The principal members of my Congregation who conscientiously refused to join in their measures, excited their highest resentment their houses were plundered, their persons seized, some were committed to prison & others sent under a strong guard to the distant parts of Conn' where they were detained as prisoners for several months 'till after repeated solicitations to the Governor & Assembly of that Province tliey were permitted to return to their Families. The service of the Church also gave great offence the Prayers for the King & Royal Family being directly repugnant to their independent Scheme, they bitterly inveighed & frequently by threats endeavored to intimidate the Ministers & cause them to omit those parts of the Liturgy. "When Independence was declared by the Congress they grew

PAPERS RELATING TO CHURCHES IN QUEENS COUNTY. 339

more violent, and I received a letter from one of the Committee of New York informing me that my persisting in praying for the King gave great offence & conjuring me as I regarded my personal safety to omit it for the future. Upon consulting my Church wardens & vestry what measure it was most prudent for me to pursue at this critical juncture -- they unanimously advised me, that as the Kings Army lay at Staten Island & was daily expected to march into my Parish from whom I should obtain relief, to shut up my Church -- I agreed witli tliem in opinion as if I did not take that measure I was persuaded that I sliould be sent to some remote part of New England from whence perhaps it would be a long time before I could be relieved -- My Church was accordingly shut up for five Sundays when the Kings troops landed whose success has restored us to those religious principles of which we were deprived by Tyranny & persecution -- I hope my conduct in this as well as all other matters will gain the approbation of the Venerable Society as their displeasure would give me the greatest pain ; their approbation tlie highest satisfaction.