The state capital., 1891-08-08
PASTOR A. NJ. E. CHURCH, CAIRO, ILL.

CIl n ,. II.
PASTOR A. NJ. E. CHURCH, CAIRO, ILL.
AS in the armament of heaven, tone
star ditfereth from another star in
glory" so among christian Ministers,
there are Universities of gifts" and diff
ferences of administrations, but all
have received their respective qualifi-
cations f1om the self-same Spirit"
who ''divideth to eH cry man severally
as he will,n and all may contribute to
the edification and enlargement of the
Church.
But it is pleasing to trace the career
of those Ministers, who by reason of
special gifts, attract general attention,
and who by the results they accomplish
in the Church of Christ, give evidence
of their piety, intelligence and use
fulness.
The subject of this sketch was born
in the West Indies. At an early age
he lost his father, and so was left to
the PRAYERS and cOunselS of his wild
owed mother, who endeavOred to
train him to habits Of integrity, and in
the admOnitiOns of the gospel of the
grace of God. At the age of fourteen
he left school in his native town, and
was sent to the Island of st. Kits
complete a higher course, where he
was brought under methods of disci
pIine and instruction., which cOntribu-
ted greatly towards the formation of
his character. In 1867 he obtained
employment in Clothing House in
the Island of St. Thomas. After three
wears in business, he returned to his
native town and soon after went to
England, where he was sOundly con-
verted to God, and joined the Wesley
an Methodist Society in the Southamp-
ton circuit. 1t soon became apparent
to the Church that he was called to
preach the gospel, and he entered upon
a course of training for the Ministry of
the Wesleyan Methodist Church. In
1883 he was sent to The West Indies as
u probation ar, AID appointed t. Ta abofs
nacle Station, inf the Island of ST. kits,
where he served with acceptance and
marked success. Forty souls were
added to the Church, and considerable
improvements made on the property.
In March 1884, he was removed from
| Tabernacle ST. Kits to Road Town,
| TOrtola, and at his farewell sermon
preached in Basseterre, the capital OF
the Island of st. Kits, the Society
presented to him written testimonial,
and purse of gold sovereigns in rec
ognition of his usefulness and fidelity,
and as an evidence Of their apprecia-
ton of his Ministry among them.
While stationed at Road Town, Tor
| tola. he met the Rev. E. NJ. Harper,
then Missionary of the A. NJ. E.
| Church in St. Thomas, and through
his influence, Mr.. Sheen was led to
think seriously of coming to America,
! for the purpose of entering the Minis
try of the A. M. E. Church, as he said:
II had desire to be identified with a
church, founded, esta ablished and gov
erned exclusively by my own people,
having for it's object the intellectual,
as well as the moral and religious ele-
vation of the race Accordingly on
August 1st, 1884 in company with Ell
der Harper he sailed from st. Thomas
for New York, thence to Chatham,
Ontario, where after the necessary eX-
animation, he was received ana Or
dained Deacon by the late Bishop Dis
ney, and appointed to the PASTORAL
charge of the Trinidad Mission. On
his arrival there he found the Mission
i'm poor condition, there being only
seven persons who were willing to rally
to the banner of African Methodism.
But he resolved to do his best, in the
name of the Great Head of the Church,
and soon his efforts were rewarded, |,
and his influence began to be felt He
esta blished day school, beginning
with fifteen scholars, which, i'll SIX
months increased to one hundred and
five. For this school at the end Of the
year he obtained the government
grant in aid; he also secured piece ol
ground 100x10O on which to erect q
church in the city of Port of Spain. LII
1886 he visited America again and was
ordained Elder by Bishop Campbell
at Allen Temple, Cincinnati, and senl
back to Trinidad. In 1887 he was sent
from Trinidad to Georgetown, Dunera
ra; here at the celebration OF the Cen
tenary of the A. M. E. Church, he de-
livered his eulOgy on Richard Allen
which attracted general attention, anC
the Mayor of Georgetown, who presld
ed on the OCCASION, presented hlm
cheque for $50 as token of his ADM
ration of the grand oratiOn, and the
brilliant talent of the speaker. He
} was elected as delegate to the Genera
{ Conference which met at Indianapolis
from the DtLldTdId AHuudl AOLiCI CAhCS
, After the General Conference he was
transferred to the Iowa Conference, a
his own request, from the Iowa Confer
ence, Bishop Brown transferred him Il
Illinois and appointed him to Decatur
In Decatur his Ministry was highly
| acceptable and his lectures and ser
mons will be long remembered oy
white and colored, who heard them
Elder Sheen married in Decatur, Ella
} nora, daughter of Mr.. L. r. Rogan.
Two successful years in Decatur, ter
minated at the Conference, which wa
5 held in the State House at Springfield
t August 1890, and the subject of ou
, sketch was appointed to Cairo, LII
The results of his labors here have IA
exceeded the expectations of his mos
sanguine friends. His first attempt a
!, improvement was to get bell, and
: this he was successful, and fine bel
of 8OOlbs. now hangs in the tower
the Church. A new organ has beel
purchased, new carpet, and altar fur
t niture. The church has been painte'
outside, and beautifully decorated III