London's fugitive slave chapel moving

London’s 1848 to 1859  fugitive slave chapel moving to Beth Emmanuel

By William Doyle-Marshall

The African Methodist Episcopalian Church under Superintendent Dr. Chester Searles is very busy trying to resolve some outstanding matters. They include re-locating the historical fugitive slave chapel which operated between 1848 to 1859 in London, Ontario. It was scheduled to be demolished by the owner of the lands where the building now stands. However, community outcry forced the developer to halt action on destruction of the historic building. Dr. Delta McNeish, pastor of Beth Emmanuel Church is enthusiastically awaiting the arrival of the heritage building on her church property.

  She considers the unplanned development as the work of God. “I like the fact that he by-passed our brains because my sense is if I had probably gone and brought this up on my own volition, I am not so sure what would have happened but the Lord in his marvelous wisdom went right to the top,” she theorized. “He went right to City Hall, he brought them right to this church and when it was in the newspaper that the Slave Chapel was going to be demolished, all of London that has anything to do with history, has anything to do with Black History or any history at all, was enraged and they said ‘no. we can’t have that’,” Dr. McNeish reflected.

   Beth Emmanuel Church runs a special ministry for  community residents under the direction of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Conference. Every Thursday dinner is served to over 200 people . Dr. Chester Searles, superintendent of the conference visited the Southern Ontario district recently to consult with his attorney and visit with pastors at Beth Emmanuel. It was a truly spiritual day.  The two pastors who run the ministry at the church are Dr. Delta McNeish and Pastor Alvin McKay. They are caring for the needs of the community, feeding and clothing, providing shelter and counseling. A venture so demanding yet they handle it with what seems like little stress.

  Pastor McNeish is hopeful that somehow God will provide enough money. She is envisioning at least $400,000 to $500,000 that would provide a good foundation for the building that’s being moved. At the same time Dr. McNeish and her associates want to continue to sustain their current programmes with a bigger facility. "We need more space here . You try cramming 200 people in this little 40 by 40 dining area. It’s a challenge. But we manage. I envision something happening that would not be an interference but really a complement to what we are doing,” Dr. McNeish pontificated.

 enslaved Africans place of worship in the 1840s. (William Doyle-Marshall photo)

  Alvin too is convinced that their developments are the work of the Lord. “I find it interesting though that it’s a Black-based original movement in a sense that it was a place from Freedom in this neighbourhood. That neighbourhood  isn’t necessarily Black. In fact, we’ve got a lot of Aboriginals that are connecting with us but they are also slaves to addiction Church

The ministry’s focus is the community and Dr. McNeish insists the community is their church so the pastors are there to minister to the people. So they are there to listen and cater to the parishioners’ needs. “Whatever their needs are, if we can’t reach them, we will send them somewhere else,” Dr. McNeish advises. In many cases the needs are of a financial nature. “A lot of people in this area come looking for money but there are services that meet that need. We specifically touch them for Jesus and the Lord has been using us to help in that capacity, I believe in a very special way,” the pastor continues

Dr. Delta McNeish, left, pastor of Beth Emmanuel Church, London, Ontario; Dr. Chester Searles, right, superintendent of the African Methodist Episcopalian Church; Pastor Alvin McKay, 3rd from right, pose with church volunteers who help carry out a ministry serving residents of the community.(William Doyle-Marshall photo

   Residents of London have often turned up making requests that could not be granted. “One of the key successes to this ministry is that we are not only seeking the Lord but we’re listening. There are times in prayer that we won’t pray, we just listen. We listen for 45 minutes, an hour before there is an utterance. What that’s done is, it has yielded the Lordship to Christ,” he recounts.

Two abandoned cemeteries in the Town of Tecumseh and Puce as well as the Chatham Park in Chatham-Kent Municipality are also being scrutinized by AME Leadership. The bodies of deceased enslaved persons are buried in those locations said Dr. Searles. It is felt that out of respect for the ancestors, these properties should not be touched so that the spirits of the dead could rest peacefully. Within recent times the properties have emerged as bones of contention as nearby landowners and the municipality are seeking permission to occupy the properties. During a recent meeting with the church’s attorney Douglas Desmond, in Ridgetown, Ontario, it was noted that cemeteries cannot be used for any other purpose under the Cemeteries Act.

April 10, 2013