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Saturday, Jung 13,1925, Short History of Bethel A. M. I?. Church, Detroit; "? ^Michigan ~Johns Stawart,?frcoi and a Methodist, born in ,Powhattan county, Virginia was the first . Negro Profegtagt.Missionary to _ the Indiaps in. hia -section, lie began work in the yea?Ht8i6, arriving at Wyandotte Village, . nooy TlAtrrnt qf ill tijhyn llQUr l-'v vTOI 1/ Ov Q UvVvO *IW 1 Wv/I V 7 his efforts that in 1819 this work was taken in charge by the Ohio Conference of the M. E. Church, under the operation of its Missionary Society. The first Colored Methodist Society' organized in Detroit proppr wqg in 1K3Q,arTH nftnV 'wards merged into Bethel A.- M. E. Church. This organization held its meetings in an old building nearJWoodward Ave., known as Military Hall, located on the ~ * 'north side Congress Street. This hall was granted by the Common Council om July 9, 1839 to the Colored Methodists and was removed with a few weeks to Croghan Street, near the - northwest corner of Hastings St., on what was known as "Fath er - Armstrong's" lot. It was while there that John M.Brown, ?-afterwards Bishop^n-the-A. Mr - E. Church was made an exhorter. On May 10, 184lathis society ?was definitely organized -under Church, hence the_origin of the Bethel A. 1VL E. Church of Detroit, Michigan. The society re>mained-at Croghan Street near, ly two years and then moved to Fort St. East. The building was __ at the same time moved. neatTv fitted up, and formally dedicated on June 4, 1842; Thh next effort of the society was the erection of a brick, church on the south ~ . side of Lafayette Street, which - icost $2,000. The lot- purchased on June 5_^L845 cost?$300.00. ^ - The church was 40 b^NSP feet T~ and was dedicated September 19, 18477 The' society ,wa&-incorp<> r ::~ - " rated July 30, 1849. ~~ In 1842 Detroit was made part of the Canadian- work, and later _? talcen-over-by, the Ohio Confer?? cnee when that body convened in 1849 at Cincinnati and aided out three Missionary fields, the third of which included Michn gan ancfwas known as theTpsilanti Mission. uStill later Detroit became part or the Indiana Con lerence where it remained until ^ the organization of the Michi? ' --gan Annual Conference by -Rtr - Rev. J. P. Campbell, August 18??; - - ~ In 1845 the Ohio Annual Con : - Bishop Wm. Quinn presided. On December 2, 1866 exten_ sive. repairs which cost $4,000 and an extension of 18 feet to the church was made. / "" On August 26, I87<f the 36th session of the Indiana Annual Conference convene^ , in- this church. Bishop A. W. Wa-yman sided. At this conference resolutions of sympathy \yere passed with reference to the death of Bishop Willis Nazrey, (B. M. E. \ ~j Church, Canada) with request" that the members of theconfer ence attend his funeral held at . Chatham, Out., Thursday, September 2, 1875. Rev. C. H. Ward was ordained Elder and Reverends A. Smith and H. H. Thompson, Deacons during this conference. August 29, 1884, the Bishops' Cdtfffcil met in this church, the ~ oldest society of thechurch. "The Self Denial Club" was organized by the Rev. J. Mi Henderson,. September 20, 1877 under the ~ name of Ladies Helping Uamj Society. The officers-were" Lu cinda> Evans, President; Julius - Molone, Vice-President; Mary Smith Bull, Secretary; Annie Corneal, Treasurer; Elizabeth Linyear, Chairman Program Committee. Today the only living members are Sisters A. 1*. Evans, Harriet Smith, Ada Ver nell, Mary MeCoy, Amelia; Col4u?, Georgia Gmilh-IIackfeygncT Elda Proce. 1 On December 22,1&89, the cut neT" stone of the present build In^^onier-Napoleon and Hast in^Hj wnn lniti ; Ttrv Jamr* Vi Henderson, Pastor: The cost o ithe property: lot $3,000; build ling $18,000; total $21,000. I ? The year Of Bethel's graves nn&neiaT crisis was that of 190i when the church faced an indebt edness of $18,000.. It was a 'this time thai the Rev. Rober | Seymore proved equal to th j task and saved Bethel and con . sequently African Methodism ii (Detroit for all times. During the pastorate of Rev iT. A. Smythe, 1906-09, fIT 'church was "enlarged arttt'STTrtft 'organ installed. j me social service Depart ment, organized under Rev. J [p. Q. Wallace, in October 191 "Teceived itslTreai iiifpeius unde ~ the pastorale of Rev. Jos. Evan; I In 1916, with the coming of ou people in large numbers from th south, a labor and housing bl reau was added. The churc experienced a great revival o interest. :?-?; ?On Augdst-29, 1917, the prop erty adjoining the church wa purchased under the administra !ooo. i In 1917, under the administra dion of-the l?ev\T. D> .Scfltt^th j000 was paid as .a result of" splendid-system in rallies. Th colored people of" Detroit cele Prated the signing of the Arnris '1 ic^indhe qhurclT. | organization to inaugurate Pub : lie Welfare Movements; its so rial seryice department be ill] the first to make preparation for welcome for the thousand who flocked to Detroit^ after th [war., j?On?September?Hi, 1919, th Michigan Annual Conferenc was entertained for the firs [time free of cost in this chord" |Rev. TrD. Scottr was^ pastor. A this conference; the Rev. Jo! [Gomez,-the present pastor wa -appointed 10-the. pastorate o Bcthol. Tho appointment in so i pastor was concerned was 'j I shattering of all precedents. . In^dvemher 1910," ttTe~nTorn ing services* became so crowdet that an overflow_service was es tablished, Rev. Isaac Baker h jcharge. - 4- lib fh? wnrrbi^-of this...year-] building fund was started in m , In May im the buildiim acj -gaining the churcfam cUxJj.lliic?5 i to a Social Service Department ; with labor and "housing bureau and classes;--under,.the manage ment of the Recreation Commis ; sion of-the city. Mr. A. Bas was elected president of the Bro therhood, succeeded by Air. Gee [Green and later by Mr. G. A1 Carter,. Mrs. E. L. Johnson el looted president. of - the Sister hood. The social service, worl is being conducted under the a?us pices of these two societies. At the meeting, of* the Michi ^gan Annual Conference held a Fort -Wayne, Indiana, Sept'embe 8,'1920, Bethel took her plao ""among the first five Churches the connection in her financia report. $1,025.00 was reporte< ,?>s Dollar Money. The total fo all purposes was nearly $30,000 ! A comparative study of finance: of the church ^hpws more report ed at this conference for all pur poses than amount collected fo: current expenses from 1887 t< 11914. | Bishop J. M. Conner appointee -to the -Fpiseopnl BTTyeTvisioiT~o ithe 15 District preached In Beth el the latter part qf May 1920 On Wednesday, 18th,- 1921 the Idea of 'New Bethel' recelve( ' a practical stark It was initia ted in one of the greatest rea>] I estate deals made by colored peo pie in Detroit and the largest.o any congregation^ The lot cor ner of Frederick and JSLAntiota streets was purchased for $40, mi I Tn in - T""- " " ~ , - THB PALMET oo0tt0?tcu^oja<uamb^aa0^ 57 . " i<~stray; A Department o! ' My WILLIAM (All-contributions to this Depj * S poetry," accompanied by stampec |- g and sent to loblVa Taylor St., Col ' 8 culuhm.?Allwortiiy manuscripts g l?w? AmatCuW and poet-aspirai t S tha . ;alent, if you have It.) q S xTie Kdllbr of this Dfcparfmen ? siring poems on any subject for a i- 8 mormms, expressions .of friendshi f~ g kinds. . . V . , -- * PLEA - GETHSl fta : : vs- _ . By William Why should my soul he ? ???Not only for" my i'aul -i . Why should jy v heart b< For stinging diu;ts anc - ' Why should my sweeten r. i *' My-merriest laugh-th A tear behind ea^-sp ^ - Why da 1 often in some ,r" Fall prostrate, kneelir e ? And theVe, where none i- . All bathectiwith tears, h . ? ^ - As thru a veil of clarkn . A soul that bone the s And on the cross in bitt - Into the jaws of deatl s ; . . _ 1 . \ v He, gave I lis life for us He conquered Death a And bade usT with that Unite our hearts. as. < % ?so my hoart is give ^ - - j\ot only lor rrtv sins, a ? 1 feePwith'Him whose s p " ~ The~frmrtliat gladly * i- -i ~ 000. The-first payment, $10,-; 000; lot, 140x1 15, with a double ly S 12,00(1 in the lot. ;. " Plans for the Great Chaut.auyua in interest of the_.5 mlilionl b dollar drive were made at Bethel s Wednesday, May 18, 1921, Bish-'l S ? "v I op-J. M. Conner presiding. . The new church site was purchased three years ago, the entire plant with new church build-: ^ ing, costing:?.about $3,000,000. afternoon service of June 9th. . ' Rev. Joseph Gomez, the splen-' did, energetic and ahle pastor of Bethel A. M.~ E. Church under ?.1 - i whose leadership this monu-i ment to cliurch and racial progress has been erected, was bonf ^November 2G, 1800 at Trinidad.1 He received his, primary education in New York City and ColJjgiate course at Wilber force Un^>iversity, graduating therefrom; -in 1914, having finished a special course in Art and Sciences.g ^ .He took a course at Payne Thebj logical Seminary, finishing with ^ honors and receiving the degree ^ of Bachelor "of Divinity. j- new uomez .joined tne xsew; ' York Conferencedn 1909 was or-T s I dained deacon 1912, and ordained , ' ? fElder in June 1914. He pastor-, r ^ Bermuda where he can led a long1 standing indebtedness jon the church, and at Hamilton,! j Ont., Canada, from which he ^ was transferred to Big Bethel,, Detroit, in 1922 being "probably: < ! the youngest minister ever ap-|; (pointed.to a church of its size, j He has led his delegation in thej . n.1 f/>vnr>nr> 1BOA?1 QO A 1: VJIV/llV/iTyi?VTV/inVl UlIVC U1 A UL*\J~ A ?/?*** and was elected leader of the 15 r Episcopal District Delegation. ^ Rev. Gofnez is a dynamic exponent of modern Theology using a JLGd p^r cent efTuit in the~reTP -jgious, material srid civic welfare 1 ' r - ~J ~~y- J,-...;." kc . ? ~?r; *' ro LEADER _ (&$$?D?esa^^ taoojQ.c LEAVES :-: ~ !Z"Vh F Current Poetry U. RUBIN SOj?. ; urtmont mum bo typewritten, "real?; 1.* and addressed return envelope, i unibia, S. C,, to the Editor of this ) will be printed under your own | its, this is your chance to develop H t offers his-services ta-anyone ~de- < ny occasion, such as epitaphs, me- * p, or topics" for programs of all j UjJdJUU^jJjJJJ.UJJ.UUU^O.O.O.O.O.OX)-OJj,0.^! DING SMANE. D. llobinson. given thus to suffer, / 1 imade a bleeding buffer Leverlashing thongs V " Z >t songs have saddest echoes ? entle touch of pathos ? arkle in my eye? solitude, ~ ig on the chilling: sod; byt angels dare intrude, , lay barO my spul to God? ess drawn, I see. - - This is now one of the best equip-j ^ peel churches in America and re-j irarless of l ace, one of the four largest m Detroit. It will seat! ?i))pro\Mniatrflv_2^ah-f^f?fdf>:?The gymnasium, clulrrbbms, showers' y and accommodation dmmgrooimj: ^ are among some "of its cfrlef feat~ | ures. The church building cov?ea\?_ ground _83xl3fh? ?? , The Rev J'Joseph Gomez is ser ~ ving his sixth yet<r,-being' the, youngest man appointed- -to "a; 1 church of its size^in the history of the connection. The church plans two" weeksj" I of Dedicatory Exercises witk-iha: Opening services at 9:30 A. .junc ^ih. Leading Eisnops and"" Public Speakers of churches 'irace will be featured. A special, parade is being arranged for the arrows or ine world, eresi agony, = ~~?/?r~ i for us was hurled. because Hejloved; tnd Sorrow with His .blood; love with whidh He loved, ~ one in brotherhood. ' . ' " # * n Ihiu tn uiffpi-,? J ^but -ethers?wrongs] ??r oul is now my buffer, share* brothev'n thongo, ? of his numberless followers. He is highly respected as a minister and a Christian Citizen. The latest Illustration of his high~p deals, the erection of this land mark, historic, is tangible evidence of his capable^ generalship. Rev. Gomez was married tc Miss Hazel Thompson, June -18, 1914, a former classmate-at Wilberforce, who graduated there: from in 1913, arid taught school prior to her marriage, Mrs. Gomez -has been a valuable helpmate and kindred spirit to Rev. Gomez in all his endeavors. She re-organized the Junior Allen Christian Endeavor?League?e+ BetheL Church amHs-greatty aet Tvfl ' in fho dpvplinpmenf of |ho ottprayot ~ " .First how should |We pray ? Christ said, When thou prayeth use not vain repetition as heathen do for they think that they shall lie heard?for their" much speaking. Verily I say unto you they~ have their * reward. How shall we prav then'-'" Wln.n prayeth, s;\vs rhrist.-pn4^r_jnto thy closdt and when thou hath shut the door prav to thy Father that is in secret, that thy FatheV thee openly. And in following these words Christ lined his dis ciples a model prayer to pray after, in other words he taught them how to pray. We?have?the "Bible and it is full of' prayers. Christ used the Bjble in teaching others. Why, tell me, that ho did not-use it in teaching prayer? John the Baplist used the Bible to teath the people tha>t the water Baptism was given unto him from above. Why tell me that he'did not use it to . teach prayer. People that have not been taught to pray, for instance I have heard this of them when ending their prayer,?e Amen k>ik1 er in the Bible "that ends in this manner. Amen is the last word in oil nroiTAi'ci Ill C411 j/1 ttj O. 1 have seen the n<JULhun UI ship, perform and Amen ends the prayer. There is too much vain repetition used among us as Christians. I say we use more of it than, the heathens. This and all such as this is what I hear in private and publicprayers. Signed: GRADY JONES. i _. T * ' 7T ^.?*--- - -? g': - - s i 1"^' ' i v~~^ 8 1 rl? '? ? I subscribe r or hTTe~ : ; Palmetto i J ? Licauci- 12 And Make It A Success ' ' i ' " '7T > * r j Alonzo P. Ha . I Tvrrittr>o? 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