ships, we hope may give a better chance of the early arrival of one of them. I have the honour to be, J. CANTUAR. 4. Certificate of the Supreme Executive Council of Penn-" sylvania. Pennsylvania, ss. The supreme executive council of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, do hereby certify and make known to all whom it may concern, that agreeably to the frame of government and laws of this commonwealth-the clergy and others, members of the Church of England in Pennsylvania, are at liberty to take such means as they may think proper, for keeping up a succession of religious teachers-Provided only, that the means they adopt for this purpose do not induce a subjection to any foreign jurisdiction, civil or ecclesiastical. Given in council under the hand of the honourable Charles Biddle, Esquire, Vice-President, and the seal of the State, at Philadelphia, this twenty-fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five, and in the tenth year of the Commonwealth. (Attest) RON CHARLES BIDDLE, V. P. JOHN ARMSTRONG, JUR. Sec. 5. A Certificate of his Excellency Patrick Henry, Esq. Governor of Virginia.* By his Excellency Patrick Henry, Esq. Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is certified and made known to all whom it may concern-That the Protestant Episcopal Church is incorpo This copy of the certificate of the governor of Virginia, was sent to the author by the Rev. Dr. Griffith, bishop elect of that state, to be laid before the convention of October, 1786. rated by an act of the legislature of this commonwealth, for that purpose, made and provided: that there is no law existing in this commonwealth, which in any manner forbids the admission of bishops, or the exercise of their office: on the contrary, by the sixteenth article of the declaration of rights, it is provided in the words following, viz." That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence, and therefore all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all, to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other,"-which said article is now in full force. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the Commonwealth to be affixed, at Richmond, this first day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six, and tenth of the Commonwealth.. P. HENRY. No. 17. Page 139. From Richard Peters, Esq. London, March 4, 1786. GENTLEMEN, I yesterday waited on the archbishop of Canterbury, who received me with great politeness. I delivered the parcels you sent by me, but he had previously received the originals. He opened the conversation by saying, that on receipt of the address from the convention, which was conceived in terms that gave great satisfaction, the bishops had determined at once to comply with it, if the government would enable them, by passing a law for the purpose. But hearing a number of reports, which the committee had not put it in their power to clear up, by sending them all the proceedings of the convention, they thought it their duty to act cautiously, and restrained their desire to meet our wishes, till they had more full information on the subject. He said it was unnecessary to enter into the various reports of alterations said to be made, or intended by our Churches, for he dial not give credit to common reports, which are often circulated without foundation. Some alterations, however, it appeared, had been made, and what the rest were, could not be told until the whole was laid before them. That some alterations were necessarily brought about by the change of circumstances, and were therefore proper, he allowed; but he hoped there would be found none which rendered our Church substantially different from theirs, of which he considered it as a branch, and the bishops were obliged to examine what Church ours was, before, from their source, they established an Episcopacy over a people, who might perhaps hold tenets opposite to theirs. He did not know or believe this was the case with respect to us, but it became them to inquire. He feared some of our business had been done hastily. He showed me the answer to the address, which he said had been sincerely felt by every bishop who had signed it. He seemed very desirous of removing any doubts about their firm intentions to comply with our wishes: showed me the original draft of the answer in his handwriting. I observed there were no alterations made in it, and among nineteen bishops, who were all that were in town at the meeting of parliament, there was not a dissenting voice. He hoped so unanimous an opinion, must evidence, beyond a doubt, the great desire all had to grant our request. They all, from the bottom of their hearts, wished our prosperity, and would do all in their power to promote it. But before they had the necessary information, it would be imprudent in them to act. He said there would be no difficulties with government, and was happy that all embarrassments, with respect to the civil powers of the United States, were removed by the certificates and papers transmitted. He had spoke to the king, on the receipt of the address, who expressed great satisfaction in it, and was ready to do what was required of him. That administration would promote the law, when it was recommended by the bishops as proper. They therefore, being in a responsible situation, must proceed with caution. He desired nothing he had said, should be thought calculated to throw difficulties in the way; for there really was no disposition of that kind in the bishops, or members of the government. He hoped our convention, at the next meeting, would consider the embarrassments too many alterations would throw in the way of their application here, and if any of them substantially deviated from the doctrines or worship of this Church, it would frustrate the views of our Churches, by putting it out of the power of those here, who have every good disposition to serve us, to forward our application. He wished great care might be taken of the character of those sent for consecration, as much depended on this. They should, however, commit themselves to our discretion in this respect, and hoped they should have no reason to repent it. He declined answering the question I was desired by Dr. White to put to him, respecting the validity of Scotch consecrations, having first asked me whether the question came from the convention? I told him it was to satisfy private inquiries, which were made with no view of seeking consecration from that source.* I find we can have no bishop, until we let the prelates here see what Church we have made. I think it would be prudent in our Church to put off any material alterations until we have bishops consecrated. If we make any substantial alterations, they will be carped at by those who will make the bishops uneasy; and to keep peace at home, they will refuse to meddle abroad, notwithstanding their strong desire to do what we wish. I am, gentlemen, With much esteem, Your very obedient servant, Rev. Dr. White, Rev. Dr. Smith, Rev. Mr. Provoost, P. S. Mr. Adams has been very attentive to the business of an address, with which he waited on the archbishop, who in return waited on him with the answer transmitted. I think the committee shonld return him their thanks, for the part he (Mr. Adams) has taken. Do not publish the bishops' answer, as it will get over here, and be a subject of news-paper discussion. Notwithstanding the prudent reserve of the archbishop at this time, he is said to have given his influence in favour of the nonjuring bishops about three years afterwards; when, on the decease of the last Pretender, they began to pray for the king on the throne, and some of them came up to London, to solicit the repeal of the penal laws made against them. No. 18. Page 142. An Act of the Clergy of Massachusetts and New-Hampshire. The good Providence of Almighty God, the fountain of all goodness, having lately blessed the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, by supplying it with a complete and entire ministry, and affording to many of her communion the benefit of the labours, advice, and government of the successors of the apostles; We, presbyters of said Church in the states of Massachusetts and New-Hampshire, deeply impressed with the most lively gratitude to the Supreme Governor of the universe, for his goodness in this respect, and with the most ardent love to his Church, and concern for the interest of her sons, that they may enjoy all the means that Christ, the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, has instituted for leading his followers into the ways of truth and holiness, and preserving his Church in the unity of the spirit, and the bond of peace; to the end that the people committed to our respective charges may enjoy the benefit and advantage of those offices, the administration of which belongs to the highest order of the ministry, and to encourage and promote, as far as in us lies, a union of the whole Episcopal Church in these states, and to perfect and compact this mystical body of Christ, do hereby nominate, elect, and appoint, the Rev. Edward Bass, a presbyter of said Church, and rector of St. Paul's, in Newburyport, to be our bishop; and we do promise and engage to receive him as such, when canonically consecrated, and invested with the apostolic office and powers, by the right reverend the bishops hereafter named, and to render him all that canonical obedience and submission, which, by the laws of Christ and the constitution of our Church, is due to so important an office. And we now address the right reverend the bishops in the states of Connecticut, New-York, and Pennsylvania, praying their united assistance in consecrating our said brother, and canonically investing him with the apostolic office and powers. This request we are induced to make, from a long acquaintance with him, and from a perfect knowledge of his being possessed of that love to God and benevolence to men, that piety, learning, and good morals, that prudence and discretion, requisite to so exalted a station, as well as that personal respect and attachment of |