662 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



consists of near two hundred people, decent and well behaved, part 

 English and part French. The French all understand English tolerably 

 well ; and except half a dozen old people in whose hands is the chief 

 management of affairs, full as well as they do French. The greatest 

 part of them would prefer an English to a French minister; and none 

 are warm for a French one, but the half a dozen above mentioned. 



They had a glebe of near one hundred acres of land left them for- 

 merly, thirty acres of which they have recovered; the rest is kept from 

 them under pretence that it was given to a Presbyterian or Calvinistic 

 French church. They have also a parsonage house ; but whether these 

 endowments are so made, that an English minister could not enjoy them, 

 I cannot yet learn New Rochelle is seven miles from this place, three 

 from Eastchester, eight from Rye and perhaps about that distance from 

 Philipsburgh. I have been thus particular, that the Society may be able 

 to judge whether it is expedieut for them to send another missionary to 

 New Rochelle or not. Dr. Auchmuty has informed me that he has 

 wrote to the Society upon this subject, and I find it is his opinion that a 

 missionary is less necessary there than in many other places where they 

 have none. If the Society should decline sending a missionary there I 

 could attend them in summer, every other Sunday, in the morning, and 

 be at Eastchester in the afternoon, and in winter every fourth Sunday ; 

 and, indeed, these churches are so near that most of the people might at- 

 tend at either. I would not, however, be understood as dissuading the 

 Society from sending another missionary to New Rochelle, but only as 

 informing them in what manner they might be provided for in case they 

 decline it ; and should the Society put them immediately under my care 

 I should very readily submit to their consideration what allowance should 

 be made me on that account."" 1 



The next year he again writes as follows : — 



MR. SEABURY TO THE SECRETARY. 



[extract.] 



"Westchester, Oct. 1st, 1768. 

 Rev. Sir : — I am sorry the people of New Rochelle have deservedly fallen 

 under the censure of the Society. They seem to keep things too much in the 

 dark with regard to their glebe ; but as soon as I can get such an account of that 

 matter as shall enable me to write intelligibly to the Society about it, I will lay 

 it before them. In the mean time as there is a number of strolling teachers, 

 especially of the sect of Anabaptists, who ramble through the country, preaching 

 at private houses for the sake of making proselytes and collecting money, I have 

 thought it best to visit them occasionally, as well to prevent any ill effects that 

 might arise, as for the sake of a number of well disposed people who lived there. 

 I shall, however, carefully attend to the caution you give not to neglect my par- 

 ticular cure of East and Westchester. " b 



During the American Revolution the church must have been closed, 

 for the congregation was much scattered. 



a New York MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. II. p. 429. (Hawks.) 

 b New York, MSS. from arctiives at Fulham, vol. ii. p. 452. (Hawks.) 



