George Keith and William Smith both have left their mark in the annals of Philadelphia; but the former made for himself a stormy life and for his old associates here much contention. George Keith was born in 1638, and at the University was a student while Gilbert Burnet, Bishop of Salisbury and five years his junior, was there; he was originally a member of the Scotch Kirk, but afterwards embraced the doctrines of the Friends of which he became a bold and shining advocate, "and who by his remarkable diligence and industry in all parts of his ministerial office, rendered himself beloved of them all, especially the more inferior sort of people."[1] In 1682 he came to America; in 1687 as Surveyor he was employed on the boundary line between East and West Jersey, and in 1689 came to Philadelphia to take charge of the new Public School. In less than two years time dissensions arose from his assuming conduct; Proud[2] describes him "to be of a brittle temper, and over-bearing disposition of mind. * * * His great confidence in his own superior abilities seems to have been one, if not the chief, introductory cause of this unhappy dispute." Doubtless his confidence in Friends views was slackening, and his adherence to their peculiar ways was weakening, unknown to himself at first, and his strong will let loose became impatient at the Society's restraints. However this may be, he was disowned by them on 20 June, 1692. He, and those who clung to him, called themselves Christian Quakers, and the others Apostates, and appealed to the London Yearly Meeting, but without avail, although he crossed the ocean to champion his own cause. Eventually he sought membership in the Church of England, and was ordained to her ministry in May, 1700. He was sent out to the colonies as a Missionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, where his zeal against the Friends equalled in force the zeal he had displayed on their behalf twenty years before. He returned to England, and died in his living of Edburton in 1716.
