1783] JiEV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 95 



the World, yield a favourable occasion (which this State in particular 

 hath long desired) of making some permanent Provision, agreeably to 

 the Constitution, for " the Ministers of Religion," and the advance- 

 ment of useful Knowledge and Literature, through this rising American 

 Empire. 



That, in respect to the Episcopal Churches in this State (to the 

 Communion of which so large a proportion of the good people of 

 Maryland belongs) the following things are absolutely necessary, viz.: 



ist. That some alterations should be made in the Liturgy and Service, 

 in order to adapt the same to the Revolution, and for other purposes of 

 Uniformity, Concord and Subordination to the State. 



2d. That a plan for educating, ordaining, and keeping up a succes- 

 sion of able and fit Ministers or Pastors, for the service of said churches 

 agreeably to ancient practice and their professed Principles, as well as 

 that universal Toleration, established by the Constitution, be speedily 

 determined upon and fixed, under the public authority of the State, and 

 with the Advice and Consent of the Clergy of the said Churches, after 

 due Consultation had thereupon. 



Your Petitioners, therefore, humbly pray — 



That the said Clergy may have leave to consult, prepare and offer to 

 the General Assembly, the Draft of a Bill, for the good Purposes 

 aforesaid — and your Petitioners, as in Duty bound, shall pray, &c. 



WILLIAM SMITH. 

 THOMAS GATES. 



The prayer of the foregoing petition was granted. 



A convention of the clergy was now accordingly called to be 

 held at Annapolis on the 13th of August, 1783. Prior to this 

 convention being assembled, we have the following interesting 

 letter from 



Dr. Smith to Dr. White. 



Chester, August 4lh, 1783. 

 Dear Sir : The Clergy in Maryland are to meet (in pursuance of the 

 sanction obtained from the Grand Assembly) on the 13th of this month: 

 but as M^ Gates and myself were to call this meeting we found upon 

 consulting our nearest brethren that they did not think it proper, nor 

 that we were authorized to call any Clergy to our assistance from the 

 neighboring States; that the Episcopal Clergy of Maryland were in 

 some respects peculiarly circumstanced, and ought in the first instance 

 to have a preparatory convention or conference to consider and frame 

 a Declaration of their own Rights as one of the Churches of a separate 

 and independent State; to agree upon some articles of Government and 

 unity among themselves; to fix some future time of meetnig by adjourn- 



