The Founding and Opening of Centenary College - 1867

Pic: Solicitation Advertisement for Potential Investors of Centenary College

Article: Resolution Chartering Centenary College

Resolved, That as a thanks-offering accompanying our bicentennial celebration, the Newark Conference ought to raise at least the sum of $150,000 .... that in view of our peculiar necessity, having no Seminary under our supervision and a vast population of children and youth looking to us for the facilities of Christian education, we should be recreant to our trust if we did not avail ourselves of this great occasion to establish one on a permanent financial basis of at least $75,ooo; That the locating of the Seminary be left to the Centenary committee; That the Conference Centenary committee be instructed to apply to the Legislature of the State for a charter, with powers and privileges suitable for the organization and control of an academic insti-tution of a high order. A very liberal charter, granted on March 6, 1867, authorized and empowered the Newark Annual Con-ference of the Methodist Episcopal Church to found any institution in this State, whose object shall be for the promotion of learning: and for the purpose    . . they are hereby further empowered to elect twelve persons, one half of whom shall be members of the said Conference: and the other half shall be lay^ men of the Methodist Episcopal Church; as Trustees of the said Institution .... which said Trustees, and their successors are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate in fact name and law to all intents and pur-poses forever by whatsoever name As Trustees elected as aforesaid shall take and assume.

2 This charter has since been changed to allow a larger number of Trustees.