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HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN EPISCOPAL CHURCH,
PREVIOUS TO THE REVOLUTION.

BY THE REV. PROFESSOR CASWALL.

of ecclesiastical government. In 1620, the Purifans succeeded in colonizing New England, and in establishing their peculiar doctrines and discipline. The Swedes and Finns introduced Lutheranism into Delaware and New Jersey in 1627; Maryland was settled by Roman Catholicks in 1634; and Pennsylvania by the society of Friends in 1681. Long before the termination of the 17th century, the memexceeded in number by those of other persuasions. Nor was this all. From one denomination at least they soon began to experience opposition. The Puritans, although required by their charter to conform to the laws of England, had not scrupled to constitute a religious establishment, widely differing from that which the laws of England recognised. A few persons, offended at this procedure, withdrew from communion with their dissenting brethren, and assembled separately to worship God according to the liturgy of the church. This was too much to be patiently endured by the dominant majority. The leaders of the party, two brothers, named Brown, were expelled from the colony, and sent home to England. A monument has been erected to their On the 26th of April, 1607, two years before the memory in St. Peter's church at Salem, which desettlement of Canada by the French, seven years scribes these worthy men as the first champions of before the founding of New York by the Dutch, and religious liberty in America. Heavy fines were inthirteen years before the landing of the Puritans at flicted on those who took part in the Episcopalian Plymouth, a small band of colonists disembarked on ceremonies, severe laws were enacted against "the that coast, denominated, in honour of Queen Eliza- observance of any such day as Christmas or the beth, Virginia. They brought with them the re-like," and an inquisition existed in substance, with fined habits of the higher orders of English society; a full share of its terrours and its violence. they were members of the church established in the As the country increased in population, the church, mother-country, and they were accompanied in their adventurous enterprise by an exemplary clergyman, (the Rev. Mr. Hunt,) whom they venerated as a father, and loved as a friend. Religious considerations had, in a great measure, conduced to their voluntary expatriation. They had been required by their sovereign to provide for the preaching of the gospel among themselves and the neighbouring Indians, and they had been taught to regard their undertaking as a work which, by the providence of God, might tend "to the glory of his divine majesty," and "the propagating of the Christian religion." The piety of the emigrants, stimulated by the exhortations of their pastor, led to the almost immediate erection of an humble building, dedicated to the service of the Almighty. On the 14th of May, within three weeks after their arrival, the colonists partook of the Lord's Supper and Virginia commenced its career of civilization with the most impressive solemnity of the Christian church. Upon a peninsula which projects from the northern shore of James river, may still be seen the ruins of the first Episcopal place of worship in North America; and this, with its surrounding burial-ground, is now almost the only memorial of Jamestown.

THE eastern shores of the country now denominated the United States, were discovered under English auspices, and claimed by the English monarch, as early as the year 1497. Yet, in deference to the authority of Pope Alexander VI., who had granted to the Spaniards all the territory more than a hun-bers of the church of England in the colonies were dred leagues west of the Azores, no settlement was attempted prior to the reformation of the Anglican church. The feeble minority of Edward VI., distracted with factions, was not a more favourable period to schemes of doubtful utility, and the bigotry of his successor, Mary, disposed her to pay a sacred regard to that grant of the holy see, which vested in her husband, Philip, an exclusive right to the New World. It was not before the reign of Elizabeth that the English began seriously to form plans of settling colonies in those parts of America which hitherto they had only visited. Their early efforts, however, proved abortive, and no settlement was permanently established previous to the reign of James I.

nevertheless, slowly advanced. Even in New En-
gland, a few churches were at length established,
and, under a load of obloquy, grady gathered
strength. New York having fallen into the hands
of the English, a church was erected in that city.
Philadelphia, under the tolerant influence of the
Friends, was blessed with an Episcopal place of
worship; and in Maryland, several congregations
were organized. The Cavaliers and their descend-
ants fled to Virginia, during the persecutions of
Cromwell's government; and in that country the
church maintained undisputed pre-eminence for
nearly a century, notwithstanding the efforts of mis-
sionaries from New England to produce a defection.
Up to the period of the revolutionary war, the
number of Episcopalians was very small, except in
the southern colonies. In Virginia and Maryland a
provision for the maintenance of the clergy was
made by law, the territory was divided into parishes,
churches were built, and glebes attached. Here the
church possessed all the authority, and commanded
all the respect of a national establishment.
in the provinces north and east of Maryland the
congregations were "few and far between," and
generally confined to the larger towns. It is believed
that the only considerable endowment by the En-
glish government in favour of the church in the
northern colonies was a grant of lands to the Trin-
But during the early part

But

Such were the fathers of the church in the newlydiscovered continent; and it may be fairly presumed that, if all succeeding emigrants had possessed a kindred spirit, the form of religion which they in-ity church, New York. troduced would have continued to prevail in the of the eighteenth century, a zealous friend was United States until the present day. But various raised up to the church in the British "Society for causes soon contributed to multiply a very different class of settlers. In the year 1614, New York was colonized by the Dutch, who brought with them their own confession of faith, and their Presbyterian form

propagating the gospel in foreign parts." By means of this excellent institution, the greater part of the clergy resident in New England, New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, were maintained, and thẹ

number of congregations considerably increased. [ causes contributed to render the appointment of a To this society a very liberal grant was made by colonial bishop extremely desirable. The only rethe colonial government, which, under equitable sources for a duly-authorized ministry were in emimanagement, might have sufficed to support the in-gration from the mother-country, and in sending stitutions of the church to an indefinite extent. The candidates to that country for orders. The first territory of Verinont, when first surveyed, was di- could not be the channel of a respectable permavided into townships six miles square, one hundred nent supply, and the second was expensive and and fourteen of which were granted by Governor dangerous, many having perished on the ocean, or Wentworth, an Episcopalian. In each of these, one died by sickness, in their efforts to obtain ordinaright of land, containing usually three hundred and tion. At the same time, churchmen beheld the vathirty acres, was reserved for the first settled minis-rious non-episcopal sects around them multiplying ter, one right as a glebe for the church of England, their preachers ad libitum, and availing themselves and one for the propagation society. But the survey-of every opening afforded by the defenceless state of ors being unfriendly to Episcopacy, the lots re- the adherents to apostolick order. The church, too, served for the society and for the glebes, were often was of necessity presented to the people in an imsituated within the same identical spot, and often on perfect form, the rite of confirmation being unpracmountains, rocks or morasses; in consequence of tised, and almost unknown. It was undoubtedly which the grant promoted but little the cause which owing to this unhappy state of affairs that, about the it was designed to subserve. commencement of the 18th century, Baptists, Presbyterians, and others, obtained a footing in the southern colonies, where they increased with rapidity and vigour.

It is obviously important that something should be said in regard to the character of the clergy previous to the revolution. It is the more desirable on account of the many misapprehensions which exist As early as the reign of Charles II., the colonists in regard to this subject. Let it then be remarked, took measures to obtain an episcopate, which althat the missionaries of the propagation society were most proved successful. The subject was agitated generally men of holy, self-denying lives, and of in following years, until the death of Queen Anne blameless reputation. The venerable association put a stop for a considerable time to all proceedings just mentioned, issued a notice in 1735 and subse- of this description. The church, nevertheless, con quently, in which they besought those concerned to tinued to advance, and several distinguished dissentrecommend no man to them as a missionary "but ers were at different periods added to its ranks. with a sincere regard to the honour of Almighty Mr. Timothy Cutler, rector of Yale College, and Mr. God and our blessed Saviour." In the same circu- Samuel Johnson, a tutor in the same institution, both lar, they expressed their persuasion that any clergy- congregational ministers, became convinced, after man in America who had disgraced his character, indefatigable study, that their ordination was invalid; must have gone thither without their knowledge, and and shortly afterward connected themselves with they conclude by promising to dismiss any one in the church of England. Being joined by several their employment, against whom a just complaint other persons of note, their defection was a great could be preferred. It is true, that many disorders shock to the existing establishment. They proprevailed in those districts where the law, by assign-ceeded to England for ordination, and on their return ing a considerable stipend to ministerial services, in 1723, Dr. Cutler was settled as a pastor of held out an allurement to the unprincipled. And yet, Christ church, in Boston, and Mr. Johnson as miseven under these circumstances, the clergy and their sionary of the propagation society in Connecticut. people were free from many imputations which must In that colony the latter was for some time the only for ever attach to the memory of their chief oppo- Episcopal clergyman; but distinguishing himself by nents. The absurd superstitions which flourished in his contrivances in behalf of the church, he was apthe north, found an uncongenial soil in the southern pointed in 1754, president of King's College, New colonies, and the terrifick excitements in regard to York. By his writings, he succeeded in awakening witchcraft had little nourishment where the mild and general attention to the question of Episcopacy; scriptural worship of the church prevailed. The and about the year 1763 the applications for a bishsevere laws of Virginia against dissent, carry an op were renewed. At this, the dissidents from the appearance of persecution; but let it be recollected church in New England took alarm, and strongly that these laws were not often enforced, and, in fact, resisted the introduction of the only means by which were little more than a nullity. their conforming brethren could fully practise the rites which their faith demanded. In addition to this, they contended that the propagation society transcended its powers, when it authorized its missionaries to settle in the villages and seaports of New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Dr. Mayhew, a congregational preacher in Boston, was the leader of this controversy in behalf of the dissenters; while a talented advocate for the church was found in the Rev. East Apthorp, a missionary at Cambridge, Massachusetts, and afterward a prebend of Finsbury, England. Several others engaged in this discussion, among whom was Archbishop Secher, a warm friend of the colonial church.

The disorders which actually existed should be traced to their proper source, the want of an efficient Episcopal supervision. The destitution again should be assigned, in all justice, to its principal cause, namely, the opposition of the powerful bodies of dissenters, especially the Puritans. For although the bishop of London was considered as the diocesan of the American Episcopal churches, it is evident that his authority could not be effectually exerted at such a distance, and unworthy clergymen could not be removed without serious difficulty. The jurisdiction of a prelate beyond the seas was also viewed with jealousy by many; and the attempt to obviate existing inconveniences by the delegation of a commissary, in 1700, met with but partial success. Other

The efforts to procure an episcopate continued to prove unsuccessful as before. Yet so obviously was

very old. The experienced hunter knows them at once in the flock, and shoots them by preference. The prevailing tinge of the plumage is dusky-gray; and all the parts, without exception, are duller than those of the male.

it necessary, that, notwithstanding repeated discouragements, within ten years after the controversy with Mayhew, another attempt was made, in the course of which the Rev. Dr. Chandler, of New Jersey, appealed to the publick in favour of this great object. But the times were unpropitious. The wild-turkey has been found native from the Political difficulties had arisen between the colonies northwestern territory of the United States to the and the mother-country; and many of those who isthmus of Panama. Towards the north, Canada had previously desired an American episcopacy, appears to be the limit of its range; but from this now feared lest it should be made an instrument of country, as well as from the more densely-peopled accomplishing the designs of Great Britain. Some parts of the Union, where it was once extremely of the clergy themselves were not free from this ap-abundant, it is gradually disappearing before the prehension, and four ministers of the establishment encroachments of man. To the west, the Rocky in Virginia actually protested against Dr. Chandler's mountains seem to form a barrier that it has never plan, and received for their protest the thanks of their passed, if indeed it has reached them; but the woodcolonial government. The war of the revolution ed districts of the western states are still plentifully commenced shortly afterward, and amid the clash supplied with this valuable game, which there forms of civil strife, the whole subject was for a time an important part of the subsistence of the hunter forgotten. Missionary. and the traveller. In the northeastern states it is now become extremely rare; it is still occasionally found in mountainous parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and in Maryland; while in the south, Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, where a century ago it was most plentiful, there is still a small supply.

NATURAL HISTORY.

THE WILD-TURKEY.
(Meleagris Gallapavo.)

THIS bird, on account of its great size and beauty, its value as a rich and delicate article of food, and the circumstance of its being the origin of the domestick race, which is now dispersed over America and Europe, is one of the most interesting to be found in the United States.

Many wonderful stories have been told of the immense size which this bird attains; and turkeys of sixty pounds and upwards in weight are spoken of as not uncommon. The author of the article in the continuation of Wilson's ornithology, on the contrary, states the weight of a hen to average about nine pounds, and that of a male-bird fifteen or twenty. He adds, however, that males of thirty pounds are not very rare, and that he has ascertained the existence of some weighing forty. Beyond this he is not disposed to go, and he considers those relations in which a greater weight is mentioned as fabulous. He quotes Mr. Audubon's authority for having shot barren hens, in strawberry time, weighing thirteen pounds, and for having seen a male in the Louisville market that weighed thirty-six, and had a pectoral tuft of more than a foot in length. The specimen figured by M. Bonaparte weighed twenty-two pounds, and was killed during the lean season.

When fully grown, the wild-turkey measures nearly four feet in length, and more than five in the expanse of its wings. The head of the male, which is very small in proportion to its body, is covered with a naked bluish skin, which is continued over the upper half of its neck. On this skin are placed a number of wart-like elevations, red on the upper portion and whitish below, interspersed with a few scattered blackish hairs. On the under part of the neck the skin is flaccid and membranous, and extends downward in the shape of large wattles. The lower part of the neck, at is junction with the The wild-turkeys do not confine themselves to any breast, is ornamented with a singular tuft of black particular food. They eat maize, all sorts of berrigid hairs, separating themselves from the feathers, ries, fruits, grass, and beetles; and even tadpoles, and reaching as much as nine inches in length. young frogs, and lizards, are occasionally found in The feathers of the body are long and truncated, their crops. Where the pecan-nut is plentiful, they and, generally speaking, may each be subdivided prefer it to any other kind of nutriment; but their into four parts. Their base is formed by a light fuli- more general predilection is in favour of the acorn, ginous down, which is followed by a dusky portion. on which they rapidly fatten. When an unusually This again is succeeded by a broad shining me- profuse crop of acorns is produced in a particular talick band, changing to copper-colour or bronze, section of the country which they inhabit, great numto violet or purple, according to the incidence of the bers of turkeys are enticed from their ordinary haunts light; while the tip is formed by a narrow black in the surrounding districts. About the beginning of velvety band, which last is wanting on the neck and October, while the mast still remains on the trees, breast. From this disposition of the colours results they assemble in flocks, and direct their course to a most beautiful changeable metallick gloss over the the rich bottom-lands; and so constant is their apwhole body of the bird, which, however, is less mark-pearance, that the season of this irruption is known ed on the lower part of the back and tail-coverts. to the Indians by the name of the turkey-month. At The female is considerably smaller; her legs are less robust, the latter having her head and neck covered by short feathers of a dirty-gray. Those of the back of the neck have brownish tips, producing a longitudinal band on that part. The fasciculus on the breast is not present as early as in the small and in the barren hens, and does not appear till they are

this time the males, which are usually termed gobblers, associate in parties numbering from ten to a hundred; while the females either move about singly with their young, then nearly two-thirds grown, or, in company with other females and their families, form troops of seventy or eighty individuals. The object of this arrangement is to avoid

[graphic][subsumed][merged small]

coming in contact with the old males, who, when- hatched brood. The nest is composed only of a ever opportunity offers, attack and destroy the young by repeated blows upon the scull. They travel, however, in the same direction, and on foot, unless when diverted by circumstances from their usual course.

When they arrive at a river, they select the highest eminences on its bank, and there remain for a day or more, the males gobbling obstreperously, and strutting with more than usual importance, when the females, and even the young, assume somewhat of the pompous air of the males. The attitudes and note of the domestick-turkey, when excited, must be sufficiently familiar to our readers to render superfluous any more particular description of this curious display. At length, when fully recruited and animated for the task, they mount, altogether, to the tops of the highest trees, and at a signal from the leader, wing their way towards the opposite shore. The old and fat birds cross without difficulty, even if the river should be a mile in breadth; but many of the young, especially if the banks are steep, fall into and perish in the stream. When the main body has reached the other side, they ramble about for some time, without any apparent unanimity of purpose; and in this forlorn state many of them fall victims to the hunters, although at the season when they are least valuable. On their arrival in the land of abundance, they disperse themselves in small flocks, composed of individuals of all ages and of both sexes, intermingled, and devour the mast as they advance. After these long journeys, which are generally concluded about the middle of November, they become so familiar as to venture even into the farmyards in search of food; and great numbers are killed by the inhabitants, who preserve them in a frozen state, in order to transport them to a distant market.

About the middle of April, when the weather is dry, the female selects a proper place to deposite her eggs, secure from the encroachment of water, and, as far as possible, concealed from the watchful eye of the crow, the most destructive enemy of the un

few dried leaves, placed on the ground, either on a dry ridge, in the fallen top of a dried leafy tree, under a thicket, or by the side of a log. In this receptacle the eggs, which are whitish, spotted with reddish-brown, like those of the domestick bird, are deposited, sometimes to the number of twenty, but more usually from nine to fifteen. The female always approaches her nest with great caution, and conceals it so artfully with dry leaves that it is extremely difficult to discover it during her absence. When laying or sitting, she is not readily driven from her post, which she seldom quits on account of its having been discovered by man; but should a snake or any other animal suck one of the eggs, she abandons them altogether. Several females sometimes associate, deposite their eggs in the same nest, and rear their broods together. In such cases, the nest is constantly guarded by one of the party, so that no crow, raven, or even polecat, dare approach it. When the eggs are near hatching, the mother will not forsake them while life remains.

On first quitting the shell, the young are covered only with a soft, delicate, hairy down, which affords them no protection against humidity. Hence, after a very rainy season, wild-turkeys are always scarce, because, when completely wetted, the young rarely survive. At the expiration of about a fortnight they quit the ground, on which they had previously reposed at night under the female, and follow her to some low branch of a tree, where they nestle under her broadly-curved wings. The time then approaches in which they seek the open ground during the day, in search of strawberries, and afterward of dewberrys, blackberries, and grasshoppers. After this, the young birds grow rapidly, and by the month of August, when several broods flock together, and are led by their mothers to the forest, they are quite able to secure themselves from the attacks of wolves, foxes, lynxes, and even panthers, by rising quickly from the ground, and reaching with ease the upper limbs of the tallest trees. These animals, especially the lynxes, together with the larger birds of prey, the

years old, it began to fly to the woods, where it remained for a considerable part of the day, and returned to the enclosure as night approached. It continued this practice until the following spring, when I saw it several times fly from its roosting-place to the top of a high cotton-tree, on the bank of the Ohio, from which, after resting a little, it could sail to the opposite shore, the river being there nearly half a mile wide, and return towards night. One morning, I saw it fly off at a very early hour to the woods, in another direction, but took no particular notice of the circumstance. Several days elapsed, but the bird did not return. I was going towards some lakes near Green river, to shoot, when, having walked about five miles, I saw a fine large gobbler cross the path before me, moving leizurely along. Turkeys being then in prime condition for the table, I ordered my dog to chase it and put it up. The animal went off with great rapidity, and as it approached the tur

hawks, the eagles, and the owls, are among their | had among other wild-birds, a fine male turkey, most deadly enemies. which had been reared, from its earliest youth, unIn regard to taking the wild-turkey, Audubon re- der my care; it having been caught by me when marks as follows, in his magnificent work on the probably not more than two or three days old. It birds of America :-" During spring, turkeys are became so tame that it would follow any person who called, as it is termed, by drawing the air in a partic-called it, and was the favourite of the little village. ular way through one of the second-joint bones of a Yet it would never roost with the tame turkeys, but wing of these birds, which produces a sound resem-regularly betook itself, at night, to the roof of the bling the voice of the female, on hearing which, the house, where it remained until dawn. When two male comes up, and is shot. But the most common method of procuring wild-turkeys, is by means of pens. These are are placed in parts of the woods where turkeys have been frequently observed to roost, and are constructed in the following manner:-Young trees of four or five inches in diameter are cut down, and divided into pieces of the length of twelve or fourteen feet. Two of these are laid on the ground parallel to each other, at a distance of ten or twelve feet; two other pieces are laid across the ends of these, at right angles to them; and in this manner successive layers are added, until the fabrick is raised to the height of about four feet. It is then covered with similar pieces of wood, placed three or four inches apart, and loaded with one or two heavy logs to render the whole firm. This done, a trench, about eighteen inches in depth and width, is cut under one side of the cage, into which it opens slantingly and rather abruptly. It is continued on its outside to some distance, so as grad-key, I saw, with great surprise, that the latter paid ually to attain the level of the surrounding ground. Over the part of this trench within the pen, and close to the wall, some sticks are placed so as to form a kind of bridge about a foot in breadth. The trap being now finished, the owner places a quantity of Indian corn in its centre, as well as in the trench, and as he walks off, drops here and there a few grains in the woods, sometimes to the distance of a mile. This is repeated at every visit to the traps, after the turkeys have found it. Sometimes two trenches are cut, in which case the trenches open on opposite sides of the trap, and are both strewn with corn. No sooner has a turkey discovered the train of corn, than it communicates the circumstance to the flock by a cluck, when all of them come up, scratching for the grains scattered about, and at length come upon the trench which they follow, squeezing themselves one after another through the passage under the bridge. In this manner the whole flock sometimes enter, but more commonly six or seven only, as they are alarmed by the least noise, even by the cracking of a tree in frosty weather. Those within having gorged themselves, raise their heads and try THE original forces which produce motion, and to force their way through the top or sides of the which have been denominated moving powers, are pen, passing and repassing on the bridge, but never of various kinds, depending on the natural properfor a moment looking down or attempting to scratch ties of bodies. Gravitation, or weight, is an extenthrough the passage by which they entered. Thus sively-acting power, affecting matter in all its differthey remain until the owner of the trap arriving, closes the trench, and secures his captives. I have heard of eighteen turkeys having been caught in this .manner at a single visit to the trap. I have had many of these traps myself, but never found more than seven in them at a time. One winter I kept an account of the produce of a pen which I visited daily, and found that seventy-six had been caught in it, in about two months."

Mr. Audubon relates many interesting anecdotes of the wild-turkey, among them the following:"While at Henderson, on the Ohio," says he, "I VOL. IV.-3

little attention. Juno was on the point of seizing it, when she suddenly stopped, and turned her head towards me. I hastened to them, but you may easily conceive my surprise when I saw my own favourite bird, and discovered that it had recognised the dog, and would not fly from it, although the sight of a strange dog would have caused it to run. A friend of mine happening to be in search of a wounded deer, took the bird on his saddle before him, and carried it home for me. The following spring it was accidentally shot, having been taken for a wild bird, and brought to me on being recognised by the red ribbon which it had around its neck. Pray, reader, by what word will you designate the recognition made by my favorite turkey of a dog, which had long been associated with it in the yard and grounds? was it the result of instinct, or of reason; an unconsciously-revived impression, or the act of an intelligent mind?"

MOVING POWERS.

ent forms, and affording the means of originating motion for many useful purposes. By the proper application of weight, the equable motion of wheelwork is maintained, as in a common clock; and the same power, differently adapted, is made to act by percussion, in pile-driving, and numerous other operations. Currents of water owe their velocity to the weight of the descending liquid, yielding a kind of moving power, on which depends the effective force of water-wheels, and other hydraulick engines.

Elasticity is another property of matter which gives energy to various mechanical agents. Elastick

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