As February has become “Black History Month” I decided to do an article on this subject. I chose to do one on Henry Evans, the African American who so famously bought Methodism to Fayetteville, NC. As I was gathering information on Rev. Evans, I came upon an already written article on Henry Evans in the History room of Hay Street UMC. So why recreate the wheel as the saying goes. The article that I found has no author and I do not know where it came from. So, enjoy the article from this anonymous source and just understand that it is not my work or the work of anyone connected with the Archives.
HENRY EVANS TRIBUTE
“None but Christ”
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under
heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4: 12)
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under
heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4: 12)
Henry Evans was born a Child of God and called to minister in
Christ’s name in this place. Born a Free Black Man in Virginia in 1760 and
finishing his earthly Ministry in 1810, Henry was a humble shoe maker, and
builder of churches in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He epitomized the
Scripture, “He that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11 :30). As the founder
of Methodism in Fayetteville, Mr. Evans is often called the “Father” of
many because of his passion for conversion of souls in like manner of
Abraham who was called the “Father of many nations.” (Genesis 17:4-6) in
his compassion for the lost in this community he considered them as his
very own flock who were living in a sin-sick and barbarous time.
After receiving Christ as his Lord and Savior and the anointing of
God’s Holy Spirit as a young man, “Father” Evans began a journey from
Virginia to North and South Carolina after his faithfulness to Christ and
receiving a call to bring knowledge of Christ to those he found in greatest
need. “Father” Evans had been trained as a shoemaker, a trade which made
him self-supporting and living a life in parallel with that of St. Paul. He was
able to preach the Gospel of the Good News to whom God had called him to
minister. “Father Evans” as licensed by church authorities in the Carolinas
to preach Christ’s salvation to the lost and straying people he met, even in
Fayetteville, North Carolina, a lawless and sometimes violent town on the
Cape Fear River. Literally he was a maker and fixer of soles (of shoes) by
day, and a mender of souls of men and women (potential Children of God)
by night. “Father” Evans studied his beloved Scriptures, a diligent exhorter
and lay preacher to his congregation.
“Father” Evans’ message of salvation through Christ was often
opposed by the Fayetteville City Council who ordered him to cease and
desist from his preaching of Christ and him crucified. Quite literally,
“Father” was driven out of town into the wilderness of the Sand Hills
surrounding Fayetteville to continue his preaching. His message of
salvation was Christ Alone, and his humble pleading and exemplary living
finally convicted not only the Slaves but their white owners as well. Civic
authorities were finally convinced that “Father” Evans was not an
insurrectionist, but the bringer of a message of peace and brotherhood to the community. People in the town began to ask the important questions of life, such as, “What shall I do to be saved?” Literally, lives were changed for the better and his emphasis on Scriptures, and the tenets of the Methodist
Church were beneficial for the whole community. Sabbath Schools, a
method of instruction for catechizing the people, both Black and White,
were important for the memorizing of Scripture for those who could not
read or did not access to the printed Word of God.
Cool Spring was a “watering-hole” of a different sort with its taverns
(Ordinaries) and other places of a baser sort. The location for his meeting
house was on the west side of the Cape Fear River. On the east side of the
River was an early saw mill. “Father” Evans was able to secure the
cooperation of the proprietor of the saw mill to allow him to retrieve the
slabs of lumber removed in the saw mill operation. These off-cuttings of
lumber were called “slabs” which contained bark on one side and a more or
less smooth side. These slabs were not suitable for regular constuction for
the structural portion in a building but were used by “Father” Evans for the
outside covering for his tabernacle in the wildemess which his African
meeting house was to become. While he originally rented the property he
was enabled later to purchase the land, giving permanency to his endeavors. He swam the sometimes frosty river to carry his precious slabs across the river. Three times it was necessary for him to swim the Cape River to get to his African Meeting House on Cool Spring where he was destined to preach and live until his dying days.
“Father” Evans was to labor in the African Meeting House
through the coming years (1800 +) which was visited by the Methodist
Bishops like Bishop Francis Asbury who recognized the excellence of
“Father” Evans’ work. In the succeeding years, they acknowledged his work
by admitting the African Meeting House as a church in Connection of the
Methodist Church. The General Conference in 1808 enrolled the Meeting
House as a Church in Connection with the South Carolina, and later, North
Carolina General Conference. The African Meeting House was to continue
in this Connection (the Methodist Church is often defined as the “Church in
Connection,” another word for Union or Communion) for many years.
As the years passed by, “Father” Evans asked for assistance with his
rapidly growing congregation because of his declining health. “Father”
Evans was beginning to feel that his life had been “poured out as a drink
offering to the Lord” (Philippians 2: 17).
He appealed to the Bladen County (south of Fayetteville and
Cumberland County) Circuit Leaders to appoint an able-bodied minister to
assist in the ministration and preaching to the faithful. Those gathering at
the Meeting House and the congregation were added to their circuit with the appointment of Thomas Mason (1808), Samuel Dunwoody (1809), Matthew Sturtevant (1810), William Capers and James Norton in 1810). “Father” Evans’ reputation was not diminished in any way, but his arms were upheld (like Moses with Aaron and Hur) at the battle outside the Promised Land), by the first Pastors of the African Meeting House.
When William Capers (1790-1855) was appointed in 1810, at age 20,
he was immediately impressed with the reports and the witness of “Father”
Henry Evans, but soon was to officiate at his for-bear’s funeral in 1810. Not
only was William Capers a brilliant preacher himself, but he was a leader in
the work of missions to the Native Americans and the Imported Black
Slaves.
“Father” Evans’ compassion for his wife and his Congregation is
shown in his legal provision for them in his last will and testament, written
on the 9th of December, 1809 and finalized after his death in June, 1811 .
“Father” Evans left his beloved wife, Melia [sometimes referred to as
Nelita] provided for until her own death.
“Father” Evans did not leave his Congregation comfortless, (John
15:26), but with these words:
“I have come to say my last words to you. It is this:
None but Christ!
“Three times I have had my life in jeopardy for preaching the gospel
to you. Three times I have broken the ice on the edge of the water and
swam across the Cape Fear [River] to preach the gospel to you. And now, if
in my last hour I could trust to that of to anything else but Christ crucified
for my salvation, all should be lost and my soul perish forever.”
“Father” Evan’s dying words on his final breath, are from
I Corinthians 15:57:
Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ.
The Young Preacher, William Capers’ Funeral Sermon was His Just
Moment, His record on High. Later, in his own Autobiography, William
Capers says of “Father” Henry Evans,
I have known not many preachers who appeared more
conversant with Scripture, or whose conversation was more
instructive as to the things of God. He seemed always deeply
impressed with the responsibility of his position, And yet
Henry Evans was a Boanreges [using Jesus’ names of Sts.
James and John, “Sons of Thunder,” and in his duty feared not
The face of man.