Prince of Preachers
In Berlin, Tindley met and married Anna Daisy Henry in 1880. They moved to Philadelphia looking for better opportunities, living with other Berliners and attending their John Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church on Bainbridge Street. Tindley worked as a hod carrier during the day and attended night school, while also serving as a sexton, or janitor, at the church. After passing his examination for the ministry, Tindley left Philadelphia to serve as pastor in several churches and raising a family of eight children with his wife Daisy. In 1902 the Tindleys returned to Philadelphia when he was appointed pastor at Bainbridge Street Methodist Episcopal Church, where he had first served as a janitor.
Church Life
According to his biographer, Ralph Jones, Tindley attended the 22nd Annual DE Conference in Salisbury, MD, where he took tests, was recommended to be ordained in 1885 and was admitted on probation, serving for two years at his first charge in Cape May, NJ.
In 1887 he was ordained as a deacon and assigned to a South Wilmington, DE church.
In 1889 Tindley was ordained as an elder and assigned to a charge in Odessa, DE.
His next assignment was in Pocomoke, MD in 1891 serving four churches for four years, building two churches including Tidley Chapel, founded by Tindley in 1893 and rebuilt in 1923, although it no longer stands.
In 1894 he was sent to Fairmount, MD. In 1897 he was assigned to a charge in Wilmington at Ezion Methodist Church and appointed presiding elder of the Wilmington District. He was the undisputed leader of the DE Annual Conference, leading the General Conference four times from 1912 until the year before his death. Tindley left the presiding eldership of the Wilmington District to be a pastor at Bainbridge Street Methodist Church in 1902, where he had first served as a sexton or janitor.
Tindley was a great speaker, a nationally acclaimed orator, punctuating his sermons with hymns, many written by him and inspired by events in his own life. Tindley’s street ministry included soup kitchens providing food and clothing to the needy, assisting them to find jobs. He helped organize a building and loan society to assist members in home ownership. Becoming a major political power, his advice and opinions were sought by top political figures in Philadelphia.
As the congregation grew a new sanctuary was built. Tindley Temple Methodist Episcopal Church was dedicated in 1924. Charles Albert Tindley preached to people of many different nationalities and races there for more than 30 years. At the time of his death Tindley Temple served 12,500 multi-racial members and was one of the largest African-American congregations in Philadelphia.