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Black Seventh-day Adventist Church History in Cleveland, Ohio —1918
During the years 1912-13 the north was becoming highly industrialized and there was a universal influx of people both white and colored from the south. In this group also came a number of Seventh-day Adventists. A church was already in operation on Hough Avenue. The white and colored believers worshipped together for a time but it was mutually felt that another place of worship should be secured for the colored brethren.
After much deliberation and prayer, steps were made to purchase a place for the colored. Elder Linsey, then the pastor of the Hough SDA Church, met a group of the colored brethren and made plans to purchase a dwelling for $5,000 located at 2564 East 46th Street. This was done in August of 1918; and shortly thereafter-Elder Harry Rossin as installed as the first colored pastor. ELDERS' F.H. Robbins and Lindsey organized the group into a church.
Some of the charter members were: H.F. Brown, Mamie Brown, Theodore Slaughter, Clara Slaughter, Mary Bailey, Martha Perry, Sister Foster, Della McGee, Sarah Miller and L.E. Patton.
Elder Bradford followed Elder Rossin and remained as pastor of the 2nd SDA Church until 1923 at which time Elder J.E. Cox was called to the congregation. The church had now grown s rapidly that the original dwelling was out-grown and arrangements were made to purchase a more spacious building. It wasn't long before an ideal dwelling was located on the corner of East 71st and Cedar Avenue. Here began a program of extensive fund raising and soon sufficient funds were acquired to make a down payment on the $56,509 building. Under the able leadership of Elder J.E. Cox, the church became a power for good and a community necessity. A day school was started, which has become a great influence in the lives of many who have passed through its portals. Because of the outstanding work accomplished by Elder Cox, he was called to Philadelphia in 1927.
The work of liquidating the church indebtedness was next placed on Elder J.G. Dassent. It was during his pastorate that the Great Depression of '29 came. Those were the days that tried men's souls. Many of the members of the church were out of work and could not contribute to the support if the church and situation grew continuously worse.
A call was made for Elder Dassent to labor in another section of the vineyard and he accepted the call, leaving the church without a minister (1930-35).
It was only through the goodness of God and the tenacity of a few faithful members that the church was able to weather the difficult days that lay ahead for them. The interest on the debt was becoming increasingly heavy, not to mention the principal. Thanks be to God that giveth us the victory! Always in time of crisis in His church, there have been men of valor who would rather die than admit defeat. God had such men in the 2nd SDA Church for just such a time as that. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit such able men as H.F. Brown, H.O. Slaughter, W.T. Petterson and Brother Baskerville were elected to the sacred offices of church elder and had to run the affairs of the church without help of an appointed minister.
On top of this, in 1932 a fire occurred in the church causing considerable damage to the building and completely destroyed the beautiful pipe organ. The insurance claims of $12,000 were paid and $10,000 of this was applied on the mortgage leaving only $2,000 to make repairs. Conditions now became desperate.
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Elder J.E. Cox was called back in 1935 to salvage the church. Through his leadership, the mortgage was reduced, many necessary repairs were made and a new hope was instilled in the congregation.
The call then came for Elder Cox to move on to another field, and he was followed in 1939 by Elder U.S. Willis. Although the debt had been reduced, it was still pressing with considerable weight. Elder Willis did an excellent job in guiding the flock through the next four years and church was beginning to maintain sound footing.
In 1942 in order to serve the great need of evangelism in this city, Elder J.H. Laurence was sent here to take over the affairs of the church. Pearl Harbor was ringing in the hearts if everyone as the great war industries sprang into action, creating new wealth, power and fear.
Money was plentiful, there was full-employment, now was the time to retire the debt that had plagued for so long. The church became militant and organized under the leadership of Sis. Chessie Harris and Sis. Louise Stewart. It wasn't long before the victory song was sung. The mortgage burned and God was given the glory.
The program of evangelism was so highly successful under the leadership of Elder Laurence that the church was literally bursting at the seams and it soon became evident that a more spacious dwelling must be obtained.
The Cedar Avenue SDA Church building was sold and the congregation went into the Glenville area taking up residence in the Glenville Baptist Church at the corner of Elgin and 105th Street, at a cost of $76,000. The name of the church now became the Glenville SDA Church. An ever-expanding evangelism led to the installment of remote control facilities in the church and a weekly program of preaching Christ to Cleveland every Friday evening on radio, station WSBS at 8:30 p.m. was begun in 1952.
Because of this outstanding work was an evangelist. Pastor and administrator, Elder Laurence received numerous calls to labor in other fields. He accepted the call, however, to go to Seattle, Washington, and was succeeded by elder R.T. Hudson in 1952.
Finding himself confronted with an enormous church debt of a newly purchased building, Elder Hudson came in, rolled up his sleeves, and went to work. Prayers plus a steadfast faith in God can accomplish the seemingly impossible. In the surprisingly short period of three years the church mortgage is being burned and the church is looking forward to greater accomplishments for Christ.
The ministers following in Elder Hudson's footsteps are Pastor W.R. Robinson, C.D. Brooks, A.N. Brogden, W.M. Starks, H.L. Cleveland, J. Farrow, E.T. Mimms, L. Rahming, H. Brewer, A.L. Teele, S.T. Lewis, L. Cox, J.A. Morris, R. Mounter and our present pastor R. Moore, Jr.
The offspring of the Glenville Seventh-day Adventist Church are the Ashtabula Church founded by the Drake Family; The Bethel SDA church founded by Elder W.M. Starks and W.C. Scales, the Southeast SDA Church founded by members of Glenville, the E. Cleveland, Cleveland Hts., SDA Church (now Temple of Praise) founded by members of Glenville.
We are still growing thanks to the Lord!
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