- 
 
 jO } / i 7 
 
 
 ADDRESS 
 
 NO V i 
 
 OF TIIE 
 
 
 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 y , , - 
 
 African JWussston School Society, 
 
 TOGETHER WITH 
 
 THE RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS 
 
 AT THE 
 
 FORMATION OF SAID SOCIETY. 
 
 fljartfortr : 
 
 H. 4 fe F. J. HUNTINGTON. 
 
 1826 . 
 
4DDRESS 
 
 
 In the present age, when societies for charitable and religious 
 purposes have become so numerous, the public have a right to 
 demand very satisfactory reasons for the establishment of an ad- 
 ditional one, which makes any requisitions upon their liberality. 
 The Executive Committee of the African Mission School Socie- 
 ty in announcing the formation of this institution, feel therefore 
 called upon to a lswer such a demand by the present address. The 
 Society, as its name indicates, is designed to establish and support 
 a school for the education of free persons of colour, with refer- 
 ence to their becoming Missionaries, Catechists, and School-mas- 
 ters, in Africa. It is not intended to interfere with any Society 
 already established ; nor to take upon itself, in any degree, the 
 direction of missionary enterprises. Its sole object is to select and 
 prepare instruments for them. As regards the Episcopal Church, 
 the management of Foreign Missions has been committed, by the 
 General Convention, to the Domestic and Foreign Missionary So- 
 ciety, in whose wisdom and zeal the most entire confidence is 
 reposed. They acknowledge themselves, however, to be under 
 great difficulty and embarrassment, for the want of persons pro- 
 perly qualified to act under their auspices in the distant and inter- 
 esting region of Africa. They are possessed of funds — they are 
 ready to appropriate them to this object — but Missionaries are not 
 to be had. Here, then, is a difficulty which must be removed, or 
 it cannot but prove fatal to the scheme of evangelizing Africa. 
 Nor is this deficiency peculiar to our own country ; it is sensibly 
 felt in England. Letters have been received from the Church 
 Missionary Society in London, declaring that they anxiously look- 
 ed to this country for a supply of pious, intelligent, and active 
 men of colour for the service of Africa, to a number of whom 
 they are prepared to give immediate and ample support. They 
 have been convinced, by the same melancholy proof which has 
 
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4 
 
 satisfied us, that the constitution of the white man cannot long 
 endure the climate of that country ; while his colour which is as- 
 sociated, in the minds of the natives, with the idea of disease, 
 operates as a serious disadvantage to his usefulness among most 
 of the tribes. There is a loud call then throughout the world 
 for African missionaries. How is the deficiency, so universally 
 and so deeply felt, to be supplied? The question admits of but 
 one reply. Pious and intelligent young men must be selected from 
 our numerous African population, and trained up for the service 
 in a mission school. The leading object in such a plan of edu- 
 cation should be, to fit them to become teachers of the Word of 
 God in simplicity and purity. Learned and accomplished theolo- 
 gians are not needed for this work ; but pious, humble, devoted 
 men, deeply instructed in the Gospel scheme of salvation, and 
 familiar with the oracles of truth in our English version — such 
 will make useful and effective missionaries. — In addition to this, 
 we would give them a knowledge of the first principles of the 
 useful sciences and arts; viz. botany, mineralogy, surveying, civ- 
 il and municipal law, and political economy. Nor should the 
 attainment of an adequate manual dexterity, in the performance 
 of agricultural and mechanical labour, be neglected. These 
 qualifications may be of great importance in aiding the native 
 tribes in their approaches to civilization, and in gaining a desi- 
 rable influence over them. 
 
 If, by the present undertaking, we can prepare a few individ- 
 uals each year, who can be rendered useful in the great work 
 of renovating Africa, we should think that our society has oc- 
 cupied ground, at present vacant, with a structure, which, howev- 
 er humble, promises to be eminently serviceable to the cause of 
 civilization and Christianity. 
 
 With regard to pecuniary means, all that is needed is a mode- 
 rate contribution, in the way of donations or annual subscriptions. 
 We expect not, nor do we think it desirable, to form a large and 
 expensive establishment, and one designed for permanency. We 
 think we may confidently predict, that before another half cen- 
 tury shall have passed away, Liberia will be an extended and pop- 
 ulous colony — that it will have its Schools and Seminaries of 
 learning ; and that, in all probability, the foundation of a college 
 
o 
 
 will have been laid there. When we regard the present state 
 of that colony, as it is represented to us in authentic documents ; 
 and observe how judiciously its foundations have been laid un- 
 der the able and persevering direction of the Agent of the Colo- 
 nization Society, whose disinterested and successful exertions 
 are worthy of all praise, we cannot esteem our anticipations in any 
 degree extravagant. A mission school in this country, for the sup- 
 ply of Africa, will then be no longer needed, for Africa will be 
 in a condition to provide for its own wants. The funds, which 
 can now be employed to better advantage here — which indeed, at 
 the present time, can be employed to good purpose here only, 
 may then be transmitted by benevolent individuals to the colony 
 of Liberia, and be applied to the education of missionaries on the 
 spot. In other institutions, the idea of permanency is essential 
 to excite much interest in their behalf ; while in the present case, 
 we should be stimulated to more active and energetic exertions, 
 in the anticipation that they may soon be rendered unnecessary. 
 The more we can accomplish at the present moment, towards 
 supplying the colony with a number of men well qualified to act 
 as Christian teachers, the sooner will the colonists attain that state 
 of moral and religious improvement, which will preclude the 
 necessity of our sending them any thing but our best wishes and 
 prayers. 
 
 With regard to the location of the proposed institution, it is 
 obvious that a place should be selected, containing at the pre- 
 sent moment every attainable advantage for carrying it into im- 
 mediate operation. No time can be spared for building it up 
 gradually — the necessities it is intended to remedy are immediate 
 and pressing. The reasons for preferring a non-slave-holding 
 state appeared to be conclusive ; and Hartford has been se- 
 lected as a place presenting the greatest combination of advan- 
 tages. It is healthful — the means of living are cheap ; and the 
 vicinity of Washington College offers many facilities for educa- 
 tion, which can be found only in the neighbourhood of a Col- 
 lege. 
 
 The only objection to this location arises from the fact, that 
 it is far north of the line which Mr. Ashmun has stated to be 
 the boundary, from the south of which, the colonists have not 
 
 / 
 
(i 
 
 suffered by their change of country. But this objection is easily 
 removed. It is to be considered, that persons from the north 
 of the latitude of Maryland must still encounter the hazards of 
 climatizing ; while those from the south cannot lose, by a tem- 
 porary residence in New I ngland, their peculiar adaptation to a 
 warm climate, any more than the numbers of young gentlemen 
 who come yearly from the Southern States to be educated in 
 our Easte rn Colleges. 
 
 in this brief statement of the objects, for which the Socie- 
 ty has been established, the Executive Committee think they 
 have made out a strong claim outlie philanthropist and the Chris- 
 tian. They have taken measures to put the school into imme- 
 diate operation. Under the constitution of the Society, a system 
 of By-laws has b^en framed, some of which are herewith sub- 
 mitted as containing an outline of the plan on which the school 
 will be conducted. A suitable building has been engaged — the 
 Rector and Teacher have been appointed ; and the Executive 
 Committee are now prepared to receive applications for punils. 
 The school will be opened on or about the 20tb of September 
 next. 
 
 Under these circumstances, the Executive Committee make 
 an appeal to the public. They have been enabled to advance 
 thus rapidly in Maturing their plans, and to enter into the responsi- 
 bilities they have incurred, in consequence of the liberal do- 
 nations of two benevolent individuals, to the amount of $300 
 each. For the successful prosecution of their interesting ob- 
 ject, it is obvious that more funds will be needed ; and they en- 
 tertain the confident belief that more will be given. It can- 
 not be, that in a country, where so much has been done, and is 
 still doing, for the cause of Missions in general ; and especial- 
 ly, where such lively sympathies have been awakened in fa- 
 vour of the hapless sons of Africa, a plan, which is essential 
 to the prosperity of African missions, will be suffered to fail, for 
 want of the patronage it requires. 
 
 Gentlemen acquainted with suitable candidates for admis- 
 sion into this School are requested to open a correspondence 
 with the Secretary, Samuel H. Huntington, Esq., Hartford. All 
 donations to be remitted to Cyprian Nichols^ Esq., Treasurer 
 
rCran SHCsston School 
 
 At a meeting of clerical and lay members of the Protestant Epis- 
 copal Church convened in Hartford, Con. Aug. 7th, 1828, the Rt 
 Rev. Bishop Brownell in the chair, and the Rev. L. S. Ives, 
 of New York, Secretary : 
 
 Resolved , On motion of the Rev. Dr. Wainwright, of New- 
 York, that the exigencies of Africa are such, and the demand for 
 missionaries so great, that it is expedient to establish a School for 
 the education of suitable persons of colour with reference to this 
 object. 
 
 Resolved, On motion of the Rev. Mr Doane, of Boston, that 
 it is expedient now to form a Society for the purposes contem- 
 plated in the resolution just offered ; and that a Committee be 
 appointed to prepare and offer to the present meeting a Constitu- 
 tion for such a Society. 
 
 Whereupon, the Chairman nominated the Rev. Dr. Wain- 
 wright, and the Rev. Messrs. Wheaton and Ives on the afore- 
 said Committee. They accordingly reported the following Con- 
 stitution, which was adopted by the meeting. — 
 
 CONSTITUTION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 AFRICAN MISSION SCHOOL SOCIETY. 
 
 Article I. This Association shall be called the African 
 Mission School Society. 
 
 Art. II. Its objects shall be, to establish and maintain a 
 School for the instruction of suitable persons of African extrac- 
 tion, with reference to their becoming Missionaries, Catechists 
 and Schoolmasters in Africa, under the direction of the Domestic 
 and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal 
 Church. 
 
 Art. III. The Society shall consist of persons paying annual- 
 ly the sum of two dollars ; or the sum of twenty dollars at one 
 time, which shall constitute them members for life. 
 
 Art. IV. The President of the Society shall be the Bishop 
 of the Diocese in which the School is established and in his 
 absence, the chair may be taken by any other Bishop who may 
 be present. 
 
8 
 
 Art. V. There shall be three Vice-Presidents, whose duty it 
 shall be to preside, when neither of the Bishops shall be present, 
 and who ex officio shall be directors. 
 
 Art. VI. Twenty-four Directors, half clergymen and half 
 laymen, shall be elected at the ai nual meeting. Any person, 
 paying the sum of fifty dollars, at any one time, shall have the 
 privileges of a Director. 
 
 Art. VII The Bishops of the Church shall be ex officio Pat- 
 rons ; and all other persons, who shall pay one hundred dollars at 
 one time. They shall have a right to be present, and to vote at 
 all meetings of the Society, or of the Board of Directors. 
 
 Art. VIII. A Treasurer and Secretary shall be chosen at the 
 annual meeting, and shall be resident in the place where the school 
 is situated 
 
 A <t. IX. There shall be annually chosen by the Board of Di- 
 rectors, ten persons, six of whom shall be resident in the place 
 where the school is established ; and these, together with the 
 President, the Secretary and Treasurer, shall constitute the Ex- 
 ecutive Committee. Of this Committee, five shall be a quorum 
 for the transaction of business. 
 
 Art. X. The Board of Directors shall meet annually on the 
 day before the first Thursday in August, at such time and place 
 as the President may designate ; and shall make report of their 
 proceedings to the annual meeting of the Society, which shall be 
 held on the evening of the following day. The Bo-ard of Direct- 
 ors shall also meet during the session of the General Convention 
 of the Protestant Episcopal Church, at such time and place as 
 may be designated by the President ; to which body, an account 
 of the proceedings of the Society shall be rendered triennially. 
 At all meetings of the Board, nine shall constitute a quorum. 
 
 Art. XI. The Executive Committee shall carry into execu- 
 tion the ordinances of the Board of Directors, and shall have 
 power, during the recess of the Board, to perform acts and make 
 regulations, to which the Board is competent. It shall meet at 
 the call of the President, and in his absence, at the call of three 
 of its members. Its proceedings shall be submitted to the Board 
 at every meeting of the same. 
 
 Art. XII. The Board of Directors shall enact By-Laws for 
 their own regulation and that of the Executive Committee. They 
 shall also appoint the Rector and Teachers of the School, and 
 prescribe the course of study. 
 
9 
 
 Resolved, On motion, that the meeting proceed to appoint the 
 officers named in the above Constitution : 
 
 Whereupon, the following gentlemen were appointed : 
 
 PATRONS 
 
 RT REV. BISHOP WHITE, 
 
 RT REV. BISHOP HOBART, 
 
 RT REV BISHOP GRISWOLD, 
 RT REV. BISHOP MOORE, 
 
 RT. REV. BISHO'* CROES, 
 
 , ex officio. 
 
 RT REV. BISHOP BOWEN, 
 
 RT. REV. BISHOP CHASE, 
 
 RT. REV BISHOP RAVENSCROFT, 
 RT. REV. BISHOP ONDERDONK. 
 
 PRESIDENT, ex officio. 
 
 RT. REV. T. C. BROWNELL, Bishop of the Diocese of Connecticut. 
 
 VICE PRESIDENTS. 
 
 Rev. J. M. WAINWRIGHT, D D., of Mew-York. 
 His Hon. THOMAS L. WTNTHROP of Boston. 
 STEPHEN WARREN, Es C of Troy, (W. F.) 
 
 DIRECTORS. 
 
 Rev. G W DOANE, ) 
 Rev. ALONZO POTTER, } 
 Rev. N S. WHEATON 
 Rev. F A RR V ' ROSWELL, 
 Rev. Dr. MiLNOR, A 
 
 Rev. Dr. TURNER, f 
 
 Rev. GEORGE UPFOLD,? 
 Rev L. S. IVES, J 
 
 of Massa- 
 chusetts. 
 
 | of Conn. 
 ofJY. York. 
 
 Rev. Dr MON PGOMERV, of Penn. 
 Rev. Dr. WYATT, of Maryland. 
 Rev Dr MEADE, of Virginia. 
 Rev. Dr. GADSDEN, ofS. C. 
 
 SIMON GREENLEAF, Esq. of Maine. 
 Dr. J C. WARREN, ^ 
 GEORGE BRINI.EY, Esq. 
 
 EDWD. A. NEWTON, Esq 
 JAMES BOWDOIN, Esq ) 
 SAMUEL SLATER, Esq. ofR 1. 
 
 . of Mass. 
 
 
 JY. Y. 
 
 PETER A. JAY, Esq., 
 
 HENRY ROGERS, Esq 
 PETER KEAN, Esq., of 'jY. J. 
 HORACE BINNEY, Esq., of Penn 
 J. B. ECCLESTON, Esq., ofMd. 
 FRANCIS S. KEY, Esq. of I). C 
 
 S. H. HUNTINGTON, Esq., Secretary. 
 CYPRIAN NICHOLS, Esq., Treasurer. 
 
 The meeting then adjourned. 
 
 At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the African Mission 
 School Society, held in Christ Church, Hartford, on the evening 
 of the 7th dav of August, 18*28, the following gentlemen were ap- 
 pointed the Executive Committee : 
 
 Rov N. S. WHEATON, Dr. J. SMYTH ROGERS, 
 
 Rev. Dr WAINWRIGHT, C. SIGOURNEY, Esq. 
 
 Rev. HORATIO POTTER, S. TUDOR. Esq. 
 
 Rev G. W DOANE, W. H. IMLAY, Esq. 
 
 Rev. H HUMPHREYS, E. A. NEWTON, Esq. 
 
 S. H. HUNTINGTON, Esq., Secretary of the Committee. 
 
 On Motion, Resolved, that the Executive Committee be empow - 
 ered to prepare a code of By-laws, to be presented to the Board 
 at its next annual meeting. 
 
 Resolved, That the Executive Committee be governed by said 
 cod® of By-laws until the next annual meeting of the Board. 
 
10 
 
 Resolved,, That the Rev. N. S Wheaton he, and hereby is, ap- 
 pointed Rector of the African Mission School, for the year ensu- 
 ing. 
 
 Resolved, That the Executive Committee appoint a Teacher, 
 and take measures to collect funds, and to carry said School into 
 operation. 
 
 Adjourned. 
 
 Pursuant to the above resolutions, the Executive Committee 
 held a meeting on the 1 1th of August, when they appointed Mr. 
 H. Spencer Teacher of the School — adopted a code of by-laws, 
 and an Address, which, with extracts from the by-laws, was or- 
 dered to be printed, together with the proceedings of the meet- 
 ing, and of the Board of Directors. 
 
 EXTRACTS FROM THE BY-LAWS 
 
 FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Rector to visit the School once a 
 week, and of the Executive Committee as often as once a month 
 — to enquire into the literary progress, and the religious character 
 and conversation of the pupils. 
 
 The Instructor shall reside and lodge in the same house with 
 the pupils, with the privilege of taking his meals elsewhere. He 
 shall also superintend their education, and direct and assist them 
 in their studies according to the plan which shall be prescribed 
 by the Executive Committee. 
 
 No pupil shall be admitted into this School except he have at- 
 tained the age of 18, and can read the English language with fa- 
 cility, and can write, and has acquired some knowledge of the 
 rules of common arithmetic. He shall also produce to the Ex- 
 ecutive Committee satisfactory testimonials of his exemnlary reli- 
 gious character, and of his possessing such intellectual endow- 
 ments as will, in all probability, render him useful in the capacity 
 of Missionary, Catechist, or School-master. 
 
 The pupils shall be required to board in the house provided for 
 them by the Committee, and to pursue their studies with diligence- 
 They shall be under the immediate care of the Instructor, to 
 whose directions and admonitions they shall pay a due obedience. 
 It is expected that their conduct will not only be orderly and de- 
 cent on all occasions, but in an eminent degree exemplary, as be- 
 comes Christian disciples. 
 
 The stated religious exercises of the School shall be daily 
 morning and evening prayer, with reading of the Scriptures, by 
 
 v 
 
the Teacher, in the presence of the pupiJs ; all of whom shall be 
 required to attend They shall also be constant in their attend- 
 ance on the public services of the Church. 
 
 The pupils shall he required to labour at some mechanical or 
 agricultural employment, at least two hours in the day, as the 
 Committee shall direct. 
 
 Shouh’ it appear to the Executive Committee, after a reasona- 
 ble trial, that a pupil is disqualiiied for usefulness in Africa, by a ’ 
 want <>f piety or of intellectual endowments, they shall have low- 
 er to dismiss him from the institution 
 
 Whenever the Committee shall judge any of the pupils qualifi- 
 ed for usefulness in Africa, as a Missionary, Catechist, or School- 
 master, tney shall give notice thereof t the Executive Co omittee 
 of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Frotest- 
 ant Episcopal Church in the United States. 
 

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