37. The African Methodist Episcopal Church owes its origin to the prejudice against the colored members and attendants of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the early days of the latter, this prejudice was so deep that the colored persons were not unfrequently pulled from their knees while at prayer in the church, and ordered to the back seats.
This denomination has greatly increased by the addition of emancipated slaves. Its statistics are as follows:
| Ministers. | Members. | |
| 1842 | — | 15,000 |
| 1860 | — | 20,000 |
| 1864 | — | 50,000 |
| 1865 | 405 | 50,000 |
| 1866 | — | 70,000 |
| 1867 | 1,500 | 200,000 |
| 1869 | 1,500 | 200,000 |
The average annual increase in twenty-five years has been 7,500.
38. The operation of the same prejudice against color in New York gave rise to the "Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church." Its statistics show a large increase recently at the South, and are as follows:
| Ministers. | Members. | |
| 1842 | — | 4,000 |
| 1860 | — | 6,000 |
| 1864 | — | 8,000 |
| 1866 | — | 42,000 |
| 1867 | 300 | 60,000 |
| 1869 | — | 164,000 |
The average annual increase of the denomination has been 2,008.
39. The "Methodist Episcopal Church, South," is the second largest body of Methodists in the United States. It arose from a division of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in accordance with resolutions of the General Conference in 1844.
The membership of this denomination has been reduced by the war, by the invasion of its territory by the Northern Methodist Episcopal, and by the African and Zion churches. Its statistics are as follows: