AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, The. Work among the negroes was begun by the Methodist Episcopal Church at an early date. Bishop Asbury was much interested in the race and often preached to them. "Black Harry," a noted colored preach er, often accompanied Bishops Asbury and Coke and preached to white congregations as well as congregations composed almost entirely of black men. For a considerable number of years the two races worshipped together, but gradually they separated. As early as 1787 a society was organized among the negroes in Philadelphia as the result of ill-treatment re ceived. The formation of the society was op posed by the whites. In 1793 Richard Allen erected a church on his own lot and at his own expense. This brought the church into con troversy with the authorities. The whole in volved story is given in the historical preface to (The Doctrines and Discipline of the A. M. E. Church,' the last edition of which appeared in 1916. Dr. Benjamin Rush, the noted physi cian, sympathized with them and helped them. Bishop William White, bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, was appealed to and or dained Rev. Absolom Jones, one of their num ber, to be their pastor. However, when the new meetinghouse was completed it was dedi cated by Bishop Asbury and was named Bethel. The subsequent history of the church was one of persecution and litigation. The members of Bethel were victorious in the suit brought against them.
A similar time of trial and persecution was experienced by the colored people of Baltimore and other places. The feeling produced made a division necessary. In 1816 a general con vention was called to meet in April in the city of Philadelphia. Seventeen delegates respond ed to the call, representing congregations in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Attleborough, Pa., and Salem, N. J. At this convention it was resolved: the people of Philadelphia, Baltimore and all other places who should unite with them, should become one body un der the name and style of the African Meth odist Episcopal Church.* Articles of incorpor
ation were not filed until May 1900. The trus tees are 12 and consist of four bishops, four ministers and four laymen. Rev. Richard Al len, who 17 years previously had been ordained deacon by Bishop Asbury, was elected bishop and served in that capacity until his death, 26 March 1831. He was not, however, the first choice of the convention. Rev. Daniel Coker was first elected, but resigned the next day. On 11 April 1816 Mr. Allen was ordained bishop by Rev. Absolom Jones, mentioned above. The convention adopted the Book of Dis cipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church, re jecting, however, the articles relating to the office of presiding eldership. Later they adopted this officer in their polity and he re mains as one of their executives to this day. They also used the hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church until 1826, when they pre pared one of their own.
At the time of the convention about 3,000 members were numbered as belonging to the various churches represented. The growth of the new church was very rapid. The church spread south and southwest in its growth. As early as 1822 there was a strong church of 3,000 members in Charleston, S. C. It was suppressed by the authorities as dangerous to the community interests. Probably some of the leaders had been too outspoken to please the white authorities and at that time it was the only church organization in the South not under white leadership. After the Civil War ceased the membership of the denomination greatly increased. As early as 1866 there were 10 annual conferences, 185 pastors, 206 churches and 50,000 members. There are now, according to the latest statistics available, 81 conferences, including a conference in Ber muda, one in Nova Scotia, one in Ontario , seven in Africa, one in the West Indies and one in South America; 5,000 preachers, 6,000 churches and over 650,000 members.