first appointed in 1733 to the Mission of Brookhaven, in Long Island, and after eleven years' service was transferred to Newark, in New Jersey, where he continued to labour till the year 1777, when the troubles of the times compelled him to leave his Mission, "and become a wanderer in a neighbouring province." His parochial returns had shown periodically the beneficial effect produced by his long and consistent ministrations. A church had been built at Second River, where the congregation increased in the proportion of three to one within a year, and a grammarschool was founded at Newark. Mr. Browne, like many of his brethren, had reason to complain of his people for withholding that temporal provision to which he was equitably entitled, and was grieved by the prevalent factiousness and party spirit. When writing to the Society on these matters, on the 6th of April, 1767, he had said, "I humbly beg leave to offer my poor opinion that these difficulties, and many more I could name, never will be removed, nor the churches in this part of the world ever flourish, without an American episcopate."2 But he had worse things to endure than any arising from the selfish and perverse disposition of his own people.

In the year 1777, as already mentioned, he was forced, by the outbreak of the civil war, to seek refuge in New York, leaving his wife, servants, and all the property of which he was possessed, in the hands of the enemy. Writing two years later, in the year 1779, he says, "The condition of the Church of England in America, both Clergy and laity, is justly to be pitied. . . The judgments of God fall very heavily on the inhabitants of this land in general, and seem to be yet increasing daily, . . and no prospect of redress, that I can see, either from Heaven or

1 Original Letters, vol. xvi. 1. 56.

2 Ibid. 1. 35.

men, for the inhabitants have not yet learned righteousness, and consequently remain very proper instruments to execute the Divine vengeance on one another."

991

In the last letter which he wrote to the Society, Oct. 4, 1782, he describes "the loyalists as daily suffering for the truth's sake, and to preserve a good conscience toward God; driven from their homes, their property seized, plundered, and sold, and themselves consequently reduced to the most extreme poverty." He grieves to feel that he is "a dead weight to the Society in consequence of age and infirmity."

But the Society was bound, by every consideration of justice and gratitude, to continue its support to those who had been not only faithful labourers in their Master's vineyard, but, in a manner, also, confessors of the Church; and Mr. Browne, therefore, with many others, who had been driven from their Missions by the disorders of the times, continued to receive his salary. In 1784 he went over to Annapolis, in Nova Scotia, where he survived, though in much affliction and poverty, till the year 1787;2 a year in which the colonial Church, having been brought down to the lowest depth of depression, again renewed its strength, and rose up with eagle wings, through the new spirit infused into it by the erection of the first bishopric for the colonies.

One other Clergyman only remains to be noticed in connexion with this colony. The Rev. John Mackean was ordained to the Mission of New Brunswick, including Piscataway and Spotswood, in 1757, and soon afterwards the churchwardens and vestry, in writing to thank the Society for sending so excellent a successor to their "late worthy Missionary, Mr. Seabury," went on to say 2 Journal, vol. xxiv. p. 417.

1 Original Letters, vol. xvi. 1. 58.

that they saw," with great pleasure the Church of England, by the benevolence of the Society, and the prudent choice they make of discreet men, raising its head in an infant country, where, at its first settlement, different sects, as well as popery, had taken footing." Mr. Mackean devoted himself to the conscientious discharge of his duties, as far as a somewhat delicate constitution would permit, in the various parts of his Mission, and made occasional visits to Reading's Town, twenty-five miles distant.

In

The result of his labours was a gradual increase in the number of his congregations till his removal to Amboy, in 1763, where his services were equally appreciated. a letter dated October 12, 1767, Dr. Chandler informed the Society that, "wasted away with a tedious disorder, the worthy, the eminently useful and amiable Mr. Mackean is judged by his physicians to be at the point of death. Probably," he adds, "a better man was never in the Society's service."

1

Report for 1759.

2 Original Letters, vol. xvi. 1. 91.

CHAPTER VIII.

NEW ENGLAND.

RHODE ISLAND AND CONNECTICUT.

Rev. James Honyman-Difficulties under which the early Missionaries laboured-Rev. George Pigot-Dean Berkeley-His project of a College at Bermuda-His return, and disposal of the Fund raised for the CollegeYale College-Cutler, Browne, and Johnson-Their conforming to the Church-Go to England for Ordination-Are admitted to Degrees at Oxford and Cambridge-Death of Mr. Browne-Return of Dr. Cutler and Mr. Johnson-Dr. Cutler takes charge of the Mission of Boston-Disorders produced by Whitfield's Preaching-Testimony to Dr. Cutler's Literary and Scientific Attainments-His Death-Rev. Samuel Johnson-Account of the Mission of Stratford-Candidates recommended for Orders-Want of Church Education-Mr. Johnson receives the Honorary Degree of D.D. from Oxford-Elected President of King's College, New YorkReturns to Stratford-His Death and Character.

We

SOME reference has already been made to the first settlements in New England, under which general title are included the colonies of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachussetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont. shall commence with Rhode Island, since, though the smallest in territorial extent, it was the first of the provinces above-named to which a Missionary was sent by the Society. The Rev. James Honyman took up his residence at Newport, in 1704, and there continued to administer the ordinances of religion for the long period of five-and-forty years. Besides the care of his own particular district, he made frequent visits to the neighbouring towns on the continent, until another minister was assigned to them. Very early in his career he felt the great disadvantage under which the Church was labouring for want

of a superintending head. Writing to the Secretary of the Society in 1709, he says, "You can neither well believe, nor I express, what excellent services for the cause of religion a Bishop would do in these parts;" and he expresses a conviction that, if one were sent, "these infant settlements would become beautiful nurseries, which now seem to languish for want of a father to oversee and bless them." In 1714 he presented a memorial to Governor Nicholson on the religious condition of Rhode Island." The people, he says, were divided among Quakers, Anabaptists, Independents, Gortonians, and infidels, with a remnant of true Churchmen. He then proceeds to suggest a remedy in the settlement of a competent number of Clergy in the several townships under the jurisdiction of a Bishop, the establishment of schools, and a proper encouragement from the civil government. A new and most painful duty was imposed upon him in 1723, in attending daily, for nearly two months, a great number of pirates, who were brought into Rhode Island, tried, convicted, and executed.

There is probably not a single Mission at the present time in the whole of our North American colonies so beset with difficulties and discouragements, and so entirely dependent upon the zeal and judgment of the individual Clergymen in charge, as were most of the parishes in the now independent states at the commencement of the last century. No better instance can be given than this of Rhode Island, where a single Clergyman was set to labour in the midst of a population hostile for the most part to the Church, and without the smallest support from secular authority.

In 1728 Mr. Honyman, and another clergyman, the Rev. 1 MS. Letters, vol. v. p. 154. 2 Ibid. vol. ix. p. 387.