MCBA HISTORY
To the
Glory of God and His Christ
A Short History of the
Middlesex Central Baptist Association
Tis Grace Hath Brought Me:
The
Early Years
The early years of
MCBA were a period of organizational and structural realignment,
characterized by a strong missionary thrust that fostered the growth
of the independent black church movement in
New Jersey. The
association relied heavily on the services of evangelists, both women
and men, to lead revivals and attend to mass conversions. To provide
some control over the spreading of the gospel, the association
maintained a list of endorsed men and women evangelists who were
recognized at associational meetings. Women preachers were an
essential element in the early establishment of churches and the
growth of the denomination within the state. The histories of many
local churches attest to the signal contribution of dynamic women
preachers who were responsible for rallies and revivals that added
converts to the church, often making the difference between the
church's success and failure in the early years. It should be noted,
however, that these preaching women could not look forward to being
licensed preachers or ordained minister by their denomination. Only
the evangelist's license was available to these daughters of thunder.
In its formative
years, MCBA's activities centered on establishing and maintaining
denominational and racial identity as African Americans responded to
the dramatic economic and social changes of industrialization and
urbanization. Massive population shifts, economic hardship, and
political and social retrenchment were the social reality of black
Baptists in
New Jersey and the rest
of the country. Viewing the church as a reforming and civilizing
agent, the association focused on professionalizing the ministry,
securing ownership of church edifices, and encouraging decorous
behavior by members in and out of church worship.
Recognizing that
the church was the most visible and, at times, the only black-owned
institution in many cities and towns, the association was doing all it
could to raise the public presence of the Christ and the internal
workings of both church leadership and worship. Great emphasis was
placed on clerical qualifications. Association officers were intent
upon raising the level of the clergy and used every opportunity to
stress that ordained clergy should be men of the highest
qualification, morally, intellectually, and spiritually. During a
period when preachers were among the most respected members of
American communities, it is not surprising that racial uplift was
directly linked to the qualifications of the man in the pulpit. A
corollary concern was the professional development of preachers. The
formation of the Ministers Conference in
Newark in 1896 and the founding of
Northern
Baptist
University in
Rahway in 1911 were
motivated by a desire to rid the church of the folk preacher, whose
ignorance and mourning [moaning] in the pulpit were viewed as a
disgrace in this period of civilization. Eliminating the annual call,
a practice by which a pulpit was declared vacant each year, was
discouraged although not easily achieved. Not only was this practice
viewed as counter to the long-term health of the church, but it also
increased the competitiveness within the clerical ranks. There were
always more ministers looking for positions than there were open
pulpits. Besides, the short tenure gave more control to the pew, a
position that was considered incompatible with the demands of a new,
efficient age.
Concern over the
persistence of black folkways was not limited to what occurred in the
pulpit. In the early days, the loud shouts and dancing that
characterized the more rural, southern style of worship was frowned
upon by the association leaders. Despite efforts by the clerical
elite to eliminate or tone down the worship, the in-migration of
southern Baptists almost ensured the continuity of a unique African
American style of worship. The recorded minutes of the annual
sessions give voice to the competing worship styles within MCBA. In
the early decades of the twentieth century, for example, positive
comments underscored the scholarliness and logic of associational
sermons. This was a sermon long to be remembered for its scholastic
and exegetical treatment which fell impressively upon the ears of the
audience (1904); he preached a heartfelt and orderly sermon (1905); he
gave a logical, well-arranged and eloquent sermon (1907). Sprinkled
among these comments were others that betrayed a fondness for the more
enthusiastic sermon style for which black Baptist preachers continue
to be noted. [T]he brother preached a great, inspiring and feeling
sermon (1907). The preacher was zealous and ardent in his delivery
(1909). Though the preacher was sick, he walked around
Zion and saved the day.
(1909).
By the 1930s,
after years of continuous southern migration, the comments were
noticeably different. The sermon was full of fire and replete with
original thought (1938); the sermon was a masterpiece (1938); a
soul-stirring sermon (1939). The demonstration that followed was like
an old time revival service when nearly everybody was shouting (1941);
it was delivered with the fire and Holy Ghost (1941). The preference
of the pew was unmistakable in both its verbal and financial
response. Despite efforts to modify the liturgy within the worship
service, there is no mistake which style was expected of the male and
female evangelists who led the revivals and tent rallies that were so
important to church extension and denominational growth throughout the
early decades of the twentieth century.
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