LAWS
OF THE
AFRICAN SOCIETY,
Instituted at
BOSTON,
Anno Domini,
1796.
BOSTON:
PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY. M,DCCCII.
The Rules of the African Society.
1st. WE, the AFRICAN MEMBERS, form our-
selves into a Society, under the above
name, for the mutual benefit of each other, which
may from time to time offer; behaving ourselves at
the same time as true and faithful Citizens of the
Commonwealth in which we live; and that we take
no one into the Society, who shall commit any injustice
or outrage against the laws of their country.
2d. That before any person can become a Member
of the Society, he must be presented by three of the
Members of the same; and the person, or persons,
wishing to become Members, must make application
one month at least beforehand, and that at one of the
monthly, or three monthly meetings. Person, or persons
if approved of shall be received into the Society. And,
that before the admittance of any person into the Society,
he shall be obliged to read the rules, or cause the
same to be read to him; and not be admitted as a
member unless he approves them.
3d. That each Member on admittance, shall pay
one quarter of a Dollar to the Treasurer; and be credited
for the same, in the books of the Society; and his name
added to the list of the Members.
4th. That each Member shall pay one quarter of a
Dollar per month to the Treasurer, and be credited for
the same on the book; but no benefit can be tendered
to any Member, untill he has belonged to the Society
one year.
5th. That any Member, or Members, not able to
attend the regular meetings of the Society, may pay
their part by appointing one of their brothers to pay the
same for him: So any travelling, at a distance by sea, or
land, may, by appointing any person to pay their sub-
scription, will be, though absent for any length of time,
or on their return, will pay up the same, shall still be
considered as brothers, and belonging to the Society.
6th. That no money shall be returned to any one,
that shall leave the Society; but if the Society should
see fit to dismiss any one from their community, it shall
then be put to a vote, whether the one, thus dismissed
shall have his money again, if he should have any left,
when the expenses he may have been to the Society
are deducted.
7th. That any Member, absenting himself from the
Society, for the space of one year, shall be considered
as separating himself from the same; but, if he should
return at the end of that time, and pay up his subscrip-
tion, he shall in six months be re-established in all the
benefits of a Societain: But after that time he shall be
considered as a new Member.
8th. That a committee, consisting of three, or five
persons, shall be chosen by the members every three
months; and that their chief care shall be, to attend
to the sick, and see that they want nothing that the
Society can give, and inform the Society, at their next
meeting of those who stand in need of the assistance of
the Society, and of what was done during the time of
their committeement. The committee shall likewise be
empowered to call the Society together as often as may
be necessary.
9th. That all monies, paid into the Society, shall be
credited to the payers; and all going out, shall be
debted to whom, or what for; and a regular account
kept by one, chosen by the Society for that purpose.
10th. When any Member, or Members of the
Society is sick, and not able to supply themselves with
necessaries, suitable to their situations, the committee
shall then tender to them and their family whatever
the Society have, or may think fit for them. And
should any Member die, and not leave wherewith to
pay the expences of his funeral, the Society shall then
see that any, so situated, be decently buried. But it
must be remembered, that any Member, bringing on
himself any sickness, or disorder, by intemperance, shall
not be considered, as entitled to any benefits, or assis-
tance from the Society.
11th. Should any Member die, and leave a lawful
widow and childlen [children] , the Society shall consider
them-
selves bound to relieve her necessities, so long as she
be-
haves herself decently, and remains a widow; and that
children so that they may in time be capable of getting
an honest living.
12th. Should the Society, with the blessing of
Heaven, acquire a sum, suitable to bear interest, they
will then take into consideration the best method they
can, of making it useful.
13. The Members will watch over each other in
their Spiritual concerns; and by advice, exhortation,
and prayer excite each other to grow in Grace, and in
the knowledge of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ,
and to live soberly, righteously and Godly, in this
present world, that we may all be accepted of the
Redeemer, and live together with him in Glory here-
after.
14th. That each Member traverling [traveling] for any length
of time, by Sea or Land, shall leave a Will with the
Society, or being married, with his wife, all other
Members to leave a Will with the Society, for to enable
them to recover their effects, if they should not return,
but on their return, this Will is to be returned to the
one that gave it, but if he should not return, and leave
a lawful heir, the property is to be delivered to him;
otherwise deemed to the Society.
[pointing hand symbol] The African Society have a Charity Lecture quarterly, on the second Tuesday in every third month.
[written at bottom of page; pointing hand symbol] Those with a Star are Dead.