At a meeting of our Vestry, last evening, the Board came to the following resolution, “Resolved, That the Rt. Revd. the Bishop be requested to return the thanks of this Board to Mr. Jay, for his obliging offer to accommodate them with his lots, in order to have a new Church built on them; and to inform him, that upon a full consideration of the subject, the Board is of opinion they will not answer the intended purpose.”

I am sincerely sorry that this business was not sooner brought to a conclusion, as the delay may have interfered with some intended arrangements respecting this property. Should you ever carry your benevolent plan into execution, by appropriating a part of it for the support of the Church at Bedford, & for other charitable purposes; my opinion is, that the best way will be to settle a certain annual salary upon the officiating Clergyman for the ^time^ being; directing the money to be paid by quarterly or half-yearly payments. The probable consequence will be, that the Church will be regularly supplied with respectable Ministers. Clergymen will be disposed to go to that place where permanent provision is made for the decent maintenance of themselves & their families; and the People will never be inclined to leave the parish for a long time vacant, as they will find themselves relieved, in some measure, from the burden of maintaining a Minister.

The Society for the relief of Clergymen’s Widows & Children possesses ample funds to answer the design of the Institution. I am in hopes, that our Society for the promotion of Religion & Learning will be productive of very salutary effects. It is not, indeed, incorporated; but, for the benefit of the Institution, property might be left in trust to some Individual, & incorporated Society.1 I remain, Sir, with great respect, your very obt. servt.