first, small and feeble, to a discouraging degree; yet, under the smiles of the great Head of the church on his pre-eminently judicious and faithful ministrations, it soon rose to respectability and importance. This secession restored peace to the parent church. Such of the dissatisfied brethren as did not choose to withdraw, sat down quietly under Mr. Bostwick's ministry, which was soon blessed to the increase and prosperity of the congregation. In 1756, about the time of the secession above stated, the congregation met with a serious loss in the withdrawing of a single member. Mr. John Noble, a native of England, and a man of eminent piety, had been for many years an active and useful member of the church, and about four years before, had been chosen and set apart as one of its ruling elders. In this office his activity and usefulness were both increased. His great wealth enabled him to do more than most others ; and he promised to be a rich blessing to the church. But, amidst these favourable prospects, in the year above mentioned, he left the Presbyterian church, and joined the Moravians, or United Brethren. The circumstances which led to this change of sentiment, and of religious connexion, are now unknown. It is believed, that an occasional visit to Bethlehem, paved the way, or, at least, was not without its influence. However this may be, his secession, in the then divided, and comparatively enfeebled state of the church, was a serious loss; and laid the foundation of the society of United Brethren in the city of New-York. In the year 1759, the officers of the church made application, a third time, for a charter. To this step they were encouraged by several circumstances which appeared favourable to their design, particularly by the declarations of Mr. Delancey, the lieutenant governor, who then held the reins of administration, and who had frequently expressed his abhorrence of the illiberal and unjust refusal which their former applications had met. But, notwithstanding every favourable appearance, so zealous and persevering was the opposition made by the Episcopal church, that the applicants were, a third time, defeated. This disappointment, in not obtaining a charter, was the more serious, because about this time some circumstances occurred, which showed not only the great inconvenience, but also the solid loss which they sustained, in consequence of the legal disability thence arising. About the year 1754, capt. Jeremiah Owen, a native of England, who had long been an exemplary member of the Presbyterian church in New-York, died, and left a legacy of 750 dollars, the interest of which he directed to be applied annually toward the instruction of poor children of that congregation, in reading, writing, and the use of figures. Capt. Owen, having been long intimate with Mr. William Ludlow, a respectable inhabitant of the city, and a member of the Episcopal church, appointed him his executor. This legacy, of course, with the other portions of the testator's estate, came into Mr. Ludlow's hands. The gentlemen who were in the habit of managing the temporal concerns of the Presbyterian church, called, soon afterward, on Mr. Ludlow, and requested the payment of the money. He declined complying with their request, alleging that, as the church was not incorporated, no person or body of persons, could legally receive the legacy, or give him a discharge for the same. The applicants, not knowing how to remove this difficulty, suspended the prosecution of their claim until some more favourable opportunity might arise. In the mean time, the vestry of Trinity church, being informed of the legacy, and that the trus tees of the Presbyterian church had applied for it in vain, made every effort to get it out of Mr. Ludlow's hands, and appropriate it to their own use. They entreated, remonstrated, and threatened; but without success. Mr. Ludlow declared, that, although he was a zealous Episcopalian; yet as the money was committed to him in trust, and for a very different purpose, they should never possess it, unless they took it from him by force. Finding his honesty and honour too inflexible to admit the hope of getting the legacy into their hands, the vestry next proposed to Mr. Ludlow, that he should send those children, the expense of whose education the interest of the legacy would defray, to their charity school, where they might be instructed at the ordinary rate. But this proposal also Mr. Ludlow pointedly rejected, observing, that Capt. Owen was a Presbyterian, of long standing, and of known principle; and that, although he had not mentioned it, or made it one of the conditions in his will; it doubtless was his intention, that the children instructed by means of his legacy, should be educated in the Presbyterian faith, and attend the Presbyterian church: whereas, if the proposal of the vestry were accepted, the children instructed at their school must of necessity attend their church. The members of the vestry appointed to conduct this negociation, by way of answer to these remarks, asked him, somewhat tartly," Are you not a churchman, sir?" "Yes," he replied, "I am a churchman; but I am also an honest "man, and am determined to fulfil the intention "of Capt. Owen, to the best of my knowledge and ability." The vestry at length, despairing of success, abandoned the pursuit of this legacy; and it remained a number of years in Mr. Ludlow's hands. This gentleman, however, with characteristic probity and honour, though he could not pay it to any corporation, nor to any body of persons entitled by law to receive it, determined to employ it, while in his hands, most rigidly in conformity with the will of the testator. He was, therefore, in the habit, for near ten years, of selecting poor Presbyterian children, placing them under the care of Presbyterian school-masters, and defraying the expenses of their instruction with the avails of this legacy. Things continued in this state until the year 1765, when Mr. Rodgers became the pastor of the church; and when the be |