Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-26
FORMATIVE PERIOD OF
 EPIscoPALlAN DIOCESE.
Third Publication of Commission on
 ParochiaI Archives.

f
 At the recent diocesan convention at New Haven there were distributed to the members copies of the third publication of the commission on pa- rochial archives. It is pamphlet of some 35 pages, edited by Rev. Joseph Hooper of Durham, and illustrates the
 formative period" of the diocese respondence of Samuel Peters, the shrewd, but eccentric author (for this may now be .aSsumed) of a history of Connecticut which is still instruc- tive and amusing reading. One of the letters, written by Dr. Bela Hubbard Of Trinity church, New Haven, to Dr. Peters in England, says under the date of Jan. g. 17s1: .I think Dr. Stiles begins to think more favorably of you, yet he cannot forgive you for writing Gas he says you did) the history of Connecticut; but old Secretary Wyilys, who quarters in the sessions of the assembly two doors from me, will not the last thing when he goes to bed and the first thing when he arises" Later on he says: Arianism and Socinianism are, I think, gaining ground in the country, both to the eastward and westward, our clergy keep Connecticut to the old orthodox doctrines.,- is good history; and later still he uses rather incoherent words of one who was destined to become even more prominent than he was then. "Old Jarvis wishes you would excuse his indoience, and be- lteve him at bottom your friend" In another letter Dr. Hubbard shows that there was even then an unan- swered question as to the source of Peters doctors degree; to this day Yale gives him the title of "LL.D. elsewhere (?)", while her historian calls it apocryphal; he writes: T send you a catalogue of Yale college. tho you will send your signature, or rather the name of the college in which, or from which, you received your doc torate. he will be careful to do you justice" The rambling letters of the rector of Trinity church give as many especially the desire of Episcopal clergymen to get livings and homes in the provinces which remained un- der the British crown he also writes as early as 1784 to beg his corres- pondent Ito enquire cut a proper person in London to furnish us a net good we'll toned organ with a decent care for about 100 guineas:" presently he raises the amount to 150 guineas without the freight, and hopes that his friend may stumble upon some poor and yet honest lad that could come out and bring with him a small overture in books of psalms ard that could play skillfully the or gan and (have) an English school and musick."
 Among other writers from Con- necticut are Jeremiah, Leaning of Stratford, John Tyler of Norwich, and Ebenezer Dibbe of Stanford and of these and some others the editor gives full biographical sketches. From a letter of pr. Tyler. written early in 1784. we learn that neither he nor MT. Daniel Fogg of Brooklyn was at the famous meeting in Woodbury in the preceding March, when Dr. Samuel Seabury was elected; it may be that from some other source we shall find the names of the two others who did not attend; for of the IA re- maining Church of England clergy : men remaining in Connecticut, 10 formed the convocation of 17S3. It Is interesting to note that we are in depted to letters of Mr. Fogg writ ten in July of that year for the state ment of the number that met and the number that might have met and Of the instruction which they gave to their bishop elect tc seek conserva- tion in Scotland if he could not ob- tain it in England. letter from Samuel Peters, himself-the only one in this printed collection-says of Bella Hubbard that his voice, ad- dress, and politeness exceeds all every other clergyman ever known to me in New England. On thing more MT. Hubbafd has a grateful heart. an arti- cIe understood by only a few of the clergy since the reformation.'
 From such familiar letters an 1m- portant view of events can be obtain ed after all these years.