The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-06
GREAT PART OF METHODISM
How an Important African Church
Originated Seventy-Two Years Ago.
Meeting of a General Conference to Legislale
for the Religious Welfare of a Large
Number of ColOred People

The General Conferences of the African Meth
odist Episcopal Ch urch, which convenes IN TINS
city tomorrow. Is one of the important religious
legislative bodies.in the world. The church IL
represents holds strictly TO the doctrines, FORMS
Methodist Episcopal organization, the only on-
ference being in the prefix to the name. moro
than hundred years ago the religious interests
Of colored Methodists we're Identical Win
those Of the white members of that denomina-
ton. but as early as 1857 the refusal to accord
equal privileges to the colored members caused
dissatisfaction The restrictions on them sp-
piled to church sittiaRs the administration OF
the eucharist and all other matters wherein
preference was given to the white members. 10
the year named the colored preachers and lay
men took the first step. in convention held in
Philadelphia. which led finally to the organization
OF the African Church, but the distinct sspara,
ton from the mother church did not occur until
some years later, the first General Conference
OF the African organization being held in 1910.
WREN Richard Allen, principal leader in this
movement. was elected the first bishop. Three
years later, on some matters of form. quite q
large body of ministers and members seeded
from the new church. and organized what Is
now known as the African Methodist Episcopal
Zion Church: Both bodies strong. the nu-
merical difference between the two being COM
paratively small
The A NJ. E. General Conference beginning
tomorrow, will be the eighteenth since It's
organization. The last one was held IN Bsti-
more four years ago. and during it's session the
conference directed that a declaration be issued
Announcing the consummation of union with
the British Methodist Episcopal Church, tho ter
ritory covered by which lies chiefly in Canada
and Bermuda At this conference declarations
were adopted denying the doctrine Of the spos-
ritualism and the wearing of gowns Surprises
and other badges of Office of bishops and minis
tiers. Provision was also made for the admis-
sion OF local preachers to the General Confer
ence as representatives Of the laity. Among
other important business accomplished was the
adoption OF report refusing to recommend
camp-meetinRs, but allowing them to be held
The office OF presiding elder, which had hither-
TO been optional with the conference Was made
universal The coming conference will be the
first to have lay representatives through local
Z preachers.
This church has nine bishops, aud in 1884 it
bad forty-one annual conferences: $40 min
listers under whose control were 742 church
buildings; 100000 members. and Is, 0c0 proba-
TONERS. making in all. 405. 000 1t has the larg-
est membership of any colored church in the
United States. In 1884 the African Methodist
Episcopal lions Church had 300. 900 members;
colored Methodist Episcopal Church. 155, 900;
the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1876, 1874, and
the Union Methodist Episcopal Church. $500.
The whole number Of colored communicates in
all the churches is estimated at zoo. 000. or one
for 3 $40 of the whole colored population OF the
United States.
The whole number Of Sunday schools in the
African Methodist Episcopal Church was In "a
returned a. 3.ll7, with &C. 440 officers and teach
ers, and l76, 284 pupils. Four years ago the re-
CENTS Of the church were So, ESQ., and its dis
bursements $50. 625. Nearly all its receipts came
in the way Of dollar money" Tho educational
interests are under the care Of board appoint
ed by the General Conference. the institutions
being as follows: Wilbeforce University, WILDER
force. O., with 600 students; johnson High
school, Raleigh, N. c., 1888 students; Allen Uni
versity. Columbia, S. c.. 349 students; St
James Academy. New Orleans. $50 students; O-
vinity and High-school. Jacksonville. Fla; Ward
Normal Collegiate Institute. Huntsville, Texas;
Turner College, Hernando. Miss; Western
University; Quindora' Kan; Morris Brown Uni
versity, Atlanta, Ga, and Garfield University,
Montgomery. Ala All but the first two OF
these institutions have become active since 1880.
The total value of educational property 10 given
at 49,. 600 Thirty-five subordinate schools are
also sustained in South Carolina The Home
and Foreign Missionary Society. organized in
1880, is doing good work. The church has es-
San Domingo. In the home missions the in
crease has been so rapid that several branch
societies have been formed. The church also
maintains a publishing house in New York,
from which the income was over sos. 900 in
1884
The sessions Of the conference will be held at
Bethel Church. corner of Vermont and Colum-
bia The colored citizens have made prepare
tions to entertain the delegates who will num-
Der several hundred Many of them have
already arrived. including men Of highest prom
inence among their people.