unhappy end, nor I have been so distressed upon this melancholy occasion."

In January, 1755, Mr. Thomas Barton, who had been for two years engaged as an assistant tutor in the Academy of Pensilvania, came to England with letters testimonial from the Professors of the college and the clergy of the province-and with an earnest petition from the inhabitants of Huntingdon, that he might be appointed their missionary. After the necessary inquiries and examinations had been completed, Mr. Barton was ordained, and went back to America as itinerant missionary for the counties of York and Cumberland.

The following extracts from his first letter to the Society, dated Huntingdon, November 8th, 1756, will convey some notion of the extent of his mission and the laborious nature of his duties. .

"After a short and very agreeable passage, I arrived at Philadelphia about the 16th of April, 1755, and immediately wrote to the people of Huntingdon, who came generously with their wagons, and brought away my effects. As soon as I settled my affairs and visited my friends, I set out for this place about the latter end of May, where I was received with a hearty welcome, and was much pleased to find the poor people filled with gratitude under a due sense of the weighty obligations they were under to the honourable Society for the favours conferred upon them. And what pleased me still more, was to hear that they had struggled hard to keep alive some sense of religion among their children, by meeting every Sunday, and getting one of the members to read prayers to them.

"My first business was to visit and make myself acquainted with the state and numbers of the three congregations at York, Huntingdon, and Carlisle and having settled wardens and vestry-men in each, they all met, and according to their numbers, agreed mutually that I should officiate three Sundays in six at Huntingdon, two at Carlisle, and one at York. Upon hearing that within the limits of my mission there were large numbers of the communion of the church of England in the settlements of Canogoehieg, Shippensburg, Sheerman's-Valley, West-Penn's-Borough and Marsh-Creek, I determined to visit each of these places four times a year, to prepare them for the sacrament of the Lord's Supper and to baptize their children.

"I had the pleasure to see my hearers increase daily, which amounted to such a number in a few weeks at Huntingdon, that I have been sometimes obliged to preach to them under the cover of the trees. And when it was my turn at Carlisle, I am told that people came forty, fifty, and some sixty miles. The Dissenters also (who are very numerous in these parts) attended constantly, and seemed well-disposed, always behaving themselves decently and devoutly. The more rational part of them appear well reconciled with our church, and some of the principal of them offered generously to subscribe to me.

"I now began to consider myself (as the Rev. Mr. Provost Smith expresses it in a letter to me) as one who had advanced to the very frontiers of the Messiah's kingdom, and among the first who had unfolded His everlasting banners in the remotest parts of the West.

"From the advantage of my situation, bordering upon nations of savages, I entertained strong hopes that it might please the Lord to make me a happy instrument to subject some of these poor ignorant creatures to the kingdom of God, and of Jesus Christ; and hearing that a number of them were come down from the Ohio to Carlisle, to dispose of their fur and deer skins, I made it my business to go among them and endeavour as much as possible to ingratiate myself into their good opinion. Next morning, I invited them to church, and such of them as understood any English came, and seemed very attentive the whole time. When I came to visit them in the afternoon, those that had been at church brought all their brethren to shake hands with me, and pointing often upwards, discoursed with one another some time in their own language. I imagine they were telling them what they had heard, and indeed, I observed them to be pleased with the relation.

"This gave me reason to think that the Indians were willing to be instructed, and were susceptible of good impressions; and if they found missionaries divested of sinister and selfish motives, they could easily be prevailed upon to exchange their savage barbarity for the pure and peaceable religion of Jesus. Just when I was big with the hopes of being able to do service among these tawny people, we received the melancholy news, that our forces under the command of General Braddock, were defeated on the 9th of July, as they were marching to take Duquesne, a French fort upon the Ohio. This was soon succeeded by an alienation of the Indians in our interest, and from that day to this poor Pennsylvania has felt incessantly the sad effects of popish tyranny and savage cruelty. A great part of five of her counties has been depopulated and laid waste, and some hundreds of her steadiest sons either murdered or carried into barbarous captivity. "At a time of such public calamity and distress, you may easily conceive what must be my situation, whose fortune it was to have my residence in a place where these grievances were felt most. .... It is but a little time since these counties were erected. They were chiefly settled by poor people, who not being able to purchase lands in the interior parts of the country, came back where they were cheap. Many of them were so low at first, that two families were generally obliged to join in fitting out one plough, and before they could raise a subsistence, were necessitated to run in debt for stock and for what maintained them in the interim. As soon as they became industrious, the fertile soil gave them an hundred fold, and in a little time raised them to affluence and plenty when they were just beginning to feel the comforts and taste the fruits of their industry, a barbarous and cruel enemy came and ruined them.

"The county of Cumberland has suffered particularly, and the condition of its remaining shattered inhabitants is truly deplorable! many of them are reduced to real poverty and distress, groaning under a burden of calamities; some having lost their husbands, some their wives, some their children, and all the labour of many years. In this condition (my heart bleeds in relating what I am an eye-witness to) they now wander about without bread of their own to eat, or a house to shelter themselves in from the inclemency of the approaching

winter. They have left many thousand bushels of wheat and other grain behind them in their barns and storehouses, which must become a spoil to the enemy, while the just owners of it must either beg or starve. Since I sat down to write this letter, I have received accounts that a poor family had fled for refuge into this county about six months ago, where they have remained ever since; but finding they could not subsist, chose a few days ago to run the risk of returning home to enjoy the fruits of their labour, where they had not time to unlade their cart, before they were seized by Indians and murdered.

"Carlisle is the only remains of that once populous county: they have a garrison of about 100 men, but how long they will be able to defend themselves is very uncertain, as the enemy have threatened that place in particular. They still have their share of my ministrations, and seem extremely thankful to the honourable Society upon whose bounty I am chiefly supported. . . This mission, in a few years, would have vied with the ablest in this province, as it was in a flourishing state, and could not contain less than 2000 persons, members of the Church of England. But so melancholy is the transition, that it cannot afford to build one church; so that I officiate sometimes in a barn, sometimes in a wastehouse, or wherever else convenience offers.

"I have baptized since my arrival one hundred and sixty infants, ten adults, and an Indian girl, who has been brought up in a Christian family since her infancy, after due examination and instruction. The number of my communicants is fifty-eight, which I bave but little expectation of increasing till this storm is blown over."

He then proceeds to give his views as to the most likely means for the civilization and conversion of the native North American tribes.

"Indeed, (in my humble opinion,) nothing can promise fairer to produce these happy effects than the scheme proposed by the honourable Society. In the conversion of Indians, many difficulties and impediments will occur, which European missionaries will never be able to remove. Their customs and manner of living are so opposite to the genius and constitution of our people that they could never become familiar to them. Few of the Indians have any settled place of habitation, but wander about where they can meet with most success in hunting, and whatever beasts or reptiles they chance to take are food to them. Bears, foxes, wolves, racoons, pole-cats, and even snakes, they can eat with as much cheerfulness as Englishmen do their best beef and mutton. But such hardships are easily surmounted, such an austere life made agreeable by such as from their infancy have been accustomed to them. So that Indian boys, educated at the Academy under the care of able masters, where they can be visited by their relations, and taught everything necessary for them to learn at an easier expense than in any of the universities in Europe, will be the fittest to be employed in this grand and glorious work, and the most likely to succeed in it."

In the difficult position in which he found himself, in a district exposed to the incursions of the French and wild Indians, Mr. Barton was compelled to organize his own people for defence against their

enemies. And so much did he distinguish himself by his zeal and activity in the cause of his country, that his conduct was thus spoken of in a letter from Philadelphia to Mr. Penn the proprietary. "Mr. Barton deserves the commendations of all lovers of their country, for he has put himself at the head of his congregations, and marched either by night or by day on every alarm. Had others imitated his example, Cumberland would not have wanted men enough to defend it; nor has he done anything in the military way but what hath increased his character for piety, and that of a sincerely religious man and zealous minister. In short, he is a most worthy, active, and serviceable pastor and missionary, and as such please to mention him to the Society."

So attached was his congregation to him, that, in 1758, the young men within his mission offered to take up arms in defence of their country, and join themselves to General Forbes' army, if Mr. Barton would go with them as their minister. On this he proposed himself to the general as chaplain of the troops, and his services were thankfully accepted. His absence from his ordinary duties was but a short one; and after an interval of five years, he sends the following account of his mission and himself.

"It is a great satisfaction to me to observe that the churches in this mission make now as decent an appearance as any churches in the province, those of Philadelphia excepted. But much more is the pleasure I feel in observing them crowded every Sunday during the summer season with people of almost every denomination, who come, many of them, thirty and forty miles. I hope I may, without confidence, be allowed to assure you that it has pleased my Blessed Master, through my weak labours, to add some to the church; and that, amidst all the mad zeal and distractions of the Religionists that surround me, I have never been deserted by any of those whom I had received in charge. I don't expect I shall be able many years to perform the duties of this mission. The fatigue of riding twenty miles to one church and eighteen to another, in the cold of our winters and excessive heat of our summers, has already much impaired my constitution, which I had reason to value as an excellent one. But I do not mean to complain. Whilst I have any prospect of being serviceable to religion, or the least beneficial to my fellow-creatures, I shall cheerfully resign to this cause my health, and the best part of my life. I can propose no advantages to myself here, but what must result from a consciousness of having done my duty. I am indeed happy in being favoured with the venerable Society's approbation of my conduct. And they will be so just to me as to believe, that, independent of any connexion with them, they have my esteem, affection, and best wishes."*

A much fuller account, which may not be without its historical interest, is contained in his report of the following year, (1764.) It will serve also to impress upon the mind of the reader, the excessive toils which were borne by the early missionaries in America.

*MS. Letter, June 28, 1763.

"This mission takes in the whole of Lancaster county, (eighty miles in length, and twenty-six in breadth,) part of Chester county, and part of Berks; so that the circumference of my stated mission only is 200 miles. The county of Lancaster contains upwards of 40,000 souls of this number not more than 500 can be reckoned as belonging to the Church of England; the rest are German Lutherans, Calvinists, Menonists, Moravians, New Born, Dunkers, Presbyterians, Seceders, New Lights, Covenanters, Mountain Men, Brownists, Independents, Papists, Quakers, Jews, &c. Amidst such a swarm of sectaries, all indulged and favoured by the Government, it is no wonder that the national church should be borne down. At the last election for the county to choose assembly-men, sheriffs, coroner, commissioners, assessors, &c., 5000 freeholders voted, and yet not a single member of the church was elected into any of these offices. Notwithstanding these and the like discouragements, I have the satisfaction to assure the honourable Society, that my people have continued to give proofs of that submission and obedience to civil authority which it is the glory of the Church of England to inculcate: and, whilst faction and party strife have been rending the province to pieces, they behaved themselves as became peaceable and dutiful subjects, never intermeddling in the least. Suffer me to add, sir, that in the murder of the Indians in this place, and the different insurrections occasioned by this inhuman act, not one of them was ever concerned. Justice demands this testimony from me in their favour, as their conduct upon this occasion has gained them much credit and honour. Upon the whole, the Church of England visibly gains ground throughout the province. The mildness and excellency of her constitution, her moderation and charity even to her enemies, and (I hope I may be indulged to say) the indefatigable labours of her missionaries, must at length recommend her to all, except those who have an hereditary prejudice and aversion to her.

"The German Lutherans have frequently in their Cœtus's proposed a union with the Church of England, and several of their clergy, with whom I have conversed, are desirous of addressing his Grace my Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and my Lord Bishop of London upon the subject.

"A large and respectable congregation of Dutch Calvinists in Philadelphia have already drawn up constitutions, by which they oblige themselves to conform to the canons and constitutions of the national church, and to use her liturgy and forms, and none else, provided they be approved of and received at home, and that my Lord Bishop will grant ordination to such gentlemen as they shall present to him.

"The Presbyterians are in much disrepute with all the other sects, and seem to be at a stand. They gain no accession except from the importations of their own Society from the North of Ireland.

"The establishment of Episcopacy in America has been long talked of, and long expected, and I humbly beg the honourable Society's pardon if I should take the liberty to observe, that this