to leave the mother country, because either their moral or intellectual condition was so low, and hearing of the opportunities in Maryland where the demands on the part of the civil authorities were not so rigorous, were constantly coming over; and as for a long while the supply of clergy was never overfull, it was easy for them to secure positions, and to hold them for life if they would. For once settled, they were raised above the liability of prosecution; and necessarily almost, any evil tendency in them, the outcome of vice or ignorance, was only fostered. Many and bitter were the complaints on the part of the better class of the clergy, of the civil authorities, and of the vestries and people. It was an evil, for which, however, no correction could be found till the very last. The appointment of a commissary was tried; but as he could do no more than warn and rebuke, his influence was feeble. At times he did assume more, and by some his assumption was acquiesced in; but that was only passing, and the office died of inanition. He was the representative of the Bishop of London, who in spiritual matters was ordinary for the colonies as the civil authority, the Governor, was in temporal relations; and one of the plans proposed was that the commissary should take evidence and transmit the same to the Bishop for final action, as only a Bishop can degrade a minister. In that way the civil rights of a rector in his parish might be vacated. When, however, it was attempted by the Governor, in 1718, to obtain from the Assembly sufficient power for this procedure, the clergy endorsing the Governor's action, the whole was

negatived by the non-action of the Assembly, their jealousy of such authority causing them to lay the matter over. For America was always afraid of entrusting either legislative or judicial functions to any authority in Great Britain. The clergy also themselves did not heartily approve this scheme, the office of commissary, as possessing only delegated authority, not commending itself to their judgement as one in which much authority might be reasonably lodged. In some instances, even as it was, it was found in use to create good deal of trouble and confusion, Dr. Bray's difficulty in London with Gov. Seymour being exceedingly painful, and Mr. Henderson's in America with all parties being disastrous in the extreme. The liability to collision from the conflict of jurisdiction was very great, and even in the hands of a discreet person, who still cared for the honor of his office, conflict was unadvoidable. It was doubtless therefore the leading of a wise Providence that the jurisdiction of the commissary was not enlarged, and that the office finally ceased to be exercised.

Another plan proposed for abating the evil was the erection of an ecclesiastical court. This was attempted in 1708 by the Assembly during the administration of Gov. Seymour, a gentleman who though well spoken of for his management of the colony's affairs, was bitterly antagonistic to any administration over the church other than his own. This was shown in his aversion to the appointment of a commissary with authority when he was applied to by Dr. Bray. The support proposed for the commissary he utterly rejected, and expressed in no courtly

language his aversion for the office. The court proposed by the Assembly was to consist of three clergymen, three laymen and the Governor; and was to have jurisdiction even to the limit of suspending ministers from their functions. The mention of such acourt shows the great need for some corrective discipline; but of course, the plan given excited the greatest opposition on the part of the clergy, it being clearly seen at the time and stated, that it ignored the first principle of Episcopacy. Protest was immediately entered with the Bishop of London. Governor Seymour, however, did not comfirm the law, on the ground that he had not received instructions from home in regard to the matter. Governor Hart afterwards was disposed, on his own motion, to examine into a case where complaint had been made by a vestry of their minister; but was deterred by the jealousy of the clergy against any infraction of the principles of their church government. Nor was the above the only occasion when the attempt was made to set up such a court, as we shall see further on, the attempt being resisted by the same objecttions.

Another plan suggested for the cure of the evil was the appointment of a Bishop for the colonies. Sometimes the petition was for a Bishop for Maryland, sometimes that the settlements in America should be provided with two Bishops, one for the Western Islands, the other for the mainland. Sometimes the plea was sent in for a suffragan Bishop, as the representative of the Bishop of London in this part of his jurisdiction. This desire was expressed, also, not only by the clergy, but also by the commissary, and

at one time by the civil authority; for all agreed that the only feasible mode of improving the condition of things was the appointment of a Bishop. All such pleadings, however, were neglected. It was proposed that the colony should support the Bishop, as it supported all its clergy. For the clergy of Maryland received no aid from home. The provision for his support was to be obtained by granting him the fees of the office for the probate of wills, and by a plantation of fifteen hundred acres of land. This was the plan suggested in 1724. There was no favorable response, however, from the administrators of colonial affairs in England. At one time it was feared that the appointment of Bishops for America would tend to create a feeling of independence in the colonies; and therefore of course it was avoided. Later on, about the year 1760, when the scheme was further urged by the English Bishops, not for Maryland particularly, but for America, the matter received earnest consideration in the English Cabinet. But the difficulties were felt to be at the time insurmountable. In 1768 both Massachusetts and Virginia are found in their legislative assemblies reprobating the establishment of Episcopacy in the colonies, a harmony of opinion in widely divergent quarters that could not but make the Engglish government halt in carrying out any such purpose. Eddis, also, writing from Maryland in the closing days of the colony, says: "The colonists were strongly prejudiced against the Episcopal order."

These were the various means proposed for disciplining the clergy and undoing the evil

effects of the ignorance or indifference of the governors in inducting unworthy men. How weighty was the evil it is impossible to say; for in such matters there is always much exaggeration. We have in the year 1723 a picture of ten of the clergy of the time, which will throw some light upon the question as showing the prejudices at work affecting the judgment, and, may be, suggest the ratio of unworthy men to the respectable. It will be observed that political antagonism is strongly expressed, and when we go back to that period, and remember the spirit of faction, that slumbered; indeed, at times, but was nevertheless strong, resting on the claims of the pretender as against the reigning house of Hanover, and also the ecclesiastical aversion that was felt against those who were of Scottish ordination, whose forefathers were the non-jurors of the days of the Revolution, we are somewhat disposed to hesitate in accepting the judgment passed. The ten are thus described: "Peter Tustian, a stranger recently come from South Carolina, Jacob Henderson, a tory, Giles Rainsford, a stickler for the present happy establishment, John Fraser, a whig, Sam. Skippon, a whig and an excellent scholar and good man, John Colebatch, a whig and one of the best of men, James Williamson, a Scotchman, an idiot, and a tory, Daniel Maynadier, a whig and reputed a good liver, but a horrid preacher, John Donaldson, a grand tory and a rake, George Ross, a tory and belongs to the society." Nothing it will be observed is said to the disparagement of any whig except that one is said to have been a good liver, which may mean more than is expressed;