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: Opposition to Bp. 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, 319-323; The Rev. Dr. White to the Rev. Mr. Parker, 323; Letters from the Rev. Mr. Parker, 324-326; Drs. Griffith, Wharton and Provoost to Dr. White, 326-330; Dislike of the "Proposed 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, 343-345; 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, 347-352; A proposition for the consecration of Parker as Bishop of Massachusetts, 352, 353; The Rev. Jeremiah Leaming to Bp. White, 353-355; Rev. Mr. Parker to Bp. White, 355, 356; Mr. Leaming 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, 361–363; Notices of the Alterations adopted in Massachusetts, 363, 364; Rev. Mr. Parker, to the Bp. of Connecticut, 364-366; The Bishop's reply, 366, 367: Mr. Leaming to Bp. White, 367, 368; Letters from Drs. Griffith, West and Purcell to Bp. White, 369-873; 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, 376-379; Dr. Griffith to Bp. White, 379-381; Bp. Provoost to Bp. White, 381, 382; Dr. Murray to Bp. White, 382; Overtures for Union, 383; Mr. Leaming to Bp. White, 384; Bp. Seabury to Bp. White, 384-388;-Bp. Seabury to Dr. William Smith, 388, 389; Correspondence of Bps. Provoost and White and Dr. Griffith, The Act of the Massachusetts and New Hampshire Clergy electing the Rev. Edward Bass to the Episcopate, 392-394; Action of the Convention, 394-396; Bp. White to Bp. Sea- bury, 396, 397; Minutes of the Proceedings of the Committee of Correspondence, 397, 398; Address to the Archbishops, 398-402; Bp. White to the Abp. of Canterbury, 402, 403; Rev. Dr. Smith to Bp. Seabury, 404, 405; The Committee to Bp. Sea- bury, 405-407; Bps. Seabury and Provoost to Bp. White, 407 -412; Letter to Dr. Parker, 412, 413; Union of the Churches, 413; Changes in the Constitution, 413-415; The return to the English Prayer Book, practically, in the preparation of the new liturgy, 415, 416; Report of Committee on the means of perpetuating the Episcopal Succession in the United States, 416. 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 America, held in New-York, Oct. 6th and 7th, 1784:-Present as follows; Revd. SAMUEL PARKER, A.M., Massachusets and Rhode-Island. 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 Alterations in the Order Government, Doctrine, or Worship of the Church. " THE Body now assembled, recommend to the Clergy and Congregations of their Communion in the States represented 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 respectively 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 Episcopal Church in the United States of America. II. That the Episcopal Church in each State, send Deputies 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 Constitutions 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. (1) 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." ་་ Hand writing of Dr. Wm. Smith, who presided," the following 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 produced by the several Members above mentioned were read; and also the following Letters from the Clergy of Massachusetts 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 appointed, viz., 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 further Review shall be undertaken by general Authority and Consent of the Church. Octr. 7th. Present as above. The Committee appointed yesterday to essay the fundamental 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 follows, viz., THE Body now assembled, recommend [etc., as above]. Resolved, that it be recommended to the Clergy in the respective 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 officiating 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. |