ant Minister at St. Philip's, who remained in this Cure until 1767, when he left the Province.

An Act was passed, April 18, 1767, for erecting a Chapel of Ease on the north side, and within three miles of Four Hole Swamp. The Rector or Minister of the Parish was required to perform Divine Service in this Chapel every sixth Sunday, except it happen to be Easter Day, Whitsunday or Christmas Day, in which case, he was to officiate on the following Sunday, and so on as directed. Messrs. Daniel Rumph, William Young, Daniel Linder, William Steads, jun. and John Brotherer, were appointed Commissioners.

In 1767, the Rev. Offspring Pearce, from Prince George's, Winyaw, succeeded Mr. Serjeant in this Cure. He went to England in 1769, and returned in 1771. During some part of his absence, the Church was supplied by the Rev. Henry Purcell. Mr. Pearce continued in this cure until his death in 1782. Dorchester had begun to decline, and his income declined with it. He was poor when he died, in temporal treasure, but rich in piety and good works, and was greatly lamented by the Parishioners. He was an able scholar and sound divine, and from his papers appears to have been an industrious student. He owned many valuable books, which now enrich the Theological Library.

The late William Blake appointed a Lecture to be preached annually on St. George's Day, by an Episcopal Minister, at the Parish Church of St. George's, Dorchester, and charged his estate with $25 per ann. as a remuneration to the Preacher. His Lecture was generally delivered, until the last few years.

St. George's Church is now in a state of dilapidation. Without an Altar, Priest, or Congregation. The Parochial Register and Journals are lost. There is a handsome service of Communion Plate belonging to the Parish. The Church was incorporated March 7. 1789.

CHAPTER XIX.

St. Paul's Parish.

COLLETON County was divided by an Act Nov. 30, 1706, into two Parishes, St. Paul's and St. Bartholomew's; and the limits of each were defined by an Act Dec. 18, 1708. St. Paul's was "bounded to the North-East by Stono River, and the bounds of Berkley County, to the South-East by the Sea, and to the West by South Edisto River." St. Paul's Parish was again divided April 9, 1734, and John's Island, Wadmalaw Island, Edisto Island, and other Sea Islands were constituted a separate Parish, by the name of St. John's Parish, Colleton.

In 1705, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts sent the Rev. Mr. Dunn, as their Missionary to this Parish. A small, but convenient Church was erected in 1708, on the South Branch of Stono River. It was built of brick 35 feet long by 25 wide, on land given by Mr. Edmund Bellinger; and another piece of land, containing about 71 acres was laid out for a Glebe. A small brick Parsonage, with convenient out-buildings, was built for the Rector, but they were burnt by the Indians in 1715.

In a Letter to the Society, Mr. Dunn stated that, he found the common people very ignorant of religion, and that considerable pains in instructing them were necessary, before he could administer the Sacraments.

In 1707 Mr. Dunn left the Province, and was succeeded the. next year by the Rev. Mr. Mateland, who soon after died. The Rev. William Tredwell Bull, A. M. was sent as a Missionary in 1712. His behaviour was courteous and prudent, and he soon obtained the esteem of the Parishioners. He was very zealous and successful in his spiritual labours, and the Church flourished under his pastoral care.

The Vestry presented a petition to the Assembly in 1721, stating" that the number of the inhabitants, and of the members of the Church of England were so much increased, that their Parish Church was too small for them, and that for want of room, some were forced to stand without the door, and others hang at the windows; and that having agreed among themselves upon the necessary enlargement, they found it would cast considerably more than £1000, when completed, with such decency as becomes the House of God. That they were willing to contribute to their utmost, though many of them had been great sufferers in the Indian War, and scarce able to build their own houses destroyed in that war." The Assembly granted them £500, and the inhabitants subscribed £1000, Cur. which enabled them to make a very neat addition to their Church. The Rev. Mr. Bull continued here until 1723, when his private affairs calling him to England, he resigned his Mission; and in consideration of his services to the Church in this Parish, he was promoted to a Benefice. He was succeeded in 1724, by the Rev. David Standish, A. M. who entered on the duties of his Mission with such piety and zeal, that he soon acquired the esteem of the inhabitants. His congregation increased, and several adults were baptised. He thought nothing too laborious that would promote he glory of God, and increase the Redeemers kingdom. When circumstances admitted, he extended his labours to places destitute of Ministers, particularly to Edisto Island, where a considerable

number of Anabaptists, as well as Churchmen, attended his Ministry.

The Assembly taking into consideration the great extent of St. Paul's Parish, and the distance which many of the inhabitants lived from the Church, passed an Act, Dec. 9, 1725, appointing Col. John Palmer, Robert Yonge and Thomas Hill, Commissioners for building a Parochial Chapel of Ease, at Wiltown, and appropriated £200, Cur. for this purpose. The Rector or Minister of the Parish was required every fourth Sunday throughout the year, and not oftener, to perform Divine Service in this Chapel, according to the Rubrics and Liturgy of the Church of England.

Mr. Standish reported to the Society in 1725, that, he had 20 communicants, and from the increase of his congregation, another enlargement of their Church had become necessary, which his Parishioners had readily made. From personal regard to the Clergyman, the inhabitants, in 1727, purchased a Glebe of 400 acres of land adjoining the Church, and pleasantly situated on the River. It had a good house upon it, and other necessary buildings. Mr. Standish died in this Mission in 1728.

The desire of providing for the education of the rising generation, was now generally felt through the Province. Many pious persons had bequeathed portions of their estates for this benevolent purpose, and many contributed largely by their subscriptions. In this Parish, a considerable sum was raised by subscription, for Founding a Free School for the education of the poor, and John Whitmarsh bequeathed the following Legacies:

"Item. I give and bequeath, one thousand pounds current money of this Province, to be paid by my Executors hereinafter named, within one year after my death immediately ensuing, to the Parish of St. Paul's,

in Colleton County, in the Province aforesaid, to be disposed of by the Minister, Vestry and Churchwardens of the said Parish for the time being, for pious and charitable uses, in manner and form following, that is to say: Five hundred pounds of the said thousand pounds to be remitted to the Hon. Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, to be by them laid out in Books of Piety and Devotion, and sent to the said Minister, Vestry and Churchwardens, to be distributed by them gratis to the Poor of the said Parish: The remaining Five Hundred pounds of the said Thousand Pounds, to be employed towards the education of the Poor Children of the said Parish by the Minister, Vestry and Churchwardens, aforesaid, for the time being." The Will is dated April 3, 1728.

The Rev. Andrew Leslie, A. M. Missionary from the Society, arrived in Charles-Town, September 13, 1732, and two days after went to this Parish, where he was received with great kindness and affection. He was Ordained Deacon, May 28, 1727; and Priest, July 14, 1728, by Dr. Downes, Bishop of Derry. The Bishop of London's License was dated July 3, 1729. The Folio Bible, now [1819] used in the Reading Desk, was presented by him to the Church. It has lettered on the side, "Ex Dono Reverendi Andree Leslie, 1738." He died in this Mission in 1740.

The Chapel of Ease directed by the Act of Assembly Dec. 9, 1725, to be erected at Wiltown, and for which £200 had been appropriated by law, not having been built, and the Parish having been since divided, the Inhabitants petitioned for a Chapel of Ease at Beach Hill.

An Act was accordingly passed, Feb. 5, 1736-7, directing a Parochial Chapel of Ease to be built near Beach Hill, in which the Rector was required to perform divine service, every third Sunday, throughout