The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-06-16
The Colored Church
. BY WILLIAM H. CASTOR.

81 belong to the great church that
holds the world within it's starlit
isles; that claims the great and good
in every race and cline; that finds
with joy the gram of gold in every
creed, and floods with light and love
the germs of good in every SOUL"
The colored church came into exist
ence through the Unbrotherliness of
Brotherly Love. The white masters
could not utter their prayers in I'M
bounded devotion, or sing praises to
the Redeemer of men in the company
OF their colored slaves. In the pres
ence of those whose backs were be-
ing Scared by the masters whips
the notes of the Cody songs could
not rise above the clouds. The pres
ence of the colored people was a
standing reproach upon the civiliza-
ton and humanity that existed at
the organization of the earlier col
ored churches of this country.
AS the different hues and shades
all form one race, so the different
UNCONVENTIONAL branches are all one
church. ...,a .~~s.4 .-..s
Like the hues and color of the
skin they are linked and tied by the
same blood. The spirit of slavery
having crushed out the feelings Of
"the brotherhood of man among the
leading church communicates, the
colored brothers must offer their
prayers to God in a separate church.
Inc 1773 the first colored church in
this country was organized in the
state of Georgia at Silver Bluff across
the Savannah river from Augusta.
This was Baptist.
The earlier organizations were
mostly Baptist and were formed in
Georgia, Kentucky and Virginia.
In the years 1871 to 1894 the or
panization, purchase of ground. and
the building Of the first African
Methodist Episcopal church took
place in Philadelphia, Pa, on Sixth
and Lombard streets.
The first African church in New
England was organized in Boston in
1905. In 1907 an African Presbyte-
rian church was organized in Phil
adelphia. In the year 1881 an act
was passed in the state of Mississippi
making / it unlawful for any Negro
free or slave or mulatto to preach
the Gospel" upon pain of receiving
thirty mine lashes upon the naked
back. In the year 1861 the Colored
Congregational church was organized.
During the uncertainty of colonial
days. the turmoil of the Revolution
ary War. the Mexican War, the bar
barism of slavery, the War of Seces-
sion, the Reconstruction Period on
down to the present time the colored
church has come.
Mo~xy 1r;l1:ox4 1;csl4. 11ozoJ ro~I1,
rom these notified congregations.
While in many instances they could
lot be outspoken, yet down deep into
heir souls burned, "My people must
De free. Thou must let my people
co." Natural eloquence, imbued
rom long suffering, gave tongues of
ire to these sons of toll. With feel
ng fervor and often with natural
race they spoke. Not with voice
rom colleges and schools; but with
hat voice that nature gives to the
offering and oppressed. Yet among
his number some were considered
earned.
Services often were conducted
.mong these lowly people, when to
cad to them, to preach to them, was
considered a crime. And teaching
hem was violation of the law sub
ected to severe punishment.
The colored church before the Civil
Var, through those dark days of
lavery was a beacon light; during
he days of Reconstruction it was a
allying point. Now slowly but
urely the colored church is, falling
ack, tagging behind the needs of the
resent day. We must therefore re- I
lew her virtues, correct her, faults,
nd pave the way for a beneficial fu-
ure. .@....s,
(This is the first of series of ar
icles on the cOlored church by Will
am III. CASTOR. Others will appear
| early issues). |!