Full text of "Journals of general conventions of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the United States, 1785-1835"

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
AT LOS ANGELES

f't.^ ,

/JT--

JOURNALS OF GENERAL CONVENTIONS

OF THE

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH,

IN THE UNITED STATES,

PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF GENERAL CONVENTION.
EDITED BY

WILLIAM STEVENS PERKY, D. D.

VOL. III.

/ND J)OCUMENT.

CLAREMONT, N. H

THE CLAREMONT MANUFACTUKING COMPANY.
1874.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND

ILLUSTRATING

THE

ORGANIZATION

OF THE

IN THE UNITED STATES

AMERICA.

WILLIAM STEYENS PERRY, D. D.,

HISTORIOGRAPHER OF THE AMERICAN CHURCH.

CLAREMONT, N. H

THE CLAREMONT MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
1874.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874,

BY WILLIAM STEVENS PERRY, D. D.,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

, , '

.:.,;',",.

PREFACE.

The present volume is mainly the reproduction in print of a
collection of previously unpublished documents and letters il
lustrating the history of the period of the organization of the
American Church. These papers, drawn largely from the cor
respondence and collections of the venerable Bishop White,
preserved to the Church by the care of the late Francis Lister
Hawks, D.D., LL. D., have been supplemented by the use of
important MSS., in the possession of the families of Bps. Sea-
bury and Parker. It will be borne in mind that these papers
and letters were written with no thought of preservation, much
less of publication, after an interval of nearly a hundred years.
They are the more valuable from the freedom of style and al
lusion which gives to epistolary correspondence its special
charm. As illustrating the history of the measures which
brought about our ecclesiastical independence and secured the
formation of our present Ecclesiastical Constitution, these let
ters are of peculiar interest and importance. By their aid we
can trace step by step, the development of the principles un
derlying our present system of government. We are admitted,
as it were, into the councils of those who gave us our Church in
the form and perfectness it now possesses. We hear in their
own words and in fullest detail the reasons for their legislation
and the explanation of their course of action. The editor has
been at pains to group together these interesting papers, adding
only enough of his own to supply deficiencies in the narrative
and to elucidate that which required explanation. It is with

228059

IV PREFACE.

peculiar pleasure that he can state in this connection that the
volume as now produced was carefully read in MSS., and whol
ly approved, by the late Dr. Hawks, the Historiographer of the
American Church, prior to his too early death. Not a letter
appears on these pages without having received his examination,
and it is with the sanction of his revered and honored name
that these papers are given to the Church.

The press of duties incident upon the care of a large parish,
together with the requirements of other official relations to the
Church, must be the excuse for many imperfections in this work
of which no one can be more sensible than the editor himself.
He craves the indulgence of his readers for these infelicities of
Style, and for the occasional typographical errors which, in view
of the impossibility of his supervision in person of these pages
as they passed through the press, were inevitable. If the work,
the preparation of which has been wholly a labor of love,
and for which the writer asks no other remuneration than the
kind approbation of his brethren of the clergy and laity, shall
serve to acquaint those who care to learn with the principles
of our constitutional history, the labor of years will not be in
vain. For the Church of God he would gladly " spend and
be spent."

Trinity Rectory, Geneva, October 5, 1874.

TABLE OF CONTEOTS.

THE PRELIMINARY CONVENTIONS, 368.

The " Broadside" proceedings of the Preliminary Meeting
of October, 1784, 3, 4 ; Additional particulars, 5 ; Meeting at
New Brunswick, May 11, 1784,7,8; Letters from the Rev.
Abraham Beach, 8 12; Early Conventions, 13, 14; "An ad
dress to the Members of the Protestant Episcopal Church of
Maryland," 14 33 ; Election of a Bishop in Maryland, 34 ; For
mation of a representative body of the Church in Pennsyl
vania, 35, 36 ; Journal of Meetings leading to the institution
of a Convention of the Church in Pennsylvania, 3740 ; An
Act of Association of the Clergy and Congregations in Penn
sylvania, 40 43 ; Incorporation of the Church in Virginia, 44
51 ; Convention in South Carolina, 52, 53 ; Convention in
New York, 53 55; Proceedings of the Convention in New-
Jersey, 55, 56 ; State of the Church in Massachusetts, 57 59 ;
Dr. White's letters to the Rev. Mr. Parker, 5962 ; Proceed
ings of the Clergy of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, 62 66 ;
Other efforts for organization, 66 68.

THE CONVENTION OF 1785, 69212.

Invitation of the Connecticut clergy to their brethren at the
South, 69, 70; Letter from the Rev. Dr. Thomas Bradbury
Chandler to the Rev Dr. White, 7975 ; The Bishop of Con
necticut to the Rev. Dr. Smith, 76 82 ; The same to the Rev.
Dr. White, 8284 ; The Rev. Dr. Chandler to Dr. White, 84
87 ; Changes at the North, 87 ; The Rev. Benjamin Moore to
the Rev. Mr. Parker, 88 ; Correspondence between Dr. White
and the Rev. Mr. Parker, 88 91 ; Alterations adopted by the
Convention of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hamp
shire, 9199.

I. Alterations in the Book of Common Prayer, 99 208 ; Chan
ges in the " State Prayers" inevitable, 100; Alterations adopt
ed by Trinity Church, Boston, 101 103 ; Legislation in Virgin
ia accommodating the Prayer Book to the change in affairs,
103, 104; Letters from the Rev. Edward Bass, 104107; Let
ters of the Rev. Charles H. Wharton, 107, 108; General dis
position to proceed to a review of the Liturgy, 108, 109 ; Alte-

VI TABLE OP CONTENTS.

rations agreed upon in 1785 to render the Liturgy conformable
to the principles of the American Revolution and the Consti
tutions of the several States, 109 113; Further alterations
proposed ami recommended, 113 118; Articles of Religion,
118124; The Table of Holy Days, 124, 125; Correspondence
of the Committee charged with the publication of the ' Pro
posed Book," 126 198; The Rev. Dr. Smith to the Rev. Mr.
Parker, 199,200; Bp. White's "notice" of the alterations in
the Book of Common Prayer, 200 206 ; Account of the publi
cation of the " proposed " Liturgy, 206208;

II. The General Ecclesiastical Constitution, 209212.

III. Measures for securing the succession of the Episcopate in
the English Line, 213.

The struggle for the Episcopate, 213 ; Notices of the election
of the Rev. Dr. Seabury to the Episcopate by the Connecticut
Clergy, 213, 214; The result awaited with intei-est and
anxiety, 216, 217 ; Granville Sharp's account of Dr. Seabury's
application to the Archbishop of Canterbury, 217, 218; The
Rev. Dr. George Berkeley to the Rt. Rev. John Skinner, 218
223 ; The Clergy of Connecticut to the Archbishop of York,
224228 ; Dr. Seabury to the Rev. Myles Cooper, 228, 229 ;
Further Correspondence, 230,231; Overtures to the non- ju-
ring Bishops, 231 233 ; Opposition from America, 233, 234 ;
Record of Seabury's Consecration, 234 236 ; The " Concor
dat," 236 238 ; Letter from the Bishops of Scotland to the
Clergy of Connecticut, 238,289; Correspondence from Bish
op Seabury's Letter Book, 240 244 ; Allusion to Dr. William
Smith, 245; Reception of Bp. Seabury in Connecticut, 245
245; Letter to the Scottish Bishops, 247,248; Address of the
Connecticut Clergy to their Bishop, 248 251 ; Bp. Seabury's
Answer, 251, 252; The Bishop's primary Charge, 252 254;

tI -|rtr ^i*~" * ~ ^** ~^"" " * f\e A f\e e ^-t i

relating
Drs. Ing

with the Rev. Alex. Murray and the Rev Jacob Duche, 260
262; The Rev. Dr. Inglis to the Rev. Dr, White, 262266;
Efforts to secure the succession in the English Line, 266;
Granville Sharp to the Archbishop of Canterbury, 267, 268 ;
Letters from the Rev. Mr. Duche, 268270 ; Letters from the
Rev. Dr. Murray, 270, 271 ; Efforts of Granville Sharp, 272
274 ; Sharp's letter to Benjamin Franklin, 275 277 ; Address to
the English prelates, 278, 279; Evidence of the concurrence of
the civil authorities, 279 282 ; Letters from the Rev. Samuel
Provoost to Dr. White, 283, 284 ; Alarm excited abroad as to
the nature of the alterations in the new Liturgy, 284, 285 ;
Ix-tters from the Rev. Dr. Murray, 285 287; Letters from Mr.
Duche and Dr. Murray, 287292; The omission of the Article
in the Creed excepted to, 292 ; The Rev. Dr. West to the Rev
Dr. White, 293; Bishop Seabury to Dr. White, 293, 294-
The Rev. Mr. Parker to Dr. White, 294296 ; Obstacles to the
acceptance of the "Proposed Book," 296, 297; The Rev. Mr.
West to Dr. White, 297 299: Correspondence with Mr. Pro^
voost, 299301 ; Letter from the Rev. Dr. Inglis to Dr White
801304 ; The Rev. Dr. Murray to Dr. White, 304, 305 Letter
from the Rev. Dr. West, 30, 307 ; Opposition to Bishops at the

TABLE OF CONTENTS. vii

South, 307 ; Alterations in the Liturgy distasteful at the North,
307, 308 ; The Rev. Edward Bass to the Rev. Mr. Parker, 309 ;
Jealousy of a Bishop from England existing at the North, 309;
Bishop Seabury to the Rev. Dr. White, 310; The answer, and
the Bishop's letter to Mr. Parker, 311, 312;

THE CONVENTIONS OP 1786.

Opposition toBp. Seabury, 312 314; Original Draft of the let
ter to the English prelates, 314 316 ; The New Jersey Memo
rial, 316 ; Letters from England, 317, 318 ; Letters from the
Rev. Drs. Bowden, West, Griffith and Smith 319323 ; The
Rev. Dr. White to the Rev. Mr. Parker, 323'; Letters from
the Rev. Mr. Parker, 324326 ; Drs. Griffith, Wharton and
Provoost to Dr. White, 326330 ; Dislike of the " Proposed
Book" at the South, 330; Drs. West and Griffith to Dr,
White, 331, 342; Letters from the Committee of Corres
pondence, 332, 333 ; The Adjourned Convention, 333, 334 ; The
refusal to sign the testimonials of the Rev. Dr. William
Smith, 334, 335 ; Letters relating to the Wilmington Conven
tion, 335 341; The Consecration of Bishops in the English
line, 341, 842; The feeling at the North, 342, 343; The letters
of congratulation written by Bp. Seabury to Bps. White and
Provoost, 843 345; Bp. Seabury to William Stevens, of Lon
don, 345; Bp. White to Bp. Seabury, 346, 347; Rev. Drs. Clag-
gett and Griffith to Bp. White, 347352 ; A proposition for the
consecration of Parker as Bishop of Massachusetts, 352, 353 ;
The Rev. Jeremiah Learning to Bp. White, 353 355; Rev. Mr.
Parker to Bp. White, 355, 856 ; Mr. Learning to Bp. White, 356,
357; Bp. White to Mr. Parker, 358; Apathy in Virginia, 359;
Dr. Griffith to Bp. White, 359, 360; Letter from Bp. Provoost,
360, 361 ; Rev. Drs. West and Griffith to Bp. White, 361368 ;
Notices of the Alterations adopted in Massachusetts, 363, 364 ;
Rev. Mr. Parker to the Bp. of Connecticut, 364366 ; The
Bishop's reply, 366, 367 ; Mr. Learning to Bp. White, 367, 368 ;
Letters from Drs. Griffith, West and Purcell to Bp. White,
369873; Rev. Dr. Murray to the Bp. of Pennsylvania, 373
375; Bp. Provoost to Bp. White, 376; Correspondence of Bps.
White and Seabury with the Rev. Mr. Parker, 376379 ; Dr.
Griffith to Bp. White, 379381 ; Bp. Provoost to Bp. White,
381, 382; Dr. Murray to Bp. White, 382; Overtures for Union,
383; Mr. Learning to Bp. White, 384; Bp. Seabury to Bp.
W r hite, 384388 ;-Bp. Seabury to Dr. William Smith, 388, 389 ;
Correspondence of Bps. Provoost and White and Dr. Griffith,
389391.

THE CONVENTIONS OF 1789.

The Act of the Massachusetts and New Hampshire Clergy
electing the Rev. Edward Bass to the Episcopate, 392 394 ;
Action of the Convention, 394396; Bp. White to Bp. Sea-
bury, 396, 897 ; Minutes of the Proceedings of the Committee
of Correspondence, 397, 398; Address to the Archbishops,
398402; Bp. White to the Abp. of Canterbury, 402; 403; Rev.
Dr. Smith to Bp. Seabury, 404, 405; The Committee to Bp. Sea-
bury, 406407; Bps. Seabury and Provoost to Bp. White, 407
112- Letter to Dr. Parker, 412, 413; Union of the Churches,
413; Changes in the Constitution, 413415; The return to the

Vlli TABLE OF CONTENTS.

English Prayer Book, practically, in the preparation of the
new liturgy, 416, 416 ; Report of Committee on the means of
perpetuating the Episcopal Succession in the United States, 416.

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS 417

THE CASE OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH CONSIDERED 419

BP. SEARURY'S COMMUNION OFFICE, 437

THE ALTERATIONS IN THE PRAYER BOOK ADOPTED IN 1789, 448

INDEX OF THE PRINCIPAL MATTERS CONTAINED IN THE JOURNALS
OF 17851835... 487

THE PRELIMINARY CONVENTIONS.

IT was in accordance with the following recommendations
and proposals, issued by a voluntary gathering of Clergy and
Laymen, that the Convention of 1785 assembled.

At a Convention of Clergymen and Lay Deputies of the
Protestant EPISCOPAL CHURCH in the United States of Ame
rica, held in New- York, Oct. 6th and 1th, 1784: Present
as follows;

Revd. SAMUEL PARKER, A.M., Massachusets and Rhode-Island.
Revd. JOHN R. MARSHAL, A.M., Connecticut.

NEW-YORK

Hevd. SAMUEL PROVOOST, A.M.
Revd. ABRAHAM BEACH, A.M.
Revd. BENJAMIN MOORE, A.M.
Revd. JOSHUA BLOOMER, A.M.
Revd. LEONARD CUTTING, A.M.

NEW-JERSEY

Revd. THOMAS MOORE,
Hon. JAMES DUANE.
MARINUS WILLET. > &
JOHN ALSOP, '} Esquires.

Revd. UZAL OGDEN.
JOHN DE HART, Esquire.

JOHN CHETWOOD, Esquire.
Mr. SAMUEL SPRAGG.

PENNSYLVANIA

Revd. WILLIAM WHITE, D.D.
Revd. SAMUEL MAGAW, D.D.
Revd. JOSEPH HUTCHINS, A.M.

RICHARD WILLING, \

SAMUEL POWELL, > Esquires.

RICHARD PETERS. '

MATTHEW CLARKSON, Esquire.

DELAWARE STATE
Revd. SYDENHAM THORN, Revd. CHARLES WHARTON, Mr. ROBERT CLAY.

MARYLAND

Revd. WILLIAM SMITH, D.D.

N.B. The Revd. Mr. GRIFFITH from the State of Virginia, was present
by permission. The Clergy of that State being restricted by Laws yet in
force there, were not at liberty to send Delegates, or consent to any Altera
tions in the Order Government, Doctrine, or Worship of the Church.

(3)

4 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

IHE Body now assembled, recommend to the Clergy and
Congregations of their Communion in the States repre
sented as above, and propose to those of the other States
not represented, That as soon as they shall have organized
or associated themselves in the States to which they respec
tively belong, agreeably to such Rules as they shall think
proper, they unite in a general ecclesiastical Constitution, on
the following fundamental Principles.

I. That there shall be a general Convention of the Epis
copal Church in the United States of America.

II. That the Episcopal Church in each State, send Depu
ties to the Convention, consisting of Clergy and Laity.

III. That associated Congregations in two or more States,
may send Deputies jointly.

IV. That the said Church shall maintain the Doctrines of
the Gospel as now 'held by the Church of England, and shall
adhere to the Liturgy of the said Church, as far as shall be
consistent with the American Revolution and the Constitu
tions of the respective States.

V. That in every State where there shall be a Bishop duly
consecrated and settled, he shall be considered as a member
of the Convention ex Officio.

VI. That the Clergy and Laity assembled in Convention*
shall deliberate in one Body, but shall vote seperately; and
the concurrence of both shall be necessary to give Validity
to every Measure.

VII. That the first meeting of the Convention shall be at
Philadelphia, the Tuesday before the Feast of St. Michael
next; to which it is hoped, and earnestly desired, That the
Episcopal Churches in the respective States, will send their
Clerical and Lay Deputies, duly instructed and authorized to
proceed on the necessary Business herein proposed for their
Deliberation.

Signed by Order, of the Convention,

WILLIAM SMITH, D.D. President.^)
To this, the printed account of the meeting in New York,
we add, from a paper endorsed by Bishop White, "as in ye

(1) Reprinted, VERBATIM ET LITERATIM, from Bp. White's copy of "the
short printed account of the proceedings of this meeting," which the
Bishop tells us in his Memoirs (p. 80) " was in very few hands at the
time, and is probably at this time generally destroyed or lost."

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 5

Hand writing of Dr. Wm. Smith, who presided," the follow
ing additional particulars.

Octr. 6th, A. M.

Upon motion, the Rev. Dr. William Smith was called to
the Chair as President of this Convention; and the Rev.
Mr. Benjamin Moore was appointed Secretary.

The Letters of Appointment and other Documents pro
duced by the several Members above mentioned were read ;
and also the following Letters from the Clergy of Massachu
setts Bay and Connecticut.

It being resolved that a Committee of Clerical and Lay
Deputies be appointed to essay the fundamental principles
of a general Constitution, the following gentlemen were ap
pointed, viz.,

Revd. Dr. Smith, Mr. Clarkson,

" Dr. White, Mr. De Hart,

" Mr. Parker, Mr. Clay,

" Mr. Provoost, Mr. Duane.

The same Committee are desired to frame and propose to
the Convention, a proper substitute for the State Prayers in
the Liturgy, to be used for the sake [of] uniformity, till a fur
ther Review shall be undertaken by general Authority and
Consent of the Church.

Octr. 7th. Present as above.

The Committee appointed yesterday to essay the funda
mental Principles of an ecclesiastical Constitution for this
Church, reported an Essay for this purpose, which being
read and duly considered, and amended, was adopted as fol
lows, viz.,

THE Body now assembled, recommend [etc., as above].

Resolved, that it be recommended to the Clergy in the re
spective Churches here represented, to appoint in each State
a Committee of not less than two Clergymen to examine
Persons who, in the present exigency, are desirous of officiat
ing as Readers, and to direct them to such duties as they are
to perform ; and that it be recommended to the Congregations
not to suffer any Lay Persons to officiate in their Churches,
other than such as shall be certified by said Committee to be
duly qualified.

WM. SMITH, President.

6 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Earlier in the same year, on the llth(l) of May, the preli
minary step had been taken for effecting the union of the
Churches in the various States. Several clergymen from
the States of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, met
by previous agreement at New Brunswick, in New Jersey,
ostensibly to take measures for the revival of the Corporation
for the relief of the Widows and Children of the Clergy, but
primarily for the discussion of principles of ecclesiastical union.
These clergymen, whose names we give below, together with
several prominent laymen of New York and New Jersey,
who were invited to attend the meeting of the Clergy, found
themselves at the outset unable to agree upon the funda
mental principles of union. Not only were the more north
ern clergymen apprehensive of a disposition on the part of
their southern brethren to deviate materially from the eccle
siastical system of England in the matter of Episcopal po
lity, but the previous application of some of the New York
Clergy, in connection with those of Connecticut, to the En
glish bishops, for the consecration of Dr. Samuel Seabury,
was considered as a bar to any further measures, while this
petition was pending. A single result was, however, attain
ed. Before the separation of the Clergy, the appointment
of a meeting in October was determined upon, and the re
cognition of the Laity as a co-ordinate branch of the
deliberative and executive assemblies of the Church, was
secured.

The Minutes of this Meeting, so far as preserved, are here
with presented. Though they add little information to that
which we have already presented, as condensed from
Bishop White's Memoirs, they serve to correct several tri
fling errors in the Bishop's account, and are of interest as
the original records of our first prelimihary Convention of
the Churches in the different States.

(1) BUhop White's Memoirs, page 21, says "the 13th and 14th of
May."

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Meeting at New Brunswick, May 11, 1784.

(1) At a voluntary meeting of sundry members of the
Corporation for the "Relief of Widows, &c.," held at New
Brunswick, on Tuesday, llth May, 1784, the following gen
tlemen being present,

The Rev. Dr. White, Rev. Dr. Magaw, Rev. Mr. Beach,
Rev. Mr. Bloomer, Rev. Mr. Blackwell, and James Parker,
Esq.,

They were unanimously of opinion, that the next meeting
of the said Corporation, agreeable to the directions of the
Charter, is to be held in the City of New York, on the Tu
esday after the Feast of St. Michael next ensuing.

They accordingly request the Revd. Dr. Smith, the Revd.
Dr.' White, Revd. Mr. Beech, and Revd. Mr. Bloomer, to
notify the meeting of the said Corporation ; there being, at
present, no Secretary regularly to perform the same.

The same gentlemen are also requested to remind the Rev.
Mr. Thompson that it will be his turn to preach on the above-
mentioned occasion ; and that Mr. Cutting and Dr. Magaw,
who are the next in rotation, be prepared to preach in case
of any failure on the part of Mr. Thompson.

At New Brunswick, Tuesday, llth May, 1784, several
members of the Episcopal Church, both of the Clergy and
Laity, from the States of New York, New Jersey, and Penn
sylvania, were assembled together.

Present: The Revd. Dr. White, Revd. Dr. Magaw, Revd.
Mr. Beech, Revd. Mr. Bloomer, Revd. Mr.'Frazer, Revd.
Mr. Ogden, Revd. Mr. Blackwell, Revd. Mr. Boden, Revd.
Mr. Benjamin Moore, Revd. Mr. Thomas Moore, James
Parker, John Stevens, Richard Stevens, John Dennis, Es
quires, Col. Hoyt, and Col. Furman.

It was agreed, that the Revd. Messrs. Beach, Bloomer,
and B. Moore, be requested to wait upon the Clergy of Con
necticut, who are to be convened on the Wednesday in Tri
nity week next ensuing, for the Purpose of soliciting their
Concurrence with us in such Measures as may be deemed
conducive to the Union and Prosperity of the Episcopal
Churches in the States of America.

(1) Endorsed by Bishop White as follows: "The original of ye Mi
nutes of ye Meeting in *N. Brunswick, in May, 1784, in ye Hand-writing
of ye revd. Benjamin (since Bp.) Moore of N. York."

8 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Also agreed by the gentlemen present, that the undermen
tioned Persons be requested to correspond with each other,
and with any other Persons, for the Purpose of forming a
Continental Representation of the Episcopal Church, and
for the better management of the concerns of the said
Church.

Revd. Messrs. Bloomer, Provoost, and B. Moor*, for New
York; Revd. Messrs. Beach, Ogden, and Ayres, for New
Jersey; Revd. Dr. White, Dr. Magaw, and Mr. Blackwell,
for Pennsylvania.

Any one of which Persons of each State respectively, to
correspond with the others, without consulting his colleagues
of the same State, whenever it may be deemed expedient.

It is time that the Church should know to whom the idea
of this preliminary meeting was due. The following letters
from the Rev. Abraham Beach, of New Brunswick, printed
from the original among the Bishop White MSS., contain
the first suggestion of this gathering for conference. They
are also valuable as furnishing information as to the state of
feeling in the Church at that time, with reference to these
measures for organization and union.

NEW BRUNSWICK, 26th January, 1784.
Reverend Sir:

I always expected that as soon as the Return of Peace should put it
in their Power, that the Members of the Episcopal Church in this Country
would interest themselves in its Behalf would endeavour to introduce
Order and Uniformity into it, and provide for a Succession in the Minis
try. The Silence on this Subject which hath universally prevailed, and
still prevails, is a Matter of real Concern to me, as it seems to portend an
utter extinction of that Church which I so highly venerate.

As I flatter myself your Sentiments correspond with my own, I cannot
deny myself the Satisfaction of writing you on the Subject.

Every Person I have conversed with is fully sensible that something
should be done, and the sooner the better. , For my own Part, I think the
fisrt step that should be taken, in the present unsettled State of the
Church, is to get a Meeting of as many of the Clergy as can be conveni
ently collected. Such a Meeting appears to be peculiarly necessary in
order to look into the condition of the Widows Fund, which may at pre
sent be an object worth attending to, but will unavoidably dwindle to
nothing, if much longer neglected. Would it not therefore be proper to

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 9

advertise a Meeting of the Corporation in the Spring at Brunswick, or
any other place that may be thought more convenient; and endeavour to
get together as many as possible of the Clergy who are not members, at
the same time and place.

A sincere Regard to the Interests of the Church, induces me to make
these Proposals, wishing to be favoured with your sentiments upon this
subject. If any Thing should occur to you as necessary to be done, in
order to put us upon an equal Footing with other Denominations of
Christians, and cement us together in the Bonds of Love, I should be
happy in an opportunity of assisting in ft.
I am, Reverend Sir,

Your affectionate Brother,

And very humble Servant,

ABRAHAM BEACH.
The Reverend Dr. WHITE,
Rector of Christ Church and St. Peters, Philadelphia.

These proposals secured at once the approbation of Dr.
White ; and the communication of his approval of Mr.
Beach's plan, was shortly after followed by the following
reply.

NEW BRUNSWICK,

22d March, 1784.
Reverend Sir:

As soon as I was made acquainted by your Favr. of the 7th Feby. of
your concurrence in the Proposed Meeting of the Clergy, I wrote to Mr.
Provost and Mr. Moore of New York, on the subject. They both approve
of the Measure, and, not only APPROVE of it, but think it absolutely NE
CESSARY.

In a Letter I received from Mr. Blackwell, sometime ago, he proposed
Tuesday, llth May, as a proper TIME for the Meeting, and acquiesced
with my proposal of Brunswick for the PLACE. I remarked this in my
Letter to Mr. Provost ; in answer to which he acquainted me that on con
sulting Mr. Duane, and other Members of the Corporation in New York,
they discovered a desire that the Meeting should be held in New York on
Wednesday, the 12th May.

For my own Part, I have no manner of Objection to the Alteration,
any further than its depriving me of the Company of some of my Bre
thren at my House. Even this Pleasure, however, I am ready to forego ;
if our Meeting in N. York may have any tendency to promote PEACE and
HARMONY in the Church there. This expectation and belief is the prin-

10 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

cipal Reason for their wishing for the Alteration with regard to TIME and
PLACE.

Should this proposal of meeting in New York on Wednesday the 12th
May, meet with your approbation, will you be so good as to acquaint the
members of the Corporation in Pennsylvania, and desire their attend
ance? Would not advertising in the public papers be proper?

Some of the Lay Members, may perhaps, scarcely think it worth their
while to take so much Trouble without a prospect of immediate Profit to
themselves. I cannot but flatter myself, however, that there are SOME
still, who would wish to promotethe Interests of Religion in general to
save the Church of which we are Members from utter Decay and conse
quently to promote the real HAPPINESS AND PROSPERITY OF THE COUN
TRY. Persons of this character will not, surely, withhold their assistance
at this very CRITICAL JUNCTURE. t

You desire to know the State of the Fund in N. York and in N. Jer
sey. With regard to the former, Mr. Provost writes me, that it has very
much suffered by the Fire which consumed Mr. Laroy's House, the Trea
surer. This Circumstance, by the way, is an additional inducement for
the proposed Meeting; for undoubtedly the property consumed was in
Bonds and Mortgages. Mr. Laroy may possibly recollect from whom
they were taken ; and the Corporation may put Matters in such a train
as to receive some Part of it at least. As to the Jersey Part, I have
found a Bond of 150 or 200, which is safe and in good hands. I
spoke to Mr. Cox, the late Treasurer, on the subject, just before he sailed
for Europe. He informed me that had some Accts. and other Papers
belongg. to the Corporn., which he promised to leave with Mrs. Cox, to
be delivered to the Order of that Body not thinking himself safe in de
livering them to any particular Member.

I should be exceedingly happy to hear from you, as soon as your Con-
veniency will permit ; and am,

Revd. Sir,
Your affectionate Brothr.,

And very Hunil. Servt.,

ABRAHAM BEACH.

Eevd. Dr. WHITE.

A few weeks later we have the following letter, making
further arrangements for the Clerical Meeting, and contain
ing an allusion to Dr. White's celebrated pamphlet, " The
Case of the Episcopal Churches in the United States Con
sidered."

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 11

NEW BRUNSWICK,

13th April, 1784.
Reverend Sir

I have just received a letter from Mr. Provost, signifying his concur
rence with the FIRST APPOINTMENT. It is at length agreed UPON ALL
HANDS, that our Meeting be held at Brunswick, on Tuesday, the llth
May; and as the day is near at hand, I think no Time ought to be lost in
giving the proper Notice.

I wish you would be so good as to advertise it in one of your News
Papei's, with an invitation to all Clergymen of the Episcopal Church, and
perhaps you may think it proper to invite respectable characters of the
LAITY, as matters of general concern to the Church may probably be dis
cussed. As soon as I find the Advertisement in a Philadelphia paper, I
will cause it to be inserted in one in N. York, and will WRITE" likewise
to all concerned in Jersey.

You will undoubtedly agree with me in the propriety of having a Ser
mon on the occasion. Will you be so good as to preach it?

I am much obliged to you for the Pamphlet(l) you was so kind to send
me. I had the Pleasure of reading it on its first Publication, and am
happy to agree with you in every particular, excepting the NECESSITY of
receding from ancient usages. If this necessity existed in time of WAR,
I cannot think that it does at PRESENT ; and as you convey the same idea
in yr. letter, I flatter myself our sentiments on Church Government en
tirely agree.

You will please make my best Respects to Dr. Magaw and Mr. Black-
well, and believe me to be,

Reverend Sir,

Your affectionate Brother

And very Humble Servt.,

ABRAHAM BEACH.
Reverend Dr. WHITE,
Rector of Christ Church and St. Peter's, Philadelphia.

Notwithstanding the results of this primary Convention
appeared at the time to be but trifling, the plan and purpose
of union, so ardently desired by Mr. Beach, was not lost

(1) "The Case of the Episcopal Churches in the United States Consi
dered. ' To make new articles of faith and doctrine, no man thinketh it
lawful: new laws of government, what Commonwealth or Church is there
which maketh not at one time or another.' HOOKER. Philadelphia:
Printed by David C. Claypole, 1783." Reprinted by William Stavely
Philadelphia, 1827. Reprinted in the Prot. Epis. Quarterly Review, Vol.
vi. 1859, and subsequently issued in a separate form, the same year, in
New York.

12 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

sight of in the interim. Although no allusion to the fact is
made by Bishop White, in his account of this gathering, (1)
it appears, both from the original Minutes, as well as from
the following letter, that Committees of Correspondence were
chosen to interest the Clergymen and members of the scat
tered Churches in the proposed meeting at New York. The
report of the Committee appointed to visit the Convocation
of the Connecticut Clergy, we give below. It is important
from the light it throws upon the subject of Lay Representa
tion, as viewed at that time by the Churchmen of New En
gland.

NEW BRUNSWICK,

19th June, 1784.
Dear Sir

I am just returned from New England in company with Mr. Bloomer
and Mr. Moore ; and at their desire am now to acquaint you that th.4
Clergy there appear well disposed to join the Episcopal Church in the
other States, in forming Regulations for the government of it, and for
preserving uniformity of worship.

They, indeed, made some Objection with respect to LAY DELEGATES.
We informed them, in answer to their Objections, that it was thought ne
cessary in some of the States, particularly in Pennsylvania, to associate
some respectable Characters amongst the Laity, in order to give weight
and importance to the Church ; but we meant not to prescribe to OTHER
STATES provided the END was obtained, we would not differ with them as
to the MEANS, if they were only fair and honest They replied, that they
thought themselves fully adequate to the Business of representing the
Episcopal Church in their State, and that the Laity did not EXPECT, or
WISH to be called in as delegates on such an occasion ; but would, with full
confidence, trust matters PURELY ECCLESIASTICAL to their Clergy. They
accordingly determined unanimously, to send a Comtee. of their body to
represent the Episcopal Church of Connecticut at our intended Meeting in
N. York, on the Tuesday after Michaelmas ; and to get a representation of
the States further eastward.

Thus you find the Comtee. appointed to attend the Convention in
Connecticut have executed the Purposes of their appointment; and expect
the Comtte. of Correspondence in Philadelphia will endeavour to procure a
representation from the more Southern States.

(1) " Memoirs of the Episcopal Church," 2d Edition, pp. 78, 79.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 13

Previous to these informal gatherings, there had been in
the past frequent, and recently quite important Conventions
of the Clergy in the various Provinces and States. Dating
far .back to the days of the worthy Commissary of Mary
land, Dr. Thomas Bray, and his equally venerable brother,
Dr. James Blair of Virginia, annual or occasional Convoca
tions of the Clergy had been held in these two ancient Pro
vinces. In South Carolina, in Pennsylvania, and at the
North, there were also annual Conventions of the Clergy;
and a published Sermon, of no ordinary merit, from the pen
of Rev. James Honeyman, of Narragansett, Rhode Island,
delivered before a Convention of the Massachusetts and
Rhode Island Clergy, in the year 1726, and another, by the
Rev. William Becket, Missionary at Lewes, at Commissary
Cumings' first Visitation, held in September, 1731, are still
extant. (1) In Connecticut, similar traces of occasional Cle
rical gatherings are to be found, in the shape of dingy pam
phlets, bearing the recommendation of the assembled Clergy,

(1) Vide " The Acts of Dr. Bray's Visitation held at Annopolis in Ma
ryland, May 23, 24, 25. Anno 1700. London. Printed by W. Downing
ia Bartholomew-Close, near West Smithfield. 1700." A folio pamphlet,
reprinted in the Appendix to Dr. Hawks's Ecclesiastical Contributions, Vol.
II., Maryland. Or such pamphlets as the following, among others: "A Ser
mon preached at the King's Chapel in Boston, N. E., at a Convention of
Episcopal Ministers in the year 1726. Printed at Boston MDCCXXXIII."
(By the Rev. James Honeyman, of Narragansett, Rhode Island. Vide
Historical Magazine, II., 338, 306.) In Harvard College Library, Cam
bridge, Mass.

" An Exhortation to the Clergy of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, Sep
tember the 24th, 1729. By the Rev. Archibald Cummings, Commissary,
and Rector of Christ's Church in Philadelphia. Annapolis: Printed and
Sold by W. Parks, M,DCC,XXIX."

" The Duty both of Clergy and Laity to each other. A Sermon preach
ed before the Reverend Commissary, and the rest of the Clergy of Penn
sylvania. In Christ Church, Philadelphia. On Wednesday, September
24, 1729. Being the first Visitation held there. By William Beckett,
Missionary at Lewes. Annapolis: Printed and Sold by W. Parks,
M,DCC,XXIX." From Dr. Hawks's Collection.

The Original Minutes of the Conventions of the Clergy of New York
aud New Jersey, for the years 1766 and 1767, during the agitation of the
question of an American Episcopate, are in the hands of the Rev. Profess
or Seabury, of New York. These records are in the handwriting of the
first Bishop of Connecticut.

14 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

or Sermons preaclied before them when in council together;
while in New York these meetings formed a sort of Commis-
sarial junto, exercising the power of deciding upon recom
mendations for Orders, and giving to the ecclesiastica^ au
thorities at home, authentic information with reference to
Church matters in the Colonies.

W have already referred to the action of the assembled
Clergy of Connecticut, with several from New York, in re
commending Dr. Seabury to the Archbishop of York for
consecration. But a little later there was convened in Mary
land a Convention, the importance of which, from its bearing
upon the subsequent action of the Church at large, requires
a full and minute recital. We therefore incorporate, with
additional notes, derived from various manuscript and printed
sources, the following pamphlet, entitled,

TO THE

MEMBERS

OF THE

DProtestant Episcopal Clmrcli,

OF MARYLAND,

CONTAINING

An ACCOUNT of the Proceedings of some late CONVEN
TIONS both of CLERGY and LAITY, for the purpose of or
ganizing the said Church, and providing a Succession in
her Ministry agreeable to the Principles of the American
Revolution.

Published by a COMMITTEE of Clerical and Lay-Members,
appointed for that Purpose, by a Convention held at An
napolis, June 22d, 1784.

BALTIMORE:

PRINTED FOR WILLIAM GODDARD.
MDCCLXXXIV.

(1) To this Address is added "A Sermon preached at the Opening of the
said Convention, by William Smith, ]>.D., President of the same," which it
is unnecessary to reprint.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 15

At a Meeting or Convention of Clergy and Lay Delegates
of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Maryland, at Annap
olis, June 22d 24th, 1784. Agreed

I HAT a Committee of three Clerical and three Lay Mern-
"bers be appointed to digest and publish the Proceed-
" ings of this and such Parts of the Proceedings of the for-
" mer Convention, as they may judge necessary to lay before
"the Public; and to confer and treat with any Committees
" that may be appointed in the Sister States, for considering
" and drawing up a Plan of such Alterations in the Liturgy
" of the Church, as may be necessary under the American
" Revolution for Uniformity of Worship, and Church Cro-
"vernment."

The Committee of this Convention appointed for the above
Purposes, are

f WILLIAM SMITH, D.D., President.
Rev. -< WILLIAM WEST, Secretary; and
(.JOHN ANDREWS, A.M.
RICHARD RIDGELY, Esq.
JOSEPH COUDEN, A.M.; and
Dr. THOMAS CRADOCK.

They are empowered to nominate any Members of their
own Body, not less than three, to transact Business, if more
cannot possibly attend.

A true Copy.

WM. WEST, Secretary.

[Page 3.1 AN

TO THE

MEMBERS of the PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH in the
State of MARYLAND, $>c.

1HE Proceedings of the Clergy and Laity of this Church,
at Sundry Conferences, Meetings, or Conventions (both jointly
and severally) during the three last years, having no other
Object than is in general set forth in the Title-Page, and
Minute of Convention, prefixed to this Address ; and our Bu
siness, as a Committee, being to digest and publish those Pro
ceedings, for the information of all whom it may concern;
We shall begin with the first Petition to the General Assem
bly of this State, for a Law towards the Support of the

16 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

CHRISTIAN RELIGION, agreeably to the Provision made in
the Bill of Rights. It was the separate Act of a very con
siderable number of Vestries, wholly in their Lay Character,
and was in the following Words; viz.,

To the HONORABLE the GENERAL ASSEMBLY
of the State of MARYLAND.

The PETITION of the VESTRY and CHURCH- WARDENS of

the Parish of , County,

HUMBLY SHEWETH,

THAT it is manifest from Reason, as well as the clearer
Light of Revelation, that the Worship of the ALMIGHTY
CREATOR and GOVERNOR of the Universe, is the indispensible
Duty of his dependent Creatures, and the surest Means of
preserving their temporal as well as eternal Happiness ; That,
where RELIGION is left unsupported, neither LAWS or GOVERN
MENT can be duly administered; And, as the Experience of
Ages has shewn the Necessity of a Provision for supporting
the Officers [Page 4.] and Ministers of Government, in all
Civil Societies ; so the like Experience shews the Necessity
of providing a Sppport for the Ordinances and Ministers of
Religion because if either of them [viz., Religion or Govern
ment] were left wholly dependent on the Benevolence of In
dividuals, such is the Frailty of human Nature, and the
Averseness of many to their best Interests, that the Sordid,
and Selfish, the Licentious, and Prophane, would avail them
selves of such Liberty to shrink from their Share of Labor
and Expence, and thereby render that, which would be easy
when borne by All, an intolerable Burden to the Few, whose
Conscience and Principles of Justice would not permit them
in this, or in any other Case, to swerve from their Duties,
Civil or Religious.

That our pious Ancestors, the worthy and respectable
Founders of this State, convinced of the foregoing Truths,
and declaring that, " In every well-grounded Commonwealth,
" Matters concerning Religion ought, in the first place, to be
" taken into consideration, countenanced, and encouraged ;
" as being not only most acceptable to God, but the best
" Way and Means of obtaining his Mercy and a Blessing
"upon a People and Country," (having the Promises of this
Life and of the Life to come,) did frame and enact sundry
Laws for erecting Churches and Places of public Worship,

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 17

the Maintenance of an orthodox Clergy, the Support and
Advancement of Religion, and the orderly Administration
of its divine and saving Ordinances.

That the Delegates of this State, at the great dEra of our
Independence, in free and full Convention assembled, for the
Purpose of establishing a new Constitution and Form of Go
vernment, upon the Authority of the People, appearing in
their Wisdom to have considered some Parts of the said Laws
as inconsistent with that Religious Liberty and Equality of
Assessment, which they intended as the basis of their future
Government; Did, by the 33d Section of the DECLARATION
OF RIGHTS, abrogate all such Laws theretofore passed, as en
abled any County Courts, on the Application of Vestrymen
and Church-Wardens, to make Assessments or Levies for
Support of the Religious Establishment ; but not with a View
of being less attentive than their pious Ancestors had been,
to the Interests of RELIGION, LEARNING, and GOOD MORALS.
On the contrary, by the very same Section, an express Re
commendation and Authority are given to future Legisla
tures, " At their Discretion, to lay a general and equal Tax,
"for the support of the Christian Religion," agreeably to the
said Declaration.

That your Petitioners are sensible of the many urgent civil
Concerns, in which the honorable and worthy Legislatures
of this State have been engaged, since the Commencement
of the [Page 5.] present great and trying Period; and how
much Wisdom and Deliberation are at all times necessary in
framing equal Laws for the Support of Religion and Learn
ing, and more especially amidst the horrors and confusions of
an expensive, cruel, and unrelenting War. But they are
sensible, at the same Time (and persuaded the honorable
Assembly are equally sensible), that w[h]ere RELIGION is
left to mourn and droop her head, while her sacred Ordinan
ces are unsupported, and Vice and Immorality gain Ground,
even W T AR itself will be but feebly carried on, Patriotism will
lose its most animating Principle, Corruption will win its
W r ay from the lowest to the highest Places, Distress will soon
pervade every public Measure; our Churches, our Grave-
Yards the Monuments of the Piety of our Ancestors, run
ning into Ruin, will become the Reproach of their Posterity;
nay more, the great and glorious Fabric of public Happiness
which we are striving to build up, and cement with an Im
mensity of Blood and Treasure, might be in Danger of turn-

18 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

bling into the Dust, as wanting the stronger Cement of Vir
tue and Religion,or perhaps would fall an easy Prey to some
haughty Invader!

Deeply impressed with these momentous Considerations,
and conceiving ourselves fully warranted by our Constituents,
in this Application to your honorable Body, having duly ad
vertised our Design, without any Objections yet notified to us
Your Petitioners, therefore, most earnestly and humbly
pray-
That an Act may be passed, agreeably to the aforesaid Sec
tion of the Declaration of Rights, for the support of pub
lic Religion, by an equal Assessment and Tax, and also
to enable the Vestry and Church- Wardens of this Pa
rish, by Rates on the Pews, from Time to Time, or
otherwise, as in your Wisdom you shall think fit, to repair
and uphold the Church and Chapel, and the Church Yards
and Burying Grounds of the same; all which, your Peti
tioners conceive, may be done, not only for this Parish, but
at the same Time, if thought best, for every other Parish
within this State (which, it is believed, earnestly desires
the same) by a single law, in a Manner perfectly agreeably
to the Liberty and Wishes of every Denomination of Men
who would be deemed good Christians and faithful Citizens
of this State. And your Petitioners, as bound, shall ever
pray, &c.

In the foregoing Petition, exclusive Privilege is PRAYED
for; only, " That a Law may be passed agreeably to the Bill
" of Rights, and to the Liberty and Wishes of every Denomi-
" nation of Men, who would be deemed good Christians and
"faithful Citizens of this State." And some of the Vestries
that presented the Petitions, finding the public Difficulties
encreasing, soon afterwards [Page 6.] signified their Desire to
the Creneral Assembly that all further Consideration of the
matter, might be postponed to a Time of less Distress and
Danger.

But on the happy Establishment of Peace, his Excellency
Governor PACA, in Council, with a truly paternal and pious
Care for the Concerns of Religion, as inseparably connected
with the Interest of the State, was pleased to revive this im
portant Business, in an Address to the General Assembly
(M;.y 6th, 1783) as follows, viz.

" It is far from our Intentions to embarrass your Deliber-
" ations with a Variety of Objects, but we cannot pass over

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 19

"Matters of so high Concernment as RELIGION and LEARN
ING. The Sufferings of the Ministers of the Gospel of all
" Denominations, during the War, have been very consider-
" able; and the Perseverance and Firmness of those, who dis-
" charged their sacred Functions under many discouraging
" Circumstances, claim our Acknowledgments and Thanks.
" The Bill of Rights and Form of Government recognize the
" principle of public Support for the Ministers of the Gospel,
" and ascertain the Mode. Anxiously solicitous for the Bless-
" ings of Government, and the Welfare and Happiness of
" our Citizens, and thoroughly convinced of the powerful
" Influence of Religion, when diffused by its respectable
" Teachers, we beg Leave most seriously and warmly to re-
" commend, among the first Objects of your Attention, on
" the Return of Peace, the making such Provision, as the
" Constitution, in this case, authorizes and approves."

A Copy of this Address, about a Week after it was deliv
ered to the Assembly, came into the Hands of sundry of the
Episcopal Clergy;(l) who, finding the Concerns of Religion
so strongly recommended by the Executive to the Legislative
Part of Government, thought it immediately necessary that
there should be a Council or Consultation of Clergy held for
the Purpose of considering " What Alterations might be ne
cessary in our Liturgy and Service; and how our Church
might be organized, and a Succession in the Ministry kept
up, so as to be an Object of public Notice and Support, in
common with other Christian Churches under the Revolu
tion."

It was considered that some Legislative Interposition or
Sanction might probably be necessary in the Course of this
Business; for as our Church derived her Liturgy from the
Church of England, and was formerly dependent on the
same Church [Page 7.] for a Succession in her Ministry, and
had certain Property reserved to her by the Constitution of
this State, under the Name of the Church of England; it
became a Question whether, if any Alterations should be
made in the Liturgy, or in the Mode of Succession in the
Ministry, she could any longer be considered as the Cfiurch
described in the Constitution of this State, or entitled to the
perpetual Use of the Property aforesaid. An incorporating

(1) They were occasionally assembled at the FIRST COMMENCEMENT in
WASHINGTON COLLEGE, May, 1783.

20 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Act or Cfiarter was also deemed necessary to enable the Cler
gy or some Representative Body of the Church, to raise and
manage a Fund for certain charitable and pious Purposes;
such Charters having been granted to Christian /Societies of
every Denomination in other of the neighbouring States,
whenever they have been prayed for.

Such was the Foundation of the following Petition, which
has nothing for itsObject but equal Privileges; and prays for
nothing but what the Members of our Church consider as
their undoubted Right, and which cannot be called in question
by any who claim and enjoy the like Rights, under the Con
stitution and Laws of this State.

To the Honorable the General Assembly of the
State of MARYLAND.

The MEMORIAL and PETITION of the Subscribers, in be
half of themselves and others the Clergy of the Episco
pal Churches,

SUEWETH,

IHAT the happy Termination of War, the Establishment
of Peace, and the final Recognition and Acknowledgment of
the Sovereignty and Independence of these United States
among the Powers of the World, yield a favorable Occasion
(which this State in particular hath long desired) of making
some permanent Provision, agreeably to the Constitution, for
" the Ministers of Religion," and the Advancement of use
ful Knowledge and Literature, through this rising American
Empire.

That, in Respect to the Episcopal Churches in this State
(to the communion of which so large a Proportion of the good
People of Maryland belongs) the following Things are abso
lutely necessary, viz.

[Page 8.] 1st. That some Alterations should be made in
the Liturgy and Service, in order to adapt the same to the
Revolution, and for other Purposes of Uniformity, Concord,
and Subordination to the State.

2d. That a Method and Plan for educating, ordaining, and
keeping up a Succession of able and fit Ministers or Pastors,
for the Service of the said Churches, agreeably to ancient
Practice and their proposed Principles, as well as that uni
versal Toleration established by the Constitution, be speedily
determined upon, and fixed, under the public Authority of

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 21

the State, and with the Advice and Consent of the Clergy
of the said Churcb.es, after due Consultation had thereupon.

Your Petitioners, therefore, Humbly pray
That the said Clergy may have leave to consult, prepare and
offer to the General Assembly, the Draft of a Bill, for the
good Purposes aforesaid and your Petitioners, as in Duty
bound, shall pray, &c.

Signed, *

WILLIAM SMITH.
THOMAS GATES.

The PRAYER of the foregoing Petition was readily grant
ed, and at a Meeting or Convention of the Clergy which, in
pursuance thereof, was held at Annapolis, 13th August,
1783, one Part of the Proceedings, which according to our
Appointment, we come now to lay before the Public, was to
nominate a Committee (1) " To prepare the Draft of an Act or
" Charter of Incorporation, to enable the Episcopal Church
" of this State, as a Body Corporate, to hold Goods, Lands
"and Chattels, by Deed, Gift, Devise, &c., to the Amount
" of . . . per Annum, as a Fund for providing small
" Annuities to the Widows of Clergymen, and for the Edu-
" cation of their Children, or any poor Children in general,
" who may be found of promising Genius and Disposition
" for a Supply of Ministers in the said Church, and for other
" pious and charitable uses."

These were the Purposes for which the Committee were in-
structed to prepare the Draft of a Bill, and they were fur
ther instructed to bring it forward to the Spring-Sessions of
Assembly [Page 9.] then following. But as no Spring-Ses
sions have been held this Year, the proposed Bill could not
yet be brought forward. And whenever it shall be offered to
the Legislative Body, they will be the best Judges of its Pro
priety ; or may, if they think proper, direct it to be published
for consideration before it is enacted into a Law; and then
it will be fully seen, whether it hath any Thing for its Ob
ject but what is of equal and common Might, as hath been
already set forth.

The remaining Business of this Convention was to deliber-

(1) The Committee consists of three Clergymen of each Shore, viz.,
the same who are here-in-after named as Examiners of Candidates foi
holy Orders.

22 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

ate concerning the Mode of obtaining a Succession in the
Ministry, the Choice of fit Persons for the different Orders
of the same, and some fundamental Articles for future Uni
formity, Concord, and good Government, for which Purpose
the following were unanimously agreed upon and subscribed,
viz.

^DECLARATION of certain fundamental Rights and Li
berties of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Mary-
hind, &C.(1)

WHEREAS by the CONSTITUTION and FORM of Govern
ment of this State " All Persons professing the Christian
" Religion, are equally entitled to Protection in their Religi-
" ous Liberty, and no Person, by any Law [or otherwise]
" ought to be molested in his Person or Estate on Account of
" his religious Persuasion or Profession, or for his religious
" Practice ; unless, under Colour of Religion, any Man shall
" disturb the good Order, Peace, or Safety of the State,
" or shall infringe the Laws of Morality, or injure others in
"their natural, civil, or religious Rights:" And Whereas
the ecclesiastical and spiritual Independence of the differ
ent religious Denominations, Societies, Congregations, and
Churches of Christians in this State, necessarily follows
from, or is included in, their civil Independence.^)

(1) The original manuscript of this important document, with the sig
natures of the Clergy attached, is to be found in the Collection of Dr.
Smith's papers and correspondence, in the hands of the Rev. Dr. Hawks.

(2) In connection with these "Fundamental Principles," which appear
not only in this printed address, but again and again in subsequent Jour
nals and fragments of Journals of the Maryland Conventions, it may be
well to subjoin the following important letter, from the Rev. Dr. William
Smith, the leading spirit in the Maryland organization, which bears
strongly upon the question of diocesan independence, as held by the
framers of our ecclesiastical Constitution. It forms, moreover, a fitting
preface to the " Proceedings" it so clearly indicates in advance.

Dear Sir:

The Clergy of Maryland are to meet (in pursuance of the sanction ob
tained from the G. Assembly) on the 13th of this Month; but as Mr.
Gates and myself were to call this Meeting, we found on consulting some
of our nearest Brethren, that they did not think it proper, nor that we
were authorized, to call any Clergy to our assistance from the neighbor
ing States that the Episcopal Clergy of Maryland were in some respecta

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 23

WHEREFORE WE the Clergy of the Protestant Epis
copal Church of Maryland (heretofore denominated the
Church of England, as by Law established) with all Duty
to the civil Authority of the State, and with all Love and
Good-will to our Fellow-Christians of every other religious
Denomination, do hereby declare, make known, and claim,
the following, as certain of the fundamental Rights and Li
berties inherent in and belonging to the said Episcopal
Church, not only of common Right, but agreeably to the ex
press Words, Spirit, and Design of the Constitution and
Form of Government aforesaid, viz.

[Page 10.]

I. WE consider it as the undoubted Right of the said Pro
testant Episcopal Church, in common with other Christian
Churches under the American Revolution, to compleat and
preserve herself as an entire Church, agreeably to her an
cient Usages and Profession, and to have the free Enjoy
ment and free Exercise of those purely spiritual Powers,
which are essential to the Being of every Church or Con
gregation of the faithful, and which, being derived only
from CHRIST and his APOSTLES, are to be maintained in-

peculiarly circumstanced, and ought, in the first instance, to have a pre
paratory Convention or Conference, to consider and frame a DECLARA
TION of their own Rights as one of the Churches of a separate and inde
pendent State, to agree upon some articles of Government and Unity
among themselves, to fix some future Time of meeting by adjournment,
to appoint a Committee to bring in a Plan of SOME FEW alterations that
may be found necessary in the Liturgy and Service of the Church, and
by the authority of this first Meeting to open a correspondence on the
subject with the Clergy of the neighboring States, and to have some speedy
future and more general meeting with the Clergy of those States, or Commit
tees from them, to unite if possible in the alterations to be made, which many
among us think cannot have a full Church Ratification, till we have on
some plan or another the three Orders of Bishops, Priests and Deacons
to concur in the same. What STATE or civic ratification may be neces
sary, or whether any. is a question yet to be determined. In Maryland, I
presume, a few words of a Declaratory Act, that a Clergy, ordained in
such a form, and using a Liturgy with such alterations as may be agreed
upon, are to be considered as entitled to the Glebes, Churches and other
property declared by the Constitution to belong to the CHURCH OF EN
GLAND for ever I say such a short Act as this, or the Opinion of the
Judges that such Act is not necessary is I conceive all that will be
wanted.

Chester: August 4th, 1783.

To Rev. Dr. WHITE.
From the Bishop White MSS., in the possession of the Rev. F. L.

Hawks, D.D.

24 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

dependent of every foreign or other Jurisdiction, so far as
may be consistent with the civil Rights of Society.

II. That ever since the Reformation, it hath been the re
ceived Doctrine of the Church whereof we are Members
(and which by the Constitution of this State is entitled to
the perpetual Enjoyment of certain Property and Rights
under the Denomination of the Church of England] " That
"there be these three Orders of Ministers in CHRIST'S
" Church, BISHOPS, PRIESTS, and DEACONS," and that an
Episcopal Ordination and Commission are necessary to the
valid Administration of the Sacraments, and the due Ex
ercise of the Ministerial Functions in the said Church.

III. That, without calling in Question the Rights, Modes,
and Forms of any other Christian Churches or Societies,
or wishing the least Contest with them on that Subject,
we consider and declare it to be an essential Right of the
said Protestant Episcopal Church to have and enjoy the
Continuance of the said three Orders of Ministers forever,
so far as concerns Matters purely spiritual; and that no
Persons, in the Character of Ministers, except such as are
in the Communion of the said Church, and duly called to
the Ministry by regular Episcopal Ordination, can or
ought to be admitted into, or enjoy any of the " Churches,
Chapels, Glebes, or other Property," formerly belonging
to the Church of England in this State, and which by the
Constitution and Form of Government is secured to the
said Church forever, by whatsoever Name, she the said
Church, or her superior Order of Ministers, may in future
be denominated.

IV. That as it is the Right, so it will be the Duty, of the
said Church, when duly organized, constituted, and repre
sented in a Synod or Convention of the different Orders of
her Ministry and People, to revise her Liturgy, Forms of
Prayer, and public 1 Worship, in order to adapt the same to
the late Revolution and other local Circumstances of
America; which it is humbly conceived, may and will be
done, without any other [Page 11.] or farther Departure
from the venerable Order and beautiful Forms of Worship
of the Church from whence we sprung, than may be found
expedient in the Change of our Situation from a DAUGHTER
to a SISTER-CHURCH.

SIGNED, August 13th, 1783.

William Smith, President, St. Pauls $ Chester Parishes,
Kent County.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 25

John Gordon, St. Michael's^ Talbot.

John MPherson, William and Mary Parish, Charles

County.

Samuel Keene, Dorchester Parish, Dorchester County.
William West, St. Pauls Parish, Baltimore County.
William Thompson, St. Stephen s, Coecil County.
Walter Magowan, St. James s Parish, Ann-Arundel

County.
f John Stephen, All Faith Parish, St. Mary's County.

Tho. Jno. Claggett, St. Pauls Parish, Prince G-eorge's

County.

G-eorge G-oldie, King and Queen, St. Mary's County.
Joseph Messinger, St. Andrew's Parish, St. Mary's

County.

John Bowie, St. Peter's Parish, Talbot County.
Walter Harrison, Durham Parish, Charles County.
William Hanna, St. Margaret's Westminster Parish,

Ann-Arundel County.
Thomas Crates, St. Ann's, Annapolis.

John Andrews, St. Thomas's Parish, Baltimore ~\ ~.

County. Sl S ned

Hamilton Bell, Stephney Parish, Somerset Co', i- wi 1 ^ 6
Francis Walker, now of Shrewsbury Parish, -frfo^'

Kent County. J 1784 '

The foregoing Declaration of Rights being made and sub
scribed, a Copy of the same was presented to his Excellency
the Governor, with the following Address, viz.

To. HIS EXCELLENCY WILLIAM PACA, Esq;

Grovernor and Commander in Chief, $c. &c. of the
State of Maryland.

WE the Protestant Episcopal Clergy of the said State, at a
Meeting or Convention held at Annapolis this 13th August,
1783, (in pursuance of a Vote of the House of Delegates
passed at their last Session) in order to consider, make known
and declare those fundamental Christian Rights, to which we
conceive [Page 12.] ourselves entitled, in common with other
Christian Churches ; Do hereby, in the first Place, return
your Excellency our most sincere and hearty Thanks for your
great Concern and Attention manifested for the Christian

26 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Church in general and her suffering Clergy of all Denomina
tions. We trust and pray that your Excellency will conti
nue your powerful Intercession till some Law is passed for
their future Support and Encouragement, agreeably to the
Constitution.

We herewith lay before your Excellency an authentic Copy
of a Declaration of certain Rights, to which, according to our
best Knowledge of the Laws and Constitution of our Coun
try, we think ourselves entitled, in common with other
Churches. Should your Excellency, from your superior
Knowledge of both, think that the Declaration we have made
stands in need of any further Sanction, Legislative or other
wise, we are well persuaded that a Continuance of the same
Zeal and Regard which you have formerly shown, will at
Length produce the happy Effect which you so anxiously
desire.

Praying for a continued Encrease of your Excellency's
public Usefulness, and that you meet the reward thereof
in the World to come,

We are, &c.

[Signed by all the Members, as the above Declaration of
Rights was signed.]

To which his Excellency was pleased to return the follow
ing Answer, viz.

GENTLEMEN,

1 HAVE attentively considered the Paper entitled " A De
claration of certain fundamental Rights and Liberties of the
Protestant Episcopal Church of Maryland." And as every
Denomination of Clergy are to be deemed adequate Judges
of their own spiritual Rights, and of the ministerial Commis
sion and Authority necessary to the due Administration of
the Ordinances of Religion among themselves, it would be a
very partial and unjust Distinction to deny that Right to the
respectable and learned Body of the Episcopal Clergy in this
State ; and it will give me the highest Happiness and Satis
faction, if, either in my individual Capacity, or in the public
Character which I now have the Honor to sustain, I can be
instrumental [Page 13.] in advancing the interests of Reli
gion in general, alleviating the Sufferings of any of her Mi-

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 27

nisters, and placing every Branch of the Christian Church in
this State, upon the most equal and respectable Footing.

I am,

GENTLEMEN,
Your most obedient humble Servant,

WILLIAM PACA.
Annapolis, 2Qth August, 1783.

The preceding Address and Communication to the Gover
nor seeks not to obtain any exclusive^} Privileges or Advan
tages. It only thanks his Excellency for his "Great Care and At-
" tendon manifested for the Christian Church in general, and her
" suffering Clergy of all Denominations; and prays the Con-
" tinuance of his powerful IntercessioiKill some Law is passed
" for their future Support and Encouragement, agreeably to
the Constitution." And, in the same liberal and catholic
Spirit, his Excellency is pleased to answer, " That it will
" give him the highest Happiness and Satisfaction, if either in
" his individual Capacity or public Character, he could be in-
"strumental in advancing the Interests of Religion in gene-
" ral, alleviating the sufferings of any of her Ministers, and
" placing every Branch of the Christian Church in this State,
"upon the most equal and respectable Footing."

Similar to the foregoing Declaration of religious Rights,
and partly founded thereon, are the following "fundamental
Rules or Principles agreed upon at- a Meeting of Clergymen
and Lay-Delegates from sundry Congregations of the EPIS
COPAL CHURCH in the State of PENNSYLVANIA, May 25th,

(1) The apologetic tone of this pamphlet is doubtless due, in a great
measure, to the opposition excited by the opponents of the Church
throughout the State, in consequence of these attempts at organization.
The violence of this opposition is. apparent, not only from the numerous
newspaper articles on the subject, filling the columns of the Maryland
press of the time, but especially in an anonymous pamphlet, abounding
in personalities of the most offensive character, and calculated to inflame
the popular mind with the gravest apprehension as to the designs of the
Clergy of the Episcopal Church. This pamphlet, published in small oc
tavo, and attributed to a prominent member of the Presbyterian body,
Dr. Patrick Allison, is entitled " Candid Animadversions respecting a
Petition to the late General Assembly of Maryland, in behalf of the Epis
copal Ministers in the same. By Vindex. ' If any Person considers
these Things, and yet thinks our Liberties in no Danger, I wonder at
that Person's security.' Baltimore: Printed by Hayes and Killen, in
Market-street. M.DCC.LXXXIII." Pp. iv- 19. From Dr. Hawks's
Collection of Pamphlets.

28 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

1784," and which were communicated to this Convention,
viz.

I. That the Episcopal Church in these States is and ought to
be independent of all foreign Authority, ecclesiastical or
civil.

II. That it hath and ought to have, in common with all other
religious Societies, full and exclusive Powers to regulate
the Concerns of its own Communion.

III. That the Doctrines of the Gospel be maintained as now
professed by the Church of England; and Uniformity of
Worship be continued, as near as may be, to the Liturgy
of the said Church.

[Page 14.]

IV. That the Succession of the Ministry be agreeably to the
Usage which requireth the three Orders of BISHOPS,
PRIESTS, and DEACONS ; that the Rights and Powers of
the same respectively be ascertained, and that they be ex
ercised according to reasonable Laws, to be duly made.

V. That to make Canons or Laws, there be no other Autho
rity than that of a Representative Body of the Clergy and
Laity conjointly.

VI. That no Powers be delegated to a general ecclesiastical
Government, except such as cannot conveniently be exer
cised by the Clergy and Vestries in their respective Con
gregations.

Signed,

WM. WHITE, Chairman.

We have only here to observe that the general Judgment
of all our Churches at this Time, so far as it hath been yet
collected, is for the invariable Maintenance of the three dis
tinct Orders of our Ministry. It is a Matter that cannot con
cern any other religious Society, and in which, without en
tering into any Contest, we have certainly a Right to our own
Judgment.

Of the Business transacted at the Clerical Meeting or
Convention of August, 1783, there remains only to add the
following Minute, viz.

" The Declaration of certain fundamental Rights, &c.,
having been unanimously agreed to and subscribed as above,

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 29

the Convention proceeded to take into Consideration the pre
sent State of the Church, and the great Distress of many
Parishes and Congregations, from the Want of Clergy, or
proper Instruction in the Principles of Religion; and it was
agreed, that until a regular Ordination of Clergy could be
obtained, there should be three Clergymen appointed on each
Shore, in order to examine such young Gentlemen as may
offer themselves Candidates for Holy Orders in our Church :
Such Examination to respect their moral Character, their
Knowledge in the learned Languages, and Divinity, and their
Attachment to the Doctrines of the Christian Religion as
professed and taught in our Church ; and to recommend such
Candidates as (upon such Examination may be thought
worthy) to serve as Readers in any Parishes that may think
proper to employ them ; leaving such Parishes, as to the Ad
ministration of the Sacraments, and other proper Func-
[Page 15.] tions of the clerical Character ', to the more immedi
ate Direction of such neighbouring Clergymen, as may agree
to visit them occasionally for that Purpose."

The Committee appointed Examiners

r Dr. William Smith, ~\

Revd. } Mr. John Gordon, I For the Eastern Shore.
(Mr. Samuel Keene, )
C Mr. William West, ~)

Revd. 1 Mr. Tho. Jno. Claggett, > For the Western Shore.

(Mr. Thomas Gates, J

The Convention then adjourned to the second Week of the
Spring- Session of the General Assembly, or until especially
called by their President, or the above Committee. As there
was no Spring-Session, it was afterward agreed, that the
President should call a Meeting in June, and that the differ
ent Parishes or Vestries should be invited to send Delegates
to the same; which produced the

Convention of June 22d, 1784.

This Convention being duly formed, their first Business
was to take into Consideration the Proceedings of the Cleri
cal Members at their Meeting in August, 1783; and the De
claration of certain fundamental Rights, &c. as above insert
ed, being laid before them, the Lay-Delegates desired Leave
to retire and consult upon the same; and on their Return

30 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

reported by Mr. Joseph Couden, that they had read and dis
cussed the same, Paragraph by Paragraph, and unanimously
approved thereof.

A Committee of Clergymen and Lay Delegates was then
appointed to essay a Plan of ecclesiastical Government for
the Episcopal Church in this State, and to define therein the
Duties of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons in Matters spiritual ;
and the Rights and Duties both of Clergy and Laity in gen
eral Synods or Conventions for the Government of this
Church, preserving Uniformity of Worship, and the reclaim
ing or excluding from Church-Communion scandalous Mem
bers, whether of the Clerical or Lay Order.

The aforesaid Committee not having Time to essay a full
Plan for the Purposes above mentioned, reported the following
as some of the fundamental Principles thereof, which were
agreed to, viz.

[Page 16.]

I. That none of the Orders of the Clergy, whether BisJiops,
Priests or Deacons, who may be under the Necessity of ob
taining Ordination in any foreign State with a View to of
ficiate or settle in this State, shall, at the Time of their
Ordination, or at any Time afterwards, take or subscribe
any Obligation of Obedience, civil or canonical to any fo
reign Power or Authority whatsoever; nor be admissible
into the Ministry of this Church, if such Obligations have
been taken for a settlement in any foreign Country, with
out renouncing the same by taking the Oaths required by
Law as a Test of Allegiance to this State. *

II. According to what we conceive to be of true Apostolic
Institution, the Duty and Office of a Bishop, differs in nothing
from that of other Priests, except in the power of Ordina
tion and Confirmation ; and in the Right of Precedency in
ecclesiastical Meetings or Synods, and shall accordingly be
so exercised in this Church ; the Duty and Office of Priests
and Deacons to remain as heretofore. And if any further
Distinctions and Regulations in the different Orders of the
Ministry should afterwards be found necessary for the good
Government of the Church, the same shall be made and
established by the joint Voice and Authority of a Repre
sentative Body of the Clergy and Laity, at future ecclesi
astical Synods or Conventions.

III. This third Section is intended to define or discriminate

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 31

some of the separate Rights and Powers of the Clergy,
and was proposed and agreed to as follows, viz. That the
Clergy should be deemed adequate Judges of the Ministe
rial Commission and Authority which rs necessary to the
due Administration of the Ordinances of Religion in their
own Church ; and of the literary, moral and religious Quali
ties and Abilities of Persons fit to be nominated and ap
pointed to the different Orders of the Ministry; but the
approving and receiving such Persons to any particular
Cure, Duty or Parish, when so nominated, appointed, set
apart, consecrated and ordained, is in the People who are
to support them, and to receive the Benefit of their Mi
nistry.

IV. The fourth Section provides that Ecclesiastical Conven-
ventions or Synods of this Church shall consist of the
Clergy and one Lay-Delegate or Representative from each
Vestry or Parish, in a Majority of the same; and shall be
held annually on the 4th Tuesday in October, unless some
Canon or Rule should be made at some future Convention,
for altering the Time of Meeting, or for Meeting oftener
than once a Year, or not so often, or with a larger or
smaller Representation of the Church, as may be judged
necessary. But fundamental Rules, once duly made,
shall not be altered unless two Thirds of such Majority as
aforesaid, duly assembled, shall agree therein.

[Page 17.J

The remaining Proceedings of the Clerical Meeting of Au
gust 1783, having been read and approved of, and it being
thought reasonable that for the future every third Meeting
should be held on the Eastern Shore, the Convention ad
journed to meet at the Town of Chester, the fourth Tuesday
of October next; when, from the Importance of the Business
to be yet settled, it is hoped that there will be a full Meeting
as well of the Clergy as of Representatives from the different
Vestries and Parishes.

WILLIAM SMITH, R. RIDGELY,

WM. WEST, THOS. CRADOCK.

JOHN ANDREWS,

N.B. JOSEPH COUDEN, one of the Lay-Committee, had
not Notice in Time to attend the other Members at Baltimore
for digesting these Proceedings.

P. S. The following Heads of additional Articles which

32 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

could not be taken up at the last Convention, have been pro
posed as some of the Matters necessary to be more fully pro
vided for in the Plan of Ecclesiastical Government, by the
next Convention, and are here added for Consideration, viz.

I. That the Power and Authority necessary for reclaiming or
excluding scandalous Members, whether Lay or Clerical,
and all Jurisdiction with regard to Offenders, be exercised
only by a Representative Body of Clergy and Laity
jointly.

II. That the Power of suspending or dismissing Clergymen
from the Exercise of their Ministry, in any particular
Church, Parish or District, be by the like Authority.

III. That all Canons or Laws for Church Government, and
all Alterations, Changes or Reforms in the Church Ser
vice and Liturgy, or in Points of Doctrine to be professed
and taught in the Church, shall also be by the like joint
Authority. [N.B. The fourth Article of the foregoing
Declaration of Rights seems to provide for this But it
may be further explained, if necessary.]

Inserted in some Copies as a part of the foregoing Pamph
let, and added in others as a supplemental half-sheet, with
slight variations in wording and typography, are the fol
lowing "Additional Constitutions or Rules," important
from their containing references to "General Conventions"
and " Standing Committees," together with definitions of
the rights and powers conferred upon the same.

At a CONVENTION of the CLERGY and LAY-DELEGATES, of
the PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH in the State of MA
RYLAND, held at Chester, on the Fourth Tuesday of Octo
ber 1784, in Pursuance of the Fourth Constitution made at
a former Convention, at Annapolis, June 22, 1784.(1)

J.HE following additional Constitutions respecting the fu
ture Discipline and Government of this Church, in ANNUAL
or GENERAL CONVENTIONS, were agreed upon, viz.

I. GENERAL CONVENTIONS of this Church, consisting of
the different Orders of Clergy and Laity duly represented
(agreeably to the Fourth Constitution aforesaid) shall have

(1) From the copy in Harvard College Library, Cambridge, Mass.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 33

the general Cognizance of all Affairs, necessary to the Disci
pline and good Government of this Church, including parti
cularly the following Matters, viz. The Power and Autho
rity necessary for receiving, or excluding from Church-Pri
vileges, scandalous Members, whether Lay or Clerical, and
all Jurisdiction with Regard to Offenders ; the Power of sus
pending or dismissing Clergymen from the Exercise of their
Ministry in this Church ; the framing, approving of, or con
firming all Canons, or Laws, for Church-Government: and
such Alterations, or Reforms, in the Church-Service, Litur
gy, or Points of Doctrine, as may be afterwards found ne
cessary or expedient, by our Church in this State, or of the
United States in GENERAL CONVENTION. And in all Matters
that shall come before the Convention, the Clergy and Laity
shall deliberate in one Body ; But if any Vote shall be found
necessary, or be called for by any two Members, they shall
vote separately ; that is to say, the Clergy in their different
Orders, according to their own Rules, shall have one Vote;
and the Laity, according to their Rules, shall have another
Vote ; and the Concurrence of both shall be necessary to give
Validity to any Measure.

II. Future Conventions shall frame and establish Rules,
or Canons, for receiving Complaints ; and shall annually ap
point a Committee, consisting of an equal Number of Cler
gy and Laity, (including the BISHOP, when there shall be one
duly consecrated, among the Number of the Clergy) which
Committee shall have standing Authority, Government, and
Jurisdiction, agreeably to such Rules as may be given them
for that Purpose, in all Matters respecting the Discipline and
Government of the Church, that may arise or be necessary
to be proceeded upon, during the Recess or Adjournment of
GENERAL CONVENTIONS: All which Rules shall be framed,
and Jurisdiction exercised in Conformity to the Constitution
and Laws of this State for the Time being. (1)

(1) In the copy of these Additional Constitutions in the Collection of
Early Journals in the possession of the Rev. Dr. Hawks, which, though
evidently inserted after the rest of the pamphlet was printed, is continu
ously paged with the preceding sheets, the words " or general" in the
heading, and " the following Matters, viz.," in Paragraph I. are omitted ;
the parenthetical clause " (of all Orders)" is added to the assertion of
" the power of suspending or dismissing Clergymen" ; and the words " or
Rule" appended at the close of the paragraph. There are several varia
tions in typography, which, as they do not at all affect the sense, it is
hardly important to notice.

34 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

At the Convention of August, 1783, other business had
transpired, beyond that which appears in the printed record
we have above transcribed. In a letter from the Rev. Tho
mas John Claggett to his friend William Duke, subsequently
a Clergyman of the Church, but at that time a preacher
among the Methodists, under date of " Upper Marlboro',
September 20, 1783,"(1) the following paragraph occurs.

" I suppose you have long ago heard that the Clergy of
the Protestant Episcopal Church met last month at Annapo
lis, and that we formed a bill of rights : chose Dr. Smith to
go to Europe to be ordained an antistes, President of the
Clergy, or Bishop (if that name does not hurt your feelings.)
He will probably be back some time next Spring. In the mean
time, we have appointed three of the Clergy on each Shore
to license candidates for Holy Orders in our Church, to act
as readers in the different parishes."

The first Bishop-Elect of Maryland was never consecrated.
Opposition, at first from abroad, and subsequently from
nearer home, delayed from time to time, and finally prevent
ed the accession to the American Episcopate of the able and
accomplished President of Washington College. The dis
sension arising from this matter served to depress the Mary
land Church for a number of years; and the early Conven
tional history of the period immediately succeeding that em
braced in the "Address" we have reprinted, is contained
alone in letters, and fragments of letters, preserved among
the Bishop White MSS., or in similar unpublished col
lections.

In close connection, as will be found by a comparison of
dates, with the efforts of the Rev. Mr. Beach for a general
ecclesiastical organization, the following preparatory steps

(1) Quoted in the valuable " Notices and Journals and Remains of
Journals," Ac., of the Church in Maryland, from 1783 to 1788 inclusive,
first published from the papers of the Rev. Dr. Wm. West, as an Appendix
to the Maryland Convention Journal of 1855, by the Rev. Ethan Allen,
D.D.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 35

were taken by the Vestries of the united churches of Christ
Church and St. Peter's, Philadelphia.

Philadelphia, March 29, 1784.

At ye House of ye revd. Dr. White, Hector of Christ's
Church & St. Peter's.

In consequence of Appointments made by ye vestry of
Christ's Church and St. Peter's as followeth :

" The Rector mentioned to ye Vestry, that he lately had
a Conversation with ye revd. Dr. Magaw, on ye Subject of
appointing a Committee from ye Vestries of their respective
Churches, to confer with ye Clergy of ye said Churches, on ye
Subject of forming a Representative Body of ye Episcopal
Churches in this State, and wished to have ye Sense of this
Vestry thereon. After some consideration, ye Vestry agreed
to appoint Matthew Clarkson and Wm. Pollard for Christ's
Church, and Dr. Clarkson and Mr. John Chaloner for St.
Peter's."

And by ye Vestry of St. Paul's Church as followeth :

" A Copy of ye Minute of ye Vestry of ye united Churches
Christ's Church and St. Peter's, of the 13th of Novr. last,
was, by ye Revd. Dr. Magaw, laid before this Vestry, and is
asfollows. (Here followeth ye above Minute.) The above Minute
being taken into consideration, and this Vestry concurring in
Opinon thereon, unanimously appointed Lambert Wilmer and
Plunk et Fleeson, Esqres., on ye part of this Church, to car
ry into Execution ye good Intentions of the aforesaid re
cited Minute."

The Clergy, together with ye Gentlemen named in ye
said appointments, (except Matthew Clarkson, Esqre., and
Dr. Clarkson, who were detained by sickness,) assembled at
ye time and place above mentioned.

The Body thus assembled, having taken into consideration
ye Necessity of speedily adopting Measures for ye forming
of a Plan of ecclesiastical Government for ye Episcopal
Church, are of Opinion, that a Subject of such Importance
ought to be taken up, if possible, with ye concurrence of ye
Episcopalians generally in ye States. They, therefore, re
solved to ask a Conference with such Members of ye Episco
pal Congregations in ye Counties of this State as are now in
Town ; and they authorize ye clergymen now present to con
verse with such Persons as they gan find of ye above Descrip
tion, and to request their Meeting this Body at Christ's
Church, on Wednesday evening, at seven o'clock.

36 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Adjourned to ye same Time and Place.

Christ Church, March 31.

The Clergy and ye two Committees assembled according
to adjournment (all ye Members being present except M.
Clarkson, Esq., detained by sickness) and ye Body thus as
sembled elected Dr. White their Chairman.

The Clergy reported that agreeably to ye appointment of
ye last Meeting, they had spoken to several Gentlemen, who
readily consented to ye proposed Conference.

The Meeting continued some time; when it was signified
to them, that several Gentlemen, who had designed to at
tend, were detained by ye unexpected Sitting of ye honl.
House of Assembly, they being Members of that House.
The Honl. James Read Esqre. attended, according to Desire.

After some Conversation on ye Business of this Meeting,
it was resolved that a circular letter be addressed to ye Ch.
wardens and Vestry men of ye respective Episcopal Congre
gations in ye State; and that ye same be as followeth, viz.

Gentlemen :

The Episcopal Clergy in this City, together with a
Committee appointed by ye Vestry of Christ's Church and
St. Peter's, and another Committee appointed by ye Vestry
of St. Paul's Church, in ye same, for ye purpose of propos
ing a Plan of ecclesiastical Government, being now assembled,
are of Opinion, that a Subject of such Importance ought to
be taken up, if possible, with ye concurrence of ye Episco
palians generally in ye States. They have therefore resolved,
as preparatory to a general Consultation, to request ye
Church-wardens and Vestry men of each Episcopal Congre
gation in ye State, to delegate one or more of their Body to
assist at a Meeting to be held in this City on Monday, ye
24th day of May next; and such Clergymen as have paro
chial Cure in ye said Congregations to attend ye Meeting ;
which they hope will contain a full Representation of the
Episcopal Church in this State.

The above Resolve, Gentlemen, the first Step in their Pro
ceedings, they now respectfully and affectionately communi
cate to you.

Signed, in behalf of the Body now assembled,

WM. WHITE, Chairman.(l)

(1) From the original Manuscript in the handwriting of Bishop White,
and preserved among his papers.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 37

In furtherance of the proposal contained in this Circular,
there was a meeting of Clergy and Laity in Christ Church,
Philadelphia, on the 24th of May, 1784.

At this meeting, and at an adjourned gathering the follow
ing day, there were present, as appears from the printed
" Journal of the Meetings, which led to the institution of a
Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State
of Pennsylvania : together with the Journals of the first six
Conventions of the said Church,"! 1 )

From Christ Church and St. Peter 8, Rev. William
White, D.D., Rev. Robert Blackwell, Mr. Matthew
Clarkson, Mr. William Pollard, Dr. Clarkson, and
Mr. John Chaloner.

From St. Pauls Church, Rev. Samuel Magaw, D.D.,
Mr. Lambert Wilmer, and Plunket Fleeson, Esquire.
St. James's, Bristol, Mr. Christopher Merrick.
Trinity Church, Oxford, Mr. Benjamin Cottrnan.
All Saints, Pemapecka, Mr. Benjamin Johnson.
St. Pauls, Chester, Dr. William Currie and Mr. James

Withy.

From St. David's, Radnor, Richard Willing, Esquire.
From St. Peter s, in the Valley, Mr. John Francis.
From St. Martin s, Marcus Hook, Mr. Joseph Marshall.
From St. James's, Lancaster, Rev. Jos. Hutchins and

W. Parr, Esquire.
From St. James s, Perkioming, Dr. Robert Shannon and

Mr. John Bean.

From St. Johns, New London, Mr. John Wade.
From Huntington Church, York County, Mr. Joseph

Folks.

The Rev. Dr. White was chosen chairman, and Mr. Wil
liam Pollard, clerk.

The gentlemen assembled, after some conversation con
cerning a concurrence with their brethren in other states, on
means for the preservation of their communion, agreed to
appoint a committee to consider the matter more maturely,
and to report at 3 o'clock, P.M. (2)

(1) Philadelphia: Printed by Hall and Sellers. M.DCC.XC. Svo.pp. 26.

(2) Tuesday, May 25, 1784.

38 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

The committee appointed consisted of the clergy, Dr.
Clarkson, Mr. Parr, Mr. Willing, Mr. Fleeson, and Dr.
Shannon.

Resolved, That each church shall have one vote, whether
represented by one or more persons ; or whether two or more
united congregations be represented by one man, or set of
men.

Adjourned.

Three o'clock, P.M.

The committee met.

The Hon. James Read, Esquire, from St. Mary's church,
Reading, and Mr. George Douglas, from St. Gabriel's, Mor-
latton, in Berks county, joined the meeting.

The committee appointed in the morning reported, as
follows :

" That they think it expedient to appoint a standing com
mittee of the Episcopal church in this state, consisting of
clergy and laity ; that the said committee be empowered to
correspond and confer with representatives from the Episco
pal church in the other states, or any of them ; and assist in
framing an ecclesiastical government ; that a constitution of
ecclesiastical government, when framed, be reported to the
several congregations, through their respective ministers,
church-wardens, and vestrymen, to be binding on all the con
gregations consenting to it, as soon as a majority of the con
gregations shall have consented ; that a majority of the
committee, or any less number by them appointed, be a
quorum ; that they be desired to keep minutes of their pro
ceedings ; and that they be bound by the following instruc
tions or fundamental principles.

First. That the Episcopal church in these states is and
ought to be independent of all foreign Authority, ecclesias
tical or civil,

Second. That it hath, and ought to have, in common with
all other religious Societies, full and exclusive Powers to re
gulate the Concerns of its own communion.

Third. That the Doctrines of the Gospel be maintained,
as now professed by the church of England ; and Unifor
mity of Worship be continued, as near as may be to the li
turgy of the said church.

Fourth. That the succession of the ministry be agreeable
to the usage which requireth the three orders of bishops,
priests, and deacons ; that the rights and powers of the same

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 39

respectively be ascertained ; and that they be exercised ac
cording to reasonable Laws, to be duly made.

Fifth. That to make canons or laws, there be no other au
thority than that of a representative body of the clergy and
laity conjointly.

Sixth. That no powers be delegated to a general ecclesias
tical government, except such as cannot conveniently be ex
ercised by the clergy and vestries in their respective congre
gations."

This was the first ecclesiastical assembly, in any of the
States, consisting partly of lay members.U) The standing
Committee appointed by its authority, and consisting of the
Rev. Drs. White and Magaw, and the Rev. Messrs. Hutchins
and Blackwell, together with Messrs. Clarkson, Fleeson, Wil
ling, the Hon. Mr. Read, Drs. Clarkson and Shannon, and
Messrs. Chaloner and Johnson, delegated their powers by a
special vote to such of their number, together with Samuel
Powel and Richard Peters, Esquires, as attended the meet
ing in New York ; and at a subsequent meeting at the house
of the Rev. Dr. White, on the 7th of February, 1785, (2)

Resolved, That there be sent to every clergyman and con
gregation in the state, an account of the proceedings of the
committee, in concurrence with sundry clergymen and others,

(1) White's Memoirs of the Church, p. 36.

(2) In connection with these extracts from the printed proceedings of
the Vestries at this meeting, it may be well to add, from the Bishop White
MSS., a letter of instructions, addressed by the Rev. William Smith, D.D.,
to the deputies of the parish he had previously served, under the appoint
ment of the venerable Society.

Messrs. Benjm. Cotman and Benjm. Johnson.

I know not what can be done at your meeting of vestries. This
at least I wish, that a Clergyman or two, and about two Vestrymen, may
be appointed a Committee to meet Committees from the neighbouring
States, at some convenient place, about next October, to fix on a general
plan for all our Churches, both in respect to Discipline and our Church
Service. Something fundamental ought also to be agreed upon respect
ing Ordination, &c., similar to what was done in Maryland, a copy
of which I gave to Dr. Magaw, declaring that Episcopal Ordination is an
indispensible qualification for every person who may be desirous to hold
any living in our Church. Certainly none else can hold any of the

40 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

at a meeting in the city of New- York, on the 6th and 7th
days of October last; that it be recommended, that the
clergy, and deputies from the several congregations, assemble
in Christ-Church in this city, on Monday, the 23d day of
May next, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, in order to organ
ize the Episcopal church in this state agreeably to the inten
tions of the body assembled in New- York, as aforesaid; and
that it be recommended to the vestries to declare, at some
congregational meeting, the object of the intended meeting
in May, and to propose to the congregations, to enable them
to send deputies, duly authorized, to the said meeting.

The results of this resolution are sufficiently indicated in
the following important document, which we print from the
original folio sheet, preserved in the collection of early Con
ventional papers made by Bishop White.

-A.CT OF 1 ^SSOOIATIOIV

OF THE

CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS
OF THE

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH,

IX THE
STATE OP PENNSYLVANIA.

WlIEREAS, by the late Revolution, the Protestant Episco
pal Church in the United States of America is become inde
pendent of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in England; in
consequence whereof it is necessary for the Clergy and Con
gregations of the said Church to associate themselves, for
maintaining Uniformity in divine Worship, for procuring the
Powers of Ordination, and for establishing and maintaining
a System of Ecclesiastical Government:

churches heretofore established or built under the Society for propagating
the Gospel, nor the glebes where any are. There will be Committees from
several of the Southern States, especially Maryland and Virginia, but
they can hardly begot together till towards the end of September. I hope
they may be induced to meet as far North as conveniently may be, perhaps
at Philada. or Brunswick, or Wilmington in Delaware State.

WM SMITH
Dated from Chester, Maryland, May 23.

This letter, as appears from its endorsement, was read by Dr. White,
before the Committee, at their meeting in Christ Church, May 26, 1784.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 41

And whereas, at a Meeting of sundry Clergymen and of
Lay Deputies from sundry Congregations of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in this State, held in the City of Philadel
phia, on the 24th Day of May, 1784, there was appointed
a Committee to confer and correspond with Representatives
from the Church in the other States, for the Purpose of con
stituting an Ecclesiastical Government, agreeably to certain
Instructions or fundamental Principles:

And whereas the said Committee, being assembled in the
City of New- York, on the 6th and 7th days of October, in
the same Year, did concur with Clergymen and Lay Deputies
from sundry States, in proposing a Convention from all the
States, to be held in the City of Philadelphia, on the Tues
day before the Feast of St. Michael next ensuing, in order
to unite in an Ecclesiastical Constitution agreeably to certain
fundamental Principles, expressed in the said Proposal:

And whereas the Body which assembled as aforesaid in
New-York did recommend to the Church in the several
States, that previously to the said intended Meeting, they
should organize or associate themselves, agreeably to such
rules as they shall think proper :

It is therefore hereby determined and declared by the
Clergy who do now, or who hereafter shall sign this Act, and
by the Congregations who do now or who hereafter shall con
sent to this Act, either by its being ratified by their respec
tive Vestries, or by its being signed by their Deputies duly
authorized, that the said Clergy and Congregations shall be
called and known by the Name of The Protestant Episcopal
Church in the State of Pennsylvania.

And it is hereby further determined and declared by the
said Clergy and Congregations, That there shall be a Conven
tion of the said Church; which Convention shall consist of
all the Clergy of the same, and of Lay Deputies; and that
all the Acts and Proceedings of said Convention shall be
considered as the Acts and Proceedings of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in this State; provided always, That the
same shall be consistent Avith the fundamental Principles
agreed on at the two aforesaid Meetings in Philadelphia and
New- York.

And it is hereby further determined and declared by the
said Clergy and Congregations, That each Congregation may
send to the Convention a Deputy or Deputies; and where
two or more Congregations are united they may send a De-

42 HISTORICAL "NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

puty or Deputies for each Congregation ; and no Congregation
may send a Clergyman as their Deputy ; and each Congrega
tion represented in Convention shall have one Vote.

And it is hereby further determined and declared by the
said Clergy and Congregations, That the Clergy and Lay
Deputies in Convention shall deliberate in one Body, but
shall vote as two distinct Orders, and that the Concurrence
of both Orders shall be necessary to give Validity to every
Measure; and such Clergymen and Lay Deputies as shall
at any time be duly assembled in Convention shall be a
Quorum; and on every question the Votes of a Majority of
those present of the two Orders respectively shall decide.

And it is hereby further determined and declared by the
said Clergy and Congregations, That all such Clergymen aa
shall hereafter be settled as the Ministers of the Congrega
tions ratifying this Act, shall have the same Privileges, and
be subject to the same Regulations as the Clergy now sub
scribing the same.

And it is hereby further determined and declared by the
said Clergy and Congregations, That the Convention shall
meet on Monday, the 22d Day of May, which will be in the
year of our Lord 1786, and forever after on such annual
Day, and at such other Times and at such Place, as shall be
fixed by future Rules of the Convention.

And it is hereby further determined and declared by the
said Clergy and Congregations, That if the Clergy and Con
gregations of any adjoining State or States, shall desire to
unite with the Church in this State, agreeably to the funda
mental Principles established at the aforesaid Meeting in
New York, then the Convention shall have power to admit
the said Clergy and Deputies from the Congregations of such
adjoining State or States, to have the same Privileges, and
to be subject to the same Regulations, as the Clergy and Con
gregations in this State.

Done in Christ Church, in the City of Philadelphia, this

24th Day of May, in the year of our Lord, 1785.
Witness our hands in Ratification of the Premises. (1)
WILLIAM WHITE, D.D., Rector of Christ Church

and tit. Peters, in Philadelphia,
SAMUEL MAGAW, D.D., Rector of St. Paul's Church,
Philadelphia,

(1) The signing of those Deputies who were sent to the Convention
lout written Powers, was deferred until such Powers can be procured.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 43

ROBERT BLACKWELL, Assistant Minister of Christ

Church and St. Peter's, Philadephia,
JOSEPH HUTCHINS, Rector of St. James's, Lancaster.
JOHN CAMPBELL, Rector of the Episcopal Churches

of York and Huntingdon,
JOSEPH SWIFT, Deputy for Christ Church,
SAMUEL POWEL, | Deputies for St. Peter's

GERARDUS CLARKSON, j" Church,

PLUNKET FLEESON, ")

JOHN WOOD, > Deputies for St. Paul's Clmrch,

ANDREW Doz, j
EDWARD HAND, Deputy for the Congregation of St.

James's, Lancaster,
NICHOLAS JONES, Deputy for St. G-abriel's, Morlat-

ton, Berks,
JOHN CAMPBELL, Deputy for the Congregations of

York and Huntingdon,

JOHN CROSBY, jun.l Deputies for St. Paul's Church,
JOHN SHAW, j Chester,

At this meeting Deputies were chosen in accordance with
the recommendation of the preliminary Convention at New
York, for the meeting in Philadelphia, in September, 1785.
The names of these gentlemen, thus delegated to represent
the Church in Pennsylvania, at the first General Convention,
are found in the Proceedings of the early Pennsylvania Con
ventions, and also in a foot note to the " Act of Associa
tion," above reprinted. They were as follows viz., Clerical
Deputies: the Rev.' Drs. White and Magaw, and the Rev.
Messrs. Blackwell, Hutchins, and Campbell; together with
Messrs. Richard Peters, Gerardus Clarkson, Samuel Powel,
William Atlee, Jasper Yeates, Stephen Chambers, Edward
Hand, Thomas Hartley, John Clarke, Archibald McGrew,
Plunket Fleeson, Edward Shippen, Joseph Swift, Andrew
Doz, John Wood, Nicholas Jones, and Edward Duffield, as
Lay Deputies. (1)

(1) A Committee, consisting of the Rev. Drs. White and Magaw, the
Rev. Mr. Blackwell, with Messrs. Powel, Swift, and Doz, was also ap
pointed, " they, or any three of them," " to carry on all necessary corres-

44 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Measures for the incorporation of the Church in Virginia
had been taken at an even earlier date ; and an Act of Assem
bly had been obtained in 1784 for this purpose in response
to a petition of the Clergy, assembled at Richmond.

pondence, to superintend the printing of the Act of Association, and to
transmit the same to the several congregations in this State ; and in gene
ral, to transact all business relative to the concerns of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in the State of Pennsylvania." This Committee ap
pears to have entered at once upon their duties ; and we insert in this con
nection the following letter, received in reply to one of their communica
tions, as attesting, perhaps more strongly than any similar document we
have noticed, the idea of Diocesan independence, as held by the Mary
land Clergy, in common with their brethren throughout the land.

BALTIMORE, July 5, 1784.
Reverend and dear Sir,

I am glad that I have an Opportunity of returning you my hearty
Thanks for your letter, and the Proceedings of your Committee respecting
Church Matters. I think with you that a Communication of Sentiments
among its Clergy is necessary in the present circumstances of our Com
mon Church; and that their most vigorous Exertions, and harmonizing
Affections are equally so

I think that the Protestant Episcopal Church, in each particular State,
is fully entitled to all the Rights and Authority that are essentially neces
sary to form and compleat an Entire Church ; and that, as the several
States in Confederation have essential Rights and Powers independent on
each other, so the Church in each State has essential Rights and Powers
independent on those in other States. But still, as each State harmonizes
with its Sister-States, for the Common Good of the Confederation ; so, in
like manner, each Particular Chh. should harmonize with its Sister
Churches in the different States, for the Common Good of its Communion
or Society at large.

If I am right in this, then it seems to me that the Particular Chh. in each
State has an inherent and fundamental Right to exercise the Authority
you allude to; tho' it might happen that the ACTUAL Exercise of each in
dependent Authority might not be consistent with some mere " General
Plan."

Yet notwithstanding I do not think it impracticable to answer every
GOOD Purpose of any general Plan, and reserve at the same time, to each
particular State-Church, all the Rights and Authority I have mentioned.
For this end it appears to me that no more is necessary than such a Con
vocation as you mention (or something adequate to it) for the Purpose of
iblishing throughout the Confederated States, an Uniformity of Wor
ship and of Church Government.

When this foundation is once happily laid, the unimportant local vari
ations of the several State Chhs. from each other, according to their par
ticular Circumstances, cannot in my apprehension, either break its Com
munion or injure the Prosperity of the Church in general.

And in order to form such a Convocation, or adopt such Measures as
would effectually answer the end, I conceive it not only prudent tut even

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 45

The only record of this primary Convention we are able
to furnish, is the brief reference to its proceedings contained

in the following letter: (1)

necessary that Lay- Members be delegated by the People for the Purpose,
and that they concur with the Clergy.

As to the usage of the Primitive Chh. with respect to the Election of
Bishops, I need not mention to you that it is difficult to speak positively.
The Approbation of the Laity, tho' desirable, was not I believe necessary.
And even tho' the Clergy might nominate, and be unhappy in an injudi
cious Nomination ; yet still the Approbation or Disapprobation of the Laity
would have its due Effects, as the Encouragement and Support of a
Bishop would rest almost entirely with them.

'But happily for us, these Matters need occasion no Controversy. An
injudicious Election may be laid aside, and a more judicious one made.
Or if no Characters can be found, as yet, in these States, fit for the Pur
pose, an Invitation may be given to some Pious, Exemplary, and Able
Bishop or Bishops, to come and help us in the present Exigencies of our
dismembered Church. Under the Presidency and Influence of such a
Character, I doubt not every true member of the Chh., whether Lay or
Clerical, would be heartily desirous of adhering as closely to the Liturgy
and Rules of the Church of England, as is consistent with the Principles
of the late Revolution ; and that the Laity would be as ready to approve
of the Liturgy and Canons thus adapted to the Civil Governmt. of these
States, as the Clergy would be unwilling to depart from the fundamental
Principles of Episcopacy, and further than necessary from the beautiful
Form, and approved Standard before them.

As to the Division of these States into some few Districts, and placing
a Bishop in each of thorn, I confess I cannot see the least necessity for it.
The limits of each State appears to me the most proper, as well as the
most natural District for each Bishop. In this case each Chh. will be
entire and independent, as the State in which it is ; and will naturally
form the proper Diocese of its Bishop. And supposing the States multi
plied even into 23, I cannot think 23 Bishops too many for America. If
they prove worthy of the high and sacred character, the more of them
the better. And if some few should unhappily disgrace the Dignity of the
Office, a respectable Number of the Order, being pious and venerable,
will give weight and Sanction to Spiritual (which will probably be their
ONLY) Reproofs; and preserve it from Contempt.

These, Sir, are my present Sentiments on the Subject, and I shall be
heartily thankful if you will endeavour to put me right where you think I
am wrong.

The Proceedings of the late Convention at Annapolis are ordered to be
published. At which Time I will endeavour to transmit you a Copy of
them. In the interim, I cannot but inform you that a Committee is ap
pointed for like Purposes with your Committee. But that the Letter you
mention as addressed, or to be addressed to them, has not yet been re
ceived.

I am,
Reverend and dear Sir, your affectionate Servant,

WM. WEST.

Revd. Doctor WHITE.

(1) Bishop White MSS.

46 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

FAIRFAX GLEBE, 26th July, 1784.
Dear Sir,

Your different letters, to the Convention at Richmond and to myself,
on the subject of a general meeting of the Episcopal Clergy at New York,
were all received, but not time enough to be laid before Convention, which
sat only three days. The Episcopal Church in Virginia is so fettered by
Laws, that the Clergy could do no more than petition for a repeal of
those laws for liberty to introduce Ordination and Government and to
revise and alter the Liturgy. The session is passed over without our be
ing able to accomplish this. The few Clergymen at Richmond to whom
your Letter was shewn, approved of the Plan and proceedings of the Penn
sylvania Convention, and also of the general meeting at New' York, but
no delegates have been appointed to attend. In the Present State of Ec
clesiastical affairs in this State, the Clergy could not, with propriety, and
indeed without great danger to the Church, empower any Persons to agree
to the least alteration whatever. I shall be able to explain to you the
necessity of their acting with this caution when I shall have the pleasure
of seeing you. Having some business in New York with the Executors
of ray Mother in Law, I shall endeavour to be there about the time of the
general Convention; perhaps a few days before it: I shall, therefore, say
no more ou the subject of the Circular Letter, only that no notice of the
intended meeting has been sent to North Carolina ; none of the Clergy
present, at the time of receiving your letter, having any acquaintance with
the Brethren in that State.

Altho' this letter is addressed to you, yet I beg it may be considered as
an answer to those signed by yourself together with our Brothers McGaw
and Blackwell. To whom (tho' I have not the pleasure of being Person
ally known to the former) I beg to be affectionately remembered.
I am, Dr. Sir,

Your affct. hmble. servt.,

DAVID GRIFFITH.
Rev. Dr. WHITE.

The Act of the General Assemoly authorized a Conven
tion, " to consist of a deputation of two persons from each
parish, whereof the Minister shall always be one, if there be
a Minister in the parish, and the other person or persons
shall be appointed by the Vestries," " to regulate all the
religious concerns of the Protestant Episcopal Church, its
doctrines, discipline, and worship ; and to institute such rules
and regulations as they may judge necessary for the good
government thereof, and the same to revoke and alter at

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 47

their pleasure." This Act of Incorporation required the ap
pointment of forty persons to constitute the Convention, and
made its first meeting " at the call of any three Ministers of
the Protestant Episcopal Church." Agreeably to the terms
of this Act, a Convention, consisting of thirty-six clergy
men and upwards of seventy laymen, assembled at the Capi
tol in the City of Richmond, on Wednesday, the 18th of
May, 1785.

At this Convention, the following resolutions, reported by
the Committee of the whole on the State of the Church,
were adopted.(l)

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee that de
puties be appointed to represent the Protestant Episcopal
Church of Virginia in the General Convention to be holden
in the City of Philadelphia on. the Tuesday before the feast
of St. Michael next.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee that the
deputation to the General Convention consist of two clergy
men and two laymen ; any two of whom shall be considered
as a representation.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee that in
structions be prepared for the conduct of the said deputies.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee that the
said instructions be so framed as to leave the Convention of
this state at liberty to approve or disapprove of the proceed
ings of the General Convention.

On the following Monday, May 23, 1785, the following ad
ditional resolutions were reported and agreed to.

Resolved, That this Convention are willing to unite in a
general ecclesiastical constitution with the members of the
Protestant Episcopal Church in the other states of America.

Resolved, That this Convention do accede to the following
recommendation of the late Convention at New York, as
fundamental principles in the said ecclesiastical constitu
tions .

(1) Vide, " Journal of a Convention of the Clergy and Laity of the
Protestant Episcopal Church, of Virginia, begun and holden in the City
of Richmond, Wednesday, May 18, 1785. Richmond: Printed by Dixoa
and Holt. M DCC LXXXV." 8vo. pp. 23.

48 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

1. That there shall be a General Convention of the Pro
testant Episcopal Church in America.

2. That the Episcopal Church in each State send deputies
to the said Convention, consisting of clergy and laity.

3. That associated congregations in two or more states
may send deputies jointly.

4. That in every state where there shall be a Bishop
consecrated and settled, he shall be considered a mem
ber of the said Convention ex officio.

Resolved, That this Convention cannot bind themselves on
the subject of the fourth article, until the same shall be re
vised, at the next General Convention at Philadelphia, and
reported to the next Convention.

Resolved, That this Convention cannot accede to the sixth
article, recommended as a fundamental principle of the said
ecclesiastical constitution.

Resolved, That this Convention will however accede to the
mode of voting, recommended in the sixth article, with re
spect to the Convention to be holden at Philadelphia, re
serving a right to approve or disapprove their proceedings.

In addition to these resolutions, which are of no little im
portance when viewed in connection with subsequent mea
sures of the Virginia Church, the Convention gave the fol
lowing instructions to their deputies, appointed to attend the
General Convention at Philadelphia.
GENTLEMEN :

During your representation of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the
General Convention, we recommend to your observance the following
sentiments concerning doctrine and worship. We refer you at the same
time, for these and other objects of your mission, to our resolutions on
the proceedings of the late Convention at New York.

Uniformity in doctrine and worship will unquestionably contribute to
the prosperity of the Protestant Episcopal Church. But we earnestly
wish that this may be pursued with liberality and moderation. The ob
stacles which stand in the way of union amongst Christian societies are
too often founded on matters of mere form. They are surmountable
therefore by those, who breathing the spirit of Christianity, earnestly la
bour in this pious work.

From the holy scriptures themselves, rather than the comments of men,
must we learn the terms of salvation. Creeds therefore ought to be
simple : And we are not anxious to retain any other than that which is
commonly called the Apostles creed.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 49

Should a change in the liturgy be proposed, let it be made with cau
tion ; Aiid in that case let the alterations be lew, and the stile of prayer
continue as agreeable as may be to the essential characteristics of our
persuasion.

We will not now decide what ceremonies ought to be retained. We
wish, however, that those, which exist, may be estimated according to
their utility ; and that such as may appear fit to be laid aside, may no
longer be appendages of our church.

We need only add that we shall expect a report of your proceedings to
those whom we shall vest with authority to call a Convention.

Done in Convention on this 22d day of May in the year of our Lord
1785.

The Convention having agreed upon the foregoing instruc
tions, proceeded to ballot for the deputies to the Philadel
phia General Convention. Their names are arranged in the
record of proceedings, in the order of the number of ballots
they respectively received, and are as follows: The Rev.
David Griffith; John Page, Esq.; William Lee, Esq.; and
the Rev. Samuel Smith M'Croskey. After preparing an
" Address to the Members of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in Virginia," and further instructing their depu
ties to communicate to the General Convention certain pa
pers concerning the proposal of the King of Denmark to
permit the ordination of American clergymen by the Danish
Bishops, they passed a resolution, " that until the farther
order of the Convention, the liturgy of the Church of En
gland be used in the several churches throughout this Com
monwealth with such alterations as the American Revolution
has rendered necessary ;" and proceeded to the enactment
of " Rules for the Order, Government, and Discipline, of
the Protestant Episcopal Church in Virginia." Some of
these regulations, designed to take the place of the English
Canons, which, in the opinion of the Convention, as had
just been resolved, had no obligation on the Virginia Church,
we have reprinted, from their bearing on the opinions then
entertained with reference to our ecclesiastical order and dis
cipline.

50 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

" 9. The clergy who shall minister in this church shall be the three
orders of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons.

10. Every person hereafter to officiate in this church as a Bishop, shall
be nominated by the Convention, and having received Episcopal conse
cration, before he enters upon his office shall take the oath of allegi
ance to this commonwealth, and subscribe to conform to the doctrine, dis-
ciplinfe, and worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Virginia :
And no person shall be received into the church as a Bishop, until he
shall have completed the 30th year of his age.

11. As we conceive the office of a Bishop, according to the true Apos
tolic institution, differs in nothing from that of other ministers of God's
word, except in the power of ordination and confirmation and the rights
of superintending the conduct of the clergy, and of precedency in ecclesias
tical assemblies, that office shall accordingly be so exercised in this church :
And every Bishop, after his promotion to the Episcopal order, shall con
tinue to hold a parish and to do the duty of a parish minister, except when
he is necessarily employed in the discharge of his Episcopal office.

12. No Bishop shall, inflict any censure upon or exercise any power
over the clergy, under his inspection, other than he is allowed to do by the
laws and institutions of this church made in Convention.

13. No priest or minister shall, hereafter, be received into any parish
within this Commonwealth unless he first produce to the vestry sufficient
testimonials of his having been regularly ordained as a priest by some
Protestant Bishop take the oath of allegiance to this commonwealth,
and subscribe to bo conformable to the doctrine, discipline, and worship
of the Protestant Episcopal Church. Provided, that any person who
hath been ordained by a Bishop of the Church of Rome may also be re
ceived as a minister, who shall produce satisfactory testimonials respect
ing his ordination, morals and conduct renouncing the errors of that
church take the oath, and subscribe as aforesaid.

26. Bishops shall be amenable to the Convention, who shall be a court
to try them, from which there shall be no appeal. On all such occasions
a President shall be chosen by the Convention to sit as judge, and they
shall also appoint a clerk to the court.

27. All accusations against a Bishop, as such, shall come from the ves
tries; but no accusation against a Bishop shall be received unless three
vestries join in the complaint All complaints against a Bishop shall be
lodged with such persons as may be appointed to call a Convention, and
ft copy of the charge or charges to be brought against him shall be com
municated to him in writing at least two months before the trial. Counsel
may be employed on both sides; and none but legal evidence shall be ad
mitted.

28. Disorderly, scandalous, and immoral conduct, neglect of duty, a

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 51

disregard to the rules and canons of the church, or taking a bribe to grant
either ordination or a recommendation for a vacant parish, shall be con
sidered as offences in a Bishop, for which he may be brought to trial, and
on his being convicted of any of these he shall be reproved, suspended,
or dismissed at the discretion of the court.

A Standing Committee was further chosen, whose business,
as expressed in the resolution authorizing their appointment,
was, " to correspond with any society or societies of the Pro
testant Episcopal Church in the United States, on any mat
ters relating thereto; to call a meeting of the Convention
whensoever it shall seem necessary; to receive complaints
against the Clergy, and to direct courts of examination,
pursuant to the rules for the government of the church ; to
make such representations on behalf of the church as may
from time to time be expedient ; to give advice on difficulties
propounded to them concerning the church during the recess
of the Convention ; and to report their proceedings to every
succeeding Convention to be confirmed or rescinded." This
Committee, consisting of the Rev. Robert Andrews, the Se
cretary of the Convention, the Rev. John Bracken, the Hon.
John Blair, and John Page, Esquire, were further " instruct
ed to consider of the proper means of obtaining consecra
tion for a Bishop to officiate in this Church ; of sending the
person who may be hereafter appointed to be consecrated ;
and of supporting him during his continuance in office; and
to make their report to the next Convention."

After a session extending from May 18th to May 25th,
inclusive, the records of which, as printed in the origi
nal Journal now before us, comprise twenty- three pages
in small type, this Convention adjourned. It is hardly too
much to say of it, that in the influence it had upon subse
quent legislation of the Church at large in the principles it
enunciates, and in the evidence it affords us of the temper
and opinions of the Virginia Churchmen of that day, it is
second in importance only to that of Maryland.

Still further at the South there had been an ineffectual

52 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

gathering of the Clergy and Laity of the Church in South
Carolina the same month. The reception of the Rev. Dr. Win.
Smith's letter, enclosing the recommendations of the Con
vention of New York, the preceding year, had been followed
by the issue of Circular letters, addressed to the Vestries of
the Protestant Episcopal Churches by the two Vestries of St.
Philip's and St. Michael's, requesting the appointment of
deputies to meet at the State House in Charleston, May 12th,
1785, to take into consideration -the matters recommended
by the meeting at New York. Agreeably to this Circular
letter, several clergymen and laymen met at the time ap
pointed; and inconsequence of the smallness of the repre
sentation of the churches, postponed the consideration of
the New York recommendations to another meeting, the 12th
of the ensuing July. This meeting was attended by only
three clergymen the Reverend Messrs. Robert Smith,
Henry Purcell and Edward Ellington, who had been also pre
sent at the primary meeting in May, together with lay de
puties from the parishes of St. Philip's and St. Michael's,
Charleston; St. James's, Goose-Creek; St. James's, Santee;
St. Bartholomew's, St. George's, Dorchester, Prince George,
Winyaw, and St. John's, Colleton. A striking feature of this
Convention was the appointment of a layman, Hugh Rut-
ledge, Esq., a deputy from St. Philip's, Charleston, to the
Chair. Little appears from the printed Journal to have been
done by this Convention, either in the way of the organiza
tion of the Church in South Carolina, or in originating or
suggesting action for the deputies of the Church at large
Avhon assembled in council. Deputies were chosen five by
the Convention, " one" of whom, " at least," was required
"to be a clergyman," and three of whom were authorized to
proceed on the business proposed for deliberation in the
"Recommendations;" and the nomination of the sixth de
puty was left with the Chairman, should his appointment be
deemed necessary. The Rev. Robert Smith, the Hon. Jacob
Read, the Hon. Charles Pinckney, the Hon. John Bull, and

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 53

the Hon. John Kean, were elected deputies ; the Rev. Henry
Purcell being subsequently substituted by the Convention, in
consequence of the Rev. Robert Smith having declined his
appointment "from the peculiar situation of his family."
An allowance of 80 was made to defray the expenses of the
clerical delegates ; and the deputies were " left to act accord
ing to their judgment," with the single request on the part
of the Convention, that future meetings of the general -body
should be " held in the beginning of August." But while
the Journal! 1) affords us no hint of any further action on the
part of these primary gatherings of the Clergy and Laity of
South Carolina, Bishop White, in his Memoirs,(2) gives us
from his personal knowledge this important additional in
formation.

" In consequence of the recommendation and proposal of
the meeting of 1784, in New York, there was a Convention
of the Clergy of South Carolina, at Charleston, in the spring
of 1785. This was the state in which there was the most to
be apprehended, an opposition to the very principle of Epis
copacy, from its being connected, in the minds of some peo
ple, with the idea of an attachment to the British govern
ment. The citizens of South Carolina were the last visited
by the British armies, and had suffered more than any others
by their ravages. The truth is, there was real danger of an
opposition in the Convention, to a compliance with the invi
tation given. But the danger was warded off, by a proposal
made by the Rev. Robert Smith, to accompany their compli
ance with the measure, by its being understood, that there
a was to be no bishop settled in that state. Such a proposal,
from the gentleman who, it was presumed, would be the
bishop, were there to be any chosen, had the effect intended.
Some gentlemen, it is said, declared in conversation, that
they had contemplated an opposition, but were prevented by
this caution."

In New York, on the 22d of June, 1785, a Convention as
sembled, consisting of the following members.

(1) Reprint of the S. C. Journals, 1785-1818, inclusive, appended to
Dalcho's Historical Account of the Protestant Episcopal Church in South
Carolina. 8vo. Charleston, 1820.

(2) Pp. 95, 96. Vide, also Hawks's Constitution and Canons, pp. 6, 7.

54 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

From Trinity Church, New- York, the Reverend Samuel
Provoost, the Reverend Mr. Beach, Reverend Mr. Moore,
Honorable James Duane, Marinus Willet, and John Alsop,
Esquires.

From the united parishes of Jamaica, Newtown, and ^ lusn-
ing, on Long-Island, the Reverend Mr. Bloomer, Mr. Charles
Crommeline, Mr. Daniel Kissam, Mr. Joseph Burrows, Mr.
John Johnson.

From Staten Island, the Reverend Mr. Rowland, and Paul
Micheau, Esquire.

From New-Rochelle, Mr. Andrew Fowler.

From Ulster and Orange Counties, Mr. Joseph Jarvis.

From Dutchess County, Mr. John Davis. (1)

The proceedings of this primary Convention of New York,
other than the preceding record of names, and the announce
ment of the election of the Rev. Mr. Provoost as President,
and the Rev. Benjamin Moore, as Secretary, is contained in
the following preamble and resolutions, which we extract
from the original Journal, as quoted before.

" This state convention having associated agreeably to the
recommendation of the general convention held in this city
on the 6th and 7th of October, 1784, proceeded to take into
consideration the matters recommended by the said general
convention; thereupon

Resolved, That three clerical and three lay deputies, be
appointed to represent the Protestant Episcopal Church in
the State of New York, in the general convention which is to
be held at Philadelphia on the Tuesday before the feast of
St. Michael next; and that any one or more of each order
form a quorum.

Resolved, That the Reverend Mr. Provoost, Reverend Mr.
Beach, and Reverend Mr. Moore, of the clergy ; and the Honor
able James Duane, Daniel Kissam, and John Davis, Esquires,
of the laity, be appointed for the above mentioned purpose ;
and they are hereby authorized to proceed on the necessary

(1) Proceedings of the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church
in the State of New-York ; Held in the City of New-York, on Wednesday,
June 22d, 1785. New-York: Printed by Hugh Gaine, in Hanover-
Square. M.DCC.LXXXVIL

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 55

business which may be proposed for their deliberation at the
said convention, so far as they conform to the general princi
ples which are established to regulate their conduct in this
matter.

Resolved, That the president be requested to call another
convention, at such time and place as he shall deem most
conducive to the interest of the church."

A much more numerous Convention assembled in Christ
Church, New Brunswick, in New Jersey, on the 6th day of
July, 1785. There were present, as we learn from the origi
nal Journal, (1)

From Christ's Church, New-Brunswick, the Reverend
Abraham Beach, Messrs. Levinus Clarkson and James
Douglass.

From Trinity Church, Newark, the Reverend Uzal Ogden
and Mr. John Schuyler.

From St. John's Church, Elizabeth-Town, Mr. Patrick
Dennis.

From St. Peter's Church, Perth-Amboy, the Reverend
John-Hamilton Rowland, James Parker, and Matthias Hal-
sted, Esquires.

From Christ's Church, Shrewsbury, Messrs. Thomas Mor
ton and Thomas Lloyd.

From St. James's Church, Piscataway, Messrs. John Ar
nold and Henry Sutton.

From St. Mary's Church, Burlington, Abraham Hewlings,
Esq., and Mr. Samuel Roe.

From St. Andrew's Church, Mount -Holly, Messrs. John
Clark and Samuel Spraggs.

The proceedings of this Convention, at its first sitting,
were as follows.

" The convention being assembled,

Prayers were read, and the Reverend Mr. Rowland de
livered a sermon.

Adjourned to three o'clock, P.M.

(1) Proceedings of the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church,
in the State of New Jersey : Including the three first Meetings. With an
Appendix. Trenton: Printed by Isaac Collins. M.DCC.LXXXVII.
8vo. pp. 42.

56 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

The convention met.

The Reverend Mr. Beach was chosen president, and the
Reverend Mr. Ogden, secretary,

Ordered, That the deputies from the several congregations
produce the testimonials of their appointment ; Avhich being
done, the same were read and approved.

Resolved, That the thanks of this convention be given to
the Reverend Mr. Rowland for his sermon, and that he be
requested to publish the same.

A general convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church
in the United States of America being appointed to be held,
in the city of Philadelphia, on the Tuesday before the Feast
of St. Michael next;

Resolved, That this convention will send a representation
to the said general convention; whereupon, the Reverend
Doctor Thomas B. Chandler, the Reverend Messrs. Beach,
Ogden and Rowland, the Honourable John Stevens, Esquire,
Abraham Hewlings, Esquire, Messrs. John Halsted, Patrick
Dennis, Joseph Throckmorton and James Douglass, were
elected for that purpose, with power to accede, on the part
of this convention, to the fundamental principles published
by the convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, held
in New-York, the 6th and 7th days of October 1784 ; and to
adopt such measures, as the said general convention may
deem necessary for the utility of the said church, not repug
nant to the aforesaid fundamental principles.

Resolved, That the next convention of the Protestant Epis
copal church in this state be held at Burlington on the last
Wednesday in May next, unless a previous meeting becomes
necessary, in which case the president may convene it, on some
Tuesday previous thereto, at Perth-Amboy ; and that the
members of this convention recommend it to the vestries of
their respective congregations, to appoint deputies for that
purpose, in order to promote the general interest of this
church.

Resolved, That the Reverend Mr. Ogden be requested to
preach a sermon before the next convention.
End of the first sitting."

The letter of the Chairman of the Committee of Corres
pondence, appointed by the primary convention of Pennsyl-

HISTORICAL NOTES AXD DOCUMENTS. 57

vania, as referred to above, was received in Massachusetts
with interest, and evidently influenced the subsequent action
of the Churches in that State and New Hampshire. The
Rev. Samuel Parker, Rector of Trinity Church, in the city
of Boston, addressed to Dr. White, in reply to his commu
nication, the following interesting and important letter,(l)
which furnishes a fitting preface to the record of the con
ventional proceedings in which the writer had so great a
share.

Reverend Sir :

I had the Honour of receiving your favour of 30 ulto. enclosing
several Copies of the minutes of a Meeting of. the Episcopal Churches at
Philadelphia, by the Honble. Mr. Lowell last week.

You judged very right that the Opportunity then presented would con
vey the annexed Information sooner than the Plan agreed on between
you and the Gentlemen of New York and New Jersey, as no Intelligence
from any of them has yet reached me. I have communicated a copy of
the minutes to each of the Episcopal clergy in this Commonwealth.

We are indeed but five in Number, for when the British Troops evacu
ated this Town in March 1776, all the Episcopal Clergy in this Town
myself excepted and many from the other Towns accompanied them and
have never since returned. Indeed, but two others remained in the whole
Government, these were the Revd. Mr. Bass of Newburyport who was a
Missionary from the Society, but now for reasons unknown dismissed their
Service, and Revd. Mr. Wheeler, who was an Assistant to the Rector of
Trinity Church in Newport, Rhode Island ; the latter being a native of
this Province, upon the breaking out of the War retired to a small patri
mony in the Vicinity of this Town and did not officiate at all till within
a Twelvemonth past he was invited to the churches in Scituate and
Marshfield in the County of Plymouth. Since the War two Clergymen
have settled in this State, Revd. Mr. Lewis, who was Chaplain in Bur-
goyne's Regiment of light Dragoons, left that Service and came to this
Town in 1778 and settled at Christ's Church;

The other, the Revd. Mr. Fisher, who came from Annapolis in Nova
Scotia in 1780 and settled in Salem. The oldest Church in this Town,
formerly known by the Name of King's Chapel is now supplied by a Lay
Reader who is a Candidate for holy Orders.(2) There are five or six

(1) From the Bishop White MSS.

(2) James Freeman, refused Ordination on account of Arianism. Vide
Greenwood's History of King's Chapel.

53 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

other Churches in some of which lay readers now officiate. In the State
of New Hampshire, there are but two Episcopal Churches, one at Ports
mouth the metropolis of the Government, where there has been no cler
gyman since the War, the other in a new Settlement in the western part
of the State(l) where a Missionary from the Society in England is now
resident. In the State of Rhode Island are three Churches only, exclu
sive of one at Bristol which was burnt by the British. In neither of these
is there a Clergyman in holy Orders, but in two of them there are Lay
Readers who are candidates. Mr. Graves Missionary from the Society
still resides at Providence but has not officiated since the commencement
of the War. The State of Connecticut contains the greatest Number of
Episcopal Churches of any of the New England States. There are now
fourteen missionaries from the Society besides seven other Clergymen not
in their service. This, Sir, is a brief State of the Episcopal Church in
the four Northern Governments which are contained in what is called
New England. I flatter myself this account will not be disagreeable nor
perhaps useless to you in your future Consultations respecting the Episco
pal Church in America.

Permit me now, Sir, to make several Enquiries respecting the Plan
proposed at your Meeting. Was it the intention of the Churches that met
at Philadelphia to devise a Plan for the future Government of the Epis
copal Churches in all the States or for Pennsylvania only? How far did
your Convention mean to carry their first Instruction or fundamental
Principle respecting the independence of the Episcopal Church in these
States of all foreign ecclesiastical authority? Is it meant to carry the Inde
pendence so far as to exclude the obtaining a Bishop from England? If so
I plainly foresee great Objections will arise in the Northern States and
especially in those Churches which have been and still are under the Pa
tronage of the Society at home. What Plan is proposed for the procuring
an Episcopate and from what Source can a sufficient support be derived.

I shall esteem it a peculiar favour, Sir, if it is not imposg. too great a
task, to have your Sentiments upon these Points, and that you will also oblige
me with an Account of the Alterations in and Additions to the Liturgy
already in use in your State. As no Alteration except that of omitting
the Prayers for the King and Royal Family has taken place in the
Churches in general in these States, I am desirous of knowing how the
Churches at the Southward manage in this affair, that if possible a Uni
formity as far as the civil government of each State will permit may be
maintained.

I esteem myself very happy in having this occasion of opening a Cor
respondence, to the continuance of which nothing shall be wanting in my
power.

(1) Claremont.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 59

Be kind enough to present my Kind Regards to your Brethren in the
Ministry, and be assured I shall take Pleasure in exerting my little Influ
ence and Endeavours to promote a Uniformity of Government and Wor
ship, and preserving the Communion of the Episcopal Churches in the
United States.

I have the Honour to be, Revd. Sir, with great esteem,

Your Brother, and very humble Servant,

SAMUEL PARKER.
Boston, June 21, 1784.

The Revd. WILLIAM WHITE, D.D.

Evidently prior to the reception of this interesting reply
to his first official communication, Dr. White forwarded the
following letter, (1) of which, unfortunately, but a fragment
remains.

Revd. Sir:

I am informed by your Townsman ye revd. Mr. Clarke, that you wish
to be informed of ye Measures in contemplation with ye epl. Clergy in
these parts for ye continuance of our Church & that you did me ye
honor to name me as one of whom you wished him to make ye Inquiry.
I embrace ye Opportunity of opening my Mind to you in some sentiments
additional to those general Principles which ye Clergy in this City for
warded to you by ye honl. Mr. Lowell. From these last you will learn ye
outlines of our System : & it only remains to mention in what way we
wish to see a representative Body of ye Church constituted in each State
and a general Representative Body for ye Continent.

I therefore, Sir, propose for your consideration, whether it will not be
expedient to have in each State a certain Body composed of all ye Clergy
and Lay-Delegates from ye Congregations (perhaps) according to yr re
spective Numbers Whether it will not be proper to provide that where
ye Church is numerous in any State or may hereafter become so in others,
such States should be divided into Districts & ye State representative
Body formed by Delegation therefrom Whether ye Church of a State
thought not numerous enough to have a Bishop may not be perfectly or
ganized, except a Dependence required on some other for ye single pur
pose of Ordination, a President in such case to be chosen annually; &
Whether, if a State be divided into Districts there may not be a Bishop in
each District, whereby each Bp. having a very moderate superintendance,

(1) From Bishop Parker's MSS. in the possession of his daughter,
the wife of the Rev. Theodore Edson, D.D., of Lowell, Mass.

60 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

might be also a Parish Minister & would not require a separate Revenue
for his Support, je getting such a Revenue being perhaps impracticable?

In respect to a continental Representative, or a Convocation of ye
ep. Ch. in ye U S, I submit to you, whether (were they even to meet but
once in 3, 4, or 5 years) such a Body be not essential to our keeping to
gether one Church as ye R. Catholics, Presbyterians & Quakers do re
spectively & whether such a Body might not be formed, without any
great Burthen, by a Delegation from each State?

I know, revd. Sir, that ye introducing the Laity into our Scheme is
thought exceptionable by some of our Brethren. In answer, I will not
pretend any apprehensions of ye Clergy acquiring extravagant Powers;
altho' could I foresee such an event, it would confirm me in my principle.
But under present Circumstances, I rather expect, that without ye Laity,
there will be no Govt. at all;(l) and that there will be no persons capable
of exercising that Authority which ye 20th & 34th Articles of ye Church
of England consider essentially inherent to every Church ; In short, what
ever ye Clergy alone shall do will be treated as what a Congn. may either
receive or reject & as not even binding on ye dissenting Members of their
own Body; & ye Consequence will at last be, that ye several Congrega
tions being independent of one another, will gradually widen in Doctrine,
and Worship, agreeing perhaps in ye single circumstance of their requir
ing episcopal Ordination.

On ye Subject of procuring ye succession I shall only observe, that if
any private Measures said to have been undertaken for this End shd prove
successful, I think ye whole Church shd gladly avail itself of ye Acquisi
tion. If not, an Application to our Mother Church from Representatives
of ye epl. Church generally will be surely too respectable to be slighted ;
& such an Application might be easily framed by correspondence among
ourselves.

Should you, revd. Sir, think any Part of our Plan exceptionable or have
any thing in Addition to offer, I shall be as friendly in attending to your
Sentiments as I am free in offering my own.

I have ye pleasure to inform you, that last Tuesday there must have
been a Meeting of ye Clergy of Maryld. & Delegates from ye Vestries ;
but their Proceedings are not yet known here.

By a Letter from ye revd. Mr. Beach of Brunswick, I am informed that
ut a late Meeting of ye Clergy of Connecticut, they appointed a Committee
of their Body to meet us in N. York, on ye 1st Tuesday after Michaelmas
& have ....

(1) Bishop White repeatedly told the writer of this note, that such was
the feeling on the subject of introducing the laity, that had they been ex
cluded, no union or constitution would ever have been formed.

F. L. HAWKS.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 61

Following this, we extract from the same source Dr.
White's reply to Mr. Parker's first letter. Taken in connec
tion with the important queries to which it is intended as an
answer, it furnishes us with an authoritative, and at the same
time unstudied and free explanation of the action of the
Pennsylvania Churches.

Revd. Sir,

My delay in answering your kind Letter of ye 21 of June has been
owing to my Desire of sending to you some Acct. of the Proceedings of
ye Clergy & Lay-Delegates in Maryld. But being disappointed in my
Expectation of receiving it, owing as I suppose to the Delay in printing
it, as it contains both a Sermon & a projected Constitution, I can no longer
postpone acknowledging your favour & giving an Answer to your En
quiries.

The fundamental Principles which you have seen were merely meant
as Instructions to a Committee in their Consultations with our Brethren
in ye other States for ye forming a general Constitution for ye Continent,
which we think shd be attempted before we venture to form a Constitu
tion for this State in particular. The Independence asserted is intended
in ye most unlimited Sense ; but we do not think this precludes us from
procuring a Bishop from England, he becoming on his Arrival a Citizen
of ye U. S. Proper Measures for procuring an Episcopate we wish to
see taken at ye ensuing Meeting in N. York : but, as to his support, I
know no source for it but a parochial Living. The only Addition we
have made to ye Prayers is to alter that for ye Parliamt. so as to suit for
ye Delegates of these States in Congress & all others vested with civil
Authority ; we are sensible of the Imperfection of our Plan & that ye
Litany and other Prayers ought to be accommodated to ye political Change ;
but, lest Uniformity should be precluded, we chose to leave this to a gen
eral Communication of Sentiment.

I thank you, Sir, for ye Information contained in your Letter. Our
Numbers are as follows. Those of us who were settled in this State be
fore ye War are Mr. Currie of Chester County whose Age & Infirmities
prevent his officiating, Mr. Elling of Caernavon, & myself. During ye
War, ye revd. Dr. Magaw (formerly Missionary in Delaware) settled as
Rector of St. Paul's in this City, & Mr. Blackwell (formerly Missionary
in Jersey) settled as Asst. to me in ye United Churches. Since ye Peace
we have ye accession of Mr. Hutchins at Lancaster & Mr. Campbell at
Yorktown ; ye former a Native & late Resident of Barbadoes but edu
cated in this City & ye latter a Native of this State who went for Orders
in 1772, where he has resided untill his late Return.

62 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Once more, revd. Sir, I take ye Liberty of expressing my Hopes of see
ing you at N. York on ye 5th of Octr. & am

Your Brother & humble Servt.,
Philada. Aug. 10, 1784. W. WHITE.

Revd. Mr. PARKER.
P.S. Our Brethren in ye Ministry here desire their kind remembrances.

Through the exertions of Mr. Parker, the few Clergy of
Massachusetts and Rhode Island gathered together in Bos
ton the month preceding that appointed for the Convention
in New York. The following correspondence, now first
printed from the original Manuscript, preserved among the
Bishop White papers, fully explains their action, and marks
the zealous Rector of Trinity Church, Boston, as the leading
spirit of them all.

Revd. Sir:

I have the honour to enclose you an Extract of the Proceedings of a
Convention of the Episcopal Clergy of the States of Massachusetts &
Rhode Island held at Boston the 8th Instant & also a Letter from said
Convention to the Comtte. of the Churches in your State, both which I
hope you will safely receive. The Perusal of these will fully inform you
of the Sentiments of the Clergy in these States, & will preclude the Ne
cessity of my enlarging on these points. You will perceive they have
adopted your plan with a small addition to your first Article, without which,
as I mentioned to you in my Letter by Mr. Morris I supposed the Article
would be objected to. In my private Opinion I do not see that the Limi
tation was at all necessary, because I do not apprehend the Independency
there intended would in the least be affected by an application to a foreign
Power for the Succession of Episcopal Authority. The churches here
being most of them without a Minister, a representative body chosen by
the several Churches would consist almost entirely of Laymen & if they
are vested with the Power of making Laws, it will be in their power to
subject the Clergy to what Laws they please, & for that reason the Con
vention thought best to add a clause to your fifth Article to put the Clergy
& Laity more upon a par, & they have accordingly proposed & adopted
this mode of Representation, that each Church chuse one lay Delegate in
conjunction with their Minister & that those Churches that are destitute
of a Clergyman shd chuse one of the neighbouring Ministers to represent
them with one of their own Laymen, & in this mode they think there is
no great danger of their having too much Power.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 63

I have yet heard nothing more of the Meeting of the Churches by their
Committees at New York than what you mention in yours by the Revd.
Mr. Clark, & therefore shall not proceed thither agreeable to the Request
of our Convention unless I can learn that such a meeting will certainly be
held.

I have flattered myself that you would before this have favoured me
with further Information upon that as well as some other matters. The
Plan of Correspondence agreed on between your Brethren in New York
& New Jersey mentioned in yours of May 30 has not taken Effect as we
have in these parts had not the least Intelligence from that Quarter.
Should any general Meeting of the Churches be proposed, we shall be
obliged to you for Notice thereof as we are perfectly disposed to adopt any
measures calculated to promote the Welfare of our Church.

I am requested by the Comtee. of our Convention to ask the favour of you
to transmit an Account of our proceedings to the more southern Churches
& also would acquaint you & them that we shall be happy to receive any
Communications you or they shall be pleased to favour us with. We wish
also for your Opinion whether it is probable Congress will interfere in any
matter of an Ecclesiastical Nature & whether they would countenance a
Request made to England for a Bishop.

Wishing you all possible happiness I remain Revd. Sir, with the utmost
Respect & Esteem

Your Brother & very humble Servt.

SAM'L PARKER.

Boston, Sept. 10, 1784.
Revd. Dr. WHITE.

At a Meeting of the Episcopal Clergy of the States of
Massachusetts and Rhode Island, held at Boston, Sept. 8,

1784,

Voted. That the Episcopal Church in the united States
of America is & ought to be independent of all foreign Au
thority ecclesiastical & civil. But it is the Opinion of the
Convention that this ludependence be not construed or
taken in so rigorous a Sense as to exclude the Churches of
America separately or collectively from applying for & obtain
ing from some regular Episcopal foreign Power an American
Episcopate.

Secondly. That the Episcopal Church in these States
hath & ought to have in common with all other religious
Societies full & exclusive Powers to regulate the concerns of
its own Communion.

64 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Thirdly. That the "Doctrines of the Gospel be maintained
as now professed by the Church of England Uniformity
of Worship be continued as near as may be to the Liturgy of
said Church.

Fourthly. That the Succession of the Ministry be agree
able to the Usage which requireth the three Orders of Bish
ops, Priests, Deacons, that the rights & Powers of the
same be respectively ascertained that they be exercised
according to reasonable Laws to be duly made.

Fifthly. That the Power of making Canons Laws be
vested solely in a representative Body of the Clergy Laity
conjointly; in which Body the Laity ought not to exceed or
their Votes to be more in Number than those of the Clergy.

Sixthly. That no Powers be delegated to a general eccle
siastical Government except such as cannot conveniently be
exercised by the Clergy Vestries in their respective Con
gregations.

Voted. That the Revd. Mr. Parker, Revd. Mr. Bass
Revd. Mr. Fisher be a Comtee. on behalf of the Churches
in these States to correspond consult with the Clergy of
the other Episcopal Churches in America in Convention,
Committees or otherways.

Voted. That a circular Letter be written in the Name of
this Convention to the Episcopal Clergy in the States of Con
necticut, New York Pensylvania urging the Necessity of
their uniting with us in adopting some speedy Measures to
procure an American Episcopate. As it is the unanimous
Opinion of this Convention that this is the primary Object
they ought to have in view, because the very Existence of
the Church requires some speedy Mode of obtaining regular
Ordination.

Voted. That in Case a general Meeting of the Episcopal
Churches in the united States by their Representatives is
now or shall at any future time before the next Meeting of
this Convention be proposed by any number of Churches to
be held for the purpose of promoting the Welfare of said
Church, the Revd. Mr. Parker be desired to meet act with
said representative body on behalf of this Convention.

Voted. That the Convention or Committee of Churches in
the States of Connecticut, New York Pensylvania be
informed of the Proceedings of this Convention that they

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 65

or some of them be requested to transmit the same to our
more southern Brethren.

A true Extract from the Minutes.

Attest.

Reverend & Honoured Brethren.

Having been favoured with the Minutes of the Meeting of
the Clergy & Lay Delegates from sundry Congregations of
the Episcopal Church in the State of Pensylvania held at
Philadelphia the 25th of May last, communicated to us by
your Chairman, We the Clergy of the Episcopal Churches in
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts & State of Rhode Is
land met in Convention at Boston Septemr. 8th, 1784, have
duly considered the same and have unanimously adopted the
fundamental Principles or Instructions to which you are
bound, and think the same not only unexceptionable but
such as the Episcopal Churches in the united States ought to
adopt. We have indeed thought proper to add a Restriction
or an explanatory clause to the first and fifth Article, more
for the Sake of avoiding any Mistakes hereafter than because
we suppose we differ from you in Sentiment.

But it is our unanimous Opinion that it is beginning at
the wrong end to attempt to organize our Church before we
have obtained a head. Our Churches at present resemble
the scattered Limbs of the body without any common Centre
of Union, or Principle to animate the whole. We cannot con
ceive it probable or even possible to carry the Plan you have
pointed out into Execution before an Episcopate is obtained
to direct our Motions, & by a delegated Authority to claim
our Assent. It is needless to represent to you the absolute
Necessity of adopting & uniting in some speedy measures
to procure some reputable Person who is regularly invested
with the powers of Ordination, &c. to reside among us, with
out which scarce the Shadow of an Episcopal Church will
soon remain in these States. Many are the Congregations
here destitute of a Clergyman, & we must be left to the dis
agreeable Alternative of having no Church in many of our
Settlements where there would probably be a respectable one,
or of having clerical Powers conveyed in an irregular manner.

As to the mode of obtaining what we stand in such need of,
we wish above all things to procure it in the most regular
manner & particularly from our mother church in England.
Whether any of the Bishops in England or Ireland would

66 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

consecrate a Person chosen among ourselves & sent there for
th:tt Purpose without a mandate from the King of England or
the authority of his Parliament, we are at a loss to determine;
but we have no doubt that a regular Application made by a
representative Body of the Episcopal Churches in America
would easily obtain a consecrated head, & in order to this we
earnestly wish a mode of applying in some such way may be
immediately adopted by the American Churches.

We are of Opinion that we ought to leave no means un
tried to procure a regular Succession of the Episcopacy be
fore we think of obtaining it in an irregular Manner. To
accomplish this we have chosen a Committee of our Body to
correspond with you upon this Subject & adopt such Measures
for the same as may be expedient or necessary. And in case
a Meeting of a representative Body shall be agreed upon, we
have delegated a Power to one of our Number to represent
us & our Churches in such a Meeting. We are extremely
anxious for the Preservation of our Communion & the Con
tinuance of an Uniformity of Doctrine & Worship, but we
see not how this can be maintained without a common head,
& are therefore desirous of uniting with you in such Mea
sures as shall be found expedient & proper for the common
good.

We are Gentlemen your affectionate Bretliren

& Friends,
Signed in behalf of said Convention,

J GRAVES,

Modr.
Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusets,

Septemr. 8th, 1784.

The Committee of the Episcopal Churches in the
State of Pensylvania.(l)

In Connecticut, the Clergy, though assembling from time
to time in Convocation, adhered to the principle of their pri
mary action, which was, that the Episcopal Succession should
be first secured, and that measures for re-organizing and per
fecting the system of Ecclesiastical government should then
be taken With this feeling, the Clergy of Massachusetts

(1) From Bishop White's MSS. Collections, compared with the original
draft among the Bishop Parker Correspondence in the possession of the
Editor.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 67

and elsewhere throughout the New England States sympa
thised: and the contrary opinion, held, and prosecuted with
so much determination by the Southern Conventions, served
for a time to delay the union of the Churches. As we have
already seen, the admission of the laity to the councils of the
Church was another subject of disagreement; and the con
troversy with respect to this point ceased only at the ratifi
cation of the Ecclesiastical Constitution in October, 1789, by
the Bishop of Connecticut and the deputies from that State,
and Massachusetts and Rhode Island. To these matters the
following pages will again revert. In the mean time, with a
brief glance at an abortive attempt at organization, still
further to the North, we will pass to the consideration of the
first Convention of the associated Churches.

In addition to these Conventions, there had been assembled
in that portion of the present States of New Hampshire and
Vermont, then known as " the Hampshire Grants," a meet
ing of Episcopalians from a number of neighboring towns,
at which a delegate to the Convention in Philadelphia, in
1785, was duly appointed ;(1) and the same gentleman, Gen
eral Roger Enos, deputed to attend the State Convention of
Massachusetts, with which body the more northern Churches
seemed to feel most closely allied. General Enos failed to
present himself either at Philadelphia or Boston, and we
hear little more of the Episcopalians of the Hampshire
Grants. Those of Vermont subsequently met in Convention,
and under the guidance of a zealous but erratic Clergyman,
the Rev. John Cousens Ogden, chose the Rev. Samuel Peters,
LL.D., formerly Missionary in Hebron, Conn., as their
Bishop, and applied in vain, as we shall subsequently see,
both to the English and American Bishops, for his consecra
tion. Those living in the valley of the Connecticut River,
who were, upon the settlement of the disputed boundary line
between New Hampshire and Vermont, declared to belong

(1) Vide unpublished records in the keeping of the Registrar of the
Diocese of New Hampshire.

C8 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

to the former State, united with a portion of their brethren in
Vermont, and obtained for a time the consent of the General
Convention to a conventional organization independent of
the Clergy in the Eastern part of the State. These mat
ters, however, will receive attention at a subsequent stage of
our progress.

To this extended view of the Preliminary Conventions in
various sections of the Church, we need add merely the re
mark, in recapitulation, that these proceedings, to quote the
language of Bishop White, showed " an accommodation to
the civil system" of our government, and asserted, perhaps
for the first time since apostolic days, the right of the Laity
to a vote and a voice in the general and particular councils
of the Church.

THE CONVENTION OF 1785.

THE meeting of the first General Convention of the
Church was awaited with great interest. Since the
gathering in New York the preceding Octoher, the
Rt. Kev. Dr. Samuel Seabury had returned to Connec
ticut, having succeeded in his application for consecra
tion at the hands of the Bishops of the Church in Scot
land. Thus provided with a head, the clergy of Connec
ticut addressed an invitation, to their Southern brethren
to meet them in Convention at MiddletownjQ with a

1 Bp. White, in his Memoirs, says, at New Haven, (p. 100 ;) but the
following letter, which we transcribe from his MSS., seems to sustain
the statement we have made in the text :

STRATFORD, July 14, 1785.
DEAR SIR:

I am desired to acquaint you, that the Clergy of this State are to
meet at Middletown in this State, on the third of August next, at which
time and place, they would be much pleased to see you, and the rest
of the Oiergy of your State.

We must all wish for a Christian Union of all the Churches in the
thirteen States, for which good purpose we must allow private Conve
nience to give way to public Utility.

We have no Views of usurping any Authority over our Brothers and
Neighbours, but wish them to unite with us, in the same friendly
manner, that we are ready and willing to do, with them. I must
earnestly entreat you to come upon this occasion, for the sake of the
peace of the Church, for your own satisfaction, in what friendly
manner the Clergy here would treat you, not to mention what
happiness the sight of you would give to your sincere friend and
brother, JEREMIAH LEAMING.

In further confirmation of the above, we transcribe from the
original, a letter issued by two of the members of a Clerical Committee
of the first Convention of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, who
were invested, as it appears from the Eecords of that meeting,

70 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

view to adopting measures for union and permanent
organization. The reply of the Philadelphia clergy, as
we are informed by Bp. "White, was an invitation to
those of Connecticut to come to the approaching General
Convention in September the appointment of which
meeting was made the excuse for their non-acceptance
of the Connecticut proposal.

This interchange of congratulatory and apologetic
letters gave occasion for the following interesting cor
respondence, addressed by the newly consecrated Bishop
and the venerable Dr. Thomas Bradbury Chandler, of
New Jersey, to Drs. White and Smith. These letters,
which we transcribe from the originals, and two of which
are now for the first time made public, are of the greatest
value, as illustrating the obstacles to union resulting
from the radical movements of the Southern clergy,
and, on the other hand, the sound conservatism of their
brethren at the North :

MY DEAR SIR :

A day or two ago I received from Bp. Seabury, and
was by him desired to forward, the enclosed letters,
addressed to you and Dr. Smith. That to Dr. Smith was

"with power to summon this Convention to meet at such time and
place as they shall judge most convenient, when the exigences of
the Church make it necessary," apparently appointing the other
member of their body to attend the Connecticut Convention as a
Representative of the Churches of the two States.

SALE*, July 28th, 1785.
REV'DSIR:

We request you to attend the approaching Convention of the
Episcopal Clergy, to be holden at the Town of Middletown, in Con
necticut! ; then and there to learn what measures they mean to
adopt ; in order to the maintaining uniformity of divine worship in
the Episcopal Church, &c. &c. fec.
We are

Rev'd Sir, Your very H'ble Ser't.

EDWARD BASS,
Minuter of St. Paul's Church, Newbury Pert.

NATH'EL FISHER,
RBV'D MR. PARKER. Minuter of St. Peter's Church, Salem.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 71

sent open for my inspection ; and, instead of sealing it, I
have taken the liberty to send it open to you, wishing
that you also may have a sight of it. You will, there
fore, after reading it, be so good as to seal and send
it forward.

As the time of your continental Convention now ap
preaches, I doubt not but 3<ou and the other friends of
the Church in general, throughout the country, are be
ginning to grow very anxious about the event. For the
fate of the Episcopal Church in America will, in a great
measure, depend upon the deliberations and decisions of
that general meeting. On this account I could wish to
be present at a consultation of such capital importance;
and, indeed, upon my late arrival from England, I found
that I had been chosen as one of the Representatives of
the Church in this State on the grand occasion ; but such
is my situation, with regard to a scorbutic, corrosive dis
order, with which I have been long troubled, that I fear
it will be impossible for me to accept the Commission by
a personal attendance. "Will you then permit me, in this
way, to give you a sketch of my hopes #nd apprehensions,
as well as my opinion on some matters relative to the
case? From what I know of your character, I cannot
doubt but you will ; and not the less readily, on account
of the freedom which I think it my duty to use, when
ever I pretend to offer my opinion on the subject.

My hopes arise from the anxiety and concern, which
have been so generally shown by the Episcopalians in the
several States, for setting the Church upon a proper
bottom from the attachment they have discovered to
the Episcopal mode of government and from the venera
tion they have expressed for the Liturgy of the Church
of England, as the proper Basis of a Liturgy to be pre
pared for the general use of the churches in America.
Now as such a disposition seems fortunately to prevail,
I cannot but hope that, under the direction and blessing
of Divine Providence, it will produce the happiest effects.

My apprehensions are owing to some measures that
have been adopted by most of the particular Conventions,
and some expedients that have been proposed, which are
contrary to the established maxims of ecclesiastical polity,
and the practice of the Church in all ages, a few modern
instances excepted. In this I have reference to the ad

72 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

mission of the Laity to vote in ecclesiastical Councils; the
divesting Bishops of their proper and essential authority,
and making them subject to their own Presbyters, &c.
&c. The Church is a Society founded by Christ; all ec
clesiastical authority and jurisdiction must be derived
from him, and not from any natural rights, &c. ; this
authority he was pleased to lodge in the hands of certain
officers of his appointment, to be communicated to their
successors ; those, therefore, who are not officers in the
Church, i. e. the Laity, can have no share of ecclesiastical
authority. And as to the other point : If the Bishops are
not allowed to govern the Church, the Church is not
under Episcopal government, and cannot be Episcopal ;
but is under the government of those who govern the
Bishops.

The concessions of this kind which have been made by
any of the Clergy, I suppose have been made through a
desire to gratify and encrease the number of the Church's
friends ; but we are not at liberty, even for so good an end,
to alter the original constitution of the Church, and to
sacrifice the essential rights of Episcopacy. Besides:
although in this way we might, perhaps, gain some new
friends, yet I am sure that we should lose many more old
ones ; and many thousands of the best-informed Episco
palians on this continent would renounce all communion
with us as would also the Church of England, to say
nothing o f the other Episcopal Churches in Europe.
The consequence of this would be, that we should lose
pur respectability in the eyes of the world, be involved
in eternal disputes with other Episcopalians, and wretch
edly defeat our own purpose.

As to the Laity I am clearly of opinion that they
ought to be consulted on this occasion, and that it is
proper that a representation of them should meet at the
same time and place (I mean Town or City) with a re
presentation of the Clergy. It depends upon them,
whether how far and in what manner, our Church
shall be supported. But had I been in this country at
the time of the first meetings, I should certainly have
proposed, and if necessary have urged, that the two Con
ventions of the Clergy and Laity should be kept separate;
that a friendly communication between them should
be kept up, in the way of conference ; that the Clergy,

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 73

after mature deliberation, defining the nature and prin
ciples of that Church, to which they thought it their
duty, under all circumstances, to adhere, should re
commend it to the other Convention, and beg their
support of it; that they should, from day to day, inform
them of their proceedings, and be ready to hear their
objections, and to consider their proposed alterations and
amendments; but that they should by no means admit
the Laity to vote with them on any ecclesiastical questions.
ISTor would the gentlemen of the Laity think such an ex
clusion, when candidly explained to them, any mark of
our want of affection or respect for them ; for they can
have no wish, but to see the just rights and dignity of
their own Church duly ascertained and supported. They
would as soon complain that they are not allowed to ad
minister Baptism or the H. Eucharist.

Had I time, and would it not be tedious to you, I
would make some remarks upon the several late Conven
tions, so far as they have come to my knowledge. But,
for *iie present, I shall confine myself to a few hasty ob
servations on the printed account of the transactions of
the Convention in Virginia held in May last.

In the first place in addition to the general objection
against the voting of Laymen in an ecclesiastical Coun
cil, it may be observed that, 1st, on some days the Lay-
members of that Convention, who were twice as numerous
as the Clerical ones, seem to have taken the lead ; for we
find Mr. JBraxton in the chair. This is so contrary to every
idea of propriety and decorum, that I cannot but wonder
that any one of the Laity should ever have proposed, or
the Clergy have consented to, so unprecedented a mode
of conduct.

Secondly. The Convention seem to have mistaken their
proper business, which was, and could be, no 'other, than
to agree upon the best expedients for supporting the inte
rests and honour and rights of the Church in its present
imperfect State, and to concert measures for compleating
its constitution, by the introduction of an Episcopate as
soon as possible. Here, in my humble opinion, they
ought to have stopt ; and not, to have proceeded to organ
ize the government of the Church, and to establish Canons, or
rules for its future order, government and discipline. I believe
it was never heard of before, that the Presbyters only, or

74 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

the Presbyters and Laity, of an Episcopal Church, under
took to make ecclesiastical Canons ; which is the peculiar
office of the Bishop or Bishops, with the advice of their
Clergy. [See on this subject, Hooker, Potter, Bingham,
and the Original Draft, in answer to Sir P. King, &c. c.j

Thirdly. The Bishop, when introduced into Virginia,
must not only be governed by Canons, in the forming of
which no Bishop was ever eonsulted, but he must consent
to give up a principal part of his office, which has always
been considered as inalienable, and consent to be little
more than a Parish Minister. Although a Bishop imij
take particular charge of a Parish, yet this, I believe, is
the first time that a Bishop was ever obliged to do so, and,
however well he may otherwise be provided for, to do the
duty of a Parish Minister. In consequence of this degra
dation, the Clergy are to meet together in Presbyteries,
without the call of the Bishop, and are to enforce the
Canons of the Church, without his authority ; which regu
lations are contrary to all the maxims of ecclesiastical
polity, and to the very essence of an Episcopal Church.
Instead of dividing the Clergy into Presbyteries, acting in
dependently of the Bishop, why may not the several ends
proposed by it be as well, or better, answered, by dividing
them into Archdeaconries or Rural Deanries, acting under
the authority of the Bishop, according to the practice of
all other Episcopal Churches ? In short, the whole system
of discipline is so destructive to the authority of Bishops,
that it must necessarily be reprobated by every real Epis
copalian in Christendom, who duly considers it.

In saying this, I mean not to reflect upon those worthy
persons, who constituted the above-mentioned Convention
in Virginia. On the contrary, I applaud and honour the
well-meant zeal which they discovered for supporting the
interests of the Church^ and I believe they acted, though
wrongly, from worthy motives; but their accomodating
disposition evidently carried them much too far. And I
cannot but hope that, upon a careful reconsideration of
the proceedings they have published, they will be willing
to rescind some of their decisions. I trust that the above
points will be thoroughly discussed at the ensuing general
Convention, in the spirit of peace, unity and concord.
May the great founder and head of the Church, who has
promised to be always with it to the end of the world,

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 75

prosper your consultations, and bring them to a happy
issue!

It will be of the utmost consequence to the Episcopal
Church in America that it should preserve an uniformity,
at least a similarity, quails decet esse Sororum, through the
different States. In Connecticut the constitution of the
Church is now compleated, as far as I can judge, upon
right principles. I wish that in the other States the
example may be followed; for I do not believe that the
Christian world affords one more conformable to the
primitive pattern, all things considered, than the Church
in Connecticut.

As I am hourly expecting the bearer to call upon me,
I must now conclude. Possibly I may hereafter find my
self disposed to resume this subject. In this Letter I
have not had time to speak to the several points I in
tended, nor to study propriety of expression. However,
if you think any thing here said or suggested may be
useful, it is submitted to your disposal*

With my best compliments to your good Lady, I have
the honour to subscribe myself, with much esteem,

Your affectionate Brother,

and humble Servant,
T. B. CHANDLEK.Q

ELIZABETH-TOWN,
Sept. 2d, 1785.

To this important document, emanating from perhaps
the foremost man in ability and reputation among the
American clergy, we add the letter from Bp. Seabury to
Dr. Smith, referred to as enclosed for Dr. White's perusal.
It is printed in the appendix to Bp. White's Memoirs of
the Church; but, for the correction of several trifling
errors which appear in the Bishop's copy, we have tran
scribed it anew from the original, which is still preserved
among the manuscripts of the General Convention.

1 From the original letter among the Bp. White MSS.

76 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

(') NEW LONDON, Augt. 15th, 1785.

REV'D AND DEAR SlR,

It has not been in my power till this day, to pay
that attention to your letter of July 19th, which the im
portance of its several subjects demanded.

The grand difficulty that defeated my application for
Consecration in England appeared to me to be the want
of an application from the State of Connecticut. Other
objections were made, viz : that there was no precise
diocese marked out by the civil authority, nor a stated
revenue appointed for the Bp's support: But those were
removed. The other remained for the civil authority in
Connecticut is Presbyterian, and therefore could not be
supposed would petition for a Bp. And had this beer\
removed, I am not sure another would not have started
up: For this happened to me several times. I waited,
and procured a copy of an Act of the Legislature of Con
necticut, which puts all denominations of Christians on a
footing of equality, (except the Roman Catholics, and to
them it gives a free toleration) certified by the Secretary
of State : For to Connecticut all my negociations were
confined. The Abp. of Cant, wished it had been fuller,
but thought it afforded ground on which to proceed. Yet
he afterwards said it would not do; and that the minister,
without a formal requisition from the State would not
suffer the Bill, enabling the Bp. of London to ordain
foreign Candidates without their taking the Oaths, to pass
the Commons, if it contained a clause for Consecrating
American Bps. And as his Grace did not choose to pro
ceed without parliamentary authority though if I under
stood him right, a majority of the Judges and Crown
Lawyers were of opinion he might safely do it I turned
my attention to the remains of the old Scots Episcopal
Church, whose Consecrations I knew were derived from
England, and their authority in an ecclesiastical sense,
fully equal to the English Bps. No objection was ever
made to me on account of the legacies left for American
Bps. Some people had surmises of this kind, but I know
not whence they arose.

1 From the original manuscript preserved among Bp. White's
papers. The printed copy in the Appendix to the Bishop's Memoirs
(pages 286-292 inclusiVe) is incorrect in several particulars.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 77

I can see no good ground of apprehension concerning
the titles of estates or emoluments belonging to the Ch'ch
in your State. Your Ch'ch is still the Ch'ch of England
subsisting under a different civil government. We have
in America, the Ch'ch of Holland, of Scotland, of Sweden,
of Moravia, and why not of England. Our being of the
Ch'ch of England, no more implies dependence on, or
subjection to England, than being of the Ch'ch of Holland
implies subjection to Holland.

The plea of the Methodists is something like impu
dence. Mr. Wesley is only a Presbyter, and all his Ordi
nations Presbyterian, and in direct opposition to the Ch'ch
of England: And they can have no pretence for calling
themselves Ch'chmen till they return to the unity of the
Ch'ch, which they have unreasonably, unnecessarily and
wickedly broken, by their separation and schism.

Your two cautions respecting recommendations and
titles are certainly just. Till you are so happy as to have
a Bp of your own, it will be a pleasure to me to do every
thing I can, fof the supply of your Ch'ches: And I am
confident the Clergy of Maryland, and the other States,
will be very particular with regard to. the qualifications
and titles of persons to be admitted into their own Order.
Should they think proper to send any Candidates hither,
I could wish that it might be at the stated times of Ordina
tion; because the Clergy here living so scattered, it is not
easy on every emergency to get three of them together;
and never without some expence w T hich they cannot well
afford. I cannot omit to mention again, the particular
satisfaction Mr. Ferguson gave, not only to me, but to all
our Clergy. I Lope he will prove a worthy and useful
Clergyman. I flatter myself he got home without any
disagreeable accident.

I thank you for your communications respecting Wash
ington College, and the various Conventions you have had
in your State, and neighbourhood. The Clergy and Laity
have particular merit in making so great exertions to get our
Ch'ch into a settled and respectful state. But on objects of
such magnitude and variety it is to be expected that senti
ments will differ. All men do not always see the same
object in the same light : And persons at a distance are not
always masters of the precise reasons and circumstances
which have occasioned particular modes of acting. Of

78 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

aome things therefore in } T our proceedings I cannot be a
competent judge, without minute information ; and I am
very sorry that my present circumstances, and duty here,
will not permit me to make so long a journey at this
time ; because by personal interview and conversation
only can such information be had.

But, my dear Sir, there are some things which, if I do
not much misapprehend, are really wrong. In giving my
opinion of them, I must claim the same privilege of judg
ing for myself which others claim; and also that right of
fair and candid interpretation of my sentiments which is
due to all men.

1. I think you have done wrong in establishing so
many, and so precise, fundamental rules. You seem
thereby to have precluded yourselves from the benefit of
after consideration. And by having the power of altering
fundamental rules diffused through so large a body, it
appears to me next to impossible to have them altered^
even in some reasonable cases ; because cases really
reasonable may not always appear so to'two-thirds of a
large assembly. It should also be remembered that while
human nature is, as it is, something of party, passion, or
partiality, will ever be apt, in some degree, to influence
the views and debates of a numerous and mixed assembly.

2. I think you have too much circumscribed the power
of your Bp. That the Duty and Office of a Bishop, differs
in nothing from that of other Priests, except in the power of
Ordination and Confirmation, (Pamph. p. 16) and the right
of Precedency, &c. is a position that carries Jeroms opinion
to the highest pitch. Quidfacit Episcopus, quod Presbyter
nonfaciat, excepta ordinatione? But it does not appear that
Jerom had the support of the Ch'ch, in this opinion, but
rather the contrary. Government as essentially pertains
to Bps as ordination ; nay ordination is but the particular
exercise of government. Whatever share of government
Presbyters have in the Ch'ch, they have from the Bp, and
must exercise it in conjunction with, or in subordination
to him. And though a Congregation may have a right
and I am willing to allow it to choose their minister,
as they are to support him and live under his ministry,
yet the Bps concurrence or license is necessary, because
they are part of his charge ; he has the care of their souls,
and is accountable for them ; and therefore the ministers

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 79

authority to take charge of that congregation must come
through the Bp.

The choice of the Bp. is in the Presbyters, but the
neighbouring Bps who are to consecrate him must have
the right of judging whether he be a proper person or
not. The Presbyters are the Bps council, without whom
he ought to do nothing but matters of course. The
Presbyters have always a check upon their Bp. because
they can, neither Bp nor Presbyters, do any thing
beyond the common course of duty without each other.
I mean with regard to a particular diocese; for it does not
appear that Presbyters had any seat in general councils,
but by particular indulgence.

The people being the patrons of the Ch'ches in this
country, and having the means of the Bps and ministers
support in their hands, have a sufficient restraint upon
them. In cases that require it, they can apply to their
Bp, who, with the assistance of his Presbyters, will pro
ceed, as the case may require, to censure, suspension or
deposition of the offending Clergyman. If a Bp behaves
amiss the neighbouring Bps are his judges. Men that
are not to be trusted with these powers are not fit to be
Bps or Presbyters at all.

This, I take it, is the constitution of the Christian
Ch'ch, in its pure and simple State. And it is a constitu
tion which, if adhered to, will carry itself into full effect.
This constitution we have adopted in Connecticut; and
we do hope and trust that we shall, by God's grace,
exhibit to the world, in our government, discipline and
order, a pure and perfect model of primitive simplicity.

Presbyters cannot be too careful in choosing their Bp ;
nor the People in choosing their Minister. Improper
men may, however, sometimes succeed: And so they
will, make as exact rules, and circumscribe their power,
as you can. And an improper man in the Ch'ch, is an
improper man, however he came there, and however his
power be limited. The more you circumscribe him, the
greater temptation he is under to form a party to support
him ; and when his party is formed, all the power of
your convention will not be able to displace him. In
short if you get a bad man, your laws and regulations
will not be effectual if a good man the general laws of
the Ch'ch are sufficient.

80 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

When civil States have made provision for ministers,
it seems reasonable that they should define the qualifica
tions, and regulate the conduct of those who are to enjoy
the emolument. But voluntary associations for the exer
cise of such powers as your Convention is to have, are
always apt such is the infirmity of human nature to
fall into parties ; and when party enters, animosity and
discord soon follow. From what has been said you will
suppose I shall object

3. To the admission of Lay members into Synods &c. :
I must confess I do, especially in the degree your funda
mental rules allow. I have as great a regard for the laity
as any man can have. It is for their sake that Ministers
are appointed in the Ch'ch. I have no idea of aggran
dizing the Clergy at the expense of the laity: nor indeed
of aggrandizing them at all. Decent means of living is
all they have a right to expect. But I cannot conceive
that the Laity can with any propriety be admitted to sit
in judgment on B^s and Presbyters, especially when
deposition may be the event; because they cannot take
away a character which they cannot confer. It is incon
gruous to every idea of Episcopal government. That
authority which confers power, can, for proper reasons,
take it away : But where there is no authority to confer
power, there can be none to disanul it. Wherever,
therefore, the power of Ordination is lodged, the power
of deprivation is lodged also.

Should it be thought necessary that the laity should
have a share in the choice of their Bp if it can be put
on a proper footing, so as to avoid party and confusion,
I see not but that it might be admitted. But I do not
apprehend that this was the practice of the primitive
Ch'ch. In short, the rights of the Christian Ch'ch arise
not from nature or compact, but from the institution of
Christ ; and we ought not to alter them, but to receive
and maintain them, as the holy Apostles left them. The
government, sacraments, faith and doctrines of the Ch'ch
are fixed and settled. We have a right to examine what
they are, but we must take them as they are. If we new
model the government, why not the sacraments, creeds
and doctrines of the Ch'ch ; But then it would not be
Christs Ch'ch, but our Ch'ch ; and would remain so call
it by what name we please.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 81

I do therefore beseech the Clergy and Laity, who shall
meet at Philadelphia, to reconsider the matter before a
final step be taken : and to endeavour to bring their
Ch'ch government as near to the primitive pattern as
may be. They will find it the simplest, and most easy to
carry into effect; and if it be adhered to will be in no
danger of sinking or failing.

I^do not think it necessary that the Ch'ch in every
State should be just as the Ch'ch in Connecticut is ;
though I think that the best model. Particular circum
stances, I know, will call for particular considerations.
But in so essential a matter as Ch'ch government is, no
alterations should be made that affect its foundation. If
a man be called aBp who has not the Episcopal powers of
government, he is called by a wrong name, even though
he should have the power of Ordination and Confirmation.

Let me therefore again entreat that such material alter
ations, and forgive me if I say, unjustifiable ones, may
not be made in the government of the Ch'ch. I have
written freely as becomes an honest man ; and in a case
which I think calls for freedom of sentiment and ex
pression. I wish not to give offence, and I hope none
will be taken. Whatever I can do consistently to assist
in procuring Bps in America, I shall do cheerfully, but
beyond that I cannot go; and I am sure neither you, nor
any of the friends of the Ch'ch, would wish I should.

If any expression in the letter should seem too warm,
I will be ready to correct the mode, but the sentiments I
must retain till I find them wrong, and then I will freely
give them up. In this matter I am not interested. My
ground is taken, and I wish not to extend mj authority
beyond its present limits. But I do most earnestly wish
to have our Ch'ch in all the States so settled that it may
be one Ch'ch, united in government, doctrine, and dis
cipline that there may be no divisions among us no
opposition of interests no clashing of opinions. And
permit me to hope that you will at your approaching
Convention so far receed on the points I have mentioned,
as to make this practicable. Your Convention will be
large and very much to be respected. Its determinations
will influence many of the American States, and posterity
will bematerially affected by them. These considerations
are so many arguments for calm and cool deliberation.

82 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Tinman passions and prejudices, and, if possible, infirm
ities, should be laid aside. A wrong step will be attended
with dreadful consequences. Patience and prudence
must be exercised: And should there be some circum
stances that press hard for a remedy, hasty decisions will
not mend them. In doubtful cases they will probably
have a bad effect.

May the Spirit of God be with you at Philadelphia;
and as I persuade myself, the sole good of his Ch'ch is
the sole aim of you all, I hope for the best effects from
your meeting.

I send you the alterations which it has been here
thought proper to make in the Liturgy, to accomodate
it to the civil constitution of this State. You will
observe that there is no collect for the Congress. We
have no backwardness in that respect, but thought it our
duty to know whether the civil authority in this State has
any directions to give in this matter; and thai; cannot be
known till their next meeting in October.

Some other alterations were proposed, of which Mr.
Ferguson took a copy ; and I would send you a copy had
I time to transcribe it. The matter will be resumed at
Kew Haven the 14th of September. Should we come to
any determination, the Brethren to the southward shall
be informed of it.

With my best regards to the Convention and to you,
I remain your affect, hum'l Serv't.

SAMUEL, BP. EP'L CH'CH, CONNECT.

I have taken the liberty to enclose a copy cf my letters
of Consecration, which you will please to communicate
to the Convention. You will also perceive it to be my
wish that this letter should be communicated to them; to
which, I presume, there can be no objection.

Resuming the same subject a few days later, Bp. Sea-
bury addressed the following letter directly to Dr. White :

(^NEW LONDON, Augt. 19, 1785.
REVEREND AND DEAR SIR,

I thank you for your several letters since my arrival
in America, and particularly for the Pamphlets you sent

1 From the Bp. White MSS.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 83

me. I had heard of them, and -wanted much to see them.
I have not yet had time to do more than look at them,
but should be glad to cultivate an acquaintance with a
gentleman of so much learning and merit as the author
of the (^Letter and Reply evidently is.

It is a grief to me that I cannot be with you at your
ensuing Convention. Neither my circumstances, nor
duty will permit it. I am utterly unprovided for so long
a journey, not being, at present, master even of a horse.
I have written particularly to Dr. Smith, from whom I
had a long letter, and have explained to him my senti
ments on one or two points in your fundamental rules,
which I fear are not right. I suppose, and expect, that
Dr. Smith will read my letter to him to the Convention ;
it is my wish he should. You, and the Brethren, and
Gentlemen who shall assemble, will, my good Sir, excuse
my apprehensions, and the freedom I have taken, to
express myself, as an honest man should do, in plain
language. And I hope you will be induced to reconsider
the matters pointed out in my letter. The two points
which I am most concerned about, are, your circumscrib
ing the Episcopal power within such narrow bounds,
depriving the Bp. of all government in the Ch'ch except
as a Presbyter; and your subjecting him and yourselves
to be tried before a Convention of Presbyters and lay
men.

There are some other things which I think exception
able ; But if these two points are adhered to, it matters

1 "A Letter to the Roman Catholics of the City of Worcester, from
the late Chaplain of that Society, stating the Motives which induced
him to relinquish their Communion, and become a Member of the
Protestant Church." * * * * Philadelphia: Printed by Robert Aitken,
&c. M.DCC.LXXXIV. Sm. 8vo, pp. 40. In the Editor's collection of
Pamphlets.

This letter, which was republished at New York by David Long-
worth in 1817, and still again in the second volume of " The Remains''
of Dr. Wharton, edited by Bp. Doane, in Philadelphia, in 1834, was
replied to by Archbishop Carroll, of the Roman Catholic Church, in
an "Address to the Roman Catholics of America." This Address
elicited the " Reply" by Dr. Wharton, to which allusion is made in
the letter from Bp. Seabury, printed above. Two other small pub
lications on the subject followed from Dr. Wharton's pen, all of
which were republished in New York in 1817, and are reprinted in
the volume of " Remains" already referred to as issued by Bp.
Doane.

84 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

little how exceptionable your constitution may be in other
respects ; because I conceive it impossible it should long
subsist in its present form It will either fall into parties,
and dissolve, or sink into real Presbyterianism.

The enclosed are such alterations as have here been
thought necessary, to accomodate our Liturgy to the
civil constitution of this State. Should more be done, it
must be a work of time and great deliberation.

I am much obliged to you for your attention to the
letters directed to your care from England. Please to
make my regards to Dr. Magaw, Dr. Andrews, and Mr.
Blackwell. I wish you a happy meeting may the Holy
Spirit be with you at your meeting, and direct your con
sultations to the good of his Church. I shall always be
glad to hear from you. Messrs. Spragg, and Row, are
now with me. Their business cannot be completed till
the Ordination in September.

Believe me to be, Rev'd Sir, with esteem and regard,
your affect'te Bro'r and Serv't,

SAMUEL, BP. EP. CH'CH. CONNECT.

The replies to these earnest appeals have not been pre
served. The views of Dr. White in this matter may,
however, be readily surmised from the following letter,
addressed to him by Dr. Chandler a week before the time
appointed for the meeting of the Convention:

MY DEAR SIR,

******

I am greatly obliged to you for your polite invita
tion to put up at your house, and were I to come to
Philadelphia, I would accept of it with pleasure; but my
situation is such with regard to my disorder and the pro
cess I am pursuing in hope of removing it, that I find it
will be impracticable. Whether my presence at the ensu
ing Convention would be of any use is a matter of uncer
tainty ; yet were I able to attend I should think it my
duty and besides, I should have an opportunity of seeing
some pereons, with whom I wish to be better acquainted!

Were you and I to talk over, at leisure, the business
of this Convention, I natter myself that, afterwards, we
should not differ widely in our opinions, upon most of

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 85

the points in question. There is however, one point, on
which at present we seem to think very differently ; I
mean the right of the Laity to some share of ecclesiastical
authority. In my former Letter I briefly suggested some
reasons why I thought they should be excluded, and took
the liberty to refer to some authors proper to be consulted
on the subject. In yours of the 8th you oifer several
reasons why you think they ought to be admitted.

Your first reason is taken from what appears to you to
have been the practice of the Prim. Church; but I think
I have seen it unanswerably proved, over and over, by
different authors, that there is nothing in ecclesiastical
antiquity, or very little indeed, to countenance this claim
of the Laity. You seem to wonder that I referred to
Hooker on the subject, as you think his Sentiments are
directly opposite to mine. It was indeed a long time
since I had looked into Hooker, but I recollected the
general drift of his Book VII, and more particularly
some passages which, formerly, I had occasion to pro
duce: such as, for instance: "a Bishop is a Minister of
God, unto whom with permanent continuance, is com
mitted a power of chiefty in government over Presby
ters as well as Laymen, a power to be by way of Jurisdic
tion, a Pastor even to Pastors themselves." Again :
" We require you to find out but one Church upon the
face of the whole earth, that hath been ordered by your
discipline (i. e. a discipline much like that which was
settled last May in Virginia) or hath not been ordered
by ours, that is to say, by Episcopal regiment, since the time
that the B. Apostles were here conversant. Many things
out of antiquity ye bring, as if the purest times of the
Church had observed the self-same orders which you
require ; and . as though your desire were, that the
Churches of old should be patterns for us to follow, and
even glasses wherein we might see the practice of that,
which by you is gathered out of Scripture. But the
truth is, ye mean nothing less." From these and similar
passages, I concluded that Hooker excluded the Laity
from every part of purely ecclesiastical authority, and
consequently from the highest act of it, viz : that of
making Canons. I have since tumbled over some leaves
of his Book, and I think it would be an easy task to
prove that I was not mistaken with regard to his opinion.

86 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Had I time, I could point out much in Bingham, that
clearly supports my side of the question. You allow
that Potter is with me ; and I will only observe, that what
he wrote on the subject was never answered, or disputed
with him. With regard to Slater's Original Draft, as you
have never seen it, as he has handled the point before us
in a masterly manner, as he wrote against a very erro
neous and popular Book, and as I happen to have two
copies of his work, I now send you one of them, and
beg your acceptance of it. I wish you had time also to
read Maurice on Diocesan Episcopacy, in answer to Bax
ter Sage's Principles of the Cyprianic Age, and his
Defence of it and Bp. Hoadly on Episcopal Ordination,
who candidly and effectually confutes all these claims of
the Laity. In short, this is a radical point, and I entreat
you not to give your consent to robbing Episcopacy of its
essential rights. I am the more urgent with you on this
head, as I hope the time is not far distant when I am to
see you vested with the Episcopal character. I have
often talked the matter over with Bp. Seabury in Lon
don ; and we both agreed that you were the properest
person for the State of Pensylvania, and, unless we should
liiid ourselves mistaken with regard to your character,
which I believe we were not, that we would do all that
we consistently could to befriend you in this way.

Your second reason is ; that in the Church of England,
nothing can be done without the Laity, &c. In -answer to
which I will only observe, that in that Church none are
allowed the right of making Canons, but the two Houses
of Convocation, who indeed must be called together by
the King's Writ. Those Canons I confess cannot be
legally binding upon the Laity without an Act of the
State ; but were it not for the alliance it has with the
State, they would still be binding upon the consciences of
the faithful. Where a government means to establish any
particular Church, it has a right to make laws relative to
that establishment, and to expect concessions from the
Church, so far as they can be made consistently with ita
own principles, on that account. The Royal supremacy
in England, founded on the Act of Submission, is a matter
with which, at present, we have nothing to do, and is I
conceive, peculiar to an establishment. That the Laity
should have their check upon the Clergy, I allow to be

HISTOKICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 87

reasonable ; but where they are patrons of all the Church
Livings, have the means of supporting the Clergy in
their own hands, and have an unquestionable right to
prefer complaints or well founded accusations against
them, I think they have check enough in all conscience.

Tliis last observation meets your third reason. Under
this head you go on to say, that all reasonable measures (I
suppose you mean of restraining the Clergy) will, on the
plan in question, be easier carried into effect, and sooner vindi
cated against misrepresentation. This to me, is at present
inconceivable ; but my reasons must be omitted. Since
I began this letter I have had an unlucky fall, which has
almost blinded me, and so wounded my right hand, that
I hold my pen with difficulty. However, before I con
clude, I must not omit to inform you, that the explana
tion of some points given in your last Letter, has afforded
me much satisfaction as it shews that we are not so
different in our opinions, as I at first imagined. I wish
that the Convention may be, in reality, as favourable
to Episcopacy as your explanation is but I have my
fears.

I thank you for the pamphlets you sent, which have
afforded me considerable amusement. Mr. Wharton
appears to advantage in his publication, and his anta
gonist is a man of ingenuity and dexterity. They treat
each other with personal respect, which I am pleased to
see in all controversies. * *

Very sincerly and affectionately yours,

T. B. CHANDLER.

ELIZ : TOWN, Sept. 20th, 1785.

At the North, the arrival of Bp. Seabury had produced
marked changes in the disposition of the more prominent
clergy, with regard to liturgical revision and measures
for union. Early in the year 1785, the news of the suc
cess of Dr. Seabury's application to the Scottish Bishops,
had been reQeived in New York, and intelligence of the
fact was immediately communicated by the Rev. Benja
min Moore, to the clergy of Massachusetts, in the follow
ing letter to Mr. Parker.

88 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

NEW YORK, Feb'y 14, 1785.

DEAR SIR,

******

I received a Letter, by the last Packet, from Dr.
Inglis, in which he informs me, that after every Applica
tion in England had proved ineffectual, Dr. Seabury
went to Scotland, and was consecrated by some of the
Nonjuring Bishops near Aberdeen, on the 14th Nov'r.
last. He was on his Way to England, when Dr. Inglis
wrote, and intends to embark for America, by the first
convenient Opportunity. There can be no Doubt of the
Validity of .this Ordination. I am sure you will rejoice
at it, and if he is so fortunate as to arrive safe in America,
will join Heart and Hand with your Staunch, Orthodox
Brethren, in supporting our venerable Church upon true
Episcopal Principles. I hope Dr. I. has been very accu
rate in ascertaining the Succession among the Conjurors,
since the Time of the Revolution. As he is the first
American Bishop, it may, in future years, be a Matter
of some Consequence to be able to trace the Current up
to the Fountain Head.

Your Friend and Brother,

BENJ'N MOORE.

REV'D MR. PARKER.

Soon after the meeting in Philadelphia, Dr. "White had
enclosed the Act of Association of the Pennsylvania
Churches in a letter to Mr. Parker, which, as it illus
trates the apprehensions entertained at the North with
reference to the proceedings of the coming Convention,
we subjoin, together with its reply. To this letter of Dr.
White's there is no date appended; but the original, still
preserved among the Bp. Parker correspondence,^) is
endorsed as having been received in June, 1785.

DEAR SIR,

I should have answered your last Favor sooner,
but for my Desire of furnishing you at ye same Time
with an Acc't of our Proceedings in Consequence of ye

1 In the possession of the Editor.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 89

Measures taken in N". York. I am sorry to find that
those Measures have been so construed by some of our
Friends in England, as if we had refused to ye Ep'l
Order ye Right of Precedency in our Conventions. Pro
bably you will recollect, that in ye original Draft it was
provided that ye senior Bp : present sh'd preside ; and
that this was erased, not from ye Idea that any other than
a Bp ought to be Presid't, but from an Observation of
Dr. S. that to restrain it to ye senior Bp. might be some
times inconvenient ; I wish that ye Clause had stood.

We have no information of Bishop Seabury's Arrival
at N. London or in any Part of ye U. States ; I hope we
may expect him at ye Meeting in Sep'r. The Papers
mention ye Consecration of a Dr. M. Moffat for Rhode-
Island, but they are ye only Channel by which we have
even heard ye Name of that Gentleman.

I suppose you have had nothing further from ye Block
head who wrote under ye Signature of "A Presby
terian." In ye present State of Affairs, ye Appearance
of such an intolerant Spirit will rather have a Tendency
to assist us.

The intended Academy of which I informed you has
been opened about two months. The Schools contain
125 Boys and are continually increasing. We have
elected for Principal Mr. Andrews of Maryl'd, a worthy
Clergyman of our Church, whom we daily expect to take
ye Charge of it. * * * *

Perhaps you will think we have appointed too many
Lay Gent'n to ye Convention. This was owing to an
Opinion advanced by ye Clergy from ye Country, that it
would expedite ye removing of any Prejudices that may
be remaining. As it is preparatory to ye framing a
Const'n, it will not be a Precedent under it.
I am, dear Sir,

Your Friend and Brother,

W. WHITE.

The following, from the Bp. White MSS., was Mr.
Parker's reply :

BOSTON, Septem'r 14, 1785.
REV'RD AND DEAR SIR,
1 have to acknowledge the Receipt of a Letter re-

90 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS

ceived from you about 6 weeks since inclosing the Act
of Association of the Churches in the State of Pensyl-
vania, but the letter being without Date I cannot say how
long it was on its Journey. I am with you equally sen
sible that the fifth of the fundamental Principles in the
paper printed at N. York has operated much to the Dis
advantage of that Convention. Had it stood as I pro
posed that a Bishop (if one in any State) sh'd be Presi
dent of the Convention, I make no doubt there would
have been one present. You will be at no loss to con
clude that I mean Doct'r Seabury, who you must 'ere this
have heard is arrived and entered upon the exercise of
his Offices in Connecticutt. Being present in Convocation
at Middletown the 4th of Aug'st last, I much urged his
attending the Convention at Philadelphia this month, but
that very Article discouraged him so much that no argu
ments I could use were sufficient to prevail with him.
Had that Article stood as proposed, the Gentleman who
moved the Amendment would not have suffered by it, nor
[would] the Convention [have been] stigmatized as Anti-
Episcopalian. It was at my Request that the Bishop with
his clergy agreed to make some Alterations in the Liturgy
and Offices of the Church, and a Com'tee from the body
of the Clergy was chosen to attend him for that purpose,
a report of which I was desired to lay before a Conven
tion of Clergymen and Deputies from the churches in this
State together with Rhode Island and New Hampshire,
which was to meet the first Wednesday in this month.
This Convention accordingly met, and have agreed to
adopt the Alterations proposed at Middletown, (excepting
two) and have agreed to a few others, which are to be
proposed to the Churches in the other States. I am
therefore directed by said Convention to forward to you,
or to the President of the gen'l Convention to be held
at Philadelphia the 27 of this month a copy of the
Alterations proposed by our Convention, and to request
a copy of the proceedings of that Body in order to com
pare notes and to see how near our Ideas agree. I
accordingly enclose you now a copy of said proposed
Alterations and if you are not President of said Conven
tion yourself [beg you] to deliver them to him with a
request of our Convention that they may be communi
cated to your Convention, and that we may be furnished

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 91

with a copy of the proceedings of that Body before the
time to which our Convention stands adjourned which is
Octo'r 26th next.

As the Expence of sending one or more Delegates to
the gen'! Convention would be very considerable and
must fall upon one or two churches, our Convention con
cluded not to send, as you will find by the vote following
the proposed alterations.

"Whether you will find time to revise the Canons,
.Articles, &c., of the Church, and the Liturgy also, or
which you will enter upon first, is uncertain. I rather
think that Canons and Articles, or an Ecclesiastical Con
stitution should be left to your Bishop (when you have
one) with his Clergy ; the Laity seem to be more con
cerned with the Liturgy, and the revision of that will
take more time than they will be willing to spend at con
tention. I find that the fourth Article in the proposals
printed at New York is disgusting to many of our Com
munion who neither like the Doctrines held by the Church
of England nor the Liturgy as it now stands, and if
those are fundamental Principles how will you get rid of
them ? Some of the Doctrines held up in the 39 Articles
I think are not founded in Scripture, and I could wish
if they are taken into Consideration by the Convention,
they may be amended.

The Doct'r McMoffat whom you say the Papers mention
as having been consecrated was formerly a Custom h'ouse
Officer at Newport, very unpopular and hated by the
People. The article in the paper was intended only as
Hum or a Reflection upon the Church.

I shall esteem it a favour if you will be so kind as to
inform me what measures are adopted at your Convention
and whether you make any alterations in the Liturgy as
we are perfectly disposed here to preserve a Uniformity
in divine Worship and to adopt any measures that will
tend to that end.

I am Dear Sir with respect and Esteem,

Your most aflect'te Friend and Brother

SAMUEL PARKER.

These alterations referred to in the above letter as
enclosed, and which we reprint in full from the Journal

92 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

of the Convention in Boston, will also serve to put us in
possession of the measures for revision entertained by
the Connecticut Convocation at this time, measures
which their subsequent legislation failed to confirm,
mainly from the reaction of feeling consequent upon the
more radical changes introduced into the Liturgy at the
South.

At a Convention of Clergymen and Lay Deputies of
the Episcopal Church of the States of Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, held at Boston,
Sept. 7 and 8, 1785.

Present.

Rev. Edward J3ass, Rector of St. Paul's Church, New-
buryport.

Rev. Wm. "Willard Wheeler, Rector of the united
Churches at Scituate, Marshfield, Braintree, and Bridge-
water.

Rev. Nathaniel Fisher, Rector of St. Peter's Church,
Salem.

Rev. Samuel Parker, Rector of Trinity Church, Boston.

Hon. Tristram Dalton, Esq., Deputy of St. Paul's
Church, Newburyport.

Stephen Greenleaf, Esq., and Mr. Benjamin Greene,
Deputies of Trinity Church, Boston.

Thomas Ivers, Esq., and Mr. James Sherman, Deputies
of Christ Church, Boston.

Dr. Charles Stockbridge, Deputy of Scituate, Marshfield,
and Bridge water.

i:-v. Wm. Willard Wheeler, Deputy of Braintree.

Mr. Woodward Abraham, Deputy of Marblehead.

Mr. Joshua Kingsbury, Deputy of Dedham.

Mr. Joseph Aspimvall, Deputy of Stoughton.

Mr. John Bours, Deputy of Trinity Church, Newport,
Rhode Island.

Mr. John Usher, Deputy of Bristol, R. I.

Dr. Francis Borland, Deputy of Queen's Chapel, Ports
mouth, N. II.

Voted, Rev. Edward Bass, President of this Convention.

Voted, Rev. Nathaniel Fisher, Secretary.

Voted, That the Clergy and Laity now assembled shall

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 93

deliberate in one body, but shall vote separately, and the
concurrence of both orders shall be necessary to give
validity to every measure.

Voted, That the Convention take into consideration the
revisal of the Liturgy and offices of the Church, as con
tained in the Book of Common Prayer, and make such
alterations as may be necessary ; and that the omissions
and alterations, agreed upon by a Committee of Convoca
tion, held at Middletown, in Connecticut, August 3, 1785,
as contained in paper Ko. 1, serve as a basis for our pre
sent proceedings.

The Convention then proceeded to a revisal of the State
Prayers, in the Book of Common Prayer, and came to the
following resolutions, as a substitute for the State Prayers.

That in the Suffrage after the Creed, in morning and
evening prayer, instead of, "O Lord save the King," it
be read, O Lord save the Church, to which the congrega
tion are to make the accustomed response, " and merci
fully hear us," &c.

That the prayer for the King, in morning and evening
service, be left out; and the prayer for the Royal Family
be thus altered, Almighty God, the fountain of all
goodness, we humbly beseech thee to bless the Governor
and Council of this Commonwealth, endue them with thy
Holy Spirit, and so on, as it now stands.

That in the Litany, the 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th peti
tions be omitted, and the petition for Bishops, Priests,
and Deacons, immediately follow that for the universal
Church ; the 20th and 21st petition be thus read, that
it ma please thee to endue the Governor and Council
of this Commonwealth with grace, wisdom, and under
standing; that it may please thee to bless and keep the
Judges and subordinate Magistrates, giving them grace
to execute justice, and to maintain truth ; to both which,
the usual response, "we beseech thee to hear us, good
Lord," is to be made by the congregation.

That in the prayer for the whole state of Christ's
Church Militant, the part relating to Rulers and Minis
ters, be thus altered : We beseech thee also to save
and defend, all Christian Kings, Princes, and Governors,
and grant that they, and all that are in authority, may
truly and impartially minister justice to the punishment
of wickedness and vice, and to the maintenance of thy

94 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

true religion and virtue ; give grace, Heavenly Father,
to all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, that they may,
and so on, as it now stands.

That the prayers for the King, that stand before the
Nicene Creed, in the Communion Service, be omitted.

That in the Answer in the Catechism, to the question,
" What is thy duty towards thy neighbor," for, " to honor
and obey the King", be substituted, to honor and obey
my civil rulers, to submit myself, &c.

That during every session of the General Court, the
following Collect be used in its proper place : Most
Gracious God, we humbly beseech thee, as for this Com
monwealth in general, so especially for the General Court
at this time assembled, that thou wouldest be pleased to
direct and prosper all their consultations, to the advance
ment of thy glory, the good of thy Church, the safety,
honor, and welfare of thy people; that all things may be
so ordered and settled, by their endeavors, upon the best
and surest foundation, that peace and happiness, truth
and justice, religion and piety, may be established among
us, for all generations ; these, and all other necessaries,
for them, for us, and thy whole Church, we humbly beg,
in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ, our most
blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.

That the observation of 5th November, 30th January,
29th May, and 25th October, be discontinued.

In the other parts of the Liturgy and offices of the
Church, they came to the following resolutions :

That in the Te Deum, the sentence following this,
"when thou tookedst upon thee to deliver man," Sfe thus
altered, thou didst humble thyself to be born of a pure
virgin.

That the Article in the Apostles' Creed, " He descended
into Hell," be omitted.

That the Creed commonly called the Creed of St. Atha-
nasius, be wholly disused.

That it be left discretionary with the Minister, War
dens, and Vestry, of each particular Church, or congrega
tion, to omit or use the ISicene Creed, as they shall seve
rally choose.

That the response after the suffrage, " give peace in
our time, O Lord," be thus altered, and make all nations
to rejoice in thy loving kindness, God.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 95

That the Lord's Prayer, after the Apostles' Creed, and
also what is usually called the shorter Litany, or the peti
tions, "Lord have mercy upon us, Christ have mercy,"
&c. be omitted, or left out. That the petitions in the
Litany, from, " O Christ hear us," inclusive, to the
prayer beginning, "0 God, merciful Father," and from
the end of that prayer, including the response, "O Lord
arise, help us, and deliver us, for thy name's sake," as
far as the suffrage, "From our enemies defend us,
Christ," exclusive, be also omitted.

That the Lord's Prayer,' at the beginning of the Com
munion Service, be omitted; and that the Gloria Patri be
repeated only at the last of the Psalms, read at morning
and evening service, when more than one, or that it be
repeated but once in reading the Psalms.

The Prayer for the Clergy and people, in morning and
evening service, to be thus read, Almighty and everlast
ing God, from whom alone every good and perfect gift
doth come, send down upon all Bishops and Pastors,
and the congregations committed to their charge, the
healthful Spirit of thy grace, &c.

That in the first warning, for the Celebration of the
Holy Communion, the word " damnation," following
these words, "increase your," be read, condemnation;
and the two paragraphs after these words, " or else come
not to that holy table," be omitted, and the following
one be read, And if there be any of you, who by these
means cannot quiet their own conscience, &c. The words
"learned and discreet," epithets given to ministers, &c.
be also omitted.

That in the Exhortation at the Communion, the para
graph concerning the danger of receiving the same un
worthily, be thus altered : So is the danger great, if we
receive the same unworthily, not considering the Lord's
Body, for then we are guilty of the Body and Blood of
Christ our Saviour, we eat and drink judgment to our
selves, kindling God's wrath against us, and provoking
him to afflict us with divers diseases, and sundry kinds
of death.

That it be left discretionary with the Minister, whether
the words, "The body of our Lord Jesus Christ," &c., be
repeated to each communicant separately, when the bread
is given, or whether it shall be repeated but once, for all

96 HISTORICAL NOTES AND IKrCUMENTS.

then present at the Altar and the same also at giving
the cup ; and if the latter is adopted, that the plural be
then used, instead of the singular.

That at the Baptism of Infants, parents may be ad
mitted Sponsors, with one or other person, if a suitable
one can be procured, if not, the parents alone, in their
own persons, or by their proxies.

In the first address to the people in the Baptismal
Office, the words, "All men are conceived and born in
sin," be omitted, and the words, "our Saviour Christ,"
follow " for as much as."

That the words, "release him of his sins," in the
address to the Sponsors, be omitted ; that when the child
or person is baptized in church, instead of repeating the
Creed, the priest may say, Dost thou believe all the
articles of the Christian faith, as contained in the
Apostles' Creed? to which the answer shall be, I do,
and, by God's help, I will instruct this child in that
faith ; the following question to be thus altered, Wilt
thou have this child to be baptized in that faith ? The
usual response to follow ; the last demand and response
to be omitted.

That the Sign of the Cross may be omitted, if particu
larly desired by the Sponsors.

In the last prayer, the following alterations to be made :
" That it hath pleased thee, by thy holy baptism, to re
generate this infant or person," the words "Vulgar
tongue," in the Exhortation and Charge to the Sponsors,
be omitted; and the words, " if opportunity presents,"
be added at the end of the Charge.

At the Burial of the Dead, the Commitment of the Body
to the ground, to be thus altered: For as much as it hath
pleased Almighty God, to take out of this mortal life, the
soul of our brother (or sister), here departed, we therefore
commit his (or her) body to the ground, earth to earth,
ashes to ashes, dust to dust, looking for the resurrection
of the body, and the life of the world to come, through
our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body,
that it may be like unto his glorious Body, according to
the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all
things unto himself.

The prayer following the Lord's Prayer, to be omitted;
and after the words, " beginning of the world," in the

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 97

last prayer, be added this paragraph : So that we, with
all those that are departed in the true faith of thy holy
name, may then have our perfect consummation and
bliss, both in body and soul, in thy eternal and everlast
ing glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord, grant this, &c.

That the office of Churching of Women, be omitted,
excepting the introduction, the latter part of which shall
be read : You shall therefore join in giving hearty thanks
to God ; and the Collect, which shall be thus altered : O
Almighty God, we give thee humble thanks, for thy
great mercy vouchsafed to this woman, thy servant, who
now desires to offer up her praises and thanksgivings to
thee ; and grant, &c.

The second paragraph in the Introduction to the Com-
mination Service, to be thus read : instead whereof, it is
thought good at this time, in the presence of you all,
should be read the general sentences of God's cursing
against impenitent sinners, gathered out of the seven
and twentieth chapter of Deuteronomy and other places
of Scripture: the remainder of this paragraph, with the
Kubrick, that "the people shall answer and say, Amen,"
to the Curses, to be omitted.

That the Absolution, in the office of the Visitation of
the Sick, be expunged, and the Absolution used in the
Communion Service, be substituted in its stead, if neces
sary.

That the Introduction to the Marriage Service, contain
ing the reasons why matrimony was ordained, be omitted,
from the words, "holy matrimony," to "therefore, if any
man can shew any just cause," &c.

That the words, " plight and give thee my troth," be
altered to pledge thee my truth ; that the words, " with
my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I
thee endow," in giving the ring, be' omitted.

That it be left discretionary with the Minister, whether
the Collect for the day be read more than once in the
morning service, and also whether the Communion Ser
vice shall be read in the Heading Desk or in the Altar.

Voted, That it be recommended to the several Churches
in these States, immediately to make the omissions, and
adopt the alterations contained in the printed paper No.
1, and agreed upon by this Convention, as a substitute for
the State Prayers, in the Book of Common Prayer, and

98 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

that the using the other alterations be postponed till after
the time to which this Convention shall be adjourned, in
order that it may be seen, how far the other States will
conform to said alterations.

Voted, That it is the opinion of this Convention, that
it is not necessary nor convenient to send a Delegate or
Delegates to the General Convention, to be holden at
Philadelphia on the Tuesday preceding the Feast of St.
Michael, but that a copy of the proceedings of this Con
vention be communicated, by a Committee to be here
after chosen, to the President or some member of said
Convention, to be communicated to said Body, and also
to the Bishop or Clergy of Connecticut, previous to the
Convention to be held at New Haven, to be communi
cated to them, requesting a speedy communication of
each of their proceedings to said Committee.

Voted, That said Committee furnish all the Churches
in the three States not represented here, and those whose
members are absent, with a copy of the alterations in the
Liturgy, agreed upon by this Convention, and request of
them a return of their actings thereon, to this Conven
tion, at their adjournment.

Voted, -^Rev. Mr. Parker, Thomas Ivers, Esq., and Mr.
Benjamin Greene, be said Committee, with a power to
employ a Clerk to assist them.

Voted, That the Rev. Mr. Bass and Mr. Fisher be a
Committee to form a Collect, to be inserted among the
occasional prayers for the case of persons who have lost
their friends, for persons sick, and for persons bound to
sea, and report at the adjournment.

Voted, That this Convention be adjourned to October
26th, and in case the Committee shall not then have
received the returns from the Conventions at New Haven
and Philadelphia, that they be authorized to adjourn said
Convention, to such future day as they shall judge best,
and notify the members of the same.

In consequence of the preceding votes of Convention,
attested copies of the proposed alterations in the Liturgy
and Offices of the Church, were transmitted to the
Churches and Clergymen.

One to the Right Rev. Bishop Seabury, New London, Con.
Rev. Bela Hubbard, New Haven, Con.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 99

One to the Rev. Benjamin Moore, New York.

" Rev. William White, D. D., Philadelphia.

" St. Paul's Church, Newburyport, Mass.

" Trinity Church, Boston, Mass.

" Christ Church, "

" St. Peter's Church, Salem, Mass.

" United Churches at Scituate and Marshfield.

" Christ Church, Braintree, Mass.

" Church, Marblehead, Mass.

*' Church, Falmouth, Mass. >

" Trinity Church, Newport, R. I.

" St. Michaef's Church, Bristol, R. I.

" Church, Providence, R. I.

" Church, Narraganset, R. I.

" Queen's Chapel, Portsmouth, N. H.

" Church, Claremont, N. H.

" Church, Holderness, N. H.

With these apprehensions on the part of the New Eng
land Clergy, and the hindrances to union they of necessity
occasioned, the Convention of the Church in the States
of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware,
Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina assembled in
Christ Church, Philadelphia, on Tuesday, the 27th of
September, A.D. 1785. Their session lasted until the
evening of Friday, the 7th of October; and from the
variety of measures recorded as having received con
sideration or approbation during that time, we have
selected the following subjects, arranged in the order in
which they respectively appear in the Journal, as chiefly
needing illustration, from, the manuscript and printed
sources in the hands of the Editor. These subjects are as
follow, viz.:

I. Alterations in the Book of Common Prayer.
II. The General Ecclesiastical Constitution.
III. Measures taken for obtaining the Episcopacy in the
English line of Succession.

100 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

I. ALTERATIONS IN THE BOOK OF COMMON
PRAYER.

At the outset of the contest of the Revolution, changes
in what were technically known as the " State Prayers"
were inevitable. The Clergy who refused to acknowledge
the asserted independence of the revolted Colonies were
mobbed, fined, imprisoned, and silenced. Many were
either driven within the lines of the enemy, or compelled
to seek safety for their lives by removal to the Northern
Provinces, which still owned allegiance to the British
Crown. Partisan ignorance and intolerance sometimes
found an implied reproof in the lessons of Scripture as
read in the appointed services of the Church ; and the
Missionary of the venerable Society for the Propagation
of the Gospel, on the frontiers of Maine, was subjected
to arrest and annoyance in consequence of the personal
application made by the patriots of his neighborhood, of
the story of Korah and his punishment, assigned as one
of the lessons for the Sunday after Easter. (1)

(1) The following letter, which we print from the original, preserved
among the Bp. Parker correspondence, will not be out of place as vividly
illustrating the trials of the loyal Clergy of our communion during the
war of Independence :

DEAB SIB,

Our court is now sitting, and I am this moment Informed that I am
presented before the Grand Jury for charging my congregation not
to have any concern with the rebels, but to separate from them, least
they should be involved in their punishment. The witnesses have
sworn that the crime was committed on the last Sunday in April.
My Sermons had nothing in them which could furnish any pretence
for this accusation, but in the lesson of the day, Numbers 16-26., I find
these words " And he spake unto the congregation " saying, depart I
pray you from the tents of these wicked men, and " touch no thing
of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins these I find are almost
the words of their depositions what they will make of this presentment
I can not tell.

I found this piece of paper, and thought this extraordinary intelligence
might serve to divert you a little and to elucidate the characters of my
persecutors.

J. BAILEY.
Oct'r 1, 1778.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 101

In Boston, immediately after the arrival of the news
of the Declaration of Independence, the services of the
Church were so much interrupted that the assistant Minis
ter of Trinity Church, the Kev. Samuel Parker, who
was the only Clergyman remaining in the city after the
evacuation by the British troops, convened the proprietors
of his Church and submitted to them the question of his
future course. The minutes of this meeting come pro
perly before us as among the first alterations of the
Liturgy designed to make it "consistent with the Ameri
can Revolution." We transcribe them from the original
manuscript in Mr. Parker's handwriting, still preserved
in the hands of his family.

At a Meeting of the Minister, "Wardens and Vestry of
Trinity Church on Thursday the 18 Day of July 1776

The Rev'd Mr. Parker informed the Wardens and Ves
try that he could not with Safety perform the Service of
the Church for the future as the Continental Congress
had declared the American Provinces free and independ
ent States, had absolved them from all Allegiance to the
British Crown and had dissolved all Political Connection
between them and the Realm of England. That he was
publicly interrupted the Lord's Day preceding when read
ing the Prayers in the Liturgy of the church for the King
and had received many Threats and Menaces that he
would be interrupted and insulted in future if the
Prayers for the King should be read again in the
church : and that he was apprehensive some Damage
would accrue to the Proprietors of the Church if the
Service was in future carried on as had been usual. And

Vide also pp. 105-126 of " The Frontier Missionary : A Memoir
of the Rev. Jacob Bailey, A.M.," by the Eev. Wm. S. Bartlet, A.M.,
published as the 2d volume of the "Collection of the Protestant
Episcopal Historical Society," New York, 1853.

The sufferings of the other Northern missionaries, who seem to
have been more uniformly loyal than their brethren at the South,
are narrated at length in the abstracts and correspondence of the
Ven. Propagation Society, and particularly in Hawkins' "Historical
Notices of the Missions of the Church of England in the Colonies."
(8vo, London, 1845,) pp. 301-322, and 328-344.

102 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

therefore he desired their Counsel and Advice "Where
fore the said Wardens and Vestry taking the Matter into
Consideration, after maturely debating thereon, it ap
peared evident that the Temper and Spirit of the People
in this Town was such that they would not suffer any
Prayers for the King to be publickly used in divine
Service, and that there was no other Alternative but
either to shut up the church and have no public Worship,
or to omit that Part of the Liturgy wherein the King is
prayed for; And as there are many Persons of the
Episcopal Persuasion who cannot conscientiously attend
the Worship of Dissenters and to whom it would be a
great Detriment and Grief of Mind to have no Place
where they can attend the Worship of God according to
their Consciences; the Wardens and Vestry conclude that
it would be more for the Interest and Cause of Episco-

Eacy and the least Evil of the two to Omit Part of the
iturgy than to shut up the church And hoping that in
this sad Alternative it will not be imputed to them as a
Fault or construed as a Want of Affection for the Liturgy
of the Church, if under these circumstances they omit
that Part of it in which the King is mentioned. There
fore Voted That Mr. Parker the present Minister be de
sired to continue officiating in said church and that he
be requested to omit that Part of the Liturgy of the
Church which relates to the King and that the Omissions
be as follows.

In the Petitions and Responses after the Lord's Prayer
in the Morning and Evening Service, the following to be
omitted, Lord save the King, And mercifully hear us when
we call upon Thee. The two Prayers for the King's Ma
jesty and the Royal Family in the Morning and Evening
Service to be omitted and that the Prayer for the whole
Estate of Christ's Church militant be used at Evening
Prayer instead of the three Prayers for the King, Royal
Family and Clergy, omitting these Words of it, And
especially thy Servant George our King that under fdm we
may be godly and quietly governed, unto his whole Council and
to all that are put in Authority under him. That the 15th,
16th, 17th, 18th, and 20th Petitions of the Liturgy and
the Collects in the Communion Service for the I&ug be
omitted, and that no other Alterations be made nor any
Additions be substituted. Voted That the Proprietors of

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 103

Trinity Church be warned to meet the next Sunday morn
ing before the usual Time of Service and these Votes
be laid before them for their Concurrence and Assent.

At a Meeting of the Proprietors of Trinity Church
the 21st Day of July 1766

The foregoing Votes of the "Wardens and Vestry of
said Church containing the Method proposed for carrying
on the Service of the Church in future and the Reasons
therein alledged for omitting Part of the Liturgy were
read and considered, and it appearing absolutely neces
sary that some Alterations be made in order that the Pro
prietors may worship in Safety and without Interruption
Voted unanimously That we concur with the Wardens
and Vestry in the proposed Omissions and Alterations,
and that Mr. Parker the present Minister be requested to
make the necessary Omissions and perform the Service
as is therein proposed

A True Copy from the Minutes
Attest.

Where this course was not taken, the churches were
shut up and the services interrupted, save in those por
tions of the country occupied by the British forces.
Among those of the Clergy who sympathized with the
popular side, a compliance with these variations in the
services was general ; and as in Pennsylvania and at the
southward the number of patriot Clergymen was large, and
their concurrence in the popular measures were known,
the Church was left in their sections of the country less
reduced in number and less an object of suspicion than
was the case in New England and New York. In some
of the States these matters were a subject of legislative
enactment. In Virginia, the day following the Declara
tion of Independence, the Convention of the State
" altered the Book of Common Prayer, to accommodate
it to the change in affairs.'^ 1 ) This document,( 2 ) still to

1 Hawks's Ecclesiastical Contributions, Vol. I. Virginia, page 238.

2 Vide the Introduction to "A Treatise on the Law of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in the United States." By Murray Hoffman, Esq.
8vo. New York, 1850, page 31.

104 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

be found in the Library of the State of New York, in
Albany, contains the alterations proposed, which relate
almost exclusively to the prayers for rulers. They close
with the following injunction :

" Let every other sentence of the Litany be retained,
without any other alteration, except the above sentences
recited."

But these changes, slight though they were, and justi
fied, as Bp. White aptly asserts^ 1 ) from the conduct of the
most eminent English divines during the usurpation of
Cromwell, were unpalatable to many of the Clergy ; and,
in consequence, "the doors of the far greater number of
the Episcopal churches were closed for several years."( 2 )

At the return of peace, and on the consequent acknow
ledgment of the independence of the United States by
Great Britain, there were wide differences in the manner
of performing the services of the Church obtaining in
different sections of the land. Some Churches had
merely adopted the necessary changes in the State
prayers, while others had gone much further; and the
necessity of consultation among the Clergy of the
scattered Churches for the purpose of securing a return
to uniformity of worship was apparent.

Prior to the Convention of 1785, Bp. White assures us,
with respect to those concerned in this gathering, that
"very few, or rather, it is believed, none of them enter
tained thoughts of altering the liturgy, any further
than to accommodate it to the revolution."( 3 ) We think the
action of the New England Clergy which we have already
printed, together with the extracts from unpublished
correspondence which we subjoin, will tend to confute
this view, and indicate, in advance, the marked changes
introduced by the first Convention.

The following letters( 4 ) addressed to the Rev. Mr.

> Memoirs, p. 77. Ibid. p. 20. Ibid. p. 102.

From the originals in tjie possession of the Editor.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 105

Parker, of Bostpn, by the Rev. Edward Bass, of Newbury-
port, subsequently chosen first Bishop of Massachusetts,
preceded the definite action of the Massachusetts Con
vention, which we have previously recorded. Independ
ently of their connection with this department of our
subject, they are full of interest and information as to
the state of the Church at the East :

NEWBURY PORT, June 21st, 1784.
DEAR SIR,

I have received yrs. of 15th Inst. enclosing the Minutes
of the Philadelphia Convention and their design appears
to me to be very good, not to say very important, viz,
the continuance and preservation of uniformity among
the Episcopal Churches, at least from their State to the
Northern extremity of the United States. I fully agree
with them that the Authority to make Canons or laws
should be placed in a representative Body of Clergy and
Laity conjointly, and hope that in due time a suitable

Slace for their Meeting will be appointed. That the
ervice and Discipline of our Church are capable of im
provement will, I apprehend, be deuy'd by few of her
intelligent Members ; and such improvement or amend
ment may without doubt be more easily effected now
than heretofore when we were .connected with Great
Britain. But still reformation of almost any kind is a
nice and delicate affair and not to be touch'd or at
tempted by rough hands. I also look upon it to be
highly expedient that proper Collects be made for the
Government we live under. You propose a Meeting of
the Episcopal Clergy of this State, Jubes renovare dolo-
rem ! Alas ! to what are we reduced ! I know of but
four, two in Boston, one in Salem, and jr. humb. serv't.
If then we should meet, Salem I should think, would be
the proper place and w r hy should not a respectable Lay
man of each Church meet with us ? After all I cannot
help thinking it would be proper to wait for the arrival
of our Bishop before we proceed to any ecclesiastical
consultations of importance, that \ve may have his con
curring voice in such matters. According to the account
I have had from you we might have expected the arrival
of such a person before this time. Pray, what is become

106 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

of him ? (Mr. Seabury, I think you told me was the
man who went to England last year for Consecration.)
What hath been his success? Is any thing like to be
done towards the regular continuance of our Succession,
for I hope Messrs. White and Brethren have it not in
contemplation to constitute their three orders de novo.
Have you seen and conversed with Mr. Badger ? If so,
what is his plan ? Where does he mean to fix, &c. I
hear he was some time ago at Haverhill, but he did not
call upon me. I- should be glad of your Answer as
soon as may be convenient to you, as also of any thing
else you may have to communicate to

Yr. affectionate Brothr. and humble Serv't,

EDWARD BASS.
REV'D SAM'L PARKER.

Nearly a year after this characteristic letter, Mr. Bass
resumes the subject under consideration in the following
communication :

NEWBURY PT. July 7th, 1785.

REV'D AND DEAR SIR,

I was hindered by certain untoward accidents from
paying you a short visit in my way to and from Provi
dence, which I intended to do, as for other reasons, so
particularly to talk with you upon the approaching Con
vention. Is it like to be universal ? Are we this way
like to have any hand in it? If so in what manner?
Is a Delegate, or more, to be sent from hence to represent
our scatter'd Congregations ? Are all the vacant Churches
among us to be sent to V Do you learn by any means
what is like to be done with the Liturgy either in the
way of addition or diminution ? I should like your
answer to these questions, or any others which you may
think I ought to have asked. As to the Liturgy, I have
thought we might part with the Athanas'n Creed, one or
two Lord's prayers, and leave the use of Sponsors to the
option of those who have children to christen ; which,
in my opinion, would be much better than to let it
remain a Law of the Ch'h and at the same time un
observed by the greater part of her Members, as I am
told, is, and has been the case in the Southern Colonies

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 107

and in Connecticut!. Proper prayers must be substituted
for the American Governm't in the room of those for the
King and Royal Family. "We ought to have a code of
Ch'h-laws or Canons, plain and simple. Some power
should be given to the Bishop or Bishops, but our Der
nier resort must be in a general Council which should be
supream and have the Power of censuring or depriving
Bishops as there may be occasion. Such are some of the
thoughts that have occurr'd to me upon this Subject.
But tho' we have a happy opportunity of making our
Liturgy appear in some points to greater advantage, yet
for my part I had much rather remain as we are than
break into Parties, or run into a thousand little schisms
to the destruction of all harmony and uniformity, as I
cannot help fearing, is too likely to be the case if once
we begin to alter, or to make innovations. The Com
munication of your Sentim'ts upon the Subject would be
very agreeable to

Yr affectionate Bror. and very hum'le Serv't,

EDWARD BASS.
EEV'D MR. PARKER.

The dread of innovations so sensibly felt by the
worthy missionary at Newburyport was not experienced
by his brethren at the South. A little later under date
of August 16th, 1785 the Rev. Charles Henry Wharton,
of New Castle, Delaware, to whom reference has already
been made, addressed a letterQ upon the same subject to
Mr. Parker, from which we make the following extract :

I think the simplyfying of the Liturgy should be
among the first objects of the Convention. Whatever
was left with a view of reconciling parties at the period
of the Reformation, or retained as suitable to Cathedral
Service may safely be omitted by the American Church.
Perhaps such an opportunity never occurred since the
days of the Apostles of settling a rational, unexception
able mode of worship. God grant we may improve it
with unanimity and wisdom."

1 From the collection of the Editor.

108 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

A few days prior to the date of this communication,
this gentleman had written to the Rev. Dr. White to the
same effect, and very much in the same words :

" I have been thinking of drawing up a few remarks
upon the Liturgy but as this will probably be done by
much abler hands, believe I shall drop it. It is clear
that every one ought to reflect thoroughly on the object
of the Convention, which I am convinced will have the
best opportunity of perfecting a Christian scheme of
worship that has ever presented itself since the days of
the Apostles."

Resuming the same subject in a subsequent communi
cation early the following month, he adds :

" If no alterations in the Liturgy are to be made, but
such as the revolution requires, there is little need to
think much upon the Subject, unless perhaps omissions
be not deemed alterations. My decided opinion is that
our prayers are too numerous, as well as the repetitions.
I shall draw up a motion on this head, which I mean to
make at the Convention, if you should approve of it."

Taking these extracts, which might be almost indefi
nitely increased, in connection with the action of the
Virginia Convention, which had openly advocated a
review of the Liturgy, subject, however, to the subsequent
confirmation of their own body, and the measures of the
Maryland Convention, determining by special enactment
the proper authority for "framing, approving of, or con
firming such Alterations or Reforms in the Church
Service, Liturgy, or Points of Doctrine, as may be after
wards found necessary or expedient by the Church, or
of the United States in General Conventions,'^ 1 ) we
are led to conclude that there was a general disposition
prior to the time of the meeting of the Convention in

1 Vide the "Additional Constitutions" appended to the "Address"
printed above.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 109

Philadelphia, in 1785, to proceed to a thorough review
of the Liturgy and Offices of the Church.

But little appears on the pages of the Journal from
which we may learn either the reasons for the changes
proposed by the Committee, or the reception they met
with from the members of the Convention. A more
guarded and less communicative record could hardly
be found. Even the Alterations agreed upon after debate
and revision were reserved until they should appear in
the Prayer Book itself, as proposed ; and, owing to delays
which are noticed in the correspondence we subjoin, they
were not made public until the following Spring. For
the purpose of throwing additional light upon this critical
epoch of our ecclesiastical history, we give below the Al
terations which were agreed upon by the Convention, as
they appear in the Appendix to Bp. "White's Memoirs,
and subjoin from the original manuscripts in the posses
sion of the General Convention the whole correspondence
of the Committee of Revision so far as it has been pre
served. Nothing we could ofier in the way of elucidation
or illustration could exceed these familiar and often care
lessly written communications, prepared with no idea of
preservation even, and much less with a view to publica
tion. It was only as the result of an after thought on
the part of Dr. Smith that they were preserved in their
original state ; and having passed subsequently into the
hands of Bp. White, they are here printed for the first
time, as affording historical and liturgical information,
the most interesting and important. An examination of
the original letters would fully warrant all the playful re
criminations with reference to haste and illegibility which
we find in the postscripts of these communications ; and it
is but just to add that in a number of cases portions have
been wholly defaced by time or accident. As they are
with no attempt at correction or improvement they are
oflered, with the confident assurance that their perusal will

110 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

amply repay the student for the time and trouble their
contractions and involutions may cost him :

Alterations agreed on and confirmed in Convention, for
rendering the Liturgy conformable to the principles of
the American Revolution, and the constitutions of the
several states.

1st. That in the suffrages after the Creed, instead of
Lord, save the king, be said Lord, bless and preserve these
United States.

2nd. That the prayer for the Royal family, in the morn
ing and evening service, be omitted.

3rd. That in the Litany the 15th, 16th, 17th, and
18th. petitions be omitted, and that instead of the 20th
and 21st petitions, be substituted the following That it
may please Thee to endue the Congress of these United States,
and all others in authority, legislative, executive, and judicial,
with grace, wisdom and understanding, to execute justice and to
maintain truth.

4th. That when the Litany is not said, the prayer for
the high court of Parliament be thus altered "Most
gracious God, we humbly beseech thee, as for these United
States in general, so especially for their delegates in Congress,
that thou wouldest be pleased to direct and prosper all their
consultations to the advancement of thy glory, the good of thy
Church, the safety, honour and welfare of thy people, that all
things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavors upon
the best and surest foundations, that peace and happiness, truth
and justice, religion and piety, may be established among us for
all generations," &c. to the end: and the prayer for the
king's majesty, altered as follows: viz. Lord, Our
heavenly Father, the high and mighty Ruler of the universe,
who dost from thy Throne, behold all the Dwellers upon Earth;
we most heartily beseech thee, with thy Favour to behold all in
Authority, legislative, executive and judicial in these United
States ; and so replenish them with the Grace of thy holy Spirit,
that they may alway incline to thy will and walk in thy way.
Endue them plenteously with heavenly Gifts, grant them in
Health and Wealth long to live and, that after this Life, they
may attain everlasting Joy and Felicity, through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.

5th. That the 1st. Collect for the King in the Com-

HISTOKICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. Ill

munion Service be omitted ; and that the second be altered
as follows instead of " the hearts of Kings are in thy rule
and governance," be said "That the hearts of all Rulers are
in thy governance, &c; and instead of the words "heart
of George thy servant, insert, so to direct the Rulers of these
states, that in all their thoughts, <fc." changing the singular
pronouns to the plural. (1)

7th. That in the answer in the Catechism to the ques
tion "What is thy duty towards thy neighbour?" for "to
honour and obey the king," be substituted " to honour and
obey my civil rulers, to submit myself, $c."

8th. That instead of the observation of the 5th of No
vember, the 30th of January, the 29th of May, and the
25th of October, the following service be used on the 4th
of July, being the Anniversary of Independence.

9th. That in the Forms of Prayer to be used at Sea, in
the Prayer " eternal God, c" instead of these Words
" unto our most gracious Sovereign Lord King George and his
Kingdoms," be inserted the Words " to the United States
of America" and that instead of the Word "Island" be
inserted the Word " Country ;" and in the collect "
Almighty Crod, the Sovereign Commander," be omitted the
Words " the Honour of our Sovereign" and the Worda
"the honour of our Country" inserted.

Service for the 4th of July.
With the sentences before Morning and Evening Prayer.

The Lord hath been mindful of us, and he shall bless
us, he shall bless them that fear him, both small and
great. that men would therefore praise the Lord, for
his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doeth for
the children of men.

Hymn, instead of the Venite.

My song shall be alway of the loving kindness of the
Lord : with my mouth will I ever be showing forth his
truth from one generation to another. Psal. 89. 1.

The merciful and gracious Lord hath so done his
marvellous works: that they ought to be had in remem
brance. Psal. 111. 4.

(1) No sixth paragraph appears In the MS. nor In Bp. White's printed copy of these'
Alterations appended to his "Memoirs," pp. 362-377.

112 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Who can express the noble acts of the Lord : or show
ibrth all his praise. Psal. 106. 2.

The works of the Lord are great : sought out of all
them that have pleasure therein. Psal. 111. 2.

For he will not alway be chiding : neither keepeth he
his anger for ever. Psal. 103. 9.

He hath not dealt with us after our sins : nor rewarded
us according to our wickedness. Verse 10.

For look how high the heaven is in comparison of the
earth : so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Verse 11.

Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children : even
BO is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him. Verse 11.

Thou, O God, hast proved us : thou also hast tried us,
like as silver is tried. Psal. 66. 9.

Thou didst remember us in our low estate, and redeem
us from our enemies: for thy mercy eudureth for ever.
Psal. 136. 23, 24.

Proper Psalms, 118, except, v. 10, 11, 12, 13, 22, 23, to
conclude with v. 24.

1. Lesson Deut. 8. 2. Lesson Thess. 5. v. 12, 23 both
inclusive.

Collect for the day.

Almighty God, who hast in all ages showed forth thy
power and mercy in the wonderful preservation of thy
church, and in the protection of every nation and people
professing thy holy and eternal truth, and putting their
sure trust inthee; we yield thee our unfeigned thanks
and praise for all thy public mercies, and more especially
for that signal and wonderful manifestation of thy provi
dence which we commemorate this day ; wherefore not
unto us, Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name be
ascribed all honour and glory, in all churches of the Saints,
from generation to generation, through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.

A Thanksgiving for the day, to be said after the General
Thanksgiving.

God, whose Name is excellent in all the earth, and
thy glory above the heavens ; who as on this day didst
inspire and direct the hearts of our delegates in Congress,
to lay the perpetual foundations of peace, liberty, and

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 113

safety ; we bless and adore thy glorious Majesty, for this
thy loving kindness and providence. And we humbly
pray that the devout sense of this signal mercy may renew
and increase in us a spirit of love and thankfulness to thee
its only Author, a spirit of peaceable submission to the
laws and government of our country, and a spirit of fer
vent zeal for our holy religion, which thou hast preserved
and -secured to us and our posterity. May we improve
these inestimable blessings for the advancement of reli
gion, liberty, and science throughout this land, till the
wilderness and solitary place be made glad through us,
and the desert rejoice and blossom as the rose. This
we beg through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen.( l )

Alterations in the Book of Common Prayer and Ad
ministration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and
Ceremonies of the Church, according to the use of the
Church of England, proposed and recommended to the
Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of
America.

The Order for Morning and Evening service, Daily
throughout the Year.

1st. The following Sentences of Scripture, are ordered
to be prefixed to the usual Sentences, viz.

The Lord is in his Holy Temple ; let all the Earth keep
Silence before Him. Hab. ii. 20.

From the Rising of the Sun even unto the going down
of the Same, my Name shall be great among the Gentiles ;
and in every Place Incense shall be offered unto my Name,
and a pure Offering : for my Name shall be great among
the Heathen, saith the Lord of Hosts. Mai. i. 11.

[Let the words of my Mouth, and the meditation of my
Heart, be alway acceptable in thy sight, Lord, my
Strength and my Redeemer. Psal. xix. 14.]

2d. That the Rubric preceding the Absolution, be altered
thus "A declaration to be made by the Minister alone, stand
ing, concerning the forgiveness of sins."

3d. That in the Lord's prayer, the word " who" be sub-

1 The Epistle (Philip, iv. 4-8.) and the Gospel (S. John viii., 51-36), were added by the
committee, agreeably to an authority which they conceived to be vested in them. They
also added three introductory sentences (Dent, xxxiii. 27, 28, 29,) and amplified the title of
this service to the following : A Vorm of Prayer and Thanksgiving to Almighty God, for
the inestimable Blessing of Religious and Civil Liberty ; to be used yearly ou the Fourth
Day of July, unless it happens to be on Sunday, and then on the day following.

(2) This sentence, though included in the "Alterations " appended to Bp. White's Me
moirs, does not appear in the Ms., nor is it found in the " Proposed Book."

114 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

stituted in lieu of "which;" and that "those who trespass"
stand instead of "them that trespass."

4. That the "Gloria Patri" be omitted after the "Ocome
let us sing, c." and in eveVy other place, where, by the
present Rubric it is ordered to be inserted, to "the end of
the" reading psalms; when, shall be said or sung "Gloria
Patri, c." or, "Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace
and good will towards men, c" at the discretion of the
Minister.

5th. That in the " Te Deum" instead of "honourable" it
be "adorable, true, and only son;" and instead of "didst not
abhor the Virgin's womb," "didst humble thyself to be born of
a pure Virgin."

6th. That until a proper selection of Psalms be made,
each Minister be allowed to use such as he may chuse.

7th. That the same liberty be allowed, respecting the
lessons.

8th. That the article in " the Apostles creed" "He de
scended into hell" be omitted.

9th. That the Athanasian and the Nicene creeds be
entirely omitted.

10th. That after the response " and with thy spirit," all
be omitted to the words "0 Lord show thy mercy upon us;"
which the Minister shall pronounce, still kneeling.

llth. That in the suffrage "make thy chosen people joy
ful," the word "chosen" be omitted; and also the following
suffrages, to "0 God, make clean our hearts within us."

12th. That the Rubric after these words "and take not
thy Holy Spirit from us," be omitted. Then the two collects
to be said : in the collect for grace, the words " be ordered,"
to be omitted ; and the word " be" inserted, instead of "to
do alway that is."

13th. In the collect "for the Clergy and People," read
"Almighty and everlasting God, send down upon all Bishops
and other Pastors, and the Congregations committed, $c." to
the end.

15. That the Lord's prayer after the Litany, and the
subsequent Rubric be omitted.

16th. That the short Litany be read as follows "Son of

1 Here is an erasure from the manuscript: the article being found
a repetition of part of the 4th. Vide White's Memoirs, p. 367, where
" 13th" is a misprint for " 4th."

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 115

God, ice beseech thee to hear us. Son of God, we beseech thee
to hear us. Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the
world, Grant us thy peace. Christ, hear us. Lord, have
mercy upon us and deal not with us according to our sins,
neither reward us according to our iniquities." After which,
omit the words "Let us pray."

17th. That the Gloria Patri, after Lord arise, $c. be
omitted; as also "Let us pray," after "we put our trust in
thee."

18th. That in the following prayer, instead of " right
eously have deserved," it be "justly have deserved."

19th. That in the 1st. warning for the Communion, the
word "damnation," following these words "increase your,
c." be read "condemnation;" and the two paragraphs
after these words " or else come not to that holy table, be
omitted ; and the following one be read, and if there be any
of you, who by these means, cannot quiet their conscience, $c.
The words "learned and discreet," epithets given to the
ministers, to be also omitted.

20th. In the exhortation to the communion, let it run
thus "For as the benefit is great, c. to drink his blood, so is
the danger great, if we receive the same unworthily. Judge
therefore yourselves, $c."

21st. That in the rubric preceding the absolution,
instead of "pronounce this absolution," it be "Then shall
the minister stand up, and turning to the people, say, gc"

22d. That in the baptism of infants, parents may be
admitted as sponsors.

23d. That the minister, in speaking to the Sponsors,
after these words "vouchsafe to release him," say "release
him from sin." In the second prayer, instead of " remission
of his sins," read " remission of sin."

24th. That in the questions addressed to the sponsors,
and the answers, instead of the present Form, it be as
follows " the sinful desires of the flesh."

25th. "Dost thou believe the articles of the Christian faith,
as contained in the Apostles' creed, and wilt thou endeavour to
have this child instructed accordingly ?" Answer: I do believe
them, and, by God's help, will endeavour so to do."

Wilt thou endeavour to have him brought up in the fear of
God, and to obey God's holy will and commandments ? Answer
"I will, by God's assistance."

26th. That the sign of the cross may be omitted, if

116 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

particularly desired by the Sponsors or Parents, and the
prayer to be thus altered (by the direction of a short
rubric) " We receive this child into the congregation of Christ's
flock; and pray that hereafter he may never be ashamed, c."
to the end.

27th. That the address "seeing now dearly beloved, c."
be omitted.

28th. That the prayer after the Lord's prayer, be thus
changed "We yield thee hearty thanks, $c." to "receive
this Infant as thine own child by baptism, and to incorporate
him, c."

29th. That in the following exhortation, the words
" to renounce the devil and all his works," and in the charge
to the Sponsors, the words ''vulgar tongue" be omitted.

30th. That the forms of private baptism and of confirm
ation, be made conformable to these alterations.

31st. That in the exhortation before matrimony, all
between these words "holy matrimony," and "therefore if
any man, c." be omitted.

32d. That the words "I plight thee my troth" be omitted
in both places; and also the words "with my body I thee
worship ;" and also "pledged their troth either to other"

33d. That all after the blessing be omitted.

34th. In the burial service, instead of the two Psalms,
take the following verses of both viz. Ps. 39, Verses 6
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, and Psalm 90, to v. 13. In the rubric, the
words "unbaptized or" to be omitted.

For the Declaration and form of interment, beginning
"Forasmuch as, &c." insert the following viz. "For
asmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God, in his wise Provi
dence, to take out of this world the soul of our deceased brother
(sister] lying now before us ; We therefore commit his (her)
body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust;
(thus at sea to the deep to be turned into corruption) looking
for the general resurrection in the last day, and the life of the
world to com.e, thro' our Lord Jesus Christ; at ivhose second
coming in glorious Majesty, to judge the world, the earth and
the sea shall give up their dead ; and the corruptible bodies of
those who sleep in him shall be changed, and made like unto
his own glorious body, according to the mighty working, where
by he is able to subdue all things unto Hiinself.

In the sentence "I heard a voice, &c." insert "who" for
" which."

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 117

The prayer following the Lord's prayer to be omitted.
In the next collect, leave out the words " as our hope is,
this our brother doth" For " them that," insert " those who"

35th. In the visitation of the sick, instead of the abso
lution as it now stands, insert the declaration of forgive
ness which is appointed for the communion service; or,
either of the collects, which are taken from the Commina-
tion office, and appropriated to Ash "Wednesday, may be
used.

In the Psalm, omit the 3d, 6th, 8th, 9th, and llth verses..
In the Commendatory prayer, for " miserable and naughty"
say "vain and miserable." Strike out the word "purged."

In the prayer "for persons troubled in mind" omit all
that stands between the words "afflicted servant" and "his
soul is full," &c. and instead thereof say "afflicted servant,
whose soul is full of trouble," and strike out the particle
"but," and proceed, "0 merciful God," &c.

36th. A form of Prayer and visitation of Prisoners for
notorious crimes, and especially persons under sentence
of death, being much wanted, the form entitled "Prayers
for persons under sentence of death, agreed upon in a
Synod of the archbishops and bishops, and the rest of the
clergy of Ireland, at Dublin, in the year 1711," as it now
stands in the book of Common Prayer of the church of
Ireland, is agreed upon, and ordered to be adopted, with
the following alterations, viz :

For the absolution, take the same declaration of for
giveness, or either of the collects above directed for the
visitation of the sick. The short collect '*# Saviour of the
world," &c. to be left out; and for the word "frailness,"
say "frailty."

37th. In the Catechism, besides the alteration respecting
the civil Powers, alter as follows: viz. "What is your name?
N. M. When did you receive this name ? I received it
in Baptism, whereby I became a member of the Christian
church. What was promised for you in Baptism ? That I
should be instructed to believe the Christian faith, as con
tained in the Apostle's Creed, and to obey God's holy will,
and keep his commandments.

Dost thou think thou art bound to believe all the articles of
the Christian faith, as contained in this creed, and to obey
God's holy will and keep his commandments?" "Yes
verily," &c.

118 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Instead of the words " verily, and indeed taken," say
" spiritually taken."

Answer to Question "How many sacraments?" "7\oo,
Baptism and the Lord's Supper."

38th. Instead of a particular Service for the churching of
women, and psalms, the following special prayer is to be
introduced, after the General Thanksgiving ; viz. This to
be said, when any woman desires to return thanks, &c.
" Almighty God, we give thee most humble and hearty
thanks, for that thou hast been graciously pleased to pre
serve this woman, thy servant, through the great pains
and perils of childbirth. Incline her, we beseech thee, to
show forth her thankfulness, for this thy great mercy, not
only with her lips, but by a holy and virtuous life. Be
pleased, God, so to establish her health, that she may
lead the remainder of her days to thy honour and glory,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen."

39. The Commination office for Ash Wednesday to be
discontinued, and therefore the three collects, the first
beginning "0 Lord, we beseech thee," 2d, "Omost mighty
God," 3d, "Turn us, Good Lord," shall be continued
among the occasional prayers ; and used*after the collect
on Ash Wednesday, and on such other occasions as the
minister shall think fit.

Articles of Religion.
1. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity.

There is but one living, true, and eternal God, the
Father Almighty ; without body, parts or passions ; of
infinite power, wisdom and goodness; the maker and
preserver of all things both visible and invisible : and
one Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, begotten of the Father
before all worlds, very and true God ; who came down
from heaven, took man's nature in the womb of the
Blessed Virgin of her substance, and was God and man
in one person, whereof is one Christ ; who truly suffered,
was crucified, dead and buried, to reconcile his Father to
us, and, to be a sacrifice for the sins of all men; lie rose
again from death, ascended into heaven, and there sitteth
until he shall return to judge the world at the last day:
and one Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, of the same
divine nature with the Father and the Sou.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 119

2. Of the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation.

Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salva
tion : so that whatsoever is not read therein : nor may be
proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it
should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought
requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the
Holy Scriptures we do understand the canonical books
of the Old and New Testament.

Of the names and numbers of the canonical Books.

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy,
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, The 1st Book of Samuel, The 2d
Book of Samuel, The 1st Book of Kings, The 2d book of
Kings, The 1st Book of Chronicles, The 2d Book of Chron
icles, The 1st Book of Esdras, The 2d Book of Esdras, The
Book of Hester, The Book of Job, The Psalms, The
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or Preacher, Cantica or Songs of
Solomon, Four Prophets the greater, Twelve Prophets the
less.

And the other books the Church doth read for example
of life, and instruction of manners ; but yet doth it not
apply them to establish any doctrine ; such are these fol
lowing:

The 3d Book of Esdras, The 4th Book of Esdras, The
Book of Tobias, The Book of Judith, The rest of the
Book of Hester, The Book of Wisdom, Jesus tho Son of
Sirach, Baruch the Prophet, The Song of the three Chil
dren, The Story of Susanna, Of Bell and the Dragon, The
Prayer of Manasses, The 1st Book of Maccabees, The 2d
Book of Maccabees.

All the books of the New Testament, as they are com
monly received, we do receive and account them canonical.

3. Of the Old and New Testament.

There is a perfect harmony and agreement between
the Old Testament and the New ; for in both, everlasting
life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only
mediator between God and man ; being both God and
man : and altho' the law given by Moses, as to ceremonies
and the civil precepts of it, doth not bind Christians : yet
all such are obliged to observe the moral commandments
which he delivered.

120 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

4. Of Greeds.

The creed, commonly called the Apostles' creed, ought
to be received and believed: because it maybe proved
by the Holy Scripture.

5. Of Original Sin.

By the fall of Adam, the nature of man is become so
corrupt, as to be greatly depraved, having departed from,
its primitive innocence, and that original righteousness
in which it was at first created by God. For we are now
so naturally inclined to do evil that the flesh is continually
striving to act contrary to the Spirit of God, which cor
rupt inclination still remains even in the regenerate.
But tho' there is no man living who sinneth not ; yet we
must use our sincere endeavors to keep the whole law of
God, so far as we possibly can.

6. Of Free- Will.

The Condition of man after the fall of Adam, is such
that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own
natural strength and good works to faith and calling
upon God : Wherefore we have no power to do good
works, pleasing and acceptable to God, without the
grace of God by Christ giving us a good will, and
working with us, when we have that good will.

7. Of the Justification of Man.

We are accounted righteous before God only for the
merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith, and
not for our own works, or deservings. Wherefore that
we are justified by faith only, is a most wholesome doc
trine, and very full of comfort.

8. Of Good Works.

Albeit that good works, which are the fruits of Faith
and follow after Justification, cannot put away our sins,
and endure the severity of God's judgment; yet are they
pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring
out necessarily of a true and lively faith, insomuch that

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 121

by them a lively faith may be as evidently known, as a
Tree discerned by the Fruit.

9. Of Christ alone without Sin.

Christ, by taking human nature on him, was made like
unto us in all things, sin only excepted. He was a lamb
without spot, and by the sacrifice of himself once offered,
made atonement and propitiation for the sins of the world ;
and sin was not in him. But all mankind besides, tho'
baptized and born again in Christ, do often d in many
things. For if we say we have no sin, we deceive our
selves, and the truth is not in us.

10. . Of Sin after Baptism.

They who fall into sin after baptism may be renewed
by repentance : for tho' after we have received God's
grace, we may depart from it by falling into sin ; yet,
thro' the assistance of his holy spirit, we may by re
pentance and the amendment of our lives, be restored
again to his favour. God will not deny repentance of
sins to those who truly repent, and do that which is law
ful and right ; but all such thro' his mercy in Christ Jesus,
shall save their souls alive.

11. Of Predestination.

Predestination to Life, with respect to every man's
salvation, is the everlasting purpose of God, secret to us:
and the right knowledge of what is revealed concerning
it, is full of comfort to such truly religious Christians, as
feel in themselves the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the
works of their flesh and /their earthly affections, and
raising their minds to heavenly things. But we must
receive God's promises as they be generally declared in
Holy Scripture, and do his will, as therein is expressly
directed; for without Holiness of Life no man shall be
saved.

12. Of Obtaining Eternal Salvation only by the Name of

Christ.

They are to be accounted presumptuous, who say, that
every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he

122 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

professeth, so that he be diligent to frame his life accord
ing to that law, and the light of nature. For Holy Scrip
ture doth set out unto us only the Name of Jesus Christ,
whereby men must be saved.

13. Of the Church and its Authority.

The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faith
ful men, wherein the pure word of God is preached, and
the sacraments are duly administered, according to Christ's
ordinance in all things necessary and requisite : And every
Church hath power to ordain, change and abolish rites
and ceremonies, for the more decent order and good
government thereof, so that all things be done to edify
ing. But it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any
thing contrary to God's word; nor so to expound the
Scripture, as to make one part seem repugnant to another ;
nor to decree or enforce any thing to be believed as neces
sary to salvation, that is contrary to God's holy word.
General Councils and Churches, are liable to err, and
have erred, even in matters of Faith and Doctrine, as
well as in their ceremonies.

14. Of Ministering in the Congregation.

It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office
of public preaching, or ministering the Sacraments in the
Congregation, before he be lawfully called, and sent to
execute the same. And those we ought to judge lawfully
called and sent, who are chosen and called to this work
by men who have public authority given unto them in
the congregation, to call and send Ministers into the
Lord's vineyard.

15. Of the Sacraments.

Sacraments ordained of Christ, be not only badges or
tokens of Christian men's profession : but rather they be
certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of Grace, and
God's good will towards us, by the which he doth work
invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also
strengthen and confirm our Faith in him.

There are Two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord
in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of
the Lord.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.' 123

16. Of Baptism.

Baptism is not only a Sign of profession and mark of
difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from
others that be not Christened ; but it is also a sign of re
generation or new Birth, whereby as by an Instrument,
they that receive Baptism rightly, are grafted into the
Church ; the promises of the forgiveness of sin, and of
our Adoption to be the Sons of God, by the Holy Ghost,
are visibly sign'd and sealed; Faith is confirm'd, and
Grace increas'd by virtue of prayer unto God. The Bap
tism of young Children is in any wise to be retained in
the Church, as most agreeable with the Institution of
Christ.

17. Of the Lord's Supper.

The Supper of the Lord is not only a Sign of the Love
that Christians ought to have among themselves one to
another; but rather is a Sacrament of our redemption by
Christ's death : Insomuch that to such as rightly, worthily
and with faith receive the same, the Bread which we break,
is a partaking of the Body of Christ : and likewise the
Cup of Blessing, is a partaking of the Blood of Christ.

Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of
Bread and Wine) in the Supper of the Lord cannot be
proved by Holy Writ; but is repugnant to the plain
words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a Sacra
ment, and hath given occasion to many superstitions.

The Body of Christ is given, taken and eaten in the
Supper of the Lord only after an heavenly and spiritual
manner. And the mean whereby the Body of Christ is
received and eaten in the Supper is Faith.

18. Of the one Oblation of Christ upon the Cross.

The offering of Christ once made, is that perfect re
demption, propitiation and satisfaction for all the sins of
the whole world, both original and actual ; and there is
none other satisfaction for sin, but that alone.

19. Of Bishops and Ministers.

The Book of Consecration of Bishops and Ordering of
Priests and Deacons ; excepting such part as requires any

124 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

oaths or subscriptions inconsistent with the American
Revolution, is to be adopted as containing all things ne
cessary to such consecration and ordering.

20. Of a Christian Man's Oath.

The Christian Religion doth not prohibit any man from
taking an oath, when required by the Magistrate in testi
mony of Truth ; But all vain and rash swearing is for
bidden by the Holy Scriptures^ 1 )

The original manuscripts of the preceding "Altera
tions, &c." are still preserved among the manuscripts in
the possession of the General Convention. Immediately
following these, and apparently omitted from Bp. AVhite's
printed copy by inadvertence, is another sheet, con
taining

The Table of Holy Days.

The following Days are to be kept Holy by this Ch'h.
Viz.

All the Sundays in the year in the Order enumerated
in the Table of Proper Lessons with their respective
Services.

Christmas

Circumcision

Epiphany

Easter Day, Monday and Tuesday

1 We have corrected the "Alterations," as given in the Appendix
to Bp. White's Memoirs, from the original MSS. among the Conven
tional documents. In the Articles, however, we have purposely laid
aside tne printed copy as found in the " Memoirs," and also as pub-
li-lu-d in the "Proposed Book," by which the "Articles" in the
" Memoirs" seem to have been corrected, to furnish from the manu
script itself the original changes of the Committee of the Conven
tion, ere they were pruned and polished by the Committee of Revision
who were appointed to prepare them for the press. , The comparison
of the Articles as they are printed above, with those that appear in
the " Proposed Book" and in Bp. White's Memoirs, will of itself alone
prove the great liberties taken by Drs. Smith and White by virtue
of their appointment " to make verbal and grammatical corrections."
It is hardly a question whether, in view, of the restriction of the Con
vention, "that nothing in form or substance be altered," (vide Jour.
1785,) they did not greatly exceed their powers.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 125

Ascension Day

"Whitsunday, Monday and Tuesday

The following Days are to be observed as Days of
Fasting Viz

Good Friday and Ashwednesday

The following Days are to be observed as Days of
Thanksgiving Viz, The 4th of July in Commemoration
of American independence, and the first Thursday in
November as a Day of Gen'l Thanksgiving.

With this presentation of the Alterations (1) which were
comprised in the " Proposed Book," as it has always been
called, the various allusions to the same in the following
correspondence, to which we have already referred, can read
ily be understood. Few persons have ever seen this remark
able liturgical production, either in its American form or as
reprinted in England ; and, without any discussion of the
principles involved in its publication, the bibliographical
fact may be stated, that a rarer book connected with Amer
ican Church history can hardly be named.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.
DEAR SIR,

The first Proof Sheet will accompany this and I expect
to send you another by Saturday's Post to Baltimore.
I think we have fallen into an error, which Mr. Hall says
we can easily correct, and our Brethren here join with
me in wishing it corrected. It is ye making ye Litany a
necessary Part of ye Morning Service. The Way I
would propose to correct it is thus. In ye Rubric let it be
" The Litany, c., to be used on Sundays and other Holidays,
appointed to be observed by this Church." After the Prayer
" We humbly beseech thee O Father &c", let there be
this Rubric, " But when ye Litany is not used, the three fol
lowing Prayers shall be said instead thereof," then insert ye
Prayers for ye Congress, for other civil Rulers, and for all
Conditions: then let there follow ye Gen: Thanksgiving,

(1) A critical comparison of these "Alterations" with the original MSS., in the Ar
chives of the (ieneral Convention will be found in the Author's Introductory Chapter to
"Proctor's History of the Book of Common Prayer," Aew York, 1808, pp. x-xxxlx.

126 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

St Chrys'm's P. and ye Benediction. To prevent Repe
tition in ye Evening Service, insert after ye Prayer against
ye Dangers of ye Night, ye following Rubric, "Then shall
be said the Prayer for the Congress and ye other Prayers which
follow it in the Morning Service to ye End thereof"

There will be occasion for a Rubrick at ye Head of ye
Collects, Gospels and Epistles, directing ye Use of ye
Collects for each Sunday and Holiday until ye next Sun
day or Holiday ; after ye Suffrages, at Morning P. when
ye Communion Service is not said ; and always at Even-
ing P.

Quere. "Will it not be best to place ye two Invitations
to ye Communion, at ye End of that Service? At
present they make an awkward Break.

Please to mention these matters to Dr. Wharton, to
whom I desire my affectionate Remembrances.

*****

I am, your aff 'te humble Serv't

WM. WHITE.
Philad'a, Oct'r 19, 85.

REV. DR. SMITH TO REV. DR. WHITE.

October, 1785.
DEAR SIR,

I am favored with yours of the 19th. enclosing the
first Sheet of the Prayer Book and shall expect a second
sheet at Baltimore on Tuesday with one printed Copy of
Dr. Wharton's Sermon and mine by post ; and that 200
Copies more of both will be forwarded pr Stage to the
Care of Mr. Goddard, as I directed in my memorandum,
left for you in the Hands of Dr. Andrews.

On Wednesday last Dr. Wharton came to my House in
Chester. Thursday being a storm, we sat down in the
morning, and devoted the whole Day to those Parts of the
Prayer Book, yet left to be prepared for the Press.

1st. As to the Office of Thanksgiving for the Fruits of
the Earth, we wish to change one of the Lessons, and
also to make some additions to the Thanksgiving Prayer,
which will give it a little more Animation ; by taking
something from Prayers on the same Subject, which Dr
Wharton thinks are to be found as well in the Roman
Missal, as in the Works of Bp. Wilson of Sodor and

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 127

Man both which he will consult on his Return to New
castle, in sufficient Time for the Press.

But our great Business on Thursday was to read over
the Psalms, taking, as we went along, your very judicious
Selection or rather Rejection of particular Psalms and
Parts of Psalms. We propose rejecting some Parts more,
which may have escaped your Notice, and retaining some
few Passages which you have proposed to reject ; for by
taking the Bible- Translation some of these Passages are
truly beautiful; and therefore in going over the Work,
we constantly compared the Bible-Translation with that
of the Prayer Book, and find that out of both, sometimes
using the one and sometimes the other, sometimes in
whole Psalms, and sometimes in particular Verses, we
shall greatly improve the Reading Psalms in general;
but by our Plan there will not so many be retained upon
the whole, as you have left standing. On my Return
from Baltimore, I shall send you, or more probably bring
to Philadelphia this Part of the Work; and then by
counting up the whole Number of Yerses retained and
dividing them by 30, we can average the Number of Verses
(a few over or under as the Sense may require) which we
shall have for daily Service. Out of the Reading Psalms
to be retained in our Book, it will be easy to make a Selec
tion of the best Metre Translations, of the best Psalms,
to which there may be an addition of some of Watts' s best
Psalms, and Hymns for the Festivals and other Occa
sions, which may be got from sundry Authors I hope
some may be offered by Members of our own Church in
America, who are distinguished for their Poetical Tal
ents, and not ashamed to exert them on the Lofty
Themes of Religion. But I am wandering and have no
Time to write what I wish on this particular Topic.

Dr. Wharton left me on Friday, crossed over to An
napolis, and by the good offices of Gov'r Paca and Mr.
Chase, settled all his private Concerns with the In-
tendant, and returned Time enough to preach for me in
Chester this afternoon. He leaves me to morrow, but I
expect a Day from Him on his Return from Talbot, when
we shall take up the Calendar, in which I believe you
have not left us much to do.

I now proceed to answer your Letter, respecting the
first Proof Sheet.

128 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

I do not think it an Error, that the Litany is made a
Part of the Morning Service. I think that Service would
be very incompleat in the essential Parts of Prayer, and
would lose much of its Beauty if left without the Litany.
Altho' it is directed to be used every Morning, yet the
Use of it is not made so necessary, but that, where a
Clergyman is weak in Body, the weather severe, or for any
other good Reason, it may not be omitted.

But I submit to your Consideration, whether as you
propose to alter the Rubric, viz, " The Litany to be used
on Sundays and other Holidays" Wednesdays and Fri
days, will be considered as Holidays. And surely in
large Towns and Cities (of which America will have
many in a Hundred Years more) the good old Custom
of Week-Day Prayers will not be laid aside. But, with
out the Litany, Wednesday and Friday Prayers, (there
being no Sermon) would not draw many to Church. Let
not our Abridgments be too great, at least till we see
how what hath been done will be received. I think,
then, there will be no Harm in leaving the Rubric before
the Litany, as it now is; only striking out the word
"every" and after the Prayer "We humbly beseech
thee &c." you may add the Rubric which you propose,
viz. "But when the Litany is not used, the three follow
ing Prayers shall be said instead thereof" which (as the
latter Rubric may be supposed to explain the former,)
will at least imply a discretionary Power in the Minister to
omit the Litany even in Morning Service, when in his
Discretion he thinks it necessary.

If the Place of the two Exhortations to the Com
munion is to be altered, Dr. Wharton and myself are of
opinion that they should not be placed at the End of the
Communion Service (for it would appear very awkward
to have an Exhortation to an Act of Worship, standing
after the Act itself) but at the Beginning, viz. before the
Prayer "Almighty God unto whom all Hearts be open"
&c., with a Rubric separating them from the Communion
Service, and directing that they be read when the
Notice is give.n, viz., on the Sunday or some Holiday
before the Communion.

The Proof Sheet is returned. You will see the Cor
rections proposed by Dr. W. and myself on the Margin ;
and the Reasons will be obvious. Thus in the Litany

HISTORICAL .NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 129

" In all Time of our Tribulation :" a Semi-colon yet it is
connected with " Good Lord deliver us" but at the End
of the Sentence, after the Words "Day of Judgment"
there is only a Comma, and so in all the preceding Sen
tences, each of which should have a Semi-colon at the
End of the Sentence, as well as in the previous Division
of the different Members of the Sentence.

After a Proof Sheet or two more, I would not wish to
give you the Trouble of sending the Remainder to me,
unless you have any Alteration to propose ; in which we
must be very delicate, in Consideration of the great
Trust committed to us. Dr. Wharton's best compl'ts.
He sits by me while I subscribe myself,
Yours, &c.,

WM. SMITH.

P.S. As your Letter is a good deal Scrawled and hard
to make out in some Places, you will excuse the Trouble
this may cost in Perusing.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.

DEAR SIR,

I expect to send you by this Opportunity ye 2 first
Proof Sheets.

Lest you may have left Chester before ye Return of
Wednesday Post, I must repeat ye Substance of my
former Letter.

We are all here of Opinion that ye Litany ought not
to be a necessary Part of ye Morning Prayer. The Al
teration, if you approve of it, may be made as follows.
Let ye Rubric before ye Litany say "to be used on Sun
days and other Holidays appointed by this Church"
After ye Litan} 7 with its attendant Prayers, insert this
Rubrick "And when ye Litany is not said ye three fol
lowing Prayers shall be used instead thereof," setting
down ye Prayers for ye Cong'ss; for ye other Rulers; and
for all Conditions. Then set down ye gen'l Thanksgiving
&c. In ye Evening Service, after ye Prayer for Protec
tion during ye Mght, let there be a Reference to ye
Morning P. for ye Residue.

There is wanting a Rubrick at ye Head of ye Collects,
Ep : and Gs., enjoining ye Use of ye proper Collect in ye

130 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Morn'g Prayer when used separate from ye Comm'n Ser
vice, and always in ye Evening Prayer.

Quere. Will not ye two Exhortations in ye Commu
nion Service stand better either in ye Beginning or the
End ? At present they make an awkward Break.

Quere, ye Propriety of introducing a Rubric before ye
Prayer for our Rulers in ye Communion Service, specify
ing* that ye same is to be said, when that Service is not
used with ye Morning Prayer. The Clergy here wish for
it ; and many of our Hearers wish that we had been as
tender of Repetition here, as in ye Case of ye Lord's
Prayers.

I hope to hear from you by Return of ye Post and am
Yours &c.

WM. WHITE.

PHILAD'A, Oct'r 21, 85.

P.S. I have just now rec'd a Letter from Dr. Murray;
in which he still hinges on ye Want of ye Concurrence
of ye Laity as ye Cause of Dr. Seabury's Failure.

I observe that ye 2d Proof Sheet has a Rubrick ex
pressing that ye Prayer for Congress &c., shall be said in
ye Evening and at other Times when ye Litany is not
said ; this removes my Objection in Part, but ye 2 Ru
brics are contradictory. I think you will prefer ye Ar
rangement I have proposed.

I hope you have attended to ye Psalms and Lessons.
I recollect in ye case of ye Venite, we agreed to strike
out ye Latin ; accordingly I have done it in ye Proof
Sheet to ye other latin Introductions. For ye same Rea
son (i.e. it's being agreed on in ye case of ye Venite) I
have erased ye unnecessary Provisions against Repe
tition.

Mr Hall keeps ye 2d Proof Sheet so long on it's 2d
coming from ye Press, that I have no Time to review it;
and indeed I have reviewed ye other but imperfectly. I
hope your Accuracy will render another Reading un
necessary.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.
D'R SIR,

Similar Proof Sheets to ye enclosed were to have been
sent by Saturday's Post; but owing to ye Press, they

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 131

were a few Minutes too late, and are now in ye Office
with my Letter. I determined to take ye Chance of ye
Stage, but knowing ye Uncertainty as to ye Delivery of
Letters, shall let mine remain with ye Sheets in ye Post
Office.

Yours &c.

WM. WHITE.
PHILAD'A, Oct'r 23, '85.

P.S. I have altered the Arrangement in this Proof Sheet
according to ye Plan proposed in my Letter merely for
your Inspection.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.

DEAR SIR,

Owing to ye Press, I was a few Minutes too late for ye
last Post. I sent Proof Sheets by ye Waggon, which I
consider as an uncertain Mode of Conveyance.

In ye Letter which encloses ye Proof Sheets by this
Opp'y, instead of 3 Prayers read 4; I wrote from Memory
and forgot that for ye Clergy.

I enclose you Extracts from ye Constitution ; to prevent
Errors of ye Transcriber you will compare it with ye
Originals ; I would do it now, but am in great Haste.

Please to express at ye Head of ye Letter to ye Bps.
that ye Original goes by ye Harmony, Cap'n Willet, from

Philad'a.

* * * * *

I wish my aff 'te Respects to such of our Brethren at ye
Convention as I have ye Pleasure of being acquainted
with.

I am

Yours &c.

PHILADA, Oct'r 25, '85. W. WHITE.

REV. DR. SMITH.

REV. DR. SMITH TO REV. DR. WHITE.

October 28, 1785.
DEAR SIR,

I gave you my Thoughts so fully in my Letter from
Chester last Post concerning the alteration of Rubric
before the Litany, that I need not add any Thing further

132 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

on that Head. As the Number of Country Congregations
in America exceed those in Towns I may say fifty to one,
and cannot have the Litany but as part of the Morning Ser
vice, (and which with the Abridgments now proposed, would
appear very short and incompleat without the Litany)
and as for these Reasons, the Convention agreed that the
Litany should be printed in, and as a Part of, the Morning
Service, it would not be proper for us to make so material
an Alteration as to put/<wr Prayers just after the Litany,
as a Substitute for the same, and which will be considered
as an Invitation to indolent or Lukewarm Readers of Pray
ers to cut the People generally out of their general Sup
plication. Of these Sentiments are the Convention here,
whom I consulted on this Point, but without intimating
to them that any such Change was proposed by us of the
Committee, but that it had been mentioned by some as a
Matter worthy of Consideration at some future General
Convention.

The four Prayers stand very properly where they now
stand as an essential Part of the Evening Service at all
Times, and would not stand so properly in the Morning
Service, where they are only proposed as a Conditional Part;
tliat is when the Litany is not used, and when that Con
dition takes Place it is very easy to turn forward one Leaf
to read them. Besides this the Evening Service would
appear quite Naked without them. But I need not have
written half so much to you on this Subject, only from a
Desire that we should by a candid Exchange of Senti
ments go through the great work committed to us, with
the same perfect agreement with which it hath hitherto
been conducted; and I know you will make no Change
from what was done in Convention ; unless in the Exercise
of the Discretionary Power given us, we can all, as a
Committee, agree upon the Expediency of such Change.

As I said in my former Letter, then, Let the Word
"Every" be struck out of the Rubrick before the Litany,
and let the Rest of the Rubric stand as it is printed in the
enclosed Proof; and let the four Prayers and indeed the
whole Evening Service stand also just as they are in the
same enclosed Proof; with their several Rubrics as they
are, and there will be sufficient Latitude for any Minister
when necessary to omit the Litany, and supply its Place
from the Ecening Service; which last Service will look

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 133

much better in this form. You will be pleased to attend
to such Corrections as I have made and particularly in
the Prayer for " all Sorts and Conditions of Men. The
words " Good Estate of the Catholic Church" have been
objected to by our Convention here 1st. because "good
Estate" may be considered in a worldly Sense, and if
taken in any other is but an awkward or antiquated Ex
pression and 2dly the Word "Catholic" although in
telligible enough to many, yet it is not approved of by
many others, on account of the vulgar Application of it
to one particular Church. Now as this Prayer for "all
Sorts and Conditions" is a general Prayer, never to be
used when the Litany is used, why may not the Church
be prayed for in the same words here as in the Litany
viz. "thy holy Church universal" ? And then the Prayer
will be "more especially we pray for thy holy Church
Universal, that it may be guided" &c. Or if you think
it will run better " more especially we pray that thy
holy Church Universal may be so guided" &c.

One or the other of these Corrections is desired by our
Convention, and I have given you their Reasons, and if
you will agree to the Alteration, I heartily concur with
you and think it will be approved by all our Body.

I expect to hear from you by next weeks Post. Direct
to me at Chester by the Eastern Shore Post. I have
a great many People talking round me, and write hi
haste. ,

Yours,

BALTIMORE, 28th Oct'r, 1785. WM. SMITH.

REVD. DR. WHITE.

P.S. Your two Packets by Post have just come to my
Hand. What you propose as a Rubric for the Use of the
Collects is proper. The other Parts of your Letters are
either answered in this and my former Letter, or shall be
on my Return to Chester, for which Place I am just
setting off vi& Annapolis. I say no more about the
Litany. Dr. West, &c., and some more Clergy, Mr. Cutting
in particular, who have come here since our Convention
adjourned, and who are now with me, all concur in this
Letter, and that no Alterations be made respecting the
Use of the Litany, which they all say must continue a

134 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

necessary Part of the Morning Service, unless dispensed
with by any "Minister in his Discretion, for want of
Health, Shortness of Time, such as riding 10 or 12 Miles
to read Prayers and preach twice in the same Day. A
future Convention may consider further upon the whole,
in the mean time we do our Duty in letting it remain as
agreed upon by the Body from which we derive our
Power as a Comm'ee.

N.B. Dr. "West and a few more are about raising the
Money from this State for the Book, but wish to have at
least 1000 Copies for Maryland alone, so that Mr. Hall,
if not too late should be told that 4000 Copies will be
too few. He may venture on 5 or 6000, if he has paper
enough ready.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.
DEAR SIR,

I expected to have sent you ye 3d Half Sheet by this
Post, but it will be not quite ready. Mr. Hall intends to
proceed quicker hereafter.

We expect ye Paper this Evening; on receiving ye
Proof Sheets from you, (w'ch I suppose will be on Mon
day) we shall have one Sheet ready for ye last Impression.

I say ye less as I consider it uncertain whether this
will reach you in Baltimore.

Yours &c.

PHILA'DA, Oct 29, 85. W. WHITE.

REV'D DR. SMITH.

DR. SMITH TO DR. WHITE.

CHESTER 30th Oct'r 1785.

I have just got back to Chester from Baltimore by the
way of Annapolis, which last Place I left yesterday after
noon. By the Date you will perceive that 1 write on
Sunday, a rainy Morning, Service put off till the afternoon.
As soon as service is over, I must go to Dorset, to attend
the Baptism of my Grandson, and bring Mrs. Smith
Home, who has been waiting for me more than a Week
past. My present Letter will therefore be short ; nor is
there Occasion for a long one. Mr. Bryson writes me
that he deliver'd to you my Letter from Chester by last

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 135

"Week's Post. To both your Letters which I received at
Baltimore, I left an Answer to go by yesterday's Post,
which I hope you will receive to morrow, containing the
general Sentiments of the Clergy of our late Convention,
agreeing with what I wrote you from Chester and have
repeated from Baltimore, concerning the Litany, &c.

By your last Letter you seem to have attended to the
Rubric before the Prayer for Congress, which in my first
Letter (not received by you at the Time of writing) I
wished you to notice, as it would remove your Objec
tions, &c. You say it has removed them in Part, but leaves
a Contradiction between the 2 Rubrics. This too you
will find removed by striking out the word "every"
before the word " Morning" in the Rubric prefixed to the
Litany, so that comparing the two Rubrics together,
sufficient Latitude will be left, without either disbanding
the Litany, or putting a Rubric and Substitution of
Prayers after it, which would stand as an Invitation to
the Lukewarm or Lazy, always to pass over the Litany,
which in the Idea of all the Clergy I have seen was con
sidered by the Convention as a Part of the Morning Ser
vice, indispensible except for some good Reasons, and i1^
hurts their Feelings to think the Use of the Litany
should be thought a Burden, or that our Service could
be compleat without this Excellent Part. Of all this I
have wrote fully candidly and more than enough, and
only repeat lest my Baltimore Packet miscarry. All
Things will stand well, at least in this 1st Edition of our
Book, and till next Convention, in the Order in which
we fixed them at Philadelphia, and as they are in the
Proof Sheets you have sent me, only striking out the
single word "every" in the Rubrick before the Litany.

1 have no Time to read critically the Proofs, farther
than I did in a few minutes at Baltimore. They will be
very safe in your Hands, with one or two Readings.
Let them be work'd off as fast as possible, and a thousand
Copies or two more than we thought of at 1st (w'ch I
think was 4000) if Paper can be got. The Book will be
in great^) Baltimore alone a Sub
scription is on foot, and Dr. West will speedily remit a
large Part of the 100 Dollars, if not more than the whole,

1 MS. imperfect.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

to which I shall add considerably from this Shore, as
soon as I return from Dorset, which I hope, will be in 3
or 4 Days at farthest.

If my Letter from Baltimore is not come to your
Hand, you will attend to the following Corrections which
I made in the Proofs of the 2d Sheet enclosed therein.

At the End of Morning arid Evening Prayer, viz.
"Here endeth the Order of Morning [Evening] Prayer"
Dele Words " Order of" lest it should be implied that
something might yet be prayed which is disorderly
Prayer for Clergy, instead of "ALL Bishops and other
Ministers, and all Congregations" insert " the Congrega
tions," to avoid a Repetition of the Word all so near the
first all But I think the whole Sentence might be better
altered thus " send down upon the Bishops and Ministers
of thy Church and all Congregations," &c.

In the End of the Rubric entitled " Prayers and Thanks
givings upon several Occasions" to avoid the words
"Prayers" and "Prayer," occurring in the Space of one
Line, let the word " Service" be put for the word
"Prayer" and read "two final Prayers of Morning and
Evening Service."

In the Prayer for "All Sorts and Conditions" please
to make the Correction proposed by the Baltimore Con
vention, as in my said Letter from thence, and read thus
" More especially we pray for thy holy Church Universal,
that it may be so guided," c. Or, "We pray that thy
holy Church universal may be so guided." This will agree
with the Prayer for the Church as in the Litany, instead
of which this is to be used, and rids us of the exception
able word to many, viz. "Catholic" and also the awkward
Words "Good Estate of the Church," by which some will
Bay we mean good Glebes and Salaries or Estate merely
temporal. These little Alterations are in our Power, and
not improper when desired by any respectable Number
of our Brethren.

Our Convention read over with general approbation
the proposed Improvements and Alterations ; but stormy
Weather and that Bay which often renders Business
precarious, made our Meeting Thin, and we adjourned
to meet at Annapolis in April, or sooner if called by me
as Presid't.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 137

Next Week my Copy of the Address to the Arch
bishops, &c., will go by a Ship from Baltimore or Anna
polis. I wish the Sentence " That these States should
become free, sovereign," &c., had been express'd "separate
Empires, States or Governments." It seems to insult, or
at least to renew old Complaints that we were not free
before. Can an Alteration be made in the other Copies?
I could yet have it made in mine by a Letter to London
p'r Packet N. York. I beg another Copy of said Ad
dress, for I was obliged to send mine, on an Hour's
Notice, without taking a Copy. Governor Paca and our
other Friends in Annapolis, except as above, approve the
Address, and it will be easy to get a Certificate from the
Executive of the State that Granting the Prayer of it can
give no Offence, but is perfectly consonant to the Con
stitution. I shall be at Philad'a Time enough for the
Psalms, Lessons, Kalendar, Preface, &c., to save this volu
minous writing, for 1 find I can not make my Letters
Short. In 2 or 3 Weeks, perhaps sooner if the Bank will
assist us, I shall see you.

Yours,

W. SMITH.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.

DEAR SIR,

I have rec'd yours of ye 28th which I have sent to ye
Press in ye Manner you approve of, having first reviewed
and compared ye pointing of it with an Oxford Edition
of ye Prayer Book printed in 1775, and adjusted it ac
cordingly. This I think you cannot but approve of, as
ye said Edition appears to have been made on great
Deliberation in that Seat of Letters. I observed that
wherever you had altered ye pointing in ye Proof
Sheet, you had done it conformably to ye same Book.
I intend to bestow ye same Pains on all I shall send to
ye Press.

I expect to send by this Opportunity a Proof Sheet,
containing ye greater Part of ye Communion Service,
which will come to me ye 2d Time from ye Press ; another
is also in hand. I mentioned to you in a Letter which I
sent with ye Sermons by Thursday's Stage, (and which do
not appear to have come to hand when you were setting

138 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

out for Annapolis) that some of our Brethren, supported
by Remarks of ye People, thought ye Prayer for ye civil
Rulers an unnecessary Repetition in ye Communion
Service ; and that ye Evil might be avoided by a Rubric
dispensing with it, provided ye Morning Service had
been used immediately before. I told them I doubted
of our Right to alter it, and therefore merely mention it
to you as Information.

Mr. Provost has enclosed to me a Copy of a Letter
from ye Pres't of Congress to ye Minister at ye Court of
Gr : Britain. After stating our late Proceedings and ye
political Hindrances on a former Occasion, he says, that
if our Application to ye Bps sh'd come before ye King
and Ministry, it is ye Wish of "ye Church of England
Members of Congress," that Mr. Adams may assure them
of our Right to take ye said Step and that ye granting
our Petition would not be an intermeddling in ye Affairs
of these States.

You give me leave to go on with ye Press alone, after
ye first Sheet or two. But it is a Liberty I shall never
use, unless ye Press sh'd be like to stop without it;
which is not a probable Case. At any rate, I shall not
venture on any Alterations without Consent.

I am,

Yours &c.

PHILAD'A, Nov'r 1, 85. W. WHITE.

REV'D DR. SMITH.

I shall direct 3000 Copies.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.
DEAR SIR,

I have rec'd yours from Chester, and indeed all which
you mention to have written hitherto.

I shall attend to ye Alterations you propose ; all which
I approve, except ye word Ministers for Pastors in ye
Prayer for ye Clergy, which you only seem to throw out
for Consideration.

The latter Word is used in all ye other Places and was
that approved of by ye Convention.

I am sorry I made it necessary for you to write BO
much about ye Litany; it is fixed to your Mind and I am
satisfied.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 139

I shall do all you desire in respect to advertising, &c.,
except that it cannot be in this Day's Paper, which came
to my House before your Letter.

What you propose respecting ye Letter to ye Bps is too
late ; or I sh'd not object to ye Alteration. The Original
is gone by Willet, and I suppose ye other Copy goes to
day from IN" York by ye Packet and will probably (as ye
Packets sail fast) b delivered before any subsequent
Letter can reach England. I will send you another

Copy, but cannot transcribe it for this Day's Post.
******

I am, in Haste,

Yours &c.
PHILAD'A, Novr. 2, 85. W. WHITE.

Communion Service.

Quere, ye insertion in ye Rubric before ye Exhortation,
ye Words " or so much thereof as he may think con
venient." I have taken the Liberty but can easily
expunge.

Quere, ye leaving out these Words in ye Rubric before
ye Collect "so that ye Ordinary &c." Probably it will
be thought ye Ordinary need have nothing to do, with
out complaint from ye Person forbidden.

In ye Sentences, Quere ye Propriety of inserting those
which relate to ye Support of ye Ministers of ye Gospel,
It is expressly said ye Money shall be given to ye poor.

REV. DR. WHARTON TO REV. DR WHITE.

Nov'r 7, 85.
MY DEAR SIR,

After near 3 weeks Excursion to Annapolis and Talbot
County, I returned home on Saturday evening. I saw
at New Town some proof sheets of the prayer book and
think it will be very well executed. Dr. Smith and my
self laboured hard at the Psalms during a whole day,
and I trust the Selection we made will be satisfactory.
I hope no trifling difficulties will retard the publication
which is earnestly looked for. Should the work be a
twelvemonth in hand, some refinements would be for

ever occurring.

* * * * * *

140 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

What have you done with the Lessons ? My wish is
to see them short, but edifying. If not too late I will
send you some hints upon this head, this day week.
******

Yr sincere Friend and Br.

G. H. WHARTON.

REV. DR. "WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.

DEAR SIR,

After you left me, I thought it best to continue ye
Consideration of ye Subject which had been before us.
Accordingly I corrected in ye "Way of private Memoran
dum, to ye end of ye Psalms. Afterwards, finding that
ye Psalms contained 2498 Verses and that they would
be reduced about by our Review, I made my Division ;
in which I have taken Care to make ye Portions as equal
as ye Analogy of ye Subjects and sometimes ye extraor
dinary Length of single Psalms permitted. In some
Places I have omitted a few Verses of what we had re
tained, as not suiting ye preceding and following. I
send you ye Fruit of my Labor, hoping you will review
it and send me such Alterations as may occur to you;
which you may easily do (as I have with me a Copy) by
merely alluding to my Subdivisions. I will then fairly
fix ye Book, pasting from an old Bible such Verses as
we prefer of that Translation.

The Press began on Monday and Mr. Hall assures me
it shall work constantly; and that when ye Assembly
shall rise, he will set 2 Presses agoing.

I am, yours &c.

. W. WHITE.

PHILADA. Nov'r 16, 85.
DR. SMITH.

I suppose it will be best in ye Ash "Wednesday S. to
omit ye Commination Psalm, which may be read on
that Occasion in ye proper Place ; and to introduce ye
Prayer immediately after ye Collect, with a Rubric,
directing ye reading of them after ye Litany and imme
diately before ye Gen. Thanksgiving.

HISTORICAL XOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 141

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.
DEAR SIR,

No Letter came to Hand from you to-day, which I sup
pose is owing to your Visit to Annapolis ; and that on
your Return you will carefully Revise ye Psalms and
examine ye Division I have proposed.

On looking over the Offices as they stand prepared in
ye Prayer Book, I determined to propose ye following
Matters to your Consideration.

1. In ye Baptismal Service will it not be best to omit
ye Command to kneel at ye latter Part of it, this being
often inconvenient, especially in private Houses. As we
have shortened ye printing of ye private B. by referring to
ye public for all that follows ye Declaration, " We receive
this Child &c." may it not be further shortened by Re
ference as follows ? viz ; after ye Address, " I certify you,"
&c. insert this Rubric Then shall follow the Gospel from S
Mark 10, 13 with ye Exhortation and Prayer following ye
same, as in ye Form of P. B.

2. In ye Beginning of ye Marriage Service, we have
changed ye word Congregation into ye Word Company.
Quere, is not either word improper, as there used, if it
be in a private Room, and will it not be better to speak
only of our being in ye sight of God ?

3dly. In ye Burial Service this Verse was struck out
"Lord, let me know my end, &c." But as it stands in ye
B. S, is it not unexceptionable and will it not be ye best
Introduction of ye Psalm ?

4thly. In ye Forms at Sea, there are two Thanksgiving
Psalms. I think one (viz, ye last) will be sufficient.

I was in Hopes of having for you ye fifth Form from
ye Press, but arn disappointed. The two enclosed Forms
will be finally struck off this Week.

I am, yours &c.

W. WHITE.

PHILADA, Nov'r 23, 85.

REV'D DR. SMITH.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.
DEAR SIR,

I suppose you have not returned from ye Western
Shore, from my not hearing by this Day's Post.

142 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

You will receive by this Opp'y 100 of ye Journal and
will order by next Post what further Number you may
want. We have struck 1000 and it is kept in Press for
as muny more as may be wanted. I thought at first it
was too small an Article for sale ; but found so many Ex
pectants here that ye Distributing of a small Number
would have been a very invidious Employm't ; on ye other
Hand, had many been given and ye same Attention paid
(as in Reason ought to be) to ye other Parts of ye Con
tinent, an unreasonable Number must be struck off. I
asked ye Advice of such Members of ye Convention as
could be consulted and they unanimously advised to have
them sold for ye Benefit of ye Fund ; and Mr. Hull
thought they would bear being put at a Shilling, which
is accordingly done. I have ordered to be packed up
100 for each of your Shores, 200 for Virginia, 100 for S.
Carolina, 100 for New Jersey, 100 for Delaware and 100
for N. York. They are ordered to different Members of
ye Convention, who will of course consider themselves as
accountable to ye Funds for those sent and such as they
may hereafter order. I have sent one to each Member
of ye Convention among us, and a Parcel to England by
Mr. Peters, who set ofl' an Hour ago. I suppose it will be
proper to send a few to some principal Gent'n in ye
States where ye Churches have not joined us ; which may
be an Invitation. Gen : Wayne has undertaken to manage
the Matter for Georgia.

I yesterday rec'd a Letter from Mr. Cutting with ye
enclosed which he says he had no other Way of sending
to you than by this Kesort. He complains dismally of
his solitary Situation and calls aloud for News as an Act
of Charity.

The fifth Form was sent me on Saturday and is now
working. The sixth is not ready. I regret however your
not seeing them in Proof; ye less however as it is plain
sailing and there can be no errors, unless typographical
which I shall endeavour to prevent.

Our Council have given a Certif te under their Seal.
I saw it in ye Draft and observing ye same Proviso in it
as in Gov'rPaea's, I gave Gen: W(') a Memorandum to
this effect. " That if ye Council chose to make such a

1 Wayne ? The MS. is illegible.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 143

Proviso, it w'd not interfere with our Plan ; but that it
was worth their Consideration, whether it might not be
disagreeable to other religious Societies who profess a
foreign spiritual Jurisdiction, and might think we took
this Opp'y to draw down a Censure on them." How
ever they passed it as in ye Draft.

I am, yours &c.
PHILAD'A, Nov'r 30, 85. WM. WHITE.

REV'D DR. SMITH.

REV. DR. WHARTON TO REV. DR. WHITE.

NEW CASTLE Nov'r 29, 1785.
at night.

DEAR SIR,

******

1 have looked over the lessons which you have re
tained or adopted. Can see no objection to any of them
unless you should deem it more proper to adopt some
of the exhortations to repentance from the Prophets
instead of the lessons from Genesis for the Lent Sundays.
Perhaps the prophecy of Daniel would be no improper
lesson or lessons as preparatory to the completion of the
Christian Sacrifice. Your idea of suiting the lessons to
the several seasons of the Ecclesiastical year agrees per
fectly with mine. The selection w'h you have made I
think meets this idea. I observe but 1 lesson from Daniel,
19 S. after Trin. cap. 3. Now I conceive the 7. 8. 9
chap'rs containing the prophetic history of the 4 great
Empires and of the coming of Xt to be very interesting.
As I observed before, they would suit well the season of
Lent, at least the 9th chapter. As to the general Kalen-
dar, 1 apprehend the Committee has power to alter it, as
the convention judged proper to omit the saints-days. 1
would be for retaining however the Names of a few such
as Lady-day, Michaelmas, All Saints, with the Apostles' days
St. Stephen and Innocents. These 3 last being Scripture
festivals, should not be omitted. I mean a commemoration
of Scriptural Persons and Martyrs. All Saints days of
more modern date should be expunged. No mention,

I suppose will be made of fast or abstinence days.

******

Yrs entirely,

C. H.

144 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.
DEAR SIR,

My 3 last Letters lately written to you and which you
had not seen when we parted, contain so much Matter
for your Consid'n that I ought not perhaps to burden
you w'th more until those Points are settled. But think
ing you may possibly wish to have ye Table of Lessons
before you at ye same Time, I herewith send it, together
with a proposed Ru brick for ye Psalms. I wish you to
attend particularly to ye Note written lengthwise of ye
Paper on ye Table of Lessons and containing a new
Arrange't which I have proposed in Consequence of an
Observation of Dr. Wharton's after examining ye said
Table here inclosed ; which he says he approves of after
an attentive Consid'n.

I am, yours &c.

PHILAD'A, Dec'r 6, 85. WM. WHITE.

REV'D DR. SMITH.

P.S. Since writing ye above, it came into my Head to
draw up a few Hints towards a Preface. If you think
they will be not useful towards that Purpose, throw them
into ye Fire.

Hints towards a Preface.

This Church, following ye Example of the Church of
Engl'd in Times past, as is set forth in ye Preface to ye
Book of Common Prayer, hath upon weighty Considera
tions made such Alterations in ye Form of divine Wor
ship, as seem at this Time either necessary or expedient.

The Alterations to which her Attention was in ye first
place drawn, were such as had become necessary in ye
Prayers for our civil Rulers. These have been accom
modated to ye Revolution, which, in ye Course of divine
Providence, has taken Place in the U. States; and ye
principal Care herein has been to make them conformable
to ye proper end of all such Addresses, " That we may
lead quiet and peaceable Lives in all Godliness and
Honesty." And whereas it has been ye Practice of ye
Ch'ch of England, to set apart certain Days for ye render
ing of Thanks to ye Supreme Ruler of ye Universe for
signal Mercies vouchsafed to that Church and Kingdom;
it has in like Manner been now thought to tend to God-

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 145

liness, that there sh'd be two annual solemn Days of
Prayer and Thanksgiving to Almighty God for ye dis
tinguished Blessings of ye Land in which we live ; in
order that we may be thus moved t<^> Gratitude for these
Mercies of his good Providence, which might otherwise
be ye Occasions of Licentiousness.

The Alterations of ye M. and E. Prayer are chiefly,
either for ye avoiding of Repetition, or for ye Disuse of
such Words as have varied from their former Meaning,
or for ye arranging of ye Prayers in a Method more easy
for ye Worshipper. In ye Apostles Creed, one Clause
of uncertain Meaning which was introduced into ye
Church by ye Council of Aquileia about 400 Years after
Christ, is omitted. As ye Psalms are a considerable Part
of ye M. and E. Prayer, it may be proper to mention in
this Place ye Reason of their being so considerably
shortened. "All Scripture is given for Doctrine and
Instruction in Righteousness ;" Yet it is supposed that all
Parts thereof were not indited for Christian Worship ;
and that ye Church hath a Latitude to select such Parts
as she shall judge best suited thereto. Therefore such
Portions only of ye Psalms are retained, as were thought
ye most beautiful and affecting. In order to add to ye
Propriety and Sublimity of ye Psalter, ye Translation in
ye Bible has been preferred, where it was thought to
have a stronger Tendency than ye other to raise Devo
tion. A new Division became necessary in Consequence
of ye preceding Changes ; And it was supposed that ye
Excellence of this Part of ye Service would be still more
encreased, by ye Permission to combine it with that
ancient Doxology somewhat shortened ye Gloria in
Excelsis. In Regard to ye reading of ye holy Scripture
at M. and E. Prayer, ye same Reasons which occasioned
a select Table of first Lessons for Sundays and other
Holy-days seemed to extend in favor of ye making a
Table of '2d Lessons also; which is accordingly done.
Those for ye Morn'g are intended to suit ye several Sea
sons ; and yet without a Repetition of ye Portions of ye
Gospel included in ye Communion Service ; and those for
ye Evening are selected in ye Order of ye sacred Books
Besides this, ye Table of first Lessons has been re
viewed; a few new Chapters are introduced from ye Sup
position of their being more edirying than ye old ; and

146 HISTORICAL NOTES AND pOCUMENTS.

Transpositions have been made where they seemed to
suit ye Lessons more to ye Season of ye jYear. It has
been thought that a Kalendar is unnecessary ; and that
ye managing ye Lessons for ye ordinary Days agreeably
to ye Civil Year is not so expedient as ye making them
correspond, like ye others, with ye Ecclesiastical Year.
Accordingly ye Minister is left to his Discretion in ye
Choice of Lessons for ye intermediate Days, with ye Ex
pectation that such will be taken as ye most nearly suit
those selected for ye Sundays and other Holy-days.

The Offices for Baptism have undergone some Change.
The requiring other Godfathers and Godmothers than
ye Parents is dispensed with, if ye same be desired ; and
thus Regard is still maintained for an ancient and useful
Institution ; and yet ye Complaint avoided, that in some
Cases, especially among ye poor, it is difficult to provide
Sponsors, unless such as will most probably neglect ye
Duties of that Relation, to ye great Hazard of their own
Souls. The Sponsors, instead of answering in ye ^Tame
and Person of ye Infant, now answer for their own Dis
charge of ye Obligation they have come under. The
Sign of ye Cross is retained, from a Conviction of its
having been used in ye earliest Ages of ye Church as
expressive of ye being devoted to ye Service of Christ,
who for our Sake, "endured ye Cross, despising ye
Shame" ; Nevertheless in Tenderness to those who may
entertain conscientious Scruples concerning the Use of
this venerable Rite, ye Minister is to dispense with it,
when desired by ye Sponsors.

The Alterations made in ye Catechism and ye Service
for Confirmation are such as became necessary to make
those Offices correspond with ye Forms for Baptism ;
except ye Change of a few Words of ye Service w'ch was
thought to be not sufficiently clear, in that Part of ye
Catechism which relates to ye holy Communion.

It was thought, that ye Office for Matrimony could
bear considerable shortening; which is accordingly done.

The Visitation of ye Sick is nearly as in ye Old Ser
vice. But a few Verses in ye Psalm have been omitted,
as not appearing altogether applicable to ye Occasion ;
and ye Absolution has given Way to what was conceived
to be ye more scriptural Form used in ye Comm'n
Service.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 147

In ye Burial Service it was thought proper to omit
some inapplicable Verses in ye Psalms; such Expressions
as seem to pronounce too positively concerning ye State
of ye Deceased ; and ye thanking of God for an Event in
which Resignation only is required.

None of ye Form for "the Churching of Women" is
retained except ye Thanksgiving Prayer, which is placed
among ye other occasional Thanksgivings : it being sup
posed, that many Parts of ye daily Service are equally
applicable to that Occasion with what is omitted.

Such Parts of ye Commination Service as were thought
calculated to produce Christian Penitence are inserted
after ye Collect for Ash-wednesday : except ye Psalm,
which is appointed to be read for ye Day.

The Forms to be used at Sea have undergone very
little Change, other than what arose from adapting it to
ye Revolution.

The Case of such unhappy Persons as have forfeited
their Lives to ye Laws of their Country claimed ye Con-
sid'n of this Church : which has therefore adopted into
her Liturgy ye Form for Visitation of Prisoners under
sentence of Death passed by ye Convocation and Parl't
of Ireland.

The Articles of Religion have been reduced in Num
ber. Yet it is humbly conceived, that ye Doctrines of ye
Ch: of Eng'd are preserved in their full Extent; as being
thought agreeable to ye Gospel. It is therefore foreign to
ye Intention of this Church, to alter any thing which ap
peared to be essential to ye true Sense and Meaning of
ye 39 Articles Nevertheless, some Variation has been
made in ye Expression ; and such parts omitted as were
evidently adapted either to ye Time when ye Articles
were composed or to ye political Constitution of Eng
land.

From ye Psalms translated in Metre by N. Brady and
N. Tate, there have been selected only such a Number as
were thought to make a sufficient Variety for divine
Worship, and ye Parts selected are arranged under Heads
agreeing with ye Subjects of them respectively : which it
was thought would tend to ye judicious Use of them both
in public and in private.

This Church therefore having gone through ye im
portant Work of accommodating her Service to her new

148 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Situation ; it is hoped that ye divine Blessing will attend
ye same to ye promoting of Piety in her Children, and to
ye influencing them to live in Peace and Love with all

/ O

Mankind.

The above "Hints" are endorsed in the handwriting of
the Rev. Dr. Smith, as follows :

" Proposed by Dr. White.

N. B. The Preface has been composed upon another
Plan by W. S. who has made Use of some of the within
Hints.

See Dr. W.'s approbation of the new Preface and the
Correspondence on this Head in the Letters dated latter
End of Feb'y and beginning of March 1786."

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.
DEAR SIR,

I send you ye Sheets as far as finished and have cor
rected ye Proofs as far as to ye Beginning of ye Burial
Service.

I have just now delivered to Mr. Hall ye Offices of 4
of July and for Nov: as they will be gone on Tomorrow.
I kept them to ye last with ye Hope of hearing from you,
but there was no Post this Week.

In preparing said Offices for ye Press, it occurred to
me. that their wanting Gospels and Ep : made them not
harmonize with ye rest of our Service. Our Brethren here
were unanimous in advising me to add them : and I was
ye more encouraged by Dr Magaw's saying that it was
not thought of in ye Committee. The Passages chosen
are Philipp : 4. 4 to 8, with S. John 8, 31 to 37 and St.
James 1. 16 with St. Matth : 5. 43.

The Lessons taken by ye same Advice for ye 1 Th. in
Nov ? r are Deut'y 28 to V. 15, and S Matth. 7. 7.

I am sorry that I have been obliged to do these Things
without waiting for your Approbation; but I hope they
will still merit it.

The Post is just going so that I can only write myself
Yours &e.

PIIILAD'A, Jan'y 4, 86. W. WHITE.

DR. SMITH.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 149

KEY. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.
DEAR SIR,

I have lost no Time in making Provision for inserting
a few Tunes in ye P. Book. We have selected some w'ch
I send you ye names of on an enclosed Paper. Mr.
Hopkinson is beginning to copy them for ye Engraver
and I expect they will be done with sufficient speed.

It was natural for me, when on this Subject with a
Gen'n of Mr. Hopkinson's Taste, to communicate to him
our Arrangement respecting ye Psalms. He objected, as
indeed has almost every one to whom I have mentioned
it, to ye running the Psalms into one another. The
Issue of ye Conference with Mr II. was his suggesting a
Plan of which I give you a Sketch on an enclosed Paper
and which I think on ye whole will be ye simplest and
most elegant. Unless you disapprove, I will execute it
on this Plan, altho' I shall have lost some labour of
transcribing: in doing of which however. I became
more and more dissatisfied with ye running of Psalms
into one another ; and indeed in this Way, I find that
many fine Passages must be lost, or else such a Repe
tition made as in ye same Psalm would be improper and
disgusting.

I expect your Draft of a Preface by next Post and am
Yours &c

WM: WHITE.

PHILAD'A, Jan'y 17, 86.
REV'D DR. SMITH.

P.S. On Mr. H's Plan, ye Insertion of ye Term Chap
ter will be unnecessary

REV. DR. SMITH TO REV. DR. WHITE.

I received your last letter of 17th Jan'y and observe
what you say concerning the Objections which have oc-
curr'd as to running our Collection or Selection of Sing
ing Psalms into one another. You know this arrang-
ment was proposed for the Convenience of Clerks and
of the People for finding any proposed Sum. We could
not then think of any better mode. I have no attach
ment to any particular Arrangmeiit that appears best.

150 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

But I could see no Impropriety, nor can yet see any in
making one Chapter or Psalm of all those different Parts
of different Psalms which are selected on the same Sub
ject and in the Psalm metre ; for except in metre 1st. and
in Psalms of Praise &c none of them would be very long
in this way; and I know not how you can make your
Breaks in the same Metre, so as to close the Service with
out running many of them into one another. For of
some Psalms only a Verse or two are taken, and surely
BO small a Portion cannot stand by itself. All the Read
ing Psalms for a Morning or Evening Service, altho not
arranged under different Heads as the Singing Psalms,
are nevertheless run into one another, without Incon
venience. On the Contrary it appears a Beauty. The
same has been done in chusing Psalms for particular Ser
vices even by our Mother Church.

But I have no Objection to the Method now proposed.
As far as I can understand it from your short Scrip, it
was what we first proposed altho some Difficulties then
occurr'd. Mr Hopkinson's Judgment will always have
great Weight with me especially on a Subject of Ele
gance and Taste. I am happy that he has agreed to
devote a few Hours to the Psalmody. Under his Hand,
it will become a most acceptable Addition to the Prayer
Book, and with the Hymns to be annexed will recom
mend the Purchase of it to many, and I hope greatly
encrease their Love both of Public and Private Devotion.

With the assistance of our Organist Mr Lirnburner,
our Clerk and some other Gentlemen of this Town I
have examined the Tunes which are to be engraved and
we generally approve of them ; except Canterbury which
is too flat and inanimate. St. Anne's tho good is too dif
ficult for Singers in General. These two might be ex
changed for some more popular Tunes which you have
omitted, such as Brunswick and Stroud Tune. We also
wish to have in the Collection, the Tune ....
and St. Peters is adapted to that noble Hymn . . .

. . publish'd among the Collection of Hymns

When all thy mercies, my God, &c.

In addition, to the Tunes which are proposed in your
list, we would offer the Six which are enclosed, or such
of them as you think may vary most from those of the

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 151

same metre which you retain. I should wish to see the
first Proof Sheet of the Singing Psalms before it is
work'd off. I hope Mr Hall is now upon it, and I wish
not to delay him.

I enclose you a Collection of Hymns to follow the
Psalms, and which I have every Reason to believe will
be a great Recommendation of our Prayer Book to mul
titudes of our most serious and religious members. The
Methodists captivate many by their attention to Church
Music, and by their Hymns and Doxologies, which when
rationally and devoutly introduced are sublime Parts of
public and private worship. I have arranged the Hymns
under proper Heads, have chosen the best I could pos
sibly find, and have spent several whole Nights this last
week in copying them for the Press, abridging them,
where it could be done and correcting some of them in a
few Places. I shall be happy if they meet with your Appro
bation and save you some Trouble in this Part, as you have
had far more than your Share in other Parts, which it was
not in my Power to ease you from, on account of my
many late Calls from Home.

The Number of Hymns is more than I expected when I
sat down to collect them; but I see none that I could
wish to leave out. On the great Festivals of the Church,
there should be some Variety, at least three or four, and
of different metres, to compleat the Psalmody of the
Day.

There are about eight Hymns yet wanting, which 1
hope to send you next Post ; viz Hymns or Psalms for a
public Fast, Meditational Hymns on Death, Funeral
Hymns, a Hymn on the last Judgment, and a Hymn on
Immortality exhibiting a Glimpse of the ^ingdom of
Glory. But on these two last awful and exalted Subjects
I know not where to chuse. They far transcend the Power
of our common Class of Poets, and those of the Greatest
Genius have left them unsung, at least in that kind of
Verse which is proper for Psalmody. .....

singing Psalms, that those Portions of them

of Hymns, are adapted to particular Occa
sions of Service, Thanksgiving &c as July 4th. 1st Th.
of Nov'r, &c. are not to be printed in their Place with the
other Psalms, which are selected for common Use. Should
any of them be chosen on any other Occasion than those

152 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

to which they are adapted among the Hymns, the Clerk
and Congregation can turn to them where they stand.
The Hymns and Psalmody both together will not be near
so long as the former Psalmody by this Plan, unless your
new arrangment should lengthen them somewhat. The
Hymns will not require two Half Sheets, but were it
more they will pay for themselves in the sale of the Book
and in the Satisfaction which Christians in General will
derive. Few will grudge a Dollar if, with the addition of
Hymns and Tunes &c, we think that should be the Price.
You will not forget to take Addisons 23d Ps. from Spec
tator No 441 his 19th from No. 465, to be inserted among
the Psalms under their proper Metres. You will also
take his Hymn, on Gratitude, from No. 453 to be in
serted among the Hymns where I have left a Blank in
Copying," for want of Time.

As I do not know in what order you have arranged
the Metres in publishing the singing Psalms, I must beg
you to fill up the Blanks I have left for the Metres of the
Gloria Patri, so as to answer to our Select Psalms, for it
will not do to say as formerly such a Metre as Ps. 25,
Ps 123, Ps. 148 &c, as our Psalms and Metres will not now
answer to those Numbers, but to Metre 1st, 2d, 3d, &c. as
you may place. I believe I said before (but have not
Time to look back) that I beg to see the first Proof Sheet
of the Singing Psalms before it goes to the Press, I hope
by next Post I will try by that Time to send you the
Preface or Address nearly upon the Plan you have
sketched. You speak in some former Letter of collect
ing for the Feasts and Fasts some Passages of Psalms to
supply the Place of the Venite on different Festivals.
Will not this take too much from the Reading Psalms of

those Days? Might of Scripture in the

Old and New Testament Easter Day

the Substitute for the Veuite is wholly so ... such
a Choice as this may interfere with the Lessons, and the
Epistles and Gospels of the Day. There are Difficulties
both ways, I leave to your own Judgment. And where
any Thing we had before (as the old Venite a little
altered) will do, I would not introduce for the present at
least any very great alterations. All the Hymns, &c.
except a few from Watts and Addison, have long been in
Use in the Church in the Supplement to Tate and Brady's

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 153

Psalms and other Collections printed with different Prayer
Books, by religious Societies, &c. The Hymns therefore
are only a more copious Collection, arrang'd more pro
perly, of such as have been long -in Use, for even some
of Watts's are not new in our Church, and you know
Dr. Johnson gives them a high name in his Lives of the
Poets. I wish I could have found more than about six or
eight of Watts's to introduce, or that I could glean from
Him what is yet wanted on the last Judgment, and the
Kingdom of Glory. I know not where else to look. If
you know of any on those Subjects I wish you to point
them out. I have got 2 or 3 funeral Hymns to be copied
out in my next, and also Hymns proper for the Service
of the Church at Sea and after Storms, &c., &c.

It is now 4 o'Clock in the morning. I am drowsy and
half blind cannot stay to read what I have written
believe I have forgot nothing material. I shall be
ruined if the Packet does not come safe to your Hand. I
have no Cop}', nor even a List or Table of the Hymns
which I intend should be added at the End, after we
know the Pages to which we must refer. This may be
done by the Printer. You will therefore not fail to ac
knowledge the Receipt of them by the Return of Post.
If I have no Letter, I shall conclude you have not re
ceived them and be very unhappy till I hear that you have.
Yours with great Regard

WM. SMITH.

Sunday night or Monday morning
23d Jan'y 1786.

The Hymns must be printed in a smaller Letter, as
many of the Metres are long. Attend well to the Note
at Bottom of p. 38.

This Letter must stand for a great many for which I
stood indebted before.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.
DEAR SIR,

I have rec'd your Letter with ye enclosed Hymns ; of
which ye Time admits my saying no more at present, but
that I make no doubt of their being unexceptionable.
If I have any Remarks to make you shall have them in
my next.

154 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

As you have no Objection to ye Method last proposed
respecting ye Psalms, I shall do whatever on a Re-ex
amination appears to our Friends here ye best.

I am afraid your Proposals concerning ye Tunes is too
late to be accomplished without either spoiling what haa
been done or making an Addition in this Article ; which
by ye bye, will be much* more expensive than you ima
gined. However I shall accommodate it to your Ideas,
as much as I should think you would yourself, were you
on ye spot.

I expect we shall finish ye reading Psalms this "Week
and that we shall have ye 1st Sheet of ye singing Ps :
ready for next Post. The waiting for it can be no Injury
in regard to ye composing part, but for the Press work
(which Mr. Hall considers as ye principal) it may put us
back a little.

In regard to ye Selections, instead of ye Venite, I
believe they had better stand as they are. You know ye
Design is to introduce such Portions respecting ye Mes
siah, as could not be agreeably retained in their old
places ; now ye including some Scriptural Sentences must
either supersede some of said Portions or make this part
of ye Service too long ; at least this would be ye case on
Good Friday and Xtrnas Day. With regard to ye reading
Psalms of those Days, I mentioned to you, and requested
you to look at them, that I had in a Rubric at ye End
referred to one portion of ye Psalter to be read on all
these Festivals at Morn'g P. another at Ev'g P another
for ye Morn'g of ye Fast Days and another for ye Even
ing of ye same.

I have been considering ye daily Calendar; and do
not find that we have any power given us on this head.
Nevertheless ye reading ye Apocrypha has been so old
an Objection to our Church, that I believe it would be
taken well if we were to substitute others. My Plan for
this is to divide so many of ye longer Chapters as will
make up for the Number to be expunged ; which I find
on Examination may easily be done. Perhaps too it
might be well to divide as many Chap's of ye Gospels
and Acts as may be suited to ye reading them over twice
instead of thrice in ye year. Those from ye Epistles
may very well stand as they are. I must request your
Opinion on this Head.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 155

On another Review of my Plan of proper lessons, I am
fully satisfied with it.

I know of no suitable Hymns on the Subjects you have
named.

I do not think it will be necessary to print the Hymns
in a smaller type than ye rest, and if not necessary, you
will agree with me that it will not look so well.
I am,

yours respectfully and affectionately

WM : WHITE.
PHILAD'A: Jan: 25, '86.

REV'D DR. W. SMITH.

P. S. I hope to send you pr next Post ye Psalter com
plete.

REV. DR. SMITH TO REV. DR. WHITE.

I enclose the remaining Hymns. The Psalms of David,
unless where tortur'd by Versifiers, have but few evan
gelical Subjects and stood much in need of a Supplement,
which our Church has allowed from Time to Time and
we have full Power to offer, as neither the Psalms which
we have selected, nor this Supplement of Hymns are
more than an Exercise of our best Discretion in the Work
committed to us, and not an essential Part of our re
formed Liturgy.

You will find the Hymns all upon Evangelical Subjects
and practical Christianity, viz On the Nativity, on the
Passion, Resurrection, Ascension, Gift of the Holy Ghost,
The Holy Communion, Time, Life, Death, Hymns at Sea
and various Occasions of Life, in Sickness, in Time of
public Calamity, Thanksgivings for Mercies received, On
State Days as July 4th, Nov'r 1st. Th. &c., concluding
< with Christ's Commission to preach the Gospel, two
Hymns which when we have Ordination of Ministers at
Home maybe properly sung in Time of public Worship.
The Subjects you see are numerous, and not more than
2 or 3 Hymns at most on any Subject. The Hymns are
generally short too. Should you think that any of them
might be left out, I could wish to know which of them.
There is the greatest Number for the Nativity and for
Funerals, but here we ought not to be too sparing. In
the enclosed Collection Hymns 36, 39, 40-43 are particu-

156 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

larly and beautifully applicable to their Subjects. In
short I have taken great Pains to collect and adapt them,
giving nothing of my own, and I think the Number as
they are generally short (altho amounting to 50) is not
too great, as the Psalms of David are greatly abridged,
and many of them taken out of the Places where they
stood promiscuously with other Psalms, and placed as
Hymns under the Heads to which they belong so that
you will take Care not to print these particular Passages
of the Psalms with the Singing Psalms. Let me hear par
ticularly from you next Post, on this whole Subject. I
am more and more pleased with the arrangement of the
Singing Psalms under the different Heads to which they
will apply which are but four or jive, and finding Hymns

founded on other Scriptures, as we Worship.

Clergy and Laity here are greatly to purchase

Books.

You will please to put the proper Numbers to the
Pages of the enclosed Hymns, as I have forgot at what
my last weeks Copy closed and therefore have mark'd or
pag'd them A. B. C. &c. which you will expunge when
you put the Numbers. Please to put Hymn XXV. on
Recovery from Sickness, in the former Copy next after
Hymn XL of this enclosed Copy being on the same
Subject; and alter the Numbers of the Hymns accord
ingly from No. 25 to No. 40 inclusive.

Next Post shall answer all the unanswer'd Parts of
your former Letters, send you the Preface and conclude
this Business, with great Thankfulness to God who hath
enabled us to carry it forward, with so great Harmony
and Satisfaction to ourselves, and I trust it will be to the
full Satisfaction of our Constituents and the Public.
Write me fully this Week, as I am to cross the Bay next
Sundaj 7 Evening.

Yours

WM SMITH.

30th Jan'y, 1786.

REV. DR. WHITE to REV. DR. SMITH.
DEAR SIR,

I have rec'd yours by this Day's Post ; and agreeably
to your desire, sit down to write to you particularly on
ye Subjects of it.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 157

I send you (with ye Psalter) ye first proof Sheet of ye
Psalms. Yon will see that I have divided them. You
objected to this in your former Letter, that it will become
necessary to leave out Parts of Psalms for want of enough
to make one Division. I answer, that it will not happen
if we allow that to be enough, which may suffice for one
Time of ye Clerk's singing. You also took notice, that ye
other plan was adopted in respect to ye reading Psalms:
I answer, that ye same Reason does not hold in 3^6 sing'g
Ps: viz, their being used together. Our Brethren here
are clear for dividing them and authorize me to say so,
and Mr Hopkinson thinks ye other Plan very exception-
'able. I beg you to weigh ye matter once more ; and if
after all you sh'd continue in your present Mind, I will
execute it accordingly, provided you will take your Pen
and set down precisely what Psalms shall follow one
another, so as to be a guide to ye Printer. In doing
this you will probably (like myself) be tired of ye Idea
of running them into one another: if not, I will perform
my Promise. You will observe that I have put ye Rubric
mark: I thought this proper to make it harmonize with ye
other Parts of ye Liturgy and to show w T ith what View ye
Ps's are introduced. In ye old Book, they were no Part of
ye common Prayer, but were only used by ye Royal Per
mission ; with us, as I conceive they are to be part of ye
Liturgy.

In Regard to ye Form of ye Hymns I have to Remark
that I think they sh'd be introduced like ye Ps's, with ye
R. mark before them, with a similar direction in Regard
to ye discretion of ye Minister, leaving out ye word Sup
plement, because they will be nearly, if not quite, as
large as the Collection of Psalms. I would change the
latin Gloria Patri to English and call it Hymn 1.

In ye Collection sent up last Week (I do not think ye
other admits ye same Criticism) there are some Lines
which I wish for your Consent to alter, under the Con
dition of Mr Hopkinson's joint Approbation.

" Well may ye Sun as Hell be black,"
I wish for a Substitute for this.

" See streaming from th' accursed Tree,"
may be thus altered,

" Behold fast streaming from ye Tree," &c. &c.

158 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Mr. Ilopkinson thinks with me, that it is altogether im
proper to transfer Psalms to ye Head of Hymns, merely
to change their Names; and we think that they may very
well stand in their proper Places to be applied discre-
tionately; except where some considerable Changes in
ye Composition to accommodate it to ye Occasion may
apologize for ye Transposition. Or else a Collection be
made from difft. Psalms.

The Psalms applied to ye Ascension must be taken in
so strained a sense as not to consist with ye Liberty al
lowable in composing an Hymn. The two Hymns which
conclude your 2d Collection and which refer to Christ's
Command to preach the Gospel, would suit admirably
well for this Festival.

I enclose you a little Essay of Mr H for ye 4th of
July and ye 1 Th'y in Nov'r. He desires me to mention
that he is conscious of having left out in ye latter some
fine portions of ye 2 Ps's : from w'ch it is taken ; but it
was to make it a reasonable Portion for singing at one
time. He thinks 1 for each Occasion sufficient, and that
for ye other Time of singing, a Portion might be taken at
Discretion from ye Psalms. But if you chuse two for
each Occasion, you have got one for Nov'r against which
there can be no Objection, unless that ye Sentiments are
ye same with those of Ps. 65. As to ye very fine parts of
Ps. 68., I foresee many Objections to ye making it a
stated part of our Service for ye Day. Besides ye Deli
cacy of our Situation, as well as on acc't of ye Prejudice
of our Brethren at our present Appn : to Eng'd, it may well
be questioned whether ye Use of such Expressions be not
inconsistent with ye Sent'ts which sh'd take place with
Peace, however proper " flagrant! Bello." Even the Line
" their proud Oppressors righteous Doom" in (perhaps) ye
best Verse of ye Psalm is rather too strong. I would pre
fer something from Ps. 89 and 18, of which I shall send
you a Sketch on a piece of paper.

I forgot to mention when writing of ye Psalms, ye
Order in which I had arranged the'm. You know ye 4
General Heads we fixed on were Ps. of Praise, &c Ps,
of Prayer &c Ps. of Thanksgiving &c and Ps. of In
struction, &c. I found all w'd range under these Heads
except a few, w'ch I have thought best to put at ye End
under these 2 Heads Prophetical Psalms, applied in ye

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 159

N. T. to ye Character of ye Messiah and Ps : composed
during ye Want of an Opp'y of ye public "Worship of
God. If you propose any Alteration of this Order, you will
be pleased to set down minutely, ye Ps : that suit any
new Heads you may propose. Notwithstanding ye Im
patience of ye Public (and I may add my own Desire of
having this Business out of hand) I very willingly stop
ye Press this Week, to comply with your Desire of seeing
the 1st S. of ye Psalms, before it be worked off. Mr
Hall says it will be to no purpose to go on composing,
as ye preparing a Sheet will not take him half ye Time
of working it off. The Week however will not be wholly
lost ; as to prevent it, I have given him ye Tables for
finding ye Holy days; which take up just a Form. The
Table for Easter I have adjusted to 2 Cycles of ye Moon,
adding ye Epacts, Golden Nos. and Dom: Letters; ye
present Year begins a Cycle and ye 2d Ends at 1823.
This Space makes a convenient Page with our Letter. I
have omitted in this Table all ye Holy days besides
Easter ; because that being known, ye next Table shews
ye others. In all other Respects I shall print ye said
Tables, agreeably to Dr Franklin's BookQ which has

1 DR. FRANKLIN'S PRAVER-BOOK. A copy of this very rare volume,
allusion to which is made above, is in the Collection of Liturgies
gathered by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Stevens, D.D., of Philadelphia. The
following extracts from the Memoir of Granville Sharp, Esq., by Prince
Hoare, will furnish Franklin's own account of its preparation. From
the circumstance in his letter alluded to, this volume is one of the
rarest of modern liturgies.

The title of the book is as follows. " Abridgement of the Book of
Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, and other
Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, according to the use of the
Church of England together with the Psalter or Psalms of David.
Pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches. London, Printed
in the Year MDCCLXXIII."

In connection with the efforts of the celebrated Granville Sharp,
Esq., of London, to effect the introduction of the English succession
into America, a correspondence took place with Franklin, extracts
from which, as furnished in the Memoirs of Sharp, pp. 216-218, we
give below :

To HIS EXCELLENCY BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, ESQ.

17th June, 1785.
" DEAR SIR,

******

"I have been informed, that, several years ago, you revised the
Liturgy of the Church of England, with a view, by some few altera-

160 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

them in ye neatest "Way of any I have seen. This Form
will be our "Weeks work.

I have ye Table of proper Lessons ready; and have

tions, to promote the more general use of it. But I have never yet
been able to see a copy of the form you proposed. Our present public
service is certainly, upon the whole, much too long, as it is commonly
used ; so that a prudent revision of it, by the common consent of the
members of the Episcopal Church in America, might be very advan
tageous ; though, for my own part, I conceive that the addition of
one single rubric from the Gospel, would be amply sufficient to direct
the revisers to the only corrections that seem to be necessary at
present I mean, a general rule, illustrated by proper examples,
references, and marks, to warn the officiating ministers how they
may avoid all useless repetitions and tautology in reading the service.
As, for instance, after the Lord's Prayer has been read in one of the
offices, the minister should be directed to omit it in all the others;
though, perhaps, the solemn repetition of it by the communicants,
after returning from the Lord's table, may be deemed a proper ex
ception to the general rule ; that the Collect of the day should not
be read in the first office, but rather in the second service, or vice
versa, at the minister's discretion, but by no means in both, as it occa
sions too plainly a vain repetition. In like manner, every other prayer,
that contains nearly the same petition in substance as any of those
that have already been read in the first office, ought to be omitted in
the subsequent offices. And it will require a very careful and atten
tive revision of the whole Liturgy, to discover all the repetitions, and to
point them out with marginal notes of reference, that the officiating
clergyman may be more easily enabled to avoid tautology. Such a
prudent abridgment of the service, if it were done by common con
sent, to preserve order and uniformity, would afford great relief to
the clergy, as well as to their congregations ;, and both would be
better enabled to fix their attention to their duty during the service;
because the human mind is not easily restrained for any long time
together from wandering, or absence of thought : so that nothing can
be more pernicious to devotion than long prayers and needless repetitions.
This opinion is sufficiently justified by an injunction of our Lord him
self respecting prayer ; which, therefore, I propose as the one additional
rubric necessary to direct us in the use of our Liturgy viz. ' when ye
pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathens do; for they think that they shall
be heard for their much speaking: be not ye therefore, like unto them.'

" The repetitions, and consequent unnecessary length, of our Church
Service, are faults, however, which ' have crept in unawares,' and without
design, by an inconsiderate use of several offices in immediate suc
cession which seem to have been originally intended for separate
times of assembling. But in every other respect, the Liturgy of the
Church of England is an excellent form, both for expression of the
most exalted piety, and for general edification in point of doctrine ;
for, after the most careful examination, I am thoroughly convinced
that it is strictly conformable to ' the faith once delivered to the saints,'
which we ought to ' hold fast.'

" I remain, with great esteem and respect, dear Sir," &c. &c.

"G. S."

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 161

taken more pains with this than with any Part of ve
Book.

As to ye Calendar with ye Table of common Lessons,
I believe all we can do with it is so to divide }^e long

DR. FRANKLIN TO MR. GRANVILLE SHARP.

PASSY, July 5, 1785.
"DEAR SIR,

* * * * * * #

"The Liturgy you mention, was an abridgment of the Prayers, made
by a Noble Lord of my acquaintance, who requested me to assist him
by taking the rest of the book viz. the Catechism, and the reading
and singing Psalms. Those I abridged, by retaining of the Cate
chism only the two questions, What is your duty to God? What is your
duty to your neighbour? with their answers. The Psalms were much
contracted, by leaving out the repetitions (of which I found more
than I could have imagined), and the imprecations, which appeared
not to suit well the Christian doctrine of forgiveness of injuries, and
doing good to enemies. The book was printed for Wilkie, in Paul's
Churchyard, but never much noticed. Some were given away, very
few sold, and I suppose the bulk became waste paper. In the prayers
so much was retrenched, that approbation could hardly be expected ;
but I think with you, a moderate abridgment might not only be useful,
but generally acceptable.

" I am, dear Sir," &c. &c.

"B. FRANKLIN."
i

To these extracts we append the following additional statements
derived from a letter from Bishop Stevens :

" ' This abridgement, together with the preface was drawn up by
Sir Francis Dashwood, Bart., Baron le Dispenser, and given by him
to Lord Mountstuart, 1775. The book was printed in a private press
of his own at West-Wycombe Bucks/

Note written probably by Lord Mountstuart on the title-page of
my copy.

In the copy which belonged to Bishop White there is this auto
graph note by the Bishop :

' This book was presented to me in the year 1785 while ye Liturgy
was under review by Mrs. Sarah Bache, by direction of her father
Dr. Benj. Franklin, who with Lord Le Dispenser, she said, were the
framers of it. W W

I know of but two other copies :

The one formerly Bp. White's (just referred to), now in the pos
session of Mrs. Henry Reed (widow of Prof. Henry Reed, of the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania), the grand-daughter of Bp. White, and the
other in the library of Dr. T. Hewson Bache, the great-grandson of
Dr. Franklin.

This Liturgy seems to have been used in a Society in England.

Very truly yours,

W. B. STEVENS."

162 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Lessons as to afford ye expunging of ye Apocrypha. I
luive minuted ye Lessons which may be so divided;
omitting in my way a very few Lessons, ye public Read
ing of which appears indecent : and more than a few we
cannot dispense with, without spoiling ye Design of
Laving ye Bible read through in ye Course of ye year.

I rejoice with you on our having so nearly finished ye
Business with so much Harmony and am

Yours aff'y

WM. WHITE.

PHILAD'A, Feb 1, '86.

Pray do not cross ye Bay without writing to me par
ticularly. I have written you a very disorderly and I
suppose incorrect Letter ; but I write in Haste and yet
wish to be full.

Respecting ye Tunes,

I have contrived to substitute Brunsw'ck for St. Ann's.

The Hymn Tune and those you sent up w'd take up
very considerable Room and therefore I mention what
follows.

Mr II. had so fitted his Tunes as to occupy an Half
Sheet on both sides; besides w'ch, he is desirous of
inserting a page of Chants ; and if I comply with this,
it will be to gratify him, as he has taken so much trouble
iii ye matter. !N"ow ye Half Sheet only will be a very
expensive Matter. The Ruling Press alone (if Mr Lea-
coks Proposals are reasonable and he says he has made
them lower than he w'd for any but a charitable Purpose
however I shall consult Judges) will be a Demand on us
for 62. 10 When ye Book comes out it will be some
Time before Remittances of Cash are made from ye
other States, and in ye mean Time I shall have to settle
with ye Printer, Bank, &c. Matters being thus circum
stanced, I wish to add no more to ye Musick. You
know Tunes may be sung besides those printed. For my
Part, I am convinced, that no one Circumstance impedes
singing in our Churches so much as great Diversity of
Tunes.

N.B. Mr. H. thinks ye tunes sent up very bad and
destitute of melody.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 163

REV. DR. SMITH TO REV. DK. WHITE.

I hope, as you have ordered matters, there will be no
great Delay "at the Press. I received by your sending me
these Proofs, the Psalmody. It was only that I might
have a specimen with me across the Bay as far as the Book
is printed. If you have attended fully to what I wrote in
my former Letter, I think I left you at Liberty to follow
the arrangment you have made of the Psalms, provided
enough could be had from every one Psalm, for a short
Portion to sing, which from memory I did not apprehend
would be the Case, as from some of the Reading Psalms
but one or two Yerses were retained ; and these I thought
must either be rejected in the singing Psalms or joined
with some other Ps. After all I see no Difference in this
mode, for all that comes under the first metre, on Praise
and Adoration, stands exactly in the same Order it would
have done in the other mode, and would have made but
35 Yerses as one Chapter or Psalm. But I am very well
satisfied as it is: only as in the Rubrick prefix'd, all of
them are said to be "selected from the Psalms of David"
the name of David need stand at the Head of each par
ticular new Psalm or Selection. Might it not be "Psalm
1 [from 8th,] and yet it seems as well as you have it so
I have no more to say on this Head.

I think the Substitutes for " come let us sing," &c. on
Christmas, Ashwednesday, &c, Good Friday, &c, as well
as the old one for Easter, in all future Editions, had better
be inserted with their proper Titles in the Place where
they are to be read, that is just after the daily " Yenite"
or " Come" &c. to save the Trouble of turning the Book
and to be consistent with the Rest of our Arrangments.
There is a Precedent for this in the Communion Service,
where all the Prefaces for these particular Days are col
lected into the Place where they are to be said or sung.
If you approve this, it is easy to alter the Rubrick pre
fixed to these new Venite's accordingly. That for Ascen
sion Day might have concluded with the 8th Verse. The
following Yerses, especially from Ps. 2 might have better
been for Whitsunday with some other Yerse* which are
now set apart for it. But I do not now wish to alter the
Press, except in the Rubrick aforesaid, if you approve the

164 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Transposition of all the Substitutes into one place with
the daily Venite in future Edit. #

The Line " See streaming from th' accursed tree" is
by taking it from the original Author, Watts. 'Tis
altered thus in the Magdalen Collection from which you
recommended in your Xote

See, streaming from the fatal Tree
And the other Line

Thou Sun as deepest night be black.

I can see no more Impropriety in transferring the sing
ing Psalms into Hymns under the Heads to which they
apply, than in the method we have taken to transfer them
under the three proper Heads of Praise, &c. as now to be
published. The few Passages that relate to the Cruci
fixion, to the Ascension, &c. can stand no where so well as
among the Hymns under those Heads. They would

Psalms, or under any of the few Heads

which the taken by Tate and Brady in

versifying the Psalms and the Composition of some other
Parts of Scripture. I pay great Regard to the Judgment
of Mr Hopkinson and my other respected Friends, the
Clergy of your City; but we have Clergy of some Judg
ment here whom I consult also, and in this arrangement
and Collection of Hymns, something of which kind has
been long wish'd, I have some Dependence on my own
Judgment also, and should be happy if you and the other
Gentlemen could agree to have the Specimen of Hymns
offered to the public with as few Deviations as possible
from the Plan which upon great Deliberation I have sub
mitted to you, and Dr Wharton, if he can be consulted.

I cannot conceive for what Reason you say the Psalms
applied as Hymns for the Ascension must be taken in
strained Sense to apply to that Occasion. Are they not
the 24th and 47th, the very same which you have applied
instead of the Venite for that Day ? The two Hymns in
the Conclusion do not apply better to the Ascension than
to Whitsunday, or some other Days. Christ's Commission
was delivered to his Apostles while on Earth, and the
Gifts which ,he sent from on high to enable them to go
forth in his Name were not on the Day of Ascension.
They seem to stand very well where they are either to

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 165

be used on the Occasion as suggested, or any other to
which they will apply. I think less than two Hymns
for any one Festival or Occasion, would not do. You
have forgot to enclose Mr. Hopkinson's Psalm or Hymn
for July 4th. What you propose may, if you will, be
added to July 4th, but the few verses I have taken of Ps.
68, I think might stand. The words proud oppressor you
may alter, and the five Lines which I hinted at in my
note and which are in the following Part of the Psalm,
you know I never intended to be made part of our stated
Service for the present at least.

Please to finish the Calendar as you propose. You
have taken so much Pains with it that unless I could find
Time to take equal Pains in the Examination it would be
wrong to interfere. I think your Plan good, only do not
make any of the Lessons unreasonably long, and contrive
the Introductions and Breaks suitably.

Enclosed you have my Essay of a Preface ; the Post is
just setting off. The Preface or Address which was a
matter particularly entrusted to the committee I have
ever considered as a matter of great Importance as the
first Impressions on the Introduction of the Book may be
of serious Concern. Of this the Church was sensible in
Cha's 2d's Time, on the last Review, when they wrote
their several Prefaces, giving a full account of the Reasons
of all the alterations, the abolition of Ceremonies, &c. I
have therefore interwoven much of that Preface, and
rather than to set forth what we have done ourselves,
which indeed is but little, have given an account of what
the wisest and best members of the Church of Eng'd
have long wish'd to have done, in order to shew that we
are not pretending to be Leaders in Reformation, but
follow them and remain connected with them. This will
state our Work quite in a Light, wherein few consider it,
and give a Historical Information with which the People
in general of our Communion will be pleased, and be made
able to give an answer to Gainsayers.

I have also interwoven the chief Part of your Preface;
but found it unnecessary to give the Reason of every par
ticular Alteration, but rather following the Example of the
old Preface, to pay the necessary mark of Complaisance
to the Reader by observing that a Comparison of the
old Book with the New would sufficiently [show] both

166 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

the alterations and the Reason of them. The Preface
should be set in a small and handsome Letter. It will
not altogether be so long as the old Preface to our Common
Prayer, the Treatise and Ceremonies and other Notifica
tions which were found necessary to preface to that Book ;
and our Reasons for being particular are at least as strong
as ye Ch. of Eng'd in 1662. Many will strive to make
the People believe we are wholly departing from the
Church of England nay treating her as a corrupt and
erroneous Church, by setting up a Reformation of our
own. But I hope this Preface will obviate and confute
these and all such like misrepresentations, especially,
when it has undergone your judicious and sober Revisal.
You must not, i.e. I hope you will not, regard a few Pages
or Sentences more or less in the Length of this important
Part, nor the little additional Expence of the Psalms.
The Book will sell as readily at 7s. 6. as at 5s.

******

You apprehended some Haste and Incoherence in your
last to me. You have all that in this letter, the last Part
of which has been written in the Office while the mail
was closing, having been very late this morning before I
got the Preface concluded. I hope now we have nearly
done and so without more Prefaces f or Conclusions.

I remain, &c.

Yours affect'y

WM. SMITH.
CHESTER, Feb'y 6th, 1786.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITE.

DEAR SIR

I rec'd yours of ye 6th with ye Preface. As you seem
not fully satisfied as to the propriety of leaving out ye
Words " of David" I have let them stand. Your criti
cism respecting part of ye 2d Ps: was so evidently just,
that I have given Mr Hall ye trouble of transposing ye
verses from ye End of Ascension Day to ye beginning
of Whits'y. The transposing of ye Substitutes for ye
Venite to the Morning Prayer seems to me not quite so
proper, as ye placing them as we have done in ye Case of
ye 4th of July &c. and ye Collects for Ashwednesday, to
Services appropriate to ye respective Days ; besides which,

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 167

it w'd make" a Break in ye Morn'g Prayer, which at present
stands j ust as it is to be read. The Prefaces in ye Comm'n
being continuations and part of ye sentence of what pre
cedes them, could not have been otherwise placed without
confusing ye officiating Minister. You do not lay stress
on this, and it stands as before.

I give up my Sentiment respecting ye hymnifying
ye Psalms ; and shall only observe, that in mentioning
ye Opinion of our Brethren of this City, my Intention
was not to undervalue yours, or that of our Brethren
whom you have an Opp'y of consulting ; but only to be
a Counterpoise to that Deference I entertain for your
Judg't which might otherwise have made me sacrifice my
Sense of ye matter rather more easily than my Duty in
ye present Business would warrant.

I enclose you Mr Hopkinson's Hymns of which I
request jour Opinion. I intend executing this Matter
agreeably to your Desires. You seem to have left a little
Liberty with regard to verbal Alterations : If I am wrong
you will correct me. I wish you could get rid of "ye
Spoil of Armies once their Dread", as applied to Ascen
sion Day.

I shall be attentive to ye Kalendar. It is not within
our Appointment; and yet I believe we shall be thanked
for so dividing ye Lessons as to serve ye triple Purpose of
shortening ye Service, expunging ye Apocryphal Chapters,
and getting rid of some ye public Eeading of which may
seem immodest. I fear we must let ye New Test't Lessons
stand as at present : and yet ye Gospels and Acts might
be very well worded so as to be read twice instead of
thrice in ye year. As to ye Table of proper Lessons, I
have taken great Pains with it and hope it will meet
your Approbation.

I like your Preface both in Plan and in Execution.
The particularities in mine are rendered unnecessary by
ye Articles you have inserted as proposed at ye Revolu
tion. A few Observations that occurred to me in the
Reading I have noted in a separate Paper and will en
close.

You seem to have applied what I said on ye Art'e of
Expeuce to ye Printer's Business instead of ye Psalmody.
I approved highly of your Proposal in this Respect ; but
eh'd begrudge ye Money, if much were to be inserted.

.168 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

You seem to have been as little versed as myself in ye
Costs of this Business.

You speak of a Dollar for ye Book. I thought of ye
same ; but find some are of Opinion, that it will be con
sidered as forcing Money for our Funds. It is an Objec
tion that sh'd have no Weight, but for our Reading
Psalms, which will make ye purchasing of new Books
indispensably necessary to ye joining in our Service : and
we might have some Regard to those of middling Condi
tion who w'd wish a Prayer Book to be in ye hands of
every Member of their Families.

On ye other Hand, it is natural for us to wish to see
our Labors in this Business productive of some Fruit to
ye Widows and ye Orphans.

I only throw out ye above for your Consid'n and am
Your aff 'te h'le Serv't

i W. WHITE.

PHILAD'A, Feb. 10, 86.

P.S. I request you to consider whether it will not be
best to bring in Addison's Translations " The Lord my
Pasture shall prepare," and "The spacious Firmament,
&c." among ye Hymns. They are not strict Translations.
The latter at least can come in no other way as it is in ye
same Metre with Tate and Brady's Translations of ye 19
Ps. It will not be too late to decipher this by Return of
Post.

P.S. The Dec'r Packet informs of Willet's Arrival : by
whom went ye Original letter to ye Bps.

Some Queries on the Preface to the Common Prayer. (Dr.

"White.)

Page 2d. Quere ye Propriety of saying any Thing about
ye Church of Rome.

Page 10. Prot. Ep. Churches. Would it not be better
in ye singular Number at least it sh'd be so when we
speak of ye Acts of ye late Convention, in order to har
monize with ye Phraseology of ye Constitution.

Page 12. The Apology for not reviewing ye Collects,
&c, appears to me exceptionable. 1st because ye pleading
ye want of Time seems an improper Excuse in Business

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 169

of this Magnitude and holds out ye Expediency of
another Review ; 2dly because we do not know that ye
Conv'tn w'd not have given ye necessary Powers to ye
Comm'ee as is insinuated, and 3dly because there are
other Alterations alluded to which we have not adopted.
I wish ye Expression to be more general ; thus "it will
appear that almost every Amendment &c." Ibid. It is
said, that ye Service is so arranged as that we need not
turn backwards and forwards. This being not exactly
true, I wish ye Exp'n modified.

Page 13. "For ye greater Ease of ye Clerks, &c." This
Kubrick says they are to be sung at ye Discretion of ye
Minister. It may be corrected by putting ye Words "of
chusing" instead of "of ye Clerks."

Page 14, in ye Note. I have here two Remarks to
make. 1. It seems hardly worth while to quote Bp:
Burnet for what is to-be found in so many Writers.
2dly The Explanation will militate against ye whimsical
Ideas of some Persons grounded as they conceive on holy
Writ. We sh'd avoid touching of principle as much as
possible ; and ye footing on which (I think) we sh'd rest
ye Omission of ye Clause with ye Persons alluded to, is
that even supposing their opinion true, yet, being
grounded on a few controverted Passages, it ought not
to be made part of so very concise and general a Confes
sion of our Faith.

Page 15. Son of ye Church say Member lest we may
seem to deny ye Right of female Judgement.

Quere. Ought not some Reason to be given for omit
ting ye Creeds ? The Reason might be that we did not
judge ye Athanasian to tend to Edification, and that ye
Nicene was a Repetition.

And ought not a Reason to be briefly given for "ye
Visitation of Prisoners" if it were only to make an
honest Acknowlegement of our Debt to ye Ch : of Ireland.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.
DEAR SIR,

I had written you a long Letter, to send by ye Western
Shore Post: but missed ye Opp'y from not knowing that
ye Office had changed their Days. Another Post goes to-

.170 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

morrow Morning, but as you may have left Annapolis, I
have thought it best to reserve it for ye Eastern Shore on
Wednesday. If however, I sh'd have a Line from you
at Ann's informing of your Stay there this Week, I will
repeat ye Substance of what I have written, altho' there
is nothing requiring an immediate Answer.

So I shall say no more at present, except to acknow-
lege ye Rec't of ye Preface, and to express my Appro
bation of it and that

I am, Yours aff'y,

PHILAD'A, Feb 12, 86. W. WHITE.

REV'D DR SMITH.

REV. DR. SMITH TO REV. DR. WHITE.

BALTIMORE, Feb'y 25th, 1786.
DEAR SIR,

As Mr. Green, by his News Paper, knew the different
Places where I was to be every Day during my late Tour
for holding the Election of Vis'rs and Gov'rs of St. Johns
College, he forwarded your short Letter of Feb'y 12th to
Upper Marlboro' where it met me the 22d Ins't on my
way to this Town ; and gave me the great Satisfaction of
hearing that you had received the Preface, and that it
hath met with your Approbation. By our Appointment,
among other Things, we were directed to " accompany
the Prayer Book with a proper Preface or Address, setting
forth the Reason and Expediency of the Alterations, &c."
This therefore was a very important Part of the great
Trust committed to us, and I was exceedingly anxious
that it should be discharged in the fullest and yet least
ostentatious manner possible, holding forth this leading
Idea thro' the whole, that we were not attempting any
Novel Reformations or the least Departure from what has
been the general Sense of the greatest and best men in
our Church for a Century past. If our Address has the
effect intended, it will procure a ready Acceptance of
the Book, and that not upon the mere authority of the
Convention, but upon Principles carrying Conviction to
every rational mind, and enabling them as I hinted in
my last to give a Reason, &c. to all who may call in Ques
tion any Part of the Alterations or Improvements, which
are offered. In this View, the Preface is a necessary and

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 171

essential Part of our Work, and I hope will not be
thought too long as I cannot see in what Part it could
well be abridged without Injury. I speak this from my
own Wish to have had it shorter : for you do not seem to
make any Objection to its Length, or to any Thing else
in it, which as I said before gives me great Satisfaction.
I think I mentioned in my last Letter that if printed in a
smaller Letter it will not take more Room thart the differ
ent Prefaces before the old Prayer Book, which are three
or four, (exclusive of the Act of Uniformity) viz 1st. The
General Preface ; 2d. Concerning the Service of the
Church ; 3d. of Ceremonies, &c, 4th. How the Psalter and
Scripture are to be read. I beg your attention to the
Punctuation, both of the Hymns and Preface as I never
read them over, with a View to Punctuation, and ^ou
have only such Stops or Points as fell from my Pen in a
hasty Transcription.

Please to direct the Book binder to prepare half a Dozen
Copies of the best and first Binding in his Power for my
Use, as I have engaged them to some Persons of Dis
tinction, Friends and Patrons of our great Undertaking.

Our Convention meets the 4th of April. I hope we
shall not be disappointed in our 500 Books : some of
which ought to be distributed in the different Parishes
before that Time. You will give all Dispatch possible.
Dr. West gives you his best Compl'ts. He is just elected
by Baltimore Town, a Visitor and Gov'r of St. John's
College. We meet for the 1st Time, as a Body Corporate
at Annapolis on Tuesday next; and on Wednesday March
1st. I hope to cross the Bay to Chester and to receive
your several Letters which may wait for me there *

* * Have you yet heard any Thing from England ?
Yours, &c.

WM. SMITH.

REV. DR. SMITH TO REV. DR. WHITE.

Mar. 86.
DEAR SIR,

Yours of the 15th does not require a long answer. I
have hastily, since my last, run over the Metre Psalms ;
but except some Corrections in the Punctuation, which I
think might be made to advantage in sundry Passages, I

172 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

see little that needs alteration; and even these are too
insignificant, to require a Table of Errata. A candid
Reader will easily see they are but little Oversights, and
I have seen no Impression of the Psalms or indeed of the
Prayer Book in general, more free from Typographical
Errors, for which we are indebted to your indefatigable
attention to the Sheets, joined I am persuaded to some
considerable Care and Attention in Mess'rs Hall and
Sellers.

In the Hymns enclosed to me in your last are a few
lines I could have wish'd to amend, but hope they are
now printed oft', and so they must stand as they are at
present. You objected in your Letter of Feb'y 1st upon
receiving the Copies of the Hymns, to a Line in the 4th
Hymn (viz for Good Friday) " Well may the Sun as Hell be
black," also in your Letter of Feb'y 16th you objected to
the expression " Spoil of Armies once their Dread" in the
2d Hymn for the Ascension, being Hymn X. I thought
both your Objections well grounded, and readily proposed
Substitutes ; the last of which on Ascension Day (as I
wrote ^you) I considered as a great Improvement; but as
I had % not kept Copies of the original Hymns w'ch I
transmitted to you, I made the Alterations or Substitu
tions, from what my Memory retained of them and in
both Cases changed the Person, viz. putting the 2d Per
son for the 3d ; Instead of

" Thou Son as darkest night be black"

It should be "The Sun" &c and perhaps "deepest night"
for darkest night.

Again in Hymn X, the 2d for the Ascension, in Stan
zas 5 and 6, the 2d Person should be everywhere chang'd
into the Third Person, not only on account of the Rhyme
in the 5th Stanza, as " Thou" does not rhyme to " Cap
tivity," but also on account of the Sense and Beauty of
Connexion, which as I said before, I could not so well
perceive in offering the Amendment from Memory. The
Hymn is in double Rhymes, and the two Stanzas, viz 5th
and 6th should run thus

5 Ascending high, in Triumph, HE

hath Gifts receiv'd for sinful Men ;
And captive led Captivity,
that God may dwell on earth again.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. , 173

6 Ev'n Rebels shall partake HIS Grace

and humble Proselytes repair,
To worship at HIS dwelling Place,
and all the world pay Homage there.

And in Hymn IX (the 1st for the Ascension) which I
consider as one of the most beautiful and animated in the
whole Collection, nay, even sublime, the 1st. and 2d.
Verses taken from Ps. 24, and connected with Verses
that follow, which follow in double Rhymes, should for
Uniformity, had it been attended to in due Season, have
been changed into double Rhymes also, which might easily
have been done as follows, viz. for the words " eternal
Gates," in the 1st Line putting " eternal Domes," and
for the words "his foes" in the 3d Line of Verse 2d put
ting " HIS FOE" which would have been much stronger in
the Singular Number than the Plural, in making it ap
plicable to the one great Foe, whom CHRIST came to sub
due. As the Hymns are of different metres, they might
have been marked as such ; but being all I think of the
first and second metre, the Clerks cannot well mistake
them. I would observe too that in Singing or Metre
Psalms, instead of putting the Numbers of the Psalms,
as the running Title at the Top of each Page, the Top of
the Page, or running Title, had perhaps better have been
the Subjects or Heads under which they are classed, as
"Psalms of Praise and Adoration," "Psalms of Prayer,
&c. Thus at every Opening of the Book, the Clerks or
Ministers would know the Subject, without turning back
to the Title or Heads at the Beginning of each Class or
net of Psalms; and these Titles would have stood in as
little Room at the Top of each Page as " Psalms II. III.
Psalms V. VI. which are of little Use on the Top; as a
Glance of the Eye shews the Number, in the Body, of the
Pages. But all these little amendments (the last of
which is an afterthought) are too late for the Present,
even if they should be deemed amendments.

In that Part of the Preface which speaks of the Fail
ure of the great Work of the Review at the Revolution
in 1689, I would have wished to have said a little more
concerning the Reasons of that unhappy Failure; and
that in the words of Dr. Warner, from the Preface to his
Commentary on the Common Prayer, a very excellent
and judicious Work to which I had not attended when I

174 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

drew up the Preface to our Book. It might jet be added
in a Xote upon the Word "miscarried" in the following
Paragraph of the Preface, w'ch you can easily find. In
my rough Copy it runs thus, which is all that is said,
viz ["But this great and good Work miscarried* at
""that Time; and the Civil Authority of Great Britain
~" hath not since thought proper to revive it by any new
~" Commission'."] The Note .on the foregoing is as fol-
ows, or it might have been interwoven with the Text, or
stood altogether instead of the Paragraph just quoted,
viz

After giving an Account of the alterations intended at
the Revolution, much as I have stated them from the
same authors, as he had to follow, he concludes thus

"But while this important affair was carrying on, the
" Party which was now at Work for the abdicated King,
"took hold on this Occasion to inflame Men's minds. It
" was pretended that the Church was to be demolished,
"and Presbytery set up. The Trumpet of Sedition was
"sounded as usual from the Pulpits. The Universities
"took fire, and began to declare against the Commission
" and against all who promoted it, as men who intended
"to undermine the Church. So that it was very visible
" that the Temper of Men was not cool or calm enough
"to encourage the further Prosecution of this great and
"good Design, which would have been so much to the
" Improvement of our publick Worship, to the Interest
" of the Protestant Religion, and to the Honour of the
" Church of England : and thus it was defeated by the
"Turbulency and restless Spirit of ignorant and factious
"and evil minded men. Why it has not been resumed
" in the Days of more Knowledge, more Candour and
" Christian Charity, is a Question which many good men
" have often asked with Seriousness and Zeal, but which
"no great Men, upon which it lies to do it, I believe,
"have ever answered."

I say that if I had adverted to this Paragraph in Time,
I should probably have inserted it at large instead of the
few general Lines which I have quoted in the two last
Lines of the foregoing Page, and the first line of this ;
or have thrown it in a Note at the Bottom as now pro
posed. Had it stood in the Body of the Preface, it would
come in very well; for after Dr Warner's words "which

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 175

"no great men, upon whom it lies to do it, I believe,
"have ever answered" the next Paragraph of our
Preface beginning, "But when in course of his divine
Providence," &c. would just as well have follow'd, as it
does the few words I have said on the Subject. But I
submit wholly to you, whether it may be proper now to
insert it by way of Note, or in the Body, or to leave the
Preface just as it is without entering more particularly
into the Reasons of the Miscarriage at the Revolution in
England. I would not wish to draw any Opposition to
what has been done in our Church; and yet I fear the
quotation above from Dr. Warner will yet be necessary
(tho' it may be left out for the Present,) to show, if any
opposition arises among us, it will be from the same
Principles as that in England, a Dislike to our American
Revolution. I would not ascribe the Opposition or rather
Disapprobation which I find in some of my Friends to
this Principle, because I believe they are well satisfied
with what Providence has permitted to take Place re
specting American Independency; but they object
strongly to setting the State so much above the Church,
for which you bear much of the Blame on account of
your old Pamphlet^ 1 ) and strenuous Efforts at our last
General Convention to bring that Clause forward re
specting the Controul of the Laity over the appointment
of Bishops, and which may be made a Handle of to
prejudice many against other Parts of our Proceedings.

My learned but zealous high Church little Friend and
Relation (as he says) Mr Smith of Somerset, writes me
as follows which perhaps he did not yet wish me to
communicate to you, altho I believe he cares not who
sees what he writes, yet you will keep it to yourself till
I can see him, which will be in two weeks, but I lose
the Thread of my Discourse I say Mr Smith, who says
he has just received a long Letter from Bishop Seabury
on the same Subject, with an account of their Connec
ticut Constitution writes thus

" I have been looking all this while for a Sight of the
" Prayer-Book altered, and by a Letter from Dr White I
" understand it is hurrying on. A passage in that Letter

1 " The Case of the Episcopal Churches in the United States con
sidered" &c.

176 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

" 1 did not and do not now perceive the Propriety of it
"is this 'I suppose you have heard of our Application
"to the English Bishops, the Convention was far from
"wishing to shew any Dis-respect to the Scots Epis-
" copacy,' " &c. and so he gives me a long extract of your
Letter, and then writes as follows

u These modes of Proceeding may be consentaneous
"with the wisdom of this World, but ill accords with
" that Wisdom, who hath said My Kingdom is not of this
"World Ye are not of the World, &c. To the account
" the Dr (White) gives of Bp. Seabury's Failure (as he is
" pleased to call it) I shall only say thus much. That the
" Case of the Church in all the States, or in any indi-
" vidual one at present is perfectly as a single Diocese
"without a Centre of Unity, the Presbyters of which
" have an unquestionable Right to nominate a Bp., with-
" out the Interference of any Diocese having a Bishop or
" not having one. Bp. Seabury's Failure then, on eccle-
" siastical Principles, is not owing to his being sent by
"Presbyters acting in their private Capacity Certificates
" from the Ruling Powers is without a Precedent iu any
" Christian Ch. in ye Universe. This is fixing the Church
" under the Power of the State for ever and ever with a
"Witness It is making Jesus Christ make Obeisance to
" Caesar ! ! ! Reigning Powers granting Certificates ! Tell
" it not in Gath ! publish it not to the World lest we pub-
" lish our own Infamy The Church in America to de-
" rive her Power, nay her Existence from Temporal Au-
" thority perish the Idea ! Her Charter from the Hands
"of the Eternal runs thus 'As my Father hath sent me'
"&c. 'All Power is given to me in Heaven.' Let us
" render unto Caesar, &c. The Church and the State are
" by God constituted separate, and let no man join what
"he hath separated The Sword of the Cherubim and
" Caesar's are of different Metals, the one pointing to the
"Victim which should prevent the effusion of human
"Blood by his own, the other occasioning multitudes of
" Garments rolled in Blood and the infinite Xumber of
"the Slain. "May the Church rest al\vaj 7 s on its own
" true Foundation Jesus Christ, and the Throne of Eni-
"pire on its proper Basis Mercy. Adieu. May God
"direct you and those who sit in Moses's Seat" &c.

' You will meditate on all this and do with the proposed

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 177

addition in the Preface as you think best, only do not
delay it for sending me Proofs.

In the Paragraph of the Preface beginning " When in
the Course of divine Providence, it pleased Almighty
God that these American States &c", a few Lines after
wards you have the words "these States" a 2d time, dele
the Repetition of "these States." You will supply all
the Omissions of Words, &c. in this Letter for as usual I
put off sitting down to write you till within an Hour of
the Post going off. *

Yours, &c.

WM. SMITH.

REV. DR. SMITH 10 REV. DR. WHITE.

CHESTER, March 1786.
* * * *

With respect to our Friend Mr Hopkinson's Hymns,
that for 1st Thursday in Nov'r is only another arrange
ment of some of the Verses of the same Psalms which
stand in my Collection for the same Day, and whether for
the better or worse you only can tell, as I have no Copy
of those I sent you before, and to which you have given
your general approbation.- If this Hymn of Mr H's Col
lection is all he intends for 1st Th. of Nov'r it is very de
fective, or at least, as there will be Psalmody twice if not
oftener on that Day, we should have more than one
Hymn ; and I leave the matter wholly with you, if the
Business is not already finished, being persuaded that
you will not break in upon the arrangment I had (with
great Application) made without some good Purpose in
view.

As to the 4th. of July. The Hymn offered by Mr. H.
is in many Parts far too flat for the great Occasion, and
no way equal to what I have taken from Ps. 81 and 68.
Thus War darkening all the Land God brings Nations
to Decay Willing Mercy flew How good the Lord has
been and also in the Hymn for Nov'r " Grass for our
Cattle to devour' altho taken from Tate and Brady, does
not read clever, it represents the Poor animals as raven
ous and dying of Hunger, so as to devour all before
them, instead of feeding hapmly and contentedly, upon
Plenty.

1(0 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

The Lines from Ps. 81 (for July 4th) which are in the
Collection I sent you, ending thus

Your Ancestors with wrongs- oppr ess' d,

To me for aid did call,
With Pity I their Sufferings saw

And set them FREE FROM ALL

have far more in them than all that is proposed in their
Room (if it is to be in their Room) or if to be added,
would be superfluity. There can be no objection to the
words "with wrongs oppress'd" for it is stronger still in
Mr Hopkinson's, viz. " To rescue from oppressive Rage"
and in the former, the beautiful Reference to "Ances
tors" will Ages hence continue to be used with a noble
Propriety. However, if these Hymns can come in with
out tearing the whole Texture of the others, and if it be
Mr Hopkinson's wish to have them, I am satisfied, for
unless I had the whole before me, as proposed to be
altered, I cannot take upon me to judge properly, and
must leave that to 3 T ou. Only I wish you to save an exact
Copy, or the whole Originals of the Hymns as I sent
them to you.

As we have kept the Collects, Epistles and Gospels,
for about 22 Holy Days beginning with St. Andrew, and
ending with All Saints, it will be necessary to mark in
tho Kalendar, as heretofore, the Days of the Month, on
which these holy Days fall, and to retain the Table of
Lessons for those Days, as the Churches which think it
proper will still be as ready to observe those Days, or
some of them, as Occasion may require.

I know you have taken great Pains with the Table of
Lessons, and I am persuaded I shall have much Reason
to approve of what you have done; which will be best
considered when the whole is taken together; and it
would be wrong to judge by Piece meal, of any Thing
which the necessity of the Case has made the Work of
one alone, and on which his particular attention hath
been bestowed, taking the whole in one large and con
sistent view.

The same is the Case with Respect to the Preface, on
which, as a most material Part of our Trust and Com
mission, I had determined from the Beginning to bestow
every convenient and possible attention, and it gives me

HISTOKICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 179

the highest Satisfaction that you " like it both in the
Plan and Execution." I have no exact Copy of it, only
Notes and Sketches of the principal Parts, so that I can
make no Use of your Reference to Pages in your Re
marks ; but still can answer them in Substance, so as to
enable you to correct it, if not too late for the Press. In
my last from Baltimore I vvish'd you to attend to punc
tuation, &c. both in the Hymns and Preface, as I had not
read either of them over with a View either to the Nice
ties of Language, Grammar or Stops. I proceed to your
Remarks.

1. I think the little Quotation from the Council of
Trent, exceeding proper to shew that all Churches agree
with the Church or England in the Doctrine of her Pre
faces, respecting the Necessity of Alterations, according
to Times and Exigencies. In Maryland we have many
Rom. Catholics, who are even already questioning some
of our weak members, and charging us with Novelties,
and still further Departures from the Catholic Faith.
The answer is ready in the Quotation from a Council of
their own Church, especially that of Trent.

2d. Protestant Episcopal Churches should be in the sin
gular Number; and yet if all our New England Brethren
should not join us, they may say we take too much on us
to call 7 or 8 States the whole Protestant Episcopal Church
of America. I do not remember the Connection of the
Paragraph; but if it be Churches, in the Plural, some
such Idea must have been in my Head ; or it is a mistake
of the Pen. Make this and other like Things consistent
according to your best Judgment; for I know you will
not Aitken( l )-ise any Thing, being too judicious to put a
Patch that would not consort with the Garment at large.

3. P. 12. The apology for not revising the Collects may
be omitted in this Preface. Yet not for Fear of hinting
the Probability of further Reviews, but because there were
other Things besides the Collects w'ch the Ch. of England
at and before the Revolution had in Contemplation to
review, and which we have not yet touch'd upon ; and
therefore every Reader may be left to his own Con
clusion, as to the Necessity of future Reviews, by a Com-

1 A reference, doubtless, to Kobert Aitken, a Philadelphia printer
of some note at that time.

180 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

parison of our Book on the "Whole, with the intended
Alterations at the Revolution, and I think the Credit of
our Work will rise on the Comparison.

Ibid You may say " The Service is arranged so as to
stand as nearly as possible in the Order wherein it is ap
pointed to be read, without the Necessity of turning
backwards and forwards, &c."

P. 13. Say "for the greater Facility of chusing Psalms
adapted to particular Subjects and Occasions of divine
\Vorship;" or some such amendment.

1*. 14. in the Note Bp. Burnet, being a great Name,
and the Expositor of the Articles, seems to me very
proper to be mentioned, and I should think, it being only
;t -Vote, there is no need of leaving it out. There is no
Alteration made in the whole Book, which is like to
create so much Difficulty as the Omission of the Descent
into Hell; and yet wherever I have had Occasion to ex
plain the Matter as in the Note alluded to, it seems to
have given Content. I would not give any Reasons for
omitting the two other Creeds. The Athanasian seems
freely to be parted with on all Hands and as to the Nicene
I would say nothing concerning it in this Edition of the
Prayer Book ; because I believe some whole States will
agree with the three New England States, in having it
inserted at their next Convention, and left optional either
to be used, or to use the Apostle's Creed, altho not both in
the same Morning or Evening Service; while others (I
fear much from Virginia) will be for no Creeds at all, and
also for striking out the Trinitarian Introduction to the
Litany. Yet, I hope, Calmness and sound Argument, thro'
the Blessing of God, may reconcile all, and preserve the
Unity of the Faith in the Bond of Peace.

P. 15. " Sou" of the Church may be made " Member,"
and 1 had no more Idea of excluding the "Daughters"
of the Church, than I have every Sunday, when I say
" Dearly beloved Brethren." Something may be added, in
u few words, in acknowledgment to the Church of Ire
land, for the Office adopted from her. You will know
where to insert it.

I hope, now, my good Sir, we have wholly done; and
it will ever give me Pleasure to testify the great Satis
faction I have had in the Progress of this laborious Work,
and how much it hath been made easy to me, (amidst the

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 181

Avocations I have had, and my Distance from the Press)
by the Candor and Judgment which you have shewn, the
Punctuality of your Correspondence, and the great Pains
you have taken in digesting, transcribing, examining, cor
recting the Press, &c. &c.

I wish to know whether Mr Hall's Calculation of the
Price of his work and Paper was not on 20 Sheets, and
whether there will be any addition to the Price on his
account? Or on the Bookbinders? If none the only
additional Price will be the engraving and Printing the
Tunes. You know it is part of our Appointment to fix
the Price of the Book, direct the Distribution thereof,
take Care that it be sold only for Money and the Profits
applied to the Widows and Fatherless. I can not think a
Dollar will be too much. Had we suffered any Printer
here to do it on his own account, he would have asked a
much greater Price. You know what they charged for
small imported Prayer Books, and the very smallest
School Books Yet for the Reasons you suggest, I wish
it to be as cheap as possible, so as to have some savings ;
for you may be assured that there will be money lost, or
with great Difficulty collected out of the Hands of some
to whom the Books may be sent for Distribution or Sale.
******

I had almost forgotten your Objection to the
" The Spoil of Armies once their Dread"

as applied to the Ascension. You know it is Tate and
Brady's, and hath long stood among our Psalms, but is
easily altered thus, which I think will bring it nearer to
the Evangelical Sense as well as Sublimity of the Ori
ginal, which is Ps. 68, v. 18,

In Triumph, Thou, ascending high,

Hast Gifts received for sinful men,
And captive led Captivity,

That God may dwell on Earth again !

This I think will be very proper for the Ascension.

******

I have preserved and endorsed all your Letters, and
wish you to do the same with mine. They may refresh
our Memories at some future Day, or shew our Children

182 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

after us what honest and conscientious Labour we be-
stow'd on the Work committed to us.

Yours,

WM. SMITH.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.

DEAR SIR,

******

I send you ye Sheets finished ; besides which there is
another Form prepared for Press containing ye Residue
of ye Psalms and ye 1st Nativity Hymn : besides which
other Hymns are prepared in a detached Way, but can
not be put in Form for want of Quadrats remaining in
ye preceding Forms; as these latter cannot be broken
until ye Rec't of some Paper hourly expected from Mill.
We have not yet suffered for want of it. I lament our
Delays but cannot help them. I will review ye Hymns
to which your Remarks or Mr. H.'s relate and endeavour
to settle them to your Satisfaction. The only liberty (so
far as I recollect) that I have taken with ye others is ye
leaving out some verses in one of ye Hymns at sea re
specting ye blaspheming after a storm which appeared to
me too much like ye language I am not as this Pub
lican. If you dislike this omission, I can atill retain ye
Verses. I have also put ye Glory be to ye Father, &c.
irnmediatel}' after ye Ps's. before ye Notification that ye
Hymns begin : as it is meant to be a Part of a Psalm to
convert it into a X'tn Hymn, but not itself commonly
known under ye Term Hymn.

The Paper I have prepared for the Press relative to ye
Holy days has ye Extra Holid'ys just as you desire. You
have omitted answering me on a very important Ques
tion respecting ye Calendar Lessons. On ye one hand I
find that by our taking it in hand, these 3 important
Points may be gained : ye shortening of ye daily Service,
ye getting Rid of ye Apocrypha, and ye omitting two or
three Lessons very offensive (in public Reading) to modest
ears. On ye other hand it is not within ye Letter of our
Appoint't so that I sh'd not like to accomplish what I
think best on this Subject without your Concurrence.

I shall continue ye Preface to your Satisfaction. As
to ye Punctuation of this and ye Hymns, I had presumed
from a general Glance over ye Points that you had

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 183

attended to them ; but if any appear improper in ye
Proof Sheets I will correct them.

It gives me great Pleasure that you are satisfied with
ye Execution of my part of ye Trust on this occasion ;
especially as I can with great Sincerity make a similar
Acknowlegement; and as I shall alway allow you more
Credit on ye Score of Judgment than you ought to allow
me, so also there is nothing you can say on that of Candor
and Temper which I shall not as freely and fully say of
you.

You are right as to Mr Hall's Estimate of Sheets, and
as to ye price of binding nothing more has past. Mr.
"Woodhouse has half ye Number prepared for ye Covers
and is impatient to begin.

If you are clear as to ye proposed Price I have no
Objection.

It now becomes a Matter of serious Consideration,
whether we shall avail ourselves of ye Copyright, for
which (as I am told by a Gent, interested on these Sub
jects) there are laws lately passed in other States making
ten States in all. I think ye mode of doing it sh'd be
for Mess. Hall and Sellers to enter it in their names, first
executing to us an Acknowleg't of Trust, and so leaving
ye Matter to ye next Convention, which may order a con
veyance of ye Right to ye several Corporations for
"Widows, &c.

I will send you by ye next Post my Opinion of ye
Manner in which we sh'd proceed in regard to ye sale
of ye Books ; and shall only at present say on that head,
that as ye Mary'd Convention is ye first, all ye Copies
that can be got ready for their Use shall be devoted to
them in preference to any demands on ye Spot. I am,

Yours, &c.

WM. WHITE.

PHILADA. .
M'h 8, 86.

REV. DR. SMITH.

P. S. I shall carefully and with pleasure observe your
Desire respecting preserving your Letters; but had I fore
seen you w'd have bestowed ye same Attention on mine,
I sh'd not have sent you such hasty Scrawls.

184 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

REV. DR. SMITH TO REV. DR. WHITE.

DEAR SIR,

I am happy to find that yours of the 8th Ins't leaves
me Nothing to write by this Post, except to repeat my
Sollicitatious that the Printers may be press'd to use all
the Dispatch possible with the Remainder of the Book ;
otherwise it will come too late for our Maryland Conven
tion ; and it is of considerable Consequence that it
should have a ready Reception, with the Sanction of the
Church at large in this State upon its first appearance.
Send me by this Post as many of the remaining Sheets
and Proofs, as you can get from the Press.

I imagined that in my last I had given what you would
consider as a sufficient Answer to your " important Ques
tions" concerning the Kalendar, on which Subject you
had also written in some former Letters. The arranging
the Kalendar in the manner you mention, and which I
had approved of when I saw you last in Philad'a, is a
Work of great Labour, requiring the Reading over almost
the whole Bible, and many Collations and Comparisons
of different Portions thereof. You had taken that La
bour upon you and I am assured have bestowed much
attention and Judgment upon it, while I have been either
engaged in some other Parts of the Work, or called from
Home, as I have been for the greatest part of the past
Winter. Unless therefore I could have time to read all
the proposed Portions of Scripture, with the same atten
tion w'ch you have bestowed (for which Time is not left,
even if I had an exact Copy of the Kalendar as proposed)
it would be wrong for the Reasons given in my last Letter
to interpose, lest by judging of that by Parts, which,
you had under Review in the Whole, I should injure the
Texture, &c, These Sentiments I wish'd you to consider
as an Answer to your Question concerning the Kalendar;
being sensible also that you must have been possessed of
the same Way of Judging and giving ^our Approbation
to some Parts which fell to my share in carrying on our
Work. By just hinting to you not to forget the Place of
the Apostles' &c. or Extra-Holy Days, I imagined that you

would conclude that I could

depend fully on } 7 our Execution of . . Part, viz. the

of Lessons, as you have bestow'd so

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 185

much Attention upon them Yet, still I apprehend that I
have not with sufficient Clearness, express'd what I
wish'd about inserting in the Kalendar the Days to w'ch
I referr'd in my last. I did not mean that they should
stand in a separate Table or Paper, but in the Monthly
Kalendar as they now stand. Thus in January The
Circumcision is 1st Day, Epiphany 6th, Conversion of St.
Paul the 25th. These are all which should stand for that
month. The Rest, as Lucian P., Hilary B'p, Prisca V., and
other Legendaries, Fabian, Agnes, Vincent, and even K.
Charles Martyr all expunged, and 30 of the Rest, of the
other Months, in Order that when the Minister casts his
Eye on the Monthly Calendars, he may be reminded
when any of those Days happen on Sunday, or on Prayer
Days, that he may take the Collects and Lessons, with
the Epistles and Gospels accordingly ; if he, thinks it pro
per or desired by his Hearers, especially the Female Part,
on Wednesdays and Fridays. I think we must not make
our Service too naked, nor will these Days, viz. St. Paul,
the Johns, Andrew, &c. be parted with all at once nor does
it seem necessary. A proper Use of those Days tends to
Edification, and gives some further Knowledge of the
History of the Bible.

On casting my Eye on the singing Psalms, I perceive
some Typographical Errors. Ps. 28, v 2.

When Thou to seek thy glorious Face
Thou kindly, &c.

The first [ Thou~] is [us] in the original, and would be
better [me] As it now stands, the first Thou makes non
sense Again Ps. 38 v. 1st, line 3d wants a foot, viz. the
Word "the" before Cherubs How many little Errors
Typoc/raph. of this Kind may be, I have not examined ;
but will spend a few Hours in looking over the whole
Book, that if the Errors be of any Consideration, we x may
put a little Table of Corrections at the End. Ps. 21 does
not seem to stand under any Metre at all. I see some
Parts of the Psalms appropriated for particular Days as
Hyrnns, as 104 also some Verses applicable only to the
Crucifixion, are in the general Collection w'ch will
make some Repetitions ; but as they are but a few Verses
I would not have any Thing omitted in the Hyrnn on this
Account. I will this Week if possible, look further at

186 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

the Kalendar, but do not delay anything on that account,
I know I shall approve what you have done, as will the

not exactly within the Letter of our

authority. N. B. The 1st Lesson for the 1st Sunday in
Lent on Reading it, appeared to hurt me in some Parts
the Sunday before last. It is an Instructive Lesson on
the Whole, if we could leave out Part of a Chapter, or
pass over Verses, viz. where Lot offers his Virgin Daugh
ters to the Men to do with them as they pleased. If the
Kalendar is in Proof, pray send it, but still I beg no stop
on my Acc't.

I must conclude hastily and am as Ever
Yours,

WM. SMITH.

P. S. My Letters have been as much scrawled in Haste
as yours; but both of us may review and correct any
hasty Escapes of the Pen, &c.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMiTif.

To the best of my Recollection ye inclosed are ye pro
per Continuation of ye Sheets : if not, and there be a
Chasm, you will inform me and I will supply it by next
Post.

Besides these, I have corrected two Proof Sheets for ye
Press so that I expect we shall have ye Hymns fully com
posed some Time tomorrow.

Then going backwards from ye Morn'g Prayer, we have
a Form composed containing ye Tables for finding ye
Holy days. Two more Forms will be taken up with ye
Tables of Feasts and Fasts of proper Lessons, and of
ye Lessons according to ye Calendar. The Preface will
occupy another Form, besides part of it being thrown for
ward to be on y& same Form or part of Form with ye
Title Page. In short, by this Day Week, I hope to have
ye whole composed : which being done, they may finish
at their Leisure ye Press Work of these few remaining
Forms, only striking off some for ye Bookbinder to
begin.

There is nothing you mention as you wish (in yours
of this day) concerning ye Calendar, but what agreeably
to it is prepared. I sh'd not have troubled you further on

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. , 187

this Subject, but that I understood what you had before
written, as applying to ye proper Lessons only. But ye
Ch : you mention, I have thought best to omit wholly.

I am .sorry for ye typographical Errors and hope you
will perform your promise of going over ye whole Book :
Such slips will easier attract your Eye than mine, which
has already run over these sheets, both in ye preparation
and in ye execution.

I am

Yours, &c.

WM. WHITE.
PHILAD'A, M'ch 15, 86.
DR. SMITH.

PS. I have not yet heard a word from Eng'd but hope
that ye Jan'y Packet will bring some Information.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.

DEAR SIR,

Mr Woodhouse will send you by this Opportunity 6
Setts of ye P. B. including (as I expect) all except ye
reviewed Forms. The Preface will not be in its proper
Form ; but as I intend sending by ye next Post ye Sheets
necessary to complete ye Book, you will please to leave
Directions at Annapolis concerning them, if you sh'd
leave it before their Arrival.

I beg my aff 'te Comp'ts to such of our Brethren at ye
Convention as I have ye Pleasure of knowing and am
Yours afTy

WM: WHITE.

PHILAD'A, Ap. 1, 1786.

REV. DR. SMITH TO REV. DR. WHITE.
DEAR SIR,

On the other Sheet you have some Corrections, w'ch I
wish in the Preface and which I think will appear to you
for the better, if you can make out to read them. Send
me Title Page, Kalendar, Preface, &c. by this Post. The
Printers need only work a few of the Titles and Prefaces,

188 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

till you hear from me next week. A s few will keep the
Book Binder at work.

I am yours, &c.

WM. SMITH.
CHESTER, MARYLAND,
April 3d, 1786.

Corrections. . . . Preface.

Paragraph 1st. for the words "whatever cannot be
clearly determined", say what cannot, &c.

Par. 2d. for "laid down as a Rule" say laid it down, &c.

Par. 4. After the words " too much Stiffness in lie-
fusing," insert, "and" so as to Read too much Stiffness
in refusing and too much Easiness in admitting, &c.

In the Paragraph beginning " 3d. For a more perfect
rendering" after the word Liturgy and before the word
made in the Parenthesis insert [and] so as to read " are
inserted into the Liturgy (and made a Part of the Daily
Service.")

In the 6 Quere. Beginning "Whether in Particular a
Psalm or Anthem should not be adapted and sung, &c,"
insert the word to after adapted, and read adapted to, and
sung at the, Celebration, &c.

In the 8th Quere relating to the Epistles and Gospels,
after the word "especially" strike out the word [as] and
insert [unless] and it will read "especially unless the first
Design of inserting this, viz. as introductory to the Com
munion, &c." putting a Comma after the word Com
munion.

In the llth Quere the word "Baptism" should not be
distinguished by Italics from the other Offices, w'ch are
printed in Roman.

There are several other Things of this Kind, w'ch neither
the Printer nor we perhaps have now Time to notice.

In the Paragraph, beginning " But while these Altera
tions, &c." alter the whole so as to read thus " But while
these Alterations were in Heiiew before the late Conven
tion, they could not but with Gratitude to God, embrace
the happy Occasion which was offered to them (unin
fluenced and unrestrained by any worldly Authority
whatsoever) to take a further Review of the Public Ser
vice, and to propose to the Church at large such other

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 189

Alterations and Amendments therein as might be deemed
expedient, whether consisting, &c." (as it now stands.)

In the next Paragraph in the last line strike out the
words " at that Time" and read " thought reasonable and
expedient". In the following Paragraph " speaking of
the ' Glory to God on high' " after the \_$c] insert "which
may be said, unless" before the words "when it can be
properly sung," the whole to read thus "Glory to God on
high, &c. w'ch may be said, unless when it can be pro
perly sung." In the Paragraph w'ch speaks of July 4th,
for "Blessing" insert "Blessings of civil and religious
Liberty".

In the last Paragraph, strike out so as to make it read
"be received and examined," &c. as it now stands, to the
End.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.
DEAR SIR,

Several of ye Corrections which you propose in ye Pre
face, I had previously made ! Ye rest shall also be made.

I hope you will not think of altering ye Title Page,
after some are binding. It will be attended with ye fol
lowing Inconveniences. 1st. Mr Smith must give 2 Cer-
tif 'tes different from each other, for ye Act requires ye
Title to appear in ye Certif'te. 2. Several will have
gone (before ye Change) into Quarters, where you will not
wish such Inconsistency to appear to Boston for In
stance where ye Convention of Mass : and R. I. meet on
ye 27 List and wish to have ye whole before them. 3dly.
The Persons who shall purchase ye first Copies will think
themselves defrauded. And after all, there is nothing
that can be so easily amended in future Editions, ye very
nature of ye present making a peculiarity necessary in ye
Title.

I expect to have this Evening ye 2d Page, with Mr
Smith's Certif'te and ye Table of Contents, and to mor
row morn'g ye reviewed Forms. The Intervention of
ye News Paper has delayed them.
I am

Yours, &e.

PHILAD'A, Ap. 5, 86. WM : WHITE.

REV. DR. SMITH.

190 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

REV. DR. SMITH TO REV. DR. WHITE.

CHESTER. 9th April, 1786.

DEAR SIR,

******

We had a considerable Majority of all our Clergy (not
many of the Laity) at our Convention and have agreed
to receive and recommend to public Use the new Book,
as far as the Power of our State Church may be supposed
to extend in our present unorganized State. A few altera
tions are proposed to be offered to the next Convention.
The Niceue Creed to follow the Apostles, with an " or
this." A little Alteration, Or rather discretionary Power
in the Administration of Baptism, where the Minister
may have great Numbers to Baptize together, and an
addition to the Consecration Prayer at the holy Sacrament,
for a Blessing on the Elements, w'ch being only a few
Words, and those extremely proper, and agreeable to the
Practice of all other Protestant Churches, as well as what
was in the 1st Liturgy of Edw'd VI. hath perfectly recon
ciled Mr Smith ( x ) to our Service and will prevent any
further Division between us and the numbers of Clergy
coming among us from Bp. S. and the Scots Church.

In the Scots and Edw'd Ist's Liturgy the Prayer was
exceptionable and leaning much to Transubstantiation in
these words "Vouchsafe to bless and sanctify these thy
" Creatures of Bread and Wine, that they may BE unto us
"the Body and Blood" &c. The Scots still stronger, viz.
"that they may BECOME unto us the Body and Blood"
The Alteration as we propose it is thus, beginning at the
words in the Consecration Prayer, "Hear us merciful
" Father, we most humbly beseech Thee, and vouchsafe
"so to bless and sanctify these thy Creatures of Bread and
"Wine that we receiving them according to thy Son our
" Saviour J.C. holy Institution, in Remembrance," &c. as it
now stands. This reads as well as before, pleases all sides,
and is certainty an Improvement, as there was before no
Invocation of a Blessing on the sacred Elements. When
you send the Book to Mr Parker of Boston, before their
ensuing Convention, send him as from me, with the
Compl'ts of the Maryland Convention, the foregoing pro-

1 The Rev. William Smith, of Somerset, previously alluded to.
Vide ante, p. 175, 176.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 191

posed addition in the Consecration Prayer, and also notify
our agreement with our New England Brethren in the
Restitution of the Nicene Creed.

I beg by Post at least one complete Book. I have
none at Present. The Title I have not seen, and do not
wish to alter, but it should correspond also with the Title
in the llth Page of the Journal of Convention. When
shall we have Books ? Our Clergy and Laity com
plained much that they should have been obliged to
judge of the Book on a hasty Reading, during the Sitting
of a Convention.

Yours, WM. SMITH.

REV. DR. WHITE TO REV. DR* SMITH.
DEAR SIR,

I think ye proposed Alterations of your Convention
will render our Service more compleat.

Yesterday I rec'd from Mr. Provost a Copy of a Letter
from Mr. Adams to Mr. Jay, w'h I here transcribe.

GROSVENOR SQUARE, Jan. 4, 1786.
D'R SIR,

A day or two after ye Rec't of your Letter of Nov. 1,
and that of Pres't Lee w'ch came with it, I wrote to ye
Abp. of Canterbury, by Col : Smith, for an Hour when I
might have ye Honour to pay my Respects to his Grace,
and was answered very politely that he would be glad
to have ye Honour of seeing me next Day, between 11
and 12. Accordingly I went yesterday, and was very
agreeably rec'd, by a venerable and candid Prelate, with
whom I had before only exchanged Visits of Ceremony.

I told his Grace, that at ye Desire of two very respect
able Characters in America, ye late Pres't of C. and ye
present Sec'y of State for ye Dep: of foreign Affairs, I
had ye Honor to be ye Bearer to his Grace, of a Letter
from a Conv'n of Delegates from ye Ep : Churches in
most of ye Southern States, which had been transmitted
to me open, that I might be acquainted with its contents.
That in this Business, however, I acted in no official
Character, having no Instructions from Congress, or
indeed from ye Convention, but that I thought it most
respectful to them, as well as to his Grace, to present ye.

192 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Letter in person. The Abp. answered, that all that he
could say at present was that he was himself very well
disposed to give ye Satisfaction desired, for he was by no
means one of those, who wished that Contentions sh'd
be kept up between ye two Countries, but on ye con
trary was desirous of doing Everything in his power to
promote Harmony and good Humour.

I then said that if his Grace would take ye Trouble of
reading two Letters, from Mr. Lee and Mr. Jay, he would
perceive ye Motives of those Gent'n in sending ye Letter
to my Care. I gave him ye Letters, which he read
attentively and returned, and added that it was a great
Satisfaction to him to see, that Gent'n of Character and
Reputation interested themselves in it, for that ye Epis
copalians in ye U. S. could not have ye full and compleat
Enj't of their Religious Liberties without it, and he sub
joined that it was also a great Satisfaction to him to have
rec'd this Visit from me upon this Occasion and he w'd
take ye Liberty to ask me, if it were not an improper
Question, whether ye Interposition of ye E. Bps. would
not give Uneasiness and Dissatisfaction in A. I replied
that my Answer could be only that of a private Citizen, and
in that Capacity, I had no scruple to say that ye People
of ye U. S. in general were for a liberal and generous Tole
ration, I might indeed employ a stronger word and call
it a Right and ye first Right of Mankind to worship God
according to their Consciences; and therefore, I could
not see any reasonable Ground for Dissatisfaction, and
that I hoped and believed there w'd be none of any con
sequence.

His Grace was then pleased to say, that Religion in all
Countries, especially a young one, ought to be attended
to, as it was ye Found'n of Gov't. He hoped ye Charac
ters which sh'd be recommended w'd be good ones.

I replied, that there were in ye Ch's in A. able Men, of
Characters altogether irreproachable, and that such and
such only, I presumed, w'd be recommended. I then
rose to take my Leave, and his Grace then asked me, if
lie might be at Liberty to mention, that I had made him
this Visit on this Occasion. I answered, Certainly, if his
Grace sh'd judge it proper. Thus, Sir, I have fulfilled
my Comm'n and remain as usual, &c.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 193

"With this I shall send you ye Sheets that were wanting
when you went down. Mr. W. will furnish a Parcel this
"Week. As there is a Vessel soon to sail for Charlestown,
you will approve sending to ye most distant States first.
Be assured, you shall have a Parcel, before a single Book
is sold here.

I am yours, &c.

WM : WHITE.

PHILAD'A, Ap. 12, 86.
DR. SMITH.

REV. DR. SMITH TO REV. DR. WHITE.

CHESTER, April 17th, 1786.
DEAR SIR,

In the Preface at the Bottom of p. 4 there is an Error,
viz. Construction for Misconstruction. It is the last word
of the Page, and is a Capital Mistake indeed! I think it
could not have been in the Copy. In the last Page of
the Preface, 2d Paragraph "Visitation of Prisons, should
be Prisoners I believe there is little else to be observ'd
in the Preface, altho' I cannot say I have read it critically,
yet it seems to read sufficiently correct for the Present. I
shall before June next take the whole Book, and make
every Correction which I think may be necessary in future
Editions, and lay them before the Convention^ 1 ) I hope
you and perhaps others of our Brethren, will do the same.

I wish you had taken my advice respecting David's
114th Ps. which stood before as our 21st, and only have
made a ISTote at the End of the Book that the Psalm was
misplaced, and ought in future Editions to come in, under
its proper metre, as Ps. 16. and that the Metres of 148
and 149 should be exchanged if such Correction be neces-

(1) Dr. Smith's own copy of the Proposed Book, with the manuscript
corrections referred to in this letter, forms a peculiarly valuable and inter
esting portion of the extensive Liturgical collection of Rt. Rev. Bishop
Stevens, D.D., of Philadelphia. This volume, of the authenticity of
which there can be no question, has been kindly placed in the hands of
the Editor of this volume ; and the careful collation of its proposed
changes with the text of the work as "set forth " by the Committee of
Revision, attests the haste and incompleteness of their work, to which this
correspondence bears such abundant proof.

194 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

si\rv ; for it is merely arbitrary which we call 5th and
winch the 6th Metres, if the Gloria Patri's be arranged
accordingly.

As you have taken our 24th Ps. or David's 149th from
the Sheet Gg and placed it Ff., the mere reprinting that
one Sheet Ff, (which you have sent me) will not complete
the Book. Yon will have the first Leaf of the Sheet Gg
to reprint, or else the whole Sheet, if the Bookbinder
does not chuse the Trouble to cut out a Leaf in every Sheet
and paste it in the Book which is immense Trouble,
and will occasion much Delay. For you will observe,
that after the Sheet Ff (vv'ch is reprinted) the 4th. 5th.
6th. 7th. &c. Verses of David's 148th Psalm must come in
the Sheet Gg, where his 149th now stands, and the
beginning of his 96th or our 25th. This, as I said will be
great Trouble and Delay, vv'ch I am sorry for, as the
People are become exceedingly impatient for Copies of
the Book, and the more so as they have more Experience
of its Use. My Congregations w r ere exceedingly pleased
with the two Good Friday Hymns, which as they had not
books, were first read and then sung, and also the two
Easter Hymns No. VII, and No. VIII. but what above
all seem'd to make the greatest Impression was the Two
Communion Hymns, viz. No. XVII, beginning "My God
and is thy Table spread", sung after Sermon as an Invi
tation to the Sacrament, and No. XVIII, beginning,
" And are we now brought near to God," &c, sung after
the Communion. It adds a Solemnity which they con-
fess'd they had not experienc'd before. The Hymns are
indeed beautiful and every Line of them applicable to the
blessed Occasion. Have you yet introduced them in this
way ? When you do you will find it of use to read them
for the first Time yourself, from the Place where you are,
the Desk or Communion Table. Every Communicant
will before another Day have them by Heart as I believe
was the Case here, between Good Friday and Easter
Sunday, as the Book was sent for and sundry Copies
taken in writing, I mean of Hymns 17 and 18. I beg I
may have at least one compleat Book this Post. I gave
all away at Annapolis, except the loose Sheets w'ch 1 had
from Time to Time as Proofs. You will take Care to
have Receipts from the Stage Masters, Skippers, &c. to
whom you deliver Books for distant Places making them

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 195

accountable for the dumber, and make the Clergy to
whom you address them accountable for the Price, one
Dollar. W. S.

REV. DR. SMITH TO REV. DR. WHITE.
DEAR SIR,

I am favored w'h y'r short Note by last Post, in w'ch
you just mention the Rec't of mine by last Post; but as
it appears had not Time to notice its Contents. The two
Corrections in the Preface, and a proper adjustment
respecting the Sheets in the Singing Ps. w'h you have
thought necessary to reprint, have not, I trust, escaped
your ]STotice, as it will be a Conclusion of the great atten
tion and Labor w'ch the Press has cost } T OU. The Post
Rider, I imagine, call'd on you to have some Prayer
Books for his own Disposal, on Commission from sundry
of his Subscribers. But unless he gets them from Book
sellers in Philad'a who may be some Time hence in
trusted with the sale of Copies, it will occur to you that
neither He nor any other Person from the Neighboring
States can have any Copies at Present. The Proportion for
each State must be sent, agreeably to our Plan, to some
one or more of the Clergy in each State, who are to be
responsible for the Money arising from the Copies, as well
as an equal Distribution of the Books in the Proportions
agreed upon in their several Conventions. In Maryland
we have fixed on three Copies out of every five for the
Western Shore; and two Copies for the Eastern, the
former to Dr. West's Care, the latter to mine. And you
will yet have the Trouble to take Receipts for the Books
of the Post or Stage Carriers, or Skippers, &c., obliging
themselves to deliver Parcels or Boxes as directed. The
Expence of Package, and Carriage, &c., to be paid out
of the Profits of the Sale, to make the Price equal in all
Places, for Philad'a should have no superior ad vantage in
the Price, by lying near the Press. The Book should be a
Dollar to a Purchaser in Philad'a as well as in Charlestowu,
Carolina ; and the Stages, where they go by Stage, will not
take them without the Pay advanced, tho' if they could
be got to take them and be paid on the Delivery at New
York, Baltimore, Alexandria, &c., giving their Rec't to
you, it would perhaps ensure their Care of the Parcels
the better, not to have the money till the Service was

19o HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

done. Your local Situation will still throw all this Care
and Trouble, upon you, but I know you will not decline
it, any more than you have heretofore in the Prosecution
of this Work. The Book-binder should get all the help
he can. I hope Mr. Marsha^ 1 ) of Boston has a few
complete Copies including the Preface, Calendar, &c. If
he had them not in a bound Book they should be sent in
Sheets, that they may have the whole before them, and
especially the Preface giving them what I hope will be a
satisfactory account of the Reasons, and Expediency, &c.
of all the proposed alterations.

Of the 1st five Hundred Copies for Maryland, let Mr.
West have three Hundred, which may go at Twice, viz.
150 in a Box not to risk all at once, and to make it
more convenient for the Binder. I should be glad of
about 20 Copies this week by our Post and if I cannot
ngree w'h Him for a reasonable Price for the Remainder,
I will order them by water to Duck Creek, and send for

them from thence.

* * * * * *

I am affectionately yours,

WAI. SMITH.
CHESTER, MARYLAND,
April 24, 1786.

REV. DR. SMITH TO REV. DR. WHITE.
DEAR SIR,

I have rec'd twenty two Copies (two in Morocco) of the
Prayer Book. I had to pay at the rate five sh. pr Doz.
Carriage to the Post, w'ch will not do in future. There
is a Stage now set up from Philad'a to this Town, an
Acquaintance of mine of Newcastle, a Colonel Derby, at
the Head of it. I expect him here by next Wednesday's
Stage, which will be the 2d Trip, and shall agree with
Him to bring the Books and to do other Business for me, as
he has also a Stage Boat to Newcastle from Philad'a and
he will have a sufficient authority from me to produce to
you when he calls for the Remainder of our Eastern

Doubtless a clerical error for "Parker," the Rector of Trinity
Church, Boston. The Rev. John R. Marshall, A.M., of Connecticut,
attended the primary meeting in New York in 1784, but his name is
not found in connection with any subsequent proceedings.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 197

Shore Complement of Books, which I hope may be
ready next week, as the few we have has only increased
the Demand of many, while some Old Persons do not
show much desire to exchange the old for the new Book.
But all I hope in good Time, and without much Uneasi
ness, especially if there be no appearance of Authority
or Compulsion in the Case.

I wish there could be a little Note of the principal
Errata pasted on the Blank leaf at the End. They are
not many; but "Construction" for ".Misconstruction"
is one of some Consequence and yet a candid Reader
need hardly be told of it.

I am obliged to you for the Copy of Mr. Adams'
Letter, and the Intelligence of the safe arrival of the
Duplicates committed to the Care of Mr. Peters and of
Mr. Duche. I am sorry the latter Gentleman should be
uneasy that he was not made a principal Agent with- the
Archbps. and Bps. If he knew himself, he must know
that his very dubious and indecisive Character made him
perfectly unfit, more especially as he had made himself
an advocate for the- Scots Succession and Dr. Seabury's
high Church Principles. Mr. Adams has acted honor
ably, and a wiser or more Efficacious Measure could not
have been taken by us of the Committee who were entrusted
with this Negotiation. The Papers which were sent
from Maryland including or enclosing Gov'r Paca's Cer
tificate on the Part of this State, and which went under
Cover to my Brother for Dr. Murray and Mr. Mont
gomery, my Brother writes, came safe to Hand in Feb'y
and were delivered. I have no Answers, but daily ex
pect them from Murray and Montgomery, and if they
fall in your Way, or any other Answers you may receive
on this Head, I beg they may be speedily forwarded.
About Wednesday, 15th May, I shall be in Philadelphia,
so that any Thing of that Week may be kept till I see

you.

******

I am yours

WM. SMITH.
CHESTER, 29th April, 1786.

198 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

REV. DR. "WHITE TO REV. DR. SMITH.

DEAR SIR,

******

I also rec'd your Note directing ye Books by ye New
castle Stage: in consequence of which I now send you
50, 2 of which are Morocco ; and these are ye most that
can be spared at present, consistently with our Duty to
ye other States, none of which (I am sure) you would
chuse to have neglected. The Eastern Shore Proportion
of ye whole is (as I understand) 8 in ye Hund'd ; and you
may rely on that Proportion being always ready.

Perhaps on Consid'n you will not think it proper to
print a Table of Errata at present, for these 2 Reasons :
1, because so many of ye Books are already out ; and
2dly, because it is probable more Errata may appear,
which will seem intended, because not included in ye
Table. The Errors you allude to are so evidently typo
graphical, that they cannot be otherwise taken.

You mistook me in Relation to Mr. Duche ; he does
not complain of not being made an Agent in our Busi
ness, but of me as a Correspondent, in not giving him
Intelligence when writing to him on such a Subject.
******

I am yours, &c.

~W~M: WHITE.
PHILAD'A, May 6, 86.
REV'D DR. SMITH.

Tracing as we have thus pleasantly the various changes
as they were proposed, discussed, and adopted by the
Committee of Revision, we cannot better conclude this
section of our Notes than by a transcription of the fol
lowing letter, addressed to the Rev. Mr. Parker, of Bos
ton, giving in brief the reasons for the changes which
have previously occupied our attention; and then by
giving from Bp. White's Memoirs the few pages which
he has devoted to this subject:

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 199

CHESTER, KENT COUNTY, MARYLAND,

17th April, 1786.
DEAR SIR,

Dr. White, having a more ready Communication with
you, than I could have, he has at the Desire of our Com
mittee for the Press, sent you the Sheets of our revised
Prayer Book, and I hope you will have the whole com-
pleat by the Meeting of your Convention, w'ch Dr. White
writes me is to be about the End of this Month. I trust
that after a serious and candid Consideration of what we
have done, it will have the approbation of the worthy
Body, Clergy as well as Laity, who are to meet you in
Convention ; or that if there be some Things, w'ch you
may judge could have been done otherwise, or better, we
can in future Editions come to an easy Agreement on
this Head, as would certainly have been the Case had
we been so happy as to have had your Advice and Assist
ance as we expected at the last Convention. I think
there are few Alterations which you did not wish. As
Chairman of the grand Committee for revising, &c., I
had the Alterations which you had proposed in your last
Meeting, put into my Hands the first Day of our Sitting,
and you will see that I paid a full Attention to them, and
that we have agreed with you almost in every Matter,
except only respecting the Nicene Creed and our Con
vention in Maryland which met last Week have recom-
mend[ed] the restoring that Creed also, so that either it
or the Apostle's may be read at Discretion provided
[both] be not used in one Service. The Maryland Conven
tion have proposed also an Addition in the Consecration
Prayer in the holy Comrnimion, something analogous to
that of the Liturgy of Edward 6th and the Scots Lkurgy,
invoking a blessing on the Elements of Bread and Wine,
which was left out at the first Review of the English
Liturgy, it is said, at the Instance of Eucer, and other
wise because the Invocation favored the Doctrine of Tran-
substant[iat]ion and it does now in the Scots Liturgy pray
ing to bless and sanctify the Elements that they may
become the Body and Mood, &c. We have proposed to re
tain the Prayer and yet avoid the exceptionable part, and
it will run thus

" Hear us Merciful Father, we most humbly beseech
Thee, and with thy Word and holy Spirit vouchsafe so

200 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

to bless and sanctify these Thy Creatures of Bread and
"Wine, that we receiving the same, according to Thy Son
our Saviour J. C. holy Institution, &c."

This I think will be a proper Amendment, and it per
fectly satisfies such of our Clergy and People as were
attach'd to the Scots and other ancient Liturgies, all of
which have an Invocation of a Blessing on the Elements,
as is indeed most reasonable and proper.

I am anxious to 'write you by this Post to have a
Chance of your receiving this before the Meeting of
your Convention. I have therefore no Time to be mbre
particular. Where we have gone further than was hinted
in the Alterations you formerly sent us, viz. in the
Arrangement of the Reading and Singing Psalms, the
Calendars and Rubrics, the Collection of Hymns on
Evangelical Subjects as a Suppl't to the Deficiencies of
David's Psalms and other Matters, w'ch we( J ) have set
forth in the Preface, I say in all this I know you will
exercise a candid and liberal Judgment, and let me hear
from you. We can only in the different States receive
the Book for temporary Use, till our Churches are or
ganized, and the Book comes again under Review of
Conventions having their Bishops, &c. as the primitive
Rules of Episcopacy require.

Excuse this hasty Scrawl from

Your affectionate Brother, &c

WM. SMITH.

P. S. I shall write to Bp. Seabury next Post.( 2 )

Of the Alterations in the Book of Common Prayer.

When the members of the convention first came to
gether; very few, or rather, it is believed, none of them
entertained thoughts of altering the liturgy, any further
than to accommodate it to the revolution. There being
no express authority to the purpose, the contrary was im
plied in the sending of deputies, on the ground of the
recommendation and proposal from New York, whuh
presumed that the book, with the above exception, should
remain entire. The only church to which this remark

1 " I" partially obliterated and " we" substituted in its place.

2 From the Bp. Parker Correspondence.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 201

does not apply, is that of Virginia; which authorized its
deputies to join in a review, liable however to a rejection
by their own convention. Every one, so far as is here
known, wished for alterations in the different offices.
But it was thought, at New York in the preceding year,
that such an enterprize could not be undertaken, until
the church should be consolidated and organized. Per
haps it would have been better, if the same opinion had
been continued and acted on.

But it happened otherwise. Some of the members
hesitated at making the book so permanent, as it would
have been by the fourth article of the recommendatory
instrument. Arguments were held in favour of a review,
from change of language, and from the notorious fact,
that there were some matters universally held excep
tionable, independently on doctrine. A moderate review,
fell in with the sentiments and the wishes of every mem
ber. Added to all this, there gained ground a confident
persuasion, that the general mind of the communion
would be so gratified by it, as that acquiescence might be
confidently expected. On these considerations, the matter
was undertaken.

The alterations were prepared by another subdivision
of the general committee, than that to which the author
belonged. When brought into the committee, they were
not reconsidered ; because the ground would have been
to go over again in the convention. Accordingly, he
cannot give an account of any arguments, arising in the
preparatory stage of the business. Even in the conven
tion, there were but few points canvassed, with any ma
terial difference of principle ; and those only shall be
noticed.

The first controversy of this description was intro
duced, on a motion made by the Hon. Mr. Page of Vir
ginia, since governor of that state, to leave out the first
four petitions of the litany, and, instead of them, to intro-.
duce a short petition which he had drawn up, more agree
able to his ideas of the divine Persons, recognized in
those petitions. The mover declared, that he had no
objection to the invoking of our blessed Saviour, whose
divinity the prayer acknowledged; and whom he con
sidered as invoked through the whole of the liturgy;
which, he thought, might be defended by scripture. The,

202 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

objection lay to the word "Trinity," which he remarked
to be unauthorised by scripture, and a foundation of
much unnecessary disputation. But he said, that the
leaving out of the fourth petition only, in which only the
word occurred, would leave the other petitions liable to
the charge of acknowledging three Gods ; and therefore,
he moved to strike out the whole. The Rev. Dr. West
of Baltimore answered Mr. Page,-in a speech in which
the Doctor appeared to be in great agitation ; partly
because, as he said, he was unused to unprepared speak
ing ; but evidently the more so, from his apprehensions
arising from what he supposed to be the signal for aiming
at very hazardous and essential alterations. Perhaps
much more would have been said: but during Dr. West's
speech, it was whispered about, that there was really no
use in going into such a controversy; that Mr. Page had
made the motion, merely to preserve consistency of con
duct, that he had attempted the same thing in the sub
committee, and well knew from what had passed, that
there was no prospect of success ; but that he could not
dispense with the bringing of the question before the
body. Accordingly, as soon as Dr. West had finished, it
was put and lost without a division. ( ! )

The next material question, to the best of the recol
lection retained, was on a motion for framing a service
for the 4th of July. This was the most injudicious step
taken by the convention. Might they not have foreseen,
that every clergyman, whose political principles inter
fered with the appointment, would be under a strong
temptation to cry down the intended book, if it were
only to get rid of the offensive holiday ? Besides this
point of prudence, was it not the dictate of moderation,
to avoid the introducing of extraneous matter of differ
ence of opinion, in a church that was to be built up?
Especially, when there was in contemplation the mode
rating of religious tests, was it consistent to introduce a

1 In a controversy since moved in Boston, Bishop Provost has
been named, as having endeavoured to accomplish the omission of
the acknowledgment of the Trinity. It is not true: and the error
may be supposed to have arisen from what has been related of the
effort of Mr. Page. There have been various misrepresentations of
the matter; which have made it the more necessary to state the
fact.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 203

political one? It was said, that the revolution being now
accomplished, all the clergy ought, as good citizens, to
conform to it; and to uphold, as far as 'their influence
extended, the civil system which had been established.
Had the question been concerning the praying for the
prosperity of the commonwealths, and for the persons of
those who rule in them, the argument would have been
conclusive: and indeed, this had been done by all the
remaining clergy; however disaffected they might have
been, throughout the war. But, the argument did not
apply to a retrospective approbation of the origin of the
civil constitutions; or rather, to a profession of such
approbation, contrary to known fact.

This was one of the few occasions, on which the author
used the privilege reserved by him on his acceptance of
the presidency, to deliver his opinion. To his great sur
prize, there was but one gentleman and he a professed
friend to American independence who spoke on the
same side of the question ; and there were very few, if
any, who voted with the two speakers against the measure.
Bodies of men are more apt than individuals, to calculate
on an implicit submission to their determinations. The
present was a striking instance of the remark. The mem
bers of the convention, seem to have thought themselves
so established in their station of ecclesiastical legislators,
that they might expect of the many clergy who had been
averse to the American revolution, the adoption of this
service; although, by the use of it, they must make an
implied acknowledgment of their error, in an address to
Almighty God. What must further seem not a little
extraordinary, the service was principally arranged and
the prayer alluded to was composed, by a reverend gen
tleman, (Dr. Smith) who had written and acted against
the declaration of independence; and was unfavourably
looked on by the supporters of it, during the whole revo
lutionary war. His conduct, in the present particular,
was different from what might have been expected from
his usual discernment: but he doubtless calculated on
what the good of the church seemed to him to require, in
consequence of a change of circumstances; and he was
not aware of the effect which would be produced by the
retrospective property of the appointment. The greater
stress is laid on this matter, because of the notorious fact,

204 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

that the majority of the clergy could not have used the
service, without subjecting themselves to ridicule and
censure. For the author's part, having no hindrance of
this sort, he contented himself with having opposed the
measure; and kept the day, from respect to the requi
sition of the convention; but could never hear of its
being kept, in above two or three places besides Phila
delphia. He is thus particular, in recording the incidents
attached to the matter stated, with the hope of rendering
it a caution to ecclesiastical bodies, to avoid that danger
into which human nature is so apt to fall, of governing
too much.

On the subject of the articles, a dispute arose in regard
to the article on justification: not as it was at last agreed
on, but as it was proposed by the sub-committee. The
objection was urged principally by the secretary of the
convention the Rev. Dr. Griffith and by the author.
The proposed article was at last withdrawn; and the
words of the thirty-nine articles, on that subject, were
restored. In this, there is certainly no superaddition to
what is held generally by divines of the church of Eng
land. As to the substitute proposed, the objec^on made
to it, was its being liable to a construction contrary to
the great evangelical truth, that salvation is of grace. It
would have been a forced construction, but not to be dis
regarded. Some wished to get rid of the new article
introduced concerning predestination, without stating any
thing in its place. This, it is probable, would have'been
better than the proposed article ; which professes to say
something on the subject, yet in reality says nothing.
But many gentlemen were of opinion, that the subject
was not to be passed over in silence altogether ; and there
fore consented to the article on predestination, as it stands
on the proposed book. The opinion of the author was,
that the article should be accommodated, not to indi
vidual condition, and to everlasting reward and punish
ment ; but to national designation, and to a state of cove
nant with God in the present life. Although this is a
view of the subject still entertained by him ; yet he has
been since convinced, that the introducing of it as an
article would have endangered needless controversy, on
the meanings of the terms predestination and election,
as used in the New Testament. If we cannot do away

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 205

the ground of controversy heretofore laid ; it at least
becomes us, to avoid the furnishing of new matter foi
the excitement of it. As to the article in the proposed
book; although no one professed scruples against what
is there affirmed, yet there seemed a difficulty in dis
covering for what purpose it was introduced. The author
never met with any who were satisfied with it.

On the subject of original sin, an incident occurred,
strongly marking the propensity already noticed, un
warily to make private opinion the standard of public
faith. The sub-committee had introduced into this arti
cle the much controverted passage, in the 7th chapter of
the Epistle to the Romans, beginning at the 9th verse;
and they had applied it as descriptive of the Christian
state. The construction is exacted by a theory, than
which nothing was further from that of the gentleman
(Dr. Smith) who would have" bound this sense of the
passage on the church. The interpretation generally
given by divines of the church of England, makes the
words descriptive of man's unregenerate state; in which
there is a struggle between nature and grace, to the
extent of the terms made use of in Scripture. This
seems necessary to a conformity with the Christian cha
racter, as drawn in innumerable places. It was on a
proposal of the author, that the article was altered in this
particular; although the gentleman who had drafted it
not only earnestly contended for his construction of the
text, but could not be made sensible of the danger which
would have resulted from the establishing of that con
struction, as a test to every candidate for orders.

Less prominent debates on the subject of the articles,
are not here noticed. Whatever is novel in them, was
taken from a book in the possession of the Rev. Dr. Smith.
The book was anonymous ; and was one of the publica
tions which have abounded in England, projecting changes
in the established articles.

On this business of the review of the Book of Com
mon Prayer and of the Articles, the convention seem to
have fallen into two capital errors, independently on the
merits of the alterations themselves. The first error,
was the ordering of the printing of a large edition of the
book; which did riot well consist with the principle of
mere proposal. Perhaps much of the opposition to it

206 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

arose from this very thing ; which seemed a stretch of
power, designed to effect the introduction of the book
to actual use, in order to prevent a discussion of its
merits. The other error, was the ordering of the use of
it in Christ church, Philadelphia ; on the occasion of Dr.
Smith's sermon, at the conclusion of the session of the
convention. This helped to confirm the opinion, of its
being to be introduced with an high hand, and subjected
the clergy of Philadelphia to extraordinary difficulty:
for they continued the use of the liturgy, agreeably to
the alterations, on assurances given by many gentlemen,
that they would begin it in their respective churches,
immediately on their return. This the greater number
of them never did : and there are known instances, in
each of which the stipulation was shrunk back from,
because some influential member of a congregation was
dissatisfied with some one of the alterations. _ This is a
fact which shows very strongly, how much weight of cha
racter is necessary to such Changes as may be thought
questionable.^)

To these remarks of the Bishop, with reference to the
book itself, it seems proper to add his own account of
the publication of the "proposed" Liturgy. Giving in
brief the results of long and after consideration of the
whole subject, it forms an indispensable appendix to the
correspondence we have already given :

Under the foregoing head, there has been noticed what
is here thought a great error in the convention the
printing of the book, without waiting for the reception
of the alterations, and their being in use. A subordinate
error, accompanying the other, was the endeavouring to
raise a profit from the book, although for a charitable
purpose. It had two bad consequences; that of exciting
the supposition, that the books were made the dearer
although, in reality, this was not the fact ; and that of
inducing the committee to send them to the clergy, in
the different parts of the continent ; confiding in their
exertions, for the benevolent purpose declared. Several

1 From Bishop White's Memoirs, pp. 102-107.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 207

of the clergy again entrusted them to persons, from
whom they got no returns. Hence it happened, that
when the expenses of the edition were paid, there was
not so much left for the charity, as to be an adequate
consideration for such an undertaking. The committee
were at last obliged"to relinquish the design, of saving
for the charity the usual profit of the booksellers ; who,
on that change of plan, made rapid sales of them.

Another bad effect of the publication was, that the
English prelates were not furnished with an account of
the alterations, so soon as they should have been, consider
ing the application that had come before them. For the
committee, having had good reason to believe that the
impression would go on rapidly, had not furnished a
copy of the instrument containing the alterations. Their
waiting first for paper from the mills, and then, for one
interfering object and another occurring to the printer,
brought on spring before the edition was out. It is true,
that the sheets were sent by parcels during the progress.
None however arrived, before the answer to the address
was sent: and this inattention or what seemed such
the bishops could not account for; as the archbishop
afterwards distantly intimated to those who received
consecration in England. Hence arose the caution,
with which the convention were answered by the right
reverend bench ; a caution evidently to be discerned,
in their letter of the 24th of February 1786. For some
of the clergy in the eastern States, from what is here
supposed to have been mistaken zeal, had been very
early in conveying to their clerical acquaintance in
England, an unfavourable representation of the spirit
of the proceedings : a fact, which is glanced at in the
same letter. Although the impression, thus produced,
was so far done away on the arrival of the book, as that
there remained no radical impediment to the gratifica
tion of the church, in granting her request made ; which
must be evident to every one who reads their subsequent
letter ; yet it follows from this narrative, that their mis
apprehension would have been obviated, if the printing
had been confined to the list of the proposed alterations.

From the letter of their lordships it appears, that the
omission of the Article of Christ's descent into Hell, in
the Apostles' Creed, was the thing principally faulted.

208 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

It was the objection made by Dr. Moss, bishop of Bath
and Wells, that swayed in this matter. A gentleman
who had been a member of the convention Richard
Peters, Esq. happening to visit England a few months
after, and having waited on the archbishop at the request
of the committee, the said bishop expressed a wish to see
him ; and, in the consequent interview, declared very
strongly his disapprobation of that alteration. It was
learned afterwards in England, from Dr. Watson, bishop
of Landaff, that the objection came principally from the
quarter here noticed. Indeed he expressed himself in
such a manner, as led to the conclusion, that the bishop
of Bath and Wells only was the objector. No doubt,
the bishops, generally, must have approved of the objec
tion ; considering their concurring in the strong protest
that came from them, on the subject of the omitted
article. However, from the different particulars attend
ing the transaction, the author is disposed to believe,
that, had it not been for the above-mentioned circum
stance, they would hardly have started their objection to
the omission in such a manner, as carries the appearance
of their making of a restoration of the clause, a condition
of their compliance with the request. As to the bishop
of Landaff, he plainly said, speaking on the merits of the
subject, that he knew not of any scriptural authority for
the article, unless it were the passage in St. Peter (mean
ing 1. iii. 19, 20.) And this he said must be acknow
ledged a passage considerably involved in obscurity.
To the two bishops who went for consecration it was
very evident, that the bishop of Landaff was far from
being attached to the objection, in which he had con
curred. It is probable, that the same may have been
true of many others of the bench. But when the matter
was pressed by a very venerable 'bishop, eminent as well
for his theological learning as for an exemplary life and
conversation, and rested by him on the ground of the
contradiction of an ancient heresy, it must have been
difficult in the body to wave the objection, considering
the novel line in which they were acting ; and their in
ability, in a corporate capacity, to act at all.^)

1 Memoirs, pp. 108-111, inclusive.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 209

n. THE GENERAL ECCLESIASTICAL CON-
STITUTION.

Founded upon the fundamental resolutions set forth
by the primary gathering in New York, in the year 1784,
and modified and rendered more consistent with principles
evolved in the discussion of these measures by the clergy
and the various State Conventions, the General Ecclesi
astical Constitution was first promulged at the meeting in
Philadelphia. It was a time of compacts and constitutions,
and the scattered churches felt sorely their need of some
such bond of union in their efforts for organization.

It is not our place to discuss its plan or principles ; but
we transfer from Bp. White's Memoirs his own interest
ing and exhaustive section which treats of this subject.
Little or nothing more in elucidation will be necessary,
as we have earlier given, in one form or another, the
various preliminaries both of action and opinions that
attended the production of this foundation-stone of our
ecclesiastical compact :

Of the general Ecclesiastical Constitution.

It has been seen, that in the preceding year, at New
York, a few general principles, tending to the organizing
of the church, had been recommended to the churches
represented, and proposed to those not represented. As
all the articles, except the fourth, which recognized the
English liturgy, with the exception of the political parts
of it, were adopted by the present convention, they
became a bond of union ; and indeed, the only one
acted under until the year 1789. For as to the general
constitution, framed at the period now before us, it
stood on recommendation only; and was of no use,
except in helping to convince those who were attached
to that mode of transacting business, that it was very
idle to bring gentlemen together from different states,
for tfce purpose of such inconclusive proceedings.

210 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

The fifth and the eighth articles of this proposed con-
stitution, deserve particular notice; because they have
been subjects of considerable conversation and censure.

The former of these articles provided, that every bishop
should be a member of the convention "ex qfficio." Ac
cordingly, the article was loudly objected to by the clergy
to the eastward ; because of its not providing for episcopal
presidency.

The constitution was drafted by the author, in a sub
committee ; a part of a general committee, consisting of
a clergyman and a layman from each state ; and originally
provided, that a bishop, if any were present, should pre
side. In the sub-committee, a gentleman, without much
consideration of the subject, and contrary to what his
good sense, with such an advantage, would have dictated,
objected to the clause ; and insisted, that he had read,
although he could not recollect in what book, that this
had not been a prerogative of bishops in ancient ecclesi
astical assemblies. The objection was over-ruled, by all
the other members of the sub-committee. But when the
instrument, after passing in the general committee, was
brought into the convention ; the same gentleman, not
expecting to succeed, and merely, as he afterwards said,
to be consistent, made a motion to strike out the clause.
Contrary to expectation, he was supported by another
lay-gentleman, who took an active part in all the measures ;
and who, in the sub-committee, had been of another mind.
Thus a debate was brought on, which produced more heat
than any thing else, that happened during the session.
As the voting was by orders, the clergy, who, with the
exception of one gentleman, were for the clause, might
have quashed the whole article. But this appeared to
them to be wrong ; because it contained nothing contrary
to the principle of episcopal presidency; and the general
object was such, as ought to have been provided for.
Accordingly, the article passed, as it stands on the
journal; that is, with silence as to the point in question.
it was considered, that practice might settle what had
better be provided for by law ; and that even such pro
vision might be the result of a more mature considera
tion of the subject. The latter expectation was justified
by the event.

The other article provided, that every clergyman should

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 211

be amenable to the convention of the state to which he
should belong. This was 'objected to by the English
bishops, as appears in the letter of the archbishops of
Canterbury and York; who there complain, that it fs
"a degradation of the clerical, and much more of the
episcopal character." The foundation of this complaint,
like that of the other, was rather in omission, than in
any thing positively declared. For the bishop's being
amenable to the convention in the state to which he
belonged, does not necessarily involve any thing more,
than that he should be triable by Jaws of their enacting,
himself being A part of the body: and it did not follow,
that he might be deposed or censured, either by laymen
or by presbyters. This, however, ought to have been
guarded against: but to have attempted it, while the
convention were in the temper excited by the alterca
tions concerning the fifth article, would have been to nc
purpose.

In this whole business, there was encountered a pre
judice entertained by many of the clergy in other states ;
who thought, that nothing should have been done towards
the organizing of the church, until the obtaining of the
episcopacy. This had been much insisted on, in the pre
ceding year, in New York. Let us it was said first
have an head ; and then let us proceed to regulate the
body. It was answered, on that occasion let us gather
the scattered limbs; and then, let the head be superadded.
Certainly, the different episcopalian congregations knew
of no union before the revolution; except what was the
result of the connexion which they in common had with
the bishop of London. The authority of that bishop
being withdrawn, what right had the episcopalians in any
state, or in any one part of it, to choose a bishop for
those in any other? And until an union were effected,
what is there in Christianity generally, or in the principles
of this church in particular, to hinder them from taking
different courses in different places, as to all things not
necessary to salvation ? Which might have produced
different liturgies, different articles, episcopacy from
different sources, and in short, very many churches,
instead of one extending over the United States; and
that, without any ground for the charge of schism, or
of the invasion of one anothers' rights. The course

212 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

taken, has embraced all the different congregations. It
is far from being certain, that the same event would have
been produced, by any other plan that might have been
devised. For instance, let it be supposed, that in any
district of Connecticut, the clergy and the people, not
satisfied with the choice made of Bishop Seabury, or
with the contemplated plan of settlement, had acted for
themselves, instead of joining with their brethren. It
would be impossible to prove the unlawfulness of such
a scheme ; or, until an organization were made, that the
minor part were bound to submit to the will of the
majority. There was no likelihood of such an indiscreet
proceeding, in Connecticut. But in some other depart
ments which might be named, it would not have been
surprizing. Let it be remarked, that in the preceding
hypothesis, there is supposed to have been, in the differ
ent neighbourhoods, a bond of union not dissolved by
the revolution. This sentiment is congenial with Chris
tianity itself, and with Christian discipline in the begin
ning : the connexion not existing congregationally ; but,
in every instance, without dependence on the houses, in
which the worship of the different portions of the aggre
gate body may be carried on.^)

1 Bp. White's Memoirs, pp. 99-103.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 213

III. MEASURES FOR SECURING THE SUCCES- , f
SIGN OF THE EPISCOPATE IN THE ENGLISH
LINE

THE recital of the various and long-continued efforts of
the early American Missionaries for the introduction of a Co
lonial Episcopate, does not fall within the limits we have
marked out for ourselves, in connection with the present pub
lication. It is sufficient to say, that the struggle for the Suc
cession forms one of the most interesting chapters of the his
tory of the American Church. But with the story of its
successful accomplishment we have to do. The opening pages
of the Journal of the Convention of 1785, in alluding to a
proposed " plan for obtaining the consecration of Bishops,
together with an address to the Most Reverend the Arch
bishops and the Right Reverend the Bishops of the Church
of England for that purpose, "(1) direct our attention to this
subject, and require at our hands a more minute and careful
illustration than, perhaps, any other portion of our annals.
The Plan thus proposed, and the Address referred to, appear
in full upon the pages of the Journal. It therefore becomes
principally our duty to group together, with a few prelimina
ries, the interesting correspondence this measure called forth,
and then trace, mainly from unpublished sources, its progress,
with the attendant alternations of hope and fear, to a suc
cessful accomplishment in the consecration of Bishops White
and Provoost at Lambeth the following year.

Insufficient and unsatisfactory as appear to have been the
ideas of the nature and prerogative of the Episcopate, enter-
taine'd by a portion of the Clergy, and even by some of the

(1) Reprinted Journals, I. 19.
I

214 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Conventions, as has already appeared, the desire for the in
troduction of the Order itself was universal. Appearing
among the fundamental resolutions of the primary gather
ings, both for local and general organization, the recognition
of the three Orders of the Ministry was avowed by every
section of the Church. And the desire was almost equally
general for the introduction of the succession by the English
line. It was with this end in view, that the Clergy of Con
necticut assembled at an early date, as has been already
mentioned, and made choice of Dr. Seabury as their Bishop-
elect. To these proceedings we must first direct our atten
tion, for the purpose of presenting in chronological order the
measures taken for the introduction of the Episcopate.

The following contemporary letters! 1) addressed by a Cler
gyman of Connecticut to the Rev. Samuel Parker, of Bos
ton, supply information of the earliest effort, subsequent to
the peace, made for an American Episcopate. They graphi
cally depict the alarm still felt by the laity at the introduc
tion of Bishops from abroad, and the wise caution of these
first movers towards organization on the established princi
ples of the Church.

There were ten clergymen met. The Connecti
cut Clergy have done already every thing in their power in the matter you
were anxious about Would write you the particulars, if I knew of any
safe opportunity of sending you this Letter, but as I do not, must defer it
till I do. Your sincere friend and Brother,

Pomfret, July 2d. '83. D. FOGG.

Revd. Mr. Parker

Dear Sir. Pomfret, 14th July, '83

I wrote you a few lines 2d inst. by an uncertain conveyance, in which

I mentioned that the Connecticut clergy had done all in their

power respecting the matter you were anxious about; but they keep it a
profound secret even from their most intimate Friends of the Laity.

The matter is this. After consulting the clergy in New York how to
keep up the succession, they unanimously agreed to send a person to
Englatd to be consecrated Bishop for America, and pitched upon Dr.
Seabury as the most proper Person for this purpose, who sailed for En
gland the beginning of last month, highly recommended by all the clergy
in New York and Connecticut, &c. If he succeeds he is to come out as

(1) From the Bishop Parker Correspondence.

HISTOEICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 215

missionary for New London, or some other vacant Mission, and if they
will not receive him in Connecticut or any other of the STATES of AMERICA,
he is to go to Nova Scotia. Sir Guy(l) highly approves of the plan, and
has used all his influence in favor of it. The clergy have even gone so
far as to instruct Dr. Seabury, if none of the regular Bishops of the
Church of England will ordain him, to go down to Scotland and receive or
dination from a nonjuring Bishop.

Please to let me know by Mr. Grosvenor how you approve of the plan,
and whether you have received any late accounts from England.

From your affect. Brother.

D. FOGG.

Dear Sir.

I am very glad that the conduct of the Connecticut Clergy meets with
your Approbation in the main. Dr. Seabury's being a refugee was an ob
jection which I made, but was answered, they could not fix upon any
other Person who they thought -was so likely to succeed as he was, and
should he succeed, and not be permitted to reside in any of the United
States, it would be an easy matter for any other Gentleman, who was not
obnoxious to the POWERS THAT BE, to be consecrated by him at, Halifax.
And as to the objection of not consulting the Clergy in the other States,
the time would not allow of it, and there was Nobody to consult in the
State of New York, for there is not one Clergyman there except Refu
gees, and they were consulted. And in the State of Connecticut there are
fourteen clergymen. And in your State and New Hampshire you know how
many there are, and you know there is no compulsion in the matter, and
you will be left to act as you please, either to be subject to him or not.
As to the matter of his support, that must be an after consideration.

Your affect. Friend and Brother,

D. FOGG.

Pomfret, 1st August, '83.

In the mean time, as we have already seen, the Clergy of
the Middle and Southern States, had begun to move in the
matter of union and organization. But these preliminary
gatherings were rendered less general and successful, from
the fact of the action of the Eastern Clergy, and their know
ledge that, even in the event of a failure to obtain consecra
tion in England, there could be little doubt of success across
the Northern border. A little prior to the meeting called at
New York in 1784, the Rev. Mr. Fogg thus writes to his cor
respondent in Boston.
% i

. I was at Norwich about ten days ago, and Mr. Tyler(2)
informed me that the Connecticut Clergy who met at New Haven at Com-

(1) Sir Guy Carleton.

(2) The Rev. John Tyler, A.M., one of the Connecticut Clergy.

216 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS

mencement, did not propose to meet the Southern Clergy at New York, as
they expect Dr. Seabury will succeed in the Business he went to London
for, and at his return it will be time enough to revise the Liturgy ; they,
however, wrote by Mr. Marshall,(l) one of our Brethren, giving reasons
for their conduct.(2)

Pomfret, Sept. 28, '84. D- FOGG.

Revd. Mr. Parker.

Agreeably to this appointment, the Rev. Mr. Marshall at
tended the meeting in New York, and, as we learn from
Bishop \Vhite,(3) " read to the Assembly a paper, which ex
pressed his only being empowered to announce that the Cler
gy of Connecticut had taken measures for the obtaining an
Episcopate ; that until their design in that particular shall be
accomplished, they could do nothing ; but that as soon as they
should have succeeded, they would come forward, with their
Bishop, for the doing of what the general interests of the
Church might require."

With this feeling of deference and respect, the Clergy of
New England awaited their Bishop. The letters of that time,
still preserved among the interesting correspondence of Dr.
Parker, are full of inquiries and apprehensions as to the suc
cess of their chosen head. Under date of Dec. 21st, 1784,
the Rev. Benjamin Moore, of New York, thus addressed his
correspondent in Massachusetts ; and the letter is all the
more interesting from the fact, that weeks before it was pen
ned, the object of its aspirations was accomplished, and the
first American Bishop had been duly consecrated by the
Bishops in Scotland.

Dear Sir.

Our Church affairs remain as they were. The

Prospect of an American Episcopate seems to be as uncertain as ever. A
letter from Dr. Seabury to a Gentleman in this City has this Expression.
" I have been amused, I think deceived." I am informed, however, that
the Clergy of Maryland, in a late Convention, have fixed upon Dr. Smith
as a Candidate for Episcopal Orders, and that he is to embark for Eu-

(1) The Rev. John R. Marshall, whose name appears in the list of
members present at the Convention of 1784.

(2) From the Bishop Parker Correspondence.

(3) Memoirs, p. 81.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 217

gland next April. But if the Gentleman who is there at present cannot
succeed, I should suppose, it will preclude every other attempt.

Shall we have the pleasure of seeing you at Philadelphia, at the Gen
eral Assembly of all the Churches ? I hope so that Phrase GENERAL AS
SEMBLY I am not very fond of it escaped me by chance. We will try to
give it a better Character.

with great esteem,

your friend & Brother,

BENJN. MOORE.
Revd. Mr. Parker.

But news of this all-important step was not long withheld
from those who were so intimately concerned in it ; and turn
ing aside from the mass of letters of congratulation and ex
pectancy on the part of the Northern and Eastern Clergy,
we propose to revert briefly, and mainly by a reproduction of
correspondence from the original letter book(l) of Bishop
Seabury himself, to the events of his consecration.

" Amused" or u deceived" the persevering Seabury could
not long be ; and despairing of satisfying the scruples of the
Archbishops in England, he had at length recourse to the
Bishops of Scotland. The English Archbishop subsequently
communicated to Granville Sharp, Esq., a grandson of a
former Archbishop of York, and a prominent philanthropist
of that day, whose agency in the subsequent introduction of
the English succession into America will shortly claim our
consideration, an account of his last interview with the
American missionary. Remembering, as we cannot fail to
do, that the incident is preserved to us by a violent opponent
of the Scots Episcopacy, and doubtless receives a coloring
of exaggeration from this very fact, it is certainly worthy
of preservation, and cannot be dismissed as wholly without
foundation in fact.

" Dr. Seabury, on coming to England, called on the Arch
bishop, of Canterbury for consecration, to the great surprise
of the Archbishop, who was apprehensive that it might give
great offence to the Americans, with whom we had just then

(1) Now in the keeping of the Rev. Professor "Win. J. Seabury, of the
General Theological Seminary, N. Y.

218 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

made peace; and therefore his Grace (the very worthy and
learned Dr. Moore) wished to be allowed some time to consi
der of the request ; upon which Dr. Seabury very abruptly left
the room, saying, ' If your Grace will not grant me conse
cration, I know where to obtain it;' and immediately set off
for Aberdeen.

" The Archbishop communicated to G. S. the account of
Dr. Seabury's behaviour; and G. S., in return, informed his
Grace, that a general convention was actually appointed in
America for the election of Bishops. On hearing this, the
Archbishop gave G. S. authority to assure the Americans,
that if they elected unexceptionable persons, and transmitted
proper certificates of their morals and conduct, and of their
suitable abilities for so important a charge, he would do every
thing in his power to promote their good intentions. "(1)

Towards the close of the year 1782, while the contest of
the American Revolution was drawing near its close, the Rev.
Dr. George Berkeley, the eldest son of the celebrated Bishop
of Cloyne, who seems to have inherited his father's interest
in the American Church, threw out the suggestion in a letter
to a Scottish clergyman, the Kev. John Skinner, " that a
most important good might ere long be derived to the suffer
ing and nearly neglected sons of Protestant Episcopacy on
the other side of the Atlantic, from the suffering Church of
Scotland." "I would humbly submit it," he adds, "to the
Bishops of the Church in Scotland (as we style her in Ox
ford), whether this be not a time peculiarly favourable to the
introduction of the Protestant episcopate on the footing of
universal toleration, and before any anti-episcopal establish
ment shall have taken place. God direct the hearts of your
prelates in this matter."(2)

Resuming this subject after his correspondent had himself
been raised to the Scottish Episcopate, Dr. Berkeley thus

1| Memoirs of Granville Sharp, London, 1820. pp. 213-214.
(2) The preceding extracts, and those immediately following, are from
MS. Seabury Papers," quoted by the Bishop of Oxford in his " History

of the American Church," (London, 1846, pp. 199-212), from which

source we also condense this portion of our narrative.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 219

answered objections, and removed from the path the many
seeming hindrances.

" As to American Protestant episcopacy (for popish pre
lacy hath found its way into the transatlantic world), one
sees not any thing complicated or difficult in the mere plant
ing of it. A bishop consecrated by the English or Irish
Church would find considerably stronger prejudices against
him, than would one who had been called to the highest order
by a bishop or bishops of the Scotch Church ; our bishops,
and those of Ireland, having been nominated by a sovereign
against whom the Colonists have rebelled, and whom you
have never recognised. The Americans would, even many
of the Episcopalians among them, entertain political jea
lousies concerning a bishop by any means connected with us;
they would be apt to think of "him as of a foe to their wild
prospects of independency, &c.

"I am as far removed from Erastianism and from demo
cracy as any man ever was; I do heartily abominate both of
those anti-scriptural systems. Had my honoured father's
scheme for planting an Episcopal College, whereof he was
to have been President, in the Summer Islands, not been sa-
rjrificed, by the worst minister that Britain ever saw, probably
under a mild monarch (who loves the Church of England as
much as I believe his grandfather hated it), Episcopacy
would have been established in America by succession from
the English Church, unattended by any invidious temporal
rank or power. But the dissenting miscellaneous interest in
England has watched, with too successful a jealousy, over the
honest intentions of our best bishops.

" From the Churches of England and Ireland, America
will not now receive the Episcopate ; if she might, I am per
suaded that many of her sons would joyfully receive bishops
from Scotland. The question, then, shortly is, Can any
proper persons be found who, with the spirit of confessors,
would convey the great blessing of the Protestant episcopate
from the persecuted Church of Scotland to the struggling
persecuted Protestant Episcopalian worshippers in America?
If so, is.it not the duty of all and every bishop of the Church
in Scotland to contribute towards sending into the new world
Protestant bishops, before general assemblies can be held and
covenants taken, for their perpetual exclusion? Liberavi
animam meam.

220 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

"Deeply convinced as I am of the necessity of Episcopacy
towards the constitution of a Christian Church, I hope that
no consideration would (I know that no consideration ought
to) restrain me in this matter, if I was a bishop. A Scotch
bishop, consecrating one or more good men of sound ecclesi
astical principles, might now sow a seed which, in smallness
resembling that of a mustard, might also resemble it in sub
sequent magnificence and amplitude of production. I hum
bly conceive that a bishop at Philadelphia, who had never
sworn to King George, would be very well placed. The
Quakers are a tolerating people. I have written to you cur-
rente calamo"

Suggestions of this moment, and from such a source, could
not pass unheeded. The newly-consecrated Bishop was well
aware of the distinguished position held by his correspond
ent in the English Church, who had refused an Irish bishop
ric but a few years before, and was then among the most
prominent of the Clergy of the land; but still, in his con
sciousness of the imputations under which the Church of
Scotland was then struggling, he could but respond discour-
agingly. "Nothing," he replies, "can be done in the affair
with safety on our side, till the independence of America be
fully and irrevocably recognized by the government of Bri
tain; and even then the enemies of our Church might make
a handle of our correspondence with the colonies, as a proof
that we always wished to fish in troubled waters and we
have little need to give any ground for an imputation of that

To this and other difficulties urged by the Bishops, Dr.
Berkeley replies, under date of March 24th, 1783, as fol
lows:

" I beg leave to observe, with all becoming deference, that
I cannot consider the immediate and unrestricted introduc
tion of Episcopacy into America in the same light wherein it
is viewed by yourself and your venerable brethren, the bishops
of the Scotch Church.

" From the papists one learns that no time is to be lost,

(1) Scabury MSS., quoted by the Bishop of Oxford.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 221

and that substances are to be preferred to shadows things
essential to the paraphernalia of a Church. If I ever wrote
a sentence under the influence of a humble spirit, I write so
at this moment when 1 do yet adventure to differ from my
fathers in Christ. A consecration in Scotland might be very
secret; it could not be so elsewhere. A consecration from a
persecuted, depressed Church, which is barely tolerated,
would not alarm the prejudices of opponents. I need not
say to Bishop Skinner or his brethren, that an Episcopal
Church may exist without any legal encouragement or estab
lishment, and without the definition of country into regular
and bounded dioceses. Provincial Assemblies will never in
vite a prelate ; provincial assemblies, if they establish any
thing, will establish some human device; but provincial as
semblies will not, now or soon, think of excluding a Protes
tant bishop, who sues only for toleration. Popish prelates
are now in North America exercising their functions over a
willing people, without any aid or encouragement from pro
vincial assemblies. In a short time, we must expect all Pro
testant Episcopalian principles to be totally lost in America.
They are not so now ; and yet Episcopacy must be sent be
fore it be asked: these are lukewarm days. Christianity
waited not at the first, the Church of Rome waits not now,
for any invitation or encouragement. Bishop Geddes told
me that the pope allows him 251. per annum, and that he has
no other settled support; the other popish bishops have 51.
each per annum from the Bishop of Home. Out of Scotland
there is but little known concerning the Episcopal Church
there ; and, generally, it is conceived to be a society purely
political. I believe a secret subscription could be raised ade
quate to the purposes of supporting one pious, sensible, dis
creet bishop, at least for a season after his arrival in Vir
ginia ; and I think I know one person competent and willing
for the great work."(l)

Thus was the way prepared by GOD for the accomplishment
of His wisely ordered plans. Delays and hindrances seem
ingly insurmountable, hedged up the way in England, and
Dr. Seabury found himself compelled, either to seek conse
cration from the remnant of the non-juring Episcopate in

(1) Seabury MS. quoted in Bishop Wilberforce's History of the Ameri
can Church.

222 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

that country, or from their political brethren at the North.
In November, 1783, the question was directly propounded
to the Primus of the Scottish bishops: "Can consecration
be obtained in Scotland for an already dignified and well-
vouched American clergyman, now at London, for the pur
pose of perpetuating the Episcopal Reformed Church in
America, particularly in Connecticut?" In connection with
this query, Dr. Berkeley thus addresses Bishop Skinner :

" I have this day heard, I need not add with the sincerest
pleasure, that a respectable presbyter, well recommended
from America, has arrived in London seking what, it seems,
in the present state of affairs, he cannot expect to receive in
our Church.

" Surely, dear Sir, the Scotch prelates, who are not shackl
ed by any Erastian connexion, will not send this suppliant
empty away.

" I scruple not to give it as my decided opinion, that the
King, some of his cabinet counsellors, all our bishops (except,
perad venture, the Bishop of St. Asaph), and all the learned and
respectable clergy in our Church, will at least secretly rejoice,
if a Protestant bishop be sent from Scotland to America;
but more especially if Connecticut be the scene of his min
istry. It would be waste of words to say anything by way
of stirring up Bishop Skinner's zeal."(l)

Enquiries with reference to the personal fitness of the can
didate, and the causes which led to the rejection of his suit
in England, followed, to which the persevering Dr. Berkeley
made speedy and satisfactory reply. Coupled with a strong
assertion that they need fear nothing from the English au
thorities in granting " a consecration, which can contradict
no law, for a foreign and independent state,"(2) he proceeds
to state clearly and forcibly the obstacles in the way of the
Bishops of the Church of England. " My reading does not
enable me to comprehend how, without an Episcopacy, the
gospel, together with all its divine institutions, can possibly

(1) Seabury MS., quoted by the Bishop of Oxford. (2) Ibid.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 223

be propagated. In the present state of matters, I do not
see now the English primate can, without royal license at
least, if not parliamentary likewise, proceed to consecrate
any bishop, except for those districts which erst were allowed
to give titles to assistant bishops. In this state of things, I
think the glory of communicating a Protestant Episcopacy
to the united and independent states of America, seems re
served for the Scotch bishops. Whatever is done herein,
ought assuredly to be done very quickly, else the never-
ceasing endeavours of the English dissenters, whose intoler-
( ance has kept back the blessing of prelacy from the Protes
tant prelatists of America, will stir up too probably a violent
spirit in Connecticut against the bishop in fieri. If the
Church of England was to send a bishop into any one of the
United States of America, the Congress might, and probably
would, exclaim that England had violated the peace, and still
claimed a degree of supremacy over the subjects of that in
dependent state. The Episcopal Church of Scotland cannot be
suspected of aiming at supremacy of any kind, or over any
people. I do therefore earnestly hope, that, very shortly,
she may send a prelate to the aid of transatlantic aspirants
for the primitive ordinance of confirmation."(l)

An application so strongly urged claimed immediate as
sent. The Primus of the Scotch bishops, Bishop Kilgour, in
expressing his "hearty concurrence in the proposal for in
troducing Protestant episcopacy into America," continues:
"All things bid fair for the candidate. I hope, indeed, that
the motion is from, and the plan laid under, the- direction of
the Holy Spirit."(2) His acquiescence was seconded by his
brethren in the Episcopate. " The very prospect," writes
another, "rejoices me greatly; and considering the great de-
positum committed to us, I do not see how we can account to
our great Lord and Master, if we neglect such an opportu-

(1) Seabury MS., quoted by the Bishop of Oxford.

(2) Ibid.

224 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

nity of promoting his truth, aud enlarging the borders of
his Church."(l)

With this introduction, detailing the gradual removal of
the difficulties in the way, and the republictaion of the letters
and testimonials borne by Dr. Seabury to England, and sub
sequently laid before the Scottish bishops, as appears from
the records in their "Minute Book," to which we shall shortly
refer, we propose to continue our narrative of the success of
the application in Scotland, by presenting from Bishop Sea-
bury's own Letter-book, already alluded to, the original cor
respondence which is there preserved, as illustrating the his
tory of this important transaction.

Communication of the Clergy of Connecticut, to the Archbishop
of Tork.(2)

New York, April 21, 1783.
MY LORD,

The clergy of Connecticut, deeply impressed with anxious appre
hension of what may be the fate of the Church in America, under
the present changes of empire and policy, beg leave to embrace the
earliest moment in their power to address your grace on that im
portant subject.

This part of America is at length dismembered from the British
empire ; but, notwithstanding the dissolution of our civil connexion
with the parent state, we still hope to retain the religious polity ;
the primitive and evangelical doctrine and discipline, which, at the
reformation, were restored and established in the Church of Eng
land. To render that polity complete, and to provide for its per
petuity in this country, by the establishment of an American Epis
copate, has long been an object of anxious concern to us, and to
many of our brethren in other parts of this continent. The attain
ment of this object appears to have been hitherto obstructed
by considerations of a political nature, which we conceive were
founded in groundless jealousies and misapprehensions that can no
longer be supposed to exist : and therefore, whatever may be the
effect of independency on this country, in other respects, we pre
sume it will be allowed to open a door for renewing an application
to the spiritual governors of the Church on this head ; an applica-

(1) Seabury MS., quoted by the Bishop of Oxford.

(2) These papers were addressed to the Archbishop of York, as, at the
time of their preparation, the See of Canterbury was vacant. Vide White's
Memoirs, page 79.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 225

tion which we consider as not only seasonable, but more than ever
necessary at this time ; because, if it be now any longer neglected,
there is reason to apprehend that a plan of a very extraordinary
nature, lately formed and publ shed in Philadelphia, may be carried
into execution. This plan is, in br.ef, to constitute a nominal Epis
copate by the united suffrages of presbyters and laymen. The
peculiar situation of the Episcopal churches in America, and the
necessity of adopting some speedy remedy for the want of a regular
Episcopate, are offered, in the publication here alluded to, as rea
sons fully sufficient to justify the scheme. Whatever influence
this project may have on the minds of the ignorant or unprincipled
part of the laity, or however it may, possibly, be countenanced by
some of the clergy in other parts of the country, we think it our
duty to reject such a spurious substitute for Episcopacy, and, as far
as may be in our power, to prevent its taking effect.

To lay the foundation, therefore, for a valid and regular Episco
pate in America, we earnestly entreat your grace, that, in your
archiepiscopal character, you will espouse the cause of our sinking
Church, and, at this important crisis, afford her that relief on which
her very existence depends, by consecrating a bishop for Connecti
cut. The person whom we have prevailed upon to offer himself to
your grace, for that purpose, is the reverend Doctor Samuel Seabury,
who has been the society's worthy missionary for many years. He
was born and educated in Connecticut he is personally known to
us and we believe him to be every way qualified for the Episcopal
office, and for the discharge of those duties peculiar to it, in the
present trying and dangerous times.

All the weighty considerations which concur to enforce our re
quest, are well known to your grace; we therefore forbear to enlarge,
lest we should seem to distrust your grace's zeal in a cause of such
acknowledged importance to the interests of religion. Suffer us
then to rest in humble confidence that your grace will hear and
grant our petition, and give us the consolation of receiving, through
a clear and uninterrupted channel, an overseer in this part of the
household of God.

That God may continue your life and health, make you in his
providence an eminent instrument of great and extensive usefulness
to mankind in general, a lasting blessing to the Church over which
you preside in particular; and that the present and future sons of
the Church in America, may have cause to record and perpetuate
your name as their friend and spiritual father, and, when your
sacred work is ended, that you may find it gloriously rewarded, is
and shall be the devout prayer of the clergy of Connecticut, by
whose order (in convention assembled,) and in whose behalf, this
letter is addressed to your grace, by your grace's most obedient,
humble servant, (Signed,) ABRAHAM JARVIS,

Minister of the Episcopal Church in Middletown,
and Secretary to the Convention.

223 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

Testimonial.

Whereas our well beloved in Christ, Samuel Seabury, doctor of
divinity, and missionary of Staten-Island, in this province, is about
to embark for England, at the earnest request of the Episcopal
clergy of Connecticut, and for the purpose of presenting himself a
candidate for the sacred office of a bishop ; and that when conse-
1 and admitted to the said office, he may return to Connecticut,
;IM 1 there exercise the spiritual powers, and discharge the duties
which are peculiar to the Episcopal character, among the members
of the Church of England, by superintending the clergy, ordaining
candidates for holy orders, and confirming such of the laity as may
choose .to be confirmed We, the subscribers, desirous to testify our
heartv concurrence in this measure, and promote its success; as well
as to declare the high opinion we justly entertain of Doctor Sea-
bury's learning, abilities, prudence, and zeal for religion, do hereby
certify, that we have been personally and intimately acquainted
with the said Doctor Seabury for many years past that we believe
him to be every way qualified for the sacred office of a bishop; the
several duties of which office, we are firmly persuaded, he will dis
charge with honour, dignity, and fidelity, and consequently with
advantage to the Church of God.

And we cannot forbear to express our most earnest wish, that
Doctor Seabury may succeed in this application, as it will be the
means of preserving the Church of England in America from ruin,
and of preventing many irregularities which we seem approach
ing, and which, if once introduced, no after care may be able to
remove.
Given under our hands, at New York, this twenty -first day of

April, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and

eiyhty-three,

JEREMIAH LEAMING, D.D.
CHARLES INGLIS, D.D.
Rector of Trinity Church, New York.

BENJAMIN MOORE, D.D.

Assistant Minister of Trinity Church,

New York, and others.

Letter to the Archbishop of York.

New York, May 24, 1783.
MY LORD,

The reverend Doctor Samuel Seabury will have the honour of
presenting this letter to your grace. He goes to England at the
request of the Episcopal clergy of Connecticut, on business highly
interesting and important. They have written on the subject to
your grace, and also to the archbishop of Canterbury, and the bishop
of London. But, as they were pleased to consult us on the occa-

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 227

sion, and to submit what they had written to our inspection, re
questing our concurrence in their application, their letters are dated
at New York, and signed only by the Rev. Mr. J arvis, the secretary
to their convention, whom they commissioned and sent here for
that purpose.

The measure proposed, on this occasion, by our brethren of Con
necticut, could not fail to have our hearty concurrence. For we
are decidedly of opinion, that no other means can be devised to
preserve the existence of the Episcopal Church in this country.
We have therefore joined with Mr. Jarvis in giving Doctor Seabury
a testimonial, in which wa have briefly, but sincerely, expressed our
sense of his merit, and our earnest wishes for the success of his
undertaking.

Should he succeed and be consecrated, he means (with the appro
bation of the society,) to return in the character, and perform the
duties of a missionary, at New-London, in Connecticut; and on his
arrival in that country, to make application to the governor, in hope
of being cheerfully permitted to exercise the spiritual powers of his
Episcopal office there ; in which, we are persuaded, he will meet
with little, if any opposition. For many persons of character in
Connecticut, and elsewhere, who are members of the Episcopal
Church, have lately declared they have no longer any objection to an
American Episcopate, now that the independence of this country,
acknowledged by Great-Britain, has removed their apprehensions
of the bishops being invested with a share of temporal power by the
British government.

We flatter ourselves that any impediments to the consecration of
a bishop for America, arising from the peculiar constitution of the
Church of England, may be removed by the king's royal permission ;
and we cannot entertain a doubt of his majesty's readiness to grant it.

In humble confidence that your grace will consider the object of
this application as a measure worthy of your zealous patronage, we
beg leave to remind your grace, that several legacies have been, at
different times, bequeathed for the support of bishops in America, and
to express our hopes that some part of those legacies, or of the in
terest arising from them, may be appropriated to the maintenance of
Doctor Seabury, in case he is consecrated, and settles in America.
We conceive that the separation of this country from the parent
state, can be no reasonable bar to such appropriation, nor invalidate
the title of American bishops, who derive their consecration from
the Church of England, to the benefit of those legacies. And per
haps, this charitable assistance is now more necessary, than it would
have been, had not the empire been dismembered.

We take this opportunity to inform your grace, that we have con
sulted his excellency Sir Guy Carleton, on the subject of procuring
the appointment of a bishop for the province of Nova-Scotia, on
which he has expressed to us his entire approbation, and has written

228 HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS.

to administration, warmly recommending the measure. We took
the liberty, at the same time, of mentioning our worthy brother,
the Rev. Dr. Thomas B. Chandler, to his excellency, as a per
son every way qualified to discharge the duties of the Epis^
copal office in that province, with dignity and honour. And we
hope for your grace's approbation of what we have done in that
matter, and for the concurrence of your influence with Sir Guy
Carleton's recommendation in promoting the design.

We should have given this information sooner to your grace, but
that we waited for Doctor Seabury's departure for England, which
we considered as affording the best and most proper conveyance.

If Doctor Chandler and Dr. Seabury should both succeed, as we
pray God they may, we trust that, with the blessing of heaven, the
Episcopal Church will yet flourish in this western hemisphere.

With the warmest sentiments of respect and esteem, we have the
honour to be,

My Lord,

Your grace's most dutiful sons,

And obedient, humble servants,

JEREMIAH LEAMING, D.D.
CHARLES INGLIS, D.D.
Rector of Trinity Church, New York.

BENJAMIN MOORE, D.D.
Assistant Minister of Trinity Church,

New York, and others.
His Grace the Archbishop of York.

The REV. Dr. SEABURY to the REV. MYLES COOPER, LL.D.

London, 31st August, 1784.
My dear Sir,

I hope this letter will find you safe at Edinboro' in good health and
spirits. Here, every thing, in which I have any concern, continues in the
same State as when I saw you at your Castle. I have been for some time
I>a-t. and yet am, in daily Expectation of hearing from Connecticut; but
there have been no late arrivals, nor shall I wait for any, provided I have
any favourable Account from you, but shall hold myself in readiness to
set off for the North at twenty-four hours notice. With regard to myself
it is not my fault that I have not done it before, but I thought it my duty
to pursue the plan mark'd out for me by the Clergy of Connecticut, as
long as there was any probable Chance of succeeding. That probably is
now at an end, and I think myself at liberty to pursue such other Scheme
as shall ensure to them a valid Episcopacy ; and such I take the Scotch
Episcopacy to be in every sense of the word ; and such I know the Clergy
of Connecticut consider it, and have always done so? but the Connection
that has always subsisted between them and the Church of England, and
the generous support they have hitherto receiv'd from that Church, natu
rally led them, though no longer a part of the British Dominions, to apply
to that Church in the first Instance, for Relief in their Spiritual necessity.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND DOCUMENTS. 229*

Unhappily the connection of this Church with the State is so intimate
that the Bishops can do little without the consent of the Ministry, and
the Ministry have refused to permit a Bishop