2 20 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY Or WESTCHESTER. 



parish, which are not in neither of them. And now I am on this suhject, it comes 

 in course to make out what I told 3-ou in my former letters, viz : that there is no 

 parish in the government but what is able to pay twice as much as they do. For 

 irish which is not by one half so large as the least parish established bylaw 

 in the government here, Bince my living here, maintained two dissenting minis- 

 ministers, viz : one at live ami Blamaroneck, and one at Bedford — and gave the 

 former 60i and the latter 407. a year — which I think makes it out very plain what 

 1 have offered on that head ; and you may he assured, I shall omit uo opportunity 

 of serving the Society therein. But the work must be done, in a great measure 

 by the minister's taking pains, and bringing the people into a good opinion of the 

 Church ; for though the reason hereof is very plain, it must be a business of time 

 to effect it. We have had it reported that the Queen would be at the charge of 

 maintaining a Suffragan Bishop in these parts. If that was granted, I question 

 not but a great many who have had their education in Boston College would con- 

 form, and would be content with the benefices as settled by Assembly, without 

 being very burthensome to the Society. 



I have beeuso long wandering from one subject to another, that I had almost 

 forgot to give you my thoughts of Mr. Muirsou whom my Lord of London has 

 sent for this parish. He has been here about three months, in which time he hath 

 by much outdone my expectation; having very fully retrieved all that unfortun- 

 ate gentlemen, Mr. Pritchard lost ; and if he continues so faithful in the discharge 

 of his trust, of which I have not the least doubt he will, he'll be able to give as 

 large account of his services as any that has been sent over to this Province. 

 And I must do him the justice to own, that he is as deserving of the Society's fa- 

 vors. For. as some of his parishioners told me, and which I know in a great 

 measure to be true, that although they have had a great many ministers amongst 

 them since the settlement of their town ; yet Mr. Muirsou did more good amongst 

 them the first six weeks after bis coming, than all they ever had before. And I 

 question not but when you have the particulars of his proceedings transmitted, 

 you will find what I have said of him to be true. As for Mr. Brooks, whom the 

 Society have sent to the Jerseys he has an uncommon good character given him 

 from those parts ; and it is reported of him that he makes wonderful advances for 

 the service of the Church, and I question not but Col. Morris will be very partic- 

 ular c »ncerning him — that being properly his watch. For though that Province 

 is not above 50 miles from my house, and Staten Island about forty, yet by rea- 

 son of the difficulty of water passages, I have never been at either of them above 

 twice since my coming to America. And I am now more lied at home with a 

 family, and my private affairs than formerly, for which I humbly crave an allow- 

 ance. My principles and natural temper lead me to do the Church all the service 

 I can every where, but I dare not promise for more than this county at present; 

 and my best endeavors in the westernmost towuis in Connecticut colony, when 

 the Church is well rooted here. And it has always been my opinion, and is so 

 still, that there is no part of this Province, or even America, that would be of 

 greater use or service to have the Church thoroughly settled in ; for it is not only 

 large in extent, and the land very good, and near the city ; so, consequently, will 

 in time be a great settlement. But bordering on Connecticut there is no part of 

 the continent from whence the Church can have so fair an opportunity to make 

 impressions upon the dissenters in that government, who are settled by their laws 



