I was sent to the Morristown station to fill out the unexpired term of the Rev. Mr. Smith deceased. We spent the night at the parsonage, then Mr. Henry Ader, a prominent contractor and steward in the church, came to see us and took us to his house until the parsonage was put in shape for us. We were most pleasantly entertained by him. While in this field of labor I sought out a secret spot where I might meet with God and talk over with Him all the work that I was entering upon in this field. I realized that such an arrangement with God was best and one that every Christian who is doing business for the King, should have. So I regularly kept my engagements with God in this place. I put before Him all my plans and went over them, seeking His wisdom and help. It is wonderful how He brings to our assistance His strength and grace when we honor Him as we should in this way. The Saviour Himself taught that we should have our closet, that is, a secret place, where we talk with God about everything that interests us. That we should not do as the Pharisees and Scribes, who loved to talk with God on the street corners and public places that they might be seen of men. “When thou prayest enter into thy closet and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”
Mr. Henry Ader, Lansing Furman, George Yates, Nicholas Miller, Henry Johnson, Robert Gale, Preston Garland, together with their wives, were the active members in this church and they were indeed a noble band of workers. There was harmony in the church between the members and a zeal marked with wisdom in their work. I was soon able to have my wife and children come on from Little Rock, Ark. This getting together again was a happy reunion of my home. I found the Y. M. C. A. in this place to be a noble band of workers and very much interested in the colored people. Such influences as this are very inspiring to my people. I met and had the pleasant acquaintance while here of the pastor of the Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Dr. Erdman (white). I found him to be a noble Christian man and very deeply interested in the uplifting of our people. He not only used his influence but contributed of his means for our welfare. I had the pleasure of preaching for him in his own pulpit. I might mention also a Dr. Owen, a physician (white), who did a great deal for our people and cause. He assisted us in paying off the mortgage on our Church and in getting the Church out of debt. In all these things I was able to see the gleams of the light of God’s love shining down upon us every day. For we must remember that the love and the friendship of our white friends are but the sunshine of God’s love falling upon us to bless us and to teach us that God has His own chosen ones in this world who are living on the table land of Christian thought and activity, far above the swamps of prejudice and racial animosity. We, too, should daily seek to live on these same highlands of God’s love and peace.
REV. J. W. COOPER,
Treasurer of the New Jersey Conference.
The Conference met at Princeton, N. J. I was received into the membership of this Conference and entered into the active duties thereof on committees on which I was assigned. I found the brethren very cordial in their welcome and pleasant as co-laborers in the Lord’s work. I met here for the first time, Elders J. W. Cooper, J. H. Bean, George A. Mills, J. H. Morgan, R. Faucett, J. T. Diggs, Winston Taylor, J. R. V. Pierce, Wilson Patterson, S. B. Williams and others. I was assigned to Morristown and was much pleased with the appointment. We had a very pleasant year as well as profitable. The Conference the following year was entertained by my Church. This meeting of the Conference was a very pleasant and profitable one. The reports showed that in every way the denomination in this part of the vineyard was doing its work reasonably well. The Conference had the pleasure while here of visiting Drew Seminary. Some of our Bishops and leaders made addresses, which were kindly received judging from the responses on the part of the Faculty of this noble institution. This is a theological school of the M. E. Church. After the adjournment of the Conference I slipped away for a much needed rest, not letting my congregation or even my wife know where I was going. I went to New York City for a few days. Sometimes it is necessary for a man to get away from every work that he may recuperate himself.
About this time I attended the funeral of my cousin, John Harris, living on Lombard street, Philadelphia. While here I met Bishops Wayman and Brown; Financial Secretary, B. W. Arnett, (since made Bishop, but now deceased), and Judge Allen (colored), of South Carolina. I visited the Philadelphia Conference which met at West Chester, Pa. This was a very delightful meeting of Conference.
I soon returned to my field of labor, at Morristown, very much refreshed and entered upon my labors with new zeal and, I trust, more wisdom. All through my ministry I have been deeply impressed with the fact that we must do all that we can for our young people. They are, in their own time and generation, to do all in their power to work out the salvation of their people. They must be trained to take up the labors of their fathers and mothers with more zeal and wisdom than their parents, so that the cause of the race may be greatly advanced by them in their day. When I think of the ten millions or more of my people in this country, and their destiny will be largely fixed by the coming generation of Afro-Americans; I almost tremble for the outcome, because I fear that the fathers and mothers of this day and generation have not done their work as well as they could have done it. There are great odds against us in this country, and it will require strong bodies, characters and minds, together with the power and wisdom of God, to bring my people to the place where they can become potent factors in this mighty civilization. At Morristown I furnished the parsonage, paid off all debts and added 40 members to the Church. I also organized the Church at Madison, N. J.
MACEDONIA A. M. E. CHURCH
Camden, N. J.
Built by Rev. W. H. Yeocum, D.D., and Rev. A. H. Newton, D.D.
On April 18, 1883, the New Jersey Conference met at Bridgeton, N. J., in the Mt. Zion A. M. E. Church. My report was as follows: Contingent, $1; salary, $580; traveling expenses, $12; P. E. support, $49; Dollar Money, $27; Missionary Fund, $12; Sunday School, $22; number of members, 61; probationers, 4; Sunday School scholars, 120. I was sent from this Conference to Trenton, N. J., where I spent two years in the pastoral work. I increased the membership of this Church from 62 to 180 during this time and paid off a great many debts and advanced the cause of Christ in many ways. After this pastorate, I served the Macedonia A. M. E. Church, Camden, N. J.