American Episcopate.

DURING the course of last year, it will be recollected, was inserted in the Magazine a series of letters, under the title of ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS, relative to Bishop SEABURY'S consecration to the first American Episcopate. To illustrate the history of the church in this country, and transmit to posterity a knowledge of her early and present state, is one part of our design. Nor can we doubt, but that whatever contributes to this object will be acceptable to the reader. Under these impressions, we have made diligent enquiry for papers of this sort, and are now, by a kind correspondent, put in possession of another file; some on the same subject with the former, and others relative to the subsequent consecrations in England of Bishops WHITE and PREVOST; by which the church in America was completely organized, and competent to continue the episcopal succession agreeably to primitive and canonical usage. These papers, according to notice given in our last number, we now begin to insert; commencing with those relative to Bishop SEABURY, as prior in the order of time.....Edit.

[No. I.]

LETTER FROM THE CLERgr of connECTICUT, TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR GRACE,

IN this day of anxiety for the church in America, the clergy of Connecticut, deeply impressed with apprehensions of what will be her fate under the present changes of empire and policy, beg leave to embrace the earliest moment in their power to address your grace with all the unaffected freedom which may become the ministers of Christ when pleading the cause of that church; a cause wherein not only her interest is greatly concerned, but on which her very existence depends.

America is now severed from the British empire; by that seperation we cease to be a part of the national church. But although political changes affect and dissolve our external connection, and cut us off from the powers of the state, yet we hope a door still remains open for access to the governors of the church; and what they might not do for us without the permission of government, while we were bound as subjects to ask favors and receive them under its auspices and sanction: they may, in right of their inherent spiritual powers, grant and exercise in favor of a church planted and nurtured by their hand, and now subjected to other powers. As it is our only refuge, we are persuaded no just exceptions can lie against the attempt to avail ourselves of it; and the uniform benevolent part the bishops have taken, in order to transfer the episcopal authority into America, fills us with the greater confidence of success in the application.

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To secure to our church a valid and undoubted episcopate, and that the several vacant churches may be furnished with ministers as soon as possible, are what we have much at heart.

A further reason, we beg leave to observe, that induces us to take this early and only measure we can devise for this purpose, is effectually to prevent the carrying into execution a plan of a very extraordinary nature, lately come to our knowledge, formed and published in Philadelphia, and as we suppose circulating in the southern states, with design to have it adopted. The plan is in brief, to constitute a nominal ideal episcopate, by the united suffrages of presbyters and laymen. The singular and peculiar situation of the American church, the exigence of the case, and the necessity of adopting some speedy and specious remedy, corresponding with the state of affairs in the country, are some of the pleas, which are adduced as adequate to give full sanction to this scheme. To what degree such a plan may operate upon the minds of the uninformed, unstable, or unprincipled part of the church; we can at present form no opinion; equally unable are we to conjecture what may be the lengths to which the rage for popular right, as the fountain of all institutions civil and ecclesiastical will run: sufficient for us it is, that while we conscientiously reject such a spurious substitute for episcopacy, we also think it our duty to take every step within our power to frustrate its pernicious effects. Thus are we afloat, torn from our anchor, and surrounded with shelves and rocks, on which we are in danger of being dashed to peices, and have but one port into which we can look, and from whence expect relief.

The distinguished light in which we have been always taught to view your grace as an able and zealous patron of the American church, decidedly points out to whom, in this crisis, we are instantly to make our request. Accordingly, to your grace we have recourse, and humbly present our petition, that in your archiepiscopal character you will espouse the cause of our sinking church, and afford her relief by consecrating the person for our bishop whom we have prevailed upon, to offer himself to your grace for that purpose..

The gentleman we beg leave to present to your grace, is the Reverend Doctor Samuel Seabury, who has been the society's worthy missionary for many years. He was born and educated in Connecticut, he is personally known to us; and we believe him to be every way qualified for the episcopal office, and for the discharge of those duties peculiar to it in the present trying and dangerous times. Permit us to suggest, with all deference, our firm persuasion that a sense of the sacred deposit committed by the great head of the church to her bishops, is so awfully impressed on your Grace's mind, as not to leave a moment's doubt in us of your being heartily disposed to rescue the American church from the distress and danger, which now more than ever threatens her for want of an episcopate. We rely on your grace's indulgence for the liberty we take to assert that it is a real act of charity; while we humbly trust, the blessing of her, that is ready to perish, will come upon those that befriend her in this necessity. Well known unto your grace are all those irrefutable arguments that have been so clearly stated, and strongly urged by the illustrious prelates, who have as our fathers in God advocated for us.

Wherefore as the whole of our case, and all the weighty considerations which concur to enforce it, are present with you, we forbear to enlarge, lest the multitude of our words, should imply a diffidence of success in the thing we ask. Suffer us then to rest in humble confidence, that this our solicitude for a matter in itself so impor tant to the church of God, will meet with your fullest approbation; and that your Grace will feel affectionately for us, and from a pious zeal to advance real religion, and propagate the true church of Christ, will judge it clearly your duty, in the exercise of your high and holy office, to hear and grant our petition, and give us the consolation of receiving, through a clear and uninterrupted channel transmitted to us by your Grace's hands, an overseer in this part of the household of God.

That God may continue your life and health, make you, in his providence, an eminent instrument of great and extensive usefulness to mankind in general, a lasting blessing to the church over which you preside in particular; and that the present and future sons of the church in America may have cause to record and perpetuate your name as their friend and spiritual father; and when your sacred work is ended, that you may find it gloriously rewarded, is and shall be the devout prayer of the clergy of Connecticut, by whose order and in whose behalf this letter is signed by

Your Grace's most obedient,

humble servant,

ABRAHAM JARVIS,

Minister of the Episcopal Church in Middletown, and Secretary to the Condition.

Correspondence.

We have received several letters from correspondents, encouraging us to persevere in our undertaking, and offering us a word of advice, and some strictures on the manner in which this publication is conducted. Extracts from some of these we think proper to insert in this number.

GENTLEMEN,

Burlington (N. J.) December 9, 1806.

"ON the cover of your Magazine, under date of Sept. 30, you have made a very judicious and pertinent address, in which you earnestly request the active co-operation of all good and influential Churchmen, in augmenting the list of subscribers to the Churchman's Monthly Magazine. That address will of course be seen by your present subscribers, and such of their friends as may borrow the Magazine, and the latter, it is hoped will become subscribers. But before the impediment to the fulfilment of your wishes can be removed, some other steps must be taken. A number of copies, should be placed in the hands of some confidential bookseller, in one at least of the larger cities in each state, and an application should be made by letter, to some influential character to circulate them. Wherever the work is known and read, it will be found well calculated to promote the interest of religion, and of our Church.