I received the too complaisant Letter your Lordship did me the honour of writing to me by the Revd. Mr. Christian, who has also communicated some of your Views for the Benefit of Religion in the United States of America, requesting my Opinion, which I have given him, but will repeat in this Letter, lest I should not in every particular have been rightly apprehended. It is proper to be understood that Those States consist of Thirteen distinct and separate Sovereignties, each govern’d by its own Laws, in which no one religious Sect is established as predominant, but there is a general Toleration of all; and should any thing be enacted by one of them in favour of a particular Sect, it would have no Operation in the others. The Congress, tho’ form’d by Delegates from each State chosen annually, has Powers extending only to those general Affairs of political Government that relate to the Whole, but no Authority whatever is given to them in ecclesiastical Matters. And I therefore think they will do nothing either to encourage or discourage the Introduction of a Bishop in America. For myself, I can only say as a private Person, that I think such an Officer may be of use to the Episcopalians not only for the better Government of their Clergy, but for preventing the Expence and Risque that attend the sending their young Men to England for Ordination. He should however have Power to consecrate other Bishops, so as to prevent for ever the Necessity of sending to England for Successors in that Station, otherwise he will hardly be so well received. The great Difficulty will be to make proper Provision for his Support. I doubt whether any of the Governments will establish such Support, and I have not much Confidence that any thing considerable may be obtained by private Contributions. My Reasons are, that the Episcopalians in most of the States are very small in Number compar’d with the Inhabitants of other Persuasions, and where they are a Majority, they do not generally see the Necessity or Utility of a Resident Bishop, and they apprehend some Inconveniences in it. Of this there was a strong Instance in Virginia some Years before the late Revolution. Inhabitants of that Province were almost wholly of the Church of England, and their House of Commons of course the same. Yet that House unanimously censured in strong Terms, the Proposition of some of their own Clergy, for introducing a Bishop, and thank’s others who oppos’d and defeated the Project, as may be seen in the following Extract from their Journal, viz.

“Resolved, nemine contradicante, That the Thanks of this House be given to the Reverend Mr. Henley, the Reverend Mr. Gwatkin, the Reverend Mr. Hewit, and the Reverend Mr. Blank for the wise and well-timed Opposition they have made to the pernicious Project of a few mistaken Clergymen for introducing an American Bishop; a Measure by which much Disturbance, great Anxiety and Apprehension would certainly take place among his Majesty’s faithful American Subjects; And that Mr. Richard Henry Lee and Mr. Bland do acquaint them therewith.” The Apprehension mentioned in this Resolve, I imagine must have been, an Apprehension of Expence to maintain a Bishop suitable to his Dignity, and of Attempts to oblige the Laity to defray such Expence by Taxes, or Tythes, or at least of their being solicited for voluntary Contributions. There being at present no Fund appointed for such Purpose, nor any thing hitherto given but a Farm by Legacy in Rhodeisland. If however the Laity should have chang’d their Minds, and wish now to have a Bishop, whom they would engage to Support by voluntary Contributions; in that case I imagine none of the Governments would forbid it, but the Support would probably be too small and too precarious to be a sufficient Encouragement.

Mr. Christian ask’d my Opinion whether your making a Tour incognito thro’ that Country, might not be a prudent Measure? Whatever Prospect or Hope there may be of your greater Usefulness to Religion in our extensive Country than in the little Isle of Man, yet as you have a Family, I certainly cannot advise your Making any hasty Application to your government for your Removal; or taking any Step that may hazard the Life of a present sure Support, against a Contingent future and precarious: Therefore, to enable yourself to form a better Judgment it might be well to see with your own Eyes the State of Things and sound the Disposition of the People; but I am nevertheless inclin’d to think, that in making the Tour, you will hardly be encourag’d to attempt the Change. Unless the Society for Propagating the Gospel, or the British Government would fix a sufficient Income to be paid you from England. Such a Journey may however have contributed to establish Health, as well as pleasingly gratify the Curiosity of seeing the Progress Arts, Agriculture, Science and Industry are making in a new Country. With great Respect, I have the honour to be, Your most obedient and most &c