USA > New York > The documentary history of the state of New York, Vol. III pt 2 > Part 44
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VI. Rev. HARRY MUNRO, in whose time the church was incor- porated, was rector from 1768 to 1773 or 1774. The congrega- tion is represented as consisting of not more than thirty families1 which Mr. Munro, in a statement before us, classes thus :- -- Attendants, 156 ; Communicants, 44, of which 30 were gained by him or joined the church since his appointment, and he " had all the rest" (he says) " to reconcile or bring back, his predecessor having had but three communicants, when he last administered .?? Baptised since his appointment in Albany, 345; Communicants lost by death, removals, &c. 14; desertions 4 == 18. "Three of these have left the church because they were not permitted to wrest the government out of the vestry's hands; the other, because he could not relish Bishop Tillotson's, Sherlock's & Atterbury's sermons, and because Mr Munro did not preach spiritual Sermons."
The church was vacant during the war of the Revolution, though it is stated that service was performed in 1776.2
VII. Rev. THOMAS ELLISON, A. M. of Cambridge, Eng., was appointed recter on the Ist May, 1787, and one of the Regents of the University, Feb. 28, 1797. He was in private life, a gen- tleman of a sociable disposition, and remarkable wit, whose society
1. 2 Nasg, Hist. Soc. Coll. i, 148. ยบ N. J. Hist. Soc. Proc. il, 111. Von. I ... 73
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RECTORS OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH, ALBANY.
was much courted, for it is said of him, that he was " as much above a mean action as an angel is above a calumniator." The old church, in the centre of State-street, was demolished, and the present edifice erected in his rectorate, Anno 1802, on the 26 of April, of which year, Mr. Ellison died. Bishop Chase, of Ohio, studied divinity under this clergyman. A vacancy, of more than a year, now occurred.
VIII. Rev. FREDERIC BEASLEY, of Philadelphia, was elected rector in July, (though others say 1st Sept.,) 1803. Possibly he took up his permanent residence at the rectory at the latter date. He served six years, having resigned in August 1809, and left the city the following month. He became afterwards provost of the University of Penn.
IX. Rev. TIMOTHY CLOWES, son of Joseph C., of Hempstead, where he was born March 18, 1787, graduated at Columbia Coll. in 1808. Having received Deacon's orders he preached in Jer- sey City and Jamaica in 1809, on the 19th of Nov. of which year he preached for the first time at St. Peters. He began his ministerial duties in this church on 23d April, 1810 ; but it was not until the 31st Dec. of that year that he was regularly called, or inducted as rector. Having obtained the pre-requisite order of presbyter on 26th Nov., 1813, he was " instituted" on 3d Feb. 1814. His connexion with this church terminated in the latter part of 1817, when he returned to his native town and taught a classical seminary there for three years with great success. In 1821, he became principal of Erasmus Hall, Flatbush ; in 1823, was chosen president of Washington Coll., Md., and rector of the church in Chestertown and St. Pauls, Kent Co. The college being destroyed by fire, Dr. Clowes, now LLD., again opened school at Hempstead. He presided over the Clinton Liberal In- stitute, Oneida county, from 1838 to 1812, when he removed to Philadelphia, where he pursued his usual business of instruction. He died in 1847, at the age of 60.' Dr. Clowes united himself, it is understood, to the Universalist Society in the latter years of his life.
1 Address of the Hon. Lt. Gov. Taylor and others to the congregation of St. Peter's Church; Answer of members of the congregation of St. Peter's church, Albany, to Lt. Gov. Taylor's pamphlet, printed for the Congregation, Februa- cy, 18les Tompson's Ilist. L. I., ti. 126.
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X. Rev. WILLIAM B. LACEY officiated from July, 1818, to the spring of 1832. He resides at present, according to the Church Almanac, in the state of Louisiana, where, we believe, he con- fines himself to the department of education.
Rev. HORATIO POTTER, was instituted rector in 1833.
INSCRIPTION ON THE FRONT OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH.
Glory be to the Lord for he is good-for his Mercy endureth forever. ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Formerly standing in the centre of State, at its junction with Barrack St.
Built A. D. MDCCXV-Incorporated A. D. MDCCLXIX.
Demolished and this Edifice erected A. D. MDCCCII.
THOMAS ELLISON, Rector-JOHN STEVENSON, GOLDSBROW BANYER, Church Wardens. PHILIP HOOKER, Archt
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XXII
APPENDIX.
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DIFFICULTIES IN THE FRENCHI PROTESTANT CHIURCII, NEW-YORK.
[The subjoined Papers belong to the collection beginning at p. 465 of this Vol. They are extracted from a pamphlet without title, of 34 pages, small -Ito. printed by Wm. Bradford in New-York, and purchased for the State Library only quite recently.]
MR. LEWIS ROU'S THIRD MEMORIAL,
Containing some short Remarks upon the Answer of the Gentle- men of the French Consistory, to the Petition presented to his Excellency in Council, by several Heads of Families of the French Church in New-York.
It is impossible to take notice of all the Absurdities, Untruths, Mistakes, Shifts, Evasions and things foreign to the purpose, with the other Defects and Imperfections which are obvious in the Answer made by Mr. Moulinars and the rest of his Consisto- ry to the Petition presented to his Excellency and the honoura- ble Council of this Province, by several Heads of families of our Church. Whoever would undertake to answer every thing exactly which that long Writing containeth, must compose a large Volume, and in so doing, would only draw this matter needlessly into length, which is perhaps the design of the Answerers. For which Reason it will be sufficient to make some particular observations.
The 1st, and principal is, That all what they alledge in favour of their Rights and extraordinary Priviledges, and all that they object against me for to blacken me, and misrepresent me to his Excellency and the Council, all the venomous strokes scattered here and there in their Answer ; all this, I say, is nothing to the purpose, and doth not in the least relate to the true Point in dispute between us ; all this doth in no sort justify their irregu- far and unjust Proceeding against me, nor shew how they have been sufficiently authorized, or what Reason and lawful Power they had to turn me out of my office, and to refuse to pay me
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my Salary. In short, all this doth not at all, or very little con cern the Petition presented by the heads of Families to the Gov- ernour in Council, nor the acts of Opposition and Protestation annexed to it ; nor even that invidions Act which those Gentle- men passed in the Consistory against me, on the 20th of Septem- ber last.
Since then the Artifice of the Answerers hath been to turn off the attention of his Excellency and his Council from the true state of the Question, to run upon considerations foreign and remote from the Subject, and into Cavils on matters which have not given occasion to our last Difference ; I think therefore that it is proper and necessary to bring them back to an enquiry into the matter of Fact itself, which we are about, and which is ex- pressed in the Petition of the heads of Families of our Church, and in the two Papers thereto annexed. This Petition was pre- sented on account of a certain Instrument passed and signed against me, on the 20th of last September, and on account of the unhappy Consequences, which it hath since had with Relation to our Church. Now as this Instrument, according to the Copy which it hath been thought fit to give me of it, containeth the Reasons and Motives which have engaged the present Consistory to undertake to turn me out of my office, and to take all the Steps which those Gentlemen have taken in pursuance thereof; it would have been right to have produced this Instrument, such as it is, genuin or not, before his Excellency and the honourable Council, that they might the better judge of the bottom of the Dispute, and not suffer themselves to be amused by the subtle Evasions of the Answerers, who will often attempt to impose up- on them, if they are not upon their guard, as it may be expected from persons of their Wisdom and Justice.
As this hath not yet been done, and is necessary to explain thro'ly, I desire earnestly, & before anything else, that this Instrument may be produced,' with the Answers that I have already prepared, aud put into the hands of Mr Alexander my Attorney.
2. My second observation is on what they alledge, p. 2, in order to declare the Jurisdiction of his Excellency and the Council, in this Affair, or to divert them from taking the trouble of inter-
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posing & intermeddling in our Differences, That " they acknow- " ledge no Jurisdiction in any Civil Court within this Province, " over the private Affairs of their Church, merely Consistorial, " and amongst themselves, &c." Indeed! this is astonishing, and what could not have been expected. Here are, if I am not mistaken, the true Principles of the Independents, (b) so expressly condemned in our Discipline of France (See among the Observa- tions upon the 6th Chap. the Regulation, made at the Synod of Clarenton, in 1614, against those Scetaries, pag. 199 and 200, of the Editio in duocim. & p. 118. in 4to) and Tom. 2. in folio, p. 467.
Here is a Principle capable of throwing us into Confusion and Disorder, as we see already by experience. Here is what openeth a door to all sorts of Irregularities and Extravagancies, and absolutely takes away all means of applying a Remedy. Here is a Maxim, not only very prejudicial to God's Church, but likewise very dangerous to the State, since it is easie to con- ceive the dreadful Consequences that will follow from it, if it took place. In fine, Here is a Principle which makes the Lot and Condition of a Minister persecuted among us, and in these Countries not only unhappy and dangerous, but even desperate, and without Relief. . To Refute this abominable Principle, and to shew how false it is, and how contrary to the true Principles of Religion and the Constitution of our Churches, I need only Refer to the 46 Article of the first Chapter of our Discipline, compared with the 39 & 40 .Articles of our Confession of Faith, & especially with all our Books of Divinity, as for instance, that of Mr Pictet, Professor at Geneva, see his 2d Tom. p. 476, 477, 478, where he treats this Question at length. Here also we may add the Scripture itself, see Rom. 13. v. 1, 2. 1 Pet. 2, 13, 14, 15, etc.
My Third Observation is on what they are continually alledg- ing concerning their Freedom and Liberty Suring and Reserving to our selves now und at all times, the free use and exercise of that Liberty of Conscience belonging and appertaining to the French
(b) Yea, of the Papists themselves, see Fascicul, Epist. pag. 1SI, et 30, and Syn. Purior. Theol. p. m. 751, n. 21, &c., and Tur. Theol. Elen. T. 3, p. 353. 4. n. 2.
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DIFFICULTIES IN THE
Reformed Churches &c. Our Congregation which is made up of Members altogether free and voluntary, and under no manner of Compulsion and Restraint, Sc., p. 2. Our Foundation is laid upon Freedom and Liberty of Conscience, &c. pag. 4. But what! Is not this Privilege of Freedom and Liberty which they brag of, as much for Us as for Them? Have not we the same Right with them? And if 20 or 30 Persons, as they are, have a Title to it, Hath not the rest of the Church, which makes up, by much, the . Majority, the same Title, with more Reason? And why then would they deprive the others of it? Why would they make use of that Liberty, which they enjoy only by the Bounty and Permission of the Government, under which we live, to oppress their Ministers and Brothers, without Cause, to the great Scandal of the Inhabitants of different nations who surround us, and even of the Jews, who shew more humanity, in this Case, than they? Why will they make use of it, to give the Law to the whole Church, and to govern it Arbitrarily, as if they were Lords over God's Heritage? See their passage out of the first Epistle St. Peter, Chap. 5. v. 3. Why did they make use of it to shut up the Church, as they did, on the 23d of September last, and to deny me the Liberty of performing there the ordinary Service of Prayer, and to deny the rest of the People the Liberty of as- sembling themselves there? Why do they make use of it still, with Obstinacy, to deprive above sixty or eighty Families, who think themselves edified by my Ministry, to deprive them, I say, of the Instructions and spiritual Comforts, and, in short, of all the Service of a Minister, whose Return they demand, and who belongs to them, as well as to the others, and whom they can Re-estate when they please? I know these Gentlemen are free, but only let them take eare not to use their Liberty for a Cloak of Muliciousness. It is St. Peter to whom they refer me, I don't know why, who gives them this warning, see 1 Epist. ch. 2. v. 16.
4. Among their pretences to Liberty and Freedom, they lay a stress particularly on this, That "in the enjoyment of that " Liberty, or rather dispensation or Toleration, their method and " Rule (meaning the French Refugees) was to make an Agreement " with their Pastors and Ministers (that is to say) each Consistory
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FRENCH PROTESTANT CHURCH, NEW-YORK.
" for every particular Congregation, voluntarily and freely united " together, and entred into an Agreement with their Pastor and " Minister upon a certain special mutual Contract, which when " either Party failed in Performance of their part of that Con- " traet, the other was at liberty, and freed there-from on the " other part, and this no ways regarded by the Civil Government, " who took care only, &c.
This is what I absolutely deny, and what they cannot prove. There is not one word said of it in any of the Agreements or Contracts which have been made with me and Mr. Moulinars, nor in those of any of our Churches with their Ministers. If, however they pretend that such a Clause ought to be pre-supposed, I say, that this can't be, unless with such large Restrictions and Limitations as would be no ways of Service to them in the Affair between us. The first of these Limitations is, That if such a Principle ought to be admitted in some sort, it must be supposed likewise, that there is a competent and unsuspected Judge, who may determine between the two Parties, which hath failed and neglected to perform their part of the Contract ; For if it is left to each Party to have a Right to decide who is in the Wrong, and so be both Judge and Party in their own Cause, this will bring Confusion and Disorder into the Church, and abolish that Justice and Equity which ought to be the Rule of all Agreements.
The second Limitation, is That in case of failure in either Party, regard should be had to the nature and circumstances of such Failure, to judge if they are of sufficient Importance to deserve, that a breach of Contract should follow. For if Pretence is taken from the least failure, or any sort of failure whatsoever, to break a Bargain made between Persons who are bound to one another forever thereby, at this rate, (taking every thing in the utmost strictness) we should open the Door to all sorts of Breaches : All Marriages will be dissolved, all Engagements between Parents and Children, and between Masters & Servants, would be annulled ; and to confine my self to the subject which we are upon, there would not be one Minister who could remain six Months peaceably in his Church. For either the Church might complain that the Minister had failed in his Duty, or the Minister might alledge, that the Church had not furnished him
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DIFFICULTIES IN THL
with necessaries, or had failed either in Respect or Affection, or Obedience or Submission to him, or had acted contrary to some Article of the Contract made between them, or to some point of Discipline which the Church was engaged to observe, as well as he, and so on, &c. (for I have now touch'd upon the present Case) And hereupon each of the Parties might imagine them- selves respectively to have a Right to annul their Bargain, and to provide themselves otherwise ; whence a Thousand ill Conse- ; quences would follow, easie to be imagined, and very prejudicial to the Quiet, Peace, Edification and Preservation of the Church.
Besides, we might by this means abolish the Exercise of Charity, of Christian Toleration, of mutual Forbearance, and of the Forgiveness of Injuries and Faults, &c. We might thus introduce the manner of Turks and Barbarians, and even worse, into all Christian Churches. I should think it would be much better to follow herein charitable Counsels, and to remember what the Apostle St. James tells us, That he shall have Judgment with- out Mercy, that hath shewed no Mercy, ch. 2. v. 13.
The Third and last Restriction or Limitation which must be applyed to the Principle here advanced by the Answerers, is, That the Cognizance of all these Differences, which often have an Influence on Civil and Temporal Concerns belongeth either to Ecclesiastical Judges, or to Civil and Lay Judges. So that where the Ecclesiastical Judges, to whom generally the Determination belongeth, are too remote, as hath been often said upon this occa- sion, the Cognizance thereof naturally devolveth upon the Civil and Lay Judges, who have likewise some Right, Power and, Inspection over Ecclesiastical Affairs, according to our Discipline and Books of Divinity, as appears by the Passages which I have already cited. And how then can the Answerers tell us, That this is no way regarded by the Civil Government ? They will excuse me if I tell them, that they do not well understand the matter.
5. And now, what shall I answer to so many loose, general and indetermined Accusations and Reproaches, with which they fill up their Answers against me ? 'Tis their part to explain themselves more fully herein, and to specifie the particular Facts ; for otherwise it is impossible for me to justifie myself,
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as my Lawyers inform me. For instance, they insinuate, pag. 4 That I have not performed my Engagement, and that I flaged in my Duty. But it belongs to them to shew in what I have failed in Performance of our Agreements : I have endeavored to fulfill them according to my weak Ability, and if every thing were examined in a strict equitable sence, I may one day let them see, that I have done more than I had obliged myself to do, as well by the first as by the third of our Agreements . for as to the second, it relates only to the Salary.
They say, I have broached Innovations amongst them, contrary to the said Contract and the Constitution of our Church. But it belongs to them to shew what these Innovations are, and how they are contrary either to my Engagements, or to the Constitution of our Churches, or to the Principles received among us, and whether their dear Moulinars may not be as much, or more justly accused of them than I.
They say, That I have put them at Defiance, with many oppro- brious and vile Expressions, &c. But it belongs to them to make good Proofs of the Facts, and by credible Witnesses. And besides, who has ever heard that a Minister was deposed, and the payment of his Salary refused him, on account of ill ground- ed Suspicions, or words hastily spoken, and perhaps wrongfully reported, and to which themselves may have given just occasion? Don't they fall thereby under the Censure which God hath de- clared by the Prophet Isaiah against those that make a Man an offender for a Word, and lay a snare for him that Reproveth in the Gate, and turn aside the Just for a thing of Nought ?- ch. 29, v. 21.
In order to support these fine Suspicions, which, without Rea- son, they have taken of me, and the Defiance to which (they say) I have put them, they would insinuate, as it seems, " That I and my Subscribers are minded to set up another French Congrega- tion in New-York by ourselves, or to go over to the Church of England, as by Law Established, or the Presbyterian - Profession [Here is something which their Malice hath thought of, but they have not thought fit to express it.] And all this they advance or suggest without ground and against this some of our Subscribers have already prepared an authentic Declara- tion. I find them very extraordinary in telling us, That in such
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case they do not pretend to have, use or exercise any Coercive Pow- er to Restrain or Punish us for it, much less to Compel us to Return to them, &c. We know that very well, and we think it the in- terest of the English, both Episcopalians and Presbyterians to make their Reflections hereupon, and to judge of the Imperti- nence and Silliness of such an Allegation.
But they have still more Assurance when they tell us, That they are not insensible of the Methods I have taken to get a number of Subscriptions in my favour. It was not possible to take a fairer and more direct Method than I have done, to make all the members of the Church explain themselves as fully as I could upon the Important Affair now in question. But these Gentle- men ought to blush at the unworthy and fraudulent manner which they have used to bring in People to sign against me, making them believe that it was for the peace and good of the Church ; and thus abusing the sacred name of Peace, and covering themselves with the Cloak of Hypocrisie, without shewing this poor People, or at Mast without reading to several of them the Writing which they would have them sign.
" They were not ignorant either (they say) of my Contrivances " to remove the Jurisdiction of this matter to another Judicature." What is this Jurisdiction that I would decline ? If they mean their own, they are in the right of it, and I am not in the wrong, since they are my Adverse Party, and I hope no body will blame me for this. What is that other Judicature whither I would carry the affair ? One may see plainly that they have here his Excellency in view, who cannot be obliged to them for thus disputing his Right of Judicature. For why shall not any one apply to him, in case the affair be proper for him to take notice of ? And why should not I apply myself to him, if there is occasion, because it may be thought he has entertain'd some favourable Dispositions towards me ? especially since I ask him no Favour, but only Justice ?
They Reproach me afterwards, being prompted by their own Passion and Hatred against me, with having Heat, and a violent Temper ; I will not make any Apology for my own Temper, which I think needless, and indecent in any man to do. But I advise them rather to look back upon themselves, and consider their
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own Faults more than those of their Neighbours, that they may not incur the Censure which our Saviour Jesus Christ pronounceth in the Gospel against all proud Reprovers of others ; Why be- holdest thou the mote that is in thy Brothers Eye, but considerest not the Beam that is in thy own Eye ? or how wilt thou say lo thy Brother, let me pull out the Mote out of thine Eye, and behold a beam is in thine own Eye ? Thou Hypocrite, first cast out the Beam out of thine own Eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy Brothers Eye. Math. 7., 3, 4, 5.
They boast p. 5. That they also passed the like Censure formerly against other French Protestant Ministers for their Offences, which being particular to themselves the Government for the time Being was never made privy to it, &c. and although the then Gov- ernours might have heard thereof, yet did they never interpose or meddle therein, &c. There is a great deal of difference, with their leave, between these Cases and the present one. And on this occasion many things might be observed, which would not do them a great deal of honour, and which would revive some scandalous particulars, which it is convenient for them, should remain buried in oblivion; wherefore they would have done better to have said nothing of it, since likewise it hath nothing in common with the Affair we are now upon. For my part, I shall not trouble my self with what they have done with relation to others, I believe they never did any thing that was right with their Ministers, chiefly when they have been at variance with them. I know they have always been at war with them, to begin from the time Mr. Daille; and that the late Mr. Peiret, who was a worthy Minister, lived in torment among them, as some very credible Persons who were his friends, have assured me; I know that they have put their Ministers out, and that they always pretended to a Power to do it, and that they will always attempt it, as often as the Fancy takes them. But the time is come, when they must learn, that they have not this Power and Authority, according, to our Discipline, and that as for me, (Saving always his Majesty's Anthority over me, who am his Naturalized Subject) I depend only in Spirituals on the Synod of the Walloon Churches of Holland, who alone can suspend or deprive nie. If Governours formerly have not interposed or safe .-
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