USA > New York > New York City > A history of the parish of Trinity Church in the city of New York, pt 2 > Part 14
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! Records, liber ii., folio 53.
L
159
Benefactions of One Day
1799]
To the Episcopal Establishment at Poughkeepsie £500
at the City of Hudson 800
at Albany 2500
at New Stanford 200
at Sallem or Campden 200
at Lake Oneida 200
at Ballstown 250
at Duanesburgh 300
£6650
Making in the Aggregate the sum of Six Thousand six hundred and fifty Pounds which said several sums are to be considered as free gifts from the Corporation of Trinity Church to be applied by the Receivers for the sole use and Benefit of the Pastors of the Congregations respec- tively according to the true intent and meaning of the preceding Report." 1
This large sum must not be taken as the limit of Trin- ity's benefactions up to that date ; it only represents the total therein scheduled as granted on that one day.
The wise insistence that these grants should be so in- vested as to form an endowment for the support of the clergyman cannot be too highly commended. Well would it have been if the parishes so aided had in every case been loyal to their trust, instead of diverting the glebes, and the proceeds of their sale, to purposes other than the mainte- nance of the ministry .? In their emphatic declaration that glebes should be for the sole use of the ministers, the Corpo- ration did but rehearse the old law of England on that point. Glebes, or their proceeds, are for the maintenance and sole use of the clergyman, but not for building or repairing churches or paying current expenses.
1 Records, liber ii., folio 69.
? See address delivered by the Rev. W. S. Rainsford, D. D., in Trinity Church, May 4, 1897 .- Varrative of Events Connected with the Bicentennial Celebration of Trinity Church, p. 178. See also A History of St. Peter's Church in the City of Albany, by the Rev. Joseph Ilooper, M. A., p. 157.
160
History of Trinity Church
[1795-
Although the grants to congregations were generally limited to those within the State of New York, yet when- ever peculiar cases of distress were brought before the Board they did not hesitate to give aid outside these limits. When the church and parsonage at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, were destroyed by fire, a grant of $1000 was made towards the rebuilding of the church.1
In response to
" a Petition from the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church of St. Peter's in this City praying the Board to relinquish a Part of the Arrears now due, and an abatement of their Rent,"
It was resolved on June 8, 1795,
" that this Board will dispose of to the Trustees of Saint Peter's Church in fee simple all those Lots under Lease to them for the sum of one thousand pounds to be paid in two months and will remit and discharge them from all Back Rents due to this Corporation if such takes effect." "
It is not proposed to relate in detail the history of the churches and parishes founded or aided by Trinity Cor- poration. Monographs have been written on all or most of them, and are easily accessible. A list of such churches and parishes is given in the Appendix.3 As to one of the most interesting of those churches, St. Mark's-in-the-Bow- ery, something, however, may be added here.
On July 8, 1793, an offer was received from Mr. Stuy- vesant to give a lot of land 150 feet wide by 190 feet long and {Soo towards building a church on his lands.4
On January 19, 1795, the Vestry pledged themselves to raise the sum of £4000 towards building the church ; and on the following February 9th a resolution was passed by the Board that the Corporation would not engage itself to any amount greater than £5000 towards the erection of the new church.5
1 Records, liber ii., folio 168. 2 Ibid., folio 42.
8 Appendix XII. " Records, liber ii., folio 21. 5 Ibid., folio 37.
1
161
St. Mark's-in-the-Bowery
1799]
On November 14, 1796, a Committee was appointed to consider the propriety of making St. Mark's Church a distinct Corporation.
On January 9, 1797, the Committee appointed to con- sider what measures it would be proper to adopt in regard to the new Church of St. Mark's, reported as their opinion that the Church
"should be finished in a decent Manner by the End of next Sum- mer, and that as it would be inexpedient to increase the Number of Churches to be supported by this Corporation Measures should be taken by the Advice of Counsel for organizing a Corporation to consist of Protestant Episcopalians disposed to form a Corporation there or for placing them otherwise in a Situation to receive further assistance from this Corporation, in the most safe and convenient method ;- due Regard being always had to their Union with the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States.
"Thereupon Resolved-That the Board agree to the above Reso- lution and that the Counsel of the Corporation be requested to consider of and state a proper plan for carrying the same into Execution." 1
On April 22, 1799, it was resolved that St. Mark's Church be consecrated on Thursday, May 9th, on which date it was accordingly consecrated by Bishop Provoost.2
Subsequently, Trinity Corporation gave St. Mark's a grant of thirty lots for its endowment.
1 Records, liber ii., folio 59.
2 Ibid., folio 81. The ancient parish here referred to celebrated its Centennial in the month of May, 1899. An account of the proceedings on that occasion is given in a very handsome Svo volume, entitled, Memorial of St. Mark's Church in the Bowery, containing an account of the services held to commemorate the One Hundredth Anniversary of the dedication of the Church on May 9, 1799, with the several discourses delivered ; an historical sketch of the Church ; brief biographies of tlie Rectors ; and interesting information from the Parish Annals. Published by the Vestry. New York : Thomas Whittaker, 1899, pp. 191. To that volume the reader is referred for a more full account of the part borne by Trinity Corporation in founding the parish, and for some extracts from our minutes relating to the sub- ject, which it has not been deemed necessary to insert in this history. VOL. 11,-11
:
CHAPTER XV.
CLOSE OF DR. PROVOOST'S RECTORSHIP.
Petition in Favor of Rev. Joseph Pilmore-His Popularity-His Antecedents-Oppo- sition of the Vestry-Their Election of Rev. John Bisset-Dissatisfaction of Mr. Pil- more's Friends-Erection of Christ Church-Displeasure of Trinity Corporation- Their Resolution-Reason for their Displeasure-Election of Delegates by Christ Church-Not Admitted at Conventions-Settlement of the Controversy-Resignation of Mr. Bisset-Election of John Henry Hobart-His Letter of Acceptance-Ratifica- tion of his Election-Resignation of Rectorship by Dr. Provoost-Action of Corpora- tion-Annuity Voted-Deed of Resignation-Election of Dr. Moore-Death of Mrs. Provoost-Resignation by Dr. Provoost of his Bishopric -- Letter of Resignation- Action of the House of Bishops-Assertion of Canonical Right to Jurisdiction by Dr. Provoost-Action of New York Convention-His Death-Comments of the Press- His Funeral-Terms of his Will-His Character-Attainments and Influence-Portrait of-Memorials to.
O N the 10th of October, 1791, a petition signed by William Post and 172 other persons, all members of the Church, was presented to the Corporation of Trin- ity Church, praying for the appointment of the Rev. Joseph Pilmore as an Assistant Minister, and the Estab- lishment of a Sunday evening lecture in the Parish.1
Action on this petition was deferred until, in the month of July following, the request was renewed, by a second petition to the same effect,2 perhaps more urgent because, in the meantime, another clergyman, the Rev. John Bis- set, had been appointed an Assistant in the Parish. This gentleman was born in Scotland about the year 1762. Graduating at Aberdeen, he came to America, and was ordained by Bishop Seabury in 1786. In 1789 he was Rector of Shrewsbury Parish, Maryland, and a deputy to
1 Records, liber ii., folio 4.
9 Ibid., folio 12.
162
163
Joseph Pilmore
[1791-1815]
General Convention, and in 1792 he was called to Trinity Parish.
It is evident that while a considerable number of the people were anxious to have Mr. Pilmore added to the staff of the Parish, yet the feeling in his favor was not unanimous.
The opposition to him appears to have been upon two grounds : the first, that he had been ordained by Bishop Seabury in contravention of the resolution adopted by the General Convention of June, 1786, that no minis- ter should be received who should be ordained by a Bishop in America pending the application to the Bishops in England for the Episcopate; and secondly, that he had been an itinerant Wesleyan preacher.
It is true that he had travelled up and down the colonies from Maine to Georgia, and that wherever he appeared, great crowds had flocked to listen to his impassioned ad- dresses ; but he had never submitted to laying on of hands by the followers of Wesley ; and upon the return of Sca- bury from Scotland, with the gift of Episcopal power, he had applied to him for Holy Orders. His ordination to the Diaconate and Priesthood occurred in November, 1785; whereupon he went to Pennsylvania as Rector of the united Parishes of Trinity, Oxford, All Saints', Lower Dublin, and St. Thomas's, Whitemarsh ; and afterwards as Assistant to Dr. Magaw, the Rector of St. Paul's Church, Philadelphia.
While the vehement preaching and erratic methods of the Wesleyan preachers may not have commended themselves to Dr. Provoost, yet there is no reason to doubt that the choice between Mr. Pilmore and Mr. Bisset was purely on the merits of the respective candidates and their fitness for the position, and on no other ground. From what we know of these men, it is clear that the
164
History of Trinity Church
[1791-
selection lay between two powerful and eloquent preachers. Dr. Berrian, though confessing that he was little acquainted with the history of Mr. Bisset, acknowledges that he had often heard of his eloquence and popularity 1; while William A. Duer, in his Reminiscences of an Old Yorker, writes of Mr. Bisset? :
" A more eloquent and powerful preacher, perhaps, if not a more popular one, than any preceding or succeeding him in the office.
. Besides being an excellent preacher, he was,-what indeed was requisite to make him such, a sound divine, and a ripe and good scholar." 3
Sprague in his Annals, moreover, states that the matter was submitted by the Vestry to the three congre- gations, and that Mr. Bisset was elected by a large majority.4
As to the statement that the Vestry opposed Mr. Pil- more on the ground of his having been ordained by Bishop Seabury, it falls to the ground, because Mr. John Bisset was himself ordained by that Bishop, and in the very year in which the General Convention passed its famous resolution.
Upon the election of Mr. Bisset to the assistantship in Trinity Parish, the admirers of Mr. Pilmore, true to their favorite, and resolved not to give him up, determined to organize a parish of their own; accordingly, on April 3, 1793, they filed a certificate of incorporation with the County Clerk, called Mr. Pilmore, and built a church for him on the north side of Ann Street, between William and Nassau Streets.
1 Historical Sketch, p. 192.
2 P. 18.
3 For some years, during his connection with Trinity Church, he held the profes- sorship of Rhetoric and Belles Lettres in Columbia College.
4 Vol. v., p. 443. Although there is no mention of this reference to the congre- gations in the Records of the Vestry, yet it is not unlikely that it was made ; the Board being desirous to appoint persons acceptable to the several congregations.
165
Erection of Christ Church
1815]
The Vestry of Trinity Church lost no time in expressing their dissatisfaction with these proceedings. On October 3, 1793, a resolution was adopted
"That the late seperation from the Congregation of Trinity Church appears to be unjustifiable, has a tendency to create discord and Con- fusion, and ought to be discontinued.
" Therefore, Resolved also, That the admission of Delegates from the persons who have so seperated Into the Convention of the State or the acknowledgement of them as a distinct Church By that Body would in the opinion of this Board be highly Improper and ought to be opposed." '
The opposition of the Board to the erection of Christ Church was justifiable. The title of the Corporation was, "The Rector and Inhabitants of the City of New York in Communion of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of New York," and every Churchman had a right to look to it for religious ministrations. In point of law, therefore, every community of Church people within the city had a legal claim on the Corporation. The Board readily recognized this claim, not only in the case of dwellers within the city, but also of Church people through- out the State. If, however, the Corporation admitted the obligation to minister to Church people it rightly maintained that there was a corresponding obligation on the part of Church people not to break off into little communities and erect churches wherever they liked. True, St. Mark's Church had recently been founded as a separate parish, and liberally endowed by the Corporation on the petition of Mr. Stuyvesant and others ; but the reason was because St. Mark's was in the fields, away from the older churches, and not, like the new upstart, within a stone's throw of St. Paul's Chapel. As conservators of property held for the benefit of Churchmen of the city of New York, the Vestry rightly protests against the action of the builders of Christ
1 Records, liber ii., folio 22.
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History of Trinity Church
[1791-
Church. This new organization, should it at any time fall into financial straits, might be expected to call on the Corporation for a share of its revenues, so that a venture started without the consent of the Corporation might have jeoparded the whole of its property. It is also to be re- membered that the Rector of the Parish was the Bishop of the Diocese, so that the separatists were acting in opposi- tion to their Diocesan.
The above resolution of the Board was confirmed at a subsequent meeting, October 6, 1794.1
The congregation of Christ Church, however, went on its way and duly elected its delegates, but they were as regularly refused admission in the Convention, till the year 1802, when Christ Church formally executed a deed re- linquishing any claim it might have to the property of the Corporation : it was then formally admitted into union with the Convention,2 and the Corporation gave liberally, as we shall see, towards its endowment funds.
Dr. Pilmore remained in New York as incumbent of Christ Church, drawing such large crowds to his ministra- tions that there was not even standing-room when he preached. In the year 1804 he left his charge, to succeed Dr. Magaw as Rector of St. Paul's, Philadelphia.3 The Rev. Mr. Bisset, the successful rival of Dr. Pilmore, after having served as deputy from New York to the General Convention, and as secretary to that body, resigned his po- sition in Trinity Church, March 10, 1800,4 and in the same year went to London, where he died about the year 1810.
No action was taken for appointing a successor to Mr. Bisset till five months afterward, when on August 11th, it was
' Records, liber ii., folio 34.
2 See also Historical Sketch of Christ Church, New York City, by William G. Davies.
3 See Sprague's Annals, vol. v., p. 266.
4 Records, liber ii., folio 92.
167
Hobart Called as Assistant
1815]
"On motion Resolved, that an Assistant Clergyman be procured, whereupon the Rector nominated the Rev. Mr. Hobart for that appoint- ment." 1
On the 8th of September,
"It having been represented, by Dr. Charlton as the wish of the Bishop to resign his office as Rector of this Corporation at some future period,-Resolved that his resignation be accepted whenever he chuses to relinquish the office, and that he be allowed one thousand dollars yearly during his life to commence from the time of his resignation." ?
On the Rector's return to the chair the above resolu- tion was put and agreed to.
The offer of the assistantship to Mr. Hobart, and his acceptance of the same, are entered in full on the minutes of October 13, 1800.
" REV. SIR,
" We are a Committee appointed by the Vestry of Trinity Church for the purpose of communicating to you their wishes for your accept- ance of an Assistant Minister in the Churches under their care upon the same terms on which the other Assistant Ministers are placed but upon condition that you do engage to perform divine Service in one of the Churches on Sunday evenings until another Assistant Minister may be called, who will take his Share of that Duty.
"The Vestry have recommended to the Rector in arranging the Duties of the Several Assistants for the Day, to have a regard to this additional share required of you.
(Signed)
JOHN CHARLTON, ANDREW HAMERLY,
Committee.
"NEW YORK, Sept. 17, 1800. "The Revd. JOHN HOBART."
" SIR,
" I take the liberty of informing you as Chairman of the Commit- tee who presented to me the call from the vestry of Trinity Church to the office of Assistant Minister, that I accept the said office on the Terms stated in the Call. The Congregation with which I am at pres- ent connected have exerted themselves so much to render my situation comfortable and happy, that I think I cannot with delicacy and pro-
1 Records, liber ii., folio 90.
9 Ibid., folio 100.
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History of Trinity Church
[1791-
priety leave them before the Spring unless they should signify to me, that they have chosen another Minister and are willing to dispense with my services. Permit me thro' you, Sir, to express to the vestry my sensibility to the Polite and honorable manner in which this busi- ness has been conducted. The best evidence that I can give of my feelings will be an endeavour to act in all cases with fidelity and inde- pendence governed only by a sincere Regard to the sacred dictates of conscience and duty. The Station would require the Judgment and experience of more advanced years. I shall have therefore a peculiar claim on the Friendship and Counsel of the vestry, on the Candor and support of the Congregation and on the affectionate advice and aid of my Superiors and Brethren in the Ministry. Thus strengthened and supported while I endeavour faithfully to discharge my duty, I trust that I may hope for the Presence and blessing of Almighty God. With sentiments of sincere respect for yourself and the Committee, and for the Rector and Vestry of the Church,
"I am Sir, " Your obedt. servant,
(Signed) " JOHN HENRY HOBART.1 "Dr. CHARLTON."
Mr. Hobart at the time of his election was incumbent of Hempstead, Long Island, having recently gone there from New Brunswick. He was just twenty-five years of age and still in Deacon's orders when he received the call to the assistantship of Trinity Church. In December he moved to New York and entered upon his work .?
Later on, the question was raised as to the legality of electing as Assistant Minister one who was in Deacon's orders only, and as an examination of the Charter proved that one in Priest's orders only was eligible, the Vestry passed a resolution on April 12, 1802, after Mr. Hobart had been ordered a Priest, whereby
" the said call is hereby ratified and confirmed to all intents and purposes the same as if the said Reverend J. H. Hobart had been in Priest's orders at the time of said call." 3
1 Records, liber ii., folio IOI.
? See his letter of March IS, IS01. Hobart's Works, by Berrian, p. 77.
3 Records, liber ii., folio 122.
1815]
Dr. Provoost Resigns 169
As soon as these matters were settled, and the new Assistant was about to move into New York, the ven- erable and infirm Rector, who had been waiting for the completion of the transaction, announced his intention to relinquish his office without further delay. It was now ordered, November 9, 1800, that the Bishop's salary should be continued to the first of August next follow- ing, and that he should have the use of the house he occupied for a year ; and, further,
" That on the Resignation as aforementioned this Board will allow him the sum of one thousand dollars annually during his life the same to commence from the first day of August next, and that the clerk be authorized to prepare some proper instrument under the Seal of this Corporation for such annuity and that the said Instrument be submit- ted to Mr. Cadwallader D. Colden as the Rector's Attorney." 1
On the 2d of December, the covenants having been read, approved, and ordered to be sealed and delivered, the Rector thereupon presented his resignation in the terms following :
"In the Name of God, Amen. I Samuel Provost Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of New York and Rector of the Parish of Trinity Church in the City of New York before you the Church Wardens and Vestrymen of the Said Church and in the Pres- ence of Credible Witnesses here present, for certain just and lawful causes me and my mind hereunto specially moving without compul- sion, fear, fraud, or deceit ; Do purely simply and absolutely give up the said Rectory of the Parish of Trinity Church ; and my office of Rector in the Corporation of 'The Rector and Inhabitants of the City of New York in Communion of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of New York,' by whatsoever Name the said Rectory may be most properly known and distinguished, and also the said Church with all the Rights, Members, and Appurtenances thereunto belonging into the hands of You the said Church Wardens and Vestrymen the Patrons thereof ; with all my Right, Title, and Possession of in and to the same. I quit cede and renounce them and expressly recede from them by
' Records, liber ii., folio 104.
I70
History of Trinity Church
[1791-
these Presents. In witness whereof I the said Samuel Provoost have hereunto set my hand and seal the twenty second day of December in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Eight hundred-"
The resignation having been accepted the Rector "took his leave of the Board in the most affectionate manner," and the Vestry proceeded to the election of a Rector, when Dr. Benjamin Moore was duly chosen. Messrs. Clarkson and Smith were directed to acquaint him of his election, and Dr. Moore "thereupon addressed the Board and signified his acceptance of the Rectory and was duly Inducted into the Church in the presence of Thomas Collister and William J. Forbes by delivering the key of the Church to him." 1
In August, 1799, Mrs. Provoost, to whom the Bishop had been most tenderly attached, died after a lingering illness. The loss of his wife preyed greatly on his mind. The " disorders in his head," as he termed them, became more frequent, in addition to which he had to endure domestic trials which added greatly to the burden of life. His resignation as the Rector of Trinity Parish on De- cember 22, 1800, was soon followed by that of his office of Bishop. It was presented to the Diocesan Convention first, and immediately after to the General Convention in the following touching letter :
"NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 1801.
" RIGHT REV. AND DEAR SIR :
"I think it my duty to request that, as President of the House of Bishops, you will inform that venerable body, that, induced by ill health, and some melancholy occurrences in my family, and an ardent wish to retire from all public employment, I resigned at the last meeting of our Church Convention, my jurisdiction as Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the state of New York.
" I am with great regard, dear and right rev. sir, "Your affectionate brother, "SAMUEL PROVOOST.
" Right Rev. Bishop WHITE."
1 Records, liber ii., folio 106.
171
Election of Dr. Moore
1815]
The House of Bishops, in acting on this resignation, put on record the following opinion, that they
"can see no grounds on which to believe that the contemplated resig- nation is consistent with ecclesiastical order, or with the practice of Episcopal churches in any ages, or with the tenor of the Office of Consecration. Accordingly, while they sympathize most tenderly with their brother Bishop Provoost, on account that ill health, and those melancholy occurrences which have led to the design in question, they judge it to be inconsistent with the sacred trust committed to them to recognize the Bishop's act as an effectual resignation of his Episcopal jurisdiction. Nevertheless, being sensible of the present exigencies of the church of New York, and approving of their making provision for the actual discharge of the duties of the Episcopacy, the Bishops of this house are ready to consecrate to the office of a Bishop, any per- son who may be presented to them with the requisite testimonials from the General and State Conventions, and of whose religious, moral and literary character, due satisfaction may be given. But this house must be understood to be explicit in their declaration, that they shall consider such a person as assistant or co-adjutor Bishop during Bishop Provoost's life, although competent, in point of character to all the Episcopal duties ; the extent in which the same shall be discharged by him, to be dependent on such regulations as expediency may dictate to the Church in New York, grounded on the indisposition of Bishop Provoost, and with his concurrence." 1
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