The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-05-30
The A. NJ. r.. Denomination and the
Coming General Conference from
the Baptist Point OF View.
(From the Press Bureau.1
Origin OF.

| oe:. ~ persons met Richard Allen
and organized class. And seven
years later, after the first church
fathe:ed by colored men was erect
| ed by Richard Allen. there was sent
out to the world a pronuncianento
declarlng the independence OF the
| church OF Richard Allen from the
White Methodists. The A. M. E.
denomination was born In this act.
In the vicissitudes that followed this
humble beginning there came many
trying days. The scope Of the work
! and the possibilities of the future
could not be seen. But it was essen
tial. looking, as Richard Allen did,
into the future, to see the necessity
of a comprehensive organization
which would meet the needs of flu
| ture expansion and growth. How
we'll and how clearly the great Father
saw will be hereinafter shown.
Organization.
The task Of organization to meet
the future conditions, which were
constantly undergoing changes, was
frauSht with dangers and uncertain
ties. 1t was begun at time when
there were many doubts and fears
about the organization of our gov
eminent. Our judicial system had
Just Deen created land organized;
but no che knew how safe it would
prove; 1t had not been tried But
the great spirit Of the A. NJ. E.
Church perceived in our judicial sys-
tenn the outline of organization
which would make for them and their
work a perfect government. Hence
"hey began in their limited field, Gre
ating bishoprtcs and dividing the
work Of the church field into dis
tricts over which should be placed
bishops, and each bishop in his own
district should be supreme There
was an automatic arrangement
whereby the board of bishops could
be enlarged to meet the needs And
then there followed the provision for
the General Officers, the Elders, the
Ministers and the Laity. Today the
Church has IA Episcopal Districts,
each Of which is presided over by q
Bishop, IL General Officers and Ell
ders and Ministers sufficient to meet
the needs Of the Church and the de-
mands OF the day.
Government.
Government in thIs Denomination
is the highest Illustration of the
ability OF the Negro Of America TO
govern himself. Trusted as it is to
semi monarchial power, it is so
carefully constructed and SO perfect
y poised by its system of checks and
balances as to insure the attainment
OF the results, both secular and re-
ligious, which it's founders contem-
plated in its creation. It's Board of
Bishops, it's Bishops and General Of
ficers, all men Of character and abil-
ity, so manage the affairs as to rem
der remote, if not impossible, even
serious error. SO comprehensive and
80 complete is its government that it
has often been referred to as a mod
Ell government in itself. Thus far
t has endured and gives every prom
Use OF continued success. 1t will en-
duTe, If, in the future, it will exercise
that breadth Of view which mas char
acterized it's past, and which we be-
lieVe will characterize it's future, al
ways looking toward the larger liberty
OF the race for which it has done SO
much and for which it is to be the
greatest agency in leading it to com
plete freedom.
OF the Democracy.
The work Of the A. NJ f. Church
IN the past, through the church in its
secular and religious field, gives
hope, with it's constantly increasing
power in the world Of educa ton, for
greater future than it has enjoyed
| In the past. And out Of the attitude
Of this Church in the future must
come the races boon Of liberty;
| from it's attitude on democracy with
| in its own portals, depends, in very
! large measure, our success or failure
| in the future. Will it look to that
end?
In. 1908 the General Conference
will meet to fill the vacancies on the
| bench Of bishops and elect the gen
eral officers Of the church. In this
| conference the Senior Bishop Of the
| A. M. +. Denomination will be the
leading spirit; to Bishop Henry M.
Turner, one Of Americas greatest
men, will be given the task to fight
| for those things which will be a
| safeguai for the future. He above
all men in his denomination knows
| passed through it, and he realizes
| the responsibility resting upon him
| and his associates respecting the fu-
| ture.
| One Of the responsibilities and q
great one. the greatest save one, IS
| the election Of men to fiji the vacan-
! cie5 on the bench Of bishops who
| will be able to meet the demands Of
| the present and the needs Of the fu
| 'ure. Some man must be found who
has ability, capacity. character, re1ig
| iou3 zeal, who knows men, and how
| to manage them; some man who car
deal with the great moral, religious
and secular interests coming under
one in such high Office. it is nee
essary that such an one be preach
err, a preacher Of rare ability, that
be has been tried and found true
No man will be quicker to appreciate
this condition, the necessity Of these
attributes, than the Senior Bishop
his associates and the delegates who
are sent from all over the nation tt
| cnat Ahnir ttaEnn f1Ar khn crlnria1.r nncr.