The Afro-American., 1896-02-22
Rev NJ NJ ALEXANDER

He was converted and joined the
/ BAPTIST church iii 1859. While in
/ Rfchnond he was a member Of the
| Second Baptist Church and when he
| came to Baltimore identified himself
| WITH the Union Baptist Church. la
| fs79 he entered Wayland Seminary,
| Washington. Id. c., with the endorse
/ 1npnt vi fbe Union Chnrch as a minis
| terial student and in 1882 he gradu
\ ated ana received the Glass prize He
\ Wag also the valdictorion of the Glass.
| While student he was called TO the
4 pastorate of the Bladensburg Bap-
| rist church ana was ordained after
rigid examination by council com
\ posed of delegates from the white and
| coiored churches Of Baltimore City.
While pastor of the Bladensburg
\ Church, Rev. Alexander paid off an
\ old crnnic debt and built the SItka
4 Mission of The church which is located
ar Burnt Mills, Montgomery County,
| where " LARGE colony of the mother
| church reside. IA day school was es-
| tabIished in the church chapel by
| adyice vi Pastor Alexander and soon
| thereafter the county built neat
| school nous. Previous to this
| School the children had to walk TO
Beltsyille, distance Of six miles.
| The church cClony also bought land
\ a.nd Established a township which is
| n3w one of the prettiest and most
progressive villages in Montgomery
| County The town is named afte:
| Mr. Lewis, one Of the first members
baptized into the fellowship Of the
| church.
In the fall of 1882 Rev. Alexander
resigned from The Bladensburg church
\ to acceDt the General MissionaryShip
| f0r th4 STATE, uuder the Maryland
| BaprisU Union Association and the
| American Baptist Publication SOcl'
ety. LII this capacity he served un-
H Viii ha resigned I'LL 1857 to become sta
rion past III nf Patterson Avenue Bap
\ tist church, which he organized in
VA 1883 in connection with his mission
ary labors While General Mission
ary. Rev Alexander helped to secure
n church property for the Baptists at
II CumberlaAd, Westminster, Frederick
City, Charles County, Annapolis,
H Elkridge, Howard County, Snow Hill
/ and Berlin, Worcester County.
In Speaking of his field work, Rev.
III Alexander often relates incidents of
\ Hin work and the cord al reception
extended to him by the people
The Patterson Avenue, now Shar-
| VII Baptist Church, was organized by
| HIM ILL 1885 with nine members. The
Iittle flOck alsO assumed a debt Of the
| brick chapel On Patterson Avenue
\ and Calhoun Street, which they PAID
and afterwards improved the struc-
ture at a cpsC or Sl2OO.
Almost contemporaneous with the
\ organization of the church, the pas
/! HUI and officers opene day school
for the education Of the children IN
N the neighborl God, where hundreds
of children were crowded out OF the
III Riddls Street and Waesche Street
Schools. which were far away and the
H only publlc school Accommodations
/ tor children lib West Baltimore. Two
II t4ach ers Wers I'm IloYed and received
II tEeir BAY from the parents Of pupils,
each Of whom paid ten cents per
| week REV. aud Mrs. Alexander gave
II their service frep In short time 300
Il children were enrolled. A large per
II centage never paid anything but the
rule WA tO never turn a child away.
VI As VI result of the large attendance OF
\ children a sentiment in favor OF q
/ publia School Was aroused aad the
/ great need WAS brought to the atten-
\ tion Of Tile public through the daily
press which gave the subject large
| Space.
A bubble meeting was called in the
| church ana at the time appointed
| the chanel, which can accommodate
| fron 400 tn 600, was crowded There
we're aIso present pastors, lawyers
doctors and other leading coIoTed
men from every section OF the city.
\ Out Of that meeting came the NO.
public school and an opening door TO
| Thu first colps ot colored teachers that
/ ever had all opportunity to prove
their metal in a public school class
room i'll Baltimore city.
WheD the Patterson Avenue church
bought their present quarters, Carey
| aDd Presstman Streets, the name OF
the corporation was changed 80
/ Sharon. Ihe present editice has
seatiug capacity fer 1900 persons and
\ HI is Hot an unusual thing to see IL
crowded On Sunday nights.
/ The 11th anniversary Of the pastor
| aad church will be held February ~,
atSp m. aud the members and
| friends of tile church are working
| to make lit an event Of pleasure ana
\ u financial profit to the church. The
| nine persons who constitute the toun
derg of the church were given by the
Macedonia Baptist Church and the
Dastor and members Of the mother
Church have been invited 70 come up
and take u part in the annual feast
| rhe pastors and members Of other
churches have alsO been invited 60
come up ana see what God and His
Deople have accomplished in eleven
yeafs. The president and managers
of the Northwestern Family supply
Company, have also promised to at.
tend The present membership ls
more than 400 and the Sunday School
May more than 300 children enrolled.
The WY ent cnurcn editice was built
aF cost of over $20.f0O and has
debt on IL now, iucluuing ground
rsnr, III S12, 5OO Since Cne organiza-
tion, rore than $4,000 has been
raised toward buying property, for
general expenses, and DeneVolen6 op-
lects.
Ag W preacher, Rev. Alexander has
Mt