1784] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 10/ 



This letter as appears from an indorsement on the original, yet 

 preserved, was read by Dr. White before the committee at their 

 meeting in Christ Church, Philadelphia, May 25th, 1784. 



Bishop White, in his Memoirs,* says of this meeting (May 25th, 

 1784,) at New Brunswick, "that notwithstanding the good humor 

 which prevailed at it, the more Northern clergymen were under 

 apprehensions of there being a disposition on the part of the more 

 Southern to make material deviation from the ecclesiastical system 

 of England in the article of Church government." He adds, for 

 his own part, that "at the same time he wondered that any sensi- 

 ble and well-informed persons should overlook the propriety of 

 accommodating that system, in some respects, to the prevailing 

 sentiments and habits of this country, now become an independent 

 and combined commonwealth." 



The clergy of Pennsylvania — doubtless in view, alike of quieting 

 the alarms of the Northern churchmen and of guarding against 

 the adoption of some of the very low church principles, or rather, 

 the no church principles, at all, that had a certain prevalence in 

 Virginia and South Carolina — met with lay representatives in 

 convention in Christ Church, Philadelphia, May 24th, 1784, and 

 agreed upon certain matters of the fundamental sort ; which, as 

 "instructions" should bind a standing committee, which the con- 

 vention appointed with power to correspond and confer with re- 

 presentatives from the Episcopal Church in other States, or any of 

 them, to assist in framing an Ecclesiastical Government. The 

 fundamental principles as then declared in Pennsylvania were 

 these : f 



First. That the Episcopal Church of these States is, and ought to be, 

 independent of all foreign Authority, ecclesiastical or civil. 



Secondly. That it hath, and ought to have, in common with all other 

 religious societies, full and exclusive Powers to regulate the Concerns 

 of its own Communion. 



Thirdly. That the Doctrines of the Gospel be maintained as now 

 professed by the Church of England ; and Uniformity of Worship be 

 continued as near as may be to the Liturgy of the said Church. 



Fourthly. That the Succession of the Ministry be agreeable to the 

 Usage which requireth the three Orders of Bishops, Priests and 



* Second Edition. New York, 1836. Page 79. 

 f Wilson's Life of Bishop White, page 100. 



