whose book of poems brought forth high praise from the Hoosier poet, James Whitcomb Reilly. His book also attracted the attention of William Dean Howell who wrote a splendid review of it in Harper's Magazine, in which he said, "Mr. Dunbar's poems have given me a much higher estimate of the Negro."
CHAPTER XXIV.
CHURCHES.
I shall not attempt to give a history of the various denominations with which the colored people are identified. I simply desire to set forth a few facts which indicate that they have, by vigorous efforts, made the same wonderful progress along church lines that they have along educational, industrial and professional lines.
The colored people are represented in nearly every denomination known in the United States.
The Baptists, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Methodists Episcopal, African Methodists Episcopal, African Methodists Episcopal Zion, Colored Methodists Episcopal, Congregational Methodists Episcopal, the Presbyterians, and other denominations are very well supported by the colored people, and the church work has been a great help to the race since 1865.
I cannot give the amount of space to this phase of the so-called Negro problem that it deserves; but in order that my readers may get some idea of the development of the race along religious lines, I offer here a brief sketch of the Bethel A. M. E. Church, of Philadelphia, Pa., for this is a fair representation of church work among the colored people throughout the United States. And what is said of Bethel will apply to all other denominations in proportion to their membership.
BETHEL A. M. E. CHURCH.