tite 100% anf I was merous family connexions were residing in that town ; and the Episcopal church was not so generally known and understood as I wished. At length I informed them that I was determined to leave the county of Saratoga. A meeting was called in Branford, East-Haven, and Northfield, and I was unanimously chosen Rector of their churches, which was communicated to the Rev. Mr. Jarvis, my former antagonist, who had now become Bishop of the Episcopal church in Connecticut. Their choice was approved of by him according to the canons, and sent to me in Ballston, which I laid before the church in that place, and requested a dismission from them. Silence, as if it had been the silence of death, prevailed, and not an eye which did not shed a tear. the first minister they ever had, most of the n and their children, had been baptized by me; they had been faithfully instructed in the faith and practice of the gospel, and in the concerns of their souls, and of eternity, They had by me been presented to the Bishop, and received the apostolic rite of confirmation. They had by me been admitted to the holy communion of the Lord's supper; I had visited them in sickness, instructed them when they were ignorant, conforted them in affliction, committed the dead bodies of their friends and relatives, their parents and children, their husbands or wives, their brothers or sisters, to the awful and silent grave, looking for the general resurrection and the life of the world to cone through our Lord Jesus Christ. I had always been as ready to mourn with those who mourned as I was to rejoice with those who did rejoice; for ten years the sun had never risen upon a happier or more united minister and peos ple; what I said was not only the voice of a minister, who had a tender regard for their souls, but of a friend, who loved them sincerely. My congregations were very large, and when I went into the pulpit, I had the satisfaction to think that there was not a person present, who would not willingly share their last loaf with me. After a long time of silence, old Mr. Betty's, the senior warden, with a heart ready to break, his eyes gushing out with tears, and with a faultering voice, rose and said, Mr. Rogers, why do you wish to leave us? there is not a person in any of your parishes, who would no C York, and obtained the following certificate from the standing committee of the church there, viz. To the Right Reverend the Bishop and Clergy of the Diocess THEODOSIUS BARTOW, Rector of Trinity church, N. Roch. do. do. do. The foregoing line from the bishop of New-York, and the foregoing certificate from the standing committee of the church in that state, were presented to bishop Jarvis in Der by, by Josiah Dudley, Esq. who was a member of the convention in the state of Connecticut, and were by bishop Jarvis rejected, on the pretended ground that the line from the bishop of New-York was not officia!. Then I went again to New-York, and obtained the following official line from the bishop of New-York. "To the Right Rev. Abraham Jarvis, D. D. Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the state of Connecticut. "I do hereby certify, that the Rev. Ammi Rogers left the state of New-York before my consecration to the office of a bishop, and consequently was never placed under my jurisdiction; that during the time of his residence in this diocess, he constantly attended the conventions of the church, and that in those conventions no complaint was ever preferred against him, nor did he at any time, or on any occasion fall under the censure of the ecclesiastical authority. BENJAMIN MOORE, Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal January 17th, 1804. Church in the state of New-York, The foregoing official line was presented to bishop Jarvis by capt. Nathaniel Webb of Stamford, and what could he require more? his word and honor as bishop, and as president of the Episcopal church in Connecticut were pledged; the honor of the whole church in the state was pledged, but, alas! alas! he now throws off the mask--he breaks through all former engagements, and declares, "that a man who will make religion not only the servant, but the very scullion of a political faction, (meaning the republicans,) who are endeavoring to root all religion and authority out of the state, I am determined to have nothing to do with." He himself had made religion not only the servant, but the very scullion of the Presbyterian federal party, who were rising against the measures of our general government, and endeavoring to preserve a religious establishment in Connecticut, which I sincerely believe to be inconsistent with the equal rights of other denominations. which On the very next week after bishop Jarvis received the foregoing line from the bishop of New-York, he got some of the clergy, who were of his party, together in Litchfield, and in the night, without granting a hearing or trial, and actually without my knowledge, issued and published a paper, forbid ding me to preach in Connecticut. Against this paper I issued and published a solemn PROTEST, and declared it to be without authority, and of no force, because it was issued without the previous steps required by the authority of God's word, and the constitution and canons of the Episcopal church to I belonged; because it was a violation of his most solemn vows of office, upon the condition of which he was ordained and made bishop; because to issue a paper against any man of without hearing or trial, and actually without his knowledge, was a violation of all civil and religious compact, was disgraceful to his office, was cruel, tyrannical, and oppressive in th the highest degree-and because the paper issued by bishop Jarvis against me, was a manifest and shameful violation of his word, and solemn assurance given to me, and to my people, and to the world, as bishop of the state, and as president of the convention of the church, in Danbury, in 1803. the same grounds, the wardens and vestry, and ninety-one of ess inst the On the members of the church in Stamford, issued and published their solen protest against the paper of bishop Jarvis issued against me, and declared it without authority and void. On the same grounds, the church in Branford, in East Haven, in Northford, and in many other places issued and published their solemn protest against the said paper issued against me, and declared it wholly without authority and void. At this time, I had removed from Branford to Stamford, and had, by the unanimous vote of that parish, become their minister. And here I make a solemn appeal to the con. science of every person who had lived under my ministry in the state of Connecticut, or of New York: have I not dili gently read and expounded the holy scriptures of the old and new testament, as opportunity offered? have I not endeav oured to fashion my own life and others, according to the doc. trine of Christ, and to make myself a wholesome example to his flock? have not always reverently obeyed my bishop in all things which were according to the authority of God's word, and the canons of the church, and submitted myself to his godly judgment, founded on the same? have I not faithful. ly endeavoured to banish and drive away from the church all erroneous and strange doctrines which were contrary to God's word? have I not been diligent in prayers, in reading the ho ly scriptures, and studying the same, and in administering the sacraments, laying aside the study of the world and of the flesh? have I not endeavoured to set forward quietness, peace, and love among all christian people, and especially among those who were committed to my charge? and were your con. gregations ever larger, were the people ever more edified, were your parishes ever more prosperous, than while in my care? and where is the person, man or woman, who will say that to them, and in their presence, I have not conducted like a gentleman and a christian? even the false witnesses themselves, on whose account 1 have suffered imprisonment, and the loss of all things, have constantly declared my innocence, except while under the influence of my personal, political, and religious enemies. "O, Lord Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee, grant that the ministers and stewards of thy holy mysteries, may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient unto the wisdon of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world, we may be found acceptable in thy sight; and grant, O merciful father, that thy people may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also that they may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord.-Amen." hast Hear me Lord Jesus, not according to the imperfections of my own petitions, but according to the full meaning of that perfect form of words, which thou thyself in great mercy taught and expressly commanded, that when we did pray, we should say, Our Father who art in heaven, &c, CHAPTER V. A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH CONTINUED From the aforesaid paper, issued and published against me by bishop Jarvis, I appealed to the House of Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, assembled in the city of New York, 1804. by way of l'etition, and after stating my case, prayed them to decide, 1st, to which state I did canonically belong; 2d, that a paper, i-sued and published by Bishop Jarvis, against me without hearing or trial, and wholly without any knowledge; contrary to the authority of God's word and the established order of the Episcopal church; inconsistent with his most solemn vows of office, and in violation of his word and honor, publicly pledged as bishop, and as president of the Convention of the Church in Connecticut, might be recalled; and 34, that if any one had whereof to accuse me, I might be served with a copy of all and every charge, together with the proof, and that might have a reasonable time to prepare and defend my self-meaning according to the canons of the church in that state to which they should decide I belonged. |