CHAP. I.

Prelimi

Union as

These colonial churches having, as the necessary consequence of the Revolution, lost the bond of union that was furnished them by the informal episcopatenary steps of the bishops of London, began, soon after the close towards a of the Revolutionary war, to consider the expediency a National of forming a union as a national church, which Church. should embrace all the dioceses, and have control of the spiritual interests that were common to them all, and be clothed with the powers necessary for that purpose, leaving, however, the control of all merely local interests to the respective congregations in the dioceses. The general drift of public sentiment in this direction will be seen from the proceedings of meetings for consultation held by the clergy and laity in different states during the year 1784, and subsequently, and which led gradually to the framing and adoption of the Constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, in the year 1789.

A convention of the clergy and laity of the diocese of Pennsylvania met in Christ Church, Philadelphia, on the 24th of May, 1784, which, as stated by Bishop White, was the first ecclesiastical assembly in any state consisting partly of lay members, and in which the first advances were made towards a general organization. The result of their deliberations was the establishing of the following principles, as a foundation for the formation in the future, of an ecclesiastical body for the Church at large.

"Ist. That the Episcopal Church in these states "is, and ought to be independent of all foreign "authority, ecclesiastical or civil.

CHAP. I.

"2d. That it hath, and ought to have, in common "with all other religious bodies, full and exclusive powers to regulate the concerns of its own com"munion.

"3d. That the doctrines of the Gospel be main"tained as now professed by the Church of England, "and uniformity of worship continued, as near as "may be, to the liturgy of the said Church.

4th. That the succession of the ministry be agreeable to the usage which requireth the three "orders of bishops, priests, and deacons; that the "rights and powers of the same, respectively, be as"certained, and that they be exercised according to "reasonable laws, to be duly made.

"5th. That to make canons or laws, there be no "other authority than that of a representative body of "the clergy and laity conjointly.

"6th. That no powers be delegated to a general "ecclesiastical government, except such as cannot be 'conveniently exercised by the clergy and laity, in "their respective congregations.”

66

The proceedings which led to the meeting of this convention, as given by Bishop White and taken from the journal in his possession, will be found in his Memoirs of the Church, p. 93. A meeting of the clergy of Boston was also held on the 8th day of September, 1784, in which the following resolutions were adopted:

"Ist. That the Episcopal Church in the United "States is, and ought to be, independent of all foreign "authority, ecclesiastical and civil. But it is the "opinion of this convention, that this independence

"be not construed or taken in so rigorous a sense, as to "exclude the churches in America, separately or col"lectively, from applying for and obtaining from "some regular Episcopal foreign power, an Ameri"can Episcopate.

"2d.

That the Episcopal Church in these states "hath, and ought to have, in common with all other "religious societies, full and exclusive powers to "regulate the concerns of its own communion.

"3d. That the doctrines of the Gospel be main"tained, as now professed by the Church of Eng"land, and uniformity of worship be continued, as "near as may be, to the liturgy of the said church.

"4th. That the succession of the ministry be "agreeable to the usage which requireth the three "orders of bishops, priests, and deacons; that the "rights and powers of the same be respectively ascer"tained, and that they be exercised according to rea"sonable laws to be duly made.

5th. That the power of making canons and "laws be vested solely in a representative body of the clergy and laity conjointly, in which body the laity "ought not to exceed, or their votes be more in num"ber than those of the clergy.

6th. That no power be delegated to a general "ecclesiastical government, except such as cannot "conveniently be exercised by the clergy and ves"tries in their respective congregations.'

The resolutions adopted by the convention of May, 1784, held in Philadelphia, were probably drawn by Bishop White, as the calling of the convention was first suggested by him, and he was chair

CHAP. I.

CHAP. I.

man of the clergy and committee that issued the call, and the leading man in the convention. The resolutions adopted at the meeting of the clergy in Boston were copied substantially from those of the Philadelphia convention. These resolutions are important, as showing the objects which the representative churchmen of that day had in view in the organization of a general national Church.

Under an arrangement made by the clergy of the cities of New York and Philadelphia, a meeting of several of the clergy from the dioceses of New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, was held in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in May, 1784, being, as stated by Bishop White, the first communication between the clergy of different states. Little was done at this meeting, except to advise those present of the proceedings of the convention held in Philadelphia, to discuss the principles of an ecclesiastical union, and listen to suggestions in reference thereto. See Memoirs of the Church, p. 83.

Another informal meeting for consultation was held in the city of New York, in October, 1784, made up of clergy and laity from the dioceses of Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, when the following form of recommendation was adopted:

Ist.

"That there shall be a General Convention "of the Episcopal Church in the United States of "America.

2d. "That the Episcopal Church in each state "send delegates to the Convention, consisting of "clergy and laity.

3d. "That associated congregations in two or more states, may send deputies jointly.

4th. "That the said Church shall maintain the "doctrines of the gospel, as now held by the Church

of England, and shall adhere to the liturgy of said "Church as far as shall be consistent with the Ameri"can Revolution and the constitutions of the respect"ive states.

5th. "That in every state where there shall be "a bishop duly consecrated and settled, he shall be “considered a member of the Convention, ex-officio.

6th. "That the clergy and laity assembled in "convention shall deliberate in one body, but shall "vote separately; and the concurrence of both shall 'be necessary to give validity to every measure.

66

7th. "That the first meeting of the Convention "shall be at Philadelphia, the Tuesday before the "feast of St. Michael next, to which it is hoped and earnestly desired that the Episcopal Churches in "the several states will send their clerical and lay deputies, duly instructed and authorized to pro"ceed on the necessary business herein proposed for "their deliberation."

The delegate from Connecticut, however, took no part in the proceedings further than to announce to the meeting that the clergy of Connectic it had taken measures for obtaining an Episcopate, and could do nothing until that should be accomplished; but that, as soon as they should have succeeded, they would come forward with their bishop for the doing of what the general interests of the Church might require.

CHAP. I.