USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > A historical account of Christ Church, Philadelphia : from its foundation, A.D. 1695, to A.D. 1841 : and of St. Peter's and St. James's, until the separation of the churches > Part 4
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called him beyond sea, and who offered his . service to the church," is empowered, while abroad, to circulate a petition of the vestry, " requesting all well disposed people to contri- bute towards the rebuilding of the church."
1732.
March 16. From the proceedings of the vestry under this date, we learn, that those " persons who were appointed to procure sub- scriptions towards the building the old part of the church, had made no progress therein." And as there was " an absolute necessity to pull down that ruinous part of the old building in a very short time, it is ordered, that the church wardens draw up a preamble for the said subscriptions, in order to be proceeded upon after Easter."
It being understood, " that his honour the governor was desirous to have a seat appoint- ed him in the new gallery," the church war- dens are requested to " wait upon the governor and know his pleasure therein, and report the same to the next vestry." And " inasmuch as since the new addition to the church is completed, and the galleries erected therein, the pulpit stands too remote from that part of the church for the people to hear distinctly, so 6*
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as to receive full benefit, Resolved, that the pulpit be removed further into the body of the church, with all convenient speed."
May 26. "Joshua Maddox and James Bing- ham, wardens, reported that they had waited on his honour the governor, and that he declin- ed having a seat in the gallery, and desired one where the pulpit, now removed, formerly stood. Ordered, that a handsome one be made accordingly, and that the church wardens, when it is done, request the governor to view it, that, if approved, the other before the com- munion table may be pulled down." At a meet- ing of the vestry the next day, " the governor appearing and approving the pew appointed for him, the other was immediately taken down."
Doctor Hugh Graham, of Philadelphia, " be- queathed by his last will and testament, the sum of one hundred pounds towards carrying on the building of the church."
June 30. " The ruinous state of the old part of the church being under consideration, and a new subscription roll being prepared, was read and approved, and the vestry present severally subscribed."
There are no minutes of the vestry preserv- ed, from October, 1732, to April, 1735; in which time the eastern end of the present build-
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ing was commenced. In May 25th, of the last named year, we find the following allusion to the new part of the church; " It is agreed that what money may come into the hands of the church wardens by the box, shall be applied to the finishing the outside of the church, after the expense of the double gallery and stair-case is paid, in order that the scaffold poles may be taken down."
1736.
The Rev. Mr. Richard Peters came from England, and by request of the Rev. Mr. Cum- mings, rector of Christ Church, assisted him in preaching and reading prayers for six months; from November 1735 to May 23d, 1736. In August following it was " Ordered, that my lord bishop of London be addressed by this vestry in favour of the Rev. Richard Peters, praying his lordship to grant him letters of li- cense to exercise his function in order to be an assistant to the Rev. Mr. Cummings." This application was granted, and the Rev. Mr. Peters officiated for a few months as assistant, when a misunderstanding arose between him and the rector, and he resigned ;* in conse-
* The account of this difficulty, which led to Mr. Peters's resignation, is given in an introduction to two sermons, preached by him in Christ Church, July 3d, 1737; and printed the same year by Benjamin Frank- lin. These are in the Loganian Library.
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quence of which, at a meeting of the vestry July 28th, 1737, both wardens and twenty ves- trymen being present, the following address to the bishop of London was agreed upon and or- dered to be sent by first conveyance :
To the right reverend father in God, Edmund lord bishop of London :
The humble address of the vestry of Christ Church in Philadelphia :
May it please your lordship :
We most gratefully acknowledge the many obligations we are under to your lordship, not only for your general care of the church, but in particular for the last instance of your goodness in favouring the application which was made by the reverend our minister, at our instance, for the reverend Mr. Peters to be our assistant.
And although this gentleman, for reasons which we humbly beg leave to say appear to us to be just, has thought fit to decline continuing to give his assistance, yet we shall, upon all occasions, endeavour to testify the sense we have of the great regard your lordship has shown to this church and congregation, in that appointment.
And we humbly beg leave to say, that though your ap- pointment of Mr. Peters has not pleased some few among us, yet it is true that during the time he has exercised his ministerial function in this city, he has given great satisfac- tion in general to our congregation, and has been of real service to the church of England ; to which, by his con- duct both in the pulpit and out of it he has drawn great numbers of the more understanding dissenters of all per- suasions. And as we are all assured that it is a pleasure to your lordship at all times to hear of the prosperity of
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the church of England, and especially of that part of it more especially under your lordship's care, at the same time we hope your lordship will pardon our taking the liberty in expressing our duty and gratitude to your lordship for the care of this church, and in doing justice to the Rev. Mr. Peters, who we humbly beg leave to say is truly deserving of the favour conferred upon him by your lord- ship, in allowing him to be assistant to the minister of this church. May the God of heaven long preserve your lord- ship as an ornament to the church of England in the king- dom where you live, and as father to the church abroad, within his majesty's dominions under your jurisdiction. We most humbly ask your lordship's blessing, and beg leave to subscribe ourselves,
May it please your lordship, your lordship's most dutiful, most obedient, and most humble sons and servants.
It will be seen, in the course of this history, that the Rev. Mr. Peters was made rector of Christ Church, twenty-five years after this time ; and continued in that office until his death, in 1776.
1738.
The following letter from Dr. Gibson, bishop of London, is addressed to "the church war- dens of the church in Philadelphia," and from its date, no doubt, refers to the difficulties which had arisen in the church, in consequence
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of the dispute between the Rev. Messrs. Cum- mings and Peters. We copy from the original letter, now before us, in the bishop's own hand- writing.
Whitehall, Oct. 19th, 1738.
Gentlemen,
I have lately received a letter signed by you and several members of your vestry, in which you profess, as becomes serious and good christians, that what is past, you heartily desire may be forgot on all sides. This is a sure founda- tion of peace for the time to come, and what I hope all sides will practise and acquiesce in. In the course of such disputes some things are usually said on both sides through heat and passion, which one would wish had not been said ; and the sooner they are forgotten the better. At so great a distance, it is next to impossible for me, in such cases, to form an exact judgment of persons and things ; but there is one point which I am exceedingly clear in, that a contin- uance of the disputes among yourselves, on which side soever the fault had lain, must in a little time have been the ruin of that church. And as I heartily desire the welfare of your church, and every member of it, 'tis a particular satisfaction to me to see so good a disposition to peace.
I do not remember that I have ever given occasion, either by word or writing, to suspect that I pretend to any more right than that of licensing the person who is to be your minister, and who cannot regularly be received, either in your government or any other of the plantations, with- out such license. And I am so far from discouraging the education of your own children for the ministry, that I have heartily laboured, though without success, to procure a
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settlement of two bishops in the plantations, one for the continent, and the other for the islands; chiefly with a view to make it more easy and less expensive to persons who have had their education there, to be admitted to holy orders.
I desire that this letter may be communicated to the ves- try ; and commending you and them to the divine blessing and protection, I remain, gentlemen,
Your faithful friend, EDM. LONDON.
1739.
The church being yet unfinished, and no funds in hand for completing it, another sub- scription paper was drawn up, with the follow- ing heading, viz. :
" Philadelphia, May 7th, 1739.
" Whereas, the Episcopal church of Philadelphia, hav- ing been long built, and much out of repair, as well as too small for the convenient seating of the congregation, it was therefore resolved, by two several vestries, in the year seventeen hundred twenty-seven, that a sum of money should be raised by subscription, for erecting a new, larger and more commodious building ; which good design, with much care and industry hath been carried on, the founda- tion of a steeple laid, and the body of the new church on the outside almost finished ; but the said subscription fall- ing short, and insufficient to complete the same, the inside of the church remains unfinished, and many of the congre- gation yet unprovided with pews for themselves and fami- lies ; which makes it necessary that some pews, a gallery, and other conveniences, should yet be added, as well as the
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whole finished ; for which pious and good purpose, we whose names are hereunto subscribed, do promise to pay to the church wardens of the said church, or such others as shall be appointed to receive the same for the use aforesaid, the sums of money by us respectively subscribed. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our names the date above written."
There are more than two hundred signatures to the above, and among them are those of the governor, George Thomas, for £50 .; the rec- tor, Archibald Cummings, £20 .; William Till, Thomas Bourne, John Kearsley, Thomas Leech, Charles Willing, Peter Evans, Andrew Bradford, Thomas Lawrence, William Hellier, Samuel Hasell, William Bell, Richard Peters, Benjamin Franklin, George McCall, Robert Assheton, James Humphreys, Richard Nixon, Joseph Shippen, Joseph Redman.
1740.
July 31. At a meeting of the vestry held this day, it was "Resolved, that the pulpit be removed to the east end of the middle aisle of the church, and that the church wardens confer with Dr. Kearsley and Mr. Leech concerning its situation and fixing the same."
1741. The Rev. Mr. Archibald Cummings died in
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April of this year ; having been rector of the church fourteen years and seven months. In April 8th, 1728, his marriage with Jane Eliza- beth Assheton is recorded. His labours must have been very arduous, judging from his pri- vate register now in the possession of Christ Church vestry, entitled, " A register of persons baptized, married and buried, within the city of Philadelphia, by Archibald Cummings, from Sept. 8th, 1726."
This register is continued from the above date down to January 31st, 1741 ; fourteen years and five months, nearly. The entries are all made in Mr. Cummings's handwriting, and the number recorded is as follows; baptisms, 1728; marriages, 851; burials, 1601. In many instances four, and sometimes even six, burials are recorded in one day.
The Rev. Mr. Eneas Ross came over from England in June of this year, two months after Mr. Cummings's death, and finding the church vacant he was induced to supply it until the bishop of London could be heard from. Mr. Ross continued to officiate in Christ Church until July 1743; the last few months as assis- tant to Dr. Jenney; he then removed from Philadelphia to take charge of the churches of Oxford and White Marsh.
7
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1742.
May 1. Mr. Ross having been in charge of the church nearly a year, it was this day "Or- dered, that an address be forthwith drawn up, signed, and sent to the lord bishop of London, Dr. Gibson, recommending the Rev. Mr. Encas Ross to his lordship's favour and protection, and to pray his lordship to license the said Mr. Ross to be the minister of this church, in case his lordship has not already appointed and licensed a minister for the same." Dr. Kears- ley and four other gentlemen of the vestry were appointed to draw up the address, which is in the following words, viz. :
To the right reverend father in God, Edmund, lord bishop of London. The humble address of the church wardens and vestry of Christ church in Phil- adelphia :
May it please your lordship :
Immediately after the death of the Rev. Mr. Cummings, our late worthy pastor, an address dated the 23d of April, 1741, was drawn up and sent to your lordship, from the then vestry of this church, humbly requesting your lord- ship to license and send over a minister to us, worthy of your lordship's esteem and fatherly advice ; to which ad- dress we have not hitherto been so happy as to receive any answer from your lordship.
The reverend missionaries of this province diligently officiated by turns in our church, until the arrival of the reverend Mr. Eneas Ross, who has since, by his prudent
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conduct and indefatigable pains, constantly supplied this cure, to the great satisfaction of the congregation ; where- by he has so justly merited a general esteem, that we, the church wardens and vestry, moved by our own inclinations, as well as by the frequent importunities of the parishioners, do unanimously request your lordship's license and appro- bation of him for this church, if, before this comes to hand, your lordship has not appointed another.
We are not insensible of the uneasiness and concern some different representations from this congregation may have given your lordship ; notwithstanding which, we hope the present vestry and members of this church in general, will always think it their indispensable duty zealously to pursue such measures, as may be most likely to promote true piety and virtue, secure the peace of this church, and establish unanimity among us, supported by a strict obser- vance of the wholesome rules and canons of the church of England as by law established ; always bearing a due regard to the rights and jurisdiction of your lordship, our lawful diocesan ; in which high and dignified station may your lordship long continue, is the ardent prayer of,
May it please your lordship,
Your lordship's most dutiful sons and servants. Philadelphia, 27th May, 1742.
Signed by William Pyewell and John Ross, church war- dens.
Alexander Woodrop, Samuel Hasell, John Kearsley, Edward Bradley, William Clymer, Benjamin Morgan, John Hyatt, Richard Parker, William Maugridge, Peter Baynton, William Bulley, Peter Evans, William Chancel- lor, Joshua Maddox, Thomas Leech, George Plumley, William Bell, vestrymen.
July 6. Before any answer could be receiv-
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ed to the above address, the church wardens laid before the vestry the following letter ad- dressed to them by the Rev. Robert Jenney, one of the society's missionaries to New York, then in London, viz .:
Gentlemen,
I take the opportunity by Captain Wright to acquaint you that some of your friends and mine have desired me to go to Philadelphia, in order to settle there as minister of your church, if your congregation and I can agree upon the matter ; for I think no such thing should be done with- out a full agreement of both parties. To facilitate the affair, I have obtained my lord of London's license, and a letter from him to you, not by way of appointment but re- commendation, or rather his approbation of it. I am to go over in the Lancaster man of war, captain Warren, along with the governor of New York, captain Clinton. We are to sail in May, and hope to arrive in July. If we can bring all things to bear so that I shall remain with you, I do not in the least doubt our living agreeably to- gether. It shall be my study to do my part, being resolv- ed to approve myself in all things,
Your affectionate friend and servant,
ROBERT JENNEY.
London, April 12th, 1742.
In reply to this, the vestry directed a letter to be sent to New York, to meet Mr. Jenney on his arrival in that city, expressing their de- sire to receive him as their minister.
October 20. The vestry again met, when
.
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the following letters from Mr. Jenney and the bishop of London were laid before them :
New York, Oct. 12th, 1742.
Gentlemen,
Having arrived yesterday, I received your kind letter of the 8th of July, signifying your ready compliance with my lord of London's license to me to be minister of your con- gregation ; and professing your hope that by our joint en- deavours, in the discharge of our respective duties and obligations to each other, we may, by the blessing of God, live together in that peaceable harmony which becomes true members of the Church of England. I thank you heartily for the first, and make no doubt of the other, since I am fully resolved by the grace of God, if we come together, to do my part toward it, and make no question of the con- gregation doing theirs.
But whereas I am credibly informed that there are divi- sions amongst you, and that some oppose my settlement there ; and considering that I am easy in my parish of Hempstead, and am indulged by my superiors the liberty of choosing in which place to settle, I must beg the favour to be informed how that affair stands, and withal whether I may depend upon being instated in the same rights and privileges which the late reverend Mr. Cummings enjoyed, without which I cannot think of removing from Hemp- stead. I send enclosed my lord of London's letter, and am
Your most humble servant, ROBERT JENNEY.
Directed to William Pyewell and John Ross,
Church wardens of Philadelphia. 7
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Whitehall, March 29, 1742.
Gentlemen,
I have waited a good while, in hopes of hearing that the differences among yourselves about a new minister were adjusted, and that you had unanimously agreed in recom- mending some worthy person to be licensed by me, or in desiring me to send such an one from hence. It could not be supposed that I should send any person who had no other concern in the plantations, under an uncertainty whether he would be received or not, but as the bearer, Mr. Jenney, is and has long been a missionary from the Society here, to a cure in the province of New York, and is a person whom I believe to be exceedingly well qualified in all respects to succeed your late worthy minister, Mr. Cummings ; I was willing upon his return from hence to his cure in New York to grant him a provisional license to your church, on supposition that he would be received there in such a manner as might encourage him to quit his present mission, and remove to Philadelphia.
I have nothing in view but the peace and welfare of your church, and earnestly recommending it to you all to pursue the same good end, I pray for the divine blessing upon you and your proceedings, and remain,
Your assured friend, EDMUND LONDON.
For the gentlemen of the vestry at Philadelphia.
The above having been read, it was "Or- dered, that the wardens forthwith return an answer to Mr. Jenney's letter, and invite him hither, under the same privileges and advan- tages allowed the late reverend Mr. Cummings, and request Mr. Jenney to accept and approve
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OF CHRIST CHURCH.
of the reverend Mr. Eneas Ross to be his as- sistant in this church."
Dr. Jenney promptly accepted this invitation, and at a meeting of the vestry, November 8th, he produced a license from the lord bishop of London, appointing him minister of this church, as follows, viz :
Edmund, by divine permission, bishop of London, to our beloved in Christ, Robert Jenney, Dr. of Laws, clerk, greeting :
We do hereby give and grant to you, in whose fidelity, morals, learning, sound doctrine, and diligence, we do fully confide, our license and authority, to continue only during our pleasure, to perform the ministerial office in Christ Church, in Philadelphia, in the colony of Pennsylvania, in reading the common prayer and performing other ecclesi- astical duties belonging to said office, according to the form prescribed in the book of common prayer, made and pub- lished by authority of parliament, and the canons and constitutions in that behalf lawfully established and pro- mulged, and not otherwise, nor in any other manner. You having first before us subscribed the articles, and taken the oaths, which in this case are by law required to be subscribed and taken. In witness whereof, we have caused our episcopal seal to be hereto affixed. Dated at Whitehall, the thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty-two, and in the nineteenth year of our translation.
EDMUND [SEAL] LONDON.
At this meeting Dr. Jenney acquainted the
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vestry that he " gladly approved of, and receiv- ed, the reverend Mr. Eneas Ross for his assist- ant in this church." The following address to the bishop of London, Dr. Gibson, was pre- pared and signed by both wardens, and sixteen vestrymen :
To the right reverend Edmund, lord bishop of London. May it please your lordship,
We, the church wardens and vestrymen of Christ Church in Philadelphia, beg leave to return to your lord- ship our grateful acknowledgments, for your fatherly care and regard for us, in approving and sending over the rev- erend Dr. Robert Jenney to the cure of this church ; a person so exceedingly well qualified for so great a trust ; and we have well grounded hopes that by his wise conduct and pious labours, we shall continue to promote that peace and unanimity recommended to us by your lordship's most affectionate letter, which we heartily thank your lordship for.
We have the pleasure to assure your lordship, even in the short time the reverend Dr. Jenney has been among us, it appears to be the zealous inclination of every mem- ber of our numerous congregation to recommend them- selves to your lordship's favour, by a behaviour becoming true members of a christian church ; and the more effec- tually to support and improve the happy peace and unanim- ity in our church, we have that humble confidence in your lordship's known goodness, that your lordship will continue to us in the person of Dr. Jenney, those usual favours of
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OF CHRIST CHURCH.
your lordship's fatherly advice and assistance, which your lordship has always shown to his predecessors here.
May your lordship long continue to enjoy the dig- nified station in which you are deservedly placed, in health, ease, and happiness, is the ardent prayer of, may it please your lordship, Your lordship's most dutiful
Sons and Servants.
'The following remarks on the above corres- pondence are so judicious and appropriate, that we gladly transfer them from the pages of the Episcopal Magazine of 1820.
" We cannot read the foregoing papers, and recur to the circumstances under which they were written, without admiring on the one hand, the prudent and pious care manifested by the bishop of London over this distant con- gregation, and on the other the dignified course pursued by the vestry, and their uniform submission and respect to that authority under which they were placed. The relation in which a bishop stands to the individual church- es under his care is one of the most solemn and interesting which can well be conceived. If he be a conscientious man, and under the influence of that high responsibility imposed upon him by his consecration vows, we may suppose his whole heart engaged in the pro- motion of the great ends of his office, his
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whole time devoted to serious reflection upon the best interests of the flock committed to his care ; and all his opinions are intitled to the greatest respect. It augurs well when such authority is regarded with veneration, when the opinion and advice of the bishop is considered paramount to individual predilec- tions, and the people under rule are seen on all occasions looking up to their spiritual shep- herd, inquiring the way at his hand. This we are inclined to believe is a greater security for that order which constitutes the perfection of our ecclesiastical institutions, than respect for an individual, however exalted, or well deserv- ed; it is a religious principle operating under all circumstances to the promotion of the same end, while the other will always be found wavering under peculiar embarrassments, and preferring private prejudices to the public good. In this point of view the course adopted by the vestry in relation to this as well as other circumstances involving the superintendence of the bishop of London, presents an example worthy the imitation of all vestries ; and affords a striking evidence of the superiority of our church discipline, when it is exercised with piety and judgment, and submitted to as be- cometh christians."
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