Also working among Germans were Jacob Albright and his followers. Albright called the leaders of his people together at a private home in Berks County, Pennsylvania, on November 3, 1803, and organized a denomination that was to move through such names as "The Newly-formed Methodist Conference" and "Those Designated as Albright's People" until in 1816 it became the Evangelical Association and reported a membership of about 1,500.
Participants in the 1803 meeting declared the Scriptures to be the new church's rule of faith and elected Jacob Albright as "elder preacher.'' With this action the three churches now composing The United Methodist Church had organized themselves for ministry and mission. But before we can listen to their message and examine the means for disseminating it, we need to note what was happening among black Methodists.