MY LORD:

NEW-YORK, July 5th, 1726.

Wee, the Rector, Church Wardens, and Vestry of Trinity Church, being assured of Mr. Wetmore's resolution to remove to Rye, with the leave of his Superiours, have most humbly addressed ourselves to your Lordship and the Honourable Society to appoint another Catechist in Orders to officiate in this city. Inclosed is a copy of our Address, which we humbly conceive will convince your Lordship, and all the worthy patrons of our Church, that the office is still as absolutely necessary and of as great Importance as ever, and the Society's charity as well bestowed this way as on any Missionary on the Continent. To whom should we goe, under God, but to our right Reverend Father, who, by Divine providence, is appointed the great Shepherd and Bishop of these American Churches; and as you have authority and Interest, soe we are well assured of your good Inclinations to recommend our petition to that venerable Body, and by your powerful intercession render it successfull. My Lord, among the Infinite Blessings of Allmighty God vouchsafed this Country wherein we live, none is or can be more dear to us than the free exercise of our true Religion, and it is from hence, with Your Lordships great goodness and piety, that we take this encouragement to address you in this manner, and the more from the consideration of our aiming at that which your Lordship has very wisely made the supreme end of all your actions, the promoting of Gods glory and of being instrumentall in establishing and propagating the Gospell in foreign parts. And it is a vast advantage to our poor endeavours for this pious end, that they are sure of being countenanced by your Lordship's approbation of them, and by your zealous application in favour of our Christian Church, which God has purchased with his own Blood. May Allmighty God long preserve you, and may his Blessings be upon all your endeavours for this and other good purposes, and for all your acts of piety and charity may you be in some measure rewarded in this world, and finally receive the crown of righteousness laid up for you in Heaven. These are the hearty and most earnest wishes of, May it please your Lordship, your Lordship's most obedient humble servants.

To the Right Honorable and right Reverend Father in God Edmond,

Lord Bishop of London, and one of his Majestys most honorable privy Councill.

The Revd Mr. Wetmore acquainted this Board that the Society had been pleased to appoint and send over the Revd Mr. Colgan, for the parish of Rye, unto which the said Mr. Wetmore had already been called and Inducted; and that in as much as he was willing and desirous to officiate in the said parish, untill the Society's further pleasure should be known therein, he and Mr. Colgan had agreed that Mr. Colgan should officiate here in his stead, untill such time as they should receive further orders from the Society. And the said Mr. Colgan also appearing before this Board, and declaring his assent thereto, It was consented to and approved of accordingly; and It was thereupon ordered that a letter be writt to the Venerable Society, desiring them to appoint the said Mr. Colgan to officiate here in the stead of Mr. Wetmore, if they had not already been pleased to appoint some other person; and that Mr. Vesey, the two Church Wardens, or either of them, and Mr. Livingston, be a committee to prepare the same. And it is further ordered, that a subscription paper be prepared and carryed about for Mr. Colgan, to commence from the first of November next.

The Committee appointed by the last Vestry to prepare a letter to the Venerable Society for propagating the Gospell in foreign parts, to appoint the Reverend Mr. Colgan to officiate here in the stead of the Reverend Mr. Wetmore, presented to this Board a letter for that purpose, which was read in these words following, viz.

REV'D S'R:

NEW-YORK October 17th, 1726.

We, the Rector, Church Wardens and Vestry of Trinity Church, in the City of New-York, in America, did, some time agoe, in a most humble manner pray the Honorable Society to send a Catechist in Priests' Orders to officiate here, if they should be pleased to order the Reverend Mr. Wetmore to settle in Rye, where he had been legally called and Inducted, pursuant to an Act of Assembly of this Province. But since that Address, the Reverend Mr. Colgan is arrived, with orders to officiate as the Society's Missionary at Rye, but finding that Mr. Wetmore had a great desire to live there, and the Vestry of that Town very much inclined that he should settle among them, he being

called by them, born in the Country, and best acquainted with their tempers, has agreed to an exchange if the Society should be pleased to approve of it.

Wee therefore heartily concur with them and the Vestry of Rye in addressing that Venerable Body, humbly to desire that they would please to confirm that agreement, and to order the Reverend Mr. Colgan to officiate here if they have not already appointed another Catechist, for such an exchange, as we humbly conceive will, in the present posture of affairs, prevent some trouble and confusion, and most effectually promote the great end and design of the Society's pious and charitable endeavours, the peace and prosperity of the Church, and the interest of Religion in those parts. And tho' we have a great regard for the Reverend Mr. Wetmore, whose life and conversation is unexceptionable, and have hitherto expressed it by our subscriptions according to our abilitys, yet inasmuch, as he can't be so well heard and understood in our large Church, and since his call and Induction to Rye, we are not sure of raising a sufficient support for his family by voluntary subscriptions; Whereas Mr. Colgan's clear, distinct and loud voice, can reach the remotest hearers in the Church, where he has read divine service and preached with great applause, and this with his Recommendations from England gives him a prospect of doing more good than in that parish to which he was sent, and leaves us no room to doubt of raising so much by subscriptions as, with the Society's annual allowance, may be a suitable encouragement to him to continue among us. All which is nevertheless most humbly submitted to the consideration of the Honble Society by us, who sincerely pray for their Temporall and Eternall Happiness, and subscribe ourselves their and your much obliged and most humble

servants.

To the Reverend Mr. David Humphreys, Secretary to the Honorable Society for propagating the Gospell in foreign parts.

The Church Wardens and Vestry Men desired the favour of Revd Mr. Vesey, that when the Reverend Mr. Colgan comes to town from his Parish of Rye, he may have the liberty of reading prayers and preaching in the afternoon, which request Mr. Vesey readily granted and consented to.

Mr. Vesey presented to this Board a letter from the Revd Mr.

David Humphreys, Secretary to the Society, which was read in the words following, vizt.

REV'D SIR:

LONDON, Sept 19th, 1726.

I have communicated to the Society the letter from yourself, and the Church Wardens and Vestry of your parish, and upon considering the state of your parish, as represented there, they have agreed to send a Catechist to succeed Mr. Wetmore, to continue to Instruct the Negroes and other Slaves in the principles of the Christian Religion. The Society have also agreed that such Catechist shall assist you in your parochial Cure, but with this consideration, that the people who have subscribed to Mr. Wetmore doe continue to pay the same subscriptions to the Catechist the Society sends, above the salary which the Society shall allow him. I am, Reverend Sr, Your most humble Servant,

DAVID HUMPHREYS, Sec'y.

P. S.-The Society have agreed to send a Missionary to Albany, To the Revd Mr. Vesey, New-York.

In answer to which, the following letter was wrote, vizt.

REVEREND SIR :

cure.

NEW-YORK, December 27th, 1726.

This day Mr. Vesey communicated to us, in Vestry, your's of the nineteenth of September last, wherein you inform us that the Honble Society has been pleased to agree to send a Catechist to succeed Mr. Wetmore, and to assist our Minister in his parochial We are very sensible of their great goodness and charity, in continuing the office of a Catechist, to Instruct the great numbers of Negro Slaves in this city in the principles of Religion, do most gratefully acknowledge the favour thereby intended to our Infant Church, and shall cheerfully contribute to his support according to our several ability.

Wee observe that the Catechist is to assist our Minister, on consideration that the subscriptions shall amount to the same given Mr. Wetmore. We make no doubt of raising as much for a good preacher, who can be clearly understood, and distinctly heard; and if the Society would be so favourable to us, as to appoint the

Reverend Mr. Colgan Catechist, we believe the people would more generously subscribe, for the Congregation is very much pleased with his preaching and reading divine service; his voice is clear and distinct, and reaches to the remotest parts of our large Church. However, by this we would not be understood to prescribe to our Superiours, but humbly beg it as a favour of great importance to the Interest of our Church and Religion in this place, and shall, nevertheless, readily submitt to their most prudent choice and determination, and on all occasions endeavour to approve ourselves the Society's and your much obliged and most obedient humble Servants. Which letter was approved of, and signed, by all the members present, and ordered that the Church Wardens do send down the same by some safe hand to Capt. Downing, who went away this afternoon.

Mr. William Huddlestone, whose appointment has been already noticed, laboured faithfully and successfully for thirteen years in his useful calling as Schoolmaster for the Society, for which he received the very moderate compensation of £15 sterling per annum. He was also appointed the Clerk of the Vestry, at a salary of £20 a year, New-York currency, and likewise Clerk of the Church, for which he received £10 a year. It is a little remarkable, that, like Mr. Neau, he also was an object of so much consideration, as to have been elected annually a vestryman of Trinity Church, from 1697 to 1714.

Mr. William Huddlestone was succeeded by his son, Thomas Huddlestone, the appointment having been made by the Society, on the recommendation of Mr. Vesey and the Mayor of New-York. The latter also appeared before the Board, and proposed to execute the office of Clerk of Trinity Church, for fees incident and belonging to the same, as they were