Page:Daniel Minort Baxter - Bishop Richard Allen and His Spirit (1923).pdf/114

106 second emancipation will burst upon you like a halo of light from the dark skies of maltreatment and oppression.

God Almighty help us to show ourselves men as we walk under freedom’s banner laboring up the hill to full recognition in church and state until the nations of the earth shall gather in one grand brotherhood to do justice and equity to all.

Thank the Lord for our growth. We began with one little Bethel, new we have 8000 Bethels, from the humblest mission to the grandest cathedral; with one preacher—Richard Allen—now we have 7500, to say nothing about our local auxiliary preachers. We started with four members, but now we have 750,000, to say nothing about our adherents. We started with one Bishop, and he had not enough supervisional work to do, now we have 17 active Bishops. We have 11 General Officers; we have 94 Annual Conferences; 466 Presiding Elders; 800 parsonages. We have more schools than we have episcopal districts, which are 18. We are the largest or-