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 became 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. I was 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 come 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 peo pic; 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. Bettys, 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

gladly carry you in his arms, if it were necessary; we all respect you, and have always been glad to do every thing in our power for your comfort. The death of your excellent wife, we all mourn, but it could not be prevented. Is it any thing which we have done, or which we have left undone, that induces you to wish to leave us? I replied, that it was not; but that I was in affliction, and wished to return to my parents and to the place of my nativity; that I thought the religious situation of Connecticut was such, as offered an opportunity of doing much good, and that I would endeavor not to leave them destitute of a minister, but would obtain some worthy person to take my place with them; that I had lived to see every Presbyterian minister dismissed from that county, while I had been there, viz. Mr. Skenk, from Ballston, Mr. Riply, from Ballston, eastline, Mr. Sill, from Milton, Mr. Sturges, from Charlton, Mr. Linsly, from Galway, Mr. Close, from Waterford, Mr. Campbell, from Stillwater, Mr. Condict, from Stillwater hill, Mr. Smith, from Saratoga, &c. That the Episcopal church in that county had increased far beyond any example in that state; that they had, within a few years, built four new and elegant houses for public worship; that in some places the meeting-houses were used as places of worship for Episcopalians; that from 14 families they had increased to about 4000 souls, and were now in a situation to settle ministers among them, and I thought I could do more good, and it would be more for my comfort to return to Connecticut, and now wished to be dismissed. Judge Walton, and others spoke against it, but in very affectionate terms, and the meeting was dismissed without so much as one voice or vote in favor of my request, and it was the only request which I had ever made of them which was not granted.

In the month of February, 1801, I called a meeting of all the wardens and vestrymen, of all the Episcopal churches in the county of Saratoga, and in the northern part of the state of New-York, and invited the neighboring ministers to attend. At this meeting I laid before them an application made to the Episcopal churches in Ballston and Milton, for my dismission, that I might settle in Branford; also the vote for the settlement of me in that place, with the Bishop's consent; and stat

ed my request, that if I had been to them a faithful minister, and had deserved well from them, they would no longer object to my happiness, in not granting me a dismission. And I then engaged, that if they would grant my request, I would not leave them, until I had obtained some one to take my place; and that an answer was due from them to the church in Branford. Whereupon Judge Walton drew up the following resolution, which was passed, and given to me, and also a copy, was sent by mail to the church in Branford, viz.

"At a meeting of the Rectors, Church Wardens and Vestrymen of the Episcopal Church in the Northern part of the State of New-York, by adjournment, held in the church in Ballston, February 3d, 1801.

"Whereas application has been made to the church wardens and vestrymen of the Episcopal churches of Ballston and Milton, from the Episcopal society of Branford, in Connecticut, requesting that they would permit the Rev. Mr. Rogers to leave the said churches, of which he is now Rector, that he might settle in Branford, the place of his nativity. And whereas, the said church wardens and vestrymen having taken the subject into serious consideration, think that the removal of Mr. Rogers from their churches, would be attended with very great inconveniences to the same, particularly as it is much to be feared that another clergyman cannot be obtained, who could unite the affections and the respect of the said congregations, in an equal degree with the Rev. Mr. Rogers. They cannot reflect on the departure of the Rev. Mr. Rogers from among them, without sincere sorrow, as they can scarcely hope to find a person endued with sufficient activity, to support the churches which have been established by the unremitted exertions of their present Rector, nor can they expect to meet with a man who can so well resist the constant opposition which is made to the blessed Episcopal church. But as the change of situation may be conducive to the happiness and welfare of Mr. Rogers, and as it would be improper and unbecoming, in the highest degree, to obstruc the interest and wishes of a rector, who has so well deserved from the said congregations

Therefore resolved, That in case the Rev. Ammi Rogers should deem it expedient to leave the said churches, he has (though reluctantly.) the approbation of the said church wardens and vestrymen ; but in case he can remain with the said churches, without doing too great injury to his interest and happiness, they would gladly afford him every countenance and support, which they have hitherto given him. HENRY WALTON, Secretary. Resolved, That Henry Walton be a committe to transmit a copy of the foregoing resolution, to the Episcopal society in Branford, in answer to their application referred to in said resolution.

HENRY WALTON, Secretary.

CHAPTER IV.

A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH CONTINUED.

I remained in Ballston, and preached in my parishes as usual until Whit-Sunday, June 24th, 1801; when I administered the sacrament, preached a farewell scrmon, and as their minister, bid them an affectionate adicu. I had then during the time of my ministry, administered 1542 baptisms; the name and age of each had been returned to the bishop of New York, at the annual convention; and are on the records of the church in Ballston. I had admitted more than 400 persons, in the county of Saratoga, to the holy communion, besides those in other places, I had joined more than 200 persons in marriage, and had in the whole, attended more than 100 funerals. I had been to Bishop Jarvis in person, and stated my intention of coming in that state, and settling there. I had been to bishop Provoost, and obtained letters permissory for Bishop Jarvis to ordain the Rev. Mr. Thatcher, for the purpose of coming to Ballston, that I might settle in Branford. This was known and understood to be the agreement, and for this purpose Mr. Thatcher was ordained a priest by

Bishop Jarvis, moved into my house, and on my farm, and took possession of my parishes, and then, and not till then I set off for Branford. On my way to New-York I was obstructed by contrary winds, and went on shore at Catskill, where I staid ten days, performed divine service and preached there almost every day, sometimes twice and three times in a day, aud gathered a large congregation. I afterwards returned and assisted them in becoming a body corporate, which has remained and prospered there to this day. A very handsome salary was offered me to stay and sett'e there; and application was made by them to the church in Branford, for that but was rejected.

purpose,

In the month of August, 1801, I arrived in Branford, and took charge of the church in that place, in East Haven, in Northford, and in Wallingford, without a dissenting voice or vote--all were pleased, all were happy. The congregations immediately arose into life and were greatly increased; many within a short time, in each parish, became impressed with a deep sense of the importance of religion and joined the communion. Many, who had hitherto neglected it, furnished themselves and their families with books of Common Prayer, and joined heartily and aloud in the worship of God, as performed in the Episcopal church: many, who had never done it before, now signed off from the Presbyterians, so called, and paid their taxes to the Episcopal church; and the prospect of piety, of increase, and of prosperity, was never fairer. appeal to every person, who then belonged to these parishes, for the truth of what I say: but at this time party politics and party religion ran very high in Connecticut.

At a convention of the bishop and clergy of that state, in the city of Hartford, I arose and said:

MR. PRESIDENT-For many years I have thought, that to establish religion by force of civil law, was not conducive to genuine piety and to the real prosperity of the Redeemer's kingdom here on earth. It is, in my opinion, wrong, essentially wrong, to compel people by force of law, to support that which they do not believe to be true; and civil or military force exercised in matters of religion has always eventuated in the oppression, in the distress, and in the destruction of mankind. In proof, shall I call to your view the first crusade under Peter the hermit. Do I see one million one hundred thousand of the human race cruelly murdered and slain. The history of the whole church evinces the tru