He made such remarkably rapid progress that by the time he
was fifteen years old he had read the Bible through five
times, and by the aid of Walker's Pronouncing Dictionary and
the young white lawyers he became a good reader, and read
Watson's Apology for the Bible, Buck's Theological
Dictionary and very largely in Dr. Adam Clark's Commentary
and other books. He became acquainted with the African M. E.
Church, joined the same, leaving the M. E. Church South, met
the Conference in St. Louis, Mo., and was admitted after an
examination. Bishop D. A. Payne, D. D., LL. D., appointed
him to a mission in Baltimore city. While he served his
appointment he studied English Grammar, Latin, Greek, German
and the Hebrew languages, and became what was regarded as an
excellent scholar. He studied the rules of elocution under
Dr. Cummings of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and was
regarded as quite an orator. He was appointed in charge of
Israel Church, Washington, D. C., and his fame became so
notable that President Lincoln appointed him Chaplain, the
first colored man that was ever made a commissioned officer
in the United States Army. He served his regiment so
faithfully and gained such a reputation that President
Johnson commissioned him a Chaplain in the regular service
of the United States Army. He resigned in a short time and
commenced the organization of the A. M. E. Church in
Georgia, and was so abundantly successful that the General
Conference elected him manager of the Publication Department
in 1876. He served there four years with headquarters in
Philadelphia, and in 1880 the General Conference sitting in
St. Louis, Mo., elected him Bishop, and on the 20th of May
he was consecrated to that holy office. Bishop Turner has