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A NARRATIVE, &c.

ALTHOUGH it happened, as might be expected, that a proportion of the settlers of English America were of the profession established in England; yet the number was not so considerable, as might be supposed from the existing relation; owing probably to the circumstance, that several of the colonies arose in a great measure from dissatisfaction with the establishment at home, and partly to an influx of subsequent settlers; not only from other countries, subject to the same crown, but also from countries on the continent of Europe; principally some of the states of Germany. In the northern and eastern states, the comparatively small number of the church of England may be seen in the fact, that when the revolutionary war began, there were not more than about eighty parochial clergymen of that church, to the northward and to the eastward of Maryland; and that those clergymen derived the greater part of their subsistence from the society instituted in England, for the propagation of the gospel in foreign

parts; with the exception of those resident in the towns of Boston and Newport, and the cities of New York and Philadelphia: there being no episcopal congregations out of those towns and cities, held to be of ability to support clergymen of themselves.* In Maryland and in Virginia, the episcopal church was much more numerous, and had legal establishments for its support. It was especially numerous in those parts of the said provinces, which were settled when the establishments took place; for in the more recently settled counties, the mass of the people were of other communions, scarcely known among them in the early period of their histories. In the more southern colonies, the episcopalians were fewer in proportion than in the two last mentioned; but more than in the northern.

It may be supposed, that, however comparatively few the original emigrants of the church of England in the northern and the middle colonies; yet they must have derived aid from the executive of the parent state, through the medium of its representatives, the governors. This was, indeed, the case in a degree; but the aid was inconsiderable and, confined to two or three of the earliest seats of population. Besides, it may well be doubted, whether, under the continually existing jealousy in the colonies of the parent power, there did not result some dis

* The clergy in the province of Pennsylvania, exclusive of those in the city of Philadelphia, were never more than six in number; all of whom were missionaries, receiving salaries from England. The parochial clergy of the city were four.

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 a 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 expectations 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

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