6o LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE OF THE [1782 



In 1773, refusing to take the oath of allegiance to the new Gov- 

 ernment, he left his charge. He returned, however, in 1780. By 

 his last will he left the above-mentioned piece of silver plate to St. 

 Paul's Church. He ministered at St. Paul's, in Queen Anne county, 

 Md., ^xteen or' seventeen years. Though he was, as I suppose, 

 of the school of Wesley and Whitfield, and though Dr. Smith, 

 according to Mr. Neill's own account, treated him, on one occasion 

 at least, very roughly,* he had so many good qualities of personal 

 character, that Dr. Smith came at last to entertain for him a 

 sincere regard, and apparently did so even while he was in Phil- 

 adelphia and connected with St. Paul's there, a parish in ^^'hich Dr. 

 Smith was no more a favorite than were any other regularly be- 

 haved clergy of the Church of England. After Dr. Smith went to 

 Maryland, he met often his ancient acquaintance of Philadelphia, 

 and at his death preached, January 23d, 1782, an affecting sermon 

 at his funeral. Dr. Smith's text, from Genesis xv. 15 — "Thou 

 shalt go to my fathers in peace ; thou shalt be buried in a good 

 old age " — suggests that Mr. Neill at his death had attained to 

 venerable years. 



We have mentioned in our first volume the interest which Dr. 

 Smith took while in Philadelphia in " the mission at Gloucester," 

 as it was called ; a mission in New Jersey, of the Society for the 

 Propagation of the Gospel. With the mission at Burlington 

 (N. J.), occupied by Dr. Smith's accomplished and much valued 

 friend. Dr. Jonathan Odell, it was one of the important mis- 

 sionary stations of New Jersey, especially in its aspects to the 

 Church in Philadelphia. The Rev. Nathaniel Evans, a favorite 

 pupil of Dr. Smith, and a graduate of the College at Philadelphia, 

 a young man of singular talents, accomplishment and piety, had 

 been the first occupant of it, entering upon the mission in 1765, 

 and dying there two years afterwards, in 1767, deeply lamented by 

 all who knew him.f Dr. Smith edited his literary remains, thus 

 showing his regard for him. Dr. Smith was thus a frequent 

 visitor at Gloucester, where he became intimately acquainted with 

 the most important families of the region, including more 

 particularly among them that of Mr. Joseph and Ann Harrison. 

 Dr. Smith took much pains to re-establish the missions after Mr. 



* See Perry's Historical Collections of Pennsylvania, page 319. 

 •f For a sketch of, see vol. ist, pp. 434, 479. 



