In 1891 Bishop B. W. Arnett promoted the idea of ..separating the theological department from Wilberforce University by organizing Payne The ological Seminary as a distinct organization.
The school had fifty-eight students the last 9uadrennium, and is presided over by Bishop Ben jamin T. Tanner, as the dean. It is destined to do a good work for the ministers of the A. M. E. Church and other denominations, for the school makes no distinction as to ministerial students.
B. W. A.
4. African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.
(1) Organization. The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was organized in 1796 in New York City by Jatnes Varick and a few others, because of proscription on the part of their white brethren in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Twenty-eight years previous (1768) the first Methodist church in America was established in John street, New York; white and colored mem bers contributed of their means to the building and support of the church. As years passed on the colored membership increased, and caste prej udice, tbe outcome of slavery, began to appear. When the church became rich and influential the color line began to be drawn, and the black mem bers were restricted in their religious privileges until the yoke became unbearable, resulting in the colored members obtaining permission from Bishop Francis Asbury to hold meetings by them selves. In 1796 a cabinetmaker's shop on Cross street, New York City, was hired and fitted up as a house of worship. There services were held un til the year 1799, when the membership had so largely increased that a meeting of the colored men of New York was called for the purpose of incorporating themselves into a separate body from the white church. They decided to call their organization the African Methodist Episcojial Church. The word Zion was added some years afterward to distinguish it from the denomina tion now known as the A. M. E. Church. Nine trustees were appointed to secure a house of wor ship; two lots were purchased on the corner of Church and Leonard streets, and a small frame building was erected in the year 1800. In t8o1
the church was incorporated under the laws of the State of New York. The first annual confer ence was held in this church June 21, 1821. At this conference a form of limited episcopacy was established and James Varick was elected the first bishop (then called superintendent). This form was continued till t868, when it was changed to an unlimited (or lifetime) episcopacy.
The first discipline of the Church was adopted October 25. 182o, and in it she declared against slavery; this declaration was the means of keeping her out of the South till 1862.
(2) Growth. During the to5 years of her ex istence this church has grown to over half a million communicants. She had at the last Gen eral Conference nine Bishops, besides other gen eral officers.
(3) Institutions. The church has her own publishing house. located at Charlotte, N. C. The plant is fitted with modern appliances and valued at $3o.000. It is controlled by the .Bishops and one member from each Episcopal district.
The principal educational institution of the Church is Livingstone College, Salisbury, N. C. It is well equipped with buildings. Among its departments is an industrial school. This institu tion is a monument of negro skill and industry. The Church has a missionary department which sustains missions in Africa and the West Indies.
(4) Statistics and Literature. The latest statistics of the A. M. E. Zion Church are as fol lows : Number of Ministers 3,155 Number of Churches 2,906 Number of Members 536,271 Number of Sunday Schools 3,2oo Number of Pupils -,25,000 Value of Property $6,000,000 A large number of the ministers of this denom ination are graduates of some of the best univer sities of the land. Among the literary produc tion are: Rise and Prozress of the Zion Church in America, by Bishop Christopher Rush ; a brief History of the Zion Church, by Bishop J. J. Nloore; Book of Sermons, by Bishop S. T. Jones; a Book of Sermons, and A Code on Disci filine, by I3ishop J. B. Small; History of the A.111. E. Zion Chnrch, by Bishop J. NV. Hood, senior bishop of the church. A. NV.