I04 LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE OF THE [1784 



home ; and tlicre the scene of whatever usefulness, in the order of 

 Providence, it might be allotted to him to be the means of. 

 White, on the other hand, as chaplain of the Congress, and Black- 

 well as chaplain in the main army, for some time close to the 

 Congress, were brought into intimate relations with the represen- 

 tatives of the church from all parts of the country, and like most 

 of the men by whom the liberties of the country were achieved on 

 the field, were ev^er in favor of Union ; of a corporate dignity — both 

 in the State and in the Church. Though now in Pennsylvania, 

 Blackwell's family — an influential one — was of New York, while 

 his first ministerial duties had been in New Jersey, over the wliole 

 of which province he had received a license from the Bishop of 

 London in 1772 to act. These men therefore naturally extended 

 their views over all the States, and were desirous of having a 

 General Convention.* But a General Convention was a hard 

 thing to accomplish. Fears, by some, of what might be resolved 

 on in such a body — the ambitions, probably, of others who, in the 

 church, as was afterwards the case with some in political affairs, 

 knew that their purposes could best be accomplished, and their 

 views best carried out, by the supremacy of State organization — 

 put obstacles in the way. 



White, Smith, Blackwell, Magaw, Beach, Frazer, Provost, 

 Moore, Wharton, and indeed most of the clergy, so far as I know, 

 of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Marj'land, 

 while clear upon the necessity of dioceses, of which the States 

 would in that day be the natural limit, were equally desirous of a 

 " Federal Union," as we may call it ; a union by which the church 

 should be made one in organization as it was one in faith. The first 

 efforts at a general convention came from New Jersey, operating 

 upon Pennsylvania and New York ; and a representation from 

 even so many States was brought about, not by any announce- 

 ment that the affairs of the church were to be considered, but by a 

 call upon the clergy and laity w^ho were the trustees of that useful 



* I ought probably to include with the names of White and Blackwell that of the 

 Rev. Dr. Samuel Magaw, of Philadelphia. But while everything which I ever heard 

 of him is to his honor, we have so little biographical account of him, that I am notable 

 to say with confidence much about him. He was undoubtedly the personal friend of 

 White and of Blackwell, and I l)elieve, generally sjieaking, a coadjutor with both in 

 most that relates to the church. A bioj^raphy of him is much needed. 



