17^4] ^^^^- WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 243 



even more so, to prevent the divisions made by the Wesleys from 

 becoming permanent. While he could not see in the state of the 

 English Church even in the days of those zealous souls, any justi- 

 fication or even any excuse for their conduct, and although no 

 schism was then yet contemplated, he could not fail to discern how 

 that the then existing state might naturally enough induce such 

 "experience and practice" as they had brought about. And as 

 America seemed the field on which the Wesleys, Whitefield, Coke, 

 and Asbury were likely to reach their greatest success, and as our 

 untutored thousands — black and white — were a class in more dan- 

 ger of being captivated than the better instructed, even if too 

 much neglected, people of England — Dr. Smith watched, with 

 the most lively attention, all that the leaders of this sect were 

 doing, and earnestly sought to effect a return to a state of junc- 

 ture with them ; if, without a sacrifice of the great principles of 

 the Church, such a return could be accomplished. The follow- 

 ing letter illustrates his interest in the matter. Its writer was 

 the Rev. John Andrews,* a native of Maryland, but v/ho gradu- 

 ated at the College of Philadelphia under Dr. Smith, v/as after- 

 wards a tutor in the grammar school of the institution, and was 

 now the worthy rector of St. Thomas' parish, Baltimore county, 

 in the State of Maryland. 



Ihe Rev. John Andrews to Dr. Smith. 



Baltimore, December 31, 17S4. 



Dear Sir: I promised to give you some account of what should pass 

 at our proposed conference with Dr. Coke. It is an account, however, 

 which I fear will be no ways interesting, and from which at any rate 

 you can derive little satisfaction. 



At the appointed hour, which was six in the evening, he did not fail 

 to attend us ; and brought with him Mr. Goff ana Mr. Asbury. We 

 drank tea, and conversed on indifferent subjects. The doctor was full 

 of vivacity and entertained us with a number of little anecdotes not 

 disagreeably. At length I took occasion to observe, that we had seen 

 Mr. Wesley's letter of September last addressed to Dr. Coke and Mr. 



* In the year 1785, having received the degree of a Doctor of Divinity from his old 

 master's new college — Washington — at Chestertown, Dr. Andrews returned to Philadel- 

 phia, where, at a later date, he was made at first (a. d. 17S9) a Professor in the Uni- 

 versity of Pennsylvania, afterwards (a. D. 1791) Vice- Provost, and finally (a. D. 1810) 

 Provost of the same. He continued in that office till February, 1813. He died on 

 the 29th of the following month. 



