IN the Year, 1691. His Majesty having graciously thought sit to take the Government of MARY-LAND into his own hands, and the Province into his Immediate Care: In May, 1692. an Act of Assembly pass'd for the Establishment of the Protestant Religion there, and for dividing of the TEN COƲNTIES thereof into Five and twenty Parishes, each of which, are endowed with a competent Maintenance for a Minister, But the Execution of that Act hath been in a manner wholly neglected, till it pleas'd His MAJESTY to confer the Government on the most Worthy and Excellent Person, FRANCIS NICHOLSON, Esq who since his Arrival in Aug. 1694. with an in­defatigable Industry and Zeal to promote his MAJESTY's Honour, the Int [...]rest of the Protestant Religion, and the Good of the whole Province, hath Revived and Reinforc'd the said Act, by another Additional one, for the Increase and Maintenance of Religion; hath Collected the Arrears, and is now Building several Churches, besides one Fine Church at ANNOPOLIS, in ARƲNDEL County, with a Parsonage-House to every Church; towards all which his Excellency, the Council, and other Inhabitants of the Province, have generously and largely Contributed.

And that a perpetual Succession of Protestant Divines of the CHURCH OF ENGLAND, may be provided for the Propagation of the True Christian Religion in the said Colony, His EXCELLENCY hath by the Consent of the Council and Burgesses in Assem­bly, promoted a Law, vesting a Power in certain Trustees for Erecting one Free-School in each County: One of which is already begun at ANNOPOLIS, And is to be Endowed with 100 l▪ Sterling per Annum for the Maintenance of one Master, and two Ushers, for instructing the Youth of the said Province in ARITHMETICK, NAVI­GATION, and all USEFUL LEARNING; but chiefly for the sitting such as are dispos'd to Study DIVINITY, to be further Educated at His Majesties COLLEGE ROYAL in VIRGINIA; in order, upon their Return, to be Ordained by the Lord Bishop of LON­DON's SUFFRAGAN Residing in the Province, both for that purpose, and to supervise the Lives of the Clergy thereof; for whose Support also, at the Request and Recom­mendation of the Assembly, his EXCELLENCY hath settled a fair and competent Main­tenance.

The Person now Deputed by the Lord Bishop of LONDON, to be his COMMISSARY in MARY-LAND for the propagation of our most Holy Religion amongst the Infi­dels, for the Inducement of Sober and Serious Young Divines, to go to the Foreign Plantati­ons, and for the better qualifying them for so Noble and Christian an Employment, is now wholly busied in Collecting of PAROCHIAL LIBRARIES of Choice and Useful Books, for the perpetual Use of such of the Clergy, who shall now undertake that Voyage, and for all those who shall succeed them. AND certainly, a more suitable Encouragement to Men of good parts and Inclinations, to go upon so Blessed a Mission, could not be thought of: For as it is Books alone which will encourage the most Studious, Vertuous, and consequently the most Useful Persons to go over; so it is an encouragement that is in a manner necessary to be provi­ded in the Foreign Plantations; since few or none at their first going over, are in a Condition to provide themselves therewith; and when they are there▪ Books are hardly to be met with by those who shall be able to buy them. And yet without a Competent Provision of se­veral Useful and Necessary Books, it is morally impossible that any should be enabl'd to instruct their People.

And now that such Excellent Works are joyntly begun, and carrying on, What a happy Conjuncture is this (which perhaps may not again recur) for Persons who are Piously dispos'd; to give their helping hand towards such Blessed and Glorious Designs, as the propagating of true Christian Knowledge and Practice in places formerly so much Uncultivated therewith. Sure if he who Converteth a single Sinner from the Error of his Ways, shall hide a multitude of Sins, what abundant matter for comfortable; Reflections upon a Death-Bed, shall that Person lay up, who shall contribute towards providing of the most proper and Genuine Means, next to the Divinely Inspired Writings, of Converting many poor Souls, not only in this, but in all future Generations, even so long as the Sun and Moon endureth.