Nathan Bangs · 9 of 28

Chapter 4. From the Close of the General Conference of 1816 to the Commencement of the General Conference of 1820. · CIRCULAR

“The managers of the Missionary and Bible Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America beg leave to present to the several annual conferences, and through them to the members of our Church generally, a copy of their address and constitution, with an earnest solicitation that efficient means may be adopted to establish societies auxiliary to this.

“Having long been convinced of the necessity of some institution, by which pecuniary aid could be afforded to enable the conferences to carry on their missionary labors on a more extended plan, the object of their desire is at length so far accomplished in the formation of this society, the real and professed object of which is, to extend the influence of divine truth, by means of those missionaries who may, from time to time, be approved and employed by the bishops and conferences for that purpose.

“You are referred to the preceding address for more particular information of our views, and the reasons for some of the articles of the constitution. Any amendments which may be suggested by either of the annual conferences can be forwarded to the managers, and, if deemed expedient, the General Conference, agreeably to the provisions of the last article of the constitution, can adopt them.

“You are likewise presented with the draught of a constitution deemed suitable for auxiliary societies, leaving it to you to make such alterations as local circumstances may seem to require. This is done with a view to produce as much uniformity in the operations of the various auxiliaries as circumstances will admit.

“The managers beg leave to suggest the propriety of forming one society only auxiliary to this, in each conference, to be located in the most populous town or city within the bounds of the conference, such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston, Boston, &c., &c., and that the other societies which may be formed within the limits of each conference become branches of that. This method, it is thought, will greatly facilitate the operations of the society, and produce greater energy in the execution of its benevolent designs, than it would to make every subordinate society immediately auxiliary to the parent society. And if the several annual conferences unite their counsels, and recommend the subject to the people of their charge, with practical zeal and energy, it is believed that auxiliary and branch societies may be established in every City and circuit throughout our extensive work.

“According to a recent report of the ‘General Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society,’ now in successful operation in England, our brethren in Europe, during the last year, have raised upward of eighty thousand dollars for the support of domestic and foreign missionaries! Through this generous pecuniary aid they now employ one hundred and three missionaries. How much, therefore, may we do, if efficient means are used to combine our strength!

“The object contemplated by this society, the managers think, is of sufficient importance and utility to recommend itself to every considerate and pious mind; and therefore they need say no more, than to add their prayers, and request yours, that we may all be guided by the wisdom that cometh from above in all our attempts to promote peace on earth and good-will among men.

“Signed by order of the board of managers, N. Bangs, Chairman. New York, April 21, 1819.

“P.S. As soon as any auxiliary society is formed, it is requested that official notice thereof be forwarded to our corresponding secretary, Rev. Thomas Mason, No. 41 John Street, New York.”

Soon after the society was thus organized, our plans and proceedings were submitted to the Baltimore conference by the Rev. Joshua Soule; and it was no small encouragement to be assured that the brethren of that conference most heartily approved of our objects, and passed spirited resolutions to carry our plans into effect. The Virginia, New York, and New England conferences passed similar resolutions, recommending the society to the patronage and support of the people of their charge.

The first auxiliary society was the Female Missionary Society of New York, which was organized in July, 1819. Then followed the Young Men’s of New York, Courtlandt, Stamford, Genesee conference, the Domestic Missionary Society of Boston, and Columbia, of South Carolina, all which became auxiliary in the course of the year. These movements were sources of much comfort, and greatly encouraged the officers and managers to persevere in the work they had so happily begun.

Soon after our organization a letter was addressed, by order of the managers, to Bishop McKendree, stating to him the plan and objects of the society, and requesting his opinion respecting the practicability and the most suitable means of sending the gospel to the French of Louisiana, and to the destitute inhabitants of Florida. The following is an extract from the bishop’s answer

“Your plan meets my views of preaching the gospel to every creature better than any one I have yet seen.

Because that body of missionaries whom you intend to employ have mutually agreed to renounce ease and worldly interest, and devote their time, their talents, and their labors. They know no geographical boundaries; but, like the gospel which they preach, embrace the poor as well as the rich of every nation and condition of men; and in order to perpetuate the blessings of the gospel to all classes of men, they voluntarily subject themselves to a system of rules and regulations calculated to promote so desirable an end, and labor for the reformation and happiness of mankind, which is the ultimate design of the gospel.

It promises that pecuniary aid, for want of which we have had the mortification of seeing many well-devised plans frustrated, and many hopeful prospects fade away.

“You are sufficiently acquainted with the state of things in Canada, Florida, the state of Louisiana, and the Missouri territory form our western frontiers, and furnish a large field for missionary enterprise. In these bounds there are many French, some of them friendly to our views of religion. Believing that it would be productive of much good, we have long wished for, and frequently endeavored to procure, ministers who would be itinerant ministers indeed, to send to our western frontiers to preach to their inhabitants in French; but we have been hitherto disappointed.”

About the same time that this society was established in the city of New York, the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church within the bounds of the Philadelphia conference was formed; and though it has never thought it best to become auxiliary, it has pursued the even tenor of its way from that time to this, appropriating its funds for the promotion of the same benevolent objects, and has done much in furtherance of the cause of missions.

While these efforts were making to enlarge the sphere of our operations by means of missionary institutions and labors, the work in general, on the circuits and stations, was in a state of prosperity, as may be seen by reference to the number of Church members. In the Scioto and Ohio districts, in Chillicothe, Ohio, and in Schenectady, New York, and some other places, there were encouraging revivals of religion. There was, however, a very considerable secession among the colored people in the city of New York.

We have already seen that the secession of Allen and his party created much uneasiness in the minds of the colored members of our Church, both in Philadelphia and New York, and that quite a number, particularly in the other city, were induced to join the disaffected party. Allen had succeeded also in establishing a small congregation in the city of New York, over which he had ordained a preacher by the name of Miller, who had been for several years a local preacher in our Church.

There were in this city, altogether; about one thousand colored people attached to our Church, among whom were several local preachers of piety and talent. These had heretofore been under the pastoral oversight of a white elder, stationed by the bishop, who administered to them the ordinances, exercised discipline, held love-feasts, and generally preached to them once every sabbath-the other appointments being filled by their own local preachers. For this service the trustees of the white churches thought it no more than just that the colored congregation should pay something toward the support of the preacher who had charge of them. This became one source of complaint, while others thought it was degrading to them to be in any way dependent upon white men for the administration of the ordinances and the government of the Church. Accordingly symptoms of dissatisfaction had shown themselves for several years on these and collateral subjects; and though various attempts had been made to remove their grounds of complaint, they had proved unavailing; this year, therefore, they declared themselves independent.

They did not, however, connect themselves with the Allenites. As they had succeeded in building them a commodious house of worship in Church Street, had several local preachers and some elders among themselves, and not having full confidence in Allen and his partisans, they saw fit to organize themselves into an independent body, called the African Methodist Episcopal Church, under the government of elders of their own choosing, altering our Discipline so far as to make it conform to their peculiar organization, electing annually one of their elders as a general superintendent, without, however, setting him apart to that office by prayer and imposition of hands. With these exceptions, it is believed that they retain the doctrines and discipline of the Church they have left, having their annual and quarterly conferences, class meeting, love-feasts, and sacramental services, as provided for in our Discipline.

One principal reason assigned by themselves for this separate organization was, that colored preachers were not recognized by our conferences as traveling preachers; and, therefore, however much a local preacher might labor in word and doctrine for the benefit of his colored brethren, he could neither exercise the functions of pastor in the governmental department, nor receive a pecuniary support for his services. To remedy this inconvenience, and remove the disability under which they labored in this respect, they withdrew from our pastoral oversight, established a conference of their own, and commenced the itinerant mode of preaching the gospel.

By this secession we lost fourteen colored local preachers, and nine hundred and twenty-nine private members, including class leaders, exhorters, and stewards. But though they thus “went out from us,” they have never, I believe, manifested any rancorous or bitter spirit toward their old friends, but have cultivated a feeling of friendship and brotherly affection; and there is reason to believe that, though they may not have prospered in the same ratio in which they did before their separation, they have retained their piety and zeal, and have managed their affairs in an orderly manner.

It is now (1839) twenty years since the secession took place, and the degree of their prosperity may be estimated from the following statement of their number of circuits and stations, preachers and members, taken from their minutes for 1839.

Circuits 21; preachers 32; members 2,608. These circuits and stations are found in the states of New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. In the City of New York, where the secession originated, they have a membership of 1,325, making an increase of 396 in twenty years, which is by no means in a ratio with their increase while they remained under the care of their white brethren. In the city of Boston, however, their success has been greater in proportion. In 1819 they had only 33; but now, in 1839, they have 126.

They will not allow any slaveholder to become or remain a member of their church.

As the Methodist Episcopal Church never derived any temporal emolument from them, so we have sustained no other damage by the secession than what may arise from missing the opportunity of doing them all the good in our power as their pastors. And if a desire for independence on their part has deprived us of this opportunity, having done what we could as Christian ministers to prevent the rupture, I trust we shall be absolved from all blame, be the consequences what they may. We cannot do otherwise than wish them all spiritual and temporal blessings in Christ Jesus. Though formally separated from us in name, we still love them as our spiritual children, and stand ready to aid them, as far as we may, in extending the Redeemer’s kingdom among men.

Forty-seven preachers located this year, fifteen were returned supernumerary, thirty-six superannuated, two were expelled, and nine had finished their work and gone to their reward. These latter were, Fletcher Harris, Thomas Lucas, Joseph Stone, John Wesley Bond, Joseph Totten, Daniel Moore, Thomas Thorp, Stephen Jacob, Jason Walker.

Joseph Totten had long been a faithful laborer in his Lord’s vineyard, having entered the traveling ministry in 1792, and continued steadfast in his work until death signed his release.

Thomas Thorp was young in the ministry, but was a man of precocious genius, possessing a remarkable aptitude for the acquirement of knowledge, and for imparting it to others.

John Wesley Bond was for several years the traveling companion of Bishop Asbury during the close of his days, and attended him with the fidelity and affection of a son, was with him in his last sickness and death, watching his parting breath, while the bishop leaned his dying head upon his arm. Of his excellent spirit, his integrity, and faithful services, particularly toward him as his traveling companion, Bishop Asbury bears an ample testimony. He ended his days in peace and triumph.

The others enumerated were faithful in their calling and happy in their death.

Numbers in the Church: Whites This Year:201,750; Last Year: 190,477; Increase: 11,273 — Colored This Year: 39,174; Last Year: 39,150; Increase: 24 — Total This Year: 240,924; Last Year: 229,627 — Increase: 11,297 — Preachers This Year: 812; Last Year: 748; Increase: 64.

The secession of the colored people in the city of New York, amounting to about nine hundred, accounts for the small increase of that class to the membership; while the general increase shows the happy results of the work among the white population.

Previously to the session of the General Conference, May 1 of this year, the Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, South Carolina, Virginia, Baltimore, and Philadelphia Conferences held their sessions and elected their delegates — the New York, New England, and Genesee conferences, having held theirs after the session of the General Conference, elected their delegates the year before.

The reports from various parts of the work this year were highly favorable, the increase to the membership being nearly twenty thousand. The establishment of the Tract and Missionary Societies, and the publication of the Methodist Magazine, added a fresh stimulant to preachers and people, and tended much to enlarge the field of labor, as well as to encourage the hearts of those who were panting for the salvation of the world.

But, before giving a detailed account of these things, we shall notice the doings of the General Conference.