And it has always been my opinion, and is so still, that there is no part of this Pro-^ince or even America, that would be of greater use or service to have the Church thorouglily settled in ; for it is not only large in extent, and the land very good and near the City ; so consequently will, in time, be a great settlement. But bordering on Connecticut there is no part of the Continent from wlience the Church can have so fair an opportunity to make impressions upon the Dissenters in that Government, who are settled by their laws from Eye parish to Boston Colony, which is about 35 leagues in wliich there are abundance of people and places. As for Boston colony, I never was in it, so can say httle to it. But for Connecticut, I am and have been pretty conversant,

122 STATE OF RELIGION.

and alwajs Avas as miicli in all their good graces as any man. And now I am upon that subject I will give you the best account I can of that Colony.

It contains in length about 140 miles, and has in it about 40 towns, in each of which there is a Presbyterian or Independent Minister settled by their law, to whom the people are aU obliged to pay, notwitlistanding many times they are not ordained, of which I have known several examples. The number of people there are, I *)elieve, about 2,400 souls. They have abundance of odd kinds of laws to prevent any dissenting from tlieir church, and endeavor to keep the people in as much bhndness and unacquaintedness with any other religion as possible; But in a more particular manner the Church, looking upon her the most dangerous enemy they have to grapple with all. And abundance of pains is taken to make the ignorant think as bad as possible of her.