*

LEWIS TAPPAN, ESQ.

Probably the two most unpopular men in New York fifty years ago were
Arthur and Lewis Tappan. They were ostracized, ridiculed, slandered,
mobbed, and their lives threatened. It is said that the best apples in
the orchard are on the tree that has the most clubs under it. If this
rule applies to people as well, then the Tappans were very good men.
They were honest and prosperous in business; they were sincere and
active Christians, giving liberally to all forms of benevolent effort,
foreign and home missions, the Bible and Tract Societies, theological
and college education, but their one great fault was _they were
abolitionists_--a fault that covered a multitude of their virtues.
They were both deeply interested in the American Missionary
Association, but Mr. Lewis Tappan was most active in its behalf, and
it is of him that we wish to speak.

[Illustration: (Portrait of Lewis Tappan.)]

Lewis Tappan took a prominent part in the organization of some of the
missionary societies that preceded the American Missionary
Association, and that were finally merged into it. He was very
efficient in his activities in securing the organization of the
Association, was present at the meeting in Albany, was elected one of
its executive board, and its first treasurer. This last office he held
for many years, entirely without compensation. He interested himself
in every form of its activities, and was a frequent contributor to THE
AMERICAN MISSIONARY. A * affixed to many articles shows a portion of
his contributions to the early issues of this periodical.

Mr. Tappan was an earnest Christian man and very conscientious in
regard to the distribution of his wealth. He wrote two tracts,
endeavoring to show that men should not accumulate property to be left
to be subject to litigation after death, but that it should be
expended during life. Mr. Tappan lived up to his own theory--giving
much during life and leaving little at his death.

Mr. Tappan had the gratification of seeing the slaves emancipated and
the still greater gratification of aiding with all his strength of
brain and purse in fitting them for the responsibilities and
privileges of their new life. His was a life worth living.

* * * * *

HON. WILLIAM JACKSON.

[Illustration: (Portrait of William Jackson)]

When the American Missionary Association was formed in 1846 it was so
unpopular on account of its anti-slave