PAPERS RELATING TO THE SIX NATIONS.
311
We should esteem ourselves highly culpable had we not invariably attended to the Path which youdirected us to pursue, and which we doubt not will lead us to the full enjoyment of our Wishes.In our way Homeward, agreeable to your desire, we waited upon Co 1 Johnson, who readily drew upfor us an address to the Venerable Society . A Copy of this address we sent immediately, and hopeit has been received previously to the Anniversary Session. Soon after the first we sent a SecondCopy in case the former should miscarry ; and as we thought it proper to acquaint the ReverendClergy of New York with our Intention we enclosed it to them unsealed, requesting that after theyhad perused it they would be so kind as to seal and forward it by the first opportunity, at the sameTime soliciting their Friendship. When several weeks had passed without hearing from them,We wrote a Line requesting to know by whom they had sent the addresses, to us, its safety was amatter of Consequence. In answer to this D r Auchmuty inform’d us that “ no other opportunityoffering he had sent it by the Pacquet.” The reason of this Evident Contempt of the latter part ofour request we are at a loss to assign, unless it may be collected out of a Letter which we receivedfrom M r Andrews soon after he left us dated at New York in which he says a I really am somewhatafraid the Society’s Salary will not be continued at Schenectady . And it is the opinion of Doc rAuchmuty and M 1 Inglis that it will not. They think it perversion of that Bounty which ought tobe extended to much larger Bodies of People who are without divine worship in several parts of thisand the Neighbouring Provinces.” If such are the Sentiments of those Reverend Gentlemen wecannot help thinking that either they have a very imperfect knowledge of the State of our Church;or if otherwise, some very unaccountable prejudice against us.
As we labour under many disadvantages for want of a charter, we embraced the happy opportunityof addressing His Excellency the Governor on that subject by S 1 ' John who generously promisedus his benevolent offices, and at whose return we are in no Doubt of receiving a very favourableanswer. We beg your Indulgence in thus detaining you as we are prompted to it by a sense of theDuty which we owe you, and which shall ever be acknowledged byHonourable and greatly respected Sir
Your much obliged and very humble Servants
J. W. Brown.
SIR WM. JOHNSON TO CHURCHWARDENS OF SCHENECTADY.
Johnson-hall April 1 st 1774.
Gentlemen, I received your Letter and am sorry to hear that you have any Apprehensions ofthe dislike of the Society or Clergy as tending to withdraw the Mission, but I am inclined tobelieve that You are alarmed without sufficient cause, for, whatever misrepresentations M r Andrewsor any other person may have been Guilty of, It is improbable that the Society would withholdtheir Assistance without a particular enquiry into the state of the Congregation, and as I believe that
1 Robert Clench was married to Hannah Vernon at Layeock, Lancaster Co. Penn, on the 5th May 1758, hy the revd Geo.Craig, episcopal Minister. He had three sons, Ralph, Benjamin and Thomas, and three daughters, Rebecca, Elizabeth andkuretta. He was a zealous friend of St. George’s Church, and was the first to cause Stoves to he introduced into that edifice,innovation which disturbed the minds of many who did not approve of such novelties. Mr. Clench took the oath of allegianceto the United States on the 25th July 1778, & died in the latter part of 1781. His will hears date 10 Sept, and it was proved°n 21st Dec. of that year. His wife survived him seven years. She was buried in St. George’s cemetery Dec. 2, 1788.Letter of Rev. Wm. Payne, rector of St. George’s.