USA > New York > New York City > A history of the parish of Trinity Church in the city of New York, pt 3 > Part 31
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" The little volume of which I beg the favour of your acceptance, & with whose history I will not now trouble you farther than by a ref- erence to the preface, had with the exception of the first sheet passed through the press when I was first moved by an impulse which I have not much exaggerated in calling it 'irresistible' to inscribe it to your- self, not because I thought it in any respect entitled to your especial notice, or worthy of the authority of your name, but merely as the heart-prompted (however humble) expression of my respect & affection. Until that moment no thought of any dedication had been entertained, and had you been with us probably would not have been. But such was not the case, and under that influence, better felt than described, which is excited by the fond & habitual recollection of 'an absent friend ' the dedication before you, was conceived, penned, & sent to the press. This is 'the head & front ' if any, 'of my offending':
"'En adsum; et veniam, confessus crimina, posco.'
It may be proper to add that there is but a very small edition, that though published on Saturday last the sale is now far advanced, & that the opinion of those whose judgment & taste are scarcely to be questioned has been not altogether unfavourable.
"On Saturday last I rode out with my sisters to your country seat at the 'hills.' The day was fine & the country more fresh & beautiful than I have ever seen it. The season has been unusually moist and cool, the mercury not more than 10 days above summer heat, & only 3 of these very hot. The corn is not quite so far advanced as usual. But with that exception the forests & fields & indeed the whole aspect of the country is beyond conception, verdant & luxuriant. I have never before seen your place to advantage, and I must confess I do not know its equal. The roses have just past their season, but are yet very abundant & beautiful. I no longer wonder at your attachment for it, and am quite convinced of the envi of those who have spoken of the situation as unfavourable to health.
"Your family are in perfect health. Mrs. Hobart was in N. Y. on
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Sunday. The examination of the Senior Class in Col. College com- menced on Monday & your sons are of course much engaged.
"The new 'Rectory' goes on a pace. It will very soon be com- pleted. And if you have not heard you will be surprised to hear it, that from 12 to 20 houses are now erecting on the lots immediately in front of the Park, & many more in the vicinity. Charles Wilkes is building very near you, D. B. Ogden in the rear of your garden, (on Laight St.), Gen! Paulding, Mr. Weeks, Jacob Lorillard &c., &c., very near you. It will be without exception the most delightful portion of the city. I am sorry to say that our excellent friend Mrs. Mackie con- tinues very ill, & will not I fear very long survive. I received a letter last week from Mr. Ives whose health is very good: Mr. Berrian & family now at Weehawken are well. I have only to add that my own family are in good health, & that I am
" very sincerely your Obedt Servt &c., "G. W. DOANE.
"It cannot be necessary for me to say that if your time & con- venience permit nothing could afford me greater pleasure than a letter from you."
The dedication to which Mr. Doane refers reads :
"To the Right Reverend John Henry Hobart, D.D., Bishop of New York (now travelling in Europe), this little Volume, not as merit- ing his Regard, but as the irresistible expression of affectionate re- membrance in absence, and of fervent prayers for his return in health and happiness, is most respectfully dedicated, by his obedient servant and son in the Church, the Author."
We give two more of Dr. H. U. Onderdonk's interest- ing letters :
" NEW YORK, July 7th 1824
"RT. REV & DEAR SIR,
"In my last I mentioned the case of Eleazar Williams as before the Standing Committee. On account of the strong remonstrances of Mr. Anthon and some other scruples they did not pass him for orders, but as himself has desired proposed an investigation of his conduct & character, to be made by Rev. Hollister & Tiffany, & Judge Williams; this he declined, alledging his want of time, & weariness of persecution, &c. I hope the Committee have acted rightly but for myself I should
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have preferred their declining to act in any particular case in your absence, without any reference to the reports concerning W.
"Mr. Berrian mentioned afterwards at the Comee that W. had called at your house & obtained some papers from Mrs. Hobart, letters I think from him to yourself.
" The Comee at their last meeting passed for orders Messrs. Yvon- nett & Whitehouse; and in the case of the Ann St Chh decided to express no opinion as to the sufficiency of the change of their name, but refer it back to the Convention, unless you should return before it meets. The opinion of the Comee was drawn up by Mr. Harison. The Seminary had in agitation the project of building on Mr. Moore's lots, and the Comee on the subject are to report to the Standing Comee this afternoon. Should anything particular be done I will mention it in a P. S. At present I must close. I should not trouble you with so short a letter except to keep you informed of the progress of business. We understand we are to expect you in the fall, & our hopes & our prayers will not be wanting that you may return in safety & with health entirely reestablished. I trust your journies on the Continent have not been so rapid as to be injurious.
"I am, Rt: Rev: Sir, "Very respectfully & affectionately " Your obedt: servt: "HENRY U. ONDERDONK."
" BROOKLYN July 29th 1824.
"RT: REV: & DEAR SIR,
" In the hope that this letter may reach you before you embark, I take the earliest opportunity of giving you an account of the meeting of the Trustees of the Seminary. Four Bishops attend, Bishops White, Kemp, Croes, and Brownell ; Jarvis, Crocker, Croswell, J. Croes, Jr, the four clerical trust: from Phila and Henshaw, also Mr. Kean, & a Mr. Eccleston from Maryland. Mr. Lorillard is elected in place of Mr. Wells, and, put also on the Standing Commit- tee; Mr. Sigourney, of Conn: elected in place of Mr. Johnson re- signed. Otherwise no changes. On motion of Mr. Eccleston, sec- onded by J. Croes Jr., the Resol: of the Stand: Committee taken by you to England was approved,-only one dissenting voice. The arrangements for abolishing the branch school were completed, and they will be carried, I presume, into immediate effect. The board determined to erect buildings on the Moore lots. Dr. Wainwright, (who has just been to Geneva, and transacted some business relative
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to the abolition of the branch school) came out in full for a city loca- tion of the Seminary, having understood in the West that the missiona- ries who have been brought up in the City Seminary were as much as any, or more devoted to their duties, & contented in their hardships. Bp. Brownell also stated that though once in doubt as to a city loca- tion, he now so far acceded to it as to esteem it worthy of a fair experi- ment, say of 20 years ;- and he also spoke in commendation of the clergy who had been educated in the Seminary,-part of them since it has been in New York. Bps. White & Kemp spoke decisively in pref- erence of a city-education, whether for general or ecclesiastical pur- poses. Nothing I believe was said directly against the city location, & the Resolution expressing the general principle that it is expedient to build on Mr. Moore's lots passed unanimously. Ten thousand dollars for the purpose are to be raised by contribution, & when that is done the same sum is to be given from the funds.
"The Trustees are to request the bishops to take into considera- tion & adopt a remedy for the short term of the residence of the students, that is at the Seminary: the meaning is, that the Bishops, Bp. Kemp particularly who was anxious for something of the kind, may turn the contributions of any diocese for a local school into the general one. Bp. K. wished at first to have diocesan societies auxiliary to the General Seminary; but several gentlemen thought these socie- ties might prove a nucleus for diocesan schools.
"July 31st, Yesterday was brought up again the project of direct- ing the professors to revise the course of study so that the Senior Class should attend Turner. It was just at the close of the session, and there had evidently been caucusing on the subject, extending to some of your best friends, but not to me,-nay, I was taken wholly by surprise, as the faculty had reported on the first day that they were 'not prepared ' to report any change in the course of study. These words as I then found were sly enough, but I did not perceive it at first. The original motion on the subject was to recommend to the Faculty to make the Senior Class attend to the Interpretation of Scripture; it was then proposed to amend so that the Faculty should consider the propriety of this, I moved farther that the Faculty should do so when their Board became complete, this was vehemently opposed by the Rev. Mover, who, how- ever, afterwards either shifted like a weather-cock, or else had not understood plain English, though every one else did & stated his entire accordance in the proposition that the Faculty should not act till Bp. Hobart had returned, in a few minutes by some turn in the debate, I was led to expose his inconsistency, and that pretty plainly. He was
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Letter from Mr. Stanford 349
mortified, denied any reference to yourself in oppos: my amendt, & told me afterwards that my construction of his views was entirely "gratui- tous." I have since spoken to two bishops & others present who allow that I was entirely correct in imputing inconsistency to him; as to warmth, or earnestness there was enough on both sides. My own was occasioned by the necessity of sparing nothing to defeat a measure whh I thought would be very unacceptable to yourself. In the course of the debate, it was moved to make the Interpretation of Scripture, by an absolute vote a part of the Senior studies. This was only defeated by the negative of the Bishops, Bp. Croes calling for the separate vote.
"With ardent prayers for your safe return & entire reestablishment of health.
" I am most truly and affectionately, " Your obed Serv
" H. U. ONDERDONK.
"The final issue of the above matter was to direct the Faculty to consider and revise the course of study, and to report to the next meeting of the Trustees."
Mr. Thomas Stanford keeps his Rector and friend fully informed as to parochial matters :
"NEW YORK July 16th 1824
"RT. REV! & DR SIR
"I avail myself of a moment of leisure to write you a line by the Canada, which will sail in an hour. I am the more induced to this from the apprehension that your other friends have neglected you of late; or else they have found some more agreeable medium for the transmission of their letters.
" The last intelligence of you with which we have been favoured was contained in a letter from Mr. Miller, which covered one from you to Mrs. Hobart written at Rome. This I immediately forwarded to your seat. Mr. Miller's letter gave me no particulars of your visit to the Continent; and as Mrs. Hobart is so far distant we are unable to conjecture about your health.
"We hope most earnestly that you have derived benefit from your tour & that you will be restored to us in perfect health. Your best friends hope that you will defer your return until after the Equinoxial storm shall have passed. Another strong reason with me is, the fear, that, if you return so early as some pretend to say you will, (that is in
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season to attend the Convention,) you will plunge at once into a sea of business & of care which may possibly throw you back to your former state of feebleness & debility. Another & a strong one is that you had better stay in England long enough to visit every place of interest. You may never again cross the Atlantic; therefore, there is no occa- sion for your precipitate return. In making up your mind on the subject, it may be a satisfaction for you to know that your parish & diocese are in the most tranquil & prosperous condition. Peace & harmony as far as I know prevail every where, & it really appears to me that there is no consideration of sufficient importance to warrant your foregoing the gratification to be derived from a prolongation of your visit. Mr. Onderdonk, who is with me at this moment joins me in an earnest persuasion that you will make your arrangements so as to avoid the meeting of the Convention. I had the happiness to re- ceive a most interesting letter from Mr. Norris, in acknowledgment of mine to him & of 'Presbyter's Letter.' I was not pleased to find Mr. Wheaton's influence likely to effect the suppression of that pamphlet, & most sincerely happy that it did not prevail. In a few days I will send a dozen of another pamphlet on the same subject by a vessel direct for London. Both these pamphlets, in justice to yourself must be circulated. In the event of your determination not to return im- mediately, you will oblige several of your friends by answering the following question: Did Bp. Brownell write a 2ª letter to Bp. Chace, & if so was that letter placed into his hands before he left America ? This fact which we believe to be true is denied by his champions at Cincinnati, & is not admitted by Bp. Brownell himself, he, rather Yankee like, evading the question when written to on the subject by Mr. Onderdonk. If you will not consider me too bold may I ask another: Did Bp Chace circulate his pamphlets before you issued your letter of the 13th Nov? This is also denied. It affords me pleasure to inform you that at the recent convention held in Maryland resolutions were passed disavowing any participancy in the declarations & sentiments expressed in the circular of Washington College to the British nation.
" Your Sermons are going rapidly on. One Vol is done & the 2d is § advanced. Creigin being in ill health we were compelled to em- ploy Coates who is not the best hand.
" Mr. Schroeder gives general satisfaction & appears to be a most exemplary & amiable man. Bp. Brownell is mortified beyond all things at his refusal to accept the Professorship of Antient Literature in Wash" College which was offered him with a sallary of $1500 P an-
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num, & appartments in the College. Mr. Onderdonk pays him the most marked attention, which has been very agreeable to the people.
" I have now Rt. Revd & D' Sir I fear completely exhausted your patience by my long epistle. I will therefore merely add that in gen- eral your friends are well. Mrs. McKie is near her end.
" Most affectionately Yrs., " THOS N. STANFORD."
The Bishop terminated his first visit to the Continent in July, 1824, returning direct to England from Italy.
CHAPTER XIII.
HOBART CORRESPONDENCE.
PART VI .- PERIOD DURING HIS VISIT TO EUROPE, FROM HIS RETURN TO ENGLAND AFTER HIS FIRST VISIT TO THE CONTINENT TO HIS SAILING FOR AMERICA (JULY 25, 1824, TO SEPTEMBER I, 1825).
Bishop Hobart on his Return to England is Guest of Archbishop of Canterbury- Witnesses Consecration of Two Bishops-Writes to Lord Dalhousie-Letter from Rev. J. H. Spry, August 2, 1824-The Bishop's Poor Health-His Account of it to his Wife-Visits the Lake District-Letter from Robert Southey-Bishop's Reply- Letter from Mr. Berrian, September 7, 1824-And September 16, 1824-Bishop Writes Mr. Berrian September, 7, 1824-Writes to his Daughters September 20 1824- Letters from H. U. Onderdonk-Thomas N. Stanford-Cornelius R. Duffie-Samuel H. Turner-Bishop Goes to Switzerland-His Letter to his Wife from Basle-And to Mr. Berrian from Venice-Letter from William Atwater Clark-Formation of All Saints Church as a Free Church-The Bishop Reaches Rome-Preaches in the English Chapel-On Behalf of the Waldenses-His Sermon Published-Letter from Thomas Swords-From James Ambrosi-R. B. Radcliffe-Rev. Hugh James Rose-Friend- ships Formed at Rome-With Hugh James Rose-Bunsen-Lord St. Vincent-Lord Sandon-Lord Bute and others-Letter to Lord Sandon-Letter from Cicognani- The Bishop Writes to Countess Survilliers-To Lord St. Vincent-Letter from Lord St. Vincent-To Lord Sandon-Letter from Bishop Jolly to Bishop Luscombe-Letter to the Bishop from Samuel F. Jarvis-The Bishop's Friendship with the Chevalier Bunsen-The Waldenses-The Bishop's Interest in Them-His Visit to Them-His Letter from Chevalier Bunsen-The Bishop Leaves Rome-The Bishop Stays at Geneva-His Letter to Mr. Dash-To Mr. Berrian-The Bishop's Return to England -Letter from Rev. R. Bridle-Letter of Thomas N. Stanford to Dr. Schroeder on the Presentation of the Bishop to the King-Presentation Improbable-Letter of Bishop Inglis to Bishop Hobart on the Subject-Letter from Lord Grenville-The Bishop's Reply-His Letter to Mr. Rufus King-The Bishop's Last Letter in England Ad- dressed to the Poet Laureate.
O N the Bishop's return to England, in June, he was the guest of the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr. Charles Manners Sutton), and had the unusual privilege, as well as pleasure, of witnessing, on July 25th, the consecration
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Consecrations at Lambeth
in Lambeth Chapel of Dr. William Hart Coleridge, as Bishop of Barbadoes, and Dr. Christopher Lipscomb, as Bishop of Jamaica.
This was the first service in Lambeth Chapel at which an American Bishop attended since the Fifth Rector of this Parish was consecrated Bishop in 1787 within its historic precincts.
The Archbishop of Canterbury was assisted by the Bishop of London, Dr. Howley, the Bishop of Lincoln, Dr. George Pelham, and the Bishop of Llandaff, Dr. Van Mildert.
The first consecration in which an American Bishop took an actual part was that of Dr. Jackson, when conse- crated Bishop of Lincoln, May 5, 1853, when Dr. Mc- Ilvaine, Bishop of Ohio, was present and assisted.
The present Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. David- son, whose visit to these shores marks an era in the His- tory of the Church of England, since it is the first occasion that an Archbishop of England has set precedent at de- fiance and crossed the Atlantic, derives his succession in part from our American Episcopate, since Dr. Whipple was one of his consecrators, April 25, 1891, when the Bishop of Minnesota also took part in the consecration of the learned and brilliant Dr. Creighton as Bishop of Peter- borough, whose death was such a loss to Christendom.
" This was," says the Bishop, "somewhat of a privilege ; for the consecration is performed, according to long custom, but I think in- judiciously, in the private chapel of the Archbishop at Lambeth, where but few persons can be accommodated. Not more than a dozen except the Archbishop's family, and the necessary Bishops and Clergy, were present. I attended service in the afternoon; and dined with the Archbishop, in company with the attending Bishops and those newly consecrated. The office of consecration is the same as ours. And the whole solemnity was rendered the more interesting to me, from the recollection that a predecessor of the present Archbishop VOL. III .- 23.
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had in the same place conveyed the apostolical authority to our first Bishops.
" In walking through the grounds at Lambeth before dinner the Archbishop who was as kind and attentive as any man could possibly be, reminded me, that the walk in which we then were was that in which Lord Chancellor Clarendon and Archbishop Laud took frequent counsels in those troublous times in which the latter suffered as a martyr. 'These are some of the associations that render many places in this country interesting.'"
Hearing that Lord Dalhousie, whose acquaintance he had made at Montreal when that nobleman had been Governor General of Canada, was now in England, the Bishop wrote him :
" LONDON July 30 1824
" MY LORD,
"On my return from the Continent a few days since, I understood from the Rev D' Inglis that your Lordship had arrived in Gr: Britain, & that you are at Dalhousie Castle. I hasten to make my best acknowledgments for your great kindness in spending time amidst arduous cares & duties, for writing & transmitting to me several letters of introduction to your friends in Scotland. They unfortun- ately however did not arrive until after I had made a visit to that country with the intention however of repeating it the present season. The indisposition of Lord Belville, & the absence as I was informed of Lord Beresford on the Continent & of Lord Suffield from the city prevented me from availing myself of your Lordship's letters of introduction to them. And my visit to Harrow for which you had furnished me with such valuable facilities I postponed until the present season when I supposed I should view it to most advantage ; & now Dr. Inglis informs me that Mr Temple has gone with your Lordship to Dalhousie Castle.
"I cannot refrain from again expressing to you my great sensi- bility for those attentions wh I have rec'd from you, wh tho' often matters of course have in the present instance been enhanced in value & peculiarly grateful from the manner & the circumstances under which they have been conferred.
"I purpose to leave London in a day or two on a visit to the Lakes & to Scotland. And should your Lordship be at Dalhousie
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Letter from Rev. J. H. Spry
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Castle, I hope to be permitted to assure you in person with what truth & respect,
" I am your " most obld & obd' Serv' " J. H. HOBART.
" THE RT HON: " THE EARL OF DALHOUSIE "
The letter from Lord Dalhousie to which the Bishop refers, is also among the Hobart MSS. and is dated Montreal, 13 September, 1823.
The Rev. J. H. Spry before leaving Birmingham for London wrote to the Bishop this appreciative letter :
" BIRMINGHAM, August 2. 1824 " REVP AND DEAR SIR,
" Be assured that I feel deeply sensible of the kindness which you have always shewn me, in considering me as one of those friends whom you have honoured by sending them copies of your valuable works : and that I received the two volumes of your Sermons with great satis- faction: convinced before, and now rendered doubly certain by the kind expressions contained in your letter of the 24th Ult. that neither the continual engagements, nor the many unfortunate interruptions of your pleasure and comfort which have attended your visit to this country, would alter your feelings to them, whom before your arrival you had honoured with your notice. I have read some of the Sermons in your two volumes with great attention, and pleasure ; and hope to find time to finish the volumes. Hereby they afford a sufficient answer to the adversaries who have ventured to include you in the calumnious aspersions thrown out against many of us on this side the water, that no Clergy preach the Gospel but themselves. But I believe that the majority of the Church of England, and in that major- ity not a few of the wise and good may I hope be included, have long ceased to require any answer to that calumny. As for others who have long been brayed in the mortar of controversy, and have come out much as they went in, to give an answer to them is a most unprofitable task : for tho' they ask it, they will not hear it ; and if they hear it, they either cannot or will not understand it. But whatever harm they may have done, or can do, they have at least produced one effect which is very interesting to all ; in that they have made us all better
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acquainted with the real sentiments and doctrines of the soundest part of our Sister Church in America, by forcing her to speak for herself, thro' the medium of her authorities.
"I look forward with great pleasure to the chance of seeing you here; and to facilitate this object I now write to say that we shall cer- tainly be stationary here till after the 22nd of this month, and probably till the end of it. Then all the discomforts of a removal will begin to press upon me: for the Bishop of London wishes me to be there in the month of October, and it will take the greater part of the month of September to wind up my affairs here, and to loosen the bonds of duties both civil and ecclesiastical which have bound me to this place for eleven years. I am much obliged by the flattering manner in which you speak of my preferment. I trust it will place me in a situation where some good may be done; and it has been bestowed in a manner which has gratified me ten times more than any contemplation of ad- vantages which may result from the change.
"Hoping soon to have the pleasure of seeing you, and convers- ing on many subjects which I do not like to trust to my pen, I remain
" My dear Sir " Yours most faithfully and affectly
" J. H. SPRY."
Incessant travelling did not improve the Bishop's health. Since his arrival in England on October 30th, 1823, he had been continually on the move : had visited London thrice ; journeyed through parts of England, Scot- land, France, and Italy ; and in August, 1824, we find him at Manchester on his way to the Lakes. It is small wonder, therefore, that his letter to his wife at this date does not give an encouraging account of his health.
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