clergymen; and thus the Episcopal church was eatablished and supported for near a century, in the counties above mentioned.

Before this law was enacted, the Dutch Church was by far the most distinguished of any in the colony. In numbers, in wealth, in respectability, it unquestionably occupied the first place; but as soon as the Episcopal church was made so prominently an object of government-favour, it lost some supporters, as a natural consequence of the inducements then held out to defection; and a character and reception were at once, by that means, in connexion with others employed for the same purpose, secured to the English language, which, in their influence, in process of time, produced a considerable change in its relative situation, and for a while, indeed, very seriously affected its peace. To cultivate an acquaintance with this language, soon became necessary and fashionable among the people; and it is not improbable, that a view to the object, prompted several at first to fre quent the Episcopal Church, who afterwards found it convenient to connect themselves fully with that Church.

The civil courts performed their business in the English language:-English families multiplied English schools were established :-the trade with

English merchants increased :-a friendly intercourse with the adjacent English provinces was maintained :-intermarriages with the English inhabitants occasionally took place; and all these circumstances, in united operation, soon brought the language greatly in vogue.

Such was its predominance after the lapse of some years, that many of the young people, particularly in the city of New-York, who had grown up in the constant use of it, could no longer sit with profit under Dutch preaching, and, therefore, desired that it might be adopted in the public worship of God.-Unwilling to leave the Church of their fathers,—the Church in which they had been baptized, and to which, for that and other reasons, they felt much attached,-they ventured to urge, pretty strongly, the propriety and necessity of a substitution of the English for the Dutch language in the Church service.

This request produced contention in the Church of New-York, which was not without its mischievous effects, and was of no short duration.

"The Dutch congregation," says the forecited historian,* "is more numerous than any other, but

*See Smith's Hist. p. 291.

as the language becomes disused, it is much diminished; and, unless they change their worship into the English tongue, must soon suffer a total dissipation."

:

Some respectable families had already left it on account of the language, and united with other Churches but still, so infatuated were many, especially of the aged part of the Church, with the notion, that its very existence depended upon the continuance of the language, that the request now made was received with indignation, and resisted to the utmost.

They feared that the proposed suppression of the language, if effected, would necessarily involve, in time, the loss of the doctrines, the mode of worship, the government, the very name of the Church: and there is reason to believe, that the opposition to it was fomented by the interference of the Dutch ministers, who, as they could not officiate in the English language, were not a little uneasy at the prospect of its introduction. The opposition assumed, at length, a malignant and violent aspect, which induced more of the congregation, that had no relish for scenes of animosity and discord, to go over to other Christian societies; and at this important juncture, when it was evident that some

thing must be done to gratify the friends of a change, and also, if possible, to terminate the unhappy dispute, or the congregation "suffer a total dissipation," the Consistory resolved to call a minister to preach in the English language.

This was a decisive measure,—a measure teeming with the most momentous consequences to the future welfare of the Church,-almeasure which, though it had to encounter a warm and determined hostility, was agreed upon with singular moderation and prudence. The Consistory had been accused of unfriendliness to the Dutch Church, in meditating such a measure, or in showing any disposition to favour the views of the English party; and, as they knew that there were English Churches in some cities of the United Netherlands, in connection with the national Established Church,-to evince their attachment to the Church, and hoping by this means to restore peace,-they resolved, not merely to call a minister to preach in the English language, but to call one from Holland, through the medium of the Classis of Amsterdam. Accordingly, they prepared a blank call, and enclosed it in a letter to the Classis, requesting that the call might be properly filled up, and put into the hands of the individual whom that rev. body should deem qualified for the station. Upon the receipt of this letter, the Classis

very promptly complied with the request it contained, and sent the call to Mr. Archibald Laidlie, then a minister of the English Church, at Vlissingen, (or Flushing), in Zealand, and a member of the Classis of Walcheren.

A more judicious and happy selection could not have been made; and it was made under the special guidance of the Great Head of the Church, as the event proved.

Mr. Laidlie was a native of Scotland, and receiv ed his education in the University of Edinburgh. In 1759, he settled at Flushing; and, during his ministry in the Church of that place, which continued a little over four years, he was highly esteemed for his enlightened and active zeal in the service of his Master-for his extensive attainments in theology and general literature-and for his warm attachment to all the doctrines of grace. He received and accepted the call from New-York, in Nov. 1763; and arrived at that city the latter part of the March following. A fortnight after his arrival, April 15, 1764, having been duly recognized as one of the ministers of the Dutch Church, he preached his first sermon,-the first ever delivered in the English language in the Dutch Church-to a very crowded and devoutly attentive auditory.