The worthy and faithful President, who had been elected Rector of the United Churches of Christ Church and St. Peter's on 6 December, 1762, to succeed Dr. Jenney, whose funeral sermon Dr. Smith had preached on the eve of his sailing a twelve- month before, had been himself desirous of going abroad, and indeed it was subsequently found requisite that he should visit England to receive a license in due form from the Bishop of London in person. He had assisted the Rector of the Church, the Rev. Archibald Cummings for a few months in 1736, but the present election was his first cure and he entered on his duties at once, but he felt indisposed to go abroad and leave the young College, for there was no one among the Trustees unless it were young Duche who would give it that lively management in the absence of the Provost that he could. He writes to Dr. Smith on 28 May, 1763 : As I have reason to think you will have been at Liverpool, you will have satisfied my sister that it is not possible for me to come over this year.
- * * You wrote in so affecting a manner on this subject that I am
forced tho' with reluctance to postpone my voyage till your return. 1 [He now immediately upon the Provost's return] informs the Board that he was to embark for England in a few Days to visit his Relations, and in Hopes to benefit his Health. * * * The Trustees, by one of their Members returned him their unanimous Thanks for his long and faithful Services to the Institution, and on his Resignation of the office of President, the Hon' ble James Hamilton was unanimously elected President, which he was pleased to accept Dr. Peters " took an affectionate leave of his congregations at Christ Church on Sunday [i7th June] and on Monday morn- ing set out for New Castle, in order to embark for England ;" 2 he remained abroad eighteen months, returning home in the Christmas holidays of 1765 ; 3 and his attendance at the meeting of 14 January, 1766, testified to the prompt resumption of his share in the College trust. 1 Penna. Magazine, x. 352. 2 Penna. Gazette, 20 June, 1764. 3 Ibid, 2 January, 1766.
