I08 LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE OF THE [1784 



Deacons ; that the Rights and Powers of the same respectively be ascer- 

 tained ; and that they be exercised according to reasonable Laws, to be 

 duly made. 



Fifthly. That to make Canons or Laws, there be no other Authority 

 than that of a representative Body of the Clergy and Laity conjointly. 



Sixthly. That no Powers be delegated to a general ecclesiastical Gov- 

 ernment, except such as cannot conveniently be exercised by the Clergy 

 and Laity in their respective Congregations. 



Soon after this convention of the clergy and laity of Pennsyl- 

 vania had taken place, Dr. Smith invited a convention of the 

 clergy and laity in Maryland. He was in Philadelphia so late as 

 the 1 8th of June, and probably present, tliough not as a delegate, 

 at the convention on the 24th of May. It is obvious that between 

 him and Dr. White there was a good understanding, and that the 

 two persons were acting as co-workers to one end. 



The Convention of Maryland met in that State, at Annapolis, 

 on the 22d of June, 1784, and declared among other things: 



According to what we conceive to be of true Apostolic Institution, 

 the duty and office of a Bishop differs in nothing from that of other 

 Priests, except in the Power of Ordination and Confirmation, and in 

 the right of precedency in Ecclesiastical meetings or synods. And if 

 any further distinctions and regulations in the different orders of the 

 ministry should afterwards be found necessary for the good government 

 of the Church, the same shall be made and established by the joint 

 voice and authority of a representative body of the Clergy and Laity 

 at future Ecclesiastical Synods and Conventions. 



Ecclesiastical State Conventions of S)nods of this Church shall con- 

 sist of the Clergy and one Lay Delegate or Representative from each 

 Vestry or Parish, or a majority of the same. 



There was thus a general accord between the churches in the 

 two important States of Pennsylvania and Maryland. And this 

 was an important fact. These two churches made, in terms gen- 

 erally similar, and in moderate but yet firm pretensions, a great 

 and fixed class of principles to which the very lozv churches 

 south of Mayland, and the quite high ones north and east of 

 Pennsylvania, could perhaps find something on the respective 

 sides to attach themselves to, and so make one and a connected 

 body; though there would be confessedly a considerable difference 

 in the aspect of one extremity of it from the aspect of the oppo- 

 site extremity. 



