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[ Apr. 26, 1860 ]
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to write to you; and to solicit your interest and advice in this whole matter. And if the project meets your approbation, {illegible} most earnestly beg your coo{diacritical mark}peration in bringing about its successful consumma= tion.
I have thought that you might feel deeply interested in this plan, as quite an emigra= tion of free blacks seems to be going from your State to Hai{2 dots over "i"}i; some of whom it is pos= sible may have been gathered into the fold of the Good Shepherd of the Sheep, by the Lay= ing on of your Apostolic hands.
Permit me to give you as personal references in respect to myself, my own {illegible}, Bishop McCoskry, Bishop Southgate, Dr. Littlejohn, Prof. {illegible: Harrod? Harwood?} and Rev. Mr. Denison, the Sec'y & Genl Agent of the {illegible: Fer.?} Com.
Moreover if it will be of any importance I may refer you to Dr. T. L. Jennings Dentist and his wife in New Orleans; the former of whom knows me at least by repu= tion; and the latter of whom knows {insert symbol}me by a person al introduction made in the summer of 1858.
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Let me add in conclusion, a few practical items in respect to the contemplated mission. Aside from the other {illegible: clergyman? clergymen?} of the American Church who is ready to be sent to Hai{2 dots over the "i"}ti, there are about a dozen church families in New Haven, New York and Michigan, who {crossed out: is} are ready to accompany these chergymen to form the nu= cleus of {insert symbol}the mission. And among these there are 6 young women and 3 men who would be useful as teachers and catechists.
The Hon. Emile De Balette, a Judge of the Court of Civil and Correctional jurisdiction in Port-au-Prince; a {insert symbol}Hai{2 dots over the "i"}tian gentleman educated in Cambridge University, England, and who took the liveliest interest in the proposed mission when I visited that city in 1855; urged the necessity, in a paper {insert symbol}written by him which I laid before the {illegible: Fer.?} Com. on my return, of constructing a neat chapel for church services at the very beginning of the mission, as a very im= portant subsidiary means of making a good impression on the Hai{2 dots over the "i"}tian mind. He told
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me that they would have but little reverence for worship held in a private house or {insert symbol}in a public hall. Hence, then, to carry out this idea would necessitate the raising of a larger sum of money the first year than would be needed {struckthrough: the} in any subsequent year thereafter. It is supposed that $7000 would be an ample sum to put up the chapel and support the minister, {or: ministers (and no comma)} catechists and teachers for the first year. After that $2000 per year for about 5 years. And at the end of 5 years it is believed that the Church in Port-au-Prince would {insert symbol} not only be self supporting; but that it would be able to assist missionary efforts in other places in the island. Please, ex= cuse, my Dear Bishop, the incoherency with which I have jumbled my ideas together in this letter; and be so kind as to send me your views on the subject matter now laid before you at your earliest con= venience. And here let me subjoin anoth= er practical item that I omitted above, {insert symbol}& state {illegible struckthrough} that it is desirable that this mission be opened as early as a year from the present time -- say the {illegible} of May 1861.
I Remain Your faithful Servant in Xt.
J. Theodore Holly
New Haven Ct
Apr. 26th 1860.