III. HISTORY OF THE A. M. E. ZION CHURCH.
1. When was the first A. M. E. Zion Church organized?
A. In the year 1796.
2. Who were among the founders of the Church?
A. James Varick; Abraham Thompson, June Scott, Francis Jacobs, Peter Williams, William Brown, William Miller and William Hamilton.
3. Where were their first meetings held?
A. In a rented house on Cross St., between Mulberry and Orange Sts., N. Y. City.
4. Did they leave with the consent and good will of the Church from which they went?
A. Yes, they received permission from Bishop Asbury of the M. E. Church.
5. Did the church remain in the fellowship and under the jurisdiction of the General Conference?
A. Partly so, for necessary reasons.
6. In what respect were they partly under the control of the M. E. Church?
A. They agreed to receive the ministers of the M. E. Church as pastors and to continue in the doctrine and discipline of said Church.
7. In what respect were they independent of the M. E. Church?
A. They made a special contract with the General Conference, or its representative for the supply of their pulpits.
8. What else showed that Zion Churches were independent of the M. E. Church?
A. They incorporated their church under a new title which the mother Church could never adopt.
9. What further showed their independency?
A. The stipulation in the contract made with the M. E. Church that the trustees would hold the property. "Likewise for our African Brethren and the Descendants of the African Race."
10. Who was chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zion Church?
A. Francis Jacobs.
11. What other noted men were made trustees in the act of the incorporation?
A. George Collins and Peter Williams.
12. Where was the act of incorporation recorded?
A. In the office of the city of New York, book No. 1 of the Record of Incorporation of religious denominations.
13. Who were licensed preachers at that time?
A. Abraham Thompson, June Scott and William Miller
14. When was their church edifice erected?
A. In 1800, on the corner of Church and Leonard Streets New York City.
15. What was the second African Methodist Episcopal church organized in New York?
A. Asbury Church, on Elizabeth Street.
16. In what year was it organized?
A. In 1813.
17. Were these two churches united under one form of government?
A. They were.
18. When did they form a more perfect union?
A. In the year 1820.
19. In what year did these and other African Methodist Episcopal churches cease to receive ministers from the M. E. Church?
A. In the year 1820.
20. What became the title of the Connection of churches thus formed?
A. The A. M. E. Zion Church in America.
21. Why was the name Zion inserted in the original title?
A. Because another connection organized in 1816 in Philadelphia, Pa., had assumed the name adopted by Zion Church in New York in the year 1801.
22. What was the name of the first A. M. E. Zion Church organized in Philadelphia?
A. Bethel.
23. What attempts have been made to unite these two A. M. E. Churches?
A. By General Conferences of both Churches at three distinct times or occasions, viz: in 1864, in 1885 and in 189 [missing text]
24. What prevents the union of these Churches?
A. A considerable minority in each.
25. When may such union be effected?
A. When the Bishops of both Churches agree as to the expediency of so doing.
26. When was our form of Discipline adopted?
A. In October 1820.
27. Who were the compilers of the book of Discipline?
A. George Collins, James Varick, Charles Anderson, Christopher Rush, William Miller, Abraham Thompson and John Dungy.
28. Who was the first Bishop of the A. M. E. Zion Church?
A. James Varick.
29. What can you say of him?
A. He was born in Newburg, N. Y., in the year 1750; was elected District Chairman or Presiding Elder in 1821, and Bishop or General Superintendent in 1822. He died 1827
30. What further can you say of him?
A. He was remarkable for his prudence, energy, patience and integrity of character. By it he succeeded in firmly establishing against much strong opposition, the Church which chose him as their leader.
31. Who was the second Bishop of our Church?
A. Christopher Rush, elected May 15, 1828, at the third session of the General Conference.
32. How long did he remain in active service?
A. Twenty-four years.
33. What more can you say of him?
A. He was born in Newbern, N. C., in 1777, joined the A. M. E. Zion Church 1803 and died at an advanced age.
34. What was the first annual conference organized?
A. The New York Conference, June 21, 1821.
35. What was the second annual conference district set off
A. The Philadelphia Conference, organized May 25, 1829
36. What institution of the Church was established in 1841
A. The Book Concern under the management of Rev. Jacob Thomas.
37. Where was it located?
A. In New York City.
38. When and by whom was the first History of the A. M. E. Zion Church written?
A. Bishop Christopher Rush, in 1843.
39. What was the third conference organized?
A. The New England Conference in 1843.
40. When were the fourth and fifth annual conferences formed?
A. The Allegheny Conference in 1849, and the Genesee Conference (now Western New York Conference) in 1849.
41. What Bishops were elected on the retirement of Bishop Rush in 1852?
A. George A. Spywood, George Galbreath, Wm. H. Bishop
42. What secession took place in 1853?
A. Many Churches withdrew and organized the Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church.
43. When and where was the ninth General Conference held?
A. In 1856, in the city of Williamsburg, New York, at which time the book of Discipline was revised.
44. When were the two divisions of the A. M. E. Zion Church reunited?
A. On the 6th day of June, 1860, in the General Conference session held in Zion Church, New York.
45. What led to this reunion?
A. A convention of leading men from both churches who met in Newburg, N. Y., May 25, 1860, and adopted a plan for reunion.
46. What was the first newspaper established in the A. M. E. Zion Church?
A. The Anglo-African, edited by William Hamilton.
47. When and where was it published?
A. In 1860, in the city of New York.
48. What were the statistics of the Connection in 1864?
A. There were seven annual conferences, with 378 preachers, 13,340 members and 131 churches.
49. Who were the Bishops in charge of the work at that time?
A. William H. Bishop, J. D. Brooks, Samson Tolbert and J. J. Clinton.
50. What further can you say of Bishop J. J. Clinton?
A. He was born in Philadelphia, Pa., October 3, 1823; was elected Assistant in 1856, General Superintendent in 1860, died May 24, 1881. He organized ten annual conferences and received into the Connection 700 itinerant preachers.
51. What additions were made to the Board of Bishops at the General Conference in 1868?
A. J. W. Loguen, J. J. Moore and S. T. Jones.
52. What was the membership of the church in 1876?
A. There were about 225,000 members and probationers.
53. What accounts for the enormous growth of the Church after 1864?
A. The abolition of slavery which permitted the extension of the Church into the South.
54. What Bishop became prominent in the movement for the abolition of slavery?
A. Bishop J. W. Loguen.
55. Name some noted pioneers in the work of extending the Church in the South.
A. J. J. Clinton, J. W. Hood, T. H. Lomax, W. G. Strong and Joseph Sexton.
56. Who was added to the Board of Bishops in 1872?
A. J. W. Hood.
57. When was the Star of Zion established?
A. In 1877, at Newbern, N. C., by certain members of the N. C. Conference.
58. Who was the first Editor?
A. Rev. John A. Tyler.
59. When did the Star of Zion become Connectional property?
A. In 1880, at the General Conference at Montgomery, Ala.
60. Who was then placed in charge of the newspaper?
A. Prof. A. S. Richardson, as Editor, Rev. C. R. Harris, Business Manager.
61. Who have been eminent editors of the Star of Zion?
A. Rev. J. Mc. H. Farley, D. D., Hon. J. C. Dancy, Rev. G. W. Clinton, D. D., Rev. J. W. Smith, D. D., Rev. G. C. Clement, D. D., Dr. J. Harvey Anderson, Dr. W. J. Walls.
62. What newspapers were previously published in the interest of the A. M. E. Zion Church?
A. The Zion Standard and Weekly Review in New York, edited by S. T. Jones, and the Zion Church Advocate in Washington, D. C.
63. Who were the founders of Zion Wesley Institute?
A. Rev. W. H. Thurber, Rev. C. R. Harris, Prof. A. S. Richardson, Bishop J. W. Hood, and Rev. R. S. Rives.
64. Where was it first located?
A. At Concord, N. C., in 1879.
65. When was it removed to Salisbury, N. C.?
A. In 1882, the site having been purchased with money raised in England by Rev. J. C. Price, A. M.
66. What name did it then assume?
A. Zion Wesley College, afterwards, Livingstone College.
67. Who formed its first faculty at Salisbury, N. C.?
A. Rev. J. C. Price, Rev. C. R. Harris, Prof. E. Moore and Mrs. M. E. Harris.
68. Who was the author of the second history of the A. M. E. Zion Church?
A. Bishop J. J. Moore, who published it in 1884.
69. When was the Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society founded?
A. In 1880, at the General Conference, by a resolution offered by Rev. M. M. Bell.
70. When was the Sunday School Union established?
A. In 1889, by the Board of Bishops, at Asheville, N. C.
71. Who was its first Superintendent and Editor?
A. Rev. R. A. Morris, D. D., the author of the Juvenile Catechism.
72. Who was its Financial Secretary?
A. Rev. T. A. Weathington, D. D.
73. Name three distinguished laymen of the A. M. E. Zion Church?
A. Frederick Douglass, J. C. Dancy and T. Thomas Fortune.
74. What further can you say of Frederick Douglass?
A. He was born a slave in Maryland; joined the A. M. E. Zion Church at Bedford, Mass., in 1838; was licensed to preach in 1839. He became a famous abolition orator, and aided greatly in the overthrow of slavery. After the war he became Recorder of Deeds in the District of Columbia and Minister to the Negro Republic of Hayti. He died in Washington, D. C., in 1895.
75. Name three eminent educators.
A. William Howard Day, Joseph C. Price and Robert Harris.
76. What can you say of Rev. Joseph C. Price, D. D.?
A. Next to Frederick Douglass he was the most eloquent and popular orator in this country. He was the first president of Livingstone College, which he did more to permanently establish than any other man.
77. What can you say of Robert Harris?
A. He was a Secretary of the General Conference in 1872 and 1876, the founder of Howard School, in Fayetteville, N. C., and the first principal of the pioneer normal school in the State of North Carolina.
78. Who were added in 1876?
A. J. P. Thompson, T. H. Lomax, and W. H. Hillery.
79. For what was Bishop Thompson noted?
A. For his ardent support of the Book Concern.
80. What is the latest history of the A. M. E. Zion Church?
A. One Hundred years of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, by Bishop J. W. Hood.
81. When was the law enacted which prohibits ministers who use tobacco from entering our Church in full connection?
A. In 1880 at the General Conference held at Montgomery, Ala.
82. What else distinguished the legislation of the General Conference of 1880?
A. A law was made to elect the Bishops for life.
83. When were the Superintendents styled Bishops?
A. In 1864 and onwards.
84. When was the word "male" stricken from our Discipline?
A. In 1876, at the General Conference held at Louisville, Ky.
85. Who was the first woman ordained a deacon in our Church?
A. Mrs. Julia A. Foote, by Bishop J. W. Hood, in New York Conference, in May, 1884.
86. Who was the second woman ordained deacon?
A. Mrs. Mary J. Small, by Bishop A. Walters, at York, Pa., in May, 1894.
87. When was the general fund for the support of our general Church established?
A. In 1882, by the Board of Bishops, at Chester, S. C.
88. What gave occasion for this action?
A. The General Conference of 1880 required the Bishops to rotate after two years without equalizing the episcopal districts.
89. What was done with the general fund in 1884?
A. About one half of it was appropriated for General Connectional claims.
90. What were these new claims thus provided for?
A. $6,000 was appropriated to Livingstone College; $1,500 to the Book Concern; $1,000 to the "Star of Zion;" to African Missions; $1,000 to superannuated ministers; and $1,500 to salary of General Secretary and General Steward.
91. What was the result?
A. These institutions became permanently established.
92. Who proposed this plan?
A. The Board of Bishops at the suggestion of Bishop J. W. Hood.
93. What other event marked the General Conference of 1884?
A. The suspension of Bishop W. H. Hillery.
94. For what cause was he suspended?
A. For excessive indulgence in intoxicating drinks.
95. What was the result of that suspension?
A. Bishop Hillery was expelled by the Tennessee Annual Conference.
96. What day is observed as an annual holiday at Livingstone College?
A. The birthday of its illustrious President, Joseph Charles Price. He was born in Elizabeth City, N. C., February 10th, 1854, and died in Salisbury, N. C., October 24th, 1893.
97. When was the ceremony of ordination or laying on of hands inserted in the book of Discipline?
A. In 1888.
98. Who were added to the Board of Bishops in 1888?
A. Charles C. Petty and C. R. Harris.
99. Which of our Bishops died afterwards?
A. Bishop Charles Calvin Petty, who died in Clio, S. C., Dec. 8, 1900.
100. What were some of the prominent traits of his character?
A. He was a deep theologian, a great educator and a persuasive orator. He was one of the founders of Petty High School, now Lancaster Institute, and its first Principal.
101. What other eminent divine died a few days before the date of Bishop Petty's decease?
A. Dr. William Howard Day, of Harrisburg, Pa., who died December 3, 1900. He had been for many years the General Secretary of the Church and a leading educator and platform speaker. He was noted for his high literary culture.
102. What executive body was created by the General Conference in 1900.
A. The Connectional Council.
103. Who compose the Connectional Council?
A. The Bishops, General Officers and the members of the several Boards elected by the General Conference.
104. How are the said Boards constituted?
A. Each board consists of one or more members from each Episcopal district together with the Bishop who is a member ex. officio.
105. Name the Boards elected by the General Conference.
A. (13) The Board of Publication.
(2) The Board of Education.
(3) The Board of Home Missions.
(4) The Board of Church Extension.
(5) The Board of Foreign Missions.
(6) The Board of Managers Western Star of Zion.
(7) The Board of Finance.
(8) The Board of Ministerial Brotherhood.
(9) The Board of Harriet Tubman Home.
(10) The Board of Appeals.
(11) The Varick Christian Endeavor Union.
(12) The Board of Audit.
(13) The Board of Connectional Trustees.
106. How often does the Connectional Council meet?
A. Once a year, at the time and place of the meeting of the Board of Bishops.
107. What can you say of Prof. F. H. Noble, late treasurer of Livingstone College?
A. He was for many years Professor of Mathematics and Natural Science, a remarkably efficient teacher and a profound scholar. He died July 21, 1900.
108. What other serious loss did the College sustain?
A. The death of Prof. B. A. Johnson, which occurred April 20th, 1901.
109. What can you say of him?
A. He was principal of the Normal Department, a most valuable coadjutor of the President of the College, and a leader in the religious and literary life of the Institution.
110. Who was the first Superintendent of Missions in Africa?
A. Rev. Andrew Cartwright who migrated there from Virginia, U. S. A.
111. In what part of Africa did he labor?
A. In Liberia, which was colonized by Negroes from America.
112. What further can you say of him?
A. He was abundant in labors and lived long to preach the gospel in the "Dark Continent."
114. Who was the first Bishop to visit Africa?
A. Bishop John B. Small who visited Liberia and the Gold Coast.
115. What can you say concerning him?
A. He aroused a great interest in the A. M. E. Zion Church concerning the religious welfare of Negroes in West Africa.
116. How did he show his deep interest in their enlightenment?
A. He brought several natives to America and maintained them mainly at his own expense and sent them to College.
117. When did he die?
A. January 15, 1904, in the 59th year of his age.
118. Who were elected Bishops in 1892?
A. Alexander Walters and I. C. Clinton.
119. What can you say of Bishop I. C. Clinton?
A. He was distinguished for business integrity and unblemished morals.
120. Who were elected Bishops in 1896?
A. Geo. W. Clinton, John B. Small and Jehu Holliday.
121. What can you say of Bishop Holliday?
A. He was one of the most noted preachers of the Church and made lasting reputation as a financier and church builder.
122. When did he die?
A. March, 2nd, 1896 in Little Rock, Ark.
123. Who was elected Bishop in 1900?
A. John W. Alstork, by acclamation.
124. Who were the Bishops elected in 1904?
A. J. S. Caldwell and John W. Smith.
125. What can you say of Bishop Smith?
A. He was a voluminous and forceful writer who gained great popularity as Editor of the Star of Zion.
126. When did his decease take place?
A. October 14th, 1910, in the 49th year of his age.
127. Tell me something of Bishop Thomas Lomax.
A. He was born in Cumberland County, N. C., 1836, and died in Charlotte, N. C., on the 31st of March, 1908.
128. What more can you say of him?
A. He did a great work in building up the interests of the A. M. E. Zion Church in the South and in Canada.
129. What institution was greatly aided by him in securing a location?
A. The Publication House in Charlotte, N. C.
130. Who was the Manager at that period?
A. Rev. G. L. Blackwell.
131. What business managers succeeded him?
A. Revs. J. M. Hill, John F. Moreland, and Rev. F. K. Bird, J. W. Crockett, a layman, and Dr. S. D. Watkins.
132. What can you say of Rev. B. F. Wheeler?
A. He was a distinguished clergyman, who wrote a Life of Bishop Varick and his family.
133. When did he depart this life?
A. February 18, 1909, in his fifty-sixth year.
134. What prelates entered the bishopric in 1908.
A. Geo. L. Blackwell, M. R. Franklin, and Andrew J. Warner.
135. Where did this take place?
A. In Philadelphia, Pa.
136. What can you say of Bishop Franklin?
A. He was an excellent gospel minister. He died May 13, 1909.
137. Who compiled sermons of Bishop Singleton T. Jones?
A. His son, Rev. Edward D. W. Jones.
138. What can you say of Bishop Jones?
A. He was an eminent Bishop and preacher of the Gospel, who did much to shape the affairs of the Church.
139. When did his death occur?
A. April 18, 1891.
140. What can you say of Bishop J. J. Moore?
A. He was a learned theologian, the author of a catechism and history and a brilliant preacher of the gospel.
141. When and where did he die?
A. In Greensboro, N. C.
