Rev. John Andrews ministered at
St. Peter's Episcopal Church (Lewes, Delaware) from 1767 through 1770. He then transferred to
York, Pennsylvania, where assumed missionary jurisdiction at St. John's Church in York,
York County and St. John's Church in
Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in
Cumberland County. Sometime in 1775 he took charge of St. John's Church in
Queen Anne's County, Maryland. As the
American Revolutionary War progressed, Andrews grew conflicted: his political sympathies lay with the Americans, but he believed the oath of allegiance to England he took as part of his Holy Orders took precedence. He recused himself from public exercise of his profession and returned to York. In 1776, during this period in York, Andrews founded the academy that evolved under several changes to become known as today the
York College of Pennsylvania. In 1787 it was incorporated as York County Academy and brought under the jurisdiction of St. John's Episcopal Church. After the
Revolution, Andrews resumed his clerical duties. On 13 April 1782 he returned to Maryland to become rector of
St. Thomas Church in Garrison Forest,
Baltimore County, Maryland, a position he held until 1784. That same year he was a member of the convention that organized the separation of the
American Episcopal Church from the Anglican Church. He later advocated for union with the
Methodist Church. In 1785,
Washington College in
Chestertown, Maryland, awarded Andrews an honorary
Doctor of Divinity. That same year, when
Episcopal Academy was founded in Philadelphia, the academy's trustees unanimously elected Andrews as headmaster. He served in this position until 1789, when he became Professor of Moral Philosophy at the
University of Pennsylvania. At
Penn he lectured admiringly on the
Constitution of the United States. Of the said college, John Andrews became Vice-Provost 1789–1810 and
Provost from 1810 until his death from sudden illness on 29 March 1813. Until his death he also served as Rector of St. James Church in
Bristol, Pennsylvania, and assistant minister of Christ Church in Philadelphia. Rev. John Andrews is considered one of America's first scholars for he dedicated his career as a student, tutor, professor, lecturer, author, founder and administrator of schools and colleges. He was elected on into the
American Philosophical Society in 1787. John Andrews is interred at the historic
Christ Church Burial Ground in
Philadelphia. ==Writings==