Peters himself. This practice, we can assure your Lordship, has heretofore been observed by your pious predecessors. The vestry also asked the confirmation of Mr. Sturgeon's election to be assistant of the United Churches. After testimony to his devotion to his ministerial duties for fifteen years, "with sobriety and unwearied diligence, and to the utmost of his ability," they add that "he long since married a gentlewoman of this city, by whom he hath a large family of children, and his connexions are chiefly here; and here in our service he has spent the prime of his life." The letter of the vestry was sent by Mr. Peters to Dr. Smith, to be presented to the Bishop of London. There was sent with it a draft of a charter for the recently erected St. Peter's Church, hoping that it would be passed by Mr. Penn, then in London. The Bishop of London, writing at Fulham, May 24th, 1763, in answer to the letters from the vestry, says: concern From the credentials that have been transmitted to me . . ing Mr. Peters' moral Character, I can entertain no doubt but it is altogether unexceptionable, and therefore I do approve him to be your rector in the churches aforesaid. I depend upon it Mr. Peters will embrace the first convenient opportunity of coming to England, and he will find me disposed to grant him a license in due form. Dr. Smith also writes, and, among other things, explains the Bishop of London's letter: Dr. Smith to the Vestry of Christ Church. LONDON, June 4th, 1763. GENTLEMEN: The Rev. Mr. Peters, your rector, having done me the honor to transmit, through my hands, your address to the lord bishop of London, I lost no time in delivering the same, and have at length received his lordship's answer, most cordially approving your choice of Mr. Peters, and also giving his approbation of M. Sturgeon, in regard to his general good character, though he has not quite escaped his lordship's censure in the affair of the irregular marriage complained of. You will perceive that his lordship insists on it, as necessary both for M'. Peters and M. Sturgeon to come to England, to be regularly licensed; and this the strict rules of the Church would require. But as one sea voyage of six thousand miles, backwards and forwards, for ordination, is already a burden under which our American Church groans grievously, his lordship is far from expecting that the clergy will increase this burden by coming a second, third, or fourth time, as often as there may be any new bishop, or any new appointment for a clergyman himself. His lordship only thinks that, as this is regular, his insisting on it may help to place in a stronger light the inconveniency of our not enjoying on the spot the full rights of a Christian Church; as to the good discipline of the clergy, and keeping up a succession in the holy office of the ministry; and trusts that these and the like things may lead the administration here to consider seriously at last of this matter. But the time seems yet at a distance; and indeed while things are so unsettled at home, we cannot be much thought of abroad. I thought it necessary to be thus particular in regard to the paragraph in the bishop's letter; and if you make any record of it in your books, as I doubt not you must, it will be extremely proper to enter likewise this explanation, or the substance of it, lest it should have a construction put upon it which it was not meant to bear, namely, as subjecting the American Clergy to new inconveniences, which might deter many from taking holy orders in our Church. I have seen the draft of your charter, which is a good one; only I think power should have been reserved to the Vestry, if they should ever find it convenient, to constitute a separate head for each church, under such regulations as they might think proper. A time may come when they would find this a very necessary power. A few words would have conveyed it to them, and if they should never have occasion to use it, it would have stood very innocently on the face of the charter. Mr. Penn seems well disposed to pass the charter and oblige the people of the Church, as soon as he has received his solicitor's advice as to the law parts of it. If any solicitation of mine be necessary, it shall not be wanting in this or any other business where I can serve the general cause of religion, or the particular one of your Church. I rejoice to hear of the Christian harmony that subsists among you; and am sure that under so good a man as M'. Peters, and his assistants, it must continue to flourish; which is the sincere prayer of, Gentlemen, your affectionate humble servant, The part of this letter in italics is interesting as showing by how much forecast the mind of Dr. Smith was distinguished. For the want of such a power as he mentions, Christ Church and St. Peter's were long incommoded; so much so that, at last, an appeal had to be made to the Legislature for relief. On the 5th of February, 1829-sixty-two years after the date of Dr. Smith's letterthe churches were erected into corporations with a separate head for each. Dr. Peters to Dr. Smith. PHILADELPHIA, June 1st, 1763. DEAR SIR: Your public Letters are acknowledged in my public Letter and I have likewise wrote a very long private one. This is to return to you my Thanks for your kind services on receiving my Letter, acquainting you with my appointment to the Rectory of the Church. You will see by my other Letters on this Subject that I have placed an entire confidence in you, and did not chuse any other person should have any thing to do in my affairs. I know your trouble (which is already too great for any one man) will be much increased by this unforeseen choice of me. But I know, too, that affection makes all this easy; and I can pronounce boldly that you have as much for me as one friend can have for another. I measure your Breast by my own towards you. Glad shall I be should we jointly be able to promote the real advancement of Religion and serve our Church, which wants people that will take pains as well as talk for her Interest. I do not chuse to say any more now, as you will give me a better opportunity on receiving your answer to my letters wrote along with the addresses and the Vestry's Letters to the Bishop of London. May the Almighty preserve your Health, Spirits and Zeal for the public good. I am, Dear Sir, TO REVP. DR. SMITH. Your most Affectionate Humble Servant, We are now in the month of September, 1763. Dr. Smith was getting ready to sail for Ireland, where he hoped to make some collections. We shall follow him thither; but must first break the unity so far as to go for a single day-Commencement Day-to Philadelphia. CHAPTER XXIII. COMMENCEMENT OF THIS YEAR-WATCHED AFTER BY DR. SMITH IN ENGLAND, AS MUCH AS IF HE HAD BEEN AT HOME-ACCOUNT OF IT IN THE LIVERPOOL PAPERS. THE reader will remember that in the address on Commencement Day of 1759, by the Provost to the Governor (the Hon. James Hamilton), the Provost says: The time is approaching (and may it fast approach!) which will put an end to this tedious war; and with it, perhaps, under your prudent administration, to those domestic troubles which have been prejudicial to the Muses here. The time did not fast approach. The war was the Seven Years' War. It began in 1756, and ended only in 1763. But it came at last; a joyful peace it was. Dr. Smith, with his capacity to turn. incidents to advantage, availed himself of it for his Commencement of 1763. And to make the thing operate with its fullest value, he inserted in the Liverpool Advertiser, of July 21st of that year, a dialogue and ode on the peace, which had been transmitted to him from across the ocean. We give it from an original paper in the Historical Society of the State. The verses were from the pen of the Rev. Nathaniel Evans. AN EXERCISE CONTAINING A DIALOGUE AND ODE ON PEACE, PERFORMED AT THE PUBLIC COMMENCEMENT IN THE COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA, MAY 17, 1763. Oh Stretch thy Reign, fair PEACE! from Shore to Shore, Till Conquest cease, and Slavery be no more; Till the freed INDIANS in their native Groves, Reap their own Fruits, and woo their fable Loves !-POPE. Pacatumque reget; patriis virtutibus orbem.-VIRGIL. A DIALOGUE, &c. HORATIO, PALEMON, PHILANDER. Horatio. WHEN flourish'd Athens with the Grecian reign When by her Arms each neighb'ring State was sway'd, And Kings an Homage to her Warriors pay'd, E'en then those Chiefs who all the World subdu'd Low'r'd their proud Fasces to the Learn'd and Good: And with less Glory in the Rolls of Fame This joyful Day in Miniature we've shew'd Scenes that enraptur'd Athens would have view'd; Where once rude Ignorance sway'd th' untutor'd Mind; Of uncouth Forms no more the dark Retreat, With melting Strains the happy day prolong, What more enchanting than the Charms of Song? Philander. Nor with more Pleasure o'er the fragrant Lawn, Sports the fleet Hare, or bounds th' exulting Fawn, When to black Storms succeeds the solar Ray, And gilds each Beauty of the smiling Day, Than my Heart gladdens at the Dawn of PEACE; In my Eyes sparkled, and my Thoughts employ'd; Our Friends to glad, and fire each youthful Muse. Horatio. AUSPICIOUS Theme! for which shall be display'd The richest Chaplets of th' Aonian Shade. How bright the Scene! unsullied Days arise, And golden Prospects rush before my Eyes! Hail smiling Goddess! in whose placid Mien With purple Vengeance to the Realms below. [wield, Palemon. STERN Chiefs no more their crimson'd Blades shall Nor deadly Thunders bellow o'er the Field; Satiate of War, the battle-breathing Steed Peaceful shall range the Grove and verdant Mead: |