Page:A short account of the rise and progress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in America.djvu/13

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him to go forward and procure a spot of ground for that purpose. According to appointment, the Treasurer, Thomas Miller, purchased a lot of ground, twenty-five feet front and seventy-five or one hundred feet deep, in Orange Street, between Cross and Chatham Streets, for which he paid the eighty dollars on account, and obtained a deed for the same, in his own name; but upon examination it was found that it was not a suitable place to erect a church, for the purpose contemplated, especially when they found that he would not consent to have the deed altered, which caused much dissatisfaction in the minds of the Trustees; and being thus disappointed, (but not discouraged,) Francis Jacobs, who was appointed Chairman of the Trustees, being a very intelligent man and of good repute, undertook the procuring a suitable place for the Church, and for this purpose he consulted with William Brown, who united with him, and they went forward and obtained two lots of ground, each twenty-five feet front and seventy-five feet deep, situate at the corner of Church and Leonard Streets, and fronting on Church Street, which circumstance renewed the courage of the Trustees, who agreed to accept the said ground, and resolved upon its being a suitable place for the contemplated building.

The lots of ground being now procured and agreed upon to be the place where the Church, or house of worship, should be erected, the Trustees took fresh courage, and joyfully renewed their efforts to collect money for that purpose. They therefore went forward with their subscription books, and solicited the public generally for aid in this great and laudable work, for the benefit of coloured