A Short Account of the Rise and Progress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in America

Front matter

A

SHORT ACCOUNT

of the

Apology for Writing

AN APOLOGY FOR WRITING,

Conscious of my inability for so important a work as the following, in consequence of a very limited education, I have no doubt but that there may be many defects found, especially in this age of learning; but, as my intention was not to set forth a show of rhetorical flourishes, but a concise view of the subject, as the nature of things would admit, it is hoped, therefore, should any defects be found, that a generous public will make allowance, as the nature of the case may to them seem to demand.

I am, yours,

C. RUSH.

Preface

PREFACE.

The design of this Treatise is to present to the view of the members of the Church in particular, and the public in general, the manner in which the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was formed and established in the city of New-York, and how she became the Mother Church of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in America, and her Rise and Progress; also, to give a view of my thoughts and knowledge of the subject of Church Government, as an Episcopal Church, shewing, for the satisfaction of the ministers and members especially, and the public in general, that the "African Methodist Episcopal Church in America," is founded upon as good basis as any Church in the United States of America. And supposing that this view will come in contact with the opinions of some who may differ on the subject of Episcopacy, I wish it to be distinctly understood that it is done without any bad feelings towards any of the brethren, or any of our sister Churches who are not connected with us, nor with any intention to exalt my opinion above others; but purposely to give my views upon Scripture testimonies and upon the writings of some of the best authors on the subject of Church Government, and I shall feel willing they should undergo an impartial investigation.

This method will also show to all who may desire information on the subject of proper or authentic organization of Church Government, relative to Episcopacy, that we did not spring up like mushroons, (as some unfriendly persons would like to have it published and believed, to suit their own purposes,) but that we came in possession of that title by deliberate gradation, and have as good right as any other Episcopal Church, to be styled the "African Methodist Episcopal Church in America."

In the prosecution of this work I shall naturally labour under many disadvantages, and therefore cannot promise to give an account of every particular circumstance which took place, especially in the formation and establishment of Zion Church in the city of New-York, as forty-four years have passed away since the commencement, and many transactions which might have been pleasing to relate, have passed away with them, there having been no record kept of them by any person, and the memory being too weak to retain them. But I purpose to give some of the leading and most essential circumstances, which occurred during the progression, so far as may be in my power, in order to make this concise narration as interesting as my limited means will admit.

Hoping and praying that the undertaking may give satisfaction to all into whose hands it may come, I close by subscribing myself your sincere brother in the Lord and well-wisher,

CHRISTOPHER RUSH.

Chapter 1

A

SHORT ACCOUNT

of the

RISE AND PROGRESS

of the

African Methodist Episcopal Church

IN AMERICA.

CHAPTER I.

Of the Formation and Establishment of Zion Church.

In the year 1796, when the coloured members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the city of New-York became increased, and feeling a desire for the privilege of holding meetings of their own, where they might have an opportunity to exercise their spiritual gifts among themselves, and thereby be more useful one to the other, a few of the most intelligent of our brethren obtained permission from Bishop Francis Asbury, to hold meetings by them-selves, in the intervals of the regular preaching hours of our white brethren, in the best manner they could. The names of some of the men who went forward in this dawning of. religious privileges, were Francis Jacobs, William Brown, Peter Williams, Abraham Thompson, June Scott, Samuel Pontier, Thomas Miller, William Miller, James Varick, William Hamilton, and some others whose names are not now recollected, who united together, and by some means hired a house in Cross Street, between Mulberry and Orange Streets, which formerly was a stable, but at that time was occupied by William Miller as a cabinet-maker's shop, which house they fitted up with seats and a pulpit, and also a gallery. In this house they held prayer meetings on Sunday afternoons, in the interval of Divine service among our white brethren, between afternoon and evening or night service, and held also preaching and exhorting meetings on Wednesday nights, by such of our coloured brethren that were licensed to preach and exhort. At this time there were, in the city of New-York, three Licensed Preachers, viz. Abraham Thompson, June Scott and Thomas Miller, and William Miller, Exhorter, who officiated as they had opportunity, and once in a while they were aided by coloured preachers from Philadelphia and other places. In this way they continued until some time in the year 1799, when the number of coloured members, of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the city of New-York, became further increased, and as the seats in the church among our white brethren were limited, they began to think about building a House of Worship for themselves, and to form themselves into a body corporate, separate from the white church, according to the privilege granted to religious societies by the laws of the state of New- York. For this purpose they called a meeting of some of the most respectable and intelligent religious coloured men of the city, in order to consult upon the best method to proceed in this great undertaking, for coloured people in the city of New-York.

The meeting was held in their Meeting-house in Cross Street, but the names of the persons who attended this meeting are not now recollected, as the minutes have not been preserved ; we can only add, from strength of memory, to those already given in the commencement, George E. Moore, Thomas Sipkins, David Bias, George White, Thomas Cook, John Teesman, and George Collins. After they had duly considered the object of the meeting, they concluded that theChurch should be under the Methodist government, and should be named the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. They then appointed nine Trustees, to attend to the business of the Church and getting up the house of worship, among whom were Francis Jacobs, William Brown, Thomas Miller, Peter Williams, Thomas Sipkins, William Hamilton, and George Collins ; the names of the others are at present forgotten. Francis Jacobs was appointed Chairman of the Board of Trustees; Thomas Miller, Treasurer, and George Collins, Secretary. The Trustees then issued subscriptions, and solicited the citizens of New-York for aid to build the contemplated house for religious worship; and when they had collected eighty dollars, they deposited the same in the hands of the Treasurer, Thomas Miller, and being anxious to commence the operation of building, they immediately appointed him to go forward and procure a spot of ground for that purpose. According to appointment, the Treasurer, Thomas Miller, purchased a lot of ground, twenty-five feet front and seventy-five or one hundred feet deep, in Orange Street, between Cross and Chatham Streets, for which he paid the eighty dollars on account, and obtained a deed for the same, in his own name; but upon examination it was found that it was not a suitable place to erect a church, for the purpose contemplated, especially when they found that he would not consent to have the deed altered, which caused much dissatisfaction in the minds of the Trustees; and being thus disappointed, (but not discouraged,) Francis Jacobs, who was appointed Chairman of the Trustees, being a very intelligent man and of good repute, undertook the procuring a suitable place for the Church, and for this purpose he consulted with William Brown, who united with him, and they went forward and obtained two lots of ground, each twenty-five feet front and seventy-five feet deep, situate at the corner of Church and Leonard Streets, and fronting on Church Street, which circumstance renewed the courage of the Trustees, who agreed to accept the said ground, and resolved upon its being a suitable place for the contemplated building.

The lots of ground being now procured and agreed upon to be the place where the Church, or house of worship, should be erected, the Trustees took fresh courage, and joyfully renewed their efforts to collect money for that purpose. They therefore went forward with their subscription books, and solicited the public generally for aid in this great and laudable work, for the benefit of coloured people, in the city of New-York, and in the month of September, or October, of the year 1800, they effected a framed building, on the aforesaid spot of ground, thirty-five feet wide and forty-five feet long, which was dedicated for the House of God, and named the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.

Chapter 2

CHAPTER II.

Of the Charter and of the Articles of Agreement with the White General Conference.

When our white brethren, the Ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, found that we were determined upon becoming a separate body, or society, they appointed the Rev. John McClaskey, at their General Conference, who was one of the stationed Elders for the Methodist Episcopal Church in the city of New-York, to make arrangements and effect some articles of agreement with us for our government, in order that the spiritual part of the government might be under the direction of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church from time to time, and so keep the two Churches or Societies in union with each other, and secure to the aforesaid General Conference the ecclesiastical part of the government. The Rev. John McClaskey, being a man of friendly disposition towards us, commenced his mission by giving us some friendly advice, and aided to draw up the instrument of writing, which was necessary to present to the Master in Chancery, in order to obtain our Incorporation; which, with the Articles of Agreement, we will give from the original, as follows:

CHARTER OF THE AFRICAN CHURCH.

In pursuance of an Act, entitled an Act, to enable all the religious denominations of this State to appoint Trustees, who shall be a body corporate, for the purpose of taking care of the temporalities of their respective congregations, and for other purposes therein mentioned; passed the 6th day of April, 1784; public notice was given, in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (called Zion Church) of the city of New-York, in the state of New-York, as the aforesaid law directs: and we, the subscribers, being nominated and appointed agreeably to the aforesaid Act, Inspectors of an Election held in our place of meeting, the eighth day of September, 1800, do report and declare the following persons duly elected by a plurality of voices, to serve as Trustees for the said Church, viz., Francis Jacobs, George Collins, Thomas Sipkins, George E. Moore, George White, David Bias, Peter Williams, Thomas Cook, and William Brown; which said persons, so elected, and their successors in office, shall forever be styled and denominated The Trustees of the Corporation of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the city of New-York.

Given under our hands and seals, this fifth day of February, one thousand eight hundred and one.

his PETER x WILLIAMS. mark. FRANCIS JACOBS.

State of New-York, ss.

On this sixteenth day of February, 1801, before me personally came, Peter Williams and Francis Jacobs, to me known to be the persons within described, and who executed the within conveyance, who duly acknowledged the same—and there being no material erasures or inter-lineations therein, I do allow it to be recorded.

(signed) JAMES M. HUGHES,

Master in Chancery.

Recorded in the office of the Clerk of the city and county of New-York, in Lib. No. I, of Record of Incorporation of Religious Denominations, page 28, this ninth day of March, 1801. Examined by

(signed) ROBERT BENSON, Clerk.

ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT,

Made the sixth day of April, 1801, between the Rev. John McClaskey, in behalf of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the United States of America, of the one part, and the Trustees of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, in the city of New-York, of the other part, sheweth, for themselves and their successors in office:

article i.

It is provided and declared that the style and title of this Corporation shall be the "The African Methodist Episcopal Church of the city of New- York, in the state of New York," and shall consist of Francis Jacobs, George Collins, Thomas Sipkins, George E. Moore, George White, David Bias, Peter Williams, Thomas Cook and William Brown, Trustees and Members of Zion Church, and their successors, duly qualified, elected and appointed according to law (for the purposes and with the powers and privileges hereinafter granted and specified) of the Church called Zion Church, and of all and every such other church and churches as do now or hereafter shall become the property of the Corporation.

article ii.

The Corporation aforesaid and their successors for ever, do, and shall have and hold the said building called Zion Church, and all other churches which are now or shall become the property of the Corporation, in trust, for the religious use of the Ministers and Preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who are in connection with the General Conference of the said church, and likewise for our African brethren and the descendants of the African race, as hereafter specified, and also for Ministers and Teachers of our African brethren, duly licensed or ordained according to the form of discipline.

article iii.

It is provided and declared, that the rents, issues, profits and interests of the real and personal estate, of and belonging to the said Church and Trustees, and their successors, shall from time to time be applied and laid out for repairing and maintaining their said Zion Church, and all and any other place or places of public worship, lot or lots of ground, burial grounds, or buildings which now do, or at any time hereafter may or shall belong to the said Church or Trustees, as shall from time to time be thought proper and expedient, by the Trustees for the time being; and if the funds and revenues be sufficient, the Trustees may and shall be permitted, in their own discretion, to allow a reasonable and proportionable part for the support of the Ministers.

article iv.

It is provided and declared, that the said Trustees and their successors shall not, by deed or otherwise, grant, alien, convey, or otherwise dispose of any part or parcel of the estate, real or personal, in the said Corporation, vested or to be vested, or in any other way to mortgage or pledge the said real estate, for the payment of any debts by them contracted to any person or persons whatever, unless such grant, alienation and conveyance, be made by and with the consent of two-thirds of the regular male members of the said church, of at least twenty-one years of age, and one year's standing.

article v.

It is provided and declared, that none but Africans or their descendants shall be chosen as Trustees of the said African Episcopal Zion Church, and such other church or churches as may or shall hereafter become the property of this Corporation, and none shall be eligible to the office of a Trustee, but such as are received and acknowledged to be members of the said church, by the elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the city of New-York, who shall be appointed by the Conference of the said church, to the charge of the Methodist Society in the said city.

article vi.

All elections for Trustees for the aforesaid Zion Church, shall be by ballot of the male members, in close communion with them, or as many of them as attend, after being duly warned thereto; and no one shall have a right to vote for Trustees, until he has been a member standing in full connection, one year at least: and no person shall be chosen a Trustee of the said Corporation, until the said person shall have been a member in full connection and standing, at least two years. And no person shall be admitted into close connection with their classes, or be enrolled on their books, but Africans and descendants of the African race.

article vii.

It is provided and declared, that the Trustees aforesaid, and their successors for ever, are and shall be empowered to have, and shall have the entire direction and disposal of the temporal revenue of the aforesaid African Zion Church; and after paying the ground rent of the said church, are to apply the remainder for the benefit of the said church, as a majority of the aforesaid Trustees and their successors shall from time to time direct. And the aforesaid Trustees and their successors forever, shall have the disposal and management of the temporal concerns of the aforesaid African Methodist Episcopal Church, subject, nevertheless, to the provisions, and under the regulations made and provided in the fourth article of this instrument.

article viii.

It is declared, that the Trustees and members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, do acquiesce and accord with the rules of the Methodist Episcopal Church, for their church government and discipline, and with their creeds and articles of faith; and that they and their successors will continue for ever in union with the Methodist Episcopal Church in the city of New-York, subject to the government of the present Bishops and their successors, in all their ecclesiastical affairs and transactions, (except in the temporal right and property of the aforesaid Zion Church, which is to be governed as herein directed) as long as the said articles and creeds of the said chuch remain unchanged.

article ix.

It is declared, that the Elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church, for the time being, in the City of New-York, appointed as aforementioned, shall have the direction and management of the spiritual concerns of the said Zion Church, or any other church or churches which may or shall be built hereafter by the Corporation aforesaid, or by any other means become their property, agreeably to the form of discipline of the said Methodist Episcopal Church. Provided always that the said Elder shall receive no person into the African Society, but such as are previously recommended by a Trustee or Trustees of the said African Zion Church. And upon complaint being made to the said African Church or to the Elder, of any of its members having walked disorderly, they shall be dealt with according to the form of discipline: provided always, that their triers be members of their own Church, and that the member, if condemned in the first trial, have an appeal to the Trustees, Local Preachers, exhorters and class leaders of the aforesaid Zion Church. And it is further declared, that no person who may come recommended to the Elder from other societies, as a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, shall be admitted or considered as a member of the African Church, if he refuse to have his name registered in the books of the said Zion Church, after notice given him.

article x.

It is agreed and declared that the Elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the city of New-York, appointed as aforesaid, shall from time to time, for ever hereafter, nominate the Preacher who shall officiate in said African Methodist Episcopal Church, and any and all other church or churches, which shall hereafter become the property of the Corporation, and shall attend to the said Church or Churches himself, to administer the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, as often as he the said Elder can make it convenient. And the said Elder, for the time being, shall license to exhort and preach, any one or more of the brethren, who are or shall be members of the said church, and shall appear, to the satisfaction of the said Elder, to be adequate to the task, and to have grace and gifts proper to appear in public: Provided always, that such persons are previously recommended to him by a majority of the Trustees, local preachers, exhorters and class leaders of the aforesaid church. And if either of the said African brethren shall graduate into holy orders, it shall be done in such manner and way as the General Conference has directed. And it is provided and agreed, that the said Elder may claim, for himself and his white brethren, and shall have and possess a right to preach once on every Sunday, and once during the course of the week (and no more when there is a sufficient number of African Preachers) in any or all the houses set apart and built, or to be set apart and built, by the aforesaid Trustees or their successors, of the said African Zion Church, in the city and suburbs of New York.

article xi.

It is provided and declared, that no powers and authorities hereby given to the aforementioned Trustees, shall be understood, taken or construed in any wise to prohibit or prevent the Elder for the time being, duly authorised and appointed as aforesaid, the religious use, benefit and enjoyment of the Church known by the name of Zion Church, or of any other church or churches, which at any time hereafter may be purchased or built by the said Corporation, or in any other way become their property, in the city of New- York or the suburbs thereof; but that the same shall be and forever hereafter continue to be had, used and enjoyed by the said Elder for the time being, as heretofore; and by no other person whatever, of another denomination, unless by the particular license and consent of the Elder for the time being, with the concurrence of two-thirds of the Trustees for the time being; any thing to the contrary in these articles notwithstanding.

(signed) FRANCIS JACOBS.

his

THOMAS x SIPKINS.

mark.

GEORGE E. MOORE.

his

GEORGE x WHITE.

mark.

GEORGE COLLINS.

his

PETER x WILLIAMS.

mark.

THOMAS COOK.

his

WILLIAM x BROWN.

mark.

DAVID BIAS.

Having given a copy of our Incorporation, and of the Articles of Agreement between us and the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America, by which rules and regulations our Zion Church was governed from that time down to the year 1820, it may be necessary to state just here, that the lot of ground which was purchased by our brother, Thomas Miller, according to appointment, being found an unfit place to build the Church upon, (and the aforementioned two lots of ground having been obtained, which the Trustees accepted and agreed upon to be the place whereon to build the contemplated house of worship) it was left on his hands—and the aforesaid eighty dollars, which was paid on account of the lot, being money collected from the public, he found himself in an unpleasant situation, and that it was necessary to sell the said lot of ground, in order to regain the eighty dollars which he had paid for the same; therefore, when he had found a purchaser, he requested the trustees to take the lot of ground, and sell it according to authority vested in them by their Incorporation, which they did, and thereby relieved him from censure.

Chapter 3

CHAPTER III.

Of Leasing and Purchasing Ground, &c.

In this place it may be proper, also, to relate that the aforesaid two lots of ground, at the corner of Church and Leonard Streets, were leased for twenty-one years, with the privilege of purchasing them at any time previous to the expiration of that term, the price being fixed and agreed upon for that purpose, and inserted in the Lease, which was dated July 21st, 1800, and the names of the Trustees chosen for the Lease, were Francis Jacobs, William Brown, Thomas Sipkins, George White, George E. Moore, Thomas Cook, George Collins and Peter Williams. The lot of ground adjoining in the rear of the two lots leased as aforesaid, fronting on Leonard Street twenty-five feet, and one hundred feet deep, being offered for sale a while after the Church was built, the Trustees embraced the opportunity and bought it, and having obtained an old house for a small amount, they brought it on the Lot, and repaired and fixed it up, with a little addition, for a dwelling house, which continued in use until the building of the brick house now on the same lot, bearing the No. 62 Leonard Street. In a few years after the building of the aforesaid Church, it was found to be too small for the congregation, so that the Trustees saw it necessary to lengthen the house, and they accordingly added to it fifteen or twenty feet more. The vacant parts of the Lots, which were appropriated for our burying ground, were so small and sandy, that the Trustees were obliged to build vaults for Interments in our Church-yard, and after the city was visited with the Yellow Fever, when the Corporation of the city prohibited the opening of graves and vaults in the thickly inhabited parts of the city, in the summer season, the Trustees applied to them for a place for a burying ground, as the Church was not able to purchase ground for that purpose at that time, and on the 17th August, 1807, the Corporation allotted them a place in the (then) Pottersfield, (which is now called Washington Parade Ground) which the Trustees fenced in, and used in the summer season of every year, until the Corporation of the city thought proper to fill up the said Pottersfield, and improve it as it now is. Then the Trustees purchased some lots of ground at Yorkville, and appropriated seven lots for a burying ground.

A few years previous to the expiration of the aforementioned Lease of the two lots of ground, say in the year 1806, the Rev. John Wilson, having the charge of our Zion Church, by appointment of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Trustees began to make some efforts for raising an amount of money sufficient to make a purchase of the aforesaid two lots of ground, in order to annul the Lease, and secure the lots by obtaining a Deed for them; and in doing this, they were much aided by our Elder in charge, who seemed to take a special interest in the welfare of our Church, by his friendly and brotherly advice from time to time, during his appointment with us, but especially in the case of raising an amount of money for the aforesaid purpose. He advised the Trustees to issue subscriptions for the coloured population, and to get the members of the Church to give a certain amount according to their ability, and he actively enforced the necessity of the contribution, and encouraged the members of the Church in particular, and of the congregation generally to contribute, so that there was a sufficient amount gathered to make the aforesaid purchase, and thereby secured the ground, by obtaining a Deed for the same. This was the first time that our coloured citizens were solicited for aid by subscription for the benefit of the Church, as the Trustees had heretofore confined their solicitations to the white citizens. The lot of ground adjoining on the side of the two that were Leased, which also fronted on Church Street 25 feet, and 75 feet deep, was purchased by the Trustees on the 8th of April, 1801, for $750. The time that was agreed upon for the white Elder to preach in our Zion Church, was on Sunday afternoon and on Wednesday night of every week, except on the days of the administration of the Lord's Supper, then his appointment was on Sunday morning, and was agreed upon to be the second Sunday of every month, because the first Sunday in the month was the time for administering the Sacrament in his own church; and our coloured brethren preached on Sunday mornings and evenings and on Friday nights. The work of the Lord prospered greatly in the church, and the number of members of the Society and of the congregation, continued rapidly to increase, so that the enemy of souls began to be angry at the prosperity of the church, and sought opportunities to hinder her progress. The first attempt he made, was with the two eldest preachers of our Society, viz. Abraham Thompson and June Scott, who were induced by the expectation of filthy lucre to try the formation of a society separate from Zion Church. The manner of the attempt (so far as can be recollected) was as follows: A white man, named John Edwards, a scale-beam maker, who had been a member of the Friends' Society, but had been expelled therefrom, and at this time professed to be a preacher according to the order of the Friends' Society, (and was sometimes a kind of troublesome man, acting as if he did not enjoy his right mind) having a lot of ground in Green Street, No. 101, and being desirous to have a place where he might preach occasionally himself, he aided some coloured men, who applied to him, to build a house upon it for a church, which was so constructed as to have two wings for the residence of the preachers who might become attached to the intended society. Our brother, Abraham Thompson, being made acquainted with the supposed favourable circumstance, and hoping to have, at least, a place of residence gratis, and thereby receive some compensation for his labours as a preacher, he consented to become one of the preachers, and having persuaded brother June Scott, to unite with him, they formed a society which was styled "The Union Society." This position of our old brethren caused the minds of many of the members of Zion Church to be measurably divided and inclined to follow them; but this first stratagem of the enemy soon failed, for when the official members of Zion Church found out the intrigue of the enemy, and was on the eve of expelling all those of her members who were aiding in the formation of the Union Society, Abraham Thompson left June Scott, came forward, and pleaded ignorance in what he was doing, and thus saved his membership in Zion Church, as did all the others that were fearful; but June Scott would not return to Zion—he kept his position until it was found that the Union Society was not able to bear its expenses, and was therefore obliged to give up the premises to the said John Edwards, the owner of the ground. The Society consequently was broken up, and June Scott attached himself to another church.