1785] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 233 



The body of its ideas were retained. We give it here, more es- 

 pecially as it shows that Dr. Smith was not obstinately set in 

 favor of his new book, but was ready to receive, as he afterwards 

 did receive, and at once adopt many suggestions for its im- 

 provement. 



To the Most Reverend and Right Reverend Fathers in God, the Arch- 

 bishops and Bishops of the Church of England : 



Most Worthy and Venerable Prelates ! 



The clerical and lay deputies of the Protestant Episcopal Church in 

 the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Mary- 

 land, Virginia and South Carolina, this day assembled in Convention 

 in Christ Church, Philadelphia, had the honour to receive your letter 

 dated London, February 24th, 17S6, in answer to their address of 

 October 5th, 1785. 



Your Christian condescension and goodness, on this occasion, have 

 filled our hearts with the most lively sentiments of gratitude ; and we 

 desire to offer our thankful acknowledgments to your venerable Body, 

 for having taken the earliest opportunity of attending to our address, 

 with that true and affectionate regard which you have always shown to 

 that branch of the Episcopal Church planted by your great and pious 

 Predecessors in America. We are, moreover, greatly encouraged by 

 the fatherly assurance you give us that "nothing is nearer your heart 

 than the wish to promote our spiritual welfare ; to be instrumental in 

 procuring for us the complete exercise of our holy religion, and the 

 enjoyment of that ecclesiastical constitution which we sincerely believe 

 to be truly apostolical, and for which (we trust) the most unreserved 

 veneration will ever be maintained by our Church in America." We 

 are also happy to be further assured that, on your "parts, you will use 

 your best endeavours (which you give us hopes will be successful) to ac- 

 quire a legal capacity of complying with the prayer of our address." 



The Joy which we feel on this occasion would therefore be complete, 

 were it not for the apprehensions you, our venerable Fathers, have sug- 

 gested to us, " that in the proceedings of our last convention some 

 alterations may have been adopted or intended which the difficulties of 

 our situation do not seem to justify; " but we are greatly comforted, at 

 the same time, by the kind assurance which you give us, and our firm 

 dependence on your goodness, "that you are disposed to make every 

 allowance which candor can suggest for those difficulties ; and that you 

 think it just, both to yourselves and to us, to wait for an explanation." 



Nevertheless, while we regret that any difficulties have arisen from 

 misrepresentations of our proceedings through any private or uncertain 

 channels; we are, at the same time, greatly edified with the caution 

 exhibited to us, by those whom we revere as the chief Guardians and 



