1784] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. lO 



J 



Point, Dorchester county, Maryland. The ceremony was per- 

 formed in the homestead at Chestertown, by the Rev. Samuel 

 Keene, in the presence of Governor Paca, and a large assembly 

 of the first people of the State, who had been called together by 

 the laying of the corner-stone of Washington College, and the 

 Convention of the Church. Mr, Goldsborough was the son of 

 Robert Goldsborough, Barrister-at-Law ; had been brought up a 

 lawyer; born Nov. 21st, 1761, died June 22d, 1801. 



CHAPTER XLV. 



Dr. White, Dr. Blackwell of Pennsylvania and Dr. Beach of New Jersey 

 Desirous of a Continental Convention — Dr. Smith in Maryland 

 Assists the Project — Dr. Smith to Dr. White — A Church Conference is 

 Made at a Meeting of the Clergy to Re-establish the Corporation for 

 the Relief of the Widows and Children of the Clergy, Founded, 1769 

 — Ecclesiastical Convention of Pennsylvania, May 25TH, 17S4 — Declara- 

 tion BY IT of Principles — Ecclesiastical Convention of Maryland, June 

 22D, 1784 — Dr. Smith's Sermon at it — Declaration by it of Principles 

 Sufficiently Harmonious with those of the Pennsylvania Convention — 

 Convention of Several States in New York, October 6th, 1784 — Dr. 

 Smith Presides — Fundamental Principles Declared by it, and Proceed- 

 ings End — Dr. Smith Chairman of Committee to Frame an Ecclesias- 

 tical Constitution and to Frame and Propose a Proper Substitute for 

 the State Prayers — Dr. Smith Elected President of the Corporation 

 for the Relief of the Widows, etc. 



While Dr. Smith was thus actively engaged in the work of 

 education in Maryland and in re-establishing the church in that 

 State, his brethren in Pennsylvania, Dr. White and Dr. Blackwell, 

 were equally active not only in re-establishing the Church in 

 Pennsylvania, but also in the further work of endeavoring to 

 assemble the clergy of all the States in what was called a " Conti- 

 nental Convention." The efforts of the respective parties — orig- 

 inated probably by the Reverend Abraham Beach, D. D., at one 

 time a minister of Trinity Church, New York, but more lately 

 resident in Brunswick, N. J. — were natural to their positions. 



Dr. Smith had been driven from Pennsylvania by an embittered 

 and proscriptive political faction, and found in the quiet shades of 

 Chestertown a retreat from their gross and exasperating injustice. 

 Maryland, he supposed it probable, might thenceforth become Jus 



