ing the Worship of God is therefore defrayed by and depends upon voluntary Contributions: and tho' a Freedom from compulsory Laws among Protestants of such various Denominations will render any attempts to force a Uniformity detrimental to the Publick Peace, and obstruct the settlement and Growth of tlie Country: yet since every Congregation stands in need of some Estate for pious Uses, and the suspicious confidence in private Trustees inevitably expose them to numberless Inconveniencies and Discouragements the Governors of this and the neighbouring Province of New Jersey have wisely thought fit to grant Charters of Incorporations to sundry Churches both of tlie Episcopal and Presbyterian Denominations, incorporating them and enabling them to receive Benefactions, maintain a Succession, and make Bye-Laws for the Government of their Members; and by this Means a sufficient Encouragement of religious Worship has been given without the legislative aid.

Humbly presuming, that the Church to which Your Majesty's Petitioners belong, would have the same Countenance, a Petition was sometime ago preferred for a Charter, to M"" De Lancey, lately Lieutenant Governor of tliis Province; but as the Lutheran Congregation of this City, have been disappointed in a like application, and your Petitioners are advised tliat, for want of an express Power in the Governor's Commission, there may be some doubt, whether a Cliarter of Incorporation granted here will be valid unless Your Majesty will be graciously pleased to give an Instruction for that Purpose; and as the old English Statutes of uniformity do not extend to America; and the growth and prosperity of Your important Dominions abroad, depend not only upon their enjoyment of the Liberty of Conscience, but the equal Eye of the Sovereign upon faitlifidl and loyal Protestants of every Denomination, and especially those of the two Communions established in Great Britain.