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Full History of Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church

Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church

Three years later, some unknown thieves took a chisel and removed the brick enclosing the cornerstone of
the church. They opened the box and stole all the coins and other articles of value contained in it. (Star, I-17-
1877)

In 1878, the Rev. Cornelius Sampson was in charge of both Mt. Zion and Mt. Olive AME Churches. At the rime,
they were mission churches. (Star, 11-16-1878)

In June 1882, it was reported that Mt. Zion Church was to be thoroughly reconstructed.Bids were advertised
for carpenters. The pastor of the church, at the time, was the Rev John S. Parker (Star, 6-21-1882)

During 1886, a number of revivals were conducted at the Mt. Zion Church. The Rev. Isaiah F. D. Aldridge was
the pastor. They resulted in large accessions to the membership. Sixty-five persons joined the church one
week in April. The services, which were held nightly, were always crowded.

On August 22, 1886, tragedy struck the church when the Rev. Aldridge lost his daughter to an accidental
overdose of laudanum. It was administered by an older girl taking care of the child, (Star, 4-16-1886, 9-8-1886. 8-
25- 1886)

During late 1886 or early 1887, the church was destroyed by fire. Thereafter, many benefits were held to raise
funds for a new church. A three-day benefit was held, in September 1887, including a performance by the
Procrastination Concert Club. (Messenger, 2-19-1888)

In 1888, a large crowd attended church, to hear the Rev. Aldridge denounce Judge Daniel L. Russell from the
pulpit. The subject of his ire was a letter in which Russell referred to the black race as ‘savage Negroes. The
Rev. Aldridge said that Russell made “a slanderous assault upon an innocent people.” The Wilmington
Messenger, dated August 21, 1888, reported, “Mt. Zion church was crowded Sunday night before the appointed
hour for services. Many had to stand in and around the church. The Rev. I. E. Aldridge announced for his text,
Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God (Psalms 68:31).

He said that man, unlike God, could not stand being worshiped. You may worship God and he will not grow
larger. God was as large before he made the world and man as he is now. If you worship some men, they grow
larger and larger until they grow out of themselves, like the proud Pharisee. Judge Russell is in that condition
today. He has outgrown himself.” He said that the “judge has done more to prejudice our cause and citizenship
than all other things combined.” The Rev. Aldridge spoke of the progress of the colored people in America,
and how obedient they were to their masters, and respectful to their mistresses in the days of slavery. He said
that Ethiopia was one of the great kingdoms in Africa, and was sometimes called Cush, and lay south of Egypt,
on the Nile, east of the Red Sea. Nimrod, the grandson of Ham, a black man, the father of the Africans, was the
founder of Babylon and Nineveh, in the fertile plains of Chaldea. Zerah, an Ethiopian, a colored man, was a
king, and Candace, an Ethiopian woman, was a queen.” He said “Judge Russell had insulted every colored
man, woman and child of the race, and the insult should be resented, and that he had no more faith in Judge
Russell’s friendship for the colored people.” The Rev. Aldridge said, “He would not vote for or support any
man who endorsed what Judge Russell had said about the savage Negroes.” After more criticism, the Rev.
Aldridge remarked, “he does his own preaching, praying and thinking on such subjects, and needed no advice
from sinners who stood on street corners and talk about what he ought to preach and ought not to preach.
(Star, 8-18-1888, 8-24—1888; Messenger. 8-211888)

The Rev. Aldridge issued a notice in the Morning Star, on October 28, 1888. He stated that, “I wish it
understood that I am independent and free in politics, and will not vote for any person who accepts and
endorses the sentiments of Judge D. L. Russell, concerning the colored race, and I do not see how any honest,
intelligent colored man can do so. On the day of election I will vote the National and State Republican ticket,
and the honest Republican ticket of New Hanover County, headed by Mr. Harding Johnson; notwithstanding, I
have been informed by the Bosses that I must keep quiet and vote for them or be removed from the pastoral
charge of Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church.”
Note: Judge Daniel Lindsey Russell became governor of North Carolina in 1897. (Star, 10- 28-1883)

During the pastorship of the Rev. Aldridge, he added between 400 and 500 members to the church rolls. He
baptized many converts In the Cape Fear River at Hilton. (Star, 7-1-1888, 8-30- 1888) In 1889-90, the Rev. J. S.
Brown was the pastor of Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church. (Wilmington City Directory, 1889-90)

In 1895, the pastor was the Rev. U B. Sims, and in 1898, the pastor was the Rev.
James W Telfair (Messenger, 9-15-1895; Dispatch, 1-22-1898)

On February 8, 1900, the Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church was destroyed by fire. The completely northern part of the city
was lighted up by the blaze. The whole interior of the church was consumed in fire when the fire department
arrived and it was seen at once that there was no chance of saving the church. The firefighters directed their
attention to saving the surrounding structures. A strong wind carried sparks a considerable distance. Two
houses were also destroyed; a one-story frame house at 1113 North Fifth Street, owned and occupied by
William Walker, a blind old man; and the one-story frame house, owned by A. J. Walker. The church was insured
for $2,000.

In March 1900, the Rev. J. H. Hall, advertised for bids to rebuild the church. (Dispatch 3-14— 1900)

In March 1901, the Rev. R. R, Nichols, announced a rally on the 24th to raise funds for the completion of the
new church. (Dispatch, 3-2-1901)

On September 30, 1901, the cornerstone of the new church was laid with appropriate ceremonies. The Odd
Fellows participated in the exercises. (Star, 10-1-1901)

Oscar Fulford, a member of the Mt. Zion Church choir, died suddenly on
August 23, 1903 just as the choir stood to sing the opening hymn. He was a native of Bertie, Va., and employed
locally by the Cape Fear Lumber Company. He had been married only a few months. (Dispatch 8-24-1903)

On July 9, 1906, Bishop W J. Gaines, D.D., of Atlanta, Georgia, delivered a lecture for the benefit of the Mr. Zion
A.M.E. Church, The subject was “How to Get Up in Life and How to Stay Up.” Bishop Gaines was president of the
Negro Young People’s Congress. The pastor of Mt. Zion Church at this time was Rev. W. B. Williams. (Dispatch
79-1906)

A lightning bolt struck the steeple of the Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church on July 27, 1909. It was ripped off and fell into
the churchyard. No fire occurred. (Star, 7-28-1909)

After forty years of hard struggle, the church completed the building of a beautiful eight-room parsonage. The
Rev. E. T. Bailey moved in on November 9, 1911. The congregation and visitors were asked to bring provisions
for the pastor and his family. (Star, 11-5- 1911)

The Rev. A. E. Price died at the parsonage on December 28, 1917. He was about 45 years of age. He was a
native of Raleigh, NC, and for several years, he was the pastor of Mt. Olive A.M.E. Church. He also served as
presiding elder of the New Bern District. He came to the church in November 1917. His wife and seven children
survived him. One of his
last acts of service to the community was to help young black men to fill out military questionnaires at the store
of Mr. Jervay on Seventh Street. (Dispatch, 12-29-1917, 12-30-1917)

In 1918, the Rev. L, R, Pearce was the pastor of the church. (Wilmington City Directory, 1918)

The church was the scene of a well-attended literary and musical program, on September 16, 1923. The Rev. I.
A. Valentine, dean of Kittrell College, gave the main address. The Rev. C. C. Ferguson, church pastor, made his
introduction. A. E. Nixon directed the vocal numbers, and Lula Richardson accompanied on the piano.
A son of the Rev. C. C. Ferguson became the first tenured black professor at Harvard Law School. He was C. C,
Ferguson, Jr. (1925-1984), a native of Wilmington. He was a graduate of Ohio State University and the Harvard
Law School. He joined the faculty there in 1975 and was a Henry L. Stimson Professor at the time of his death.
He served on the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations from 1973 to 1975, and was deputy
assistant of state for African Affairs from 1972 to 1973. He died at Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1934. Three
daughters, Claire, Hope and Eve, survived him. (Journal, 1-5-1984)

The 58th annual session of the North Carolina Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church opened
on November 10, 1926, at the Mt. Zion Church. The Right Rev. J. Albert Johnson, M.D., D.D., of Philadelphia,
presided. The conference embraced the southern and eastern parts of the state. The most important business
of the conference was a million-dollar educational and building program for Kittrell College. It was said that the
Rev. C. C. Ferguson arranged for every need and comfort of the delegates in a princely style. (Star, 11-10-1926)

In 1944, the old Mt. Zion Church was condemned by the city. In July 1944, the War Production Board awarded a
building priority to the church. This was necessary due to the materials shortage during World War II. The Rev,
S. A, Fennell negotiated for a general contract to construct a $35,000 structure designed by local architect,
Leslie N. Boney. Plans called for a two-story brick and cinder block building measuring 35 by 45 feet. The floor
was made of two-inch concrete and covered by asphalt tile. The interior framing was to be constructed of steel.
(News, 7-3-1944)

The new church, located at 1111 North Fifth Street, was dedicated on Sunday, April 28, 1946. Dr. Claude
Stephens, presiding elder of the Fayetteville District, delivered the dedicatory address. Dr. F.E.G. Dent,
president of Kittrell College, also took part in the exercises. The building delay from July 1944 through April
1946 was mainly due to a shortage of building materials arid the raising of funds to finance the edifice. A. F.
Lee, of Wilmington, was the contractor. (Star, 4-27-1946)

The cornerstone of the first Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church was laid on May 22,
1873. The church was located on the corner of North Seventh and
Howard streets. The Rev. W H. Bishop, assisted by the Rev. D. P.
Seaton, of Washington, D.C. and Rev. J. H. Spriggs, who was pastor of
the church, conducted the ceremony. (Star, 5-21-1873)

On January 7, 1874, the trustees of Mt. Zion Church sponsored a
concert to benefit the church. It was held at the City Hall and the money
that was raised went into the building fund. (Star, 1-1-1874)

1111 North Fifth Street Wilmington, NC 28401 910.763.2660 mtzamec@aolcom