1780] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 35 



So vigorously did Dr. Smith set himself to work at his new 

 enterprise that ere the close of the year he had also charge of the 

 Kent County School, combining it with his own private class — a 

 CQmbination out of which grew Washington College, two years 

 afterwards. 



Immediately upon his going to Maryland he took a marked 

 position and influence in regard to the whole Episcopal Church in 

 that State. From Dr. Ethan Allen's invaluable history of the 

 Church, we learn that before the year 1776, the Parishes numbered 

 forty-four, each having its rector, and many of these his curate 

 or assistant, of which tliere were ten or more. But before the 

 4th of July ensuing four of the clergy had abandoned their Par- 

 ishes; it being no longer safe for them to remain, and had gone to 

 England. 



On the establishment of the State government in that year the 

 Bill of Rights deprived the clergy of their legal support, which 

 they had enjoyed for three generations, and left them without it. 

 Not long after, followed an oath required of them, which, if they 

 had taken it, would have been, says Dr. Allen, a violation of their 

 ordination vows. Under these restrictions nine of them gave up 

 their cures and went to England. Six went to Virginia; one (Dr. 

 John Andrews) to Pennsylvania; one to Delaware; one to Elkton; 

 one to his estate in Charles county; one to his seat in Prince 

 George's; two to their estates elsewhere, and two or three to 

 teaching. In the meanwhile about seven had died, and three 

 new Parishes had come into existence under the Act of 1770. 



In 1779 the General Assembly of Maryland had passed an Act 

 for electing vestries in the existing Parish^, and, when elected, 

 giving to such vestries, in fee simple, the glebes, places of worship 

 and other church property, and the appointment of ministers for 

 their respective Parishes, but making no provision for their sup- 

 port, saving what might be voluntary. This prompted the move- 

 ment of the succeeding Conventions. 



Such was the condition of the Church in Maryland when Dr. 

 Smith went into that State. 



The Parishes, however, were still numerous, and I suppose had 

 never been legally destroyed: and in 1780 there were at least six 

 clergymen, including Dr. Smith, in the State. Dr. Smith set 

 himself at work immediately to assemble the churchmen of Mary- 



