USA > New York > New York City > A history of the parish of Trinity Church in the city of New York, pt 3 > Part 11
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"If so wretched indeed must be his situation. Let us pray for him heartily and sincerely, and we shall not hate him.
"Why I write and send by the Mail is because I am requested so to do by Esq' Cooper. That you may understand the reason why he requested me to write I must be particular in my relation. Judge Cooper, father to the Esq' and his sons, gave $1600 or 1700 hundred Dollars to the Church at Cooperstown. They had the care of the build- ing. When the accounts were brought in, contrary to their expecta- tions, they amounted to $260 more than they had agreed to give, or
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History of Trinity Church
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was given them from Trinity Church, or was on the subscription. He desired this might be laid before the Corporation of Trinity to grant him and his brother, who are responsible for the money, the above sum. Judge Cooper's family were Quakers. His only daugh- ter is now a member of our Church. One of the sons, Isaac, married a daughter of General Jacob Morris, with whom you have acquaint- ance. When Mrs. Cooper moved into Cooperstown, there was only one old Lady who was a communicant in this Church. Mrs. Cooper was young, pious and sensible.
" From the evening I received and gave her hand to M'. Cooper, I entertained the idea that she would be the instrument in the hand of Providence of establishing the Church in the County Town, a place most carefully guarded by the Presbyterians. I preached one fourth of the Sundays within three miles of the Place. The small number of communicants who were there together with those who have joined the Church at Cooperstown and its vicinity now amount to about fifty. Thus we have flourished, among these are some very honourable women. I have by accident found out that the Cooper family design to do more for the Church, but they wish to adorn and beautify the Building. I judge the best way to induce them to be liberal is to meet this request. We ought to be wise as serpents and harmless as Doves.
" Little do you know, or will you ever know, of the difficulties I have met with and still have to encounter in building up the Church from among the Dissenters. Did you know you would pity my situa- tion. Neither would the gentlemen of Trinity be backward in lending a helping hand,-to me they have been good without my asking for their charity. May God bless them. But I wish they would remem- ber our poor Church for good. Surely a divine blessing would follow them for so doing.
"My family are enjoying usual health. The winter is uncommonly severe. This is the only day of moderate weather we have had for some weeks, man and Beast have suffered greatly. In the midst of these reflections I have to be grateful to God for disposing the hearts of my People to erect me a very decent House where we are comfort- ably protected from the inclemency of the weather.
" Mrs. Nash joins as usual in respects to Mrs. Hobart and yourself. " God bless you.
" Yours with much affection,
" D. NASH.
" Received of J. H. Hobart $76 by the hand of Judge Peck.
" Jan 23, 1812."
" D. NASH.
T
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Father Nash
1812]
This letter shows the mingling of shrewdness and simplicity in his character and his ardent friendship for Bishop Hobart. His relation to the family of Judge Cooper was an intimate one, and the son here men- tioned, " Esquire Cooper," the well-known novelist, took him as the prototype of Parson Grant in The Pioneers.
Mr. Nash died on June 4, 1836. Bishop Onderdonk, in his Convention address for 1836, says :
" He received Deacons' orders from the first Bishop of this Diocese, and went immediately to the extensive field of labour in which with a perseverance and fidelity, wherein he set his younger brethren a most worthy example he continued to the last.
" The face of the country, the state of society, the congregations which he served, all underwent great changes ; but still the good man was there, faithful to his post, true to his obligations, and eminently useful in his labours. The young loved him, the mature confided in him, the aged sought in his counsels and example, right guidance in the short remainder of their pilgrimage. Parish after parish was built up on foundations laid by him. Younger brethren came in to relieve him of their more immediate charge ; but still the good old man was there labouring to the last among them." 1
He well deserved the affectionate epithet by which he was known, " good old Father Nash."
The following resolution of the Common Council is a witness to their religious zeal and also to the unfortunate debtor laws in force in those days which were the chief cause of Shays's rebellion in New England.
"In Common Council 15th June 1812
" The following resolution was proposed and agreed to:
"The Common Council being persuaded that the celebration of Divine Service on the Lord's day in the Debtors' gaol would be at- tended with very beneficial effects,
"Resolved, therefore, that it be respectfully recommended to the Reverend the Clergy of this city that they make arrangements amongst
1 Pp. 46, 47, Journal, Diocese of New York, 1836
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History of Trinity Church
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themselves for the regular performance of Divine Service in the Debt- or's Gaol, on every Lord's Day throughout the year.
"Extract from the minutes.
" J. MORTON, " Clerk."
The following letter is of interest; not only is it the first of a correspondence with Jackson Kemper, afterwards Bishop of Wisconsin, but its references to Bishop White are of value. The day of fasting and humiliation referred to was observed with reference to the war of 1812 with Great Britain.
"NEW-YORK, July 17th 1812
" RT. REV SIR
"At the request of Mr How I enclose the Proclamation of my Bishop relative to the day of Fasting & Humiliation. It will now of course be deferred till the third Thursday in August. It was with some reluctance that Bp White published the notice in the Papers, but as the time was short, he thought it was the only method that could be adopted to make the information general throughout the State.
" Upon my arrival in the city I was informed by B. T. Onderdonk that you could not go up the Hudson till next week, I felt therefore very much disappointed this morning on hearing that you started yesterday in the Steamboat. Bp White had requested me to converse with you about his M. S. S. & if possible on my return to bring with me the M. S. first number of the third Part of the Comparison. But as I will leave the city early next week I presume that your absence will render it impossible for me to take it with me.
"I am Rt Rev Sir "With great respect "Yr most obed humbl Ser- " JACKSON KEMPER"
Two letters from the Rev. Joseph Prentice prove the anxiety that was felt for the Bishop's health even in the fourth year of his Episcopate.
.
1813]
Hobart's Poor Health
III
"ATHENS, NOV 3, 1812. " RT REV & DEAR SIR
"Enclosed to Dr. Bowden are the certificates in favor of Charles Hamilton, which may be considered by the standing committee at their next regular meeting.
"I passed an evening last week with Doct Croswell and had a long conversation with him on the state of your health .- He gave it as his decided opinion, (without a view of it being communicated to you) that nothing could possibly restore and preserve your health but exercise, & he says none you can take will be so good as that of riding on horse back; the horse should generally trot and that so hard as to occasion rather an intention or throwing back of the arms, You will excuse this liberty of prescribing as I could not well satisfy myself without communicating an opinion given with so much solici- tude The decision of the judges has reached us and by most people well received.
"May God continue your labors to us for many years, in haste I am with much respect &
" esteem Your " Friend & Obt Ser't " JOSEPH PRENTICE
"Note The Certificates mentioned are not enclosed but sent in a letter to Dr. Bowden."
1813 .- A horse was duly selected and his qualities are thus described :
"ATHENS April 27 " RIGHT REV & DEAR SIR.
"I send the Horse by the sloop Thresher, Capt Harland, belong- ing to Thomas Jenkins, Hudson: all the bills will be paid by Mr. P Buskirk. The horse will cost you in N York about $170; some thing more than I expected; but if he is carefully used untill well accus- tomed to the single carriage I think he will please you .- I wrote you by mail a few days since describing his temper and habits. I have since rode & driven him ;- he has never been used to a crupper, and when just put on care should be taken that it does not bear too hard, or that he contracts no bad habits ;- I used him with one at first, he was not well pleased but in a few rods did not mind it .-
" He is a little hard upon the bit but is obt at the word woo-
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History of Trinity Church
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Mr. Buskirk will be down in a day or two and call on Mr. Berrian or yourself with the bills; With much esteem
"I am "Your obt Se't "Jos PRENTICE "
The elevation of Dr. Hobart to the Episcopate caused the bitter Cave-Jones controversy. As a full account of this matter has been given in the previous volume of this History, we shall, therefore, in this volume, confine our- selves to the insertion of a few letters bearing on the con- troversy.1
The following letter is worthy of insertion, for its bear- ing on the Cave-Jones controversy; and as showing how strongly good men felt in the matter.
"NEW YORK, December 3rd 1813
" SIR,
"I owe it to you to explain the motives which have influenced me in refusing to give bishop Hobart's Statement a place in my Report of the Case of Mr. Jones.
"On my return, (on Wednesday Even'g the Ist) from the North- ward, Mr. Swords informed me that bishop Hobart had made a deposition, denying the material facts as stated by Dr. Beach in his answers to the interrogations proposed to him, and which I had published as an appendix to my work. Mr. Swords added that Mr. Hobart's deposition was printed and in readiness to be bound in my volume, if I would give it a place.
"I informed him that about 150 were already done up, and that there would be great difficulty in stitching the sheets together. His reply was, that any additional expense Bishop Hobart would pay. I then requested Mr. Swords to send me, for perusal, a copy of the deposition alluded to, which he did, in the course of the Evening, but which was not handed to me until eight o'clock the next morn- ing. From a pressure of engagements it was not in my power to examine it at that time, but after a few moments reflection, I deter- mined to insert it in the Volume presuming it contained, without
1 Part II., Chapter XIX.
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The Cave-Jones Controversy
1814]
comment, a simple denial of Dr. Beach's affidavit, and such a detail of FACTS as in the opinion of bishop Hobart, were true. With this determination I called upon Mr. Swords, and stated to him that I had NOT READ the deposition he had sent me, but had resolved to bind it up with the Report of the Case, requesting him to forward the copies immediately to the book-binder for that purpose. From Mr. Swords' I proceeded to the binder's and gave him the necessary instructions, and he continued, during the afternoon & evening, to in- sert the deposition of Dr. Hobart in the volumes previously done up.
"Last evening I read the deposition alluded to & to my utter astonishment found, that it was of such a nature as to render it totally inadmissible in the Work I was about to publish.
" So far from denying, it admits one of the most material facts stated by Dr. Beach, Viz. the treatment of him, after leaving Dr. Bowden's apartments.
" Its object therefore appears to be threefold
"First-To assail with great violence, and as I think cruelty, the feelings and character of Dr. Beach.
"Second-To publish the declaration of the Rev Mr. Lyell to Dr. Hobart,-'That it is impossible for a gentleman, a Christian and a clergyman to act with more propriety than he (Dr. Hobart) had done.
"Third-As a certificate in favor of the Rev'd Drs. Lyell and How.
"When, Sir, it is recollected that the Rev'd Mr. Beach is verging to eighty years of age ; that for nearly thirty years I have been in the habit of entertaining for him the most sincere and respectful feelings; that I well know his meek and amiable temper, his stern integrity and unaffected piety: when these things are recollected, to ask of me, wantonly, to became a party in publishing such an attack upon that venerable man, is demanding of me a sacrifice of the most honorable feelings of the heart, and which no considera- tion can induce me to make.
"Your obt Serv't " MAT. L. DAVIS
"JNO WELLS, EsQ."
1814 .- Bishop Hobart was consulted far and near in the selection of clergymen for parishes. When the Church of the " Old Swedes" was vacant, he was thus consulted VOL. III .- 8.
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by one of the vestrymen, Mr. James M. Brown, who wrote the Bishop from Wilmington, Delaware, February 12th, in reply to a letter from him :
"I accord with you in the opinion you entertain of the liturgy and regret that it should be abused and neglected as much as it is-with a heart properly disposed toward God no one can hear it without the happiest effect-I have sometimes realized almost the presence of God in his sanctuary when it has been recited with the solemnity which it requires.
"I could not ask that Mr. B.' should forego any establish- ment which shod. be offered him for I could not be responsible for his acceptance here. The most intelligent part of the congre- gation are favourably disposed for him but these have no privileges in the management of its concerns, the same being by charter confined principally to the descendants of Swedes and entirely to those who or whose ancestors were members at the time of the Charter. We have it in contemplation at no distant day if we can raise the funds to build a church in connection with the gen1. Episcopal Church of the U. S. being convinced from lamentable experience of the bad effects of the want of the church discipline and Government.
"With the highest respect " & most sincere affection "I am yours, " JAS. M. BROWN. " THE RT. REVD. BISHOP HOBART."
The relative rights and prerogatives of the Rector and his assistants were a constant source of controversy, and as we have already seen the Vestry of Trinity Parish were frequently invoked as arbitrators and adjusters of difficul- ties of that class.
The Rev. John Brady took a very decided stand in these matters as the following letter proves. Mr. Brady was at this time Assistant Minister to the Rev. Dr. Kewley, Rector of St. George's Church, and it is to his Rector that this letter is evidently addressed.
' Mr. Baldwin, whose name is given in full in the former part of the letter.
115
Rectorial Prerogatives
1814]
" REV. SIR,
" The communication which I lately received from you is a desid- eratum which I have for some time past intended to solicit ; inasmuch as circumstances seemed to require something formal & specific on the subject therein discussed.
" In respect of the prerogatives of a Rector, as you have set them forth, I have only to observe, that they are as supreme as they could well be stated.
"Without entering into any discussion respecting these Rectorial rights, & upon the supposition that they are precisely as you have stated them, I think I may venture to remind you, Sir, of the following particulars which seem to direct the manner of the application of these rights : In the first place, I presume I may say, that it is the general expectation of all concerned, that the public services of our Church should be divided in the alternate mode between the Rec- tor & Assistant ; with those exceptions which mutual convenience may suggest ;- In the second place, it was most undoubtedly my firm ex- pectation, when I was employing my most strenuous efforts to ob- tain a Rector over the Church & me, that I should, at least in the public services of the Church, share the benefit of a division of labour. In respect of private duties, I made an offer of sustaining the whole burden, as far as you might desire; & including in them all the occasional services of the week.
"In the third place : It is the custom of the Rector of Trinity Church, who perhaps is invested with more power by the charter of that Church than Rectors in general, to assign an equal division of publick duty to himself & Assistants in the alternate mode. This, it would seem, has, in a degree, established a precedent in this city, on the relative privileges of Rector & Assistants.
" If, Sir, from these particulars, you with me form the conclusion, that I am authorised to expect & request that I be placed on the same ground with the Assistant Ministers of Trinity Church, I have reason to hope, that the application of your Rectorial prerogatives to my situation will prevent uneasiness and complaint. The thing is still to be tested. After a due time has been allowed to judge of the jus- tice of your arrangements from the nature of the arrangements them- selves, I shall then know on what I have to depend.
" On the next paragraph of your communication, Sir, I can make no remarks, as I do not exactly comprehend its meaning.
" On the succeeding paragraph, I regret that I am obliged to state, I must differ from you in opinion. If the Parishioners of St. George's
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Church can recognise me as possessed of Parochial powers by Eccle- siastical authority, they can request me to exercise them on their be- half ; and of course can extend to me for the same what perquisites they please. In proof that I am possessed of Parochial power, permit me to refer you to the following parts of the office of Institution-the Senior Warden presents the keys of the Church to the new Incumbent, saying-In the name and behalf of St. George's Church, I do receive & acknowledge you, the Rev. J. B. as Priest, and Assistant Minister of the same ; and in token thereof give into your hands the keys of this church .- Then the new Incumbent shall say, I, J. B. receive these keys of the House of God at your hands, as the pledges of my institu- tion, and of your Parochial recognition, and promise to be a faithful Shepherd over you in the name of the Father, the Son & the Holy Ghost. On this ground, therefore, I must decline, Sir, accepting the permission you were pleased, to give me, of saying to our Parishion- ers, that it is your wish I should perform those services for which per- quisites are expected. I am perfectly willing to perform any of those services for you, when your ease & convenience require it, upon your request. The will of the people in this city has always been the cri- terion on this point.
"With prayer to God thro' Jesus Christ, that I may have grace to act in this matter according to godliness,
" I subscribe myself, " Your brother in Christ " JOHN BRADY
" Monday Morning
June 27, 1814" $
In this note of inquiry Mr. Jarvis raises a question upon which it would have been of interest to know the opinion of Bishop Hobart.
"RT REV. & DEAR SIR,
" I have been requested to baptize the sick child of a dying woman who is a presbyterian, but whose husband educated a Quaker wishes to have the child baptized by an Episcopal clergyman. She is anxious to have the rite administered before her death as the husband re- gards it as a mere form. But none of her relatives are of our church, and those who have offered to be sponsors are members of the Dutch Church. They are pious persons, and are she informs me fully sensi-
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Letter from Rev. C. Stewart
1814]
ble of the obligations they will be under to educate the child in the doctrines & worship of the Episc. Chh.
" I shall hope to receive your advice in a case of which I know no precedent, and have suspended my attention to her request till I shall know your opinion. I called yesterday for the purpose of stating it "I am, Right Revd & Dear Sir,
to you.
" Yours very respectfully, "SAMUEL F. JARVIS.
"Tuesday morning, "Nov' 22ยช, 1814."
We have already alluded to a letter from the Hon. and Rev. Charles Stewart, in which he asked Bishop Hobart to procure him, if possible, a clergyman or can- didate for Holy Orders to take charge of his mission in Lower Canada during his contemplated visit to England. He at the same time took occasion to point out that no Deacon ordained in the United States, not even if he subsequently received orders from a Canadian Bishop, could legally officiate in his Parish.
From a subsequent letter it appears that Mr. Stewart did not sail for England till August, 1815. The follow- ing letter not only gives the reason for his delay, but is interesting as showing the writer's large-hearted mission- ary spirit.
"ST. ARMAND, LOWER CANADA, "December 7th 1814.
" RIGHT REVEREND SIR,
"I had the honor of exchanging a letter with you a few years ago relative to my procuring a Candidate for Holy Orders, to be appointed to this place, while I made a visit to England. I have continued here ever since that time. At present there is a young man in this neighbourhood whom I expect the Bishop will Ordain in April or May next ; and I hope to go to England in Summer. Various circumstances induce me to propose making a visit to the Mora- vian Settlements on the Coast of Labradore, previous to my going to England.
" I have taken considerable pains to procure Cartwright's Journal
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History of Trinity Church
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of the Labradore Coast, and my friend Mr. Wm. G. Hooker of Middle- bury, Vermont, after making many inquiries for the Book, writes me that he can safely say that he does not think there is a copy of it for sale in America. He informs me, however, that it is in the N. York Society Library, and that he could get the loan of it by depositing forty-eight Dollars, double the price of it. This I should be willing to do, were I certain that the information it contained would be useful to me, and that it is necessary for me to go to this expense in order to get the said copy. Unless it contains considerable information re- specting the United Brethren, I shall be disappointed in giving so much for the perusal of it.
"Under these circumstances, I take the liberty of troubling you on the subject. You will oblige me by examining it as to this head; and if you think that it would be desirable for me to read it prepara- tory to my going to the Labradore Coast, or to assist me in determin- ing on the expediency of such a measure, I would request you to pro- cure it for me in the manner, and on the terms you judge best. As my motive in proposing to go to the Labradore Coast is purely with a view of examining into the system of the U. Brethren in converting the Heathen, and of judging how far it may be desirable to me to apply to them (in London) to extend their settlements to the Straits of Bell- Isle, or to Hudson's Bay, I presume that you and other Directors of the Library will be disposed to assist me in gaining information connected with these objects, and that you will favor me with a loan, at least, of Cartwright's Journal, if you think it will supply me with use- ful information. I wrote lately to London for the book, but as it probably cannot come to Quebec before May, and as that is doubtful, and as I wish much to read it without delay, I make this request of you. If it seem to you advisable to send me the book, be so good as to send it to Mr. Wm. G. Hooker, Middlebury.
" I shall not apologize for giving you this trouble, as I trust it will meet with your approbation. I shall expect the pleasure of hearing from you, and of writing to you again. & I have the honor to be with respect, and esteem, Right Reverend Sir,
" Your obedient Servant " and affectionate Brother in the Lord, "C. STEWART."
In pencil the Bishop has endorsed on the letter the title of the book referred to :
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Letter from the Rev. L. P. Bayard
1814]
" A brief account of the Mission established among the Esquimaux Indians on the West coast of Labrador by one of the Brethren." [The two last lines are too faint to be deciphered.]
The writer of the following letter was an intimate friend of Bishop Hobart and afterwards the first Rector of St. Clement's Church, in this city. His apprehension of the motives of Mr. Cumming was groundless, for that gentleman became a useful and loyal priest of the Church. Bishop Hobart's decision appended to the letter is of special importance as an interpretation of a much discussed rubric.
"NEWARK, 15th Dec". 1814.
" RT. REV. & DEAR SIR,
" It was my desire before I left the city on Monday last to see and converse with you a few minutes on a subject I had neglected to men- tion to you when at your house on Saturday evening. You may remem- ber that I stated to you Mr. Cumming's declaration that several of his people would come with him to the Episcopal Ch : This has been thus far verified that several did attend divine service on Sunday last, but whether permanent pew holders or mere visitors time must show. Now the question I wish to propose to you is this,-Whether there would be any impropriety in admitting any of their communicants (upon their application) to a participation of the sacrament in our Ch. I was at first inclined to think of rejecting all such propositions, un- less accompanied by the assurance that they should be permanent members since they might otherwise use our ordinances merely to suit their own convenience & on the first opportunity that offered leave them again. But I am not satisfied whether this is not prejudging mo- tives which we are not considered to know & depriving ourselves of members which might be thereby firmly attached. Give me your ad- vice on this subject that in case such a question shd arise I may act with due discretion.
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