EMORY UNIVERSITY
WHO WAS RICHARD ALLEN
AND WHAT DID HE DO? J*
BY
REV. JOHN T. JENIFER, D.D,
DEDICATED TO THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ALLEN OF
TIIE TWENTIETH CENTURY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
BALTIMORE.
AM Person* ar« cautioned againat duplicating this Booklet.
Copyright Applied For, April 40, 1905#
INTRODUCTION.
Efforts to obtain facts and matter for discourses for
Allen Day and Founders' Day suggested the general
want of such a book as is here presented. It is not a
history of Richard Allen, but simply enough facts re¬
lating to his life and acts to serve as a basis of the stu¬
pendous results of his life and character upon the race
of which he was such an inspiring representative.
As an apostle of free religious thought and effort,
manly independence and self-help among Negroes, his
spirit is reflected in the growth and ramifications of
African Methodism evidenced by the latest data in re¬
ports of each General Department to the General Con¬
ference, 1904.
As a result of the character and acts of a great man,
philosophically considered, African Methodism is here
put in evidence that Richard Allen stands in history
pre-eminently among the world's benefactors as an in¬
spiring incentive to the young Negroes at the threshold
of the twentieth century.
Believing that this unique booklet meets a long-felt
want in the literature of the A. M. E. Church, the au¬
thor sends it forth, hoping for it universal reading, gen¬
eral acceptance and the blessings of God.
Who Was Richard Allen And What Did He Do?
BY REV. J. T. JENIFER, D. D.
Texts: Isa. 13. 12. Acts II. 24.
Every period in the history of the world's advance¬
ment has had its chief characters to champion great
principles and to lead on important reforms. These
characters are the pioneers of new departures for the
betterment of the condition of mankind. Sometimes
these characters come from the summit of society, but
more frequently they spring from the rank and file of
the plain people.—Generally from obscurity the cradle
of genius. All parts of the globe have been their birth¬
places; every race variety has produced them.
They have come in their times and at the places that
great emergencies demanded them,, and in a majority
of cases, whatever has been the special line of their ef¬
fort, by the things which these leaders make possible
to others, they have builded better than they knew, and
counseled wiser than they understood. These facts in¬
dicate that behind all proper advancement is the one
4
eternal, ever present; infinitely wise, and all controlling
first cause; and that First Cause is God, Ruler of the
Universe.
But upon whatever lines these leaders of progress
and reform have advanced they have found themselves
confronted at every step by formidable oppositions and
misrepresentations. Torture, in many cases, and fre¬
quently death has been the penalty. To the conserva¬
tive bigots, these leaders of reform are "the cranks,"
the disturbers of the peace, and the retarders of the
prosperity of society. When found wise and cour¬
ageous enough to dissent from the hide-bound opinions
of the non-progressive in the Church, they are branded
as heretics.
Instead of the Church being the happy exception,
she has furnished the most appalling exemplifications
of the fiery ordeals through which the leaders of pro¬
gress and reform have been caused to pass. Jesus, the
Christ, was called "Beezlebub," "an exciter of sedition
among the people." The Apostles were, "they that had
turned the world upside down," "the followers of one
who was crucified."
The bigotry that lighted the fagots of persecution,
and the blood of the martyrs that reddened the pages
of medieval history, all unite with the history of later
conflicts in proof of the fact that, all who strive for
5
what they conceive to be right, do so at the peril of
reputation or risk of life.
How fully have the pioneers of truth, and the Apos¬
tles of liberty, realized the words of the Master "In the
world ye shall have tribulation, but in Me ye shall have
peace/' They have been sorely tried for their honest
convictions but they have been encouraged and sus¬
tained by a good conscience. For such, tinje ha?
served to "Bring forth their righteousness as the ligh'
and their judgment as the noonday.'*—Ps.
Among those characters who have been raised up,
to lead on a great religious reform, was one of our
own race variety, a Negro, Richard Allen, of Phila¬
delphia, Pa. The following passages of scripture are
suggestive and are in point in this argument: "I will
make a man, saith God, more precious than gold, even
a man than the golden wedge of Ophir."—Isa. 13. 12.
"For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost
and of faith and much people were added to the Lord."
—Acts 11. 24.
In the first text, the Prophet spoke of the value that
should be set upon a man during the terrific struggle of
the Medes for the subjugation of the Babylonians. In
that struggle manhood would be superior in value to
that of gold, whether found among the slaves for
traffic, who had been captured in war, or in that of a
skillful leader and superior generalship. In the second
6
text, Luke speaks of the value of manhood in Chris¬
tian character, such as was exhibited by the life and
labors of Barnabas, as the companion of Paul.
In each of these texts there is suggested the value
of true manhood, but on opposite sides. One the posi¬
tive, and the other the passive, or negative sides of
character. Each of these traits of character, suggested
by the two passages of Scripture, when taken together,
serve to remind us of the value of that genuine ag¬
gressive christian manhood seen in the life and labors
of Richard Allen, the founder of the African Method¬
ist Episcopal Church. This brings us to the considera¬
tion of our subject in the form of the question—Who
was Richard Allen, and what did he do?
In 1760, just one hundred and forty-five years ago,
jhere lived in Philadelphia, Pa., on Fourth street, near
Spruce street, in a house of one Benjamin Chew, a
man and a wife, both held as slaves. On the 14th day
of February, these two had born unto them a son,
whom they called Richard. The parents of Richard,
with three other slaves, were sold into Delaware, to
one Mr. Stokeley.
In 1777 Richard embraced religion and joined the
Methodist Episcopal Church, at seventeen years of
age. At that time the Methodist Church was as un¬
popular as its colored member. In 1782 Richard was
licensed to preach, being twenty-two years old.
7
Such was his thirst for liberty, he purchased his free¬
dom and returned to Philadelphia in 1786, and joined
St. George's Methodist Episcopal Church, where he
was permitted to preach to the colored people at the
five o'clock meetings. Richard Allen was the first
colored man licensed to preach in the Methodist Epis¬
copal Church in this country. He was the traveling
companion of Bishop Asbury, and tradition says that
he was present at the organization of the historic
Christmas Conference held in Lovely Lane, Balti¬
more, Md., 1784.
Through Richard's influence, the colored members
of St. George's church greatly increased; so much that
their white brethren were greatly annoyed and began
to feel that their colored brethren were in their way.
Tradition says that the first evidence of this was that
"The officers passed a rule compelling their colored
members to sit but one in a pew, and that next the wall.
This did not work well, for the building soon became
lined with colored members. They then said that they
should go into the gallery. This was complied with,
but they went up next to the pulpit, and when things
waxed warm, as was often the case with Methodists
in those days, the colored brethren became a little
noisy. They were ordered to the rear gallery, where
many of them refused to remain. In accounting for
the establishment of the African Methodist Episcopal
8
Church, history tells us that: "In 1787 the colored
people of Philadelphia connected with St. George's
Methodist Episcopal Church met to consider the un¬
kind treatment received at the hands of their white
brethren."
Caste in the church was so intense, and prejudice
at the altar of God so arrogant that while at prayers
the colored brethren were pulled off their knees and or¬
dered to the back part of the house. Richard Allen
said "If you will wait till prayers are over I will bother
you no more." He then got up, and Allen's sons and
daughters have been getting up ever since.
For this and other unkind treatment they resolved
to withdraw from their white brethren. A committee
consisting of Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, William
Gray and William Wilcher, were appointed to select
and purchase a lot with a view of building a house
where they might worship God with the freedom which
their conscience dictated.
Richard Allen bargained for a lot on the corner of
Lombard and Sixth streets. But a majority of his
committee, having selected a lot on Locust street, those
who came out of St. George's Church decided to erect
a house on it. Richard Allen assisted them and when
they began to build, after prayer he took out, from the
foundation, the first shovel of dirt. At the meeting of
the little society to choose what religious body they
9
should connect themselves with, all but Richard Allen
and Absalom Jones, decided in favor of the Church of
England—the Episcopal.
The house was finished and dedicated and Richard
Allen was invited to become the pastor, but he refused,
saying: "I am a Methodist, I think that form of reli¬
gious worship, at present, suits the colored people
best/' Having himself bargained for the lot at the
corner of Sixth and Lombard streets, and paid for it,
Richard Allen purchased Sims' old blacksmith shop,
hauled it on the lot, fixed it up as a house of worship.
Those of the Methodist faith soon gathered about
him, and the "Allenites," as they were called, increased
in numbers daily.
Then began a tedious series of expensive lawsuits
and perplexing oppositions from their white brethren,
who tried to get their property. Finally victory was
gained in the courts, a charter obtained from the Gen¬
eral Assembly of Pennsylvania, a new house of wor¬
ship was erected, which in 17^9 was opened, dedicated
by Bishop Asbury, and called "Bethel." This was
the Origin of African Methodism.
Twenty-nine years after, in 1816, a convention of
colored Methodists from several States, who were
having similar grievances, assembled at Philadelphia,
in April, organized the first General Conference of the
African Methodist Episcopal Church, which gave the
10
African Methodist Episcopal Church its connectional
form, and Richard Allen was elected and ordained
Bishop, being the first Negro Bishop in America.
II.
WHAT HAS AFRICAN METHODISM TO SAY OF ITS ORIGIN ?
I believe that God led the sainted Allen to consider
the wretched condition of his people, under the weight
of neglect, ostracism and religious repression, to pro¬
vide for them and coming generations a place for di¬
vine worship—a place where they might find freedom
from caste in the sanctuary of God, and where the
gospel of Christ, unhampered, might be preached in
its fullness, and in its richness to all persons, without
regard to race or color.
These were times that tried men's souls; times when
for a gathering of colored people to be found as¬
sembled without the presence of a white man, was con¬
sidered a conspiracy and a crime. Yet with undaunted
courage, true to his convictions, this holy man of God,
with heavenly zeal, launched his little craft upon the
waters; waters lashing and heaving with caste and
color prejudice in society, church and State, with an
intensity that swept all before it which bore the impress
of Africa. Is it to be thought out of order, therefore,
11
that Richard Allen and his followers should refuse to
submit to such treatment at the altar of God, with the
lessons of the War of the Revolution so vividly in
their memories? The struggle of 1776 for national
independence had opened a new era in the political
world. The people of this country had lately passed
through a hot conflict with England for civil and po¬
litical liberty.
The spirit of liberty was pervading the air. Eleven
years had only served to justify the wisdom of the
struggle for Colonial independence. Hence, such times
were not favorable for pulling people from their knees
while at prayer in the house of God. African Method¬
ism had its origin therefor, in stirring times in politics
as well as in religion.
Upon these troubled waters, with opposition and
misrepresentations without and anxiety within, one
hundred and eighteen years ago, in November, this
small African Methodist bark set sail down the cen¬
tury, with her canvas unfurled to heavenly breezes,
and her colors at the mast-head—"God, our Father;
Christ, our Saviour; Man, our Brother"—she has come
to us, the African Methodist Episcopal Church of
today.
Many and marvelous have been the changes in the
politics and in the religion of the country, affecting
the nation and the race. Nearly all who knew Richard
12
Allen have joined him in the better land. None of the
founders of our beloved Zion are here. Generation has
followed generation, and millions have passed through
our Zion, brushed the dews of Jordan and joined the
hosts in the heavenly Canaan.
The Allen movement was not the impulse of an ob¬
stinate individuality; it was the promptings of pity,
patriotism and piety exerted by a manly independence.
Such an independence as protests against caste at the
altar of God, and demands free religious thought, ac¬
tion and worship. What event in the early history of
the colored people has giveh to the American Negro
higher incentives and more encouragement in efforts
at self help than the spirit and achievements of Richard
Allen and his followers.
Who would have heard of the countless hosts of
useful men and women who have blessed and benefited
mankind, had not the Allen movement started ? What¬
ever motives may be attributed to the Fathers of Afri¬
can Methodism, the verdict of impartial history must
be that the marvelous results or success of their move¬
ment along the lines of moral, religious, intellectual
and financial efforts, the century past, fully justify the
wisdom of their attempts, through manly independence
to try the virtues of religious self-help.
Through God's grace we have come to be a co-or¬
dinate branch of the great family of Methodism. Be-
13
lieving heartily in and practicing the doctrines and
usages of Episcopal Methodism, inspired with similar
spirit and purposes as our mother church, we have
aimed to preach the gospel to the poor, to reach the
extremes of society, to rescue the perishing, to build
up humanity and to glorify God.
And by God's blessing as the result of one hundred
and eighteen years effort of this Negro self-help, with
friendly aid, the world has the African Methodist
Episcopal Church of today. It is sometimes called by
us "The Connection." It may be in place here to raise
the question what is implied in the term "A. M. E.
Connection," which we so often use.
It implies a co-ordinate branch of the Episcopal
Methodist Christian family, composed chiefly of people
of African descent, organized for varied Christian,
moral and humane activities, into distinct churches
with all appliances for religious work.
This connectional territory embraces seventy An¬
nual Conferences, covering the United States, Canada,
Nova Scotia, British West Indies, Hayti, San Domin¬
go, British Guiana, West and South Africa. In this
connection were enrolled, in 1904, 759,590 members,
56,273 probationers, with 2,921,060 adherents; nearly
3,000,000 souls who worship in African Methodist
Episcopal Temples.
There are §,459 itinerant preachers, 7,377 local
14
preachers, equal 12,836 who carry the Word, and 5,018
exhorters—17,854 who expound the Word of God in
our 5,715 churches. Supervising this vast work are
thirteen Bishops, the chief pastors, with two hundred
and fifty-four Presiding Elders, aiding them are twelve
General Officers, each managing one of the twelve
General Departments into which the entire religious
work of the connection is divided, namely:
The Book Concern at Philadelphia, Pa., founded
1844, where our books, the Christian Recorder, A. M.
E. Review, (ordered 1884), the Discipline, Hymn
Book and other literature are printed, did a business,
1900 to 1904, amounting to $65,811.27.
The Department of Finance, organized May, 1868,
located at Washington, D. C., where the dollar money
goes and from where the Bishops, some of the General
Officers, widows and orphans of Bishops, deceased
itinerant preachers and superannuated preachers, and
institutions of learning obtain aid, and where $533,-
994.28 business was done 1900-1904.
The Department of Missions, organized 1864, head¬
quarters at 61 Bible House, New York City, including
the Women's P. H. and F. M. S., headquarters at
Philadelphia, with auxiliaries in all the Annual Con¬
ferences, having handled a business 1900-1904 of
$64,836.39.
These departments represent the aggressive wing of
the Connection in home and foreign fields.
15
The Department of Education, organized 1884,
headquarters at Kittrell, N. C., supervising the twenty-
four connectional schools for learning, having one hun¬
dred and sixty teachers, seven thousand pupils, one
thousand eight hundred and eighty-two acres of land,
sixty-one buildings, property value of $750,000. Raised
for education since 1884, $1,685,240.18.
The Department of Church Extension, organized
1898, headquarters at Philadelphia, Pa., representing
five thousand seven hundred and fifteen churches, a
property value of $1,750,131.
The Children's Department—the Sunday School
Union, organized 1882, headquarters at Nashville,
Tenn., supervising 4,500 Sunday Schools, 59,930 of¬
ficers and teachers, 354,911 pupils, prints at its own
department and with its own plant the Sunday School
literature, and handled 1900-1904, $77,159.46.
The Connectional Preachers' Aid, organized at Bal¬
timore, October 27, 1897, representing the ministry,
raised for that department and paid to preachers' fam¬
ilies 1900-1904, $5,000.
Allen Christian Endeavor, headquarters Jackson¬
ville, Fla., organized 1900, aiming to organize and set
to active christian work our young African Methodists.
Hence we have three million souls instructed by
seventeen thousand eight hundred and fifty-four in¬
structors, in five thousand seven hundred and seven-
16
teen churches, worth $1,750,131. Raising annually
for ministerial support and their dependents $1,236,-
613.06, and for other purposes than the above $2,632,-
613.06. Hence we may say "what hath God wrought ?"
This is truly a fulfillment of the prophetic predictions,
"A little one shall become a thousand and the small
one a mighty nation."
The far-seeing wisdom of the Church as well as its
generosity, is manifested when we consider that out
of its poverty its members give annually thousands, not
only to build and to sustain churches, but to support
and plant missions and schools South, West and in
foreign lands. Indeed, the African Methodist Episco¬
pal Church has always had a deep conviction that
under God she had a special mission to the colored
race; hence, Africa has been a field of increasing in¬
terest to her. She has made efforts to plant missions
in Africa in 1821, in Hayti in 1835, and in San Do¬
mingo in 1833, South and West Africa.
III.
the; greatness oe the founders.
A mere surface glance at the acts of Richard Allen
and his associates may not reveal all that the world
today may require to award greatness. It is only as
17
you consider their day; analyze their characters, and
measure the results of their acts in good to posterity,
does their greatness appear.
Men are seen to be grefat as they show ability, and
rise above their surroundings and effect achievement
to benefit others. The results of Allen's efforts have
done more to develop Negro character, afford him high
incentives, and open fields for the exercise of his
varied capabilities than any other effort of the colored
man in America.
I need not now name the great men and women as
ministers and preachers, eloquent and learned orators.
Her scholars, authors, editors and divines; her instruc¬
tors, professors and philanthropists, among clergy and
laymen. Her cultured, progressive and self-sacrific¬
ing women are too well known to be mentioned by
names here. History measures men not so much by
what they themselves accomplish as by what they make
possible for others.
Acting in accord with the spirit of the gospel of
Christ, as well as that of the genius of the National
Republic, the founders of African Methodism, put not
a word or clause in either doctrine or discipline to
make any racial distinction of color or geographical
discriminations in its possibilities or benefits.
African Methodism signifies simply the Methodist
doctrine. Discipline, forms and usages taken by men
18
of African descent, as a separate, independent, co-or¬
dinate branch of the Christian family and set in opera¬
tion in such manner as to save millions of the race va¬
riety from sin, and the crushing influence of caste op¬
pression, and to make them intelligent christians and
useful men and women.
IV.
HAS THE TIME COME TO ABOLISH COLORED CHURCHES?
Wd are asked sometimes if it would not be better to
abolish colored churches; if they do not foster race
distinction and promote caste? No! For many rea¬
sons. Chief among which are, viz:
1. That which called colored churches into exist¬
ence in America, color prejudice, is yet prevalent, and
becoming more intense in church as well as in politi¬
cal and social life. It is a vital question that perplexes
every institution and interest in this country.
2. We need colored churches because the masses
of the present generation of our people are freer and
are better satisfied in the'm.
3. Because these churches are our own; the fruits
of our own generosity and evidences of our own ef¬
forts at self-help and reiligious thrift.
4. We need colored churches as fields in which our
people may find opportunities to do something for
19
themselves and by themselves in the way of Christian
usefulness.
5. And as no distinction, on account of color or
race is made by our doctrines, laws and usages, we open
our doors to the cordial reception of all race varieties,
and we should welcome the day when, in harmony with
the spirit of Christ, as with the pronounced genius of
our Republic Institutions, we should find welcome to
other Christian bodies upon as amicable terms and be
accorded as full opportunities as we feel free to accord
them. Ham should seek to Christianize Shem, as well
as Shem seek to Christianize Ham.
Therefore, the best method of remedying the evils
we find in colored churches, so called, if evils there be,
is to make them better; better in the pulpit, better in
the pews, better in the choirs. So much better, in
piety, ability and culture of the clergy; in the intelli¬
gence and refinement of the laity; in the high order
and sweetness and appropriateness of the music; in the
impressiveness and devotion of the worship, as well as
the broadness of their labors of love and usefulness
that others will be as willing to unite with us, as to
have us to disband and unite with them.
God be thanked that movements are tending that
way. Marvelous has been the advancement of the race
since the days of Allen and vast the improvement in
the manners and methods in colored churches. Today
20
some of the ablest and most cultured of both races are
found in our pulpits and in our pews as pastors and
as members. But we need more. How marvelous
has been the spread of the Allen effort. This is in har¬
mony with the spirit of Christ; in harmony with the
law of progress; in harmony with the law of develop¬
ment which seeks new methods of doing things.
It is in harmony with evangelical Christianity which
carries with it the spirit and love of Christ, and whose
cardinal principle is the brotherhood of man. God,
our Father; Christ, our Redeemer; Man, our Brother.
V.
CONCLUSION.
In conclusion let me ask you to imagine something
of the training and educating influence the Church
founded by Allen has had upon the race. The dis¬
ciplinary power of its form of government—of its of¬
ficial boards; boards of trustees; Quarterly, Annual
and General Conferences. Of its publishing, educa¬
tional, financial, missionary and Sunday School de¬
partments, Church Extension, Preachers' Aid, and
Young People's Christian Endeavor departments.
OF ITS SPIRITUAL MEANS 0* GRACE.
Weekly prayer, praise and class meetings, its quar-
21
terly meetings, love feasts, public preaching and sacred
song and choir services, all under the supervision of a
ministry itinerated, so as to diffuse a variety of gifts
and talents through the entire connection. Who can
recount the results of Allen's efforts—on those already
in heaven, having been enlightened, sanctified and
saved; washed in the blood of the Lamb. This with
the good work that is now being done in the United
States, Canada, Africa, Hayti and the Isles of the Sea,
and iii the South, hundreds of thousands of souls
commune at our altars, several millions worship God
in our temples; over seven thousand ministers preach
in our pulpits, dispensing the Word of Life, and many
thousand officers manage our affairs. Shall we boast?
No! No! rather thank and praise God and humbly
consecrate ourselves afresh to God and His service
and push on to greater conquests and achievements.
These are what Methodism in general and African
Methodism in particular have to say for themselves.
NEW DUTIES FOR A NEW DAY.
Permit me to say, brethren, that there is upon our
hands as a Church, New Duties for this New Day.
You are the sons of Richard Allen; being sons, there
have come unto your hands the heritages left you by
the fathers. Great and ^grave responsibilities have
22
eome with thetn. The African Methodist Episcopal
Church, the pioneer advocate of Negro freedom in
religious independence and religious thought and ac¬
tion, stands at the threshold of the twentieth century,
the representative in effort at race redemption and
elevation by means of self-help and friendly aid.
This is the age of expansion—vast fields lay out and
open before the Church. Millions of souls benighted,
starving, enslavefd and crushed are calling to her for
help. To the sons of the Dark Continent there is
magic in the name African.
To meet these momentous demands there are the
wants of moneys, of schools, of mission houses, of
books, of teachers of God, called and sent preachers.
There is also the need of men—men to lefad the hosts;
cultured and trained men—men of experience with the
open eye, of level head and good common sense. Men
to measure the pews in their capabilities and needs;
under God we may hope for men for the day.
*—^