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mercantile pursuit, in order to sustain himself. The Presbytery appointed a committee to confer with Mr. Hughes upon the subject, and offer their advice and views upon it; the result of the consultation may be gathered from the fact that, on October 31, 1821, Mr. Hughes convened the session, and notified them of his intention to withdraw from the pastoral office he held, and on November 18, 1824, he laid his request of with- drawing before the Presbytery, which, after both Mr. Hughes and the elders of the church were heard, the request was granted, and the church declared to be vacant. Thus again was the church thrown upon Presbytery for supplies, and it was cheerfully granted. We have now to pass over a space of three years, during which time many useful reflections may be gathered, and many interesting occurrences observed it could not be supposed otherwise. Here was a congregation laboring under so many discouraging circumstances, still holding out, and looking forward for better days. And what makes it interesting to the observant mind is that, in a city like Philadelphia, where there were such prosperous churches; so many zealous and efficient ministers; such progress and prosperity; such extension and addition to membership; such zeal and energy put forth by the efforts of these several church members to add to their several denominations, we think must have acted with tremendous effect upon this Presbyterian body. The Second African Church also, at this time, was in the full enjoyment of prosperity, with Mr. Jeremiah Gloucester as its pastor, a large and flowing attendance on his ministry: all calculated to crush out whatever of life might have remained in the old church. And again, it becomes more discouraging when we reflect that the prospect of obtaining another minister was
