1712 CHURCH OF NEW YORK. Feb. 25, 1711-12. (1712). Consistory met, After prayer, a written request was presented, asking Do. Du Bois and the Elders and Deacons, that with their approval, means might be used as soon as possible, to call another minister from Holland, and desiring a speedy reply. The request having been read, it was determined to call a meeting for its further consideration, on Wednesday next, A. M. after the preaching. CHURCH OF NEW YORK. -Lib. B. 43. 1712, Feb. 27. The following request was ordered to be read from the pulpit: The Overseers of the Church have observed, from time to time, an unseemly pressure, in going to and coming from the Lord's Table. Without doubt this hinders the pious thoughts with which believers should then especially be occupied. We have often seriously pondered how to obviate this great infelicity, and the same thought has taken possession of the minds of many of the members. Yet it seems almost impossible to remedy it on account of the narrowness of the passage. The Consistory, having assembled on the 27th of this month, unanimously concluded that they could do nothing better than to request the entire congregation to come to the Table from the west side, and to leave by going toward the east, and thus avoid the unpleasant encounters complained of. It was therefore determined to ask every member, as we now do, both men and women-those only excepted who by age, or otherwise, cannot take this course, and to entreat them affectionately and earnestly, to be so good as to approach the Table only from the west side, and to leave it by going towards the east side. This, we doubt not, will be complied with by each member, if only to show his love, for the general benefit of all, and to pre serve suitable order in such a holy service. In acting thus no unpleasant crowding will disturb our pious thoughts, but these will rather be aided by a seemly approach and an undisturbed departure. Thus will the company of believers promote their own convenience and comfort. The Overseers also, by such edifying and peaceful conduct, will be able to rejoice the more with all the members in the Lord the God of our salvation. 1712 Lib. A. 227. G. Du Bois. GOVERNOR HUNTER TO THE BISHOP OF London. Copy of a letter from Col. Hunter Governor of New Yorke to the Lord Bishop of London, March ye 1, 1712. My Lord I know not whether I ought to ask pardon for this trouble or my long silence: necessity Pleads excuse for the first; I had flattered myself, that I had gained the good will & affection of the Clergy in these parts, which I proposed as a good foundation for our mutual quiet; but experience has convinced me that the best guarded conduct is not superior to the malyce of designing men. I shall not trouble your Lordship with reading here, what you'll find at large in the This Copy is ye letter immediately following. inclosed Copy of mine to the secretary of the Society upon that subject, to which I beg leave to refer you; & shall only acquaint you in generall, that these who had been wrought upon to sign that secret Representation, being ashamed of their Inadvertency; & those who had refused it, triumphing' in their Prudence; they all joined in the enclosed address, to defeat any part of it that was intended, or might appear to be levelled, against me, whatsoever motive prompted the contrivers of it, it was zeal which led the subscribers; I'll tell you what sort of zeal: In the words of the best & most judicious Churchman of any age; "A Zeal which, when it endeavoureth most busily to please God, forceth upon him those unreasonable offices which please him not; and when it bendeth itself into conflict with all things, either, indeed, or but imaginary, to be opposite to Religion itself is thereby hazarded. Through hatred of the Tares the very corn in the field of God is plucked up." This is the Zeal which prompted them, and which, if it get not a sober guide, will worry us all; there being but slender hopes of finding that Guide where it aut to be, in their own Breasts. I believe your Lordship will joyn with me in opinion that there is an evident necessity of one some where else. I mean a Bishop or Person duly qualified and authorized to hear and report their true Grievances, Stifle their imaginary ones, to hold the reigns of their zeal, & give the spur to their Devotion and Labours; I say a person duly qualifyed. Far be it from me to prescribe to those every way my superiours, in a matter of that moment; but I will venture to affirm, that if the Person sent on that errand, (especially the first), be not a man of Prudence, true Christian Spirit & Temper, and knowledge of men and things, as well as books, our second state will prove worse than our first; & where we hoped a Father & Directour of the Clergy, we may find the head of a Faction: I would not be misunderstood, as if I meant to arraign the body of the Clergy here; on the contrary I bear them witness that much the greater part are good men; these make no noise, but keep themselves within the bound of their mission; but there are others whom I must pronounce vicious, if Faction, Pride, Malice, 1712 and blind Zeal be vices: In the first rank of this class stands the Rev. Mr. Vesey, the present Rector of Trinity Church, here, formerly an independent Minister in New England. This Gentleman, for what reason I know not, had before my arrival in those parts, grossly & openly abused me; & ever since that time has been a constant Caballer with those who have obstructed all settlement (of) the Revenue, in order to starve me out as they phrase it; on the other hand, I have, to a very eminent degree returned him good for evil, but all to no purpose; nor indeed can I entertain the least Glympse of hopes of gaining him that way; for one of his best friends, a person of note here, in a very free conference with him not long agoe, told him, that for his own part he could not conceive how a man could manifest his zeal for the Church, or regard for him, than by a regular, well guarded life & conversation; great benevolence & ready concurrence in Building of Churches & all measures that can be proposed for establishing them; a constant and devout attendance at her ordinances; cherishing of churchmen, and all possible act of civility & Friendship to him in particular: to all which he only replyed that the conduct mentioned was suspicious; my Zeal, affected and civilities constrained; This I believe your Lordship will agree to have a neer resemblance to what is recorded of the Spanish Bishop, Itacus, the scourge of the Priscillianists; take it in the auther, Sulpitius Severus, his own words: "Hic stultitia eo (us) sque processerat, ut omnes etiam sanctos viros, quibus aut Studium Inerat Lectionis, aut propositum erat certare jejuniis tanquam Priscilani socios aut discipulos, in crimen arcesseret, ausus etiam est, miser, ea tempestate, Martino Episcopo viro plane Apostolis conferendo palam objectare Heresis infamiam.” I am far from the vanity of running the Paralel the length of St Martin & me, but there is none in affirming that our sufferings are alike, & a pretty near resemblance between our Persecutors; But my Lord, Ut me Collaudem, and in some measure to make good the character given me by that worthy Gentleman, who has wrote at large on this subject to the Society by this conveyance, Ile give your Lordship a short abstract of my conduct as to church affairs. The Rev. Mr. Vesey enjoys thirty pounds a year by my free gift at my arrival, though I myself have not touched one farthing of public money since I have been in the Government; & for which he hath never so much as thanked me, though I am amply recompensed for it, by a kind of letter of thanks from the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of London. Having graunted induction into the church at Jamaica to Mr. Poyer, The Dissenters being in possession of the manse house, and the Collectors refuseing to pay him his Quarters Stipend, I have long pressed him, but in vain, to commence a suit against them, which I offered to carry on at my proper cost through all the lengths requisite. I have by a liberal contribution, & all the countenance and influence I could give it, finished Mr. Vesey's Steeple; The ancient Chappell in the fort, (hinc illae lachrymae), for many years past a Bear Garden, I have at a great expence, put in repair, so that it is now one of the most decent & most constantly frequented Houses of Prayer in all America. I have by my assistance and Interest at last finished the church at New Rochelle,* & granted a Patent for the Ground forever, a thing often sought but never obtained during the administration of former Governors. I have now actually in hand subscription, for the building of more, at Rye, Piscataway, Elizabeth Town, etc. which I dare not offer till the late contributions are a little out of mind; I have spared no pains to get finished the Forts and Chappells for ye receptions of our missionaries amongst the Indians; & lastly what ought not to be boasted of by any such as, like me, live amongst bad neighbours, I have charitably assisted the indigent of the Clergy. Now, my Lord, if all my enemies joyned together can give the lye to one article of all these, I promise to subscribe to whatsoever they please to Indite; and if after all this I must be ranked amongst the enemies of the Church, God direct me in a way how I may approve myself her friend, for as yet I know no other. He may also To conclude, my lord, what I humbly intreat, & hope may justly expect, is that the most venerable Society will be pleased to think of some speedy & proper remedy for those evills, & some method of doing me justice; I'll tell you my reason for the latter. In the late convocation the Clergy being amazed at the apparent falsehood of former suggestions to my Prejudice, the Reverend Mr. Vesey took occasion to declare, as in the sight of God, and as he hoped for mercy in Heaven, he had never directly nor indirectly presented any thing to the Governors Prejudice, either to Queen or Parliament, the Society, The Lord Primate or Lord Bishop of London; and desired Mr. Sharp to tell me so; this I confessed startled me; I sent Mr. Sharp to Mr. Mackenzie & the others, who had informed me of that scurrilous Libel against me, presented to them for their concurrence & subscriptions, and which they tore with just indignation, to know the mystery of that solemn Potestation; who told him that it was the most gross privarication; for these papers presented to them were addressed to none of the persons Mr. Vesey had mentioned; but the one to the Earl of Clarendon, the other to Col. Nicholson. That noble Lord is the first I ever heard of, who did me the honor to be my declared enemy, for what reason I know not; for I have suffered much for the services I did him. I have some difficulty to believe the other Gent is so, nothing having ever passed between us but civility & Friendship; but if it should be so, he makes the number just two, & I forgive them both, & defy them, being insconced by a certain Murus Athaenaeus, [Aheneus?] which I hope is proof against all their efforts. Your Lordship cannot think me very solicitous about keeping a station, which hath afforded me nothing but torment & Ruin; but I have something more valuable to preserve, which I trust the world cannot take from me. Can you pardon this stuff; I will not promise to make amends by not troubling you with the like in future, But I hope never upon the same subject. I am with the greatest deffirence & Sincerity, etc., etc.- Col. Hist. N. Y. Vol. v. pp. 310-312. GOVERNOR HUNTER'S SPEECH TO THE CLERGY, REFERRED TO IN Reverend Gentlemen:- I have given you the trouble of this meeting upon these accounts: First that I may advise with you and be advised by you as to what measures may be necessary for promoting the true Interests of the Church in general in these parts: For though I cannot accuse myself of any omission in that respect within the bounds of my power and the limits of the law, yet in the multitude of councilors there is safety which may supply the defects of the most sincere and hearty Intentions. In the next place to Inform you in as particular a manner as may be of all my proceedings with Relation to the Church established at Jamaica because as I am Informed these have been made use of as a pretence for some Insinuations little to my advantage. Upon Mr. Poyer's arrival and his first application I Granted him Induction into that Church. Being informed that the Manse house was by the artifices of a woman in the possession of the dissenters who claimed it as their right I consulted the Chief Justice how farr I might legally proceed in putting the Incumbent in possession, who gave his opinion in writing that it was a high crime and misdemeanure (If I rightly remember) to putt him in possession by any other method than a due course of law. This opinion of his I sent to Mr. Poyer. Mr. Poyer came to me some time after to acquaint me that the Justices had refused to procure the payment of his Quarter sallary as directed by the act. Upon which I sent for the Justice he named, and expostulated with him the unreasonableness of such their proceedings being convinced that the present Incumbent had all the right that one act of assembly could give to that sallary etc., and in the presence of several Gentlemen now in toun told him that they should not flatter themselves that the necessitous Circumstances of the Incumbent might prevent or delay Justice for he should have my purse to carry on the suit to all the lengths the cause required or the law would permitt, and accordingly wrote 1712 1712 to Mr. Poyer to that purpose which letter Mr. Renier undertook to deliver Judge Coe declining to do't alledging that it was carrying his own condemnation. Hearing nothing from Mr. Poyer and being Informed that he had not made any one step toward what I had advised I took occasion being upon Long Island to pay him a visit and in the presence of many Gentlemen press'd him again to commence his suit at my cost there being no possible final determination of that matter besides the method proposed. Sometime after when Mr. Poyer came to see me, I begged of him that since nothing I had said could prevail with him to putt his case In suit, he would be pleased to give me in writing what he would have me do for his reliefe. All the answer he gave me was this that he had Long since submitted that matter to his superiors and without their advice he could not move in it. The last Effort I made was this letter to which I received this answer, both which I recommend to your perusal and then to your opinion whether any of these Questions so material toward a true state of the case and proper means for a remedy be answered save one. I am ignorant of the true cause of his backwardnesse but I'll tell you the pretended one; It is that he dare not submitt his case to a Judge who is a dissenter; For my own part I wish from my heart that there were none such in the Province either amongst the Judges or the People; But such are not precluded by ye Laws from the Bench, and the sheriffe upon whose choice the Jurys and consequently the cause depends Is one recommended by Mr. Poyer and his friends; this by the by; But to show you how groundless and frivolous that pretence is, being a matter of Property, and above the value of twenty pounds that is in dispute, it is not cognizable before these Judges but the cheife Justice who I hope no body will say is an enemy to the Churches Interests. What remains Gentlemen is only to assure you, that though I have a conscience that bears me witnesse that I have left nothing undone for the true service of the Church of England, of which I am a hearty though unworthy member, and so am purposed by the Grace of God to dye, yet I shall now and at all times hereafter be very ready to be Informed and advised by you in whatsoever you may agree upon to be necessary for advancing her true Interests in these parts. so I recommend my actions to your scrutiny and favourable construction and myself to your prayers.- Doc. Hist. N. Y. Vol. iii. pp. 157, 158. The Clergy's Address to His Excellency. [Mar 3, 1712.] To His Excellency Robert Hunter Esq., Captain General and Gov- The humble address of the Clergy of the Province of New York. May it please your Excellency: And We, the Clergy of her Majesties Provinces of New York, being in obedience to your Excellency's desire assembled, taking into Consideration your Excellency's favourable speech to us, do with all submission, return the following answer to the several particulars thereof. The establishment of the Church here by Act of Assembly, being so precarious, and lyable to so many inconveniences, we beg your Excellency to advise us whether it may be proper for us to address her Majesty to settle it on a surer foundation, not only in such places where it is already in some measure planted, but in other places, where the benefit of that act has not yet extended. In relation to the affair of Jamaica we assure your Excellency that such of us as have already made any Representation thereof designed not thereby any reflection on your Excellency's administration. On the Contrary we gladly embrace this opportunity to return your Excellency our humble and hearty thanks for granting Mr. Poyer Induction, immediately upon his arrival, notwithstanding the designs of the adversaries of the Church there to prevent it; and for consulting the Chief Justice in what might be proper for his Effectual Relief and |