1784] HEV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 24I 



CHAPTER XLIX. 



Matters Contemporaneous with and Collateral to the General Eccle- 

 siastical Councils — The Proposed Book, etc. — Church Convention in 

 Maryland, 1784 — Efforts to Prevent the Apostacy of the Methodists 

 • — Second Commencement of Washington College — General Washington 

 Honors it with his Presence— Dr. Smith to Dr. West about the Funds 

 for the College — Christian Frederick Post — His Death and a Notice 

 of him — A Friendly Letter from Dr. Muhlenberg to Dr. Smith — 

 Ordination by Bishop Seabury of a Pupil of Dr. Smith Prepared for 

 Holy Orders by the Latter and Recommended for them by him — 

 Bishop Seabury's great Satisfaction with the Candidate — Church 

 Convention in Maryland, a. d. 1785 — Death of Dr. Charles Ridgely, 

 a Brother- in-Law of Dr. Smith — The Rev. John M. Languth — Death 

 of General John Cadwalader, a Nephew of Dr. Smith by Marriage — 

 Dr. Smith Preaches at the Funeral — Letter of Dr. Smith's Wife re- 

 ferring TO THE Deaths of Dr. Ridgely and General Cadwalader — 

 Maryland Convention of 1787 — Ordination of Dr. Smith's Kinsman, 

 Richard Channing Moork— Efforts to have the Charter of the Col- 

 lege AT Philadelphia Restored — Dr. Smith to Dr. West. 



Not to interrupt the unity of a narrative of some length about 

 the General Conventions, Proposed Book, etc., we have compre- 

 hended two or three years in the last preceding chapters, without 

 much reference to other matters. But with Dr. Smith's active 

 mind and active hands and active frame, there were always works 

 collateral to his main work, and these, operating on the sides of 

 his opus magnum, whatever this last might be, he was always 

 carrying on as steadily as he was the great work itself 



To a few of these in the years 1784, 1785 and 1786 we will now 

 advert. On the 26th of October, 1784, a Convention of the 

 Clergy and Lay Delegates of the Episcopal Church in Maryland 

 was held at Chestertown, in Maryland. Dr. Smith presided, and 

 the Rev. William West acted as secretary. The Rev. Messrs. 

 Andrews, Keene, Thompson and McPherson were present. The 

 following additional Constitutions respecting the future discipline 

 and government of the Church in Annual or General Conventions 

 were agreed upon, viz. : 



I. General Conventions of this Church, consisting of the different 

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