Freedmen's Bureau Records: Emily Rodney to Orlando
Brown, April 2, 1866
Summary:
Emily Rodney writes to protest her being barred from preaching to the black
population of Staunton by Frederick Tukey and the Freedmen's Court. She writes
that the people should be free to worship as they choose, and complains that she
was not given a proper hearing. The attached endorsement by Tukey states his
side of the case, in which he argues that Miss Rodney was undermining the unity
of the community.
General O Brown
Assistant Commissioner, Freedmen's Bureau
April 2d 1866
Richmond Virginia
Dear Sir,
Last fall about 1st September I was sent on a Mission by our church to Staunton Virginia to look after the Spiritual interest of My People. I found them without any shepherd and worshipping in the abasement of the Church South. I read our discipline to them and almost all of them voted to join our Church numbering about 500; and the list enclosed of 139 names are those who agreed to contribute towards building a African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Reverend W. D. Harris by authority from Bishop Payne
sent
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a Preacher (Reverend Mat. Marshal to
preach for them, who went up and labored with the people very acceptably for 3
or four weeks and the people were willing to unite with our church and were
anxious to do so. But Mr. Tukey advised him to let them remain where they were
until Spring so Mr. Marshal complied with Mr Tukeys wishes and left them but
during the winter the Washington Conference sends a man there who receives Mr.
Tukeys cooperation and a portion of the members join the Washington Conference
Church we have nothing against their having all the members who desire to belong
there but we do ask as in the the name
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of Justice and Religious
Liberty that the people be allowed to worship God according to the dictates of
their consciences and that they be allowed to join the Church of their first
Choice, and that your humble servant be allowed to preach and hold meetings with
the people in the usual orderly and peaceful Manner. I was sent for by the
people, I went and found them divided and in a very unsettled and dissatisfied
state, I labored for Union, and love, and peace among them. By false accusations
I was summoned to appear before Mr. Tukey who advised me to desist from
preaching until some money was raised for the preacher of the Washington Conference Church. I complied until he went
away
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I commenced holding my meetings again far away from their place
of Meeting and Mr. Tukey summoned me before him, to a trial. I took witnesses
along with me but he heard the testimony and statements of my enemies and
refused to hear any statement of facts from my friends or witnesses and then
decided that I should not hold any more
meetings
in Staunton and that I should stop preaching there. I told him that I should appeal to
you from his decision. He stated that he believed me to be a lady and that my
motives were pure. I now respectfully but earnestly ask that I be allowed to
continue to hold meetings in a lawful way in Staunton. The people are determined
to join the African Methodist Episcopal Church and
have sent for a Minister to come and organize them into a church according to
agreement last fall.
Most respectfully submitted
Emily Rodney
