Epiphany 6C – Feb. 13, 2022 – St. Mark’s Charleston Sermon on the Feast Day of the Rev. Absalom Jones. (1746-1818)
A video version of this sermon may be found HERE. Sermon begins at 16:00
If I had to think about a single verse that speaks to my heart about Brother Absalom, it would be this one from our Old Testament reading this morning. “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. (Jer. 17.7)
Today we celebrate and give thanks for continuing legacy of the Rev. Absalom Jones, whose feast – whose birthday into heaven - February 13- we mark today. He heard these same words we did from our gospel reading – the Beatitudes, and I believe, was both comforted and challenged by them. In them - he glimpsed the God and Father who could be trusted to care for the “Oppressed and Distressed”, and as the Lord Jesus tells us – this is either good news or bad news depending upon where you stand.
Jesus said: Blessed are the poor, blessed are you who are hungry now, blessed are those who weep now, blessed are you when people hate you, exclude you, revile you...rejoice for great is your reward in heaven.
Hold those words in your heart as we take a little time this morning to share some of the story of The Rev. Absalom Jones - first black Episcopal priest in this country–...
Born in 1746 into slavery on a Delaware plantation, his owner recognized that he was bright , took him out of the fields, and brought him to the house where, as a child, he begged anyone who could read to teach him. He saved his pennies and bought books including a basic reading primer and a copy of the New Testament. He was , during this time, able to gain very rudimentary skill in reading.
In time, the owner of the plantation died, leaving it to his oldest son who decided he did not want to run a planation but that he wanted to be a merchant in the booming town of Philadelphia – at that time, the largest city in American colonies. So, the owner sold the farm along with Absalom’s mother, sister, and brothers. Taking Absalom, (and perhaps others) he relocated to Philadelphia in 1762. Absalom was 16 yr old and went to work in his owner’s new store which ...” sold the fruits of slavery: rum, molasses, coffee, chocolate, pepper, and more. .[1]
At the time of Absalom’s arrival, of the approximately fifteen hundred Black Philadelphians, all but about 100 were enslaved [persons].[2] He was given permission to go to a night school run by the Quakers for enslaved persons and continued his education – mostly in math. Attending St. Peter’s, then Anglican, later Episcopal, Church with his owner during that time, he met a lovely young lady– also enslaved- by the name of Mary.
In 1770, at the age of 24, he married his beloved Mary, and with the help of loans and gifts from sympathetic Quaker friends, he and Mary’s father were able to purchase her freedom. This was critical because had she borne their children while enslaved, the children, under Philadelphia law at that time, would have been enslaved until they were 28 yrs of age. Absalom was extremely anxious to gain his own freedom and, repeatedly but unsuccessfully, offered to buy it – because if he owned property, it could easily be taken by his owner. He and Mary, through their hard work, had saved enough to be able to purchase his freedom but when denied - they took that money and bought a lot and a small house which he put in Mary’s name.
When Brother Absalom was finally granted his freedom in 1784 at the age of 38 , he continue to work at the store but now was paid what he described as a “good wage.” He left St. Peter’s and began worshipping at the St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church with Richard Allen who would become his life-long friend.
At that time, the Methodist Episcopal denomination was just beginning, and St. George’s was a mixed congregation. Absalom Jones and Richard Allen, became lay preachers and lay ministers to the black members of the St. George’s congregation which, under their care, began to grow.
It was during this time, in 1787, that they formed what was known as the Free African Society “a mutual aid benevolent organization that was the first of its kind organized by and for black people. Members of the Society paid monthly dues for the benefit of those in need.”[3]
The St. George Church leaders decided that the building needed to be expanded to accommodate the growing congregation. Jones and Allen led the fundraising effort (and later the building effort) among the black congregants which resulted in the financing and construction of a handsome gallery. Upon its completion, and without notifying them “The church leadership decided to segregate the black worshippers in the gallery. “[4] Richard Allen left a detailed record of what happened next,
“A number of us usually sat on seats placed around the wall- and on Sabbath in the morning we went to church, and the sexton stood at the door and told us to go in the gallery. He told us to go and we would see where to sit. We expected to take the seats we formerly occupied below not knowing any better. We took those seats. Meeting had begun and they were nearly done singing and, just as we got to the seats, the elder said, “Let us pray.” We had not been long on our knees before I heard considerable scuffling and loud talking. I raised my head up and saw one of the trustees, H. having hold of the Rev. Absalom Jones pulling him off his knees and saying, “You must get up; you must not kneel here.” Mr. Jones replied, “Wait until prayer is over.” Mr. H. M. said, “No, you must get up now, or I will call for aid and force you away ” Mr. Jones said, “Wait until prayer is over, and I will get up and trouble you no more.” With that he [the trustee] beckoned to one of the other trustees, Mr. L. S. to come to his assistance. He came and went to William White to pull him up. By this time, prayer was over and we all went out of the church in a body and they were no more' plagued by us in the church. Notwithstanding we had subscribed largely towards furnishing St. George’s Church, in building the gallery, and laying new floors and just as the house, was made comfortable, we were turned out from enjoying the comforts of worshipping therein.”
History of the Afro-American Group of the Episcopal Church. by George F. Bragg, DD. 1922. p.47-48
So, they rented a room and began meeting. Later, they bought property and built a church. They struggled over whether or not to form as an all black congregation within the Methodist Episcopal Church or to affiliate with the Episcopal Church – many of whose members had offered financial and moral support as they were starting what would later become St. Thomas’s African Church..
According to Richard Allen’s account, the Methodist Episcopal Church leaders were not well pleased and stated they would never recognize their new Church and that, if they persisted, they would be disowned from the Methodist Church. So, it was settled that St. Thomas African Episcopal Church came into being on April 12, 1787. Richard Allen went on to become the founding bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1816.
The leaders of St. Thomas did something interesting in their negotiations with the Episcopal Bishop – they would only join the Episcopal Diocese under three conditions: that they be recognized as a body, already organized,; that they should have guaranteed to them local independence and self control of their affairs, forever, and lastly, that one of their number should be licensed as Lay Reader, and if found fit, ordained as their minister. (p.59- TAAG). That Lay Reader, of course, was Absalom Jones whom they knew, respected, trusted, and loved because of his tireless efforts among them . He was ordained as a deacon the following year- taking charge of the Church when he was 49 yrs of age. It is important to remember that “Absalom spent the first 38 years of his life as a slave, before it was possible for him to become the Episcopal church’s first black priest.” [5]
He is described in the Pennsylvania Diocesan record in this way, “ though deficient in literary qualifications for the ministry [meaning, he was not conversant in Latin and Greek], he was a man of good report and Godly conversation...held in great reverence and esteem among the [black] persons in the city. “Zealous for the prosperity of the Church, and unwearied in doing good, he was especially beloved in consequence of his devotion to the sick and dying at the time of the prevalence of that awful scourge, the yellow fever. “ He had remained in the city and persuaded his church members to do the same to help with a relief effort, while other clergy and many citizens had fled - trying to get away from the pandemic which claimed somewhere between four and five-thousand residents of Philadelphia alone. About one out every ten residents of that city.
Deacon Absalom continued studying for the priesthood and, during that time, he began a day school at the Church – the first of several. He was finally ordained as a priest – seven years later- in 1802 at the age of 56. He continued to serve St. Thomas in the following years until his death in 1818 at the age of 71.
The fruit of his tireless labors continues....“Because no state-supported education was available for blacks in Pennsylvania, Jones began schools of his own. He also petitioned the state legislature and Congress for the immediate abolition of slavery. In 1808, Jones published a sermon on the abolition of the slave trade. and, in 1808, Congress banned the importation of slaves. As the number of free blacks in the North increased, interest in transporting free blacks out of the country also grew. Many whites who opposed slavery also opposed a racially mixed society. In 1817, Jones helped organize a massive convention to denounce the plan to transport free blacks to Africa,” [6] to the country we now know as Liberia.
One bit of context, I haven’t touched on yet but want to because it can help us understand some of the larger framework in which he was struggling to bring about change.
When he came to Philadelphia in 1762 as a 16 yr old, the American Revolution was waiting in the wings. The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in 1774 when he was twenty-eight . Hostilities began the next year. All the while, he is starting life as married man, being a lay minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, working in his owner’s store and saving money. The Quakers were agitating hard for abolition, and, in Virginia, the British governor had offered freedom to any slave who would cross over to the British side. Four years later, the British occupied Philadelphia for ten months in 1778 ..
He finally was given his freedom in early 1784. The year after the Treaty of Paris was signed – ending the American Revolution.
What a tumultuous and anxious time – and yet he pressed on....
Historians Arthur K. Sudler and William Carl Bolivar, Director Historical Society & Archives at the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, describe him this way.....
“Jones was an earnest preacher. He denounced slavery, and warned the oppressors to “clean their hands of slaves.” To him, God was the Father, who always acted on “behalf of the oppressed and distressed.” But it was his constant visiting and mild manner that made him beloved by his congregation and by the community. St Thomas Church grew to over 500 members during its first year..... Known as “the Black Bishop of the Episcopal Church,” Jones was an example of persistent faith in God and in the Church as God’s instrument. “[7]
He pressed on – despite suffering slavery, despite being surrounded by hostility from so many quarters...
He understood so many of the issues we continue to deal with today – the critical importance of education , home ownership as a key to building stability and wealth, the absolute necessity to keep pressing for freedom for all of God’s people...to keep challenging that which robs human beings of their God-given dignity... he understood these things- Do we?
He pressed on and proclaimed trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and trust in the never-ending comfort and hope of the words of Jesus in the Beatitudes which “... could miraculously still be heard beneath the din.”. of hostility, slavery, and white supremacy....., conferring dignity to those who had ears to hear.
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.” Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven.”
Two final thoughts...
How might we celebrate him? What part of his work speaks to you? What will you pick up and make your own?
And, above all, let us be encouraged and inspired his example and give thanks to God for the life of this persistent, courageous and faithful pastor, advocate for education, and ardent abolitionist, Absalom Jones, priest and brother. Amen.
[1] Slavery, St. Peter’s, Absalom Jones, and the Journey To Freedom - St. Peter's Church (stpetersphila.org)
[2] Slavery, St. Peter’s, Absalom Jones, and the Journey To Freedom - St. Peter's Church (stpetersphila.org)
[4] Ibid
[5] Slavery, St. Peter’s, Absalom Jones, and the Journey To Freedom - St. Peter's Church (stpetersphila.org)
[7] A New Biography of Absalom Jones - House of Deputies - Arthur K. Sudler and William Carl Bolivar Director Historical Society & Archives - African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas
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