essential to the perfection of the Deity. It is a singular circumstance in the history of this doctrine, that it has been preached and defended in every age since the first promulgation of the Gospel; but we represent the first society, professing this doctrine, that have formed themselves into an independent church. Posterity will hardly fail to connect this memorable event, with the auspicious years of peace, liberty, and free inquiry in the United States, which distinguished the administration of General Washington.
"We join, thus publicly, with our affectionate fellow citizens, in thanks to Almighty God, for the last of his numerous signal acts of goodness to our country, in preserving your valuable life, in a late dangerous indisposition, and we assure you, Sir, that duty will not prompt us, more than affection, to pray that you may long continue the support and ornament of our country, and that you may hereafter fill a higher station, and enjoy the greater reward of being a king, and priest to our God.
"Signed in behalf, and by order of the convention.
"John Murray.
"William Eugene Imley."
President's Reply.
"To the Convention of the Universal Church, lately assembled in Philadelphia.
"gentlemen,
"I thank you, cordially, for the congratulations, which you offer on my appointment to the office I have the honour to hold in the government of the United States.
"It gives me the most sensible pleasure to find, that, in our nation, however different are the sentiments of citizens on religious doctrines, they generally concur in one thing: for their political professions, and practices, are almost universally friendly to the order and happiness of our civil institutions. I am also happy in finding this disposition particularly evinced by your society. It is moreover my earnest desire, that the members of every association, or community, throughout the United States, may make such use of the auspicious years of peace, liberty, and free inquiry with which they are now favoured, as they shall hereafter find occasion to rejoice for having done.
"With great satisfaction, I embrace this opportunity, to express my acknowledgments for the interest, my affectionate fellow citizens have taken in my recovery, from a late dangerous indisposition. And I as-
