188 LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE OF THE [1786 



Still in Mr. Hopkinson's, viz. : "/<? rescue frotn oppressive rage " — and 

 in the former, the beautiful reference to "Ancestors" will ages hence 

 continue to be used with a noble propriety. However, if these hymns 

 can come in without tearing the whole texture of the others, and if it 

 be Mr. Hopkinson's wish to have them, I am satisfied, for unless I had 

 the whole before me, as proposed to be altered, I cannot take upon me 

 to judge properly, and must leave that to you. Only I wish you to save 

 an exact copy, or the whole originals of the hymns as I sent them to 

 you. 



As we have kept the collects, epistles and gospels, for about twenty- 

 two holy days, beginning with St. Andrew, and ending with All Saints', 

 it will be necessary to mark in the calendar, as heretofore, the days of 

 the month, on which these holy days fall, and to retain the table of 

 lessons for those days, as the churches which think it proper will still be 

 as ready to observe those days, or some of them, as occasion may 

 require. 



I know you have taken great pains with the table of lessons, and I am 

 persuaded I shall have much reason to approve of what you have done ; 

 which will be best considered when the whole is taken together ; and it 

 would be wrong to judge by piece-meal, of anything which the necessity 

 of the case has made the work of one alone, and on which his particular 

 attention hath been bestowed, taking the whole in one large and 

 consistent view. 



The same is the case with respect to the preface, on which, as a most 

 material part of our trust and commission, I had determined from the 

 beginning to bestow every convenient and possible attention, and it 

 gives me the highest satisfaction that you " like it both in the plan and 

 execution." I have no exact copy of it, only notes and sketches of the 

 principal parts, so that I can make no use of your reference to pages in 

 your remarks ; but still can answer them in substance, so as to enable 

 you to correct it, if not too late for the press. In my last from Balti- 

 more I wished you to attend to punctuation, etc., both in the hymns 

 and preface, as I had not read either of them over with a view either 

 to the niceties of language, grammar or stops. I proceed to your 

 remarks.* 



I. I think the little quotation from the Council of Trent, exceeding 



proper to show that all churches agree with the Church of England in 



the doctrine of her prefaces, respecting the necessity of alterations, 



according to times and exigencies. In Maryland we have many Roman 



Catholics, who are even already questioning some of our weak members, 



and charging us with novelties, and still further departures from the 



Catholic faith. The answer is ready in the quotation from a Council 



of their own Church, especially that of Trent. 



. i 



"'^ See these, supra, pp. 1S0-181. 



