138 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



sacramental vessels were removed to St. George's and were doubtless 

 used at the first service performed within its walls on July 19th, 1801, 

 when a sermon was preached by the newly-appointed minister, Rev. 

 George Wright, a loyalist refugee and former minister of St. Mark's 

 Church, Brooklyn, New York. These vessels consist of a chalice 

 with its paten-cover, a flagon of quasi-classical form and an alms 

 basin, which are engraved with the sacred monogram in a glory, and 

 the royal arms, and are inscribed: 



SAINT GEORGE, HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, A.D. 1779. 



Stamped on each vessel is the London hall-mark for 1778-79 with the 

 makers' mark of William Grundy and Edward Fernell. 



The presence of the royal arms would seem to suggest that the 

 vessels were a royal gift to the German church; but this suggestion 

 is put out of favour by the discovery of an item in the old German 

 manuscript book under date of 1st. January 1780, of the payment of 

 £57-2-1 for their purchase. Richard Jacob, a member of the church, 

 was deputed to make the purchase, and the authorisation for the 

 payment was signed by an Elder, Otto Wilhelm Schwartz. 



The writer of these notes was prevented by many circumstances 

 from visiting the other old Anglican churches of Nova Scotia in his 

 investigation of the history of old church silver. Subsequent enquiries 

 by letter have failed to establish the presence of old vessels in some 

 of these churches. 



Before taking farewell of the historic city of Halifax, the privilege 

 was granted of examining the Communion vessels of the old Presby- 

 terian Church there, now known as St. Matthew's. These comprise 

 both silver and pewter. In the more precious of these metals, the 

 earliest vessel is a plain and massive Baptismal bowl, inscribed: 



The Gift of FRANCIS WHITE Esqr. to the first Protestant Dissenting 

 Church in HALIFAX Octo^ 25th, 1769. 



The maker of this doubly interesting relic of the first Protestant 

 Dissenting Church at Halifax was Benjamin Hurd of Boston or 

 Roxbury, Massachusetts. (1739-1781). 



The next vessel in point of date is a plain oval-shaped com- 

 munion cup on a stem and base with beaded edges which is inscribed : 



The Legacy of Mr. Joseph Pierpoint To the Protestant Desenting 

 Congregation in Halifax Nova Scotia 1772. 



A shield of arms, a lion rampant surrounded by ten rosettees, is 

 engraved on the cup, which was bought with this legacy four years 

 later. Stamped upon it is the London date-letter for 1776-1777 and 



