people that I embody entirely so much of Presbytery's minutes as apply to it, and which is as follows

"Met according to adjournment at Shelter Island, June 11th, 1766. Present, Messrs. Prime, Buell, Lewis, Barker, Brown, Tallmadge, Goldsmith, Paine and Rosse. Absent, Messrs. Mills, Reeve and Occam. Correspondents were the Rev. Messrs. Charles Jeffry, Smith and Abner Brush. Elder, James Reeve. Mr. Tallmadge moderator and Mr. Rosse chosen clerk.

"P. P. S. Q. S. Ordered that the minutes of the last Sederunt be read. Mr. Elam Potter exhibited to the Presbytery Three several sermons, composed from Texts of Scripture before given. And the Presbytery proceeded to further examination. Adjourned to to-morrow morning 8 o'clock.

"P. P. S. Q. S. Ordered the minutes of the last Sederunt be read. Referred the examination of Mr. Potter, and proceeded so far as to obtain satisfaction. Appointed his ordination at one o'clock, P. M. Attended in the following order-Mr. Lewis introduced the solemnity by prayer, Mr. Buell preached from James v: 20, Mr. Brown took the engagements of the Candidate and his profession of Faith as exhibited in our public standards of Orthodoxy; Mr. Smith prayed at the laying on of Hands, Mr. Tallmadge gave the right hand of Fellowship, and Mr. Prime the charge. Mr. Potter pointed out the Psalm and pronounced the blessing."

And thus on this island was one ordained to the gospel ministry. It must have been a memorable occasion, one that is worthy of a permanent place in the history of this island and church.

So far as I know this has been the only instance of ordination on our island. May it, however, not stand alone very long, but be followed by many others of the sons of this church, several of whom are now preaching the blessed gospel of the Son of God. In many respects the Rev. Elam Potter proved himself a workman skilled in his high office. The year after his ordination he went on an extended missionary tour southward, and on his return he became pastor of the Congregational Church in Enfield, Conn., from 1769 to April, 1776. In November, 1792, he was settled over the Presbyterian Church at Southold, where he remained until his death, in 1794. His remains were buried in the church-yard of that place, and over his grave was raised a brownstone slab bearing the following epitaph:

"Beneath this dust lie the remains of the Rev. Elam Potter,

a faithful good minister of Jesus Christ. He died Jany 5th, age 52,

in the year 1794:

Forbear to weep my loving friends,

Death is the voice, Jehovah sends

To call us to our home.

Through these dark shades from pain redrest

Is the right path to endless rest

Where joys immortal bloom."

Mr. Potter was the son of Daniel Potter, and was born in East Haven, Conn., Jan. 1st, 1741-42. He graduated from Yale College in 1765. In a printed sermon of his, bearing date of Enfield, Sept. 12, 1777, there appears this closing note, in the form of an address: "To the whole land. My Countrymen and Brethren, I beseech you for the Lord's sake, put away the Negro Slavery; abhor all jesting with God's holy Word; submit to the glorious Immanuel, and let us honor Him, that we may be happy in His favour." May all who read these gracious words heed them so far as they apply to present conditions.

In the biographical sketch of the Rev. William Adams mention was made of Mr. Thomas Dering moving with his family to Shelter Island for the purpose of settling upon the estate which his wife had inherited from her father, Mr. Brinley Sylvester. In the coming of this Mr. Dering to this place there came a gentleman who proved himself indeed a worthy successor of the Sylvesters.

Through the kindness of Mrs. Mary S. D. Lawrence, a greatgrand-daughter of Mr. Thomas Dering, I am able to give the following biographical sketch of his life:

"Mr. Thomas Dering was the son of Henry and Elizabeth Dering. He was born at Boston, Mass., May 16th, 1720, also the birthplace of his father, who was a merchant in that city. Thomas Dering was educated for a merchant, and upon the death of his father, which occurred in 1750, he, with his only brother, Henry, became the successor of his father until he removed to this island. On March 9th, 1756, he married Mary Sylvester at Newport, R. I., whither Mr. Brinley Sylvester had moved temporarily, for the education of his daughters. They were married by the Rev. Ezra Styles, afterwards President of Yale College. In the year 1760, and after the birth of three children, Mr. Dering moved with his family to this place, occupying the Sylvester mansion and grounds, which his wife had inherited upon the death of her father. He now began the life of a

farmer, becoming successfully engaged in the pursuit of the various branches of agriculture. He was a man who loved the society of refined and religious people, one who counted it a privilege to entertain them. In return he enjoyed in an eminent degree the respect and esteem of a large circle of friends; especially was he favored with the friendship and correspondence of distinguished clergymen, as appears from letters still in the possession of his descendants. Among these were the following: Rev. George Whitefield, under whose preaching in Boston it is supposed he was first awakened to a saving knowledge of the truth; Rev. Charles Jeffry, of Brookhaven; Rev. Ebenezer Prime, of Huntington, whose first wife was a Sylvester; Rev. Dr. Samuel Buel, of East Hampton; Rev. James Brown and Rev. Dr. Aaron Woolworth, of Bridgehampton; Rev. Mr. Barker, of Aquebogue, with whom he placed his son Sylvester at the age of ten years for the study of Latin, and the Rev. Enoch Huntington, of Middletown, Conn., near whom Mr. Dering lived during the period of the Revolution while Shelter Island was in the possession of the British. Indeed, the large mansion he occupied seems ever to have been the welcome home and favorite resort of clergymen of various denominations, not only during his residence, but also during that of his father-in-law before him, and of his son Sylvester Dering after him. Having passed from the active duties of a merchant to the retirement of a farmer, he had ample time in which to cultivate the fellowship of his numerous friends, among whom, being a man of piety, he prized the most that of clergymen. Besides this he maintained a numerous correspondence with men in various parts, most of them being residents of Boston, which about this time was the cradle of Liberty. These kept him well informed concerning the events of the day, and through this touch with the movements towards liberty his mind became strongly biased towards Whig principles and the independence of the colonies. Among these correspondents was a lady named Miss Hepzibah Small, whose letters were most graphically written. At the breaking out of the difficulties between the colonies and the mother country, Mr. Dering took a decided stand for Liberty. In May, 1776, he was chosen a delegate to the New York Provincial Convention, which assembled at White Plains in July of that year, and which unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence as passed by the Provincial Congress at Philadelphia, July 4th, 1776, whereupon the convention assumed the title of the Representatives of the State of

New York. In this body Mr. Dering served forty days, or until the British, by the battle of Long Island, obtained possession thereof, when he asked for leave of absence to look after his family and remove them to a place of security. He decided to remove to Middletown, Conn., whither he went in September, 1776, and the convention adjourned before he was able to return. Mr. Dering was also elected a member of the convention to form a constitution for the State of New York in 1777, which convention met at Fishkill. It is believed, however, that, owing to the state of his health he did not attend. He remained in Middletown, Conn., until the restoration of peace, in 1783, when he returned to his estate on this island. He had four children, three sons, Henry S., who died in infancy, Sylvester and Henry Packer, and one daughter, named Elizabeth. On his return to Shelter Island he found that great depredations had been committed upon his woodlands while the island was in the possession of the British. It is estimated that 3,300 cords of wood had been cut and taken away by the order of Lord Percy and Gen. Clinton for the use of the troops and ships stationed at Rhode Island under their command. For this damage no remuneration was ever made. With the active aid of his sons he again resumed the pursuits of agriculture, but was not destined long to enjoy the blessings by which he was surrounded, as a protracted illness caused by paralysis terminated his mortal existence Sept. 26th, 1785, in the 65th year of his age. His remains lie buried in the private cemetery in the rear of the church."

Among the clergymen whose acquaintance he enjoyed was the mighty evangelist Whitefield. This renowned preacher of righteousness is said to have made Mr. Dering's home his headquarters while visiting the eastern towns of Long Island, in 1764. During his stay upon the island he preached twice to its inhabitants, once in the meeting house and once in the grove near the manor house. He so enjoyed Mr. Dering's hospitality and his visit while here that he wrote him two letters so full of high regard and affection that I herewith give them to you as they appear in Prime's history. The first was written at Greenport, then known as Stirling:

"My Dear Sir:

Stirling, Feb. 3, 1764, At night. "What a winding world we live in! I have been a good way round, and now am come within sight of your house again. Yes

terday the boat and all was just gone. To-day, I trust, some have felt themselves undone-one, upon the road, we overtook, sweetly, sorely wounded. Grace! Grace! I am now come to wait for sailing. Will you send a poor, but willing pilgrim, the promised seaprovisions. God feed you and yours with bread that cometh down. from heaven. A thousand thanks for all favours. Add to my obligation by continuing to pray for, my dear friend,

"Yours in the never-failing Jesus,

"G. W."

The next was written after his arrival in Boston, and is as follows:

Boston, May 2, 1764. "And is Shelter Island become a Patmos? It seems so by my dear friend's letter. Blessed be God! Blessed be God! What cannot a God in Christ do for His people. All things well. Though he leads them seemingly in a round about, yet it is a right way. Though they pass through the fire, yet it does not consume-though through deep, yea, very deep waters, yet it does not overwhelm, so as to destroy them. And all these are only earnests of good things to come. How many assurances, that we shall, at last, be carried through the Jordan of death, and safely landed in the Canaan of everlasting rest. Surely he cannot be far from them now. Such frequent shocks that your earthly tabernacle and mine meet with, must necessarily loosen the silver cords that hold them up. What then? We have a house not made with hands-eternal-in the heavens.

"Though we cannot join in singing, we can in repeating

'By Thee, we shall

Break thro' them all

And sing the song of Moses.'

"Methinks I hear you say Amen! Hallelujah-and why? Because His mercy endureth forever. I could enlarge, but must away to my throne. It is but seldom I can climb so high. But an infinitely condescending Jesus vouchsafes to smile upon my feeble labours, here and elsewhere. Who knows but I may ere long come your way. Perhaps the cloud may point towards Patmos. Mr. Wright will be glad. He is better and sends most cordial respects. My poor prayers constantly wait upon your whole self, Mr. Adams. and your rising offspring.