My Lord, we are sensible it were not fit or becoming us to

436 PAPERS RELATING TO THE CITY OF NEW-YORK.

trespass on your time if any other than the cause of Goil and the Church required it, but that hath given us courage to lay the follovving Representation before your L<^s]iip, whicli in most dutyfull manner we humbly recommend to that charitable care which your L'^ship is accustomed to extend to all those over whom Gcd Almighty hath appointed you.

My Lord, we believe it is not unknown to your L^ship in what manner this Province is on all sides surrounded by New England, Connecticut, Road Island, and otlier places, all wliich are cliiejfly mhabited by professed Dissenters from the Church of England, a set of men whose forefathers had a high hand in that wicked rebellion which at the same time destroyed the Church and Monarchy of England^ and that they still retain the very same pri7iciplcs, and 'profess the many various reUgions of their Ancestors ; the Presbyterian, the Anabaptist, tlie Independent, and the Quaker liave each a large lot in this Continent, and such seems to be the combination amongst them (however they may differ in other matters) tliat they doe not willingly suffer any other plants to take root here. . My Lord, these Sectary s have spread themselves so w^idely, are grown so numerous in Nortli America, and are so firmly seated, tliat wee of the Communion of the established church seem strangers in tlie land, and as if our worship were of such a foreign growtli that it alone wanted the support of a royal hand. Neitlier My Lord is this Province begirt only with Colony s a7id Commonwealths of these men, but they grow up and thrive in the very midst of Her, Her few Countys are divided between dissenters, English^ Dutch, and French, and were it not for the pious bounty of the venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts the places remote from tliis the metropolis would not have one church for the reception of such as are inclined to embrace the worship of the Cluu-cli of England, from hence wee humbly conceive that your L^ship Avill readily believe what difhcultys the country missionaries labour under either at first to gather a congregation from the eneniies of the church, or to keep it together when gatliered, -- and tliat it requires men of exemplary lives, sound learning, and a mild disposition to gain converts here, or to preserve tliem when gained, and God be praised for it many of the missionaries are