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The Clergy

The ministers I remember in Harlem during the thirties were the Reverend John Johnson Sr. of St. Martin Episcopal Church; the Reverend Shelton Hale Bishop of Saint Phillips Episcopal Church; the Reverend William Llyod Imes of St. James Presbyterian Church, Father Divine, Reverend Becton, the Reverend Adam Clayton Powell Sr. and Junior; the Reverend Richsford Meyers of St. Lukes the Blessed Physician Episcopal, my Church; the Reverend Durant and Father Mulvay of Saint Marks Catholic where I found my wife; and the Salvation Army on 135th near Fifth which gave us Christmas toys.

I remember Reverends Johnson and Imes because they would advise my cousin Arthur Reed and Columbus Austin and all of the street corner speakers in their quest for or how to achieve economic and stability from working on 125th Street.

I remember Adam Powell for this movement and for more things chronicled on other pages of this book.

I remember Father Divine because of the 15 cent meals I used to eat in his heavens on 139th Street right close to Seventh Avenue. Reverend Becton, I remember, as the Evangelist who used to put on all those revivals at Salem Baptist Church. I remember Shelton Hale, Bishop at Saint Phillip because the good reverend did not like his West Indian parishioners and Reverend Durant who was later to establish Saint Ambrose Episcopal on 130th near Fifth was literally forced out of the Church.

With the withdrawal by West Indian parishipners from Saint Phillip following Reverend Durant, the Patricks went with Richford Meyer at Saint Lukes on 136th Street and Edgecombe.

It was from this Church I went to Morehouse and it was from Saint Lukes I served on the altar with the late dean Dixon, the famed conductor and my good friend Dr. Kenneth Clark with whom I enjoy the same natal day.

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[[caption]] REV. ADAM CLAYTON POWELL, SR., C. 1925, UNDERWOOD AND UNDERWOOD [[/caption]]

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