By
Jonathan Tremayne Moore
Age Turns 13 March 5
St. John A.M.E. Church
Eight Mile, AL
Today
is the 2nd Sunday of February and what we consider as Founder’s
Day. On February 14, 2001 we will celebrate our founder’s
birthday. I thought for a moment on what I would say about Richard
Allen and I could only think of reading what we have all heard so
many times before. So rather than read all about our founder, I will
tell you of his “Importance in 2001.”
First, let me give you
a brief background history:
*Richard
Allen was born a slave on February 14, 1760. I can only imagine that
his mother might have said these words.
“God has
Blessed me once again with a new born son. But I can see through his
eyes that he is destined for great things. Though you are born into
slavery as so many of us are, God will & shall help us overcome.”
*In 1777 at
the age of 17 our founder converted his master, Mr. Stokley. Can you
see God working? This important event allowed our founder to
purchase his and his brother’s freedom.
*In 1787 Mr.
Allen and a group of friends walked out of St. Georges Methodist
Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. and formed the “Free
African Society” whose purpose was for the improvement of the
social and economic conditions of the free Negroes.
*In 1793 Mr.
Allen buys an old blacksmith building that became a place of worship
and called it the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
*In 1816
several events took place:
Mr. Allen
met with representatives from Philadelphia, Baltimore, Wilmington,
Delaware; Salem, New Jersey; and Attleboro, Pennsylvania
During this
same year Bethel Church, won its right to be legally recognized as
an independent African Methodist Church
Mr. Richard
Allen was chosen as the first bishop of the church and presided
over the First General Conference of the African Methodist Church
What our
founder stood for:
He stood
for the improvement of social and economic conditions of all
Negroes
He
recognized the importance of education
Richard Allen
in 2001:
I have given
you the history and just as it was then it is now. We as African’s
are still working towards social and economic improvements. I think
socially he wanted us to strive towards working with all people of
all races to show that we are here and we are an invaluable group of
people. That we can get a job done just as he did then we can now.
But to get a job done no matter how big or small we have to have an Education.
Education
is the key and we can definitely see that, being stressed here, at
St. John. From Mrs. Cheryl working on college tours to Ms.
Stephanie, starting a college fund, Education is the key.
But why are
these things important? 1. The Social Status?
2. The
Education?
1. Because
socially we have to know how to fit in and know the right words to
say to get us where we are going. Many doors are closed when we do
not use proper English. Again we have to know how to interact with
people of all races outside of the African American race.
2.
Education because as the saying goes “Knowledge is power” and
the knowledge we posses can open doors we don’t have the keys
too.
Richard
Allen Our Founder
“God
as our Father, Christ as our Redeemer and Man as our Brotherr
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