34<D HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



1st Feb., 1708-9, with some enclosed rules of the Society, for which I return you 

 thanks. 



I find there might be a great many congregations made in the Jerseys, if there 

 were Episcopal ministers — but rind no inclinatiou to contribute towards their 

 maintenance ; however. I hope yon will not leave them destitute of your assist- 

 ance. I know when those who are of the Church can be most prevalent in their 

 assemblies, (or if I may so say, Parliament,) they will make some legal provision 

 for ministers : but at present the number of the Quakers, Anabaptists, Liber- 

 alists, &c, is so great that it cannot be obtained ; but good missionaries will in- 

 crease the number of the one. and lessen the other. 



Friday next we have an appointed fast, to supplicate God's blessing on the 

 expedition to Canada, which with preparation for Sunday following, when I am 

 to administer the sacrament, will not suffer me to add ; but that I shall always 

 pray for the success and prosperity of the Society, and remain, 



Sir, your most devoted and obliged servant, JOHN BARTOW. "« 



At the end of two years, Mr. Bartow speaks with thankfulness, of 

 having, " by the blessing of Almighty God, been instrumental in making 

 many proselytes to our holy religion, who are very constant and devout 

 in and at their attendance on divine service ; and, those who were 

 enemies at my first coming, are now zealous professors of the ordinances 

 of our Church. The inhabitants of our parish live scattered and dis- 

 persed up and down in the woods, so that many cannot repair constantly 

 to the church, by reason of their great distance from it." Mr. Bartow 

 appears, by his letter, to have been in the habit of making collections 

 in his church for any very urgent cases of distress. Thus, we have the 

 following notices : — 



"Sept. 5th, 1708, came a distressed woman, widow of Maynard, 

 through Westchester, who had nine children murdered by the Indians. 

 Collected for her in the church, eleven shillings and six pence. The 

 following Sunday he made a similar collection for a poor man." 



Upon the 30th of October, 1709, he thus writes : — 



" We want very much a fixed school at Westchester; if Mr. Daniel Clark, my 

 neighbour, now in England, should wait upon you, desirous of that employment, 

 I recommend him as a person worthy of it; being of good report, a constant com- 

 municant, and being a clergyman's son, has had a pious and learned education. 

 I pray you would accept my most bounded thanks for your constant favors to me 

 and your other missionaries ; we know you expect no returns but our constant 

 labours in the Church, which that God would give usability to perforin, and you 

 to support, shall be ever the prayer of, Sir, yours, &c, 



JOHN BARTOW'b 



a Hawks' New York MSS., from archives at Fulham, vol. L pp. 193 to 195. 

 b nawks' New York MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. i. p. 207. Edward FitZfyeraKl was. 

 school-master of Westchester in 1709 ; he was a soldier iuoue of the independent companies, 



