disuse, and the Vestries perpetuated their office by filling up vacancies as they occurred. In some Parishes this practice is now established by law, and in others by immemorial custom.*

From this Account of the origin and duties of Churchwardens and Vestrymen, it appears that, in the Church of England, the Churchwardens are officers annually elected for managing the temporal affairs of the Church, and that the Vestry are appointed as representatives of the Parishioners, to examine and settle the accounts of the Churchwardens.†

The duties of these Officers in the American Church under the Provincial Government, will be seen in the . Acts of the General Assembly published in this work.

On examining the Journals of the different Parishes, it appears that, towards the time of the Revolution, the arrangement of the Parochial Officers was changed. In some instances it seems to have been done indifferently, in others with design. The Vestry, being the popular branch of Church Officers, came to be named first, contrary to the invariable custom in England, and in all the American Provinces. This practice appears to have sprung from the desire of the people in this Province, to exercise those privileges which they believed to belong to them as freemen. were the representatives of the people; name audited the accounts of the Parish. men have ever since been first named among the Parochial Officers in South-Carolina.

The Vestry

and in their The Vestry

Commissary Garden held his second Visitation of

the Clergy, April 19th, 1732.

No other business was transacted, than the examination of some Letters of Orders, and Licenses from the Bishop of London.

See Burns Eccles. Law, iv. 7.

↑ By the "Act for establishing County and Precinct Courts" passed Sept. 20, 1721, these Courts were empowered "to inspect and examine into the Ac counts of all Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor, to the intent that the Poor shall be sufficiently provided for, and to see and take care that the Churchwardens do well and truly execute their Offices, according to the Powers and Directions given them by virtue of any Act or Acts of Assembly of this Province in that case made and provided."

It is not known, at what period the present St. Philip's Church was first opened for divine worship. The Act of Assembly for building it, passed March 1, 1710-11: And an Act was passed Dec. 10, 1720, for completing it, and for repairing the damage it had sustained from Storms. It was not opened, probably, before 1727, when the old Church was taken down, and it was not completed until the year 1733.

St. Philip's Church stands upon the east side of Church-street, a few poles north of Queen-street. It is built of brick, and rough-cast. The Nave is 74

feet long; the Vestibule, or more properly, the Belfry, 37, the Portico 12 feet and 22 1-2 feet wide. The Church is 62 feet wide. The Roof is arched, except over the Galleries; two rows of Tuscan Pillars support five arches on each side, and the Galleries. The Pillars are ornamented on the inside, with fluted Corinthian Pilasters, whose capitals are as high as the Cherubim, in relief, over the centre of each arch, supporting their proper Cornice. Over the centre ́arch on the south side, are some figures in heraldic form, representing the infant colony imploring protection of the King. The Church was nearly finished, when the King purchased the Province of the Lords Proprietors. This circumstance, probably, suggested the idea. Beneath the figures, is this inscription: Propius res aspice nostras.* This has been adopted as the motto of the Seal of St. Philip's Church. Over the middle arch on the north side, is this inscription: Deus mihi Sol, with armorial bearings, or the representation of some stately edifice.

Each Pillar is now ornamented with a piece of Monumental Sculpture, some of them with Bassrelief figures, finely executed by some of the first Artists in England. These add greatly to the beauty and solemnity of the edifice. There is no Chancel;

*Virg. Æn. lib. i. 526.

the Communion Table stands within the body of the Church. The east end is a pannelled Wainscot, ornamented with Corinthian Pilasters, supporting the Cornice of a Fan-light. Between the Pilasters, are the usual Tables of the Decalogue, the Lord's Prayer, and the Apostles' Creed. The Organ was imported from England, and had been used at the Coronation of George II. The Galleries were added subsequently to the building of the Church. There are 88 Pews on the Ground floor, and 60 in the Galleries. Several of the Pews were built by individuals, at different times, with the consent of the Vestry. The Communion Plate was a donation to the Church. Two Tankards, one Chalice and Patine, and one large Alms Plate, were given by the government, and have the Royal Arms of England engraved on each piece. One Tankard, one Chalice and Patine, and one large Alms Plate, have engraved on them, The Gift of Col. Wm. Rhett to the Church of St. Philip, Charles-Town, South-Carolina. One large Paten with I. F. R. engraved on it.* The Pulpit and Reading Desk stand at the East end of the Church, at the N. E corner of the middle aisle. The front of the Church is adorned with a Portico, composed of four Tuscan Columns, supporting a double Pediment. The two side Doors which open into the Belfry, are ornamented with round Columns of the same Order, which support angular Pediments that project 12 feet; these give to the whole building the form of a cross, and add greatly to its beauty. This, however, is somewhat obscured by the intervention of the wall of the graveyard. Pilasters of the same Order with the Columns, are continued round the Body of the Church, and a Parapet Wall extends round the Roof. Between each of the Pilasters is one lofty sashed window. Over the double Pediment was originally a Gallery with Balus

*Two small Silver Chalices, for administering the Communion to the Sick, were provided by the Vestry in 1791.

R

ters, which has since been removed as a security against fire. From this the Steeple rises octagonal; in the first Course are circular sashed windows on the Cardinal sides; and windows with Venetian blinds in each face of the Second Course, ornamented with Ionic Pilasters, whose Entablature supports a Gallery. Within this Course are two Bells. An octagonal Tower rises from within the Gallery, having sashed Windows on every other Face, and Dial Plates of the Clock on the Cardinal sides. Above is a Dome, upon which stands a quadrangular Lantern. A Vane, in the form of a Cock, terminates the whole. Its heighth, probably, is about 80 feet.

St. Philip's Church has always been greatly admired. Its heavy structure, lofty arches and massive pillars, adorned with elegant sepulchral monuments, cast over the mind a solemnity of feeling, highly favourable to religious impressions.* The celebrated

*The following are the Inscriptions upon the Monuments, according to their date :

Near this Place lyes the Body of his Excellency
ROBERT JOHNSON, Esquire, His Majesty's
First Captain General, Governor and Commander
in Chief, and Vice-Admiral of this Province,
After the Purchase thereof from the
Lords Proprietors.

Who Dyed the 3d day of May
Annoque Domini 1735, aged 58 years.

To whose Memory The General Assembly gave
This Marble to be Erected as a Mark of Peculiar
Esteem and Gratitude for his Mild, Just
and Generous Administration.

And beside him lyes his Beloved Consort,

Mrs. MARGARET JOHNSON, an amiable, sensible Lady,
Of Exemplary Piety, Charity and Oeconomy,
Who Dyed the 5th day of July
Annoque Domini 1732, aged 45 years.

In the Cemetery of this Church
lie the Remains

of

HECTOR BERENGER DE BEUFAIN, ESQ.

Edmund Burke, speaking of this Church says, it "is spacious, and executed in a very handsome taste, exceeding, every thing of that kind which we have in America ;" and the Biographer of Whitefield calls

* Account of European Settlements in America, ii. 258.

Born at Orange in France, in the year of our Lord, 1697; He came
from London to South-Carolina in 1733, where he resided
the Remainder of his Life; in 1742 He was appointed
Collector of his Majesty's Customs, and in 1747 Member of
His Majesty's Council for this Province.
He died Oct. 13, 1766,
deservedly Regretted.
A Man

of unshaken Integrity in the discharge of his Public Trust,
Never relaxed to the Prejudice of the Crown Revenue,
Never rigorously enforced to the oppression of the Innocent;
Of most benevolent humanity;

Always ready to relieve the distressed
without ostentation;

Of humblest manners, tho' possessed of eminent Talents.
Master of the Learned Languages,

And tho' a Foreigner, a profound critic in the English Tongue,
Tho' humble, inflexibly adhering to the Rules
Of Justice, honor and politeness;
Complacent in his behaviour to all;
Thus meriting he thus acquired
Universal Esteem.

His fellow citizens of this Province,
For many years the Witnesses and Admirers
Of his virtues uniformly practiced thro life,
have erected this Monument

Sacred to the Memory

of his Merit and their Love.
MDCCLXVII.

Ultima Ratio.

'Sacred to the Memory

Of a Patriot Soldier eminent for his Exertions
In defence of the Rights of Mankind in General
and these United States in Particular; and who sealed
With his Blood the contract of

Fidelity to his Country.

At the commencement of American opposition
To British Usurpation,
PHILIP NEYLE, ESQUIRE,

Devoted himself to the support of the
Just claims of his native Land.

Which with alacrity and inviolate attachment,
He was performing the duties of a
Good Citizen and Gallant Officer,
At the seige of Charlestown,

A cannon ball deprived his country of his services
His friends of an ingenious, benevolent & amiable companion,
And his Infirm Parents of the comfort and support
Afforded by his Filial Piety.

It was the Dying request of his aged Father,
That this Marble should be Inscribed

To his much loved Son.

The country in whose cause he fell
Will long cherish his Memory with
Gratitude and Affection.

Occidit die Aprilis Anno Domino 1780, Etatisque 29.
Honor et Honestas.