Bishop Henry McNeal Turner: Politcal Injustice, Ministerial Fitness, and the Original Color of Humankind

The following was written by Bishop Henry McNeal Turner in 1896 as an introduction to a text written by a minister in the ranks of AME Church clergy. However, as you will see, it speaks as though written today. While it is written for a book dealing with the AME Church and Africa, Bishop Turner expresses a concern for many other issues, including: social (in)justice in the Congress, clergy education (or the lack thereof), and the budding seeds of Black theology. The complete text can be found at the Documenting the American South website. Here is Bishop Turner in his own words:

The present age is not famous for deeds of dare and adventure; cheap notoriety, evanescent popularity and temporary honors appear to satisfy the ambition of the present generation. Inordinate selfishness has such a grasp upon the men of today, that one is rarely found who is willing to sacrifice his own ease and comfort for the good of others or for a name that will go down to coming ages. Merit, pure and simple, holds a secondary place in these times of scheme and artifice. If we look among statesmen, we find United States senators who have succeeded in getting rich through the issue of bonds upon imaginary stock and futures--actually buying up legislatures for a seat in that grave and venerable assembly, when they know they will not be able to make a speech upon any important question until they have hired some professional speech-writer to manufacture one for them and type-print it, so they can read it as any newspaper article...

The same condition of things aptly applies to the ecclesiastical sphere. Ministers of the gospel in the main no longer hunger and thirst for a profound knowledge of the Bible and a thorough familiarity with theological lore. The chief aim is to squeeze by the committees on examination and get to be deacons and elders, regardless of the necessary qualifications to meet the requirements therewith connected. And if they can flaunt a diploma from some third-class institution of learning, they feign to be insulted if a committee should subject them to a reasonable examination; and when once admitted into the ministry, study and protracted meditation cease to be a virtue. A large majority appear to be ignorant of the fact, that true education requires a lifetime of hard study, and that wit, anecdotes, florid sentences and a few rhetorical embellishments are no test of profundity, either in a literary or an intellectual aspect. Thousands of gospel ministers seem to think they can trick and cunning their way to the hearts of the people, or to their attention at least, and finally to a seat in heaven, without half of the proficiency required of a blacksmith, or a carpenter, or in any other mechanical profession, because it involves talk, forgetful that when talk is defective, or trivial and light, that the people will fully realize it and grade their intelligence and ability accordingly. I know of ministers carrying the title of D.D. who will go to bed at the earliest opportunity and lie there till ten and eleven o'clock next day and complain about not having time to read. Such moral sluggards God never intended to be the directors of His people. Ministerial fitness and fidelity call for industry, patience, endurance, invincibility and consecrated devotion, as well as the sacrifice of self, in all the phases that involve the individual himself, or his family and domestic relations. And in as much as his calling is infinitely more lofty than the statesman, the jurist, the warrior, the explorer, the inventor, the discoverer, or any other pursuit or profession of a secular nature, so his sacrifices heroism, adventures and risks should be infinitely more stupendous and mighty, especially so as Christ Jesus our Lord has promised to be with him till the world shall end...

Churchiologically [sic], the same condition of things exists. The only aspiration for fame, honor and immortality that exists to an insignificant exception is at the expense of others. Many of the pastors will build large churches on credit and have their names engraved on the corner-stone, and hasten away for another minister and the congregation to pay the debt. Those who aspire to distinction in the ranks of the ministry, do so almost invariably through the votes of others, seeking to be elected to the Bishopric, or to some general office, instead of aspiring to distinction by writing hymns or learned works on Theology, Astronomy, Geology, Geography, Chemistry, Intellectual and Moral Philosophy, or delivering a series of lectures on Ancient History, or delving into the labyrinths of Archaeology and establishing the claims of nature to the primitive color of man, and showing through it that all men started black and remained so till God said, "Let there be white," just as He said "Let there be light."

Fraternally,

H. M. TURNER.

Cited in: Ridgel, A. Africa and African Methodism. Atlanta: Franklin Printing and Publishing, 1896 [Electronic Version].

The Stage or the Pulpit- Sermon

This sermon was preached at Bishop Richard Franklin Norris' Mid Year Convocation for the First Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia on Nov. 8, 2007. Refer to my posting on August 19, 2007 for the full story.

Part 1



Part 2



Part 3

Devine's Chapel: A Forgotten Chapter in the life of Israel AME Church

In the September 25, 2007 posting, I related the story of how I “found” my great-great-great-great grandfather, the Rev. Jesse W. Devine, an AME circuit rider from the mid 1800s. I have found him a number of times in the pages of the Christian Recorder, the official newspaper for the AME Church during that period of time. One of the stories that really got me was from 1866, when he preached the dedication service of a new church that he formerly served as a pastor. It was not just that he was asked to come back to preach the dedication that got me, but that the name of the new church given was his! Read it for yourself in this excerpt from the Recorder:

October 20, 1866
THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The dedication of the A.M.E. church at West Middletown, Washington Co., Pa., took place on the 23d inst. The congregation repaired to the church at the hour of 3 o'clock. The Elder was met at the door by the Stewards and Trustees of the church. The keys were presented by the Stewards in behalf of the Stewards and Trustees and were received by Rev. J.W. Devine, of Allegheny City. After the house had been opened, they entered, reading the 84th Psalm. When the ministers were seated, the choir sang, “Before Jehovah's awful throne,” after which the Elder in charge read the 122d Psalm. Prayer was offered to the throne of grace. Rev. Devine then rose and pronounced the church dedicated to the worship of God. The name given to the church is "Devine's Chapel." The ceremonies being ended, Elder Devine preached an able sermon from 1 Kings, sixth chapter and seventh verse.

Of course I had to get to the bottom of this story. Unfortunately, my search quickly led to a dead end. First of all, the AMEC in West Middletown is not Devine’s Chapel, but it is Israel AMEC. In speaking with former pastors and clergy in the Pittsburgh Conference, no one had ever heard of a Devine’s Chapel. I desperately wanted to get to the area to meet the local members to see what I might find. Then providence stepped in.

I was traveling back home last winter when my flight was cancelled due to a snow storm. The nearest they could get me to home was Pittsburgh, where I would remain overnight and catch the first thing out in the morning. Well, West Middletown is only a short drive from Pittsburgh, so I took it. Early that Saturday morning, I set out (in the snow) to West Middletown to find Devine’s Chapel. The town sits on Route 844 and much of the older section is still composed of buildings erected in the 1800s. It wasn’t long before I found the Israel AMEC, sitting in the heart of town.

Unable to find any of the members of the church at home, the mayor found me. Literally. I misjudged the depth of snow on the side of the road and found my rental car stuck. Luckily for me, it was right across the street from the mayor’s house. He came out with his truck and pulled me out of the snow bank. He also gave me a brief history of West Middletown and assured me that the old building was the original home for Israel AMEC.

But something just didn’t seem right. The building, though clearly from the 1800s, did not seem old enough to have been the one dedicated by Devine in 1866. But for the time being, that was where the story would have to end. I took my flight home later that day and promised myself that I would return to West Middletown, God being my help.

On last weekend, the door for a return opened wide. I found myself unexpectedly driving back from Columbus, Ohio on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. This time, I was sure I could find a member at home. Stopping in West Middletown, I was able to track down lifelong member, Lewis Kelly. Bro. Kelly showed me around the church, shared the history, and I shared my own research findings with him. And then, I found it!

Bro. Kelly showed me a picture of the old church, the structure used before the current wood building was put up. It was a small brick building purchased for $500 in 1866 from the Disciples of Christ. In fact, he even had a copy of the deed. On the deed, there was no name assigned for the congregation and simply read “the African Methodist Episcopal Church.” The dates were perfect and coincided with the article in the Christian Recorder. The current, wood frame building that is still used to this day was purchased later in 1883 for $700 and (re)named Israel AMEC.

What is even more surprising is that Bro. Kelly informed me that the old brick building is still standing and is right down the street from Israel AMEC. We drove down the street about 100 yards to see “Devine’s Chapel.” As you can see in the photo (above), it is still an impressive little building having weathered many a storm.

Words cannot express how I felt as I stood next to the building and touched the same brick exterior that my great (4x) grandfather J.W. Devine touched. I looked over the view of the valley from the back of the building that was largely unchanged and knew that he also took in this same view. Just to know that I was standing in the same place that my ancestor stood in over 140 years before and preached the same gospel of Jesus Christ, was enough to fill me with a deep sense of appreciation for all that God has done. I am still full from the experience.

Standing in that place and feeling what I felt, can best be summed up by the second verse of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the Black National Anthem:

Stony the road we trod,

Bitter the chastening rod,

Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;

Yet with a steady beat,

Have not our weary feet

Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?

We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,

We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,

Out from the gloomy past,

'Til now we stand at last

Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

I also felt the words of caution found in verse 3, "Lest our feet stray from the places our God where we met Thee." The work of our ancestors is completed, the rest is now up to us.

Another reason for an Archive of our own...

We really don't have anyone else to blame, but that does not make the problem any less distasteful. The "problem" is that our rare materials that have somehow weathered the years and made it to the 21st century, in large part are not under our direct control. The majority of the surviving copies of the Book of Discipline from the early and mid 1800s, the minutes of our first general and annual conferences, the hymn books from the early days of the Church, and other hard-to-find primary sources reside in library archives of communities outside of the AME Church. This is a problem.

To illustrate, allow me a moment to relate my most recent visit to one such library. While attending the California Annual Conference in San Francisco last week, I could not resist the opportunity to look into the local archives to see what AME records might exist. As a son of the California Conference, I am disturbed by the lack of scholarly attention given to the spread of African Methodism to the West and so I hope to one day write on the subject. To that end, anything that I could find on our early labors in the West would be helpful.

So I went to work by contacting the Archive at the GTU (Graduate Theological Union at the Univ. of California, Berkley). Although I was informed that nothing existed on the AME Church in their archives, I performed my own search. What I found in the archives was nothing short of amazing: the only known surviving copy of the minutes of the California Annual Conference dated 1870! While I read through the minutes, Bishop John Richard Bryant was right across the bay in San Francisco leading the California Conference at that moment. As he and the members of the Conference did their work, I was transported back to the pioneer days. I read in vivid detail about the great western expansionist, Bishop T.M.D. Ward, as he provided leadership to the struggling Conference in those formative years. I read of clergy and lay members that sacrificed their lives and their meager resources to keep church doors open.

It was amazing to see the early church at work as reports came in from San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Portland (Oregon), Nevada, and Denver (Colorado). They wrestled over many of the same things we struggle with today: the threat that Blacks faced in a society that spoke about equality and justice for all, but was often short of delivering on the promise; churches that desired full time ministry, but could not afford the pastor's salary; congregations with declining membership and offerings that were falling below expectations; and of course, the unexpected joy of success in places where much fruit had not been expected.

But, I was soon reminded of the "problem." When I asked the reference desk workers if they would be so kind as to make a copy of these minutes (the only one known in the world to be available to the public), I was told without any sort of emotion that the documents were too frail and could not be reproduced. Our story, in someone else's hands, and I could not get a copy. I was ordained in the California Conference. My grandmother had been a lay person in the Conference since the 1940s. This is our story, but I could not have a copy of it.

This is the price you pay when you do not take care of your own things. They fall into the hands of others and they then have the discretion to tell you what you can and cannot do with what is yours. This is why we must have our own archive and we must have it soon (for those who are new to the blog, I would refer you to the postings on August 19 and September 10 for more details on specific plans to build an Archive).

Well, the good news is (there's always Good News!) that I did not stop with the workers on the reference desk. I waited until the Archivist returned. She was very understanding and assured me that the desk workers were only following instructions to make sure that only qualified persons made the copies. She was kind enough to volunteer to make the copies herself and place them in the mail for me. For this, I am grateful.

But as grateful as I am for her extending this professional courtesy, I will not be fully satisfied until our rare materials have a place of their own under our control. Fortunately, there is a solution to the problem. Let's do what is long overdue and build an Archive of our own so that our records may be protected under our "own vine and fig tree."

The reason why I wept: Finding the Rev. Jesse W. Devine

(The photo depicts members of the 1868 General Conference. These were contemporaries of Jesse W. Devine and it is possible that he is in the picture.)

When I accepted my call to preach some 20 years ago (time really flies!), one of the first questions people began to ask was, “Are you the first preacher in your family?” As far as I knew, I was the first. However, my late grandmother Iowa Milan put the record straight (somewhat). She informed me that sometime in the late 1800s, one of my ancestors had also been a preacher in the AME Church. The only information I gleaned from her before her passing a couple of years later, was that he was a full blooded Native American with a head of white hair, that he served as a Presiding Elder in Arkansas, and that his name was Joe Divine.

Over the past 20 years, I have periodically searched the records of the AME Church in hopes of finding the Rev. Joe Divine, but with no success. That is, until late last year. While conducting research for something totally unrelated (which is often the case in historical research-most success comes when you’re NOT looking for it), I saw the name J.W. Devine. “Hmmmm,” I thought to myself, “could this be the person I’m looking for?” Well, it didn’t make much sense. This person was a pastor in the Ohio Annual Conference, not Arkansas. Also, his named turned out to be Jesse W. Devine, not Joe Divine. He also seemed to be too old to be the same person that fit my description.

But I followed the lead, anyway and what I discovered blew my mind. It turns out that this in fact, was the relative that had come down through family lore. Jesse Devine (which was often misspelled Divine, even in US Census records) was in fact the father of Joe Devine. Joe was the father of Hattie Devine, who was the mother of Georgia Moore, who was the mother of Iowa Milan, my maternal grandmother. It turns out that Jesse W. Devine was a mulatto, which might account for the description of his being a Native American. He also served as the pastor of the Monticello Circuit from 1874 until his death in 1876, which might account for the story that he was Presiding Elder.

Jesse W. Devine was born in Pennsylvania in 1818 and married Elvira (last name unknown), who was born in 1823 in Louisiana. They were property owners, buying their first home in Xenia, Ohio in 1848, where they lived until 1864. It appears that he entered the ministry of the AME Church in 1851 under the leadership of Bishop William Paul Quinn. So affectionate were they of the venerable old bishop, they named their last child after him, William P. Q. Devine. In fact, my mother reminded me that the use of that name continued into the 20^th century with a cousin known as Quinny.

He served as the pastor of the Hamilton Circuit (Ohio), the Columbus and Delaware Circuits (Ohio), the Washington Circuit (Pennsylvania), and Brown Chapel in Allegheny City (modern day Pittsburgh). He was a delegate to the 1864 General Conference; he served on the board of the Connectional Missionary Society alongside the Rev. Henry McNeil Turner; and he served on the board of trustees for Wilberforce University. In addition to serving under Bishop Quinn, he also received appointments from the hand of Bishop Daniel A. Payne. In 1869, he and his family moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, where he set up practice as an attorney. During this period, until he served a church again in 1874, he served as a Class Leader at Bethel AME Church in Little Rock under the Rev. J.T. Jennifer.

Jesse Devine also found himself mixed up in the world of national politics. He served as an election official during the controversial election of 1870. During that election, allegations were made that John Edwards (can you believe it?), the Democrat who won the seat in the House of Representatives, had stolen the election by way of voter fraud. It was alleged by the loser, Republican Thomas Bowles, that Black voters had been illegally disenfranchised at the polls. Jesse’s depositions are found among the records in this case. When the dust settled, the courts agreed that Mr. Edwards had stolen the election and the seat was given to the rightful winner, Mr. Bowles.

This is a great story and it may provoke some to question why it would make me weep. But the reason why I wept was two-fold.

First, I wept because of the joy of finding a long, lost relative. At a certain point, I realized that this was not just some scholarly, academic pursuit or just another part of my research agenda. It was personal, deeply personal. As I read through the pages of the Christian Recorder articles that mentioned the various activities he did during his day, I came across his own words. It was just a thank you note, showing his appreciation for the way in which his congregation had taken care of Mrs. Devine. But when I “heard” his voice, it touched me in such a way that the tears were uncontrollable.

But the second reason that I wept was not so joyful. I wept because of the pain in knowing that somewhere along the way, we dropped the ball. Somewhere, we stopped telling this story. No “White man” did that to us, we did that to ourselves. We somehow arrived at a point where the only thing we could say about our roots in Arkansas was that our family came from “somewhere back East.” Unfortunately, ours is not the only family that has forgotten and when I think about that tragic fact, it makes me weep all over again. I wept for joy and I wept because of a sense of loss. But mostly, I wept because I was just happy to have found my great, great, great, great grandfather, the Rev. Jesse W. Devine.

Vote for Quinn Chapel (Chicago) as they compete for Historic Funding

The following is a reprint from the Christian Recorder (online version). If we can spend our valuable time voting for contestants on American Idol, surely we can spend the same time investing in ourselves. Read on and cast your vote!!!

QUINN CHAPEL IS ONE OF 25 SITES COMPETING FOR FUNDS FROM THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND AMERICAN EXPRESS:

The National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express launched a 1 million dollar competition for the preservation of historic sites in Chicago. Quinn Chapel is one of 25 sites competing for these funds. A major criterion for winning this competition is daily on line voting. The site with the most votes from today through October 10, 2007 will receive their total funding request. Quinn requested $150,000.00 for the restoration of the kitchen, common space and restrooms on the first floor of the building. You can make this request a reality when you log on to www.partnersinpreservation.com/openhouse and vote. Vote every day and forward this message to all of your email lists. There is no limit to the number of votes or participants eligible to assist.

On September 15 and 16, 2007 from 10 am until 4 pm daily, Quinn will hold an open house for you to tour this historic landmark. Quinn is the oldest black church in Chicago and the experience promises to be worth your while. You will meet some of the historic leaders who have spoken from this pulpit. Anticipated appearances from Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglas, and President McKinley are among the invitees. Please join in this fun and once in a lifetime experience.

As we continue to restore this American Treasure please know the significance of your vote. We appreciate your continued help and support. You may receive daily reminders to vote. We can make this happen.

Quinn Chapel AME Church family, the oldest African American Church in Chicago is asking the help of the Connectional AME Church in receiving the attached grant. We need is for persons to vote by computer. Distributing our request for voters through The Christian Recorder Online would be of tremendous assistance.

*Rev. James M. Moody is the pastor of Quinn Chapel AME Church
2401 S Wabash
Chicago IL 60616,
312-791-1847 Church Office

AMEC Archives Can't Wait!

(A portion of the collection handed down to the AME Church by the family of Bishop Reverdy C. Ransom)

It is incredible and puzzling to think that the oldest African American denomination in the United States does not have a centralized Archive. At the present moment, most of our material is spread out in libraries all over the world that we do not control. Some of our AME colleges and seminaries are doing their best to keep a handle on what little they have been given, by way of documents, rare books, and other items. But, when you consider the tight budget constraints that they face, they are often trying to make bricks without straw.

In fact, the collection from Payne Theological Seminary’s Archive is currently being housed at the library at Wilberforce University. These materials were moved from Payne to WU almost 10 years ago as a “temporary” move, but now they still sit in the same location (literally in the stacks) “boxed” off from the general public. But anyone can simply walk around the boxes as you can see demonstrated by the photo above which was taken during normal business hours of the library.

As the photograph shows, the holdings that were given by the family of Bishop Reverdy C. Ransom sit out in the open where the general public can just go through them at will.

Need I say that Bishop Ransom’s life is a vital link in the telling of the history of African Methodism? He walked with the leaders of the 19^th century church as a young man being ordained and sent out by Bishop Payne; he served as a pastor during the period of the Great Migration of Blacks from the South to the North in the early 20^th century and literally transformed urban ministry in Chicago; as pastor in Boston, he participated with W.E.B. DuBois in the founding of the NAACP where his speech to the group was described as “…the most stirring single episode in the life of the Niagara Movement”; and he personally influenced a great many AME Church leaders that shaped the denomination in the late 20^th century and even into this current millennium.

Yet, we allow his papers and records to sit unattended, like a barren grave and headstone that have been covered by weeds and shrubs due to neglect because no family member came back to care for it!

The point is not to cast blame on the library staffs of Payne or Wilberforce, or anyone else for that matter. No, the blame is to be shared by all of us for not making this more of a priority and the point is to demonstrate just how much of a crisis we face with regard to the preservation of our historical assets.

Some have said to me, “We can’t afford anything new added to the budget.” To this I say that we cannot afford NOT to build and maintain an Archive. When we forget the past, we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

If elected to the office of Historiographer in 2008, I pledge to provide an Archive by the time we celebrate the 200^th year of African Methodism in 2016. If we take this mission serious, friends from inside and outside our great Church will rise up to help the AMEC build a first class Archive where God’s name will be praised because of the great things He has done!

I am interested in learning how others in the AMEC and the greater historical community feel about this issue. Please post a comment by clicking the comment button below (comments may be posted anonymously if chosen). Also, click the mail note below to share this posting with others by email.

A Warning from Bishop Richard Allen

"We deemed it expedient to have a form of discipline, whereby we may guide our people in the fear of God, in the unity of the Spirit, and in the bonds of peace, and preserve us from that spiritual despotism which we have so recently experienced--remembering that we are not to lord it over God's heritage, as greedy dogs that can never have enough. But with long suffering, and bowels of compassion to bear each other's burdens, and so fulfill the Law of Christ, praying that our mutual striving together for the promulgation of the Gospel may be crowned with abundant success." Excerpt from Bishop Allen’s autobiographical work, The Life, Experience, and Gospel Labours of the Rt. Rev. Richard Allen, p.21 (NOTE: To read Bishop Allen’s autobiography in full, click on the link.)

Bishop Richard Allen chose a rather interesting place to end his autobiography. Instead of concluding on a note of self glorification, he ends with words that sound more like a prophetic warning. In the previous pages, Bishop Allen has related the painful details of how the AMEC had to wrestle free from the White Methodists in Philadelphia. Many of us in the AMEC only know the romanticized version of our founding that we often tell at Founders Day, where Bishop Allen and his faithful band of followers leave St. Georges Methodist Episcopal Church, start Mother Bethel, and live happily ever after with no more interference from the outside world. But the fact is that the members of the White Methodist body for the most part did not simply let us walk away. Their Book of Discipline was used as a tool of harassment and the preachers acted like (in Bishop Allen’s words) spiritual despots and greedy dogs. It ultimately would take God's hand moving through the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to truly set us free to worship under our own vine and fig tree.

Yet, after telling that great story of liberation, Bishop Allen does not end with finger wagging at the White Methodists. Instead, he ends his story with a warning to his future sons and daughters. He knew that there may come a day when we might forget God's saving acts on our behalf and as a result, begin to behave in ways more like our former oppressors instead of our ancestors. Bishop Allen's quote gives us pause to do some serious introspection and soul searching by asking ourselves some tough questions.

Have we become the greedy dogs that never have enough? Have we become the new spiritual despots that misuse the Book of Discipline to divide and conquer instead of bringing together and building up? Has our church become more like old St. Georges or do we still favor old Mother Bethel?

Well, the good news is that if we as individuals, local congregations, or even as a denomination have strayed from the path, we still have hope. We can still turn to the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Richard, and Sarah who will always take us back. The God of the prodigal son stands waiting with open arms. An accurate reading and remembering of our history is a helpful means of ensuring that we remain grounded in the faith that has brought us thus far along the way!

Love Makes the Difference: Remembering Bishop "Bob" Thomas

(The following is a reprint of the Obituary from the Home Going Celebration of one of our beloved leaders)

Bishop Robert Thomas, Jr. The Journey

April 20, 1925-August 18, 2007

The Early Years

Robert Thomas, Jr. was born April 20, 1925 to the union of Reverend Robert Thomas, Sr. and Missionary Lucille Shorter Thomas, in Chicago, Illinois. He was educated in the public schools of Chicago. He attended Roosevelt University and Chicago Theological Seminary. Young Robert was an outstanding musician and was known throughout Chicago for his gift of playing the trumpet. He was born into African Methodism and spent his childhood at the feet of his father, who was the pastor of Coppin African Methodist Episcopal Church and later became a Presiding Elder in the Chicago Conference. His mother was an avid missionary leader and served God and the church as an Episcopal Supervisor and Second Vice President of the Connectional Women's Missionary Society. She was the President of the Chicago Conference Women's Missionary Society. Their unusual commitment to God and to the African Methodist Episcopal Church inspired Robert Thomas Jr. to always give his best in service. This was clearly demonstrated in how he served as a Pastor as well as a Bishop.

His Ministry as a Pastor

Bishop Thomas accepted the call to the Christian Ministry in April 1946, and was admitted on trial to the Chicago Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church by Bishop John Andrew Gregg. He was elected and ordained a Deacon in 1948 and an Elder in 1950. Both ordinations were by Bishop George Wilbur Baber. H is Pastoral Ministry was set in motion and "Love Makes the Difference" become his personal and professional credo.

His appointments were:

Bethel, Hammond, Indiana, 1949-1953. Under his leadership the membership increased from 29 to 90. He led the congregation in the building of new a church arid the purchase of a parsonage.

Trinity, Waukegan, Illinois, 1953-1960. During his tenure the membership increased from 143 to 502. He led the congregation in the building of a new edifice and the purchase of a new parsonage.

Arnett Chapel, Chicago, Illinois, 1960-1963. His three-year tenure was characterized by his involvement not only in the church but in the Morgan Park Community.

Bethel, Chicago 1963-1972. Historic Bethel Church welcomed the thirty-eight year old pastor with open arms. Together pastor and people completed the task of remodeling the church and the building of a new educational facility, which boasted a huge multi-purpose room, offices, commercial kitchen, and classrooms. While serving as the pastor of Bethel, Reverend Thomas, affectionately known as Pastor Bob, served as President of the NAACP and was appointed by Mayor Richard J. Daley, Chair of the Chicago Commission on Youth Welfare. He also established a very successful day care center that served children of mothers and fathers who needed a safe place to leave their children. This agency provided employment for many people.

Ebenezer, Detroit, Michigan 1972-1988. Ebenezer, the great church in the Motor City, was a challenge for Thomas. It was a huge gothic structure. Ebenezer, at the time of his pastorate, paid the highest General Budget in the entire African Methodist Episcopal Church. In spite of large obligations, this great church worked hard to fulfill the dream of their pastor in his desire to serve as a Bishop of the Church. After 16 years of pastoral care to Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church, Robert Thomas, Jr. was elected and consecrated the 107th Bishop of the Church at the General Conference of 1988 in Fort Worth, Texas.

In every community where Pastor Bob served, he had a commitment to making a positive difference. He was intimately involved with the people and he was dedicated to lifting fallen spirits. His influence led to young people turning from a life of crime. In one instance, there was a break in and much of the church's office equipment was stolen. When the young people in the neighborhood discovered the "goods" had come from the church Pastor Bob served, they returned all the equipment. "Love Makes the Difference."

His Ministry as a Presiding Bishop

Immediately following his election and consecration as the 107th Bishop, the now Bishop Thomas, was assigned to the 15th Episcopal District which encompasses the Cape Province of South Africa, and Namihia in Southwest Africa. He and Mother Beverly served there from 1988-1992.

Bishop Thomas moved to Cape Town and hecatne the Chief Pastor. He was appointed at a time in the history of South Africa when the people were struggling with apartheid. He insisted that his people be treated equally, whether "coloured" or "black", and never backed down from things he knew to be wrong. He was the man for the hour. "Love Makes the Difference."

In 1992, he was assigned to the 8th Episcopal District, which covers the states of Louisiana and Mississippi. In this assignment, as in all others, Bishop Thomas gave untiring leadership. He developed a major stewardship initiative that led to the expansion of Bonner-Campbell College. The much improved facilities enabled the district to hold many educational activities on their own property. His dedication and wisdom led to many church expansions and greater youth involvement. Under his leadership the 8th Episcopal District hosted many very successful connectional meetings. "Love Makes the Difference."

In 1996, the Episcopal Committee granted the wishes of the 4th District and assigned their favorite son to his home district. Bishop Thomas did not disappoint the people who had worked for his election. He presided fairly, justly and always with love. The people responded in kind and the church grew. It was his custom to always share with the less fortunate. He met the needs of the people whether it was a new roof for the church or books for a class. "Love Makes the Difference."

His Ministry in Retirement

When Bishop Thomas ended his active years of being pastor and Presiding Bishop, his ministry did not end. He was given the opportunity to preach for many districts and churches.

When he was not preaching, he could be found in his pew at Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was a faithful member and an ardent supporter of his pastor, the Reverend H. Michael Lemmons. Throughout his Pastoral and Episcopal Ministry, he dedicated himself to proclaiming the gospel of love. "Love Does Make the Difference."

His Family

Robert Thomas, Jr. was united in marriage to Deressa Jones Thomas, December 25th, 1946. She shared in his ministry until December 28th, 1979, when the Lord called her from labor to reward. They had one daughter, Patricia Rayford, who died in July 29, 2001. Blessed be her memory.

The Lord blessed Bishop Thomas with another partner in ministry in the person of Beverly Adams Williams. Mother Beverly is a gifted musician, artist, educational administrator and committed missionary. It was the faithfulness of Beverly that added additional years of joy and happiness to the life of Bishop Thomas. It was also her care and commitment that made Bishop Thomas' last days peaceful. They were husband and wife for twenty-five years.

The Bishop leaves to rejoice in his memory his wife, Beverly; three grandchildren, Robert Hendon, Rev. Robyn Henclon (Marcus) Tabb, and Jason (Tasha) Rayford; six great-grandchildren, Maxmillian, Marcus Jr., Michael, Jaylen, Dorian, and Lauryn; sisters-in-law, Opralee Beatty and Cynthia Adams Carter and a hosts of extended family and friends.

"And now abideth faith, hope and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

I Corinthians 13:13 Love Made the Difference

The Stage or the Pulpit?

(The pulpit and the altar shortly after being "discovered" by the demolition crew.)

Recently, our congregation undertook the task of renovating our Fellowship Hall. Macedonia AMEC is the oldest Black church in the city of Camden, N.J. (1833) and the present building sits on land that was purchased with the help of Bishop Morris Brown. As the construction crew began the demolition by removing the stage, they encountered an unexpected find. Hidden beneath it was a pulpit surrounded by a beautiful mahogany altar! Not even our oldest members had ever heard that there was a pulpit buried beneath the stage in the Fellowship Hall.

Since this “discovery,” I’ve been troubled by a nagging and persistent question: How does a congregation forget that there is a pulpit and an altar buried beneath the stage?

Then it occurred to me that this discovery is not too different from the experience of Josiah and the builders in II Chronicles 34. In the text, renovations are underway in the Temple when the workers “stumble” upon a scroll containing the Word of God that had been lost. Think about the irony of that statement: The Word of God was lost inside the Temple! How do the priests and the lay leadership ever get to a place where the Word gets lost in the building where the Word is to be proclaimed?

What did they preach in those days when the Word was lost? Maybe they preached the prosperity message of Baal. Maybe they preached the situational ethics put forth by the Ashteroth poles. Maybe they just preached what people wanted to hear. In any event, when the Word was found, Josiah had enough good sense to lead the people back to God by following the precepts found in it. At least for his generation, this discovery led to a time of spiritual renewal.

Could this be a Word for African Methodism today? Could this historic find be God’s way of communicating to us? Could it be that in too many places, we are not growing because we have built stages over the pulpit and the altar? On the stage, humankind is the central player, humankind writes the script, humankind gives the direction, and humankind plays the tune. In other words, when we put stages in the place of pulpits, we elevate our needs and wants, while God is pushed aside until the Word can no longer be found in the Temple.

If it was true for Josiah that spiritual rebirth occurred only by returning to the old landmark, then possibly our resurrection as a denomination in places where we are currently experiencing drought and stagnation, is just as simple: tear down the stage and put back the pulpit! In the pulpit and the altar, God is central, God writes the script, God gives the direction, and God plays the tune. In the pulpit and the altar, the power is not in fund raising via chicken dinners and fish fries, slick P/R campaigns, nor annual days. Empowerment, instead, is found in trusting in the power and the presence of an almighty God, represented by the pulpit and the altar.

Lest I forget Gethsemane,

Lest I forget Thine agony;

Lest I forget Thy love for me,

Lead me to Calvary.

Announcement as Candidate for AMEC Historiographer

(The following was posted in the Online Version of the AMEC Christian Recorder on August 8, 2007)

STUDY OF HISTORY IS NOT DEAD AND DRY, SAYS DR. MARK TYLER:

Thank you for making these few lines available to share my passion for preserving the history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC) with the readership of the Christian Recorder. Unfortunately, too many people in our society regard the study of history as a dead and dry science. However, the study of the history of the AMEC is not dead nor is it dry. In fact, it is the story of God’s saving activity among a people, often with their backs against the wall. One cannot tell the story of African Methodism in the United States, Africa, and beyond without telling the story of God continually bringing us out safely.

The problem with spiritual amnesia is made clear in the Book of Judges. Throughout the book, the people of God continue to find themselves in trouble because they forget. When they forget, they worship strange new gods, they adopt the wicked ways of their neighbors, and they become powerless over their enemies. Each time they forget their own divine history, they are led into disobedience and rebellion. Yet, they are saved by remembering. Whenever they remember to call on the name of the Lord, their God, they are delivered. Forgetting leads to destruction, yet remembering leads to salvation. Mr. Editor, this is a word for African Methodism.

In order that we might remember, I am running for the office of Historiographer of the AMEC. If elected in 2008 at the General Conference, with God’s help, I plan to implement the following program:

1. Build the Official Archives of the AMEC to house our most important documents, including a special holding for the papers of our Bishops, General Officers, Pastors, Laity, and other notable persons (The artists rendering in the photo above is one proposal for an archive generated by Rev. Jeffery Leath and the members of Mother Bethel AMEC, Philadelphia)
2. Commission the most exceptional scholars to write the most current volume of the History of the AMEC
3. Produce a DVD/VHS series documenting the history of the AMEC that will be available for use in New Member Orientation, Black History Month, and for other appropriate usages
4. Make the AME Review available in an online format
5. Create an ongoing dialogue with scholars concerned with the history of the AMEC

Many of the problems we face in our Church today can be tied directly to our collective amnesia. Maybe, we are so ready to preach the newest and latest theology from what we’ve seen on television simply because we’ve forgotten that before prosperity theology, we believed in a theology of Black Liberation (that would ultimately lead to a greater prosperity for all the people, not just the pastor!). When we forget, we rely more on fundraising than tithing. When we forget, we close our doors to hurting communities and become selective on whom we seek as new members. When we forget, we run the risk of rebelling against God and being alienated from God’s power.

But when we remember that we have not come all this way by ourselves, but that it was by the strong hand of God, then God becomes an active agent on our behalf. When we remember to call on God, our pews will fill again. When we remember to call on God, we won’t be reliant on the fish fry and the chicken dinner to bring us out. When we remember to call on God, people will have to compete for parking spaces in the lot and seats in the pews. If we, as a denomination, are to remain relevant and effective in this new millennium, we must remember to call on the name of the Lord!

If the AMEC elects me as the next Historiographer, I won’t forget!

Mark Kelly Tyler, Ph.D.
Candidate for the office of Historiographer, 2008
Pastor, Macedonia AMEC, Camden, New Jersey