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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from William Tryon to Daniel Burton
Tryon, William, 1729-1788
July 18, 1767
Volume 07, Pages 514-515

[From Tryon's Letter Book.]
Letter from Governor Tryon to Revd Doctr Burton Secretary to the
Society for the Propagation of the Gospel

Brunswick 18th July 1767.

Mr Barnett since my return from the western frontiers of this province informed me he had applied to the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts for leave to return to England on his private affairs. This information obliges me to take the liberty of communicating to the Society the impropriety I think there would be in his leaving the province in the present circumstances of the parish he is doing duty in.

Brunswick church is now finishing with great diligence and I am persuaded from the plan of supporting the expence of it and the zeal of the superintendant that divine service will be performed there in four months. As this expence is to be borne by subscription and the sale of pews the inhabitants will be greatly disappointed should Mr Barnett leave the parish after the inhabitants had at a great cost provided a decent and proper place of public worship. Add to this the impropriety of quitting his parish

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early after his induction which is postponed till the church is completed I therefore submit to the society the expediency of leaving the liberty they may give Mr Barnett to return home discretionary with me. Some regard should be had to the Vestry who have it in their power to make the duty of a minister agreeable or uneasy

I am Sir &c.