The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-04-19

Missions in every quarter of the globe.
In l7l6 Mr.. Wilkinson was sent to the
Eastern Shore of Maryland, and Mr..
Henderson to the Western Shore, to
take up DR.. Brays work.
Both Of these were good and true
mon and both labored faithfully for the
good of the scattered focks. Mr..
Henderson spent more than thirty
years in the Colony. A memorial
window was erected to him in St. Bar
nabas' Church, Queen Anne's Parish,
Prince Georges county, few years
ago. OF this Parish he was Rector for
many years, I'LL to 1871.
Annapolis in the latter half Of the
18th century was conspicuous as CEN
tire of wealth and fashion. A fine new
theatre had been erected under the
patronage of the Royal Governor.
Various clubs were thronged by the
men of fashion who aped the dandies
of Brooke's and Almack's, and who
drank costly wine and played cards
for high stakes. settling difficulties
with their swords as depicted in the
Churchill pages.
The Rev. Mr.. Boucher who sue
ceeded Mr.. Allen as Rector of St.
Anne's was man of different stamp.
In the Maryland Gazette, he published
during his Rectorship poem in which
the dilapidated church bemoans its
condition and contrasts it with other
buildings.
"How changed the Time; for all around
| Unnumbered stately piles are found,
| All better built. and looking down
On me, quite antquated grown,
Left unrepaired, to Time and prey
| feel my Vitals fast decay.
And often have heard it said
That some good people are afraid
That should tumble on their head,
OF which indeed this seems proof
They seldom come beneath my roof
The effect of these lines and the
earnest labors Of Mr.. Boucher was to
cause the erection of new ST. Anne's
| Church.
Mr.. Boucher became unpopular in
Annapolis on account of his advocacy
of Colonial Bishops. This measure
was opposed for fear it would lead to
Colonial aristocracy, but there was
never word said against his character
as man, or bis zeal as clergyman.
Gov Eden transferred him to Prince
Georges county, where he remained
until the Revolution. He married the
granddaughter of the Rev. Henry
Addison whose letter to the Bishop OF
London has been quoted. DR.. Hawks
says of him, "He was no ordinary man
Possessed of a strong mind, highly
improved by cultivation, he exhibited
the graces ofaccomplished scholarship.
His piety was of the good old fashioned
sort that showed itself in a consistent
Christian life. 1t was the religion that
wears well. Not lacking in zeal or
fervor he thought more of holiness Of
life than Of anything else"
Like many other of the best clergy
in the Colonies Mr. Boucher was 10y
alist and he returned to England in
1775.
He was an intimate acquaintance OF
General Washington, having been for
some years tutor to his step-soa, John
Parke Custis. After the close of the
Revolutionary War he published a
book entitled "A View of the Causes
and Consequences Of the American
Revolution" This he dedicated to
General Washington.
AS long as he lived he evinced great
interest in the American Church and
corresponded regularly with Bishop
White.
There were many others of like
spirit who quietly pursued their work
unknown to fame, but leavening the
Church in the Colony and shining
bright by contrast with the hrawling,
card playing, lox hunting Parson who
is generally regarded as the type of
the Colonial Parson of the 18th CEN
tury.
Bad as many Of these were, they
seem to have been no worse than their
brethren in the Mother country at the
same era. Says Macaulay: "Never
has Century risen upon Christian
England so void of soul and faith as
that which opened with Queen Anne
and reached its misty noon under the
second George. Tue Puritans were
buried, the Methodists not born. The
reign ct buffoonery was past, but the
r,i IN OF faith had not commenced
While George | was King the Baron
de pn'esquieu visited England. In
his Pensies Diverses he says, There
is no nation which more lacks Religion
than the English. Everyone laughs
if one speaks of religion" Thackery,
in Henry Esmond draws picture of
the degraded domestic Chaplain of the
Earl Of Castlewood which is no doubt
true to life. Macaulay says Of the
country clergy of this time: "They
were regarded as a plebeian class. A
waiting maid was considered suitable
wife for a parson.'
Cowper wrote, even later:
Except a few with Ellis spirit bleSt,
Hophni and Ph meas may describe the r-st.'
1t is small wonder that in such times