they concluded their proceedings, as they began them, in much harmony, and recommended to the church in the several states, to send clerical and lay deputies to a meeting to be held in Philadelphia, on the 27th of September, in the year following.

On the 27th of September, 1785, there assembled, agreeably to appointment, in Philadelphia, a Convention of clerical and lay deputies from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina. Such alterations were then made in the Book of Common Prayer, as were necessary for accommodating it to the late changes in the state; and such other altera. tions were proposed, but not established, as was thought to be an improvement of the service, and of the manner of stating the principal articles of faith. These were published in a book, ever since known by the name of the Proposed Book.

Previously to this, Dr. Seabury of Connecticut, elected Bishop of that state, not meeting with the desired assurance of success from the Bishops of England, had obtained consecration from the non-juring Bishops of Scotland, who had carefully maintained the succession in that country, notwithstanding their severance from the state, in the Revolution of 1688. But it now appearing, that the difficulties which had operated in the case of Dr. Seabury's application to the Bishops of England, might be easily removed, and it being desirable to obviate any possible objection to the validity of the Episcopal succession in America, it was thought most proper to direct their views, in the first instance, towards England, although, with the exception of a few, none alleged any thing against the validity of Dr. Seabury's consecration.

Accordingly, a memorial setting forth the object of their request, was addressed to the Archbishops and

Bishops of England; a committee was appointed to act in recess of the Convention, with delegated powers, to hold correspondence, &c., and the Convention adjourned to meet on the 20th of June, in the following year. Their address to the English prelates was forwarded by the committee to his Excellency John Q. Adams, Esq., the American minister, who willingly performed the service requested. There were also forwarded certificates from the Executives of those states in which there was a probability of there being bishops chosen. To this application an answer was received by the committee, in the spring of the year 1786, signed by the two Archbishops and eighteen Bishops, expressing their wishes in favour of the object prayed for, but suggesting the necessity, on their part, of delaying measures until there should be laid before them the alterations which had been made by the Convention.

Not long after the receipt of this letter, the committee received another from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, informing them that they had received the edited Book of Common Prayer, in regard to which they were dissatisfied with the omission of the Nicene and Athanasian creeds, and of the clause relating to the descent into hell, in the Apostles' creed; and with some other inconsiderable alterations. They informed the committee, that they were likely to obtain an act of Parliament, enabling them to consecrate for America. They expected, however, that before they should proceed under the act, satisfaction should be given in regard to the matters stated.

After the receipt of the first letter, and before the receipt of the second, the General Convention assembled agreeably to appointment, in Philadelphia, on the 20th of June, 1786. The principal business transacted by them, was another address to the English prelates, conveying an acknow

ledgment of their friendly and affectionate letter, and their determination of making no further alterations, than such as either arose from a change of circumstances, or appeared conducive to union. Before their adjournment, they appointed a committee with power to re-assemble them, if thought expedient, at Wilmington in the state of Delaware. On the committee's receipt of the second letter, they summoned the Convention to meet at the place appointed, on the 10th of October, 1786. The principal matter which occupied them, when assembled, was, the question how far they should conform to the requisitions of the Archbishops. One of the difficulties had been done. away, before the arrival of their objections. The omission of the Nicene creed had been generally regretted, and accordingly it was now, without debate, restored to the Book of Common Prayer, to stand after the Apostles' creed, with permission of the use of either. The clause in the latter creed, of the descent into hell, was, after much debate, restored, but the Athanasian creed was negatived. Testimonials were then signed by the Convention, in favour of the Rev. Samuel Provoost, D.D., Rector of Trinity Church, in the state of New York; the Rev. William White, D.D. Rector of Christ Church and St. Peter's, Philadelphia; and the Rev. David Griffith, D.D., Rector of Fairfax Parish, Virginia, all of whom exhibited testimonials of their having been duly elected Bishops, by the Conventions of their respective states.

The two former, Dr. White and Dr. Provoost, proceeded to England, and were ordained and consecrated Bishops

b Dr. Griffith was prevented from prosecuting his intended voyage to England, and had given in his resignation to the Convention of Virginia. He attended the General Convention as a deputy, in 1789, and was there seized with the disorder that terminated his existence, in the house of Bishop White.

in the Archiepiscopal Palace of Lambeth, on the 4th February, 1787, by the most Rev. John Moore, Archbishop of Canterbury. The Archbishop of York presented, and the Bishop of Bath and Wells, and the Bishop of Peterborough, joined in the imposition of hands.

On the 28th July, 1789, assembled the triennial convention. At this session the constitution formed in 1786 was reviewed and new modelled. On the 29th September, in the same year, they re-assembled according to adjournment. The principal features now given to it were a distribution of the legislative department into two houses, one consisting of the bishops, and the other of the clerical and lay deputies. The convention adjourned to meet on the 29th September following. In the mean time, the Rev. James Madison, D.D., President of William and Mary College, Williamsburgh, was elected Bishop by the Convention of Virginia, and consecrated in England; thus completing the canonical number of bishops necessary for transmitting the English succession; and accordingly Dr. Clagett was consecrated in New York as Bishop of Maryland; in Philadelphia, Dr. Smith, of South Carolina, and Dr. Bass, of Massachusetts; and in New Haven, Dr. Jarvis, of Connecticut, after the decease of Dr. Seabury, in 1796. In the mean time a circumstance occurred, which is worthy of notice. In 1791, Bishop White received a letter from Dr. Coke, a superintendent of the Methodist connexion in America, proposing a union between that society and the Church. Dr. Coke stated his motive in this proposal to be an apprehension that he had gone farther in the separation than Mr. Wesley had designed. Mr. Wesley himself, he was sure, went farther than he would have gone, if he had foreseen some events

iSee Appendix, No. III. for list of successions of American Bishops.

which followed. Dr. Coke's plan, however, was impracticable; and although a prudent answer was returned by Bishop White, the negotiation was soon broken off.

At the termination of the eighteenth century, the Church was completely organized, and was gradually recovering itself from the tremendous shock sustained during the Revolution. Its members had learned in some measure to rely on their own resources, and its ministers were supported in some instances comfortably, by the voluntary contributions of their flocks. Yet the number of clergy little exceeded two hundred; and these were widely scattered through the country bordering on the Atlantic. No great enterprises were undertaken, because a hard struggle was necessary to maintain the ground already occupied. It was reserved for another century to witness the rapid developement of the energies of the Church, and the consequent increase of its numbers, its piety, and its zeal. At the first General Convention held within the present century, a question was raised which created much discussion. Bishop Provoost, of New York, informed the House of Bishops, that, on account of ill health and domestic affliction, he had resigned his episcopal jurisdiction at the last meeting of his diocesan convention. It appeared also, that in consequence of this resignation, another person had been elected to succeed to the Episcopacy. The House of Bishops, doubting the propriety of sanctioning resignations within their body, declined acting to that effect; but consented to consecrate an assistant bishop, who might discharge any episcopal duties with the consent of his senior prelate. Conformably with the line of conduct. thus laid down, several assistants have at different times been consecrated, who have succeeded to the entire episcopate at the dissolution of their respective diocesans. In the same convention, after repeated debates, the thirty-nine