Throughout the Colonies, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, the man who did not conform to the established religion of the Colony, whether it was Congregationalism in New England, or the Episcopal form elsewhere, was not in the same position in regard to the enjoyment of either civil or religious rights as he who did conform. If he were a Roman Catholic

' .K\\ this was done luidor the " Ministry .\ct " above mentioned, and its amendments, An .\ct which wa.s not repealed till 1784, one year after the establishment of Independence. It was the binding law of New York from 1(593 to 1784, full ninety years.

= 1. W. and M., Ch. 18. Exempting dissentei-s from the penalties of certain laws against non-conformity, but requiring an oath against Iransnbstantiiition, and of allegiance to William and Mary.

he was everywhere wholly disfranchised. For him there was not even the legal right of public worship. If he were a Protestant differing in his creed from the type of Protestantism adopted by the rulers, although he could freely celebrate in nearly all the Colonies his peculiar form of worship, he was nevertheless excluded from any share in public affairs. He could neither vote nor hold ofiice,^ and he was forced to contribute to the support of a religious ministry whose teachings he in his heart abhorred. And this condition of things, extraordinary as it seems to us now, had not been brought about by any conscious arbitrary despotism on the part of the rulers, but was the work of good but narrow-minded men who were simply following out the uniform practice of the Christian world, and who no doubt honestly thought that in so acting they were doing the highest service by obeying the will of God." *