Our History
The Zion Church of the Evangelical Association
The Zion Church of the Evangelical Association is an interfaith family Temple founded on November 12th, 1875 in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania and was ordained by Bishop John Jamison Moore. The family temple is led by clergy and descendants of Bishop Moore. It is headquartered at 2426 Jerome Avenue, Dayton, Ohio, and it is tasked with the duty of ministering to Orphans and Widows.
The Temple government is led by a Premier (a Prime Minister) and 12 Department heads. The Zion Church of the Evangelical Association is also known as the Kingdom of Shabazz and the Zionst Temple of 1875 for Orphans and Widows.
The House that Hercules Built
The Heritage House
The House that Hercules Built is the official residence and workplace of the Premier (Prime Minister) of the Zion Church of the Evangelical Association also known as the Zionst Temple of 1875 for Orphans and Widows. It is located at 2426 Jerome Ave Dayton, Ohio and has been the residence of every Premier since Hercules Clarence Foster, who built the Temple in 1953. It is a common address and national church for Muurs, Moors, African Americans, Latino/Hispanics of North America and a shrine dedicated to the Moorish Egyptian Saint Maurice.
The Heritage House is a historical Holy Site, a estate that was blessed by Dr. Isaiah Moore in 1953, when he arrived at the newly built house when visiting his daughter, son-in law and grandchildren.. When he entered the Temple he took off his shoes, recited Exodus 3:5 and served communion.
The Heritage House is approximately 75 miles from the Great Serpent Mound, a 1,348-foot-long (411 m), three-foot-high prehistoric "Mound" in Adams County County, which is a testimony to the presence of Moors and Mound Builders in the Ohio region for hundreds of years. The Mound is designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of Interior.
Saint Benyamin the Moor
Bishop John Jamison Moore
The Rev. John Jamison Moore (affectionately known as "J.J. Moore") established the First A.M.E. Zion Church, San Francisco, California in August 1852. He also Ordained the Zion Church of the Evangelical Association for specific purpose of assisting Orphans and Widows, now called the Zionst Temple of 1875 for Orphans and Widows. The work of the Zion church is continued by his family, eight generations later.
Rev. Moore was born in Berkeley County, West Virginia, about 1804, to enslaved parents. His mother whose maiden name was Riedoubt, was born free but was kidnapped at the age of fifteen in Maryland and sold into slavery in West Virginia, where she married a man named Hodge. A change of owners caused the family to adopt the surname of Moore. He was born a slave, and his freedom was procured through the bravery of his mother who ran away from her master and carried her child with her. It was indeed a heroic flight. Reverend Moore always took an active part in contending for the rights of his people. His entire life is a story of thrilling interest. He was a remarkable man who traveled on foot to the most remote areas to bring the Gospel of life and salvation. He would walk 30 miles by day and preach at night.
Rev. Moore later held distinguished positions in the A.M.E. Zion Connectional Church and Pastored some of Zion's greatest churches before he came west (before The Emancipation), and established First A.M.E. Zion Church, in San Francisco. Rev. Moore also organized the first Negro School on the Pacific Coast and he became the first teacher and principal. The school was set up in the basement of St. Cyprian A.M.E. Church in San Francisco. He also took an active part in the fight for funds to educate African American children. Rev. Moore was the founder and editor of the newspaper "The Lunar Visitor". This publication promoted civil rights and advocated developing institutions for educational, social and political skills useful in working toward a full participation in American Society.
According to Bishop William J. Walls (author of "The Reality of the Black Church"), Rev. Moore was universally acknowledged to be one of the greatest preachers of his time, and one of the half-dozen greatest leaders our Zion has produced. Rev. Moore's knowledge of scripture was remarkable; and to the time of his death he could quote passages, without notes or manuscript, with an ease and facility that was astonishing.
He was consecrated a Bishop in the A.M.E. Zion Church on May 27, 1868. Bishop Moore wrote the catechism for use in the A.M.E. Zion Sunday Schools that was adopted by the General Conference in a semi-annual session in September 1888. He edited the A.M.E. Zion Sunday School Banner for several years and wrote a major publication that was published in 1884; The History of A.M.E. Zion Church of America.
Bishop Moore participated in initiatives that assisted Orphans and Widows in San Francisco, California, North Carolina, and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1875 Bishop Moore Ordained the Zion Church of the Evangelical Association in Philadelphia for specific purpose of assisting Orphans and Widows, now called the Zionst Temple of 1875 for Orphans and Widows. The work of the Zion church is continued by his family, eight generations later.
Rev. Moore loved and took great interest in young men of promise. He delighted to encourage them to be men in the highest sense of the term. Rev. Moore was married to Mrs. Frances Moore of Salisbury, North Carolina.
Rev. Moore transitioned on December 9, 1893, on the train on his way home to Salisbury after closing the Western North Carolina Conference in Greensboro, having preached to within a few days of his death in the full triumph of the Christian faith. He was funeralized at Zion Chapel (Sunset Memorial) A.M.E. Zion Church and laid to rest in Salisbury, North Carolina.
Learn More
On September 20th 2019, Bishop John Jamison (J.J.) Moore of the AME Zion Church became Saint Benyamin the Moor through canonization in a surprise Benediction by his 8th generation grandson. Bishop Moore was the 15th consecrated Bishop of the church and the founder of the first AME Zion Church west of the Mississippi river (August 1st, 1852) in San Francisco, California. He was sent there on assignment having proved himself as a missionary of the church and as an itinerant preacher in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.
To Learn more of this amazing story click HERE
Rev. Dr. Isaiah H. H. Moore
Dean of College of Scriptures Bible School
Rev. Dr. Isaiah Henri Harrison Moore, is a grandson of Bishop John Jamison Moore and was the second Dean of the College of the Scriptures , a Bible College that trained "negro ministers" in Louisville, Kentucky. He was born in about May 12, 1880 and was raised in Knox County, TN.
Orphaned early, his mother died when he was two and his father, Henry Harrison Moore, died when Isaiah was three. His father was West Indian. He came to Tennessee from North Carolina. As his mother, Amanda Lucinda Devault, was dying at the age of 27 she called little Isaiah to her bedside and said, “I want you to be a preacher. As a result Isaiah would say, “So I’ll go through fire to preach the Word of God. She named me for a preacher.”
His father was a Methodist minister. His grandfather had been Bishop J. J. Moore of the A. M. E. Z. Church. His father took his children everywhere he went following the death of his wife, Amanda. One man wanted little Isaiah but his father replied, “I can’t give you that boy. I promised Amanda I wouldn’t separate them.” Following his father’s death the children were taken to the County Home by a neighbor where they stayed a year until an uncle, John Devault, came to the home and got the four year old Isaiah who said about his uncle, “He led me from the poor house to the pulpit.”
Fifteen years later, as the 19 year old Isaiah sat on a porch of a parishioner, the two walked up asking where they could find Isaiah H. H. Moore. Thus the Church of Christ came into life of young Isaiah Moore. But the challenge of denominationalism was not over yet.
Rufus Tipton, school teacher, friend, counselor and good Presbyterian who wanted to help his people became a strong influence on Isaiah. With no books available Isaiah and the other students received most of their information by lectures which they recorded on slate then onto paper. They would buy one tablet per year at a cost of a nickel earned by shining shoes. Isaiah Moore became a preacher at 15.
At 19 he built his first church. He was ordained the third Sunday of October, 1901, by Elder W. H. Dunbar who had been converted from the Baptists to the Church of Christ. Instrumental music was not an issue since the churches were too poor to even have a musical instrument. Later Isaiah found that in some Churches of Christ it was considered a “sin” to have a musical instrument in the church house. Moore replied, “We’ll go hand in hand then. Bowser was about fifteen years older than Moore. In 1902 Moore was attending a Presbyterian boarding school in Knoxville, Tennessee when he wrote to Ashley Johnson, President of Johnson Bible College,
The two met by appointment in Knoxville. Johnson made a lasting impression on Moore that day by tipping his hat to the young man as a sign of his respect for him. While the Knoxville Presbyterian College taught a Calvinist course of study they made Isaiah Moore a member of its highest Bible Class due to his proficiency in scripture. Brother Johnson made Moore learn Scripture in quantity. That was Isaiah Moore. He was preaching for $5.00 per month. In 1904 Singleton came to Knoxville and brought Isaiah Moore to the preacher training school in Louisville, KY for which he had taught for twenty-seven years.
So, in 1904, Isaiah Moore came to Louisville to enroll in the Christian Bible School headed by A. J. Thompson, a white man. In 1944 Isaiah Moore was ministering in Paris, Kentucky. Sixty seven years ago Isaiah Moore enrolled in the Louisville Christian Seventeen years ago Dr. Moore became the Dean of the College. Let no man at this late hour in history feel sorry for himself because he is poor, black, or neglected or disadvantaged! Is Isaiah Henri Harrison Moore could do it then, anyone else can do it now! Or might we better say that if God can do it through him, He can do it through you. He is dead, you say? “Yet he being dead yet speaketh!” He is speaking in Oklahoma and in Pennsylvania, in Ohio and in North Carolina, in Indiana and Illinois and in Kentucky. He is speaking in Florida and Texas. He is speaking through his many Sons in the Gospel. He cannot be replaced. But he can be reproduced! I imagine that at this moment Isaiah Moor is bending the lord’s ear asking for funds for the College of the Scriptures.
Thelma Moore Foster
Educator/ Family Library Custodian/ Sunday School Teacher
ArchBishop Thelma Moore Foster was married to Hercules Clarence Foster and the mother of two boys, Irvin and Michael. Born in Kentucky, she later moved to Ohio during the height of the Midwest united states industrial revolution.
- Great Grand daughter of Bishop John J. Moore, daughter of Rev. Isaiah Moore.
- 3 Master Degrees- University of Dayton, Kent State, Antioch University
- Graduate of a Kentucky Normal School (for teaching)
- Retired Teacher and guidance counselor, Dayton Public Schools (Ohio)
- Left an estate for heirs
Michael Clarence Foster
(Top Right) Minister of Music in Dayton, Ohio; trained Industrial Engineer at Central State Universi
Irvin P. Foster
(Bottom Right) Minister of Law, Conflict Resolution and Mediation; J.D. Catholic University, Washing
Brother Shalauch
Brother Shalauch is the current Premier (Prime Minister) of the Zionst Temple of 1875
Brother Shalauch, also known as, H.A. Jabar OdoKhan EL and Yahashua Bin Ervin Don Shabazz IsraEL is a:
Graduate of Arizona State University,
NCAA All-American, Pac-10 Conference Champion (Wrestling)
Certified Paralegal - Auburn University
Author of three books & creator of the 'Culturally Relevant Curriculum Toolkit'
Ordained Minister/ Student Rabbi
Special Advisor, Research Analyst, & Custodian of the Moor Zion Family Library