He returned in the spring of 1858 and found the parish had not been incorporated. On July 4, 1858, at the morning service the little congregation of pioneers adopted the following preamble: "We whose names are hereto affixed, deeply sensible of the truth of the Christian religion, and earnestly desirous of promoting its holy influences in our hearts and in those of our families and neighbors, do hereby incorporate ourselves under the name of St. Mary's Parish in Nebraska City, Nebraska Territory in communion with the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States."
He reappeared in Nebraska City in the spring of 1858 and discovered that the parish had not been organized. On July 4, 1858, during a morning service, the small community of settlers adopted the following statement: "We whose names are attached below, deeply aware of the Christian faith's validity, and genuinely committed to spreading its spiritual impact on our lives and those around us, do hereby form ourselves into St. Mary's Parish in Nebraska City, Nebraska Territory, as part of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States."