USA > New York > New York City > A history of the parish of Trinity Church in the city of New York, pt 3 > Part 34
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47
378
History of Trinity Church
[1825-
"I beg, Sir, that in all cases you will fully command me; for although I am deprived of the honour of Serving the United States in the public Capacity they had appointed me, I am not deprived of the ability and disposition to render all the services in my power to you, and the Citizens of that Nation, and to accept the assurance of the high consideration with which I have the honour to be
" Sir, " Your mo: Obt & Hble Servt " JAMES AMBROSI.
" to " THE RIGHT REVD. J. H. HOBART Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of New York, Rome."
While at Rome the Bishop made many excursions, visiting Naples, Vesuvius, Herculaneum, Pompeii, Ostia, Frascati, Grotto Ferrata, the ruins of Tusculum, and other points of interest. The following letter belongs to this period, being written in 1825 :
" MY DEAR SIR,
"Cooke has just forwarded your note to me. Respecting the pro- posed visit to Vesuvius, I shall be most happy to have the pleasure of your company, and the society of Dr. Ricie would be an additional gratification. As then there appears no necessity for hurrying our arrangements, and as you have already had some conversation with Dr. R. on the subject, shall we postpone our excursion until Monday ? I leave the decision entirely to yourself, & should you prefer making the ascent to-day, only send me a line to that effect, and I will make such arrangements as my inexperience will allow. The main advan- tage of delay rests on this. Cooke whose advice would materially assist us, is engaged at an early hour this morning, & will be out of the reach of all application. On his return he will I am sure aid to the utmost.
" Allow me to subscribe myself with much respect, my dear Sir, " Yours very truly,
" R. B. RADCLIFFE,
" HOTEL DE LA VICTOIRE.
Thursday morn:"
379
Letter to Lord Sandon
1825]
The Rev. Hugh James Rose was another friend whom the Bishop made while at Rome. In the Hobart MSS. there are several notes from Mr. Rose to the Bishop, proving how intimate were the relations between them : informal invitations to dinner or tea, plans for excursions, and just that interchange of little notes which prove the intimacy of friendship.
Mr. Rose found in the Bishop a sympathetic mind, and it would be curious to speculate how much the founder of the Oxford Movement was influenced by Bishop Hobart, or how much the American was influ- enced by the Englishman. Two such strong minds must have had in their frank interchange of opinions a great influence upon each other. Certainly the Bishop came back to America with feelings and sentiments heightened rather than weakened in regard to the Catholic and Apostolic character of the Church in America.
At Rome Bishop Hobart formed friendships with several prominent personages : Lord and Lady Bute, the Chevalier Bunsen, Lord and Lady St. Vincent, the Coun- tess de Survilliers, Lord Sandon, and others of equal rank and importance.
Lord Sandon was a nobleman of influence and posi- tion. His brother, the Honble Henry Rider, was at that time Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. To the former the Bishop writes on the relative merits of English and American preachers.
"ROME, Jany, 21.
MY LORD,
"In the free conversation to which your frank & kind manner excited me I made a remark which I am apprehensive may be misun- derstood. In answer to a suggestion of your Lordship's that probably the state of society in the United States was not so favorable to literary excellence, I expressed the opinion of the superiority of the pulpit eloquence of that country over that of England; I did not mean to
CH
380
History of Trinity Church
[1825-
apply the observation to the solid qualities of that art, but merely to the mode of exhibiting those qualities in the matter, the arrangement & the general style & delivery of sermons, so as to produce the greatest impression on a mixed auditory. And even with this meaning I should not have made the remark but in course of a candid comparison of the character & effects of the institutions of the two countries with wh your Lordship seemed gratified. And I fear that the observation if known to others would subject me to the imputation of those inordi- nate claims, of which justly or unjustly my countrymen are sometimes accused.
" I ask pardon for this intrusion, & beg leave to remain,
" My Lord, "yr very respectful " & obedt Servant " J. H. HOBART."
Dr. Schroeder, in his Memoir, tells us that the Bishop of New York refused to be introduced to the Pope, since he could not conscientiously render the customary act of obeisance.
That he attended Roman Catholic functions we have every reason to believe, and this letter from Signor Cicognani confirms this belief.
" RIGHT REV" AND DEAR SIR
"I enclose a letter to you, which I received by to day's Post. Next Saturday morning the Pope will go to the visitation of St. Peter's and of some of the churches in the neighbourhood accompanied by twelve Cardinals representing the Apostles and seventy-two Pilgrims representing the Disciples, and after the visitation will sit with them at a public dinner in the Vatican Palace. I give you this information, as I suppose you will attend. I believe, they will meet at the Sistine Chapel between nine and ten. I have the honour to be
"Very respectfully yours, " F. CICOGNANI. "Thursday, March 24th."
The following is the rough copy of the letter which the Bishop addressed to the Countess Survilliers, whose ac-
38t
Letter to Lord St. Vincent
1825]
quaintance M. Ambrosi suggested, as we have seen, that he should endeavor to make.
"Dr. Hobart, the Protest Bp. of N. Y., U. S. of A. has the honor of presenting his respectful complts to Madame la Countess Survilliers. As he was informed that the Countess Survilliers did not speak the English language, & as he is not sufficiently acquainted with the Italian or the French to hold or to understand a conversation in those lan- guages, he found himself compelled to ask the favor of the Consul of the U. S. to explain this circumstance as an apology for sending a letter which it would have given Dr. H. the greatest pleasure to have delivered. As he learns however from the person whom the Countess was so good as to direct to call on him, that the daughter of the Countess speaks the English language, Dr. H. will do himself the honor of waiting on her on Monday between 12 & one o'clock.
"Dr. H. begs to renew to the Countess Survilliers his respectful Complts.
" ROME, Feb: 5, 1825."
While at Rome, Lord St. Vincent, the nephew of Nel- son's colleague, and his wife had been very attentive to the Bishop of New York, and he accordingly wrote them a polite note on the eve of his departure from that city, the copy of which he carefully preserved :
" MY LORD,
" I cannot leave Rome wh I expect to do in a few days for the north of Italy & thence to Eng: without expressing my thanks for the many kind & unaffected civilities which I have rec'd frm you, of wh I shall cherish a long & grateful recollection.
" Will your Lordship permit me to say that it will afford me unfeigned pleasure to shew such attention as may be in my power to any persons visiting N: Y: whom you do me the honor of making known to me.
"I beg you to present my most respectful Complts to Lady St. Vin- cent, & to believe that I am, my Lord,
" with high respect & esteem
" very faithfully yrs.
" J. H. HOBART
" ROME, 7th Feby, 1825.
" VISCOUNT ST. VINCENT."
382
History of Trinity Church
[1825-
To this note of farewell the Bishop received the fol- lowing cordial reply :
" MY DEAR SIR
" Lady St. Vincent & I have learnt from your note with no small degree of concern that you intend so shortly to leave this part of Italy. Tho' meaning ourselves to visit Naples as soon as the present cold is a little abated we had flattered ourselves that we should find you on our return.
" We have much reason to regret that we were prevented by circum- stances from having the pleasure of seeing you in England.
"Should any of my friends visit your part of America, I feel that I could not render them a greater kindness than by giving them a letter of introduction to you, and I am fully sensible that it would be well received.
"I will not despair of meeting you in England before your departure.
"Should you visit Southampton, I hope that you will make use of the note which accompanies this for my friend Ld Bechford. He is a most amiable and sensible man, and his sons who are usually with him are of the same description.
"Lady St. Vincent begs to unite with me in best wishes for your health & happiness, " I am ever my Dear Sir,
" Most faithfully yours,
"ST. VINCENT.
" ROME, Feby 9 1825
" P. S. I have also taken the liberty of enclosing a note for a very particular friend of mine, Lord Pelham, who resides at Kingston in Surry.
" He is much respected by the Bishop of London, and is well known to Lord Ricketts."
To his friend Lord Sandon, the Bishop also wrote, announcing his approaching departure.
" MY LORD,
" I regret exceedingly that having left my lodgings yesterday early in the morning, I did not return until too late in the evening to avail myself of Lady Bute's politeness or to acknowledge the honour of hav- ing rec'd your note. May I beg you to apologise to Lady Bute for this apparent inattention.
383
Letter to Lord Sandon
1825]
"Expecting to leave Rome on Friday for the North of Italy & from thence to England I hope your Lordship will permit me to take this opportunity of thanking you for your civilities & of saying that I shall return to my republican country with the best possible im- pressions of those of the nobility of England with whom I have been so fortunate as to form an acquaintance.
" If the request be not presuming or improper may I ask the favor of a letter of introduction to your Lordship's brother, the Lord Bishop of Litchfield & Coventry, to whom I was casually introduced at a Confirmation which he held at Birmingham, but perhaps not so as would authorise me to pay my respects to his Lordship by calling on him on my return to England.
" And will you allow me to say that I shall consider it a great honor to have any of your Lordship's friends who may visit the United States made known to me in the city of New York to wh I return in the course of the ensuing summer.
" I am, my Lord, " With high respect & esteem, "Most faithfully yrs., "J. H. HOBART.
" ROME, "Feb: 9."
We venture to reproduce the following letter ; though it does not refer to Bishop Hobart or American affairs, a MS. copy of it is curiously enough among the Hobart MSS., and is of historic interest.
Bishop Luscombe, to whom the letter was written, was an Englishman, consecrated in 1825 by the Scottish Church, because the Bishops of the Church of England could not act. He was to have charge of the Chaplaincies in Europe, and also to do what might be done to pro- mote an amicable understanding with the Greek Orthodox Churches.
" FRASERBURG, Feb. 17, 1825
" REVEREND (ABOUT TO BE RT. REV") SIR, MY DEAR BROTHER,
"With fraternal emotions of my heart I received and read the kindly-condescending letter with which you have honoured me. The
SW
: 21
384
History of Trinity Church
[1825-
favour of it I highly value; & it delights me to have in my possession your hand-writing, which I confess that of late I have repeatedly seen.
" About an hour before I received it (on the 15th) I had sent off by the Post two letters, of both of which you & your pious desire made the subject. When I wrote them, little did I think of reporting my words to you, or of their coming under your eye. But since I cannot now deny myself the honour of writing to you (altho' it be shameful to make you pay for it) I will insert my very words, that I may in simplicity disclose my heart to you, which shall ever sincerely be with you.
"To my excellent & very dear Friend, Mr. Walker (of whom, a most worthy man as he is, I was glad to discover that you had heard) I wrote as follows, after telling him that my good neighbour Bishop Torry had given his suffrage, & that I hoped for full unanimity, 'Upon the grand design in contemplation (which, I trust, comes from Heaven, & tends, by Divine conduct, to enlarge the kingdom of Heaven upon earth) my heart, with its earnest prayers, has been a constant attendant. I greatly wonder therefore that the Primus seems to doubt of my consent, as his desiring you to write me would seem to imply. My cordial consent was ready for the 2nd Sunday in Lent much more for the 5th (Passion Sunday).'
"To our Venerable Primus himself, who had requested me to confer with my two Right Reve Neighbours, I wrote thus after advert- ing to the Canonical doubts & consequential misconstructions of our Adversaries (the good Archbishop, in friendly terms, having observed that we had our enemies). 'But no such must move us, nor any dreaded difficulties make us decline a good work of hopeful tendency to enlarge the Kingdom of Christ, which our Lord, we trust, has put into our hands. The good Doctor's own statement of it pleases me best. Who, desiring the office of a Bishop, for the accomplishment of a good work, (and that species of its desire is breathed into the heart by Him, from whom all holy desires, as well as all good counsels & just works, do proceed) resorts in humble guise, to receive it from the humble Church in Scotland, and being supernumerary there is sent abroad, that he may look & go about, like the Lord who sends him, to do all the good he can ; and He will be with him, according to his in- fallible promise to guide him by the works of Grace to the Crown of Glory. It is in this sweet hope that I rejoice & wish that I could give my hand as well as my heart to the work, which I pray God to prosper for the Glory of his Name.'
" By these undisguised words, very unexpectedly communicated,
-
385
Letter from Rev. S. F. Jarvis
1825]
you may perceive how my heart beats toward you. It is wonderfully good on your side to have in your heart the thought of coming to honour us with your visit at this remote point. But do not, my good Doctor, entertain it, to your own too great expense of trouble & time. Besides I might run the risk of missing it, because, before Easter, we shall be all closely engaged, you there, & we here, at our several posts; and soon after I go my little round (D. V.) for Confirmation. I have heard that you are expected in Ed! on Tuesday preceding your Con- secration. Our hearts shall all be with you, & we shall rejoice in the acquisition of such a Brother, whose pious zeal shall stimulate us to greater diligence to seek for Christ's sheep that are dispersed abroad, to tend, & feed his flock, in the spirit of Love, meek, & lowly.
"But pardon my writing thus freely, and as it were, familiarly.
"With fervent good-will & high esteem I have the honour to be, Dear Worthy Doctor,
" Your very affectionate Brother (let me say) & most respectful humble Servant,
(Signed) " ALEXANDER JOLLY "
Dr. Jarvis, then Rector of St. Paul's Church, Boston, a man of great and ready learning, was a frequent corre- spondent of the Bishop. All his letters are full of thought, but we select only this one :
" BOSTON March 5th 1825.
" RIGHT REVEREND & DEAR SIR,
"I had the pleasure to receive your very obliging favour of the 17th of September, early in the Winter and should have acknowledged it, if I had known where to direct to you. A letter from Mr. Horne received in January mentioned that you were expected in Lon- don this month, and this is the first opportunity direct from Boston since I recd this information.
"As Bishop Chase has returned to this country and says, there is no doubt that his school will go into operation, I am very de- sirous that such a direction should be given to the whole business as may promote the general good. You know that from the first I have been opposed to Diocesan seminaries ; and my principal reason for it is and has been this :- that there can be no permanent security for the sound principles of such an institution, unless the Bishops as a body have that control over it which by the Constitution of our Church is VOL. III .- 25.
386
History of Trinity Church
[1825-
secured to them in their collective but not in their individual capacity. You for example have no veto over the proceedings of your convention and though there is no danger at present of any evil from this yet there may be a time when the Bishop of New York may be unable to counteract the proceedings of the Clergy and Laity as was Bishop Kemp when his convention voted to establish a Diocesan Semy in di- rect opposition to his wishes. The case is different in the Gen1 Con- vention. There the House of Bishops have a complete veto and consequently no measures can be taken with regard to a Seminary under the General Jurisdiction without their concurrence. This applies to Bishop Chase' Seminary as well as to that formerly estab- lished by the Convention of New York. The ability and influence of the present Bishop may keep it regular and orthodox ; but his suc- cessor may have a different character. I hope therefore there will be a disposition on all sides to forgive and forget the unhappy controversy which has arisen, and that now such a modification may be made of our system as to induce Bp. Chase to place the Seminary in Ohio under the direction and control of the Gen1 Convention.
"Before this reaches you Bp. Ravenscroft's Sermon before the Bible Society of North Carolina will have been received or some ac- count of it sent from New York. It occasions I understand a good deal of excitement. But there is a subject connected with it which the Bishop has not touched upon and which I confess gives me no little uneasiness. I refer to the improvements which our printers in this country are making upon the Bible, under the false maxim that the Bible is to be its own interpreter-all the marginal readings and refer- ences, the summaries of the several chapters the running titles at the top of the page together with the Dedication of the English Bible are omitted.
"What security can we have for the correctness of our Bibles when any printer has the right of printing the Bible without any au- thorized & responsible corrector of the press. Will it not then be ex- pedient to obtain from Messrs Eyre and Strachan, or Mr. Collingwood, a set of stereotype plates in 8vo. & 12mo, carefully compared with the edition which our Convention have made the Standard? Should such a set of plates be obtained for the Bible & Common Prayer Book Society of New York, or should we form a Gen1 Bible & Common Prayer Book Society, it would do more to withdraw the members of our Church from the American Bible Society than any other measures. I mention this because it will be in your power, Right Rev. & dear Sir, to ascer- tain whether a set of plates can be had so cheap as to render it an ob-
387
Letter from Rev. S. F. Jarvis
1825]
ject to obtain them. With regard to accuracy there can be no question that a stereotype edition from the Clarendon Press or Eyre & Strachan would always obtain the preference in the market over every other.
"We are very much interested in Boston by a trial now pending between the Rector & wardens of King's Chapel. Application has been made to the Bishop of London to search for papers in the ar- chives of that see ; and I find by a letter from Mr. Horne, that the Bishop of London has very kindly & courteously permitted a search to be made.
"As there may be papers concerning the value of whh they are ig- norant it would be a great benefit to the Church, if you should have the goodness to look over such bundles as may contain papers relative to American affairs. This, I understand from Mr. Horne, the Bishop of London would be willing to have done. I have written at large upon the subject to Mr. Horne, and shall feel greatly obliged if you will take an interest in the affair. I cannot conclude without express- ing my cordial congratulations at the marriage of your daughter which I see by the papers has lately taken place. Mrs. Jarvis desires to be united with me in offering these felicitations, and in expressing our hopes that you will soon be able to return to America. It would gratify us much if you should take passage for Boston ; but that we can hardly expect since New York is now the chief point of communi- cation with Liverpool. I write this by James Perkins, Esqr, an opu- lent merchant of this city who goes to Europe with his wife in hope of relieving her by an entire change of scene, from the oppression of her grief on account of the loss of her oldest child a promising boy of 10 or II. Mrs. Perkins is a religious woman, and would be entirely gratified if you should be pleased to call upon her while in London. I will for this purpose give Mr. Perkins a note of introduction which he will have the honour of presenting when he arrives in London. Mr. P. belongs to Dr. Gardiner's congregation but as Mrs. P's connections are of mine, and she herself looks upon me as in some measure her minister. It will gratify me, Right Revd & dear Sir, to hear from you when you will return, and whether it will be with renovated health,
"In the meantime, I remain, " With great respect " Very truly & affectionately yours, "SAML F. JARVIS.
" THE RIGHT REVEREND BISHOP HOBART."
Mr. Thomas N. Stanford continues to keep the Bishop well informed.
388
History of Trinity Church
[1825-
"NEW YORK, April 17, 1825. "RT. REVP & DR SIR,
"I cannot find language, Rt. Revd & D' Sir, sufficient to express my gratitude for your most affectionate letter of the Ist of Feby, which was placed in my hands by Mr. Butler on Sunday last. It was indeed a cordial of the most effective & soothing kind to both Miss Gale & myself, who are alone left of a once numerous & most inter- esting family of your devoted friends. Your endearing solicitude & fatherly sympathy will ever be held in fond remembrance, & it will be our aim to continue to be deserving of that interest & affection which you so freely evince.
" Arch Deacon Mountain (who has spent several days in N. Y. & with whom we are all charmed) promises to be the bearer of this letter. He hopes to meet you in England & if so, I hope he will acknowledge that nothing has been wanting to make his visit amongst us agreeable. He has preached in our three churches & in Grace, & delighted his hearers. I specially invited him to the Sunday School celebration, which was more interesting than usual owing to the large number of children assembled at St. Paul's. Mr. Eastburn gave us a good ad- dress, in which he came manfully forward in favour of our design, & of the propriety & indeed the necessity of Churchmen uniting together in institutions of this kind, & of keeping separate altogether from those of other denominations.
" I went immediately to Mrs. Hobart with your letter, & the pleas- ure which the perusal of it imparted to all your family could not be ex- ceeded, except by your own actual presence. That your health is materially bettered by your continuance abroad, is a source of real gratification, & the fact has been communicated to your friends throughout city & country.
"It is my happiness again to assure you of the peace & pros- perity of our Diocese. It will perhaps surprise you to hear that Mr. McIlvaine is now one of your Presbyters. He has accepted the Chap- laincy of West Point. Hopes are entertained that he will there be useful, as he has become much more governable than formerly.
" Your clergy throughout the State as far as my information ex- tends are zealously & usefully employed ; & you will find pleasure in the assurance which I think I can safely communicate, that you will on your return find nothing to give you either pain or uneasiness.
" Mr. Norris writes me that Ld. Kenyon either wholly denies, or evades an acknowledgment of the slander of which he was guilty in his letter to Bp. Chace. Of the fact, however, that he actually communi-
389
The Waldenses
1825]
cated the very sentiments of which I apprised both your self & Mr. Norris there are here many witnesses.
"The Rev. Mr. Searle, formerly Chaplain in the Navy, a most ex- cellent & exemplary clergyman, has settled at Buffalo. He is a very popular preacher & will no doubt be a valuable acquisition to your body of clergy. There are several churches nearly ready for Conse- cration in the West. Enquiries are often made when you are to return & much anxiety is expressed, lest they may be used before you can re- turn. The Ohio Seminary is to be located on Allum Creek about 12 miles from Columbus. Therefore Bp. Chace' Farm is not to be worked up in this institution as was first supposed. Dr. Onderdonk who is present while I am writing desires me to give you his affectionate re- membrance & to say that St. Ann's will be ready for Consecration about the Ist of July & that a Confirmation is wished as soon after as you may appoint. St. Thomas' and St. Mary's also in this City will also be ready about the same time.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.