Thomas, of Hempstead, having better assistance, the leading men in his parish not being disgusted, are helpful in the work; and having no other sectaries to oppose him by their meetings but the Quakers, makes very considerable progress, as I have been told by some of the most sensible of his pari^h. As for Mr. Mackenzie, he has a very good report from the people of Staten Island, and I shall not fail making further inquiry concerning him, and let you know it in my next.

But when all is done, what I can tell you concerning any minister, except in this county, is only by information from others, which is often very uncertain ; for some gentlemen may many times, and very deservingly, have a fair and good character by the generality of their neighbors, and yet at the same time, by one misfortune or other, not perform much of the service of the Church, in which I will give you this plain instance.

There is not any gentleman whom the Society have sent over, that is clothed with a fairer character than Mr. Bartow, of Westchester, and truly he is a very good and sober man, and is extremely well liked and spoken of by his parishioners in general ; yet although he has been three years in that parish, not many are added to the communion, nor baptized, and few catechised ; and if he is directed to send an account how he has advanced on each of these heads, annually since his coming there, it will be found accordingly. For this and many other reasons, I can't help still to be pressing tliat the Society should lay the gentlemen which are sent over under exact rules, and methinks it is no difficult matter to have it ordered so as to know almost as well what is done as if they were present in every parish.