Page:A semi-centenary discourse.djvu/30

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as a man, a Christian, and a minister, and is recommended to the faithful care and Christian attention of the Presbytery of Philadelphia.

Gideon Blackburn, Moderator.

Joseph B. Lapsley, Clerk.

"Dated May 1st, 1810."

Whereupon, the Presbytery of Philadelphia Resolved, That Mr. Gloucester be and he is hereby received as a member of this Presbytery.

It is not to be understood that, during this time, the interesting effort of organizing the church was in any way abated or suffered to flag for the want of care or attention from friends favorable to the movement. In the proper place I shall show that during the time that intervened between the action of the two Presbyteries and the ordination of Mr. Gloucester, he not only labored himself, assisted by the ministers of the Presbytery, but that the infant church was raised, organized, and progressing very encouragingly. I make this digression from the regular record of proceeding in the course of a history, from the fact that this case of Mr. Gloucester, from its peculiarity, warrants it. His peculiar condition prevents me from a regularity in recording much of his history, and the state of things at that early time in relation to him, prevented the Presbyteries from acting as they would in ordinary cases coming before them; hence the seeming discrepancies that appear in the narrative. In view of keeping this record clear, I must refer back to Mr. Gloucester's case from the time that it was first brought before the General Assembly, in 1807, and sitting, as I have shown, in Lexington, Kentucky.

In several of the general assemblies it was a matter of considerable interest to many of the members as it regards the religious training of colored people; it was