THE TOWN OF RYE. 



I 79 



great congregation every Sunday, and that those were his hearers who 

 never were in a Church of England congregation before. Though the 

 people were of almost all persuasions, he had admitted into the Church, 

 by baptism, eighty persons, young and old ; hundreds, however, in the 

 parish remain unbaptized. a 



He further remarks to the Society, " I have lately been in the Gov- 

 ernment of Connecticut, where I observe some people well affected to 

 the Church, for those that are near come to my parish on Sabbath days ; 

 so that I am assured, an itinerant missionary might do great service in 

 that province. Some of their ministers have privately told me that had 

 we a Bishop among us, they would conform and receive holy orders ; from 

 which as well as on all the continent, the necessity of a Bishop will plain- 

 ly appear. 6 



" In these visits and in every effort for the good of the Church, Mr. 

 Muirson was heartily supported by Colonel Caleb Heathcote, who also 

 wrote to the society on the subject, confirming the account of the oppo- 

 sition which the missionary had encountered; and stating that the jus- 

 tices had forbidden him to preach, and even threatened to put him and 

 all his hearers in jail. 



Of his own parish, Mr. Muirson reports, " I have baptized about two 

 hundred, young and old, but most adult persons ; and am in hopes of in- 

 itiating many more into the Church, after I have examined, taught and 

 find them qualified. This is a large parish ; the towns are far distant ; 

 the people were some Quakers, some Anabaptists, but chiefly Presbyte- 

 rians and Independents ; they were violently set against our Church, but 

 now (blessed be God !) they comply heartily ; for I have now about forty 

 communicants, and had only six when I first administered that holy sac- 

 rament. I find that catechising on the week days in the remote towns, 

 and frequent visiting is of great service ; and I am sure that I have made 

 twice more proselytes by procaeding after that method, than by public 

 preaching."^ 



Mr. Muirson, besides his salary of ^50 from the society, was entitled 

 to £50 currency, as settled by Act of Assembly on Rye parish ; but, as 

 his people were poor and for the most part recent converts, he consider- 

 ately forbore to press his legal claim — and during the first two years of 

 his ministry, had only received about ten or twelve pounds currency — 

 thus plainly showing he sought not theirs, but them. 



The following account of the Indians, written in the year 1708, will 



a Ilawkins' Hist, Not. of Col. Church, vol. ii. MS. letters, No. 34. 

 b Ilawkins' Hist. Not. of Col. Church, p. 277. 

 c Hawkins' Hist. Not. of Col. Church, p. 279. 



