spoke of that day as among the most gratifying and animating of his life.

In the year 1760, in the midst of Mr. Rodgers' usefulness at St. George's, an event occurred, which not a little mortified him and his friends, and which made considerable noise in the ecclesiastical circles of America. There resided in Philadelphia, at this time, the Rev. William Mc Clenachan, an Episcopal clergyman, whose preaching was considered as more evangelical than that of the generality of his brethren of the same denomination. While this circumstance endeared him to a considerable number of the Episcopalians of Philadelphia, and rendered them earnestly desirous of retaining him as their minister; it excited the opposition of a still greater number, and threatened to produce his exclusion from the Episcopal church in that city, During a meeting of the Synod of New-York and Philadelphia, in May, 1760, the character, difficulties, and prospects of Mr. Mc Clenachan, happening to be the topic of more general and more warm conversation than usual, a number of the members of the Synod were so deeply impressed with the excellence of his character, and the probable usefulness of his ministry, and

felt so much interest in his continuing to reside in Philadelphia, that they determined to attempt something in his behalf; and accordingly addressed a letter to the archbishop of Canterbury, requesting him to exert his official influence, in favouring Mr. Mc Clenachan's wishes, and those of his friends, that he might retain his place.

This indiscreet and undignified interference with the affairs of another denomination, was condemned by all impartial persons and, indeed, the authors of the letter themselves had scarcely dispatched it, before they became sensible of the impropriety of their own conduct, and wished it recalled. The reception which it met with from the Archbishop was such as might have been expected. No answer was returned; and the letter soon found its way into the public prints, accompanied with such comments as were natural, and not wholly unmerited. When the Synod convened in Philadelphia the next year, they found this unfortunate letter, followed with severe strictures, printed in the form of a pamphlet, and circulating very generally among the citizens, under the title of "The Eighteen Presbyterian Ministers." And not unfrequently, when walking the streets, were

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their ears assailed by the shrill notes of the hawkers of small books and pamphlets, crying, Eighteen Presbyterian Ministers for a groat." These circumstances afforded a subject for much merriment, and severe remark, not only on the part of Mr. Mc Clenachan's episcopal opponents; but also on the part of those members of the Synod who were still denominated Old-side-men ; and who had declined having any thing to do with the letter to the Archbishop.

The name of Mr. Rodgers appeared among the subscribers to this letter *. He did not, however, subscribe his own name to it. Not being even present, when it was signed, a particular friend of his, who was an actual subscriber himself, who knew the zeal of Mr. Rodgers in every thing which had for its object the promotion of vital religion, and who did not doubt, for a moment, that, if he had been present, he

* The names of the eighteen ministers who appeared as subscribers, were, Gilbert Tennent, William Tennent, Samuel Davies, John Blair, Charles Tennent, Moses Tuttle, Charles Mc Knight, Benjamin Chesnut, William Ramsey, John Rodgers, James Finley, Abraham Keteltas, John Roan, Abner Brush, John Moffat, Alexander Macwhorter, Robert Smith, and Samuel Kennedy.

would have joined with his friends, took the liberty of putting down his name, as well as his own. Though this unwarrantable procedure gave Mr. Rodgers a fair opportunity of making a public disavowal of any concern in the business; and though he was urged to make such a publication; yet the delicacy of his friendship to the excellent man who had taken this improper liberty; together, it is probable, with some lurking doubt whether, if he had been present, he would not have given his name with the rest of his brethren; induced him to forbear such a measure, and to take his share of the current ridicule and censure.

In 1762, Mr. Rodgers was chosen by the Synod of New-York and Philadelphia, to go on a mission to Great-Britain and Ireland, to solicit benefactions toward the establishment of a “Fund for the relief of poor and distressed Presbyterian ministers, their widows and children.' A variety of considerations rendered this mission a very desirable one; and he certainly would have accepted the appointment, had not the situation of his family rendered impossible so long an absence from home, as would have been necessary to accomplish its purpose. The Rever

end Charles Beatty *, another minister of eminence in the Presbyterian church, was afterwards appointed to the same mission in the place of Mr. Rodgers, and fulfilled it, to the great advantage of the fund, and to the satisfaction of the Synod.

*The Rev. Charles Beatty was a native of Ireland. He obtained a pretty accurate classical education in his own country; but his circumstances being narrow, he migrated to America, and employed several of the first years of his residence on this side of the Atlantic in the business of a pedlar. In the pursuit of this vocation, he halted, one day, at the "Log-College," on the Neshaminy, then under the care of the Reverend William Tennent, the elder. The pedlar, to Mr. Tennent's surprise, addressed him in correct Latin, and appeared to be familiar with that language. After much conversation, in which Mr. Beatty manifested fervent piety, and considerable religious knowledge, as well as a good education in other respects, Mr. Tennent addressed him thus-" You "must quit your present employment. Go and sell the ❝contents of your pack, and return immediately, and stu❝dy with me. It will be a sin for you to continue a ped"lar, when you may be so much more useful in another "profession." He accepted Mr. Tennent's offer; returned to Neshaminy; completed there his academical and theological studies; and in due time became an eminent minister. He died in Barbadoes, whither he had gone to solicit benefactions for the college of New-Jersey, about the time of Mr. Rodgers' removal to New-York.