The Conference met at Princeton, N. J. I was received into the
membership of this Conference and entered into the active duties
thereof on committees on which I was assigned. I found the brethren
very cordial in their welcome and pleasant as co-laborers in the Lord’s
work. I met here for the first time, Elders J. W. Cooper, J. H. Bean,
George A. Mills, J. H. Morgan, R. Faucett, J. T. Diggs, Winston Taylor,
J. R. V. Pierce, Wilson Patterson, S. B. Williams and others. I was
assigned to Morristown and was much pleased with the appointment.
We had a very pleasant year as well as profitable. The Conference
the following year was entertained by my Church. This meeting of the
Conference was a very pleasant and profitable one. The reports showed
that in every way the denomination in this part of the vineyard was
doing its work reasonably well. The Conference had the pleasure while
here of visiting Drew Seminary. Some of our Bishops and leaders made
addresses, which were kindly received judging from the responses on the
part of the Faculty of this noble institution. This is a theological
school of the M. E. Church. After the adjournment of the Conference I
slipped away for a much needed rest, not letting my congregation or
even my wife know where I was going. I went to New York City for a few
days. Sometimes it is necessary for a man to get away from every work
that he may recuperate himself.
About this time I attended the funeral of my cousin, John Harris,
living on Lombard street, Philadelphia. While here I met Bishops Wayman
and Brown; Financial Secretary, B. W. Arnett, (since made Bishop, but
now deceased), and Judge Allen (colored), of South Carolina. I visited
the Philadelphia Conference which met at West Chester, Pa. This was a
very delightful meeting of Conference.
I soon returned to my field of labor, at Morristown, very much
refreshed and entered upon my labors with new zeal and, I trust, more
wisdom. All through my ministry I have been deeply impressed with the
fact that we must do all that we can for our young people. They are,
in their own time and generation, to do all in their power to work out
the salvation of their people. They must be trained to take up the
labors of their fathers and mothers with more zeal and wisdom than
their parents, so that the cause of the race may be greatly advanced
by them in their day. When I think of the ten millions or more of my
people in this country, and their destiny will be largely fixed by
the coming generation of Afro-Americans; I almost tremble for the
outcome, because I fear that the fathers and mothers of this day and
generation have not done their work as well as they could have done it.
There are great odds against us in this country, and it will require
strong bodies, characters and minds, together with the power and wisdom
of God, to bring my people to the place where they can become potent
factors in this mighty civilization. At Morristown I furnished the
parsonage, paid off all debts and added 40 members to the Church. I
also organized the Church at Madison, N. J.
[Illustration: MACEDONIA A. M. E. CHURCH
Camden, N. J.