"remarkable power, or signal success, at the "time; yet there is an abundant reason to be"lieve that it was far from being in vain; that "he obtained here some seals of his minis"try, which will be crowns of his rejoicing in "the day of the Lord; and that the precious "seed of the word, which he here scattered, with

66

a diligent and skilful hand, has since sprung 66 up, and borne fruit to everlasting life."

In a short time after the definitive treaty of peace was signed, the disbanding of the American armies commenced. About this time Dr. Rodgers, whose mind was ever busily employed in forming plans of piety and benevolence, suggested to some leading persons the propriety of presenting to each soldier, on retiring from service, a Bible. The war had, of course, entirely suspended the importation of Bibles from Great Britain; and they had become, prior to the year 1781, extremely scarce in this country. Under these circumstances, it was found, as might naturally have been expected, that the needy soldiery were almost wholly destitute of copies of the Scriptures. In the year last mentioned, an enterprising printer and bookseller of Philadel

phia, printed a large edition of the Bible. This event, however, though it removed the difficulty arising from the scarcity of copies of the sacred volume, by no means supplied the army. Dr. Rodgers determined to interest himself, and to take measures for prevailing with others to interest themselves, in furnishing the defenders of their country with so valuable a present. Among those whom he endeavoured to engage in this pious design, was the Commander in Chief, to whom he addressed a letter, congratulating him on the restoration of peace, and proposing the exertion of his influence for the attainment of this desirable end. The following answer to the Doctor's letter, while it serves to assign one of the reasons why his pious plan did not succeed, will also furnish another testimony to the uniform dignity and greatness of the wonderful Man by whom it was written.

* Mr. Robert Aitkin. His duodecimo Bible, printed in 1781, was the first Bible, in the English language, ever printed in North America. Five years before, (1776,) Mr. Christopher Sower had printed, at Germantown, near Phi- √

ladelphia, a quarto edition of the Bible, in German; and more than a hundred years before, (1664,) the Rev. John Eliot had printed, at Cambridge, in Massachusetts, an edition of the Bible in the language of the Natick Indians.

"Head Quarters, 11th June, 1783.

"Dear Sir,

"I accept, with much pleasure, your kind "congratulations on the happy event of Peace, "with the establishment of our Liberties and Independence.

66

"Glorious indeed has been our contest: glo"rious, if we consider the prize for which we "have contended, and glorious in its issue. But " in the midst of our joys, I hope we shall not for66 get, that to Divine Providence is to be ascribed "the glory and the praise.

"Your proposition respecting Mr. Aitkin's "Bible, would have been particularly noticed by "me, had it been suggested in season. But the "late resolution of Congress for discharging "part of the army taking off near two thirds of "our numbers, it is now too late to make the at"tempt. It would have pleased me well, if "Congress had been pleased to make such an

important present to the brave fellows who

"have done so much for the security of their country's rights and establishment.

"I hope it will not be long before

you will be

"able to go quietly to New-York. Some pa❝tience, however, will yet be necessary. But "patience is a noble virtue, and, when rightly "exercised, does not fail of its reward."

"With much regard and esteem,

"I am, dear Doctor,

"Your most obedient servant,

"GO. WASHINGTON."

"P. S. Be so good as to inform me whether "Mrs. Thompson is living with you, or gone in"to New-York? Before I retire from service, it "is my wish to render her what is owing to "her*.

"Rev. Doctor Rodgers.

"G. W."

While Doctor Rodgers was thus a sojourner, and variously, but always usefully, employed, during his exile from New-York, it may be proper to inquire, what was going on, in the mean time, in that city, in relation to his affairs, and

* This postscript, though irrelative to the main subjects of the letter, is retained, not only as another example of the scrupulous justice of the illustrious Writer; but also to show that he had a mind which, while it grasped great objects, was capable of attending to minute details.

the interests of the church with which he was connected.

The British armies, in the course of the revolutionary contest, whenever they had an opportunity, manifested a peculiar hostility to the Presbyterian Church. This hostility, prompted partly by sectarian rancour, and partly by the consideration, that the Presbyterians were generally favourable to the American cause, was displayed by many acts of violence and indignity of the most wanton kind*. The Presbyterian churches in New-York, were the objects of spe

*The following is extracted from a note in a Sermon, delivered and published by Dr. Rodgers, entitled, A Sermon preached in New-York, Dec. 11, 1783, appointed by Congress, as a day of public Thanksgiving throughout the United States, p. 26. "It is much to be lamented, that "the troops of a nation that has been considered as one of "the bulwarks of the reformation, should act as if they had "waged war with the God whom Christians adore. They "have, in the course of this war, utterly destroyed more "than fifty places of public worship, in these states. Most "of these they burnt, others they levelled with the ground, "and in some places left not a vestige of their former si"tuation; while they have wantonly defaced, or rather de"stroyed others, by converting them into barracks, jails, "hospitals, riding schools, &c. Boston, Newport, Phila