constitution, and a form of worship, which we believe to be truly apostolical.

The growing prospect of this happy diffusion of Christianity, and the assurance we can give you, that our churches are spreading and flourishing throughout these United States, we know, will yield you more solid joy, and be considered as a more ample reward of your goodness to us, than all the praises and expressions of gratitude which the tongues of men can bestow.

It gives us pleasure to assure you, that, during the present sitting of our Convention, the utmost harmony has prevailed through all our deliberations; that we continue, as heretofore, most sincerely attached to the faith and doctrine of the Church of England, and that not a wish appears to prevail, either among our Clergy or Laity, of ever departing from that Church in any essential article.

The business of most material consequence which hath come before us, at our present meeting, hath been, an application from our sister churches in the Eastern States, expressing their earnest desire of a general union of the whole Episcopal Church in the United States, both in doctrine and discipline; and, as a primary means of such union, praying the assistance of our Bishops in the consecration of a Bishop elect for the States of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. We therefore judge it necessary to accompany this address with the papers which have come before us on that very interesting subject, and of the proceedings we have had thereupon, by which you will be enabled to judge concerning the particular delicacy of our situation, and, probably, to relieve us from any difficulties which may be found therein.

The application from the Church in the States of Massachusetts and New Hampshire is in the following words, viz. :

The good providence of Almighty God, the fountain of all goodness, having lately blessed the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, by supplying it with a complete and entire ministry, and affording to many of her communion the benefit of the labors, advice and government of the successors of the Apostles:

We, Presbyters of said Church in the States of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, deeply impressed with the most lively gratitude to the Supreme Governor of the universe, for his goodness in this respect, and with the most ardent love to his Church, and concern for the interest of her sons, that they may enjoy all the means that Christ, the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, has instituted for leading his followers into the ways of truth and holiness, and preserving his Church in the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace, to the end that the people committed to our respective charges may enjoy the benefit and advantage of those offices, the administration of which belongs to the highest order of the ministry, and to encourage and promote, as far as in us lies, a union of the whole Episcopal Church in these States, and to perfect and compact this mystical body of Christ, do hereby nominate, elect and appoint, the Rev. Edward Bass, a Presbyter of the said Church, and Rector of St. Paul's in Newburyport, to be our Bishop; and we do promise and engage to receive him as such when canonically consecrated, and invested with the apostolic office and powers by the Right Reverend the Bishops hereafter named, and to render him all that canonical

obedience and submission which, by the laws of Christ, and the Constitution of our Church, is due to so important an office.

And we now address the Right Reverend the Bishops in the States of Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania, praying their united assistance in consecrating our said brother, and canonically investing him with the apostolic office and powers. This request we are induced to make from a long acquaintance with him, and from a perfect knowledge of his being possessed of that love to God and benevolence to men, that piety, learning, and good morals, that prudence and discretion, requisite to so exalted a station, as well as that personal respect and attachment to the communion at large in these States, which will make him a valuable acquisition to the Order, and, we trust, a rich blessing to the Church.

Done at a meeting of the Presbyters whose names are underwritten, held at Salem, in the County of Essex, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the fourth day of June, Anno Salutis, 1789.

SAMUEL PARKER, Rector of Trinity Church, Boston.

T. FITCH OLIVER, Rector of St. Michael's Church, Marblehead.

JOHN COUSENS OGDEN, Rector of Queen's Chapel, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. WILLIAM MONTAGUE, Minister of Christ Church, Boston.

TILLOTSON BRUNSON, Assistant Minister of Christ Church, Boston.

A true copy.

Attest: SAMUEL PARKER.

At the meeting aforesaid,

Voted, That the Rev. Samuel Parker be authorized and empowered to transmit copies of the foregoing Act, to be by him attested, to the Right Reverend the Bishops in Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania; and that he be appointed our agent, to appear at any Convocation to be holden at Pennsylvania or New York, and to treat upon any measures that may tend to promote an union of the Episcopal Church throughout the United States of America, or that may prove advantageous to the interests of the said Church. EDWARD BASS, Chairman.

A true copy.

Attest: SAMUEL PARKER.

This was accompanied with a letter from the Rev. Samuel Parker, the worthy Rector of Trinity Church, Boston, to the Right Rev. Bishop White, dated June 21st, 1789, of which the following is an extract:

The Clergy here have appointed me their agent, to appear at any Convocation to be held at New York or Pennsylvania; but I fear the situation of my family and parish will not admit of my being absent so long as a journey to Philadelphia would take. When I gave you encouragement that I should attend, I was in expectation of having my parish supplied by some gentlemen from Nova Scotia, but I am now informed they will not be here till some time in August. Having, therefore, no prospect of attending in person at your General Convention next month, I am requested to transmit you an attested copy of an act of the Clergy of this and the State of New Hampshire, electing the Rev. Edward Bass our Bishop, and requesting the united assistance of the Right Reverend Bishops of Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut, to invest him with apostolic powers. This act I have now the honor of enclosing, and hope it will reach you before the meeting of your General Convention in July.

The clergy of this State are very desirous of seeing an union of the whole Episcopal Church in the United States take place; and it will remain with our brethren at the southward to say, whether this shall be the case or not—whether we shall be an united or divided church. Some little difference in government may exist in different States, without affecting the essential points of union and communion.

In like spirit, the Right Rev. Dr. Seabury, Bishop of the Church in Connecticut, in his letter to the Rev. Dr. Smith, dated July 23d, writes on the subject of union, etc., as followeth :

The wish of my heart, and the wish of the Clergy and of the Church people of this State, would certainly have carried me and some of the Clergy to your General Convention, had we conceived we could have attended with propriety. The necessity of an union of all the Churches, and the disadvantages of our present dis-union, we feel and lament equally with you; and I agree with you, that there may be a strong and efficacious union between churches, where the usages are different. I see not why it may not be so in the present case, as soon as you have removed those obstructions which, while they remain, must prevent all possibility of uniting. The Church of Connecticut consists, at present, of nineteen clergymen in full orders, and more than twenty thousand people they suppose, as respectable as the Church in any State in the union.

After the most serious deliberation upon this important business, and cordially joining with our brethren of the eastern or New England Churches in the desire of union, the following resolves were unanimously adopted in Convention, viz.:

Resolved,-1st. That a complete Order of Bishops, derived as well under the English as the Scots line of succession, doth now subsist within the United States of America, in the persons of the Right Rev. William White, D. D., Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of Pennsylvania; the Right Rev. Samuel Provoost, D. D., Bishop of the said Church in the State of New York; and the Right Rev. Samuel Seabury, D. D., Bishop of the said Church in the State of Connecticut.

2d. That the said three Bishops are fully competent to every proper act and duty of the Episcopal office and character in these United States; as well in respect to the consecration of other bishops, and the ordering of Priests and Deacons, as for the government of the Church, according to such Canons, Rules, and institutions as now are, or hereafter may be, duly made and ordained by the Church in that case.

3d. That in Christian charity as well as of duty, necessity, and expediency, the Churches represented in this Convention ought to contribute, in every manner in their power, towards supplying the wants, and granting every just and reasonable request of their sister churches in these States; and therefore resolved,

4th. That the Right Rev. Dr. White and the Right Rev. Dr. Provoost be, and they hereby are requested to join with the Right Rev. Dr. Seabury in complying with the prayer of the Clergy of the States of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, for the consecration of the Rev. Edward Bass, Bishop elect of the churches in the said States; but that, before the said Bishops comply with the request aforesaid, it be proposed to the churches in the New England States to meet the Churches of these States, with the said three Bishops, in an adjourned Convention, to settle certain articles of union and discipline among all the churches, previous to such consecration.

5th. That if any difficulty or delicacy, in respect to the Archbishops and Bishops of England, shall remain with the Right Rev. Drs. White and Provoost, or either of them, concerning their compliance with the above request, this Convention will address the Archbishops and Bishops, and hope thereby to remove the difficulty.

We have now, most venerable Fathers, submitted to your consideration whatever relates to this important business of union among all our

churches in these United States. It was our original and sincere intention to have obtained three bishops, at least, immediately consecrated by the Bishops of England, for the seven States comprehended within our present union. But that intention being frustrated through unforeseen circumstances, we could not wish to deny any present assistance, which may be found in our power to give to any of our sister churches, in that way which may be most acceptable to them, and in itself legal and expedient.

We ardently pray for the continuance of your favor and blessing, and that, as soon as the urgency of other weighty concerns of the Church will allow, we may be favored with that fatherly advice and direction, which to you may appear most for the glory of God and the prosperity of our Churches, upon the consideration of the foregoing documents and papers.

Done in Convention this eighth day of August, 1789, and directed to be signed by all the members as the act of their body, and by the Presi dent officially.

CHAPTER LIII.

RESTORATION BY THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA OF THE CHARTER OF THE COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA, UNJUSTLY TAKEN AWAY IN 1779-AN ANECDOTE ILLUSTRATIVE OF DR. SMITH'S READY HUMOR-HE TAKES LEAVE OF THE CONVENTION IN MARYLAND-BISHOP WHITE'S TRIBUTE TO HIS SERVICES TO THE CHURCH AND OTHERWISE IN THAT STATE-DR. WROTH'S ACCOUNT OF WASHINGTON COLLEGE-DR. SMITH'S RETURN TO PHILADELPHIA, JULY IST, 1789-PROPOSED INSCRIPTION UPON HIS College-ProCEEDINGS IN THE DIFFERENT BRANCHES OF THE RECONSTRUCTION-FIRST COMMENCEMENTS, MEDICAL, AND IN THE DEPARTMENTS OF ARTS, SINCE THE RESTORATION— UNION OF THE COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA UNDER THE NAME OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA-THE REV. JOHN EWING ELECTED PROVOST THE NEW INSTITUTION LANGUISHED AND CONTINUED TO LANGUISH FOR MANY YEARS, AND UNTIL THE PROVOSTSHIP OF DR. Stille-Dr. SmITH PREACHES BEFORE THE CinCINNATI, JULY 4TH, 1790-ENGAGEMENT AND MARRIAGE OF HIS SON CHARLES WITH MISS YEATES-DEATH OF HIS DAUGHTER, MRS. GOLDSBOROUGH— BEAUTIFUL INSCRIPTION ON HER TOMB-LETTERS IN CONNECTION WITH HER DEATH.

THE last chapter ends Dr. Smith's ecclesiastical history for the year 1789. But for the year he had in addition one which was collegiate and personal. He had labored so perseveringly and with so much ability to have the old College of Philadelphia restored to its rights that in the end he succeeded; and on the 6th of March, 1789, the Assembly of Pennsylvania, declaring the Act

of 1779 repugnant to justice and in violation to the Constitution of the State, restored the ancient charter, with all its privileges. His position as Provost, if he chose to occupy again the place, which for the mere vindication of his honor it was supposed that he would, was at his command.

In connection with his efforts to procure the passage of the repealing act we may mention a piece of the Provost's ready wit. On the morning of passing this Act, while the members were collecting themselves, and before the Speaker took the chair, Dr. H, a good-natured man, but a great politician and of abdominal dimensions more than aldermanic, came into the Committee Room, and offered to a member a paper by way of a Rider to the engrossed Bill, requesting him to present the same to the House. The member handed it to Dr. Smith, who happened to be near. Dr. Smith hastily looked over it, and finding its purport was to indemnify what was called the University from any particular account of their expenditure of the College stock and property during their usurpation of eight years and upwards, returned it to the member, who went into the House, and Dr. H after him. Dr. Smith got a piece of paper and wrote extempore as follows:

The Rider.

1.

"On mischief bent, by Ewing sent,*

With Rider in his hands,

Comes Doctor GUTS, with mighty struts,

And thus of Smith demands:

2.

"This Rider, sir, to saye all stir,

By Master Ewing's will,

I bring in haste, pray get some paste,

And tack it to your Bill.'

3

"Smith lifts his eyes- Hoot! mon,' he cries,

Take back your stupid stuff,

Our answer's brief, the crafty thief

Has ridden lang enuff.'

*Dr. Ewing, the Provost of the University of Pennsylvania who had supplanted Dr. Smith, was a Presbyterian.