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 8
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in distress. We have taken pains to get the number of the distressed, and upon a strict inquiry, we find seven hundred and fifty families have abandoned their plantations ; the greatest number of which have lost their crops, some their stock and furniture ; and besides those, we are informed that there are about two hundred women and children com- ing down from Fort Pitt. We also find that the sums of money already sent up are almost expended, and that each family has not received twenty shillings upon an average ; although the greatest care has been taken to distribute it to those alone, who appeared the greatest objects of dis- tress. The unhappy sufferers are dispersed through every part of this county, and many have passed through into York. Their exact number we cannot possibly ascertain ; we can only inform you, that in this town and its neighbor- hood, there are upwards of two hundred families, many of which are in the greatest exigence ; the small pox and flux raging much among them ; and from hence you may form a judgment of the numbers distressed through the other parts of this county, as well as that of York. The other sums being almost expended, we conceived that immediate relief should be sent up, that those poor people may be enabled to employ a physician for the recovery of their sick, as well as to purchase bread for their families ; and this alone is what their present necessities call for.
We are, &c.,
Signed, WILLIAM THOMSON,
Itinerant Missionary for the counties of York and Cum- berland.
FRANCIS WEST, THOMAS DONNELLAN,
Wardens of the Episcopal Church, Carlisle.
In consequence of this information, a large
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supply of flour, rice, medicine, and other neces- saries, were immediately forwarded by the vestry, for the relief of the sufferers. And to enable those, who chose to return to their plantations, to defend themselves against future attacks of the Indians, " the vestry are of opin- ion that they should be furnished with two chests of arms, and half a barrel of powder, 400 pounds of lead, 200 of swan shot, and 1000 flints." These were accordingly sent, with instructions to " sell them to such prudent and good people as are in want of them, and will use them for their defence, for the prices charged in the invoice."
October 17. At a meeting of the vestry held this day, a letter was laid before them, from the bishop of London, dated Fulham, May 24th, 1763," signifying his approbation of the appointment of the Rev. Messrs. Peters and Sturgeon, as rector and assistant in the united churches. In that letter, the bishop says, "From the credentials which have been transmitted to me, both from the missionaries and others of the clergy of Pennsylvania, and also from Mr. Sturgeon and Mr. Duché, your assistant ministers, concerning Mr. Peters's moral character, I can entertain no doubt but it is altogether unexceptionable, and therefore I
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do approve of your appointment of him to be your rector in the churches aforesaid. I de- pend on it, Mr. Peters will embrace the first convenient opportunity of coming to England, and he will find me disposed to grant him a license in due form."
The following letter was also laid before the vestry from the Rev. Dr. William Smith, pro- vost of the college in Philadelphia, at that time in London.
" To the church wardens and vestrymen of Christ Church and St. Peter's, in Philadelphia.
London, June 4th, 1763.
Gentlemen,
The Rev. Mr. Peters, your rector, having done me the honour to transmit, through my hands, your address to the lord bishop of London, I lost no time in delivering the same, and have at length received his lordship's answer, most cordially approving your choice of Mr. Peters, and also giving his approbation of Mr. Sturgeon, in regard to his general good character, though he has not quite escaped his lordship's censure in the affair of the irregular marriage complained of. You will perceive that his lord- ship insists on it, as necessary both for Mr. Peters and Mr. Sturgeon to come to England, to be regularly licensed ; and this the strict 'rules of the church would require. But as one sea voyage of six thousand miles, backwards and forwards, for ordination, is already a burden under which our American church groans grievously, his lordship is far from expecting that the clergy will increase this bur- den, by coming a second, third or fourth time, as often as
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there may be any new bishop, or any new appointment for a clergyman himself. His lordship only thinks that, as this is regular, his insisting on it may help to place in a stronger light the inconveniency of our not enjoying on the spot, the full rights of a christian church, as to the good discipline of the clergy, and keeping up a succession in the holy office of the ministry ; and trusts that these, and the like things, may lead the administration here to consider seriously at last of this matter. But the time seems yet at a distance ; and indeed while things are so unsettled at home, we cannot be much thought of abroad.
I thought it necessary to be thus particular in regard to the paragraph in the bishop's letter ; and if you make any record of it in your books, as I doubt not you must, it will be extremely proper to enter likewise this explanation, or the substance of it, lest it should have a construction put upon it, which it was not meant to bear, namely, as subjecting the American clergy to new inconveniencies, which might deter many from taking holy orders in our church.
I have seen the draft of your charter, which is a good one; only I think power should have been reserved to the vestry, if they should ever find it convenient, to con- stitute a separate head for each church, under such regu- lations as they might think proper. A time may come, when they would find this a very necessary power. A few words would have conveyed it to them, and if they should never have occasion to use it, it would have stood very innocently on the face of the charter. Mr. Penn seems well disposed to pass the charter, and oblige the people of the church, as soon as he has received his solici- tor's advice as to the law parts of it. If any solicitation of mine be necessary, it shall not be wanting in this or any
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other business, where I can serve the general cause of re- ligion, or the particular one of your church.
I rejoice to hear of the christian harmony that subsists among you, and am sure that under so good a man as Mr. Peters, and his assistants, it must continue to flourish ; which is the sincere prayer of,
Gentlemen, your affectionate humble servant, WILLIAM SMITH."
November 2. A subscription of £500. is obtained towards purchasing an organ for Christ Church ; and a committee is appointed to collect said subscription, and more, if neces- sary; with instructions "to make the best agreement they can with Mr. Philip Feyring, who built the organ now in St. Peter's Church, and to employ him in the said service for Christ Church."
November 9. The following address to Governor Penn, on his arrival in the colony, was laid before the vestry for their approbation.
" To the honourable John Penn, esquire, lieutenant govern- or and commander in chief of the province of Penn- sylvania, and counties of Newcastle, Kent and Sussex upon Delaware.
The address of the rector, ministers, church wardens and vestrymen, of the united congregations of Christ Church and St. Peter's, in the city of Philadelphia.
May it please your honour,
We, the rector, ministers, church wardens and vestrymen, of the united churches of Christ Church and 13
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St. Peter's, in this city, beg leave to offer you our hearty congratulations upon your arrival to the government of this province. Amongst the many objects that call for the care and protection of that authority with which you are now invested, the interests of religion and virtue demand a principal place ; and few temporal blessings can that state expect to receive, where God is not publicly honour- ed, and the Gospel of the blessed Jesus countenanced and revered. We trust, therefore, that you will be the happy instrument, in the hands of heaven, of recommending and enforcing, by your influence and example, the practice of true religion and virtue among us. It is with pleasure we embrace this opportunity of sincerely and thankfully - acknowledging the many obligations we are under to that honourable and benevolent family, whose name you bear, and to which you stand so nearly allied. The large benefac- tion, which the members of these united churches have re- ceived from them, we hope will ever be remembered with the warmest gratitude. To your kind patronage and pro- tection as our governor, and as a member of the church of England, we humbly recommend the churches under our care, sincerely imploring the divine blessing upon your ad- ministration : by which alone it can become a comfort to yourself, and a happiness to those over whom you are ap- pointed to preside.
Signed by order of the vestry.
RICHARD PETERS, Rector.
November 9, 1763."
" The vestry then waited on the governor, and delivered their address; to which his honour was pleased to return the following answer."
...:: : 1
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OF CHRIST CHURCH.
" Gentlemen,
I thank you for your kind congratulations on my arrival. can sincerely assure you, that the established church will nd in me a hearty readiness to promote their prosperity, and to do them every good office in my power. The pro- prietaries cannot but be pleased with your warm expres- sions of gratitude, which I shall not fail to communicate to them by the first opportunity."
1764.
April 3. " The members of the vestry, who frequently attended while the children of the united congregations were improved in the art of psalmody, reported that they had observed Mr. William Young, in conjunction with the secre- tary, Mr. Hopkinson,* to take great and con- stant pains in teaching and instructing the children; it was therefore unanimously agreed, that the thankful acknowledgments of this board be given Mr. Hopkinson and Mr. Young, for these their kind services, which they are requested still to continue."
June 13. The Rev. Mr. Peters acquaints the vestry of his intention of going to England, and his wish that the Rev. Dr. Smith should officiate occasionally for him during his ab- sence ; to which the vestry readily assented.
* The Honourable Francis Hopkinson, who was afterwards a judge of the United States district court, and one of the signers of the declara- tion of independence. He was a popular poet, and a distinguished jurist.
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A committee was appointed to prepare an address to the rector, in behalf of the vestry, on occasion of his going abroad, which address is as follows.
" Reverend Sir,
We, the ministers, church wardens, and vestrymen of the united congregations of Christ Church and St. Peter's, cannot suffer the present opportunity of your departure for England to pass, without testifying the grateful and affec- tionate sense which we must ever retain of your long and faithful services to our churches, both before and since your appointment to the rectorship of these congre- gations. The prudence of your conduct, your liberality, piety, and other good qualities, have endeared you to us ; and we shall not cease to offer up our sincere prayers to heaven, that you may be preserved from the dangers of the sea, restored in your health, and speedily returned to the exercise of your ministry among us.".
To which the rector returned the following answer.
" My dear fellow labourers in Christ, and you gentle- men of the vestry ; the affection expressed in your kind address, fills my breast with the tenderest sensibility. Could the bad state of my health, or my engagements to an absent branch of my family, have permitted, I would never have suffered the pain I now feel at the approach of my separation from you. And I do assure you, that it is my full purpose, with the divine permission, to return to you at the close of the next summer. Even this absence, though as short as it possibly can be, will appear tiresome
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to me. Continue in the agreeable harmony and affection in which I leave you. Be perfect. Be of good comfort. Be of one mind. Live in peace. . And may the God of love and peace be with you."
At this meeting, the rector informed the ves- try, " that the purchase of the lot in the south end of this city amounted to £500. sterling, and that the sale of the south sea stock amount- ed to no more than £284." He therefore very generously gave them £100. sterling, towards the purchase of the lot, and offered to lend them the balance of £116. sterling; which of- fer the vestry gladly accepted.
" An account was produced to the board from Mr. Robert Smith, for building a pulpit, reading desk, &c., and for erecting rails around the chancel in St. Peter's Church, amounting to £285. 13s. 3d."
1765.
January 7. " A proposal was made to the vestry to apply to the honourable house of the freemen of Pennsylvania, for liberty to raise, by way of lottery, £1500, in order to discharge the debts due for the building of St. Peter's Church, which amounted to near that sum. To this the vestry assented. Intimation being at the same time given that the members of the 13*
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1
church of England, in the county towns of York and Reading, had the same intentions of petitioning the house for liberty, to raise by way of lottery, £300. each, for erecting places of worship for their use in the said towns, it was thought expedient to draw one petition for the whole, that the three lotteries may be joined in one scheme." A petition to the house was accordingly drawn up, approved by the vestry, and "signed in behalf of the two congrega- tions," by the wardens. This petition sets forth, " that some years ago it was represented and made appear to the rector, church wardens and vestrymen of Christ Church, that by the late growth of this city and increase of the members of the church in it, many serious and well disposed persons in the communion and persuasion of the said church, were without the opportunity of attending regularly on the public exercises of religion, agreeable to the form which their consciences approved, by reason that they could not be accommodated with pews, or room in Christ Church aforesaid; and on account of the great distance it lay from many of them, which made their attendance inconvenient in the extremities of heat and cold. That the said rector, church wardens and ves- trymen, duly considering the premises, and be-
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ing desirous to promote the service of Almighty God, with which the welfare of society is insep- arably connected, did obtain a convenient lot for building a new church. That it being con- sidered that public buildings may be rendered among the chief ornaments of every city, and that the said proposed church would be of last- ing use to the public, it was determined to erect it in a commodious manner, with as much ele- gance as might be consistent with plainness and simplicity. That the members of the church of England in this city, determined to defray the expense of this building by contributions among themselves ; being unwilling to have recourse to lotteries, which were then very fre- quent for similar designs ; or to apply for assis- tance to other societies, who were generally labouring under burdens for finishing or enlarg- ing their own houses of worship. That a neat and convenient church, called St. Peter's, had been accordingly built, in union and under the same government with Christ Church aforesaid, at the joint expense of the members of both congregations, who have raised upwards of three thousand six hundred pounds among themselves for this purpose. But by the sud- den rise of the price of materials and labour, 1 your petitioners, who are the representatives of
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both congregations, find that they still are un- der a heavy debt of near fifteen hundred pounds, for finishing the said St. Peter's Church, for en- closing the burying ground, and purchasing an addition to it, as they are willing to make ap- pear to the house; which debt they have no prospect of being able to pay by further contri- butions among their own members ; as almost every person capable of contributing, has al- ready repeated his original subscription, and some who did subscribe are unable to perform their engagements. 'That under these circum- stances, your petitioners found they had no other resource, but to apply to the legislature · for aid by way of lottery."
The church wardens were directed to pre- sent the above petition to the house at a proper time.
April 15. " The committee for building an organ for Christ Church, reported, that the same was now ready to be put up ; the vestry therefore ordered, that the same should be erected in the west end of Christ Church afore- said, in the front of the gallery."
" Resolved, that two single [seats] should be built, one on each side of the communion ta- ble ; and the church wardens are desired to see the same accomplished as soon as possible."
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OF CHRIST CHURCH.
May 25. The following letter from the rec- tor, in England, was laid before the vestry.
London, 17th March, 1765.
Gentlemen,
When I arrived in London, I found your draught of a charter in the hands of the archbishop of Canterbury. Mr. Penn has the honour to be on very good and friendly terms with him; and as the archbishop had interested himself heartily for the academy, and expressed himself very hand- somely with respect to our churches, whose situation and occurrences he knew exactly well, Mr. Penn thought he could not be excused from laying the draught before his grace, and desiring it might be made agreeable to his judg- ment. His grace made some very weighty objections to it ; and I thought what his grace said carried reason in it, as to excluding your rector from sundry things incident to his office ; but I removed them in such a manner as did honour to my vestry and the congregation, and showed my own disinterestedness. The proprietaries, who really love the church, were greatly delighted at the thing, as it was agreeable to their own judgment. After this, my system for the recovery of my health obliged me to go to Liver- pool, and as the charter was not just then ready, I left it to be sent according to a promise, which Mr. Penn directed me to give to Dr. Kearsley, to whom he found me writing a letter, that it should be sent by the then next packet. However, after .I went away, other things occurred, and they did not think it right to make the least alteration with- out my consent. Do not imagine the least fault in Mr. Penn ; he always was, and always will be, well disposed to your churches and to your persons. As to the alterations, they were mostly such as I told you in vestry, and Mr.
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Penn's council thought should be made, viz. : That as the charter could not give you a power out of Pennsylvania, so the word (elsewhere) ought to be struck out ; and that it would be right to begin with a small sum in mortmain at first, because other churches would want like powers, and they might be better restrained when no more was given to you. As to this, you see it is put for the present at £600. which will do, as it is exclusive of the moneys aris- ing from pews and the burial ground, of which you have the sole disposition. I told the archbishop of your present. practice, which satisfied him tolerably well, but then he insisted I should make it a point with you, that the present appropriation of the pews to the rector and ministers, in some proportions or other, should be stipulated between us. The present proportions were well enough, as they arose from my desire ; but these will admit of alterations, as you may see occasion hereafter. If any change be made in vestry, let the new charter conform to it. Wait on the governor very respectfully. Orders are given to my bro- ther to convey the lots to the churches ; but as the trust will be difficult to be expressed, so as to preserve that part of the lot which is bought with the society's money, for the use of the rector of Christ Church, and that which is bought with my money, (for I suppose nobody will now contribute a farthing) to the minister of St. Peter's, if ever separated, I think it would be better to postpone this affair to my return. I am the only loser. My heart is with you, and as my vows are made to heaven to devote the remainder of my life to prepare you and myself for another world, I shall not suffer any opportunity of embarkation for your city to pass, that shall offer after the first of August. London is very disagreeable to me. To-morrow I go to Bristol to drink the waters. As I know any thing I can say in favour of my health will give you pleasure, I tell
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OF CHRIST CHURCH.
you with truth and satisfaction, and abundance of thanks to my good God, that I am likely to be restored to my for- mer health. To the divine protection and favour I com- mit you; praying for you and yours, and for my dear con- gregations, with the utmost fervency. .
I am, with the most cordial esteem, dear gentlemen, Your most affectionate and faithful pastor,
RICHARD PETERS. To the church-wardens and vestrymen of Christ Church and St. Peter's.
A copy of the charter was received with the above letter, and read in vestry.
June 28. "This day the charter granted by the honourable proprietaries of this prov- ince to the united churches of Christ Church and St. Peter's in this city, signed by the hon- ' ourable John Penn, Esq., lieutenant governor, and under the great seal of this province, for incorporating the rector, church wardens, and vestrymen of the said united congregations, and enabling them to take, receive and hold, lands, &c., was brought into vestry and distinct- ly read, paragraph by paragraph; and thereupon the question was put, Whether this vestry will receive and accept the said charter of incor- poration ? And thereupon resolved, nemine contradicente, That this vestry do now receive and accept the said charter."
It was then " Ordered, that the thanks of
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this vestry be given to the honourable proprie- 1
taries, and to John Penn, Esq., their lieutenant governor, for their favour in granting the said charter," which was accordingly done in the words following, viz. :
To the honourable Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esquires, true and absolute proprietaries of the province of Pennsylvania, &c.
The humble address of the rector, church wardens and vestrymen of the united Episcopal churches of Christ Church and St. Peter's Church, in the city of Philadel- phia, in the province of Pennsylvania.
Honoured Gentlemen,
With the most unfeigned sincerity permit us to express our deep sense of your constant readiness to pro- mote the interests of religion and knowledge in this prov- ince, and more particularly your benevolence and kindness to the members of the church of England in this city, · which have laid the congregations we represent under pe- culiar ties of gratitude to you. Your generous and free gift of a lot for St. Peter's Church, gave us an opportunity some years ago to offer our warmest acknowledgments to you, which we are now called to repeat, by a fresh instance of your indulgence in granting our churches A CHARTER OF INCORPORATION, which has been most gratefully accept- ed. By the aid and sanction of this charter, we trust, the benefactions of pious persons to charitable uses in our con- gregations may be more effectually managed, and the order, government and decorum, of our churches better maintained. As these were the purposes for which this charter was humbly solicited on our part, and kindly granted on yours, it shall be our endeavour, as we hope it
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will be that of our successors, to make use of it only for these important ends.
Praying for every happiness, temporal and eternal, to you and your families, we are, with the utmost esteem and gratitude, honoured gentlemen, yours, &c.,
RICHARD PETERS, Rector.
CHARLES STEDMAN, Church- TOWNSEND WHITE, S wardens.
Phila., Feb. 17, 1766.
December 28. The Rev. Mr. Peters having returned from England, the vestry went in a body to the parsonage house, to offer him " their sincere and hearty congratulations on his safe arrival."
1766.
July 31. The Rev. Mr. Sturgeon, in con- sequence of ill health, resigns his office as assistant minister in the united churches ; hav- ing officiated in that capacity for nineteen years.
August 18. " As the school house was now vacant, and the vestry were without any room to meet and do business in, and the rec- tor had it not in his power, for want of room in the parsonage house, to lodge any of the clergy who might come to town on their own business, or be inclined to come and offer their services to the churches, it was unanimously 14
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