I mMke use of an opportunity now offering of a Ship bound from hence to London for the conveyance of these lines to your hands the design of whicli was to acquaint the Venerable Society (as I am in dufy bound) witli tlie state of affairs relating (o my Mission but before I proceed herein gratitude obliges me to relurii my humble thanks to them for tlieir kind intercession witli his Excellency Coll Cosby our Governor in my behalf lor his Mandate of Induction inio the Parish of Jamaica who as he was pleased to grant before their application to him wliicli is an enhancement of the favor, so I am under no less obligation to them fur their granting me their assistance when I petitioned thom for it. My constant endeavour sliall be by God's help always to deserve it.

Upon my first coming into the parish I found (he Church i)i a declining condition, the Quakers & Independents have been

PAPERS RELATING TO CHURCHES IN QUEEKS COUNTY. 313

very busy to subvert & by many studied arts & rules utterly to destroy it -- I may say the Christian religion lierc -- one of their stratagems was to sue for an edifice wherein divine service was performed by Ministers of the Church of England near 30 years by pretence that they had a better riglit in it than the Church members & this met with not a little success for in suiiig M'" Poyer my predecessor who being Defendant in tlie Cfise they upon a very odd turn in the trial cast him. I am informed t'.iat in tliis suit the Counsel upon the part of tlie C:iurch always designed to put tlie matter on some points of the law which are clearly in the Church's favor & accordingly in tlie time of trial offered to demur in law but was diverted tlierefrom by the late Chief Justice Lewis Morris Esq'- (before wliom tlie trial was) who told them he would recommend it to tlie Jury to liud a special verdict and if they did not, but found generally & against the Church, lie would then allow a new trial which alter tlie Jury had Ibund a general verdict against tlie Churcli Jie abso lutely refused wlien the Counsel for the Church laid claim to his promise & strongly insisted upon the benefit thereof.