advantage to a denomination comparatively small, from a community of profession: for this circumstance may have had a tendency to render the denomination unpopular among a great proportion of their fellow-citizens; especially under the apprehension that it might, at some future day, be an engine aiding in the introduction of a new system of colonial government.*

But even if the episcopal church found any source of increase in the connexion, this was more than counterbalanced by the peculiar circumstances under which it existed; which prevented and probably, under the old regime, would have continued to prevent its organization. Separated by the Atlantic ocean from the episcopacy under which it had been planted, it had no resource for a ministry, but in emigration from the mother country and by sending its candidates for the ministry, to that country for orders. The first, could not be the channel of a respectable permanent supply. And the second, which was the most depended on in the latter years of the colonies, was very troublesome and expensive. The evil of the want of an internal episcopacy, did not end here. For although the bishop of London was considered as the diocesan of the episcopal churches in America, it is evident, that his authority could not be effectually exerted, at such a distance for the

* Perhaps the only considerable endowment by the English government was of lands to Trinity church, New York. Its being considerable, is owing to its having become of great value by the increase of that city.

removing of unworthy clergymen: besides which, there were civil institutions supposed to be in opposition to it, in the provinces where establishments had been provided. In Maryland, in particular, all interference of the bishop of London, except in the single matter of ordination, was held by the proprietary government to be an encroachment on its authorities.*

For these reasons, and on the ground of the evident propriety of being supplied with all the orders of the ministry, recognized by their ecclesiastical system, application had been made to England at different times by the clergy, especially those in the northern colonies, for the obtaining of an episcopate. These applications had produced much contention in pamphlets and in newspapers; the writers on the episcopal side pleading the reasonableness of being

* The author, before his being in the ministry, knew a gentleman (the reverend Mr. Edminston) who, being in London for orders, had brought with him such recommendations to lord Baltimore, proprietary of Maryland, as induced the promise of an order to his governor, for any future parish that might be vacant. It was necessary after ordination, to show the testimonial of the transaction to the proprietary: who, perceiving with the instrument a license to preach in the province of Maryland, was much dissatisfied with the bishop of London on that account. The bishop usually gave such a license, according to the province for which the party was ordained: a practice, similar to what obtains in England. From this and from other circumstances, the conviction is felt, that his lordship would not have endured in his province any episcopal authority, distinct from his designation of the person. It is mentioned, as one of the difficulties attendant on the subject of an American episcopacy.

indulged in the full enjoyment of their religion; and their opponents objecting, that bishops, sent from England to America, would of course bring with them, or, if not, might be clothed by the paramount authority of Britain, with the powers of English bishops, to the great prejudice of people of other communions; and in contrariety to the principles on which the settlement of the colonies had taken place. What would have been the event, in this respect, had the episcopal clergy succeeded in their desires, is á problem, which it will be forever impossible to solve. In regard to the motives of the parties in the dispute, there are circumstances, which charity may apply to the most favourable interpretation. As the episcopal clergy disclaimed the designs and the expeċtations of which they were accused; and as the same was done by their advocates on the other side of the water, particularly by the principal of them, the great and good archbishop Secker; they ought to be supposed to have had in view an episcopacy purely religious. On the other hand, as their opponents laid aside their resistance of the religious part of it, as soon as American independence had done away all political danger, if it before existed; it ought to be believed, that in their former professed apprehensions, they were sincere. A.

If such was the difficulty of being supplied with a ministry, during the acknowledged supremacy of the British crown; much greater, as may be supposed, was the same difficulty, during the struggle which ended in the elevating of the colonies to the

rank of independent states. During that term, there was no resource for the supply of vacancies; which were continually multiplying, not only from death, but by the retreat of very many of the episcopal clergy to the mother country, and to the colonies still dependent on her. To add to the evil, many able and worthy ministers, cherishing their allegiance to the king of Great Britain, and entertaining conscientious scruples against the use of the liturgy, under the restriction of omitting the appointed prayers for him, ceased to officiate. Owing to these circumstances, the doors of the far greater number of the episcopal churches were closed for several years. In the state in which this work is edited, there was a part of that time, in which there was, through its whole extent, but one resident minister of the church in question, he who records the fact. B.

No sooner was it known in America, that Great Britain had acknowledged her independence, than a few young gentlemen to the southward, who had been educated for the ministry, but kept back from it by the times, embarked for England; and applied to the then bishop of London, Dr. Lowth, for orders. As the bishop could not ordain them, without requiring of them engagements inconsistent with their allegiance to the American sovereignty, he applied for and obtained an act of parliament, allowing him to dispense with requisitions of that sort. While this matter was depending, and the success of the candidates was doubtful, there was an incident, which

it

may be proper to record, in justice to the intended good offices of a foreign sister church.

Mr. Adams, then the minister of the United States at the court of St. James, being in company with M. de St. Saphorin the minister of the crown of Denmark, mentioned to him the case here stated, of the candidates for orders; with a view to his opinion, whether they could be gratified in the kingdom which he represented. Sometime after, the Danish minister made a communication to the American; from which it appeared, that the inquiry of the latter had been notified to the Danish court; that the consequence had been a reference to the theological faculty of the kingdom; and that they had declared their readiness to ordain candidates from America, on the condition of their signing of the 39 Articles of the church of England, with the exception of the political parts of them; the service to be performed in Latin, in accommodation to the candidates, who might be supposed unacquainted with the language of the country. This conduct, is here the more cheerfully mentioned to the honour of the Danish church; as it is reasonable to presume, that there would have been an equal readiness to the consecrating of bishops, had necessity required a recourse for it to any other source than the English Episcopacy, under which the American churches had been planted. The proceeding in Denmark, was made known to the American government by Mr. Adams; a copy of whose letter to the president of congress, was sent to the author by the then supreme executive

B