Readings

February 13: Absalom Jones, Priest, 1818

The Collect of the Day

Absalom Jones

Set us free, heavenly Father, from every bond of prejudice and fear; that, honoring the steadfast courage of your servant Absalom Jones, we may show forth in our lives the reconciling love and true freedom of the children of God, which you have given us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Absalom Jones

Set us free, O heavenly Father, from every bondof prejudice and fear; that, honoring the steadfast courage of thy servant Absalom Jones, we may show forth in our lives the reconciling love and true freedom of the children of God, which thou hast given us in thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Absalom Jones was born enslaved to Abraham Wynkoop a wealthy Anglican planter in 1746 in Delaware. He was working in the fields when Abraham recognized that he was an intelligent child and ordered that he be trained to work in the house. Absalom eagerly accepted instruction in reading, and saved money he was given to buy books. Abraham Wynkoop died in 1753. When Absalom was sixteen, Abraham’s son Benjamin Wynkoop sold the plantation and Absalom’s mother, sister, and five brothers. He brought Absalom to Philadelphia where he opened a store and joined St. Peter’s Church.

With the permission of their masters, Absalom married Mary Thomas who was enslaved to Sarah King who also worshipped at St. Peter’s. Absalom and his father-in-law, John Thomas, used their savings, and sought donations and loans primarily from prominent Quakers, in order to purchase Mary’s freedom. Absalom and Mary worked hard to repay the money borrowed to buy her freedom. They saved enough money to buy property and to buy Absalom’s freedom. Although he repeatedly asked Benjamin Wynkoop to allow him to buy his freedom, Wynkoop had refused. Finally, in 1784, he freed Absalom by granting him a manumission. Absalom continued to work in Wynkoop’s store as a paid employee.

Absalom then left St. Peter’s Church and began worshipping at St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church. He met Richard Allen who had been engaged to preach at St. George’s and the two became lifelong friends. Together, in 1787, they founded the Free African Society a mutual aid benevolent organization that was the first of its kind organized by and for black people. At St George’s, Absalom and Richard served as lay ministers for the black membership. The black members worked hard to help raise money to build an upstairs gallery intended to enlarge the church. The church leadership decided to segregate the black worshippers in the gallery, without notifying them. During a Sunday morning service, a dispute arose over the seats black members had been instructed to take in the gallery, and ushers attempted to physically remove them by first accosting Absalom Jones. Most of the black members indignantly walked out in protest.

In 1792 the Free African Society began to build the African Church of Philadelphia. The church membership took a vote and decided to affiliate with the Episcopal Church. Absalom Jones was asked to provide pastoral leadership and after prayer and reflection he accepted the call. The African Church was dedicated on July 17th, 1794. Soon thereafter the congregation applied for membership in the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania on the following conditions: 1) that they be received as an organized body; 2) that they have control over their own local affairs; 3) that Absalom Jones be licensed as layreader, and, if qualified, be ordained as a priest. In October 1794 it was admitted as the African Episcopal Church of St Thomas. Bishop William White ordained Jones as deacon in 1795 and as priest on September 21st, 1802.

Jones was an earnest preacher. He denounced slavery, and warned the oppressors to “clean their hands of slaves.” To him, God was the Father, who always acted on “behalf of the oppressed and distressed.” But it was his constant visiting and mild manner that made him beloved by his congregation and by the community. St Thomas Church grew to over 500 members during its first year. Known as “the Black Bishop of the Episcopal Church,” Jones was an example of persistent faith in God and in the Church as God’s instrument. Jones died on February 13th, 1818.

Lessons and Psalm

First Lesson

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Psalm

1When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, *then were we like those who dream.

2Then was our mouth filled with laughter, *and our tongue with shouts of joy.

3Then they said among the nations, *“The Lord has done great things for them.”

4The Lord has done great things for us, *and we are glad indeed.

5Restore our fortunes, O Lord, *like the watercourses of the Negev.

6Those who sowed with tears *will reap with songs of joy.

7Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, *will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves.

Gospel

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Isaiah 42:5–9

5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6 I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, 7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8 I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols. 9 See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.

John 15:12–15

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.