Page:American Historical Review vol. 6.djvu/514

504 Documents Samuel Broome Francis Van Dycke Peter V. B. Livingston Alexander Robertson Benj. Y. Prime William McKinley Samuel Louden John M'^Kesson Robert Boyd and John Stites Pursuant to the Eleventh general Rule of the Society the Minutes of the last preceding Meeting were read. The Committee of Correspondence reported to the Society a draft of a Letter to be sent to such Correspondents as the Society shall think proper which draft being corrected by the Society and finally approved of is in the words following to wit. New York As civil and religiousLiberty is justly esteemed amongst the great- est of human Blessings, the loss of which must necessarily be attended with the most complicated misery, it cannot be doubted that its preservation merits our most vigorous Efforts. No man duly sensible of its inestim- able Value, but will acknowledge it our indispensable Duty, by every law- ful means to preserve it to ourselves and transmit it to Posterity. The History of all ages furnishes abundant and melancholy proofs, that even the best of men (such is the pride and ambition of human na- ture) have too frequently abused an undue share of power ; and that it is therefore an Argument of the Wisdom, as well as productive of the Hap- piness of a People, to preserve a just Ballance in the different branches of Government, both civil and religious : And though it is well known that most of our Colonies have hitherto held their privileges in tollerable security ; Yet no one who is properly sensible of that important Blessing, can help being alarmed at the xttempts lately made by many of the Episcopal Clergy, and some of their Laity, to introduce Bishops into America. They have not only planned their Scheme, but have pursued it as far as our Watchfulness on this side the Atlantic, and the political jealousies on the other would permit. And as we have the utmost reason to fear, that they have not abandoned the project, we ought still to be on our Guard, lest our Inattention should facilitate its accomplishment. Should such be the Event, how terrifying the prospect ! We should soon be obliged to bid farewell to that religious Liberty, in which Christ hath set us free ; and instead of that divine Satisfaction which flows from the uninterrupted enjoyment of the Rights of private Judgment, and the AVorship of God according to our Consciences, (for which some of our forefathers left their native Country, and took sanctuary in this then un- cultivated Wilderness, from the oppression of Ecclesiastical power') the introduction of Episcopacy would immediately fill our Hearts with just forebodings of Evil. For it is much to be feared, that so extraordinary and dangerous an Innovation, would sooner or later be attended with