People were not at liberty to speak their sentiments, and even silence was construed as a mark of disaffiection.

Things being thus situated, I shut up the churches. Even this was attended with great hazard; for it was declaring, in the strongest manner, our disapprobation of independency, and that under the eye of Washington and his army. The other assistants now went to their respective friends in the country. My family were at such a distance, and in such a part of the country,

ANGLO-AMERICAN CHURCH. 1059

that I could not with any degree of safety visit them; I therefore remained in the city, to visit the sick, baptize children, bury the dead, and afford what support I could to the remains of our poor flock, v/ho were much dispirited; for several, especially of the poorer sort, had it not in tlieir power to leave the city. After we liad ceased to officiate publicly, several, of the rebel oflicers sent to me for the keys of the chui-ches, that their chaplains might preach in them ; with these requisitions I peremptorily refused to comply, and let them know that, "if they would use the chm-ches, they must break the gates and doors to get in." Accordingly, I took possession of all the keys, lest the sextons might be tampered with; for I could not bear the thought that their seditious and rebellious effusions sliould be poured out in our churches. When those requisitions were repeated with threats, my answer was, " that I did wliat I knew to be my duty, and that I would adiiere to it, be the consequences what they would." Upon this they desisted, and did not occupy any of tlie churches.