Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-05-03

THB RFFoRr TO UNITE THE A. u Z. AND C. u. Z
CHURCHEs-sKErCHES OF THE SEVERAL BRANCHE
OF THE uHuRCH.

THK RFFoRr TO UNITE THE A. u Z. AND G. u. Z.
cHURcHEs-sKETcHEs OF THE SEVERAL BRANCHES
OF THE UHURcH.
The consultation held recently In Baltimore be-
tween the bishops or the African NJ K. and the col
ored NJ 4. churches Is not the first that has been
held between the representatives OF the eOiefd
churches with the view OF unitfag them. Although
the different branches OF the church fraterniz,
together and send fraternal delegates with express
slons OF good will to the conferences, heretofore
the efforts to secure union have been no more
Successor than Similar efforts In the white
churches Attempts have been made towards
a consolidation OF the African NJ. K. and the
African NJ K. Zion churches several times. but they
have always been futile. The attempt now being
made to consolidate Is between the original seced-
ers from tie N E. church and the last oh-shoot
THE AFRICAN ME-. CHURCH
was formed in 1916, Paving its origin in Philadel-
phia. In the early days OF Methdnsin in this
country white and colorcd members worshipped
in the same congregation-the latter having spe-
cial seats In 1876, some difficulty arose when the
galleries were erected In St Georges church,
Philadelphia, and a few OF the colored members
seeded and formed an association Some re-
turned to the old church. and in 1874 there were
Sc colored members. In this year blacksmith
ship essttablishs.l, Bishop Asbury dedicatlng it
fr9t pastor being ordained by i shop Asbury in
1199 but the congregation continued under the
Then it was determined to hold convention Of
c0lored Metio lists, which met April 9, 1916. and
the denomination took form. Richard Allen was
elected DiShop, and was cOnSecrated April 11th by
Rev Absalom Jones, Of the Protestant Episcopal
church, AMI four other ministers. The Book Of
Discipline Of the M. E. church, with the arti les Of
religion aud the general rules, was adopted. ex-
cept'ng those portions relating to the presiding
eidership. At this time 1t was estimated that
there were about $3.50 members. There are now
ABOUT ~ conferences and probably over 2G,O00
members
THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
The Baltimore annual conference o. the A. NJ. E.
church will meet In Baltimore to-morrow-R;sv.
Bishop Payne presiding. In this body there are a
number OF district churches, and, as under the
usages, minister may be continued In one charge
for three years. it is not probable that there will
be any changes made. The churches here are
Union Bethel, IN streep, where Rev J. W. Steven
son IS closing his second year; EbeneZer, George
town, Rev. Mr.. Cargill; Pisgah, uGth and r sts),
Rsv j. W. Valentine. and st. Paul's, 9Th street
southwest Rev. J. P. shreve. each one year. Rev.
trict
THE AFRICAN NJ. E. ZION CHURCH
dates its organization in 1870, when the Zion
church and a few others seeded from the parent
church. The Zion church was formed In 1895, and
up to 1920 were in perfect harmony with tie parent
body; but In that year Rev. James NJ Stillwell,
pastor OF JOhn-street church, New York, with
drew, taking about three hundred members He
visited the congregation OF Zion, and acting under
pendent. The difrerence between this denomina-
ton and the NJ E. church is that the bishops are
elected every four years. At the formal OrganZa-
ton in 1892 there We're % ministers and 1,426 men,
berS, and now they claim about 12,GCO churches,
$500 preachers, including exhorter5. and about
3CO,0J0 members.
THE COLORED NJ. E. CHURCH
was formed in 1874, under the auspices OF the n.
E. Church South, the general conference OF that
| church in 1870 having recommended the bishops to
form the cOlored people into annual conferences.
Their first general conference was held in Decem-
Der, 1874, and they claim now about 20 an
nual conferences. some 2,OC0 preachers and
over 1G0CC0 members. The general confer
ence OF this church began its Quadrennial ses-
Sons In this city to-day. There are also the col
0red conferences under the general conference of
the nj. f. church, and the CoiOred Methodist Prot
Der Oh cOIOred MethOdists In the country to nearly
three-fOurthS Of million.