirm said order to build a Metro¬
politan Church in said City of Washington, D. C.; and
Whereas, Tjie said General Conference of 1880 did
order the appropriation of Twenty Thousand Dollars to assist
in the erection of said Metropolitan Church at Washington
City, D. C.
We, the members and friends of Union Bethel A. M. E.
Church, Washington, D. C., being the oldest organized body
of Christian men and women in the District of Columbia of
the A. M. E. Connection, beg leave most respectfully to in¬
form your most reverend body that we have projected and
commenced to build a Connectional Metropolitan Church
upon a piece or lot of ground fronting north on the south
side of M Street North, between Fifteenth and Sixteenth
Streets West. The brick and stone work is completed, the
slate roof is on the building. The work so far has cost
$30,000, which has been paid. This does not include the cost
of ground, the assessed value of which is $25,000. The
Church building is 80 by 120 feet, with sub-basement for
domestic purposes, a basement story above grade containing
Lecture, Sunday School, Library and Class-rooms. Seating
capacity 3,000. The building contains all the modern im¬
provements—ventilation, heat, light and water. The cost,
ground not included, $70,000, $30,000 of which has been
paid, leaving a balance of $40,000, $15,000 of which must be
raised, per contract, to complete the building.
We most respectfully submit for your inspection the ac¬
companying photograph, a fac simile of the building as it
now stands.
We, your petitioners, most humbly pray your reverend
body to take such action as your Godly judgment may sug¬
gest for our aid and assistance in the prosecution and com¬
pletion of this, our good, and we trust, praiseworthy under¬
taking.
And for which we will ever pray.
—104, —
Signed on behalf of Union Betliel A. M. E. Church,
Washington, I). C., May 12, 1884.
William Beckett,
John Shorter,
George C. Brown,
James Washington,
Andrew Twine,
AYalter F. Hyson,
George It. Dolley,
J. T. Harris.
John A. Simms, Secretary. J as. A. Handy, Pastor.
The General Conference appointed a special committee,
and they went to Washington, examined the Church and
financial condition, and made the following report, which
was unanimously adopted:
report of the special committee on metropolitan church,
washington, d. c.
AVhereas, The General Conference of 1872 did order the
erection of a Metropolitan Church at AVasliington, I>. C.; and
AVhereas, The General Conference of 1880, at St. Louis,
Mo., did appropriate twenty thousand dollars to aid and assist
in the erection of said Metropolitan Church; therefore,
AVe recommend that Union Bethel A. M. E. Church
Society he, and are hereby authorized to build and erect said
church.
AVe further recommend that 25 per cent, of the ap¬
propriation he paid during the year ending April, 1885, and
that 25 per cent, he paid every year until the -whole amount
is paid.
AVe further recommend that a 5 cent collection he lifted
in all of our churches this conference year to aid said church,
the money so collected to he forwarded to the pastor of said
church at AVasliington, D. C., 1308 Sixteenth Street.
S. II. Jefferson,
B. AV. Arnett,
J. A. Handy.
— 105 —
At a meeting of the Financial Board held April, 1885,
Nashville, Tenn., after some discussion as to what was best
to do with the appropriation by the General Conference for
the Metropolitan Church, as the Board had no money to
apply on said appropriation, a resolution was passed, author¬
izing the Financial Secretary, B. W. Arnett, and J. A.
Handy, to use their utmost endeavors to finish the church,
and if need be, to pledge the Financial Board to the amount
of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.)
I visited Washington, I). C., May 29th, 1885, to look
over the field and see what could be done. I met and con¬
versed with the Trustees who informed me that they had
gone as far as they could until they received some aid from
the church. They were hopeful though they saw no way
out. The members, many of them were despondent and
anxious as to the fate of their enterprise. The outside friends
of the church were as solicitous and anxious as the members
and expressed their willingness to assist in the work of com¬
pletion; but the enemies of the enterprise were jubilant and
happy because they thought that it would fail. One of them
asked me wThen the church was to he sold. I told him that
it would not be sold at all for the A. M. E. Church was at
the back of the members, and would not see them fail, at
least she had never failed in any undertaking for the good of
the Race or the advancement of the cause of Christ. He
said " Well, we will see." After consulting with Dr. Handy
we concluded to call on John A. Simms, the Secretary of the
Trustee Board, and find out the financial standing of the
church. He gave us a satisfactory account of the whole
matter. We appointed a meeting for Mr. G. T. Hearing,
the contractor and builder. On Saturday morning, May
30th, we met in the parlor of J. A. Simms. We found that
the whole contract price of the building was due, which was
$ , and three thousand five hundred dollars for
extra work,'besides he was security for ten thousand dollars
borrowed money, all overdue. Under these circumstances he
was not willing to do anything towards the completion of the
church; unless the ten thousand'dollars were paid and the
three thousand five hundred for extras were also paid, and a
guarantee on all future payments. He thought it would be
impossible to raise the money on the church in it's
unfinished condition. Dr. G. T. Watkins was with us.
— 106 —
We parted with the understanding that we would meet
again.
I called to see Bishop Brown, President of the Board,
informed him of Mr. Dearing's ultimatum. He thought he
could find some money. He took me to see a friend of his
who gave us encouragement, saying that he could get the
money for us to finish the church, and told us to meet him
Monday morning in his office. Monday morning Bishop
Brown and I were on hand at ten o'clock. After some con¬
sultation he said that he would let us have twenty thousand
dollars as long as we wanted it. We agreed to meet him at
7 o'clock p. m. with the contractor and others interested.
Promptly at 7 o'clock Tuesday Bishop Brown, Drs.
Handy, Watkins and I met in the office of Smith & Son,
where the proposition to lend twenty thousand dollars was
renewed as follows:
The ten thousand dollar mortgage was to he lifted ; the
contractor was then to finish the church, and when com¬
pleted was to receive ten thousand dollars, but he was not
satisfied with this proposition. Then it was proposed to pay
him five thousand down, with satisfactory guarantee, and
ten thousand when completed. They informed him that
they were willing to lend twenty-five thousand dollars on
the church, but that the contractor would have to give
security for the faithful performance of his duty. This he
was not willing to do, so we adjourned to meet the next day.
June 2d. In the interim Dr. Handy and I prepared a
proposition to give ten notes, two thousand five hundred each,
one note payable annually at six per cent, interest, to be
signed by the Financial Secretary and Trustees of the church,
the Financial Department to pay interest on twenty thousand
dollars, or its proportion until the whole was paid. The pro¬
position was accepted, and notes prepared and signed. Work
was resumed on the church, and on Sunday, the 8th of
November, 1885, the basement was.opened and dedicated by
Bishop A. W. Wayman, Dr. J. A. Handy, Dr. G. T. Wat-
kins and B. W. Arnett.
The contractors continued the work, and arrangements
were made for the memorial windows. It became my duty
to select the designs, to arrange the inscription and to super¬
intend that branch of the work.
— 107 —
The windows were to be paid for independent of the
amount subscribed by the General Conference.
On May 22d I went to Washington to assist in arrang¬
ing for the dedication.
The dedicatory exercises began Sunday, May 30th, 1885.
The following persons participated :
Bishops—D. A. Payne, A. W. Wayman, J. P. Campbell,
J. A. Shorter, T. M. D. Ward, J. M. Brown, II. M. Turner,
R. H. Cain.
General Officers—J. C. Embry, B. F. Lee, B. T. Tan¬
ner, J. M. Townsend, B. W. Arnett, W. D. Johnson.
Ministers—W. J. Gaines, I. H. Welsh, W. B. Derrick,
A. H. Newton, C. II. Greene, L. J. Coppin, D. Draper, J.
Strange, J. P. Shorter.
dedication metropolitan a. m. e. church, m st., between
15th and 16th sts., n. w., commencing Sunday,
may 30th, 1886.
10:30 a. m.
Rt. Rev. D. A. Payne. D.D.
- Rt. Rev. T. M. D. Ward, D.D.
Rt. Rev. J as. A. Shorter
3:00 p. m.
Sermon - Bishop S. T. Jones, A. M. E. Zion Church
Benediction ... Bishop H. M. Turner, D. D
7:30 p. m.
Sermon ... - Bishop J. P. Campbell, D. D
Benediction - - - Bishop John M. Brown, D. D
These Dedicatory Services will continue throughout the
week, and the following talented divines have been invited:
Bishop S. T. Jones, D. D., A. M. E. Zion Church; Rev.
Dr. Henry R. Naylor, of the Foundry M. E. Church ; Rev.
Dr. J. G. Butler, Lutheran Memorial Church; the Hon.
Frederick Douglas, F. L. Cardoza, D. A. Straker, Esq., Revs.
B. W. Arnett, B. T. Tanner, W. II. Hunter, W. J. Gaines,
J. M. Townsend, B. F. Lee, J. C. Embry, C. S. Smith and
W. D. Johnson.
Consecration Sermon
Dedicatory Poem
Benediction -
— 108 —
The Sunday and Public Schools of the District are in¬
vited, together with the Trustees and Teachers of Public
Schools. The M. W. G. Lodge of A. A. Masons of the Dis¬
trict of Columbia, and her subordinate; Grand Commandery,
G. R. A. Chapter, and her subordinate Commanderies and
Chapters; District Lodge and G. M. Council, and subordinate
Lodges; Grand United Order of Odd Fellows are invited,
and will each be present 011 the evening designated.
For further particulars see small bills on each evening as
the dedication progresses.
Bishop A. W. Wayman,
Rev. B. W. Arnett,
Rev. Jas. A. Handy,
Jno. A. Simms,
Andrew Twine.
After the dedication arrangements were made to meet
the demands of the creditors, the Annual Conference having
failed to send money to pay for the windows, we gave three
notes of six, nine and twelve months, and sent to each An¬
nual Conference the following circular:
Office of Financial Secretary A. M. E. Church.
wllberforce, ohio, 1886.
To the Bishop and Members of the Annual Con¬
ference of the A. M. E. Church, Greeting :
The Metropolitan A. M. E. Church, ordered by the Gen¬
eral Conference of 1876, 1880 and 1884, has been completed,
and was on the 30th of May, 1886, dedicated to the service of
Almighty God by the Bishops, General Officers, Ministers
and Members of the connection.
The new church building is Gothic in style, inside and
out. The front is an excellent combination of red brick,
trimmed with granite. The auditorium is beautifully finished
in ash, with walnut reed molding in shellac finish. The gal¬
leries and choir are provided with four rows of seats, acconi-
dating 500 persons. The auditorium has seventy-six semi¬
circle seats, four aisles; entire seating capacity, 2,500. The
design and plan is by Mr. Samuel G. T. Morsell, a practical
— 109 —
builder and architect, who has faithfully superintended the
erection of the church in a most thorough and business-like
manner. The materials used in the building have all been of
the very best, and the work, by Mr. Dearing, the contractor
and builder, has been done to the entire satisfaction of the
church.
The windows are memorial, and contain the names of
the several Annual Conferences. One of them is dedicated
to the episcopacy. One to each of the departments of the
church. So anyone can have an opportunity to observe the
rise and progress of the church by reading the windows.
The plan was that each Annual Conference contribute
$100.00 to pay for the windows and provide them with wire
screens, &c.
The work has been done, and well done, by the contrac¬
tor. lie was somewhat disappointed at the response at the
dedication from the conferences. But we gave him three
notes, one for six months, one for nine months, and one for
one year. They are in the bank. We hope that the Bishops
and Ministers of the several Annual Conferences will not see
us go to the wall.
We did what we have in good faith, believing that each
conference will do the best it could do to help us. It is the
largest church in the connection. It is worthy of the great
church that we represent—the largest organized body of
Negros in the world.
The building is a monument to the love of the race, for
the church of God, and for the good of man.
Brethren, do your duty in this matter. Help us to meet
the obligations of the committee. Send the money to J. A.
Handy. 1214 N. W. 16tli St., Washington, I). C.-
The Financial Department is paying the interest on
$20,000 of indebtedness of the church as per order of the
General Conference.
A. W. Wayman, Presiding Bishop,
J. A. Handy, Presiding Elder,
T. G. Steward, Pastor,
B. W. Arnett, Financial Department,
John A. Simms, Sec'y Trustee Board.
In May, 1886, Rev. T. G. Steward was appointed pastor
at the conclusion of the dedicatory exercises, which continued
— 110 —
one week. He went to work with a determination to suc¬
ceed. He has succeeded in bringing the church and congre¬
gation to a status in the community hitherto unknown, and
he is recognized as one of the finest scholars and the most
eloquent pulpit orator in the city. People no longer shake
their heads at Bethel or the Metropolitan, but it is now the
center of culture, refinement and christian zeal. The most
intelligent of all denominations meet at her altars, while
Bethel Literary Society, presided over by J. W. Cromwell,
furnishes a field for the marshaling of the intellectual forces
of the Pace centered in the capitol.
We are under obligations to Dr. Steward for his labor
in securing the annexed deed of trust for the moneys paid by
the connection on the said church property.
The following is the deed as prepared, signed and sealed
between the Trustees of the Metropolitan A. M. E. Church
of Washington, D. C., and the Financial Board :
mortgage from the trustles of union bethel a. m. e. church
to benjamin w. arnett, secretary, &c. received for
record april 2d, 1887, 2:45 p. m. recorded in liber, no.
1245, folio 368 et seq., one of the Iland records of the
district of columbia, and examined by gerrit s. loguen,
dep. recorded.
Know all Men by These Presents :
That Whereas, The General Conference, at its session
in the year 1872, at Nashville, Tennessee, did ordain that a
Connectional Metropolitan Church should be erected in
Washington City, D. C.; and
Whereas, The General Conference of 1876, at its session
in Atlanta, Georgia, did affirm said order to have built a
Metropolitan Church in said city of Washington, D. C.; and
Whereas, The General Conference at its session in 1880,
at St. Louis, Missouri, did reaffirm said order to build a
Metropolitan Church in said city of Washington, D. C.; and
Whereas, The said General Conference of 1880 did order
the appropriation of twenty thousand dollars to assist in the
erection of said Metropolitan Church at Washington, D. C.;
and
Whereas, The members and friends of Union Bethel
African Methodist Episcopal Church, Washington, D. C.,
which is the oldest organized body of Christian menjand
— Ill —
women in the District of Columbia, of the African Metho¬
dist Episcopal Connection, did at the session of the General
Conference of 1884, at Baltimore, Maryland, cite the fore¬
going premises and make the following statement by the
persons whose names are thereunto attached :
"We have projected and commenced to build a Connec-
tional Metropolitan Church upon a piece or lot of ground
fronting north on the south side of M Street north, between
Fifteenth and Sixteenth Streets west, in the city of Wash¬
ington, D. C.
The brick and stone work is completed; the slate roof
is on the building. The work so far has cost ($30,000) thirty
thousand dollars, which has been paid. This does not in¬
clude the cost of ground, the assessed value of which is
($25,000) twenty-five thousand dollars. The church building
is 80 by 120 feet, with sub-basement for domestic purposes;
a basement story above grade containing Lecture, Sunday
School, Library and Class-rooms. Seating capacity (3,000)
three thousand.
The building contains all the modern improvements—
ventilation, heating, light and water. The cost, ground not
included, ($70,000) Seventy Thousand Dollars, ($30,000) Thir¬
ty Thousand Dollars of which has been paid, leaving a bal¬
ance of ($40,000) Forty Thousand Dollars, ($15,000) Fifteen
Thousand Dollars of which must be raised, per contract, to
complete the building.
We submit for your inspection the accompanying photo¬
graph, a fac simile of the building as it now stands.
And we, your petitioners, most humbly pray your rever¬
end body to take such action as your godly judgment may sug¬
gest for our aid and assistance in the prosecution and comple¬
tion of this, our good and we trust, praiseworthy undertaking.
And for which we will ever pray.
Signed on behalf of Union Bethel A. M. E. Church,
Washington, D. C., May 12,1884. William Beckett,
John Shorter,
George C. Brown,
James Washington,
Andrew Twine, '
Walter F. Hyson,
George R. Dolley,
J. T. Harris.
John A. Simms, Secretary. James A. Handy, Pastor.
— 112 —
And Whereas, Pursuant to and in consideration of the
foregoing facts and citations, the General Conference of 1884,
at its session aforesaid, did adopt the following propositions
and recommendations presented by the committee whose
names are thereunto attached :
Whereas, The General Conference of 1872 did order
the erection of a Metropolitan Church at Washington, P. C.;
and
Whereas, The General Conference of 1880, at St. Louis,
Mo., did appropriate ($20,000) Twenty Thousand Dollars to
aid and assist in the erection of said Metropolitan Church;
Therefore, we recommend that Union Bethel A. M. E.
Church Society be, and are hereby authorized to build and
erect said church.
We further recommend that (25) twenty-live per cent,
of the appropriation he paid during the year ending April,
1885: and that (25) twenty-five per cent, he paid every year
thereafter until the whole amount is paid.
We further recommend that a (5) five cent per capita col¬
lection be lifted in all of our churches this conference year,
to aid said church, the money so collected to he forwarded
to the pastor of said church at Washington, D. C., 1308
Sixteenth Street.
S. H. Jefferson,
B. W. Arnett,
J. A. Handy,
And Whereas, Acting pursuant to and within the spirit
and intention of the aforesaid premises and action of the
General Conference, Rev. B. W. Arnett, D.D., Financial Sec¬
retary of the African Methodist Episcopal Church on behalf
of the Connection, has agreed, per contract, to pay five an¬
nual promissory notes of ($2,500) Two Thousand and Five
Hundred Dollars each, of the present indebtedness of the
Union Bethel Church ; and
Whereas, The said Rev. B. W. Arnett, D.D., has also
agreed to pay certain promissory notes of the amount due on
account of the windows of said church;
Therefore, this Indenture, Made this thirty-first day of
December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun¬
dred and eighty-six . . ., between the undersigned trustees
of Union Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church of
— 113 —
Washington, D. C., residing in said city, parties of the first
part, and Rev. Benjamin W. Arnett, D.D., Secretary of the
Financial Board of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
Connection, residing in Wilberforce, Ohio, party of the sec¬
ond part.
Witnesseth, That it is hereby agreed by the parties of
the first part, that all the money that has been, and will
hereafter, be paid by the party of the second part, on the
promissory notes of $2,500 each, mentioned in the foregoing
recitals and the interest thereon, shall he credited to the ac¬
count of the ($20,000) Twenty Thousand Dollars appropri¬
ated by the General Conference aforesaid ;
And Whereas, The several Annual Conferences of the
aforesaid Connection have promised to pay to the parties of
the first part, certain sums of money to defray the expenses
on the windows of Union Bethel Church;
Therefore, this Indenture Witnesseth, That it is fur¬
ther agreed by the parties of the first part, that all the money
received by them, from the several Annual Conferences afore¬
said, on account of said windows, shall be paid over to the
said party of the second part until a sufficient sum shall be
paid to reimburse the said party for all that he has paid or
may hereafter pay on account of said windows;
Provided, That if the amount paid to the parties of the
first part by the Annual Conference aforesaid, is not sufficient
to reimburse the party of the second part in this behalf, the
balance due said party of the second part, shall be credited
to the account of the ($20,000) Twenty Thousand Dollars ap¬
propriated by the General Conference aforesaid.
And in consideration of the relation that exists between
Union Bethel A. M. E. Church, as the Metropolitan Church
aforesaid, and the African Methodist Episcopal Church Con¬
nection, it is further agreed that all the money paid here¬
under by the party of the second part, shall be held by
Union Bethel A. M. E. Church as a loan without interest
for ten years ; and afterwards at such rate of interest as may
be agreed upon by the parties of the first and second part, or
their successors.
And also for the aforesaid considertion, it is agreed that
the payment of the principal of said loan shall never be de¬
manded so long as the property located as described in the
foregoing recitals, and now known as the place of worship
of Union Bethel A. M. E. Church, shall remain in the lawful
possession of members of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church, and the Society itself submit to the discipline and
government of the said church. But if the property aforesaid
should pass out of the possession and ownership of the per¬
sons aforesaid, it is agreed by the parties of the first part that
the aforesaid ($20,000) Twenty Thousand Dollars, with interest
at six per cent, per annum from and after May first, one thous¬
and eight hundred and ninety-six, shall be refunded to the
aforesaid Financial Board, or to such agents as the General
Conference or Board of Bishops may appoint; said money
to be expended in the educational work of the Connection
under the direction of the Board governing the same.
Flow this Indenture Witnesseth, That the said parties
of the first part, for the better securing the payment of the
said sum of money mentioned in the aforesaid condition,
with interest thereon, according to the true intent and mean¬
ing thereof, and also in consideration of the sum of One
Dollar, to them in hand paid, by the said party of the second
part, at or before the unsealing and delivery of these pres¬
ents, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have
granted, bargained, assigned, transferred and pledged, and by
these presents do grant, bargain, assign, transfer and pledge
unto the party of second part, the estate or premises fronting
north on the south side of M Street north, between Fifteenth
and Sixteenth Streets west, constituting the present place of
worship of Union Bethel Church, together with all and
singular, the edifices, buildings, rights, privileges and appur¬
tenances thereunto belonging or in any way appertaining.
To have and to hold the said premises to his own proper
use, benefit and behalf. Provided always, and these presents
are made upon this express condition, that if the said parties
of the first part shall well and truly pay unto the said party
of the second part, or his successors, the said sum of money
mentioned in the condition aforesaid, and the interest there¬
on, according to the true intent and meaning thereof, that
then and fromMhenceforth these presents, and the estate
hereby granted and pledged, shall cease, determine and be
null and void : anything hereinbefore contained to the con¬
trary in anywise notwithstanding.
And if default shall be made in payment of the said
sum of money above mentioned, or in the interest which
— 115 —
may accrue thereon from and after the date aforesaid, or of
any part ot either, that then and from thenceforth it shall be
lawful for the said party of the second part, or his successors,
to enter upon, take possession of, and hold the said property,
with all the right, title, and interest in and to the same of the
said parties of the first part, which entrance upon and taking
possession of said property, so to be made, shall be a per¬
petual bar, both in law and equity, against the said parties of
the first part and their successors, and against all persons
claiming, or that may claim the premises, or any part there¬
of until the said $20,000 shall have been paid.
In "Witness Whereof, The said parties of the first part
to these presents have hereunto set their hands and seals the
day and year first above written.
(Signed.)
William Beckett, [Seal], James E. Smith,[Seal],
Thomas H. Wright, [Seal], Henry Wood, [Seal],
James Washington, [Seat], Geo. R. Dolley, [Seal],
Jeremiah Johnson, [Seal], W. II. S. Ease, [Seal],
James Dean, [Seat],
Trustees of Union Bethel A. M. E. Church.
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of
James A. Handy,
J. W. Cromwell.
District of Columbia.
I, James H. Smith, a Notary Public in and for the Dis¬
trict aforesaid, do hereby certify that William Beckett,
Thomas H. Wright, James Washington, Jeremiah Johnson,
James E. Smith, George R. Dolley, Henry Wood, W. H. S.
Ease and James Dean, Trustees of the Union Bethel A. M.
E. Church, parties to a certain deed bearing date on the 31st
day ot December A. D., 1886, and hereunto annexed, person¬
ally appeared before me in the District aforesaid, the said
William Beckett, Thomas H. Wright, James Washington,
Jeremiah Johnson, James E. Smith, George R. Dolley, Henry
Wood, W. H. S. Ease and James Dean, being personally
well known to me to be the persons who executed the said
deed and acknowledged the same to be their act and deed.
Given under my hand and notorial seal this 2d day of
April A. D. 1887.
James H. Smith, Notary Public, [Seal]
— ne —
I have the pleasure of presenting the amounts of money contrib¬
uted by Annual Conferences for the windows in the Metropolitan
Church, Washington, D. C.:
PAID TO DR. J. A. HANDY.
Philadelphia Conference $ 100 oo
New Jersey " 77 oo
" " " by Rev. C. H. Green 23 00
Arkansas " by T. M. D. Ward 5° 00
Virginia " by W. G. Alexander 34 00
Baltimore " 200 00
$ 484 00
AMOUNTS PAID B. W. ARNETT 1886-7.
North Missouri Conference, by P. C. Crews $ 25 00
North Georgia " by W. J. Gaines 100 00
Iowa " by C. S. Jacobs 50 00
Missouri " by G. W. Guy 5° 00
Kansas " by J. M. Wilkerson 50 00
South Kansas " by P. A. Hubbard 5° 00
Macon, Ga., " by E. P. Holmes 100 00
Columbia, S. C., " by Hiram Young 100 00
Georgia " by M. B. Saulter 100 00
Arkansas " by T. M. D. Ward 100 00
Texas " by A. W. Wayman 25 00
North East Texas " by " " 25 00
West Texas " by " " 25 00
$ 800 00
AMOUNT PAID B. W. ARNETT 1887-8.
North Alabama Conference, by D. A. Payne $ 100 oo
Iowa " by J. M. Brown 50 00
Illinois " by P. C. Cooper 50 00
Indiana & Mich. " by J. M. Townsend 100 00
Ohio North " by W. T. Maxwell 50 00
Missouri " by C. W. Preston 50 00
- if/ -
Alabama Conference by D. A. Payne 100 oo
Arkansas " by T. M. D. Ward 50 00
South Arkansas " by " " " 50 00
South Carolina " by " " " 100 00
Mississippi Conference, by T. M. D. Ward 25 00
North Mississippi " by " " 5° 00
West Arkansas " by " " 50 00
East Florida " by D. A. Payne 100 00
Ohio " by J. P. Campbell 100 00
Florida " by D. A. Payne 100 00
Personal Donation by D. A. Payne 16 00
$1,141 00
METROPOLITAN CHURCH.
December, 1886, H. T. Gernheardt $ 515 25
May 12, 1887, " " 696 49
Dec. 15, 1887, " " 515 25
March 13, 1888, " " 523 08
June 13, 1887 " " Interest 60 00
Total paid on windows $2,310 07
December 3, 1885, J. A. Handy $ 600 00
January 12, 1886, " " 600 00
January, 1887, James Dean 2,100 00
April 30, 1887, " " 1*025 00
December 26, 1887, J. A. Handy 525 00
Total paid Metropolitan Church $4,850 00
RECAPITULATION.
Paid to Trustees on Window Money $ 484 00
Paid to B. W. Arnett, 1886-7 800 00
Paid to B. W. Arnett, 1887-8 1,141 00
$2,325 00
Total am't paid Metropolitan Church from all sources....$7,775 71
— 118 —
89
AMOUNT PAID BY JAMES A.*HANDY.
888-1889 $ 1,050 OO
890-1891 2,525 00
-1892, George T. Dearing 2,500 00
-1892, " " Interest 525 00
-1892, " " 2,500 00
-1892, " " Interest 525 00
-1892, " " Interest 525 00
-1892, " " Interest 250 00
-1892, " " Interest 25 00
-1892, " " Interest 525 00
$10,950 00
AMOUNT PAID BY J. H. ARMSTRONG.
May 1894 $ 1,000 00
January 1895 i,5°o 00
December 1899 2,720 00
$ 5,220 00
AMOUNT PAID BY M. M. MOORE.
June 1896, Interest on notes $ 660 00
January 1897, Interest on notes 2,045 33
May 1897, Interest on notes 580 00
January 1898, Interest on notes 2,000 00
November 1898, Interest on notes 26 64
October 1898, Insurance..... 780 00
September 1898, Interest on notes 80 00
January 1899, Interest on notes 75 00
January 1899, Note 1,000 00
Grand total $ 6,946 97
RECAPITULATION.
B. W. Arnett $ 7,775 71
J. A. Handy 10,950 00
J. H. Armstrong 5,220 00
M. M. Moore 6,946 97
Grand total $30,892 68
_ ny _
The following is a statement of John A. Sims as to the amount
paid on the Metropolitan A. M. E. Church of Washington, D. C., as
per amounts and dates herein stated:
U. B. Church, credited by amount paid on $25,000 00
Contract for building church 50,000 00
December 9th, 1885, Interest $ 750 00
June 5th, 1886 250 00
August 14th 300 00
November 13th, 1886 $ 226 50
January 1st, 1886 600 00
April 12th 50 00
June 16th, 1887 $ 100 00
October 14th 260 00
November 17th 200 00
December 12th, 1887 $ 132 50
January 8th, 1888 525 00
July 9th 234 00
August 13th, 1888 .$ 48 50
March nth, 1889 181 50
October 15th, 1889 200 00
November nth, 1889 $ 300 00
January 13th, 1890 100 00
January 14th, 1890 525 00
March 14th, 1890 $ 450 00
June 9th, 1890 793 50
December 20th 525 00
December 22d, 1890 ....$ 665 00
July 23d, 1891 100 00
September i6tH, 1891 300 00
$1,300 00
$876 50
$560 00
$891 50
$430 00
$925 00
$1,768 00
$1,065 00
— 120 —
October 23d, 1891 $ 125 00
March 14th, 1892 300 00
April 16th, 1892 200 00
May 10th, 1892 .$ 50 00
July 16th, 1892 250 00
October 17th, 1892 200 00
$625 00
$500 00
November 18th, 1892 $45° 00
$59,39i 00
180 00
Total $59,571 00
From December 2d, 1892 to April 1893 $ 417 45
Year ending April 1894 1,920 00
" " 1895 672 33
" " 1896 1,080 00
" " 1897 1,670 00
" 1898 1,030 00
" " 1899 2,020 00
$8,809 78
From April 1899 to January 1900 $1,004 30
Six years' interest on $10,000 $3,600 00
The accrued int. on the Morsell note has been curtailed
to the amount of $ 124 30
Grand total $73,109 38
The present bonded indebtedness on the main property is $18-
000. The architect, Mr. S. T. Morsell, also holds a non-negotiable
note for $2,000 with accrued interest amounting to about $500 00.
E. H. Hunter.
Washington, D. C.
recapitulation.
B. W. Arnett, 1884-1888 $ 7,775 71
J. A. Handy, 1888-1892 10,950 00
— 121 —
J. H. Armstrong, 1892-1896 5,220 00
M. M. Moore, 1896-1900 6,946 97
Grand total by Financial Secretaries $ 30,892 68
Grand total by the Trustees of the Church 73>io9 38
Great grand total $104,002 06
The amount of interest due from May 1896 to May 1900, ac¬
cording to the mortgage, which provided that the interest might be
charged on the amount paid by the Financial Department from that
date at five per cent, per annum is as follows:
INTEREST DUE ON LOANS.
1896-1897, $23,945 71 at 5% $1,197 28
1897-1898,127,22071 at 5% 1,361 03
1898-1900, $30,182 35 at 5% 1,509 11
Total $4,067 42
REPORT OF BENJAMIN W. ARNETT, TRUSTEE
OF METROPOLITAN CIIURCII, WASH
INGTON, D. C., APRIL 1,1899.
SKETCH OF A. M. E. CHURCH.
The African M. E. Church when founded accepted the
doctrines as taught in the twenty-five articles of religion and
expressed them both as follows: First. Our faith in the Holy
Trinity. Second. These are the fundamental principles up¬
on which the protestants base their protest against the
Church of Rome. These are drawn from the Word of God
and any intelligent Christian accepting them is safe. We
adopting them are protected from erroneous opinions. This
is what colored Christians have done, and however much our
people hate oppression but few have ever become avowed
sceptics. We have seen those whom oppression has made
mad, yet cabled in such fundamental truth, they are well
hounded. Many have urged that the limit of our colored
churches had been reached: their work done, which we re¬
gard as a vital mistake. Disintegration is their motto, but
ours is organic union of the negro from base to top—all over
and everywhere. For in union there is strength. The A. M.
E. Church does not exist without a reason. The white
Christians of this country have always found it best to pro¬
scribe us, and because of this we have united into a denomi¬
nation of our own, and our union is a protest against Ameri¬
can prejudice, and for a similar reason to the organic union
of the Waldenes. They united to protect themselves against
the intrusions of Rome, and we against men who profess the
same faith as ourselves. The Rev. David Smith was among
the first to enter the district of Columbia aud proclaim Christ,
as held by the A. M. E. Church.—God our Father, Man our
Brother, and Christ our Redeemer, and to this doctrine we
have held and published for one hundred years.
THE A. M. E. CHURCH IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
Rev. David Smith, as we have said, commenced to pro¬
claim the gospel first of our preachers and organized what
was known afterwards as Israel A. M. E. Church, which was
located near the capitol of the United States, and continued
one of the branches of our denomination until a recent date,
when under the bad influence of certain ones it seceded from
the A. M. E. Church of America.
minutes.
July 6, 1838. At a numerous meeting of the clas8
meeting belonging to the western part of the city, held in
the little brick meeting house, in the rear of Mr. Boulding's,
on L Street, after the adjournment of the class, the meeting
was called to order to take into consideration the propriety
of taking a lot and causing to be erected a suitable place of
worship for the accommodation of the members in the west¬
ern part of the city. On motion of John F. Cook, seconded
by Mr. John Freeman, Mr. Titus Grant was called to the
chair and Alfred A. Cook appointed secretary for the even¬
ing. The object of the meeting was then briefly stated by
Mr. Charles Stewart, leader of the class, and some further
explanations by John F. Cooke. Whereupon John F. Cook
arose and presented the following preamble and resolutions,
which he prefaced with a few brief and suitable remarks, viz :
Whereas, The members and friends of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church, who reside in the western part
of the city, labor under many disadvantages and inconven¬
iences, owing to the distance of the present location of the
Israel Church ; it being rather oppressive in the summer sea¬
son to walk so far to church, and cold in the winter season,
the mornings being also short; also the limited time allotted
to us colored people to pass with safety, at night, without
being subject to molestation. We therefore cannot agreeably
enjoy all the meetings we would wish in that section of the
city, and believing the cause, both our connection, our race,
and the cause of God would be greatly accelerated and in¬
creased b}7 a branch of the church being located in this part
of the city, together with numerous other advantages, not
necessary to mention here. Therefore, be it
,Resolved, That we, the members and friends of the A. M.
E. Connection, in this part of the city, are determined, God
and man aiding and permitting, to have a branch of the said
church located in the said part of the city for the use and ac¬
commodation of the friends and members thereof.
Resolved, That we highly approve of and do agree to
— 121^ —
take, contribute and cause to be contributed, to pay for lot 5,
in square 199, (for so much as may be necessary,) situated on
K Street, between 15th and 16tli Streets, in this city, as is
bargained for by Charles Stewart and John F. Cooke.
-Resolved,, That we do agree to endeavor as early as
practicable, to cause to be erected on said lot, a suitable
house of worship to be dedicated to the worship of Almighty
God, for the accommodation of the members and friends of
the African M. E. Church; or so soon as a sufficient amount
of money shall be subscribed, for which books will be opened
and collectors appointed.
Resolved,, That in order to carry the foregoing into effect,
we do agree to appoint a Purchasing and Building Commit¬
tee, or Board of Managers, consisting of a chairman, secre¬
tary and treasurer, together with not less than five nor more
than seven other managers, to consist of members and
friends, who shall have power to do whatever they deem
most proper to facilitate the objects of the foregoing conclu¬
sions. They shall meet at least once a month or whenever
the chairman and secretary, etc., deem necessary, at such
time and place as may be deemed expedient for the transac¬
tion of any business in relation to the objects hereof. They
shall have power to make their own rules, prepare subscrip¬
tions, appoint collectors (male or female), not exceeding ten,
who shall make their returns weekly to the treasurer and
secretary. They shall also have power to fill any vacancies
that may occur in their body, and do all in their power to
hasten the objects of these resolutions or this meeting; and
when the sum of three or four hundred dollars ($300 or $400)
shall have been subscribed, collected and received, they may
then begin and contract for or cause to be erected the said
house or place of worship.
Resolved, That the treasurer and secretary be a joint
office, and the person elected shall before entering upon the
duties of his office give satisfactory security to the Board for
the faithful performance of his trust. He shall deposit all
money coming into his hands for safe keeping, in such a
bank as the Board may direct, subject alone to their order,
signed by the chairman, secretary and treasurer, for the pay¬
ment of such accounts or appropriations as they themselves
may approve.
Resolved, That nothing herein contained shall at all
lessen our zeal for tlie deliverance of Israel Church from the
present debt due to the Bank of Washington, or lessen our
contributions thereto.
The resolutions being presented after some debate there¬
on, between John F. Cooke, in favor, and John Freeman,
against, together with some remarks by the chairman and
secretary, it was, on motion of Mr. Chas. Stewart, seconded
by B. Patterson and others, almost unanimously
Resolved, That the resolutions presented by Mr. John F.
Cook be received and adopted.
The meeting then proceeded to the election of the com¬
mittee or Board of Managers called for in the resolutions
above. Whereupon, by the several nominations, the follow¬
ing were duly and unanimously chosen:
Chas. Stewart, Chairman; Jno. F. Cooke, Secretary and
Treasurer; Titus Grant, Alfred A.Cooke, Henry Grey, Basil
Patterson, Isaac Taylor, Managers.
On motion it was unanimously
Resolved, That the Board already chosen have power to
elect the other two whenever they deem necessary.
On motion of Mr. Titus Grant, seconded by A. A. Cooke,
it was
Resolved, That the secretary, etc., be requested to pre¬
pare ten subscription books by the next meeting of the
Board, to be given to the collectors that may then be ap¬
pointed.
On motion of John F. Cooke the meeting then ad¬
journed,—the chairman to call a meeting of the Board as
soon as convenient. Titus Grant, Chairman,
Alfred A. Cooke, Secretary.
July 24, 1838.—The Board met agreeable to the call, of
their chairman. Present: Charles Stewart, A. A. Cooke, T.
Grant, Isaac Taylor and John F. Cooke.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read by the
secretary, after which the treasurer, Mr. John F. Cooke, pre¬
sented his bond signed by himself, A. A. Cooke and Charles
Stewart, which was on motion received and approved; Titus
Grant dissenting. After which the following persons were
nominated and confirmed by the Board as Collectors, viz:
— 120 —
(1) Charles Stewart, (10) Titus Grant, (6) Alfred Cooke,
Basil Patterson, (2) Samuel Holland, Lethee Tanner, Harriet
Taylor, Henry Grey, (4) John P. Cooke.
They took the books numbered as their names, after
which it was ordered that the chairman and secretary have
power to give out to the number of ten, subscription papers
to such persons as they may approve.
It was on motion agreed that the Bank of Washington
is conceived to be the most safe bank at present for the de¬
pository of the funds of this Board.
On motion adjourned.
JohnF. Cooke, Sec'y and Treas'r.
October 2,1838.—The Board or Committee on Purchas¬
ing Ground and Building Church, met agreeable to the call
of the chairman. Present: C. Stewart, T. Grant, A. Cooke,
B. Patterson and J. Cooke.
The books of the collectors were examined and it appeared that
Charles Stewart had subscribed on book $38 00 Rec'd $ 1 00
Lethee Tanner " " 35 50 "
Titus Grant " " 10 00 "
Alfred A. Cooke " " 2 00 "
John F. Cooke " " 10 00 " 10 00
Total —$95 00 $11 00
The following resolution was then presented 011 motion
of Alfred Cooke and seconded by Titus Grant:
Resolved, That Mrs. Harriet Taylor having wilfully tran¬
scended her power as collector given her by this Board, by
collecting money afar unauthorized, therefore she is no longer
considered a collector; and the secretary he and is hereby
requested to use immediate means to get the hook from her,
together with what money she may have collected.
The secretary then presented a bill against the Board
for the sum of three dollars (3.00), being paid cash by him.—
For surveying lot, $2.00; for blank hook and paper, $1.00 ;
total, $3.00; which was audited, and on motion of A. A. Cooke
and seconded by T. Grant, ordered to be allowed and paid.
On motion of Alfred Cooke, seconded by B. Patterson,
it was
1»7 —
Resolved, That Charles Stewart, John F. Cooke and
Titus Grant be and are hereby appointed and requested to
represent the interest and object of the Board in the next
Quarterly Conference of Israel Church.
On motion adjourned.
J. F. Cooke, See'y and Treas'r.
action of the annual conference of baltimore district at
washington city, april 28, 1840.
" This is to certify that the following is a true extract of
the proceedings of the Annual Conference of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church for this district in relation to
the Union Bethel Church, for the western part of the city of
Washington. Brother John F. Cooke presented and read a
petition, of which the following is a true copy :
Union Bethel Society, Washington City, April 18,1888.
To Rev. Morris Brown, Bishop of the A. 31. E. Church ;
This petition cometh respectfully greeting: We, the un¬
dersigned of the A. M. E. Church in this the western part of
the city members of Washington, finding the distance be¬
tween us and Israel Church too great and ill convenient for
our enjoyment of all privileges thereof, and there being
many other members and friends of the connection of the
same opinion and laboring under the same disadvantages,
believing that it would be a great acquisition to the cause of
God, and the connection in general; we have therefore
thought proper to draft and adopt a constitution and orga¬
nize a church by the election of trustees, stewards and other
church officers, as you will perceive by. the journal of our
proceedings, as will be shown by our secretary, under the
name and title of the 'Union Bethel Church,' by which we will
be known and distinguished, and having adopted the Dis¬
cipline of the African M. E. Church of the United States.
We, the subscribers, do therefore humbly pray to be received
and acknowledged by you, the Bishop, and the Annual Con¬
ference now in session in this city, and for the welfare of the
connection your petitioners will humbly pray.
Signed,
Charles Stewart, Titus Grant, Alfred Cooke,
John F. Cooke, J as. li.. Brown, Basil Lancaster,
Trustees.
After much debate, the petition was, on motion, read a
second time, when on motion of Brother Levan Lee, seconded
by several, the following resolution was adopted without a
dissenting voice, viz :
Resolved, That the prayer of petitioners be granted, pro¬
viding it does not involve this conference in any way.
In behalf of the Conference,
Levin Lee, Morris Brown,
Secretary of Conference. Bishop A. 31. E. C.
Building of Metropolitan A. M. E. Church commenced
Wednesday, 7:80 a. m., September 14, 1888, Rev. John W.
Stevenson, pastor.
Board of Trustees—Andrew Twine, Vice-Chairman;
Henry Wigginton, George R. Dowlay, John Shorter, William
Becket, Geo. C. Brown, William L. Freeman, Loyad Ander¬
son, John A. Simns, Secretary.
Building Committee:—John A. Simns, Andrew Twine,
George R. Dowlay.
When the church was finished John Shorter had died,
William L. Freeman had left and joined the Plymouth Con¬
gregational Church and Loyad Anderson had joined the Cen¬
tral M. E. Church, and the Board was as follows:
Andrew Twine, Henry Wigginton, George R. Dowlay,
William Becket, Jeremiah Johnson, Henry Wood, James
Washington, Walter F. Hyson, John Simns, Secretary of
Board and Chairman of the Building Committee.
And thus we see, dear brothers and sisters, how we have
grown, for it was actually a handful of corn in the earth
which has grown to be one of the leading denominations
in the District of Columbia amongst our people. This
organization had its commencement in the house, as I am in¬
formed, of the mother of Brother John A. Simns. Mrs.
Louisa Peters is the oldest African Methodist in this Dis¬
trict, and she is the oldest member of this branch of the
church. Mrs. Peters used to ride from Georgetown on horse¬
back to church. A slave brother by the name of Robert
McKerson did more to bring about the organization of Union
Bethel Church than any other person. Although he did not
dare*to let his action be known, yet he acted well and did
his part well.
— m —
The Baltimore Annual Conference of 1840 met April
13th, in Washington City, D. C. A petition was presented
by John F. Cooke, one of the trustees of Union Bethel
Church located in the western part of the city of Washing¬
ton, informing the conference that they reorganized them¬
selves into a church under the above title, having elected
trustees, stewards and other officers and adopted the discip¬
line of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and humbly
prayed that the conferenee would acknowledge them as a
church. After adopting the consideration it was resolved,
on motion, that providing it does not involve the conference
in any way, the prayer of the petition be granted. Morris
Brown, Bishop Presiding and Levin Lee, Secretary.
The Union Bethel Church, of Washington, D. C., began
its work and become connected with the Annual Conference
in 1840. John F. Cooke, the local preacher and the leader
of the church, with John A. Simns and James A. Shorter,
were the principal leaders in this movement. In 1840 and
1841 the little chnrch grew and became strong.
The following is a list of ministers who have served this
church since 1842:
1842.
1843.
1844.
1845.
1846.
1848.
1849.
1850.
1851.
1852.
1853.
1854.
1855.
1856.
1857.
1858.
1859.
1860.
1861.
1862.
1863.
Clinton Durham.
Edward Waters.
Adam S. Driver.
Adam S. Driver.
Thomas W. Henry.
A. W. Wayman.
William Moore.
William Moore.
A*W* Way maut
Morgan
James A. Handy.
George T. Watkins.
1871. D. P. Seaton.
1872. Daniel Draper.
1873. Daniel Draper.
1874. Richard Hall.
1875. J. S. Thompson.
1876. J. S. Thompson.
1877. George W. Broacly.
1878. George W. Broady.
1879. George W. Broady.
1880. John W. Stephenson.
1881. John W. Stephenson.
1882. James A. Handy.
1883. James A. Handy.
1884. James A. Handy.
1885. George T. Watkins.
1886. T. G. Steward.
1887. T. G. Steward.
1888. John G. Mitchell.
1889. John G. Mitchell.
1890. John W. Becket.
1891. John W. Becket.
— no —
1864. J. D. S. Hall. 1892.
1865. J. D. S. Hall. 1893.
1866. James A. Handy. 1894.
1867. James A. Handy. 1895.
1868. R. A. Hall. 1896.
1869. R. A. Hall. 1897.
1870. D. P. Seaton. 1898.
John W. Becket
John T. Jenifer.
John T. Jenifer.
John T. Jenifer.
J. A. Johnson.
J. A. Johnson.
J. A. Johnson.
EXPENSES OF LOAN 1893 AND MORTGAGE OF
1893, BENJAMIN W. ARNETT, TRUSTEE.
To expense of loan on church property, situate on M street,
N. W., between 15th and 16th streets.
To appraisement $ 10 00
To Commission at 2% on $26,000 520 00
To drawing 3 Releases, 1 Deed of Trust, Af¬
fidavits, resolutions and services at tax
office, etc 35 00
To notary fees on all papers 10 00
To extra trip to Philadelphia, as per agree¬
ment 25 00
To Fire Insur'ce, $40,000 for 5 yrs. at $1.60 640 00
Title Company Bill:
To Examination and Insurance of Title $ 100 00
To Tax Certificates (4 at 50 cents each) 2 00
To drawing 1 Deed of Trust and 1 Release... 10 00
To recording 4 Releases, 1 Deed of Trust, etc. 7 00
Old Deeds of Trust:
To principal on first Deed of Trust $10,000 00
To principal on second Deed of Trust 15,000 00
Interest due on both Deeds of Trust:
To interest due on first Deed of Trust $ 391 67
To interest due on second Deed of Trust 177 50
>1,240 00
119 00
25,000 00
569 17
Total $26,928 17
Amount of new loan on church is 26,000 00
Shortage to be made up by the Trustees $ 928 17
Account settled as above,
F. H. Smith & Sons,
ADDITIONAL EXPENSES.
Additional interest to Mr. Dearing
To Mr. Edmonson, additional recording, etc
Recording Conference Deed of Trust
$
2 5O
4 25
3 5°
Disbursements at Title C©
To Mr. Morsell
To Mr. Dearing
$ 938 42
$ 9,000 00 Am't of Loan 26,000 00
6,180 00
To Mutual Fire Insurance Co.. 10,391 67
To Colombia Title Insur'ce Co 123 25 Short
To F. H. Smith & Sons L243 08
$26,938 42
42
$26,938 00
$26,938 00
As F. H. Smith & Sons paid for recording the Conference Trial
$3 50, they are 42 cents short which amount is hereby subscribed.
That Whereas, The General Conference at its session
in the year 1872 at Nashville, Tennessee, did ordain that a
Connectional Metropolitan Church should be erected in
Washington, D. C., and
Whereas, The General Conference of 1876, at its ses¬
sion in Atlanta, Georgia, did affirm said order to have built
a Metropolitan Church in said city of Washington, D. C., and
Whereas, The General Conference at its session in 1880,
at St. Louis, Missouri, did reaffirm said order to build a Met¬
ropolitan Church in said city of Washington, D. C., and
Whereas, The said General Conference of 1880, did
order the appropriation of Twent}T Thousand Dollars to as¬
sist in the erection of said Metropolitan Church at Wash¬
ington D. C., and
Whereas, The members and friends of Union Bethel
African Methodist Episcopal Church, Washington, D. C.,
which is the oldest organized body of Christian men and
women in the District of Columbia of the African Methodist
Episcopal Connection, did at the session of the General Con¬
ference of 1884 at Baltimore, Maryland, cite the foregoing
premises and make the following statement by the persons
whose names are thereunto attached.
" We have projected and commenced to build a Connec¬
tional Metropolitan Church upon a piece or lot of ground
know all men by these presents,
— 133 —
fronting north on the south side of M street north, between
Fifteenth and Sixteenth streets west, in the city of Wasliing-
ton, D. C.
The brick and stone work is completed ; the slate roof is
on the building. The work so far has cost ($30,000) Thirty
Thousand Dollars, which has been paid. This does not in¬
clude the cost of ground, the assessed value of which is
($25,000) Twenty-five Thousand Dollars. The church build¬
ing is 80 by 120 feet, with sub-basement for domestic pur¬
poses, a basement story above grade containing Lecture,
Sunday School, Library and Class-rooms. Seating capacity
(3,000) three thousand.
The building contains all the modern improvements—
ventilation, heating, light and water. The cost, ground not
included, ($70,000) Seventy Thousand Dollars, ($30,000) of
which has been paid, leaving a balance of ($40,000) Forty
Thousand Dollars, ($15,000) Fifteen Thousand Dollars of
which must be raised per contract, to complete the building.
We submit for your inspection, the accompanying photo¬
graph, a fac simile of the building as it now stands.
And we, your petitioners, most humbly pray your rever¬
end body to take such action as your godly judgment may
suggest for our aid and assistance in the prosecution and
completion of this, our good, and we trust praiseworthy un¬
dertaking.
And for which we will ever pray.
Signed on behalf of Union Bethel A. M. E. Church,
Washington, D. C., May 12, 1884.
And Whereas, Pursuant to, and in consideration of the
foregoing facts and citations, the General Conference of 1884,
at its session aforesaid, did adopt the following propositions
and recommendations presented by the committee, whose
names are thereunto attached.
Whereas, The General Conference of 1872, did order
the erection of a Metropolitan Church at Washington, D. C.,
and
William Becket,
John Shorter,
George C. Brown,
James Washington,
Andrew Twine,
Walter F. Hyson,
George R. Dolley,
J. T. Harris.
John A. Simms,
Secretary.
James A. Handy,
Pastor.
— 134 —
Whereas, The General Conference of 1880, at St. Louis,
Missouri, did appropriate ($20,000) Twenty Thousand Dollars
to aid and assist in the erection of said Metropolitan Church.
Therefore, We recommend that Union Bethel A. M. E.
Church Society be, and are hereby authorized to build and
erect said church.
We further recommend that (25) twenty-live per cent, of
the appropriation be paid during the year ending April, 1885,
and that (25) twenty-live per cent, be paid every year there¬
after, until the whole amount is paid.
We further recommend that a (5) five cent per capita col¬
lection be lifted in all of our churches this conference year, to
aid said church, the money so collected to be forwarded to
the pastor of said church at Washington, D. C., 1308 Six¬
teenth Street. S. H. Jefferson,
B. W. Arnett,
J. A. Handy.
And Whereas, Acting pursuant to, and within the spirit
and intention of the aforesaid premises and action oi the
General Conference, liev. B. W. Arnett, D.D., Financial Sec¬
retary of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, on behalf
of the Connection, has agreed, per contract, to pay five an¬
nual promissory notes of ($2500) Two Thousand and Five
Hundred Dollars each of the present indebtedness of Union
Bethel Church, and
Whereas, The said Rev. B. W. Arnett, D.D., has also
agreed to pay certain promissory notes of the amount due
on account of the windows of said church.
Therefore, this Indenture, made this seventeenth day of
February, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hun¬
dred and ninety-three, between the undersigned Trustees of
Union Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, of Wash-
ington, D. C., residing in said city, parties of the first part,
and Rev. Benjamin W. Arnett, D.D., now Secretary of the
Bishops' Council, and his successor, residing in Wilberforce,
Ohio, party of the second part,
Witnesseth, That it is hereby agreed by the parties of the
first part that all the money that has been, and will hereafter
be paid by the party of the second part, on the promissory
notes of $2500 each, mentioned in the foregoing recitals, and
the interest thereon, shall be credited to the account of the
— 135 —
($20,000) Twenty Thousand Dollars appropriated by the
General Conference aforesaid.
And Whereas, The several Annual Conferences of the
aforesaid Connection have promised to pay to the parties of
the first part, certain sums of money to defray the expenses
on the windows of Union Bethel Church.
Therefore, This Indenture witnesseth that it is further
agreed by the parties of the first part, that all the money re¬
ceived by them from the several annual conferences afore¬
said, on account of said windows, shall be paid over to the
said party of the second part until a sufficient sum shall be
paid to reimburse the said party for all that he has paid, or
may hereafter pay, on account of said windows.
Provided, That if the amount paid to the parties of the
first part by the Annual Conferences aforesaid is not sufficient
to reimburse the party of the second part, in this behalf, the
balance due said party of the second part shall be credited
to the account of the ($20,000) Twenty Thousand Dollars ap¬
propriated by the General Conference aforesrid.
And in consideration of the relation that exists between
Union Bethel A. M. E. Church, as the Metropolitan Church
aforesaid, and the African Methodist Episcopal Church Con¬
nection, it is further agreed that all the. money paid hereun¬
der, by the partj7 of the second part, shall be held by Union
Bethel A. M. E. Church as a loan without interest for ten
years, and afterwards at such rate of interest as may be
agreed upon by the parties of the first and second part, or
their successors.
And also, for the aforesaid consideration it is agreed that
the payment of the principal of said loan shall never be de¬
manded, so long as the property located as described in the
foregoing recitals, and now known as the place of worship of
Union Bethel A. M. E. Church shall remain in the lawful
possession of members of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church and the society itself submit to the discipline and
government of the said church. But if the property afore¬
said should pass out of the possession and ownership of the
persons aforesaid, it is agreed by the parties of the first part
that the aforesaid ($20,000) Twenty Thousand Dollars, with
interest at six per cent, per annum from and after May first,
one thousand eight hundred and ninety-six,shall be refunded
to the aforesaid Financial Board or to such agents as the
— 136 —
General Conference, or Board of Bishops may appoint, said
money to be expended in the educational work of the Con¬
nection, under the direction of the Board governing the same.
Now This Indenture Witnesseth that the said parties of
the first part for the better securing the payment of the said
sum of money mentioned in the aforesaid condition, with
interest thereon, according to the true intent and meaning
thereof, and also in consideration of the sum of one dollar to
them in hand paid by the said party of the second part, at or
before the unsealing and delivery of these presents, the re¬
ceipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have granted, bar¬
gained, assigned, transferred, and pledged, and by these presents
do grant, bargain, assign, tra?isfer and pledge unto the party of
second part, the estate or premises fronting north on the
south side of M Street north, between Fifteenth and Six¬
teenth Streets west, constituting the present place of wor¬
ship of Union Bethel Church, together with all and singular,
the edifices, buildings, rights, privileges and appurtenances
thereunto belonging or in any way appertaining.
To Have and, to Hold, the said premises to his own proper
use, benefit and behalf. Provided always, and these presents
are made upon this express condition, that if the said parties
of the first part shall well and truly pay unto the said party
of the second part, or his successors, the said sum of money
mentioned in the condition aforesaid, and the interest there¬
on, according to the true intent and meaning thereof, that
then, and from thenceforth, these presents, and the estate
hereby granted and pledged, shall cease, terminate and be
null and void, anything hereinbefore contained, to the con¬
trary, in anywise, notwithstanding.
And if default shall be made in payment of the said sum
of money above mentioned, or in the interest which may
accrue thereon from and after the date aforesaid, or of any
part of either, that then, and from thenceforth, it shall be
lawful for the said party of the second part, or his successors
to enter upon, take possession of, and hold the said property
with all the right, title and interest in and to the same, of
the said parties of the first part, which entrance upon and
taking possession of the said property so to be made, shall be
a perpetual bar, both in law and equity, against the said
parties of the first part and their successors, and against all
persons claiming, or that may claim the premises, or any part
thereof, until the said $20,000 shall have been paid.
1 T'V
— loi —
In witness whereof, the said parties of the first part to
these presents have hereunto set their hands and seals the
day and year first above written.
Thomas H. Wright, [Seal], John A. Simns, [Seal],
William Beckett, [Seal], George C. Brown, [Seal],
Alex. II. Brooks, [Seal], James Kicks, [Seal",
Morris Honesty, [Seal], William II. Turley, [Seal],
Prince A. Gaines, [Seal],
Trustees of Union Bethel A. M. E. Church.
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of
E. Qitincy Smith.
District of Columbia, ss.
I, E. Quincy Smith, a Notary Public, in and for the Dis¬
trict aforesaid do hereby certify that Thomas II. Wright,
William Beckett, Alexander II. Brooks, Morris Honesty,
Prince A. Gaines, John A. Simns, Sr., George C. Brown,
James Kicks and William II. Turley, Trustees of the Union
Bethel A. M. E. Church, parties to a certain deed, hearing
date on the seventeenth day of February A. D. 1893, and here¬
unto annexed, personally appeared before me in the District
aforesaid, the said Thomas II. Wright, William Beckett,
Alexander II. Brooks, Morris Honesty, Prince A. Gaines,
John A. Simns, Sr., George C. Brown, James Ricks and
William H. Turley being personally well known to me to be
the persons who executed the said deed, and acknowledged
the same to he their act and deed.
Given under my hand and notarial seal, this seventeenth
day of February A. D. 1893.
E. Quincy Smith, Notary Public.
The above is a history of the connection of the General
Church with the Metropolitan Church according to the laws
passed by the General Conference, and the rules and regula¬
tions adopted by the Financial Board. It is with much
pleasure that I present this statement to the Bishops and to
the Church.
I am yours for God and the Race,
Benjamin W. Arnett.
QUADRENNIAL SERMON DELIVERED BY RT.
REV. W. J. GAINES, D.D.„ MAY, 1893.
My brethren of the General Conference, we come this
morning according to appointment of our colleagues to de¬
liver the Quadrennial Sermon, which is directed to the mem¬
bers of the Conference ministers and members of the church,
yet in a general way we take in all the world.
The text is contained in the 3d chapter of Galatians,
28-29 verses, and Ephesians 4th chapter and 31-32 verses :
" There is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, there
is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if ye be Christ's then ye are Abraham's seed, and heirs
according to promise."
Ephesians 4, 31-32:
" Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor,
and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice.
And be ye kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one
another even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you."
That which occupied the apostles attention most was
the preaching. The one who dwells not simply in Temples
but in the hearts of the children of men.
He here reads from notes.
All temptations and wickedness is substantially alike.
The same problem everywhere in the human family alike.
Our common enemies are ignorance, avarice, lust and poverty.
These are a few of the list that we mention and which amount
to great importance to us. We must teach the people the
evil tendencies of these, and this work grows more important
every day, and everywhere the strong nations are being
brought face to face with weak ones. Commerce exacts
selfish interests among the nations of the earth as great im¬
provements in science and art brings the world and its gor-
•ernments and people in closer and more familiar terms. Then
as the uttermost points of the globe come nearer together, is
the circulation of the thought and actions, it is a fact that
the earth is no more divided, but brought into unity.
— ihh —
Thus is it important that Christian men come together
and enjoy feelings and affections, express a common father¬
hood, brotherhood, and a common suffering in this sinful
world among sinful men. My brethren this is that common
feeling among men which should be realized because they
are brethren more united than ever.
Paul^represented the world as groaning, travailing in
pain for want of this feeling of brotherly love. This broth¬
erhood does not mean partial equality among men.
intellect.
It is intellect, affection with the information which must
necessarily be possessed to make us know each other as we
should. And with these in whom these affections center
may be found the strength of the strong and the weakness
of the weak combined. There is nothing in the household
so strong as the weakness of the cradle. The babe in the
cradle when it cries calls the attention of the household.
There is nothing more strong in the household than the
weakness of the aged mother and the aged father; where is
the son or daughter whose heart is not touched with sympa¬
thy seeing father and mother sitting down in weakness. Man¬
hood and youth both bow and honor that which is weak.
Members of the General Conference, is there anything
in this household of our A. M. E. Church that we should re¬
ceive and honor as these venerable fathers, Bishops Payne,
Wayman, Ward and Brown? They sit here trembling in
chairs and cannot labor and toil as in times past. I ask this
morning let all the strength and virtue and manliness rise up
in defense of these fathers. [Amen.] Nor should it stop
there, but this should be the spirit of the whole Christian
Church, there should be the enlisting of strength- in behalf
of the human family.
Brethren let us remember that knowledge, refinement,
culture, in strong men are so many features of the means by
which weak men are bound to strong ones. Strong men bind
weak ones and hold them in the course of duty and right
until we have connected what Christ gives,
"the will."
The level of the will is to be sought, for the individual
in the language of the text in which it is held there is neither
Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, but one in Christ Jesus.
— U+o —
relative subordination.
But again, brethren, relative subordination for the larger
outweighs the less. The larger thinker takes precedent over
the smaller thinker. And yet there must continue absolute
brotherhood among us, among all men. Yet each man may
be faithful where God has called him to work.
Again brethren should not.be possessed with any feeling
of unkindness about promotion. If that should be the spirit
of the natural world all the fields of grass might become
trees. The cherries on the trees might aspire to be peaches.
Should the oaks'of the forest bend down their heads, that
would not make the grass grow any higher. Grass is grass,
and trees are trees, have been and will be until Jesus comes.
Yo kind of rule on the part of one will make it equal with
the other.
The destruction of the rich would not make the poor
rich. Let the strong men of the Conference and the weak
men bind themselves together in. Christian conclave, let there
be 110 division among us.
Our text implies the fact that every man should be in¬
spired with sympathy and true benevolence for other men.
What is good for the strong ought also to be exerted in the
interest of the weak. What is good for me is good for my
family. Thus do,I firmly believe in one family, one church,
one with God. God increase our faith.
the bishops.
Take the First District, financial increases, souls saved,
Africa connected; thank God. [Applause.]
Bishop Campbell was one of the greatest gospel preachers
of his day. When I think of him I think that leaves have
their time to fall and flowers to wither at the north wind's
breath. Bishop Campbell was a light, but death like death
reveals a shining light. Campbell was one of the greatest
gospel preachers. While we continne the work of preaching
my brethren, his breathless spirit looks upon us.
The Third District, under Bishop Daniel A. Payne, has
succeeded more in doing his own way for Africa than- all of
us he might say. God bless the Bishop. Bishop Tanner
said one day we can not do without liim. God bless the ven¬
erable Bishop.
Fourth District, John M. Brown. All honor to the
Christian leader that stirred up the people of the wild west
and gained such grand results. Bishop Ward, the financier,
can speak to-day in the eloquence of his prime.
Sixth District. Silent.
Seventh District, Bishop B. W. Arnett has brought
members to the church, built up churches, schools and col¬
leges. He needs no praise from me, I speak especially of
the fathers.
Ninth District, under Bishop A. Grant, a workman of
whom we are not ashamed.
Tenth District, A. W. Wayman. The flying eagle of
the church, his voice is heard with us; he is raised up. As
Bishop Ward said, " from the grave."
The Eleventh District, under B. T. Tanner. Bishop
Tanner has stood at his post and accomplished as much
work as any other Bishop could have accomplished; I stand
in his defense.
Let us trust God, my brethren, do our duty and not¬
withstanding all these glorious triumphs, boast in the name
of Christ that stood before Pilate's bar. That Christ con¬
victed in the night, led out on calvary, raised between the
heavens and the earth. That Christ who suffered and died
and who wTas raised triumphant from the grave, chained
death and hell.
Be of good cheer my brethren, through him our victory
shall be achieved. Amen ! Amen !