USA > New York > Westchester County > History of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the county of Westchester, from its foundation, 1693, to 1853 > Part 19
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JOHN CHAMBERLAYNE,
Secretary.""
Col. Heathcote thus writes in behalf of Mr. Bridge :-
COL. HEATHCOTE TO THE SECRETARY. "[EXTRACT.]
Manor of Scarsdale, 15th May, 1710. WORTHY SIR,
" The chief occasion of this is to acquaint the Society that since
· Doc. Hist. of N. Y. vol. iii. pp. 943-4.
193
AND CHURCH OF RYE.
Mr. Reynolds' removal from hence, Mr. Bridge, according to the Society's directions hath taken care of this parish in which he hath, with great care and industry answered the end of his mission ; nor am I under the least doubt but he will continue to do the church considerable service, being a gentleman not only of extraordinary good parts, but of an active temper. I am very much concerned I have cause to tell the Society of a very great misfortune which befell him on his removal from Boston to his appointed cure, having lost almost all his books and abundance of other necessaries; the vessel in which he sent them being chased ashore bya French privateer, and being billged, were all either lost or damnified to the value of £150 or £200. This mischance happening to him as he was removing in the church's service, and it being what he is never like to retrieve in the parish, if the Society would be pleased to consider his misfor- tune by an allowance for books.
Yours, &c., CALEB HEATHCOTE."a
Mr. Neau, of New-York, also writing to the same, on the 5th of July, 1710, observes :- " that Mr. Bridge is arrived with his family here, where he has spent the winter. I believe him ca- pable of edifying his flock. I have sent him several French books, he having had the misfortune to loose all his own; for a French privateer forced the sloop that carried them, to run ashore, by which means they were all spoiled and lost, and the vessel plundered."b
It appears from the following, that Mr. Bridge did not enter into actual possession of his benefice until October, 1710 :-
INDUCTION OF THE REV. CHRISTOPHER BRIDGE.
Rob'tus Hunter Armiger Provincia Novi Eboraei, nec non Novæ Casariæ in America Strategus & Imperator ejusdemq : Vice Admiralis &c.
· New-York MSS. from Archives at Fulham, vol. i. 210. (Hawks'.)
৳ New-York MSS. from Archives at Fulham, vol. i. 216, 217. (Hawks'.)
194
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
Universis et Singulis Rectoribz Vicar : et Capellar : Curat : Clericis et Min- istris quibuscumq in et per totam Provinciam ubilibet Constitutis ac etiam.
Ecclesia Parochialis de Rye infra Provinciam Novi Eboraci prædict, pro hoc tempore Ædilibus salutem.
Cum Dilectum in Christo Christopherum Bridge Clericum ad Rectoriam sive Ecclesiam Parochialem Predict. Parochia de Rye in dict. Provincia Novi Eboraci in America jam vacantem præsentatum Rectorem Ejusdem Rectoria sive Ecclesia parochialis in et de Eadam Institutus, Vobis Conjunctim et divisim Committo et fermiter Injungo Mando, Quatenus eundem Christopherum Bridge Cleric, sive procuratorem suum legitimum ejus nomine et pro eo in Realem Ac- tualem et Corporalem possessionem ipsius Rectoriæ sive Ecclesia parochialis de Rye prædict. Glæbarum, Jurumq : et pertinentium suorum universor. Confe- ratis Inducatis, Inducive faciatis : et Defendatis Inductum, Et quid in Premissis feceritis me aut alium Indicem in hac parte competentem quemcumq; debite (cum ad id Congrue fueritis Requisit.) Certificetis seu sic certificet ille vestrum qui presens hoc Mandatum fuerit Executus. Dat. Sub Sigillo prærogativo dict. Provincia Novi Eboraci Decimo Septimo die Octobris Anno Salutis Millesimo Septingentesimo Decimo.
ROB. HUNTER.
By His Excellency's command,
H. WILEMAN, Dep. Secretary."ª
January the seventh, Anno Dom. 1710 :- "At a lawful meeting of the Parishioners, at their Parish Church in Rye, to elect and choose Churchwardens and Vestrymen for the year ensuing, were elected and chosen :
CHURCHWARDENS.
CAPT. JOSEPH THEALE, CAPT. JONATHAN HART, CORNELIUS SEELY.
VESTRYMEN.
ANDREW COE, GEORGE LANE, JR.,
JOHN MERRITT, SR., JOSEPH LYON,
DANIEL PURDY, Cord'r,
GEORGE KNIFFEN,
THOMAS PURDY, JOHN DISBROW, Mamaroneck,
THOMAS MERRITT, JR., JOHN MILLER, Bedford,
JOSEPH CLEATOR, Clerk of the Vestry for this year."
a Documentary Hist. of N. Y., vol. iii. 944.
195
AND CHURCH OF RYE.
In accordance with the rules of the Ven. Society, Mr. Bridge thus opens a correspondence with them through their Secretary :-- .
MR. BRIDGE TO THE SECRETARY.
Rye, 20th Nov. 1710.
WORTHY SIR,
" About this time twelve-month I wrote to you from Boston, of · my arrival here, and that I was with utmost diligence preparing for my journey to this place, and was necessitated however to stay here till the beginning of January, by reason I had my books, clothes, and other necessaries on board one of the mast ships at Piscataqua, and could not get them sooner to me. In February, I wrote you hence of my arrival at this place, and I think about the same time Col. Heathcote gave you the like informa- tion. This I mention because Mr. Wesendunk, my Attorney, acquaints me that the Treasurer deny's to pay him my salary for want of information of my being in the place appointed me. I made the best haste I could out of England, and stayed at Boston no longer than was absolutely necessary, and travelled hither, about 240 miles, in extreme bad weather, and the stop- ping my salary has been the greater hardship to me because I have yet received nothing from this place towards my subsist- ence.
I must likewise take this occasion to acquaint you that im- mediately upon the receipt of my books, clothes, &c. from Pis- cataqua, I put them, together with what books I had at Boston, and such other things as I should have present occasion for, on board a sloop bound for New-York. My books I had been several years in collecting, and were at a low estimation, worth £150; my clothes and other necessarys worth 50 or £60; with them was the box of small books I received from Mr. Treasurer Hodges, for the use of the parishioners of this place. But soon after the sloop went out of Boston harbour she was chased by a privateer, and to get clear of him run ashore, and bad weather coming up, she stove to pieces, and what she had on board was lost. As soon as the weather was seasonable, I returned to Boston
196
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
for my family, and then with great trouble and more charge than · they were worth, recovered a very few of my books that were taken up out of the salt water, about 30, but they were so dam- nified that they can hardly be used. I could recover nothing of my clothes ; some of the books I bought upon credit when last in London, of Mr. John Lawrence, at the Angel in the Poultry, and they are not yet paid for. I find no library here, that I need not say how uneasy and dissatisfied I am to be destitute of books, and without any company that might supply that want. I hoped to borrow out of the library at New-York, but scruples were raised against letting any of those books go so far. I humbly leave my case with the Honourable Society, and rely on their charitable benevolence for some relief and assistance in this my necessity. I give you here the best account I can of the present state of this parish. The inhabitants are 772, in- cluding children, servants, and slaves. The baptized, 441. The greatest part of them were baptized before the Church was settled here. The communicants 43, several of them are not constant, some still Presbyterians or Independents in their judgment, but are persons well disposed and willing to partake of the Sacrament in what way they can, rather than not at all. Those that profess themselves of the Church of England, 284, though several of them do very seldom come to church. Dis- senters, 468, several of those are serious people and do frequently come to church. I reckon all the children according to their parents professions, except those that are grown up and profess themselves otherwise. Many, both of those that profess them- selves of the Church of England and of the Dissenters, are very loose, and seem to have little or no regard to religion. Heath- ens 24, that are servants in families, besides 4 or 5 families of Indians that often abide in this parish, but are frequently re- moving, almost every month or six weeks. Among the Dissent- ers are 7 families of Quakers, and 4 or 5 families inclining to them. The rest are Presbyterians or Independents, transplanted out of the Connecticut Colony. I may hereafter be able to give a more clear and better account. My care and time hath hith-
197
AND CHURCH OF RYE.
erto been chiefly employed in bringing the young people to a regular method of catechising, which I find both very necessary and difficult, and in persuading the looser sort of the necessity of public worship; and as from the foregoing ac- count the Honourable Society will judge what books may be most serviceable when they shall please to supply us with oth- ers in the room of those that were lost. So whatever further directions and commands they shall be pleased to honour me with, shall be most readily observed by,
Good Sir,
Yours, &c., CHRISTOPHER BRIDGE. "a
It seems from the following letter, that about this period, cer- tain violent men in the county, set themselves up to reform the Church, or in other words, to deform it ; and would probably have succeeded in their diabolical ends, but for the goodness of God in raising her up such a defender as Caleb Heathcote, who was too conscientious to buy his own peace at her expense :-
COL. HEATHCOTE TO THE SECRETARY.
New- York, February 14th, 1711.
" And as the Devil never wants his agents every where, so much about the same time, they began to run upon the like strains in Westchester county, and two or three loose and riotous men setting up for reformers ; these even raised a storm amongst us, and made all the best of the people uneasy, for which I very warmly opposing their proceedings, was immediately branded as an enemy to the Church, and a hinderer to its growth. Being sensible of the danger the Church was in, I firmly resolved to do all in my power, to prevent its ruin, and believing it then to be no time to take pet and leave her in distress, as her friends in Jamaica had done, I went to the Governour and did not only tell
·New-York MSS. from Archives at Fulham, vol. i. 236, 240. (Hawks'.)
- in
198
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
him my mind, but desired to see my accusers or accusations, which altho' I never was so happy as to obtain, yet I still con- tinued the same method as oft as I heard any complaint was made against me, and by God's assistance and these methods, I prevented those violent reformers from gaining their ends, and prevented the Church's ruin and confusion there ; but the trouble I underwent was inexpressible, and what I would not again un- dergo for any other consideration whatsoever. After these storms were over, God be thanked, the churches grew and flourished, and we have three so well settled, that no dissenting minister of any sort can fix himself in any part of that county."a
Upon the 12th of December, 1711, Col. Heathcote wrote thus to the Secretary :- " I hope the Society will think proper, till ways can be found whereby some help may be had, to give the same allowance of £100 a year, which was settled on Mr. Muirson. If this design goes forward, and great caution is used in the choice of a missionary ; Idoubt not but experience will convince the Society, of his doing the church more real service, than any two missionary's in North America besides."b
The following minutes are recorded in the vestry book :-
" May the seventh, Anno Domini, 1711. At a meeting of the Justices and Vestrymen, at the church, it was voted and agreed that the sum of £55 5s, be levyed on the Parish-
that is to say,
for the Minister - £50 00
for beating the Drum
-
1 00
for the Clerk -
1 00
for charge of Express to Bedford - 0 10 0
for ye Constable for collecting - 2 12 6
£55 2 6
voted also on ye other side, that warrants be issued out for half the above-said sum, to be paid on the tenth day of July next
· New-York MSS. from Archives at Fulham. vol. i. p. 359. (Hawks'.)
b New-York MSS. from Archives at Fulham, vol. i. 346. (Hawks'.)
199
{ AND CHURCH OF RYE.
ensuing, and for ye other half or moyety thereof, which is one fourth part of said sum, to be paid on the tenth day of Octo- ber next, and the fourth part to be paid on the tenth day of Jan- uary next, and that the moyety payable on the tenth day of Ju- ly be laid in proportion to the last Quota :-
that is to say,
Rye
-
-
£17 6 6
Mamaroneck - -
-
-
-
3 13 6
Scarsdale - -
-
-
-
1 11 6
Bedford
-
5 50" a
The method adopted by Mr. Bridge, to break up the new sectaries in his parish, is very happily related in the following extract :-
MR. BRIDGE TO THE SECRETARY.
[EXTRACT.]
Rye, 27th July, 1711.
WORTHY SIR,
" I have not yet been honoured with any thing from you since I wrote to your last, a copy of which I sent soon after, and hope they have not both miscarried. I then sent you the state of this Parish and do now give you another to this time. Num- ber of Inhabitants 787 ; number of baptized 452; adult per- sons baptized since my last, 3; communicants 44 ; that profess themselves of the Church of England, 288; dissenters 478; heathen, that are servants in families, 21.
Several of Cates' followers being in the neighbourhood of this parish, they began the last winter to form themselves into a so- ciety, and were very busy to invite the neighbours to their meet -_ ings, upon which I acquainted the chief of them, that I should be glad to be with them, if they would let me know when they held a meeting on a week day; and after 2 or 3 more debates
a Church Records of Rye, pp. 1. 2.
.
200
HISTORY OF THE PARISH .
among themselves, wether it was convenient to admit me, they at length sent me the time and place where I might meet them, and three of their speakers entered into a dispute with me about the scriptures, the doctrine of perfection and the divinity of Christ. Their ignorance and extravagance by this means be- came so manifest, to a multitude of people that were about us, that they could not any longer find room for their insinuations, and soon after forebore their meetings.
I am willing to confine myself to the affairs of my own parish, but I hope the Honourable Society will not think it amiss, if I observe that the want of frequent consultations of the clergy, is a great defect in us ; I have taken notice of it to some of my brethren, and doubt not, but it would be of great service to Re- ligion, if we were obliged sometimes, to meet and consult about the affairs of our several cures. With humble submission, I be- lieve an order from the society, with proper directions, would be expedient. There is another thing we may lament, though we cannot redress it-The want of zeal in the officers of Justice to punish profaneness and immorality. The complaint is general, and there is too much occasion for it here. I have sometimes made complaint upon good information, of some gross immoralities, but without success, for we have one in commission of the peace hat has formerly been convicted of a notorious crime, and is generally at the head of all our disorders. I have prayed the countenance of the Governour, and I hope I may obtain it. I hope the Honourable Society will be pleased to consider the great loss I sustained in their service, for without their assis- tance I cannot retrieve it. Their commands shall be always re- ceived with due obedience from,
Sir, Your very humble servant,
CHRISTOPHER BRIDGE." &
During the year 1711, 150 Common Prayer Books with £5
· New-York MSS. from Archives at Fulham, vol. i. 259, 260. (Hawks'.)
201
AND CHURCH OF RYE.
worth of tracts were sent to Mr. Bridge, on his affirmation and assurance that they might be bestowed to great advantage. He was also allowed for the services of two schoolmasters in the Parish, at a distance from his church, where several children want instruction, £5 per annum cash, on a certificate that they have taught thirty children the Bible, the Catechism and the use of the Liturgy.a
Mr. Bridge's next report to the Secretary, will afford an idea of the state of his parish in 1712, and shows the good success that followed his dispute with the ranting Quakers. b
MR. BRIDGE TO THE SECRETARY.
Rye, June 9th, 1712.
WV ORTHY SIR,
" The last you was pleased to honour me with, bears date the 24th May, 1711, to which I answered the last fall, and inclosed as you directed, a catalogue of what books Mr. Muirson left be- hind him. I received in April last, the small tracts you men- tioned as ordered for me some time ago, together with the Hon- ourable Society's bounty of a library of £10 worth of books, of which I shall take all possible care to secure them to my succes- sors, and as I return my humble thanks for this their benevolence, so I must acknowledge my full satisfaction in the choice of books, which are such as I should have made my own choice, if I had but that sum to purchase with, but I hope the illustrious So- ciety will yet be pleased, further to consider that I lost £200
. Printed abstracts of V. P. Society, from February 15th, 1711-12, to Feb. 20th, 1712-13. The following eurious item is extracted from the Town books, da- ted March the 10th, 1711,-" The Rev. Mr. Bridge's ere marks entered in as fol- loweth :- a hapeny on the underside of the nere ere, and a erop on the top of the of ere, and a hapeny on the foreside of the same."-Town records p. 80.
b These were, probably the Keithians or followers of the famous Geo. Keith, a party which seperated from the Quakers of Philadelphia, in 1691. Their leader deserted them and took orders in the Episcopal Church. They were also called Quaker Baptists, because they retained the language, dress, and manner of the Quakers."-Bucks Theol. Dict.
202
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
in their service, and that I can but barely support my family out of my salary, that that loss must be heavy upon me, without the Society's further charity.
The present state of my parish stands thus :- Number of In- habitants 799 ; of the baptized 469 ; adult persons baptized since my last, 4 ; communicants 42. Three of our communicants are removed out of the parish, one is dead and two have been lately admitted. Number of those that profess themselves of the church of England, 313 ; presbyterians 466; heathens that are servants of familys, 20. In this account I keep as near as I can the prin- ted directions of the Society, but the number of those that pro- fess themselves of the Church of England and of the Dissenters, can't certainly be stated ; because many of the latter come some- times to church, and several of the former are inconstant, but both become more sensible to their duty, and attend the public worship more frequently than they used formerly. I bless God for the great success of the dispute I had with some of Cates followers, whom we call ranting Quakers, they have never since held a public meeting in these parts, and one of their preachers did soon after, before a wittness, make an oath or confession of his faith in all the points we then disputed. He owned himself fully convinced, and came sometimes to Church, but it pleased God soon after, to take him suddenly out of the world. I have since baptized two grown persons, of about 30 years old, both children of the ringleader of that sect. 'The case of one of them was very remarkable ; he had often said, if any religion was true it must be theirs, but according to the principles of that sect, led a very loose and extravagant life, but upon hearing their errors confuted, desired baptism, and when he received it, declared to his parents and kindred in very solid terms, the ground of so doing, and earnestly exhorted them and his former companions, to forsake their errors, and wicked courses, and by his whole carriage and discourses with them, silenced their reproaches.
There are two places in this parish at great distance from the Church. If the Honourable Society will be pleased to make some small allowances to them, there might be found proper persons
203
AND CHURCH OF RYE
here to undertake that charge, to the great benefit of many poor children that want instruction. I have disposed of the small tracts I received, and could bestow more with great advantage ; for we have had none sent hither of a long time. I humbly pray that some Common Prayer books might be sent, for they are much wanted. I hope the stated meetings of the missionaries which we have now agreed upon, will be pleasing to the Society, and their directions, as they will be of great service and advan- tage to us, too, will be received by us with a due submission and regard. I beg the continuance of their patronage, and amn, good Sir,
Your very obedient servant,
CHRISTOPHER BRIDGE."a
At a meeting of the Vestry, at the church in Rye, the twenty- ninth day of July, A. D. 1712, Mr. Bridge communicated to the vestry, the following order and letter from his Excellency :---
" You are to give order forthwith (if the same be not already done) that every orthodox minister within your government, be one of the vestry in his respective parish, and that no vestry be held without him, except in case of sickness, or that after notice of vestry summoned, he omit to come.
Rev. Sir, this copy of her Majesty's instructions, I have thought fit to direct to the several ministers within this Province, that their respective vestries may regulate themselves accordingly ; and if there be any practice contrary thereunto, I desire you may duly inform me, that effectual care may be taken therein.
I remain, Reverend Sir, Your assured Friend and Servant.
ROBERT HUNTER.b
To the REV. MR. CHRISTOPHER BRIDGE. Minister of Rye, in ye County of Westchester."
· New-York MSS. from Archives at Fulham, vol. i. 369, 372. (Hawks'.) b Church Records of Rye.
204
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
The Society's abstracts for 1714, say : that " Mr Bridge of Rye, had reduced many who were brought up in a very disso- lute way of living, and to total neglect of public worship, to a more sober conversation, and a constant attendance on the wor- ship of God, using his utmost endeavours to put a stop to many disorderly practices, which had prevailed among the people, to the great reproach of religion. The same year the Propaga- tion Society presented to Mr. Huddleston, schoolmaster in Rye, £5 additional salary, and to Mr. Bridge, common prayer books and devotional tracts, of which the people were very desirous before he wrote, and heartily thankful for them since. To these donations the Society added two dozen prayer books for Mr. Huddleston, with the old version of the singing, and as many of Lewis' Church catechism, for exercise in his school or on morn- ings of the Lords days, (when not only his own scholars, but several of the young people of the town, of both sexes, came willingly to be informed,) one dozen bibles with the common prayer and the new version of psalms, twenty-five psalters, and fifty-one primers, all which he requested as contributing might- ily, to the spreading the good work he has in hand, having taught besides British children, six hundred Dutch and French, to read and write English."
Surely such zealous efforts, to promote the glory of God, and the good of souls, well deserved the aid and assistance of the Society.
In 1717, the Society requested some further particulars, rela- ting to the parish ; in answer to which Mr. Bridge says :-
MR. BRIDGE TO THE SECRETARY.
Rye, July 30th, 1717.
SIR,
" The first episcopally ordained minister that officiated here was the unfortunate Mr. Pritchard, he was succeeded by Mr. Muirson, who came hither in the year 1705, and died 1708, after whose decease the Church was vacant (excepting two or three
205
AND CHURCH OF RYE.
Sundays that Mr. Reynolds preached here) till I arrived in Jan- uary, 1709-10. I was called by the vestry in April following, as the act of Assembly directs, and soon after had induction from the present Governour. Before the Society was incorporated and while this town was under the government of Connecticut, they had two or three dissenting ministers in that place, but the generality of the people being such as would not willingly contribute to the support of any minister. However, some few of the inhabitants having more zeal, they found ways to build a small parsonage house, and annex to it three acres of land, which is all the glebe we have, and at my first coming here, I found the house so much decayed, that it was scarce habitable. In the year 1706, some extraordinary methods were used to induce the town to raise a tax for building a church, and they raised a handsome outside, and covered and glazed it, but found nothing done to the inside, not so much as a floor laid. When I had for a year or two preached upon the ground, I got subscriptions for about £50, among the inhabitants towards finishing the in- side.
I have no great alterations in the state of my parish to give you an account of-since my last I have baptized 10 adult per- sons. It is my constant care to watch the motions of the Qua- kers, to prevent their seducing any of my parishioners, (for they come frequently in great numbers from Long Island, and other places, to hold their meeting in the out parts of my parish) and to put an end to those riotous and unruly practices, which to the scandal of all religion had so much prevailed here ; but I hope, thro' God's assistance, I shall be able to subdue that spirit of pro- faneness. I take all occasions in my public discourses, and my private exhortations, to show the great enormity and dangerous consequences of them." a
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