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Daniel Alexander Payne, 1811-1893
History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Nashville, Tenn.: Publishing House of the A. M. E. Sunday School Union, 1891.

Summary

Daniel Alexander Payne's History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is a comprehensive history of the first hundred years of the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church. This work details the genesis of the Bethel Churches in Baltimore and Philadelphia, including the poor treatment of blacks in white churches that ultimately led to the formation of separate denominations for the races. Payne follows the spread of the A.M.E. Church to New York, as well as its spread westward to California and north to Canada. Attention is paid to the Church's activities in Haiti and Santo Domingo. The situation of missionaries--their hopes as well as the obstacles they faced--is given full consideration. Much thought is given to the question of missions to Africa.

Other areas of importance include questions over religious observance (such as the keeping of the Sabbath as well as the matter of divorce) and political significance (such as slavery and abolition). A chapter is dedicated to Bishop Morris Brown.. Another interesting chapter is dedicated to music in the Church. Drawn from manuscripts, church records, journals, pamphlets, minutes of Conferences, and letters, including many by Richard Allen, Payne's History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is a comprehensive resource for readers interested in A.M.E. church history and African American history.

Nora Rubel

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