African Methodist Episcopal Church

In 1787, despite its moniker as the City of Brotherly Love, relations between whites and blacks in Philadelphia were hostile. The church was no different. Black churches essentially did not exist so many blacks attended those white churches whose doors were open to them. Richard Allen and his friends Absalom Jones, Darius Jennings, and William Whit... e were among blacks who attended St. Georges Methodist Episcopal Church. Because of their growing numbers, these black worshippers were pulled from their knees at prayer and told they could no longer kneel there. Repelled by this act of racial discrimination, this little band walked out of St. Georges. Subsequent events resulted in the formation of the Free African Society on April 12, 1787a mutual aid societywhose mission also became that of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. One purpose is to seek out and save the lost, and serve the needy Richard Allen eventually purchased a plot of land and a blacksmith shop and reconstructed a church on the site. Dedicated on July 29, 1794, this church, known as Bethel, was the beginning of the AME denomination. It became a connectional church in 1816. Forty-seven years after that historic exodus the United States was embroiled in the Civil War. The African Methodist Episcopal Church had begun its program of expansion in many areas including sending a bishop to Tennessee. On December 5, 1863, Bishop Daniel Payne arrived in Nashville with letters of introduction from the Secretary of war and the Secretary of the Treasury. He presented them to the then Governor, Andrew Johnson who granted Bishop Payne permission to organize African Methodist Churches in the state of Tennessee. This timing coincided with some dissatisfaction among some members of Capers Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church. Capers was the first Negro meeting house in Nashville. This group of disenchanted members led by Napoleon Merry, a 39 year old free black, made application to become part of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The application was accepted ...Read More