and twelve feet high in the side walls, with seven window frames and arched roof. It was to be finished inside with "chancell and table, with rayl and banisters, pulpit, reading desk and clerke's seat, the church to be seeled from top to bottom with half inch plank, batined in pannells, pues to be built on each side of the church, shutters to every window, the porch to be seeled after the same manner." The door was on the South side, with a porch nine feet square before it. The description of this porch as given is: "Ye door archt, with railes and banisters on each side, ye roof to be shingled as ye church." The capacity of such a building according to our present arrangement of seats would be about one hundred and fifty sittings, though with the old style of square pews economy of space was not so much considered. As first built, however, it was sufficient for their needs, though as time went on it was in various ways enlarged and additional capacity provided. This was done either by increasing the length of the building or by the erection of galleries, or by taking into use a vestry house as an annex. These changes began as early as 1704, and were made with consent of the vestry by private individuals who obtained exclusive title to the pews so provided, with the right of alienating them. The number of taxables nearly doubled in the first twentyfive years of the parish history.

The church was a long while in finishing, various causes of delay having arisen. Also having already a place of worship there was probably not so much urgency, and though money was sure to come in it would require

several years in which to accumulate a sufficient amount. Besides, though it is said that in some parts of Maryland the churches were without floors save what mother earth provided, certainly that was not the case here. If it was anywhere the fact it is a high testimony to the faithfulness of the people who would not wait to have the floors laid to commence their offering of worship, for the Assembly provided the means which was sure to be furnished in a short time. That there was such urgency throughout the colony for the beginning of holy worship there can be no doubt. The opportunity for prayer and praise was not given before there was a demand for it.

The work on St. James,' however, was not rudely or hastily done. For the "gentlemen" who had composed a large part of the original colony, never died out in Maryland; but all the way through the colonial days we find the evidence of their intelligence and force of character, not only in civil but also in social affairs; a condition of society which West River, with its rich and productive soil, was always able to cherish. This was the case at this time, so that we find every care which pride and love could bestow, manifested for the church and its appointments; and though small in size and plain according to our present tastes, it began at once to be and ever continued the center of the dearest and holiest associations. Later down in the century a change took place, and much taste and art were shown in the building and adornment, not only of churches and other public buildings, but also of private residences. In Annapolis and the adjacent country especially, are such examples

presented, the architecture and elaborate workmanship often putting to the blush many of the pretentious efforts of this present time. Many honorable mechanics doubtless came to America, as to a new field which with its increasing wealth offered large opportunity to their genius and ambition; while beside there were many who came over involuntarily, men who, of practical skill in the mechanical arts, were for some delinquency or crime, transported from their homes to these shores. Tradition ascripes more than one elegant piece of adornment to this class. There was employed in the building of the first church of the parish one such involuntary immigrant whose time was bought by the vestry.

From the year 1695 till 1698 there was no settled rector in the parish; but the law had provided for that case by making provision for lay readers, so that we find one such reading the service regularly at two hundred pounds of tobacco a month. We find also a person who wandered about America very considerably, the Rev. Hugh Jones, preaching three sermons in the parish; for which he received four hundred pounds of tobacco. He appears a little later as the rector of Christ Church, Calvert co.; a man who was apparently fond of his pen and used it sometimes skillfully in depicting to the English imagination scenes that had entertained him here.

In the matter of providing for the church building in those days, there seems to have been some confusion as to the means. We have seen that one of the functions of the vestry was to sell, for a term of years, white women guilty of having

mulatto children, a crime that in the early days of the colony was very frequently committed, showing the presence of a fearfully debased class of society. Such cases were tried before the county court, the vestries only executing the sentence. Nor was the evil soon abated, for in 1715 we find it re-enacted, with the same penalty of seven years servitude inflicted on the father, if a free negro. A white man also was similarly punished who should be the father of a mulatto, so strenuously did they labor against miscegenation; while so radical was the evil that the law was re-enacted in 1717 and 1728. But the strangest part was that such children were supposed to belong to the church, and the pecuniary profits resulting from the crime in the sale both of parents and children, went to the use of the church, though afterwards it was claimed by one of the best ministers ever in the colony, that such persons belonged of right to the clergy, a claim that was apparently recognized.

As at this time there was no rector in the parish we find the vestry using their opportunity and providing out of the thirty-two pounds sterling they had received from the sale. of such persons, the following articles along with others. Their order was that the money be laid out in iron work, glass and other necessary things; but when the account was returned it was found to include in "necessary things" surplice, with a "flagon, two cupps, one challice, and one fine mettle bason, for baptisms, as afterwards noted; a rather incongruous association one would think between the means and the end. The same bill of items enables us to get a

a

little nearer glance at the old church and the people's estimate of comeliness; for we find five pounds sterling paid for five yards of fine green broadcloth, with three pounds for silk fringe and fourteen shillings for four tassels. For embroid

ering the cloth, which was to be used for a pulpit cushion, thirty shillings were paid; while for fine down to be used in stuffing the same eleven shillings were given, the whole being made up, along with the carpet, for ten shillings. Truly they had some regard for what was comely and beautiful; while also they soon outgrew the anomaly of holy vessels being purchased in the way their pewter service was. For in 1701 we find this entry: "The vestry of this parish, taking into their serious consideration with what decorous and good order ye Blessed Sacrament of the Lord's supper is administered both in their native country and other parts of this province, and out of a pious and godly desire to follow ye good example of their fellow christians and brethren of the church of England, and in obedience to a canon of ye same church; have unanimously voted ye buying of plate to be used at ye offertory and celebration of ye same sacrament, and for ye purchase thereof subscribed ye severall sumes following: Coll Wm. Holland four pounds, Mr. Henry Hall three pounds, Mr. Anthony Smyth three pounds, Mr. Chris. Vernon three pounds, Mr. Seth Biggs four pounds, Capt. Robt. Lockwood three pounds, Mr. Abraham Brickhead three pounds, Mathias Clark one pound, Morgan Jones one pound." To this we find added: "His Excellency Governor Blackston five pounds, Mr. Hen. Robison two pounds, Mr.