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In Pennfylvania there are fixteen congregations of English BAFTISTS The doctrines, difcipline, and worthip of thefe, are fimilar to thofe of the New-England Baptifts. In 1770, the number of this denomination of baptifs was reckoned at 650 families, making, as was fuppofed, 3,250 fouls, who were divided into ten churches, who had eighteen meeting-houses, and eleven minifters. Befides thefe there are a few Sabbatarian baptifts, who keep the feventh day as holy time, and who are the remains of the Keithian or Quaker baptifts, and a number of Tunkers and Mennonifts, both of whom are profeffionally baptifts, and are of German extraction.

The TUNKERS are fo called in derifion, from the word tanken, to put a morfel in fauce. The English word that conveys the proper meaning of Tunkers is Sops or Dippers. They are alfo called Tumblers, from the manner in which they perform baptifm, which is by putting the perfon, while kneeling, head first under water, fo as to refemble the motion of the body in the action of tumbling. The Germans found the letters and b like d and p; hence the words Tunkers and Tumblers have been corruptly written Dunkers and Dumplers.

The firft appearing of these people in America, was in the fall of the year 1719, when about twenty families landed in Philadelphia, and difperfed themselves in various parts of Pennfylvania. They are what are called General Baptifts, and hold to general redemption and general falvation. They ufe great plainnefs of drefs and language, and will neither fwear, nor fight, nor go to law, nor take intereft for the money they lend. They commonly wear their beards-keep the first day Sabbath, except one congregation-have the Lord's Supper, with its ancient attendants of love-feafts, with washing of feet, kifs of charity, and right hand of fellowship. They anoist the fick with oil for their recovery, and ufe the trine immerfion, with laying on of hands and prayer, even while the perfon baptifed is in the water. Their church governinent and difcipline are the fame with thofe of the English baptifts, except that every brother is allowed to fpeak in the congregation; and their beft fpeaker is ufually ordained to be their minifter. They have deacons, deaconefles (from among their ancient widows) and exhorters, who are all licenfed to use their gifts ftatedly. On the whole, notwithstanding their peculiarities, they appear to be humble, well-meaning chriftians, and have acquired the character of the Harmles Tunkers.

Their principal fettlement is at Ephrata, fometimes called Tunkerstown, in Lancafter county, fixty miles wellward of Philadelphia. It confits of about forty buildings, of which three are places of worship: One is called Sharon, and adjoins the fifter's apartment as a chapel; another, belonging to the brother's apartment, called Bethany. To thefe the brethren and fifters refort, feparately, to worship morning and evening, and fometimes in the night. The third is a common church, called Zion, where all in the fettlement meet once a week for public worship. The brethren have adopted the White Friars' drefs, with fome alterations; the filters, that of the nuos; and both, like them, have taken the vow

of celibacy. All, however, do not keep the row. When they marry, they leave their cells and go among the married people. They fubfi&t by cultivating their lands, by attending a printing-office, a grist mill,

a paper

a paper mill, an oil mill, &c. and the fifters by fpinning, weaving, fewing, &c. They, at firft, flept on board couches, but now on beds, and have otherwife abated much of their former feverity. This is the congregation who keep the feventh day Sabbath. Their finging is charming, owing to the pleafantnefs of their voices, the variety of parts, and the devout manner of performance. Befides this congregation at Ephrata, there were, in 1770, fourteen others in various other parts of Pennfylvania, and fome in Maryland. The whole, exclufive of thofe in Maryland, amounted to upwards of 2coo fouls.

The MENNONISTS derive their name from Menno Simon, a native of Witmars in Germany, a man of learning, born in the year 1505, in the " time of the reformation by Luther and Calvin. He was a famous Roman Catholic preacher till about the year 1531, when he became a Baptift. Some of his followers came into Pennfylvania from New York, and fettled at Germantown, as early as 1692. This is at prefent their principal congregation, and the mother of the reft. Their whole number, in 1770, in Pennfylvania, was upwards of 4000, divided into thirteen churches, and forty-two congregations, under the care of fifteen ordained minifters, and fifty three licenced preachers.

The Mennonifts do not, like the Tunkers, hold the doctrine of general falvation; yet like them, they will neither fwear nor fight, nor bear any civil office, nor go to law, nor take intereft for the money they lend, though many break this laft rule. Some of them wear their beards; wafh each others feet, &c. and all ufe plainnefs of fpeech and drefs. Some have been expelled their fociety for wearing buckles in their fhoes, and having pocket holes in their coats. Their church government is democratical. They call themselves the Harmless chriftians, Revengeless chriftians, and Weaponlefs chriftians. They are Baptifts rather in name than in fact; for they do not ufe immerfion. Their common mode of baptifm is this: The perfon to be baptized kneels; the minifter holds his hands over him, into which the deacon pours water, which runs through upon the head of the perfon kneeling. After this, follow impofition of. hands and prayer.

Literary, Humane, and other useful Societies.] Thefe are more numerous, and flourishing in Pennfylvania, than in any of the Thirteen States. The names of thefe improving inftitutions, the times when they were established, and a fummary of the benevolent defigns they were intended to accomplifh, will be mentioned in their order.

I. THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, HELD AT PHILADELPHIA, FOR PROMOTING USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. This fociety was formed January 2d, 1769, by the union of two other literary focieties that had fubfifted for fome time in Philadelphia; and were created one body corporate and politic, with fuch powers, privileges, and immunities as are neceffary for anfwering the valuable purpofes which the fociety had originally in view, by a charter, granted by the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on the 15th of March, 1780. This fociety have already published two very valuable volumes of their tranfactions; one in 1771, the other 1786.

In 1771, this fociety confifted of nearly 300 members; and upwards of 120 have fince been added; a large proportion of which, are foreign

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ers

ers of the first distinction in Europe. This is an evidence of the increafing refpectability and improvement of the fociety.

Their charter allows them to hold lands, gifts, &c. to the amount of the clear yearly value of ten thousand bufhels of wheat. The number of members is not limited.

2. THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING POLITICAL ENQUIRIES; Con fifting of fifty members, inftituted in February, 1787.

3. THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, inftituted in 1787, for the promotion of medical, anatomical and chemical knowledge.

4. THE UNION LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA, which was begun in 1731, incorporated by the proprietors of the province in 1742, and united with other companies, upon a fimilar establishment, in 1769. The number of members in 1773 was upwards of 400. They poffefs (except the library of Harvard college) the most valuable collection of books in America, confifting of upwards of 7000 volumes, which are kept in Carpenters Hall. Under the fame roof they have a mufeuin, containing a collection of curious medals, manuscripts, ancient relicks, fofils, &c. and a philofophical apparatus.

5. THE PENNSYLVANIA HOSPITAL, a humane inftitution, which was first meditated in 1750, and carried into effect by means of a liberal fubfcription of about 3000, and by the affiftance of the affembly, who in 1751, granted as much more for the purpofe, The present building was begun in 1754, and finished in 1756. This hofpital is under the direction of twelve managers, chofen annually, and is vifited every year by a committee of the affembly. The accounts of the managers are fubmitted to the inspection of the legislature. Six phyficians attend gratis, and generally prefcribe twice or three times in a week, in their turns. This hofpital is the general receptacle of lunatics and madmen, and of thofe affected with other diforders, and are unable to fupport themselves. Here they are humanely treated, and well provided for.

6. THE PHILADELPHIA DISPENSARY, for the medical relief of the poor. This benevolent inftitution was established on the 12th of April, 1786, and is fupported by annual fubfcriptions of thirty-five fhillings each perfon. No lefs than 1800 patients were admitted, within fixteen months after the first opening of the difpenfary. It is under the direction of twelve managers, and fix phyficians, all of whom attend gratis. This inftitution exhibits an application of fomething like the mechanical powers, to the purposes of humanity. The greatest quantity of good is produced in this way with the leaft money. Five hundred pounds a year defrays all the expences of the inftitution. The poor are taken care of in their own houfes, and provide every thing for themselves, except medicines, cordial drinks, &c.

7. THE PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY for promoting the ABOLITION OF SLAVERY, and the relief of FREE NEGROES unlawfully held in bondage. This fociety was begun in 1774, and enlarged on the 23d of April, 1787. The officers of the fociety confift of a prefident, two vice-prefidents, two fecretaries, a treafarer, four counfellors, an electing committee of twelve, and an acting committee of fix members; all of whom, except the last, are to be chofen annually by ballot, on the firft Monday in January, The fociety meet quarterly, and each member contributes ten fhillings annually,

annually, in quarterly payments, towards defraying its contingent expences.

The legislature of this ftate have favoured the humane designs of this fociety, by An Act for the gradual Abolition of Slavery; paffed on the ift of March, 1780; wherein, among other things, it is ordained, that no perfon born within the ftate, after the palling of the act, fhall be confidered as a fervant for life; and all perpetual flavery is, by this act, for ever abolished. The act provides, that those who would, in cafe this act had not been made, have been born fervants or flaves, fhall be deemed fuch, till they fhall attain to the age of twenty-eight years; but they are to be treated in all refpects as fervants bound by indenture for four years.

8. THE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED BRETHREN for propagating the Gofpel among the Heathens, inftituted in 1787, to be held ftatedly at Bethlehem. An act, incorporating this fociety, and investing it with all neceffary powers and privileges for accomplishing its pious defigns, was paffed by the legislature of the ftate, on the 27th of February, 1788. They can hold lands, houfes, &c. to the annual amount of two thoufand pounds.

Thefe pious Brethren, commonly called Moravians, began a miffion among the Mahikan, Wampano, Delaware, Shawanoe, Nantikok, and other Indians, near fifty years ago, and were fo fuccefsful as to add more than one thousand fouls to the chriftian church by baptifm. Six hundred of these have died in the chriftian faith; about 300 live with the miffionaries near Lake Erie, and the reft are either dead or apoftates in the wilderness *.

9. The PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY for the Encouragement of Manufac zures and ufeful Arts, inftituted in 1787, open for the reception of every citizen of the United-States, which will fulfil the engagements of a member of the fame. The fociety is under the direction of a prefident, four viceprefidents, and twelve managers, befides fubordinate officers. Each member, on his admiffion, pays ten fhillings at leaft into the general fund; and the fame fum annually, till he fhall cease to be a member. Befides this, they have a manufacturing fund, made up of fubfcriptions of not lefs than ten pounds, for the purpofe of establishing factories in fuitable places, for the employment of the induftrious poor. The fubfcribers have all the profits arifing from the bufinefs. The meetings of this fociety are held quarterly.

Befides thefe, there is a SOCIETY FOR ALLEVIATING THE MISERIES OF PRISONS; and a HUMANE SOCIETY, for recovering and reftoring to life the bodies of drowned perfons; inftituted in 1770, under the direction of thirteen managers.

Alfo, an Agricultural Society; a Society for German Emigrants; a Marine Society, confifting of Captains of veffels; a Charitable Society for the Support of the Widows and Families of Prefbyterian Clergymen ; and St. George's, St. Patrick's, and St. Andrew's Charitable Societies; alfa the Society of Free and Accepted Mafons,

* An affecting biflory of the Brethren's million among the Indians, will Shortly be published.

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Colleges,

Colleges, Academies, and Schools.] From the enterprizing and literary fpirit of the Pennfylvanians, we fhould naturally conclude, what is fact, that these are numerous.

In Philadelphia is a UNIVERSITY, founded during the war. Its funds were partly given by the ftate, and partly taken from the old college of Philadelphia.

A medical school, which was founded in 1765, is attached to the univerfity; and has profeffors in all the branches of medicine, who prepare the ftudents (whofe number, yearly, is 50 or 60) for degrees in that

fcience.

DICKINSON COLLEGE, at Carlisle, 120 miles weftward of Philadelphia, was founded in 1783, and has a principal-three profeffors-a philofophical apparatus-a library, confifting of nearly 3000 volumes-four thousand pounds in funded certificates, and 10,000 acres of land; the laft, the donation of the ftate. In 1787, there were eighty ftudents belonging to this college. This number is annually increafing. It was named after his excellency John Dickinfon, formerly prefident of this ftate.

In 1787, a college was founded at Lancaster, 66 miles from Philadelphia, and honoured with the name of FRANKLIN COLLEGE, after his excellency Dr. Franklin. This college is for the Germans; in which they may educate their youth in their own language, and in conformity to their own habits. The English language, however, is taught in it. Its endowments are nearly the fame as thofe of Dick infon college. Its truftees confift of Lutherans, Calvinifts, and English; of each an equal number. The principal is a Lutheran, and the vice-principal is a Calvinift. This college, as it concentres the whole German intereft, and has ample funds to fupport profeffors in every branch of fcience, has flattering profpects of growing importance and extenfive utility.

In Philadelphia, befides the univerfity and medical fchool already mentioned, there is the PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL ACADEMY, a very flourishing institution-THE ACADEMY FOR YOUNG LADIES-Another for the Friends or Quakers, and one for the Germans; befides five free fchools, one for the people called Quakers, one for Prefbyterians, one for Catholics, one for Germans, and one for Negroes. The Epifcopalians have an academy at York-town, in York-county. There is alfo an academy at German-town, another at Fittsburgh, and another at Washington; thefe are endowed by donations from the legislature, and by liberal contributions of individuals.

The fchools for young men and women in Bethlehem and Nazareth, under the direction of the people called Moravians, have already been mentioned, and are decidedly upon the beft eftablishment of any schools in America. Befides thefe, there are private fchools in different parts of the ftate; and to promote the education of poor children, the ftate have appropriated a large tract of land for the establishment of free fchools. A great proportion of the labouring people among the Germans and Irish, are, however, extremely ignorant.

Chief Towns.] Philadelphia is the Capital, not only of this, but of the United-States. It is fituated on the weft bank of the river Delaware, on an extenfive plain, about 118 miles (fome fay more) from the sea.

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