ministry, the restrictions of denominational government rendering it humiliating, and even difficult, for young men of their persuasion to be educated in the higher institutions of learning then in existence. For dissenting, even, from We are happy to present to our readers, in connection with the foregoing engraving of BROWN UNIVERSITY, the following historical sketch, by R. A. GUILD, Esq, librarian of the the prevailing sentiments of the community in University. It was first published in the Prov-matters of religious belief and practice, the miidence Journal of Sept. 1, 1857, the original article which forms its basis having been prepared by the same author for the New American Cyclopædia. It has been thoroughly revised and corrected by the author for publica tion in the SCHOOLMASTER. Mr. Guild has, we understand, for many years past, been assiduously collecting catalogues and pamphlets of every kind, relative to the history and condition of the college. These have recently been bound in a substantial manner, and placed upon the shelves of the library, making upwards of thirty volumes of inestimable value. BROWN UNIVERSITY. ITS ORIGIN, PROGRESS AND PRESENT CONDITION. "under the nority were, in many of the States, subject to "educa In the year 1707, the Philadelphia Associa-ited Newport, then at the height of its com tion, composed mostly of Baptist Churches in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, was formed, for the purpose of promoting the welfare of the Baptist denomination in America. At an early period, these churches thus associated, projected plans for the education of a suitable mercial prosperity, and proposed the subject of his mission to several gentlemen of the Baptist denomination, among whom were the Hon. Samuel Ward, Governor of the colony, Hon. Josiah Lyndon, who was afterwards Governor, Col. John Gardiner, Deputy Gov ernor, and twelve others of the same persuasion. They readily concurred with the proposal, and at once entered upon the means necessary for the accomplishment of the object. After various struggles and difficulties in consequence of the determined opposition and artful maneuvering of certain gentlemen of and five Episcopalians. These represent the different denominations existing in the State at the time when the charter was obtained. The instruction and immediate government of the College rests forever in the President and and Board of Fellows. In the autumn of the year in which the another persuasion, whose names we gladly College was established, its instructions were pass over in silence, a charter, reflecting the liberal sentiments of the people in matters of religion, was obtained from the legislature in February, 1764, "for a College or University in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England in America.” One of the provisions of this charter is as follows: commenced at Warren, under the direction of Mr. Manning, who was formally elected its President in September, 1765. With him was associated soon after, as tutor, Mr. David Howell, also a graduate from Princeton. In in 1767, Mr. Edwards, at whose instigation the College was planned, and by whose inde fatigable exertions mainly the charter was se "And furthermore it is hereby enacted and cured, was appointed an agent to solicit condeclared, That into this liberal and catholic tributions for the College in England and Ireinstitution shall never be admitted any relig-land. He embarked for the former country ious tests. But, on the contrary, all the members hereof shall forever enjoy full, free, absolute and uninterrupted liberty of conscience: And that the places of Professors, Tutors, and all other officers, the President alone excepted, shall be free and open for all denoninations of Protestants: And that youth of all religious denominations shall and may be freely admitted to the equal advantages, emoluments and honors of the College or University; and shall receive a like fair, generous and equal treatment, during their residence therein, they conducting themselves peaceably, and conforming to the laws and statutes thereof. early in the next year, and returned in 1769, and presented his account with the corporation, by which it apppeared that he had collected for the College £888 (sterling) 10s. 2d.; whereupon it was voted, "That the thanks of of this Corporation be given to Rev. Morgan Edwards, by the Chancellor, (Stephen Hopkins,) for his great care and attention to the interests of this society." The original document containing the subscriptions thus obtained by Mr. Edwards, has been recently deposited in the archives of the library of Brown University. Among the names of subscribers, in their own handwriting, are those of And that the public teaching shall, in general, Benjamin Franklin, then residing in London, respect the sciences; and that the sectarian differences of opinion shall not make any part of the public and classical instruction." £10, and Benjamin West, £10 10s. After the return of Mr. Edwards, the Rev. The government of the College is vested in Hezekiah Smith collected funds for the Cola Board of Fellows, consisting of twelve lege in South Carolina and Georgia, amounting members, of whom eight, including the Pres- in the currency of these States at that period, ident, must be Baptists; and a Board of Trus- to £2,523 8s. 2d. Subscriptions were also obtees, consisting of thirty-six members, of tained and collections taken up by the churches whom twenty-two must be Baptists, five connected with the Philadelphia Association. Friends or Quakers, four Congregationalists, Still the endowments of the College were so scanty that the President, for some time, was President, were dressed in American manufacunable to obtain his full salary. tures. Finally be it observed, that this class are the first sons of that College which has existed for more than four years; during all which time it labored under great disadvantages, notwithstanding the warm patronage and encouragement of many worthy men of fortune and benevolence; and it is hoped, from the disposition which many discovered on that day, and other favorable circumstances, that these disadvantages will soon, in part, be happily removed." The first Commencement was held in the meetting house at Warren, September 7, 1769, when seven young men took their first degree in the Arts. Of these, the Rev. Charles Thompson, who succeeded Dr. Manning in the pastorate of the Warren Church, took the highest honors, and pronounced the Valedictory Address. Two more of this class, says the Rev. Mr. Tustin in his dedication discourse, delivered at Warren, were eminently useful Baptist ministers; one of whom, the Rev. William Rogers, D. D., was the successor of Morgan Edwards as pastor of the church in Philadelphia, and for many years, was Professor of Oratory and Belles Lettres in the University of Pennsylvania; the other was the Rev. William Williams, for many years pastor of a church in Wrentham, Mass., and who was elected to the Fellowship of the College in 1789. Mr. Williams instructed many young men in the study of theology, and probably prepared more young men for the College than any other man since its beginning. A fourth member of this class was General James Mitchell Varnum, afterwards distinguished for his eloquence as a member of Congress from the State of Rhode Island, and who was also a Brigadier General in the American army in the war of the Revolution. A full and extremely interesting account of this Commencement is given in the "Providence Gazette and Country Journal," printed by John Carter, September 9, 1769. The closing part of the account is as follows: "The President concluded the exercises with prayer. The whole was conducted with a propriety and solemnity suitable to the occasion. The audience (consisting of the principal gentlemen and ladies of this Colony, and Corporation, on the 7th of February, 1770, many from the neighboring governments,) though large and crowded, behaved with the utmost decorum. As the place for the permanent location of the College was still undetermined. the four towns of Warren, Providence, Newport and East Greenwich, in four different counties of the State, all preferred their claims as being, each respectively, the most eligible situation. The consequence was, that the public mind was greatly agitated by the contentions which grew out of these conflicting claims. Mr. Edwards, in referring to the subject, says:— "Warren was at first agreed on as a proper situation, where a small wing was to be erected in the spring of 1770, and about £800 raised towards effecting it. But soon afterwards, some who were unwilling it should be there, and some who were unwilling it should be anywhere, did so far agree as to lay aside the said location, and propose that the county which should raise the most money, should have the College." The two ablest competitors in this contest were the towns of Providence and Newport. The latter town raised £4,000 by subscription, but Providence gained the advantage by raising £4,280; and after an earnest discussion on the merits of the conflicting claims, the decided by a vote of twenty-one to fourteen, that the edifice be built in the town of Providence, and that there the College be continued "Not only the candidates, but even the forever. Accordingly, in the May following, |