Page:A short account of the rise and progress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in America.djvu/79

 Conference, to be held at Philadelphia. On their arrival there, they did not know what to do relative to holding the Conference, particularly as it respected who should be the President. The Bishops of the old connexion at this time in Philadelphia, said they could not attend on them officially, and Ezekiel Cooper, who was also in the city at this time, was so engaged as rendered it out of his power to attend; therefore, on the 16th of May, the appointed day for the Conference, they concluded to appoint Abraham Thompson, President. They found the Trustees of the Wesleyan Church, di- vided in their opinion, relative to the government of the church, and had much trouble in trying to get them reconciled. Bishops Roberts and George, called on them during the time of the Conference, in order to advise them to wait until the meeting of their General Conference, and see what they would do towards organizing our church according to the views of the New-York annual Conference of our white brethren the last year, and urged their advice by mentioning that as the door of the old connexion would be shut against the Stilwellites, so it would be shut against our people also, if they should conclude to get their ordination from that source. During the sitting of this Conference the official members of the Wesleyan Church came to a resolution, declaring in what manner they would be satisfied to continue in union with Zion Church, viz.; that if the government of the connexion is established according to the Discipline we selected, they would continue in the union;