Francis Wayland (March 11, 1796 – September 30, 1865), was an American

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...

minister, educator and

economist An economist is a professional and practitioner in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy. Within this field there are ...

. He was president of Brown University and pastor of the First Baptist Church in America in Providence, Rhode Island. In Washington, D.C.,

Wayland Seminary Wayland Seminary was the Washington, D.C. school of the National Theological Institute. The institute was established beginning in 1865 by the American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS). At first designed primarily for providing education and tra ...

was established in 1867, primarily to educate former slaves, and was named in his honor. (In 1899, Wayland Seminary merged with another school to become the current

Virginia Union University Virginia Union University is a private historically black Baptist university in Richmond, Virginia. It is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA. History The American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS) founded the school as Rich ...

, at Richmond, Virginia.)

Early life and family

Francis Wayland's father was an Englishman of the same name, who was also a

pastor. Born in New York City in 1796, Wayland graduated from

Union College Union College is a private liberal arts college in Schenectady, New York. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, and second in the state of New York, after Columbia Co ...

in 1813 and studied medicine in

Troy Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in present-day Turkey, south-west of Ç ...

, under Dr. Ely Burritt. Dr. Burritt, a son of the Rev.

Blackleach Burritt Blackleach Burritt (1744 – August 27, 1794) was a preacher during the American Revolutionary War. During the war, he was incarcerated in a sugar house prison.Mather., p. 206 Early life and ancestors Blackleach Burritt was born at Ripton Pari ...

, graduated from

Williams College Williams College is a private liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams, a colonist from the Province of Massachusetts Bay who was kill ...

, class of 1800 and was licensed to practice medicine at Troy, New York, on March 29, 1802, and quickly gained recognition for his medical skills. Dr. Wayland said the following about his former teacher: "Dr. Ely Burritt was a man of remarkable logical powers of enthusiastic love of his profession, and of great and deserved confidence in his own judgment. He stood at the head of his profession in Troy, and in the neighboring region, and was a person of high moral character." Dr. Wayland also studied medicine in New York City, but in 1816 entered

Andover Theological Seminary Andover Theological Seminary (1807–1965) was a Congregationalist seminary founded in 1807 and originally located in Andover, Massachusetts on the campus of Phillips Academy. From 1908 to 1931, it was located at Harvard University in Cambridge. ...

, where he was greatly influenced by

Moses Stuart Moses B. Stuart (March 26, 1780 – January 4, 1852) was an American biblical scholar. Life and career Moses Stuart was born in Wilton, Connecticut on March 26, 1780. He was brought up on a farm, then attended Yale University graduating with h ...

. He was too poor to conclude his course in

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

, and in 1817-1821 was a tutor at Union College, to which, after five years as pastor of the

First Baptist Church of Boston The First Baptist Church (or "Brattle Square Church") is an historic American Baptist Churches USA congregation, established in 1665. It is one of the oldest Baptist churches in the United States. It first met secretly in members homes, and ...

, he returned in 1826 as professor of

natural philosophy Natural philosophy or philosophy of nature (from Latin ''philosophia naturalis'') is the philosophical study of physics, that is, nature and the physical universe. It was dominant before the development of modern science. From the ancient wo ...

. He was one of the founders of

Newton Theological Institution Newton Theological Institution was a Baptist theological seminary founded on November 28, 1825 in Newton Centre, Massachusetts.Hovey, Alvah, Historical Address Delivered at the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Newton Theological Institution, June 8, 1 ...

in 1825. He was an early advocate of the

temperance Temperance may refer to: Moderation *Temperance movement, movement to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed *Temperance (virtue), habitual moderation in the indulgence of a natural appetite or passion Culture *Temperance (group), Canadian danc ...

and anti-slavery causes, for many years was "inspector of the state prison and Providence county jail," president of the

Prison Discipline Society A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...

, and active in prison reform and local charities. He was one of the "law and order" leaders during the "

Dorr Rebellion The Dorr Rebellion (1841–1842) (also referred to as Dorr's Rebellion, Dorr's War or Dorr War) was an attempt by disenfranchised residents to force broader democracy in the U.S. state of Rhode Island, where a small rural elite was in control of ...

" of 1842, and was called "the first citizen of

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but it ...

." One of the individuals that he supported, trained and encouraged was

Leonard Black Leonard Black (March 8, 1820 – April 28, 1883) was born a slave in Anne Arundel County, Maryland,''The Life and Sufferings of Leonard Black, a Fugitive from Slavery. Written by Himself.''
New Bedford: Benjamin Lindsey, 1847. Wayland worked hard to prevent the local Baptist denominations from splitting into pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, but ultimately failed in this attempt. Wayland was elected a member of the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS), founded in 1743 in Philadelphia, is a scholarly organization that promotes knowledge in the sciences and humanities through research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and communit ...

in 1838 and the

American Antiquarian Society The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is both a learned society and a national research library of pre-twentieth-century American history and culture. Founded in 1812, it is the oldest historical society i ...

in 1851.

Brown presidency

In 1827 he became president of Brown University. In the twenty-eight years of his administration he gradually built up the college, improving academic discipline, formed a library and gave scientific studies a more prominent place. He also worked for higher educational ideals outside the college, writing text-books on

ethics Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concer ...

and

economics Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analyzes ...

, and promoting the free school system of

and especially (1828) of

Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...

. His ''Thoughts on the Present Collegiate System in the United States'' (1842) and his ''Report to the Corporation of Brown University'' of 1850 pointed the way to educational reforms, particularly the introduction of industrial courses, which were only partially adopted in his lifetime. Wayland's attempts to reform Brown's medical school were met with antagonism and resistance from the school's faculty and staff to the point where they resigned, and the medical program was eliminated. Wayland was vividly remembered by members of the Brown community, including Charles T. Congdon and James B. Angell, who are quoted in the ''Encyclopedia Brunoniana''. Charles T. Congdon wrote in his ''Reminiscences'':

He was disobeyed with fear and trembling, and the boldest did not care to encounter his frown. He was majestic in manner, and could assume, if he pleased, a Rhadamanthine severity. It was a calamity to be called into that awful presence; and no student, of whatever character, ever made the least pretence of not being frightened at the summons. ... However loosely our tongues might wag, we thoroughly respected and even reverenced the president; and upon public occasions, when he put on his academic gown and cap, we were rather proud of his imposing appearance. ... In his later days, I have been told he exhibited marked urbanity and sweetness of disposition. Certainly there were small traces of either when any undergraduate was detected in an act of meanness or a flagrant violation of the university statutes. He had a heavy foot for a student’s door when it was not promptly opened after his official knock.

President of the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

James B. Angell Class of 1849, who wrote in ''Memories of Brown'':

The discipline of the college was wholly in his hands. In administering it he was stern, at times imperious. But no graduate of his time ever failed to gain from him higher ideals of duty or lasting impulses to a noble and strenuous life. He said so many wise things to us and uttered them in so pithy and sententious a style that one could never forget them. I presume that my experience is like that of others, when I say that hardly a week of my life has passed in which I have not recalled some of his apt sayings and to my great advantage. Is there any better proof than that of the power of a teacher over his pupils?

He resigned the presidency of Brown in 1855, and served from 1857 to 1858 as pastor of the historic First Baptist Church in America, in Providence.

Role in the development of public libraries

Wayland was a long time vocal advocate for libraries. His donation to the town of Wayland,

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

, in 1851 for the establishment of a public library was the catalyst for legislation in Massachusetts allowing towns to establish libraries.

Published work

Besides several volumes of sermons and addresses and the volumes already mentioned, he published: * (repeatedly revised and translated into foreign languages) * in which he advocated free trade * * debate with Rev. Richard Fuller of South Carolina*

Harriet Ware Harriet Ware (July 12, 1799 – June 26, 1847) was an American teacher. She taught in India Point in 1832 and later founded Children's Friend Society in 1835. Early life Harriet Ware was born on July 12, 1799, in Paxton, Massachusetts. Ware ...

founded the Children's Friend Society * * Adoniram Judson was a missionary to Burma *''Elements of Intellectual Philosophy'' (1854) *''Notes on the Principles and Practices of Baptist Churches'' (1857) *''Letters on the Ministry of the Gospel'' (1863) *a brief ''Memoir of

Thomas Chalmers Thomas Chalmers (17 March 178031 May 1847), was a Scottish minister, professor of theology, political economist, and a leader of both the Church of Scotland and of the Free Church of Scotland. He has been called "Scotland's greatest nine ...

'' (1864).''The Life and Labors of Francis Wayland'' (2 vols, New York, 1867) by his sons Francis and Heman Lincoln; the shorter sketch (Boston, 1891) by James O Murray in the "American Religious Leaders" series; and an article by GC Verplanck in vol. xiv. of the ''American Journal of Education''. Other works: * * * * * * * * * *

Legacy

The town of

Wayland, Massachusetts Wayland is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The town was founded in 1638, and incorporated in 1780 and was originally part of neighboring Sudbury (incorporated 1639). As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was ...

was named in his honor.

in Washington D.C., a predecessor of

was named for him. Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin was also named in his honor in 1855. The Wayland Day lectures at Keio University in Tokyo, Japan, were named in honor of Wayland, whose writings had a lasting effect on the founder of the oldest university in Japan.

Prominent son

His son

Francis Wayland III Francis Wayland III (August 23, 1826 – January 9, 1904) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the and first dean of Yale Law School and 54th lieutenant governor of Connecticut. Early life and education Wayland was born in ...

(1826-1904) was lieutenant-governor of Connecticut from 1869–1870, and became a professor and Dean of the

Yale Law School Yale Law School (Yale Law or YLS) is the law school of Yale University, a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. It was established in 1824 and has been ranked as the best law school in the United States by '' U.S. News & Worl ...

References

Attribution: *

University of Michigan Museum of Art The University of Michigan Museum of Art in Ann Arbor, Michigan with is one of the largest university art museums in the United States. Built as a war memorial in 1909 for the university's fallen alumni from the Civil War, Alumni Memorial Hall ori ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wayland, Francis 1796 births 1865 deaths 19th-century Baptists American abolitionists American Christian writers American educational theorists American temperance activists Baptist abolitionists Baptists from New York (state) Baptist philosophers American Baptist theologians Burials at North Burying Ground (Providence) Educators from New York City Members of the American Antiquarian Society Presidents of Brown University Union College (New York) alumni