Free African Society church

The majority of members of the Free African Society wanted to become united with the Episcopalian church. Absalom Jones became their spiritual leader.

In February 1792, they purchased two lots at Fifth and Adelphi Streets (south of Walnut) and construction of a church building was started, only to be interrupted by the great yellow fever plague of 1793. During that epidemic, Jones and Richard Allen worked closely together, despite differences in religious denomination. (It was erroneously thought that African-Americans were not susceptible to the fever.)

The two ministers organized their followers and rendered invaluable service in attending the sick and burying the dead. The Free African Society's informal church developed into the First African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas. Located on Fifth Street below Walnut Street, this was the first African-American Episcopal church in the United States, as well as the first independent African Church in America.

The first service was held on July 17, 1794, with most of the city's white clergymen participating. The church grew to more than 500 members during its first year and Bishop William White ordained Absalom Jones as deacon in 1795. Ministers from all three of the white Episcopalian churches participated in the exercises. A month later, the congregation resolved officially to "conform ourselves to the Protestant Episcopal Church," asking for Absalom Jones as their rector. He became a candidate for Deacon's orders which he obtained in 1795. The church was named in honor of St. Thomas the Apostle.

Episcopalian Bishop William White, who advised the congregation throughout its early years, ordained Jones in the priesthood in 1804. After he died in 1818, his church continued to thrive. In 1839 its building was substantially rebuilt and rededicated. In 1887 - just a hundred years after the Free African Society had been formed - the congregation moved away and sold the original church building, which has since been demolished. St. Thomas's has had two other locations, the present home being at Fifty-second and Parrish Streets in West Philadelphia.