The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-02-06

Mrs. Darlington pushing back the Atlantic
with her broom. Selling him, they took
away his arms and marched him back to his
home, escorted by all the male portion of his
congregation, to the tune of THE Rogue's
March," played by fifer, whose services had,
no doubt, been engaged for the unique &C.
casion. His Reverence left for England soon
| afterwards-not, however, until he had shown
his pluck by preaching once more-which,
as we are told, land can we'll believe it, he
/ did amidst great confusion"
Fortunately for the spiritual peace of the
parishioners of St. Georges, although doubt
| less quite as patriotic as those who had GUST
ed Mr.. Boucher, they had, during those troub-
lous times, rector who was, for the most
part, content to leave political matters to
other hands, though, as we shall presently
see, the Committee Of Observation on one
occasion felt called upon to take note of his
royal leaning.
This rector was Rev. William West, D. D.,
who on June. 1772, twas received on an
Induction from Gov. Eden. He proposes to
keep Citrate and to pay him f100 year.
He is to be provided by the vestry, but con-
trolled by the Rector 1.-THE meaning of the
word provided" here. is not very clear
Mr.. West will keep the Curate while he is
Rector, the parish being too extensive to at
tend himself to all the duties" If Mr.. West
Tor rather DR.. West,) had curate at any
time during his incumbency there is no re-
corded proof of the fact.
In August, William Coale had completed
the Chapel work agreed on, 1924"
Oct. ITO petition for per poll" In the
following September, "Mr. West is to be paid
the 40 per poll from Mr.. Lendrum's death,
April 9th. 1772, to date"
April. 1774 Francis Deacon Tsexton at the
Chapel to wash both Surplys four times
year for twenty shillings."
May 23d. "Vestry agree to [petition the
court, or Assembly tol assess f100 to build
brick vestry House ut the Chapel, "a by 30
feet, with eight feet pitch, stone foundation,
brick walls one and a-half bricks thick,
covered with cypress shingles. lsthed and
plastered, pine floor. The roof to be tarred.
Mr. Jeremiah Sheridine and Mr. Edmund Bull
to agree with workman"
November, "a couple names givenl living
unlawfully together agree on notice to separ
ate" 1-
In 1775, as we learn from Perry's "Contri-
buttons, the taxables in the parish numbered
1900, which at the new rate of four shilings
per head amounted to $3.50 currency deduct
ing costs and ins0lvencies, f320 or f192
sterling. 1t has heretofore averaged f250"
[sterling.]
From l772 to Is. work done on the Chapel
amounted to EOS.
Feb. 1776, "Vestry petition the Worship.
full the Justices of Hartford county for 2 per
poll for discharging the parochial debts"
This was the last appeal-the great revolt
ton superseding everything else-and the
entry has touch obsequiousness, (not before
noticeable,l as though the petitioners antici-
pated failure. In November of that year the
Church of England in Maryland received its
quietus as an establishment through the
adoption by the provincial Convention, of
the Bill OF Rights and the State Constitution
which was to 60 in operation in the fol-
lowing March.
By act of Assembly passed 1779, which re-
manned in force for eleven years, rectors were
to be chosen for limited time and
TO be excluded from the vestry. One object
of this act was, no doubt, to give the vestry
more complete control of the purse, but it
was perhaps mainly intended as reaction
airy measure, to indemnify the parishioners
in some degree for having been kept so long
powerless to remove an unwelcome rector
This law required that there should be seven
vestrymen, who were to act as trustees, with
an estate in fee in ali the glebe lands, churches,
chapels, &c, with power to appoint minis
ter, or reader, as the case might be. The
possession and free use of the glebe lands and
all the profits therefrom to belong to the
minister.
In June of this year Mr.. Vests charge
ended by his resignation and his induction
into st. Paul's in Baltimore ; and the parish
remained vacant until the great revolution
was nearly ended. Mr.. West seems to have
been worthy and efficient rector. His
trouble with the Committee of Observation,
oh off roA IN krh oy hoo ~,
paratively mild type, as appears from the
proceedings" of the Committee
MAY 6, 1776, ResOlUed, That the Rev.
Mr.. West be requested during the time the
unhappy dispute between Great Britain and
the Colony subsists, to omit, in the morning and
evening service, such part ofthe prayers where
the King and royal family of England are
particularly named" At their meeting held
a week later, it was resolved that, as the
Rev. Mr.. West has furnished the Committee
with his reasons for using the prayers men
toned in the resolve in the last meeting, and
as several members are absent, the whole
matter, with the papers bearing upon it, be
referred to the provincial Convention" This
reference was probably the last of the matter
as. there is nothing about it in the proceedings
of the Convention, and Mr.. West remained
rector three years longer.
There was no meeting of the vestry from
Feb, 1776 to Aug, 1873, when it was 'order-
ed that subscription be raised for the support
of the Clergyman, Clerk, and for repairs of
the Church" And a year later subscrip-
ton for the same purpose was ordered. The
word Clergyman" in these orders probably
refers to the late rector, to whom, as it seems,
the parish was in arrears. Indeed, his account
was not settled until three years later. Now
that the church had to support herself with
out government aid, and that, too, amid the
throes of great revolution, she had hard
struggle for existence.
On the "a Dec, 1881, "Rev James Wilmer
offers to officiate in st. Johns and at Spesu-
tia,Church alternately, every Sunday in the
year, for f120 hard money Tor wheai) and
rents of the Glebe. The vestry accepts, with
the reservation, they may direct some of the
sermons to be preached elsewhere than
Joppa, not eight miles distant" 1t is noted
that "Mr. Wilmer came to st. Georges from
Shrewsbury Parish, in Kent county"
April, 1882, "Col Josias Carvill Hall was
chosen vestrymsn."
In Jan'y of the following year the Register
is ordered ito write to the Rev. James
Wilmer that the list of subscribers and the
order on the Glebe Tenants are ready to pay
him the balance due as Rector for 1782."-
This vestry give orders for Rev. Mr.. James
w luer saiaIy, WHICH,, Win lndt hlTtauy
paid, is f120, his salary for 1882"
"Nov. 6, 1888. Rev. Mr.. James Jones
Wilmer presided at the vestry meeting. A
collection ordered to be made and remtted
TO Rev. Mr.. West" 1t seems that it required
two years to find out that his Reverence had
a middle name.
As Others See Us.