478 APPENDIX. 



Some of these were disposed to give but slender support to churches 

 which acknowledged a new allegiance, and bolh whose officiating min- 

 isters had been officially in the service of either the Congress or the 

 army. But the class called "the hot Whigs" were more difficult yet 

 to manage. They were intolerant and bitter ; and they were glad to 

 see excluded and departing from the churches every one who had not 

 been violent in the cause of the Revolution, and who was not as vindic- 

 tive as themselves. No men but men like Dr. White and Dr. Blackwell, 

 both of them gentlemen by birth — both of unquestioned devotion to the 

 cause of independence, and whose conduct was marked by decision, 

 candor, toleration, discretion and suavity of manner — could have kept 

 such elements of discord from breaking forth into political animosities 

 which, in the then state of the United Churches, would have been fatal 

 to the prosperity, and indeed perhaps to the existence of the parishes. 

 But the men were suited to the time as completely as they harmonized 

 with each other. The parishes remained united in fact as in name — 

 united to each other and united in themselves. The churches, largely 

 depopulated for some time after the occupation of the city by the Brit- 

 ish army, thus reacquired by degrees their ancient numbers. 



Dr. Blackwell was ever faithful in the discharge of the various and, as 

 before long they became, onerous duties which they imposed upon him. 



For thirty years he performed steadily or assisted to perform divine 

 service and to preach, not only twice a day on Sundays, but to perform 

 service also on Wednesdays and Fridays, and upon the festivals and 

 fasts recognized more particularly in the church ; upon all of which 

 days both Christ Church and St. Peter's, in accordance with what is 

 contemplated in the Book of Common Prayer, were opened, as they 

 also daily were in the holy season of Lent, for divine service. Regard- 

 ing the "Catechism " as an admirable compend of the Church's doctrine 

 and teachings, and looking at the Church's teachings as ever better than 

 his own, he was never neglectful of the rubric which makes it the duty 

 of the minister of every parish diligently upon Sundays and Holy Days, 

 or on some other convenient occasion, openly, in the church, to instruct 

 or examine so many children of his parish sent unto him as he should 

 think convenient, in some part of that excellent compend. And there 

 yet survive those who recall with animated feelings his venerable figure 

 and his air of sweet and paternal dignity as he would move before 

 the lines of little people arranged on both sides of the middle aisle of 

 Christ Church or St. Peter's; his Prayer Book, with his gold spectacles, 

 in one hand, while the other, left free, he would put, with affectionate 

 commendation, upon the head of some little innocent who seemed to 

 need encouragement or to deserve commendation. Plis private Registry 



