USA > New York > New York City > A history of the parish of Trinity Church in the city of New York, pt 1 > Part 23
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The chapel, which had been begun in 1749, was now, at length, completed. In the Record of the meeting, May 20, 1752, we find it stated
"That Wednesday the first day of July next be and is hereby appointed for opening St. Georges Chappell of this City, and that notice be given thereof in Trinity Church the two preceding Sundays, and ordered that the Rector, Collo. Robinson and Mr. Mayor be a Committee to waite on
Any Person or Persons that are inclinable to hire the same, may apply to Col. JOSEPH ROBINSON."- The Weekly Post Boy, February 17, 1752.
Good Pasture for Cattle or Horses, to be had of CORNELIUS VAN DEN BERGH, at the King's Farm, in New- York .- The Weekly Post Boy, April 27, 1752.
1 Records, i., 265, Dunlap says in his History of the Arts of Design (i., 103), " A gentleman of the name of Woolaston painted protraits in Philadelphia in 1758, and in Maryland, 1759-60; I know nothing more of him but that Francis Hopkinson published verses in his praise in the American Magazine, for September, 1758 " (See Records, i., 265.) A very old portrait of Dr. Vesey hangs in the Sacristy of Trinity Chapel, with the portraits of his successors.
? Records, i., 266.
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his Excellency the Governour and Inform him thereof some time be- fore notice be given in the Church." 1
The following notice of the opening of the chapel ap- peared in the Post Boy :
" New York, July 6. Last Wednesday, being the Day appointed for the consecration of St. George's Chapel, lately erected in this City, the Rector, Assistant, Church Wardens and Vestry of Trinity-Church, assembled at the Vestry-Room, in the Charity School-House ; where they were met by some of the Town and neighbouring Clergy, and other Gentlemen of Distinction ; from whence (attended by fifty-two Charity Schollars) they went in Procession as far as the City-Hall, when they were joined by the Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen and Com- mon-Council. They all proceeded with great Regularity and Decorum, to the Chapel where divine Service was perform'd and the Rev. Mr. Barckley preach'd an excellent Sermon, adapted to the Occasion from Lev. xxvi. 2. Reverence my Sanctuary : I am the Lord." 2
This account, it would appear, gave dissatisfaction, and the next issue contained the following :
" New York, July 13, 1752.
" Mr. Parker.
"The following Account of the Opening of St. George's Chapel, was sent to the press, last Saturday a Week, to be inserted, at the Request of many of your Readers in your Gazette ; but to their great Surprize, when the Paper came out, on Monday following, they found the Account they had sent, strangely perverted, curtail'd and maimed ; you are therefore desired to in- sert in your next verbatim.
"Last Wednesday (being the Day appointed) was open'ed St. George's Chapel, upon which Occasion, the Rector, Assistant, Church-Wardens, and Vestry, of Trinity-Church assembled in the Vestry-Room, in the Charity School-House, where they were met by some of the Town and neighbouring Clergy, and other Gentlemen of Distinction, from whence they set out in regular Form and Order, attended by the Charity Scholars, 40 Boys and 12 Girls, who walk'd before in Pairs, with their School- Master at the Head of them ; and at the City Hall, were join'd by the Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen, and Common Council. After which, they all proceeded to the Chapel, where Divine Service was perform'd, with the utmost Decency and Propriety. The whole Ceremony concluded
' Records, i., 266. ? The Weekly Post Boy, July 6, 1752.
GEORGE'S CHAPEL,
BEEKMAN UIRFET N Y.
F.RLerto 1/52
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Opening of St. George's Chapel
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with an excellent Sermon, preach'd by the Rev. Mr. HENRY BARCLAY, Rector of Trinity-Church, suitable to the Occasion from these Words, Lev. xxvi. 2,-Reverence my Sanctuary : I am the Lord." 1
To the Rev. Samuel Auchmuty, the assistant minister of the parish church, was assigned the special charge of the chapel. In addition to other duties he had stated catechetical exercises for both whites and blacks at the chapel every Friday afternoon which appear to have been well attended. The historian William Smith witnesses to the rapid growth of the Church in the City of New York at this period, admitting that it was caused not merely by the arrival of members of our Communion from the old country, but also by the adhesion of proselytes from the Dutch churches. The erection of St. George's Chapel must have given a new impulse to this movement and greatly added to the influence of the Church in the com- munity.
As regards the building itself, Dr. Berrian has written :
"St. George's Chapel was a very neat edifice, built after the plan of Robert Crommelin, a member of the Vestry, and an architect of consid- erable taste and skill. It was faced with hewn stone, and tiled. It was ninety-two feet in length, exclusive of the chancel, and seventy-two feet in breadth. The steeple, which was lofty, but irregular, was one hun- dred and seventy-five feet in height. The Chapel was situated in a new, crowded and ill built part of the city, and its spaciousness, solidity, and beauty, was only one of the evidences of the liberal spirit and thought- ful forecast of the Vestry of Trinity Church, in anticipating and pre- paring the way for the future growth and improvement of the city. This venerable edifice in which I worshipped for several years in early life, and in which I was confirmed, and which consequently was greatly endeared to me, was unhappily destroyed by fire, with the exception of the walls, in the month of January, 1814, but was rebuilt and restored the following year." 2
" This is followed by a lengthy apology, explaining that the printer was out of town when the previous notice came, that the copy was not signed, and, accordingly, by advice of several gentlemen who were consulted the changes were made, but not with any intention of disrespect.
2 Historical Sketch, 82.
,
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Dr. Berrian also says of the great work done at this period in the parish,
" According to the Parish Register and other accounts, it appears that the calls on its ministers for some of their pastoral duties were even much more frequent than at the present day. From 1763 to 1764, one hun- dred and thirty-seven couples were married, and during the same time four hundred and thirty-one adults and children were baptized. There has been nothing comparable to this, even in the most flourishing states of the Parish during my long connection with it." 1
Speaking of the establishment of St. George's Chapel and the growth of the Church, he says :
" If the statement of Smith, the historian of New-York, that the proportion of Episcopalians to the dissenters in the colony was scarcely as one to fifteen, this was a most remarkable circumstance, and spoke well for the zeal and diligence of the ministers of Trinity Church. For there were at the time only eight places of worship belonging to dissent- ers in the City of New-York, some of which were small, so that the pro- portion of Episcopalians had risen here at least as one to five." ?
The next extract to be quoted brings to notice one who was destined to fill a most important function in the parish.
January 31, 1753, it was
" Ordered that William Tuckey (who is appointed by the Rector to officiate as Clerk jointly with Mr. Eldridge till further Order) be allowed the annual salary of twenty-five pounds froin the first of this month. That he officiate Alternately one Sunday & another at the Chappel, Unless the Rector upon any Occasion shall think fitt to order it otherways ; but that the said William Tuckey have Nothing to do with the Perquisites of the Clerk's Office, but that the same shall still wholly belong to Mr. Eldridge, And that Collo Robinson pay Mr. Ludlow Thirteen Pounds Sterling (upon the arrival of s:d Tuckey's wife and children which he has advanced for their passage." *
1 Historical Sketch, 83.
2 Ibid. 77. At the outset the computation made about one churchman to each thirty or forty inhabitants.
2 Records, i., 268.
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William Tuckey
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Also it was ordered that sixty pounds each be paid to the rector and his assistant in addition to the annual allowance, "in consideration of their extraordinary duty at the Chappel, until another minister be provided."
Mr. Tuckey presently appears in his character as a musician and on March 16th, it was agreed that
" Mr. Tuckey have the use of the Charity School Room and also of the Vestry Room two nights of the week for the teaching of his singing scholars till further orders." 1
Under his direction the music of the parish rose to a high degree of excellence and attracted general attention.
1 Records, i., 269.
CHAPTER XVII.
DR. BARCLAY'S RECTORSHIP, CONTINUED.
Presages of Coming Trouble in the Provinces-Sir Danvers Osborne's Short Adminis- tration -Addresses on the Occasion of his Death-The College-Appointment of Dr. Johnson as its Head-Dissatisfaction of Non-Conformists and Dissenters-Dr. John- son's Advertisement to Parents-Free Masons Attend Service in Trinity on St. John's Day-Movements on the Frontier under Amherst-Notable Sermons by Auchmuty.
T HE first Chapel of Ease being now completed, and opened, the work proceeding under able direction, and the cause of the Church daily strengthening, it is pro- posed to say something of the affairs of the province, for the progress and interests of the Church are so closely in- woven with them, that they go on the same line. The minutes of the Vestry, it is true, contain little on the sub- ject of political events, and throw no light upon them ; but undoubtedly the parish must have been tingling from centre to circumference with the agitation of the times. The aspect of public affairs grew daily more compli- cated. Clinton was the Governor of the province at the time of Mr. Barclay's induction to the rectorship. James De Lancey, Chief Justice, filled a large place in the public view, and seemed to be a power behind the chair of office much stronger than the representative of royalty himself. Governor Clinton had a long battle with the Assembly, in which he fared so ill, that at last, broken in health, disheartened and discouraged, he begged to be relieved of a thankless charge, and returned to England. This was in the year 1753, when Barclay had been rector seven years. Times had greatly changed since the peo-
264
T
265
Presages of Trouble
1753]
ple of New York were wrangling over Leisler's bones ; new issues had arisen ; parties took wider views and aimed at larger things ; religious animosities had condensed, and it was now Churchman against Presbyterian, as if society were arrayed in rival ecclesiastical camps. Free Masonry was active, and in alliance with the conservative elements in the city, repelling charges brought against it by its enemies. The question between the prerogative of the crown and the alleged rights of the people, though still lacking very definite outline, was fast taking ominous shape. Everywhere the elements of direful strife were in preparation. Looking back to those days, after the lapse of a century and a half, we see more clearly than they did who were in the cloud. We can afford to yield a measure of sympathy to Governor Clinton and some of his unfor- tunate successors, and to withhold approval of a part, at least, of the acts of their opponents; nor need one be ashamed to express the conviction that the men who, during those trying days, down to the hour in which the Revolution broke upon the land in fire and tempest, stood firm for the King and the institutions under which they had been reared, and finally underwent the penalties of poverty, exile, and death for the crime of allegiance to the system which they loved, deserve respect for consistency and courage. The social history of the province has not yet been written fully or fairly ; it is imperfectly known ; few have studied it ; but when the whole truth comes out, it may appear that the sorrow, the nobility of soul, the greatness of heart, and the keenness of unmerited suffer- ing were not all on the side of the patriots and the revo- lutionists. The cause of the Crown had its martyrs also.
The main contention between the Royal Governors and the Assembly was about the compensation of the rep- resentatives of the Home Government; whether it should
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be fixed for a long time in advance or voted from year to year. In the latter case, the King's Vicegerent was kept in a condition of humiliating dependence, hanging as it were on the will of the popular legislature ; this the Gov- ernors naturally and justly resented. But the Assembly was tenacious of power ; it seemed to take delight in tor- menting the chief magistrate and witnessing his unavail- ing struggles. To circumscribe the power of the Crown and enlarge that of the people was now the leading object ; and the Royal Governors, confronted by this apparition of a rising democracy, and suffering from its demonstrations, invoke from their resting-places the commiseration of char- itable men. What more pathetic, for example, than the story of the unfortunate Sir Danvers Osborne? He de- serves a place in a new and enlarged edition-were such to be published-of the Mirror of Magistrates.
It was on the 6th of June, 1753, that Sir Danvers Osborne, Bart., was designated as Governor, on the retire- ment of Clinton.1 The unfortunate gentlemen reached New York September 7th ; on the following day Governor Clinton came to town from his residence at Flushing and inducted him into office. Sir Danvers appears to have been afflicted with melancholia, a condition which rendered him keenly sensitive to rudeness and affront. Going to the Town Hall to enter upon his duties, he was assailed by a vulgar and insolent rabble, who spared no injurious expression as he passed by. Distressed by these demon- strations, and receiving the sullen refusal of a stubborn Assembly in reply to his first request, he exclaimed, " What was I sent here for?" and sank into a state of despond- ency, from which he never emerged. On the morning of the 12th of October he was found suspended by a hand- kerchief from the fence of the house of Mr. Murray, a
1 N. Y. Col. Docs., vi., 788-91, 793 -- 99, 803-6.
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Death of Governor Osborne
1753]
member of the Council, whose guest he had been. The shocking event produced a great sensation : the Post Boy thus refers to it under date of October 15th :
"To the great and inexpressible Grief of all the In- habitants, his Excellency, after frequent Complaints of Indisposition, died suddenly on Friday last, and the next Day was interred in a Vault prepared for the Purpose, in the Chancel of Trinity-Church." 1
The clergy of the province deputed Mr. Barclay to present an address to the Lieutenant-Governor, expressing their sorrow at the death of Sir Danvers, which he did in the following terms :
" To the Honourable JAMES DE LANCEY, Esq. ; Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief, in and over his Majesty's Province of New- York, and the Territories depending thereon in America.
"The humble ADDRESS of sundry of the Clergy, in behalf of them- selves, and the rest of their Brethren within this Province, of the establish'd National Church.
" May it please your Honour,
"As we are now to pay our Duty to your Honour, we humbly beg Leave to introduce our Address with a very hearty Condolence on the sudden and surprising Decease of his late Excellency Sir DANVERS OSBORN, Baronet ; on Account of which, All Eyes have been filled with Tears, and every Face with Sadness, and we doubt not but it hath given your Honour a deep and sensible Grief ; in which also the Clergy feel a very tender Sympathy, as their Hopes were raised of seeing the Interest of true Religion much promoted among us, from the Example and Influence of a Governor of such an amiable Character. All the Alleviation of our Concern, on this unhappy Occasion, is, from behold- ing that worthy person succeeded in the Administration, by a Gentle- men of your Honour's establish'd Character, whose Skill and Abilities for directing the public Affairs, as well as Integrity and Benevolence, and Attachment to our excellent Constitution, both in Church and State, are well known to us all.
"We therefore most sincerely congratulate your Honour upon your Accession to the chief Seat of Government, in which the all-wise Dis-
1 The Weekly Post Boy, October 15, 1753.
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posal demands our particular Notice, and makes us humbly hope your Honour's good Dispositions will prompt you on all Occasions, to pro- mote the Interest of true Religion and Vertue : And we on our Parts shall ever make it our faithful Endeavour to render your Honour's Administration easy to yourself, and happy to the People over whom you are plac'd, by inculcating on the Minds of our Congregations, the Duties of Loyalty and Submission to our most gracious Sovereign (whom God long preserve) and Obedience to your Honour as his Rep- resentative. And it shall always be our earnest Prayer to almighty God, that he will give you a long Series of Health, and all Manner of Happiness in this Life, and a glorious reward of all your faithful Ser- vices in the Life to come.
"We are ( may it please your Honour ) Your Honour's most dutiful and obedient Servants.
HENRY BARCLAY, in Behalf of the Rest."
"To which his Honour was pleas'd to return the following answer,
" GENTLEMEN,
I from my Heart sympathize with you in the deep and sensible Grief which we all feel, on the sudden and surprizing Decease of his late Excel- lency SIR DANVERS OSBORN, Baronet.
I thank you for this your affectionate Address. You shall always find me dispos'd to promote the Interest of true Religion and Virtue.
As to yourselves in particular, your inculcating on the Minds of your several Congregations the Duties of Loyalty and Submission, cannot fail to render your Services acceptable to our most gracious Sovereign, as it will be very agreeable to me.
The Duty of my Station requires me to show you all the Countenance, and give you all the Protection in my Power, and I will cheerfully comply with it on all Occasions." 1
The reins which fell from that dead hand, which had held them only five weeks, were taken up by the Lieuten- ant Governor, James De Lancey. Placed between two hot fires, he bore himself like a brave and wise man. The family were loyal ; the very name bespoke fidelity to the
1 The New- York Mercury, Monday, October 22, 1753.
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James De Lancey
1753]
Crown. And yet the new governor had the confidence of the popular party and was regarded by them as an ally, if not a leader. On the religious question, there was no mistake as to his position ; he was devoted to the English Church. Political questions distracted society at that time ; but religious controversy raged with equal intensity. De Lancey was the natural head of the Episcopal party, and might be counted on as certain, whenever the occasion arose, to throw the weight of his influence on that side.
The Lieutenant Governor, whom Clinton had kept in the background, now proceeded to the head of the gov- ernment, and, with admirable skill, and in the enjoyment of general confidence, succeeded in maintaining the royal prerogative, and in getting the Assembly to pass such bills as were necessary. He continued to act until the arrival of Sir Charles Hardy, about two years later ; and then, though no man was better entitled to promotion, he yielded to a home favorite and withdrew.
Among the most important measures of his adminis- tration was the founding of the college to which reference has already in more than one place been made. It will be remembered that proposals looking to the establishment of such an institution were made during the administration of Lord Cornbury ; the honor of signing the charter was reserved for Governor De Lancey.
There was a prolonged battle over the founding of the college. It appears that a considerable amount of money had been raised, by a series of lotteries, for the establish- ment of an institution adequate to the needs of the city and neighborhood, and worthy of the promoters of the design. But the question arose as to the religious char- acter of the proposed college. The idea that it should have no religious tone, nor any alliance with Christianity, met with no favor among serious persons. Churchmen
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and Presbyterians vied with each other in their wish to have the control ; and the result was that the Church se- cured the desired place ; seven of the ten trustees provided for in the charter were Churchmen, and a handsome en- dowment was made by the Corporation of Trinity, on condition that no person should be eligible to the office of president who was not a communicant of the Church of England. The Episcopal party in New York were at that time headed by the Lieutenant Governor, the Presbyterian party by William Livingston. The disgust and indigna- tion of the Presbyterians were such as to demand unusual agencies for their adequate expression, and accordingly a newspaper was established, under the name of the In- dependent Reflector, which, for some time filled the air with the din of ecclesiastical conflict. King's College was however, duly incorporated, and the Rev. Samuel Johnson was called from Stratford, Connecticut, to be its official head.1
On the appointment of Dr. Johnson as head of the col- lege, he was unanimously elected an assistant minister of Trinity Church, and the sum of {150 per annum was fixed as his salary. This action is on record Dec. 20, 1753. January 16, 1754, Dr. Johnson replied, though withhold- ing his decision. He felt the results of advancing years ; appreciated the importance of a proper provision for the supply of his parish at Stratford if he should leave it ; and was still undecided with respect to his call to the college.
Referring to the Vestry minutes we find some interest- ing entries on this subject. When it became known that
' The date of the Charter is Oct. 31, 1754. Mr. John B. Pine, Clerk of the Trustees of Columbia College, has collected in one volume all the Charters, Acts, and official Documents of the College, together with the lease and re-lease by Trinity Church of a portion of the King's Farm. This very full and valuable compilation was printed for the College, June, 1895, and contains all the information on the subject that the student can desire.
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History of Trinity Church
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and Presbyterians vied with each other in their wish to have the control ; and the result was that the Church se- cured the desired place ; seven of the ten trustees provided for in the charter were Churchmen, and a handsome en- dowment was made by the Corporation of Trinity, on condition that no person should be eligible to the office of president who was not a communicant of the Church of England. The Episcopal party in New York were at that time headed by the Lieutenant Governor, the Presbyterian party by William Livingston. The disgust and indigna- tion of the Presbyterians were such as to demand unusual agencies for their adequate expression, and accordingly a newspaper was established, under the name of the In- dependent Reflector, which, for some time filled the air with the din of ecclesiastical conflict. King's College was however, duly incorporated, and the Rev. Samuel Johnson was called from Stratford, Connecticut, to be its official head.1
On the appointment of Dr. Johnson as head of the col- lege, he was unanimously elected an assistant minister of Trinity Church, and the sum of {150 per annum was fixed as his salary. This action is on record Dec. 20, 1753. January 16, 1754, Dr. Johnson replied, though withhold- ing his decision. He felt the results of advancing years ; appreciated the importance of a proper provision for the supply of his parish at Stratford if he should leave it ; and was still undecided with respect to his call to the college.
Referring to the Vestry minutes we find some interest- ing entries on this subject. When it became known that
The date of the Charter is Oct. 31, 1754. Mr. John B. Pine, Clerk of the Trustees of Columbia College, has collected in one volume all the Charters, Acts, and official Documents of the College, together with the lease and re-lease by Trinity Church of a portion of the King's Farm. This very full and valuable compilation was printed for the College, June, 1895, and contains all the information on the subject that the student can desire.
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Loans to Columbia College
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Dr. Johnson had consented to take the presidency the Corporation proceeded to make good their promise to provide liberally for the new institution. At a meeting held May 14, 1754, it was
"unanimously agreed that this Board will give for the use of the Col- ledge Intended to be erected a certain parcell of Land belonging to this Corporation, to Erect and Build the said Colledge upon and for the use of the same. That is to say, a street of ninety feet from the Broad- way to Church Street and from Church Street all the lands between Barclays' Street and Murrays Street to the water side, upon this condi- tion that the President of the said Colledge forever for the time being be a member of and in Communion with the Church of England, and that the Morning and Evening service in said Colledge be the lit- ergy of the said Church or such a Collection of Prayers out of said Liturgy as shall be agreed upon by the President and Trustees or gov- ernors of the said Colledge." 1
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