Vandals leave 'unwelcome' epithet on N.J. church sign

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WOOLWICH, N.J. -- When Pastor Myrtle Daniels of Mount Zion A.M.E. Church arrived for services Sunday, she was greeted by a startling act of vandalism .

The sign in front of the church, which is a state and national historic site once a stop on the Underground Railroad, normally reads "Morning worship, all welcome" in 2-inch tall plastic lettering.

On Sunday, it included a mispelled racial slur that referenced the N-word, indicating blacks were not, in fact, welcome.

Police and the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office are seeking the culprits who rearranged the sign's letters.

"I was somewhat shocked in these times people still do that," said Daniels, pastor of the predominantly black church that will celebrate its 214th anniversary on June 23 for the past four years.

"I'm not naive. I know these things go on," she said. "The fact the church has been there so long, I'd question why someone should feel so inclined to put something out there that's so distasteful."

Daniels' small congregation was assembled at the one-story frame church just prior to the start of the weekly 10 a.m. service.

A daughter of one of the church's members first noticed something was awry, bringing the slur to her mother's attention.

Another church member went outside, then brought Daniels to see it.

"It's very disheartening in this day and age you have to see this kind of stuff," said Police Chief Russell Marino. "It's ridiculous."

He suggested that the culprit likely was someone walking by who saw an opportunity for mischief.

Police took the glass that covered the sign and some of the lettering as evidence in hopes of obtaining fingerprints.

"If we catch the person, this is going to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, that's for darn sure."

It's not the first time the church was targeted and Daniels said some incidents date back decades.

She acknowledged the makeup of the community has changed over the years.

As sprawl has overtaken the township's farmland, Daniels theorized, some current residents may not welcome the idea of a black church wedged among expensive homes.

"The church was there when you moved there," said Daniels, whose congregation mostly hails from Swedesboro, N.J. "Did you think we'd pack up and move because the complexion of the community changed? I don't think so."

The church, which wasn't damaged, has a secret trap door in its vestibule leading to a crawl space where runaway slaves once hid.

Also undamaged was the neighboring Mount Zion Cemetery, the final resting place for more than 200 people, with grave markers dating to 1861.

Daniels went on with the weekend service, saying the vandalism incident is inspiration and motivation to continue worship.

"It's a reminder that you have to continue to pray and keep your eye on things that go on, because as much as you think everything is fine, you can't rest on your laurels."