The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-03
OLDEST IN NORTH AMERICA.
The First African Baptist Church OF
Savannah Has This Honor.

savannah Has This Honor.
There was some show of feeling in the
final settlement in the African Missionary
Baptist State Convention yesterday Of the
question as to which is the oldest church
organization in the State, and the First
African Baptist church of Savannah carried
off the honors.
Last Thursday the question was presented
to the convention and on Friday it was re-
ierred TO the following committee: Rev. +.
1 VI. Simmons of Stone Mountain, Rev. W.
/ ). Ramsey of Columbus, Rev. n. B. Hamil-
| ton of Walthourville, Rev. S. r. Mcneil of
! Augusta, Rev. E. J. Fisher of LaGrange,
/ Rev. c. T. Walker Of Augusta, Rev. n. B.
! Williams of Quitman, Rev. G.. T. johnson
! Of Arlington, Rev. Z. H. Brightharp Of
Milledgevile.
| Yesterday afternoon the committee pre-
sented unanimous report in favor Of the
| First African church, in which 1t said,
among other things 1--WE find that the
! church organized at Bramptons barr, three
miles southwest of Savannah. Jan. 20, l7SS,
| is the First African Baptist church Of to-
day. This fact is admitted by the work
which Rev. Simms has written. Up to 1892
there was no dispute out the First Afri-
can Baptist church, but in 1882 a great
| trouble occurred, which continued for
several months. Many councils were
called, which advised again and again
course which, if pursued, would restore
peace to the grand old army,
then numbering 2,195 members. This
was divided ITO two parties, the one
led by Rev. Andrew Cox Marshall aud the
other'by Deacon Adam johnson, 2,64O fol-
lowing Rev. Marshall and 155 following
Deacon Johnson, and known as the Third
African Baptist Church. 1t appears to
your committee, from the evidence found,
that before this trouble the church had con-
tracted to buy the white Baptist Church,
then located i'll Franklin square; hence, when
this trouble occurred, Rev. Mr. Mar
shall and his 2,640 members went
20 Franklin square, still owning the
site on Bryan street in Yamacraw.
The pastor of the First African Baptist
church has shown your committee the deeds
Of the First African Baptist church to the
spot OF ground which the First BRYAN
Baptist church now occupies. With all of
these facts and many more which have come
before your committee as candid, God fear
ing men, we feel honor bound to decide that
tie First African Baptist church at Frank,
lin square is the original First African Bag
fist church organized at Brampton Barn
Jan. 20, 17SS, by Rev. Abraham Marshall
and Rev. jesse Peter whose centennial an
niverSary we have gathered together to
celebrate We decide, therefore, that the
claim of priority of the First African
Baptist church (which has given itself this
name since emancipation and the claim of
the book written by Rev. J. NJ. Simms of
being the Oldest colored church in North
America is without foundation.n
When the report was read it brought Rev.
Simms 10 his feet with blood in his eye. He
said the committee had been packed in the
interest Of the First African Baptist Church,
and the committee had been preiudiced by
the ex-Bishop Of Georgia, alludipg to Rev
z. K. Love, Vice President of the conven-
ton and pastor of the chu CHI. He spoke
for half an hour with great vehemence, and
was frequently interrupted by indignant
members OF tue convention. Calls to order,
and denials and Interruptions flowed thick
and fast. In vain the President, Row. j. ..
Bryan, Of Americas, and Vice President
Love appealed to the convention to bear
Rev Simms, but it howled him down, and
the report of the committee was unani-
mously adopted,
The President took occasion to say that
the only side which had attempted to pack
the committee was the Simps side, that
Rev. Love had not suggested a single mem
Der of the committee, but that the Simms
side had suggested two persons, and one Of
these he had appointed to crafty them.
'This l would not have made public to
the convention" said President Bryan,
"had not the charge been made that the
committee was packed, and l only tell it
now In vindication of the committee"
Among the documentary evidence sub
mitted by the First African Baptist church,
was deed, yellow with age, and honey
combed by moths, dated July 3, 1877, being
a deed by Andrew Bryan, a free white man,
to the trustees Of the First African Baptist
church of lot in Yamacraw village for
consideration of ESQ. Also sketch OF the
church written by Rev. Simms when he was
friendly to it.