•482 APPENDIX. 



tation " of the church, and for "the better management" of its con- 

 cerns. With his fellow-workers — Mr. White, Mr. Beach, Mr. Magaw, 

 Dr. Smith and others — he did faithful labor in this behalf: so faithful 

 and with such success that in one year afterwards, 1785, a convention 

 of seven out of ten of the States where the church was, was held,* the 

 first in the series of those great conventions which still continue to 

 represent triennially the church in her corporate dignity, and which, all 

 may pray, may continue to represent her in the future with as much 

 good result to the end of time. 



Of the first convention Dr. Blackwell was a member, as he was of the 

 convention of 1786, one which like that composed representatives from 

 seven States; of that of 1789, the first of our General Conventions, in 

 the sense which included any States of New England ; and of those, its 

 successors, of 1795*, of 1799, of 1801, of 1804 and 1808, after which 

 date, retiring from parochial charge, he was no longer eligible 

 to any. 



In all tliese conventions he was called upon for active service, and 

 placed in positions showing reliance on his learning, his intelligence 

 and practical wisdom. In the General Convention of 1789 he is ap- 

 pointed on various important committees ; on one to take into con- 

 sideration the proposed Constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church, 

 and to recommend such alterations, additions and amendments as the 

 committee should think necessary and proper; on another to prepare a 

 Morning and Evening Service for the use of the church ; on a third to 

 report what further measures were then necessary to perpetuate the 

 succession of Bishops in Am.erica ; on a fourth to superintend the 

 printing of the Book of Common Prayer as then adopted and still ex- 

 isting; and finally, on the adjournment of the body, on a Standing 

 Committee to act during the recess of the convention. f 



In the General Convention of 1792 he is again appointed a member 

 of the Standing Committee ;t appointed also on the Committee for 

 Carrying into Effect an act or plan which the convention had previously 

 passed for Supporting Missions. ;f 



In the convention of 1795 we find him presiding in Committee of the 

 Whole, to take into consideration the General State of the Church ; 

 appointed also at the same convention on a joint committee of the two 

 Houses, "to arrange the Canons and principal papers Jjelonging to the 

 Church ; causing them to be fairly transcribed in a properly bound book, 



* This convention had representatives from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, 

 Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and South Carolina. 



f See Minutes of July 30, October 3, October 15, October 16, 1789. 

 % See Minutes of 19th September, 179? 



