The palmetto leader. (Columbia, S.C.) 1925-196?, June 13, 1925, Page THREE, Image 3
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
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I subscribe r or
hTTe~ :
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