18 Historical and Semi-Centenial Address.
I find that the books of the church say that the church was
organized by Rev. Moses Freeman. I also find that Rev. Moses
Freeman was the preacher in charge at Chillicothe in the year
1S23. My opinion, without the facts in the case, is as follows:
The band of Father King resolved to join the A. M. E. Church;
they must be received by some one authorized to receive them;
Father Freeman, being the only minister in the State at the
time, it is reasonable to conclude that he came down and
received them into the African connection, and left them in
charge of Philip Brodie, who, Bishop Payne says, was the first
pastor. We therefore have this as the history of the organiza¬
tion of the A. M. E. Church in Cincinnati:—
1st. Revs. James King and Philip Brodie brought the little
band out of the M. E. Church.
2nd. Rev. Moses Freeman came and received them into the
A. M. E. Church, and organized the society on the 4th day of
February, 1824, in the house of Father King, which is now on
Broadway, numbers 218 and 220.
3rd. That after the organization, Rev. Philip Brodie was
given the pastoral charge of the church. They met sometimes
in the house of Father King, at other times in private houses,
and sometimes in the cellar of Bro. Brodie's house, which they
called Jerico. They afterwards moved into the blacksmith
shop, or the
LITTLE RED CHURCH ON THE GREEN.
This church was situated on North street, near New. It was
made of rough boards set on end; the floor was of clab-boards;
the seats were of the same, with the legs nailed on, and no backs.
The front was painted red, and therefore was called by some
the " Little Red Church on the Green." Sister Williams says
that the first time she ever attended church was in this house •
that the preacher had his head tied up in a Bandanna hand¬
kerchief, and that it came off of his head and then his hair
stood on end; that he went up and down the church cryino-that
the devil was loose; and then she cryed and hollered so that
they had to take her out of church.
The congregation staid in the little red church for some
time, and its numbers increased daity; it was known as the
anti-slavery church. When the people learned that there was
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