USA > Connecticut > The history of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, from the settlement of the colony to the death of Bishop Seabury > Part 31
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IN CONNECTICUT.
The event came to him with great suddenness on he 25th of February, when he had passed three months beyond the eleventh year of his consecration, nd nearly as many months beyond his sixty-sixth irthday. Up to that moment of time he had been h the enjoyment of a good degree of health, and his obust and vigorous constitution indicated no symp- oms of early dissolution. He had spent the after- oon of the day of his death in visits to several of is parishioners, and just as he was leaving the tea- able of a Warden of his parish, whose daughter his on Charles had married, he was seized with apo- lexy, and being laid upon a bed, soon expired. It as a departure which he had always desired rather han deprecated ; for in using the petition in the Lit- ny to be "delivered from sudden death," he is said b have excluded all reference to himself, and to have hought only of what most men in the busy scenes f life-are quite unfitted to welcome.
Though he had lived long enough to leave the im- ress of his noble and decisive character upon the hurch in Connecticut, yet here and in Rhode Island1 is death was tenderly mourned, and his loss was a evere affliction to his infant communion in America. [e was a man for the times, far-reaching in his views, f a bold and resolute spirit, and "better acquainted han any of his coadjutors with those guiding principles hich were then especially required." If he had not he lenity and moderation of White, he had the mag- animity and courtesy of a Christian gentleman, and new when firmness was a duty and concession a vir- le. If he had not the classic taste and elegant scholar-
1 Appendix C.
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HISTORY OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
ship of Madison, he had stores of sacred learning, and . a mind to use them, and a power "in the performance of his official functions to inspire universal reverence." On the great festivals of the Church, and on all high occasions, he wore the Mitre, which is now deposited in the Library of Trinity College at Hartford. He also wore at times the hood, the badge of a Doctor's degree. Commanding in person, graceful in manner, though with little action, and perspicuous and com- pact in his style, he was a preacher to impress truth upon the hearts of an audience; and his published dis- courses are still referred to and commended for their doctrinal soundness, and for the proofs which they supply of his thorough earnestness in the work not only of bringing men into the path of salvation, but of building up "the body of Christ, which is His Church." A successor1 in the Rectorship of the parish which he served, and who has had opportunities of gathering up reminiscences of his life, characterizes him as "unit- ing dignity with condescension, and ease with gravity. He was an admirable companion, a hearty friend, a generous opponent. The poor, and men of low estate among his parishioners, loved his memory. And men of all creeds, where he dwelt, held him in esteem and reverence."
The unpretending wooden church which he conse- crated, and where he ministered before the Lord, has given way to a noble structure of stone, with massive walls and towering spire, with gorgeous nave and rich adornments of chancel; and long before its completion it was a natural feeling of the churchmen of Connect- icut that its first Bishop should have his resting-place
1 Rev. Robert A. Hallam, D. D.
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IN CONNECTICUT.
ithin those sacred courts which must in all time to ome be associated with his blessed memory. When, herefore, he had lain in his grave for more than half century, his remains were disinterred in the autumn f 1849, and deposited in a crypt prepared for their eception in one of the divisions of the chancel of St. ames's Church ; and a monument, erected at the joint xpense of his Diocese and his parish, tells the hum- le worshipper in that sanctuary, and every inquiring isitor, that there finally his dust reposes, waiting for the Resurrection of the dead and the life of the world o come."
The pious apostrophe which fell from the pen of he writer who recorded the death of Jewel, Bishop f Salisbury, will fit his case, and appropriately con- lude this chapter. "Be thou thankful to God for giv- ng His Church so worthy an instrument to His glory, nd be careful to follow the good doctrine which he eft behind him."
APPENDIX.
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APPENDIX A.
MR. CUTLER acted as resident Rector for several months before removing his family to New Haven. The first town- meeting in Stratford to consider his removal was held July 31, 1719, and the people were again convened on the 21st of September for the same purpose. His letter of resignation, copied from the town records, is as follows: -
"STRATFORD, Sept. 14, 1719. BRETHREN AND FRIENDS, -
" I hope I have with seriousness and solemnity considered the in- itation made to me for a removal from you to the collegiate school t New Haven, and can look upon it as nothing less than a call of Providence, which I am obliged to obey.
"I do, therefore, by these lines give you this signification, giving ou my hearty thanks for all that respect and kindness I have found ith you, and praying God abundantly to reward you for it, and ischarging you from any further care about my temporal support om the date of this letter forever, and praying you to apply your- elves with all convenient speed to the settling of another minister ith you. I intend, if it be not unacceptable to you, to visit you and ake my farewell of you as soon as I can conveniently on some Lord's ay after my return from Boston, where I am now going, if it please God. When I am bodily absent from you, my affection shall per- evere towards you, and my hearty desires and prayers shall be to God for you, that he would preserve you in His favor, and in peace mong yourselves ; direct your endeavors for the settlement of an- ther to break the bread of life with you, and make your way pros- erous, and abundantly make up my removal from you by his gifts nd his painful and successful endeavors for the good of your souls nd your children after you.
" Thus I leave you to the care of the great Shepherd of the sheep, lways remaining an earnest well-wisher to your souls and all your oncerns. TIMOTHY CUTLER." >
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APPENDIX.
Extracts from the Records of Yale College.
" At a meeting of the Trustees, Sept. 9, 1719 : -
"Ordered, that Mr. Samuel Andrew, Mr. Samuel Russell, an Mr. Thomas Ruggles or any two of them do pray the next Gener: Assembly to grant such sums of money to the Trustees of College & may enable them to remove the Rev. Mr. Cutler from Stratford 1 the place of Rector of this College whereunto he hath been chosen.
" Ordered, that Mr. Joseph Webb, Mr. Thomas Ruggles, and M Samuel Russell or any two of them do write in our name to th town of Stratford, signifying our acceptance of the town offer cor cerning the removal of Mr. Cutler, and that they do it according 1 their own viz. said Webb's, Russell's, and Ruggles's proposals mac sd town : also we order and impower the above persons to purchas of Mr. Cutler his house and home lot at Stratford, that it may } returned to Stratford, and (if Mr. Cutler seeth it needful) they al desired to be helpful to him in laying out the moneys for his accon modation in New Haven, and all to be done at the College charge.
" Ordered, that Mr. Cutler's family and goods be removed fro: Stratford to New Haven at the charge of the College.
"Ordered, that Rev. Mr. Samuel Andrew, Samuel Russell ar Thomas Ruggles do adjust the account which is due to Mr. Johnsc for his service in the College, and order him what shall be due o1 of the Treasury, with our particular thanks for his good service, ar that £3 be ordered him for his extraordinary service.
" April 20, 1720. " We agree to give the Rev. Mr. Timothy Cutler one hundre and ninety pounds current money of this Colony or Bills of crec passing in the same for his house and home lot in Stratford."
APPENDIX B.
THE following letter, copied from the original draught . the Rev. Dr. Johnson, and addressed to President Clap, co tains very important statements. It has not, to our know edge, before appeared in print : -
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APPENDIX.
" STRATFORD, Feby 5, 1754. " REVD & DR SE, -
".Tho' I am but in a poor condition for writing, I can't forbear a few lines in answer to yours of Jany 30th.
"I thank you for your kind congratulation on my being chosen President of their intended College at New York, and I shall desire by all means, if I undertake it, to hold a good correspondence not only as Colleges but as Christians, supposing you and the Fellows of your College act on the same equitable, catholic, and Christian prin- ciples as we unanimously propose to act upon, i. e., to admit that the children of the Church may go to church whenever they have oppor- tunity, as we think of nothing but to admit that the children of Dis- senting parents have leave to go to their meetings; nor can I see anything like an argument in all you have said to justify the for- bidding it. And I am prodigiously mistaken if you did not tell me it was an allowed and settled rule with you heretofore.
"The only point in question, as I humbly conceive, is, whether there ought of right to be any such law in your College as, either in words or by necessary consequence, forbids the liberty we contend for ! What we must beg leave to insist on is, That there ought not ; and hat it is highly injurious to forbid it; unless you can make it ap- pear That you ever had a right to exclude the people of the Church belonging to this Colony, from having the benefit of Public education in your College, without their submitting to the hard condition of not being allowed to do what they believe in their conscience, it is their indispensable duty to do, i. e., to require their children to go to church whenever they have opportunity, and at the same time a right to accept ind hold such vast benefactions from gentlemen of the Church of Eng- and, wherewith to support you in maintaining such a law in exclu- ion of such a liberty. Can you think those gentlemen would ever have given such benefactions to such a purpose ! And ought it not o be considered at the same time that the parents of these children contribute also their proportion every year to the support of the College ?
" Your argument in a former letter was, That it is inconsistent vith the original design of the founders, which was only to provide ght (Ministers for your churches. But pray, Sir, why may not our Church o, cor Iso be provided for with ministers from our common College as well knowis your churches ? And ought not the catholic design of the principal benefactors also in strict justice to be regarded, who, in the sense of
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APPENDIX.
the English law, are to be reckoned among the founders ? S Viner, on the title FOUNDERS. What Mr. Yale's views were, had not opportunity of knowing, though, doubtless, they were tl same that we suppose. But I was knowing to Bp. Berkeley's, whit were, that his great Donation should be equally for a common be efit, without respect to parties. For I was myself the principal, may say in effect the only person, in procuring that Donation, ar with those generous, catholic, and charitable views ; though you, (n willing, it seems, that Posterity should ever know this,) did not this fit to do me the justice in your History of the College, (though hur bly suggested,) as to give me the credit of any, the least influen on him in that affair; when the truth is, had it not been for my i fluence it would never have been done, to which I was prompted the sincere desire that it should be for a common benefit, when could have easily procured it appropriated to the Church. But that time Mr. Williams also pretended a mighty catholic charitab conviction that there never was any meaning in it; it being at tl very same juncture, that he with the Hampshire ministers, his fath at the head of thein, were, in their great charity, contriving a letter the Bishop of London by means of which they hoped to deprive & the church people in these parts of their ministers, and them of the support ; the same charitable aim that Mr. Hobart and his friend are pursuing at this day ! And now you, Gentlemen, are so seve as to establish a law to deprive us of the benefit of a public educati for our children, too, unless we will let them, nay require them go out of our own houses, to meeting, when there is a church at o' doors.
"Indeed, Sir, I must say, this appears to me so very injurious, th I must think it my duty, in obedience to a rule of the Society, join with my Brethren in complaining of it to our superiors at hor if it be insisted upon ; which is what I abhor and dread to be broug to; and, therefore, by the love of our dear country, (in which } desire to live, only upon a par with you, in all Christian charity I do beseech you, Gentlemen, not to insist upon it. Tell it not Gath ! much less in the ears of our dear mother-country, that al of her daughters should deny any of her children leave to attend ( her worship whenever they have opportunity for it. Surely you ca not pretend that you are conscience bound to make such a law, that it would be an infraction of liberty of conscience for it to be r pealed from home, as you intimate. This would be carrying matte
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far indeed. But for God's sake, do not be so severe to think in this manner, or to carry things to this pass! If so, let Dissenters never more complain of their heretofore persecutions or hardships in Eng- and, unless they have us tempted to think it their principle, that they only ought to be tolerated, in order at length to be established, that they may have the sole privilege of persecuting others. But I eg pardon and forbear ; only I desire it may be considered, how ill such a principle would sound at this time of day, when the universal Church of England as much abhors the persecution of Dissenters as hey can themselves. It may also deserve to be considered that the Government at home would probably be so far from going into the formality of repealing this law, that they would declare it a nullity n itself; and not only so, but even the corporation that hath en- cted it ; inasmuch as it seems a principle in law that a corporation annot make a corporation, nor can one be made without his majes- y's act. See Viner, under the titles CORPORATION and BY-LAWS. " You mistake me, Sir. I did not say that Professors of Divinity do ot preach. I knew they and the Heads, &c., do preach in their urns at the common church, to which all resort to sermon. But That I say is, that they do not preach as Professors, nor do they ever reach in private Colleges, there being no such thing as preaching the College Chapels, but only at St. Mary's and Christ Church, hich are in effect Cathedrals, where the scholars resort, but not xclusive of the town's people, tho' they generally go to their parish hurches.
"I wonder how you came to apprehend I had any scruples about le divinity of Christ. I am with you, glad we agree so far; and I ould desire you to understand, that my zeal for that sacred Deposi- im, the Christian faith, founded on those principles, a coessential, peternal Trinity, and the Divinity, incarnation, and satisfaction of hrist, is the very and sole reason of my zeal for the Church of Eng- nd, and that she may be promoted, supported, and well treated in ese countries ; as I have been long persuaded that she is, and will entually be found, the only stable bulwark against all heresy and fidelity which are coming in like a flood upon us, and this, as I prehend, by reason of the rigid Calvinism, Antinomianism, enthu- ism, divisions, and separations, which, through the weakness and eat imperfection of your constitution, (if it may so be called,) are e rife and rampant among us. My apprehension of this was the anast occasion of my conforming to the Church, (which has been to my
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great comfort and satisfaction,) and hath been more and more con- firmed by what has occurred ever since. And I am still apt to think that no well-meaning Dove that has proper means and opportunity of exact consideration, will ever find rest to the sole of his foot amic such a deluge, till he comes into the Church as the alone ark of safety, - all, whose Articles, Liturgy and Homilies taken together and explained by one another, and by the writings of our first Reformers according to their original sense, shall ever be sacred with me ; which sense, as I apprehend it, is neither Calvinistical nor Arminian, but the golden mean, and, according to the genuine meaning of the Holy Scriptures in the original, critically considered and understood. ] beg pardon for this length, which I did not design at first, and desire you will also excuse my haste, inaccuracy, and this writing current calamo, and conclude with earnestly begging that neither your in- sisting on this law nor anything else, may occur to destroy or inter- rupt our harmony and friendship, with which, on my part I desire ever to remain,
" Dr ST " Yr. real friend " and humble servant,
" S. JOHNSON. " P. S. - I wish you to communicate it to the Fellows."
APPENDIX C.
Correspondence between the Standing Committees of Rhode Island and Connecticut.
"NEWPORT, March 29th, 1796.
"TO THE STANDING COMMITTEE
of the Prot. Episc Church in the State of Connecticut. " GENTLEMEN, -
" Duly impressed with a grateful sense of the blessings enjoyed b! the Prot. Episc. Church, in the State of Rhode Island, in common a a C with those in the State of Connecticut, during the Episcopal Regenc: of our departed Rt. Revd. Diocesan, we conceive it our duty a f this time to join with you in paying our tribute of Regard to th memory of our worthy Bishop, and to call upon you for a continu
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APPENDIX.
ance of our common ecclesiastical interest and Diocesenal unity. And, as it hath pleased the adorable Head of the Church to call hence our visible centre of unity, we have to request you, to use your best endeavors and influence with the churches which you rep- resent, that they lose no time in making choice of a suitable person to watch over the Doctrines, Discipline and Institutions of our faith and common salvation.
" From the paucity of our congregations, we pretend not to any share in your election ; only to be admitted, so far do we request, as to homologate your choice, and to give our adjunct suffrage and recommendation in favor of the elect, whom ye, under the direction of Almighty God, may judge worthy of filling the Episcopal chair.
" And may God of His infinite goodness and love for His Church, lirect us in all things for the good of the same; that His Name may be glorified, and the number of the faithful daily increased and re- oice in the salvation of Jesus.
" We are, Gentlemen, with every sentiment of respect and esteem, ind with prayers for your temporal and eternal happiness, your most ffectionate and very humble servants, the Standing Committee of he Prot. Episc. Church in the State of Rhode Island.
" WILLIAM SMITH, Rect. Tr. C. N. Port.
" ROBT. N. AUCHMUTY.
" ABRAM. L. CLARKE, Rect". St. John's Ch'h Providence. "JOHN J. CLARKE."
To the above letter, copied from the original in the hand- writing of Dr. Smith, the first signer, whose peculiar marks f authorship it bears, the following answer was returned, in he autumn, by the Standing Committee of Connecticut.
" To the Protestant E. Church in the State of Rhode Island. GENTLEMEN, -
" Your polite and friendly Letter of the 29th of March last was eceived by us in due time. The occasion of your address was truly melancholy one. The sudden departure of our late worthy Dio- esan cast a gloom upon the minds of his numerous acquaintances, nd especially upon the members of his cure. We were happy in being avored with so good a man to fill the Episcopal chair ; and we sin- erely lament the great loss we have sustained.
" The delay in answering your Letter until this time did not arise
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from any inattention to the subject. But we concluded that we should be better able to comply with your request after the meeting of our Convention than before. At that meeting your Letter was read, the members unanimously expressed their wishes that the union between the Church of Rhode Island and Connecticut which had taken place under the regency of our late Rt. Revd. Diocesan might still be continued. The event of our meeting must, ere this, have been made known to you by the Revd. Mr. Smith. We trust that our unanimous choice of the Revd. Mr. Bowden will meet the approbation of our sister Church of Rhode Island. Mr. Bow- den's well known abilities and integrity, if he accepts the appointment, will, we trust in some measure, repair the loss we have sustained, and be a means of continuing and firmly establishing that Diocesenal unity which has been so happily begun between us. That God would preserve, bless, and direct His Church in all things, and finally receive us into everlasting glory, is the earnest prayer, of, Gentlemen,
" Your most affectionate and very humble " SERVANTS."
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LIST
OF SOME OF THE AUTHORS AND SOURCES OF INFOR- MATION CONSULTED OR REFERRED TO IN THE PREP- ARATION OF THE FOREGOING WORK.
Abstracts from the Proceedings of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.
nderson's History of the Colonial Church. 3 vols. London, 1856. Bacon's Historical Discourses. New Haven, 1839.
Bancroft's History of the United States. 8 vols. Boston, 1839-60. Berrian's History of Trinity Church. New York, 1847.
Bolton's History of the Church in Westchester County. New York, 1855.
Botta's History of the American War. 2 vols. New Haven, 1842. Boucher's Discourses on the Causes and Consequences of the Ameri- can Revolution. London, 1797.
Bronson's History of Waterbury. Waterbury, 1858.
Burnet's History of His Own Times.
Carwithen's History of the Church of England. 2 vols. Oxford, 1849.
Caulkins's History of New London. New London, 1852. Chandler's Life of Johnson. New York, 1805.
Appeal to the Public, etc. 1767-1771.
And Dr. Chauncey's replies.
Chauncey's State of Religion in New England. Boston, 1743. Church Documents, Connecticut. 2 vols. New York, 1863. Churchman's Magazine, from 1804 to 1827.
Clap's Annals of Yale College. New Haven, 1776.
Collections of the Protestant Episcopal Historical Society. 2 vols. New York, 1851-52.
Colonial History of New York. 10 vols. Albany, 1856.
Contributions to the Ecclesiastical History of Connecticut. New Haven, 1861.
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LIST OF AUTHORS
Controversial pamphlets in reference to the Church, from 1734 to the American Revolution.
Dr. Trumbull's History of Connecticut. 2 vols. New Haven, 1813. Documents and Memorials in the State Library at Hartford.
Hallam's Constitutional History of England. 3 vols. Boston, 1861. Hawkins's Missions of the Church of England. London, 1845. Hawks's Ecclesiastical Contributions. Virginia, 1836. 66 Maryland, 1839.
Hildreth's History of the United States. 3 vols. First Series. New York, 1854.
Hopkins's Puritans and Queen Elizabeth. 3 vols. Boston, 1859.
Humphrey's History of the Propagation Society. London, 1730. Johnson MSS.
Journals of General Convention, from 1785.
Journals of Convention of Diocese of Connecticut, from 1792.
Judge Church's Address at the Centennial Celebration in Litchfield, 1851.
Kingsley's Historical Discourse. New Haven, 1838.
Lathbury's History of the Book of Common Prayer. London, 1859.
Macaulay's History of England. New York, 1849.
Manuscript Records of Convocation.
Massachusetts Historical Collections. Different series.
Mather's Magnalia. 2 vols. Hartford, 1855.
Minutes of the Convention of Delegates from the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, and the Associations of Connecticut, from 1766 to 1775. Hartford, 1843.
Neal's History of New England. 2 vols. London, 1748.
History of the Puritans. 2 vols. New York, 1843.
New Haven Colonial Records. 2 vols. Hartford, 1857. Oliver's Puritan Commonwealth. Boston, 1856. Palfrey's History of New England. 3 vols. Boston, 1858.
Poor's English Civilization in America. New York, 1862.
Quincy's History of Harvard University. 2 vols. Boston, 1860."
Sabine's Loyalists of the American Revolution. 2 vols. Boston, 1864.
Skinner's Annals of Scottish Episcopacy. Edinburgh, 1818. Sparks's Life of Washington. 12 vols. Boston. Life of Franklin. 1 vol. Boston, 1844.
Stephen's History of the Church of Scotland. 4 vols. London, 1843.
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REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK.
tiles's Literary Diary and Itinerary. MS. Yale College. tone's Life and Times of Sir William Johnson. 2 vols. Albany, 1865.
pdike's History of the Narragansett Church. New York, 1847. aughan's History of England under the House of Stuart. 2 vols. London, 1840.
Wilberforce's History of the American Church. New York, 1849. Winthrop's History of New England. 2 vols. Boston, 1853.
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