UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 L. J.COPPIN 
 
 
University of California Berkeley 
 

'*. ,y 
 
 \ :* 
 '. 
 
BISHOP L. J. COPPIN 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 BY 
 BISHOP L. J. COPPIN 
 
 Author: The Relation of Baptized Children to the Church 
 
 Key to Scripture Interpretation; Observations of 
 
 Persons and Things in South Africa; 
 
 Fifty-two Suggestive Sermon 
 
 Syllabi. Etc. 
 
 A. M. E. BOOK CONCERN 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, PA. 
 
< Copyright. 1919, by L. J. Coppin) 
 
PREFACE 
 
 Intermingled with this "Unwritten History" 
 is the story of my life. Being all from 
 memory, except here and there the verifica- 
 tion of a date, there may be some repetitions. 
 Of course much f the "Story" is omitted, but, 
 things that impressed me most, and facts that 
 seem to me most important among the "Un- 
 written" things, are noted. Those who are 
 fond of reading novels about men who never 
 lived, and things that never did and never will 
 happen, may enjoy a change to something that 
 is historic and real. If the example of some 
 of the worthy ones mentioned inspires some- 
 one else, the object of the author is accom- 
 plished. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I BIRTH AND BOYHOOD 7 
 
 II SOCIAL, MORAL AND INTELLECT- 
 UAL CONDITIONS 32 
 
 III THE CIVIL WAR '.. 63 
 
 IV AFTER THE CIVIL WAR Ill 
 
 V FAREWELL TO CECILTON 172 
 
 VI MY CALL TO THE MINISTRY 211 
 
 VII ACROSS THE CONTINENT 267 
 
 VIII MY ELECTION TO THE BISHOPRIC.. 296 
 
 IX DOMESTIC BLISS: WITH SHADOW 
 
 AND SUNSHINE.. 345 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 Birth and Boyhood 
 
 It was at Frederick Town, Maryland. Be 
 sure and distinguish between Frederick in 
 Western Maryland, and Frederick Town on 
 the Eastern Shore. 
 
 It makes all the difference in the world to 
 an Eastern Shore man. You may call the 
 difference only sentimental, but Frederick 
 Douglass was born there. To be sure, Ben- 
 jamin Banneker was born on the Western side 
 of the famous Chesapeake Bay. 
 
 Perhaps Bishop A. W. Wayman more than 
 any one else, advertised the Eastern Shore as 
 the "Garden Spot of the World." 
 
 It is indented with rivers that flow into the 
 Chesapeake Bay. These rivers are full of fish, 
 ^oysters and crabs. At some points along the 
 (7) 
 
8 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Bay, the fishing and crabbing are perennial. 
 Shad, and herring in the spring; crabs, hard 
 and soft shell, in the summer; oysters in the 
 winter, and fish of various kinds the year 
 'round. 
 
 All of the "Eastern Shore" is not in Mary- 
 land. Virginia claims a part of this modern 
 "Promised Land." So, the expression goes ; 
 "the Eastern Shore of Maryland and the Eas- 
 tern Shore of Virginia," with Maryland always 
 first; for the collossal figure of Frederick 
 Douglass in Maryland is bound to loom up. 
 
 Frederick Town is on the Sassafras river, 
 the boundary line between the counties of 
 Kent and Cecil English names. 
 
 This little stream, as clear as a crystal, forms 
 the Southern boundary of Cecil, the northern- 
 most county on the Eastern Shore. 
 
 Frederick Town, once an active lumber and 
 grain market, nestles on the banks of the Sas- 
 safras, just five miles from its head, where is 
 a town known as "Head of Sassafras," made 
 more or less famous by the grist mill that 
 stands, or stood at the falls, where the rush- 
 ing waters tumble into the river, after turning 
 the mill wheel day and night. Upper Cecil 
 and Kent patronize this mill for miles around.. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 9 
 
 Some of my earliest and most pleasant 
 recollections are, of going- with "Billy Canrian" 
 to "Freemans Mill." We drove the big black 
 horse, Jim, when we did as we were told. He 
 was blind in one eye, "as big as a barrell" as 
 round as an apple, and as fat as butter. A 
 kind and safe driving horse for boys, and as 
 fine a saddle horse as there ever was in "Sas- 
 safras Neck." But if we boys could catch 
 old man King "napping" we would hitch up 
 Dandy, a fine looking spirited bay, and slip 
 away to the mill. 
 
 Opposite Frederick Town, Cecil County, is 
 Georgetown, Kent County. These were rival 
 grain markets. 
 
 Sailing crafts plied the river from both sides 
 with grain, principally wheat and corn, from 
 early fall until the rivers became frozen over. 
 In mid-summer, the Delaware and Chesapeake 
 Canal steamers would come up for peaches. 
 Besides these, a flat bottom side wheel steam- 
 er ran every summer between Frederick Town 
 and Baltimore, 'sixty miles away, carrying 
 passengers and light freight to the merchants, 
 country store keepers, of Galena and George- 
 town of Kent, and Cecilton and Frederick 
 Town of Cecil ; and passengers back and forth. 
 
10 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 These boats looked large to me. They were 
 the first I ever saw. I went on one of them,. 
 a sailing craft, to Baltimore when about seven 
 years of age. Baltimore was the first city I 
 ever saw. Our goodly ship (?) dropped anchor 
 in the busy Patapsico river, amid scores and 
 scores of steam and sailing crafts, river boats, 
 coast wise and ocean steamers, and ships and 
 brigs, and tugs. What a sight to a pair of 
 young country eyes ! Three score years, as 
 full as they have been of travel and sight see- 
 ing, have not been sufficient to obliterate the 
 scenes of the Patapsico harbor, nor to wipe 
 out the impression made, upon my first visit 
 there. 
 
 My mother took me there. A wonderful 
 mother ! Great men are not the only men 
 who have great mothers. Some obscure men 
 who have not been much more known in the 
 world's great movements, than a match that 
 starts a blaze and immediately perishes, have 
 also had great mothers. 
 
 The light of John the Baptist was cruelly 
 blown out before he saw the fruit of his labor : 
 but, the Kingdom he proclaimed is still march- 
 ing on. St. Luke tells us about his mother. 
 
 We know about the mother of Moses, and 
 Timothy and Samuel, and John W'esley and 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 11 
 
 others ; but, there are unknown mothers whose 
 sons, breathing their spirit, inheriting their 
 nobility of soul, and becoming the heirs and 
 beneficiaries of their faith and prayers, have 
 helped to make up "the salt of the earth," both 
 upon the mountain top of fame, and in the 
 vale of obscurity. 
 
 There were seven of us children, four boys 
 and three girls. The most of us were born 
 "on the hill" in Frederick Town 
 
 Abraham Lincoln gave character to the log 
 cabin. When ex-Vice President Fairbanks 
 died June, 1918, the Press referred to him 
 as "the last of the famous Log .Cabin States- 
 men." 
 
 Since America's most famous could come 
 from log cabins, it has become popular to re- 
 fer to these primitive dwelling places of earth's 
 lowly, as a birth place. All the same, this is 
 not the way of the world's desire, preferably. 
 
 We speak of a mother's love, but mothers 
 have instinct also. Perhaps it is inspired 
 vision. 
 
 What is it that could make a mother per- 
 sist in clandestinely having her child taught 
 to read and write when there was no visible 
 prospect whatever of it ever being of service 
 
12 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 to him; and, besides, when, it being in vio- 
 lation of the law, it could only be done at a 
 peril. 
 
 My maternal grandmother was free born, 
 while her husband, Perry Lilly, was a slave. 
 Alas ! a slave ! A slave in a country whose 
 citizenship was made up of those who fled 
 from oppression, and fought, and bled, and 
 died for liberty! 
 
 Children took the condition of their mother. 
 This was the surest way to perpetuate slavery 
 where the masters were so plentifully the 
 fathers. For this reason many a slave man 
 married a free woman, that his children might 
 be free. 
 
 Many slave men. veritable heroes, purchased 
 their freedom by working by day for their 
 masters, and by night for themselves ; hiring 
 their time. 
 
 Many a free man married a slave woman 
 because he loved her. and purchased her and 
 her children. 
 
 My grandmother being free, the Lilly chil- 
 dren were free born, and John Coppin, also 
 free born, married Jane, one of the Lilly girls. 
 
 There was a large, family of them : all girls 
 but one. They got the reputation of being 
 the best girls in the neighborhood, and my 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 13 
 
 Aunt Clara told me that they called them- 
 selves "the Shoestring Breed." 
 
 The girls all married free men, and grand- 
 father Perry Lilly, was "set free" before the 
 Emancipation, on account of meritorious serv- 
 ice. But he was about through serving by 
 that time anyway. 
 
 His wife Amelia, had passed away, and he 
 had a few years left to enjoy life with his 
 children and grandchildren. I remember the 
 visit he made to our home I do not remem- 
 ber my grandmother. 
 
 The parentage of my father is not so easily 
 traced. I do not, even now, see many Coppins 
 in the directories and 'phone books. 
 
 In a visit to Covington. Kentucky, when 
 Editor of the A. M. E. Review, I saw on a 
 sign over a large store : "John Coppin." That 
 was my father's name. I had never seen or 
 heard of it outside of the. family. I imme- 
 diately went in and asked for "Mr. Coppin," 
 and purchased a souvenir from the store. 
 
 In a rather lengthy conversation with him,, 
 for we became interested in each other, on 
 account of the name, he gave me some facts 
 about the history of the name. He said it w r as 
 of German origin, and was primarily Cop- 
 penger. Coming to England the "ger" was 
 
14 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 dropped. Coming to America the "en" was 
 changed to "in," or "pen" to "pin," thus Cop- 
 pin. 
 
 As soon as he told me that, I began to ac- 
 count for the friendship, peculiar friendship 
 that existed between our family and the only 
 Coppins I ever knew outside of our family. 
 James Coppin, a white man, was a bachelor, 
 with one sister, Araminta. She married Robert 
 Price. I think now that she and her brother 
 Jim knew more about the origin of our father 
 than they ever told us. 
 
 "Miss Minty," as we children called her, 
 would think nothing of taking us into her 
 home and seating us at her table. This was 
 contrary to the unwritten law of Maryland. 
 
 Well, if we are of German origin, this is not 
 the most auspicious time to look it up, while 
 the Kaiser is in such disfavor. 
 
 When I became old enough to really appre- 
 ciate the greatness of my mother, who despite 
 my lowly birth, planned for my future, on 
 ~blind faith, I went to the site of the home- 
 stead to get a souvenir from one of the logs 
 of the house in which I was born. A new 
 house stood on the spot. "Aunt Caroline" 
 went behind the house in search of a log that 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 15 
 
 might still remain, but, was doomed to disap- 
 pointment. 
 
 However, that is the spot. The pear tree 
 has long since ceased to exist. The old well,, 
 as dear to us as was Jacob's well, to his pos- 
 terity, is filled up, but a sunken place in the 
 ground, a few paces from what was the 
 northeast corner of the dear old house, tells 
 the story. 
 
 My mother always referred to me as her 
 "''Christmas gift." I was born between sun- 
 down, December 24th and daybreak, December 
 25th. 
 
 We had no clock in the house, and the 
 people in those days did not go to bed at all 
 on "Christmas Eve Night," and it may have 
 been after midnight when I came. But the 
 record in the old family Bible says : 
 
 "Le.vi Jenkins Coppin, born December 24th,. 
 1848." The "Christmas gift" idea is all right,, 
 for Santa Claus is always credited with com- 
 ing at night and not in the morning. 
 
 No one can ever know exactly just what 
 a mother is thinking about her children, or 
 why she does this thing or that. 
 
 The sentiment that clustered about the time 
 of my birth enabled mother to observe the 
 day with a "birthday dinner" without seem- 
 
16 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 ing to show partiality. Neither did any of 
 the other children ever show the least dis- 
 satisfaction because the "fatted calf" was kill- 
 ed only once a year. 
 
 I discovered early in life that I was always 
 the one called upon when company came to 
 "speak a piece," and to tell what day of the 
 month it was; and later on to get down the 
 Farmers' Almanac, and tell about the "full 
 and changes of the moon." Tell about the man 
 standing there with "Pharaoh's plagues" all 
 around him, punching him; and to read, to 
 the admiration of the listening hosts, "con- 
 jectures of the weather." With an eloquence 
 that held all spellbound, I would cry out, "first 
 and second, clear; third and fourth, cloudy; 
 fifth and sixth, variable ; seventh and eighth, 
 showers." 
 
 Grandmother Lilly discovered an aptness 
 about Jane,, that the other children did not 
 possess, and slipped her off to Baltimore. 
 
 Baltimore being in the State of Maryland, 
 "free Negroes" from other parts of the State 
 might go and come freely, so long as there 
 was no suspicion of an ulterior motive. 
 
 If such a person was suspected of whisper- 
 ing to the slaves, or clandestinely conveying 
 passes, an 'accusation was equivalent to con- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 17 
 
 viction, and for such a crime the offender 
 could be sold to the highest bidder outside of 
 the State and henceforth made a slave. 
 
 It is no wonder that so few would under- 
 take to "run the blockade." Runaway slaves, 
 if captured, were entirely at the mercy of the 
 master. The other slaves were made to form 
 a cordon, while the culprit, in the midst, re- 
 ceived such punishment as was thought best 
 to terrify the other slaves. 
 
 Sometimes it would be a terrible castigation 
 from the overseer. Sometimes the wife, or 
 husband, or child of the victim would be se- 
 lected to apply the punishment. 
 
 I heard of a case once, where the victim 
 was cut up piece by piece and fed to the blood- 
 hounds. And so it required a great deal of 
 courage for a slave to run away, or, for a 
 "free nigger" to be caught learning to read 
 and write, for he would be accused of prepar- 
 ing to write passes for slaves in the name of 
 their masters. 
 
 Amelia Lilly was willing to take so great a 
 risk as this with her most likely child, and so, 
 Jane was sent to Baltimore, ostensibly to live 
 with her aunt, Lucy Harding, but, in fact, it 
 was that her Aunt Lucy might find some one 
 
18 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 who would teach her to read and write; and 
 so she did. 
 
 When mother came home on a visit one 
 time, father, a man of taste and good judg- 
 ment, soon discovered that she was above the 
 mark set by the custom of the place, and so, 
 was bold and daring enough to seek her heart 
 and hand, and not in vain. 
 
 What gave him an idea that he was worthy 
 of the foremost young woman in Cecil County, 
 so granted by common consent, no one knows. 
 
 Why not be wooed and won by a Baltimore 
 lad, who could boast at least of having "city 
 ways," a thing quite unknown to a "country 
 clodhopper." Well, it is hard to tell just how 
 far presumptuousness will go when once start- 
 ed. It may even be inherited. 
 
 Father had a habit of consulting mother on 
 all important matters, and I think, generally 
 took her advice. She was quick to reach a 
 conclusion, and not easily changed from an 
 opinion. 
 
 There were two things upon which they did 
 not entirely agree in the earlier days, at least 
 of their married life. First, father could not 
 see the wisdom of taking such risks as mother 
 would take, to teach the children to read and 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 19 
 
 write. Of what service could it ever be to 
 them? 
 
 The majority of the children held to the 
 opinion of father, but the "Christmas baby" 
 inclined to side with mother, and this fact 
 made them early companions, much earlier 
 than the average child is called into parental 
 council. 
 
 Another point on which father and mother 
 differed somewhat was, father always regard- 
 ed mother as being recklessly generous. 
 
 Every old woman in the neighborhood form- 
 ed a habit of visiting our home, frequently, 
 especially about hog-killing time. 
 
 When the winter set in, and the visitors 
 could not make their customary itinerary, we 
 boys knew where they lived, and knew how 
 to go and hunt them up, carrying the practical 
 compliments of mother ; and not make where 
 we had been and for what purpose, a fireside 
 talk upon our return. 
 
 Those dear old women would call mother 
 "Cousin Jane." Father would speak derisively 
 of such relationships, and characterized it as 
 "swap dog kin." 
 
 I have often heard mother say: "I shall 
 never want for bread," and she did not. 
 
20 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 The philosophy of father was different. He 
 thought the best way to keep away want was 
 to kill several fat hogs; bury a plenty of po- 
 tatoes and cabbages ; dry and preserve much 
 fruit; salt away a barrel of herrings and pile 
 up cord after cord of wood at the "wood pile." 
 and his theory was, let others do the same. 
 
 My mother did not at all object to such a 
 course, for she was hand in hand with him in 
 providing. But she believed in sharing with 
 others, especially the unfortunate and needy. 
 
 I was sent to the store one cold day with 
 orders to go by the little hut where "Aunt 
 Ruthy" lived. This was not even "Swap dog" 
 relation. 
 
 The white people did not permit us to say 
 "Mr." and "Mrs." to each other., so, the chil- 
 dren, for "manner's sake," were taught to 
 call the older people "aunt" and "uncle." 
 
 Well, I called as I was directed, at the house 
 of "Aunt Ruthy." She was shivering before a 
 few not very live coals, for, the wood must 
 not be burned extravagantly. When I got 
 ready to go, she said, "Leevie , tell your 
 mother, while the grass grows, the steed is 
 starving." 
 
 I had never heard of a "steed" before, and 
 thought "Aunt Ruthy" had surely made a mis- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 21 
 
 take. And besides, I could not see how mother 
 would make the application. 
 
 So, to help mother out somewhat, I changed 
 the phraseology a little, and said: "Aunt 
 Ruthy says, while the grass grows the sheep 
 are starving." 
 
 I knew what a sheep was. 
 
 A few minutes later I found myself on the 
 way back to "Aunt Ruthy's" with a basket of 
 meat and potatoes, from my father's smoke- 
 house. 
 
 That was the interpretation of the starving 
 steed. 
 
 In after years, father came to understand 
 mother's philosophy better. When the oppor- 
 tunity unexpectedly came for the children to 
 go to school, mother was not more anxious 
 than father that we should go, and he also 
 learned at last, that, they who sow boun- 
 tifully, reap also bountifully. 
 
 Mother was a Christian as far back as I can 
 remember. The fact is, she embraced religion 
 when a girl. 
 
 The children, one by one, so soon as they 
 could pronounce words, said prayers before 
 going to bed, and said, "thank the Lord" after 
 each meal. 
 
22 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Father was not a churchman, though I 
 never heard him swear. And not a child up 
 to his manhood was ever allowed to swear 
 before him. 
 
 In this particular thing I was always like 
 my father and have my first oath yet to swear. 
 In this, I differed from the other boys 
 
 Father, as well as mother, despised lying, 
 stealing and drunkenness, and the weight of 
 their influence, both by precept and example, 
 was always in favor of a pure moral atmos- 
 phere in the home. 
 
 But still, as my father made no profession 
 of religion, and could not lead his household 
 in family worship, it threw the burden of re- 
 ligious duty on mother. 
 
 To neglect early religious training is to 
 leave out that which is most important in the 
 formative period of life. And this is espe- 
 cially true of those, who, by social ostracism, 
 are deprived of coming in contact with uplift- 
 ing infleuence outside of the home. 
 
 When the father is the patriarch, leading 
 the family in daily devotion, it is not difficult 
 to establish in the home a respect for morals 
 and religion. But when the head of the house 
 is not responsible for such law and order, the 
 mother, in order to bring it about, must be 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 23 
 
 unusually strong in personality, and courage, 
 and faith. 
 
 Some of rny very earliest recollections are 
 upon moral and religious subjects. 
 
 My mother used to take me to church and 
 have me sit in the "Amen corner" with her. 
 I was too young to have any opinion about 
 anything that took place. I remember that 
 after preaching, class meeting would follow, 
 and one after another would get up and speak. 
 Mother would frequently sing between these 
 speeches. She was the one who was really 
 depended upon to sing at the "Meeting house." 
 
 She had a clear, ringing voice, which could 
 be detected above the other voices, no matter 
 how large the chorus. 
 
 She used to sing: 
 
 "John carried his number over." 
 
 "Moses led the children home." 
 
 "We'll join the forty thousand, by and by." 
 
 And "We Are the True Born Sons of Levi," 
 and many other like songs. Also the good old 
 Methodist hymns, such as : 
 
 "Am I a Soldier of the Cross?" "When I 
 Can Read My Title Clear" and "O, Joyful 
 Sound of Gospel Grace," "My God, the Spring 
 
24 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 of All My Joy." But whether on the make-as- 
 you-go hymns or the standards, mother was 
 quite at home, and was always in great de- 
 mand. 
 
 If the meeting became a little dull, the 
 leader would call out, "Sister Coppin, sing 
 something." No sooner would the words fall 
 from his lips than that familiar voice would 
 ring out, and soon things would be going at 
 a lively pace. 
 
 The old church leaders, as a rule, did not 
 know many hymns by heart. They used to 
 call them "hymes." My mother had this ad- 
 vantage of them, she could read, and would 
 learn hymn after hymn, and sing them from 
 memory. 
 
 There was a Bible and hymn book in our 
 home ever since I can remember anything. 
 
 Once, when mother took me to church I 
 must have been very small I remember there 
 was a little fat yellow woman who got very 
 happy while singing a "piece." The fact is, 
 some of them would apparently get quite hap- 
 py after the first or second verse, if that was 
 all they knew ; then some one else would have 
 to catch it up and go on with it, if it went any 
 further. This was one of "Uncle" Abe Ken- 
 iiard's tricks. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 25 
 
 But, on this particular occasion, the singer 
 was "Aunt" Fanny Bayard. There were two- 
 peculiarities about the song that so impressed 
 me, that I still remember them vividly, name- 
 ly: 
 
 First, she sang so fast that no one could 
 catch on and accompany her. Secondly, in 
 her "Hallelujah" she repeated the "Halle," and 
 would say : 
 
 "We've found the rock, the traveler cried, 
 
 Glory halle, hallelujah." 
 
 As I remember now, she made only one 
 double or single line and chorus, and that with 
 such rapidity that no one got hold of the 
 words or rhyme ; then suddenly she exclaimed, 
 "Glory to God, Glory to God!" and all was 
 over. 
 
 She was short and fat, and had what people 
 called, "poppy eyes." I never did lose sight of 
 her; and when I grew older, I came to know 
 her well. She was a free woman, a widow 
 with one daughter, Henrietta "Henny" she 
 called her and lived in her own little house 
 at Crooktown, near Cecilton. 
 
 Crooktown and Perrytown were two little 
 clusters of houses huts that were behind 
 
26 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 the woods that separated Cecilton from where 
 the free colored people lived. 
 
 There were not many families in these little 
 settlements, but the woods, i. e., the grove, 
 spoken of in another chapter, afforded a meet- 
 ing place for our people, bond and free. 
 
 After I visited South Africa, and saw some 
 of the original Hottentots, I was led to believe 
 that "Aunt" Fanny Bayard was one of them. 
 
 The Hottentot is exactly the color of the 
 Chinese ; so was "Aunt" Fanny. They have 
 little tufts of hair scattered about on their 
 heads. I do not know what was on "Aunt" 
 Fanny's head, except that kerchief, that I 
 never saw her without. 
 
 The Hottentot is said to live to a very old 
 age. Well, "Aunt" Fanny and her daughter 
 "Henny" lived to be very old. They were com- 
 panions, and were nearly always togther. The 
 boys used to say that "Henny" lived until she 
 caught up with her mother." 
 
 Henny got married late in life. I do not 
 know whether this was her first husband or 
 not. but one thing I do know, that she out- 
 lived him: but "Aunt" Fanny outlived her. 
 
 When the little old hut was about to fall 
 down on her, she made over the place to 
 'Father Jones," and he built a little frame 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 27 
 
 house on it, in which "Aunt" Fanny ended her 
 days. 
 
 Besides "Aunt" Fanny; Emory Sisco, John 
 Hall and Benjamin Freeman lived in Crook- 
 town. All of them free people. 
 
 Living at Perrytown, which was but a few 
 hundred yards from Crooktown, was a man 
 named Perry Thompson. He was said to be 
 a very wicked man. 
 
 A man thus characterized by our people was 
 one who would swear, drink whisky and per- 
 haps gamble : one who never went to church. 
 They were called hard-hearted sinners. 
 
 Some of them were supposed to have "deal- 
 ings" with the Devil. When such a person 
 died, you could not get a neighborhood child 
 to go any distance alone at night. 
 
 The impression was, the devil had come for 
 the wicked person, and was probably still 
 sneaking about there in the darkness. 
 
 This doctrine was quite generally believed 
 by the older ones, and the children had no in- 
 clination to go out into the darkness and in- 
 vestigate it, in order to be convinced whether 
 it was true or false. 
 
 There was always a superstition that the 
 death of such a person was accompanied by a 
 
28 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 storm, a terrible storm, preferably a snow 
 storm. 
 
 By some kind of coincidence, the biggest 
 snow storm of the season often came at the 
 time of the death of such persons. 
 
 I remember the Perry Thompson snow 
 storm. What a time they had getting him 
 buried ! These wicked people would often die 
 swearing and raving, crying, "drive out them 
 dogs." 
 
 Of course, the modern physician can easily 
 account for his delirious condition. But, even 
 now, I have a lingering thought, that this doc- 
 trine of demoniacal visitation was so preva- 
 lent that some of those old sinners felt 
 doomed, and just became mentally unbalanced 
 in expectation of meeting their just deserts. 
 
 In those days, you would often hear hymns 
 like this : 
 
 "And must I be to judgment brought, 
 To answer in that day 
 For every vain and idle thought, 
 And every word I say?" 
 "Yes, every secret of my heart, 
 Shall surely be made known; 
 And I'll receive my just deserts, 
 For all that I have done." 
 German "higher criticism" was not much 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 29 
 
 heard of then, neither was a world war ! 
 
 I do not claim to believe the many supersti- 
 tions that I heard in my childyhood, but I am 
 glad that certain impressions were made upon 
 me then, instead of some others that might 
 have been made. 
 
 I was well up in my teens before I found 
 out that the devil did not come with a pitch- 
 fork after boys who would lie and steal, and 
 swear and get drunk. But I was so long in 
 finding out that he did not come and literally 
 catch them, that, having formed the habit of 
 shunning these forbidden things, I just con- 
 sidered that there were other good reasons 
 why these practices should be avoided, and so 
 went on avoiding them. 
 
 When I was a child, they told me about 
 "Kris Kringle," the country folks called him. 
 I believed, with all my young, innocent heart, 
 that such a person existed. 
 
 Finally some "smarty" told me that there 
 was no such person, and "let the cat out of 
 the bag." 
 
 But that is only half of the truth. The fact 
 is that I am still afraid of the devil, whatever 
 may be the reason for my fear. 
 
 But since I have become grown, I have 
 found that there is a Santa who fills the heart 
 
30 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 with love and sympathy, and especially, about 
 the "Christmas season." 
 
 No one shall ever again be able to convince 
 me that no such spirit exists. 
 
 Many other impressions made in boyhood, 
 thanks to the simple faith of a pious mother, 
 have saved me from the dashing currents of 
 sin, by which I have seen others swept away. 
 
 The history of the mothers of this period 
 can never be known. The story of the Exodus 
 from Egypt begins with the birth of Moses, 
 and the mother who hid him until she could 
 no longer do so with safety. 
 
 Then the story of the basket of rushes, by 
 which the babe of providence was floated on 
 the water until found by the Princess. 
 
 Then the mother nurse, according to the 
 mother plan. When it was time to hand him 
 over to the adopted mother at the royal court, 
 his own mother had made such lasting impres- 
 sions upon him, that they proved stronger 
 than the very strong temptation to "enjoy 
 the pleasure of sin for a season." 
 
 The writer of the Pentateuch gives us this 
 story of a mother's love and wisdom and suc- 
 cessful training. 
 
 In both religious and secular history, we 
 have the maternal part played in the world's 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 31 
 
 history, until it is accepted as true that "the 
 hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." 
 
 The story of the mother of Moses is the old- 
 est of such stories, and the scene was in 
 Egypt, and Egypt is in Africa. 
 
 But the bond woman brought from Africa 
 had no one to write of her wisdom and hero- 
 ism. Some things would be passed down by 
 tradition from generation to generation and 
 then be forgotten. 
 
 With the unwritten history of the race is 
 buried most of the best things that are really 
 characteristic of the race originally. 
 
 Two hundred and fifty years developed a 
 new people, with new traditions, customs^ 
 morals and religion, copied from the dominant 
 people of their new environment. 
 
 But whether written or unwritten, the his- 
 tory of the African in America from 1619 to 
 1865, constitutes a most interesting chapter 
 in the book of human events. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 Social, Moral and Intellectual Conditions 
 
 (Maryland my Maryland is the northern- 
 most .Southern State. Its northern boundary 
 is the famous Mason and Dixon's Line. 
 
 On account of its geographical location it is 
 often erroneously referred to as a Northern 
 State. But, not only did the earlier geogra- 
 phies class it as Southern, but it stood pat as 
 such when it became the fashion to sub-divide 
 the sections ; as, for instance : "West and Mid- 
 dle West." Maryland never was classified with 
 Delaware 'as a "Middle State," Mason and 
 Dixon settled that question once and for all, 
 and the Marylanders, bond and free, have 
 never tried to blot out the line, nor to claim 
 to have been born "further up." 
 
 Being a Southern State, Maryland was a 
 Slave State, The institution prospered there, 
 as it did in Georgia, though no cotton was 
 grown there. 
 
 (32) 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 33- 
 
 It may not be generally known that Mary- 
 land laws and customs were more oppressive 
 to the slave and "Free Negro" than were the 
 laws and customs of States farther South. 
 
 For instance, Negroes in South Carolina 
 have owned slaves ; such a thing would never 
 have been, and according to slave code philos- 
 ophy could never have been permitted in 
 Maryland. Upper Maryland is on the line of 
 Pennsylvania, the Quaker State ; the hot-bed 
 of abolition ; the first State to protest mildly, 
 then vigorously, against slavery, and then to 
 deal it a death blow by becoming the head- 
 quarters and principal station of the Under- 
 ground Railroad, and furnishing the principal 
 officers of the line. When a few thousand 
 were once offered for the head of "Thomie" 
 Garrett, he said: "Five hundred slaves have 
 passed through my hands, and never a one 
 was captured." He was a Pennsylvania 
 Quaker, conducting a sub-underground station 
 in Wilmington, Del. The big barns of the 
 Tatnals, just across the Brandywine, were 
 often filled with fugitives, many of whom 
 were of Thomie Garrett's "five hundred." 
 
 The relation of Maryland, then, to free soil, 
 and to the abolition propaganda, made it 
 necessary for the slave owner, and the slave 
 
-34 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 trader to keep a sharp watch on the border, 
 .and to keep the lines taut on the slave and the 
 "free nigger." Each must know his place and 
 never forget it, and each must be kept in mor- 
 tal fear of the master, the trader, and the spy. 
 .A free Negro might not go out of the state 
 and return under the penalty of being fined a 
 sum that he would not be expected to be able 
 to pay without the assistance of the Georgia 
 trader, or the more humane (?) gentleman 
 \ who would pay the fine, and give the victim 
 a chance to work it out upon such terms as 
 the benefactor dictated. 
 
 Being so close to the line, a Maryland slave 
 had to be constantly and closely watched 
 lest he "run away." The farther one was re- 
 moved from the North Star the more difficult 
 it was to use it as a guide to freedom. The 
 Underground Railroad could not operate 
 freely in the far South, and so, the slaves 
 .stood a far better chance of being "Trusties." 
 
 Some of the border line slave owners es- 
 tablished a custom of whipping the slaves 
 once <a week, "every Monday morning," to 
 keep them humble and in fear. Early in the 
 morning, while the "Day Spring" stood as a 
 silent witness, against the day when the 
 -cup of iniquity would be full, the cry of the 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 35 
 
 slave would break the silence. "O massy, 
 pray massy!" while the lash of the slave 
 driver played its nimble game upon his bare- 
 back. Sometimes to make humility and degra- 
 dation reach their lowest possible depths, and 
 to destroy the last vestige of personal rights, 
 the slave husband would be made to "cow- ^ 
 hide" the slave wife. 
 
 When, in spite of all the vigilance and cruel- 
 ty that could be practiced, there were still 
 some who were characterized as impudent, 
 unruly or, likely to make their escape at some 
 time, and therefore were dangerous to be 
 among other slaves, they would be roped and' ^ 
 sold to "Georgia traders." Not that all the \ 
 traders were from Georgia, nor used that 
 state exclusively as a market, but, the ex- 
 pression "Georgia Trader" became so common 
 that many slaves, and ignorant whites did not 
 know, or think of any other market. An ig- 
 norant mistress would indulge in the threat : 
 "I'll make your master slash your back and 
 sell you to Georgia." 
 
 Nothing in these "unwritten pages" is in- 
 tended to revive a feeling of hatred. We 
 stand so far from the scenes herein described 
 that no one is left to be hated and no one is 
 left to hate. Both master and slave have long 
 
.36 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 since passed away, and the generations then 
 unborn are now upon the stage of action, with 
 but a few connecting links. The real object 
 is to show that even from this Egypt, came a 
 .Moses, a Joshua, a Miriam, of sable hue. Even 
 from this Nazareth came some good thing. 
 
 We can not even now appreciate the ster- 
 ling virtue of our women, especially of the 
 past, until we have been cited to the fact 
 that even in these times, not fully here de- 
 scribed, only hinted at, when a woman as well 
 as a man was her master's property just as 
 was his horse and his dog, there were women, 
 black women, slave women, who would stand 
 up and fight the master to the death, and 
 'die virtuous. Or, if considered too valuable 
 either to kill or to sell, would live to stand 
 as examples of chastity such as the world 
 never had seen., and to transmit their spirit 
 and blood to posterity. The better knowledge 
 a race has of its own virtues, the less likely 
 it is to run away from itself, and the more de- 
 termined it may become to strive for an hon- 
 orable future. 
 
 When freedom at last came, I had a strong 
 desire to go to Georgia, and see some of the 
 /stock that I had been told went from Mary- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 37 
 
 land. My desire was fully gratified in after 
 years ; for my good friend, Bishop Gaines, 
 bade me welcome to his Conferences, year 
 after year, as I traveled as a General Officer 
 in the Church. And the men and women of 
 Georgia, whether from Maryland or else- 
 where, impressed me that they were of noble 
 origin. 
 
 A subject people, especially wh-ere slavery 
 dominates, are so far removed from the ruling 
 classes, that socially, they have nothing in 
 common. The contact is as master and slave ; 
 as superior and inferior. 
 
 In cases where the housemaid was daily 
 with the members of the family and the 
 guests who mingled with them, a difference 
 could be seen in appearance and general de- 
 portment. Often the house girl at the Big 
 House was the Lady at the Quarters. She 
 wore the cast-off clothing of her mistress. In 
 many cases, where the mistress was kindly 
 disposed, she took especial pride in dressing 
 her maid in such finery as to place her above 
 the common lot * or, to make her outshine all 
 the neighborhood house girls. 
 
 You could tell the girls of "Miss Mary 
 Cruikshank." She had but one slave woman, 
 Delia : her house girls were hired. 
 
38 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 After she established a reputation for be- 
 stowing so much thought and care upon her 
 house girls, the mothers of free girls would 
 seek to place their daughters in her house - 
 hold. I think now of two who came up under 
 her care, Rebecca , and Julia . 
 
 Being house girls these favored ones would 
 pick up words and expressions that they would 
 use in conversation, and therefore would be 
 considered "smart" by the rank and file. 
 
 "Miss Mary" also guarded the morals of her 
 girls, and it was especially for that reason that 
 free women sought to bring their girls under 
 her influence and control, even if they had to 
 "bind them out" to her for a term of years, to 
 make it worth while for her to take them. 
 
 But, "Miss Mary Cruikshank" was an ex- 
 ception to the rule. She lived in the village, 
 her husband was the leading cross roads store- 
 keeper, and sold goods to colored as well as 
 to white. He was a slave holder, but with 
 only four slaves; "Uncle" Jim, Wes (Wesley), 
 Theodore and "Aunt" Deley. 
 
 The Cruikshanks were not the old slave- 
 driving class. "Uncle" Jim and "Aunt" Deley 
 were kept with the family in town, while 
 Theodore and "Wes" were hired out to this and 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 39 
 
 -that neighborhood farmer. But the point in 
 question is this : the colored were separated 
 -definitely and universally from the whites so- 
 cially, and hence, permitted to live by such 
 moral codes as originated at /the quarters 
 where the wheat and the tares grew together. 
 To be more definite, the colored people were 
 socially placed amid environments where there 
 were no moral codes or restrictions. 
 
 Hatched out in the same nests, brought up 
 in a common brood, living and sleeping in the 
 same single room huts quarters boys and 
 girls alike grew up together about as the 
 cattle did, with no moral guide or restraint 
 except that which was given by nature. 
 
 It was to the interest of the masters that 
 their women servants became mothers. The 
 more frequently, the better, as it multiplied 
 their slaves, and hence their wealth. 
 
 A boy who could boast of being a father 
 while still in his teens, was considered worthy 
 of a prize. The girl who was the mother of 
 several children while yet unmarried; and that 
 by different fathers, did not have to carry a 
 "shame face." 
 
 While such cases were numerous but one 
 
 may be cited. A man named James , 
 
 lived in the Cruikshank village had one 
 
40 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 slave woman. She became the mother of four 
 boys, with "sir names," respectively: Henson 
 Harding. Rice and Wilson. The first three 
 grew to manhood and were rented out by the 
 master, before the Civil War. The youngest 
 of the three named entered the war in '63, 
 while the fourth, a lad, with his older brothers*, 
 was set free by Lincoln's proclamation. The 
 multiplication of slaves by illegitimate births 
 was not left entirely to the slave men, but the 
 masters and young masters supplemented 
 
 '; their lack. But. whether by the blacks or the 
 
 ^whites, the birth rate must be kept up. 
 
 A man who passed through slavery and fin- 
 ished his years as a member of one of our 
 churches in Philadelphia, relates a story about 
 how he was selected by his master on account 
 of being strong and healthy ; relieved of the 
 laborious work of the plantation, and named 
 
 / as the person to be the common law hus- 
 band (?) of all the women on the place If 
 any refused to submit they were to be re- 
 ported to their masters, who with a cat-o- 
 nine tails would teach them how to obey any 
 
 \order that came down from him. 
 
 Some masters were "mean and stingy" and 
 did not give their slaves enough to eat, but 
 would indirectly encourage them to steal from 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 41 
 
 neighboring farmers. By "indirectly encour- 
 aging them," I mean they were never chas- 
 tised for doing so. They had but to observe 
 two rules : First, never steal from their mas- 
 ter, and second, never get caught. 
 
 What a comment on the present day criti- 
 cism that brands the Negro as being dishonest 
 as to the personal property of others, derelict 
 as to his "promise to pay," and 'woefully 
 wanting in his regard for sexual purity. 
 
 The nameless crime ; the crime that cannot 
 be ascribed even to most of the lower animals, 
 who mate, and fellowship only in season, is a 
 crime unknown to the African before being 
 brought into contact with that brand of civi- 
 lization that is responsible for the World War. 
 A crime unknown to the descendants of Africa 
 
 before James was told to report to 
 
 his master any who refused. The crime that 
 filled our land with mulattoes, nolens volens. * : 
 The crime that so degraded the "proud Anglo- 
 Saxon" that he would sell his own flesh and 
 blood when he became financially embarrassed. 
 The crime for which any man deserves to die : 
 according to the law, of course. 
 
 We do not always stop to think that slavery y 
 degraded the master even more than the slave. 
 "If ve were blind ve should have no sin : but 
 
42 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 now ye say, we see ; therefore your sin re- 
 maineth." The conditions that were neces- 
 sary to perpetuate slavery, blinded, degraded, 
 and enslaved the masters. Just think of min- 
 isters of Jesus Christ owning, and working 
 and selling slaves. 
 
 In our neighborhood there was an Episcopal 
 church on a manor. In the course of time a 
 rector came who brought with him a young 
 woman and a young man, brother and sister. 
 "Jim" and "Hettie" were the only names I 
 ever heard for them. When we wanted to 
 distinguish them from others by the same 
 mono-syllabic names, we would say "Church 
 Jim and his Sister Hettie." Howbeit, the slave 
 was not allowed to say "sister and brother" 
 in the presence of the master. I came near 
 getting a flogging once because I said to the 
 country storekeeper that I came for a package 
 which "my sister had left there." "Your sis- 
 ter !" he shouted. "Do you mean Mary?" And 
 yet that same man would not hesitate, to say 
 that the colt he offered for sale, w r as sister to 
 the one hitched at the post. 
 
 Church Jim and Hettie worked on the 
 church farm : associated with the Negroes of 
 the neighborhood and county. Were no bet- 
 ter and no worse. Jim, just like the rest, 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 43 
 
 might be indulging in a game of cards, or 
 crap while the master preached to the farm- 
 ers whose horses were hitched about the 
 church-yard. It ,\vas all the teame to 'this 
 civilized Christian (?) parson, just so Hettie 
 had dinner ready after church, and Jim was 
 promptly on hand Monday morning. All the 
 colored people of our Neck Sasafras were 
 Methodists. At that time, in the sixties, I 
 think there was not a Baptist church in that 
 part of the country. There were but few 
 white people who were anything but Method- 
 ists. 
 
 The "brick church" near the village had a 
 gallery that opened from the outside, with 
 nearly perpendicular steps leading to it. There 
 the colored people went for their spiritual 
 food. I remember hearing "Uncle Jake 
 Trusty" tell my mother what the minister 
 preached about, and how beautifully he pre- 
 sented the subject. I can now see my mother 
 go to the family Bible, find the text and mark 
 it. After "Uncle" Jake had satisfied his full- 
 grown appetite and bade "Sister Jane" good- 
 bye, my mother would take up the Bible the 
 old family Bible ; where our births are record- 
 ed find the marked place, and have a spell 
 of reading. "My word shall not return void." 
 
44 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 My mother and "Uncle" Jake accepted the 
 word even though it came from a Christian 
 (?) minister who denied the brotherhood. 
 
 The only other place for them to go and 
 give vent to their religious faith and feelings 
 was "Friendship," a little log house used for 
 a church, indeed, built for that purpose. 
 ^Uncle" Perry Hinson, a free Negro, owned 
 an acre or two of ground behind the woods 
 that was near to Cecilton. On it he built a 
 few one-room cabins, and this church. All 
 built of logs. 
 
 This little settlement, with "Friendship," be- 
 came the social and religious centre of the 
 people five and ten miles around, and "Uncle" 
 Perry Hinson, the proprietor, became the all 
 important man of the place. He could read a 
 little bit in a blundering way, when he could 
 get his "specks" properly adjusted; and claim- 
 ed the right to preach. He had built the 
 church on his own ground, and it was no part 
 of the Cecilton Circuit of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church. Had no trustees nor stewards. 
 No quarterly conference to grant license or 
 refuse to renew them. And so, "Uncle" Perry 
 saw no reason why he might not exercise his 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 45< 
 
 gifts and graces on the colored folk who came 
 to "Friendship" to worship. 
 
 For a long time he had things his own way.. 
 Free people and slaves alike would gather to 
 "Perry Town/' as the place came to be called. 
 The grove of oak trees in front was the most 
 magnificent natural grove I ever saw. The 
 crowds would gather there, especially in sum- 
 mer. There was no other such gathering place 
 in the county, though Cecil county is large. 
 
 The white people would come around oc- 
 casionally to see that all went well, and no 
 mischief was being hatched out at those meet- 
 ings. The fact is, they were glad for the peo- 
 ple to have such a place to meet and satisfy 
 their social and spiritual natures and foster the 
 spirit of contentment among themselves rather 
 than to discover their true condition and brood 
 over it. 
 
 The grove immediately in front of Friend- 
 ship contained about thirty acres of ground,, 
 all wooded, and all trees of large growth,, 
 principally oaks. I think it is safe to say 
 there was not in all of that beautiful grove 
 a single sapling that might have been used 
 as a "pea stick." Strange to say, it was never 
 resorted to by the people of the town, as a 
 park, or, excursion grounds ; nor did the owner 
 
46 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 cut any of the trees, nor permit others to cut 
 them. By common consent it was left stand- 
 ing and undisturbed for the colored people to 
 use as their gathering place. Not until after 
 freedom was the woodman's axe heard in this 
 grove; and then (the whole story seems pro- 
 phetic) enough of it was left, about an acre, 
 for a school house for colored children. This 
 school is kept open during the same school 
 period of all other schools of the county. 
 
 "Uncle" Perry Hinson, as I have said, held 
 undisputed sway as self-appointed pastor in 
 charge of Friendship until others discovered 
 that they had a "talent," and at the same time 
 discovered that the pulpit was the only open 
 door of opportunity for its exercise and im- 
 provement. These came forward one after 
 another in a sort of automatic way, the same 
 as "Uncle" Perry had come. 
 
 From time to time these new "speakers," 
 as they were called, would be asked to take 
 the pulpit. "Uncle" Perry tolerated it for a 
 time, but, when the invitations became too 
 frequent for his liking he locked the church 
 door, and upon being questioned as to his ac- 
 tion, he would ask the significant question: 
 '"Who is the head of this church?" Well, it 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 47 
 
 was found to be wise and prudent to humor 
 "Unc." Perry by allowing him to do the most 
 of the preaching, and thus keep the peace, and 
 at the same time keep Friendship open. 
 
 But what of the intellectual status of the 
 people during those days of slavery and primi- 
 tive life? 
 
 "Unto one he gave five talents, to another 
 two, to another one." 
 
 Whatever was nature's endowment it re- 
 mained in a natural state, with no opportunity 
 for improvement. School-houses were built 
 for white peple. School-books were written 
 for white children. After years, even cen- 
 turies of practical demonstration, all the col- 
 ored people came to know that fact by heart,, 
 and so, did not concern themselves about 
 school-houses, books, or learning. If those 
 talents, the endowment of nature, began to 
 whisper in their souls, they could give vent to- 
 the emotions by inventing riddles, and prac- 
 ticing fortune telling, and "conjuration." 
 
 Many would exercise this pent-up gift by 
 discussing self-made philosophy among them- 
 selves. At this some were considered "very 
 smart." They called it "high dictionary" and 
 those who were most expert in it, could 
 generally capture the girls who were consid- 
 
48 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 ered the belles, for some of them, as well as 
 the men, could talk "high dictionary" and ex- 
 plain "hifullutin grammar." 
 
 When this natural gift took a mechanical 
 bent, the pocket-knife would be brought into 
 requisition to make some kind of ornament ; 
 or, it might even take a more scientific turn. 
 
 Jack Price who, by the way is still living, 
 and is a Grand Army Veteran took his watch 
 to pieces, cleaned it and put it up again, us- 
 ing no other tools than his fingers. I am not 
 sure that it ever ran any more. But the next 
 one who tried it, namely Josh Ferrell, made 
 a success of it, and opened a clock and watch 
 repairing shop in Cecilton, and did work for 
 the people of the town. He was a free Negro. 
 Those who had musical talent often became 
 "fiddlers," and some of them were considered 
 quite expert with the bow. Of course, they 
 knew nothing about the science of music. 
 They played the jingles for the buck dances 
 at corn huskings, parties and the holiday gath- 
 erings, of which "Easter Monday" was the 
 principal. 
 
 It never occurred to the colored people in 
 general that Easter was a religious holiday. 
 With them, Easter was simply a day, when by 
 common consent of all the masters, the blacks 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 49 
 
 had holiday. Not a "Holy Day," but a day 
 when they could rest from the routine toil, and 
 select their own pastime. With them, Easter 
 was Monday, without any connection what- 
 ever with Sunday. If the story of the Resur- 
 rection was told at all, it was at the churches 
 which the slave did not attend. Even the 
 "house girls" did not go to white folks* church 
 usually. At certain seasons there would be 
 "protracted meetings," sometimes called re- 
 vival meetings. They would continue indef- 
 initely, according to the interest awakened. 
 At these meetings the colored people would be 
 allowed to sit in the gallery and see the whites 
 "get religion." 
 
 They would get at it in good old Metho- 
 dist style ; at least, so far as the mourner's 
 bench was concerned. 
 
 The singing would be of the revival type. 
 One of the favorites for such occasions was, 
 the familiar hymn : 
 
 "Come Ye sinners, poor, and needy, 
 Weak and wounded, sick and sore. 
 Jesus ready stands to save you 
 Full of pity, love and power." 
 
 With the chorus: 
 
50 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 "Turn to the Lord and seek salvation, 
 Sound the praise of His dear name. 
 Glory, honor, and salvation, 
 Christ the Lord has come to reign." 
 
 They also had "made up" hymns for the 
 occasion ; such as : 
 
 "We're happy here in the clods of clay. 
 Glory, hallelujah! 
 And happy in an endless day. 
 Glory, hallelujah !" 
 
 Brother Sylvester Stephens, a big fat man, 
 carpenter by trade, was the leading singer at 
 the "brick church." He sat on the seat next 
 to the wall, front row, in the "amen corner." 
 There was no choir. Brother Stephens would 
 pitch all the tunes, and on revival occasions 
 be very active among the mourners. He had 
 the reputation of saying he did not want to 
 go to heaven if any "niggers" were there. I 
 cannot vouch for this; but like many ignor- 
 ant men of his type, he was mean toward the 
 colored man. Being both ignorant and poor, 
 he could only base his superiority upon his 
 color. Not that the colored man had ever done 
 him any harm; but to despise him, was con- 
 sidered the way to show that he, Stephens, 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 51 
 
 was genuinely white. His house caught on 
 fire one day, and burned to the ground. It is 
 now fresh in my mind. It was one afternoon. 
 Many of us saw the flames, and heard the 
 cracking of the fire as it swept away the 
 dry timber. I do not think that many of the 
 colored people went into sackcloth and ashes 
 over the loss, though, for policy sake, many ex- 
 pressed sorrow and sympathy. Prejudice is 
 an awful thing. It is more far reaching in 
 its effects than we are wont to give it the 
 credit of being. The man who indulges the 
 feeling, is fostering a bitterness of soul that 
 is like a hissing serpent in the bosom. The 
 one who is the victim of it, may have a feel- 
 ing of vindictiveness that keeps him so con- 
 stantly on the alert that often innocent per- 
 sons are accused. Color prejudice, of all kinds, 
 seems the jmost shallow and unreasonable. 
 Might as well be prejudiced to black berries, 
 and "black heart" cherries : or to black cats, 
 and black horses: or black clothing, or any- 
 thing black. 
 
 Perhaps it is not the color after all. The color 
 identifies one with a "previous condition." 
 Clandestine fellowship was not objectionable. 
 For this, there is abundant proof. Men will 
 despise those whom they can degrade. The 
 
52 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 color of the Negro identifies him with those 
 whom the white man enslaved and degraded. 
 
 It is but fair and just to note, that even in 
 the darkest days of slavery, there were those 
 who were among the seven thousand who 
 never bowed to Baal, nor kissed his image. 
 Among them were some ministers who pas- 
 tored at the "brick church." 
 
 On one occasion there came a minister who 
 was at heart an abolitionist, and would at 
 times preach against the sin of slave holding. 
 It was a minister of this class who in the 
 hearing of the Master of Richard Allen, 
 preached from the text : "Thou art weighed in 
 the balance and art found wanting." Among 
 those whom he weighed, was the slave holder. 
 The Master was so condemned that he offer- 
 ed to allow Richard to purchase his freedom, 
 which he did. 
 
 So, the minister referred to, preached one 
 Sunday morning against slavery. It is said 
 that he was very severe in his arraignment 
 of the master class. 
 
 When he was through, the services were 
 changed as usual into the Sunday morning 
 Class Meeting. There was a sister, a slave 
 holder, who generally led off by giving her ex- 
 perience before Brother Stephens began to 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 53 
 
 lead. So, though smarting under the sting of 
 the sermon, she arose, and began to speak, 
 but not with her usual clearness. Her voice 
 trembled, and she stammering-ly felt about for 
 words. The minister who was responsible 
 for her state of mind, discovering her embar- 
 rassment, shouted out: "Spit them niggers 
 out of your throat, sister." 
 
 The colored people in the gallery had news 
 to take away with them that morning. Many 
 of them would remain in their little secluded 
 lofts until after "class." They were glad that 
 some remained on this occasion, for what 
 followed, strengthened them in their faith, 
 that God was not without witnesses, and that 
 some day, in His own way, at His own time, 
 deliverance would come. It was this faith 
 and this hope that sustained our fathers and 
 mothers during the long period of darkness 
 and oppression, and its transmission to pos- 
 terity was a legacy more valuable than the 
 heaped up riches which they earned, but did 
 not possess. 
 
 The colored people were encouraged to "get 
 religion." It was thought that it would make 
 them more contented. They would learn to 
 sing : "You May Have All the World, Give Me 
 
54 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Jesus." This song when properly interpreted, 
 simply means, if one is obliged to make a 
 choice between Jesus and the world, it would 
 pay to take Jesus. But all were not intelli- 
 gent enough to draw such sharp lines of dis- 
 tinction. And, besides, they were taught to 
 believe that the poor and oppressed stood a 
 better chance for Heaven than the rich, and 
 such as have a good time in this world. When 
 we would see people riding in fine carriages, 
 we would say : "That is all the heaven you will 
 ever get." When the slave trader would buy 
 up a lot, and start on a certain day to the 
 place of embarkation, they would sing as they 
 marched: "You may sell my body, but you 
 cannot sell my soul." They were not taught 
 that they had need to be careful about living 
 righteously. This would have been against 
 the indiscriminate living that produced slaves 
 with the desired rapidity. The moral code 
 given to the slaves was weak; human nature 
 could not help sinning, but it was only neces- 
 sary to ask for forgiveness. In this way two 
 things could be accomplished; the slave could 
 be made religious, and yet kept debased. 
 
 Christianity gave the slave holders a good 
 deal of trouble; but they some how managed 
 to get on, with a compromise. The question 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 55 
 
 of baptism and marriage came up for discus- 
 sion. Was not a baptized person a child of 
 God and hence free ? Did not the wife belong 
 to the husband? how then could she have an- 
 other owner? All this was logically and Bib- 
 lically true enough, but the compromise was, 
 it did not necessarily follow that slaves must 
 be either baptized or married. 
 
 One of the big days among our people was, 
 when a funeral was held. 
 
 A person from New Jersey who was not 
 acquainted with our customs, heard it an- 
 nounced that : "next Sunday two weeks the 
 funeral of Jenet Anderson will be preached/* 
 "Well," said the stranger, "how do they know 
 that she will be dead?" The fact was, she was 
 already dead, and had been for some time. 
 But, according to our custom, a custom grow- 
 ing out of necessity, we did not hold the 
 funeral when the person was buried. The 
 relatives and friends could not leave their 
 work to attend funerals. Often persons would 
 be buried at night after working hours. If 
 the deceased was a free person, and the im- 
 mediate family could attend a week day fun- 
 eral, there might be others, both friends and 
 relatives who could not attend, hence, the 
 custom became general. 
 
56 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 When the day was fixed upon the news 
 would be sent "far and near," and on the day, 
 if weather conditions were favorable, there 
 would be "a meeting here today." 
 
 The usual place was old "Friendship," yes, 
 dear old Friendship behind the big woods. For 
 miles and miles around they would come : 
 Aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and the curious 
 ones ; and all who would seize the opportunity 
 to meet friends and relatives. The mourners 
 woul,d be heavily clad in black, even if only 
 dark colored calico. The men would have 
 heavy black bands around their hats. All would 
 occupy the front seats. Nothing strange 
 would be thought of the absence of coffin and 
 subject. All knew that he had not only been 
 dead for "four days." but, four months, or 
 years for that matter. "Father Jones" would 
 be selected to preach the funeral whenever 
 his services could be secured. Strange enough 
 too, he had the reputation of "telling the 
 truth" about the persons funeralized, and not 
 preaching them "into heaven" whether or not. 
 If it were a wife whose husband had been un- 
 kind to her, Father Jones would say "Poor 
 woman! She is done being cuffed around and 
 starved." The scandalized husband would be 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 57 
 
 sitting right there among the mourners. But, 
 by common consent, as it were, Father Jones 
 was expected to preach in this way, and would 
 still be chosen by others. He was without a 
 doubt, a famous preacher, and came so honest- 
 ly, for he was remarkably talented. People 
 who never attended church, would go if it was 
 known that he would preach. He read his 
 Bible constantly and was familiar with its 
 contents. He was fond of Old Testament 
 subjects, especially historic subjects, and his 
 narrations were most interesting, and his ap- 
 plications most forceful. He was a man of 
 untarnished character, and lived above sus- 
 picion, hence, it was considered an honor to- 
 have him officiate at a funeral, or on any 
 occasion. 
 
 Very often, the masters of favorite slaves 
 would have their funerals preached at the 
 "big house." On such occasions, Father Jones 
 would always be selected. The. gathering 
 would be on and in front of the Veranda. The 
 white people 'would be guests of honor. The 
 colored people would occupy seats placed on 
 the lawn in front of the Veranda. Father 
 Jones would line out a long hymn, verse by 
 verse, such as : 
 
58 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 "Hark from the tomb a doleful sound, 
 
 My ears attend the cry; 
 Ye living men, come view the ground, 
 
 Where you must shortly lie." 
 
 This would be pitched in a minor tune 
 the most of our tunes were minors La, la, 
 sol. do ; Sol la, la, me. 
 
 Do, me, re, do, sol, do. This would be sung 
 with much feeling, as the body would be 
 swayed back and forth. After prayer, would 
 follow the sermon. And such a sermon ! The 
 preacher knew where he was, and exactly 
 what to do. 
 
 Generally, of course, the servant thus honor- 
 ed was in high repute, and also, had been 
 treated well, and Father Jones knew just how 
 to praise the masters and mistresses who had 
 been so kind to their slaves. A big dinner for 
 all and a five dollar bill for the preacher would 
 end the service. 
 
 Before the close of the war, the colored 
 people would be permitted to hold meetings 
 in their church Friendship but the white 
 people kept a close watch as a rule. Some one 
 would drop around frequently, and they were 
 obliged to have a white class leader who would 
 be selected and sent to them. James Magee, 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 59 
 
 a butcher, was one, I am told. The only one 
 that I remember was John Russel, a shoe 
 maker. Both claimed to be flaming Method- 
 ists. 
 
 According to the custom of the times they 
 were not expected to use the good old appel- 
 lation brother and sister. What a travesty on 
 both Methodism and Christianity! 
 
 "John, tell us how your soul prospers.'* 
 "Betsy, tell the class." 
 
 A leader of this kind once asked the one 
 who had just finished his testimony, if he 
 had stolen any chickens from his master since 
 he last led him. Of course, the reply was in 
 the negative. But when the leader passed on 
 to the next person, the one who had been in- 
 terrogated, nudged the one next to him, and 
 remarked: "If he had said 'duck' he would 
 have got me. 
 
 Then, as now r , there were the "sheep" and 
 the "goats," as the Bible designates. There 
 were those, whose moral shortcomings were 
 without excuse. But, there were also some 
 who, like John the Baptist, were "burning 
 and shining lights." Real, "salt of the Earth." 
 Their conversion was sound, and their lives 
 were pure. They were spiritually wise, how- 
 ever ignorant as to the things of earth. They 
 
60 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 knew God, and held with Him sweet Com- 
 munion. They could rejoice in tribulation, 
 and let their liglrts shine in the humblest walks 
 of life. 
 
 In prayer and in exhortation they had re- 
 markable freedom of speech, and power with 
 God. The influence of their lives was felt in 
 the Quarters and at the great house. They 
 were trusted, not to say respected, both by 
 master and fellow slaves. The world was not 
 worthy of them ; and they died in the faith 
 and were translated to the Saints' abode, 
 where the "Lamb upon the throne" shall "wipe 
 away all tears from their eyes." 
 
 There swooped down upon us once, a man, 
 who came as suddenly as did Elijah the Tish- 
 bite. His name was Samuel Black. He came 
 from Kent County. He was one of those self 
 licensed local preachers, of whom we had quite 
 a number, before there was any one to give 
 license. He was not remarkably intelligent 
 like Father Jones. He couldn't take a pas- 
 sage of scripture and instruct his hearers like 
 the old sage of Back Street, but he was very 
 remarkable in other respects, and in a class 
 to himself. 
 
 When he felt that he was called of God to 
 exhort his people, and to be a religious lead- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 61 
 
 er among them, he could not read, and saw 
 no opportunity to get instructions. Besides, 
 he was already a grown man. and with a mind 
 showing no special aptness for taking in book 
 learning. He nevertheless, like many others, 
 began to pray, and exhort, and hold meetings, 
 but, felt the need of being able to read. So 
 he asked God to teach him, and let that be 
 an evidence of his call to preach. He states 
 that one day he took his little hymn book and 
 began to read hymns. Being encouraged by 
 this, he opened his Bible, and began to read 
 from it. 
 
 The people had so much confidence in his 
 integrity, that no one doubted his story. He 
 used to prophesy that he would live to this 
 and that period: "until the budding of the 
 trees," or "until the falling of the leaves." At 
 the stated period he would reappear and re- 
 mind us that God had kept His promise. He 
 would also ask God for souls when going out 
 on preaching itineraries, and would tell the 
 number that he was promised. His preaching 
 was of the Evangelistic, kind : thought nothing 
 of doctrinal discussion, and knew nothing of 
 rhetorical elegance, or, grammatical correct- 
 ness. But he cried, "repent" and lifted up 
 Christ as the World's Redeemer, and warned 
 
62 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 sinners of the wrath to come. He went out 
 from among us as suddenly as he came. Sim- 
 ply did not come back any more. I met a 
 man in Philadelphia from Kent County named 
 Black. When I asked him if he knew the Rev. 
 Samuel Black, he replied: "He was my father/* 
 The resemblance was pronounced. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 The Civil War 
 
 "Coming events cast their shadows before 
 them." 
 
 The decade between 1855 and 1865 brought 
 about marvelous changes. 
 
 In the earlier part of this decade, the agi- 
 tation over the extension of slavery, and its 
 abolition, reached a most acute stage. 
 
 The Presidential election of 1856 was the 
 last under the old regime : the last of its kind 
 forever. 
 
 The campaign and discussions that filled 
 the period '56 to '60, were characteristic of 
 the spirit and determination of pro slavery to 
 continue, extend, and strengthen the system; 
 and of a like spirit on the part of the anti 
 slavery advocates, to bring it to an end. 
 
 In those days, men spoke pro and con with 
 no uncertain voice. The press was filled with 
 discussions, and every fireside was vocal with 
 
 (63) 
 
64 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 opinion for and against State rights, the pres- 
 ervation of the Union, and the abolition of 
 slavery. 
 
 These were the days when the house girl 
 and the carriage driver picked up a plenty of 
 news to carry down to the Quarters. These 
 were the days when the faithful ones at the 
 Quarters discovered a ray of the light of hope, 
 and prayed more earnestly that the day would 
 dawn soon. Like Simeon, some of them felt 
 assured that God would show them His sal- 
 vation, before they were called to cross the 
 narrow stream. 
 
 Uncle Jacob Trusty, Uncle Perry Crawford, 
 Uncle Perry Naudain, and the veritable old 
 Prophet among them, "Father" Christopher 
 Jones, took their Bibles to find passages that 
 would throw light upon the subject. 
 
 The intelligence of these men, and many 
 others, was most remarkable. Just how some 
 of them learned to read, will ever remain a 
 mystery. 
 
 Chief among these Bible readers, and the 
 preacher, was Father Jones. He was regard- 
 ed as the moral and intellectual light of the 
 county. Everybody, "white and black," be- 
 lieved in his integrity, and relied upon his 
 word with a sort of superstitious fidelity. He 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 65 
 
 was sought by representative men of (the 
 place. Men who represented its wealth and 
 culture would solicit his opinion upon the 
 leading topics of the day. 
 
 It is fair to conclude that many of them 
 did not know that he could read. They called 
 him "smart" and believed that he lived close 
 to God. And the more they felt! that a politi- 
 cal crisis was impending the more anxious 
 they were to know what "Old Kit Jones" 
 thought about it. 
 
 There was a school teacher in Cecilton, 
 Henry Hays by name. He was an abolish- 
 ionist, but, like Nicodemus, he did not speak 
 out boldly. But he and Father Jones would 
 meet "by night" and go over the situation. 
 But more, Mr. Hays subscribed to a news- 
 paper in his own name, but it was paid for 
 by Father Jones, and secretly passed to him.. 
 This went on for years ; and during the period 
 immediately preceeding the war, and also 
 while it was in progress Father Jones had 
 first hand news which he gave out cautiously , 
 from time to time, to his people. 
 
 He was not so much for resorting to the 
 prophecies of Daniel for information, as he 
 was to the newspaper that secretly came 
 
66 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 weekly to him, though he did not discourage 
 those who did. 
 
 He was a very conspicuous looking man. 
 Six feet and five inches high. "Chestnut sor- 
 rel" complexion. His features were delicately 
 formed and pronounced. His piercing eye 
 could read character at a glance. He was of 
 the "still tongue and wise head" class. 
 
 He worked by contract. For instance, in- 
 stead of cradling wheat by the day there 
 were no reapers then he would take a fifty 
 or hundred acre field by contract. He and 
 his binder would go out early in the morning 
 and work 'till late at night, cut, bind, and 
 shock the field in a few days. He would pull 
 blades and cut cord w r ood in the same way; 
 would pay so much an acre for the privilege 
 of pulling the blades, then sell the fodder; 
 would pay so much for a tract of standing 
 wood, cut it down and sell it by the cord. The 
 black and white oak principally. Hickory 
 would be selected and corded to itself, and 
 sold for more per cord than the oak. No coal 
 was burned in our neighborhood then. There 
 were large tracts of woodland everywhere. 
 Giant oaks filled the forests. The farmers w r ere 
 too busy to cut more wood than they needed 
 for home consumption, and so Christopher 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 67 
 
 Jones developed an industry all his own. 
 The people came to expect him to have 
 wood to sell all winter, and he had. He knew 
 how to make a bargain and he knew how to 
 stand before a white man with his hat in his 
 hand, and with a smile and good words to 
 charm him, that the contract when made 
 would mean money for Jones. 
 
 By this method of work, a method all his 
 own, he made a small fortune while he was 
 young and strong, and retired from work be- 
 fore he was broken down, and lived at ease S- 
 in "Back Street," which consisted of a cluster 
 of five houses which he built on a small tract 
 of land about a quarter of a mile on the north 
 side of Cecilton. Crooktown and Perrytown 
 were on the south side and behind the woods. 
 "Back street was adjacent property owned 
 by "Bob" Price, who married Miss Araminta 
 Coppin. As I see it now, Christopher Jones 
 had a reason for selecting that particular spot. 
 It was close to town, but not on the front 
 pike, and besides, being adjacent to the Price 
 property, it enjoyed a certain kind of protec- 
 tion. Christopher Jones married my father's 
 mother, a widow. He was therefore, Dad's 
 step-father. We all called him "Father Jones." 
 One more child was born to grandmother 
 
68 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Coppin- Jones, a daughter. She married a 
 Philadelphia!!, and was a member of Central 
 Presbyterian Church. It was first called 
 Gloucester Church as he was the founder and 
 iirst pastor. 
 
 After his wife died, Father Jones lived 
 quietly in Back Street in the central, and 
 largest house of the group, and father and 
 mother sold out their claim on the Frederick 
 Town homestead to my father's only sister, 
 and moved to Back Street, and lived with 
 Father Jones. I was too small to remember 
 when we moved. My first recollections are 
 of Back Street, and Cecilton. 
 
 The talk of war, so absorbed the thought 
 of the people, and controlled public sentiment, 
 that the colored people were no longer the 
 sole objects of attention. The fact is, no one 
 was buying slaves, for it began to look like 
 they would be set free. This put the "Georgia 
 Trader' 'out of business. The slaves were not 
 watched so closely. Some masters boldly said 
 if their slaves ran away, they would not try 
 to find them. 
 
 Under the influence of this changed senti- 
 ment quite a number made their escape, some 
 going no father than Pennsylvania, but even 
 more going to New Jersey. But many con- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 69 
 
 eluded to "stand still and see the salvation of 
 God." Father Jones gave this advice in gen- 
 eral, though there were cases when even he 
 would say, "make your escape by all means." 
 There were masters who would be mean 
 enough to put a slave to death rather than 
 to see him set free through the changed poli- 
 tical conditions of the country. But, these 
 were exceptional cases. The fact is, great 
 fear came upon the people. They felt that 
 their sins were about to find them out. They 
 were something like the Canaanites when the 
 Armies of Israel crossed Jordan. "The hearts 
 of the people melted within them." 
 
 The election of Abraham Lincoln in the fall 
 of 1860 was the beginning of the end. Events 
 came then in rapid succession. 
 
 Maryland was never a battlefield, but Vir- 
 ginia and Pennsylvania were, and we could 
 hear the booming of cannon. 
 
 The changed sentiment at the beginning of 
 the war afforded the opportunity that my 
 mother had been waiting and praying for. She 
 had kept a clandestine school in her house, 
 principally for the benefit of her own children. 
 The fact is, not many were inclined to take 
 the trouble and risk of studying books, and 
 all could not be trusted. But there were a 
 
70 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 few that mother could take into her confidence 
 and who would come around and be introduced 
 to John Comly's speller and reader. What a 
 book it was ! 
 
 It began with a. b. c : then ba, be, bi : then 
 ab, eb, ib: then bla, ble, bli: then four letters 
 and five. Two syllables; three, four and up- 
 to seven, with reading lessons, and illustra- 
 tions scattered all through the pages, and defi- 
 nitions appended. 
 
 I learned my a, b, c's forward, then back- 
 ward : z, y, x, w, v, u, t, s, r, q, p, o, n, m, 1, k, 
 j, i, h, g, f, e, d, c, b, a, which I now write from 
 memory, without stopping to consider whether 
 it is correct or not. I learned my letters 
 "straight along," and learned them "skipping," 
 and I knew them. This was the "Comly"' 
 method. The inductive, modern method has 
 a child reading without knowing one letter 
 from another. In other words, the modern 
 method requires the child to look at a group- 
 of letters, and call it by a name, without at 
 all knowing why it should be thus called. It is 
 not so called because it sounds that, but, be- 
 cause it looks that. So, the child cannot give 
 a reason for its being that, except, the teach- 
 er said so. When it sees an unfamiliar group, 
 of letters, and has not been told what the: 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 71 
 
 tgroup stands for, the child cannot spell it out 
 for itself. 
 
 Even with all this, I am not prepared to 
 -denounce the new method. It has been some 
 years since I taught school : when I did, I 
 followed the old method, and now, I find my- 
 self pointing out the letters to my baby she 
 is twenty-nine months old to-day and telling 
 lier what this, and that spells. Only yesterday 
 she was walking down the street with me. 
 and said: "Look! there is c, a, t, cat." She 
 knows the alphabet, and has been spelling 
 .phonetically for more than a year. 
 
 When mother taught me all there was in 
 -Comly's and there was much in it she then 
 procured other books : at first secretly, then 
 openly. When she taught me all that she 
 knew, she would send me to any one in the 
 neighborhood \vho would teach me more : first, 
 secretly, but when sentiment changed, then, 
 openly. When attention was so turned to 
 political conditions, that the white people 
 didn't know and didn't much care about what 
 was going on among the Negroes, mother 
 opened up her school out right. Some would 
 come at night, but, the regular session was 
 held Sunday morning before Church time, for 
 nothing in the world would keep mother from 
 
72 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 going to Church. By the time mother could 
 hold her school every Sunday morning with- 
 out fear, I had learned enough to be her as- 
 sistant teacher. So, I taught school before 
 I went to school, technically speaking. When- 
 Lincoln was elected, before I was yet in my 
 teens, I could write a letter for my mother 
 to my aunts in Wilmington, Del. When free- 
 dom came, and the boys felt that they had 
 become men sure enough, and began to court 
 the girls in downright earnestness, they had 
 to come to me to get their letters written*. 
 
 Many a time, I have written a letter, and then 
 have been called upon by the recipient to read; 
 it. 
 
 John Comly's speller and reader had also, 
 the multiplication table and this was a part 
 of the education of the Comly students. The 
 fact is, by the time you knew Comly from lid 
 to lid; the spelling and reading, and stories 
 with moral lessons, and definitions, multipli- 
 cation table and all, and could teach it to 
 others, you knew more than some present- 
 day country school teachers holding first grade- 
 certificates. 
 
 The first comet that I remember, came about 
 the beginning of the war. The old people 
 called it "the star with a tail to it," and be- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 73 
 
 -lieved with all their heart that it had some 
 connection with the new political and social 
 conditions that were about us. Night after 
 night we would stand gazing into the heavens, 
 commenting on the significance of the celes- 
 tial stranger. Then back to the Bible and read 
 with peculiar unction, and interest, and faith : 
 '"Now, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of 
 Judea, in the days of Herod the King, behold 
 there came wise men from the East to Jeru- 
 salem, saying, where is He that is born King 
 of the Jews, for we have seen His star in the 
 East, and are come to worship Him." 
 
 Had we not as much right to gaze upon our 
 stellar phenomenon as the Eastern Magi? 
 Who can dare say that both stars were not 
 timed to direct attention to currernt events? 
 Or that events were not brought about at a 
 time when the star could serve as a harbinger? 
 Any way, it was a time for serious thought, 
 and "the star with a tail" helped us to think. 
 
 Then to the Bible again, and read: "So the 
 King of the North shall come and cast up 
 a mount, and take the most fenced cities, and 
 the arms of the South shall not withstand." 
 
 Such passages as these, from St. Matthew, 
 and the prophet Daniel, taken in connection 
 with the presence of the comet, offered texts 
 
74 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 for the pulpit, and subjects for the fireside,, 
 and strengthened the faith of those who were 
 already to believe that the "King of the South" 
 would be overcome. Superstition and emo- 
 tionalism, after all, have their place in human 
 life and action. The average slave had ac- 
 cepted the inevitable, and was making the 
 most of his miserable lot. Some indeed were 
 content, and fully believed that they were 
 created for the place that they were filling. 
 It was so rooted and grounded in their very 
 nature that they were inferior beings that the 
 belief was literally transmitted to their chil- 
 dren. Just a year or two ago, Prof. J. R.. 
 Hawkins and I secured a drawing room go- 
 ing South, to avoid the horrors of the Jim 
 Crow crib. The train stopped at a station in 
 Virginia, and two colored lads were standing 
 on the platform: one lifting his voice to a. 
 high pitch, exclaimed : "I do believe dem nig- 
 gers is settin' in de white folk's car." It was 
 just about "candle lighten time." So, we quiet- 
 ly pulled down the curtains, and put on the 
 lights within. 
 
 So deeply branded was that sense of infer- 
 iority, and so persistently has the lesson been 
 kept before us, that fifty years after freedom, 
 within a few stone throws of the National 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 75 
 
 Capitol, a young Negro yet in his teens, still 
 *of school age and perhaps had been to such 
 schools as his town afforded, seemed horrified 
 at the presumption (?) of "niggers" mind 
 you riding in a car that could have only been 
 intended for "white folks." 
 
 It required signs and wonders to arouse the 
 multitudes, and cause them to believe God, 
 and trust "Moses and Aaron." 
 
 There were "Uncle Tom," and Richard Al- 
 len : and Christopher Jones : and Frederick 
 Douglass : and Sojourner Truth, and others, 
 and many like them, who always believed, or 
 hoped, and were ready to act upon the slight- 
 est appearance of a change in conditions. But 
 the masses were fast asleep: and why not? 
 Three hundred years of bondage, and dark- 
 ness, are quite enough to crush all the native 
 manhood and hope out of the average soul. 
 The only wonder is, that there were so many 
 found that could hail the welcome morning 
 with faith sublime, and really grasp the pur- 
 pose and significance of the new order. 
 
 Is it not even a greater wonder that none 
 became infidels, and so many accepted Chris- 
 tianity at the hand of masters, who were daily 
 and hourly contradicting and dishonoring the 
 very religion that they taught and professed? 
 
76 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 One need not go any further than this very 
 fact, to prove that the doctrines of the Bible 
 are true, and that the Christian religion is 
 divine. 
 
 What, but truth divine could enable an un- 
 developed, untaught, enslaved and oppressed 
 people to "kiss the rod that smote them," for- 
 give the oppressor, and look forward to prom- 
 ised deliverance? 
 
 What, but almighty power, and truth divine,, 
 could lighten the heaviest burdens, and com- 
 fort in trouble? 
 
 Who, but God, can "lock the jaws of lions," 
 and "quench fiery flames ?" All this, and more, 
 was the experience of the people, to whom 
 came the boon of freedom, after the War of 
 the Rebellion. 
 
 There is a fact often referred to by states- 
 men and orators, but which, perhaps, has a 
 greater significance than has been fully un- 
 derstood, or acknowledged. 
 
 When war was declared between the North 
 and the South, by a sort of blinded credulity, 
 the South believed that it could conquer; and 
 when terms of compromise were offered, the 
 South stubbornly refused to accept them. But 
 it was well known that to win, meant, a gi- 
 gantic effort must be put forth, that would 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 77 
 
 mobilize, and draw upon the full strength of 
 the States in rebellion. It was necessary then, 
 for practically all of the man power of the 
 South to go to the front, thus leaving the 
 homes without protection. 
 
 In a few cases, slaves were taken by the 
 masters as waiters and body servants. In* 
 some instances, they were set to work at 
 building breast works. But nearly all were 
 left at home, necessarily, to raise the crops. 
 This placed the women and children at the 
 mercy of the slaves : slave women, as welt 
 as slave men. The women had a grievance 
 as well as the men. It would have been the 
 easiest thing possible, for the men and the 
 women to have made common cause, and be- 
 tween the kitchen and the field, to have liter- 
 ally exterminated their oppressors. Many of 
 them went over the lines to the union array- 
 They could have given a parting blow before 
 leaving, by murderous assaults, and by the 
 use of the torch. The men could have out- 
 raged the defenseless white women, just as. 
 their own had been outraged by white men. 
 
 Let no one think that they were too stupid 
 to think of these things, nor, that the black 
 man is so thoroughly unhuman, and unnatural 
 as to be absolutely incapable of vindictiveness,. 
 
78 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 There are two ways to account for it, and 
 only two ways. First, they were divinely, and 
 providentially kept from the very things that 
 retributive justice was punishing others for. 
 They had learned to. "cast their burdens on 
 the Lord." They used to say : "That which 
 goes over the devil's back, must come under 
 --his belly." The little that they understood 
 as the truth of religion, and the much more, 
 savoring of superstition that influenced their 
 lives, said, that would not be the proper course. 
 This made them at least stop and think be- 
 fore acting. But, the other reason is probably 
 even stronger. There has always been an 
 Elijah ; a Moses, to influence and lead the peo- 
 ple. In Africa to-day, the Paramount Chief 
 controls the people by a simple code of un- 
 written laws, that have been transmitted from 
 generation to generation by tradition. The 
 English people in South Africa, to my personal 
 % knowledge, depend more on the people's chief 
 and head men, to keep the masses of the peo- 
 ple loyal to the crown than they do upon the 
 law and Army. So it was, in that critical per- 
 iod of our history, when the race could have 
 forfeited its claim upon the respect and sym- 
 pathy of mankind, and the favor of Almighty 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 79 
 
 God, their leaders came forward and spoke 
 the word that decided their course. 
 
 I was but a lad; too young to enlist in the 
 Army, or to take a very active part in things 
 at home, but there was not anything more 
 indelibly impressed upon my mind, than the 
 fact that our people would go in crowds, Sun- 
 day after Sunday to the "meeting house" 
 we seldom said Church to hear what news 
 Father Jones had, and what advice he would 
 give. He would not come every Sunday. He 
 had his own way of doing things. He was 
 as Methodical in discharging religious duties, 
 as he was in his daily vocations. Whenever 
 we saw him coming we knew he had a mes- 
 sage. As emotional as we generally were in- 
 religious worship there w r ould be no thought 
 of "shouting" tipon the days w T hen we saw 
 the old prophet, with long strides wending 
 his way to the Sancturary. We were all eyes 
 and ears for a season. I can hear his voice 
 now, as he emphasizes this and that precept, 
 and bade us beware that our own actions 
 did not deprive us of the divine blessing, and 
 guidance, and deliverance that we had come 
 to seek. From him, the class leaders would 
 take up the word, and impress it ; and from 
 
80 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 / 
 
 them, it would be taken up by the heads of 
 the homes, and made fireside conversation. 
 
 These blessed old men, and precious old 
 women, who knew God and trusted in Him 
 and in Him alone for salvation, ceased not by 
 '- night and by day, to counsel against rashness, 
 and implore the people to patiently wait upon 
 God. 
 
 Our people, both slave and free, were not 
 all a common lot, on one level. There were 
 divisions, classes and distinctions among 
 them. They would refer to the white people 
 as "big bugs," "college bred," or "poor white 
 trash," just so among themselves. They were 
 classed as industrious or lazy, "smart" or ig- 
 norant, of good or bad character. A character 
 much despised was the deceitful "white man's 
 nigger." He was generally persona grata at 
 the big house, and would carry news. 
 ^ On account of those distinctions, the colored 
 folk had their society. Some free men were 
 industrious, and made their families quite 
 comfortable. Of course, there must be no 
 "putting on airs." The children were expected 
 to wear the regulation, common clothing, and 
 ,go bare-foot in summer. All were expected 
 to be "polite," bow to every person you met, 
 keep strictly in your place. But you 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 81 
 
 might v;ear clean and whole clothing. To be 
 "ragged"' was a sign of poverty or laziness. 
 To call a person an "onery, dirty rascal," was 
 to put him down very low. 
 
 Uncle Mike Rigby and Solomon Hemsley, 
 whom the boys called Sol. Tarchie Saul of 
 Tarsus got into a quarrel one night, down in 
 Crooktown. Uncle Mike was capable of show- 
 ing a good deal of spunk at times, while Solo- 
 mon was considered mild and easy; even too 
 much so to work hard. 
 
 The quarrel waxed rather warm, and Uncle 
 Mike began to say things that were not very 
 complimentary. But Solomon, true to his 
 .good nature, even in a quarrel, took it pa- 
 tiently, until Uncle Mike, in a fit of passion, 
 exclaimed : "You are a nasty, onery, good-for- 
 nothing, dirty dog." This was more than even 
 Sol. Tarchie could stand, and in the next mo- 
 ment all that was seen of Uncle Mike was a 
 heap of much patched and now dusty clothes, 
 crying for help ; while Solomon, the victor, 
 with both knees in the breast of his vanquished 
 foe and slanderer, triumphantly shouted: 
 "Uncle Mike, I will not take that from you." 
 
 Many slave men would till "patches" at 
 night, and raise extra provisions for their 
 families. They would hunt; catch muskrats, 
 
82 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 coons and oppossoms ; sell the hides, and make 
 a little change for themselves and their fam- 
 ilies. I do not know of any masters who 
 would object to their slaves bestowing such 
 extra care upon their families. The fact is, it 
 helped the master to raise his "stock," but it 
 also exhibited a manly and worthy desire on 
 the part of the husband and father to make 
 his family as comfortable as possible. 
 
 My father was a good provider, and my 
 mother believed in keeping her household 
 clean and whole. She would rise early and 
 work till late. She made the clothing for the 
 family, knit the stockings, made and quilt- 
 ted the bedspreads, of which there was al- 
 ways a plenty on hand, and sewed "carpet 
 rags" for home made, or rag carpets. Dried 
 fruit, and put up preserves in an abundance. 
 Fruit was plentiful and sugar was cheap. 
 Uncle Jim Jones declared that John Coppin 
 was the luckiest man with pigs he ever saw. 
 When I heard Uncle Jim make that declara- 
 tion about my father, even to the disparity of 
 his own pigs, which were "of the same litter," 
 I believed it, and was rather glad to have been 
 the son of so lucky a father. But, as my 
 mind runs back, and I discover the pigs of 
 Uncle Jim wading knee deep in mud and 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 83 
 
 squealing for something to eat, while the pigs 
 of "luck" were sleeping in a warm pen with 
 a plenty of leaves or straw for a bed, or 
 standing at regular intervals to a well-filled 
 trough, I conclude that the "luck" was in the 
 care bestowed. 
 
 We boys worked on farms. There was prac- 
 tically nothing else to do. We went to work 
 on the first day of March, and worked until 
 Christmas, then came home to remain January 
 and February. Father and mother seemed 
 happy when, in the cold days of winter their 
 children were about them. Those "lucky pigs" 
 would be in the smoke house, and vegetables 
 that were not in barrels, would be buried in 
 heaps in the garden. We would hunt during 
 the winter, and generally have on hand fresh 
 game. 
 
 I remember the first dollar I earned away 
 from home. 
 
 A farmer named Perry Pennington wanted 
 me to help thin corn. I must have been about 
 nine years old. My mother let me go. It was 
 a great experience for me to be out into the 
 field with the men, women and children; to 
 sit at the big long table and eat with the men 
 and listen to their jokes. Pennington had no 
 slaves of his own. One of the hired men that 
 
84 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 worked for him was a slave to another man. 
 the rest were free people. He was gentle and 
 kind and would joke with the men. Thej wife 
 of the slave man referred to was a free 
 woman, and was Pennington's cook. This 
 afforded an opportunity for man and wife to 
 
 * be together, which was not always the case 
 by any means. Some slave men were permit- 
 ted to visit their wives every other week. 
 Some, once a month. In some rare cases, 
 every week. In some cases, a wife would rive 
 in an adjacent county, and some miles away. 
 If the master was a considerate man, he would 
 permit his slave to ride one of the horses on 
 his periodical visits to see his wife. Others 
 didn't care whether he went or not, just so 
 
 he answered roll call every morning. 
 
 As I remember it now, I worked a whole 
 week on the Pennington place, at thinning 
 corn. When Saturday afternoon came he 
 handed me a gold dollar. These coins were in 
 circulation then. It was so small that I feared 
 that I might lose it. So, I wrapped it up in 
 a small bit of paper and carried it in my hand 
 until I reached home, and handed it to father. 
 I can even now realize how proud I was to 
 have actually earned a gold dollar. Granting 
 that I worked a week, I earned a ttttk over 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 85 
 
 sixteen cents per day and my board. But, the 
 experience ! It was my first sight upon the 
 real outside world, where there were large 
 groups of people, and big barns, and herds of 
 cattle, and apple orchards, with now and then 
 a chance to ride horseback. I would not have 
 begrudged paying sixteen cents a day for such 
 privileges as the experience allowed. But, 
 added to all of this I actually had owned a 
 gold dollar, and could present it to Father with 
 a feeling of self-importance such as I had 
 never before experienced. 
 
 After this, I often went to the Pennington 
 farm for a job, especially at harvest time, 
 when boys were needed to "pick up sheaves." 
 
 At the age of twelve I went on the fourth 
 day of April to help a farmer by the name 
 of Francis King, plant corn. I remained with- 
 him the balance of the year. He gave me 
 twenty dollars and a suit of clothes for the 
 nearly ten months. It was from there I went 
 with Billy Cannan Mr. King's grandson to 
 Freeman's Mill, at the head of the Sassafras 
 River. Francis King was a big, fat man, who 
 had been married four times. He did not own 
 slaves, but hired both slave and free labor. 
 His youngest child, a boy, was named Thomas 
 Alabone. This was in 1860. Alabone Was 
 
S6 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 about seven years old, I suppose. When, in 
 1881, I went to take charge of Bethel Church. 
 Baltimore, I found the Rev. Thomas A. King 
 pastoring a church there; of course we were 
 glad to meet each other. 
 
 My father always allowed his boys to select 
 their own places of work, but mother saw to 
 it that the bargain was all right. The farmer 
 must promise to give so much for the term; 
 a plenty to eat, and a suit of clothes that could 
 not be characterized as, shall-I-go-naked-be- 
 fore spring. My father would sometimes 
 iwince and become embarrassed as mother 
 stood "laying down the law" to the man who 
 was hiring her boy. A pair of boots winter 
 boots was always included in the pharse "and 
 his clothes." 
 
 The next man I hired to was named Eld- 
 ridge. This was in 1861. He bargained to 
 give me thirty-two dollars and my clothes for 
 ten months, March to Christmas. By this 
 time I was becoming a regular, and at the 
 same time was making a unique reputation a 
 the boy who could read and write. This was 
 considered marvelous. I would read the Bible, 
 and hymns from a hymn book which my 
 brother-in-law, John Bayard, gave me. This 
 service I would perform for the older men 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 87 
 
 and women who cared for it. For the boy? 
 I would read from story books and illustrated 
 comic tales, and kiss verses, much to the 
 amusement of the lads who would gather 
 about me around the big fireplace. 
 
 I think my mother never charged her pupils 
 anything for instruction, she seemed so anx- 
 ious to have them learn. But when the boys 
 began to come to me to have their love letters 
 written I began to charge them ten cents a 
 letter. This they gladly paid. 
 
 While at the Eldridge farm I had an experi- 
 ence in school teaching that I never had be- 
 fore nor since. Uncle "Kit Christopher 
 Cain" was a chunky, little, bow-legged, pine- 
 knot man, of the Guinea type. He would not 
 comb his hair, for he said, "the loss of every 
 knot was equal to an ounce of "sense." He 
 had a sharp chin, which grew a befcrd about 
 four inches long. This Uncle Kit plaited and 
 seemed to regard it as a sort of tribal mark 
 of distinction ; but, comb that head he would 
 not. His wife, Aunt Rose, could beat him 
 two to one for queer looks, in general make- 
 up, and besides was cock-eyed and left-handed. 
 They were "Simon pure" Africans of equatorial" 
 hue. They had a daughter, to whom they 
 gave the name Rosebud. The only thing stig- 
 
88 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 gestive I could see in the chosen name was. 
 she was typically a bud from the old bush. 
 
 Well, Uncle Kit, who considered himself 
 very smart at "high dictionary" wanted Rose- 
 bud taught to read and write, and my services 
 were engaged to perform what proved to be 
 an impossible task, with the promise of five 
 dollars when the work was completed. 
 
 It was doubtful from the beginning as to my 
 success with the chip-off- the-old-block. but I 
 never had the least suspicion that I would ever 
 get five dollars for it. 
 
 The food on the farm was very plain and 
 monotonous, and with a careless cook, was 
 often very unpalatable. 
 
 As Uncle Kit, Aunt Rose and Rosebud lived 
 upstairs to themselves, and as Aunt Rose was 
 the cook, she would pilfer such food as she 
 wished to have for her private family and 
 cook it after night came. Now, as my school 
 would be held upstairs, in the Cain quarters, I 
 knew I would be good for a toothsome supper 
 every night. So, I closed the bargain, and 
 began work. I worked faithfully for about 
 three months, and finding that I could not suc- 
 ceed in making Miss Rosebud understand even 
 so much as the alphabet, I "closed the school 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 89 
 
 for the term/' but really with no intention of 
 ever again opening out at "Cainville." 
 
 When Uncle Kit found out that I did not re- 
 open school, he denounced me as being not 
 worth my salt, and would say: "W T hat good 
 is edication to some people? Now there is 
 Levi Coppin, an edicated boy: I promised to 
 give him five dollars to larn my Rosybud to 
 read and write, but do you think he would do- 
 it? He jist teached her a little while, den got 
 tired and stopped: had he kept on, Rosybud 
 would er been readin' and writing and he would 
 er had his five dollars !" 
 
 Not one word of either proposition in the 
 conclusion was true. "Rosybud" could not be 
 taught to read and write, and even if she could 
 have, Uncle Kit never would have paid five 
 dollars for the job; for if he ever told the 
 truth in all his life, I think it was by accident. 
 
 Freedom came shortly afterwards. Uncle 
 Kit died in a few years. Aunt Rose found an- 
 other companion who lived with her for a 
 time, and then forsook her and "took up" 
 with Rosebud. 
 
 It was well known that when war was first 
 declared, colored men were not taken into 
 the army. But the purposes of God could not 
 be defeated. It was soon apparent to the 
 
90 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 North that the Negro was needed to help win 
 the war. At first, Lincoln would "preserve" 
 the Union with or without emancipating the 
 slaves, but at the last, he found out that the 
 only way to preserve the Union was by per- 
 mitting the slaves to fight for its preserva- 
 tion. 
 
 Imagine the feelings of our people at the 
 first sight of colored men in soldier's uniform! 
 When the call was made general, many re- 
 sponded. When later on, a recruiting office 
 was opened in Cecilton by Lieutenant Brown, 
 some of our boys who had joined the army 
 were selected to come, now as soldiers, to 
 their own home, and induce others to enlist. 
 Under "shoulder arms," they would march 
 through the little village, "as proud as Luci- 
 fer" and without fear. 
 
 While Lieutenant Brown and his men re- 
 mained, many volunteered. Some slaves, whose 
 masters still held them in bondage, came to 
 the recruiting office, enlisted and placed them- 
 selves under the protection of the flag. They 
 were called "United States Colored Troops." 
 No such distinctions are now made between 
 our boys fighting in France. They are not 
 there as colored troops but as United States 
 soldiers. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 91 
 
 We came out of the Civil War with one\ 
 commissioned officer, Major Martin R. De- 
 laney, but we entered this World War with 
 nearly a thousand. 
 
 When the colored soldier came, it left no 
 doubt as to whether or not freedom had come. 
 
 Father Jones was promptly on hand with 
 Lincoln's proclamation, but there was no one 
 present with authority to say to the slave, 
 "You are free" : so all were in suspense. 
 
 Uncle Jim Jones drove his mistress to Cecil- 
 ton, and some one, a white person, told him 
 that he was free now, and it was discretionary 
 with him whether or not he drove the car- 
 riage back. When Uncle Jim reached home 
 he informed every one of what he had heard. 
 When a few evenings after that, his old mas- 
 ter himself drove the carriage to town and 
 was late returning, Uncle Jim, in order to- 
 make a test case, would not remain to unhar- 
 ness the horses, but said, in a way that his 
 master would be sure to hear it: "There has 
 got to be a new understanding," which "new 
 understanding" came promptly the next morn- 
 ing when "Marse Frankie" approached him to 
 know about the strange doctrine which he 
 was preaching around the place. Poor Uncle 
 
92 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 i 
 
 Jim begged pardon, saved his back, and said 
 no more about a "new understanding " 
 
 He was too old to be very independent. He 
 continued to live in the little house on the 
 place, and work for Marse Frankie, who paid 
 him about what he thought his services were 
 worth. He never was able to throw off the 
 terrible fear he always had of his master, who, 
 by the way, was never cruel to him ; but, he 
 finally mustered enough courage to go and 
 come at will. 
 
 It was a great thing to him, even so near 
 the end, to rise in the morning and say he did 
 not feel like going to work, and so, remain at 
 home. 
 
 Uncle Jim was among the men called 
 "wicked." Not indeed of the "Perry Thomp- 
 son" type, spoken of in another chapter. But 
 one who could swear profanely, drink whiskey 
 and never go near the church. A really "har- 
 dened sinner." But, when freedom came, he 
 went to Wilmington, Del., to visit some rela- 
 tives. On Orange Street, near Tenth, stood an 
 iron foundery, where Uncle Jim saw for the 
 first time in his life an exhibition of "hot lead" 
 running like water. He had always heard 
 that Satan poured such down the throat of 
 sinners who died in sin. He had all his life 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 93 
 
 entertained a lingering doubt as to whether 
 lead could be made into a liquid. But when 
 he saw the real, red stuff running in a stream, 
 doubt was turned into "conviction for sin," 
 and he came home a changed man ; united with 
 the church, and remained faithful to death. He 
 got into a quarrel after that with a white man 
 who cursed him. Uncle Jim said: "You need 
 not think I am afraid to cuss you back, it is 
 only because I belong to meetin'." 
 
 May it be ever remembered that there were 
 families, even among the slave-holding class, 
 who were kind to their people, and to colored 
 people in general. Some had a real affection 
 for individuals for various reasons. Some 
 times it was the nurse, or "black mammy" 
 about whom we have heard so much. Some 
 times it was a friendship that grew up be- 
 tween persons, about the same age, and who 
 grew up together as chums. In this way we 
 can account for the mysteriously learning to 
 read on the part of many. There were cases 
 approaching, at least, the David and Jonathan 
 friendship, where "Jonathan" would tell what 
 was being said at the great house, would give 
 food and clothing to his friend, and secretly 
 teach him how to read and count ; who in his 
 heart sympathized with his friend in bondage, 
 
94 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 
 
 and no doubt thought, what Lincoln once said : 
 "If ever I get a chance to hit this thing I will 
 hit it d hard." But there were also per- 
 sons naturally kind of heart, who sympathized 
 with the oppressed, and disliked oppression. 
 
 I have in mind now a master who would not 
 strike one of his slaves they often deserved 
 it nor suffer any one else to do so. I also 
 have in mind a man who had no slaves, and 
 who was ever ready to give warning to the 
 Colored people of any impending danger, and 
 who helped many slaves to escape by conduct- 
 ing them personally to an Under Ground Rail- 
 Road Station. I do not speak now of the well- 
 known class of Abolitionists who were the 
 forerunners of a political party, and who were 
 known, dreaded and fought by the slave hold- 
 ing class. I speak of individuals who were 
 never known in public life, and who, in many 
 instances felt that they could not afford to 
 have their attitude known. They did not 
 choose the John Brown method, but were glad 
 enough, when, by some other means, a rebel- 
 lion was brought about. 
 
 Many slave holders manumitted their slaves. 
 This indeed accounts for a large number of 
 free Negroes. But this practice was finally 
 forbidden by law, and those who found them- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 95 
 
 selves inheriting the human chattel, must keep 
 them, or pass them over to others by sale or 
 as presents: even traded for cattle. Some were 
 set "levy free." I do not know the origin of 
 this term, but it was used by the old people 
 to describe a person who had been turned 
 loose by word of mouth, without any legal 
 process. Perhaps the object was to avoid 
 violating the law that forbade manumitting, 
 and still give the slave the benefit of a sort 
 of freedom. 
 
 I have elsewhere referred to the Cruikshank 
 family as being humane and kind. 
 
 The family consisted of the father. Francis ; 
 the mother, Mary ; four sons, viz : John Chand- 
 ler ; George Washington ; Francis, Jr. and 
 Henry Harrison. And one daughter, Mary, 
 named for her mother. These people, the 
 whole of them, were cultured, gentle, and be- 
 longed to the "gentry" class. 
 
 John Chandler was a merchant, succeeding 
 his father. George Washington was 'a farmer, 
 but afterwards a lawyer and editor. Francis 
 studied for the Episcopal ministry, but went 
 South during the war, and died of Yellow fever. 
 Henry Harrison became a physician. Practiced 
 at his home town, Cecilton. for a time. Got 
 
96 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 married, and finally moved to Johnstown, Pa. 
 He was absent during the great flood, but ar- 
 rived in time to see his family swept away, 
 which sight set him crazy. 
 
 What of the daughter, Mary? The father, 
 Francis, made a goodly fortune as a merchant, 
 and gave over the business to his son Chand- 
 ler; purchased a farm, built a modern house 
 and moved with his wife and only daughter 
 to this country place. 
 
 The war set free the four slaves they owned, 
 and all the people on the farm were hired 
 help. This was after the Proclamation, and 
 before the surrender. My father had purchas- 
 ed a piece of ground, and built a house on it. 
 This was adjacent the Cruikshank place. 
 
 There had always existed a sort of friend- 
 ship between "Miss Mary Cruikshank" and 
 my mother. Mother used to work for her, 
 especially on "house cleaning" occasions. "Miss 
 Mary" would give her many things for the 
 children. Toys, and occasionally articles of 
 clothing. But best of all, books, that her chil- 
 dren had finished and laid aside. These con- 
 stituted the nucleus of my first library. 
 
 When both families moved, and lived close 
 together, the intercourse between them be- 
 came quite general. In 1864, a year before 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 97 
 
 the close of the war, I went to work on the 
 Francis Cruikshank farm, adjoining which 
 was the one farmed by his son George Wash- 
 ington. They were the same as one farm in 
 a way. We would work on first the one, and 
 then the other. 
 
 Public sentiment and political conditions 
 had undergone such a change by this time, 
 that any one who felt disposed to teach a col- 
 ored person to read, could do so without haz- 
 ard. This was my opportunity. It would 
 seem that my life had been converging to this 
 point. Miss Mary, the daughter, was one of 
 those saintly characters who seemed by na- 
 ture to have been born from above. She em- 
 bodied a combination of all the good qualities 
 of her parents, and besides, she was an ex- 
 emplary Christian. 
 
 I was not on the place long before she offer- 
 ed to give Bible lessons to any of the boys 
 who cared to so devote some of their evening 
 hours. 
 
 I accepted the offer at once, and induced 
 some of the other boys to do likewise. This 
 continued for a few nights only, however, 
 when the school dwindled down to Jim Jones v 
 Jr., and myself, and then to me only. 
 
98 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 But "Missie" as we called her, not at all 
 discouraged, gave all her attention to the one 
 pupil who continued, and besides, the studies 
 were divided between the Bible and secular 
 studies. This is what I so much needed at 
 that very time. I had about completed Comly's 
 text book, and besides, had gone about as 
 far as my mother could carry me. But "Mis- 
 sie" had been to college, and she was ready 
 with any proposition in advance studies. So 
 night after night, and month after month, I 
 was the solitary student in this Biblico secu- 
 lar school, which was doing more for me than 
 I was at all able at that time to understand. 
 
 But besides this and strange too to say 
 George Washington, the really brainy mem- 
 l>er of the Cruikshank family, was not mar- 
 ried at the time, and feeling lonesome, invited 
 me to spend as many evenings as I wished 
 with him. It is more than likely that his sis- 
 ter had spoken to him of my faithfulness, and 
 aptness as a student, and he, being of her spirit 
 .gave me a chance to divide the time with him. 
 He was of like spirit of his sister as to kind- 
 ness, but was not much on religious subjects. 
 His mind ran toward law, and he had not cal- 
 culated on spending many years as a farmer, 
 but had his mind on Elkton, the county seat, 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 99 
 
 and the practice of law. He finally went from 
 Elkton to Baltimore, and edited a daily paper, 
 called : "The Day." 
 
 He took a different course with me as a 
 student. He would read, and explain what 
 he had read, and force me into discussions. I 
 can see now that he was really practicing on. 
 me, as a student minister does on a congre- 
 gation. I was his audience, or jury, to whom 
 he would speak, and explain. I would ask 
 him questions. When in my course of read- 
 ing, I came to words that I could not pro- 
 nounce, or words and sentences that I did not 
 understand, I would take them to him. He 
 seemed to take the greatest delight in having 
 me come with hard propositions. Hard in- 
 deed to me, but not to him. 
 
 I never heard him swear : he often used the 
 word: "by George." When he was especially 
 pleased with a nights work, he would some- 
 times say: "by George, Levi, you are going 
 to be a smart chap." After I was grown and 
 in the ministry, and he, established in his 
 chosen field of work, I met him on the train 
 between Philadelphia and Baltimore. It was 
 indeed a pleasant reunion. We discussed sure 
 enough then. He wanted to draw me out on 
 my theological ideas. Among the many things 
 
100 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 lie asked me was, what became of men who 
 die without an opportunity to hear the Gos- 
 pel. Of course I gave him the cut and dried 
 answer about the heathen being a law unto 
 liimself, and how 'he was provided for by the 
 atonement. I dare say he anticipated me, and 
 quickly replied: "Well, since the heathen can 
 be saved without being civilized, why not let 
 him alone? for many, after being civilized, 
 will be lost." This he said too, to draw me 
 out. I asked him if he would rather be a 
 heathen, living in the blissfulness of ignor- 
 ance, than a Baltimore editor, with the know- 
 ledge of how to be saved. We called it even 
 and quit. 
 
 The war finally came to a close by the sur- 
 render of Lee and the fall of Richmond. There 
 was no longer any doubt then about the final 
 issue. Slavery, the "sum of all villainy" was 
 crushed. Its ghost has appeared in different 
 and many forms since General Lee gave up 
 the struggle on the field of battle; but, at 
 most, it is but a ghost of the personality that 
 lived and flourished so long, and caused so 
 much sorrow and degradation. The results of 
 slavery had become so mudi a part of our civ- 
 ilization, both in Church and State., that there is 
 no wonder that a written declaration could not 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 101 
 
 wipe it out instanta. It required years for it 
 to grow into the giant that it became, and its 
 final and total obliteration will be by the 
 growth of Christian sentiment, with other con- 
 tributing causes. 
 
 But let us thank God, that legalized servi- 
 tude is dead and doomed. The Amendments 
 to the Constitution that fixed its status, will 
 not only remain, but other amendments will 
 be added ; to emancipate women, to make im- 
 possible legalized vice, and give our struggling 
 humanity a better chance to reach its highest 
 and best possibilities. 
 
 The Small Pox broke out at our home. Its 
 origin was never known. But, since it was 
 coming, it had to begin some where. I had 
 heard much about Small Pox, and knew that 
 people dreaded it, as they dread mad dogs. 
 Theoretically, I knew about the isolation 
 caused by it, but I was never close to it. 
 
 It came suddenly and unexpectedly, of 
 course. No preparation had been made for a 
 siege such as it would cause. 
 
 As soon as it became known, no one would 
 dare come near the place. But this is both 
 law and custom, and nothing else is expected 
 at such a time. My friend David Anderson 
 
102 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 big field beyond, and we would converse at 
 a distance, and he would leave what we had 
 arranged for him to bring. This was always 
 at night. Uncle Jim Jones lived on an adja- 
 cent lot on the Cruikshank property. This 
 made us such close neighbors, that the public 
 would be as much afraid of one from his fami- 
 ly as from ours. So his place was also under 
 quarantine. 
 
 Our dear old family doctor who had been 
 the only doctor in the family from the birth 
 of the first child Doctor Roberts had pass- 
 ed away, and we sent for Dr. Harry Cruik- 
 shank. He had not been long out of school 
 and was but: slowly building up a practice. A 
 young doctor in the country, and especially 
 at that time, certainly had to serve a proba- 
 tion, before being fully trusted. While Dr. 
 Roberts lived, we would not think of sending 
 for any other physician in time of sickness. 
 This was also the prevailing sentiment of the 
 place, and of the times. 
 
 This was an opportunity for Dr. Harry to 
 try his skill, and also to make a reputation 
 for himself: for I tell you, any Doctor who 
 could cure Small Pox, would soon make a 
 reputation in Cecil County. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 103 
 
 When Dr. Harry came and pronounced the 
 case Small Pox, he proceeded to vaccinate all 
 the other members of the family. 
 
 I just happened to have been at the house 
 and was caught in the quarantine. Some how 
 I got an idea that my presence there was 
 providential, and that God intended that I 
 should minister to the rest of the family. 
 With this thought in view, I decided not to 
 attempt to assist the Almighty by keeping 
 myself from catching the dreaded complaint, 
 so I refused to be vaccinated. 
 
 Every day when Dr. Harry would come he 
 v/ouki ask if I were ready for the operation, 
 and I would promptly answer in the negative. 
 He could not do it alone by force, and no one 
 or no number of persons would have volun- 
 teered their assistance. 
 
 I never told him why I refused, but, whether 
 I acted wisely or unwisely, I made the matter 
 a case of faith and prayer. I reasoned, that 
 if God indeed wanted me to perform the ser- 
 vice of nursing the others he would keep me 
 well to do it. Father was just recovering 
 from a spell of sickness : he didn't take it. 
 But one after another of the family went 
 down under it ; and it also spread to the next 
 
104 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 house where were four in family, who took 
 it. I alone was left on my feet to cut wood 
 and carry water, and cook for two families. 
 Mother, who had but a light case of it, was 
 soon able to assist me. 
 
 When the Doctor saw that his vaccinated 
 subjects went down and I did not, he called 
 me a wonder. 
 
 All the patients got well except dear old 
 Uncle Jim Jones. He died, and, assisted by 
 his son Jim, who had recovered, I buried him 
 under the apple tree in the garden. I made 
 a coffin out of some pieces of board, and, act- 
 ing as a grave digger, and undertaker and par- 
 son, I laid him to rest with simple ceremony. 
 He died in the faith. Peace to his ashes ! 
 
 Henry Jones, one of the three Jones boys 
 was among those who enlisted under Lieuten- 
 ant Brown, and was a color sergeant, in the 
 19th Maryland, U. S. Colored Troops. He was 
 mustered out at the close of the war and re- 
 turned home. The Jones family consisted of 
 eight children : George, Martha, James, Hen- 
 ry, Delia, Mary, Emma >and Frank. They all, 
 taking the condition of their mother, were free 
 born. "When the cruel war was over and the 
 soldiers had returned," there was a gener- 
 al readjustment of things. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 105 
 
 The colored people could have their meet- 
 ings regularly, and go and come without ask- 
 ing permission. 
 
 They would invite the white people now 
 and hold protracted meetings. The old people 
 called them "pertracterble" meetings. 
 
 In the fall of the year, good old Friend- 
 ship would be a veritable battle ground for 
 several weeks. Getting religion, was by way 
 of the mourners' bench, and that was the only 
 way we knew about. We had looked from 
 the gallery in the "Old Brick Church," and 
 witnessed how the white folks came forward 
 to the mourners' bench while Sylvester Steph- 
 ens led in 'singing: "Turn to the Lord and 
 Seek Salvation,'' and how the mourners "came 
 through." It would be quite a useless waste 
 of time to try to convince the old people that 
 you "had religion" if you had not been to the 
 mourners' bench and prayed until you "got 
 through." 
 
 Some of them were quite adepts at the 
 business. They would back slide and then 
 have to come (back and get religion over 
 again. 
 
 Moses Cain, a brother to Rosebud, could be 
 depended upon to furnish the meeting with 
 at least one mourner, for he was sure to back- 
 

 106 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 slide at some time during the year. Like the 
 seed sown in stony ground, he could not stand 
 the scorching sun of temptation. This was 
 especially true about harvest time, when every 
 body was jolly, and there was feasting at the 
 kitchen and a whole barrel of whiskey in the 
 harvest field. "Moses" would indulge too free- 
 ly and fall by the way. But when the meetings 
 would begin, and it would be noised abroad 
 that they were "having great times at Friend- 
 ship," Moses would "arise and go to his fa- 
 ther." Those who had often seen him "come 
 through" knew that it would not be altogether 
 safe to be near him when he ended the final 
 struggle. The first time that I witnessed it, I 
 was standing close to Uncle Alfred Bacon, who 
 said to me : "You had better move, for Mose 
 is going to get up from there "terrectly." 
 And he did. And so did the benches that were 
 near him ; and so did the stove pipe, when the 
 stove was so shaken that it nearly fell. When 
 he had rolled quite the length of the building, 
 sweeping everything before him, he would get 
 up, return to the Band, and join in with the 
 singing, hand clapping, and swaying of the 
 body that was characteristic of "pertracter- 
 ble" meetings. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 107 
 
 All this was due to slavery and all of its 
 accompanying evils. A just judge took the 
 will for the deed, and fixed the modicum of 
 responsibility. At the great Judgment Bar, 
 all will be judged impartially, the oppressed 
 and the oppressor. 
 
 Conditions and sentiment so changed dur- 
 ing the war, and especially near the close, that 
 it was thought safe to organize a Sunday* 
 School ; ostensibly for the purpose of religious 
 instruction, but principally for the purpose of 
 giving to those who wished it, an opportunity 
 to learn to read. Dear old Friendship was 
 available for this purpose, and soon the little 
 sanctuary that had been the scene of all kinds 
 of religious meetings, and every degree of 
 emotionalism, was now vocal with new and 
 strange sounds. Behold, they spell! Behold, 
 they read! Behold, they Study! Men and 
 women as well as lads and lassies. Men past 
 fifty, in a primary class with children not yet 
 in their teens, learning the alphabet, and that 
 which followed according to the Comly 
 method. 
 
 My mother felt that her special work 
 was accomplished. She had been solitary and 
 alone, the John the Baptist crying in the Wil- 
 derness, and not crying too loudly for fear of 
 
108 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 being apprehended, but crying persistently,, 
 and with hope. She had not only awakened 
 a desire to learn, but had kept it alive, until 
 with inconceivable suddenness the opportuni- 
 ty to satisfy the desire came. But more, she 
 had done what was farthest from her thought ; 
 she had actually created a teacher for the 
 emergency: for who was so well prepared to 
 be first professor at "Friendship Institute," as 
 the gift of Santa Clans, upon whom she had 
 bestowed so much anxious care, with only the 
 support of blind faith. Draw on your imagin- 
 ation, reader, and see if you can comprehend 
 a mother's joy, standing face to face with such 
 an achievement. 
 
 Mother showed no disposition to go to the 
 new place of meeting and take part as a 
 teacher. There were still a few of her old 
 pupils who preferred the quiet and seclusion 
 of the fireside to which they had gone when 
 no one from without suspected the purpose. 
 This feeling perhaps, was shared by those who 
 felt that they were slow and backward ; or 
 even a little fearful and afraid that the Union 
 Arms might not be ultimately successful. 
 
 In this new enrollment would be persons 
 from every direction. Many who by various 
 means had learned their letters, and even how 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 109> 
 
 to read, would be on the new register. It is 
 rather surprising how many persons of this 
 class turned up. Each was a surprise to the 
 other. There were not any, to be sure, who 
 had gone to any considerable extent. Each 
 one who could at all spell and read constituted 
 a sort of wonder, in view of the prohibitory 
 laws that were in existence. 
 
 At this time there came a man from Balti- 
 more, Horace Brown by name, I know noth- 
 ing of his pedigree, or how he came into pos- 
 session of his book learning, but among us he 
 was indeed a star of the first magnitude. He 
 had a good English education. Was young 
 strong and enthusiastic. He came just in the 
 nick of time. Indeed, his coming could not 
 have been better timed, had it been in answer 
 to a call. 
 
 Being facile princeps, no one questioned 
 his right to take full charge as Principal. The 
 school grew in numbers, until Friendship was 
 too small to accommodate those who came. 
 It was like a flock of thirsty cattle discover- 
 ing a pond of water and making a mad rush 
 to drink. There was a great demand for Com- 
 ly's speller and Reader for those who had to 
 begin at the beginning and these constituted 
 an overwhelming majority. For those who- 
 
110 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 were prepared for higher studies, Prof. Brown 
 provided suitable books. 
 
 This was the first school in Cecil County in 
 which colored people could openly learn to 
 read and write, and being held on Sundays 
 only, it afforded but one day in a week for 
 study. But it was the harbinger of what was 
 soon to follow. It was the big bright morning 
 star ushering in the day. It was a clarion 
 note to the intellectually blind, to come and 
 ^receive sight. Hitherto, only the few, whose 
 indomitable nature inspired a thirst for knowl- 
 edge that was stronger than the fear of chains, 
 or even death itself, could succeed in satis- 
 fying his thirst in part : but now, the door 
 is thrown open to all who care to come. To 
 all, at least, who are within easy reach of 
 the open door of opportunity. The decisive 
 battle had not yet been fought at Appomattox, 
 but the passing breezes whispered that the 
 end was near, and only the faint-hearted and 
 indifferent would wait for further evidence of 
 the good time coming, or refuse to grasp the 
 golden privileges already at hand. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 After the Civil War. 
 
 "All is well that ends well," says the old 
 adage. Even war, I suppose: though it may 
 be very much as the rugged old Ohio General 
 described it as being. 
 
 Without a doubt, war is terrible, viewed 
 from any standpoint. Frederick Douglass 
 spoke of it as filling the land with "widows 
 and orphans, and the shadow of death." 
 Young and innocent lives, not at all responsi- 
 ble for it, must be destroyed by it. But so 
 long as there is evil in the moral world, there 
 will be strife among men. The war of the sixties 
 did not differ from other wars as to cause. 
 No one thing can be named as alone causing" 
 such social upheavals, but there is always some 
 principal thing. In this case, it was slavery. 
 The seceding States claimed the right to buy, 
 
 (in) 
 
112 UNWRITTEN HISTORY- 
 
 and sell and own, and work human beings as 
 slaves, without any interference on the part 
 of the other states forming the Union. The 
 states that elected Abraham Lincoln, claimed 
 that the majority of the States had a right to 
 legislate for the minority when an evil threat- 
 ened the wellbeing of the whole people. Slav- 
 ery was regarded by the "Union" people as 
 being such an evil. 
 
 The slogan was not : "Shall slavery be de- 
 stroyed," but "Shall the Union be preserved." 
 It is generally thought, that Mr. Lincoln, 
 partly from a lack of courage, and partly for 
 policy sake, held out the "Union" theory. "I 
 must save the Union," was his cry, "with or 
 without the destruction of slavery." 
 
 There was not another moral question on 
 the surface that could not have been settled 
 at the polls, without going to war ; or, that 
 could not have been settled by arbitration 
 after the bloody conflict began. Slavery was 
 the real bone of contention. Its abolition was 
 prophesied in the event of Lincoln's election, 
 and the prophecy continued after his election, 
 before he made any declaration concerning it. 
 It was expected of him. He exepected it of 
 himself, and so, gathered about him as an 
 official family those w^ho held like views. It 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 113 
 
 v^as in the air. The time was ripe to strike the 
 bbw. It was God's time. Never did men 
 shoulder arms for a more righteous cause, and 
 never did men under arms feel more assured 
 that their cause was righteous. The monster 
 that had strutted, and thrived, and boasted so 
 long was doomed. 
 
 But, all were glad when it was over. Of 
 course the Union people, like all victors, were 
 glad that they won their cause. But, it was 
 not long until the South realized that the de- 
 struction of slavery was the destruction of 
 their own greatest foe. Slavery enslaved and 
 degraded every thing it touched. Many of 
 the master class who were afflicted by it 
 realized this fact : but how to get rid of it was 
 the trying question. It is now as then: race 
 prejudice, and all of its attendent evils, is 
 as a canker on the body politic. It must be 
 especially annoying to those professing Chris- 
 tianity. To despise, or in any way harm a 
 human being solely on account of his race 
 affiliations, is cruel and unreasonable, and finds 
 no sanction in Chrisian ethics. Let us hope 
 that as American slavery was smothered in 
 the baptism of blood, so may hateful, ungodly 
 race and color prejudice be swept away by 
 the death-dealing devices of the present war 
 
114 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 that destroys without discrimination. Since it 
 has become necessary to make common cause, 
 in order to establish democracy, may it ever 
 hereafter be considered unmanly and unpa- 
 triotic to return to those unrighteous prac- 
 tices that more than anything else made our 
 fair land and country undemocratic. 
 
 When "the cruel war was over and the 
 soldiers were discharged," the work of recon- 
 structing and readjusting began in many ways. 
 
 Father Jones, the old prophet, was prompt- 
 ly on hand to instruct and guide the enthu- 
 siastic masses, intoxicated with joy, and liable 
 at any moment to bring on trouble by acts of 
 indiscretion. The joy was unbounded among 
 our people. There was not the slightest differ- 
 ence in this respect between the slaves and 
 the free people. Slavery saw to it that one 
 code of laws governed slave and free alike, 
 and kept those who were nominally free with- 
 in the proscribed limits of the slaves. 
 
 Besides the loud acclamations of joy ex- 
 pressed in shouting and singing, and general 
 hurrahs, the newly emancipated people gave 
 vent to their feelings by going freely from 
 place to place a delightful privilege and 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 115 
 
 i 
 
 feasting and dancing and making merry. "The 
 
 dead was alive, and the lost was found." 
 
 It is fair to suppose that everybody took 
 some part in the general merry making, but, 
 the religious ones sought the Church as being 
 the proper place to go, and rejoice, by giving 
 thanks to Him, toward whose throne above 
 their prayers had been so long directed, and 
 dear old Friendship soon became the centre 
 of attraction. It is now genuinely the Eccle- 
 sia, and must, for a time at least, be the forum 
 for all matters of discussion, moral, religious, 
 civil and intellectual. 
 
 But here a grave question confronted the 
 people which must be settled, and settled at 
 once. It was a question of ownership. Uncle 
 Perry Hinson had built Friendship on his 
 ground, and for a time, perhaps during his life 
 time, he was recognized "head of the Church" 
 for peace sake. After he died, the people con- 
 tinued to meet and worship there without any 
 one particular exercising any special authority. 
 But, as the "white" Church in the town was 
 Methodist, and had really gone so far as t 
 appoint class leaders for the colored people, 
 it was just taken for granted that Friendship 
 was a Methodist Church. And so, in the work 
 of reconstruction, the minister from the "Brick 
 
116 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Church" Methodist Episcopal came down, 
 preached at an afternoon service to the people 
 and began to instruct them as to their duties 
 and privileges as Methodists. This raised 
 another question. Father Jones, who had 
 never actually joined Friendship, and come 
 under the domination of the M. E. Church, in- 
 structed the people to say, they did not want 
 to belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 Indeed! Upon what has this Caesar been 
 feeding ? If you come not to us, to whom will 
 you go? 
 
 This brings us face to face with another 
 important item of ecclesiastical history. The 
 war closed in 1865 ; but the African Methodist 
 Episcopal Church seceded from the M. E. 
 organically in 1816. It had been a denomina- 
 tion, full fledged for 49 years, when freedom 
 was declared. Established in Philadelphia, it 
 had stealthily made its way here and there 
 into nearby slave territory. Maryland being 
 right on the line of Pennsylvania, some Allen- 
 ites had crept over, and quietly organized 
 under the A. M. E. Discipline. Such was the 
 case at a place nine miles from Cecilton, just 
 beyond the Bohemia River, and called Bohe- 
 mia Manor. Here Father Jones beld his mem- 
 bership. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 117 
 
 George Mercer was the prominent man at 
 the A. M. E. Church "On the Manor" as we 
 said, much as was Christopher Jones at Cecil- 
 ton. 
 
 "We want to be African Methodists" was- 
 the answer given to the minister from the M. 
 E. Church. African Methodists ! What has 
 not been going on in the darkness! "Have 
 those rebellious Allenites been down here with 
 their mischievous doctrine about equality, and 
 brotherhood?" They had not been down 
 there. The laws of the State forbade the 
 coming and going of free Negroes in and out 
 of the State. No one was telling the King's 
 secrets to the Israelites, but there was "a 
 prophet in Israel." 
 
 "You may go to the Allenites but you cannot 
 take that Church property." Shall we indeed 
 be deprived of this our dearest possession? 
 Here our fathers and mothers have prayed and 
 hoped. Here we their children have sought 
 and found the God of our fathers. Back here 
 on the other side of the lot, steep our dear ones. 
 Under the window here on the west side is 
 the marble slab which marks the ptace that 
 is sacred to the memory of "Aunt Susan Sisco" 
 which is, perhaps, the only tombstone of the 
 kind in the county; certainly the only one 
 
118 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 of its kind in the Sassafras Neck. Shall indeed 
 this our "Ark of the Covenant" be taken by 
 these uncircumsized Philistines who deny the 
 brotherhood ? Alas ! Some would rather re- 
 main in the camp of the Philistines than loose 
 the Ark. 
 
 When the M. E. Preacher's Committee went 
 to Elkton, the county seat, to examine the 
 title, and ascertain who indeed were the right- 
 ful owners of Friendship and the acre of 
 ground upon which it stands, it was found 
 that there was no record of it at all, and the 
 Court of Equity decided that peaceable pos- 
 session for twenty years gave it to the con- 
 gregation that worshipped there. 
 
 This meant great rejoicing at Friendship: 
 but it also meant a special sermon from the old 
 prophet who had safely guided them in their 
 first struggle under the banner of freedom. 
 The text: "Tell me, O thou whom my soul 
 loveth, where thou feedest; where thou mak- 
 est thy flock to rest at noon : for why should 
 I be as one that turneth aside by the flock of 
 thy companion." 
 
 When 'he had finished, describing the flock, 
 the shepherd and the sheep, we were all will- 
 ing to pronounce it an effort that was worthy 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 119 
 
 the reputation of one of the greatest preach- 
 ers of ante bellum times. 
 
 The next step to be taken was to make 
 Friendship, indeed and in truth, an African 
 Methodist Church. 
 
 Bishop Alexander Washington Wayman^ 
 like Frederick Douglass both from the fa- 
 mous Eastern Shore had already been before 
 the public long enough to have gained con- 
 siderable notoriety as a leading man of the 
 race and a noted speaker. 
 
 After Mr. Lincoln's Proclamation, and while 
 those who might have otherwise given trouble 
 were busy with the affairs of the war, quite 
 a number of men came out of hiding and got 
 about quite a good deal, preaching, lecturing,. 
 and in a general way helping the abolition 
 movement. Prominently among them were 
 Frederick Douglass, Henry Highland Garnett 
 and Alexander Wayman. All three of these 
 "bright lights" were Marylanders. There were 
 many others, not so widely known as these, 
 because they did not travel as much, nor so 
 far away from home. But they were active 
 workers on the "Under Ground Rail Road/' 
 and were the first to come forward with a 
 helping hand to the freedman at a time when; 
 he most needed suggestion and guidance. 
 
120 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Robert Purvis, William Still, Bishops J. P. 
 Campbell and John M. Brown, Henry Gordon, 
 Isaiah C. Wears, Stephen Smith (who made 
 quite a fortune as lumber merchant and found- 
 ed the Home for the Aged and Infirm Colored 
 People in Philadelphia), giving the munificent 
 sum of two hundred thousands dollars. These 
 and many others are among the number wor- 
 thy of special mention, who belong to the 
 period under consideration. 
 
 So soon as the way opened, Bishop Way- 
 man started South, with the cry: "I seek my 
 brethren." Genesis xxxvii : 16. Father Jones, 
 who was on the alert, sent for him to come 
 to Cecilton and receive Friendship and her 
 members into the fold of African Methodism. 
 What a day ! A summer day. Early summer. 
 When harvest fields were just becoming gold- 
 en, and fruit trees were rejoicing in antici- 
 pation of crops that would soon be ready for 
 the market. Birds were nesting and making 
 the forest vocal with their sweet songs. The 
 proud grove in front of Friendship was look- 
 ing its best. All nature was ready for the 
 great event. Grove Neck ; Veasey's Neck ; 
 Hackspoint Neck; all the Necks united with 
 Sassafras Neck to prove to the "Bushup" that 
 it was well worth his while to place "Union 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 121 
 
 Bethel" as the Church was afterwards called, 
 in the calendar of African Methodism. They 
 came, they came ; they were there. 
 
 Of course, the church would not begin to 
 hold the people. The old regulars were there 
 early and on the inside. Jones', Bacons, Wil- 
 sons, Piners, Kennards, Scotts, Wrights,. 
 Youngs, Govens, Trustys, Freemans, Halls, 
 Siscos, Crawfords, et al. My mother was 
 there ! 
 
 "Give me a chair," said the Bishop. And, 
 placing it just inside the door, where, stand- 
 ing on it 'he could maintain a commanding 
 view of the multitudes in the grove, as well as 
 those who were packed like sardines in a box 
 on the inside. With sonorous voice he began 
 to read his text: "Blessed is the man that 
 walketh not in the council of the ungodly," 
 etc. We heard that day about the Godly man, 
 and how he prospered, and the ungodly, and 
 how like chaff he was ultimately blown away. 
 We heard how righteousness exalteth and siti 
 debases. Of the door of opportunity newly 
 opened. What of divine blessings we might 
 expect if we walked uprightly and how surely 
 failure would come if we did not. We looked 
 and listened; we listened and looked. The 
 "little fat man," as he termed himself in his 
 
122 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 lecture on the "Galaxy of Bishops," did not 
 look like any of our own men. He wore his 
 hair long and brushed it back without parting 
 it. His skin was as smooth as that of a 
 woman. His face beamed with intelligence. 
 His features were prominent, with nothing of 
 the depression characteristic of slave condi- 
 tions. He was princely in appearance, and 
 may have been a lineal descendant from a 
 royal house in Africa, for he was of unmixed 
 blood. As a speaker he was naturally elo- 
 quent, with an easy style. He could preach 
 three times a day without "soiling" his collar. 
 Upon examination his diary showed that he 
 averaged a sermon a day, year after year. He 
 [was much sought by white 'congregations, 
 especially on camp-meeting occasions. He 
 was conservative in speech and action. Took 
 no prominent part in anti-slavery agitation, 
 nor in reconstruction work. Just worked 
 along evangelistic lines, and at that he seemed 
 never to tire. 
 
 The vote was taken, the Friendship congre- 
 gation became African Methodist, and subse- 
 quently, with Bohamia Manor and Chesapeake 
 City, became a circuit. It is now a station, 
 with parsonage and hall on the church lot, and 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 12J 
 
 f 
 is among the most pleasant appointments on 
 
 "the Shore." 
 
 It now being settled that we had a church 
 which was our very own, a constituent of a. 
 well-organized and growing denomination, en- 
 titled to a "preacher in charge" like they had at 
 the M. E. Church, where we had been sitting in. 
 the gallery, having no part in the services or 
 government, we must apply to the Annual 
 Conference for a minister, and affect an in- 
 ternal organization, with trustees, stewards,, 
 and the whole machinery of a well-ordered 
 church. We would now have our own class 
 leaders, who in addressing us would say 
 brother and sister, according to the prevail- 
 ing custom in the Methodist family. Class 
 leaders, who would visit our homes, and, in 
 times of sorrow, give words of comfort. W 7 e 
 would now have our children baptized, and 
 give them names. Call them "John Wesley," 
 and "Richard Allen," and "Abraham Lincoln" 
 if we wished. Give our daughters and sons 
 in marriage. Recognize the relation of par- 
 ent and child, and grand child, and brother and 
 sister. Hold revival meetings without having 
 white intruders come in and throw packages 
 of red pepper in the stove to set us all cough- 
 ing. Have religious and business meetings 
 
124 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 without the presence of a town official to take 
 an account of what was said and done. 
 
 With such blessings, and privileges, it was 
 now time to set the house in order morally, 
 and spiritually. There were those among us 
 who in morals and religion were absolutely 
 above suspicion. But a good deal of drift 
 wood had floated down from the old condi- 
 tion just coming to a close ; this must be given 
 attention. 
 
 One of the most prevalent evils of Quarter 
 life was the "Common Law Marriage" which 
 was no marriage at all. All of the free 
 people who cared to do so, could find some 
 one authorized to perform the marriage cere- 
 mony, and, in most cases, it was done. But, 
 in the happy-go-lucky custom that was so 
 prevalent, many just "took up" with each 
 other. In the case of slaves, no marriage 
 would be permissible without the consent of 
 the master ; and as many masters would not 
 object to their slaves living as man and wife 
 without being married, it was not at all an 
 unusual thing for them to do so. With refer- 
 ence to the master giving consent, there was 
 one exception to the rule. When a free man 
 wished to marry a slave woman, it was good 
 policy for the slave holding interests to cori- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 125 
 
 sent to it. Of such a union, 'the children 
 would be slave. Besides, the father, being 
 free, could help support the children, and the 
 wife also. It often happened that when a 
 free man chose a slave woman, for a wife, it 
 was that he might either purchase her free- 
 dom, or secure it by "running away" with her. 
 I regret to say that there were some worth- 
 less, heartless ones, who might select a slave 
 woman, because he would not be responsible 
 for the keep of his family. But such a one 
 generally got what he so richly deserved. The 
 wife's master would rope him in, make him 
 work, and give him about what he chose : thus, 
 he would be on a level with those of the 
 other slaves. At all events, the close of the 
 war found many living together without be- 
 ing married. My mother became a self-con- 
 stituted missionary to such, and so soon as 
 our minister came, mother began gathering 
 up all who were irregular in their connubial 
 relations, and arranging with the minister for 
 quiet weddings. The license did not cost much 
 and contracting parties, even to this day, very 
 seldom give the minister much. It was pa- 
 thetic to see old people who had lived for years 
 as man and wife : who had children and grand- 
 children, going to have the marriage ceremony 
 
126 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 performed. So long as the neglect was from 
 no fault of theirs, it made no difference to 
 man; and a just God did not hold them mor- 
 ally responsible. But now, according to my 
 mother's theory it was a case of: "Arise and 
 shine for thy light has come." Then again, 
 there was Father Jones, who, even in the pres- 
 ence of death, would not spare those who 
 through carelessness and indifference refused 
 to have the sacred and divine rite of marriage 
 performed. 
 
 Then there were other kinds of irregular 
 living* by Church members when there was no 
 one to prefer "charges and complaints," and 
 bring the transgressor to book. A man might 
 be a member of the Church, and yet be "stop- 
 ping" with a woman to whom he was not 
 married. Or, in the irregular union, the wo- 
 man might be the Church member. These 
 are cases where even Common law marriage 
 was not claimed. Both parties going for sin- 
 gle. The man just a "star boarder." But, in 
 this general clean up at Friendship, under the 
 new regime, such parties had to choose be- 
 tween getting married, or facing charges for 
 immoral conduct. Under the old condition of 
 things, stealing was not considered a crime 
 sufficient to: "exclude one from the Kingdom 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 127 
 
 of grace and glory." Elsewhere I have call- 
 ed attention to the fact, that in the moral 
 code of the master, stealing was not a crime 
 on the part of the slave, unless he stole from 
 his master. Of course, it was not very difficult 
 for the slave to add an amendment, and ex- 
 tend the privilege to any barn yard, or hen 
 roost whatsoever. 
 
 Then, there was the whiskey drinking habit. 
 No slave was taught that drunkenness was a 
 crime, and, at harvest time, the beverage 
 flowed freely, and every body drank, and, 
 "when whiskey is in, wit is out," and vulgarity 
 and profanity may be indulged in alike, by all, 
 Church members and non-Church members 
 There was also what may be called general 
 loose living. A child is born, its father un- 
 known. Another is born, its mother unmar- 
 ried. The responsible man, or, the unfortu- 
 nate mother, or both, might be Church mem- 
 bers. All such things were considered under 
 the new regime. Dear old Friendship now 
 became the Ecclesiastical Court House, as well 
 as the Church. For any of the above named 
 lapses, hitherto unnoticed, a member was lia- 
 ble at any "Quarterly Meeting" to be called to 
 face charges and complaints. 
 
128 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 The general course of procedure was, by 
 calling a church meeting. All the accused 
 persons would be duly notified to be on hand. 
 The meeting would be opened by singing and 
 prayer, and then the minister, acting as the 
 chairman, would begin at the head of the list 
 and call case after /case, according to the 
 number to be tried. The accusation would be 
 stated; the accused asked to plead, and make 
 any other statement he wished in his own in- 
 terest. Call for witnesses pro and con ; ask 
 the members of the Church present if they 
 had anything to say, then, entertain a motion 
 which would be put to the congregation. The 
 motion might be: "not guilty"; or, "guilty of 
 indiscretion" and reprimanded, or "set back 
 for three months"; or, guilty, and suspended 
 for six months, or a year, or expelled. 
 
 If the culprit showed proper "contrition." 
 he stood a good chance to get off with a mild 
 sentence. But if he seemed to show no signs 
 of sorrow and regret, but rather, to show a 
 spirit of defiance, the disposition would be to 
 give him the "full extent of the law," and 
 sometimes it was "unwritten law," with no 
 court of appeals. 
 
 On one occasion a married man was accused 
 of paying so much attention to a lady other 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 129 
 
 than his wife, that it was creating a scandal. 
 When the case was called the accused was 
 asked to plead. He stated in a rather in- 
 different manner, that he took the lady in 
 question home one rainy night under his um- 
 brella, but he saw no harm in that. This 
 savored of a direct challenge of the judgment 
 of the Court. "He may not be intentionally 
 guilty of wrong doing" said Uncle Alfred Ba- 
 con. "But he shows no signs of contrition." 
 This exasperated the accused, who, with con- 
 siderable feeling, and with his voice at a high 
 pitch, shouted: "I suppose you want me to 
 cry like Henry Jones did, but I can't cry." 
 Such defiance at such a solemn and critical mo- 
 ment, seemed to have nonplussed the jury; 
 having the same effect as the "boldness of 
 Peter and John." After a few moments of 
 silence, the chairman, Elder Johnson, said: 
 "Brer Chris, we'll let you off this time, but 
 hereafter, you must be more sparing in the 
 use of your umbrella." 
 
 This was a most excellent example set by 
 the unsophisticated, and really inexperienced 
 members of Friendship. The example is wor- 
 thy of being copied by more pretentious con- 
 gregations : by Churches enjoying greater ad- 
 vantages. So far as I have been able to keep 
 
130 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 track of the history of the Church in question 
 since those early days, I have reason to believe 
 that it has in a large measure been influenced 
 by the example set by those who were first 
 in control. 
 
 As much cannot be said of all the Churches, 
 which, like, Friendship, was emancipated from 
 slavery conditions. Old habits have a way 
 of holding on tenaciously. The aftermath of 
 slavery appeared in many different forms. The 
 lusts of the master class that had for so many 
 years held undisputed sway, was not to be 
 destroyed by the wave of the hand. It was 
 sagacious enough to "stoop to conquer," and 
 virile enough to return after a time with 
 ""seven other spirits more wicked than him- 
 self" and make "the last state of the man 
 worse than the first." 
 
 I have been advised of several cases where 
 unmarried women were rearing families of 
 mixed blood, whose fathers supported the 
 illegitimate family, as they did their legitimate 
 family at home : furnishing house, marketing 
 
 and physician. Dr. drove me by such 
 
 a home in the City of where I saw 
 
 the innocent and well kept quadroons playing 
 on the lawn. The father being a man of means 
 and 'influence, defied public sentiment, and 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 131 
 
 held family number one in servile submission. 
 But his influence did not stop there : he would 
 have it understood that his mistress must not 
 be Churched, but rather must be regarded as 
 a leading spirit at the Church to which she 
 belonged, and which he gave her means to 
 liberally support. If he had power enough 
 to enslave his own legitimate family, forcing 
 even the wife into unwilling silence, and be- 
 sides, to so maintain himself in society as ta 
 prevent a general protest, it is not to be won- 
 dered at that the Colored Community, depend- 
 ent, perilous, would also hold its peace. The 
 preachers and teachers of such communities, 
 especially in the rural districts, would be made 
 to understand that their presence there as 
 "ladies and gentlemen" would be tolerated up- 
 on the condition that they knew how to "mind 
 their own business." It is not difficult to see 
 the degrading effect that such public senti- 
 ment would have even upon the Church. 
 
 With the Church question settled and a 
 minister installed, we must now turn our at- 
 tention to the lamentable educational needs of 
 the freedmen of Cecil County. Cecilton had 
 led off in moral reform, and must now be 
 depended upon to take the lead in opening a 
 public school, even before political matters 
 
132 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 were sufficiently readjusted to permit of a 
 public school under the auspices of an Edu- 
 cational Board. The Jane Coppin private 
 school, and the Horace Brown Sunday School 
 had answered their purpose, and had done 
 well, but no time must be lost now in finding 
 a teacher with a certificate, who can teach the 
 grades. 
 
 Father Jones had a nephew who was named 
 for him, and was everywhere known as 
 "Christopher Jones, Jr." His father died when 
 Tie was but a child. I have often heard him 
 say that the only recollection he had of his 
 father was, that he once took him up in his 
 arms, and sang: "Good news, good news, the 
 Angels brought the tidings down." He must 
 have been quite young when his father died, 
 to have remembered only this one thing about 
 "him. Fortunate it was for him to have come 
 so completely as he did under the control of 
 his wise and distinguished uncle. To this his 
 mother readily and willingly consented, and 
 in rearing the lad, and in every way directing 
 "his course, the uncle was in the place of the 
 father, iand took the same interest in his 
 brother's child that he would have taken had 
 he been his very own. Christopher, Jr., look- 
 ed more like his uncle than he did like his 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 133 
 
 father; tall and slender like him, though not 
 as tall. In other respects too, he was like 
 him, and principally with respect to his moral 
 and religious character. 
 
 There was no one to write him up as the 
 "boy who never told a lie." The fact is no one 
 who could write cared a whit whether he lied 
 or told the truth, but all were bound to ac- 
 knowledge in the end, that he was a model 
 for the neighborhood. I once heard Alfred 
 Hercy Price say of him : "There is no man in 
 the county more respected than Christopher 
 Jones. Alfred Hercy Price was a Cecilton 
 merchant ; was about the age of Christopher, 
 and knew him from his childhood. 
 
 His lot was to knock around on the farms 
 among the slaves and free boys of his day. 
 He, taking the condition of his mother, was 
 free. His widowed mother morally strong, 
 industrious, economical, and herself under the 
 guidance of her wonderful brother-in-law, 
 kept a home, however humble, where the lad 
 could come on Sundays, and holidays and re- 
 ceive the impressions that were destined to 
 counter act the impressions of the daily en- 
 vironments and lay the foundation for his fu- 
 ture life. He had to become a bread earner 
 quite early in life, and was subject to the 
 
134 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 rough usage that is the common lot of the 
 farm boy: or, that was in those days. 
 
 His uncle impressed him with the idea of 
 being honest, industrious and economical.. 
 That he showed care for his health, his morals, 
 and his mother. These instructions were not 
 bestowed upon him in vain. He united with 
 the Church when but a lad, and found an open 
 door of useful activities for one of his bent, 
 first as a class leader, and then as a local 
 preacher. The older people were quick to see 
 in him the unusual, and were not only anxious 
 to encourage him in his aspirations, but were 
 glad to have his services. He became the class 
 leader of "Uncle" Abe Kennard, the hardest 
 man in the church to please. Uncle Abe had 
 such high opinion of him as a Christian, that 
 he thought him quite incapable of moral de- 
 linquency. Others shared the same opinion, 
 and the beauty of the whole thing was, they 
 were correct. 
 
 He soon learned to save money like his 
 uncle, though he was not destined to follow the 
 same course in life. He was to live in a differ- 
 ent day, when other paths would be open to 
 him. He saved some money before the close 
 of the war, and decided to go away from home 
 and attend school. The Nation was so busily 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 135 
 
 engaged in war between the North and South, 
 that there was but little time to watch the 
 Negroes and see that those in Maryland did 
 not cross over the Delaware. And besides, 
 it did not seem worth while to go to the 
 trouble and expense to place the additional 
 guards that would now be necessary for the 
 events of the war early pointed to Emancipa- 
 tion. So, with the course open, Young Jones 
 found his way to Wilmington, Del., and enter- 
 ed the private school of one Frisby John 
 Cooper, who afterwards became a leading 
 minister in the A. M. E. Church, preaching in 
 the New Jersey and New England Confer- 
 ences. 
 
 Young Jones was the first lad of our neigh- 
 borhood to attend school away from home. 
 By the time the war closed, Cecilton, under 
 reconstruction, was planning to actually open 
 a day school in dear old Friendship. 
 
 Christopher Jones, Jr., was "Charlie on the 
 spot/' back from a few terms of study, and 
 ready to take the lead in the new enterprise. 
 The few hundred dollars saved at hard work 
 had been spent in a way to bring compound 
 interest in more ways than one. He was to 
 be the immediate successor of his uncle, who 
 liad guided the dependent multitudes through 
 
136 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 the darkness of the night, principally by faith,, 
 but who with the new requirements of the 
 opening day, must hand the work over to an- 
 other. And what could have brought more 
 joy to his heart than to see his nephew, bear- 
 ing his name, and fresh from his fostering 
 care, leading to higher heights the people who 
 for years he had carried upon his soul, and 
 had many a time said: "O Lord how long," 
 as he earnestly prayed that a better and 
 brighter day would dawn. 
 
 When the time came, Father Jones was in 
 full possession of all his faculties. He could 
 sing and shout and pray and rejoice with 
 others as the glory of the new freedom broke 
 upon them : and what a time of rejoicing it 
 was ! 
 
 Events began to follow each other with 
 great rapidity. 
 
 1865 The Horace Brown Sunday School,, 
 with day-school studies ; the fall of Richmond ; 
 the coming of Bishop Wayman ; the organiza- 
 tion of an African Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 
 1866 The coming of a minister in charge ; 
 the attempt of the M. E. Church to hold our 
 property; the decision of the court in our 
 favor; the coming of Miss Sarah Christmas,, 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 137 
 
 our first teacher in a regular day school, and 
 our first certificated teacher. 
 
 Our new leader. Christopher Jones, Jr., was 
 instrumental in bringing about this glorious 
 accomplishment. 
 
 The school was opened in January ; January 
 and February were the months of comparative 
 leisure among farmers. The first of March 
 was the date when hired men for the most 
 part began the season's work. Now, all were 
 free and all would be hired men. There would 
 be a general rush to school, not only by boys 
 and girls, but men and women above school 
 age ; of the latter, principally men. 
 
 Such spelling, and reading, and writing, and 
 ciphering ! ! 
 
 The "First Class" was ready. The Jane 
 Coppin private school, and the Horace Brown 
 Sunday School had made this possible. This 
 was a most interesting school. It was in- 
 tensely "graded." From A, B, Cs to the first 
 lessons in Smith's Grammar, and the advanced 
 class in Green's Arithmetic. Those who came, 
 came with hunger and thirst, and applied 
 themselves. In many instances the advance- 
 ment was most remarkable. The fact is, Miss 
 Christmas, by her own confession, afterwards 
 had to study day and night to keep ahead of 
 
138 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 her First Class, which, by the way, was sub- 
 divided until it contained but two persons, 
 Christopher Jones, Jr., and another one, both 
 of whom succeeded Miss Christmas as teach- 
 ers principal and assistant for she, after a 
 few terms, found a position that paid her a 
 better salary, and with pupils in higher grades. 
 Let it be said to the credit of Maryland, 
 with all her faults, and she has many, that she 
 was among the first among states to establish 
 a public-school system alike for colored and 
 white, paying the teachers the same salaries 
 according to grade. To-day, the City of Bal- 
 timore, the Metropolitan City of the South, is, 
 in her school work among the colored youth, 
 abreast of the large cities of the North and 
 West, except, the schools are not mixed even 
 in the higher grades, and perhaps may not be 
 for some time to come, unless the present 
 World War succeeds in establishing true de- 
 mocracy. The public school is the proper 
 place for democracy to begin. Children play- 
 ing on the streets and in the parks ; newsboys 
 selling papers, lunching and hobnobbing to- 
 gether think nothing and care nothing about 
 "color" until it is injected by the satanic spirit 
 of color prejudice by older persons. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 139 
 
 My conversion preceded the day school by 
 a year, having occurred in the fall of 1865. 
 
 It was conversion, genuinely so. A new 
 birth, according to Scripture; according to 
 nature, reason, necessity. "Ye must be born 
 again." These words are true. As the world 
 swings away from this truth, it swings to- 
 ward rocks and breakers. "Hiding rocks and 
 treacherous shoals." Perhaps the world is 
 finding this out. In most sermons, and public 
 speeches of a more serious kind, some men- 
 tion is made of the fact that unrighteousness 
 is the real cause of the bloody conflict in 
 which the world is engaged. Our boasted 
 civilization, with its magic, not to say miracu- 
 lous advance in the arts and sciences, has 
 reached its height by engaging in a competi- 
 tive conflict among the nations stronger and 
 higher up, as to which can invent the most 
 deadly weapons, and use them most effectively 
 in the destruction of human life. The con- 
 tinuance of this could but result in the de- 
 struction of the human race. It is already be- 
 ing said that the war can only be won by man 
 power. With the death-dealing weapons of 
 gigantic killing power that all are using who 
 are engaged in the conflict, it is easy to de- 
 cide that those who can produce the largest 
 
140 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 number of men for slaughter, can remain 
 longest on the field of battle. 
 
 Is there anything higher and better than 
 this in civilization? Yes, verily, in Christian 
 civilization. 
 
 The world has seen great revivals of re- 
 ligion, and it has seen great wars. The one 
 meant life, and more abundantly; the other 
 meant death, with increasing barbarity. If 
 the conflict is not sufficient to teach the folly 
 of trusting in human wisdom and invention, to 
 the exclusion of Divine wisdom and guidance, 
 then may we wonder that further chastise- 
 ment will be necessary to bring back to God 
 His prodigal world. 
 
 Saint Paul seemed never to tire referring 
 to his conversion. "At mid-day, O, King, a 
 light from heaven above the brightness of the 
 sun." That is the brief record of what act- 
 ually happened. That light "from heaven" 
 blinded his natural eyes, but most unmistak- 
 ably cleared his spiritual vision and under- 
 standing, so that, he never again "conferred 
 with flesh and blood." It is not given to all 
 men who are converted, to have such a sud- 
 den and marvelous physical demonstration of 
 a spiritual change, but the "light from heaven" 
 is quite real to every truly awakened soul; 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 14! 
 
 and they are legion who bear testimony, not 
 alone in words, but more so in their lives, to- 
 the reality of the spiritual birth. 
 
 My conversion in the days of my youth was 
 the first satisfying evidence to an anxious 
 mother, that she had not hoped and prayed 
 in vain: that "Santa Claus" had not mocked 
 her. 
 
 The fact that the Christmas baby, the very 
 youngest member of the "first class" stood 
 by odds, and without challenge at its head, 
 was sufficient to cause a mother of prayer and 
 faith to treasure in her heart, and regard with 
 full value those intellectual signs of promise. 
 But even precocity itself is not a sufficient evi- 
 dence that the ruling passion will be spiritual.. 
 
 My conversion made me available for serv- 
 ice in the church as well as in the school 
 room. So soon as I finished my "six months 
 on probation" I was elected superintendent of 
 the Sunday school, and with this responsibility 
 began my study of the Scriptures in earnest. 
 I always had a desire to do well whatever I 
 undertook, even if it was ploughing a field or 
 marking out corn rows. I had the reputation 
 of running rows so straight that the most 
 critical examination could not discover a crook 
 in them. 
 
142 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 But at last there had come to me a responsi- 
 bility that I was far from being equal to. But 
 it was a blessing in disguise. It compelled 
 study, research, prayer, and constant applica- 
 tion to the things in the line of particular 
 duty. "Where there is a will there is a way," 
 says the old adage, which experience has more 
 or less verified. 
 
 The International system of lessons was not 
 then in vogue. There were no topics, titles, 
 outlines, golden texts, reference words and 
 Scriptural references to guide and assist the 
 student and teacher. There was no such thing 
 as "Primary Department" and graded classes 
 further along. It was just the cold, hard, 
 "dry" study of the Bible. There were no les- 
 son helps and teachers' meetings. Perhaps it 
 was well enough for us to begin that way. We 
 committed to memory a great deal of Scrip- 
 ture, jand such a course is of inestimable 
 value to the Bible student. The ability to 
 quote the Scriptures correctly is of great ad- 
 vantage to the preacher and Sunday-school 
 teacher and it is to be feared that the easier 
 methods of "lesson helps" and commentaries 
 have "helped" to the detriment of individual 
 growth. This is not to pronounce against 
 helps to the study of the Scriptures, but care 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 143 
 
 should be taken, that they do not largely take 
 the place of the Scriptures. But, with all the 
 handicap, and conscious inability, it was a 
 great thing for a lad to actually be the accred- 
 ited superintendent of Sunday school at 
 Friendship, at this glorious period, when old 
 things had passed away and all things had 
 become new. At a period when leadership was 
 decisive and unquestionable. When to have 
 the confidence of the community was to have 
 its unstinted support. 
 
 Two ministers came to us as supplies, 
 namely, I. J. Pindle and Stephen P. Bayard, 
 but the first regular preacher to come and re- 
 main was Willian H. Hopkins. He was a man 
 of irreproachable character, and easily in the 
 lead of his people intellectually. In fact, he 
 was a most remarkable man for his day. He 
 was born at Easton, on the famous Eastern 
 Shore of Maryland, and is one of the many 
 bright lights who is but little known in his- 
 tory. He was of unmixed African blood, with 
 hair perfectly white, and a face that would 
 suggest a man much younger then he evident- 
 ly was. His step was quick and firm, and he 
 could make the round of his circuit on foot, a 
 distance of fourteen miles, without showing 
 signs of fatigue. He had a clear, ringing 
 
144 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 voice, and was above the average as a preach- 
 er. He had a high opinion of himself as a man 
 and a gentleman, and never showed the cring- 
 ing spirit in any presence. He was evidently 
 one of the free born men whose spirit had 
 never been broken by the cruel lash of the 
 slave driver. He had lofty ideals, and delight- 
 ed to bring to his work the most represen- 
 tative men of the day. This was very for- 
 tunate for the church he served at the time 
 of his administration. The people of Cecilton 
 had never seen an educated colored man, 
 technically speaking, nor had they ever seen 
 white men who believed in their educational 
 advancement. If there were any such per- 
 sons around they did not in the face of pre- 
 vailing public sentiment, express an opinion 
 loud enough to be heard. 
 
 Reverend Hopkins planned to bring in cer- 
 tain men whom he hoped would convince the 
 young people that a bright future was pos- 
 sible for them, and that it was well worth 
 while to strive for it. 
 
 The first one to come upon the scene to in- 
 struct and inspire, was the Rev. James F. Sis- 
 son, a New England Yankee, of unmixed Cau- 
 casion blood. He was a regularly ordained 
 traveling preacher in the A. M. E. Church. A 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 145 
 
 standing and outspoken protest against color 
 prejudice and proscription in any and every 
 form. He could say "brother" and "sister" 
 and mean it. He was cultured, refined and an 
 earnest, untiring worker. 
 
 His field of operation had been entirely in 
 the East, where the voice of the abolitionist 
 was accustomed to ring out, even when there 
 was a plenty of opposition to it. Where Gar- 
 rison and Philips, and Greeley, and Thaddeus 
 Stevens, Lucretia Mott, William H. Furness, 
 Robert Purvis, Frederick Douglass and such 
 immortal souls had made it safe for an honest 
 man to honestly express an honest opinion. 
 
 Reverend Hopkins wished that his parishion- 
 ers might hear some of that free and whole- 
 some speech that would incline them to 
 straighten up, and feel like men. And so, upon 
 a day appointed, Brother Sisson made his ap- 
 pearance in Friendship. He preached at the 
 morning service and was announced to ad- 
 dress the children and young people especially 
 in the afternoon. 
 
 By some means, I know not how, it became 
 known in town that a "white man was at the 
 'nigger' church calling the 'niggers' brother 
 and sister." 
 
146 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Promptly at the appointed afternoon hour 
 Reverend Sisson was at his post; but, as 
 promptly, stationed at one of the side win- 
 dows, was a number of the lowest, meanest, 
 and most ignorant whites that the town af- 
 forded. They were there to hear for them- 
 selves what was said, and to prove that though 
 Richmond had fallen, and Lee had surrender- 
 ed, every nook and corner of the United States 
 had not been brought into immediate sub- 
 jection, and that Cecilton was one of the 
 places not subdued. 
 
 Reverend Sisson, nothing daunted by their 
 presence, began his address. He referred 
 briefly to the origin of the A. M. E. Church, 
 and stated that it was its purpose and mission 
 to demonstrate to the world that the colored 
 man was susceptible of the same development, 
 morally, intellectually and otherwise, that any 
 other race variety was. "That's a lie," 
 promptly rang out from the leader of the mob. 
 
 The speaker, paying no attention to the in- 
 sult, and interruption, continued to speak of 
 the Church, its progress under the most seri- 
 ous difficulties. Its Book Concern in Phila- 
 delphia ; its weekly periodical, the Christian 
 Recorder ; its Wilberforce College in Ohio, re- 
 cently acquired, and its eight full-fledged 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 147 
 
 Bishops, namely, Bishops Allen, Morris, 
 Brown, Waters, Quinn, Nazrey, Payne, Way- 
 man and Campbell. 
 
 This was indeed a flood of light thrown 
 upon a question concerning which every one 
 present knew but little or nothing except the 
 speaker himself and the minister in charge; 
 and it was more than the outside mob could 
 consent to listen to longer. The disturbance 
 that followed broke up the meeting complete- 
 ly, and it was with much difficulty that Rev. 
 erend Sisson was rushed to a place of safety, 
 while the frightened congregation scattered in 
 different directions. No one was seriously 
 hurt thanks to good fortune, and poor leader- 
 ship by the mob. 
 
 In a round-about way, Reverend Sisson was 
 piloted away from the place and sent to 
 Chesapeake City, thence to Baltimore, where 
 he made complaint at the Freedmen's Bureau. 
 Nothing came of the case, however, except the 
 mob never troubled any one else who came 
 among us, and this was a warning to our peo- 
 ple to prepare for self-protection, which some 
 were quick to do, while others, fearful of a re- 
 currence, absented themselves for a time from 
 public gatherings. 
 
148 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 The next person of distinction to visit us 
 was Mr. George C Cook, of Baltimore, a lec- 
 turer, who represented a newspaper called 
 The True Communicator. It was published at 
 Douglass Institute, No. 11 Lexington Street, 
 Baltimore, Md. His coming was heralded as 
 the coming of an educated colored man, and 
 the first of his class to visit Cecilton. We 
 were all somewhat shy of him, but some one 
 must come forward, shoulder the cross, and 
 play the host for our distinguished visitor. He 
 stopped at my father's house, and I was 
 mother's "best man" to do the entertaining. 
 
 I can remember but one idea advanced by 
 him, and that was concerning the literature of 
 Greece. But whether we understood him well 
 or not, or remembered much or little of what 
 he said, we felt pleased to have a Negro 
 scholar among us, and many of us subscribed 
 to his paper. It was something quite new to 
 see us crowd into the little post office on Sat- 
 urdays, after "Mr. Slaughter" had come with 
 the mail, getting into line with others and 
 march up to the window for our weekly paper. 
 During all the years of the past but one paper 
 came to that town for a colored man, namely 
 Father Jones, and that came in the name of 
 Samuel Hays, the school teacher. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 149 
 
 Another distinguished visitor to Cecilton 
 was Rev. W. D. W. Schureman, the most 
 popular preacher of his day and generation in 
 our Church. Reverend Hopkins was deter- 
 mined that we should from time to time get 
 to see a fair sample of what the race and 
 Church had produced, and thereby strengthen 
 our confidence in the race, and increase our 
 love for the Church. We had been shut up all 
 our lives in our narrow little neck, and all else 
 was measured by it. With us, the richest man 
 was "the richest man in Sassafras Neck." The 
 fastest horse was "the fastest horse in Sassa- 
 fras Neck." When the "bully" could "lick any 
 man," it was "any man in Sassafras Neck." 
 What a wonderful Neck, ours ! The nearest 
 railroad was nine miles away, at Middletown,. 
 Del., and the nearest city was Wilmington,. 
 Del., thirty miles away. It would be some 
 time before we could pick ourselves up and 
 visit the great world on the outside ; and so, 
 the Hopkins plan was to, little by little, bring 
 the world to us. A man, connected with a 
 large family of aunts, uncles, cousins, etc., got 
 married, left his home and settled down esle- 
 where. News came one day that he had died 
 and would be buried at his new home. All the 
 relatives, near and distant, wished very much 
 
150 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 to look once more into his face. But it would 
 cost considerable for any one to go, and much 
 more for all to go. So some one suggested the 
 idea of bringing the corpse back home, and let 
 all get a look, then send it on for burial. 
 
 All arrangements were made for .the preacher 
 to come, and a stand was erected in front of 
 the church, out in the grove. It was summer 
 time, with nature at her best, and the weather 
 man in his happiest mood. Through the tall 
 oak trees of the grove a gentle wind passed; 
 just enough to fan the leaves to sufficient 
 motion to cause one to "hear the sound there- 
 of." The sun might do his best at high noon, 
 but those old sentinels stood as umbrellas to af- 
 ford shade for the multitudes below. Sassa- 
 fras Neck was again the proud host of all the 
 Necks below. 
 
 James Ferrel was early on hand, ready and 
 willing to tell the time .to any one, for this 
 gave him a chance to exhibit his last acquisi- 
 tion in the way of a timekeeper, and explain 
 what make it was. "Mose" Cain, "once in 
 grace, and always out," could be depended 
 upon to be present on such an occasion. Of 
 course, all the old regulars were there, and on 
 time, to witness all that took place, and take 
 a real spiritual part in all the preliminary 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 151 
 
 services, and to have a comfortable place from 
 which to listen to the preaching. 
 
 "And I saw, as it were, a sea of glass, 
 mingled with fire," exclaimed the preacher. 
 Revelation 15:2. 
 
 "Look away to yonder mountain : a stream 
 of water silently wends its way down the rug- 
 ged slope until it reaches the vale below. 
 Then taking its course through the valley, it 
 widens and deepens as it goes rushing toward 
 the sea." Then, with figurative language 
 quite worthy of the book from which he took 
 his text, the great preacher held his audience 
 spellbound, having them as completely at his 
 command as had the wind the leaves of the 
 trees above us. For a long time after that, at 
 any fireside could be heard some mention of 
 "Schormon," and "the sea of glass all mingled 
 with fire." 
 
 It was not unusual to hear men take their 
 text from the Revelation, and create an ex- 
 pectation for something mysterious and un- 
 usual. But, as a rule, the mystery did not go 
 beyond the reading of the text, and one could 
 often hear the remark: "He didn't do nothin* 
 with it." Not so with "Schormon." It seemed 
 that every one went away satisfied that he had 
 abundantly sustained the reputation given him 
 
152 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 by Pastor Hopkins. It was "a day long to be 
 remembered." There were many whites 
 around, but they were as completely under the 
 spell of the magic orator as were the simple- 
 Tiearted colored auditors. "Where did he come 
 from" was the prevalent question. To this 
 Pastor Hopkins, with a twinkle of the eye, 
 and a cunning smile all his own, would reply: 
 "We have a plenty more like him." 
 
 One of the things connected with the his- 
 tory of our people, not generally known or 
 considered, and what seems mysterious even 
 to those who consider it is the fact that in 
 1866, one year after the Surrender, the A. M. 
 E. Church was fifty years old in its organic 
 form, and seventy-nine years old counting 
 from the date, 1787, when the revolt against 
 segregation at St. George took place. Just 
 how this handful of people, without social, 
 political and civil prestige ; poor and unlearn- 
 ed, and hemmed in from every side by slavery, 
 and the spirit and influence of slavery, could 
 organize and maintain itself so long and so 
 well, is, indeed, a mystery. One would not 
 imagine, until his attention is called to the 
 fact, that at the dawn of freedom, there was 
 a regularly organized religious denomination; 
 with Bishops, a Book Repository, a weekly 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 153 
 
 newspaper, hymn book and discipline and a 
 church school. With seven annual conferences 
 operating in different states, as follows: the 
 New England, New York, Pennsylvania, 
 Maryland, Ohio, Indiana and Missouri. 
 
 The Twelfth General Conference met in 
 Philadelphia birthplace of the Church in 
 1864, and the table of statistics, as printed in 
 the minutes, shows the following: Members 
 and probationers, 50,000; traveling preachers,. 
 500; local preachers, 2000; property valued at 
 $2,000,000; number of churches, 1600; a num- 
 ber of schoolhouses and one University, 
 namely, Wilberforce, at near Xenia, Ohio. 
 
 Another fact not generally known, and one 
 that the Denomination should ever have full 
 credit for, is, that from the very beginning, 
 there was no discrimination in membership, 
 on account of color: and, from the very be- 
 ginning there were whi^e persons connected 
 in some way with the Church members, min- 
 isters, professors. This, I think, was largely 
 due to Bishop D. A. Payne, whose influence 
 had much to do with shaping the policy of the 
 Church. He bitterly opposed any tendency to- 
 re] ect, or make it unpleasant for persons of 
 other race varieties who came among us. He 
 denounced it as being unchristian, and just as. 
 
154 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 sinful for colored persons to discriminate 
 against Whites, as for whites to discriminate 
 against colored. Many of our people, feeling 
 the sting of discrimination, stood icady to 
 make it uncomfortable for any whue person 
 attending our services. But this spirit would 
 be promptly rebuked by the leaders, and in 
 every way discouraged, as it deserved to have 
 been. 
 
 On account of the strong abolition spirit 
 prevalent at the time the Church was organ- 
 ized, there were many who had conscientious 
 scruples about receiving the Holy Communion 
 in a Church that rejected the Brotherhood. 
 The sentiment against so-called "social equal- 
 ity" kept many from taking an independent 
 .stand, and also accounts for many who were 
 skeptical, and avoided the church altogether. 
 But there were some, who, in the face of os- 
 tracism, satisfied their consciences and united 
 with the Church, whose doors were open to 
 -all. This accounts for James F. Sisson in our 
 minisitry in the early sixties, and for a large 
 number who followed his example. To be sure, 
 the proportion is small compared with the en- 
 tire membership ; it is only one here and there. 
 But the principle remains the same. They can 
 join if they wish, and it may be that when the 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 155 
 
 Christian Church becomes Christianized, color 
 will be relegated and Christ exalted. 
 
 Following the Surrender, a number of cele- 
 brations were held in the big grove. These 
 were intended to celebrate the great event, 
 the Emancipation. Our Sunday school super- 
 intendent, now a recognized leader among the 
 young people, was the promoter of these gath- 
 erings. It was upon such an occasion that a 
 brass band was first heard in Cecilton. The 
 services of the Mount Vernon Cornet Band 
 of Wilmington, Del., of which James A. Har- 
 ding was leader, were secured. The author of 
 "Sherman's March Through Georgia" sings 
 of how the turkeys gobbled when they heard 
 the music sound. I think such a characteri- 
 zation would be quite applicable in describing 
 the impression made upon man, and beast, and 
 fowls, when, one morning, the quiet of Cecil- 
 ton was disturbed for the first time by a real 
 brass band, with uniformed men, playing 
 upon the various pieces that compose a full 
 band. 
 
 Cecilton is but a cross-roads. So the band, 
 starting at the grove, would approach the 
 town from the south, and proceed north as far 
 as the stately residence of "Dr. Roberts," our 
 dear old Dr. Roberts! We thought we could 
 
156 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 not get well of a spell of sickness until we had 
 taken a few of his big, brown, bitter pills. 
 
 The procession would then counter-march 
 to the center of the town, right at the cross- 
 roads, and turning east, around the Cruik- 
 shank store, proceed as far as Back Street 
 gate. Returning, go west to Sanders Town, 
 then, south on a bee-line to the stand in front 
 of the church. 
 
 No one among us could pass upon the 
 merits or demerits of the music. No one 
 could detect a discord if any were made. It 
 sounded mighty good to us, and as far as the 
 winds wafted it to distant fields, men, women 
 and children would hasten to town to witness 
 the great event. Peter S. Blake, afterwards 
 one of my music teachers, played in the band. 
 
 On one of these occasions the orator was 
 Frisby John Cooper. Of course his services 
 had been secured through the efforts of his 
 pupil, Christopher Jones, Jr. He was anxious 
 for Cecilton to see and hear the man who had 
 first directed him in a literary pursuit, and 
 the speaker was evidently as anxious to see 
 the home of the tall young countryman who 
 had, even while the war was yet in progress, 
 come to him from the country of Frederick 
 Douglass, seeking knowledge. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 157 
 
 Reverend Cooper was a precise, deliberate 
 speaker. With ringing accent he would stand 
 out every vowel, and never neglect the final 
 consonant. He stood about five feet ten. 
 Head bald and shining through the middle. 
 Face ebony black. Teeth like rows of ivory. 
 A piercing eye, and his face wearing a smile 
 of confidence. He "knew his piece" and could 
 speak it. He used only notes, and looking his 
 auditors squarely in -the eye, would tf airly 
 charm them. His magnetic face would se- 
 cure for him attention, and his arguments 
 were always convincing. 
 
 Upon another celebration occasion we had, 
 as orator of the day, exactly the counterpart 
 of Frisby J. Cooper, namely, William Howard 
 Day, the matchless orator, who never used a 
 scrap of paper, not even to verify historical 
 facts and dates ; he, himself, being a veritable 
 cyclopaedia of facts. He was a mulatto ; tall, 
 slender, agile. In style, very much like James 
 G. Elaine. His hair, as black as a coal, fell in 
 ringlets upon his shoulders. In grace of move- 
 ment, a veritable Chesterfield. As I remem- 
 ber it now, he was an Oberlin man. This 
 was the first American college of note to 
 accept colored students. Well, Howard Day 
 "gained the day" that day. We had moved 
 
158 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 the speaker's stand from its accustomed place 
 in front of Friendship, back of the grove, to a 
 spot in front of the grove, not far from the 
 "Brick Church." This, I think was partly a 
 bid for the white population and partly a sug- 
 gestion that we were no longer obliged to 
 stay behind the wood, neither to hide our ig- 
 norance, nor to avoid friction. The old Sis- 
 son riot had become a thing of the past, and 
 all the men who came to speak for and repre- 
 sent the race were either unmistakably "Col- 
 ored," like Wayman and Cooper, or who like 
 Howard Day, were classed as such. 
 
 Those celebrations accomplished two or 
 three worthy objects; they brought to one of 
 the dark corners of the earth men who repre- 
 sented the higher and better element of our 
 people, a much-needed lesson for both colored 
 and white to learn. 
 
 Then, it brought harmoniously together the 
 "two races," and led to a better understanding. 
 When Howard Day finished his speech, I went 
 to Dr. Harry Cruikshank, who had been an 
 attentive listener through the whole of the 
 service, and said: "How do you like him." I 
 was not quite prepared for the answer. Had 
 not thought of it in that light. The doctor 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 159 
 
 said : "He is very fine, but he is not a fair rep- 
 resentative of the colored people." 
 
 Another thing accomplished by those cele- 
 brations was, we collected money with which 
 to build our new church. Our people just 
 from slavery, had not much to give, and must 
 needs be trained to give liberally of what little 
 they had. Christopher Jones, ST., led off with 
 a subscription of twenty-five dollars, a "mon- 
 strous" large sum to us. Christopher Jones, 
 Jr., and James Martemore Chancy "Mart 
 Chancy" followed with a like amount. But 
 all the rest came in much smaller amounts. 
 Wages were low. When James C. White, 
 superintendent of the Reybold's Island for- 
 merly Knight's Island peach farm, an- 
 nounced that he would give "five levies a 
 day" sixty-two and one-half cents, for pick- 
 ing peaches, men and women alike rushed to 
 the orchard farm "down the Island" to share 
 the "big wages !" I am advised now that, Au- 
 gust, 1918, Cecil County farmers are offering 
 from two dollars to two-fifty per day for 
 farm laborers, and that it is difficult to se- 
 cure enough even at those figures. 
 
 "Father Jones," about whom much has been 
 said and about whom too much cannot be said, 
 had quite a lot of wood corded up in "Price's 
 
160 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Woods," near Cecilton, when the recruiting 
 officers came there. He had always "worked 
 the rabbit foot" on the white folks and got on 
 with them. When some ignorant and jealous 
 Negro would brand him as being an "ole dim- 
 mecrat," he never took the trouble to explain. 
 So, when the soldiers at the recruiting office, 
 under Lieutenant Brown, got short of wood, 
 they helped themselves from the cords of the 
 "Negro Democrat." 
 
 He made no protest, and no explanation. I 
 imagine he rather rejoiced that he was for- 
 tunate enough to have wood to keep the sol- 
 diers warm, and cook the food of the men who 
 had come to help open the door for freedom. 
 
 On March 5, 1869, President U. S. Grant 
 appointed John A. J. Creswell, of Port De- 
 posit, Md., Postmaster General. This was 
 Father Jones* opportunity. He had patiently 
 waited for six years, saying nothing about the 
 loss of his wood. Now, a Marylander is in the 
 Cabinet, and through him Father Jones made 
 an appeal for damages, which he recovered. 
 I do not know the amount he recovered, but 
 he doubtless "received his own with usury." 
 
 It was to him a sore trial to go day by day 
 and year by year under the implication, and 
 sometimes under the definite charge that politi- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 161 
 
 cally he held with the slave-holding class, as 
 against the best interests of his people, that he 
 might himself be materially benefitted. He had 
 stood for years as the very embodiment of hon- 
 or, in all that an honorable life can stand for. 
 No person, colored or white, had ever question- 
 ed his right to this rare distinction. But this 
 very fact now made his position among the 
 people a peculiar one. His own people expect- 
 ed him to feel and act in their interest to the 
 fullest extent that it was possible for him to do 
 so; while the master class felt that he could be 
 depended upon to say nothing and do nothing 
 that could be at all interpreted as being insur- 
 rectional. He had actually refused to learn to 
 write lest he might be accused of writing 
 "passes" for slaves. On the other hand, the 
 slaves, bearing their heavy burdens, expected 
 him to sympathize with them, and stand ready, 
 at any time to help them if it were possible 
 to do so. But he could be of the greatest serv- 
 ice to them by standing aloof from all matters 
 of controversy between the abolitionists and 
 the pro-slavery people. He had no vote, and 
 therefore was not forced to show his hand at 
 the polls. When the war broke out, however, 
 much he was in sympathy with the Union 
 forces and the cause of freedom, it was not the 
 
162 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 time to speak out. When the recruiting of- 
 ficers came enlisting colored men for the serv- 
 ice, it was thought by many that he should 
 then declare himself; hob-nob about the re- 
 cruiting office, and assist in getting men to en- 
 list. But he felt differently and still stood 
 aloof. It was then that some one whispered 
 to Lieutenant Brown and his men that Cecil- 
 ton enjoyed the novelty of having a Negro 
 Democrat. That he could possess his soul in 
 patience .under circumstances most trying was 
 one of the best evidences of his ability to be 
 a true leader among his people. But the time 
 came at last when he could speak out, and 
 speak out he did. He left no room for doubt 
 -as to what had been his true attitude during 
 all the long years of the past. He could then 
 explain why he took the position of a neutral. 
 Then every one could see the wisdom of his 
 course. 
 
 There was one man among the whites who 
 ivas always regarded as being in sympathy 
 with the abolition cause, namely, Thomas 
 Jones, whose farm was adjoining the village 
 of Cecilton, and strange to say, he was him- 
 self a slave-holder on a small scale, the size 
 of which made no difference in its moral as- 
 pect. The first celebration and parade of the 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 163 
 
 colored people after the surrender proceeded 
 to his home. There were a few other Repub- 
 licans in the village, but none of them were 
 aggressive. Some of them secretly aided in 
 Underground Railroad work: Isaac Slaughter, 
 for instance, the mail-stage driver. 
 
 The next minister appointed to Friendship 
 was Rev. William M. Johnson. Bishop Way- 
 man, who had a habit of nick-naming, called 
 him "Greenland Johnson." He came to us from, 
 the New York Conference. He was not the 
 equal in scholarship of Pastor Hopkins, but, 
 like him, he was progressive, and unlike him>. 
 could gather about him the young people, in- 
 spire them with confidence in themselves, and 
 set them at work along new lines. 
 
 I always had a natural gift for "pitching 
 tunes," and singing; a sort of maternal in- 
 heritance. After uniting with the church, the 
 older people soon learned to depend upon me 
 to direct the singing. They had much trouble 
 with the metres, and with pitch. Once started,, 
 off they could go on all right, but the trouble 
 was getting started. To me it was quite nat- 
 ural, even before I took any lessons in vocal 
 music. I would pitch the common, long and 
 short metres in familiar tunes, and actually 
 originate tunes for some of the so-called par- 
 
164 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 ticular metres. But I was conscious all the 
 time that these home-made tunes were but 
 makeshifts, and I only awaited an opporunity 
 to take up the study of vocal music, and pre- 
 pare myself to do scientifically and correctly 
 the work that I was forced to do by guess. 
 
 The first music book that I remember ever 
 to have seen with lines and spaces, and dots 
 and stems, and sharps and flats, and naturals, 
 and the usual distribution of musical terms, in- 
 dicating movement, regulation of the voice, 
 and the like, was indeed a mystery to me. The 
 notes, scattered all about over the lines and 
 spaces, and above and below, seemed unintel- 
 ligible. But there came to Cecilton a music 
 teacher, Quimby by name, and opened a sing- 
 ing school for the white people. I stole along- 
 side of the school house where I could see 
 them, being in the light, and at the same time, 
 being myself outside in the darkness, would 
 not be observed. All I could hear was do, do ; 
 re, re ; mi, mi ; fa, fa, etc. At the end of an 
 exercise Professor Quimby came to some girls 
 who sat near the window into which I was 
 clandestinely peeping, and said they had not 
 made certain notes correctly, and, first going 
 over them himself he had them to follow. His 
 explanation to them was magical to me. It 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 165 
 
 seemed perfectly clear, then, that however 
 they looked to me, those notes were methodi- 
 cally placed on those lines and spaces and 
 could be learned. I went away from that win- 
 dow with an inspiration, and a resolve, act- 
 ing upon which I never ceased my efforts until 
 I stood Quimby like, directing a chorus made 
 up of our young people, who, with books in 
 hand, were singing by note. 
 
 The old people were not anxious to see radi- 
 cal innovations introduced in religious wor- 
 ship. Some of them doubtless would not hesi- 
 tate to adopt the sentiments expressed in the 
 lines : 
 
 ''They've got a chorister and choir 
 Against my voice and vote; 
 For it was never my desire 
 To serve the Lord by note." 
 
 But old Greenland was on hand to tell the 
 young people to go ahead, and what was more, 
 to go with them. He seemed to have hap- 
 pened there for such a time. 
 
 Uncle Abe Kennard would characterize as: 
 "hifallutin grammer," anything interjected in 
 worship that was outside of the ordinary, and 
 Uncle James Sisco stood ready to lambaste 
 any member of his class who was reported as 
 
166 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 becoming too worldly. But Pastor Johnson 
 was on hand to. see to it that no reactionary 
 threw any stumbling blocks in the way of his 
 progressive young set, so long as "L. J." was 
 leading them. After years had passed, and 
 his "L. J." was pastor of Bethel Church, Bal- 
 timore, he seemed to take especial pride in. 
 saying: "I found that boy in the bushes, but 
 look at him now." All credit and all honor to 
 "Pap Johnson" as we boys called him, for 
 giving the needed word of encouragement at 
 the right time. All credit and all honor to 
 Uncle James and Uncle Abe for timely coun- 
 sel at the period of our religious career when 
 it was most needed. All credit and all honor to 
 Pastor Hopkins, who set himself the task 
 of bringing among us men to create confidence 
 and to inspire with hope. There were a few 
 of the older people who were quite prepared 
 for the new conditions. They were veritable 
 progressives. They stood all right on the 
 fundamentals. They believed in "sound con- 
 version," and upright living, but they were not 
 afraid to put "new wine in new bottles." They 
 had been deprived of literary training, of 
 which they were conscious, but they had a 
 high degree' of intelligence and rejoiced that 
 they had lived to see the day when their chil- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 167 
 
 <lren, the young people, had a chance to pre- 
 pare themselves for service upon a higher in- 
 tellectual plane. "Uncle" Alfred Bacon, the 
 step-father of Christopher Jones, Jr., was 
 among the foremost of this class. 
 
 The coming of the day school, and the sing- 
 ing school were timely and valuable moral 
 and intellectual helps among the people hither- 
 to deprived of uplifting influences. Under 
 the old regime, the morals and intellect of the 
 colored youth were not at all taken into ac- 
 count. He was allowed "to get religion"; 
 even encouraged so to do. But just think of 
 religion separated from morality ! Stealing 
 was not complained of so long as you did not 
 steal from your master. It was all right to 
 get drunk if you were sober in due time to go 
 to work in the morning, and do your full task. 
 Nothing was thought of being the father or 
 mother of an illegitimate child. The multipli- 
 cation of childlren, like the multiplication of 
 cattle, was of material advantage to the mas- 
 ter, and he did not permit the injection of any 
 moral code for his slaves that would make 
 against his material interest. 
 
 The ministers, the proper religious teachers, 
 were, like all others, under the dominating in- 
 fluence of the slave-holding oligarchy, with 
 
168 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 the exception of here and there a heroic one,, 
 who like Elijah, was willing to stand alone. 
 
 Keep a people thus, in moral and intellect- 
 ual darkness for a period of two hundred and 
 fifty years, and what could be expected of 
 them but ignorance and moral deficiency. The 
 very fact, that, in spite of such environment, 
 there were many with highly developed intel- 
 lects, and many possessing moral strength to 
 an amazing degree, is an. argument in favor of 
 the unity of the human race, and the moral 
 nature and moral power of God. As to intel- 
 lect, Frederick Douglass, Benjamin Banneker 
 and Philis Wheatley are well-known examples 
 and these are not all. As to morals, the world 
 will never know of the heroes and heroines; 
 heroines especially. Their history is unwrit- 
 ten; largely unknown because tradition has 
 failed to take cognizance of most cases, and 
 besides, nearly all who knew of them, have 
 passed away, and with them the knowledge 
 is buried. Think of an enraged master, stand- 
 ing with a red hot poker, giving a defenseless 
 slave girl, who had dared to resist and fight 
 him, her choice between submitting, or under- 
 going hellish tortures that cannot be named. 
 Mrs. Jane Evans related a case of the kind 
 about which she had personal knowledge. Mrs. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 169 
 
 Evans was a woman whose veracity was above 
 question, and for such a woman to invent a 
 fabrication, too horrible for the most gigantic 
 imagination, is unthinkable. The case did not 
 relate to our informant, and hence there was 
 no attempt to exalt one's own virtues. This 
 is not written in the book of martyrs. Slaves 
 had no such biographers. Even the school 
 books in our American courses of study are 
 silent upon any kind of heroic or brave deeds 
 performed by the people of African descent. 
 This, I think, is a sufficient apology for calling 
 up such unpleasant memories. Our people are 
 not yet out of the wilderness of persecution 
 and prejudice. Civil, political and economic 
 rights, privileges and opportunities are yet 
 denied or given grudgingly and of necessity. 
 It is well, therefore, even at this late day, to 
 point out some worthy deeds of valor and sac- 
 rifice on the part of those who had naught else 
 of value to bequeath to posterity. 
 
 History abounds with chapters, even vol- 
 umes of valor, heroism and noble achievement 
 on the part of those in whose interest the his- 
 tory is written, and for the inspiration of their 
 posterity. 
 
 Unless we, as a people, do some writing of 
 a historical nature, we may but expect that 
 
170 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 much that would be inspiring and educative 
 to our youth, will be buried in the past, while 
 much that is unfavorable, and hence depress- 
 ing, will be exhibited as true history. Much 
 there is, indeed, in the history of a century, 
 and of a people that is anything but compli- 
 mentary. This is true to a greater or lesser 
 extent of any people. The Bible itself speaks 
 in no uncertain voice of the sins and weak- 
 nesses of Bible characters. But this is only one 
 side of the question, the other side is also- 
 given, and all history, to be faithful and true, 
 will bring out both sides. No one can charge 
 that the sins and shortcomings of our people 
 have not been exhibited to the world and 
 are still, and constantly being put on exhibi- 
 tion in many ways ; even by themselves. The 
 vicious and ignorant among us are ever a 
 source of comment and unfavorable discussion. 
 The recent migration of multitudes from one 
 portion of the country to another will carry 
 its quota of good and bad, and introduce new 
 problems. The "Clansman" has gone ahead 
 with its story of slander and misrepresenta- 
 tion and not altogether without making the 
 impression that was originally intended by the 
 author and his sympathizers. 
 
 Let us hope that from time to time scraps- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 171 
 
 of history may come to light that will show 
 that "Uncle Tom's Cabin" may be reproduced 
 -again and again, not alone in mythical, but 
 in real living historical characters ; and not 
 only upon the famous Eastern Shore of Mary- 
 land, but in every portion of the country where 
 our people lived and moved and had their 
 being. Where, with unrequited toil, without 
 the inspiration of hope except as it is found in 
 blind faith, unsupported by enlightened reason, 
 for two hundred and forty years the African 
 in America adjusted himself to his condition, 
 sang and prayed and danced as he toiled pa- 
 tiently on ; accepted the religion of his mas- 
 ter, even without seeing it truly exemplified 
 by those who professed it, and waited for the 
 dawning of a day, either in time or eternity, 
 when "every day would be Sunday," into the 
 rest and joy of which even the poor, dejected 
 slave would be brought. 
 
 Such walking "by faith and not by sight," 
 and that, too, by a faith that was largely in- 
 stinctive, is a unique chapter in the world's 
 history that is unwritten, unwriteable, and 
 largely unknown. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 Farewell to Cecilton 
 
 In his "Departure of Hiawatha," Longfel- 
 low sings thus, in part : 
 
 'From his place rose Hiawatha, 
 Bade farewell to old Nokomis, 
 Spake in whispers, spake in this wise, 
 Do not wake the guests that slumbered, 
 I am going, O Nokomis 
 On a long and distant journey 
 To the portals of the Sunset, 
 To the regions of the home-wind, 
 Of the northwest wind Keewaydin. 
 But these guests I leave behind me, 
 In your watch and ward I leave them; 
 See that never harm comes near them; 
 See that never fear molests them; 
 Never danger or suspicion, 
 Never want of food or shelter, 
 In the lodge of Hiawatha. 
 Forth into the village went he, 
 
 (172) 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Bade farewell to all the young men ; 
 
 Spake persuading, spake on this wise : 
 
 I am going, O my people, 
 
 On a long and distant journey, 
 
 Many moons and many winters, 
 
 Will have come and will have vanished, 
 
 Ere I come again to see you." 
 
 There comes a time when the birdling must 
 leave the old nest, prove his wings, and enter 
 upon a new and independent life. If it is an 
 eagle, his vision goes to the far away moun- 
 tains, to the exploration of which his eagle 
 instinct suggests that he has a perfect right 
 to aspire. There are souls that cannot be- 
 come satisfied with things ordinary : that can- 
 not become inured to cage life, or limited en- 
 vironments. There are eagle-like souls with 
 broad vision, that see far away mountains, and 
 long to discover what is yet beyond. They 
 are not content to mark the time of their im- 
 mediate surroundings, watching the smoke 
 from the old family chimney, with a "come day 
 go day" satisfaction, that is without the im- 
 pulse that seeks new avenues of activity. 
 
 Here-in lay the -mistake of slavery, and 
 here-in slumbered its downfall. 
 
174 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 "Under Mount Etna, he lies. 
 Tis slumber: it is not death. 
 For often he strives to arise, 
 And above him the lurid skies 
 Are filled with his fiery breath. 
 The mountains are rolled en his head ; 
 The crags are piled on his breast : 
 But, the sighs of his wild unrest, 
 Tho smothered and half suppressed 
 Are heard : and he is not dead." 
 
 The runaway slave by this act protested 
 against oppression and suppressison in but a 
 milder form than the insurrection of "Nat" 
 Turner. Much of unwritten history consists 
 of daring deeds on the part of slaves, women 
 and men, for their freedom, or the. protection 
 of virtue. Some of this has been purposely 
 suppressed, and some did not come to be gen- 
 erally known simply because there was no 
 scribe to chronicle it. 
 
 It is reasonable to suppose that all men who 
 are at least normal mentally and physically 
 prefer freedom to bondage. Not only freedom 
 of the body to go and come at will, but free- 
 dom of the mind also, to expand, improve, and 
 acquire a knowledge of the things with which 
 one comes in daily contact. But the laws 
 and customs of oppression, the crime in the 
 eyes of the master class of anything like self- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 175 
 
 assertiveness or independence on the part of 
 the enslaved, and its sure and sanguinary 
 punishment such as was necessary to sustain 
 the slave system, took all the heart and hope 
 out of the majority of the slaves and caused 
 them to become content in a way, with their 
 lot. In this state of lethargic contentment^ 
 the spirit of aspiration with which nature had 
 endowed them would depart, and with this 
 result, slavery had accomplished its supreme 
 object. Only from the minority then, would 
 come the insuppressible ones, and these kept 
 alive the fire of hope. 
 
 When freedom came, there was a large field 
 of usefulnesss open to those who had in spite 
 of their environments forged ahead a pace, and 
 become the natural leaders. They \vere in 
 the church, in the school, and in social and 
 civic life generally. And there was a strong 
 inducement to remain at home, either from a 
 desire to be of service to the less fortunate, 
 or from the fact, that such service, being in 
 great demand, was liberally rewarded. In 
 many instances the forward ones took all sorts 
 of advantage of the backward ones ; preyed 
 upon their ignorance and credulity, and spoiled 
 them of their first fruits of freedom. 
 
 My own position at home was rather pe- 
 
176 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 culiar, or, peculiarly in favor of my remain- 
 ing. Besides being free born, I had the in- 
 spiration and guidance of a most remarkable 
 mother, spoken of elsewhere in these pages. 
 Even before the surrender, though a youth. I 
 was regarded as a sort of oracle by my poor 
 benighted people, among whom I was facile 
 princeps. I was their scribe, accountant and 
 confidential advisor. Sunday-school teacher, 
 arid chief chorister in both Sunday school and 
 church, and finally, after two terms of tu- 
 telage under our first day school teacher, Miss 
 Christmas, elsewhere spoken of, I became day 
 school teacher. 
 
 But conscious of my limitation, and with a 
 turning desire to pursue my studies, and by 
 contact with men and women of mind, charac- 
 ter and learning, prepare myself for the high- 
 est and best purpose of life, no temporary 
 advantages however enticing could induce me 
 to remain at home. Abraham like, to me came 
 the call of conscience and desire so strong 
 as to be irresistable. And Abraham like, no 
 specific direction was given. The impulse 
 said go. Break away from filial and frater- 
 nal ties and obligations. Be not content to 
 follow lines of least resistance, nor be satis- 
 fied with small accomplishments under mea- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 177 
 
 gre opportunities, but launch out into the deep, 
 sink or swim. 
 
 The day came, February 15, 1869. Momen- 
 tous day! My friend C. J. Hall and I, had 
 talked the matter over again and again and at 
 last resolved upon a course of action. We had 
 both saved some money as a necessary pre- 
 paration for such an adventure. It was the 
 custom of those who were frugal and indus- 
 trious to prepare for winter by laying aside in 
 summer. January and February were the 
 leisure months, and we selected this as the 
 most suitable time for leaving home. With the 
 opening spring came the temptation to put 
 off going for -another season, and so we de- 
 termined that when the daffodil made its ap- 
 pearance again, and "the voice of the turtle" 
 was heard, proclaiming the return of spring, 
 we would be found in a different clime. 
 
 We decided to go to Philadelphia, and cast 
 our lot among the quiet Quakers, instead of 
 going to New York about which we had heard 
 so much both good and evil. Then again, we 
 had a friend in Philadelphia, a fellow country- 
 man, who, through correspondence, spoke well 
 of the place, and of the opportunities for a 
 young man of grit and purpose. We request- 
 ed him to secure us a suitable boarding place, 
 
178 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 and name the day when we should report. 
 
 As we did not consider ourselves paupers, 
 and our season of leisure had not passed, we 
 resolved to enjoy a little sight seeing before 
 settling down to serious life. Our sight seeing 
 need not be of an expensive kind, for this, 
 being the largest city that we had ever seen, 
 everything would be new and interesting, 
 One thing we firmly and definitely decided up- 
 on, and that was to live the simple and safe 
 life that we were accustomed to,and not seek 
 to be initiated into the "mystic" ways of city 
 life before our "beard grew out." 
 
 We found our way to church, Mother 
 Bethel, on the first Sunday in town, and great- 
 ly enjoyed the services, they being so differ- 
 ent from what we had witnessed all our lives 
 at dear old Friendship. My first really amus- 
 ing, though very embarrassing city experience, 
 was on this wise. The daughter of the lady 
 with whom we boarded, invited me to accom- 
 pany her to the family church on one Sunday 
 evening. It was "Big Wesley." I had never 
 attended that church before. "Big Wesley" 
 was a rival of "Big Bethel" and was just 
 around the corner from it, Bethel being on 
 6th St., above Lombard, and Wesley being on 
 Lombard St., below 6th. The custom then in 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 179 
 
 both city and country, was, for men to sit on 
 one side of the church, and women on the 
 other. So according to this custom I had to 
 separate from my company upon entering the 
 church. The church was well filled when we 
 arrived, and we decided to go to the gallery, 
 the lady taking one side and I the other. It 
 was revival season, and after the sermon, a 
 long one, the "prayer meeting" began. We 
 did not think to decide upon a time to come 
 out if the meeting should prove to be unusually 
 long, so, there was nothing to do but to wait 
 until the close, and then take chances on find- 
 ing each other when the crowd came out. In 
 perfect country like innocence, when I became 
 tired out and thirsty in that big, overcrowded, 
 over heated, and poorly ventilated church, I 
 decided to go out and get some fresh air, and 
 a drink of water from the hydrant in the 
 church yard. Well, I went out. The usher 
 at the door was polite and obliging. He was 
 even anxious to get as many out as possible 
 but was not permitting any one to come in. 
 After I had slaked my thirst, and was not 
 only cooled off, but, was cold, as it was near 
 zero weather, I returned to the door, but only 
 to witness the sad experience of the foolish 
 virgins. When at last the meeting closed and 
 
180 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 the crowd began to press out the two open 
 doors, I might have been about as successful 
 at looking for a needle in a hay stack, as I 
 was looking for the lady whom I had escorted. 
 When I arrived home late, and alone, apol- 
 ogized to Miss McRay, went to my room, and 
 related my experience to my friend C. J., he 
 fairly cracked his sides with his characteristic 
 laugh when much amused, and I think rather 
 enjoyed the fact that I got well paid for my 
 gallantry, and for not inviting him to accom- 
 pany us. It is needless to say that the lesson 
 was so well learned that it did not have to be 
 repeated. 
 
 Well, here is Philadelphia! great big Phila- 
 delphia! What will we do with it? Perhaps 
 a far more important question is, what will 
 Philadelphia do with us? "Uncle" David 
 Brown who reached four score years, and went 
 beyond, came to Philadelphia from the coun- 
 try before the war. He was a lad in his teens. 
 He was fortunate enough to get a job right 
 away in the "Health and Vital Statistics" De- 
 partment. His business was to sweep around^ 
 keep fires, and do errands. Feeling the need 
 of a Savior to keep him from the evils of his 
 new and attractive home, he went into the 
 cellar of the Department, and there in the 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 181 
 
 quiet of the night, gave himself to Him who 
 alone can save. He never lost his job nor his 
 religion. He was promoted to confidential 
 messenger, and entrusted with keys, and 
 money to any amount. After he had been 
 in the service for fifty years and more, he was 
 known to all the officials, and all who came 
 and went, as "Uncle David." During the last 
 years of his life, he was relieved from specific 
 duties but kept on his wages. He would re- 
 port to "City Hall" when he felt well enough, 
 and otherwise disposed to do so, and to make 
 him feel like he was still of importance about 
 the place, would occasionally be sent with 
 large sums of money to the bank. He was a 
 class leader in Bethel church where he had 
 held membership from the time he decided in 
 the cellar to be a Christian. The church is a 
 great protection to a young man in a city. 
 Anywhere for that matter, but especially 
 where there are so many things to attract and 
 allure. 
 
 My greatest desire was to get an education. 
 I had already a good start, but only a start. 
 It is true I had spent more days in school 
 than had my fellow countryman, Fred. Doug- 
 lass when he took the platform as a public 
 speaker, but, "on this hangs a tale." The 
 
182 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 school house is a means to an end. The end, 
 is an education. The school house is the prin- 
 cipal means, but not the only means. 
 
 Pestalozzi the great Swiss educator, Abra- 
 ham Lincoln, to whose wisdom and states- 
 manship America and the world delights to 
 pay tribute, and Frederick Douglass, second 
 to none in the history of the men of his day, 
 are illustrious examples of what can be ac- 
 complished by persistent study and applica- 
 tion. A person may go to school and yet not 
 study much. May go through the world yet 
 see but little : may come in contact with many 
 persons and things, yet test nothing: or, may 
 even prove many things, and yet hold fast to 
 none : may begin, and make some progress in 
 many branches of learning, without becoming 
 perfect in any. How often do we hear the 
 cry : "I did not have a chance." But every day 
 in one's Hie, is an opportunity, a "chance." 
 Some combination of circumstances, if but ob- 
 served and utilized was the one thing needed 
 to give the lesson for that day, and there are 
 three hundred and sixty-five such days in 
 every year, each twenty-four hours long. 
 
 When I was in the mission field in South 
 Africa, the wife of one of our most active and 
 useful ministers was herself active in mission 
 work. Though >a mother of a large family, 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 183 
 
 she could be counted on to be present at vari- 
 ous committee or club meetings, held in the 
 interest of the general work. One of the 
 things very much needed to make those meet- 
 ings of sufficient interest and attraction to 
 guarantee a good attendance of young people 
 was to have singing, accompanied by the or- 
 gan. But it happened so often there was no 
 one present who could play, so Mrs. Gow de- 
 termined to learn to play, that the difficulty 
 might be removed. And she did. It required 
 patience and severe application of the few 
 hours that she could snatch each week from 
 domestic duties, to practice on the organ. 
 
 Bishop Daniel A. Payne tells of how he ac- 
 quired French outside of the school house.. 
 The fact is, the most he learned was outside of 
 the school house. His biographer cites him as 
 teaching a "High School" before he entered 
 school at Gettysburg, the only regularly estab- 
 lished school in which he ever studied. But 
 men of recognized scholarship deemed it a 
 privilege in after years to sit at his feet and 
 learn wisdom, and the foremost educators of 
 his day, men at the head of America's leading 
 colleges and universities would refer to him as 
 an "educator" on a plane with themselves, 
 while Wilberforce University, the school that 
 
184 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 he established, and whose first president he 
 was, has a name and a place among American 
 institutions of learning. 
 
 Ex-President William McKinley and Fred- 
 erick Douglass stood on the same platform 
 together and received the degree of LL.D. at 
 Wilberforce, and both seemed to appreciate 
 highly the honor bestowed. 
 
 But the men whom I have named as illus- 
 trations of self-made men, such as Lincoln, 
 Douglass, Payne, are all historic characters, 
 and rated as being among the most illustrious 
 of their times and they were contemporary 
 but there are many others, practically un- 
 known and unheralded who. on account of 
 their acquirements and accomplishments; who 
 on account of their influence upon society, 
 have been as great beneficiaries to mankind 
 as those whose fame took on national propor- 
 tions. Their names are legion, for they are 
 many. They are women and they are men, 
 self-made but, splendidly made. Their school 
 was the wide world, their books were men 
 and things, and everything. 
 
 Hugh Miller, the noted Scotch geologist, in 
 his "Schools and Schoolmasters" autobiog- 
 raphy begins the narration with a story of 
 a stout little boy in his sixth or seventh year, 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 185 
 
 who was dispatched from an old-fashioned 
 farm-house to drown a litter of puppies in 
 an adjacent pond; who, after wasting some 
 time in a paroxysm of indecision and sorrow, 
 instead of committing the puppies to the 
 water, tucked them up in his little kilt and set 
 out by a blind pathway in a direction opposite 
 to that of the farm-house. When he reached 
 the home of his poor and widowed mother, she 
 met him with raised hands, exclaiming: 
 "What's this? What brings you here?" "The 
 little doggies," was the prompt reply. "I 
 couldna drown the little doggies." This is the 
 index of character. The first examination in 
 the big school. The boy made high marks, 
 and began a career, with a bunch of puppies, 
 which though an apparently trivial incident, 
 "exercised a marked influence on the circum- 
 stances and destiny of at least two genera- 
 tions, higher in the scales than themselves." 
 It it wonderful just how small things often 
 entirely unnoticed, entering into one's life, 
 contribute so much towards shaping one's 
 destiny. 
 
 "A little pebble in the river 
 
 Has often turned its course forever.' 
 
 I met Mr. Douglass toward the end of his. 
 
186 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 illustrious career. Heard him speak. What 
 a speaker ! I printed in the A. M. E. Review, 
 while editor of that periodical, several articles 
 by Mr. Douglass. Got to know him person- 
 ally. He would reply to my letters as prompt- 
 ly and courteously, and give me a hearing as 
 readily as he would a man of national fame- 
 like himself. With tender voice, he had a 
 word of encouragement for any young man, 
 or woman, who seemed to hold the right ideas 
 about life, and was striving to make some- 
 thing of himself. He seemed entirely incap- 
 able of manifesting a spirit of arrogance and 
 pride so often found in persons of less ability, 
 and with nothing of noble achievement to 
 boast of. He was the first of his race variety 
 in America to become a national and interna- 
 tional character, and he completed a long and 
 useful career "without the smell of fire on his 
 garments." 
 
 I knew Bishop Payne much better. Indeed, 
 I knew him personally, and intimately, and 
 owe him more, and reverence him more than 
 any other man except my own dear father. 
 
 But there are others who, entering into, in- 
 fluenced my life for good to a very great 
 extent. Not being widely known outside of 
 their homes, they are not known to the 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 187 
 
 world. But their lives and deeds constitute 
 some of the brightest and most interesting 
 pages of unwritten history. 
 
 It is indeed a question whether men live 
 longest and best in their own personal lives, 
 or in the lives of those influenced by them. 
 Perhaps it is in the lives of others, for, many 
 may be started off on careers that are sure 
 to accomplish more than any single life could. 
 
 The period of 1869-1877 was full of inci- 
 dents, and decided my future course. These 
 years were spent in the city of Wilmigton,. 
 Del. Wilmington, in New Castle County, is 
 the chief city in the Diamond State, Delaware. 
 Delaware is a border state. The famous Ma- 
 son and Dixon's Line divides between Dela- 
 ware and Maryland, and Pennsylvania and 
 Maryland. 
 
 Delaware was influenced by southern senti- 
 ment, and like Maryland, held slaves before 
 the war. Adjacent to Pennsylvania, and being 
 a small state, with but three counties, it has 
 been suggested that it would be a good thing,, 
 politically, if Delaware State were a county in 
 Pennsylvania. But the Claytons, Saulsburys, 
 DuPonts and like celebrities would never 
 agree to any such "demotion" for their proud 
 little state, that even now, more than a half 
 
188 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 century after Emancipation, still retains the 
 pillory and whipping post, though it is fair to 
 say, that in this year of our Lord, 1919, a bill 
 has been offered in the Legislature at Dover 
 to have these relics of barbarism removed. I 
 am advised that the bill failed to pass. 
 
 Since 1865, the year of the "surrender," and 
 the beginning of great revolutions and changes 
 in American politics, Delaware has been a 
 "close" state, falling now into the hands of 
 the Republicans, and now back into the Dem- 
 ocratic column. 
 
 Wilmington had some colored men "of 
 mark," who knew "Thomie Garrett," the Tat- 
 nels and other "Quakers" who were active in 
 Underground Railroad service. Men, who, 
 like Paul, were "free born." They were ready 
 when Emancipation came, and the amend- 
 ments to the Constitution followed, to organ- 
 ize the "freedman," instruct and coach him, 
 and place him securely into the Republican 
 fold. 
 
 My adventure into Delaware was just at a 
 time that offered the opportunity to meet and 
 mingle with those men, in the prime and 
 strength of their lives, and when there were 
 burning questions both as to church and state 
 to be considered.. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 189 
 
 Daniel P. Hamilton, Daniel B. Anderson. 
 David Augustus, Abraham (Murray, William 
 Grinnage and John Layton were among the 
 leaders of thought among laymen in Wilming- 
 ton. Frisby J. Cooper had entered the minis- 
 try and gone elsewhere. William Howard 
 Day, from Oberlin College, the brilliant ora- 
 tor, handsome, well educated, a veritable 
 Chesterfield in manners, came through occas- 
 ionally while on speech-making tours. Later, 
 he made Wilmington his home for a time, with 
 his handsome wife, "Georgie," before they 
 made Harrisburg their permanent home. He 
 also became a minister and General Officer in 
 the A. M. E. Zion Church. Ministers such as 
 Dr. T. G. Steward and John F. Thomas, of the 
 A. M. E. Church; Edward Chippey, of the A. 
 U. M. P. Church ; Edward Williams, of the U. 
 A. M. E. Church : Hooper Jolly, of the M. E. 
 Church, were the leading churchmen. These 
 were the four denominations among colored at 
 that time. The men above-named, both lay- 
 men and ministers, were above reproach in 
 character and above the average in ability, and 
 enjoyed the confidence of the community 
 prerequisites for successful leadership. There 
 were many others who deserve honorable 
 
190 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 mention, but, as all cannot be named, these 
 are given as samples. 
 
 It was my good fortune to know these men 
 personally, to enjoy their confidence and re- 
 spect ; to be encouraged by them as a "likely" 
 young man; to be sought and brought for- 
 ward to work with them in civic, religious and 
 political activities. It was my better fortune 
 to have been influenced by their lives. They 
 were men of thought and vision as well as 
 character. Solid men, who could be depended 
 upon to advocate a cause because it was good 
 and worthy, and not on account of what they 
 selfishly hoped to get out of it. They were big 
 men to me then, but much bigger now, as 
 from this distance I look back upon them. 
 
 Daniel P. Hamilton became my ideal in 
 politics and religion. He was a "stand-pat" 
 Republican, and a died-in-the-wool African 
 Methodist. He could wake up in the night 
 and give a reason for his faith both as to de- 
 nomination and political party. He regarded 
 the abolitionists, and especially those of an 
 active, Underground Railroad type, as being 
 worthy of the appellation "salt of the earth." 
 These were all Republicans, of course. 
 
 The Negro had his political birth in the 
 cradle of the Republican party and derived all 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 191 
 
 i 
 of his political privileges from that source, 
 
 and to Brother Hamilton, it was ingratitude 
 to his friends, and suicidal to himself, to leave 
 the party, or. to even be lukewarm toward it, 
 though we were yet deprived of many privi- 
 leges and rights guaranteed and granted with- 
 out question to other citizens under the Con- 
 stitution. He used to tell a story about how a 
 woman changed her husband's politics. It was 
 like this : Upon a certain election day, he, 
 with certain others, were induced to vote the 
 Democratic ticket. The reward was a plenty 
 of whiskey and a barrel of flour. Early in the 
 day the flour came, but the prodigal husband 
 remained away from home all day where the 
 liquid refreshment flowed freely so long as the 
 polls were open. At last, much the worse for 
 wear, the prodigal returned, penitent, perhaps, 
 but too full for utterance. Well, wifey, as- 
 sisted him in getting undressed and snugly 
 tucked in bed, and soon he was wrapped so 
 tightly in the arms of morpheus that he was 
 not even interested in the latest returns. This 
 was wife's opportunity to give him his first 
 lesson in political science. So, with strong 
 cords she lashed him fast to the bed, without 
 either his knowledge or consent. Then, tak- 
 ing a good-sized hickory club, she pounded 
 
192 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 him so furiously and long that he died from 
 his injuries. Of course she was arrested, and 
 tried for murder. On the day of her trial, not 
 having an advocate, she was permitted to 
 speak for herself. She briefly rehearsed the 
 story of her bondage. Told how children had 
 been snatched from her embrace and sold to 
 parts unknown. How she rejoiced when 
 emancipated. And now that her husband was 
 taking steps to have her again enslaved, she 
 thought it was time to change his politics. 
 When the judge heard her story, he instructed 
 the jury to render <a verdict of justifiable 
 homicide. They did. 
 
 This is the atmosphere in which I took my 
 first lessons in active politics. Here I cast my 
 first vote. Twenty-one years of age 'was 
 necessary to qualify as a voter but, if one had 
 passed his twentieth when the election came 
 off he could vote "on age." This was my case. 
 I voted first on age and have never lost an 
 opportunity since to cast my vote, and like 
 my early political preceptors. I 'always vote 
 "right." In theory, I am a Prohibitionist, but 
 .only m practice as it relates to drinking. I 
 have always hoped that prohibtion would 
 come as a moral necessity, and not as a politi- 
 cal measure. Politics are often a very uncer- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 193 
 
 tain quantity ; at least politicians. The one 
 party that had made it possible for the colored 
 man to vote at all, was the Republican party, 
 and it was both to its interest and ours, ta 
 keep the bond of union. I was never willing 
 to hazard the success of the Republican ticket 
 by voting any other, even the Prohibition 
 ticket. Whenever there was a temperance 
 plank in the Republican platform, such as local 
 option, I was found a strong advocate and 
 supporter. Indeed, my first public speech was 
 a temperance address. To me it is a matter 
 for great rejoicing that prohibition has tri- 
 umphed to the extent, that more than two- 
 thirds of the states have voted in favor of an 
 amendment to the Constitution, that will ban- 
 ish from America its greatest foe, human 
 slavery the sum of all villanies alone ex- 
 cepted. To me it is also a pleasure to know 
 that this great triumph has come, not to the 
 credit of any political party, but as a general 
 uprising by the people to save the youth and 
 to save the race. May the good work con- 
 tinue by being made a world-wide movement,, 
 for it does seem incredible, that in any part of 
 the civilized world, so great an evil as the 
 manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquors as a. 
 beverage, could have ever been legalized. 
 
194 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 As in politics, so in religion, I came under 
 the influence of that masterful Daniel P. Ham- 
 ilton. I was a Christian and a member of the 
 African Methodist Episcopal Church when I 
 met him, and had heard from the mouth of 
 '"Father Jones" something about "Allen," and 
 what his Church stood for. But as a lad I had 
 not taken it so seriously that it had become 
 "second nature" with me. All of my Wilming- 
 ton relatives belonged to other communions, 
 some to the M. E. and others to one or the 
 other of the "Union" churches. My home was 
 with those who belonged to the M. E. Church, 
 and I frequently accompanied them to "Ezion." 
 
 The young people of Wilmington were mak- 
 ing much of the study of vocal music at that 
 time. In nearly every house one could hear 
 do, do, do ; fa, fa, fa ; sol, sol, sol. The churches 
 did not have organs then ; all the music was 
 vocal, and the singers sang by note. Every 
 church had a good substantial choir, and the 
 singing was made a special feature of the 
 service. James Crozier, the leader of "Ezion" 
 -choir, was the principal chorister among the 
 churches, and had regular weekly rehearsals, 
 where the members of the choir were required 
 to come and learn to read the notes. This was 
 verv attractive to me, and I united with this 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 19S 
 
 singing class, and much to my own delight be- 
 gan the study of vocal music. I thought about 
 the Quimby class in the Cecilton school-house 
 where I stood at the window and resolved that 
 if ever I got a chance, I would study do, re,, 
 mi. Being encouraged by my own progress 
 and becoming impatient with the backward, 
 ones who kept the class back, I resolved to 
 take extra lessons from other masters, which 
 I did ; from Messrs. Peter S. Blake and James 
 A. Anderson, at the same time attending the 
 Crozier rehearsals weekly, and singing on the 
 "Ezion" choir. 
 
 My friends, Isaac Parker and Absalom Pur- 
 nell members of the Crozier School and' 
 I would frequently meet for private prac- 
 tice, and we considered it a great triumph 
 when we could pick up the Jubilee, or, the 
 New Lute of Zion, or, the Sacred Lute, and 
 read any piece therein at sight. All the while 
 I was attending Bethel A. M. E. Church as a 
 member, and being a member of the Sunday 
 school of which Daniel . P. Hamilton was 
 superintendent, becoming more acquainted, 
 with the man who in due time would fully and 
 to my satisfaction explain the Allen move- 
 ment, and enable me. like himself, to answer 
 
196 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 the question, Why am I an African Method- 
 ist? 
 
 One warm not to say hot Sunday after- 
 noon, I was on the choir at "Ezion," and the 
 pastor had given the service to an elderly 
 white minister who had evidently come 
 .around, as they often did, looking for an op- 
 portunity to preach. After the preliminaries 
 were concluded and the brother got fairly 
 down to work at his sermon, which was evi- 
 dently worked out for a "colored" congrega- 
 tion, he became illustrative, and used the fol- 
 lowing as pertinent to the occasion. "When I 
 was a boy I used to go to the kitchen where 
 the colored boys had a big fire. I would read 
 to them by the light of the candle. Who made 
 that fire? The colored boys. Who made the 
 candles? The white boys. And so, we come 
 to you for your fire, and you come to us for 
 'our light." I looked around among the mem- 
 bers of the choir to discover what effect this 
 injudicious to say the least comparison had 
 upon them. I discovered many of them had 
 "been put .soundly to sleep by his narcotized 
 homily, and others seemed not to have been 
 sufficiently interested to pay any attention at 
 all to what he was saying. vVell, I decided 
 that I had shown sufficient gratitude to 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 197 
 
 Brother Crozier for giving me an opportunity 
 to study vocal music, and a chance to practice 
 on the congregation of "Ezion" and that this 
 insult to my manhood would be a sufficient 
 explanation should I ever be asked why I dis- 
 continued my membership in the choir. So 
 right in the midst of the discourse at the con- 
 clusion of that personal application. I took my 
 hat and unceremoniously left the church. I 
 then became an active member of Bethel 
 Choir, and when during the next year, our 
 leader, Josiah Loans, died, I was unanimously 
 elected by the members of the choir to suc- 
 ceed him. I am not quite sure that the 
 Mayor-elect of the city of Wilmington felt 
 more highly honored in his elevation than I 
 did in mine. I was well aware of my limita- 
 tions as master chorister, but of two things I 
 felt sure ; my connection with the choir for 
 more than a year gave me a chance to know 
 that no one there was better prepared for the 
 place than myself, and, that if severe applica- 
 tion would do the deed, I would be sure to 
 keep ahead of the rest of them. 
 
 The minister who impressed me most at this 
 really formative period of my life was Dr. 
 "Theophilus Gould Steward. I cannot say that 
 '.I listened very critically to sermons previous 
 
198 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 to the time that he became my pastor. To me,, 
 preaching was in a way, professional oratory,, 
 of a more or less emotional style, and the 
 preacher who could entertain the people agree 
 ably, and make them happy most of the time, 
 was to me, the right man in the right place. 
 If he were not thus gifted as a speaker, the 
 consensus of opinion was, it would be better 
 for the spiritual growth of the Church if his 
 pastorate covered but one or two years. But 
 the advent of Dr. Steward marked the turning 
 point of my idea of preaching. Strange to say,, 
 his style made him exactly the opposite of 
 what had been my ideal, if indeed, I had given 
 aufficient thought to the subject to have what 
 might be dignified as an ideal. If any one be- 
 came very demonstrative urder the preaching 
 of Dr. Steward, it was more on account of 
 what he said than his manner of saying it. He 
 had none of the "rousnum" that a "Methodist 
 Preacher" was supposed to have, and to bring 
 in at least, toward the close of his sermon if 
 not before. It was the custom of many to pay 
 but little attention to the beginning of the 
 sermon. Indeed, they would often fix them- 
 selves for a quiet nap, while the preacher was 
 making preliminary remarks, and warming 
 up, but would be wide-awake in time to seer 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 199 
 
 the finish, and join in the hallelujahs that gen- 
 erally closed this part of the service. 
 
 The Steward style was not popular from the 
 first with the masses. Many adverse criticisms 
 could be heard upon the style of the new 
 preacher. Some characterized him as a Pres- 
 byterian, and others as a lecturer. Dr. Stew- 
 ard knew perfectly well what was going on, 
 but he also knew what the people needed, and 
 paid no attention to the criticisms of those who 
 were no more capable of sitting in judgment 
 upon a thelogical discourse, or denomina- 
 tional tenets, than they were upon geology, or 
 political economy. Our minister began to 
 make friends and converts to his way of 
 thinking, and his manner of expressing his 
 thoughts. As for me, I found myself so ab- 
 sorbed in what I heard from the pulpit Sunday 
 after Sunday, and from the lesson reviews and 
 addresses in the Sunday school by our pastor, 
 and in personal conversation in social as well 
 as official life, that there was no place so at- 
 tractive to me as Bethel Church, and no serv- 
 ices so helpful as the Sunday morning services, 
 where sermons, fresh, well prepared, and de- 
 livered more and more forcefully as the re- 
 sponse from the pew was more cordial, be- 
 
200 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 came the very bread of life to the soul and a 
 means of enlightenment to the mind. 
 
 The friendship between Bro. D. P. Hamilton 
 and myself became closer and stronger, and it 
 was his delight to push me forward in the af- 
 fairs of the church, especially in the Sunday 
 school, where for many years he had been the 
 superintendent. My fondness of Bible study, 
 and my knowledge of, and love for vocal 
 music, made the Sunday school to me a very 
 desirable place. The International iJessons 
 were just being introduced into Sunday 
 schools, and we laid aside the old system of 
 study and adopted the Berean series of the 
 International Course. My practice was to 
 study each lesson in connection with the Home 
 Readings ; parallel passages and Scriptural 
 references ; the English Teacher's Notes ; topic, 
 title, golden text and Teacher's Quarterly, 
 Peloubet's Select Notes, and whatever I could 
 get, throwing light upon the lessons, and upon 
 the Scriptures generally. This became a habit 
 with me, and year in and year out I kept it 
 up, thus acquiring a general familiarity with 
 the Bible, The Old Book ; "lamp unto my feet, . 
 and a light unto my path." Psalms 119. 
 
 My cousin, Christopher Jones, and I, used to* 
 test each other by each reading passages 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 201 
 
 from the Bible, Old and New Testaments, and 
 asking the other to name the book author 
 from which the passage was read. The Bible 
 has been my chief text book for the prepara- 
 tion of life's work. It is art, science and lit- 
 erature- geology, 'astronomy, biology, geog- 
 raphy, ethnology, biography, history, sociol- 
 ogy, hygiene, and above all, theology. God, 
 man's relation to his Maker, his whence and 
 'his wither. What a book! All other books 
 are but parts of this great book of nature, and 
 revelation. 
 
 As my progress in learning proceeded large- 
 ly by dint of hard study and application, my 
 brick yard experience became an important 
 period in my life. Machinery for making 
 bricks had not then come fully into vogue. 
 Nearly all bricks for building purposes were 
 hand made. The men even dug the clay with 
 spades instead of the steam shovels now used. 
 These fellows of the clay bank had a wonder- 
 ful appetite and a marvelous digestion. Some 
 of them boasted that they could digest an 
 oyster shell. 
 
 From a child I was of slender build; not 
 muscular. But a few years on the brickyard of 
 James Beggs laid for me a physical founda- 
 tion upon which I am now supporting a build- 
 
202 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 ing weighing two hundred and forty-seven 
 pounds, more than sixty pounds above my 
 father's best weight, and still more in advance 
 of any other member of the family. The old 
 brick moulders said, that in order to become a 
 master workman one must come into the yard 
 when a boy, and learn to "off bear" and all 
 that was preliminary to moulding. There was 
 a sort of aristocracy among the brick mould- 
 ers, as there was among the grain measurers 
 of long ago. Men who did not go into the 
 yards when a boy and "come up," never got 
 beyond "wheelers." Well, some one must 
 prove to be an exception, and as I always had 
 an independent way about doing things, I de- 
 cided to become an innovation in the art of 
 "rolling a walk," and taking a near cut, be- 
 come a brick moulder. And so I did. It was 
 only a round table talk for a little while, for 
 when I could turn out two thousand, three 
 hundred and thirty-two "a day's task in four 
 hours," the speediest record attained; the old 
 veterans admitted me into their society by 
 simply admitting that I had done the "impos- 
 sible." One who could finish his task in from 
 four to six hours, had a good deal of leisure 
 each day. My custom was to begin work at 
 four o'clock in the morning, and this gave me 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 203 
 
 much time for study: Earning wages above 
 the average wage earner, with a brick-yard 
 appetite, and the ability and inclination to 
 sleep the sleep of the just, and the invigorating 
 value of early morning air and exercise, I was 
 prepared to make the most of my hours of 
 leisure, and I have always been able to look 
 back with satisfaction upon the days when the 
 music of the steel mould was the early morn- 
 ing song on the brick-yard. 
 
 Having saved some money, after a few 
 years on the brick-yard ; I decided to go into 
 business with a company of young men who 
 were like minded. So, a place on Shipley 
 Street, above Eighth, was selected, and there 
 under the rather pretentious firm name of 
 "Collins, Coppin & Co.," we opened a retail 
 flour business. The outfit consisted of a store- 
 room, with the regulation counter and shelves, 
 and a coal stove. A few barrels of flour were 
 purchased ; a number of small cotton bags for 
 handling small quantities of five and ten 
 pounds to be delivered to customers, emptied, 
 and the bags retained. Upon the shelves were 
 placed a quantity of articles for the accommo- 
 dation of customers who might become regu- 
 lar purchasers of flour ; articles such as soap, 
 
204 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 starch, some canned goods, tea, coffee and- 
 sugar. 
 
 It soon became apparent that if we would 
 compete with other retail flour merchants we 
 must, like them, deliver the goods to the 
 homes of our customers. For this necessity, 
 a horse and wagon were purchased. Then, 
 too, an order occasionally would come in for a 
 barrel of flour which could only be delivered 
 by the use of a horse and wagon. 
 
 Now with a complete outfit the business 
 opened auspiciously. Cash customers came 
 around in numbers sufficient to make the busi- 
 ness attractive and the company optimistic.. 
 The customers increased, the receipts in- 
 creased. Quite a number of customers opened 
 weekly accounts. As is generally the case,, 
 the credit orders became larger than the cash 
 orders by the same customer. For a time the 
 weekly payments were promptly made, and 
 the number of such customers, as well as the 
 size of the orders increased. This, of course,, 
 worked no hardships, for the firm could easily 
 get monthly credit and besides, it was business,, 
 as the Saturday receipts showed, and business 
 was the thing we opened for. But alas ! we 
 had our lesson to learn. A lesson that can 
 only be learned by experience. After the 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 205 
 
 credit accounts mounted up into hundreds of 
 dollars, one after another of the largest buy- 
 ers failed to come around on pay day. Good 
 excuses and good promises followed, but these 
 were not made good. The result was inevit- 
 able. The business finally closed down with 
 large outstanding bills that even the profes- 
 sional and astute collecting agencies could not 
 collect. The company wound up its affairs, 
 wiser, poorer, and with fewer friends, but with 
 an experience that was sure to be turned to 
 good account. 
 
 My next venture was at school teaching. A 
 teacher was needed at Smyrna, Del. I ap- 
 plied to the Actuary, Mr. Henry Conrad, later, 
 the Hon. Henry Conrad, and obtained the 
 place. Smyrna was and still is a flourishing 
 little town. The "two races" got on peaceably 
 together and both prospered. "Uncle" Lewis 
 Hamilton was to Smyrna, in a general way, 
 and to our Church in particular, what his illus- 
 trious brother was to Wilmington, and to its 
 church life : in both cases, meaning first of all,, 
 the African Methodist Episcopal Church. At 
 Smyrna, I was day school teacher: Sunday 
 School General Director, and Asistant ; teach- 
 er of vocal music, and, in fact, a sort of pleni- 
 potentiary in all matters social, mo/ al and in- 
 
206 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 tellectual. I was hailed as a sort of envoy ex- 
 traordinary ; consulted upon all matters, and 
 pushed forward in all the secular and religious 
 activities. I may have been of some benefit to 
 the people of Smyrna, but the opportunity af- 
 forded me for intellectual and administrative 
 development, was of incalculable benefit to 
 me. It afforded the needed opportunity for 
 research and study, both as it related to 
 leisure and favorable vocation. And being 
 called upon to enter into all the local activi- 
 ties of whatever nature, taking the leading 
 part, the result was, theory and practice most 
 admirably combined. This new leadership, 
 with its responsibilities, gave me a chance to 
 better understand the kind of equipment need- 
 ed, and how to obtain it. Many a learned man 
 cannot teach school ; cannot organize, cannot 
 govern, cannot initiate. Blessed is he who has 
 the talent and gift for those things, and the 
 learning besides. The kind of education most 
 needed and how to impart it, is one of the very 
 much alive questions of the day. It is now 
 reduced to a science, but some of our most 
 successful educators had to work it out along 
 lines of common sense, thanks to that invent- 
 ive genius called necessity. 
 
 The first and onlv time I ever saw Henry 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 207 
 
 Ward Beecher was in a lecture at the Acad- 
 emy of Music, Philadelphia, on "The New 
 Profession." He made it quite clear to my 
 mind that there were persons teaching school 
 who were not following their calling. He 
 suggested that school teachers should be bet- 
 ter paid, and then required to give efficient 
 and conscientious service, thus making it an 
 honorable and profitable "profession," instead 
 of a means to an end. Teaching school offers 
 an opportunity for character study. Children 
 in school are passing the most impressionable 
 and the most indefinite period of their lives. 
 "A little pebble in the river has often turned;', 
 its course forever." It causes a very comfort- 
 able feeling to have a man or woman in after 
 life meet you, and say: "I attribute my suc- 
 cess in life to the fact that I came under your 
 influence at an early period of my life." 
 
 William Whartenbury and the Hemsley 
 girls, and David Clayton, are about all of my 
 old Smyrna pupils, as I remember it now, who 
 are still living at Smyrna. "Bill Tom Hill" 
 moved to Wilmington, Del., and reared his. 
 family. John Price, my brightest pupil, went 
 away to teach. I have lost sight of him. The 
 children and grandchildren of "Uncle" Lewis 
 Hamilton who still live are scattered. John, 
 
208 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Purnell teaches school in New Jersey. His 
 sister Anna sweet girl died before reaching 
 her majority. Whartenbury comes to Phila- 
 delphia to see his children and grandchildren. 
 "Uncle" Wesley Brown's Richard started off 
 on a brilliant business career but was over- 
 taken by death. My old friend, Joseph 
 Whaley, has passed away. All the Potts fam- 
 ily have disappeared. Smyrna has grown much 
 larger since those days. It was my privilege 
 to visit there a little while ago, note familiar 
 scenes and look into the few familiar faces 
 that remain "to remind us of the past." But 
 it was the old Smyrna that impressed me, 
 through its stalwart, historic characters, who 
 have since passed away. 
 
 It was here that I first met the Hon. John 
 S. Durham. Not then the able diplomat and 
 -counselor-at-law, but a beardless youth, teach- 
 ing his first school in an adjacent school dis- 
 trict in the same county as Smyrna. He and 
 I became friends and companions. A braver 
 lad never faced American prejudice. On one 
 Sunday he came into Smyrna, and went to the 
 M. E. Church (white) and took a seat in the 
 gallery. He noticed that his presence caused 
 some commotion. The next day a ""gentle- 
 man" from Smyrna drove down to his school, 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 209 
 
 and advised him, for his personal safety, to 
 not repeat the visit. But, it took my addi- 
 tional advice, forcefully given, to dissuade 
 him. 
 
 After my friend Durham had grown too 
 large for the Kent County school and large 
 enough for the editorial staff of the Philadel- 
 phia Bulletin, and I had become pastor of 
 "Mother Bethel Church," we met at a bazaar 
 at the Eleventh Street Masonic Hall, in 
 Philadelphia, and he challenged me for a bet 
 that I would not offer to accompany Miss 
 Fanny M. Jackson home from the Bazaar. 
 The sequel of this rash challenge, and the still 
 more rash venture on my part will constitute 
 some of the pages in another chapter. 
 
 Reference to my stay in Wilmington, Del., 
 would be incomplete without acknowledging 
 my debt of gratitude due to my own dear 
 relatives with whom I lived. 
 
 My home was with John Backus, the hus- 
 band of my Aunt Clara, one of the "shoe- 
 string-breed" girls of Amelia Lily, my mater- 
 nal grandmother. They reared but one child, 
 Amanda, who was the wife of Benjamin Mil- 
 lis, and lived home with her parents. They 
 had buried a number of children, and seemed 
 afraid to permit Amanda to go from them. 
 
210 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 vShe was, indeed, the sunshine of the home, and 
 everybody deferred to her. She was to me a 
 model woman, and housekeeper and Christian. 
 Uncle John and Aunt Clara were like bride 
 and groom. In the seven years I spent in 
 their home, I never heard a harsh word 
 passed between either couple. Uncle John 
 was especially affectionate. I got an idea that 
 I wanted to be such a husband. Here I spent 
 the first years of my early manhood; here in 
 this model, Christian home. My first home 
 away from the Cecilton fireside. Here the 
 moral atmosphere was pure, and love abound- 
 ed, and the influence could only be salutary. 
 These dear ones have passed away, but they 
 still live in the lives of others. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 My Call to the Ministry 
 
 Are poets born? Are lawyers and doctors 
 and statesmen called? One way to judge a 
 man's calling is by what he can do well. No 
 one would doubt that music was the calling 
 of "Blind Tom." As much may be said of 
 many others who have become experts, or 
 famous in certain lines of endeavor. But, I 
 mean something quite different when I speak 
 of a call to the ministry. Both in the Old 
 Testament and the New, there is no fact more 
 plainly stated than the fact that the Prophets, 
 Judges, Apostles and Disciples were specifi- 
 cally called to their work ; and there is noth- 
 ing stated or inferred in the Bible, nor sug- 
 gested by reason, to cause one to conclude that 
 the Almighty has ever changed His method 
 of bringing into service those who are to pro^ 
 claim and to interpret His word. "And no 
 man taketh this honor unto himself, but he 
 that is called of God, as was Aaron." This 
 
 (211) 
 
212 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 statement in Hebrews is an evidence that the 
 inspired writer of that book that has so much 
 to say about the priesthood, held the same 
 view concerning a Divine call to the ministry 
 that I am representing. 
 
 For a long time the thought lingered with 
 me that my life work was to be the ministry, 
 but for reasons, many, I would banish the 
 thought. The most valid reason that I can 
 give was a fear that I was mistaken in the 
 impression that seemed to linger with me. 
 Having a natural reverence for divine things, 
 with rather a religious bent, and a fondness 
 for Bible study, and besides, some one to re- 
 mark now and again that I was "cut out for 
 the ministry," I felt that it might be an easy 
 thing to drift into this sacred work, regarding 
 it as any other profession that one might take 
 up. This very thought was revolting to me. 
 As an officer in the church, and member of the 
 Quarterly Conference, where candidates for 
 the ministry were examined, I was rather se- 
 vere on those Who came before us, claiming to 
 have been "called to the work." 
 
 I remember on one occasion, an applicant 
 for license expressed himself as being quite 
 sure that he "heard a voice," very distinctly 
 calling him. My friend, David P. Hamilton, 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 213 
 
 and I, both members of the Quarterly Confer- 
 ence in question, were quite amused by this 
 declaration, and after subjecting our candi- 
 date to a veritable "third degree" examination, 
 he disappeared and never returned to us, to 
 renew his request for license, or to stand an 
 examination. But he did unite with another 
 church of the same denomination, from which 
 he obtained license, and became a fairly accept- 
 able, and fairly successful traveling preacher,, 
 especially when he "traveled" from place 
 to place and avoided long pastorates at any 
 one place. He was very much limited in edu- 
 cational ability, and did not seem to fully ap- 
 preciate the need of "preparation" that even 
 a "called" man must make. Doubtless he was- 
 conscientious, even if mistaken upon some 
 points. But after rather enjoying the dis- 
 tinction of being a "terror" to those who ap- 
 plied for license to preach I had to face an 
 impression, that became as real as the fact 
 that it was my duty to live an honorable life. 
 It became so real, that I was afraid not to 
 yield. It was no longer a question with me as 
 to whether or not I was called, but, whether 
 or not I would be "disobedient to the heaven- 
 ly calling." I faltered once, even after I was 
 thoroughly convinced, and paid the price of 
 
214 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 a depression of spirit, and sense of condem- 
 nation that I hope never to witness again. 
 
 In 'my anguish, I promised, that if the 
 shadow was lifted, and I permitted again, even 
 for a moment to enjoy peace of heart, I would 
 openly declare my purpose to go into the 
 work. The peace returned : a conscious peace ! 
 Perhaps further details would not be inter- 
 esting to the reader. Suffice it to say, that the 
 cause of the depressison of spirit, and also 
 what gave relief, were both perfectly clear to 
 me, and there has not been a moment in the 
 forty-three years since, that I have doubted 
 either. It has been this conscientious con- 
 viction of being in the line of duty, that has 
 .nerved me to do my best. I have ever since 
 felt like one to whom had been committed a 
 sacred trust to which I was bound by every 
 consideration of honor to be true and faith- 
 ful. But even more; I have always felt that 
 it was a trust that could not be relinquished. 
 A case of "woe is me if I preach not the gos- 
 pel." Concerning any other calling, or profes- 
 sion, one may feel at liberty to lay it aside 
 at pleasure, and take up something more pleas- 
 ant, more lucrative, more desirable. Not so 
 with the really called minister. "No man, 
 having put his hand to the plough, and look- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 215 
 
 ing back, is fit for the Kingdom of God," Much 
 is being said of late about the fewness of 
 young men, especially school men who enter 
 the ministry, and the cause generally sug- 
 gested, is, that business and professional pur- 
 suits are more lucrative. I cannot think of 
 a better reason for staying out of the minis- 
 try than a desire to obtain a lucrative position. 
 This was not promised to nor enjoyed by the 
 Prophets, the apostles, nor our Divine Master. 
 To the contrary, the rule was, to give up much 
 for a calling that promised nothing in par- 
 ticular of earthly gain. Even now, in this 
 age, where the material is put forward and 
 valued so often, not to say generally, to the 
 neglect of the spiritual, there are men who 
 deliberately, and from choice, turn away from 
 well paying positions, to the uncertain tem- 
 poral reward of a traveling preacher. But for 
 the consciousness of a divine calling such a 
 step would be unwise in the extreme, and 
 would probably never be taken. 
 
 There are false Prophets, and teachers. Of 
 this our Lord has warned us. Men have en- 
 tered the ministry for a life of ease. For a 
 life that would not be characterized by phy- 
 sical toil. Some, with a desire for the fleece, 
 instead of the flock, have become self consti- 
 
216 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 tuted shepherds. All such have brought a re- 
 proach upon the ministry, and so lowered the 
 standard thereof, 'that many have stood aloof, 
 who otherwise would have followed a con- 
 scious leading in that direction. Many who 
 have not learned the lesson of self denial, have 
 come professionally, with unchanged hearts, 
 into the ministry; because, in spite of mis- 
 representation, and false representatives, the 
 ministry has won for itself a social distinction, 
 that places it at once in the rank of respect- 
 ability. The supposition is, that ministers are 
 men of pure lives, and motives, and they are 
 therefore freely admitted into good society and 
 ;given the confidence of husbands, and wives, 
 and children, without suspicion. It is taken 
 for granted that they are honorable and hon- 
 est in business transactions, and are not held 
 strictly to the C. O. D. business rules generally 
 in vogue. It is easy then, for a false, design- 
 ing, and morally weak individual to enter this 
 open door of confidence and bring reproach 
 upon the cause. These are the things, more 
 than the consideration of "wages" that deter 
 true and honest men from entering the minis- 
 try. Those "learned" ones, who object sim- 
 ply on account of uncertain material compen- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 217 
 
 sation, do well to follow the secular callings, 
 for which alone they are prepared. 
 
 I entered the ministry in the spring of 77, 
 from the church that I had learned to love so 
 much. The church in whose Sunday school I 
 had studied the scriptures consecutively and 
 constantly year by year. In whose official 
 Board I had become familiar with church poli- 
 ty and discipline. The church that because 
 it believed in me, had brought me forward as 
 its representative on all important occasions, 
 and had exercised patience, and charity in the 
 face of my many blunders and short comings. 
 My first adopted church home: Bethel, in 
 Wilmington, Del. 
 
 Rev. John F. Thomas was the pastor. Bish- 
 op Daniel A. Payne was the Presiding Bishop 
 of the Philadelphia Annual Conference of 
 which the churches in Delaware were a part. 
 
 My first charge was "The Philadelphia City 
 Mission." This circuit of Missions consisted of 
 three points, namely, Morris Brown Mission, 
 at Vineyard and Poplar Sts., Philadelphia ; St. 
 James Mission, in the fourth story of a big 
 hall, with bar room on the first floor; dancing 
 hall on the second; lodge room on the third 
 and my Mission on the fourth. The third point 
 was at 72nd Street and Greenway Avenue, 
 
218 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 in that portion of the city known as King- 
 sessing, or Paschalville. The Mission house 
 was a small wooden building, about fifteen 
 by twenty feet, with straight weather board- 
 ing, and being not stripped, the boards inclin- 
 ed to separate, thus affording light and venti- 
 lation, which worked well in summer, but was 
 neither necessary nor desirable in winter. 
 
 My membership at Morris Brown was 
 eighteen communicants with a promising Sun- 
 day school of twenty or thirty, consisting 
 principally of small children, with a number 
 of young misses, and a few young men. The 
 Mission being in the northwestern portion of 
 the city, in the direction of and not far from 
 the home of Dr. B. T. Tanner, Editor of the 
 Christian Recorder, his entire family attended 
 Sunday school there ; the children were con- 
 verted there and inducted into the Church 
 proper. Henry O. : celebrated artist. Hally ; 
 wife, mother, physician. Mary : lawyer's wife ; 
 mother; having now the care of her father 
 in his declining years. 
 
 Carlton: Minister, author, distinguished as 
 preacher and financier. 
 
 Isabella : Minister's wife and Missionary 
 worker. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 219 
 
 Sarah: named for her mother; Professor's 
 wife ; mother. 
 
 Bertha : Physician's wife ; mother. 
 
 All went thru the Philadelphia High Schools 
 before taking their higher courses for profes- 
 sional work. 
 
 It is conceded by all who know the Tanner 
 family, that it consists of an unusual set of 
 children altogether, with one towering as an 
 international character. They entered the 
 Church in childhood, from a Christian home, 
 characterized by the simple life, where a pack 
 of cards would have been unceremoniously 
 thrown into the fire : a parlor dance regarded 
 as sacrilige ; whiskey, wine and beer, as a 
 desecration. No tobacco ; no vulgarity ; no 
 profanity. Family prayers and early to bed, 
 and early to school. True, all of this might be 
 observed without producing an ideal famliy, 
 but it is about what Scripture prescribes, and 
 reason suggests. . 
 
 Morris Brown Mission looks back with 
 much delight upon the fact that so distinguish- 
 ed a family had its first Sunday school and 
 Church training there. So does Morris Brown 
 Mission's pastor. The Morris Brown people 
 in general thought much of themselves as 
 families and churchmen. They gave certain 
 
220 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 caste to the church that still characterizes 
 it. They did not practice undue emotion- 
 alism in worship. They were Bible read- 
 ers : Sunday-school goers : class and prayer- 
 meeting advocates, in precept and example. 
 Willing workers and liberal givers to the sup- 
 port of the Church, local and connectional. 
 They started right, and kept right. The Tan- 
 ners, and Moore's, and Browns, and Tele- 
 grones, and Mars', and Orrs and Thomas', 
 and Middletons, and Nichols', and Frys, and 
 Henrys' and Parkers, and Dades, and But- 
 lers. And many others who came later, and 
 are there still. 
 
 What about St. James, the second named 
 in the Philadelphia Mission Circuit? Well, 
 it was up too high. By the advice of Bishop 
 Payne, I soon dissolved it, took as many mem- 
 bers to Morris Brown as would go, and ad- 
 vised that the contingent that came from 
 Union Church, Fifth and Fairmount Avenue, 
 return. 
 
 The Third in the triumvirate, at Seventy- 
 second and Greenway Ave., like Morris Brown 
 still remains ; alive and healthy. Both self- 
 supporting stations. Were made so too soon 
 however, for the burdens that they have car- 
 ried for years, have militated against their 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 221 
 
 growth. Mr. Thomas Hooper and his wife be- 
 came the principal supporters of the King- 
 sessing Church from the very beginning, and 
 without them I think St. John never would 
 have stemmed the current. Theirs was the 
 home of the ministers from year to year. 
 The boarding house for visitors on quarterly 
 meeting and all social occasions. He acting 
 sexton, even to the extent of often furnishing 
 fuel : his wife "Elenora" filling his place at 
 his absence. They lived directly in the rear 
 of the Church on Hooper street : named for 
 Mr. Hooper. The little Church first stood on 
 the rear of the lot, and looked the Hooper 
 residence in the face. Even now that the 
 Church fronts on Greenw r ay Avenue, there is 
 a back entrance to Hooper street : or, to be 
 more exact, to the Hooper residence. 
 
 After my first year on the Philadelphia City 
 Mission work, Morris Brown, plucky Morris 
 Brown, asked to be set apart to itself, and her 
 pastor returned, which request was granted 
 by the Conference, and Morris Brown, to the 
 delight of her founders, became a Mission 
 Station. 
 
 The request of the Mission, and act of the 
 Conference in granting it was fully justified 
 by the growth of the charge during the follow- 
 
222 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 ing year. The Sunday school increased four- 
 fold. The membership increased to sixty-five, 
 and a building fund of five hundred dollars 
 was placed in the Spring Garden bank, look- 
 ing forward to purchasing a Church site. We 
 worshipped in the second story of a little hall, 
 the ground floor of which was used as a Mar- 
 ble yard. Our little room was quite fixed up 
 with organ, piano, Sunday school library, car- 
 pet for the floor, and curtains for the windows. 
 We were the first Church in the Philadelphia 
 Conference to not only hand to the Confer- 
 ence a dollar from ecah member for the Gen- 
 eral Fund, but even more dollars than we had 
 members. I believe the Church still leads in 
 dollar money percentage. 
 
 The Mission Station preacher went to Con- 
 ference with a brand new suit of clothes, and 
 laughable to confess cut in the regular 
 Ministerial style, and he a Licentiate. Could 
 not baptise, lawfully, a sick baby, though he 
 did so once in spite of the law, reported it to 
 his Presiding Elder and was not censured. 
 
 Having served two years, according to Dis- 
 ciplinary regulations, and having also made the 
 course of studies prescribed for the Deaconite 
 I was ordained Deacon at my second Confer- 
 ence. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 223 
 
 The Philadelphia Conference that year was 
 held at Reading, Penna., a German town. 
 When world war involved the United States 
 and every body was ordered to curse the 
 Kaiser, and speak evil of all Germans, it was 
 not quite safe to speak the German language, 
 much less was it safe to speak in complimen- 
 tary terms of the German people. But, the war 
 is over now ; let us hope forever, and it may 
 not be out of place to say, that Reading, and 
 other German settlements, welcomed and en- 
 tertained our Conferences royally. All hotels 
 were open to us, the same as to others. All 
 the Churches were thrown open, and our min- 
 isters invited to preach. On this particular 
 occasion, I accompanied Dr. T. G. Steward to 
 a "white" Church. His text was : "Thou shalt 
 call his name Jesus, for he shall save his peo- 
 ple from their sins." Dr. Steward preached 
 a characteristic sermon which was most favor- 
 ably commented upon afterwards. Not only 
 were 'hotels open to us as to others, but homes, 
 as is the custom among Christian people when 
 a religious gathering is coming to town. I 
 only recall one other place where homes were 
 placed at the disposal of Conference members, 
 and that is Millville, New Jersey. 
 
 The pastor of Mother Bethel Church was ill 
 
224 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 during the session of Conference ; so much so, 
 that he couldn't be sent to a new charge, 
 though he was physically unable to do the 
 work of Bethel. So, the Bishop decided to let 
 him remain and send a young, unmarried man 
 there to assist him, "until" said he, "we see 
 what the Lord will do with Whitfi eld." A coun- 
 cil was held between the Bishop and his Elders 
 and it was decided that "Young Coppin" was 
 the man to send temporarily to Bethel. Of 
 this decision I was promptly informed by the 
 Bishop, and kindly, but firmly directed to go 
 in the spirit of meekness, preach, visit the sick 
 and bury the dead as an assistant, and by no 
 means imagine myself the pastor. Only by 
 the most inexcusable presumption could I en- 
 tertain a thought of ascending to the pastor- 
 ate of the Mother Church, even accidentally. 
 I was only a Deacon, just ordained at that 
 Conference, and with but two years experi- 
 ence, and that too with Mission points. But 
 as human nature is capable of doing the un- 
 expected and unreasonable at any time, the 
 Bishop's advice and caution was not out of 
 place. 
 
 Conference closed and sure enough, I was 
 sent to Bethel as an assistant to the Rev. 
 George C. Whitfield who was retunred, lean- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 225 
 
 ing on his staff in the last stages of consump- 
 tion. In less time than two weeks, Rev. Whit- 
 field passed away, and by a vote of the official 
 Board the Bishop was requested to let me 
 remain until he held his New England Con- 
 ference sixty days hence, at which time he 
 promised to send a pastor to Bethel. 
 
 How would I spend those two months? Sim- 
 ply preaching, visiting the sick and burying 
 the dead is by no means the sum of a Metho- 
 dist preacher's duty. Our Churches are gen- 
 erally in debt, or, in need of repairs, or, with- 
 out parsonages ; something, however, that 
 requires money and the minister in our 
 Churches is expected to plan and execute the- 
 financial rallies. 
 
 It happened that Bethel had a chronic debt. 
 Not a large one to be sure, but one that on- 
 account of long standing, and supposed mis- 
 management, the people had repudiated. They 
 claimed that money had been raised again- 
 and again for the debt, and put to other pur- 
 poses, and for that reason they would not 
 respond to collections for trustee purposes. 
 The amount was twenty-seven hundred dol- 
 lars, and the claim was held by a Fraternal 
 Society. Besides this note, there were open 
 accounts amounting to a few hundred dollars,. 
 
.226 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 making in all an indebtedness of over three 
 thousand dollars. 
 
 I was no sooner installed for my two months 
 pastorate, than the news was broken to me 
 about this chronic indebtedness. Some were 
 -accusing and some excusing the trustees for 
 its existence. Some also were accusing the 
 ex-pastor for taking no interest in it, while 
 others were saying that he did right to stand 
 ;aloof, and not take sides with either of the 
 ^contending parties. I saw no chance for do- 
 ing much good spiritually or materially dur- 
 ing my brief pastorate with a divided Church, 
 so I concluded that the most that I could hope 
 to accomplish in so brief a period as two 
 months, would be to bring about a measure 
 at least of harmony between the discordant 
 elements. 
 
 The plan I fell upon was to call a Church 
 meeting, have a season of song and prayer, 
 then frankly talk matters over, avoiding so 
 far as possible controversy. The meeting was 
 called, was well attended. A more or less 
 good feeling prevailed. I succeeded in convinc- 
 ing them that nothing could ever be g'ained 
 'by delaying payment of the indebtedness. 
 It would never be repudiated, and the longer 
 it stood, the larger it would grow. That it 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 227 
 
 would be to the interest of all to settle the 
 claims, and remove the unpleasant feeling that 
 they had caused. 
 
 We agreed upon a plan, organized our 
 forces and went to work. It was soon ap- 
 parent, that the plan would succeed if not 
 interrupted. And more ; the way the people,, 
 young and old, were coming together and co- 
 operating, it seemed evident that peace and 
 harmony would soon prevail again at this 
 old citadel of African Methodism : this fortress 
 of religious enthusiasm: this source of man- 
 hood Christianity. 
 
 The older members, Shadd, Tate, Lawrence,. 
 Banton, Seymour, Frisby, Robinson and others 
 who had fought many battles, and passed 
 through many stormy scenes since 1816, were 
 quick to discover if the present tendency con- 
 tinued it would lead to high tide of success, 
 spiritually and materially, and they began to. 
 plan to have the two months' limit removed, 
 and the Coppin pastorate made permanent. 
 But how could this be done? The faithful 
 membership at Morris Brown Mission had. 
 from the Bishop a promise that I was only 
 borrowed for a time, and would soon be re- 
 turned to them. Besides, I was only a Deacon. 
 How could the Mother Church accept less. 
 
228 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 than a full fledged minister as a regular pas- 
 tor? But Bethel Pioneers were not to be 
 defeated in their purpose. 
 
 So far as a Deacon filling the pulpit was 
 concerned, they regarded that as only senti- 
 mental, and therefore not an insuperable 
 difficulty. As to the Bishop's promise, that 
 was quite another thing. But even facing 
 this difficulty, they determined to not be 
 thwarted in their purpose without exhausting 
 their diplomatic skill. 
 
 When Bishop Payne was approached upon 
 the subject, the messengers received a prompt 
 -and positive no ; with two reasons ; both rea- 
 sons characteristic of Bishop Payne. "In the 
 first place," said he. "You cartainly do not 
 mean to ask your Bishop to lie: I have prom- 
 ised his people at Morris Brown that he would 
 return to them. Besides this, I do not want 
 to spoil that young man, who might other- 
 wise, be useful to the Church." This seemed 
 decisive. But not with "Father" Tate. He 
 promptly reminded the Bishop that if the 
 people at the Morris Brown Mission would 
 consent to the promotion, emphasizing "pro- 
 motion," that he, the Bishop, would be free 
 from his promise : and if those people loved 
 iheir pastor so well this would be a good way 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 229 
 
 to show it. As to the other objection, they 
 had no fear that he would be spoiled. "I have 
 watched the young man," said "Father" Tate, 
 "and from my knowledge and experience in 
 such matters, I am willing to assume all re- 
 sponsibility in this case. 
 
 When the Committee discovered that the 
 Bishop was considering the proposition, they 
 suggested the appointment of a committee to 
 wait on the Morris Brown people, to solicit 
 their consent. To this the Bishop agreed and 
 appointed Author Tate, W. C. Banton and Rev. 
 H. A. Knight then pastor of Union A. M. E. 
 Church, Philadelphia. "Uncle" George W r . P. 
 Custis an enthusiastic advocate of the propo- 
 sition made himself a self-constituted member 
 -of the committee, and actually became its 
 spokesman. The Morris Brown people could 
 not withstand the logic and persuasive argu- 
 ments of the committee, and so yielded and 
 my second ministerial appointment became 
 Mothel Bethel. Bishop Payne never would 
 take to himself the credit of the appointment, 
 but always said, the Lord made it. 
 
 As for me : well, no one was more disap- 
 pointed. I had already set my heart upon 
 securing a site for a Church, and leading the 
 
230 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 people out of "Monumental Hall" and be- 
 sides, Morris Brown was to me a very large 
 and important pastorate, and I was delighted 
 to return to it. When I planned the rally at 
 Bethel, I had not the sightest dream of do- 
 ing more than bringing the people together,, 
 and putting the movement on foot prepara- 
 tory to the coming of the new pastor. 
 
 It may not be generally known that the 
 ground upon which Bethel Church stands, is 
 the first piece of ground owned in America by 
 an independent organization of our race va- 
 riety. It is true that when the colored contin- 
 gent of St. George Church withdrew, and a 
 committee was appointed to purchase, or, se- 
 lect a church site, the one selected by Absalom 
 Jones was accepted by the congregation, and 
 not the one selected by Richard Allen. But, 
 a majority of those who withdrew from St. 
 George, thus forming the new congregation, 
 voted to be Episcopalians, and St. Thomas 
 was erected upon the lot chosen. St. Thomas 
 Church is a part of the Protestant Episcopal 
 Denomination, and not an independent con- 
 gregation. 
 
 When the majority following Richard Al- 
 len organized, they accepted the lot that was 
 purchased by him and reported at the original 
 meeting. It is upon this lot that Bethel. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 231 
 
 Church is built ; the first Church of the first 
 organization in America with absolutely inde- 
 pendent ownership, and controlled by colored 
 Americans. 
 
 When in September, 1908, sixteen religious 
 denominations assembled to take part in the 
 two hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary of 
 the founding of Philadelphia, the writer was 
 selected to represent all of the colored De- 
 nominations, upon the theme : "Penn and 
 Religious Liberty." The addresses were neces- 
 sarily brief, limited to the same number of 
 minutes for delivery, and all read twice, the 
 second time being to an overflow meeting 
 where a second large building filled to over- 
 flow received each speaker as in his turn he 
 came from the first building. 
 
 Sitting in a row in the large Friend's Meet- 
 ing House, were the representatives of the 
 following denominations, in the following 
 order: 
 
 Universalists, Mennonites, Friends Hixite 
 Colored Churches, Presbyterian, Baptist, 
 Episcopalian, Roman Catholic, Hebrew, Luth- 
 eran, Congregational, Friends Orthodox, Re- 
 formed, Methodist, Unitarian, Disciples. 
 
 My address, was, by the very nature of 
 -things, more an address on behalf of a people 
 
232 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 than a denomination, though it would be quite 
 out of place to speak of the early struggles 
 of a race for religious liberty, without refer- 
 ring to the pioneer of the movement. The 
 address follows: 
 
 Mr. Chairman: Viewed from any stand- 
 point, William Penn must be considered one 
 of the foremost men of his age, and a good 
 example for men of every age. 
 
 Refusing to take the condition of his illus- 
 trious father, Admiral Penn, and follow the 
 fortunes of war, he chose for himself an ideal 
 that constantly appealed to the highest and 
 best instinct of his nature, and with admirable 
 courage, made that ideal the guiding star of 
 his eventful life. 
 
 Providently, it would seem, it became his 
 lot to tread a new path and do initiative work 
 in a new field, instead of undertaking the very 
 uncertain task of changing old conditions and 
 customs in an old and long established govern- 
 ment. 
 
 It was fortunate for the new State which- 
 he was destined to fonud that his relgious 
 bent was settled and fixed before he entered 
 upon the perplexing work of its organization 
 and development. 
 
 The time was ripe for breaking away from/ 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 233 
 
 old forms of government where privileged 
 classes took the place of true democracy, and 
 the leader of such an important movement 
 must needs be one whose sense of religious 
 obligation would enable him to withstand the 
 almost irresistable tide of popular sentiment. 
 
 It sometimes happens, that a people who 
 are themselves fleeing" from political and re- 
 ligious oppression, will become forgetful of 
 the golden rule when they themselves become 
 dispensers of the law. 
 
 In the day when Penn launched his ship of 
 state, the evil of human slavery had not only 
 received the sanction of the potentates of the 
 Old World, but had dragged its debauching 
 form into the New. 
 
 A writer of those times speaks thus : "Queen 
 Elizabeth had the honor of extending the com- 
 merce of England to the slave-pens of the 
 gold coast, and long before her time, in con- 
 tinental countries, anything made in the image 
 of God, in a black skin, was considered prop- 
 erty." Continuing, he says: "Slaves Svere 
 held by all the American colonies, and if a 
 man did not own slaves it was because he was 
 too poor to buy them." 
 
 Here, then, was the soil into which William 
 Penn must sow the seed of his ideal common- 
 
234 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 wealth and organize a government that must 
 stand for religious liberty, civic righteousness, 
 and the new doctrine proclaimed by the friends 
 that "God has made men peers, and that set- 
 ting up marks of separation was but dividing 
 men without a cause, and triffling with the 
 noblest work of God." 
 
 That the new venture would be sure to 
 meet with numerous obstacles, must have been 
 evident. How well it succeeded, the story of 
 225 years of effort must tell. 
 
 In 1688, at the Friends' meeting-house in 
 Germantown, a protest was made against 
 slavery, and although its success at first was 
 not all that was hoped for, it was the "leaven 
 in a measure of meal" that continued to work 
 until the blight of slavery was finally banished 
 forever from our fair land. 
 
 Thus it was that the city founded by Penn 
 became the cradle of abolitionism, and the So- 
 ciety with which he had identified himself 
 amid much persecution became a most potent 
 force against the evil that has been fitly styled 
 "the sum of all villanies." 
 
 But in answering the question: "William 
 Penn's contribution to religious liberty," it 
 will be well to ascertain who in his day was 
 considered eligible to profess religion. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 235 
 
 The status of a Negro, as a moral being, 
 was undecided. Indeed, it was generally 
 agreed that he was but a higher order of the 
 beast creation, and that his brain was minus 
 the gray matter that would entitle him to a 
 place among men in the realm of thought. 
 
 Be it said, to the everlasting credit of the 
 Society of Friends, that after a mighty wrest- 
 ling, like Jacob, with their conscience, they 
 were the first to discover that the Negro was 
 nothing more nor less than a human being 
 with an immortal soul. 
 
 Daniel Pastorious and others advised that 
 Friends be careful not to encourage the bring- 
 ing in of any more Negroes, and that such 
 as had them should be careful to bring them 
 to meetings and to restrain them from loose 
 living. 
 
 In the year 1700, William Penn introduced 
 a bill in the Council to regulate the morals 
 and marriages of the Negroes, with this sig- 
 nificant injunction : "Friends should be very 
 careful in discharging a good conscience to- 
 ward the Negroes and Indians in all respects." 
 Following this injunction, a meeting was ap- 
 pointed for them once a month, which marked 
 an epoch in the religious life of the African 
 in America. 
 
236 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 This forward movement in the interest of 
 God's sable children proved to be seed sown 
 in good ground, and bore its first fruit in the 
 city where it was set in motion. 
 
 The soul, once unfettered, began that 
 growth and development that lifts a human 
 being into his proper sphere. 
 
 The idea of religious liberty, that was all 
 pervading, found a response in these newly 
 awakened souls and a change began to take 
 place. 
 
 In 1787, a blacksmith shop became their 
 meeting-house, and in the true spirit of Wil- 
 liam Penn they made a heroic struggle for 
 religious independence. 
 
 Out of the smoke and ashes of that humble 
 beginning grew an organization that now 
 numbers nearly a million souls, and upon the 
 very spot where stood the blacksmith shop 
 stands a spacious building, modern in all its 
 appointments : a building, eloquently telling 
 its own story of what a people may do when 
 given an opportunity. 
 
 History bears testimony to the fact, that 
 in every great movement in the unfolding of 
 the divine plan for the betterment of society, 
 God always finds a man whom He can rely 
 upon as a leader. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 237 
 
 Richard Allen, himself once a slave, became 
 an apostle of the doctrine of religious liberty 
 among his people, and it was through him 
 that they were led on from a handful to a 
 great religious denomination. 
 
 When Philadelphia is compared with other 
 cities of the country for churches, and schools,, 
 and libraries, and hospitals, and organized 
 charities, and institutions for the protection- 
 of dumb animals, and kindred societies, I 
 think it will not suffer in comparison. 
 
 That the moral and religious forces set in/ 
 action by the Founders of the city and es- 
 pecially by its great Founder still have their 
 influence upon the city's life, there can be no 
 reasonable doubt. 
 
 The statue of William Penn upon the city's 
 highest monument, visible to all, and over- 
 looking all, is a constant declaration, that the 
 principles for which he stood are the princi- 
 ples by which we hope still to be guided. 
 
 The inhabitants of the City find no good' 
 reason to change the name given by its illus- 
 trious Founder. 
 
 The spirit of fair play and equal justice to 
 all is still the dominant spirit. 
 
 Those who from afar visit the city of Broth- 
 erly Love during these series of celebrations,. 
 
.238 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 will do well to imbibe her spirit, and cany to 
 the uttermost parts of America the doctrine 
 of friendship and good-will : of religious lib- 
 erty and equal opportunity for all men of 
 ^every nationality, color and creed. 
 
 After serving the City Mission, Morris 
 Brown and Bethel in Philadelphia, the time 
 limit for work in one city came to an end, 
 for at that time the Disciplinary limit for a 
 pastorate in one city was four years. 
 
 During my first year at Bethel, the church 
 debt referred to was paid, and the Sunday 
 school attendance so increased that the Lec- 
 ture room was over run, and we were obliged 
 to put the body of the School in the main 
 -audience room, and the Infant Department in 
 the galleries. It was a veritable army with 
 banners, for we had class banners for the 
 various classes and Departments, distributed 
 all over the Church, and the sight was attrac- 
 tive and inspiring. 
 
 The popular and convenient hour for the 
 ^holding of the Sunday school session was in 
 the afternoon; say, from three to five o'clock. 
 But, so long as the service was held in the 
 Lecture room, an extra Church service would 
 *every now and then force its way to the main 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 239 
 
 audience room. This would naturally divide 
 the interest, and often the time also. For it 
 would frequently be necessary to abridge the 
 Sunday school service to permit the teachers, 
 and others interested in the upstairs service 
 to be present. Such innovations made it diffi- 
 cult to build up a really first class Sunday 
 school, and was opposed by those who wanted 
 a model school, where the children would, 
 get all the attention that they were entitled, 
 to. 
 
 As to the pastor, he was often placed in 
 a dilemma. He was pastor of the Church, and 
 also chief superintendent of the Sunday school. 
 Both departments looked to him for aid and 
 decision whenever anything like controversy 
 came. It required thought and diplomacy to 
 satisfy the contending parties, and at the same 
 time avoid friction that would militate against 
 the best interests of the Church as a whole 
 The best way to accomplish so delicate a task 
 as bringing harmony between the older and 
 younger elements of the Church, was to make 
 the Sunday school too large for the Lecture 
 Room, and thereby show the necessity of coin- 
 ing into the main audience room. 
 
 When this was accomplished to the satis- 
 faction of all concerned, it was regarded by 
 
240 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Churchmen as a signal victory for the young 
 -and inexperienced pastor. 
 
 The meeting of the General Conference in 
 1880 brought about the usual changes in Epis- 
 copal Supervision. Bishop Payne was placed 
 over the Second District, and Bishop John M. 
 Brown over the First. Philadelphia was in 
 the First and Baltimore was in the Second. 
 Bethel Church, Philadelphia, and Bethel, Bal- 
 timore, were rivals. They were often referred 
 to as twin sisters. It was a question, often 
 discussed which was really established first. 
 Daniel Coker was present at the 1816 Conven- 
 tion, representing the Baltimore Contingent 
 of the movement to establish an independent 
 Church. Bethel in Baltimore might claim 
 equal right to the name of "Mother Church," 
 and impose upon the historian the task of 
 establishing the fact "beyond a reasonable 
 -doubt" that the Philadelphia building was 
 erected first. But the fact that the meeting 
 of 1816 that organized the African Methodist 
 Episcopal Denomination was held at Bethel 
 Church, Philadelphia, makes it defacto the 
 Denominational Mother, while there can be 
 no doubt about the claim of Bethel in Balti- 
 more to the title of Mother African Meth- 
 odist Church. South of Mason and Dixon 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 241 
 
 Line. Bishop Payne had a tender regard for 
 the Baltimore charge. There he built the 
 beautiful Church, which building still stands 
 as a storage room. Here he married his be- 
 loved "Julia:" his first marriage. Here his 
 only child was born; the mother dying in 
 childbirth, and the child, a girl: "the refined 
 and beautiful likeness of her mother," living 
 a little over nine months. Here he had his 
 longest and most successful pastorate ,not- 
 withstanding, a terrible Church fight in which 
 blood was actually shed. He was victorious, 
 however, and in after years, the people came 
 to know and appreciate his real value as a 
 Christian man, minister, and intelligent leader. 
 The principal objection they had to him, and 
 that which brought on the Church fight, was 
 his opposition to the old form of sensational 
 worship. Referring to the songs indulged in 
 by those who took offense at his effort to 
 bring about reform in worship, he character- 
 ized them as "corn-field ditties;" and, the 
 swaying of the body and stamping of the feet, 
 he called dancing. 
 
 In 1880, when he was sent to Baltimore as 
 Bishop, the "Prayer-meeting Bands" were 
 still in full force, and the "ditties" were not 
 very unpopular with the minority who did 
 
242 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 not indulge in that form of worship, but toler- 
 ated it as a "necessary evil" in view of the 
 fact that so many regarded it as an evidence 
 of "spiritual life." I had one more year in 
 Philadelphia, at Bethel, under Bishop John M. 
 Brown to complete the full Disciplinary term 
 of four years in one city. So soon as this was 
 'accomplished, Bishop Payne invited me to 
 transfer to him to the Baltimore Conference, 
 to which Bishop Brown consented. The Bishop 
 did not intimate to me his purpose for having 
 me transferred to his Conference, nor to what 
 charge I was to be sent. But it turned out 
 that I was to go to Bethel, and after the ap- 
 pointment, the Bishop intimated to me, what 
 he expected me to do concerning certain re- 
 forms. 
 
 The afternoon service at Baltimore was a 
 fixture. There had been a custom during long 
 years for the "crowds" to go to the Sharp St. 
 M. E. Church Sunday morning, and to Bethel 
 Sunday afternoon. 
 
 One of Bethel's pastors got the reputation 
 of driving the fastest horse on the Causeway, 
 Sunday afternoon, after a wonderful sermon 
 at Bethel Church. 
 
 When that master of Sunday school super- 
 intendents "Col." Isaac Myers made his advent 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 243 
 
 in Bethel and made that school the leading 
 school of the Denomination, the afternoon 
 Church service lost much of its popularity, but 
 still held its place. One of the things that 
 kept it alive was the custom of having an 
 Generating or, changeable communion service ; 
 that is, Communion was held every first Sun- 
 day in the month, alternately at the morning 
 afternoon and evening services. This service 
 being largely attended, it guaranteed a large 
 audience every third Sunday afternoon 
 whether or not. The Lecture Room was so 
 admirably adapted to the Sunday school work 
 that it was out of the question to move the 
 school from the Lecture Room, so, some 
 other excuse must be had for doing away with 
 the time-honored afternoon service. That the 
 older members generally wanted the service 
 whether they attended or not, and, that they 
 would not permit it to be set aside without 
 a struggle, or "rupture" as one expressed it, 
 was soon made known to the new preacher. 
 
 Diplomacy must again be resorted to, so 
 the pastor claimed that it was his indispen- 
 sable duty to give attention to the Sunday 
 school service, and besides, he should as a 
 rule fill the pulpit morning and night and that 
 
244 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 is all that should be expected or required of 
 him. 
 
 There was a local preacher who was fond 
 of preaching, he said of himself that he had 
 a voice like Bishop Wayman, and that when 
 you did not see the man in the pulpit, it was 
 difficult to decide whether it was he or the 
 Bishop. Here was an opportunity to put his 
 eloquence to the test. So he was given the 
 afternoon service as his very own, and was 
 forbidden to invite any one else to take his 
 place at any time. The service began to fall 
 off, and finally fell out altogether. 
 
 About this time the Sunday School Union 
 was organized permanently by Dr. C. S. Smith, 
 and Children's Day established, the collections 
 in Sunday school on which day was given to 
 the support of the Union. Bethel Sunday 
 School under the matchless management of 
 "Col." Isaac Myers, was the first to send a 
 hundred dollars to the Union. It was secre- 
 tary Smith now Bishop Smith who sug- 
 gested the honorary title of Colonel for Mr. 
 Myers. 
 
 During this administration, the M. E. Church 
 on the corner of Linden Avenue and Garden 
 St. with two adjacent buildings was pur-- 
 chased, and a new congregation organized, 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 245 
 
 and the Church named Trinity. It became the 
 leading A. M. E. Church in Baltimore, and 
 only fell back to second place, when under the 
 pastorate of the famous W. Sampson Brooks, 
 Bethel Church came up again to first place. 
 
 Trinity Church was purchased at a cost of 
 twenty-two thousand dollars, though there 
 was not a member to begin the new society 
 with nor a dollar to its credit. The purchase 
 money was borrowed $18,000 from Alexan- 
 der Brown and Sons, bankers at Calvert and 
 Baltimore Streets, thanks to the influence of 
 "Colonel" Myers, with Bethel Church stand- 
 ing as security for the balance of $4000. 
 
 It was becoming evident to the man of vis- 
 ion, that Bethel could not remain indefinitely 
 in Saratoga St., among the iron foundries and 
 hold a leading place among the Churches 
 When Bethel was organized in the latter part 
 of the eighteenth century, colored people 
 sought a secluded spot for their Churches. In 
 a back alley ; behind the woods ; where they 
 could sing and pray late and loud without 
 disturbing the "white folks." Bethel, down 
 on the "marsh" was in a good place at first, 
 but in 1881, times had changed, and were still 
 changing rapidly. 
 
 I was offered forty-five thousand dollars 
 
246 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 for the Saratoga street site, and an opportunity 
 to purchase the Presbyterian Church, parson- 
 age and school house on the corner of Balti- 
 more and Lord Sts. But when the meeting 
 was called, to consider the proposition, the 
 older members assembled enmasse, and if the 
 measure had been pushed, a riot might have 
 ensued. So, the project had to be given up. 
 When, however, the membership dwindled 
 down to a "hand full," and an attempt was 
 made to get out before all was lost, the old 
 historic spot sold for round about fifteen 
 thousand dollars. 
 
 It was some consolation, however, to return 
 in the course of years, as the presiding Bishop 
 of the District, and lead the remnant out to 
 the present site, Druid Hill Ave., and Lanvale 
 St., and to see dear old Bethel, that was ready 
 to perish, restored to her pristine glory, the 
 leading Church among our people in the 
 Monumental City. Only a few remain to see 
 the people return from obscurity and reestab- 
 lish the temple. They were conspicuous by 
 their presence, and in their rejoicing at the 
 Brooks thirty-three thousand dollar rally June 
 16, 1919. Charley Dungee at the organ: Mrs. 
 Barnes on the choir : Mrs. Goldsboro, and Miss 
 Deaver among the forces that rolled up the 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 247 
 
 record breaking sum. Mrs. "Col." Myers at 
 home waiting to hear the news. Mrs. Swan, 
 feeble, unable to remain all night as the rest 
 of us did. "Mamie" Handy, young in spirit, 
 untiring in labor, liberal to a fault, and John 
 Murphy, the Dean of Negro journalism sort 
 of connecting link between the past and pres- 
 ent. Messrs. Hurst, Gaines, and Hill, expas- 
 tors of the old Church on Saratoga St. Mr. 
 and Mrs. Harris. A few others : some who 
 went from the old Sunday school to Trinity, 
 such as Florie Bennett. A nearly new con- 
 gregation. The remnant that came up from 
 old Bethel but do not belong to the '81 com- 
 pany, with the hundreds who have more re- 
 cently joined the church, as new members or 
 transfers from other congregations like Trin- 
 ity, St. John, and Ebenezer make up the pres- 
 ent membership ; who, with friends from 
 other denominations, it would seem indeed 
 from all other denominations, and non-church 
 members, won a victory unlike any financial 
 accomplishment in the long and eventful his- 
 tory of the Church. 
 
 My pastorate in Baltimore embraced the 
 years 1881-84, and closed with the General 
 Conference which was held at Bethel. At 
 this General Conference the A. M. E. Review 
 
248 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 had its birth with Dr. B. T. Tanner after- 
 wards Bishop Tanner as its first editor. From 
 this Conference, I returned with Bishop Cain 
 to Philadelphia and by my own request was 
 appointed to Allen Chapel. This was a small 
 but self-sustaining Church, out of debt, and 
 would offer me a long-sought opportunity to 
 take a regular theological course, which I did 
 at the P. E. Divinity School in West Philadel- 
 phia. The requirement to enter as a regular 
 student was a collegiate education or its 
 equivalent. The six Professors, Drs. Bartlett. 
 Myer-Smith, Garrison, Goodwin, Peters and 
 Hare: taught respectively: Ecclesiastical His- 
 tory: Homiletics and Pastoral Theology: Lit- 
 turgics and Cannon Law: Apologetics or 
 Dogmatics Hebrew and Greek. Hebrew was 
 taught if necessary the first year. Greek 
 must be acquired before entering. The course 
 was New Testament Greek, and the penalty 
 for bringing an English Bible into the Class 
 room was expulsion from the school. The 
 same was true of the Hebrew class room after 
 the first year. 
 
 The course was in every way first class, 
 and the professors represented even unusual 
 scholarship. Dr. Peters graduate of Germany 
 headed an archaeological exposition abroad. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 249 
 
 He and Dean Bartlett were joint authors of 
 "The Scriptures, Hebrew and Christian." Dr. 
 Goodwin was an Ex-Dean of the University 
 of Pennsylvania. Dr. Hare a veritable special- 
 ist in Greek was a member of the American 
 Committee on the Revised version of the New 
 Testament. Dr. Garrison gave up the practice 
 of Medicine to take a chair in the school, 
 and was an authority on Cannon Law. Dr. 
 Myer-Smith, a practical preacher and pastor 
 was at home on Homiletics and pastoral 
 Theology. I entered the school in '84, and 
 graduated in the class of '87. Besides the 
 regular course, we had summer school and 
 lectures. The most important of the summer 
 schools was that conducted by Prof. William 
 R. Harper of the Chicago University, the uni- 
 versally acknowledged Hebrew specialist. His 
 death which occurred in the very prime of 
 his life, and at the height of his usefulness, 
 seemed indeed a calamity. He was as noble 
 of spirit, as he was learned. With him, a stu- 
 dent was a student ; nothing more, and noth- 
 ing less. He seemed totally incapable of that 
 brand of race prejudice, based upon color, that 
 so afflicts the average white American. It 
 goes without saying that our school, under 
 the Professors I have named, was free from 
 
250 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 this unchristian incubus, and the young men, 
 students, who like myself, .were (preparing 
 themselves to better represent the Master, 
 as His ministers, regarded me simply as a 
 fellow student. But for men and circum- 
 stances like these, we would sometimes be 
 tempted like David once was. to say : "all men 
 are liars." Those who come up to the Christian 
 standard of brotherhood, regardless of pre- 
 vailing traditions and standards, must be dis- 
 tinguished from those who claim to love God, 
 but dispise a fellow being for no better reason 
 than that by the accident of birth, he repre- 
 sents a different race variety. 
 
 I cannot estimate the value of three years 
 of contact with these masters of assemblies. 
 Their ripe experience ; their profound scholar- 
 ship; their plan of instruction, and their no- 
 bility of character, all combined to fit them, 
 from any point of view, for the sacred task 
 of teaching, directing and influencing men in 
 their efforts to further prepare themselves 
 for the work of the Christian ministry. 
 
 Having had about seven years of experi- 
 ence in ministerial work, I was all the more 
 prepared to take in and appreciate the course 
 that I was now taking. With me, it was a 
 combination of theory and practice. As a 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 251 
 
 pastor even then, I could apply in a practical 
 way the lessons and experiences that came 
 day by day. 
 
 One of the Summer Schools attended im- 
 mediately after the completion of the Divinity 
 School course, was one by Professor Gould, 
 in New Testament Greek. We took up the 
 Book of Revelation for sight reading, exegesis 
 and interpretation. Before this, Revelation 
 this Book of figures and symbols had always 
 remained a mystery to me. After that, in pre- 
 paring a simple work called "Key to Scrip- 
 tural Interpretations," I was bold enough to 
 make the Revelation one of the chapters. 
 
 To whatever extent I shall always be aware 
 of my limitations, I shall always regard the 
 course at the Divinity School, as contributing 
 largely to the measure of preparedness, that 
 by dint of severe discipline and application, 
 both in and out of school, I was able to acquire. 
 
 At the General Conference that met at In- 
 dianapolis in 1888, I was elected Editor of the 
 A. M. E. Church Review, to succeed Dr. Tan- 
 ner, who was elected Bishop at that meeting. 
 
 Journalism! Surely it requires some cour- 
 age for a venture like this. Of course there 
 are Editors, and editors; Journalists and 
 journalists. 
 
252 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Our weekly and monthly periodicals in the 
 form of newspapers had begun to multiply, 
 but previous to the advent of the periodical 
 in question, no one among us had undertaken 
 to put on the market a Quarterly Review. 
 Rather pretentious title ! Some of the 
 church leaders were in favor of launching a 
 magazine instead of a Review. A magazine 
 would consist of articles upon various sub- 
 jects ; but, a Review would be this and more, 
 ami to make such a periodical fill its mission 
 with credit, would require a high degree of 
 literary ability: experience would come in 
 time. 
 
 But Dr. B. T. Tanner, who had the reputa- 
 tion of being our very best editor, was willing 
 to undertake the publication of such a literary 
 journal, and the ability with which he edited 
 and published it, proved that he made' no mis- 
 take in undertaking so exacting a task. 
 
 As the successor of Dr. Tanner I had his con- 
 fidence, sympathy and co-operation. Magazine 
 and Review writers are paid for their articles. 
 Some of them command large sums for their 
 productions. But the A. M. E. Review had 
 no funds with which to pay for articles. True 
 our object was to confine the articles almost 
 exclusively to colored writers, as they, more 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 253 
 
 than others needed the opportunity that the 
 Review would offer; moreover, it was a race 
 enterprise. But our best writers were begin- 
 ning to get into the Reviews and magazines, 
 and get pay for their articles, and it was the 
 best writers that we wanted, and needed to 
 give character to our publication. 
 
 Bishop Tanner was acquainted with the 
 literary men among us, he being of the same 
 craft, and they generally sympathized with the 
 movement, so the difficulty in obtaining ar- 
 ticles without pay was not insuperable. There 
 was this advantage, our own church members, 
 ministerial and lay, could be depended upon 
 to have sufficient interest in the enterprise to 
 contribute their articles gratuitously. Then, 
 some who aspired to be magazine writers 
 could expect to be given an opportunity for 
 their products that they might not be able to 
 get in the older productions. 
 
 Volume I, July '84, opens with Bishop D. A. 
 Payne as first contributor. Then Bishops 
 Campbell, Dickerson, Ward and Turner fol- 
 low. Other contributors are: Mrs. F. E. W. 
 Harper ; Judge D. Augustus Straker, Prof. W. 
 S. Scarboro, Hon. B. K. Bruce, Rev. J. H. 
 Durant, Rev. William H. Thomas and Dr. T. 
 G. Steward. These contributions, with the 
 
254 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Editor's trenchant pen, constituted the first 
 number of this new venture. 
 
 I was fortunate enough to keep the old 
 friends of the Review and to make new ones. 
 I could always depend upon my old friends, 
 T. Thomas Fortune and T. McCants Stuart to 
 come to my rescue, as I could also Judge 
 Straker. Every now and then I would have 
 an article from Prof. Orishatuka Faduma, of 
 West Africa; and the Hon. Frederick Doug- 
 lass frequently contributed. But those here 
 mentioned are but a small number of those 
 who contributed between the years of 1884, 
 when the Review began, and 1896, when my 
 mission as Editor closed. 
 
 The reviews of the work given from time 
 to time by the literary journals that we ex- 
 changed with were sometimes very favorable ; 
 even flatteringly so. Of course, we came in 
 also for our share of adverse criticism. 
 
 Rev. George Brent wrote an article on "The 
 Origin of the White Man," and proved by the 
 Bible, apparently to his own satisfaction, that 
 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, who deceived 
 his master, and ran after Naaman and took 
 gifts for his healing by the prophet, was the 
 true progenitor of the white race. See II 
 Kings 4th chapter. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 255 
 
 This conclusion was ridiculed by one of the 
 leading Reviews, and the Editor was severely 
 censured for permitting such to be published. 
 
 A gentleman, who is an artist of more or 
 less distinction, got an idea that he was also 
 a poet, seeming to forget that "poets are 
 born." So he sent in a poem. It had a rather 
 unique title ; was clothed in fairly dazzling 
 English, conveying in rather an abstract man- 
 ner what seemed to have been some indefinite 
 ideas in his mind that were struggling more 
 for classification than for utterance. The pro- 
 duction was displayed in most beautiful pen- 
 manship, on spotless paper. The workmanship 
 was really a thing of beauty, fully sustaining 
 the reputation of the author's ability to 
 handle a pen, or brush. But as a poem, I could 
 not find the subject, nor where it began or 
 ended. If I could have just had the manu- 
 script bound as a part of the Review, the 
 printed matter would have certainly suffered 
 in comparison for artistic finish ; but of course 
 this could not b* done. After considerable 
 hesitance, I decided to print it, and share with 
 the author the consequences. One of the lead- 
 ing exchanges, after referring to the fact that 
 the A. M. E. Review was out, with quite an 
 array of articles upon different subjects, which 
 
256 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 made it quite an interesting number, called 
 special attention to the poem in question, and 
 said: "the man who wrote that poetry cannot 
 escape punishment ; for it will surely be meted 
 out to him, either in this world or the world 
 to come." 
 
 The selecting of articles for the Review 
 was no easy task. Our main support finan- 
 cial support was not from the most scholarly 
 class, and it often happened that one who had 
 not gained a reputation as a writer would send 
 in an article, and feel that on account of the 
 material support given by himself and his 
 friends,, it should appear. This was especially 
 true of ministers connected with our confer- 
 ences. They began to say: "We support the 
 Review, and we want to be given a place in 
 its columns." 
 
 Bishop T. M. D. Ward often referred to the 
 Review as "the cream jug of the Connection." 
 At one of his conferences he discovered that 
 one of the ministers was having a parley with 
 the Editor. The Bishop was hard of hearing, 
 and could not make out what the conversation 
 was about, but he suspected that the Editor 
 had met with objections when asking for a 
 subscription. "What is the trouble there," 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 257 
 
 asked the Bishop, his mouth twitching with a 
 characteristically humorous smile. "He was 
 asking me to take the Review," responded the 
 minister. "It is one dollar and a half," said 
 the Bishop. "But I do not care to take it," re- 
 plied the minister. "One dollar and a half" said 
 the Bishop again. "But, suppose I haven't got 
 the money," said the minister. The Bishop 
 leaning forward, said again, "One dollar and a 
 half." Upon this, the contending party took 
 the amount from his pocket and entered the 
 list of subscribers. 
 
 The position of editor of a literary journal 
 puts one in touch with the literati of his day,, 
 and brings to him many books for review. Be- 
 sides, it forces one to endeavor to keep abreast 
 of the times, for he is expected to know some- 
 thing of all that is going on. This is one po- 
 sition in the Church that does not have a large 
 number of aspirants. Men will aspire to the 
 Bishopric who would not at all be taken seri- 
 ously should they run for editorship of the 
 Review. The more the pity! When men do 
 not know what they are fitted for, those 
 whose suffrage they ask should assist them 
 in finding out. This should not only be true 
 of one who might at an unguarded moment 
 ask for a literary place, that he is incapable 
 
258 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 of filling, but much more concerning one who, 
 without the Pauline standard of qualification 
 comes forward and unblushingly asks for the 
 most sacred position in the gift of the Church : 
 one that rightly demands the highest intelli- 
 gence, and the strictest conformity to the de- 
 mands of morality and religion. 
 
 My term as Editor was from May, 1888, to 
 May, 1896, eight years. 
 
 At the General Conference of 1896, which 
 met at Wilmington, N. C, either by the strong 
 solicitation of friends, or by a strong personal 
 desire for the place, perhaps both, I was a 
 candidate for the Bishopric. The laymen of 
 the Church supported me loyally, but with the 
 understanding that if I failed of election, one 
 of their number, namely, Prof. H. T. Kealing, 
 would be my successor. I failed of election, 
 and Professor Kealing accordingly was elected 
 in my stead. 
 
 My membership as a minister was in the 
 Philadelphia Conference. The conference met 
 immediately after the rise of the General 
 Conference. I took my place in the ranks and 
 was appointed by Bishop A. Grant to the 1 pas- 
 torate of "Mother Bethel." This, then, was 
 my second term as pastor of Bethel. My first 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 259 
 
 term was two years, the second, four, six in 
 all, and the longest pastorate at this church 
 since its first pastor Bishop Richard Allen. 
 Other pastors, like myself, have been return- 
 ed, but remained two years at each term. 
 
 Rev. C. T. Shaffer had built a new church 
 on the old spot, and there remained a con- 
 siderable indebtedness. Already the member- 
 ship had begun to go with the city trend, west, 
 and southwest, and the attendance was not 
 what it was when I occupied the pulpit before. 
 
 My first effort was to increase the attend- 
 ance and organize a financial rally that would 
 net a larger sum of money than the averge 
 rally produced. When the rally day came I 
 had the presence of my Bishop, and also of 
 Dr. John W. Beckett, of most precious mem- 
 ory. 
 
 The day was fair ; the attendance large ; en- 
 thusiasm high, and the amount realized was 
 thirty-two hundred dollars. This was before 
 the days of Drs. Carl M. Tanner with his six- 
 teen thousand, and W. Sampson Brooks, with 
 his thirty-three thousand, and was, I think, 
 about the largest amount, up to that time, 
 raised in one day by any one of our churches. 
 
 The second pastorate at Bethel was with 
 greatly added experience, and compared with 
 
260 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 the first, was entitled to be in every way 
 stronger. Age and experience count for much 
 in the ministry, as well as in other vocations. 
 To be called to the work, and to be spiritually 
 strong are first and most important in minis- 
 terial preparedness, but not all. Nothing can 
 take the place of experience. 
 
 Sixteen years had passed since I first pas- 
 tored Bethel. I had seen much of men and 
 things. I had traveled at large over the larger 
 part of the United States. I had gone from 
 Atlantic City, in the East, to San Francisco, in 
 the West, and besides visited all of the South- 
 ern States where our people are in hundreds 
 of thousands and many hundred thousands. I 
 had come into personal and intimate contact 
 with race leaders North, South and West. I 
 had seen my people at their homes ; in their 
 churches ; on their farms ; in business and pro- 
 fessional life, and in every grade of society. I 
 had seen them at their best and at their worst. 
 I had been permitted to study them at close 
 range arid at leisure. I had not simply ridden 
 on cars through state after state, stopping 
 here and there, and spending a night ; but I 
 had been with them day and night, living and 
 moving and having my being among them. 
 This in itself is a great education, and one 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 261 
 
 ithat cannot be acquired in schools. In my 
 .great desire in former years to prepare my- 
 self, by every possible means for my life's 
 work, I had no thought that there was in 
 store for me so great a privilege for education 
 "by travel and contact as the editorship of the 
 Review afforded. 
 
 I began with my advent upon the Review, to 
 acquire a library. I had collected some books; 
 school books, theological works, and a few of 
 a miscellaneous character. But now I thought 
 of building up a large and varied library of 
 current and standard works. 
 
 Abraham Lincoln once said: "Books have 
 what I want." The Angel said to John: "What 
 thou seest, write in a book." Books are the 
 records of what men have seen and learned 
 and believed, and proved, since the world be- 
 gan. Books have what we need for instruc- 
 tion, for investigation and enlightenment. 
 Books do not forget, or change. Once a mat- 
 ter is recorded with printer's ink it remains 
 unchanged. They are a storehouse of knowl- 
 edge from which we can draw upon all sub- 
 jects. Of course there are books and books, 
 so care should be had in selecting a library. 
 Some books are beautifully bound in loud and 
 .attractive colors, and put into cases, to adorn 
 
262 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 a library. These, as a rule, are never read. 
 Then there are tons of books put on the mar- 
 ket that are not worth reading. To read them 
 would be but a waste of time and energy. 
 What we need is good books. A well selected 
 library is invaluable, and necessary. A young 
 man called on me at my home in Philadelphia,, 
 saying he was engaged in a joint debate upon 
 a subject upon which he was seeking infor- 
 mation, and requested me to refer him to a 
 public library where there might be a chance 
 of rinding what he needed. I told him I 
 thought I knew of such a library, and invited 
 him to my study. After spending some time 
 there he decided that it was unnecessary to go 
 further in quest of the information he wanted. 
 A well furnished library should so represent 
 what popularly comes under the head of "Art,. 
 Science and Literature" that one might be 
 able to find in it something on any subject 
 desired. 
 
 Good books are in demand, and are costly, 
 and besides requiring time to select a good 
 working library, it requires also considerable 
 money to purchase it. But it is a paying in- 
 vestment for the literary, the professional 
 man who wants to do his best work. 
 
 I did not purchase a commentary on the* 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 263 
 
 'Bible until I had been preaching quite a dozen 
 years, then I bought the Pulpit Commentary, 
 and it is the only one I have ever possessed. 
 One should not substitute books for brains, 
 >nor become a slave to the thoughts and con- 
 clusions of others. This is especially true 
 where conscience has or should have much to 
 do with final decisions. I consider the Dic- 
 tionary of the Bible, edited by James Has- 
 tings, M.A., D.D., a valuable asset to a minis- 
 ter's library. In spite of my care in selecting 
 'I find myself with several encyclopaedias, and 
 cyclopaedias ; literary, historial, biographical. 
 I prize Lord's "Beacon Lights" and "Stod- 
 dardt's Lectures" and Charles Dickens' Works. 
 There are many standard works that seem 
 .necessary to a complete library. Beware of 
 the "Who is Who?" Agents that come around 
 occasionally to convince you that you are one 
 of the who's. I once said to Bishop Arnett, 
 after I had read a book entitled "Men of 
 Mark," that I found some men in it who, so 
 far as I knew, were not very remarkable. The 
 Bishop replied : "The author of the book simply 
 said men of mark, without indicating whether 
 it was to be a big mark or a little one." 
 
 I have a section in my library that I call 
 "Black Boys." These are all books by colored 
 
264 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 authors. Of course the Paul Laurence Dun- 
 bar library is among the collecton. I was 
 greatly assisted by the late Carl Boliver, in 
 making this collection of colored authors, as 
 I was originally inspired to do so by the late 
 Bishop B. W. Arnett, who is author of the 
 name: "Black Boys." 
 
 In this collection I have an old and rare vol- 
 ume out of print of course called: "The 
 Rise and Progress of the Kingdoms of Light 
 and Darkness, or the Reign of Kings Alpha, 
 and Abadon," by Lorenzo D. Blackson. Pub- 
 lished in 1867. It is a counterpart of the "Pil- 
 grims' Progress," and it is written in exactly 
 the same style, poetry and all. 
 
 The author was a minister in the U. A. M. 
 E. Church, known also as the Peter Spencer 
 Church, whose founder was present at the 
 1816 meeting at Philadelphia when the A. M.. 
 E. Church was organized. History says that 
 Spencer did not go with Allen in his move- 
 ment, because he opposed the itineracy. His 
 preachers would work in the field all the week 
 and preach on Sunday, sometimes after walk- 
 ing many miles, and only receive the few pen- 
 nies that would be thrown into the collection-, 
 basket. They were encouraged to be very 
 "spiritual," with the idea that "the letter 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 265 
 
 "Idlleth, but the spirit maketh alive." I often 
 
 .heard them preach during my residence in 
 Wilmington, Del, the original home of Father 
 Spencer, and his Church. There were among 
 them some very talented men, such as the 
 father of Rev. Solomon Porter Hood, of the 
 A. M. E. Church. The Senior Hood would be 
 an able preacher in the present day. He was 
 
 .a giant in statue. When he walked into the 
 pulpit, and the steps creaked under his feet, 
 some one in the audience would shout : 
 
 '"Amen." He was intelligent and able; not 
 learned, as is his son, who has had the advant- 
 
 .age of freedom and the schools. Well, our 
 subject, Lorenzo Dow Blackson, like Rever- 
 end Hood, was above the average in intelli- 
 gence, though, unlike Reverend Hood, he was 
 not a great preacher. He finally sought a 
 more congenial field and died in the A. M. E. 
 Zion Church. He believed in "entire sanctifi- 
 cation" and preached it. What is more, lived 
 it. He could sustain himself in an argument 
 upon the doctrine he preached. After preach- 
 ing fifty years he was active ; still writing 
 and preaching. I believe that if the book 
 should be published, the scholars and church- 
 men of the present day would discover its 
 true value as the men of his day did not. 
 
266 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 I was invited to be the principal speaker at 
 his funeral, which I considered an honor. 
 
 We are beginning now to produce authors 
 whose writings will go upon the shelves of 
 public libraries, and in the homes of literary 
 men and women regardless of race variety. 
 
 When our authors and editors of marked 
 ability get a hearing before the world, public 
 opinion will undergo a change, because the 
 merits and virtues of the "brother in black" 
 will be set forth as well as his demerits and 
 so-called backwardness. 
 
 My library is my constant companion: men 
 and women with whom I can converse, and 
 with whom I cannot be lonesome. The Bible 
 and the other books. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 Across the Continent 
 
 Many people who go abroad sight seeing, 
 -are embarrassed when questioned about the 
 Niagara Falls, Pikes Peake, and scenes in 
 California, if obliged to confess that they have 
 never seen them. A foreigner once said to 
 such a person : "Why do you not go traveling 
 in your own country, before going abroad?" 
 
 As Editor of the A. M. E. Review I had an 
 opportunity to travel quite a good deal. I 
 had been to all of the New England States, 
 the middle States, the Southern States, and 
 as far West as Wisconsin, but had not crossed 
 the Continent, from Ocean to Ocean. So I 
 resolved to make the journey. Having done 
 so, I wrote an editorial on the trip. Such 
 journeys may happen once in a lifetime : but 
 with most people they never happen. Again 
 it may be that only a few r Review subscribers 
 have preserved all the numbers. 
 
 (267) 
 
268 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 With a view of putting it in permanent form 
 I herewith submit the editorial, "ACROSS 
 THE CONTINENT." 
 
 During the first four years as editor of the 
 REVIEW, we were unable to visit the coast 
 of California, and thus make a circuit of our 
 home fields. Only once in the history of our 
 Church had a general officer visited the Far 
 West. Believing that such a visit would be 
 good, both for the work by encouraging the 
 workman, and also for the editor, by broaden- 
 ing his experience, we resolved to go. 
 
 Accordingly, on Friday, July 21, 1893, we 
 left the office work in the hands of our good 
 friend, Rev. J. Albert Johnson, and boarding 
 a train on the Pennsylvania Road ; started 
 "West." Our always pleasant friend and. 
 associate editor, Rev. H. T. Johnson of the 
 Christian Recorder accompanied us as far as 
 Chicago, where he was going to attend the 
 meeting of "Educators." We spent several 
 days in the "White City." The great Colum- 
 bian Fair was in full blast. Great and mar- 
 velous are the exhibits of art, science and 
 natural products. Who can do more than 
 faintly describe them? 
 
 Perhaps no city in the Union is so eminent- 
 ly prepared to hold such a big Fair as this- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 269 
 
 Queen City of the West. The Bureau of Pub- 
 lic Comfort announced its ability to feed 
 60,000 persons per hour within the Exhibition 
 grounds, and the hotels and boarding houses 
 of the city were prepared to accommodate 
 hundreds of thousands. Early in the season 
 it became evident to the management that ex- 
 orbitant prices would not pay. The railroads 
 were a little stubborn, and insisted on keeping 
 up rates, and in some cases they put on a 
 "Fast Columbian Express" and charged extra. 
 The traveling public was not long in deciding 
 that between high rates of travel and of ac- 
 commodation at the city, a trip there would be 
 too expensive for the average pocketbook. As 
 soon as the managers of the Fair and the rail- 
 road managers began to reduce rates the at- 
 tendance began to increase, and, at this writing 
 there is hope that the affair will be a financial 
 success. The Sunday opening question gave 
 trouble from the very beginning, and although 
 the managers insisted upon opening on Sun- 
 day in defiance of the expressed conditions 
 upon which they received national aid, they 
 were unable to make it popular. Many Ex- 
 hibits were closed on Sunday, thus making it 
 impossible for those who visited only on Sun- 
 days to see all that was to be seen. 
 
270 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 When we first entered the grounds via 
 Midway Plaisance we decided that several 
 -days would be required to simply walk through 
 the grounds, to say nothing of anything like 
 a critical inspection of all the buildings. The 
 various attractions of the Plaisance were quite 
 enough to occupy several days. 
 
 Some of the attractions along the avenue 
 were the Diamond Match Company ; Model 
 Workman's Home ; International Costume Ex- 
 hibit, with about fifty living representatives 
 of different nationalities, races and types, each 
 clad in native costume ; Nursery Exhibit ; Elec- 
 tric Scenic Theatre ; Libby Glass Company ; 
 Japanese Bazaar ; Japanese Village ; German 
 Village ; Lecture Hall, illustrating the science 
 of animal locomotion ; Persian Palace ; Eiffel 
 Tower, Street in Cairo; Ferris Wheel, revolv- 
 ing 250 feet in the air ; East India Bazaar ; Al- 
 gernian and Tunisian Village ; Kilanea Pano- 
 ramo, showing the noted Hawaiian Volcano ; 
 Chinese Village; Brazil Concert Hall; Nation- 
 al Hungarian Orpheum ; Lapland Village ; 
 Dahomey Village; Old Vienna; St. Peter's 
 Model ; Glass Spinning House ; Ice Railway ; 
 Moorish Palace, Turkish Village; Cyclorama 
 of Bernice Alps ; South Sea Islanders ; Hogen- 
 beck's Animal Show ; Venice-Murano company 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 271 
 
 glass exhibit ; Log Cabin ; Nursery ; Blarney 
 Castle and Irish Village. The admission to 
 those various attractions on Midway Plais- 
 ance varies from 10 to 50 cents. It costs from 
 $12 to $15 to visit them all, and would require 
 nearly a week. Now, when one remembers 
 that this is but the entrance to the Fair and 
 not really the Fair proper, he can get an idea 
 of its immense proportions. It would be use- 
 less to attempt a description of the various 
 exhibits, suffice it to name the general depart- 
 ments, which are as follows : Agricultural,, 
 Horticultural, Live Stock, Fish, Mining, Ma- 
 chinery, Transportation ; Manufacturers, Elec- 
 tricity, Fine Arts, Liberal Arts, and Ethnology. 
 
 In those various General Departments^ 
 twelve in number, are exhibited the various 
 products of nature under cultivation, and of 
 human genius and skill. Almost every civilized 
 nation is represented with exhibits giving an 
 idea of its wealth in natural resources and of 
 inventive genius. 
 
 There were two exhibits that we were 
 especially anxious to see, and to which we 
 hastened, and these were the exhibits of Wil- 
 berforce University and the Haitian Building. 
 
 The exhibit of Wilberforce was small, com- 
 pared with some other institutions, and es- 
 
272 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 pecially some of the exhibits of the Roman 
 Catholic Church ; and the Haitian building was 
 humble compared with many of the massive 
 structures that surrounded it and overshadow- 
 ed it ; but Wilberf orce and Haiti represented 
 a people, the genius, industry, and capability 
 of whom, but for them, would have been with- 
 out representation, or, as is frequently the 
 case would have been misrepresented. 
 
 The genius of the Negro is interwoven with 
 the civilization of America, and indeed of the 
 world, but in such a way as to leave him with- 
 out credit. Hence the burning question, can 
 the descendants of Ham do anything great? 
 Or, must it be left alone to Shem and Japhet 
 to show the trend of progress under a higher 
 civilization? Wilberforce and Haiti answered 
 at the World's Fair Wilberforce with her 
 institutions of learning, organized and manag- 
 ed from beginning to end by colored men, and 
 Haiti with her Republic, whose independence 
 was gained by her brave and noble Toussaint 
 L'Ouverture, and maintained by his succes- 
 sors. Our thanks are due to Bishop B. W. 
 Arnett and the Hon. Frederick Douglass for 
 getting the Negro before the assembled na- 
 tions in other than a subordinate relation. 
 We divided our time during the week of our 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 273 
 
 stay between sightseeing at the Exposition 
 grounds and the Educational Congress, which 
 held its meetings at the Liberal Arts Building, 
 foot of Adams Street. The meetings were 
 really good, as could only have been the case, 
 since they were participated in by some of 
 the first educators of the world. The part 
 contributed by colored educators was alto- 
 gether creditable. Strong papers were read 
 by many on various subjects, and stirring ad- 
 dresses were made by others. A special point 
 of interest brought to light by these meetings 
 was the fact that a goodly number of colored 
 teachers are teaching in public or mixed 
 schools. Many of our people opposed mixed 
 schools, because they feared that it would de- 
 prive our teachers of their positions. Many of 
 us believed that while this would be the case 
 at first, that even this difficulty would be over- 
 come as our teachers made themselves indis- 
 pensible. Statistics upon the subject, given 
 by delegates, show that colored teachers at 
 work in public schools are as follows : Massa- 
 chusetts, 14; Michigan, 5; Ohio, 11; Pennsyl- 
 vania, 2; Minnesota, 3; New York, 2; Illinois, 
 2. Thirty-nine in all. This does not include 
 those who are required to do normal work 
 before leaving College. These statistics tell 
 
274 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 their own story of the progress that we are 
 making. 
 
 The Chicago Fair demonstrates in a high 
 degree the capability of man. When he began 
 to inhabit the earth it was in a very crude 
 state, but he was commanded by his Creator 
 to take possession of his territory and subdue 
 it. The march of civilization, as it is exhibited 
 by the Columbian Fair, shows how well man 
 has been doing his work. The rivers and moun- 
 tains are no longer barriers to his onward 
 march, but are made his servants. By an en- 
 lightened mind directing the skilled hand, he 
 has invented all manner of machinery, by 
 which the burdens of life are greatly lifted, 
 labor is dignified and time is saved. The four 
 quarters of the globe are brought together 
 and all nations of the earth are made neigh- 
 bors. But as the thoughtful man looks upon 
 these wonderful achievements with admiration, 
 he is forcibly reminded of two things first,, 
 that these great accomplishments are the re- 
 sult of years and centuries of study, toil, and 
 sacrifice. We stand, looking upon a mass of 
 machinery, with its thousand different parts 
 curiously wrought, skillfully put together and 
 set in motion, and we say great are the wisdom 
 and skill of the inventor. But upon a sober 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 275 
 
 second thought we remember that all those 
 mighty works in art had humble beginnings. 
 The tea-kettle is mother of the gigantic steam 
 engine that is capable of running a mile in 
 thirty seconds. The costly fabric in tapestry 
 and fine linen sprang from the fig leaf apron. 
 From the dirt-made hut has sprung the hall, 
 the place of marvelous achievements in archi- 
 tectural skill. The first plow to break the soil 
 for the husbandman was a sharpened stick, but 
 now the art of tilling the soil has risen to such 
 dignity that the Department of Agriculture is 
 the first to be named on the official guide at 
 the World's Columbian Exposition. The les- 
 son to be learned by these progressive steps 
 in civilization is that any nation or any race 
 variety that would rise to the degree of ex- 
 cellence attained by those that are now on ex- 
 hibition at the "White City" must be indus- 
 trious and patient. There is a philosophy in 
 progress, and this must be regarded by all 
 who would compete with progressive nations. 
 But, again, the thoughtful observer is re- 
 minded that the great accomplishments before 
 him are the results of Christian civilization. 
 How many kingdoms have risen and fallen, and 
 how many exalted nations have been brought 
 low because they did not recognize the claim 
 
276 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 of Him whose right it is to rule. Most all the 
 nations represented at the Columbian Expo- 
 sition are Christian nations, and those that are 
 not are perceptibly behind in the procession. 
 China, the oldest civilization that is repre- 
 sented here, is but an infant compared with 
 England, France, Germany and America. 
 These nations as representatives of Christian- 
 ity, have their imperfections, and for these 
 we neither praise nor excuse them; upon the 
 face of the sun there are spots, yet he out- 
 shines the moon. 
 
 At the expiration of another century, when 
 all the civilized nations assemble to take ac- 
 count of their achievements, what nation will 
 be first in the sisterhood? May we not give 
 the answer of our Lord when He was asked 
 who shall be greatest in the kingdom of 
 heaven ? 
 
 Leaving Chicago, our next stop was Denver, 
 Col. Some one has spoken thus eloquently of 
 Denver : 
 
 "Poets have poured forth their souls in the 
 marvelous measures of rhythmic rhapsody; 
 artists have felt their deft fingers tingle and 
 thrill while they painted the never ending 
 glories of peaks and plain; historians, statis- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 277 
 
 ticians and scientists have struggled together 
 in vain effort to comprehend the possibilities 
 of a region unlike anything ever before heard 
 of in song or story or the cheerless realm of 
 hard dry facts and figures. They had seen 
 Colorado, they were wrestling with a stupen- 
 dous problem the destiny of Denver. There 
 is only one Denver. There never has been, 
 there never can be another, for there is no 
 influence which can create its equal." 
 
 The writer was evidently speaking of the 
 Denver of the past, and what we trust will 
 also be the Denver of the future, for upon our 
 arrival we found fourteen banks suspended,, 
 and a city fairly wearing the badge of mourn- 
 ing. Neither Denver as a city, nor Colorado 
 as a State can prosper with closed mines. The 
 depreciation of silver closed all the mines at 
 Leadville, and shut went the banks of Denver.. 
 Colorado's output of bullion gold, silver, lead 
 and copper for the year 1892, aggregated in 
 value $37,017,993. This enormous product 
 came principally to the smelters of Denver. 
 Agriculture, horticulture, manufacturing, and 
 other interests Sand .-industries have helped 
 Denver, but the mining interests made it chief- 
 ly, and without this interest it must remain 
 badly crippled. Since the great money panic 
 
278 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 began, real estate in Denver has depreciated 
 more than 50 per cent. 
 
 Our church work in this metropolitan city 
 has for four years been in the hands of that 
 king of financiers, Rev. P. A. Hubbard. The 
 bonded debt when he took the church was 
 $8,000. He went to work with a determina- 
 tion to reduce the indebtedness by at least 
 $2,000 each year. Though the membership is 
 less than 300, he succeeded in carrying out his 
 plans, and just before the panic came had paid 
 the last dollar. During the years when he was 
 constantly urging the necessity of paying the 
 entire debt, many thought him too exacting, 
 and saw no good reason why the entire debt 
 should be paid, so long as the interest was kept 
 up. But he could not be persuaded to relax 
 'his efforts, and now that they have made their 
 escape from the great financial depression that 
 is upon us, every one is loud in the praise of P. 
 A. Hubbard. But this long and constant strain 
 told on his health, and he was glad to join us 
 and go out to the "Coast" seeking a renewal 
 of health. 
 
 Another thing that the good people of Den- 
 ver, with their heroic pastor, must be given 
 credit for, is that in managing the heavy work 
 of their own church they were not forgetful 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 279 
 
 of the needs of others ; so they planted two> 
 missions, one in the western and the other in. 
 the northern portions of the city. These 
 missions are pastored by two faithful young 
 men, Revs. James Smith and Robert Cason. 
 The old church Shorter Chapel has nourish- 
 ed them as a mother would a child. 
 
 The pastors and people of these missions 
 regret much that the time of Rev. Hubbard 
 has expired. The disciplinary limit moves 
 him. But we must trust in the goodness of 
 God and the wisdom of the Bishop to send 
 a faithful successor of him who has worked 
 so faithfully and successfully at this post for 
 four years. Of course he cannot be returned. 
 We must keep our rules, "not for wrath, but 
 for conscience sake." 
 
 At Denver, Col., we met Mr. Leroy Hayes, 
 who gave some very interesting statistics of 
 our people who have left the South and gone 
 West. Mr. Hayes lived at No. 2229 Arapaho 
 Street. Through his efforts, and by the aid 
 of the Union Pacific, 3,090 persons have been 
 brought out during the last three years and 
 located as follows : Idaho, 800 ; Washington, 
 900: California, 650; Colorado, 480; Utah, 260. 
 These for the most part have been settled on 
 farms; 110 families have been settled in Kehrn 
 
280 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 'County, California ; 360 persons have been put 
 to work in the Rouse Mines. The 800 that 
 were left in Idaho were given free transpor- 
 tation from Texas ; 800 of the 900 that were 
 carried to Washington are operating mines. 
 
 In San Joaquin County, California, a tract 
 'of 3,000 acres of land has been taken up by 
 those who have come out in search of better 
 homes. We have observed that colored set- 
 tlers, especially in California, are being en- 
 "couraged, while the Chinese are not in good 
 favor. This is probably because the Chinese 
 <lo not take kindly to our civilization. Rev. 
 ! C. B. Caldwell, one of our pastors in Tennes- 
 see, came out some months ago, and procured 
 .several thousand acres of excellent land in 
 Salt Lake Valley, upon which he expected to 
 settle a colony. 
 
 Mr. Hayes said to me in an interview : "I 
 have now a proposition on hand providing that 
 if we can secure one hundred families, farm- 
 ers, an Eastern syndicate will set apart 360 
 acres as a town site in a Southern Colorado 
 farming district, erect a town hall, and furnish 
 employment, in the laying out of streets, 
 building the town hall, and other public build- 
 ings, for at least one hundred and fifty men, 
 for three months prior to the coming of the 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 281 
 
 colony. The syndicate further agrees to sup- 
 ply water by ditch right to the farming dis- 
 trict, with the privilege of the persons pur- 
 diasing farm tracts and paying for them by 
 working on the ditch and laterals; provided 
 however, 80 percent of the required number 
 purchase farm tracts of 80 acres each, not to 
 exceed in the purchase price $26.00 per acre 
 with water rights. The remaining 20 per cent, 
 to control the stores of the city. I have con- 
 tracts similar to this for Colorado, Utah, Cali- 
 fornia and New Mexico." Mr. Hayes further 
 said that the mistake made by many who 
 have come out is that they settle in the cities 
 instead of taking up the farm lands. Said he : 
 "We are not looking for loafers, but for men 
 who are willing to go out on farms and work 
 and such will not only be welcomed, but will 
 receive encouragement and substantial help." 
 Mr. Hayes and Mr. J. C. Watson have been 
 very active in assisting our people who desire 
 to go West, settle lands and better their con- 
 dition. Mr. Hayes has promised to give us 
 such information from time to time as will 
 be of interest to home seekers in this portion 
 of our country. The columns of the REVIEW 
 are always open to such information. We do 
 not discourage African Emigration. Our peo- 
 
282 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 pie have as good right to go to Africa as any 
 other people, but they also have as good right 
 to possess themselves of the unsettled lands of 
 the West as has any other people. To wait 
 until the wild lands have been brought under 
 cultivation, and cities are built by others, then 
 go, is to submit to subordinate relation among 
 the people of the rich and vigorous West, and 
 to enjoy no more real independence there than 
 we enjoy in the East and South. 
 
 If we have not courage sufficient to do pio- 
 neer work in the land of our nativity, we would 
 not be very valuable accessions to the unde- 
 veloped Continent of Africa. 
 
 But we must continue our journey. Leaving 
 Denver, Col., the next point of interest to 
 which the attention of the tourist is called is 
 Palmer Lake. But few passengers stop here 
 longer than is necessary to get lunch. It is 
 scarcely necessary to say any more about this 
 station than that it has a population of about 
 200, is fifty-two miles from Denver; the eleva- 
 tion is 7,237 feet, and is said to be a very 
 healthy place. There is a curious fact, how- 
 ever, about Palmer Lake, it is situated exactly 
 upon the summit of an arm of the Rockies, 
 called the "Divide." From the crest of this 
 summit the waters divide, flowing northward 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 283 
 
 into the Platte, and southward into the Arkan- 
 sas, as it "wends its way into the Mississippi." 
 Those who remain here will find much to 
 engage them in visiting points of interest in 
 the vicinity. But our party pushed on to Colo- 
 rado and Manitou Springs. These two cities are 
 twins, and are coupled together both by steam 
 and electric car roads. Colorado Springs has 
 a population of 10,000, and does not allow a 
 drop of intoxicating liquors of any kind sold 
 there. Every deed that is executed contains 
 this prohibitory condition. A large number 
 of millionaires live here. They have made the 
 city what it is as a residence city and health 
 resort, and they do not intend to have their 
 quiet disturbed by intoxicated persons. Indeed 
 the city ordinance even forbids the ringing of 
 a bell, except it be a fire bell ; hence the church 
 goers must watch the time on Sundays as 
 well as on other days. We have an interest- 
 ing church work at this point. The building 
 is of Colorado stone, and is situated on the 
 corner of two broad avenues. The congrega- 
 tion is wide awake, and thinks much of its rank 
 in the Colorado Conference. The population 
 of Manitou is 1,000. This place is, in our opin- 
 ion, the finest health resort in our great West- 
 ern world. It is situated at the foot of Pikes 
 
284 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Peak, and has the famous effervescent soda 
 and iron springs. Visitors are permitted to 
 drink all the mineral water they desire and to 
 carry away at each visit a quart of the health- 
 giving draught. At each spring a boy is sta- 
 tioned with a large ladle, and he courteously 
 waits on all who come either for drink or for 
 a quart allowance. 
 
 The attractions near the Manitou, varying 
 from one to seven miles, are : Manitou Grand 
 Caverns, Cave of the Winds, Ute Pass, and 
 Rainbow Falls, Red Canyon, Crystal Park, Gar- 
 den of the Gods, Glen Eyerie, Monument Park, 
 Seven Lakes, North Cheyenne Canyon, and 
 possibly the most famous of all, Summit of 
 Pike's Peak. The height of Pike's Peak is 
 14,147 feet, and is never entirely clear of snow. 
 Three members of the United States Signal 
 Service Corps live on the Peak continually. 
 There is a cog railway line that carries pas- 
 sengers up daily at a cost of $2.50 per round 
 trip ; the fare has been as much as $5.00. Off to 
 the left of the iron spring, situated at a consid- 
 able height, are two prominent rocks called 
 "Gog and Magog." We do not promise that the 
 visitor to them will get any light thrown upon 
 the rather mysterious passage in the "Rev- 
 elation" bearing these names, but we can as- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 285 
 
 sure him that he will have a tedious journey 
 and will be surrounded by that which is grand 
 and beautiful in nature. 
 
 Nestling upon the hill-sides on every hand 
 and at the base of the mountains, are resi- 
 dences of unique design ; some are private and 
 others are boarding houses for the accommo- 
 dation of those who come seeking pleasure, 
 recreation and health. 
 
 And now onward to Pueblo, which someone 
 has called "the Pittsburg of the West," not 
 at all counting Pittsburg as a western city. 
 The population of this city is 25,000, and they 
 are an interprising set. This, at least, is the 
 reputation that it bears. Our party did not 
 stop here, but we were met at the train by 
 our able and enterprising pastor, Rev. S. W. 
 Byrd, who seemed to -anticipate the appetizing 
 effect that the mountain air would have upon 
 us, and so he brought a large basket full of 
 food prepared especially for the occasion. It 
 is needless to say that we enjoyed the repast, 
 and that elder Byrd deserves and has our most 
 hearty thanks. I might as well say now that 
 our company consisted of Bishop and Mrs. 
 Handy ; Rev. P. A. Hubbard, wife and daugh- 
 ter : Mrs. Fanny J. Coppin and the editor of 
 the REVIEW. The bishop, of course, was 
 
286 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 at the head of the company. Brother Hub- 
 bard was general manager and we gladly ac- 
 knowledge his efficiency as such. The ladies 
 were the indispensibles to the comfort and the 
 happiness of the party, and it remained for 
 the REVIEW man to gather a few items for 
 publication. On our return from the coast 
 the Bishop and wife stopped at Pueblo, and he 
 reports the church-work here as being in good 
 condition. We have one church and parson- 
 age at this point and an active membership. 
 
 The run over the Denver and Rio Grande, be- 
 tween Pueblo and Leadville, may be called 
 the scenic portion of this route. The natural 
 beauty of the country is in many instances 
 simply beyond description. The train halts 
 at Canyon City, which is a point of consider- 
 able interest, health and pleasure resort, and 
 a business center. But the name reminds the 
 traveller that he is soon to enter that grand 
 canyon of. the Arkansas, the narrowest por- 
 tion of which is known as the Royal Gorge. 
 Here nature and art meet, and fairly vie with 
 each other in stupendous work of beauty and 
 wonder. The daring civil engineer has fol- 
 lowed the river in its meanderings, and con- 
 tended with cliff and boulder until he has made 
 a roadbed for his train. Such an accomplish- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 287 
 
 ment seems at a glance to be impossible; it 
 is only the stubborn fact that the road bed 
 is actually there that compels one to acknowl- 
 edge the possibility of such a feat. All pas- 
 sengers are at the windows and upon the 
 platform, if not in the observation car when 
 this Gorge is entered. Lower and lower the 
 train seems to sink, while the dashing, foam- 
 ing river rushes by in wild fury. Higher and 
 higher the almost perpendicular mountains 
 rise, until the highest peak looks down from 
 a distance of three thousand feet upon the 
 train below as it cautiously carries its pre- 
 cious cargo. There comes over one a feeling 
 akin to reverential awe as he passes through 
 this wonderful path chiseled out by the hand 
 of nature; as he views the granite cliffs upon 
 which tree or shrub never grows, and up which 
 even the aboriginal grizzly cannot climb. With 
 silence or with abated voice the traveler pass' 
 es through this wonderful scene. 
 
 Leaving the grand Can yon our next im- 
 portant stop was Leadville. If there are a 
 people in the great West who are nothing 
 wanting in their ability to entertain strangers, 
 they are found at Leadville. Representatives 
 of the Mechodist Episcopal and Baptist church- 
 es white turned out with our people to 
 
288 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 welcome and entertain us. Father Rice holds 
 the fort at this point. He is an old pioneer 
 workman out here, and all delight to do him 
 honor. But "how doth the city lie desolate 
 that was full of people !" On our arrival here 
 the city was fairly wearing the badge of 
 mourning. The depreciation of the value of 
 silver had closed the mines and smelters. It 
 is to be remembered that Leadville is the rich- 
 est mining district in the State of Colorado. 
 
 It was Leadville that made Denver the 
 great rich city that it is. Lead, silver and 
 iron are its chief products. When we are in- 
 formed that in less than twelve months this 
 place rose from a small hamlet of less than 
 fifty inhabitants to a city of thirty-five thous- 
 and population, we can easily imagine the 
 wealth of the mines that drew so many for- 
 tune seekers. The total value of Leadville 
 smelting industry for 1892 is given at $11,509,- 
 643.37. When silver went down and the mines 
 and smelters closed, three thousand men were 
 put out of work who had been averaging three 
 dollars per day. The people out here are in- 
 tense bimetalists, and if there is but one met- 
 al used as a legal tender, they prefer the white 
 metal. When we were asked for our opinion 
 upon the silver question, we referred them to 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 289 
 
 the REVIEW for July, 1893, in which is Mr. 
 Fortune's able article on "Free Coinage." 
 
 The West, Colorado especially, will suffer 
 greatly if the monetary condition of the 
 country remains much longer as it is Aug- 
 ust 25th, 1893. But we have good hope that 
 the extraordinary session of Congress will 
 bring relief. Bimetalism seems to us the only 
 solution. We need gold, silver and paper to do 
 the commercial business of this country, and 
 of the world, and any attempt to lessen the 
 volume is sure to give trouble. The South 
 and West evidently knew previous to the last 
 national election that their chosen standard 
 bearer was not in sympathy with the financial 
 plank of the platform promulgated at the Chi- 
 cago Convention. But if it were of doubtful 
 interpretation then, it is evident now that the 
 Democratic Party is a house divided against 
 itself. 
 
 The next point of interest to mention after 
 leaving Leadville, is Salt Lake City. Of this 
 historic city and the mystic Salt Lake, our 
 readers have had a description in a previous 
 number of the REVIEW. Suffice it to say 
 that Salt Lake City was founded by Brigham 
 Young, the great Mormon leader who went 
 out to Utah in 1847, and that it now ranks 
 
290 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 among the first-class cities of the far West. 
 When application was made to the United 
 States to make the territory of Utah a State, 
 the people found that a barrier stood in their 
 way, and that was the practice of plural mar- 
 riages, which seems to be the principal thing 
 in the religion of the "Latter Day Saints." as 
 the Mormons are wont to call themselves. 
 They are now forbidden by the United States 
 to celebrate any more plural marriages. This 
 prohibition was almost a death blow to the 
 Mormon church at this place, and the result 
 is that many are seeking other quarters. Nev- 
 ertheless, they are still a strong and impor- 
 tant element in Salt Lake City. The Temple 
 that was begun in 1853 was finished in April 
 1893. Forty years were employed in erecting 
 the building. Only members of the church 
 are permitted to enter it. All the public ser- 
 vices are held at the Tabernacle, which ac- 
 commodates 8,000 people. 
 
 The A. M. E. Church has a flourishing con- 
 gregation at this point, and manages to give 
 the bread of life to the church-going "Afro- 
 American," as they do not take kindly to the 
 Mormon religion. Our party spent a day and 
 night at this point. Visited "Saltair," the 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 291 
 
 grave of Brigham Young, and other points of 
 interest. 
 
 Ogden, a city of 15,000 population, is about 
 twenty-five miles from Salt Lake City, and 
 is the last city in Utah, going West. Here the 
 tourist changes from the Denver and Rio 
 Grande train to that of the Southern Pacific. 
 The distance from Ogden to San Francisco is 
 883 miles, and the route is picturesque, his- 
 toric, beautiful. 
 
 Promontory, a small place that the travel- 
 ler would pass by without imagining that 
 there was anything to be seen worthy of at- 
 tention, is a place of more than ordinary his- 
 toric interest. At this point, on Monday, May 
 10th, 1869, the Union Pacific Railroad, building 
 West, and the Central Pacific building East, 
 met. The news was immediately flashed all 
 over the world that the great Trans-Conti- 
 nental Railroad of America was finished. The 
 golden spike was driven by the late Senator 
 Leland Stanford. 
 
 The run through Nevada has many points 
 of interest. In the "Desert" there are many 
 towns ; and passing beyond the Valley of the 
 Humbolt, we come to the "Lake Region," 
 where are the Humbolt. Carson, Mud, Winne- 
 muca, Pyramid, and Walker's Lake. 
 
292 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 The highest point reached in the .Sierra Ne- 
 vadas is at Summit, where the elevation is 
 7.017 feet. Perhaps the most famous point is 
 Cape Horn, which is sometimes referred to 
 as the scenic wonder, where the train rolls 
 around a mountain side upon a bed that was 
 hewn there by men who were suspended from 
 the mountain side by ropes till they cut a 
 foot-hold. 
 
 Sacramento, the Capital of California, is our 
 next stop. Here is a population of over 32,000 
 and this is a beautiful city. The African 
 Methodist Episcopal Church is the only "col- 
 ored" church there. We spent a night and 
 day here, and the good people gave us a hearty 
 welcome, placing at our disposal the comforts 
 of their homes, and showing us around the 
 city, taking in the various points of interest, 
 including the capitol. 
 
 Passing by Oakland without stopping, we 
 at last reached San Francisco, the spot toward 
 which we had been looking for many days. 
 Our first surprise was to witness that almost 
 all the houses are frame ; but this, the people 
 say, is from fear of earthquakes. We have 
 not heard of one in "Frisco" for a long time, 
 but the people prefer to be on the safe side. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 293 
 
 Since this writing the city has been visited 
 by an earthquake. 
 
 We spent several days here, visiting Oak- 
 land frequently, which is just across the river. 
 The city is quite hilly, and the cable-car sys- 
 tem is in general use. Chinese are here in 
 large numbers ; they live together principally, 
 their district Chinatown, as it is called em- 
 braces several blocks. Cheong Sue, our guide 
 through Chinatown, says that a few years 
 ago there were 80,000 Chinamen in San Fran- 
 cisco, but now he thinks there are not more 
 than half that number. They are quite in- 
 dustrious, having stores and shops of every 
 description, besides being engaged in the wood 
 and coal business, and various other vocations. 
 But they do not seem to adopt the American 
 way of living. They hold their citizenship in 
 China, and send their money there in large 
 sums. 
 
 Our guide informed us that he had lived in 
 this country for more than thirty years and 
 seemed quite willing to end his days here, but 
 he was not willing to cut off his "pigtail" nor 
 dispose of his opium pipe. 
 
 Sutro Height, just above the "Cliffs," is a 
 point of special interest in "Frisco." Here a 
 wealthy gentleman, of Jewish extrac- 
 
294 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 tion, Adolph Sutro by name, has the most 
 beautiful home and private park and home 
 that we have ever seen anywhere. Flowers of 
 every description, almost every imaginable 
 design of growing flowers, beautiful walks, 
 statuary, and even a managerie are here, and. 
 the place is kept in perfect order by a number 
 of men who are constantly employed. In ap- 
 proaching the garden, one is met by a floral 
 design, growing on the hillside, with the fol- 
 lowing words: "Welcome to Sutro Heights." 
 The park is open constantly to the public, and 
 no tourist to San Francisco is willing to leave 
 until he has visited this most beautiful place. 
 
 Descending the hill from Sutro Heights, we 
 come to the Cliff House, where a good view 
 is had of the Seal Rocks, upon which are hun- 
 dreds of seals, or sea lions. These animals 
 go out into the ocean and feed, and then return 
 to the rocks and rest. The largest one is call- 
 ed Ben Butler, and he can be easily distinguish- 
 ed from the others on account of his enor- 
 mous size. 
 
 A few steps down from the Cliff House, and: 
 we stand upon the shore of the Pacific Ocean, 
 and the journey is complete. 
 
 There is an A. M. E. Church in San Francis- 
 co and one in Oakland. Both are situated on* 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 295 
 
 prominent streets. The congregation at San 
 Francisco needs a new building and under 
 the leadership of Rev. E. T. Cottman, who has 
 just taken the charge, we may hope to soon 
 see the good work under way. 
 
 On returning, we visited Marysville, a small 
 city less than a hundred miles from "Frisco." 
 Bishop B. F. Lee, was holding Conference 
 here. Here we had an opportunity to meet 
 the members of the California Conference 
 which was indeed a great pleasure. Our work 
 is not large out there. Our people have not 
 gone out in large numbers and many who 
 have gone partake largely of the gold-hunt- 
 ing spirit, and do not make much of church 
 life. A resident Bishop is greatly needed, and 
 Bishop Lee is arranging to spend much of his 
 time there. 
 
 After spending a week most pleasantly at 
 Marysville, our party started for home in good 
 health, well pleased with the trip, and with a 
 good deal less money in our pocketbooks than 
 we had when we started out. The journey 
 homeward was a pleasant one. A part of the 
 company was left at Pueblo : a part at Denver, 
 .and the rest continued their journey to Omaha, 
 
296 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Nebraska, where with Rev. H B. Parks and 
 family we spent a few days most pleasantly. 
 
 Elder Parks is one of our strong young men, 
 and is successfully managing the affairs of 
 the church at this point. He is held in high 
 esteem by the "Ministers' Association," and is 
 the only colored member of it. 
 
 Leaving Omaha, we stopped at Chicago, 
 only long enough to change cars, then contin- 
 ued our journey to the City of Brotherly Love, 
 which we reached August 31st. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 My Election to the Bishopric 
 
 Four years is not really a long period of 
 time, though under certain conditions, even 
 four hours may seem long. With me the per- 
 iod between 1896 and 1900 had been a very 
 busy one. I had again become quite interested 
 in the work of the pastorate, preaching, rais- 
 ing money and doing general pastoral work. 
 Bethel was alive and as active as a bee hive. 
 Our first big rally had set a new record in rais- 
 ing money for local purposes, and it was our 
 ambition to make some new records for the 
 general church. Our first drive in this particu- 
 lar was for the support of foreign missions, 
 and but for the friendly rivalry of Dr. W. D. 
 Cook, at New York, I might have had an easy 
 victory. As it was I barely led with a hun- 
 dred and seventy-five dollars for the Easter 
 offering. 
 
 (297) 
 
298 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 No one appreciates defeat; and I having 
 been defeated at the last General Conference, 
 was anxious to let the Church know that I was 
 still very much alive. Certain friends were 
 insisting upon it that I must "make the race" 
 again for the Bishropric. 
 
 The politician who is out for office has a 
 way of saying: "I am in the hands of my 
 friends," he, himself, being altogether the 
 most interested friend into whose hands he had 
 fallen. But here was a case where certain 
 friends had made my cause their own. I could 
 name several whose names would be very fa- 
 mailiar to many readers who took an active 
 part in making up the necessary majority 
 vote. I shall not call many names, lest it 
 might seem to be making invidious distinctions 
 between other friends who were loyal in their 
 support. But there is one name that I may 
 call with propriety, and without giving offense 
 to any one. It was generally conceded that I 
 did not have fair play at the '96 Conference. 
 Not because I was defeated, but because the 
 defeat was accomplished by foul means. I 
 feel all the more free to say so. because the 
 fact is generally known by those who were 
 present. When several fabrications were re- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 299 
 
 sorted to without seeming to answer the pur- 
 pose, the cry was raised by one inventive 
 genius whom I afterward had a chance to be- 
 friend: "He hates Southern men." And then 
 boastingly said : "That will get them." It did. 
 But the falsehood was so plainly apparent it 
 could not continue to deceive. That it could 
 have deceived at all was a mystery to me. I, 
 myself, a Southerner by birth, as were my 
 parents, and all my immediate family, and I 
 think we all have our share of that quality of 
 heart called patriotism, and say of our native 
 State, "With all its faults, I love it still." 
 Father and mother sleep in southern soil. My 
 mother, who spent her latter days with me in 
 Philadelphia, requested, like Joseph, that her 
 bones should be carried home for interment, 
 and that request was cheerfully and religiously 
 carried out. 
 
 And besides, the most of my travels for the 
 eight years preceding the Conference of '96 
 had been in the South, where I met and made 
 friendships with our Church leaders. Knowing 
 them I came to admire them. Taken as a 
 whole, a grander set of men and women 
 cannot be found anywhere in the Church. I 
 received many favors from them, and when- 
 ever an opportunity afforded, was glad to re- 
 
300 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 ciprocate. There I met the older men who were 
 leading the forces. A Leak ; an "honest John 
 Turner"; a Stringer, a Brooks; a Robinson; 
 a Goodloe, and Coffee; a Quarterman; Cole- 
 man and Moore; a Thomas and Wall; a Lof- 
 ton and Sherman ; a Frazier ; a Tyree, a Bry- 
 ant ; a Sterrett ; a Mixon, just then coming to 
 the front ; a Gardner, whose son of his old age 
 should be taken up by the Church and edu- 
 cated; an A. M. Green, mighty in debate; a 
 Herbert and Johnson, and Handy; a Jimmer- 
 son and Reynolds: a Nichols and Williams, 
 and Chavis ; a Bradwell, with Flipper just tak- 
 ing leadership among the younger ones ; with 
 "Link" Gaines and "Archie" Carey leaving the 
 schoolroom for the regular work they are in 
 evidence now. The list is a long one, and 
 only a few are mentioned. Besides, a host of 
 younger men, who have since taken their 
 places in the front ranks, many of whom I 
 had the pleasure of examining, coaching, and 
 otherwise assisting. 
 
 Dalton, Ga., was the first place visited by me 
 as a General Officer, and from there year by 
 year, I went the rounds, mostly in the South- 
 ern Conferences, for there I got the largest 
 subscription list for the Review, the Columbia 
 (S. C.) Conference leading them all. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 301 
 
 When my turn came for promotion, I felt 
 quite secure among my newly-made friends, 
 and "the boys." But, "while we slept, an 
 enemy sowed tares." Never mind that now. 
 It is simply recorded as unwritten history, 
 which may be read with some degree of inter- 
 est by those who have not a perfect knowledge 
 of some of the things that were crowded into 
 the last years of the last departed century, as 
 it relates to African Methodism. 
 
 The sting of defeat, not simply for the want 
 of votes, but so evidently by conspiracy, made 
 me unwilling to have my friends again bring 
 me forward, and I said as much to certain of 
 them. But there was one friend who, under- 
 standing perfectly the causes which led to de- 
 feat, was determined to meet the foe again 
 in 1900, and declared in very emphatic words, 
 that my refusing to run would be a greater 
 disappointment and humiliation to my friends, 
 than to run, and even suffer another defeat. 
 That was enough for me, for I so valued the 
 friendship of Bishop W. J. Gaines, that a de- 
 feat would be less painful to me than for him 
 to feel that I had, on account of cowardice or 
 false pride, deserted the cause of my friends. 
 in the midst of the battle. 
 
302 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 I stuck close to my work for three years, 
 writing an Occasional Letter to the Recorders, 
 and, a part of the time, by the request of 
 Bishop Arnett, editing the "Christian En- 
 deavor Visitor." At the same time keeping up 
 a correspondence with certain friends while my 
 honored and valuable friend, Bishop Gaines, 
 was "sowing by all waters" and permitting 
 no opportunity to pass which gave a chance to 
 get in a word for "my friend Coppin." So 
 many persons since my election have told me 
 how Bishop Gaines explained to them why 
 things happened as they did at Wilmington, 
 in '96, and won them actively over to his cause. 
 
 When it became evident that I was again 
 looming up and that men who actually as- 
 sisted in my defeat were declaring that I 
 should be vindicated in 1900, an attempt was 
 made to again compass my defeat by bringing 
 out my friend Dr. J. A. Johnson as a candi- 
 date, and thereby, not only divide my strength, 
 but bring about confusion among my friends. 
 But here the author of this new scheme reck- 
 oned without his host. Might just as well 
 have asked Jonathan to betray David into the 
 hands of Saul. The prompt reply, with a ver- 
 itable Johnsonian emphasis, was "I will not 
 be a candidate for anything so long as Coppin 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 303 
 
 is a candidate." What next? The foe must 
 take the field and fight like a man, which was 
 his perfect right, but, fight an honorable bat- 
 tle. 
 
 I resolved to make one visit, only one, to 
 some center, and I chose the North Georgia 
 Conference. Bishop H. M. Turner presided. 
 I had two reasons for selecting this place. 
 First, it was the home of Bishop Gaines, and 
 he would be present; and secondly, I wanted 
 to again meet, face to face, some of my old 
 friends whom I met when I first went to the 
 far South, and among them, the strong and 
 intrepid Flipper, who, if he at all espoused a 
 cause, was a host within himself. Here then 
 would be the advantage if the North Georgia 
 trip succeeded: if the presiding bishop became 
 favorably impressed, with Dr. Flipper and 
 Bishop Gaines, there would be three distinct 
 forces in action, in the stronghold of African 
 Methodism. 
 
 Bishop Turner gave me a hearty welcome. 
 The men, my old-time friends a host of 
 them manifested much enthusiasm. Young 
 Fountain, a new voice lifted, said: "We boys 
 are going to stand by you, just as we propose 
 to stand by Dr. Flipper later on." Bishop Tur- 
 
304 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 ner was "on the giving hand." He first asked 
 me to take the afternoon service. That was 
 not the best for me, though any service was 
 good. I wanted to get before the people in 
 .general, and my special friends in particular. 
 It was Saturday afternoon, Bishop Turner call- 
 ed me to him, and said: "I want you to take 
 my appointment and preach tomorrow morn- 
 ing." I somehow felt that the suggestion was 
 from above, and at once I left the Conference, 
 and went to my room at the home of my 
 friend Bishop Gaines, and asked for grace to 
 enable me to fill that appointment, to the glory 
 of God, and the edification of the people. 
 What a glorious presence of the Divine Spirit ! 
 
 When all was over and the service dismiss- 
 ed, Dr. Flipper extended his hand with a word 
 of congratulation, and requested to see me 
 privately in the lecture room : ominous re- 
 quest ! The tete-a-tete between us is still un- 
 written history. Suffice it to say the conver- 
 sation proceeded with frankness, and was 
 pleasant, and "Joe Flipper" and I are still the 
 old friends that we were when I first visited 
 Georgia taking subscriptions for the Review, 
 preaching, lecturing and singing: "The Church 
 is moving on." 
 
 A few months later the General Conference 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 305 
 
 < 
 
 met at Columbus, Ohio. I led my delegation 
 from the old Philadelphia Conference. There 
 were two candidates from the same Confer- 
 ence, Dr. C. T.Shaffer, Secretary of the Church 
 Extension Society, and myself. Such a con- 
 dition sometimes assures the defeat of both 
 aspirants. But, in this case, both were elect- 
 ed, together with Drs. E. Tyree, M. M. Moore 
 and C. S. Smith. 
 
 When the votes were counted, it was found 
 that Drs. Tyree, Moore and Smith had the 
 required numbers, and Dr. Shaffer and I were 
 some votes short. There were two Shaffer 
 brothers present and some votes just read 
 "Shaffer" and were thrown out, they were 
 neither for "Cornelius," nor "George" Shaffer : 
 but, by counting the rejected ballots for C. T. 
 Shaffer, he would have the required number. 
 His friend, Bishop Grant, who was presiding, 
 suggested that the thrown out ballots be 
 counted for "Cornelius" Shaffer; but my 
 friend, Bishop Gaines who was on guard, ob- 
 jected to such an unusual course of procedure, 
 and only yielded upon the condition, that if 
 the Conference agree that the rejected ballots 
 be counted, the chairman would entertain a 
 motion, that the rules be suspended, and L. 
 J. Coppin elected by acclamation. This being 
 
306 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 agreed to, the motion was put to count the 
 thrown out ballots for Dr. C. T. Shaffer. Im- 
 mediately Dr. W. D. Chappelle obtained the 
 floor, and moved for the suspension of the 
 rules, and the election of L. J. Coppin by ac- 
 clamation : the motion was carried unanimous- 
 ly. But some one raised the point the next 
 morning that the Discipline provides that such 
 an election should be by ballot. So, notwith- 
 standing the vote was unanimous, it was de- 
 cided, that to remove any question of legality, 
 the Secretary of the Conference be author- 
 ized to cast the vote of the Conference for L. 
 J. Coppin. This was agreed to also without 
 any objecting voice. So, I was elected twice, 
 which seemed to all quite sufficient. 
 
 The question is often discussed, what makes 
 one a Bishop, the election or the ordination. 
 I think it is quite correct to say, it requires 
 both performances to complete the work. 
 Surely no one would be consecrated, or or- 
 dained to an office for which he had not been 
 elected. On the other hand, to neglect the in- 
 duction into the office without the spiritual 
 "setting apart," would rob the whole pro- 
 cedure of its sianctity, and make it unbiblical. 
 There may be a difference, even if only what 
 might be called a technical difference between 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 307 
 
 ordination and consecration. Any consecration 
 is an ordination, but every ordination may 
 not be technically a consecration. Certain 
 disciples at Corinth had believed, and been 
 baptized, or. set apart by baptism. But when 
 Paul passed through he inquired as to whether 
 or not they had received the Holy Ghost, and 
 found that they had not ! They had been bap- 
 tized unto John's baptism, but there is a Holy 
 Ghost Baptism. The former is legal, the latter 
 spiritual. The former is by man the election 
 if you will the latter of God. The former 
 may or may not have divine approval ; the lat- 
 ter is necessary even when the former is ap- 
 proved of God. 
 
 As for me, I was anxious about my conse- 
 cration. The building of the Temple was by 
 divine plan and arrangement ; but, when Solo- 
 mon dedicated it, a cloud filled the house ! God 
 accepted it. It was about this "acceptance" 
 that I was anxious. A good deal of the "hu- 
 man" had entered into the election ; of this I 
 was well aware : all of which may have been 
 necessary. It seemed to have required preju- 
 dice, jealousy and spite, to get Joseph down 
 into Egypt, but God wanted him there. We 
 all have our choice of persons to perform 
 certain rites, as baptism, and marriage; even 
 
308 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 burial of dead. And when it comes to being set 
 apart to a holy office or function, all the more 
 one might have a preference of person to per- 
 form the service. But, it is a rule with us, that 
 our Bishops act according to seniority in or- 
 daining Bishops. So I, like the rest, simply 
 took my turn and was ordained by the next 
 Bishop in order. This did not altogether 
 satisfy the longing of my soul, tho I made my- 
 self satisfied. Perhaps it was better to be that 
 way, for the selecting of some one, could have 
 been construed as the rejecting of some others. 
 But, that Godly woman; veritable saint, 
 Amanda Smith, was on the ground. O, how I 
 did wish that she might bow with me in pray- 
 er, and offer me to Him whom she knew so 
 well, and who had so wonderfully answered 
 her prayers, and blessed her work. But, how 
 could this be brought about? So, I finally 
 banished the thought from my mind, and went 
 to my wife and informed her that I was now 
 ready to go home for dinner ; ; when to my 
 surprise, but delight, she said: "would you 
 object to my inviting sister Amanda Smith 
 home to dinner with us?" We had at our 
 boarding house a suite of rooms, for the pur- 
 pose of privacy. There, in that "calm retreat," 
 we three, away from the crowd and noise, and 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 309 
 
 "congratulations :" there with God ; alone with 
 God, bowed in prayer. Amanda Smith prayed. 
 I still feel to be under the influence of that 
 prayer. It was indeed a prayer of consecra- 
 tion, and it seemed to me, "that heaven came 
 down our souls to greet." I then felt satisfied, 
 and especially so, because, what I desired had 
 seemingly come by divine interposition. 
 
 For a long time I had desired to see Africa, 
 our "Mother Land." I say Mother Land, be- 
 cause, the amalgamations Americana that 
 slave conditions brought about gave us so 
 many American fathers, that should such off- 
 springs go to Africa, it certainly would not be 
 going to Father Land. But be this as it may, I 
 wanted to see Africa, the land of Ham. But 
 it was far away. Much farther a few years 
 ago than it now is. If one would go to Africa 
 simply on a visit, it would prove to be rather 
 expensive, requiring much time and money, 
 neither of which I had at my command to 
 spare in amounts so large. So, like many 
 other desires that possessed me from time to 
 time, I had about decided to abandon the hope 
 of ever standing upon African soil. 
 
 At this Conference, five Bishops were elect- 
 ed, a larger number than at any previous 
 election. The object was, to extend our work 
 
310 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 to South Africa. We had for some time been 
 on the West Coast ; but now, by a visit by 
 Bishop H. M. Turner to South Africa, the 
 "Ethiopian" Church had been brought into the 
 African Methodist fold. How peculiarly some 
 things work out ! Call it chance, call it provi- 
 dence; or, say, it just happened. Prophecy said 
 the Christ would be born in Bethlehem : Caesar 
 Augustus who knew nothing about the proph- 
 ecy, and cared less, issued a decree, levying 
 a tax upon his subjects which sent Joseph and 
 Mary to Bethlehem. A cornet that had been 
 wandering, world without end, as comets will, 
 got back into our solar system just in time to 
 send some superstitious star gazers to Jerusa- 
 lem to search prophecy to find out if it at all 
 pointed to any thing that might be connected 
 with what they thought a phenomena. If 
 they looked for the Christ, the records at Je- 
 rusalem said "Bethlehem," and to Bethlehem 
 they went. And so, it "happened," that the 
 "stork," the taxation ; the royal decree as to 
 time for collecting ; the return of the comet ; 
 the decision of the "wise men" to go just at 
 that time to Jerusalem, all converged to this 
 centre. What a remarkable coincidence ! But 
 that is just the way that things do sometimes 
 so strangely happen ! Well, it so happened, 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 311 
 
 that I was elected at a time that the Church 
 was about to extend its work in Africa. This 
 was the opportunity for me to realize my fond- 
 est dream. Five Bishops were elected, but 
 who will go to Africa? As quick and as ear- 
 nestly as Isaiah, I said: "here am I, send me." 
 I hastened to make the request, and the Epis- 
 copal Committee was not slow to grant it. 
 That Committee was only too glad to find one 
 who wanted to go, and that one was only too 
 glad of the chance. So here again was a co- 
 incidence. 
 
 I asked to be sent to South Africa. This* 
 field has both its advantages and 'disadvant- 
 ages compared with our work on the West 
 Coast. First, the climate is temperate compar- 
 ed with that of the West Coast, at Liberia and 
 Sierra Leone, which are under a torrid sun. 
 But here, in South Africa is the language diffi- 
 culty. True, Cape Town, the headquarters of 
 our work, has been so long under English rule, 
 that the courts and schools are principally car- 
 ried on in English: the trading the same. But 
 even in Cape Town: "little London," we are 
 obliged to hold Church services in the Dutch 
 and native languages. But when you go out 
 of Cape Town, "up the country," you are among 
 either Dutch or native people altogether, and 
 
312 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 unless you can speak their language, you must 
 have an interpreter. 
 
 Cape Town the Cape of Good Hope was 
 settled years ago by Dutchmen, who made 
 wives of the Hotentot women, the Hotentots 
 being the Native people who inhabited the 
 Cape. This Dutch, and Native union produced 
 the "Cape Colored people," and the Hotentot 
 tribes were crushed out or pushed back : the 
 Dutch, and not the native language is still 
 spoken by these descendants of mixed blood 
 parentage. Previous to the English occupa- 
 tion, was all Dutch. With the subjugation of 
 the Dutch, "it became Dutch and English. The 
 Dutch people, dominant in numbers and in 
 material possessions, forbade the Colored con- 
 tingent to speak English. So, we have the 
 unusual condition of Colored Dutchmen : "Col- 
 oured" as the English people spell it. Those 
 who live right in Cape Town are obliged to 
 be able to make themselves understood in 
 English ; but, just a very few miles outside of 
 this City of nearly a hundred thousand popula- 
 tion, there are colored people who cannot 
 :speak a word of English. 
 
 Between my appointment to the 14th Epis- 
 copal District of the A. M. E. Church and the 
 day of sailing. I filled some lecture engage- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 313 
 
 ments, as means of collecting some funds to 
 assist in the work over there. Of course the 
 subject of my lectures was : "Africa," or "South 
 Africa," or "The Dark Continent." It is amaz- 
 ing, how much one can say upon a subject that 
 he knows absolutely nothing about. But are 
 there not books upon every imaginable sub- 
 ject? Yes, verily: "of making many books, 
 there is no end." I soon collected a small 
 library on various phases of Africa, its peoples, 
 etc. Those books contained a great deal of 
 information, but most of them contained also 
 many errors. This is such a large, interesting 
 and important subject, that it is difficult for 
 either a white or colored writer to avoid be- 
 ing influenced by prejudice. The white man 
 sees the African full of faults and deficiencies, 
 which may be true ; but certainly not all of the 
 truth: while the colored man, in trying to cor- 
 rect the misrepresentations so apparent, may 
 incline to the opposite extreme. In the books 
 I read, I saw much about the Kafirs, and so, 
 supposing that they were the principal tribes 
 among whom I would have to work, I inform- 
 ed myself concerning them, and lectured about 
 them before leaving America. 
 
 Now imagine my mortification when I found 
 that there was no such tribe on the continent 
 
314 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 of Africa. The word originated among the 
 Mohammedans, and meant, something like 
 ''infidel :" one outside of the faith : no refer- 
 ence to race at all except for the fact that it 
 was the Native people of a certain place who 
 were thus referred to . It finally came to be 
 used opprobriously, just as in America the 
 word "nigger" is used. 
 
 Just imagine my chagrin, when, in conver- 
 sation with a Wesleyan white minister on 
 the boat between Southampton and Cape Town 
 I informed him, with much confidence and 
 zest, that I was on my way to South Africa, 
 to labor among the "Kafirs," and he, with a 
 sarcastic retort, replied: "there are no Kafirs 
 to labor .among." It was a "home blow." I 
 could not reply. I had only "read" about them. 
 From what I afterwards learned about the 
 gentleman and his work among the Natives, 
 I think he must have enjoyed the shot that 
 took my breath. We were accused of "sheep 
 stealing" for, after the advent of our Church, 
 the Native people would leave their former 
 Church relations with the white people, and 
 come to us. It mattered not how vehemently 
 we refused to receive them, and try to explain 
 that our mission was only to such as had no 
 Church home. One old lady at one of the 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 315 
 
 places where we were being importuned to 
 organize, said: "you may bring your Church 
 here, or not, but I will never step my foot 
 inside of another white man's church so long 
 as I live." The fact was, they felt to be com- 
 ing to their own, and for more reasons than is 
 necessary for me to here name. 
 
 Some time ago I received a letter and be- 
 fore speaking more about things in South 
 Africa, it may be of interest to the reader to 
 have it appear here: 
 
 MacCameline, Hall, 
 Lower Providence, Pa., 
 February 19, 1916. 
 Rt. Rev. Levi J. Coppin, D.D.: 
 
 Dear Bishop : I've been intending to write to 
 you for a long while my appreciation of the 
 candor, simplicity, force and naive genuineness 
 with which you tell the story of your travels 
 and experiences in South Africa, while in charge 
 of missions of your 'Church. In your book which 
 Mrs. Ballentine and myself have read with great 
 and unique pleasure, unique pleasure, I say. For 
 it is rarely one can read a book such as yours, 
 and rely implicitly on the statement of every 
 detail. The question so often rises: Is that so? 
 Mustn't that be taken with a grain of salt? 
 Isn't he prejudiced in that judgment? Isn't he 
 showing the effect of race prejudice? 
 
316 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 But in your book the atmosphere breathed 
 through every line is so genuinely that of a 
 Christian scholar and gentleman, every word 
 carries conviction in itself. 
 
 And so, My Dear Bishop, I remain as ever 
 your old friend and schoolmate (and I'm glad 
 to be able to write myself so). 
 
 PRANK SCHELL BALLENTINE, 
 
 Editor American Bible. Author "Fundamen- 
 tal Facts of Life," etc., etc. 
 
 The book referred to is a previous publica- 
 tion, entitled : "Observations of Persons and 
 Things in South Africa." 
 
 I cannot find words to express my joy at 
 being privileged to go to Africa. Stand upon 
 its soil, view the land with my own eyes, and 
 not simply with the eyes of others through 
 the printed pages of books : breathe its air, 
 whether healthful or poisonous, and know for 
 myself: see and mingle with its people, from 
 the raw native, nude, or in clout or blanket, 
 to the highly civilized man who had passed 
 through mission schools and English schools ; 
 a Dr. Edward W. Blyden, standing upon a 
 platform in Philadelphia, U. S. A., with 
 American scholarship at his feet, listening 
 with breathless silence to his critical inter- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 317 
 
 pretation of Arabic, as he told from his stand- 
 point the story of Islamism. This personal 
 presence in Africa, not on a flying trip as 
 a "Globe Trotter." but as a resident among 
 the people, gave me an opportunity to see and 
 know men, who, unlike Dr. Blyden, were not 
 international characters, with cyclopedic pedi- 
 grees : men who had never been beyond their 
 native soil, but who, like Blyden, could think, 
 speak, read and write, in several languages 
 besides their mother tongue. 
 
 I was holding a Conference at Cape Town, 
 to which representatives of various tribes had 
 come, to meet the annual session and report 
 their work. 
 
 There was one from the Bechuanas, who, 
 although we already had two interpreters, one 
 for the benefit of the Dutch speaking mem- 
 bers, and one for the Sikosas, who also spoke 
 for other tribes when requested to further ex- 
 plain, could not understand what was going 
 on. So, he rose up in his place and com- 
 plained. The interpreter, after comparing, or, 
 analyzing in exchange a few expressions pro 
 and con, reported that the brother from Be- 
 chuanaland complained that as there was no 
 one interpreting in his tongue he might as 
 well go home, as he did not understand any- 
 
318 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 thing about the business of the Conference. 
 Upon obtaining this information I decided that 
 we must have another interpreter, even if for 
 that man alone. Whereupon, a young native 
 man by the name of Sinamela, said : "You need 
 not multiply interpreters : if you desire it, I 
 will interpret for all of the various tongues 
 that are here represented." The suggestion 
 was acceded to, and Rev. S. H. Sinamela was 
 appointed Conference Interpreter. Other na- 
 tive men in our work, who had up to that time 
 never been out of Africa, could stand on their 
 feet and hold conversation Simultaneously in 
 English, Dutch and two or more of the native 
 dialects : such men as M. M. Mokone , Isaiah 
 Sishuba; J. Z. Tantsi ; H. R. Ngcayiya ; C. M. 
 Sebeta; Benjamin Kumalo, and many others. 
 Then there were many who are not of pure 
 native blood, but of native tongue, and take 
 the condition of the native. Some of those 
 mixed bloods have become more or less promi- 
 nent in national and tribal affairs. It may not 
 be generally known that one John Dunn, fre- 
 quently referred to as a Zulu chief, was an 
 Englishman of unmixed blood. When I say 
 unmixed, I mean, from all appearances. His 
 children by the native women take the condi- 
 tion of their mothers, and are "Natives." 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 319 
 
 Adam Kok was a mulatto, though a mighty 
 native chief. Dr. Abdurahman is a Malay, his 
 wife an English woman. Hadje Ben Hassen 
 is an East Indian. 
 
 Indeed, many persons, some of whom are 
 educated and wealthy, would be representa- 
 tive in any civilized community, but, not being 
 Europeans, they are, well, either Negro, or 
 colored, or Afro-any-thing-under-the-sun ; 
 since they are all the product of the various 
 nationalities and race varieties that live on the 
 big, and yet but half known continent. 
 
 Then, there are native men of pure blood ; 
 yes, I mean who come straight down from 
 Ham, who are unmixed with Shem or Japheth, 
 who have grown up outside of "civilization," 
 and never saw a "school," who have become 
 strong leaders among their people; who have 
 organized and held them together; who have 
 taught them statecraft; given them some 
 kind of religion and a very decided moral code. 
 Bastardy and theft is seldom known among 
 the native peoples before reached, influenced 
 and dominated by modern civilization. Be- 
 fore civilization comes in and by force sT:ops 
 capital punishment, the father of an illegiti- 
 mate child, will, upon conviction, be beheaded. 
 As to the "nameless crime," it is nameless 
 
320 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 and unknown among the uncivilized natives. 
 Missionaries, who would play upon the cre- 
 dulity of those from whom they hope to re- 
 ceive larger donations for work in "poor, be- 
 nighted Africa," sometimes tell a story about 
 reaching fellow missionaries women, as well 
 as men, remember just in time to save them 
 from being eaten by cannibals may God for- 
 give them but it will be of great importance 
 to note, that no missionary has ever said: 
 "We got to them just in time to save the men 
 from being murdered and the women from be- 
 ing raped." However willing a sensational and 
 unscrupulous missionary might be to misrep- 
 resent facts in order to make out a good case 
 for more liberal giving, not one will venture 
 his reputation upon such a falsehood as that 
 would be. And yet, have you not read in the 
 columns of your paper, a comment upon the 
 rape habit which said: "His old native or 
 heathen habit returned, being in the blood." 
 I say again, and without fear of successful 
 contradiction, that the "nameless" crime is 
 practically, not to say absolutely unknown by 
 native people who know nothing of our civili- 
 zation (?) With many the first suggestion of 
 the possibility of a woman being forced was 
 when a slave-holding master forced a fellow- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 321 
 
 slave woman. A case in point. It was in 
 November, 1903, that I left Aliwal North- 
 Cape Colony for Mafeteng, Basutoland. Our 
 pastor there had built a neat little Church, 
 and knowing that I was to visit Basutoland, 
 he planned to have the church dedicated dur- 
 ing my visit. My trip and the dedication were 
 published months ahead. There were no rail- 
 roads in Basutoland were not then and so, 
 it requires some time to get news through the 
 country. No opportunity was left unimproved 
 to advertise this church dedication : and that,, 
 too, by a "Bishop from America ;" but more 
 still, a Bishop of our race variety. Our minis- 
 ter there, Rev. Paul M. Shupinyaneng, is ener- 
 getic and alert, and had planned to have a big 
 crowd. He was not disappointed. When the 
 day came they were there from far and near. 
 Some had come as far as a three days' jour- 
 ney on horseback. Both men and women are 
 expert in horseback riding out there. 
 
 Among those who came from a distance oa 
 horseback was a white girl from a far-away 
 mission station. A pure white English young 
 girl, daughter of the missionary at the place 
 from which she came. She, too, was curious 
 to see a colored Bishop. She made the jour- 
 ney alone, except for the company of her 
 
,322 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 pony and little dog, whose feet became so 
 sore from the long 1 distance over the rough, 
 rocky roads, that she had to dismount and 
 take him up and carry him in her arms as she 
 rode. She was at the parsonage when I ar- 
 rived, and told me the story of how she came 
 to be in Africa, and of her long journey to the 
 dedication; how she would travel all day and 
 stop over at night at a native village. 1 asked 
 her if she were not afraid to make the jour- 
 ney alone. With a look of surprise, she asked, 
 \vhat would she be afraid of. Immediately 
 seeing my mistake, I switched off, and sug- 
 gested that she might have been exposed to 
 wild beasts. But she said all the wild beasts 
 had been killed and driven back from those 
 parts long ago ; a thing that I knew very well, 
 for I had informed myself of that fact before 
 taking the journey myself. I was glad to 
 change the subject and begin talking about 
 mission work. Her parents went to Africa 
 when young. Their children were born there, 
 and this young woman had never been out of 
 the country. She was educated in her father's 
 mission school, and could speak the native as 
 well as the English language. I was glad to 
 drop, and get away from the subject "fear," 
 ^because I was quite ashamed to let her know 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 325 
 
 that I came from a country where the morals 
 of the people are such that it might not be 
 safe for a woman, a young* woman, to travel 
 out in the open three days alone. I venture 
 the guess, that she had never heard of a 
 woman being outraged. 
 
 My business upon arriving at Cape Town, 
 was to have my church recognized as such,, 
 according to the laws of England, which are 
 in force in all English colonies. Any denomi- 
 nation can hold religious services, and do 
 purely religious work, but no minister can 
 solemnize a marriage without obtaining per- 
 mission from the Government. Of course,, 
 people do not want to belong to a church 
 whose ministers cannot perform a marriage. 
 
 Rev. I. N. Fitzpatrick had preceded me to 
 Cape Town before my election as a mis- 
 sionary sent by Bishop H. M. Turner, and had 
 applied for Government recognition for our 
 Church but failed to obtain it. I went, quite 
 prepared to meet the demands of the Govern- 
 ment so far as credentials from my church and 
 from my government were concerned, and 
 so I lost no time in presenting myself at the 
 office of the Colonial Secretary. I am sure 
 the reader will be interested in knowing just 
 how the English people proceed in such mat- 
 
324 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 ters, and so, I herewith submit the corre- 
 spondence that is of record at the Colonial 
 Office at Cape Town, South Africa. 
 
 Colonial Secretary's Office, 
 Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, 
 March 26, 1901. 
 The Right Rev. Bishop Coppin, 
 
 A. M. E. Church, Cape Town: 
 My Dear Bishop : 
 
 On the 26th of February last, the Rev. I. N. 
 Fitzpatrick addressed a communication to the 
 then Prime Minister, reporting that he had been 
 deputed to come to South Africa, (a) to confer 
 with Government, (b) to endeavor to explain the 
 true position of the African Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, and (c) to report on return to the Grand 
 Conference of 1900. 
 
 The interview was held on the 2nd of March, 
 and Mr. Schreiner desired thereat, preparatory 
 to recognition in this Colony, that the Church 
 should be domiciled here, and have, on the spot, 
 some fully competent authority such authority 
 being vouched for by the chief United States 
 Government official of the State he comes from, 
 and he noted as essential the production of proof 
 of educational qualifications on the part of those 
 "ordained or set apart" for whom recognition as 
 ""Marriage Officers" might be sought. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 325 
 
 Further, to quote from a letter he subse- 
 quently (3d idem) caused to be addressed to 
 .Mr. Fitzpatrick, the Prime minister stated: 
 
 It is of course well known that the African 
 Methodist Episcopal Church of America pos- 
 sesses in that country a substantial organiza- 
 tion, the ramifications of whose operations ex- 
 tend, you report, to Canada, the West Indian 
 Islands, and West Africa, and Mr. Schreiner 
 wishes you to understand that this Government 
 does not oppose the extension to the Cape 
 Colony of the legitimate work of that denomi- 
 nation. 
 
 The Government takes a broad view of the 
 case, and concludes that as the status of the 
 Rev. M. Dwane, who claimed to be the Bishop 
 and ecclesiastical head in South Africa of the 
 African Methodist Episcopal Church, has not 
 yet been affirmed to the satisfaction of the 
 Government, and it is understood that his con- 
 nection with the African Methodist Episcopal 
 Church in that alleged capacity has ceased, the 
 full recognition of the African Methodist Epis- 
 copal Denomination as a Church organized and 
 working in the Colony, within the meaning of 
 the Marriage Order in the Council of 1838, has 
 not been demonstrated to be yet due. 
 
 Under these circumstances and seeing that 
 the Conference, whose avowed object is to place 
 the disputed matter on a legal footing, is timed 
 to assemble in two months, there appear valid 
 reasons for deferring such recognition until the 
 
326 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 organization and working of the Church is. 
 placed upon a formal basis in the Colony, with 
 the approval and sanction of the General Con- 
 ference. 
 
 Now you have deposited with the Govern- 
 ment the following documents, viz. : 
 
 1. Diploma of introduction (signed 7th Janu- 
 ary, 1900, by the chairman of the Bishops' Coun- 
 cil and the Secretary) certifying that Bishop L.. 
 J. Coppin, D.D., is assigned to the Fourteenth 
 district, and appointed to the supervision of our 
 Church work in all of South Africa ana else- 
 where. It is noted, however, that in your letter 
 of the 16th, inst., you explain that 1901 was 
 meant as the date of the year. 
 
 2. Certificate, 14th January, 1901, from Secre- 
 tary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 
 stating that the African Methodist Episcopal 
 Church is a corporation under the laws of the 
 State. 
 
 3. Authentication by Secretary of State of the 
 United States No. 2. 
 
 4. Certificate, 14th January, 1901, from Secre- 
 tary of State of Ohio, that Trustees of the Af- 
 rican Methodist Episcopal Church were incor- 
 porated on 25th June, 1900. 
 
 5. Authentication by Secretary of State of 
 the United States of No. 4, and the Colonial 
 Secretary feels satisfied that you have thereby 
 the documentary requirements imposed by the* 
 Prime Minister in 1900, and he desires me to in- 
 timate to you that the African Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church (whereof you are a Bishop with. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 327 
 
 -local oversight) is from the 12th of March, 1901 
 the date of your interview with myself 
 recognized by Government as a "Church" with- 
 in the meaning of the Marriage Order in Coun- 
 cil of 1838. It will be clearly understood, that 
 Mr. Graham has no intention of discussing 
 question already disposed of by Mr. Schreiner, 
 and that consequently, no local ordination to 
 the Church effected prior to that date will be 
 -accepted as valid for the purpose of the Mar- 
 riage Order in Council. 
 
 It will be necessary from that date, that the 
 fact of any ordination by yourself of any per- 
 son as "Minister" be notified to this office in 
 writing for record. 
 
 I am, my Lord Bishop, your Lordship's obedi- 
 ent servant, 
 
 NOEL JANISH, 
 Under Colonial Secretary, 
 
 for Colonial Secretary. 
 
 The reader will discover by reference to the 
 'last paragraph in Mr. Janish's letter, that all 
 ordinations made previous to the 12th of 
 March, 1901, were null and void by this act of 
 recognition, 'and such persons though pre- 
 viously ordained could not be made marriage 
 officers either by me. or by any of my suc- 
 cessors in office. Such persons could exercise 
 -all other ministerial functions, or, even be 
 .re-ordained. 
 
328 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 We were a happy set in Cape Town and' 
 elsewhere in South Africa when this civil 
 recognition was obtained. This, however, 
 was only for Cape Colony, the fight for like 
 recognition throughout South Africa con- 
 tinued, and was not obtained for the Trans- 
 vaal, Orange River and Natal Colonies until 
 1910, under the administration of Bishop J. 
 Albert Johnson. 
 
 My four years' administration in South 
 Africa, 1900 to 1904, was busy and full of in- 
 terest to myself, and I trust not altogether 
 without profit to the native and mixed people 
 of the place and to the A. M. E. Church. 
 Some few incidents connected with my work 
 in South Africa will be noticed in a subsequent 
 chapter. 
 
 The General Conference of 1904 met in 
 Chicago, and at its close I was assigned to the 
 Seventh Episcopal District, consisting of 
 South Carolina and Alabama. These are both 
 African Methodist strongholds. Both have a 
 Church school. In South Carolina it is Allen 
 University, and in Alabama it is Payne Uni- 
 versity. Both schools are taking on univer- 
 sity proportions since they were organized. 
 In both cases large additions of land have 
 been added to the original sites : additional 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 329 
 
 buildings erected, curriculum of studies en- 
 larged and improved, and the faculties 
 strengthened. It just happened to have been 
 under my administration that these additional 
 lands for school purposes were secured both 
 in Alabama and later in South Carolina. To 
 secure them was quite a burden at the time 
 but had they not been secured then, it would 
 now be a much greater burden, if not an im- 
 possibility. A school may start on a small 
 scale, and develop into a university, but not 
 on an acre of ground. The A. M. E. Church 
 had its birth in a blacksmith shop, and the 
 denomination was connectionally organized in 
 an unpretentious rough-cast building, but in 
 extent, it is nearly world-wide, and has some 
 church edifices that do credit to any city or 
 denomination; some built from the founda- 
 tion up, and others purchased from other de- 
 nominations. 
 
 Our Metropolitan Church at the Capital of 
 the Nation, planned and built by us, is said to 
 be the largest audience room in the District 
 of Columbia. The building is paid for. Our 
 '"Bethel," at Baltimore, purchased from the 
 Episcopalians, at a cost of ninety thousand 
 dollars, could not be built for two hundred 
 thousand without the organ and furniture, 
 
330 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 which would cost over fifty thousand more. 
 The main building is quite as large as the 
 Metropolitan at Washington, and has, in ad- 
 dition, a two-story chapel 'in the rear of the 
 main building and facing another street. The 
 building is paid for. The way the congrega- 
 tion of Bethel (Baltimore) came together, 
 under the magnetic leadership of its pastor, 
 himself a Marylander, and gathered more than 
 seventy thousand dollars in two years, and 
 more than doubled the membership, and won 
 the esteem, applause and practical co-opera- 
 tion of the citizens without regard to denomi- 
 national affiliation, constitutes a new record in 
 African Methodism, and so far as we know, is 
 without a parallel in race enterprise, either as 
 it relates to church or state ; i. e., religious or 
 secular activities. 
 
 At the close of the General Conference, 
 which met at Norfolk, Va., 1908, I was assign- 
 ed to the Second Episcopal District, which 
 consisted of North Carolina, Virginia, the 
 District of Columbia, and Maryland. Four 
 years later, when the General Conference met 
 at Kansas City, Kansas 1912 I was returned 
 to the Second, and before the quadrennium 
 closed a vacancy occurred in the Seventh Dis- 
 trict, which consisted then of South Carolina 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 331 
 
 -only, and I was by the request of the rep- 
 resentatives of the district, appointed to fill 
 the unexpired term. This made the second 
 time that I had the privilege and pleasure of 
 serving 1 South Carolina, the State that has 
 produced the largest number of African 
 Methodist Bishops. The State that is second 
 only to Georgia in its number of African 
 Methodist members, and second to none in 
 loyalty and devotion to the cause of "Man- 
 hood Christianity." The State that produced 
 the pioneer educator of the race, and the 
 pioneer missionary-chaplain that followed in 
 the wake of Sherman "From Atlanta to the 
 Sea," and organized African Methodism. It 
 seems scarcely necessary to say that I refer 
 to Daniel Alexander Payne and Henry Mac- 
 Neil Turner: both of whom became Senior 
 Bishops in the Church which they served so 
 long and so faithfully. 
 
 I always had a desire to preside over the 
 Sixth Episcopal District, partly because 
 Georgia was the first state in the far South 
 that I visited after entering public life, and 
 partly on account of such a large number of 
 personal friends. But, the path of duty can- 
 not always be marked out ahead. Georgia 
 has been well cared for in general superintend- 
 
332 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 ency, and has gone on multiplying Confer- 
 ences and members in which respects it is 
 without a peer in the family of African Meth- 
 odism. 
 
 It will be seen, that for sixteen consecutive 
 years my field of labor was entirely in the 
 South. My first District being under the 
 Southern Cross for four years, and the other 
 twelve years, in Alabama, ISotuth Ca/rolina, 
 North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland, "My 
 Maryland," where I first saw the light. 
 
 In looking over this territory, one will be 
 surprised to see the number of men, produced 
 in such a short time, who have shown super- 
 ior strength in different ways. Some as stu- 
 dents who have really developed a respectable 
 degree of scholarship. Some as preachers who 
 reached a mark above the average. More still 
 as organizers, leaders of men, Church build- 
 ers, founders of schools, and evangelists, by 
 whose efforts as revivalists, thousands have 
 been gathered into the Church, and have "con- 
 tinued steadfast in /the Apostles doctrine." 
 Some became well known, others, scarcely 
 known beyond the narrow limits of the states 
 in which they worked. But all the same, 
 mighty men of valor. The world will never 
 refer to them as educators, for instance; for 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 333 
 
 they were not known as such, and according 
 to the established meaning of the word, they 
 were not. Yet, many of them have been re- 
 sponsible for the education of more persons 
 than the average man who occupies the chair 
 as teachers. They were determined to give 
 to others, advantages which they themselves 
 were denied. They have raised tens of thous- 
 ands of dollars for the education of the youth. 
 They have put their own children thru the 
 schools, and many who, not having children 
 themselves, have labored just as hard for the 
 education of the children of others. Many of 
 them, who, tho without education, could make 
 most eloquent and convincing appeals for the 
 cause. 
 
 I am reminded as I write of the late Laza- 
 rus Gardner of Alabama. He was always the 
 popular speaker on "Educational Anniversary" 
 in the Conferences. His English (?) was the 
 most unique and purely original, I think, that 
 an audience ever listened to. The charm of 
 his fiery eloquence, and pungent thrusts that 
 moved his audience to action, consisted prin- 
 cipally in his violation of every known rule 
 governing the English language. He could 
 use some of the most "cross-legged" relative 
 pronouns that it is possible for a combination 
 
334 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 of misplaced words to bring" together. But 
 no matter how he combined his words, he 
 would, with a wit all his own consciously 
 or unconsciously drive the truth right home, 
 and carry his point. 
 
 Bishop Grant had a way of introducing an 
 educated man to speak, saying he represented 
 the present generation of schoolmen. Then 
 he would bring out brother Gardiner as the 
 "representative of the past," and often to the 
 disadvantage of the first speaker. On one oc- 
 casion, when the Educational meeting of the 
 Conference in the interest of Payne University 
 was being held, which meetings always closed 
 with a collection for the School, he was not 
 on the program. The Committee had seen fit 
 to select two men of the Conference who were 
 from the Schools, and more fitly represented 
 the occasion. These speakers came forward, 
 each in his turn, and vied with each other in 
 showing what he knew 'about the general 
 cause of education, and how learnedly he could 
 give advice to the young men, and how beauti- 
 fully a sentence could be clothed in most 
 choice language. They both read papers ; and 
 each production was unduly long, especially 
 so, in consideration of the fact that an appeal 
 .had to be made for funds, which meant the 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 335 
 
 very life of the School ; and was, indeed, the 
 principal object of the meeting. As the speak- 
 ers proceeded, the audience became tired, list- 
 less and sleepy. At last, around about eleven 
 o'clock at night, the last speaker finished. In 
 the mean time "brer" Gardiner had been turn- 
 ing and twisting like a man who was suffering 
 from what is popularly known as a pain-in-the 
 stomach. The instant moment the last word 
 fell from the lips of the last speaker, brother 
 Gardiner was on his feet, with up lifted hands, 
 and voice, exclaiming, "Bishop !" When he saw 
 that he was recognized by the chair, and there 
 was no danger of some one else getting the 
 floor, he leisurely made a step or two toward 
 the presiding officer, and combining a pathet- 
 ic look with a cunning twinkle in his eye, which 
 secured the attention and interest of the house, 
 he, pleadingly said: "May I speak a word for 
 Payne?" The Bishop who fully took in the 
 situation, and was himself showing much anx- 
 iety, leaned forward, and with a humorous and 
 characteristic smile, said: "you may; for I 
 think it is about time that such a word was 
 said." That word was spoken. The other 
 speakers were forgotten, and a large contribu- 
 tion was laid on the table for "Payne ;" thanks, 
 
336 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 to the old hero, who had many a time saved 
 the day when the cause seemed about lost. 
 
 Rev. R. H. W. Leak tells a story about him- 
 self. When freedom was declared, the men 
 of thought and ambition, veritable leaders 
 among their unfortunate fellows enslaved like 
 themselves, gathered the people together for 
 various purposes. The subjects they consider- 
 ed arid the volume of business transacted soon 
 made it necessary to have a secretary to note 
 down their doings, and keep them straight up- 
 on what was transacted in previous meetings. 
 Well, as Mr. Leak had been making himself 
 very conspicuous in the meetings, some one 
 moved that he be elected secretary. He could 
 neither read nor write. But not willing to lose 
 his place as one of the leaders, he would not 
 decline the position. So, he sat down at the 
 table where stationery was provided, and with 
 pencil in hand appeared to be very busy. He 
 was indeed very busy listening, exercising, and 
 taxing his phenomenal memory, and planning 
 to "get by." At the close of the meeting, some 
 -one called for the reading of the minutes be- 
 fore the final adjournment. Mr. Leak sus- 
 picioned that it was some one trying to catch 
 him. But he was not to be trapped so easily. 
 ?He rose up, faced the audience, and held up be- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 337 
 
 fore him the paper that was supposed to con- 
 tain the minutes, and drawing upon his power 
 of memory, and exhibiting a courage and au- 
 dacity as remarkable as his memory, he read 
 (?) the minutes. When the meeting convened 
 again, the minutes were written out. and Mr. 
 Leak held his position as secretary. During 
 the whole of his active life, he was the leader 
 among the ministers of his State, and once 
 served, by an election of the General Confer- 
 ence, as Manager of the Book Concern. 
 
 It was during my second term on the Second 
 District that St. Peters Church on Druid Hill 
 Ave., and Lanvale St., Baltimore, was purchas- 
 ed as the new home of Bethel. The Bishop 
 of the District, L. J. Coppin; the resident 
 Bishop, John Hurst; and the pastor of the 
 Church. D. G. Hill, went on the judgment 
 note for fifteen thousand dollars, to obtain 
 the necessary money to bind the bargain. 
 The old Town Bank, of East Baltimore, made 
 the loan. 
 
 The Baltimore Conference as an Incorpor- 
 ated body, purchased several Church sites, an 
 Old Peoples' Home and a Cemetery. In such 
 unselfish public work, I think the Baltimore 
 Conference leads the Denomination. Under 
 the leadership of Bishop J. Albert Johnson, 
 
338 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 my successor, an effort is being put forth to 
 pay off the Conference indebtedness. With 
 such men as constitute the ministry of the 
 Conference to lead off in the work ; with Af- 
 rican Methodists of the original type to fol- 
 low, and, with the fact that the Baltimore 
 Conference is, in fact, the State of Maryland, 
 what may we not expect? 
 
 The Centennial General Conference, 1916, 
 met in Philadelphia : the only proper place for 
 it to meet. At the close of that Conference 
 I was assigned to the 4th Episcopal District, 
 which embraces, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, 
 Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, 
 South Dakota and Winnipeg, Dominion of 
 Canada. This is the first time in twenty years 
 that the whole of my District has not been 
 on Southern soil. 
 
 The centre of the work, and the centre of 
 attraction is Chicago : on the Lake : the 
 City of the West. But the whole of the Dis- 
 trict is most interesting. The blue grass of 
 Kentucky and its fine horses have advertised 
 the State to the world. \Vhiskey also came 
 in for a share of notoriety, but just now, the 
 bar rooms are closed: let us hope forever. 
 But the noble men and women are still there ; 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 339 
 
 and the blue grass, and the fine stock, and 
 the climate. 
 
 The A. M. E. Church undertook years ago 
 to maintain a school there ; but the State 
 gave better school facilities than we could; 
 and besides, Wilberforce is so near, so that 
 those who wished the addition of religious 
 training could go there. Consequently "Way- 
 man Institute was finally closed. 
 
 More than twenty-five years ago I visited 
 Kentucky "Old Kentucky" for the first 
 time. I was editor of the A. M. E. Review. 
 Bishop A. W. Wayman was holding a Confer- 
 ence at Covington. On account of the small- 
 ness of our Church tkere, the sessions were 
 held in the Church of a sister denomination. 
 While I appreciated highly the kindly feeling, 
 and spirit of brotherhood that apparently ex- 
 isted there, I thought, that if we needed a 
 Church Society there, we needed a building 
 large enough to do all of our Church work in. 
 One of the reasons I had for aspiring to the 
 Bishopric, was, that I might have a broader 
 field of opportunity, to accomplish some 
 things that I considered were much needed. 
 We are now building a representative Church 
 at Covington. Have just finished a splendid 
 one at Harrodsburg, and bought another one 
 
340 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 at Louisville. In other portions of the State, 
 also, new Churches have been built, or are 
 in course of erection. 
 
 I once visited Richmond, Va., the old Con- 
 federate Capital, and found that our Church 
 there that was once number one, occupying 
 a rather insignificant place among the large 
 and influential churches there. I decided that 
 if I ever got a chance, I would certainly en- 
 deavor to bring "Old Third St." back to her 
 former and proper place. The opportunity 
 came, and it is now in Class A. 
 
 Our work in the 4th District, embraces the 
 city where sleeps the dust of William Paul 
 Quinn, the pioneer Bishop of the West, who 
 was buried at Richmond, Indiana. At our 
 last Presiding Elders' Council, arrangements 
 were made to properly mark his grave. He 
 is buried in one of the public cemeteries, at 
 a prominent place along the main drive ; and 
 since Richmond has been sufficiently civilized 
 to make no discrimination as to his resting 
 place, it seems but our bounden duty to place 
 at the grave a stone that will be in keeping 
 with the prevailing monuments there. 
 
 The "World War" opened the way for a 
 general migration of our people from the 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 341 
 
 South to the East, West, and Northwest. 
 Chicago being a great industrial centre, many 
 thousands were induced to come there, even 
 to the extent of creating a housing problem, 
 with all else that would naturally follow such 
 a sudden influx of population, and that in such 
 large numbers. Not the least among the 
 things necessary to meet such a condition was 
 sufficient churches, and Christian workers, to 
 prevent the moral degradation that would be 
 sure to follow, if nothing in particular was 
 done to prevent it. Our Church was put to 
 the test like other Churches. We needed so- 
 cial workers in the different ramifications of 
 Sociology, which, while it was not at all for- 
 eign to routine church work, meant special 1 
 workers, more workers, larger means, larger 
 church buildings and more of them. It also- 
 meant that in the civic activities of so large 
 a city, the race had need to find some person 
 or persons, who could take the initiative in 
 looking after the interests of our people es- 
 pecially. The Hebrews, and other race va- 
 rieties looked after their people ; why not we ? 
 It is a fact worthy of note, and historical pre- 
 servation, that in the person of Dr. A. J. Carey 
 one of the ministers in Chicago, the A. M. E. 
 Church furnished the only Colored man to sit 
 
342 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 as Chairman of a Board of Exemption, any 
 where in the United States. Thousands of 
 white and colored men alike had to pass his 
 Committee. Illinois in general, and Chicago 
 in particular raised their quota of men and 
 money for the greatest conflict of human his- 
 tory: and there we were, with a representa- 
 tive strong and aggressive, to see to it that 
 ^a "square deal," equal opportunity, encourage- 
 ment and credit were given to one of the most 
 loyal units that make up America's Cosmopoli- 
 tan Citizenship. Fortunately, our pulpits of 
 Chicago and vicinity were ably filled at this 
 most important period of our history, and the 
 Churches were intelligently directed in their 
 legitimate work of caring for the soul without 
 neglecting the body. Our women led their 
 forces, gathering larger amounts than ever 
 before for purely mission work. The Y. W. C. 
 A. work, with one of our own girls, Miss Edna 
 Cook as the Secretary, took on new life, and 
 was among the active agencies for directing 
 young womanhood. Our Stewardesses and 
 Deaconesses, many in number, were alert and 
 aggressive in their work, and rendered in- 
 valuable service. The fact is, the whole ma- 
 chinery of the Church was operated vigorous- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 343 
 
 ly, and every department seemed to catch the 
 spirit of the times. 
 
 A recent report from the Chicago Churches,, 
 thru the Presiding Elder, covering the period 
 of active immigration, shows that five thous- 
 and, two hundred and sixty-four accessions 
 were made to the Chicago Churches alone. 
 Two new churches built, two bought, and five 
 new Societies organized. At the time this re- 
 port was handed in a movement was under 
 way to purchase two more Churches. These 
 figures show to an extent, the activities of 
 our Denomination in meeting the wants of 
 the new comers. With this, plus all the ac- 
 tivities of the other Denominations, notably 
 the Baptist and Methodist Episcopal, there 
 was still a large contingent to be caught by 
 the world forces ; and especially so because of 
 the "open door" privileges, compared to the 
 ostracism of the Southern sections of the 
 country, from which the influx of people 
 came. 
 
 The close of the present quadrennium, May, 
 1920, w r ill mark the forty- third mile stone of 
 my ministerial career, and the twentieth in 
 the Bishopric, In these pages of "Unwritten 
 History," the story of my life has been told 
 in a measure, and worthy deeds of many 
 
344 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 others, otherwise unknown to posterity, have 
 been narrated. The reader may have at least 
 the interest that can be had in reading a novel, 
 with the additional interest that may be pro- 
 duced by fact, versus fiction. There is noth- 
 ing startling, to start a youth off on a "Red 
 Rappo" dash, to achieve fame, commit mur- 
 der, discover a new world, or turn the old 
 one up side down. But in the simple narra- 
 tion of ordinary things about ordinary people, 
 there may be found some hints that may be 
 suggestive to some one who is earnestly seek- 
 ing to know what after all is really worth 
 while in life. Kingdoms, and thrones are 
 tottering, and falling. The head that wears 
 the crown is more "uneasy" than ever. The 
 old word Democracy is having a new inter- 
 pretation, even if more just now in theory 
 than in practice : but righteousness, justice, 
 sincerity, the Golden Rule, "naked" TRUTH, 
 unchanged in meaning or purpose: undaunt- 
 ed in their DETERMINATION to take their 
 rightful place in human affairs, lift their 
 voice, and ever cry; "be not deceived, God is 
 not mocked." 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 Domestic Bliss: With Shadow and Sunshine 
 
 I loved a maiden, fair and pure, 
 And could no ill foresee. 
 She was the idol of my heart, 
 And all the world to me. 
 
 And she, in love and confidence, 
 Laid bare her heart, so true. 
 Thus panoplied with love, we thought 
 We could the world subdue. 
 
 Alas ! poor simple-hearted pair, 
 With calculations large, 
 We hastened down to life's big sea 
 And launched our little barge. 
 
 The day was bright, the sea was calm, 
 The wind and tide were fair. 
 We hoisted sails and onward sped. 
 A joyous happy pair. 
 
 But soon a dreadful storm arose 
 Upon the treacherous sea. 
 And then we cried: "O cruel fate. 
 Canst thou so heartless be?" 
 
 (345) 
 
346 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 With two we started on the voyage, 
 With three the storm came on : 
 But when the darkness disappeared 
 Behold there was but one. 
 
 Here is the story brifly told: I wooed and 
 won Miss Martha Grinnage, a school teacher 
 of Wilmington, Del. Our marriage took place 
 in September, 1875. The marriage ceremony 
 was performed by the Rev. John F. Thomas, 
 by whom I was afterwards licensed to preach. 
 
 The stork seemed so impatiently solicitous 
 for our further happiness that he came on 
 scheduled time with our boy "Octavius Valen- 
 tine." 
 
 Octavius Valentine Cato, professor at the 
 "Institute for Colored Youth," was murdered 
 at the election polls about this time, and was 
 everywhere referred to as hero and martyr. 
 This accounts for the name of our first born 
 son, who might have otherwise been "junior." 
 Nine months after the birth of our boy, he 
 was taken from us by the cold, ruthless hand 
 of death ; and just eighteen days later his 
 mother followed. Thus, in the brief period 
 of eighteen months, my first matrimonial ex- 
 perience was brought to a close. Blessed 
 Mother ! A sweet spirit : bright of intellect : 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 347 
 
 away beyond her years in wisdom, prudence, 
 and all that goes to constitute noble woman- 
 hood. Patient in affliction, strong in faith, she 
 accepted her lot; gave up her babe with the 
 resignation of a Christian heroine, and with- 
 out a murmur surrendered her own life to 
 Him who gave it. 
 
 Mother and Child! "Earth is too rude for 
 thee ; Heaven will be glad of thee ; Come away 
 lovely ones, come to thy rest." 
 
 But, as for me ! I left Wilmington as quickly 
 as possible ; away from the scenes that recall- 
 ed a sadness, that overshadowed all the pre- 
 ceeding joys that the place could recall. 
 
 I was young and strong, of body, and 
 tried with all my heart to say: "Thy will 
 be done," and to seek more diligently than 
 ever to know His will concerning me. I can- 
 not describe the blow, and will not try. I 
 seemed stunned. I am glad that I had faith 
 in God, and felt that I could leave it all to 
 Him. I did not seek any other source of com- 
 fort, nor look elsewhere for direction as to 
 my future. I was teaching school at the time, 
 and had but a short time before this terrible 
 ordeal been licensed to preach. 
 
 With this new experience, I began to think 
 less of the school house, and more and more 
 
348 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 about the ministry. Every voice seemed to 
 call this way; every circumstance seemed to 
 point in this direction ; and the following 
 spring, by the leading of the divine Spirit, 
 and the advice of my pastor, Rev. John F. 
 Thomas, and Dr. B. T. Tanner, I joined the 
 Philadelphia Conference "on probation," and 
 began as stated elsewhere, my ministerial 
 career as City Missionary in Philadelphia. 
 This was the spring of 1877. 
 
 Up to this time I had not received any 
 special training in theology. I say special 
 training, meaning, that which takes up the 
 subject scientifically, with apriori, and apos- 
 teriori evidence : of things not seen with 
 homiletical and hermaneutical arrangement, 
 and discussion in sermonizing. I had been a 
 student of the Bible had read it from "lid 
 to lid." I once heard two old Methodist ladies 
 talking upon the subject of religion, preach- 
 ing, etc. One asked the other what Doctor 
 of Divinity meant. The reply was : "it means 
 Master of the Bible." How I wished that I 
 was a doctor of divinity ! And I never chang- 
 _ed my mind until I became personally ac- 
 quainted with a few of them. Mr. Moody 
 was not a D. D., he would not even permit 
 you to call him Reverend. Rev. Henry Ward 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 349 
 
 Beecher was a D. D., but everybody just said: 
 "Henry Ward Beecher/' The same thing was 
 true of Philips Brooks. Those names stood 
 for more than any qualifying letters or titles 
 that could be attached to them. The "Shu- 
 nemite" called Elisha: "Holy Man of God." 
 But he was a school man : I mean, he was a 
 theological school man, as was Henry Ward 
 Beecher, and Philips Brooks. The schools 
 systematize the work, and teach the student 
 how to find out the things that he wants to 
 know. Many a man, "a diamond in the 
 rough," has gone thru the schools, and come 
 out a "polished shaft." 
 
 So soon as I entered the ministry, I took 
 up the "Course of Studies" laid down in the 
 Discipline ; and Latin and Greek besides He- 
 brew and German later on preparatory to a 
 regular theological course which is spoken of 
 in another chapter. 
 
 I was hailed as a "single young minister:" 
 and in Philadelphia, both in my Mission and 
 elsewhere, there were a plenty of young girls 
 of marriageable age who might, upon a proper 
 presentation of the subject, have been induced 
 "to enter the ministry." But, besides a linger- 
 ing memory of one who, though "at rest," was 
 
350 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 entitled still to due respect, was a burning de- 
 sire to "make full proof" of the ministry. 
 
 My pastoral work was not very taxing, and 
 that gave much time for study. This was es- 
 pecially true of the first two years, while at 
 the Mission. Four years by due course, 
 brought one up to full fledged ministry. The 
 first two, as Licentiate, on probation : the next 
 two, as Deacon, full member of Conference, 
 but not in full orders. At the end of the fourth 
 year, if the student regularly passed the 
 classes, he was entitled to his ordination to 
 the Eldership. I made my four years course 
 in three years, but, by an understanding 
 which I had with myself upon entering the 
 ministry, I refrained from keeping company 
 with ladies during the full four years of the 
 usual probationary period. I did not see how 
 I could give much attention to a subject so 
 important and absorbing as that of : "Love, 
 Courtship and Marriage," and yet make the 
 progress in my ministerial work and studies 
 that I had planned. 
 
 Toward the close of the fourth year, A 
 Fair was in progress at the Masonic Temple 
 on llth St. It was being held in the interest 
 of the Christian Recorder, the oldest Negro 
 journal in America ; perhaps in the world. 
 

 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 351 
 
 Miss Fanny M. Jackson, Principal of the In- 
 stitute for Colored Youth/' was the prime 
 mover, and President of the Fair Committee. 
 Miss Jackson was a member of the Episcopal 
 Denomination, but was known to be public 
 spirited : and seeing that the Recorder was 
 hindered in its usefulness by being burdened 
 with debt, Miss Jackson got together a num- 
 ber of friends of various denominations, and 
 resolved to raise some money for the "Book 
 Concern" and Recorder. 
 
 A correspondence was kept up thru the Re- 
 corder columns for some months. Contribu- 
 tions of articles of any kind suitable for a 
 Fair were solicited. More than a thousand 
 dollars were cleared by the effort, and handed 
 over to the Manager, Dr. H. M. Turner. 
 Speaking from memory, I believe the amount 
 was about seventeen hundred. 
 
 This Fair brought the people of the different 
 denominations together as never before. 
 Philadelphia whether to its -credit or not 
 had the reputation of being, cold, stiff, con- 
 servative. Many who were born in Phila- 
 delphia belonged to the "Quaker City So- 
 ciety," an (organization that only those of 
 Philadelphia birth could join. Some who, tho 
 thus qualified, would not join, because this 
 
352 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 would put them into close social relations 
 with some whom they would not ordinarily 
 associate with. As to the Church people, while 
 there was not any visible, or, open denomina- 
 tional hostility, the most part found enough 
 to engage them at their own Churches. 
 
 African Methodists easily led in the number 
 of members. Here the independent movement 
 by Richard Allen, began and the sect multi- 
 plied. Bethel was the "old fireplace." Thither 
 the crowds went ! Then Union, and Campbell 
 Chapel, and Mount Pisgah, and Zion were 
 lusty daughters, with "Little Wesley'' and a 
 number of smaller bodies were of promise. 
 St. Thomas was the mother Episcopal Church, 
 with Crucifixion a mission, where Miss Jack- 
 son held membership, and sang on the choir : 
 an attractive alto voice. 
 
 Miss Jackson, a graduate from Oberlin Col- 
 lege, with "gentleman's course," had made an 
 innovation by becoming the Principal in a 
 High School, that graduated its pupils in 
 Greek, Latin and Higher Mathematics. Octa- 
 vious Cato, a teacher in the scientific depart- 
 ment informed the Managers of the Institute 
 that he would not teach under a woman. The 
 Managers declined to consider his objection, 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 353 
 
 and he, like many a wise man, changed his 
 mind. 
 
 Miss Jackson was not only the recognized 
 scholar among school teachers, but gained a 
 reputation of being a platform speaker with 
 few equals even among the other race varie- 
 ties. These facts, backed up by an irreproach- 
 able character, gave her undisputed leadership 
 in all matters of race advancement. She was 
 the one person whom the whole city would 
 follow, even to the extent of forming an Un- 
 denominational Committee, for helping a de- 
 nominational enterprise. 
 
 The Fair had a popular following, and be- 
 came quite a social centre during the month 
 of its existence. 
 
 This was my fourth year in the city, and r 
 as fully explained in another chapter, I was 
 pastor at the Mother Church: as such, I felt 
 that whatever influence I had, and could bring 
 to bear upon my Church, should be used to 
 make the Fair a success. 
 
 I attended the fair night after night, and 
 every night : partly because it was in the in- 
 terest of our own Concern, and partly because 
 it had become a very pleasant place for peo- 
 ple, especially young people to gather. 
 
354 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Miss Jackson, a hard and constant worker 
 for the public good, was not a society woman. 
 She was conspicuously absent from the dance, 
 public and private, and from such delicate lit- 
 tle social features, as the "card parties" and 
 like evidences of social standing that the elite 
 of society people hold dear. She was just as 
 conspicuous for her presence, however, at all 
 public gatherings for social and moral uplift. 
 
 For reasons, evidently satisfactory to her- 
 self, she declined the company of gentlemen, 
 and was known to go and come anywhere, 
 and everywhere alone. 
 
 But here is a case, where she will be out 
 after midnight, night after night for a month, 
 and that, in a portion of the city where a 
 certain class of men and women could be 
 seen on the street at any late hour of the 
 night, or early hours of morning, and they 
 would not be attending prayer meeting either, 
 nor going to "the Fair." 
 
 To meet this new condition Miss Jackson 
 engaged the janitor of her school to see her 
 safely home from the Fair every night : to be 
 more exact, every morning. This was no part 
 of his duty as janitor, and he got extra pay 
 for it. My friend John S. Durham seemed to 
 know all about it, and explained the matter 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 355 
 
 fully to me. When I put the question squarely 
 to him, as to why Miss Jackson went to such 
 trouble and expense, he replied saying, that 
 it was because she did not accept the company 
 of gentlemen in a social way. 
 
 After we had discussed the matter a bit, 
 1 ventured the suggestion, on a wager from 
 my friend, that before that Fair closed, I 
 would have "John Williams" the janitor 
 ^dismissed, and take his place. 
 
 I had a sort of fondness for daring, any 
 way. When I was a boy, if I wanted to throw 
 "Aunt" Jemima Aunt Mirny into a nervous 
 fit, I would climb up the big tree in the vard, 
 and stand on my head on a limb. Or mount 
 an unbroken colt without a bridle, and let 
 liim see how fast he could run. Or fight a boy 
 twice my size. David, of all Bible characters, 
 -was my hero. In school, I always considered 
 that my place was at the head of the class. 
 In the ministry, had I not reached the Mother 
 Church in two years? Sure enough, I went 
 there by accident, but, how did I stay there? 
 I am free to confess, that I was shy of Miss 
 Jackson ; but it was not a matter of life and 
 death. A little mortification was about the 
 worse thing likely to happen. 
 
356 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 I made the- venture and succeeded. Mr. Wil- 
 liams once displaced, never got his job again.. 
 Before the Fair closed, I was seeing Miss 
 Jackson home every night : and more, was 
 having business with her during some of the 
 days : business pertaining to the Fair, of 
 course ! But, all the same, business that made 
 it necessary for me to call at the Institute 
 about the closing hour. The fact is, I became 
 interested in Miss Jackson, and she became 
 interested in me. She had a fixed course in 
 life, and stubbornly maintained it, until it be- 
 came a fixed habit. I dared to encounter her. 
 Perhaps she admired my courage. I .found 
 much in her to admire. Our coming together 
 was like the dropping of seed into the earth, 
 which grew. 
 
 Miss Jackson had a heart with a deep well. 
 How to reach it was the only question. It 
 did not appear upon the surface. Dazzling in- 
 tellect is what was seen and constantly spoken 
 of. But there was a heart, which, if once 
 reached, would pour out its love like a peren- 
 nial spring. Her intellect was great, but her 
 heart was greater. 
 
 We were married December 21, 1887, by 
 Bishop D. A. Payne, assisted by Rev. Henry L. 
 Phillips, in the 19th St. Baptist Church, W T ash- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 357 
 
 ington, D. C. My Bishop, her pastor and her 
 sister's Church. "At Home" 51 Centre St., 
 Baltimore, Md. At that time I was pastor of 
 Bethel Church, Baltimore, as the reader will 
 recall. It was but a nine days wonder, and 
 the people ceased to speak of the strange 
 thing that had happened : all, however, but 
 one crazy girl, named Carry Robinson, who 
 entered a suit against me for a breach of 
 promise. Her first lawyer died before the 
 case was called, as did also the second. The 
 third one employed tried the case, and lost. 
 "Last of all, the woman died." It is supposed 
 to have been a case of black mail : likely in- 
 spired by some one who did not appear on the 
 scene. Lawyer number three offered to com- 
 promise the case out of Court for three hun- 
 dred dollars. But I was obdurate. The plan 
 was to affect a compromise before the case 
 was called, and give me a chance to avoid 
 "embarrassing my bride." But, as I was in- 
 nocent, and my bride had confidence in me, 
 I concluded that the best thing to do, was to 
 clean up the matter root and branch. 
 
 During this marriage, I was pastor, and 
 editor of the Review, and wife remained in 
 the school room. There are two ways to 
 stop an automobile, viz., to slow down, or, to 
 
358 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 run the machine against a stone wall, or a. 
 tree. I desired that my wife should give up 
 teaching at once, but the school room habit 
 clung, and it seemed wiser to eliminate it 
 gradually. The A. M. E. Church had organ- 
 ized its women into a "Mite Missionary So- 
 ciety/'' the chief object of which was to foster 
 foreign Missions. The Churches organized 
 at will, held meetings monthly or quarterly,, 
 according to the inclination or activity ;of 
 those at the head of the Society. Many of the 
 Churches had no Missionary organization at 
 all. The money collected was used for the 
 work in Haiti, and West Africa. It was paid 
 out by the officers of the Mite Society that 
 raised it, thru the direction of the Home and 
 Foreign Society, with office at New York. It 
 was indeed a good and useful work that the 
 women of the Church were engaged in, but 
 the amount of money that was being raised 
 was inadequate to the needs, and was much 
 less than the Church properly organized was 
 capable of raising. Mrs. Coppin saw what 
 was needed to put new life into the societies 
 already in existence and also to create others. 
 When the General Conference met in Phila- 
 delphia, in 1892, Mrs. Coppin appeared at one 
 of the sessions with a constitution, which, if 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 359 
 
 adopted, and put into common use, was des- 
 tined to revolutionize the Mite work, by hav- 
 ing each Conference, a Conference Branch, 
 and at each Charge, an auxiliary Society, 
 whose officers should constitute the Confer- 
 ence Branch, and that more attention should 
 be given to the Home work. The General 
 Conference adopted the Constitution, and the 
 work sure enough took on new life, so that, 
 a single Conference now actually raises more 
 for Mission work than the whole Church 
 thru the women raised previous to 1892. 
 
 One of the reasons given by Mrs. Coppin 
 for not wanting to give up teaching at once,, 
 was, that she had begun a campaign in the 
 interest of Industrial Education. Her con- 
 tention was, that the only way for a Philadel- 
 phia boy Colored to get a trade, was to- 
 commit an offense for which he would be put 
 into the House of Correction. Even then, the 
 trades were few and all of a kind, such as 
 making brooms, and caning chairs. None of 
 the various industries of Philadelphia, a veri- 
 table industrial center, would take a colored 
 apprentice. This campaign w r as continued with 
 public speeches in Philadelphia and vicinity; 
 in Churches, and other places of public as- 
 sembly, until it became a real propaganda. 
 
360 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 Every body was pleading for Industrial as 
 well as Literary education for the youth. 
 
 The Managers of the Institute for Colored 
 Youth at last became interested to the extent 
 that the Institute grounds were enlarged, ex- 
 tending from Bainbridge St., thru to South, 
 and buildings were erected in which were 
 taught carpentry, brick masonry, plumbing, 
 plastering, shoe making, dress making, tailor- 
 ing, needle \vork and cooking. Inside of the 
 large building, a house would be erected, with 
 all the modern improvements, then, torn down. 
 From the Institute went classes of boys, dur- 
 ing vacation, and built rows of houses. There 
 were night classes for those who were beyond 
 school age. Men who were carrying the hod 
 learned to be stone masons. Some from those 
 night classes learned carpentry and became 
 contractors. 
 
 I think it is not generally known that In- 
 dustrial Education for Colored Youth had its 
 origin in Philadelphia and not at Tuskegee. 
 It is none the better for that, but, it is a his- 
 torical fact, and, perhaps, unwritten. 
 ( Another thing that Mrs. Coppin was always 
 anxious about, was a proper place for girls 
 to live, who came from other States and from 
 outside of the city to study at the Institute. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 361 
 
 She desired to have some kind of home that 
 might be under the supervision of the Insti- 
 tute management. Our own home was opened 
 for girls from South Carolina, North Carolina, 
 Georgia and Virginia. The number so increas- 
 ed, that a ten room dwelling next door was 
 rented as a girls' dormitory, and between that, 
 and a portion of our own home, we had as 
 many as fifteen girls at one time. Some of 
 them paid board that was before war prices 
 others were given a chance to do light house 
 keeping at the dormitory. We paid the rent. 
 W T e tried to follow up our dormitory girls 
 to see what they made of their lives. To my 
 personal knowledge some married College 
 Professors ; some ministers ; some remained 
 single and taught. I think they all did well. 
 They went out into the world with a feeling 
 that, on account of the influences by which 
 they had been surrounded, and the care be- 
 stowed upon them, they must give a good ac- 
 count of themselves. They became more or 
 less imbued with the ways and ideals of "Miss 
 Fanny" the name by which they still refer 
 to her. Of the hundreds of young women 
 who graduated from the "Institute," I do not 
 know of one who is not to some extent influ- 
 enced by the pecuilar moral and ethical train- 
 
362 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 ing received there. The Institute was not a 
 City school under Management of the Board 
 of Education, and for that reason the grad- 
 uates could not teach in Philadelphia, without 
 the City's certificate; but, in New Jersey, 
 Delaware and Maryland, Institute Graduates 
 could teach without further examination. The 
 fact is, the Institute carried a higher curric- 
 ulum than the City High Schools. 
 
 With the Industrial regime fully established, 
 Mrs. Coppin began to "slow down" prepara- 
 tory to giving up teaching. My election to 
 the Bishopric and assignment to South Africa 
 gave the opportunity to gracefully withdraw 
 from a work that had really become second 
 nature. I organized "Bethel Institute" at 
 Cape Town; Mrs. Coppin did not teach there, 
 but devoted her energies in organizing Mite 
 Societies, and training the "Native" and 
 "Colored" women for Christian work. She 
 went with me into the interior as far as thir- 
 teen hundred and sixty miles from Cape 
 Town; to the country of the late warrior 
 chief, Lobengula; into Rhodesia as far as 
 Bulawayo. 
 
 The natives and colored women of Africa 
 were delighted to have one of their sisters 
 from America to come over and be with them 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 363 
 
 in the formative period of their church work. 
 Africa is not unlike other portions of the 
 world in its habit of holding the women back. 
 The coming of Christianity everywhere marks 
 the beginning of woman's emancipation. 
 Christianity in Africa must not mean less. 
 
 It is a fact that one has pleasure in noting 
 with especial emphasis, that our African 
 women, though just emerging from the slav- 
 ery that is naturally entailed by the custom of 
 polygamy, are really enthusiastic Christian 
 workers. They so soon learn that Christian- 
 ity is not simply something to believe or re- 
 cite, but, something to be, and to do. 
 
 Bishop Johnson tells a story about his say- 
 ing to the women of one of his South African 
 Conferences, that he wanted them to raise a, 
 certain amount of money for missionary pur- 
 poses ; that is, to open new missions. They 
 answered that they would let him know the 
 next day, whether they thought they could 
 raise it or not. So, they had a season of 
 prayer and continued in the meeting all night. 
 
 They wanted that one of the buildings at 
 the Wilberforce Institute should be a memor- 
 ial; and so, they called it: The Fanny Jack- 
 son Coppin Hall. For this building ten thou- 
 
364 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 sand dollars were raised right there on the 
 mission field. 
 
 I returned from Africa in the Spring of 
 1904, and was assigned to the Seventh Dis- 
 trict, embracing South Carolina and Alabama. 
 Mrs. Coppin was then in declining health, and 
 could not accompany me through the whole 
 of the district, but did go through portions of 
 South Carolina. 
 
 Years of constant and strenuous work be- 
 gan to tell on an iron constitution that had 
 responded so faithfully to the call of duty. 
 For eight years, that unique personality, so 
 accustomed to be before -the public in every 
 racial and civic discussion, was practically 
 confined to the house. This confinement was 
 not caused by any organic troubles, nor any- 
 thing bordering on a lingering illness, but a 
 gradual breaking down of the constitution. A 
 lack of strength to engage in anything that 
 drew heavily upon the physical energies. The 
 mind was the last to succumb. It was, indeed, 
 a great blessing and source of happiness that 
 during this long period of enforced retirement 
 from physical activities, the mind should re- 
 tain its strength and vigor, so that the daily 
 papers, magazines and books, especially the 
 Bible, still held their charm; and also the 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 365 
 
 keenest interest was had in conversing upon 
 current topics. 
 
 A treatise entitled : "Reminiscences of School 
 Life, and Hints on Teaching" was produced 
 during this quiet period. It is not a preten- 
 tious, labored production : the story "reminis- 
 cences" is told in the simplest possible way, 
 and the "hints" are of the most primary and 
 practical kind. Any one who knew the author 
 well can see traces of that simplicity that 
 characterized her life. Herself a classical 
 scholar of acknowledged ability, preferred al- 
 ways to teach primary branches, with the ex- 
 planation that this was the formative period 
 of life and too much attention could not be 
 given to fundamental work. 
 
 This service closed a life of unusual activity, 
 of a most unselfish nature. One of the many 
 eulogies following her demise, sums up thus : 
 "For forty years she was the inspiration of 
 thousands. Her name was a synonym for 
 character, for high inspiration, for purity, for 
 thoroughness and for righteousness." 
 
 The end came January 21st, 1913. The 
 shadow again lowered over my home, after 
 a longer period of sunshine. This time, with 
 more life behind me than before me, making 
 a decision as to how to spend the remaining 
 
366 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 years that might follow, far more difficult 
 than when the first shadows passed. 
 
 Had my friend Bishop John Albert Johnson 
 been near at this sad moment I would not 
 have felt quite so much alone. Friends indeed 
 were near; and relatives, with abundant sym- 
 pathy to pour out without stint. 
 
 In this hour of loneliness and sadness rep- 
 resentatives of the Second District over which 
 I presided came in numbers. From North 
 Carolina, and Virginia, and Maryland, and 
 from the District of Columbia they came to 
 our home in Philadelphia. Telegrams and 
 letters numerous came. 
 
 At the funeral at Bethel Church, Dr. Henry 
 L. Phillips, friend and ex-pastor, suggested a 
 suitable monument, and one that of all things 
 the deceased would like, would be a scholar- 
 ship for struggling youth, seeking an educa- 
 tion. Following this suggestion a few friends 
 were called together for consultation, and a 
 "Fanny Jackson Coppin Scholarship" was In- 
 stituted, and afterwards incorporated under 
 the laws of the State of Pennsylvania, and the 
 Provident Life and Trust Company of Phila- 
 delphia, made the fiscal agent, to hold and in- 
 vest the funds, the interest of which alone 
 goes to sustain scholarships. 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 367 
 
 The movement was inaugurated by a gift of 
 one thousand dollars, which was followed by 
 smaller amounts. The thought was to get a 
 few thousand in hand and invested before giv- 
 ing out a scholarship ; and by continuing to 
 add to the principal, the interest would in 
 time become sufficient to sustain several 
 scholarships at a time. 
 
 Donations and bequests can be made at any 
 time, and it is to be hoped that the Fund will 
 grow into many thousands. 
 
 For a time I seemed to be up into the air. 
 This seems like a strange way to express it, 
 but what I mean is so difficult to express. We 
 had learned to live within each other. This 
 was especially true of the last eight or ten 
 years. Before this, both lives were so busy 
 that each could easily become absorbed in the 
 duty at hand. At the last, my "duty," and 
 privilege and pleasure, was to live alone for 
 her who had lived for so many ; and she, now, 
 unable to live the old life that was as broad 
 as humanity itself, could only live for and de- 
 pend upon one. 
 
 I comforted myself by deciding that how- 
 ever imperfectly lived, my life had amounted 
 to something. I had written a book on "The 
 Relation of Baptized Children to the Church," 
 
368 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 my pet subject from early life; and one on 
 "The Key to Scriptural Interpretation," the 
 subject that I had thought most about during 
 my ministerial life. I had been to Africa, and 
 realized my life's dream, and had even writ- 
 ten on "Observation of Men and Things in 
 South Africa." Why not stop right here? But 
 as comforting (?) as were those considera- 
 tions, they did not comfort. So, not knowing 
 what to do, I decided to do nothing. Just live 
 a "come day, go day" life. Do no harm, and 
 not be over anxious about doing any more 
 good. But this did not satisfy. Everything 
 about my life seemed so indefinite, uncertain, 
 unreal, "up in the air" like. That w T hich came 
 nearest being real was a cigar. I "took to 
 smoke." Thank God I did not take to drink. 
 I smoked by day, and by night, and got up out 
 of the bed and smoked. This began to tell 
 on my bodily strength. I would be tired in- 
 stead of being refreshed when morning came. 
 I did not enjoy reading, and only did such 
 work as I was obliged to do, and that just in 
 a sort of perfunctory manner. 
 
 A friend remarked that I needed companion- 
 ship at home. He meant well, but had I 
 spoken the first words that came to my mind 
 I believe he would not have thought well of 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 369 
 
 me. I felt stung at the remark. I was stand- 
 ing only a year from an open grave. 
 
 But I am more and more convinced that 
 Providence has much more to do with human 
 affairs than we are wont to acknowledge. 
 How suddenly, and, it would seem, mysteri- 
 ously a change in my course and in my feel- 
 ings came ! 
 
 I chanced to meet Dr. M. E. Thompson, a 
 practicing physician in Baltimore. Md. I 
 thought it so strange, that after a brief con- 
 versation with her, and that, too, upon the 
 subject of her professional work, I should be 
 unable to dismiss her from my mind after we 
 parted. If I should decide that the impres- 
 sion was only momentary, such a decision 
 would be proved false, by the fact that the im- 
 pression continued. Should I decide that it 
 was due to the interest I had in the subject 
 of our conversation, that, too, would be over' 
 ruled by the fact that I really thought noth- 
 ing more about the subject. An image fixed 
 itself in my mental vision, and in my thought. 
 An image that I could see with closed eyes. 
 A voice that I could still hear, though inau- 
 dible. A thought, evesdropping ever and anon, 
 no matter what other thoughts might engage 
 the mind. It would seem indeed that there 
 
370 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 was but one course to decide upon in such a 
 case, and that to harken to the persistent voice. 
 To return to the object of the lingering 
 thought, and try to discover the cause of its 
 obstinacy. This I could not get the consent 
 of my own, real mind, to do. My own pur- 
 pose and thought seemed quite different from 
 this interloping thought, that came of itself, 
 and was neither asking permission to stay, 
 nor direction as to its course. 
 
 But, I, too, was persistent. Had I not years 
 an * experience at my command? Such a 
 strong feeling in early manhood would have 
 met no opposition, but it is different now. 
 And so it was, that age and experience in- 
 stituted a pitched battle with a strange and 
 unfamiliar impression, and I decided to let 
 them fight it out. 
 
 We hear much about "love at first sight." 
 This, I think has been the experience of many. 
 But, in such a case, I take it, that all the 
 mental powers are in accord with the impres- 
 sion : that reason and judgment are dethron- 
 ed, and desire makes common cause with the 
 emotion, and no discordant note is heard. In 
 the first place tfte object of the impression is 
 not repugnant to such a visitation, and makes 
 no fight against it. In the leading of Provi- 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 371 
 
 dence, however, some things may happen, that 
 seem entirely outside of the ordinary course 
 of events : a sort of wheel within a wheel : 
 something added to the ordinary, and this 
 seemed to have been the case with me. Reason 
 and judgment were not dethroned. Indeed, 
 they never seemed more active in the legit- 
 imate exercise of their functions, nor more 
 unable to fully control the situation. Accus- 
 tomed to arbitrary action in all cases, they 
 now agree to arbitrate whatever the new- 
 comer refuses to sanction. 
 
 I met Dr. Thompson again. Engaged her in 
 conversation, venturing a little beyond medical 
 subjects, but not daring to disclose the fact 
 that there was a soul struggle raging within, 
 and that she was the unconscious cause. This 
 meeting was at an Annual Conference that I 
 was holding at one of the Baltimore churches. 
 The doctor was among the visitors who were 
 introduced to the Conference, and asked to 
 speak. The ease, cleverness, and evident sin- 
 cerity with which she spoke, certainly did 
 not contribute anything toward banishing 
 that anxious thought of her that had been 
 gripping me so irresistibly since the first meet- 
 ing. The address was so free from that sopho- 
 moric air, and tone that so often characterizes. 
 
372 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 the speech of profesisonal people before popu- 
 lar audiences. Men are even now so inclined 
 to either discount the ability of the woman 
 physican, or to regard her as, at least, being 
 on trial, that it would not have been a great 
 wonder had this young woman felt called 
 upon to utilize this opportunity to prove that 
 her certificate was held by merit. 
 
 The Conference was a religious meeting. 
 The business was, reports from Christian 
 workers. The prevailing thought, necessarily 
 was, the performance of duty ; how perform- 
 ed; the great harvest field, and the call to all 
 for service. The doctor readily caught the 
 spirit of the meeting, and with perfect ease ad- 
 dressed the body. 
 
 When we separated this time I was ready 
 to decide that the persistent impression was 
 victorious. But the end of the first struggle 
 could only mean the beginning of another. 
 Up to this time it had only been "my heart 
 and me"; but now, if the matter proceeds any 
 farther, another "me" and another "heart" 
 must be apprised and consulted. 
 
 This required both courage and tact. It 
 required more courage than I felt to be imme- 
 diately in possession of. I must wait for a 
 propitious moment. Would it come? Had not 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 373 
 
 t\vo fairly favorable opportunities, at least for 
 an introduction of the main subject been al- 
 lowed to pass unimproved? Will all things 
 come to him who has patience to wait? Well, 
 that depends. Patience may accomplish many 
 things, but certainly not "all things." 
 
 I may be regarded by some as either super- 
 stitious, or presumptuous, but from an early 
 period of my life I have entertained the idea 
 that Providence had much to do with direct- 
 ing my course. The idea may have first origi- 
 nated from what my mother had to say about 
 the "Christmas baby" : but besides that, I have 
 observed certain events in my life that I could 
 not satisfactorily account for without admit- 
 ting of providential interposition. So, I con- 
 cluded that if Providence had anything at all 
 to do with this business in hand, a door of 
 opportunity would in some way be opened: 
 and it was. 
 
 Now, I am sure, the curiously inclined would 
 not object to knowing all about the succeed- 
 ing steps leading up to the final conclusion, 
 but this would not be of any especial historic 
 value. 
 
 The Conference referred to was held in 
 April : the three months following were full 
 
374 UNWRITTEN HISTORY 
 
 of interest to me, and the course that events 
 took got the Doctor seriously involved. 
 
 She had been accustomed to prescribe for 
 patients and at this she had gained for herself 
 an enviable reputation ; but here is a difficult 
 form of acute heart trouble, unknown to the 
 medical profession as such. I once heard a 
 physician say, that a doctor should never 
 shake his head, and say: "I cannot do any- 
 thing more." Then he added: "I always do 
 something for a sufferer, no matter how hope- 
 less the case." Bravo! Doctor. Prescribe 
 anyhow. Make a new record in therapeutics. 
 
 This much may be said as to particulars : I 
 went South to my work, and could only reach 
 my physician through correspondence. This 
 naturally prolonged the diagnosis, though I 
 tried to give the exact and correct symptoms. 
 The doctor, however, did not seem anxious to 
 venture her reputation on guess work, or, at 
 long range. But all is well that ends well, and 
 the business once started had to come to an 
 end. And so, on August 1, 1914, while the 
 cables and wireless stations were informing 
 the world that Germany had opened war on 
 Belgium, and that all Europe was becoming 
 involved; at noonday, in Allen Church, Phila- 
 delphia, Bishop Tanner pronounced the words : 
 
UNWRITTEN HISTORY 375 
 
 "I now declare that they are man and wife 
 together, in the name of the Father, and of 
 the Son, and of the Holy Ghost : Amen." 
 
 This day marks the fifth anniversary. As 
 I write these lines I hear the voice of our 
 Theodosia, a rollicking "Tom-boy girl," three 
 and a half years old; decidedly precocious; 
 naturally spoiled. But she has a wise mother. 
 "At evening time it shall be light." The little 
 "Divine gift" is a ray of light. Such a ray as 
 generally comes in the morning; but, if at 
 "evening time," all the more glorious and 
 cheering. Light at evening! "Lead kindly 
 light," until the day is quite passed; and then, 
 "Amid the encircling gloom," lead thou me on. 
 
 O 
 
X 
 
 o 7 / 
 
 ?