Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-06-18
A. MI. II. Missionary Meeting.

The Anniversary meeting OF the Missionary So
cety Of the a. NJ. Il. Church, whose Conference
recently concluded its sessions here, was held in
Institute Hall, Thursday evening. The haii was
well filled with people of both colors, though
| the unpleasant weather doubtless kept many
| away who would otherwise have been there, aud
made their presence felt in the missionary collec
tion.
Bishop Campbell, presiding Bishop Of this Dis
trict, presided Bishops Wayman and Ward were
not present, having been detained in New York.
Bishop Campbell made nm excellent address, in
which he incidentally referred to the social equal
ity bug-bear, and stated that the colOred people
did not ask it, and were fully conscious of the
fact that legislation had nothing to do with this
subject, and never could have. He spoke of the
growth of their church, and the great work 1t had
done, was doing, and had yet to do. He said they
had 10 educate the Southern blacks as well as
Christianize them. To carry them the spelling
book and the Bible. That many of them utterly
rejected the ltter because they had been so often
tod In the old days of slavery tllnt IL justified and
authorized their bondage. They said they did not
want n religion drawn from such book. that
they want religion of the heart. 1t is now the
mission OF this church TO reconcile these people
to the Bible, to show them that religion OF the
heart is not inconsistent with the religion of the
Bible, and to divest the zeal and essential truth
which many OF them already possess of the SUI
perstition, false ideas and Ignorance with which
1t is now surrounded.
AT the conclusion of Bishop Campbelrs re-
marks, JAS A. Handy, Corresponding Secretary,
was introduced and offered resolution, recog-
nizng the African Methodist Episcopal Church
as Gods flttest instrument to redeem the colored
race in America, and to carry the holy war into
Africa.
He spoke briefly ana poiutedly in favor of the
resolution and called on Bishop Brown to second
The Bishop, il. complying with the request said
1t might seem like arrogatiDg much unto their
own church organization for him to advocate the
passage of the resolution, declaring tho African
Mafh Mi pIal "a in
ment for the work of redemption in the South,
but that he believed that the resolution expressed
no more than the truth. They were not one
race going down tn assist another to rise, bul
they were of that race and were taking them into
their fold, and encouraging them to raise them
selves
At The conclusion of Bishop Browns very in-
teesling address, W. E.. Matthews, Missionary
Agent of the Society, made a short but excellent
address in support OF the peculiar fitness of this
church for this missionary work.
A collection was then taken up in mid of mis-
sionary work in the South. and about $40 obs
tanned. This is not all Wilni igtou should do in
this line, and we hope other appeals may yet be
made, and larger contributions received.
At the conclusion Of the collection b. f. Tan
ner, editor OF the Chr'sfiua Recorder. the official
organ Of the church, presented the claims ot that
paper and OF their book concern for support.
Tnis publication department has been in eXis-
trnce 40 years, and has met with varied success.
From the speeches of the various speakers we
church. About ~ years ago it was organ,zed by
Richard Allen, colored man, believed to be q
native of Philadelphia, but raised In Delwarc
In that year it gained, altogether, 1900 members
and had two church buildings, Que in Philadef-
pha and one in Baltimore. 1t now has churches
in every State in the Union, with n membership
Of 200, 800 aud church property valued at 50 00O-
00O 1t has numerous schools In all parts of the
country, one recently established in Charleston,
South Carolina, having 1000 scholars. and has u
University at WilbeItorcc, Ohio. 1t has in less
than two years raised Sl0, 600 for missionary work
in the Southern States alone, and for geneml pur-
poses S100,000. Nearly all this has been done
without outside aid, by men many of whom had
to flee fro m elayery and educate themselves
Bishops Campbell and Brown of this church
both, were formerly slaves Near the close Of
the services, the former said that about forty
years ago, while living in Cedar Greek Hun
dred, Sussex county, In this State he had
| an invitation to make an involuntary visit to
| Norfolk, with the prospect Of subsequently go-
| ing to Charleston. Not relishng the Invitation
OF the proposed journey, he had given leg bail
| for his further appearance, and in May, 1928,
| he landed on Spruce street wharf, Philadelphia,
with tow linen shirt, tow linen punts, a chip
| hat, and the shoes nature had given him. He re-
turns to-day, the presiding Bishop OF u District
| including the whole State of Delaware, and parts
/ of other States in its boundaries.
The whole audience united in singing the Dox-
ology at the close of the exercises and was dis
missed with the benediction by Bishop Brown.