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nated by the name of Calvinists. The Mennonists, the Moravians, the Swinsdelians, and the Catholics, compose the other sects of German inhabitants of Pennsylvania.

The Dunkers have arisen from the Mennonists. Previously to their partaking of the sacrament of the supper, they wash each others feet, and sit down to a love-feast. They practise the ceremonies. of their religion with great humility and solemnity. They at first slept on hard couches, but now on beds, and have abated much of their former severity. Beside the congregation at Ephrata, there were in 1770 fourteen others in various parts of Pennsylvania, and some in Maryland. The Separatists, who dissented from the Dunkers, reject the ordinances of baptism and the sacrament, and hold the doctrine of the Friends concerning the internal revelation of the gospel. They maintain, with the Dunkers, the doctrine of universal salvation. The Dunkers and Separatists agree in not taking any interest for money, and not applying to law to recover their debts. These denominations behave with singular piety, and exemplary morality.

The German Moravians are a numerous and respectable body of christians in Pennsylvania. In the village of Bethlehem there are two large. stone buildings, in which the different sexes are educated in habits of industry, in useful manufactures. The sisters (for by that epithet the women are called) all sleep in two large and neat apartments.*

Formerly the body of Moravians held all their property in common, in imitation of the primitive christians. In the year 1760 a division of the whole, excepting a few articles, took place. Of this religion, there were, in 1788, about thirteen hundred souls in Pennsylvania; viz. between five and six hundred at Bethlehem, which number has since increased; four hundred and fifty at Nazareth, and upwards of three hundred at Litz, in Lancaster county. They call themselves the United Brethren of the Protestant Episcopal Church.†

The first arrival of this denomination in North America was in 1735. A colony came to Savannah in Georgia, and there began a settlement. The trustees, under whom the settlement of that colony commenced, promised them, agree

Rush's Account of the German Inhabitants of Pennsylvania.
+ Morse's American Geography, p. 320.

are sung, representing cleansing by the blood of Christ.

ably to the provision made by act of parliament, exemption from all personal services in They use the lot in doubtful war; but on the Spanish inva- cases as a religious rite; but sion of the colony, the inha- if any are dissatisfied, and unbitants obliged them to take willing to submit, they do not up arms. This was such a oblige them.-There is angrievance, that they left their other usage which seems pesettlements and possessions in culiar to themselves. They Savannah; and in the spring assemble on Easter Sunday in of the year 1741 began to the church, at the rising of build Bethlehem, in the Forks the sun, when the minister of Delaware, in Northamp- addresses the congregation in ton county, about fifty miles these words: The Lord is risen. north of Philadelphia. This To which all the brethren is their principal settlement in reply, The Lord is risen indeed. the United States. Then they go in procession to the grave yard, with instruments of music: the sisters follow them, and all place themselves about the graves. The minister then reads what is called the confession, or easter liturgy, in which the hope of a joyful resurrection, and an eternal fellowship with those who have died in the Lord, is called to mind.*--With respect to their general mode of worship, it is Lutheran, and differs not essentially from that of the Episcopalians. It is not, however, entirely the same in every place. This denomination assert, that "in the mode of worship there is no fixed rule." And it is to be observed, in general, that the rites and usages in the congregations of the brethren do not

The brethren have a preparatory meeting before the administration of the Lord's supper. They also keep agape, or the love-feast, before the communion. In this the congregation is entertained with the singing of spiritual songs; and each person receives a small loaf, or cake, and a cup of tea or coffee. They have also the ceremony of the pedelavium, or feet-washing, in conformity, as they imagine, to the command of Christ. Ye ought also to wash one another's feet. (John xiii. 14.) This is now but rarely practised, except on passion week. It is performed by each sex among themselves, in different apartments, or at different times. During the ceremony hymns

* Connecticut Evangelical Magazine, No. 2, 1800.

remain in all places and at all times the same. They have reserved to themselves the liberty to alter and amend, which the ancient brethren in Bohemia and Moravia made use of when they regulated their church discipline agreeably to the old canon. The difference in ceremonies does not break the unity of the church.

The Society of United Brethren for propagating the gos pel among the heathen meet statedly at Bethlehem. An act for incorporating this society, and investing it with all necessary powers and privileges for accomplishing its pious designs, was passed by the legislature of this state in 1788.

In 1789 the episcopal clergy convened in Philadelphia. At this convention they corrected and ratified the book of common prayer. The prayers for the king and royal family were omitted, and prayers adapted to the government of the United States inserted. An alteration was also made in the burial service, and various resolutions passed for the government and good order of the episcopal church in the United States. They have met

twice in general convention since; in September, 1795, and in June, 1799.*

The representatives of sundry societies in the United States, believing in the salvation of all men, convened on May 25, 1790, in the city of Philadelphia, and adopted articles of faith, and a plan of church government. In their articles of faith, they have thought it improper to require an assent to opinions which are merely speculative, or to introduce words in expressing their belief which have been the cause of controversies. Their plan of church government and divine worship is nearly con-gregational. Respecting ordinances, they say, that as a diversity of opinions concerning them has been the means of dividing christians, they agree to admit all as members of their society who subscribe the articles of their faith, and maintain good works, whatever their opinions may be as to the form or obligation of any, or all of them. They consider all who subscribe their articles, and lead moral lives, as members of their church. A departure from those articles, or an immoral

* From a journal of the proceedings of the protestant episcopal church, in the convention in Philadelphia, 1799, it appears that the number of the episcopal clergy in the United States, at that time, was seven bishops, and two hundred and eleven presbyters, or private clergymen.

life, shall subject them to private censure, which, if they repeatedly reject, their names shall be erased from the list of members; and they shall not be restored, till they have exhibited such signs of returning to their former faith and practice, as shall be deemed satisfactory to the church.

DELAWARE.

There are in this state twenty-four Presbyterian congregations, belonging to the synod of Philadelphia; fourteen episcopal churches; seven congregations of Baptists; four congregations of the people called Quakers; beside a Swedish church at Wilmington, which is one of the oldest churches in the United States; and a considerable number of Methodists. All these congregations have free toleration by the constitution, and live together in harmony.*

MARYLAND.

The first emigration to Maryland consisted of about two hundred gentlemen, chiefly of the Roman Catholic religion, who sailed from England in November, 1632, and landed near the river Potomack in the beginning of the subsequent year. The Roman Catholics, unhappy in their na

tive land, and desirous of a peaceful asylum, went over in' great numbers to this state. Lord Baltimore, to whom the province had been granted, laid the foundation of its future prosperity, on the broad basis of security to property, and freeedom in religion. While Virginia persecuted the Puritans, her severity com-. pelled many to pass over into this new province, the assembly of which had enacted, "that no person, professing to believe in Jesus Christ, should be molested in respect of their religion, or in the free exercise thereof."t

The catholics in America have at present a bishop residing in Baltimore, viz. the Right Rev. John Carrol. Their number is supposed not to exceed twenty-five thousand, not one thirteenth of the inhabitants of that state.

In Baltimore there is a society who embrace the tenets of Baron Swedenborg, and style themselves the New Jerusalem church.

The other denominations in Maryland are Protestant Episcopalians, English, Irish, and Scotch Presbyterians; German Calvinists, German Lutherans, Friends, Baptists, of whom there are about

*Morse's American Geography, p. 346.
Ramsay's History of the American Revolution, vol. i. p. 10.

twenty congregations; Methodists, who have a bishop in Maryland; Mennonists, Nicolites, or New Quakers.*

VIRGINIA.

The first settlers in Virginia were emigrants from England, of the English church, just at a point of time when it was flushed with complete victory over the religions of all other ́denominations. Possessed as they became of the powers of making, administering, and executing the laws, they shewed equal intolerance in this country with their Presbyterian brethren who had emigrated to the northern government. †

The present denominations of christians in Virginia are Presbyterians, who are the most numerous, and inhabit

the western parts of the state; Episcopalians, who are the most ancient settlers, and occupy the eastern and first settled parts of the state. Intermingled with these are great numbers of Baptists," Methodists, and Friends, or Quakers, of whom are twenty meetings or upward. The proportional number of these several denominations have not been ascertained.‡

KENTUCKY.

The Baptists are the most numerous religious denomina-tion in this place. In 1787 they had sixteen churches established, beside several congregations where churches were not constituted. These were supplied with upwards of thirty ministers, or teachers.§ There are several large con

*Morse's American Geography,

+ Jefferson's State of Virginia, pp. 167, 168.
Morse's American Geography, pp. 386, 387.

The compiler of the View of Religions was lately favoured with a letter from the Rev. Mr. Gano, pastor of the Baptist church in Providence, in which he gives an extract of a letter from his brother, who lives in Cincinnati, in the north western territory. The date of the letter is April, 1801. Part of it is published, to shew the rapid increase of the Baptists in Kentucky.

"I have just returned from a tour through the state of Kentucky. I had the pleasure to hear our worthy parent preach twice in one day with much engagedness. A revival of religion is very general in this state. "We counted an addition of upwards of fourteen hundred in seven or eight churches in a few months, and the work of grace appeared to be increasing. The day I attended Rev. Mr, Hickman's meeting, there was nearly fifteen hundred people. The house and yard were filled Twenty-three were examined for baptism, and fourteen were baptized. The week before, Rev. Mr. Dudley baptized fifty-eight in one day and many other churches in the like proportion. On the south side of Kentucky the work was equal. Many took waggons and provisions, and encamped out for a week at a time to worship." Another brother of the Rev. Mr Gano, who lives at Frankfort, in Kentucky, gives the following account, dated May 6. 1801" At the last church-meeting, at Rev. Mr. Hickman's, there were twenty-five baptized; at the next church-meeting, which is the next Lord's day, there will be thirty."

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