Though Provision is made, and proper Measures are taken to make Allowances and Alterations in Matters of Government, State and Trade; yet in Matters of Religion, there has not been the Care and Provision that might be wished and expected.
For the Country requires particular Alterations and Allowances in some indifferent spiritual Concernments, as well as in temporal Affairs, which might be done without deviating in the least from the Principles and Practice of the Establish'd Church of England; and instead of encouraging Dissentions, or Heresy, or Schism, or Irreligion, would be a sure Means always to prevent them, were such small Alterations regularly established in some Things indifferent, as might best agree with the Conveniency and Nature of the Colony: for it is impossible for a Clergyman to perform this Duty according to the literal Direction of the Rubrick; for were he too rigorous in these Respects by disobliging and quarrelling with his Parish, he would do more Mischief in Religion, than all his fine Preaching and exemplary Life could retrieve; A short Narrative of which Case of the Church I transmitted Home to the late Bishop of London, by Order and Appointment of a late Convention, in a Representation of some Ecclesiastical Affairs; but the Nature of this may more fully appear by the following Account.
This, with all the other Plantations, is under the Care of the Bishop of London, who supplies them with what Clergymen he can get from England, Scotland, Ireland, and France. The late Bishop appointed the Reverend Mr. James Blair to be his Commissary, who is likewise President of the College, and one of the Council. He by the Bishop's Order summoned the Clergy to Conventions, where he sate as Chairman; but the Power of Conventions is very little, as is that of the Commissary at present. Visitations have been in vain attempted; for the corrupt Abuses and Rigour of Ecclesiastical Courts have so terrified the People, that they hate almost the very Name, and seem more inclinable to be ruled by any other Method, rather than the present spiritual Courts. Differences and great Disputes frequently arise between the Governor and the People, concerning the Presentation, Collation, Institution, and Induction to Livings; and it is scarce yet decided distinctly who have the Right of giving Parishes to Ministers, whether the Governors or the Vestries, though the best of Council have been applied to for their Opinion; for their Sentiments are not obligatory.
The Vestries consist of the Minister, and twelve of the most substantial and intelligent Persons in each Parish. These at first were elected by the Parish by Pole, and upon Vacancies are supplied by Vote of the Vestry; out of them a new Church-Warden is annually chosen, under (as it were) the Instruction of the old one chosen the Year before. By the Vestry are all parochial Affairs managed, such as the Church, Poor, and the Minister's Salary.
The Clerk in Case of the Minister's Death or Absence has great Business, and is a kind of Curate, performing frequently all the Offices of the Church, except the two Sacraments and Matrimony; but 'tis Pity but his Practices were better regulated, and Sets of Sermons also appointed for his Purpose; for in several Places the Clerks are so ingenious or malicious, that they contrive to be liked as well or better than the Minister, which creates Ill-Will and Disturbance, besides other Harm. In some Places they read the Lessons, publish Banns, &c. when the Minister is present, for his Ease; which first may not be improper in very hot Weather, or if the Minister be sick or infirm, if the Clerk can read tolerably well. Likewise might they be allowed to bury when a Minister cannot possibly be had before the Corpse would corrupt in hot Weather; but little more should be granted them, since some Places long accustomed to hear only their Clerk read Prayers and Sermons at Church, have no right Notions of the Office, Respect, and Dignity of a Clergyman. For registering Births and Burials, there is a small Allowance which is generally given to the Clerk, who takes that Trouble off the Minister's Hands. The Use of this is to know the Number of Tythables, for laying of Levies, and for other Occasions, and Lists of these Registers are delivered into the Hands of proper Officers. The Parishes being of great Extent (some sixty Miles long and upwards) many dead Corpses cannot be conveyed to the Church to be buried: So that it is customary to bury in Gardens or Orchards, where whole Families lye interred together, in a Spot generally handsomly enclosed, planted with Evergreens, and the Graves kept decently: Hence likewise arises the Occasion of preaching Funeral Sermons in Houses, where at Funerals are assembled a great Congregation of Neighbours and Friends; and if you insist upon having the Sermon and Ceremony at Church, they'll say they will be without it, unless performed after their usual Custom. In Houses also there is Occasion, from Humour, Custom sometimes, from Necessity most frequently, to baptize Children and church Women, otherwise some would go without it. In Houses also they most commonly marry, without Regard to the Time of the Day or Season of the Year. Though the Churches be not consecrated by Bishops, yet might there be some solemn Dedication prescribed for setting them apart for sacred Uses; which would make People behave themselves with greater Reverence than they usually do, and have a greater Value for the House of God and holy Things.
Their Churches were formerly built of Timber, but now they build them of Brick, very strong and handsome, and neatly adorned; and when any Church is gone to Decay, or removed to a more convenient Place, they enclose the old one with a Ditch.
Though Persons are admitted to the Lord's Supper there, that never were confirmed by the Bishop, yet might there be certain Examinations as preparatory Qualifications, which would lay the Sureties and Parents of Children baptized, under a Necessity of taking Care of them, as to a pious Education, and would make them be obliged to know more of their Duty than they generally do.
For this End I have composed (as I before hinted) an Accidence to Christianity, being a short Introduction to the Principles and Practices of Christians, collected out of the Church Catechism, the thirty nine Articles, Hammond's Practical Catechism, Grotius of the Truth of the Christian Religion, and the whole Duty of Man.
Out of which may be extracted a brief Examination for Communicants before their first Admittance; which may be done by the Minister, if he had Orders and Directions for it. By this Means the People would attain to better Notions of Religion (and many more would be Communicants, who now abstain totally through Fear or Ignorance) were the first true Principles timely instilled into them in a brief Method; for any Thing tedious soon tires them, and will not obtain the desired Effect. In several Respects the Clergy are obliged to omit or alter some minute Parts of the Liturgy, and deviate from the strict Discipline and Ceremonies of the Church; to avoid giving Offence, through Custom, or else to prevent Absurdities and Inconsistencies. Thus Surplices, disused there for a long Time in most Churches, by bad Examples, Carelesness and Indulgence, are now beginning to be brought in Fashion, not without Difficulty; and in some Parishes where the People have been used to receive the Communion in their Seats (a Custom introduced for Opportunity for such as are inclined to Presbytery to receive the Sacrament sitting) it is not an easy Matter to bring them to the Lord's Table decently upon their Knees.
The last Injunction in the Form of Publick Baptism is most properly omitted there, wherein the Godfathers and Godmothers are ordered to take Care that the Child be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed, which for the most Part would prove impracticable.