or the sacriligious spirit of the community. Where such was the sad misfortune of the church it required many years to repair the evil and open the sacred house again for prayer and praise. In almost all instances, however, if not in all, this has been done; for there are but few old ruins in Maryland to mark spots from which the church has had to recede. The church in Maryland had for too many years been part of the social fabric to allow it an easy death, and when times brightened men began to look up and God answered their prayers; and old dismantled and desecrated buildings were consecrated anew.

As early as April, 1778, within eighteen months of the passage of the' Bill of Rights, we find the people in St. James' parish coming together, in "a meeting of freemen" to choose persons to act as vestrymen, and in all probability the records of other parishes would show the same; for where the church was kept open during the war it would soon be found essential to have some persons to attend to its affairs and to be custodians of its property. They do not seem to have been acting under any law, but rather of their own will. Nor was any time appointed during which those elected were to serve. They also immediately went to work to secure funds for the necessary expenses of the church, and judging from the list returned Nov. 15th, 1779, their efforts met with a willing response from the people, for at that time sixty-eight persons were represented as subscribing different sums. In 1781 however, the number of subscribers was one hundred and fifty-five, showing a very general disposition to sustain the church. The net they cast

was pretty large, to catch all manner of fish, none being allowed to escape by reason of its size; for the heading to the list in 1779 reads: Whereas no act has hitherto been made for the support of the clergy of the church of England by the legislature of this state, we the subscribers do therefore bind and oblige ourselves, our heirs, executors, or administrators, to pay unto the vestry of the aforesaid parish (St. James) or their order, the sum of money, or quantity of tobacco, wheat, corn, rye, oats, peas or beans annexed to our respective names, on or before the first day of Dec. 1780, to be applied by said vestry towards employing a clergyman to officiate in said parish for one year from the date hereof, and to defray other necessary expenses of said parish." Nobody, however, seems to have contributed anything except money and tobacco, of which there evidently there was still much raised. Among the vestrymen chosen in 1778, was the Rev. Walter Magowan, his holding of the parish for the last eighteen months being apparently by common consent. The spirit of the old institution was also evidently still hanging about them, for the act of 1779, entitled an act for the establishment of select vestries, did not admit the rector of the parish into this body. This act was passed in the March session of this year, and was as liberal towards the church as it could well be, for the church itself had by no means been educated up to the expectation or desire of liberal things such as are now looked upon as essential in her relations with the state. The preamble to the act was a follows: "Whereas it is thought expedient and necessary that select vestries be chosen in every

parish within the state for the preservation of the churches and for the taking care of glebe lands and other purposes tending to the happiness and welfare of the state." And according to the first section the number of the vestrymen was to be seven, to be elected by persons contributing to the support of the parish, and who were qualified to vote for members of the assembly. The members elect, also, were to take the following oath in addition to that of faithfulness in their office: I. A. B. do swear that I do not hold myself bound to yield any allegiance or obedience to the King of Great Britain, his heirs or successors, and that I will be true and faithful to the state of Maryland, and will, to the utmost of my power, support, maintain, and defend the freedom and independence thereof, and the government as it is now established, against all open enemies and secret traitorous conspiracies, attempts or combinations against this state or the government thereof which may come to my knowledge: So help me God." Such an oath was afterwards continued under the vestry act of 1798, only it was so modified as to read: "I do swear that I do not hold myself bound in allegiance to the King of Great Britain, and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the state of Maryland." This oath continued to be administered to vestrymen for more than fifty years after the declaration of American independence.

Among the other features of the law of 1779 was one requiring, as under the old system, a table of marriages to be set up in the churches; and to ensure care and attention on the part of

the people to their church duties, the vestry was required to meet monthly, fines being imposed for absence. Also if any person, a member of the church, and possessing the qualifications named for a vestryman, should refuse, upon election to serve, unless he had sufficient excuse to allege, he was fined twenty pounds currency, and half that amount was imposed upon any warden who in like circumstances, refused to bear the burdens of office. And this is still the law in Maryland by the twenty-sixth article of the vestry act; only the fines are ten and twenty dollars instead of ten and twenty pounds. Such fines also are recoverable before any justice of the peace. That any attempt should be made now to collect such fines no one imagines, for it would be recognized not only as an act of extreme folly, but also as violating that principle of free-will offering to God for his church's sake which everybody now recognizes as the true root of the church's prosperity. And the sentiment is that anyone that could only thus be constrained to be a vestryman, would only be a hindrance and a curse within that body. The flavor of old things still pervaded the church's new relations; neither the church nor the state could understand how true and entire their separation had been. All through this period the consciousness was expressed, not only that the church was dependent upon the state for protection in temporal things, but that it was for the highest profit of the state that in every legitimate way religion should be fostered. It was a mutual partnership for mutual support. Since that day both church and state have entered upon larger ideas. The oath of faithfulness

to the state of Maryland has been lost in the grander idea of fealty to the general government, and the church in Maryland, while preserving her diocesan autonomy in many things, is a part of the church of America with a community of interests embracing the whole land.

state

The act for the establishment of select vestries shows the kindest feeling on the part of the authorities towards the church, and along with the recognition of the principles of the declaration of rights, the utmost desire to promote her welfare. And well might it be so, for at that time almost all the intelligence and influence of the state were found in the body called the church of England. For the great inroads, chiefly by Methodism, upon the church had hardly then begun, and everywhere care and affection were felt for the only known mother that had nourished the people, preaching the word, administering the bread of life, ministering in the hours both of joy and sorrow in the homes. When the inroads were made they were successful chiefly among the poor, but at this time they also were loyal. The great subscription list of 1781, when one hundred and fifty-five persons combined in the one parish given to support the ministry, very many of them poor and of the humblest walks of life, as shown by their gifts as well as by their names, is an instance and proof of this. Well, therefore, might the feeling of the legislature be kind, for it represented only the common feeling.

Uuder this act the vestries were immediately reorganized, save where both spiritual and pecuniary destitution abounded. It gave the church