USA > New York > New York City > A history of the parish of Trinity Church in the city of New York, pt 4 > Part 19
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1 Berrian MSS.
7
1
200
History of Trinity Church [1839
acknowledged the "very unexpected communication dated Dec. 31," which had been handed to him on Janu- ary 2d, and expressed his surprise that a great and to him "an important change is to be made in our parochial arrangements." He alluded "to a long and well estab- lished usage in the Church," which was now to be " disre- garded, and the senior assistant minister as respects the length of time he has been officiating in our Parish, is to be superseded by the most recently called of the junior assistant ministers who has been officiating among us for a few months and has hitherto been content to occupy the place which usage assigned to him." " 1 He criticises the settling by "an informal vote" of "a regularly adopted rule of the Vestry and one of very long standing too." He cites the instance of the relative positions of the Rev. Cave Jones and the Rev. John Henry Hobart.
Mr. Jones, the Senior Presbyter "was not to take pre- cedence of the Rev. Mr. Hobart, because the Rev. Mr. Hobart although he was the Rev. Mr. Jones' junior in years and in ordination had been previously elected as an assistant minister." Dr. Schroeder asserts that what was styled "the carrying out of certain measures adopted by the Vestry" bears nothing of the kind upon the face of them. "They relate," he continues, "simply to a provision for the occasional supply of the Rector's place, in case of his absence or inability to perform some one or more of the duties appertaining to his office." He is convinced that " to acquiesce in the state of things which the alleged carrying out of the new measures brings to light, would, I think, be an act at variance with long established usage, and with a regularly adopted rule of our parish, and would be
1 The reference is to Dr. Wainwright, who was ordained priest in Christ Church, Hartford, Conn., on August 15, 1817, by Bishop Hobart. Dr. Schroeder was ordained priest in Baltimore, Md., by Bishop Kemp on April 22, 1824. Mr. Higbee was ordained priest about 1831, probably by Bishop Stone, of Maryland.
201
The Schroeder Episode
1839]
unsanctioned by any record on the minutes of the Vestry." It would also require him to submit to a removal from the clerical grade to which he was elevated agreeably to the rule which was in existence when he was called into the Parish. "If by any new measures I am to be displaced from my station as Senior Assistant, to be superseded and even made to occupy a lower grade, my sense of self-re- spect and my regard for the opinions of those to whom I minister in sacred things, imperatively demand of me rather to withdraw altogether from my situation." He requests the Rector to call a meeting of the Vestry without delay and submit to them this letter for their action.
He adds, " I have availed myself of advisers for whose opinions both yourself and the Vestry have great defer- ence," and thus announces his final decision : "that if the Vestry think proper to decide on carrying out the new measures, in the manner that you have mentioned in your communication, I wish them to consider that, as a neces- sary consequence, this letter is to be regarded as the resignation of my place."
The Rector acted immediately upon the request of Dr. Schroeder, and summoned the Vestry to meet on Tuesday, January 5th. There was a very full attendance, as might have been expected. The correspondence with Dr. Schroeder was submitted by the Rector. It was dis- , cussed and considered. The previous action of the Vestry was affirmed. It was declared to be the sense of the Vestry " that on all occasions precedence should be given to the assistant minister who shall be the senior presbyter in the order of ordination," and it was ordered that a copy of these resolutions be sent to Dr. Schroeder.1
' For copies of the letters of Dr. Berrian and Dr. Schroeder, see Records, liber iii., folios 225, 226, and also Berrian MSS. Documents Concerning Recent Measures of the Vestry of Trinity Church in the City of New York. 8vo, pp. 12. A. Hanford, Printer, 16 Cortland Street, New York. -
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History of Trinity Church [1839
When this action became known the friends of Dr. Schroeder in the Parish, and especially in St. Paul's Chapel, were indignant. They asserted with vehemence that their pastor had been treated with indignity and in- justice, and that a spirit of rivalry and favoritism was being fostered in the Parish. Many messages of sympathy were brought and sent to him in this trying emergency. His supporters used the newspapers of the city for their state- ments, appeals, and arraignments of the Vestry, and the journalists rejoiced to take part in the fray. Several of the city clergy and prominent laymen in the other parishes of the city were warmly enlisted in the cause of Dr. Schroeder. Much then written was written under the impulse of strong and excited feeling.
Still, though Dr. Schroeder felt himself sorely injured and aggrieved, he acted with his characteristic courtesy and moderation. He deemed it necessary to publish a small pamphlet entitled Documents, containing his corre- spondence with Dr. Berrian, and the official notice of the action of the Vestry, with a few brief comments. In his prefatory note he states that he printed these documents "to prevent error and misapprehension in regard to the subject of them." He says: "The case is simply this : One of the Assistant Ministers of Trinity Parish is to be elevated by the sudden and wrongful depressing of an- other." He comments on "long established and well known usage," and thus concludes :
"The measure either is, or is not, important. If it be unimportant, why should the Vestry introduce and agitate the subject to the dis- quiet of the Parish ? If on the other hand it be important what warrant have they for displacing me, and putting me in such an atti- tude that I cannot, in the opinion of my clerical brethren, continue to officiate in the parish with proper self respect and a due regard for my future influence and usefulness ?"
K
1839]
Resignation of Dr. Schroeder
1 203
An answer was prepared by a layman, which he en- titled A Brief Statement. The whole controversy is treated in a satirical vein but with candor and good sense, the evident intention being to silence opponents of the Vestry's action. He is especially severe upon Dr. Schroe- der's allegation that it was the intention of the Vestry to elevate Dr. Wainwright. He gives in full the letter of Dr. Berrian to Dr. Schroeder of April 26, 1836, and one from Dr. Berrian to Dr. Wainwright of January 28, 1839. The reasons given by Dr. Schroeder for his resignation he calls "unimportant." 1
To this Dr. Schroeder replied in a " Letter" main- taining his position and traversing the whole ground of the controversy. He includes in this publication a letter from Dr. Anthon upon precedence and correspondence with the Rector on supplying his place at St. Paul's for the feast of the Epiphany, Sunday, January 6th, and gives, in an appendix, letters from the committees of St. Paul's Chapel congregation, the Sunday-school, the ladies, and a fare- well address signed by one hundred and fourteen men worshipping in that chapel. He reaffirins as the cause of his resignation the "being displaced from my grade," and endeavors to fortify his attitude by argument. This ended the publications directly bearing upon this unhappy episode.2
While the resignation was being discussed in conversa- tion, the daily press, and pamphlets, the Vestry was await- ing some intimation that Dr. Schroeder withdrew from the position he had taken. As no assurance was given,
1 A Brief Statement Touching the Rev. Dr. Schroeder's late Publication Entitled Documents Concerning Recent Measures of the Vestry of Trinity Church in the City of New York. Submitted to the Consideration of the Members of the Congregation of Trinity Church, New York.
2 Letter to the Members of the Congregations of the Parish of Trinity Church. By Rev. J. F. Schroeder, D.D., with an Appendix.
Venian al phl
t
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History of Trinity Church
[1839
final action was taken on his letter at the regular meeting, January 14, 1839. The Rector having stated, on interro- gation, that the Senior Assistant had not officiated in the Parish since sending his letter of January 5th, a preamble and resolutions were offered, embodying the facts of the case, the resolutions of the special meeting, and the con- cluding paragraph of Dr. Schroeder's letter to the Rector ; whereupon it was "resolved, that the conditional resigna- tion contained in the above letter of Dr. Schroeder, under the circumstances above stated, having by the terms thereof become absolute, such resignation be, and the same is hereby accepted." It was also resolved to continue his salary until December 1st, to continue his house rent until May Ist, and to cancel the note for fifteen hundred dollars advanced to him for his European tour.1
Thus, so far as the principal actor was concerned, the "Schroeder Episode" ended. As for the ground swell which followed the storm, there is more to come in the next chapter of this work, to which the ingenuous reader is referred, with the assurance that it will surprise him even more than that which has been already related on this painful subject.
1 Records, liber iii., folio 228.
1
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- CHAPTER VIII.
PAROCHIAL MATTERS.
Dr. Hodges Appointed Organist-Repairs to Roof of Trinity Church-Erection of Houses for the Assistant Clergy-Congregation of St. Paul's Chapel Memorializes Vestry to be Set Off as a Separate Parish-Memorial Presented to the Vestry-Re- ferred to a Special Committee-Who Report Adversely to the Memorialists- Schroeder Controversy Closed - Unstable Condition of Trinity Church - Repairs Ordered - Plans for a New Building Accepted - Mr. Richard Upjohn Appointed Architect.
A N event of no small importance in the history of church music in the United States occurred at this time. On the 14th of January, 1839, the Rector nomi- nated Edward Hodges, Doctor in Music, as an organist in the Parish, "at the usual salary." . His appointment was speedily confirmed by the Vestry.1 The new Music Committee amply justified its existence by securing this musical genius. A native of Bristol, England, trained from boyhood in the best and most severe school of English cathedral music, he had been from his youth a composer and performer of rare skill and originality. He knew the theory and practice of music, understood the mechanical construction of the organ, and other musical instruments, and had invented improvements in them. A visit to Canada, where he had been appointed organist of St. James's Cathedral, Toronto, had been extended to New York. There he had renewed his acquaintance with Dr. Wainwright, formed that of others in Trinity Parish, and was induced to remain, at least temporarily, in the city. With his entrance upon his position improvement and
1 Records, liber iii., folio 231.
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A
4
206
History of Trinity Church
[1839
progress in sacred music in the parish, diocese, and country was both systematic and rapid. His influence was more strongly felt as years passed by.
A number of minor matters received attention at this time. The Rev. Professor Ogilby was temporarily ap- pointed to supply the place of Dr. Schroeder.1 The Standing Committee recommended that a house for an Assistant Minister be built "on Lot No. 92, fronting on Vesey St."; and suggested that a similar house be built " on the rear of the ground attached to St. John's Chapel, or elsewhere on land belonging to the Corpora- tion," for the accommodation of another of the clergy. Alarm continuing to be felt about the roof of Trinity Church, steps were taken to cause a careful survey of the building by the most competent builders that could be found, with a view to securing the safety of the structure. It was finally determined that the Committee of Supplies and Repairs "do forthwith take all needful measures for put- ting a new roof on said church, and that they be further directed to procure a suitable plan on which to finish the interior of said church, together with an estimate of the expense, and that they report thereon to the Vestry at its next meeting." 3
A modification of the terms for the annual grant for the salary of the Bishop was made at the request of a committee of the Diocesan Convention. It was agreed to continue it for thirteen years whether the fund should sooner be made up to $90,000 or not.
We must now return to the story of the Schroeder controversy, and relate what followed on his resignation and withdrawal from the Parish. The immediate result was a well organized and persistent attempt by a consider- able number of the congregation of St. Paul's Chapel to
1 Records, liber iii., folio 231.
2 Ibid folio 223. 3 Ibid folio 234.
الحديد
207
Petition to Set off St. Paul's Chapel
1839]
be set off as a separate church. A meeting, very largely attended, was held at the house of Mr. Anthony Barclay, on Monday evening, January 21, 1839; Professor James Renwick, of Columbia College, was made chairman, and Mr. Theron Wilbur secretary. A prolonged and ani- mated discussion took place, the attempt being to show, theoretically, the evils and disadvantages of the collegiate system of church organization, and practically to demon- strate that if St. Paul's were made an independent church it would be better managed and more effective. It was then determined to prepare and send to the Vestry a memorial praying for a separation. Messrs. Christopher Wolfe, Anthony Barclay, John Ruthven, William H. Falls, F. A. Booth, and Jonathan Dodge, Prof. James Renwick, Mr. Wm. E. Wilmerding, Dr. E. R. Chilton, Messrs. C. B. Bostwick, Caleb Ticknor, and Philip Henry, were appointed a committee to draft the memorial and present it to the Vestry. A copy of that paper is given in the Appendix to this volume; a brief outline of its contents will suffice for those who do not care to go more fully into the story of the movement. The memorialists began by objecting to collegiate churches, and pointing out the evils which they considered inherent in the system. They complained that the congregation of St. Paul's Chapel had little or no influence in the call of Assistant Ministers or their assignment to duty; citing the instance of the first call of Dr. Schroeder to that chapel, as leading to a withdrawal of many dissatisfied persons from its services, and their replacement by others who had now become his devoted friends. They alleged that under the collegiate constitution of the Parish, no separate congregation could be considered as represented in the Vestry, presenting an ingenious argument to show the result in a loss of interest in " each church and in the general concerns of the united
£
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208
History of Trinity Church [1839
parish "; admitting at the same time that a large propor- tion of the memorialists, although stated worshippers and occupants of pews, had never thought it necessary to qualify themselves by written evidence to vote at the annual election for Vestrymen. They complained of a growing apathy in relation to the temporal concerns of the Church, leading directly to similar indifference in spiritual matters, and insisted that the collegiate system tends to deterioration in the clergy and a great diminution of their usefulness ; alleging further that it had proved a failure in other denominations of Christians, and was re- tained in Trinity and the Dutch Reformed Churches merely as a safeguard to their large and extensive endow- ments. Reference was made to alleged abuses of the system on the continent of Europe, and particularly in Switzerland, where, according to the memorialists, it had been the direct cause of decay in religion and a re- lapse into a cold and almost heathen morality. They stated that the. setting off of St. Paul's Chapel would exempt them and their posterity from a recurrence of strife in the Parish, collisions between the Vestry and the Assistant Ministers, and the occurrence of divisions, party spirit, and schism in the congregations. Anticipating criticism of the signatories of the memorial, they presented an argument to show that they constituted a very large majority of the worshippers in St. Paul's Chapel, and two thirds of the owners and lessees of pews, and claimed that if personal considerations could have been left out of the question, there might · have been obtained an almost unanimous expression of opinion that the time had arrived when St. Paul's Chapel ought to cease to be one of the collegiate connec- tion. The document, containing here and there suitable conventional expressions of "strong attachment to the
209
Petition to Set off St. Paul's Chapel
1839]
venerable and Apostolic Church of which they are un- worthy members," closes with a eulogy of both of those Assistant Ministers whose disputes "as to priority of rank have caused the present desolation of their earthly Zion." The memorial is dated January 29, 1839, and a full list of the signers is added to it.
The Vestry granted a hearing to the committee having the memorial in charge. Their requests were summed up under three heads :
" I. That the Congregation of St. Paul's be set apart and consti- tuted a distinct parish, with its own Rector, Wardens and Vestrymen.
" 2. That the present Building known as St. Paul's Chapel, and the grounds attached to the same as a burying ground, be assigned to them.
" 3. That there be an endowment granted to the new parish for the support of the clergyman and other officers of the Church, or an annual stipend adequate to meet its expenses.
ITEMS OF EXPENSE
Clergyman
$3000
+
66
House.
1000
Sexton, etc.
600
Organist.
500
Choir
I 200
Fuel
350
Lights
200
Sunday School.
250
$7100
Whitewashing, etc.
200
Repairs, etc.
1700
$9000 "
This paper, having been read, was referred to a select committee consisting of Messrs. William E. Dunscomb, Adam Tredwell, Peter A. Mesier, Thomas L. Ogden, William Johnson, Jonathan H. Lawrence, and Robert Hyslop, who were directed to confer as requested with VOL. IV,-14.
T
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History of Trinity Church
[1839
the committee of the memorialists, and make a report to the Vestry.1 Several meetings were held in St. Paul's Chapel, where the committee listened to able arguments on the subject of the reference.
On the 11th of March, the Committee reported, and after a full and final consideration of the subject, it was " Resolved: that it is inexpedient at this time to comply with the application of the Memorialists to set apart the Congregation of St. Paul's Chapel as an independent parish." 2
The report, which is very carefully written, examines the arguments and allegations of the Memorial. It dis- misses with a few words the question of the comparative advantages of independent and collegiate churches as a subject upon which "there has been and is some diversity of opinion." It denies that in collegiate churches colli- sions between Vestries and Assistant Ministers are more frequent than in other parishes. In the "more than forty years " that some of the Committee have been in the Ves- try, "only one occurrence of this kind, prior to that which has given rise to the present memorial, is recollected." On both these occasions "the Assistant Ministers have brought their supposed grievances before the public, thus giving to the controversies unnecessary notoriety, and whilst closing the door of peace and reunion, wantonly inflicting on the Church and its ministers, and the cause of religion, all the evils which are deprecated in the State- ment as consequential on collegiate systems." The pres- ent system of the Parish was "neither entirely collegiate, or distinct"; its advantages are set forth, and it has, “so far, appeared to be successful in two of the congregations ;
1 Records, liber iii., folio 234. The memorial and other documents relating to the subject will be found in the Appendix. The text of these is copied from the Schroeder MSS.
? Records, liber iii., folio 237.
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2II
Separation Deemed Unwise
1839]
and if not so in the third, this result may possibly be traced to extraneous causes, not necessarily connected with the system itself; it would then be unwise, on this ground, suddenly to abandon it." The Committee then examined the numerical strength of the Memorialists, and their representative character. " Pew-owners, occupants of pews, by consent of the Vestry, and communicants, are the only classes of worshippers who have any legal right to act on a question of separation, and of these, the pew- owners are the most deeply interested." An inquiry insti- tuted by members of the Committee, "aided by informa- tion from the collector of pew rents, and from the Rector," gave this result :
Pew-holders, 124, females, 34, together 158
Communicants, not pew-holders 12
170
Of these, there appear to have signed the Memorial,
Pew-owners, males, 19, females, 4, together. 23
Heirs of deceased owners. 8
Occupants and lessees of pews, males, 9, females 2 II
(according to the pew book)
Communicants, not pew-holders. 8
50
It was the duty of the Vestry to guard the rights of the whole Parish and to grant a separation without the concur- rence of a like majority of the other two congregations would be inexpedient and wrong. Danger to the " vested rights of the Parish might be incurred by placing the power now in three Congregations in two." With the conclusion that it would be inexpedient and improper in the Vestry now to set apart the congregation of St. Paul's Chapel as a separate parish, the Committee say they would have closed their Report, "were it not for remarks which are to
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History of Trinity Church [1839
be found in the statement of the Committee of St. Paul's, and also in various publications, some of them bearing the signature of respectable members of the congregation of that chapel, reflecting on the conduct of the Vestry in its recent proceedings relative to the duties of the Assistant Ministers." In view of these attacks upon the body which they represented, the Committee took up and examined in detail the literature of the controversy, and contended that the present Vestry had acted with perfect consistency and in conformity with the precedents of nearly thirty years, explaining the reasons for the desire to have pre- cedency given to the Senior Presbyter in certain contin- gencies, and expressing the opinion that the principle adopted in March, 1836, was a sound one. The charge that its direct intent was to exalt over his fellow-clergymen a distinguished presbyter then to be called to the Parish," and that " private pledges of such advancement were given to that individual," was dismissed as frivolous, since at that time both the Bishop and Dr. Anthon were assistants, and senior to the clergyman then named. The Vestry had not made the subject of precedence a matter of inquiry or investigation. Precedency among the Assistants was given to the Bishop, as he was then both Senior Presbyter and Senior Assistant. This produced "no change as to grade or power, and could give offence to no one." The motive for the adoption of the ordinance which had led to all this trouble was without any personal reference whatever; it was a precautionary measure providing for the case of the inability of the Rector to act ; it was in the line of prece- dent, and it "was based on the supposition that age, experi- ence, general custom, and the difficulty of gratifying the wish of congregations for the appointment of Assistant Ministers of approved talents, character, and standing make the adoption of such a rule expedient."
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جواد
213
The Precedence of the Clergy
1839]
The Rector appears to have expressed a wish to re- ceive directions from the Vestry on the general subject ; but they very wisely declined to give them, on the ground that " rules of etiquette among the clergy are not fit sub- jects of legislation." On his request, however, they gave their individual opinions, with no dissenting voice, “in favour of applying the principle of seniority in ordination to all cases," adding, however, that "this expression was not to be taken as a deliberative act, or properly a matter of Parish administration, but as " merely advisory and alto- gether individual and informal." The Vestry did not re- gard the matter as of "any great importance ; much less was it supposed that the application to this Parish of rules of courtesy, recognized throughout the Church at large, would be deemed so derogatory to the dignity of any one of the Assistants, as to justify his abrupt severance of his connection with the Parish. The resignation of the clergy- man who had taken that course was tendered without any effort to convince the Vestry that it had acted on mistaken or erroneous principles ; and although time was allowed for more mature reflection, the proffered resignation was left unrevoked, and by its terms became absolute.1 Dep- recating "any hasty measures by which to weaken the triple cord of union which now binds together the three congregations," it offers in conclusion the resolution al- ready given, withholding consent to the separation of St. Paul's Chapel.
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