The Journal of Negro History, Volume 8, 1923Various
History
The Journal of Negro History, Volume 8, 1923
Various
African Americans -- Periodicals
The twenty annual conferences in the South among Negroes have
properties in parsonages and churches valued at $19,767,430. There
are also thirty-two Negro institutions of learning in these twenty
conferences with enrollment of 8,868 and lands with buildings and
equipment valued at $6,522,642. The outstanding professional and
collegiate institutions for Negroes are Gammon Theological Seminary,
Atlanta, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, and colleges in several
of the principal cities of the South. The total church properties
named above, in Negro Methodist Conferences of the Methodist
Episcopal Church on former slave territory, is $25,218,230.00. These
conferences raised $1,500,000 during three years from 1870 to 1872 for
general church work at home and in foreign fields outside of pastoral
and other local church expenses.[16]
There is no separation on account of race in annual conferences,
churches or schools in the Methodist Episcopal Church, except as
desired and requested by those interested. As the result of many
petitions and extended discussions the General Conference, which met
in 1876, in Baltimore, passed a law that the annual conferences in the
Southern States which had both Negro and white members could separate,
provided each group voted in favor of it. Under this action with few
exceptions the division was made, where desired. The same law prevails
in reference to churches and schools. The nineteen Negro conferences
have ninety-two delegates in the General Conference, the law-making
body for the whole church. These delegates have representation in all
legislation. One or more Negro ministers or laymen are on each of the
general boards of the church--publication, education, missions--home
and foreign, Epworth League, and the like. Nearly a score of able and
effective Negro men and women are official representatives of the
general church boards in their work among the Negro conferences.
Six Negroes have been elected bishops in the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Four were missionary bishops, with full episcopal authority on
the continent of Africa. Of these Bishop Scott remains and is on the
retired list. In their fields these bishops were not subordinate but
coordinate with general superintendents. Their episcopal work was of
the same type as that of William Taylor, James Thoburn, Oldham, Warne,
and Hartzell, white missionary bishops in Africa and India.
The General Conference in 1920 elected Robert E. Jones and Matthew W.
Clair general superintendents. The former has his episcopal residence
in New Orleans and the latter in Liberia. They preside in turn at the
semiannual conferences of the Board of Bishops and will preside at the
General Conference in 1924.
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