The Christadelphian Evangelist

Introduction

One of the most unusual magazines of the panoply of Christadelphian Magazines is one called “The Christadelphian Evangelist”, published briefly in New York over a hundred years ago. It was the start of what was intended to be an attempt at a major outreach to the colored race of the city, and this effort did indeed appear to succeed for a few years. The magazine appeared only briefly, as far as I can tell: I have only been able to locate three issues, all from 1906, and although the outreach continued for a little while and even extended down to Richmond, VA, few traces can now be found of the work.

So I looked through the few issues of the magazine I found, and some of the other related events, so I believe we can piece together this little history and its brief existence.

The main participants

There were two main brethren involved, both colored but clearly from different backgrounds. William Nelson appears first, moving from Washington, DC. Sometime after 1900, one Lionel Benjamin came from British Guiana (now Guyana), and joined in the work with Bro. Nelson. They reported their initial success to the Boston Fraternal Gathering in 1904, and Bro. Nelson spoke at the New England Fraternal Gathering held in Worcester in September 1905. Shortly afterwards, on September 10, the first ecclesia of the “Christadelphian Ecclesia” was established at 218 West 60th St, NY, which was the work of the Christadelphian Evangelical Association, founded a year earlier. The objectives of the association were, and I quote

Its objects are in the main: 1. The conversion of Negros in the hope of the gospel. 2. To establish and oversee negro Ecclesias D.V. throughout these United States. 3 To unify and mutualize these through one central government and so insure permanency, efficiency and strength. It regards as a thing most sacred the unity of “the one body”. The fixed policy of its ecclesial department, under the control of Bro. Benjamin, is to promote and to maintain fraternal relations with all ecclesias and brethren in a manner that will not compromise its principles, confound its individuality or the nature of its character, or conceal its true motives. Brethren who shall read this and who may desire to know more about this movement, are cordially invited to address their inquiries direct to the office of the C E.

Association, Dept, of Ecclesias No 227 W 63rd street. They should be clear, distinct and definite. To all prompt and respectful attention is guaranteed.1

It was not long, however, before the two brethren separated: we first turn to the efforts of Bro. Nelson

William Nelson

This account appears in the history of the Washington, DC ecclesia.

“In 1898, Brother William T. Nelson moved from Richmond, Virginia and joined the Washington DC ecclesia. He and Brother Louis Ray became good friends. Brother Nelson would stop by the Ray home on Sunday mornings and Brother and Sister Ray, with their son and daughter and Brother Nelson, would walk together to the meeting. As time went on, rumors developed in the neighborhood that their 16 year old daughter had a colored beau. At the time, this was construed as saying she was a girl of low morals. Brother Ray, realizing that he had to protect the reputation of his daughter, discussed the situation with Brother Nelson. With tears streaming down their faces, they decided to take their pleasant walks together no longer. Shortly thereafter, Brother Nelson moved on to New York City, and in 1899 opened an employment agency there, as well as commencing an ecclesia. According to reports, he made a particular point of inviting job seekers to his lectures and classes. Brother Nelson was the brother who reported that President Abraham Lincoln came incognito to hear Dr. Thomas preach, although this account is unverified in the voluminous Lincoln literature”.2

By the end of 1906, Bro. Nelson had maintained good graces with the New York ecclesia, and in August of that year he produced the first of his magazine “The Christadelphian Evangelist”. In the three issues to hand, much of it is devoted to the description of a “Southern Trip” to Richmond, VA, basically to lecture to the little ecclesia which met in Rio Vista, now located on part of the campus of the University of Virginia. Clearly little came of this attempt at outreach, and it is uncertain what became of the efforts spearheaded by Bro. Nelson. It is clear at the time there was an ecclesia, mainly made up of colored members, in New York City. It is also clear that the major rift between him and Bro. Benjamin was never healed. Thomas Williams made a visit to New York, primarily to heal this rift. He commented:

“Upon Bro. Benjamin’s arrival in New York he united in the movement with Bro. Nelson and the work went on until there was quite a body there. Then a dispute arose and these two leaders separated, each having sympathizers and — yes, we venture to say, followers. Part of our mission in New York City was to meet these brethren and get the rights of the situation if possible, and show that our attitude was not because of prejudice against the colored race, though still not very sanguine of the real and permanent success of the Truth among them in their present state and status. We think we removed the misunderstanding of our attitude, but to remove the estrangement between the two leading brethren was impossible. We spent some time with both separately, and heard enough hard sayings from each against one another to make clear that fellowship was out of the question, and any attempt at even union, to say nothing of unity, would end in total failure.

Bro. Nelson had started a paper in which to publish his doings, and he came to the conclusion that they had better be left to do the work among the colored people their own way without help or interference from the white brethren. This met our approval, since we confess that if the movement requires the ways, means and manner followed, and published in Bro. Nelson’s paper, we could not give place thereto in the pages of the Advocate. The trouble between the two hostile brethren, so far as we were concerned, reduced itself to a question of veracity. So there they are, at work separately, Bro. Nelson with quite a number, Bro. Benjamin with very few, the former with the ostentation which he says is adapted to the race; the latter seemingly more humble with much less success — at least, so far as numbers are concerned.”3

However, after this was published, and Bro. Nelson’s rebuttal later that same year of 1907, there is no further trace of Bro. Benjamin or of his little ecclesia. Sadly, it was many years before the Truth was revived in New York, although the ecclesia in Jersey City, anchored by Sis. Lasius, John Thomas’ daughter, maintained its own viable light stand.

Lionel Benjamin

Although in 1907 Bro. Williams reported that Bro. Nelson had the largest group, this clearly was short-lived, because intelligence from New York over the next few years showed that Bro. Benjamin was the leader of the New York ecclesia: he wrote an article in The Advocate in 1908, and in 1909 was recorded as being the mainstay of the New York ecclesia, which numbered twenty-three. He also visited England, and perhaps as a result several pieces of intelligence from New York appear over his signature in The Fraternal Visitor4. This, not surprisingly, resulted in a reproof from Thomas Williams, as The Advocate was not at the time in fellowship with The Fraternal Visitor. There were several accounts of the success of the ecclesia, including an outreach to the Italian immigrant community over the next few years, until 1911.

Nothing more is heard from Bro Benjamin until his removal to Philadelphia, in 1915, where he remained until his death in 1929. He remained faithful to the end. His death and time in Philadelphia is recorded:

“Philadelphia, PA… Bro. Benjamin had been a member of our ecclesia since January , 1915, having for some time prior to that been engaged in proclaiming the Truth in New York City, where at one time a large ecclesia of colored brethren and sisters existed. He was well known in England, where he visited in 1910 and lectured at various places. The present writer was in England in 1924 and heard pleasing references of Bro. Benjamin’s visit. He had not been in good health for a considerable time, and about a year ago was in hospital for several months. About three weeks before his death he went to the hospital again and fell asleep on Monday, August 12th, the cause being uremia, with chronic nephritis and chronic myocarditis. He was laid to rest at Sham Hill, a suburb of Philadelphia, on August 16th. He was 57 years of age and learned the truth in British Guinea (sic) where he was born. He leaves a sisterwife and three children”.5

Thus ends the last remnant of the activities in New York that produced such an unusual magazine. Perhaps we might close with the comments by Bro. Roberts on the wisdom of such an outreach to such a segment of our society.

“The Christadelphian Evangelist, “Devoted to the Evangelisation of the Coloured Race” (New York). By the “coloured race” is meant the negroes. We decline to recognise distinctions of colour and race “in Christ.” The movement is a mistake. But no doubt the promoters mean well, and things find their level in the long run.”6

  1. Advocate, 1905, p 351.
  2. See “History of the Washington, DC Ecclesia” by Ron Hicks
  3. Advocate, 1907, p 82.
  4. This was the magazine of the group that split off over “Partial Inspiration” in 1885: it ceased publication in 1956 after the splt was healed.
  5. Advocate, 1929 p 282.
  6. The Christadelphian, 1907, p 572.