USA > New York > New York City > A history of the parish of Trinity Church in the city of New York, pt 3 > Part 10
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On October 6, 1800, Mr. Hobart declined the call to St. Mark's Church, New York, in a letter to Mr. William Ogden:
"The proposals from Trinity Chh which were in contemplation when I conversed with you have now terminated in my connection with that Chh as an assistant minister. Of course all idea of a settle- ment at St. Mark's must be at an end."
1801 .- Under this date there are among the Hobart MSS. the following instructions from Bishop Moore to Mr. Davenport Phelps relating to his ministrations to the Indians :
"NEW YORK, Dec'r 14, 1801.
"Instructions for the Rev'd Davenport Phelps in the discharge of his duty as a Missionary on the frontiers of this State.
" Having been admitted to the office of a Deacon in the Church you are now going forth as an Ambassador of Christ to beseech a rebellious world to be reconciled to GOD.
"No doubt your mind is impressed with a becoming sense of your own infirmity, and of the difficulty of the task which you have undertaken to perform. Pray, then, without ceasing, for the aid of divine grace which alone can effectually strengthen and support you under the trials you may have to encounter.
" In the performance of your duty as a preacher of the Gospel, always remember that your admonitions and instructions will have little influence upon the minds of those who hear you unless religious precepts be enforced by a virtuous and pious example.
" Exposed as you will be to the seducements of a vitious world, and to the malevolent inspection of many who love not the gospel
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History of Trinity Church
[1801-
of our Lord Jesus Christ, you must be careful not only to shun vice but to abstain from all appearance of evil.
"In your ministration to the Indians after laying the foundation in the belief of the existence of an Almighty Creator and wise Gover- nor of the Universe, endeavour to impress them with a proper sense of the fallen nature and actual depravity of mankind. This will naturally open the way for the doctrine of Atonement thro' a Redeemer and sanctification by the influences of the Holy Spirit. And you may then prompt them forward to religious obedience, from a principle of love to their Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier.
"The prayer-books and catechisms which will be placed in your hands, you will distribute in such manner as you conceive will best promote the benevolent design of your mission. Instruct those who are able to read how to unite decently in the performance of public worship according to the Liturgy of our Church; and be assiduous to give a proper direction to the minds of the young by diligently teaching them the fundamental principles of Religion according to our catechism.
"In the celebration of public worship you are to confine yourself to the established Liturgy. Whensoever the service can be performed with decency you are to use the whole form of morning and evening prayer. On other occasions you are to make a selection of Collects as circumstances may require, but never indulge in extemporaneous effusions.
" Endeavour to introduce family-worship by gentle and persuasive methods; and be very particular in the observance of the Holy Sab- bath, on which day you are always to perform Divine Service unless prevented by sickness or some other urgent necessity.
" Whenever your services are required by Indians residing within British territory you are to take care that your ministrations among them be conducted in such a manner us to give not the least offence to either the civil or Ecclesiastical authority.
" You are to keep a regular journal of all your proceedings which must be transmitted to me at the expiration of every three months. This journal among other matters which you may think proper to communicate, must contain a Register of Baptisms, marriages and places where you have performed Divine Service.
(Copy.)
" BENJ'N MOORE " Bishop of the Prot. Ep. Church
in the State of New York."
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Hobart Declines St. Paul's Church, Phila.
1805]
1804 .- The following letter, hitherto unpublished, con- tains the offer to Hobart of the Rectorship of St. Paul's Church, Philadelphia :
" PHILADELPHIA, I February 1804. " REVEREND SIR :
" It hath pleased God to visit the reverend Samuel Magaw, rec- tor of St. Paul's Church in this city, with a severe stroke of Palsey thereby rendering him incapable of his official duties in the Church and Congregation. He hath last week surrendered his pastoral duties to the Congregation, the Church is now without a regular minister, and is dependent upon the goodness of the Bishop, & other episcopal Clergy of this City for temporary Supplies nor hath the Vestry or Con- gregation any particular pastor in View.
" Not knowing how your engagements may be in the Churches of New York, I take the liberty to write you, in confidence, and your answer will be received and acted on with equal caution-to know whether if a call should be offered by the Congregation of St. Paul's Church you Could with propriety accept of it-several of the vestry of the Church are desirous of receiving information from you, in con- fidence, before any steps on this important subject shall be further taken, you will therefore oblige me by an early communication.
" With great esteem " I subscribe myself "Your obliged " Humble svt " LEVI HOLLINGSWORTH."
To this offer Hobart replied on February 10th,
" various considerations of expediency and duty, therefore, oppose, at present, what would otherwise be very gratifying to me-a residence in the place of my nativity, and among my nearest friends."
1805 .- The troubles attendant on the starting of the Churchman's Magazine are vividly portrayed in this letter :
CHESHIRE, Oct". 25, 1805.
" REVD. AND DEAR SIR
" At Newhaven yesterday we had a meeting concerning the Churchman's magazine ; I find the business very much thrown out of . VOL. III -7.
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History of Trinity Church
[1805-
the jurisdiction of the Church into the hands of the printers. The printers are authorized to procure an Editor that shall be agreeable to the Committee. Hitherto the Convocation appointed the Editor ; but now the printers may appoint such an editor as they would not choose, at the same time many things may unite to make their negative on the appointment a matter of extreme delicacy. As to the idea of the Edi- tor's being resident in N. H. I only say, I wish it is not too chimeri- cal ever to be realized. The Gentlemen who were at Convocation say or seemed to say, it was your and the N. Y. Clergy's proposition as a sine qua non on the scheme of uniting the two States in a common concern in the Magazine. I should esteem it a favour to be informed by yourself, Sir ; whether this really be the agreed-upon vinculum. Some months since, being in N. H. Mr. Walter (one of the printing concerns) asked me for what sum I would sit down in N. H., and give my undivided attention to editing the magazine. Without con sidering that my answer might be perverted to imply a renunciation of all future views of being Editor, which I find has been the case I re- plied-'One thousand dollars per annum.' So that virtually I find myself excluded from this business contrary to my views and expecta- tions, having spent a great proportion of the little income arising from the editorship in purchasing books proper for the business. Perhaps you know not that at the commencement of this business, the Editor- ship was divided among the Clergy of the Diocese of Con' divided into four districts, of which N. H. published the first three numbers- the next three fell to Cheshire-the next three to Stratford-here Mr. Baldwin utterly refused to take it up, and in fine I was persuaded to continue it, and henceforward with very little aid it has come from my superintendence. At the time the present printing Company ousted Mr. Griswold, it sustained no small shock. By the force of superior persuasion what you have seen of Dr. Johnson's life has been pub- lished-I never meant to publish but extracts, & December shall close the whole with a warm recommendation of the work. If there are any views of publishing a Magazine in N. Y. : I shall be pleased to know what terms will be offered to an Editor, on the spot, and whether it would merit my attention. I have for some time con- templated publishing a magazine of my own in N. Y. which per- haps could comprehend all the subjects of the proposed N. Y. one ; -if so, I would be obliged to you, to open a correspondence with me upon the subject. My Family at present are too much separated for our mutual comfort .- Any how, please to write me as soon as possible upon the aforesaid question. I pray God to preserve your
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"Churchman's Magazine "
1807]
health and bless your labours: & Our best wishes to you and Mrs. Hobart.
" Yours &c., " WILLIAM SMITH."
1807 .- A letter from the Rev. James Dewar Simons is interesting as showing what books a thoughtful clergy- man then read. In a letter to Hobart from Charleston, June 23d, 1807, he speaks of reading Beveridge's Ser- mons, Secker's Sermons and Charges, Burnet's Pastoral Care, and The Letters of Orton and Stonhouse to a Young Clergyman.
When the Churchman's Magazine came out, Mr. Si- mons was one of the very first to congratulate Mr. Hobart, offering to act as agent for it in Charleston.
The publishers of the new venture write to Mr. Hobart :
" NEW HAVEN 20 NOV. 1807.
" REV. & RESPECTED SIR
" Having been apprised of the arrangement last proposed by your- self & others of the Clergy of N. York, respecting the Churchman's Magazine, & not knowing whether an answer has been returned you by those duly qualified to act, we beg leave to submit a few words from ourselves as publishers. The time is rapidly advancing when the ar- rangements for the ensuing year must be in operation, & as we know explicitly the wishes of the Committee appointed to act on the busi- ness for this state, (with the exception of Rev. Mr. Burhans, from whom we have not fully heard) it is perhaps proper to mention them.
"The Bishop, & Rev. Messrs Baldwin & Bronson, fully & cordially approve it, & the latter will continue the Editor, in part, under the terms prescribed. As for ourselves, in the character of Publishers, we earnestly hope nothing may be suffered to delay or weaken the project, and therefore, as far as the terms have reference to us, we stand pledged to abide them.
" Trusting Rev. Sir, that no obstacles will now supervene, it be- comes us to ask your opinion of the manner (if at all) in which the subject shall be announced to the public ? This ought to be done
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History of Trinity Church
[1809-
with the Magazine for the present month. We would also suggest, that any communications designed for the Magazine can be left at Messrs. T. & J. Swords, & will be regularly taken from thence by some per- son deputed by us.
" With great respect, we are Rev. Sir,
" Your Hum'l Serv'ts,
"OLIVER STEELE & Co. " REV. J. H. HOBART."
1809 .- The long correspondence the Bishop had with Mr. Thomas Swords appears to have been opened by a letter from Mr. Swords, on December 29, 1809, enclosing a thank-offering for Mr. Hobart's baptizing his children, Thomas and Mary, on the previous evening.
1810 .- The Hon. and Rev. Charles Stewart, afterwards Bishop of Quebec, was a frequent correspondent. His first letter is dated July 19, 1810, and in it he asks the Bishop if he can procure him a clergyman or candidate for Holy Orders to take charge of his mission at St. Ar- mand during his proposed absence in England. From the following paragraph in the letter it appears that a mis- sionary could at the same time hold his cure in England :
"I had the pleasure sometime since of reading the Essays on the Church published by you ; and I sent them to my Diocesan, the Bishop of Lincoln, for I have been Rector of a small living in England since the year 1799."
The following letter, characteristic of the fashion of those days when guilds and societies for young people had not been invented, speaks for itself :
" HAERLEM, Oct. 9th 1810.
"MR. HOBART,
" During the vacation the young ladies of the Mansion of Truth, having denied themselves some few pleasures in order that they might be enabled to add to the support of the missionaries now send
IOI
Letter from Rev. Charles Stewart
1810]
you the produce of their self-denial, which they hope you will have the goodness to remit to the society ; it amounts to thirty dollars.
" ANNA HOFFMAN, "Queen of the Mansion of Truth."
The Secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society accompanied their donation of books by the following letter :
" FULHAM, October 30, 1810. " RIGHT REV SIR,
" I am instructed by the Committee of the British & Foreign Bible Society to acquaint you, that they have unanimously resolved to present the Institution of which you are the President with a Do- nation of Bibles and Testaments to the amount of 100f sterling ; and that the books will be forwarded to you from the Depository by the first conveyance.
"It must be obvious to you, Right Reverend Sir, that the Com- mittee, in whose name I write are naturally anxious in the first degree to encourage Establishments of the Bible exclusively and combining for that purpose the funds, the services and the affections of all who acknowledge the holy Book as the standard of Truth : they are how- ever sincerely disposed to extend a proportion of their encouragement and assistance to Associations of every description, which compre- hend, as a part of their plan that object of paramount importance.
" Actuated by these principles the Committee have determined to aid the Bible department of your Society by the grant as above described, and they accompany this offering of Christian friendship with their fervent prayers, that a blessing may rest upon your In- stitution ; and render it of real usefulness, in turning many from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.
" I have the honor to be
"Right Rev. Sir, " Your faithful Servant,
" JOHN OWEN, Sec'y.
" THE RIGHT REV. " BENJAMIN MOORE, " Bishop of New York, " &t., &c., &c."
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History of Trinity Church
[18II-
1811 .- In an undated letter endorsed, "1811," the Rev. William Meade (afterwards Bishop of Virginia) begs Bishop Hobart's acceptance of
"a small book of devotions, which I have collected from the works of that excellent man, Bishop Wilson. I think them the best private devotions ever yet published."
The following letter was addressed to Bishop Hobart by the Rev. William Smith, D.D., of Connecticut, on the subject of certain criticisms on a work recently published by him. Dr. Smith was a high churchman, of the Bishop Seabury type, and for some time Principal of the Episco- pal Academy of Connecticut ; a student of Liturgics, and much interested in church music. He was the author of the "Office of Institution of Ministers into Parishes or Churches," in our Book of Common Prayer, an Order particularly offensive to a certain school among us on account of its strong churchly tone, the use of the word "altar," and the phrase about the " Ministers of Apostolic Succession." He also wrote a most entertaining book, entitled, The Reasonableness of Setting Forth the Most Worthy Praises of Almighty God According to the Usage of the Primitive Church, with Historical Views of the Nature, Origin, and Progress of Metre Psalmody" (New York, T. & J. Swords, 1814). In this work Dr. Smith argues strongly for the chanting of the Psalter; a bold position at a time when bitter opposition was made to singing even the Te Deum. Whoever may secure a copy of this valuable book, long since out of print and now become a literary curiosity, may be congratulated on his good for- tune. Dr. Smith of Connecticut should not be confused with his eminent namesake, the Rev. William Smith, D.D., first Provost of the College and Academy of Philadel- phia, and first President of Washington College, Mary-
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Fly pal
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The Rev. William Smith, D.D.
18II]
land. Both men were scholars and students, and both active in the formation of our American Liturgy; but they were of very different types of churchmanship. The reader may now proceed to the letter.
" NORWALK Aug't 8th, 1811. " RIGHT REV'D & DEAR SIR
"I have written to Mr. Jones one of the Committee for Sacred Music and Voluntaries, appointed in Con'n 1809 to report to Con'n 1810-in order to ascertain what parts of my book 'comported with the rubrics '-for at this hour I know not how much of it escapes the imputation of unrubricalness, or by what criterion the Censors deter- mine the meaning of certain directive words, and interpret such rubrics as are not of obvious meaning. As to the record of Con- vention, it is apparent that though the Vote of adoption, passed verbally, both of the 105 metre psalm tunes & my book 'so far as it comported with the rubrics,' yet there is no mention of said book in the printed record. This your candor ascribed to your own inadver- tency. Pray, my good Sir, how can this act of inadvertency be recti- fied-and the book relieved from the appearance of total rejection ? Can this error be corrected in the next Convention-or was the report of the Committee understood to be remitted for further revisal ? I am utterly at a loss how to understand this mode of procedure :- but I am far from being satisfied with the correctness of it. Before I can ascer- tain the identicalness of the parts supposed to be unrubrical, I must know how many & where they are, for by a mode of interpreting rubrics hitherto unknown in any Episcopal church, anything may be called unrubrical for which there is not a positive precept-and preju- dice sanctions the verdict. Nor can I with propriety attempt a plen- ary vindication, before I hear some higher authorative sentence than that which is couched in the indefinite opinion of a Committee of one State. If the Bishops should vouchsafe to give their Veto to any parts, I should obey it, but a Veto is one thing, and Unrubricalness is an- other. That is the rub-and no proof of Unrubricalness has ever been adduced :- When I shall have received either from yourself or from Mr. Jones a list of the supposed violations, I shall know how much to defend and bring altercation to an end-I am truly sick of defending a work, which I am confident stands in no need of defence, but there is no withstanding prejudices and private conceptions. From the Clergy I never expected such a degree of fastidiousness-
×
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History of Trinity Church [18II]
from the laity I had to look for every opposition that ignorance & prejudice could muster up: - But 'a little' (puritanic) 'leaven leaveneth the whole lump.' With my ardent wishes, that health and happiness may attend you " I am "Rt Rev'd & Dear Sir " Your Reverence's friend & humb Svt " WILLIAM SMITH "
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CHAPTER VII.
HOBART'S CORRESPONDENCE. PART II .- FROM THE YEAR 1812 TO THE YEAR 1817.
Controversy as to Bishop Provoost's Jurisdiction after his Resignation-Letters from Mr. P. G. Stuyvesant-From the Rev. Daniel Nash on his Work at Cooperstown- Services in the Debtors' Gaol Suggested-Day of Fasting and Humiliation during War of 1812-Letter from the Rev. Jackson Kemper-Bishop Hobart's Poor Health -Letters from the Rev. Joseph Prentice-From Mr. Matthew L. Davis on the Cave- Jones Matter-Bishop Hobart Consulted as to Choice of a Rector for " Old Swedes" Church, Wilmington, Delaware-Rectorial Rights and Prerogatives-Letter from the Rev. John Brady-From the Rev. Samuel F. Jarvis-From the Hon. and Rev. Charles Stewart on the Moravian Missions-From the Rev. L. P. Bayard-Extract from a Letter from Bishop Hobart to Bishop White on the Archaic Diction of the Homilies-Letter from a Roman Catholic Priest-The Small-pox Epidemic of 1816 -Letter from Board of Health-Bishop Hobart and Church Music-Letter from Mr. Peter Erben-From the Rev. L. P. Bayard Giving Desired Information in Re- gard to Princeton College-From Daniel Fanshaw Giving an Estimate for Printing the Book of Common Prayer-Correspondence between the Rev. Timothy Clowes, Bishop Hobart, and the Rev. Amos G. Baldwin on Eleazer Williams and his Work among the Indians-The Severe Cold in the Summer of 1816-Letters from the Hon. John C. Spencer and the Rev. Henry U. Onderdonk Concerning St. John's Church, Canandaigua-From Bishop Meade Appealing to Bishop Hobart on Behalf of Slaves and Colored People-The Trial of the Rev. Timothy Clowes-Bitter Feeling Evoked -Letters from Mr. W. A. Duer-From Mr. Peter Jay Munro on the Increase of the Episcopal Fund-From the Rev. Samuel S. Smith on the State of Affairs at Princeton -From the Rev. Henry U. Onderdonk on Bible Societies-From the Rev. Roger Searle on his Extensive Missionary Labors in Ohio-From the Hon. William John- son and the Hon. Rufus King on the Theological School-From Bishop Croes on the Prayer for the General Convention-From the Rev. John Strachan on Bible and Prayer-Book Societies-Secessions to Rome of the Rev. Virgil Horace Barber and the Rev. Dr. Kewley-Letter from Mr. Barber-From Mr. Paul Busti on Behalf of the Holland Society-Third Centennial Jubilee of the Reformation-Letter from the Evangelical Lutheran Church-And the Rev. B. Mortimer on Behalf of Bishop Reichel of the Moravian Community.
1812 .- The controversy as to what jurisdiction Bishop Provoost really possessed after his resignation and to
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History of Trinity Church
[1812-
which allusion has already been made in the Second Part of this History1 still continued to agitate the minds of Churchmen in 1812, as appears from this letter of Mr. P. G. Stuyvesant :
" RIGHT REV'D SIR
" I have had the pleasure of receiving your favour of the 12th, accompanying your statement to the Episcopalians &c.
" On the subject of Episcopal jurisdiction, which for some time past I have frequently considered; I have the pleasure of agreeing with you; I think that by the acts of the Convention, the Bishops, & the Church at large, the diocesan jurisdiction is possessed by Bishop Moore, & that an interference with that venerable prelate's authority will not advance the solid interests of the Church-In expressing my mind on this subject I cannot refrain from adding my regret, that our State convention in eighteen hundred and one had not passed a resolution more explicit in accepting the proffered resignation of Bishop Provoost, & that the declarations of the House of Bishops the same year have not the appearance of assimilating with their acts; which if they had done, would have prevented a contrariety of opinion on a subject so essential to the good order, discipline, & welfare of the Church .- In the 11th page, & subsequently of your pamphlet, the subject is represented in a new light, & on principles which I had not before considered, but which strengthen my conviction in favour of the diocesan right of Bishop Moore.
"I beg leave to add that an opportunity of paying you my respects on the new Year would have afforded me much pleasure.
" With great respect " Right Rev'd Sir " I remain "Your Obed't Svt
" P. G. STUYVESANT. " PETERSFIELD, Jan 15th 1812."
The Rev. Daniel Nash, whose letter we now give, was for nearly forty years the laborious pioneer missionary in Otsego and other counties in the southern and central portions of the State of New York. His work was done with unfailing cheerfulness and with a large measure of
1 Pp. 170-172.
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Father Nash
1812]
success. He was known to every man, woman, and child in all that region.
" EXETER, OTSEGO COUNTY, Jan. 24, 1812.
" RIGHT REV AND DEAR SIR,
" I have repeatedly gone to the Post Office in Cooperstown, flatter- ing myself that the letter you promised me when you last wrote was brought by the Mail, that you had transmitted some commands, or else had given me some particulars respecting the very disagreeable situation in which you are placed, and I pray you to remember, when- ever you are thinking of the evils which befall you (because your friends not only wanted your abilities to sustain our sinking Church, but were unwilling that you should be sacrificed to an envious spirit) that I in unity of feeling with them contributed all in my power to place you in the most eminent ecclesiastical station in America. That I love you sincerely for the attachment to our Lord and Master which you have discovered, will not be disputed. And had I a hun- dred votes to have given, I would have given them to a man whom I judged would shine with more lustre and rise with more dignity the more he was calumniated and abused. I presume you are not de- jected, altho' you may be perplexed, for I hope you have the presence of him, who will cheer his servants when visited with the greatest afflictions. I rejoice that you have taken the buffetings you have re- ceived with so much patience : this is thankworthy. Yet I hope you never again will be under the necessity of answering idle tales, fit only for some splenetic animal to relate.
"Oh ! the wretched depravity of human nature ! Poor Jones, for poor I consider him in every sense of the word, I pity him when I consider he is under the power of such malignant passions as will not permit him to rest. Ah, the troubled sea-Who was it suffered that woman Jezebel to teach erroneous Doctrine .- Is not the poor man under the influence of the same proud female.
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