Essay on African Methodist Episcopal Church

Submitted By dddddre
Words: 1927
Pages: 8
Open Document
.

He died at home on March 26, 1831.[6] His body was interred in a tomb at the lower level of the church
Richard Allen was born into slavery in 1760 on the Sturgis plantation in Delaware. He had a brother, and with him attended meetings of the local Methodist Society, which was welcoming to slaves and free blacks. Richard had taught himself to read and write. Converted early, he joined the Methodistsat age 17. He began evangelizing and attending services so regularly that he attracted criticism from local slave owners. Allen and his brother redoubled their efforts for Sturgis in order to continue as exhorters for Methodism. Allen married Sarah, who was born into slavery in 1764 in Virginia's Isle of Wight County. She had been brought to Philadelphia at age 18 and was free by 1800, when they met. They were married within a year. They had six children: Richard, Jr.; James, John, Peter, Sarah and Ann.[3]
In addition to the work of the family, Sara actively assisted Allen in the church and supported work to take care of runaway slaves, including feeding and clothing them. In 1827, seeing that the ministers coming to conference looked bedraggled, she organized Daughters of Conference as a women's organization to assist the church with their skills. Initially they helped provide material support to the ministers, including mending their garments.[3] The women's organization continued after her death, taking on more social welfare issues for church members and the community.
The church vestry voted to build a gallery for the segregated use of blacks. Allen also regularly preached on the commons near the church, slowly gaining a congregation of nearly 50, and supporting himself with a variety of odd jobs.
Allen and Absalom Jones, also a Methodist preacher, resented the white congregants' segregating the blacks for worship and prayer. They decided to leave St. George's to create independent worship for African Americans. This brought some opposition from the white church as well as the more established blacks of the community. In 1787, Allen and Jones led the black members out of St. George's Methodist Church.
They formed the Free African Society (FAS), a non-denominational mutual aid society, which assisted fugitive slaves and new migrants to the city. Allen, along with Absalom Jones, William Gray and William Wilcher, found an available lot on Sixth Street near Lombard. Allen negotiated a price and purchased this lot in 178He opened his first church in 1794 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was elected the first bishop of the AME Church. Allen started as a Methodist preacher but, together with his supporters, wanted to establish a black congregation independent of white control. The AME church is the oldest denomination among independent African-American churches. He was born into slavery in 1760 on the Sturgis plantation in Delaware. He had a brother, and with him attended meetings of the local Methodist Society, which was welcoming to slaves and free blacks. Richard had taught himself to read and write. Converted early, he joined the Methodists at age 17. He began evangelizing and attending services so regularly that he attracted criticism from local slave owners. Allen and his brother redoubled their efforts for Sturgis in order to continue as exhorters for Methodism. Reverend Freeborn Garrettson, who had freed his own slaves in 1775, began to preach in Delaware; he was among many Methodist and Baptist ministers after the American Revolutionary War who encouraged slaveholders to emancipate their people. When Garrettson visited the Sturgis plantation to preach, "Allen's master was touched by this declaration... began to give consideration to the thought that holding slaves was sinful..." Sturgis soon was convinced that slavery was wrong, and offered his slaves an opportunity to buy their freedom. In 1780, Richard was able to get a slavery agreement from his master Stokeley. Allen married Sarah who was born into slavery in
Show More

Related Documents: Essay on African Methodist Episcopal Church

Similarities Between Richard Allen And Alexander Payne

This weekend, I researched about two important African Americans: Richard Allen and Daniel Alexander Payne. Richard Allen was born a slave on February 14, 1760. Richard Allen was exposed to Christianity from a young age as his master believed that religion would make better slaves. Richard Allen was allowed to join the Methodist Society and attended classes every week. After buying his own freedom, he traveled around the states: New York, Maryland, Delaware, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania, where…

Words 339 - Pages 2

Persuasive Essay

happen if the famous African American have a national holiday? In an article says that Richard Allen, A famous African American should have a National Holiday. In my opinion I think he should have the National Holiday. If he doesn’t have it, it will be unfair because he helped a lot in the community, so I agree with the idea for the following reasons (A) He founded the African Methodist Episcopal (AME), (B) He was a minister, educator and writer, (C) He opened the first church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania…

Words 347 - Pages 2

Methodist Connexion

fit for a place of worship, and then solicited Francis Asbury to open the Bethel Church. Allen endured more from the elders of the Methodist Connexion, and was not able to completely own the building without accommodating and paying St. George’s Church. After discussion of the rates of pay, they settled on 200 dollars per year, for the services of St. George’s Church. Time had passed and the trustees of Bethel Church had decided that they were not being treated right, when they considered that St…

Words 848 - Pages 4

Civil War Religion

The Civil War and the period of Reconstruction that followed, were arguably considered to be the darkest point in American History. The racial tensions created a hostile environment toward African Americans. The wounded pride of many Southerners during the time caused many men and women to inflict verbal and physical violence upon those struggling to make the transition from enslavement to freedom. During this particular struggle and others similar to it, people can repeatedly be observed turning…

Words 1477 - Pages 6

The Great Awakening Influence

1700's and lasting to the late 1800's. Though it had a major effect on religion, redemption and revival, its humble beginnings started in England and the Church of England. King Henry VIII, desperate to put away Katherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn, broke away from the Catholic Church to form the Church of England. The Anglican church was an instrument used to keep the pious within certain constraints; those with power tended to abuse their authority through bribes, obedience to the King…

Words 975 - Pages 4

Rosa Louise Mccauley Research Paper

The Story of Rosa Louise McCauley Rosa Louise Park is the mother of the civil rights movement. She is best known for refusing to give up a seat in Montgomery for a white man. She was very inspiring to black men and women in the world by her quote one being “You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” She was also one of few black people to work at the NAACP National Association for the Advancement of Color. Leona McCauley and James McCauley gave birth to a baby girl Rosa…

Words 682 - Pages 3

Church Arson Research Paper

Church Arson Is church arson really a part of hating crimes? Church arson is connected to hate crime in these ways: it is a visceral and involuntary reaction. ““It must be arson.” “It must be the handy work of some white supremacist.”” This is what comes to minds across America when the news shows that another church in the south has been burnt down. The NAACP has only acknowledged three of the six recent fires were suspected arsons, called for vigilance, saying the blazes require “our collective…

Words 489 - Pages 2

Homework 11 16 2014 The Great Awakening Essay

Great Awakening Essay Bridgette Davis Grand Canyon University: HTH379 (379-0101) History of Christianity November 16, 2014 I will discuss the significance of the Great Awakening (Revelation 14:6) and how it impacted the church. This was the first religious revival in the British American colonies, which spread from Europe to England. This was an important evangelical and revitalization lasting nearly 30 years. From 1720 to 1740 British American colonies encounters religious revival movement…

Words 856 - Pages 4

Rhetorical Analysis Of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Since the enslavement of blacks, the church has stood as a pillar of hope and a center of refuge for African Americans during times of racial and social oppression. The church has been able to serve as this foundation for the African American community because of the rhetoric used in the sermons of African American preachers. The topics and formatting of these sermons are not random, but rather systematic to ensure that the sermon influences the congregation to the pastors’ discretion. Sermons that…

Words 1545 - Pages 7

Rosa Parks: Civil Rights Activist

Rosa Parks was never treated like a normal citizen. She was perhaps not acknowledged at all until she started to fight for her rights over the years. Over the years of her adulthood she has started and helped with many organizations to have the colored recognized for who they actually are, human beings. Parks herself was recognized with many awards for her achievements. Rosa Parks, a civil rights activist, believed that segregation could never be overcome, however, as she grew up she is now one of…

Words 355 - Pages 2