V. Conversions In The South
33. A Church For Former Slaves
A church had to be built at once. 117In Vicksburg, Mississippi. Among black people even in slavery days the church was the major social institution. Having a church building in which to meet was understandably of deep importance to them. Thus, when these new Adventists were taunted by friends, “You have no church, and these missionaries will go away pretty soon. Then where will you be?” the words cut.PPP 170.1
Edson and Will Palmer had very little money, and their newly acquired parishioners had even less, but since they had assurance from the Lord that the way would be opened, they laid plans for a church.PPP 170.2
They decided on a building 20 x 401186.1 x 12.2 m. feet which would cost $100 and made arrangements to pay for the lumber in installments. With much difficulty Palmer and White managed to obtain a $2 a month lease on a lot on the corner of Walnut and First East streets.PPP 170.3
After two days of vigorous building, the missionaries realized that they had failed to secure a building permit. Will Palmer, sent off to find the proper consent, located the man in charge of issuing building permits, and discovered that he was also the alderman for the ward in which the church was being built.PPP 170.4
“What is this building to be used for?” the man asked.PPP 171.1
“We will use it as a church and a schoolhouse for our work among the Negro people,” replied Palmer.PPP 171.2
The alderman’s face clouded. “Well,” he growled, “you might as well forget about it. I’m not going to have any midnight meetings with all that shouting in my neighborhood. If that church is for colored folk, I’ll fight it as long as I live.” Construction stopped.PPP 171.3
The small company began praying that a way would be worked out for them to continue. For ten days they prayed. No results. Finally, Palmer went back to see the alderman.PPP 171.4
He begged, pleaded, explained, and talked until the alderman, probably thinking he had found an easy way to evade the issue, agreed to a deal: “You get two people who own property near that church to sign a paper saying it’s all right to build,” he said, “and I’ll let you.”PPP 171.5
For two days White and Palmer went from house to house. Palmer would go to the door to explain their mission while White would stay in the street and pray. They got the signatures and were soon back on the job.PPP 171.6
In a letter to the General Conference Secretary, Leroy Nicola, Edson tells how the church was paid for.PPP 171.7
“Bro. Palmer and I have each given $10. Sister Osborne, the Baptist missionary whom we found here when we came (and who has accepted the truth intelligently on all points), gave $5. This covers one-fourth of the first cost of the material, but the balance will be a millstone unless there is help for this poor people. They are willing, but every dollar they give means to go without shoes or clothing or proper food. That is sacrifice, and yet all have bravely come up and are doing their level best.PPP 171.8
“We had a meeting at my house last evening after the Sabbath to consider the work, and the anxiety and desire to do on the part of these poor people were almost more than I could endure. For I knew every one of them, and the sacrifice that every cent given for this their church meant to them. Some of them hardly see 50 cents cash a week, and some have been kept from the meetings on account of being absolutely without shoes to wear. Others I have helped to get food to eat when I knew their cupboards were empty—and yet they all want an interest in their church.PPP 171.9
“If this is not making a covenant with the Lord by sacrifice I do not know where it comes in. Women who have had to come to me for the loan of a little money to enable them to pay the rent of a little spot of ground on which their cabin is located, pledged themselves to assist in this enterprise, but in this way—’I want a part in this work, and will do all I can, but cannot say now what it will be.’ Of course not. They will have to pinch here, and cut there, and shave in another place, and by and by they will be able to give, some 25 cents, some 50 cents, and perhaps in rare cases $1.PPP 172.1
“And right here I want to say that I never saw a firmer body of Seventh-day Adventists than the little colored company in Vicksburg.”PPP 172.2
The weather was so hot while they were building that unless the nails were kept covered, they were impossible to handle. Edson wrote that “This is a terrible time to remain in the South,” and asked L. T. Nicola if he couldn’t get a job in Battle Creek for a few months.PPP 172.3
Money became more and more scarce. At one point during construction Edson wrote to Battle Creek that he had only eighty cents for food the next week. But he said, “We shall see this church through if we have to live on cornmeal mush and water.”PPP 172.4
As the church neared completion, Edson was proud to announce to his little company that the president of the General Conference, Elder O. A. Olsen, would be on hand August 10, 1895, to dedicate the church. And on that date Elder Olsen consecrated the little church with a sermon on the worldwide outreach of the third angel’s message.PPP 172.5
After the dedicatory sermon, church treasurer Will Palmer itemized all building and church costs, including lumber, paint, seats, pulpit, and a little labor that had been hired. The bill: $160. Then Palmer calmly announced that the entire bill had been paid and that the church could claim $20 to its credit. After a short gasp, the little congregation responded with fervent hallelujahs. It was a happy surprise, since the members were expecting a long, hard, uphill pull.PPP 172.6
At first they had planned to spend only $100 on the church. There would be no battens to cover the cracks between the upright planks of the walls, no paint outside, no ceiling, bare rafters above, and only thirty-five canvas camp stools plus a few additional planks to sit on.PPP 173.1
But they knew that since the Lord had opened the way for the church to be started, He would not let the job go half done. The General Conference sent $25, the Battle Creek church $46. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg $10, Pacific Press workers $10, a layman in Ohio named Smouse $15, and George Lay $5. All these contributions, plus what was raised in Mississippi from the workers and members, had more than paid for the church.—Ronald D. Graybill, Mission to Black America, 1971, pp. 56, 58-60.PPP 173.2