USA > New York > New York City > A history of the parish of Trinity Church in the city of New York, pt 3 > Part 9
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N the custody of the Registrar of the General Con- vention there is a collection of nearly three thousand loose letters apart from those which are bound in small volumes; these letters constitute the correspondence of Bishop Hobart. The importance and value of these documents can hardly be overestimated; it is greatly to be regretted that the whole of the original corre- spondence has not been preserved. The letters remain- ing cover a great variety of matters. They reveal the inmost feelings of the writer, and throw light on the actions and underlying motives of the Bishop. By their
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History of Trinity Church
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aid we are enabled to understand the early history of parishes now great and flourishing ; to trace the origin of societies and institutions now in the forefront of the or- ganizations of the American Church, and to comprehend the causes of vexatious disputes which long ago agitated the minds of men. The current of religious opinion in the days of that memorable Episcopate is distinctly trace- able, and the trend of thought which led to the "Oxford Movement." We find drafts of answers to letters on matters concerning diocesan and parochial affairs : in short the correspondence is a treasure house of informa- tion about the state of the Church in the opening days of the nineteenth century.
The value of this collection-which should be some- time published in full-is due of course to the unique position of Dr. Hobart, and his relations to so wide a circle of persons at that time. Rector of Trinity Parish ; Secretary to General Conventions ; Bishop of New York ; Bishop in charge of Connecticut from June 6, 1816, to Oct. 27, 1819; performing Episcopal acts in the Diocese of New Jersey ; having general oversight of the Western Reserve, which was considered as being under the juris- diction of the Diocese of Connecticut ; no man, before or after him, can be named who wielded the same general influence. A study of the ecclesiastical chart of the early years of the last century will show how vast a territory was under the administration of John Henry Hobart. To these burdens were added the fostering care of great Church societies and of seats of learning such as the General Theological Seminary and Geneva College, and the foundation of our Church press.
It is not our purpose to examine these letters in de- tail, but to select from the number a few which may help the reader to understand the versatility of the Bishop, to
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Hobart's Correspondence
18II]
watch the gradual maturing of his mind, to note his in- fluence on the Church at large, and, if possible, to get at the secret of his influence with all sorts and conditions of men ; to see him as he really was, neither concealing frailties and infirmities, nor omitting to indicate his mar- vellous grasp of affairs.
To draw the line sharply between his position as Rector of Trinity Parish and as Bishop having the over- sight of three dioceses would be impossible : the multi- form relations run together in a somewhat perplexing and confusing way. Nor can the excerpts of the corre- spondence be confined to matters appearing at first sight to concern the Parish only. The truth which comes out distinctly is this: that he made the Parish to be re- spected throughout the length and breadth of the land. Its position was recognized, not only as first, through its history, its munificence, and its wise and conserva- tive administration, but also as a centre of spiritual in- fluence radiating throughout our communion at home and abroad. Here were distinctly taught and enun- ciated the principles and doctrines of what was later known as the "Oxford Movement." It may seem like a fanciful statement, but it is a sober truth, that the Parish was the cradle of the Tractarians. Of the earlier of the Oxford Tracts there are some which might have been written by Hobart and American Churchmen of his day.
We shall divide our review of the Hobart MSS. into such several parts as will appear most convenient, and enable the reader to follow the events of Dr. Hobart's rectorship in their consecutive chronological order.
In this correspondence will be found details of the troubles and trials of parishes; the quarrels between
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priest and people; the complaints of the laity, men and women, who had, or thought they had, grievances to air ; the pecuniary embarrassments of an ill-paid and irregu- larly paid clergy ; the difficulties of the clergy on points of doctrine or discipline calling for immediate solution ; the desire of some to leave their present posts, and obtain the Bishop's influence to aid them in getting new posi- tions ; the appeals for help from every variety of persons, professors of languages, debtors in prison, strangers from their homes stranded in the big city and without funds, persons desirous of obtaining situations as teachers, pro- fessors, companions, governesses, matrons, from persons who wish the Bishop to act as referee in their own family disputes, or arbitrator in controversies about wills; appeals from architects and contractors against the decision of vestries, asking the Bishop's influence to aid them in re- covering the money due to them; letters from persons offering to interest themselves as canvassers in the Church- man's Magazine, the Christian Journal, or other publica- tions of the Bishop; from those who differed from him in religious views; from fashionable women asking for a daily rule of life ; from authors asking permission to dedicate their books to him ; from painters and engravers desirous of making portraits of the Bishop ; from persons wanting the records of the Parish searched to establish their claims to estates and titles ; from youths desirous of becoming candidates for Holy Orders; from men who afterwards became great in the councils of the Church as bishops or theologians; from relatives asking him to compose inscriptions for mural tablets or monuments ; from persons wanting their religious doubts or scru- ples satisfied; from friends sending samples of trees or shrubs or cuttings for the Bishop's residence in New Jersey.
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Patience of Hobart's Correspondents
18II]
This is but a scanty summary of the kind of corre- spondence that has been diligently searched through and read so as to enable a judgment to be made as to what can fitly find a place in this History.
As a correspondent the Bishop was not a complete success. He appears to have let his letters go unan- swered, even when they were of the greatest importance to the writers ; the only kind to which he replied promptly were those which touched on some point in which he was personally interested ; the Bible Society, the Milner Controversy, the Cave Jones Case, and such like mat- ters which touched him vitally. It must be admitted that Hobart was unbusinesslike in his ways. He is written to time and time again by clergy and others on matters of great importance, and the correspondents complain that it takes months and even a year to get a reply from him; even his lifelong friend, Charles Fenton Mercer, is full of reproaches on this point; in one case he writes time and again for the return of a letter which he had sent the Bishop in confidence and with the request that it be returned to him immediately, and yet the same letter lies there in the correspond- ence, never returned : another old friend tells him to read Miss Edgeworth's book To-morrow, and that it may amend his habit of putting off replying to his corre- spondents.
The remarkable thing is that his correspondents very rarely exhibit annoyance or temper over these vexatious delays ; their patience with him is marvellous ; they never waver in their regard and affection. This only confirms what we previously remarked when, confining our atten- tion to his boyish correspondence, we ventured on the statement : "When a lad can draw from other men such tender expressions of regard and affection there
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must be something in his character peculiarly inviting and attractive." 1
Among the Hobart MSS., by which term we designate the correspondence in the custody of the Registrar of the General Convention, there are a few letters written to other persons than the Bishop; we shall include some of these whenever they are germane to the subject at hand. Unless there is a note to the contrary all the following letters are taken from the Hobart MSS.
We now come to the consideration of the first pe- riod, that up to his consecration as Bishop in May, 18II.
We shall give the letters in the order of date instead of grouping them together under subjects. This method will not only give the reader a better perspective of Ho- bart's development of character, but enable him to trace the career of the Bishop and his influence from the be- ginning to the end.
As it has been our good fortune to come across some letters and documents relating to Hobart's early life since the Second Part of this History was written we shall include a few of these letters, beginning with the year 1795.
1795 .- Under the date of September 6th, we have a letter from Abraham Skinner. In the Second Part of this History we have already alluded to the strong affection existing between John Hobart and Abraham Skinner, Junior, and an extract from one of his father's letters has already been given .? Another letter has since been discovered, which is interesting, not only from its con- tents, but from the endorsement on it in Hobart's hand- writing, as follows :
1 Part II., p. 203.
2 Ibid., pp. 201, 203, 204.
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Letter from Abraham Skinner
1795]
"ABRAHAM SKINNER ESQ.,
"NEW YORK, September 6th 1795.
"Containing information of the death of his son, my dearest friend, who was first united to me in the bonds of a close friendship in the summer of 1793 at. Princeton College.
" I did not receive this letter at Frankford till the 14th Sept", the day I entered on my 19th year, melancholy birth-day. But I had pre- viously (roth inst) seen an and of the distressing event in a newspaper.
"I write down these circumstances from a wish to preserve on a tablet more durable than memory every thing relating to this melan- choly event."
The letter itself reads :
" MY DEAR HOBART,
" How shall I begin this sad epistle, I must, I must begin it, and be thou prepared to read-My darling Boy, my virtuous Abram is now no more. The Church yard contains his Body, and his pious Soul took its flight with the morning's dawn to Regions of happiness and Peace. Yes, my friend, his Race tho' short is run, and he is gone I hope to meet his merciful God.
"O ! sad lesson, bitter cup, how shall I swallow it-I will-I will bow submissive to him who cannot err, who gave to me, and who has taken from me, blessed be his holy Name.
" Teach me, O gracious God, to bear my affliction, support and strengthen me, and make me sensible of my dependence on thee.
" But amidst this direful confusion and distress what a con- solation, that he had his reason almost to the last, and even in his lu- cid intervals, very shortly before his dissolution his expressions and Ejaculations exhibited strong proofs of his Resignation to the will of heaven and a firm reliance on his God thro' the merits of a blessed Redeemer. Let these things, my friend, Comfort You, and learn by his fate to be always ready, we know not the hour. Be up and doing .- Your Letter of the first of September he received on his death bed, It was read by him to his Mother, but the Invitation came too late. You have our blessings for the Benevolence it contains, and tho' my Child is dead, I know his Memory will survive. I know he had a place in Your heart, and I know that it will not be effaced,-adieu, Hobart, farewell my friend,
"Remember my Abram-Says "Yr afflicted but real friend
"ABM SKINNER
" not the younger, but who was once his father
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" NEW YORK, 6th Sept 1795 Sunday morning " 9 o'clock A. M .-
" On opening his desk this morning, the first thing that presented itself to me was this enclosed Scrap. I am induced to think it was part of a letter intended for you. Keep the Essay-tis his last.
" If ever you come this way. Come to me and let me embrace my dear Child's friend.
" He was taken on Tuesday night the first day of Sept. and died on Sunday at 4 o'clock, the 6th Sept.
"Write me, Hobart, it will console me, it will give his Mother some ease.
"Pardon me for not sending you the Essay above alluded to, his mother cannot spare it yet. I will however preserve it for you."
If this transcript be compared with that printed by Dr. Berrian in his life of Bishop Hobart,1 it will be seen how little importance was attached in those days to a literal rendering of MSS., and how much we should be on our guard against accepting any correspondence as represent- ing the ipsissima verba of the letters.
On August 14th John J. Sayrs 2 opens a correspon- dence with Hobart, then at Princeton, on the validity of Presbyterian orders.
" I was much pleased when I was informed that you had begun the study of Divinity; not only because it is held in contempt by the generality of young men; but because I was convinced that your engaging manners would also promote the interest of religion, which I believe, has suffered more from the moroseness and gloomi- ness of some of its professors than any other cause, or perhaps every other combined.
" As you are fixed at Princeton not among churchmen I shall be glad if you will inform me what your sentiments are, respecting Pres- byterian Ordination, Government and the Validity of their ordinances. By this I can determine if you are sound, as I hold myself quite ortho- dox. In return I will send you mine. I shall therefore leave all till
1 Vol. i., p. 30, Dr. Berrian's Memoir.
'Not John I. Sayrs as given in McVickar's Professional Years, p. 168.
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Hobart to his Sister
1797]
I hear from you, and then you may expect a few pages if you comply with my request."
To this Hobart replied at length, eliciting a long letter dated November 7, 1795, in which the writer, amongst others, raises the point as to "whether the Doctrine of Predestination or universal Salvation has been most hurtful-the one has a tendency to drive men to despair, and to raise in their minds frightful ideas concerning the Almighty ; the other to lull them into se- curity,"-and goes on to express his belief that punish- ment for sin will be proportionate to the degree of sin, but eternal nevertheless.
1797 .-- The following letter to his sister refers to the death of his friend, R. M. Forsyth ; with the exception of about a dozen lines the whole of the letter is underscored :
"PRINCETON, September 3rd 1797.
" How shall I thank my dear Sister for that affectionate sympathy & consolation which have contributed to restore peace to my mind. True indeed the participation of grief will not remove the heavy load, but the feeling heart that has itself been wounded by affliction can speak with a tenderness that assuages the poignancy of sorrow & is able to offer those bright hopes that were its own comfort & support-
"Ah my Sister miserable indeed are those whom Heaven has gifted with sensibility, if death is to tear from them forever the objects of their ardent & virtuous affection. If sensibility be not a crime, if indeed it be not our free choice, why should it be made our misery- and oh! what misery can be greater than that which accompanies the thought that we have parted forever from those whom we loved as our own souls. If this destiny awaits congenial spirits whose hopes & enjoyments here have been bound together by mutual affection- enviable must appear to them the lot of the savage, enviable even that of the brutes who live without feeling and without hope. No, God who is love, eternal love has not meant thus to sport with his creatures. He has given us virtuous feelings to be indulged & he seperates the objects of our affection from us only that being less 'bound to this world we may love it less & aspire constantly after
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History of Trinity Church
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another where we look for the full & perfect fruition of every virtuous sentiment & feeling-Oh! how precious in this light is the hope of im- mortality; to the wounded spirit, what a balm does it apply. The resurrection of these frail & corruptible bodies to purity & glory becomes a truth consoling & valuable indeed when we consider that in this perfect state we shall be united to those we have loved in an indissoluble bond. Well, might the Apostle in offering it to our faith say-'Comfort one another with these words.'
"Founded on this basis my soul is at peace-it seems to defy the tempests of life-Calm in the assurance that God is love, that he regards his creatures with infinite kindness, & is desirous to conduct them by chastizement as well as mercy to his gracious favour, & to an eternal rest in heaven, the gloomy prospect of life brightens for me into joy, & even the dark valley of the shadow of death is enlivened by hope.
" It has not been indeed without many doubts and much anxiety that my mind has become settled in this state. I have been fearful that particular attachments, strong as mine have been, were inconsis- tent with a sincere love to God & therefore improper, at the same time I felt they were deeply seated in my breast & that my happiness was connected with their indulgence. But this apprehension arose from an erroneous view of the perfections of God. Infinite in love & goodness-he has made us to be happy & whatever contributes really to our happiness must be pleasing to him. The virtue, ten- derness & goodness which excite sincere friendship & affection is his image in the soul, & in this sense to love the creature is to love the adorable creator. It is only a false love for the world, its honors & pleasures, it is only such attachment to the creature as corrupts instead of cherishing virtuous feeling, that his holy eye condemns and when virtuous affection fixes too fondly on its object, when it becomes so immoderate in its exercise as to destroy our peace, or so rational & pure in its enjoyments as to make this life a place of reward instead of probation, & induce us to say with the disciples ' it is good for us to be here,' then a gracious parent pities the weakness of his children, & by his merciful correction & trial he leads them back to duty, & reminds them that they are to live by faith ;- faith in his goodness & wisdom- faith in his power & truth-who has promised a blessed & eternal inheritance beyond the grave.
"Yes I feel that such views exalt & purify the soul & fix it more firmly in the divine faith & love. They bind it to God thus infinite in goodness-they endear to it the gracious redeemer, who by
Primeton. September 3.
How shall I thank my dear vister for that
affectionate sympathy & consolation which Have contributed to restore thecure to my mind. Indica. deed the participation of grief will not remove the heavy load. but the feeling heart that has treff born. wounded by affliction can speak with a tenderness that apunges the poignancy of sorrow. 8 is able to offer There bright hopes that were its own comfort & peppers_
Oh my elister miserable includ are those who we Heaven how gifted with renoibility of death is to spend from the in forever form the objects of their contents & virtuous affection. If ansibility be not a crime, if undred et be not our free choice, why would it bestorade cenza very. and oh! what misery can be greater than that l' aux frentede which areorfanies the thought that therimane war forever from
I forever those whom we ho lovved as our own would If this destiny sidens more congenial spirits whose home Sunjoy ments have have been bound together by mutual affection, enviable must appear to them the lot of the Leurage - enviable even that of the boretes who live without feeling & without hope No , God who is love, eternal load has not meant this to wort with his creatures. has given us virtuous feelings to be indulged. & he reke rates the objects of our affection from us only that
Trang lef bounce to this world we may love et lip I assure constantly after another where we last. for the full & perfect fruition of every venture seratiene not to feeling- Oh! how pres ious in this lia is the home of immortality; to the wounded spurt
First page of Hobart's Letter to his Sister, 197.
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Sophia Duché
1798]
his suffering & death purchased for it eternal life, & has opened the prospect of that full perfection of being & enjoyment, which alone sheds consolations on this vale of tears & misery Ah! if I could always have these bright views, how could I enjoy the world yet live above it, with what resignation & cheerfulness would I press thro' my pilgrimage be it long or short.
"J. H. HOBART."
1798 .- Hobart at this time appears to have taken a despondent view of the spiritual state of New York and Philadelphia, for Mr. Sayrs says under date of October 16, 1798 :
"I condole with you in the distressed situation of our two most flourishing Cities."
In the same year, 1798, Hobart fell in love with Sophia Duché, and proposed to her, but while it appears from the correspondence that the affection was returned, there was no engagement. The courtship must have been as brief as it was ardent, for the correspondence is con- fined to one month only, that of August, 1798. Hobart treasured not only Miss Duché's answers, but the copies of his notes to her.
His friend, Charles Fenton Mercer, who at that time shared his room at Philadelphia, and who was perhaps his most intimate friend, drafted a letter to the inexorable beauty, and besought her to let Hobart know the true state of her feelings towards him.
" Tell him the real state of your heart, that you love, you are en- gaged to another, or that you are resolved never to marry."
His appeal concludes :
" It is one o'clock-my friend is at present in a disturbed sleep, ignorant of my writing-at four o'clock I leave Frankford for Vir- ginia perhaps never to return. Oh that my friend, Hobart were happy-as happy as when I met him."
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History of Trinity Church
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Whether Mercer left the letter for Hobart to send if he approved of it, or whether Hobart woke up before it could be sent is not known ; but what is known is that this appeal was never sent, for it bears the endorsement in Hobart's writing, "Never Sent."
1800 .- We have discovered the original letter from Bishop Provoost addressed to the Presiding Bishop "re- signing his jurisdiction as Bishop," and present our read- ers with a facsimile of it.
" NEW YORK, Sept. 7th 1800.
"RIGHT REVEREND AND DEAR SIR :
· "I think it my Duty to request that as president of the House of Bishops, you will inform that venerable Body, that Induced by ill Health, & some melancholy occurrences in my family, and an ar- dent wish to retire from all publick employment, I resigned at the late meeting of our Church Convention my jurisdiction as Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of New York.
" I am with great regard, "Dear and Right Reverend Sir, "Your affectionate Brother, "SAM:L PROVOOST."
This original letter is interesting in many ways; it is dated September 7, 1800. The letter as printed in the General Convention Journal is dated September 7, 1801. This opens up many questions. Did Bishop Provoost hand the letter in to Bishop White, September 7, 1800, thus leav- ing it to him to make it public then ? or at the General Con- vention in the following year ? or, was the date of the year a slip of the pen on the part of the Bishop ? Mrs. Provoost had died in August, 1799. In December, 1800, he resigned the Rectorship. It is, therefore, quite possible to suppose that he resigned the Bishopric in 1800 and not in 1801, be- fore, rather than after, his resignation of the Parish. Then, the autograph letter read originally, " I resigned at the late
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Mais york, Sep 1 7th 1800
Right theveren Dand Fear of
I thinks it ona Kuty to request that et prospect of the Houseing Bishop. you will write inform that venerable Body, they Induced by ile Health, some melancholy occurrences in my family and of product wish to retire from el public. Employment & resigned of the later meeting of our Church convention in this my Suriduction as Bishop of The Proteste, Spirconel Church in the stateof Nas york. I com with great regard
Bows affections Brother V
Bishop Provoost's feller of Resignation, 1800.
The Right Med! Or White
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Carreys
The Address on Bishop Provoost's Letter of Resignation, 1800.
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Instructions to Davenport Phelps
1801]
meeting of our Church Convention in this State my office of Bishop and my jurisdiction as Bishop of the Protestant Epis- copal Church," and the words above italicized were crossed out. This certainly gives an increased weight to the con- tention of those who declared that Bishop Provoost had not resigned his Bishopric, but only his jurisdiction. It is altogether a most valuable and interesting find.
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