ster's rate, without first receiving a certificate from the clerk of the society or parish where such rate is to be collected, that no such information as is above mentioned hath been received by him or lodged in his office.

4. And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person whatsoever, that is not a settled and ordained minister, shall go into any parish and (without the express desire and invitation of the settled minister of such parish (if any there be and the major part of the church, or if there be no such settled minister, without the express desire of the church or congregation within such parish,) publicly preach and exhort the people, shall for every such offence, upon complaint made thereof to any assistant or justice of the peace be bound to his peaceable and good behaviour until the next county court in that county where the offence shall be committed, by said assistant or justice of the peace, in the penal sum of one hundred pounds lawful money, that he or they will not again offend in the like kind; and the said county court may, if they see meet, further bind the person or persons offending as aforesaid to their peaceable and good behaviour during the pleasure of said court.

5. And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any foreigner, or stranger that is not an inhabitant within this Colony, including as well such persons that have no ecclesiastical character or licence to preach as such as have received ordination or license to preach by any association or presbytery, shall presume to preach, teach or publickly to exhort, in any town or society within this Colony, without the desire and licence of the settled minister and the major part of the church of such town or society, or at the call and desire of the church and inhabitants of such town or society, provided that it so happen that there is no settled minister there, that every such preacher, teacher or exhorter, shall be sent (as a vagrant person) by warrant from any one assistant or justice of the peace, from constable to constable, out of the bounds of this Colony.

Text-Hoadly: Colonial Records of Connecticut, 1735-1743, p. 455-457.

V. THE SEPARATES

Unhappy among the conservative Congregationalists and not quite at home among the Baptists, a church organized at Mansfield 1745, with the Confession of Faith in part as under, may be taken as typical of the Separates. See also Separates and Baptists, p. 288.

Article 15. We believe we are of that number who were elected of God to eternal life, and that Christ did live on earth, die and rise again for us in particular; that he doth now, in virtue of his own merits and satisfaction, make intercession to God for us, and that we are now justified in the sight of God for the sake of Christ, and shall be owned by him at the great and general judgment;-which God hath made us to believe by sending according to his promise, (John 16,) the Holy Ghost into our souls, who hath made particular application of the above articles.

18. That all doubting in a believer is sinful, being contrary to the command of God, and hurtful to the soul, and an hindrance to the performance of duty.

20. We believe, by the testimony of Scripture and by our own experience, that true believers, by virtue of their union to Christ by faith, have communion with God, and by the same faith are in Christ united to one another; which is the unity of the

Spirit, whereby they are made partakers of each other's gifts and graces, without which, union there can be no communion with God, nor with the saints.

21. That whoever presumes to administer or partake of the seals of the covenant of grace without saving faith, are guilty of sacrilege, and are in danger of sealing their own damnation.

22. (This relates to the church, and has, among others, these particulars:

3. That true believers, and they only, have a right to give up their children to God in baptism.

7. That at all times the doors of the church should be carefully kept against such as cannot give a satisfying evidence of the work of God upon their souls, whereby they are united to Christ

9. That a number of true believers, being thus essentially and visibly united together, have power to choose and ordain such officers as Christ has appointed in his church, such as bishops, elders and deacons; and by the same power, to depose such officers as evidently appear to walk contrary to the Gospel, or fall into any heresy. Yet we believe, in such cases, it is convenient to take advice of neighbouring churches of the same constitution.

12. We believe that all the gifts and graces that are bestowed upon any of the members, are to be improved by them for the good of the whole; in order to which there ought to be such a gospel freedom, whereby the church may know where every particular gift is, that it may be improved in its proper place and to its right end, for the glory of God and the good of the church.

13. That every brother that is qualified by God for the same, has a right to preach according to the measure of faith, and that the essential qualification for preaching is wrought by the Spirit of God; and that the knowledge of the tongues and liberal sciences are not absolutely necessary; yet they are convenient, and will doubtless be profitable if rightly used; but if brought in to supply the want of the Spirit of God, they prove a snare to those that use them and all that follow them.

Text--Tracy: The Great Awakening, pp. 317-318.

VI. THE CONCERT OF PRAYER

The following Memorial recommended by Jonathan Edwards to the christian constituency of America had an important place in the development of missionary interest.

MEMORIAL

From Several Ministers in Scotland, to Their Brethren in Different Places, on Continuing a Concert for Prayer, First Entered Into in the Year 1744

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WHEREAS it was the chief scope of this Concert, to promote more abundant application to a duty that is perpetually binding, prayer that our Lord's kingdom may come, joined with praises; and it contained some circumstantial expedients, apprehended to very subservient to that design, relating to stated times for such exercises, so far as this would not interfere with other duties; particularly a part of Saturday evening, and Sabbath morning, every week; and more solemnly of some one of the first days of each of the four great divisions of the year, that is, of each quarter; as the first Tuesday, or first convenient day after: and the concert, as to this circumstance, was extended only to two years; it being intended, that before these expired, persons engaged in the concert

should reciprocally communicate their sentiments and inclinations, as to the prolonging of the time, with or without alteration, as to the circumstance mentioned: and it was intended by the first promoters, that others at a distance should propose such circumstantial amendments or improvements, as they should find proper: it is hereby earnestly entreated, that such would communicate their sentiments accordingly, now that the time first proposed is near expiring.

II. To induce those already engaged to adhere, and others to accede to this concert; it seem eems of importance to observe, that declarations of concurrence, the communicating and spreading of which are so evidently useful, are to be understood in such a latitude, as to keep at the greatest distance from entangling men's minds: not as binding men to set apart any stated days from secular affairs, or even to fix on any part of such and such precise days, whether it be convenient or not; nor as absolute promises in any respect: but as friendly, harmonious resolutions, with liberty to alter circumstances as shall be found expedient. On account of all which latitude, and that the circumstantial part extends only to a few years, it is apprehended, the concert cannot be liable to the objections against periodical religious times of human appointment. III. It is also humbly offered to the consideration of ministers, and others furnished with gifts for the most public instructions, whether it might not be of great use, by the blessing of God, if short and nervous scriptural persuasives and directions to the duty in view, were composed and published (either by particular authors, or several joining together; which last way might sometimes have peculiar advantages), and that from time to time, without too great intervals; the better to keep alive on men's minds a just sense of the obligations to a duty so important in itself, and in which many may be in danger to faint and turn remiss, without such repeated incitements: and whether it would not also be of great use, if ministers would be pleased to preach frequently on the importance and necessity of prayer for the coming of our Lord's kingdom; particularly near the quarterly days, or on these days themselves, where there is public worship at that time.

IV. They who have found it incumbent on them to publish this memorial at this time, having peculiar advantages for spreading it, do entreat that the desire of concurrence and assistance contained in it, may by no means be understood as restricted to any particular denomination or party, or to those who are of such or such opinions about any former instances of remarkable religious concern; but to be extended to all, who shall vouchsafe any attention to this paper, and have at heart the interest of vital Christianity, and the power of Godliness; and who, however differing about other things, are convinced of the importance of fervent prayer, to promote that common interest, and Scripture persuasives to promote such prayer.

V. As the first printed account of this concert was not a proposal of it, as a thing then to begin, but a narration of it, as a design already set on foot, which had been brought about with much harmony, by means of private letters; so the farther continuance, and, it is hoped, the farther spreading of it seems in a promising way of being promoted by the same means; as importunate desires of the renewing the concert have been transmitted already from a very distant corner abroad, where the regard to it has of late increased: but notwithstanding of what may be done by private letters, it is humbly expected, that a memorial spread in this manner, may, by God's blessing, farther promote the good ends in view; as it may be usefully referred to in letters, and may reach where they will not.

VI. WHEREAS in a valuable letter, from the corner just now mentioned as a place where regard to the concert has lately increased, it is proposed, that it should be continued for seven years, or at least for a much longer time than what was specified in the first agreement; those concerned in this memorial, who would wish rather to receive and spread directions and proposals on this head, than to be the first authors of any, apprehend no inconvenience, for their part, in agreeing to the seven years, with the latitude above described, which reserves liberty to make such circumstantial alterations, as may be hereafter found expedient: on the contrary it seems of importance, that the labor of spreading a concert, which has already extended to so distant parts and may, it is hoped, extend farther, may not need to be renewed sooner, at least much sooner; as it is uncertain but that may endanger the dropping of it; and it seems probable, there will be less zeal in spreading of it, if the time proposed for its continuance be too inconsiderable. Meantime declarations of concurrence for a less number of years may greatly promote the good ends in view: though it seems very expedient, that it should exceed what was first agreed on; seeing it is found on trial, that that time, instead of being too long, was much too short.

VII. If persons who formerly agreed to this concert, should now discontinue it; would it not look too like that fainting in prayer, against which we are so expressly warned in Scripture? And would not this be the more unsuitable at this time, in any within the British dominions, when they have the united calls of such public chastisements and deliverances, to more concern than ever about public reformation, and consequently about that which is the source of all thorough reformation, the regenerating and sanctifying influence of the Almighty Spirit of God? August 26, 1746.

Text-The Works of President Edwards . . . New York edition Vol. III, pp. 437-439.

CHAPTER XIII

EPISCOPALIANISM IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY

Bibliography

As an introductory study, "The Anglican Outlook on the American Colonies in the Early Eighteenth Century" by E. B. Green (“Amer. Hist. Rev. Vol. XX, No. 1) is valuable. An acquaintance with the facts of the field in general may be secured from "The History of the Church of England in the Colonies" (1848, 2nd edition 1856) by Canon J. S. M. Anderson; "The History of the American Episcopal Church. 1587-1883" (1885) by Rev. W. S. Perry; "History of the American Episcopal Church from the Planting of the Colonies to the End of the Civil War" (1890) by Rev. S. D. McConnell; and "A History of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America" ("Amer. Ch. Series," Vol. VII, 2nd edition 1900) by Prof. C. C. Tiffany. The last work is somewhat sketchy until it comes to the period of the Revolution and the organization of Episcopalianism where it is very satisfactory. All in all, Perry's history will be found the most serviceable.

Certain local church histories give detailed information for their areas: "An Historical Account of the Protestant Episcopal Church n South Carolina, from the First Settlement of the Province to the War of the Revolution" (1820) by Frederick Dalcho; "Contributions to the Ecclesiastical History of the United States of America (II Vols., I, Virginia; II Maryland, 1836-39) by Rev. F. L. Hawks; "Documentary History of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Connecticut" (II Vols. 1863-64) by Rev. F. L. Hawks and Rev. W. S. Perry, (very valuable); and "History of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut from the Settlement of the Colony to the Death of Bishop Seabury" (II Vols. 1865-68) by Rev. E. E. Beardsley.

The following documents show the condition of Episcopalianism for the periods indicated: "A Memorial Representing the Present State of Religion on the Continent of North America" (1700) by Thomas Bray; also the same author's "A Memorial representing the present Case of the Church in Maryland with relation to its establishment by