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Reverand Richard Allen
(1760 - 1831)
Founder of
the African American Episcopal Church
His Eulogy
for George Washington
Richard
Allen (1760-1831), activist and founder of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church, was born in slavery in Philadelphia and sold along
with his family to the Stokeleys of Delaware. He converted to Methodism
in 1777 and joined other slaves in attending the bi-weekly meetings of
the Methodist Society. Allen was able to purchase his freedom through
work as a brick maker and wood splitter, occupations he continued after
gaining his release. He also became an itinerant preacher, often
speaking to mixed or white audiences along his stops as a wagon driver
for the Continental Army during the American Revolution. In late 1784,
he is believed to have attended the founding conference of American
Methodism. Two years later, he returned to Philadelphia to preach.
Allen
preached not only to his assigned flock at St. George's Methodist
Episcopal Church but also throughout the city, sometimes several times
a day, to different groups of "my African brethren, who had been a long
forgotten people and few of them attended public worship." But by 1792,
when black worshipers had been pulled off their knees during prayers at
St. George's and instructed to move to a segregated pew, the necessity
of a separate black church had become painfully clear to Allen and
others.
These plans were delayed by the yellow fever epidemic of
1793, which killed thousands of Philadelphians. Allen and Absalom Jones
organized the black community to fight the epidemic and in 1794
published A Narrative of the Proceedings of the Black People, During
the Late Awful Calamity in Philadelphia, which detailed
African-American contributions to the city's
recovery during the crisis and refuted false charges of their
inactivity.
At
last, in July 1794, Allen's dream of a separate black church became
reality with the opening of Mother Bethel, complete with pulpit carved
by Allen's own hands. Although many before him had sought in vain to
establish such an institution, writes Carol George in Segregated
Sabbaths, it was Allen who proved able to "manipulate the winds of
social change that whirled about him to achieve a relatively safe and
theologically satisfying spiritual home for Black people" (7). In 1816
Allen was ordained as the first bishop of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church.
Allen was also an activist in spheres beyond
the church. In 1787, Allen and Absalom Jones founded the Free African
Society, perhaps the earliest African-American mutual aid organization
in the United States, and he opened a school for African American
children in 1795. Allen campaigned vigorously against slavery and the
schemes of the American Colonization Society.
On Sunday,
December 29, 1799, Allen delivered a eulogy of George Washington to the
congregation of the Philadelphia's African Methodist Episcopal Church.
A sketch of Allen's address was published two days later in the
Philadelphia Gazette. On the same page as Allen's eulogy appears an
advertisement for sale of "The TIME of a NEGRO MAN, who has 6 years to
serve."
The white editor of the Gazette introduced Allen's eulogy by
pronouncing that "it will show that the African race participate in the
common events of our country--that they rejoice in our prosperity,
mourn in our adversity, and feel with other citizens the propriety and
necessity of wise and good rulers, of an effective government, and of
submission to the laws and government of the land."
But Allen's
eulogy does much more. Allen uses the occasion of Washington's death, a
time when his ideals and achievements were subjects of national
contemplation, to focus on Washington's eventual opposition to slavery.
Although a slaveowner himself, Washington had written as early as 1786
of his desire "to see some plan adopted by which slavery may be
abolished by law." Some of Washington's actions as president, however,
seem in conflict with this belief. In 1793, for example, he signed into
law the first federal law requiring the return of fugitive slaves. Yet
upon his death, Washington's will set free his enslaved companion
William Lee and provided for the emancipation of his other slaves
following his wife's death. The memory of Washington, Allen argues, can
best be served by abiding by his principles, "for you cannot honour
those who have loved you and been your benefactors more than by taking
their council and advice."
The speech text is taken from the Philadelphia Gazette of December 31,
1799.
At
this time it may not be improper to speak a little on the late mournful
event--an event in which we participate in common with the feelings of
a grateful people--an event which causes "the land to mourn" in a
season of festivity. Our father and friend is taken from us--he whom
the nations honoured is "seen of men no more."
We, my friends,
have particular cause to bemoan our loss. To us he has been the
sympathising friend and tender father. He has watched over us, and
viewed our degraded and afflicted state with compassion and pity-- his
heart was not insensible to our sufferings. He whose wisdom the nations
revered thought we had a right to liberty. Unbiased by the popular
opinion of the state in which is the memorable Mount Vernon--he dared
to do his duty, and wipe off the only stain with which man could ever
reproach him.
And it is now said by an authority on which I
rely, that he who ventured his life in battles, whose "head was
covered" in that day, and whose shield the "Lord of hosts" was, did not
fight for that liberty which he desired to withhold from others--the
bread of oppression was not sweet to his taste, and he "let the
oppressed go free"--he "undid every burden"--he provided lands and
comfortable
accommodations for them when he kept this "acceptable fast to the
Lord"--that those who had been slaves might rejoice in the day of their
deliverance.
If he who broke the yoke of British burdens "from
off the neck of the people" of this land, and was hailed his country's
deliverer, by what name shall we call him who secretly and almost
unknown emancipated his "bondmen and bondwomen"--became to them a
father, and gave them an inheritance!
Deeds like these are not
common. He did not let "his right hand know what his left hand
did"--but he who "sees in secret will openly reward" such acts of
beneficence.
The name of Washington will live when the
sculptured marble and statue of bronze shall be crumbled into dust--for
it is the decree of the eternal God that "the righteous shall be had in
everlasting remembrance, but the memorial of the wicked shall rot."
It
is not often necessary, and it is seldom that occasion requires
recommending the observance of the laws of the land to you, but at this
time it becomes a duty; for you cannot honour those who have loved you
and been your benefactors more than by taking their council and advice.
And
here let me entreat you always to bear in mind the affectionate
farewell advice of the great Washington--"to love your country--to obey
its laws--to seek its peace--and to keep yourselves from attachment to
any foreign nation."
Your observance of these short and
comprehensive expressions will make you good citizens--and greatly
promote the cause of the oppressed and shew to the world that you hold
dear the name of George Washington.
May a double portion of his
spirit rest on all the officers of the government in the United States,
and all that say my Father, my Father--the chariots of Israel, and the
horsemen thereof, which is the whole of the American people.
(Contributed
by Dianne Penney) |
