with the laity. I preached in most of the Episcopal churches in the city of New-York, and returned to my parishes with,a renewed determination that I would, by God's help, fulfil my ordination engagements. At this time my ministerial labours extended to almost every part of the county of Saratoga, and to some of the neighboring counties. From October 1795 to October 1796, I administered 246 baptisms. The number of communicants had increased to 120. I married 32 persons, and buried 8. From Oct. 1796, to Oct. 1797 I administered 186 baptisms; my communicants had increased to 158. 1 married 14 persons and buried 4. In the year 1797, there was a very unhappy occurrence. Delegates from the state of New-York to the general convention of the Episcopal church in the United States, to be holden in the city of Philadelphia, were to be appointed, for the purpose, among other things, of revising the 39 articles of religion of the church of England, and of adopting them in this country, or of rejecting them. It so happened that in this election the clergy were almost unanimous in my favor and the laity were about equally divided in their choice between the Rev. Dr. Beach, my former opposer, and me. In this way they balloted eleven times, each party adhering to his vote and no choice was made, when the said Dr. Beach arose and said, if my brethren the clergy suppose that that young man, meaning me, is better qualified to fill that most important station in the church-one of the most important stations in the church that ever was or perhaps ever will be, when the articles of religion in the whole church in the United States are to be arranged and settled, I now declare that I will not accept the appointment, nor will I ever set in this convention with him again. He then took his hat, went off, apparently in anger, and I was almost unanimously elected; went to Philadelphia on that business, and was a member of the said general convention in 1797, '98 and '99. I was at the same time a member of the on of the Enisconol most er churches received more honor, more approbation, and more preferes with ments among his brethren, in the convention and in the church fulfil than I had; though with those who had, in my opinion, unreasonably dissented from the church of England and the established order of the christian church, there was continual warfare. Soon after my return from the convention in 1797 I received the following letter from the Rev. Dr. Moore afterwards Bishop Moore, viz. e of the Eered 246 | eased to Daptisms: arried currence l conver to be hol ed, for the cles of re g them in d that To the Rev. Ammi Rogers, in Ballston. New-York, Dec. 11th, 1797. Doctor Beach is very much displeased at your appointment as a delegate to the general convention. He conceives himself insulted by putting you in the place which he supposes ought to have in been filled by himself, and seems to think it necessary to shew by depreciating your character, that the convention made an improper choice. I called on him the day before yesterday to converse with him on the subject; he charges you with my fave! choice be d me. dhering to having brought forged recommendations, when you applied for holy orders. I told him I should certainly state the matter to you; and I wish you would give me some explanation of this business, so that, if it be practicable, I may check the evil reports which some people are circulating among our brethren the clergy, and I have reason to think among the laity also. You know the high sense I entertain of your industry and utility in the church and to rub off any stain which calumny may attempt to throw upon innocence, will be a great satisfaction to your friend and brother. Dr. Beach nember of BENJAMIN MOORE. BEY AND Dear Sir now thank you for taking my part in my absence. When Dr. Beach says that I brought forged recommendations, when I applied for holy orders, IT IS A NOTORIOUS FALSEHOOD, and he knows it. The matter to which he alludes was fully in quired into by Bishop Provoost, some years ago, viz. on the day after! was ordained a PRIEST; and was by him dismissed as unworthy of notice, and to him I refer you for information on the subject. [See pages 17, 18, 19.] I wish you and Mr. Bissitt would call on Bishop Provoost on the subject, and then inform Dr. Beach and his friends what the Bishop says about it; this will make him look meaner than he now does, if possible. As to the business of the Lutheran church, Mr. Ellison and I have had a consultation on the subject, and are calculating to see the Rev. Mr. Quitman, when we will let you know more about it; I think the prospect is favorable. I have a call to attend a funeral in Galway, and must bid you farewell, and I am, dear sir, with every sentiment of esteem and af fection, your much obliged friend and brother. AMMI ROGERS. Bishop Provoost entirely satisfied the Rev. Dr. Moore, and the Rev. Mr. Bissitt, on the subject of Mr. Perry's certificate, which Dr. Beach had most falsely and most unjustly called forged recommendations, when I applied for holy orders, and I heard no more of it until 1893. From October 1797, to October 1798, I administered 254 baptisms; my communicants were 108; I joined 36 persons in marriage, and attended 19 funerals; and preached about 180 sermons. There was but one country clergyman in the state of New-York, at that time, whose returns to the bishop, or whose ministerial labors were as extensive as mine. From October 1798, to October 1799. when as usual I attended the convention, I administered 168 baptisms; had 210 communicants, married 16 persons, attended 13 burials, preached about 170 sermons. At this time, an anabaptist teacher had commenced an attack upon me, and upon the church, by publishing in the newspaper, printed in Ballston, an anonymous piece against the observance of Christmas, and the other festivals of the church. This piece was answered by me, and that again was answered by him, and thus the dispute was pursued for many months, with great warmth on both sides; until at length a public discussion was personally had in the Court-house in Ballston, in presence of many hundreds of people. The result was, as might have been expected, no conviction of error on either side; but, worsted in argument. my antagonist and his party had recourse to personal invective; this was replied d to by the wardens and vestry of the church in Ballston and sab by more than forty of my nearest neighbors, of every denomination; in which my conduct and character, both as a minister and as a man, were fully vindicated. From October 1799, to October 1800, I administered 137 ula baptisms; my communicants had increased to 228, I married 28 persons, and buried 5, and preached about 150 sermons, have exclusive of many lectures and public exhortations. calle $, ald rsor abou This I had deyear was to me the beginning of sorrow. voted myself entirely to the work of the ministry. In the county of Saratoga, my people had increased from about 14 RS families, to about 4000 souls; they had built a new church in Ballston and finished it with an elegant steeple, bell and orfica gan. They had become incorporate, and built a new church with a handsome steeple, in the town of Milton, and also in the town of Stillwater. In Waterford they had become a body corporate, and a large number had joined that society; a very respectable society was also collected in Charlton and I had, some in Galway, and in other parts of that county. time before, resigned my parish in Schenectady to the Rev. Robert G. Wetmore, who was a very worthy man, and a most shop excellent clergyman, and my labors were extended to Fort Hunter and to Johnstown. I had visited and preached and administered sacraments in Boon's settlement, in Utica, in Paris, and in various parts of the county of Otsego; and in many other parts of the country, did I, as opportunity offered, extend the knowledge of what I conceived to be true region; prosperity in the ministry, and a fair reputation, seemIt was customary for the ed to attend me wherever I went. wardens and vestryinen of the several parishes in my care, to meet at least once a year, to become acquainted witheac I at 210 rials nat the inst the the P "At a meeting of the wardens and vestrymen of the sev Episcopal churches in the county of Saratoga, viz. in Ba ton, Milton. Stillwater. Waterford, Charlton, Galway, Gr field, and Providence, in the state of New-York, duly war and convened in Ballston, February 1st. 1800, "Voted unanimously, That the thanks of the seve churches in the county of Saratoga, be presented to the R Ammi Rogers, for his unwearied labors and faithful servic in the promotion of religion; that owing to his abilities a discretion, the Episcopal church has become prosperous a respectable; that his exemplary piety and spotless mora uniformly demonstrated in his life and conversation, me our warmest acknowledgements; and that no exertions our part shall be wanting, to render his situation comfortab and easy, and his life happy. The Rev. Mr. Rogers then thanked them for their p liteness and attention to him since his first acquaintan with them. He said, if there was any thing which could gi him pleasure, it certainly would be the consciousness of ha ing done his duty, and the love and approbation of his paris! ioners; that he then acknowledged with gratitude, that in h opinion, few clergymen could boast of more instances of atter tion and respect from his parishioners than he could; that h could not withhold his grateful acknowledgements to Almight God for crowning his endeavors in the cause of religion, wit a success far beyond his most sanguine expectations; that b felt himself happily situated, in regard to his parishioners, an if his past services and deportment had already met thei approbation, and extracted from them a determination to af ford him a support and to make his life easy and happy, h hoped that in future he should no less deserve it. |