Page images
PDF
EPUB

Books and carry them 100 miles about, and disperse them abroad, and give them to all that desired them; which in due time will be of good service to the Church; 'tis a comfort to the people in the Wilderness to see that some body takes care of them. There is a time to sow and a time to reap, which last I don't desire in this world. I might have money enough of the people in many places, but I would never take any of those that we goe to proselyte, especially amongst the Quakers; I resolved to work with my hands rather than they should say I was a hireling, and come for money, which they are very apt to do. The Governour of Virginia, my old Friend, has been very generous to us, and has taken care that nothing be wanting to us while we are in his Territories; if there were such another Governour in America, it would be much cheaper travelling for the missionaries. But alas! I am afraid we shall lose him before we get such another. There are a parcel of men in the world, that are given to change, and don't know when they are well themselves, nor can't let others alone that do. But more of this another time, I have writ enough to tire you and myself too: you must take it as it is. I have something else to do now than write letters twice over; rough as it runs I hope you'll take it in good part. With my Love and Service to all Friends, I desire your Prayers, and rest

"Your real Friend,

"And servant,

THE FIRST SERMON IN THE CHURCH.

"J. T."

"August 22, Sunday, 1703. I preached at the New Church at Burlington, on 2 Sam. 23. 3, 4.-[The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.]—My Lord Cornbury was present and many Gentlemen who accompanied him, both from New York, and the two Jerseys, having had his Commission to be Governour of West and East-Jersey,

Read at the Town House there, some Days before. It was the first Sermon that was Preached in that Church.

"August 29, Sunday. I preached again at the Church in Burlington, on James 1. 22.-[But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.]

"Sept. 5, Sunday.. I preached at Philadelphia, on Acts 2. 41, 42.-[Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.]—being Sacrament Day.

"Sept. 12, Sunday. I preached at the Church in Burlington, a Second Sermon, on James 1. 22. Mr. Talbot preached that Day at Chester in Pensilvaniu." Keith's Journal.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

"Mr. Keith and I have preached the Gospel to all sorts and conditions of men, we have baptized several scores of men, women and children, chiefly those of his old Friends (the rest are hardened just like the Jews who please not God and are contrary to all men), we have gathered several hundreds together for the Church of England, and what is more, to build houses for her service. There are four or five going forward now in this province and the next. That at Burlington is allmost finished. Mr. Keith preached the first sermon in it before my Lord Cornbury, whom the Queen has made Governour of Jersey to the satisfaction of all Christian people. Churches are going up amain where there were never any before. They are going to build three at N. Carolina to keep the people together, lest they should fall into Heathenism, Quakerism &c. &c., and three more in these lower counties about New Castle, besides that at Chester, Burlington and Amboy. "And I must be so just to a member of your Society, his Excellency Francis Nicholson, Governour of Virginia, as to

acknowledge him to be the Prime Benefactor and Founder, in chief of them all; so generous has he been to the church; so just to the State, so far from taking of bribes, that he will not receive a present from any, great or small. Therefore we have hopes that it will please God and the Queen to give him time to perfect the good works that he has begun; that he may see the Church prosper and prevail against all her enemies, which I dare say is all that he desires; being zealous for the honour of the Church of England which is the mother of us all. Upon her account it was that I was willing to travel with Mr. Keith, indeed I was loath he should go alone, now he was for us, who I'm sure would have had followers enough had he come against us. Besides, I had another end in it, that by his free Conversation and Learned Disputes both with his Friends and Enemies, I have Learnt better in a year to deal with the Quakers, than I could by several years' study in the schools. We want more of his narratives which would be of good use here where we often meet with the Quakers and their Books. More of his answers to Robert Barklay would come well to the clergy of Maryland and Virginia, &c. Barklay's book has done most mischief, therefore Mr. Keith's answer is more requisite and necessary. Mr. Keith has done great service to the Church where ever he has been, by Preaching and disputing, publicly and from house to house; he has confuted many (especially the Anabaptists); by Labor and Travel night and day, by writing and printing of books mostly at his own charge and costs and giving them out freely, which has been very expensive to him. By these means People are much awakened, and their Eyes opened to see the good old way, and they are very well pleased to find the Church at last take such care of her children. For it is a sad thing to consider the years that are past, how some that were born of the English, never heard of the name of Christ, how many others were baptized in his name and follow away to Heathenism, Quakerism, and Atheism for want of confirmation.

"It seems the strangest thing in the world and 'tis thought History can not parallel it, that any place has received the Word of God so many years, so many hundred Churches built, so many thousand proselytes made, and still remain altogether in

the wilderness as sheep without a shepherd. The poor church of America is worse off in this respect than any of her adversaries.

"The Presbyterians here come a great way to lay hands one. on another; but after all I think they had as good stay at home, for the good they do. The Independents are called by their Sovereign Lord the People. The Anabaptists and Quakers pretend to the spirit. But the poor Church has no body upon the spot to comfort or confirm her children. No body to ordain severall that are willing to serve, were they authorized for the work of the ministry. Therefore they fall back again into the Herd of the Dissenters, rather than they will be at the Hazard and Charge to go as far as England for orders; so that we have seen severall Counties, Islands and Provinces, which have hardly an Orthodox minister amongst them, which might have been supplied had we been so happy as to see a Bishop or Suffragan apud Americanos.

"We count ourselves happy, and indeed so we are, under the protection and Fatherly Care of the Right Rev. Father in God, Henry Lord Bishop of London, and we are all satisfied that we can't have a greater Friend and Patron than himself. But alas! there is such a great Gulph fixt between us, that we can't pass to him nor he to us; but may he not send a Suffragan? I believe I am sure there are a great many learned and Good men in England, and I believe also did our Gracious Queen Anne but know the necessities of her many good subjects in these parts of the world, she would allow £1000 per annum, rather than so many souls should suffer; and then it would be a hard case if there should not be found one amongst so many pastors and Doctors (de tot millibus, unus qui transiens, adjuvet nos); meanwhile I don't doubt but some learned and good man would go further, and do the Church more service with £100 per annum than with a coach and six, 100 years hence.

"The Reverend author of the 'Snake in the Grass' has done great service here by his Excellent Book; no body that I know since the Apostles' dayes has managed controversie better against all Jews, Heathens and Heretics; many here have desired to see the author, however I hope we shall not want his works,

especially against the Quakers, and the five discourses which have convinced many, and are much desiderated.

"Those boxes of books that were sent over last year, Mr. Keith has disposed of in their several Places as directed. I have carried of the small sort, in a wallet, some hundred miles,† and distributed them to the people as I saw need. They have been long upon the search for truth in these parts, they see through the vanity and pretences of all Dissenters, and generally tend directly to the Church. Now is the time of harvest, we want a hundred hands for the work, meanwhile two or three, that are well chosen, will do more good there than all the rest; for we find by sad experience that people are better where they have none, than where they have an ill minister. Next unto God, our eyes are upon the Corporation for help in this heavy case. I dare say nothing has obtained more reputation to the Church and nation of England abroad than the honorable society for Reformation of manners and the Reverend and honorable corporation for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts.

"The Quakers compass sea and land to make proselytes; they send out yearly a parcel of vagabond Fellows that ought to be taken up and put in Bedlam rather than suffer to go about raving and railing against the Laws and Orders of Christ and his Church; and for why? Their preaching is of cursing and Lyes, poysoning the souls of the people with damnable errors and heresies, and not content with this in their own Territories of Pensylvania, but they travel with mischief over all parts as far as they can goe, over Virginia and Maryland, and again through Jersey and New York as far as New England; but there they stop, for they have prevented them by good Laws and due Execution; Fas est ab hoste doceri. Sir

"Your most humble and obedient servant,

"JOHN TALBOT."

At the head of the fourth page of the Purish_Register, Mr. Talbot has inscribed, in bold and beautiful letters, "LAUS DEO APUD AMERICANOS." Immediately following this, are recorded, baptisms administered by him, in "Long Island, Oyster Bay;" "Freehold;""" Amboy;" and "Raway, East Jersey."

« PreviousContinue »