been already an appeal to them, on the constitutionality of the sale of a body of land, of the propriety of which they knew nothing. The appeal was made to them individually. But, had they given their determinations in that form, without discussion, and without a comparing of their opinions, it would surely not have been a wise expedient. As to the other proposal, of noticing the concerns of the body applying; it was perhaps from some oversight, that a copy of the proceedings was not sent. It ought not to be supposed, that the General Convention was expected to sanction them, in utter ignorance of their nature and of their tendency.

It will not be foreign to the purpose, to record from what cause, there originated the combining of the presidency of the college with the Episcopacy of the diocese.

When Bishop Chase was collecting in England, certain contributions were made, for the declared purpose of founding a theological seminary, to be always under the care of the bishop for the time being. This feature of the present institution may well remain, because appendant to the Episcopacy, on such terms as not to be liable to be exercised to the displacing of the occupant of the latter. After the return of Bishop Chase, there was instituted Kenyon College, enlarging the sphere of instruction. This produces the incongruity complained of. It may be remedied by a legislative act; which would not interfere with the faith pledged to the English donors.

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The author of this continuation is still of the opinion, expressed in a former portion of it, and grounded, not only on the discrepancies of different judgments, but on the variety of taste, that it would have been better to have left the whole book untouched. In this case every parish minister would have been at liberty, either to cause to be bound the whole of the said book with the Book of Common Prayer, or such parts of the former as he might judge the most edifying to his own congregation, and to any other persons who might prefer the acceptance of the volume in that form. It is well known, that in this Church, as in the Church of England, the use of the metre Psalms rests entirely on the ground of permission. The entertaining of these sentiments did not prevent the author, as a member of the committee, from giving his aid to the perfecting of the selection. Further, it is not intended to deny, that there

may profitably be a review of the whole version of Tate and Brady. But, it is a work which would require, besides other qualifications, a very exact knowledge of the original Hebrew.

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The most beneficial designs are liable to drawbacks. The munificent legacy of Frederick Kohne, Esq., although the benefit of it is not to come into present efficiency, has led too many to imagine, that the institution is sufficiently provided for. It will be to the dishonour of our Church, it the trustees should be under the necessity of anticipating this fund. At present, the expenses of the institution considerably exceed its income. Although the deficiency will be lessened by the later legacy of George Lorillard, Esq., of $20,000, to be paid within five years; yet it will fall short of the supply which the state of the funds demands. It ought to be made known, that the seminary is under the necessity of availing itself of the gratuitous services of some of its professors, in whole or in part; and that of those who give their time entirely to the labour of instruction, the compensation is far less than what is due to their talents and their assiduity.

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The rule of presidency is seniority merely; and seniority is to be estimated according to the dates of consecration respectively. When two or more bishops are consecrated together, seniority is to be determined by the dates of the election of them severally.

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At the time of the reformation, all the churches stood east and west. How it is with the many new churches lately built, is not here known. Certainly there is no law, ecclesiastical or civil, requiring such a position; and it may be rendered very inconvenient by the shape of a selected lot. The origin ascribed to the custom, in the expectation that the second coming of our Lord will be from the east, has been proved to be groundless, by our improved knowledge of the heavens and of the earth.

Still, the change now made, although agreeable to the

spirit of the rubric, is, in a slight degree, a departure from the letter of it. Perhaps, considering the ground on which our rubrics authoritatively rest, it would have been better to have made the present measure interpretative; affirming that when the spirit and the letter of an instrument are in opposition, the former should govern.

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What a wonderful change has the author lived to witness, in reference to American Episcopacy! He remembers the ante-revolutionary times, when the presses profusely emitted pamphlets and newspaper disquisitions on the question, whether an American bishop were to be endured; and when threats were thrown out of throwing such a person, if sent among us, into the river; although his agency was advocated for the sole purpose of a communion submitting itself to his spiritual jurisdiction. It is true, that the subject was entangled with the affirmed danger of subserviency to the designs of the government of the mother country, in her hostility to the rights of her colonies. Such was the effect of the combining of these two opposite interests, and so specious were the pretensions of the anti-episcopalian opposition to the measure, that it would have been impossible to have obtained a respectably signed lay petition for it, to our superiors in England, although to relieve us from the hardship of sending candidates for the ministry to that country, to be ordained. When, after the revolution, it was hoped that the door would be open for the accomplishing of the object, even among those who were zealous for the obtaining of it, there arose the question, whether, in deference to prejudice, there should not be dropped the name of bishop; and the succession be continued under another

name.

Behold the difference of result. The order has now existed among us for nearly the half of a century; and not a single complaint has been heard, either of usurpation to the injury of any other denomination, or of arbitrary government within our own. If, in one instance, there has been made the charge of such a character, it has not beer in the department of the Episcopacy, but in one of another

nature.

In regard as well to that property of ecclesiastical administration, as the Church herself, the author prays, in the words of father Paul, of Venice-"Esto perpetua."

BBB. Page 63. Of the Convention in 1835.

Bishop Chase had become severed from the diocese of Ohio, by the circumstance, that in the constitution of Kenyon College, there was the provision, that the presidency of it should be attached to the Episcopacy. The paramount authority of the institution was in a board of trustees. On a disagreement between them and the bishop in the management of the concerns, the latter resigned his collegiate station; which drew along with it the resignation of the diocesan Episcopacy. This fact ought not to be recorded, without notice of the impropriety of a provision, subjecting the bishop to any other tenure of his ecclesiastical station, than that provided by the canons. In a college, without any charge against the bishop in his Episcopal character, there may be dissatisfaction in the minds of the trustees, resulting in his resignation of the presidency, or, he may be dismissed by them. In the latter case, he is deposed from the Episcopacy, by a body consisting of presbyters and laymen. There is reason to expect, that this anomaly will be corrected.

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The writer of this was of opinion, that there would have been advantages beyond those of the present provision, if the choice of the Psalms to be read had been left to the officiating minister.

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When the liturgy of the Church of England was framed, all the churches stood east and west, with the chancel at the east end. In America, positions different from this are frequent, there being no law to the contrary. The rubric certainly intended, that the minister should stand at the right end of the table. The author has always acted on the principle, that the spirit of the rubric, being undeniable, should be preferred to the letter. But it was expelient, that the latter should be corrected.

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In the management of the concerns of missions, there

was no other embarrassment, than what arose between the domestic department and the foreign. The former has the advantage of its being a call as it were at our door, with its being less costly than the other; and of course admitting of more to be done with the same amount of means. Some, on these accounts, would have confined to it the exertions of our Church. Others, and it is here conceived the greater number, were for the making of it the prominent object, in consideration of the many and vast waste places of our Zion, but were also willing to apply to foreign missions what should be donations so designated. On the other hand, there was such an ardour for foreign missions in some minds, as seemed to make them more prominent than the domestic; although it was not denied, that these also should be sustained. Under the executive committee, every contributor was left to his or her choice, and it is now the same under the Board of Missions. Unfortunately, with the discussion of the subject, there was mixed the question of the place or the places of location. In the result, the domestic was located in New-York, and the foreign in Philadelphia; but with the hope of many, that both of them will be settled finally in the former city. The Board of Missions are competent to this; and it is thought, that considerable advantage will accrue from a concurrence of effort.*

The said board being clothed with considerable authority, and their doings being, in a degree, the agency of the Church during the times intervening between the General Conventions, it is thought proper to insert their constitution in the Appendix, No. 36.

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This measure was dictated by the great increase of population, in the lately settled counties of the state of NewYork. That the diocese had become too extensive and too populous for a single bishop, was generally agreed. But much doubt was entertained, as to its being now the wish of the greater number of the clergy and of the laity within its limits. In this originated the measure of sanctioning the principle of expediency, and of referring to a future convention the carrying of it into operation.

The author of this work, delivered at large his sentiments on the above point, and on the points connected with

*Both boards are now in New-York.