A New Movement in Baltimore--Erection of a Meeting House for the African
Baptist Church--Heavy Indebtedness--Account of the Enterprise--Personal
Troubles.
For several years previous to Jan., 1855, our little church and Sunday
school had occupied a very inconvenient upper room on Courtland street.
Our particular friend, Mr. William Crane, with some other white persons
to aid him, was the devoted superintendent of our Sunday school, and the
unfailing friend of our own little church, as well as of me personally.
Mr. Crane had felt, with us, the great disadvantage of our place of
worship, and had exerted himself much to obtain a more commodious room
for us. But in July, 1853; he commenced an extraordinary effort in our
behalf, by purchasing a lot--one hundred feet by forty-six feet--with
three fronts, on Calvert, Saratoga and Davis streets, on which a chapel
building has been erected for us.
Our chapel was opened for worship Feb. 18, 1855; and Rev. Dr. Fuller
preached the opening sermon to a crowded audience.
On this occasion Mr. Wm. Crane read a detailed report of all the facts
relative to this building--a full copy of this report may be interesting
probably to my readers, and I have therefore obtained it, and here
present it, in connection with a picture of the building, which will be
found opposite the title page.
HISTORY OF THE SARATOGA STREET AFRICAN BAPTIST CHAPEL.
"The questions have often been asked in this vicinity during the last
six months, Who is putting up that large building called the 'Saratoga
Street African Baptist Chapel?' 'What are they putting it up for?'--'Who
will own it, when finished?' 'How much will it cost? and who will pay
for it?'"
These questions have often been answered, but it seems proper, and
indeed necessary, at this time to answer them plainly and clearly, for
the information of this large assembly.
First, then, I reply: This entire building has been reared under my
directions, in the name of the Saratoga street African Baptist Church.
This Church was organized with only four members, six years ago, with
brother Noah Davis, a missionary of the Md. Baptist Union Association,
as its pastor, who has labored most faithfully in his work. But,
although colored churches of the Baptist denomination in all of our
Southern and Western cities count their members by thousands, this
church has now only thirty members--but our hope and prayer is, that
established here in the centre of a population of full thirty thousand
colored people, God may bless the humble devoted efforts of His people,
and increase their numbers a hundred fold. Four years ago, the 1st of
January, we commenced a Sunday school in Courtland street,--where this
church has always held its regular meetings, which notwithstanding its
many discouragements--mostly from a want of devoted self-denying
teachers--has been unremittingly kept up morning and afternoon, till the
present time, with an attendance varying from thirty to over one hundred
scholars; and we feel assured that the hundreds of Bibles and
Testaments, tracts, &c., with the Sunday school instructions, and the
preaching of brother Davis will have laid the foundation for a lasting
blessing to his people. This little church and Sunday school have met
to-day for the first time in this building, and in the language of the
Psalmist David, probably on an occasion like this, we would exclaim,
"Send now, we beseech thee, O Lord--O Lord, we beseech thee, send now
prosperity!"--(Ps. 118: 25.)
But what are the objects for which this house has been built? I answer,
the first object was, to furnish such a room as this, for the use of
this church, where the gospel might be preached and its ordinances
administered, and where Sunday schools and religious associations might
be properly accommodated. The second was, to furnish rooms in the next
story, for a male high school at one end, and a female high school at
the other, and where colored missionaries for Africa might be educated
for that most important field of labor; with a large hall in the centre,
for a lecture room, or for any other religious, moral, or useful
purposes. The upper story has four separate rooms, finished for renting
to associations of colored people, with a view to paying whatever debt
may remain on the building, and for defraying its current expenses;--and
it is hoped that, at some future day, a reading room and a circulating
library for colored people may also be located here--the whole of it
combining a most respectable, central, commodious _Colored People's
Home_.
But it is asked, who owns this building? I admit that it is an unusually
mixed up affair; but I will try to explain it. After a great deal of
searching and enquiring after a lot or building, where this Church and
Sunday school could have a settled home, about two years ago, I was
informed that this lot was for sale; and realizing instantly that my
cherished objects could here be accomplished I bought it without
hesitation, for five thousand dollars; but the loss of two years'
interest and the amount paid to tenants to move away, makes the cost of
the lot now full six thousand dollars. I obtained the deed of J. H. B.
Latrobe, Esq., who sold it, as trustee for the estate of Hugh Finley,
deceased, under an order of Court. After a charter of incorporation for
the Church had been made, I got Mr. Latrobe to draw up also this deed,
[here presenting it] which he says is a perfectly good one--from William
Crane and wife, to Geo. F. Adams, J. W. M. Williams, and John W. Ball,
as trustees for all concerned, conveying to this Church all my right
and title forever to all of the proposed building on this lot above the
first story: leaving me the basement and the cellar as my own property
forever, with the proviso, that the Church in its own name should put up
the entire building. But I agreed at the same time to subscribe five
thousand dollars on the subscription book of the Church towards erecting
it. So that I am now sole owner of the store and cellar under the
Chapel--the Church has no ownership there at all--but the Church is
legal owner of this Chapel and all the rooms above it. The Church
appointed me their agent to build the house, and as such I have made all
the contracts, paid out all the monies, and assumed all the liabilities.
Before commencing the building, as before stated, my own subscription
was...................................$5,000
My brother, J. C. Crane, from whom I
expected efficient personal aid, gave..1,000
Bro. Franklin Wilson,..................1,000
A. Fuller Crane,.........................500
John W. Ball,............................250
J. B. Thomas,............................100
Among our colored friends, about.........200
------
Amounting to, say,....................$8,050
Since that time, the pressure on the money
market has prevented any general effort to
obtain subscriptions, but a city pastor has
subscribed..............................$150
A sister of the First Baptist Church.....100
Bro. Jonathan Batchelor, of Lynn, Mass...100
------
Making in all, a total of.............$8,400
The entire cost of the building, notwithstanding the most rigid economy,
will be over eighteen thousand dollars, and full half of this amount is
yet unprovided for. The bills are not all presented, but some of the
larger ones which have been settled by notes will be due in a short
time; while the largest one, the lumber bill, has six months to run yet,
so that I am bound to settle up and pay the entire balance of
expenditure on this house, as agent of the Church, within the coming six
months. And whatever amount of money I advance over and above the
subscriptions and collections must, of course, remain as a debt due me
by the Church, and be on interest until paid.
The last question, how is the money obtained to pay for the building?
has been partly answered; but a full explanation of it will depend on
what the friends of the object will now contribute toward paying for it.
I will subscribe one dollar for every ten dollars that may be subscribed
and paid on account of the Church debt within the year 1855. In other
words, I will add ten per cent to any amount which may be contributed. I
may remark, that in engaging in this project, I had not a dollar which I
wished to put out at interest. I want much more than my capital in my
mercantile business. I am in fact borrowing, to lend to the Church. But
it is God's cause, and I have had to trust in Him to bear me through it.
The failing health of my dear brother, J. C. Crane,[A] and the want of
his invaluable co-operation with me, as well as the lack of hearty,
zealous assistance on the part of many other brethren and friends, has
been painful to me. But I hope, now that the house is finished, the
friends of our Redeemer's cause and of the African race generally, may
not fail in lending their efficient aid.
[Footnote A: Died March 31, 1857. See Memoir of Southern Baptist
Publication Society.]
I have only to add, brethren, "the time is short;" we must all of us
soon appear before the judgment seat of Christ, to render an account of
all the talents committed to our charge. If God has given me a talent
for the acquisition of money over and above what my duty to my family
requires, I regard myself bound as a good steward to exert that talent
entirely for Him. I am not my own, and I feel perfectly assured that any
individual who possesses the tact and ability for acquiring money is
neccessarily (_sic._) the best qualified for a judicious and proper
disbursement of it; and I dare not try to leave my earthly acquisitions
in testamentary charitable bequests--to the inexperienced and uncertain
management of those who may come after me.
"May God help us to work for Him, and at last may we hear, 'Well done,
good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.'"
This paper was read to the congregation, probably a thousand people,
immediately after Dr. Fuller had preached the opening sermon, Feb. 18,
1855; and a collection was taken of about one hundred dollars.
Subsequent to this, a venerable widow lady of Baltimore contributed
$500, and other quite liberal donations were made.
On the 1st of July, 1855, Mr. Crane rendered a full account to the
Church and trustees, of all the monies received and bills paid on the
building; showing that the entire cost
of it was,............................$18,207,73
Total am't of collections credited,.....9,547,86
----------
Leaving balance over-paid by him, .... $8,659,87
The trustees then gave Mr. Crane a bond for this balance, and a lease on
the building, until this debt, with interest on it, could be paid.
Our Church now had great cause of gratitude at finding ourselves in a
fine large Chapel, in the centre of our city--a room 100 feet long, and
19 feet high, with a gallery at each end, a baptistery, gas lights, and
sliding partitions, to make two closed rooms under the galleries, when
needed for the changing of clothes on baptismal occasions, as well as
for our Church prayer and conference meetings.
We were in hopes that we could rent out the large hall, together with
the six other spacious rooms in the two upper stories, for schools,
benevolent societies, &c., so as to pay the interest on our debt, if no
more; but so far, we have not been able to do this. My own trials, with
my family, have greatly retarded my efforts in this matter. We have had
the largest and best week-day school for colored children in the city--a
part of the time with three teachers and over one hundred scholars--but
for four years, no rent has been received from the school. The prices
for tuition have been so low, that they have hardly sustained the
teachers; but we trust that our people have derived much benefit from
them already, and hope they may receive much more good from them in the
future. Since the dedication of our Chapel, our Church has more than
doubled its membership, and the congregation has increased four-fold;
while on our baptizing occasions the hall is generally full. We have
always held three meetings for worship every Sunday, to accommodate many
servants, who have no command of their time, and also regular Wednesday
and Friday evening prayer and conference meetings. Our Sunday school has
always had two sessions a day--an hour and a half in the morning, and an
hour in the afternoon.
I have been necessarily much hindered in my own labors, from pecuniary
embarrassments, arising from the sale of my children, who were left in
Virginia--two daughters and three sons. The first of these, who was
about to be sold, and taken away South, was my oldest daughter; and it
was with great difficulty and the help of friends that I raised eight
hundred and fifty dollars, and got her on to Baltimore. But I was soon
called upon to make a similar effort to save my eldest son from being
sold far from me. Entirely unexpected, I received the painful news that
my boy was in one of the trader's jails in Richmond, and for sale. The
dealer knew me, and was disposed to let me have him, if I could get any
one to purchase him. I was, of course, deeply anxious to help my boy;
but I began to think that I had already drawn so heavily on the
liberality of all my friends, that to appeal to them again seemed out of
the question. I immediately wrote to the owners of my son, and received
an answer--that his price was fixed at seven hundred dollars.
The fact is, God had already done so much more for me and my family than
we had ever expected, that we could not tell what further help He might
give us, until we had asked Him for it; and we could but pray over this
trying affair. I hardly knew what else to do, but pray. The boy was
twenty years old, and had been accustomed to waiting in the house, for
the most respectable families. It occurred to me, that I might perhaps
get him a home near me, where we might see him and use our parental
influence over him. I thought it was possible, that I might find three
hundred persons among my friends in Baltimore, who would contribute one
dollar each to save my son, and that I might then obtain some friend in
Baltimore to advance four hundred dollars, and let my son work it out
with him: and give this friend a life insurance policy on the boy, as a
security. This plan seemed practicable, and I wrote to his owners,
asking for ten days to raise the money; which they granted me.
I now got my case made known publicly to the different colored
congregations in the city--and was very much surprised to find how many
friends I had, and how kindly they engaged in helping me. The result of
it was, that I obtained the three hundred dollars, and also a kind
friend to advance the four hundred dollars, within the ten days, and
recovered my son; who is now doing well, in working out the money
advanced on him.
So far, I felt that I had great reason to say, "Hitherto the Lord hath
helped me." I had obtained my own freedom and also that of my wife and
four children.
But three of my children were still in bondage. In 1856, the mistress of
these remaining ones died; and in settling up her estate, it became
necessary to sell all her servants at auction with her other property.
This was the decision of the Court; and commissioners were appointed to
carry out the sale, on the 1st of January, 1857. I felt now, that I had
gone as far as I could in getting my family free; for I felt very
certain that my daughter, about whom I felt the greatest anxiety, would
sell at auction for more money than I could get any of my friends in
Baltimore to give for her; and I saw no way to do any thing for the two
boys. I thought I had no chance of raising any more money myself, and I
could only pray the Lord to grant us His grace, to reconcile us and the
children, to whatever might come upon us. But before the end of the
year, when the sale was to take place, the time was extended six months
by the Court. My hopes now began to revive again; I began to think that
if I could be at the sale, my daughter, though a grown up girl might
possibly not bring over six or seven hundred dollars. In that case, I
might perhaps get six or twelve months time, and get some friend in
Baltimore to help me, as had been the case with my son. The sale was
postponed for six months longer, and finally occurred, Jan. 1, 1858.
The money panic, of 1857, had partially destroyed my hopes of doing
anything to relieve my daughter;--But I had secured the promise of a
kind friend in Baltimore, to go to Fredericksburg with me, and if he
liked the appearance of the boys, to buy one or both of them. But in
this I was disappointed; for on the day of sale this gentleman was
confined to his house by sickness. The sale went on. My oldest son, aged
twenty-one, sold for $560; and the younger one, just turning his
seventeenth year, brought $570. They were bought in by their young
master. But my daughter was run up to $990, by a slave trader, who after
the sale agreed to let my friends have her, for me, for eleven hundred
dollars. These friends were gentlemen of the first standing in the
place, who, out of kindness to me, whom they had well known for years,
gave their bond jointly for the amount, and in this case again I got the
girl's life insured for one thousand dollars as a security for them. The
girl was of course left in the hands of these gentlemen, in whom I had
the most implicit confidence.
I returned to Baltimore, and prepared for the redemption of my child. I
had a circular printed, showing the facts as they were, and scattered it
among my friends.