Mr. James Monroe,[71] who was a member of the Council and a vestryman of St. George's church, (who was afterwards a member of the Legislature, a Representative in Congress, a United States Senator, twice Governor of Virginia, twice Minister to France, twice Minister to England, Minister to Spain, Secretary of State, Secretary of War, two terms President of the United States, Presiding Justice of Loudoun county and Visitor of the University of Virginia,) was appointed chairman of the committee to present the petition and secure the desired action of the Legislature. If any report was ever made by Mr. Monroe, neither it nor any reference to it can be found. It is quite likely that the law separating church and State, which was passed that year, made it unnecessary. As has been stated, that after the death of the younger Marye, for more than thirty years the pastorates of the church were short and unsatisfactory. The cause for this state of things has not been recorded and conjecture is needless. In 1813 Edward C. McGuire, of Winchester, Virginia, came to the church as lay reader, being highly recommended by Rev. Wm. Meade (who afterwards became bishop of the diocese) as a young man of character and piety. Mr. McGuire was soon ordained and became rector of the church, serving it with great acceptance and success to the day of his death, in 1858, a period of forty-five years.[72] Mr. McGuire was greatly beloved by all classes of persons, his ministerial labors were signally blessed, and the number of communicants was largely increased. From the death of Mr. McGuire to the present the church has had several rectors, who did good work and who greatly endeared themselves to the congregation and people of the town. These pastors served in the following order: Rev. A. M. Randolph, D. D., now bishop of the Southern Diocese of Virginia; Rev. Magruder Maury, Rev. Edward C. Murdaugh, Rev. Robert J. McBryde, Rev. J. K. Mason, Rev. Wm. M. Clarke, Rev. Wm. D. Smith and Rev. Dr. Robert J. McBryde, a second time, who is the present rector. During a portion of the time that Dr. Murdaugh was rector he had as his assistant Rev. Arthur S. Johns, a son of the late Bishop Johns. St. George's church has a flourishing Sunday school, of which Dr. M. C. Hall was superintendent for thirty-eight years, his duties closing at his death. This long service as an officer of St. George's church has been exceeded only by one rector, Rev. Edward C. McGuire, and one vestryman and senior warden, Reuben T. Thom, Esq.[73]