About Us - History

Three years before the General Conference of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church (changed in 1954 to Christian Methodist Episcopal) met in 1870, documented research confirms that an estimated one-third of the 35,000 men who drove cattle along the Shawnee, Chisholm, Western, and other trails in the great age of the cowboy in 1867 were black and they learned how to rope and brand as slaves. Other freed slaves came west after emancipation looking for new opportunities. It was during this era that the now historical Morning Chapel CME Church was organized in 1868 with a small group of persons who began to meet together for prayer and worship in homes or wherever possible to offer praises to God. Among those persons were Eugene "Blue" Rollins, an ex-slave, who became a trustee, Anderson Caville, the first superintendent of the black public schools and Caville Housing Project on Amanda Street is named for him, Henry C. Williams, and other dedicated pioneers.

These faithful servants of God constructed the first church building, with Anderson Caville paying $150,000 for the lot, in 1872 at the corner of Sixth and Crump Streets. According to the Daily Standard Newspaper printed December 15, 1876, a terrible wind storm blew down the small frame structure. Mr. Caville had to raise another $100, which was a hard struggle at that time because the church was very heavy in debt. He even jeopardized his own property in its defense. The church was soon rebuilt and its first cornerstone was laid May 1877 at 3:00 pm as recorded by the Daily Standard. In 1884, this faithful congregation and friends with the assistance of the Methodist Episcopal Church South moved the frame structure into a very beautiful stone edifice at Fifth and Crump Streets, which was completed in 1905 with the exception of the windows. In later years, this is how we earned the nickname, "Old Rock Church", because of our many years of existence and the beautiful rusticated limestone that the church building was made from. In 1907, the Cotton Belt Railroad bought the church property at Fifth and Crump Streets, and under the pastorate of Rev. G.H. Harlee, the church was moved to our present location at Third and Crump Streets.

It was said that the church members cleaned and carried the stones to the new location to be used to construct the new church. The church was built over some type of tunnel and it was rumored the tunnel may have been used by the Underground Railroad (research is being done). During the time period from 1931-1932, the church building was condemned and while a new building was being built, using the same stones, the church worshiped inside of the now historical Knights of Pythias Hall (located behind the church) until the church was completed sometime between 1934 & 1936. In 1958, an educational building was erected to the rear of the church and the contractor was Joe Peace, the husband of Hazel Harvey Peace of I.M. Terrell High School.

Morning Chapel has the distinction of being the "Mother Church" to five CME churches located in the city of Fort Worth, Texas. Gibson Memorial (now Carter Metropolitan) in 1910, North Side Chapel (now Benson Chapel) in 1915, Jubilee Temple in 1926, Stewart Chapel in 1937, and Lula McLane Chapel (named for one of our members) in 1958. Morning Chapel has the honor of giving a great Bishop to the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in the person of Bishop Elias Prophetic Murchison, Jr., the 29th Bishop of the CME Church. He was born behind the church on Second Street and baptized in the church. Other distinguished members were J.T. Langston, bookkeeper and cashier of the first Black bank in Fort Worth; James E. Guinn, principal and namesake of the James E. Guinn School; H.H. Butler, who also has a housing project named for him located on Luella Street and across from I.M. Terrell High School; and Ella Mae Shamblee, whom the library inside of the Southside Multi-Purpose Center on New York Street is named.

The next chapter in the history of Morning Chapel was ushered in under the pastoral leadership of Reverend Manuel Henderson, who was assigned by Bishop Marshall Gilmore in June 1999. Pastor Henderson was able to hold our congregation together for nearly two years (June 5, 2005 - February 2007) until we re-entered our newly restored church, after a devastating gas explosion fire created by ATMOS energy utility company.

Morning Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church is celebrating over 140 years of faithful service, first to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the members, and the community of Fort Worth. The membership of Morning Chapel is grateful for the spiritual guidance and leadership received from bishops, presiding elders, and the forty or more ministers. Many achievements and goals have been reached during the church's 138 years as a part of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. And as we stand on the threshold of new beginnings, and seek to meet the Jesus challenge - to go "From Good to Great", let us bear in mind the words of Robert Frost:The woods are lonely, dark and deep, But we have promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep, and miles to go before we sleep.