LARGE NUMBER BAPTIZED. In 1761, "the Society's Missionary at Burlington, and visiting occasionally Mount Holly and Bristol, reports, in the three places, seventy-four baptisms and fifty communicants." MOUNT HOLLY CONGREGATION RECEIVES A CHECK. Mr. Campbell to the Secretary. Extract. "REVD DR SIR "Burlington Dec 26, 1761. "I hope you rece'd my last of June 26th I can write you now of no materiall alterations in the state of my congregations since -That of Burlington and Bristol continue to be decent and orderly and lately many of the old people have died in a manner suddenly by violent pleuretich disorders occasioned by sudden alterations in the weather here; which runs upon extreams of heats and cold and these places much decline in trade which occasions the young people to remove where they may profit themselves better in lands or trade where the Country is more extensive by means of our good success against our enemies and the generality of the people have bent their minds in a more than ordinary degree; after the world I am affraid to the too much neglect of labouring after the bread which perishes not because of the present temptations they meet with and the extraordinary encouragement the farmer getts for every thing he raises which has advanced the price of our provisions and fire wood since the seat of the War has been here at least a Ct from what it was seven years ago inso much that it is with the utmost difficulty that we of the Mission can support our families-My Congregation at Mountholly, which was a very flourishing one has lately received a cheque; by means of some Enthusiastical people who have connections with some of that stamp in Philadelphia under the Ministry of Mr McClenachan who having upon my refuseing the use of my pulpit to that Gentleman endeavoured to raise a schism among the people of that part of my Congregation and altho my remonstrance and reasons given to the people why I deny my pulpit to M' McClenachan (are cogent) viz. that he left the Societys service in a manner that did him no honor, that he had no licence from the Bishop of London to preach here and that they not only transgressed the rules of obedience to their lawful Pastors in the Church but even those of common honesty for about sixteen years ago they made a deed of Gift of their Church to the Society and to the Mission of Burlington in trust and his lawful Successors in Office for the Society of which I am the only surviving Trustee and all this under their own hands now in the public records of this Province. But neither reason nor remonstrance can have much weight with people who are blindly led by a man and in a manner a stranger to them who prepossesses them with notions that he alone is the only preacher of Christ in America; and all in the Mission without exception are Arminians immoral men; advanceing the dignity of humane nature &c. These are high charges but he has made no other proof of this but his own say so; in order to establish his own reputation; at the expence of the characters of his brethren; the one third part of whom; he does not so much as personally know "I am with due regard and esteem Revd Sir &c MARRIAGE OF A BARONET. The Parish Register has the following: "By His Excellency Josiah Hardy's Licence Directed to me, March ye 17th, 1762, were Lawfully Married S John St Clair Barronet and Elizabeth Moreland, Gentlewoman, according to the Rites and Ceremony of the Church of England, by me "COLIN CAMPBELL, Missionary." STRAYING SHEEP RETURNING. In a letter dated June 25, 1762, Mr. Campbell "with pleasure acquaints the Society, that his straying sheep, who ran after Mr. Maclenaghan's party,† are by the blessing of God on his endeavours, reduced to a sense of their sin in a causeless separation, and are returning daily to their proper fold." + For further information respecting Rev. Wm. Maclenachan, see Collections P. E. Hist. Soc., Vol. II, pp. 250-255. S A CONVENTION AT BURLINGTON. Mr. Campbell and others to the Secretary. Extracts. "REV" SIR: "It has been the custom of the Clergy in this Province for some years past in conformity to the printed instructions of the Society, to meet together annually at a stated time for the benefit of mutual advice & assistance and in order to inform ourselves of the state of religion in the different parts of the Province and if necessary to transmit accounts thereof to the Society, accordingly we have at different times addressed them on various subjects that have fallen under our consideration. "We have now a convention at Burlington and several matters have come before us, of which in due time we shall take liberty to inform that Venerable Board. * * "With our duty to the Society, We beg leave to subscribe ourselves their and particularly "REV'D SIR: "Perth Amboy New Jersey, Dec. 6th, 1762. "The Clergy of this Province together with the Rev'd Mr. Charlton of New York having occasionally met together in Amboy beg leave to address the Venerable Society and to represent several particulars which are apprehended to be of some importance to the Church in this Province. * * "While we were lately together at Burlington application was also made to us in behalf of a large body of people living in Mountholly who profess themselves Members of the Church of England and have been under the care of the Rev'd Mr. Campbell. They represent that such services as Mr. Campbell is able to do them consistent with his duty to the other parts of his Mission are inadequate to their wants. They set forth their spiritual necessities in the most earnest and moving manner and beg us for Christ's sake to make known their case to the Honorable Society. As nothing less seems to be sufficient than a new Missionary in that quarter we informed them what qualifications would be expected by the Society previous to such a request and promised that when they should be thus qualified we would recommend them as they desired. "RICHD. CHARLTON, "T. B. CHANDLER, * ISAAC BROWNE, SAML. COOKE, * ROBT. MCKEAN.” REMOVALS HINDER THE GROWTH OF THE CHURCH. Mr. Campbell to the Secretary. Extract. "The Government here has been good enough to indulge us at Burlington with a lottery for the benefit of our Church for the necessary repairs of the Church being the most antient in the Province and the repairs of the Parsonage house which I hope as it is now full and drawing it will turn much to our advantage; Burlington tho' a pleasant Village upon the River Delaware yet a place of little or no trade being shakled therein by Philadelphia being nigher the Sea; hinders its increase of Inhabitants and the wealthiest people in it being Quakers having the start of any Church people-settling here altho' settled earlier than any Mission in the Province; yet for want of trade the young people of the Church persuasion are unwillingly forced to remove to other parts where they may advance their livelyhood which much hinders the growth of the Church; yet I can with truth and pleasure assure the Society that the few among us and sincere hearty and religious members with whom I have now lived these twenty five years in the greatest love harmony peace & quietness studying my own business and continuing in the esteem of our Quaker Neighbours.-Rev" Sir &c "COLIN CAMPBELL." GOVERNOR FRANKLIN.† Governor Franklin and his wife arrived in the Delaware River in February, 1763; and reached Perth Amboy on the twenty-fourth of that month. He was received with the usual demonstrations of respect, had his commission publicly read, and took the oaths of office there. In a few days he proceeded to Burlington, and published his commission there, according to the usual custom. These two places had been the seats of the separate governments of East and West Jersey, under the proprietors, and after the two were united by the surrender to the Queen in 1702, they continued down to the Revolution to be alternately the places at which the legislatures met, and the courts of the province were held. Congratulatory addresses were made to him from all quarters. He soon took his residence at Burlington, occupying, during a considerable part of his time, a house situate on the beautiful banks of the river there, where he remained until 1774. Elmer's Biographical Sketches, p. 52. PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND WITH DISSENTERS. "REVD SIR "Burlington June 25th 1763. ———————“ I can with truth and pleasure acquaint the Society that my several congregations live peaceably with one another as well + William Franklin, Governor and Chancellor of the colony of New Jersey, son of Dr. Benjamin Franklin, was carefully educated, aided his father in his philosophical experiments, and, through his influence, was appointed clerk of the House of Assembly of Pennsylvania, and postmaster at Philadelphia. When his father was appointed the agent for Pennsylvania (and afterwards of New Jersey) in England, the son had leave from the Assembly to resign his office of clerk, that he might accompany him to London. There he entered the Middle Temple, to prepare as a lawyer in Philadelphia, and was called to be a barrister; afterward he received from the University of Oxford the honorary degree of Master of Arts. In 1762, he was appointed Governor of the Province of New Jersey, an office then much sought for. The first announcement of this preferment is stated to have been by a paragraph in the newspaper: "This morning, was married at St. George's Church, Hanover Square, William Franklin, Esq., the newly appointed Governor of New Jersey, to Miss Elizabeth Downes, of St. James' Street." Elmer's Sketches, p. 59. As introductory to the other evidences-which will hereafter appearthat the wife of Gov. Franklin took a practical interest in the parish, it is worthy of mention, that a card still preserved [1876,] has these words: “Mrs. Franklin's compl'ts to Mr. Campbell & has sent a surplice which she desires may be presented to the Church of Burlington. Novbr 16:" |