The Beginning of the A.M.E. Zion Church

As is told in the story of "How the A.M.E. Zion Church Was Born," several "colored" members of the John Street Methodist Episcopal Church, New York City, were induced to organize themselves into what is now the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.

In John Street Church, in 1795, there were 155 black members in 8 classes, 2 of which were male classes, totaling 34. Class #31, led by Cornelius Warner was the class of A.M.E. Zion Church founders: James Varick, Abraham Thompson, William Miller, William Hamilton, Francis Jacobs, Thomas Miller, George Moore, George White, Thomas Cook, David Bias, Samuel Ponder, and 10 others whose names are not familiar in our history. These leading men of Class #31 held a series of meetings in the home of James Varick, 4 Orange Street, and agreed to express their desire to become a separate Society of Methodists. They met with Bishop Asbury, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and received permission to hold meetings separate from the Methodist Society. In October, 1796, they rented a house on Cross Street. They held meetings on Sunday afternoon in the interval of Divine Service among white brethren, between afternoon and evening service, and also held preaching and exhorting meetings on Wednesday nights by such colored brethren as were licensed to preach and exhort — James Varick, Abraham Thompson and June Scott, the first three Africans to be ordained by the Methodist Church in New York.

They continued to worship and meet in the house on Cross Street. In 1799 Varick was instrumental in leading these members into a more permanent situation; "to think about building a house of worship for themselves and to form themselves into a corporate body separate from the white church, according to the privilege granted religious societies by the law of the State of New York. They purchased property and moved into their newly erected edifice at the corner of Leonard and Church Streets. Yes, in 1800, they had built themselves a church which was dedicated to the Glory of God and they called it "Zion." The founders chose this name because, "It is the name most frequently used in the Bible to designate the Church of God" even Zion Hill, before there was a worship house. They drew up the Articles of Agreement with the Methodist Episcopal Church under which they were supplied with ministers (white) for about 20 years. James Varick and the others were Zion trustees.

After Zion Church was built in 1800, its membership continued to swell. Zion Church was incorporated in 1801 by the name, "The African Methodist Episcopal Church in New York." The work of the Lord prospered greatly in the church, and the number of members of the society and of the congregation, continued to increase rapidly. The African Awry Church became the second church of the denomination in 1816. The New Haven Society was organized in 1818 and the Wesley Society in Philadelphia in 1820. Because another organization came into existence around the same, time, with the same title, and much confusion was brought about, the General Conference of 1848 voted to make "Zion' a part of the denominational name, henceforth to be known as "The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church."

Even though black pastors were ordained, they pestered the church without pay or official status, under white pastors. The Zion congregation was constrained to pay heavy salaries to the white preachers according to Methodist Church rule and the contract which bound them. The black preachers began to launch out into neighboring communities with their exhortations of faith and hope, making bold attempts in their efforts to cultivate a denomination.

Our first General Conference was held on July 10, 1820, with Varick presiding. The only delegates were ministers. The A.M.E. Zion Church was firmly established when the members of the Zion Church in New York City officially voted themselves out of the Methodist Episcopal Church on July 26, 1820. James Varick was God's instrument in shaping the destiny of the A.M.E. Zion Church government in steering its first Discipline committee. The A.M.E. Zion Church has a pattern of American Methodism, with modification, in the creation of its first Discipline and in development of congregations and conferences. Under their first Discipline published October 25, 1820, the members moved forward to their first conference, June 21, 1821, and elected James Varick acting superintendent, pending the higher holy order, to function according to the Discipline.
Another dark cloud was hovering over the Zion Congregation. The black preachers had previously only been ordained as deacons. The church of Philadelphia was a dynamic force in the demand for freedom. They were ready to confront the most austere situations. On their arrival in New York, prior to the second annual conference, they availed themselves of the help of Dr. James Covel, Sylvester Hutchinson, and William Stilwell, who set apart Abraham Thompson, James Varick, and Leven Smith as elders. When the second Annual Conference reconvened at Zion Church in New York City, on Tuesday, July 18, 1822, there was much rejoicing at this session. Two years of uncertainty bad been removed and they at last had the assurance, confidence and certainty needed to expand in the name of religion and freedom. James Varick was elected first bishop during this Annual Conference, according to the Discipline of the A.M.E. Zion Church and consecrated on Sunday morning, July 30, 1822. After which he, assisted by elders Abraham Thompson and Leven Smith, ordained six deacons: Christopher Rush, James Smith, James Anderson, William Carman, Edward Johnson, and Tilman Cornish. These same men were ordained elders in the afternoon, and appointed by Varick to go forth and commence building a strong organization in the name of Jesus Christ.

Varick presided over the Annual Conferences until 1827, when "God was pleased to call him from labor to reward". After Varick's death, the senior elder, Leven Smith, took on the responsibilities of the office, until the next General Conference in 1328 where he was elected bishop, but declined. Christopher Rush was then elected the second bishop at Zion Church, New York, May 15, 1828. "As Joshua followed Moses, so did Rush follow Varick." He made appointments and began to lay the groundwork for expansion.

Every year there was an increase in members, ministers, and churches; new territory was occupied, and the connection increased in strength and influence continually. The work, however, was extended chiefly over the states of the north, until emancipation of the race and the close of the Civil War, when Zion entered the South to organize many churches. The North Carolina Conference was organized during the latter part of 1864. Rev. William J. Moore made rapid progress of expansion throughout the eastern past of the state during 11165-66. He organized 68 congregations, built 11 churches and improved others and licensed 54 local preachers. Two other ministers joined the North Carolina Conference in 1870 and continued the expansion of societies throughout the state.
The Louisiana Conference was the second conference organized in the Southland, March 13, 1865. Five conferences were set off by the Louisiana Conference — the Alabama, the Florida, the Texas, the North Louisiana and the Georgia.