USA > New York > New York City > A history of the parish of Trinity Church in the city of New York, pt 4 > Part 32
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History of Trinity Church
[1852
churchyard received great encouragement, when in 1851 that street was extended to Trinity Place in the rear of the church. It was the determined purpose of a few property owners in the neighborhood, to agitate for the extension, absurd and useless as it would have been. The public sentiment was as strongly against this invasion of a churchyard as twenty years before. Many of the city officials were opposed to the project. So high ran the state of feeling upon this matter that a public meeting was held at the City Hall, June 8, 1852, presided over by the Mayor, the Hon. A. C. Kingsland, with Gen. Charles W. Sandford as Vice-President, and Messrs. R. T. Compton, President of the Board of Aldermen, and Jonathan Stroth- ers were appointed as Secretaries. Addresses were made showing why such a project should be opposed, and referring to the constant use of the ground for burial purposes for more than two hundred years, and especially its use during the Revolution as the place where many of the prisoners confined by the British in the old Sugar House on Liberty Street, after dying by the hundred from cruelty and neglect, were buried. A preamble and resolution were adopted, setting forth these facts and respectfully request- ing the Corporation of Trinity Church to erect "a be- coming monument, with appropriate inscriptions, to the memory of those great and good men." The proceedings of the meeting and an attested copy of the preamble and resolutions having been communicated to the Vestry, Messrs. John R. Livingston, Alexander L. McDonald, and Robert Hyslop were appointed June 14, 1852, a com- mittee to consider the subject.1 A favorable report was made, November 8, 1852, and a resolution was presented declaring the intention of the Corporation "to erect a suitable monument in memory of the officers and soldiers
1 Records, liber iv., folio 90.
1852]
Consecration of Dr. Wainwright
375
of the Revolution who died in British captivity in the City of New York, many of whom are buried in the north part of Trinity Churchyard opposite to Pine Street."1 Plans and estimates were obtained, and the sum of $7000 was voted for the purpose.
The Diocesan Convention met again on the 30th of September. It had before it the difficult task of choosing a Provisional Bishop. Jealousy and party strife still pre- vailed. Those more prominently mentioned for the Epis- copate were Dr. Wainwright, Dr. William I. Kip, Dr. Samuel Seabury, Dr. Thomas H. Taylor, and Dr. Francis Vinton. Upon the ninth ballot Dr. Wainwright was elected. He was respected for his ability, cordiality, and impartiality, by both the friends and opponents of Bishop Onderdonk.
Wednesday, November 10, 1852, was the day ap- pointed for the consecration of Dr. Wainwright. Trinity Church was filled with those who were able to obtain tickets. The Rev. Dr. Haight was master of ceremonies. The procession formed in the north sacristy in this order : Students of the General Theological Seminary, deacons, priests in order of seniority, the Bishop-elect with his at- tending presbyters, the Rev. Dr. William Creighton and the Rev. Dr. Edward Y. Higbee, the Bishops, and the Rt. Rev. Dr. Brownell, of Connecticut, Presiding Bishop. More than two hundred surpliced clergymen were in at- tendance, including the greater number of those in the Diocese, and distinguished clergymen of other Dioceses. The Bishops present were : Dr. Brownell, Dr. Kemper, of Wisconsin, Dr. Doane, of New Jersey, Dr. De Lancey, of Western New York, Dr. Whittingham, of Maryland, Dr. Potter, of Pennsylvania, Dr. Chase, of New Hamp- shire, Dr. Upfold, of Indiana, Dr. Williams, Assistant of
1 Records, liber iv., folios 98, 99.
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History of Trinity Church [1852
Connecticut, and the Most Rev. Dr. Francis Fulford, Lord Bishop of Montreal and Metropolitan of Canada.
The sermon was preached by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Chase of New Hampshire from the text : " This is a faithful say- ing and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." I Timothy, i., 15.
It was with much satisfaction that New York Church- men learned that the Bishop of Montreal had prolonged his stay in the city, and would preach in St. Paul's Chapel on the evening of Sunday, November 14th. It was the first time that a Bishop of the Mother Church had stood in the pulpit of St. Paul's since that Sunday in September, 1776, when the Chaplain of Admiral Lord Howe, the Rev. Thomas L. O'Bierne, afterward Bishop of Meath, preached words of comfort and cheer to the almost panic-stricken congregation, whose holy house had been burned in the great fire of the day before.1
An abstract of Bishop Fulford's sermon appeared in the New York Tribune of Monday, November 15, 1852.
The consecration of Dr. Wainwright made it necessary to readjust the clerical staff of the Parish, in order to allow the Provisional Bishop the leisure necessary for due at- tention to the work of the Diocese, which had been ac-
cumulating for some time past. The precarious condition of the health of Dr. Parks was giving great uneasiness. It seemed an appropriate time to consider the expediency of revising the system of the appointment of Assistant Min- isters and their assignment to duty. Resolutions upon the subject led to report, careful discussion, and action. The salary of the Rev. Sullivan H. Weston was increased to $1700 ; and Drs. Haight and Hobart were to have $2500 each. A proposal to appoint a clergyman who should reside in the city below Canal Street was also made, and referred
1 See Part I., pp. 395-7 of this History.
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377
Morgan Dix Assistant Minister
1853]
to the Committee on the State of the Parish, and it was decided that such an appointment should. be made. The salary of the said clergyman was to be $1000 ; he was to reside down-town ; he was to hold his office during the pleasure of the Vestry, and in the mode and with the under- standing had in all appointments of clergymen other than the Rector and the " Assistant to the Rector." 1
Under these resolutions, at a subsequent meeting, the Rev. Morgan Dix was unanimously elected an Assistant Minister of the Parish .? He declined the call, as he was at that time officiating in St. Mark's Church, Philadelphia, as Rector's Assistant. The Rector, the Rev. Joseph P. B. Wilmer, D.D., afterwards Bishop of Louisana, was at that time seriously ill, and it would have embarrassed him and the Vestry of St. Mark's, if Mr. Dix had left them.
The ghost or spook of the late Anneke Jans now came up again. Mr. Christopher C. Kiersted, as an heir of that respectable and most prolific person, appeared, and peti- tioned the Legislature for the passage of a law, which should give the preference to the action brought by him against the people of the State of New York and the Rec- tor of Trinity Church, and make possible a speedy decision of his claim. His demand in the suit was
" that the State be required to demand possession of the lands from the Church and an account from the Church of all moneys received by it since the year 1783, and that the State render possession of the lands to the said heirs by proper conveyance, and that if the State make de- fault, the Church be required to do the same thing, and that a receiver be appointed and an injunction be granted."3
1 Records, liber iv., folios 91, 101, 107, 110.
2 Ibid., folio 117 ; also see a letter from Dr. Berrian to the Rev. William E. Wyatt, of Baltimore, Nov. 29, 1853 ; No. 759, Berrian MSS., General Theological Seminary.
3 P. 3, Opinion of the Supreme Court in the Case of Christopher C. Kiersted. The People of the State, the Rector, &c., of Trinity Church, and others. Decided April 9, 1855.
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History of Trinity Church [1853
A memorial to the Legislature upon this petition was prepared and adopted by the Vestry. It showed, from the circumstances under which Mr. Kiersted made his petition, that his real object was not to obtain the passage of a general law, but "to excite suspicion of the title of your memorialists to a large portion of the real estate they have held and enjoyed without any successful molestation for one hundred and fifty years." The memorial gave a brief abstract of the various grants under which the corporation held its property and a summary of the suits brought by the so-called heirs of Anneke Jans. The memorialists also stated that they had no objection to a general act " by which a preference shall be given in all courts to actions in which the people of the State are parties or are interested." 1
The attempt of Mr. Kiersted failed, but the agitation was renewed from time to time, until the grand and final assault in 1857.
Colonel Nicholas Haight, commanding the veteran corps of the War of 1812, offered at this time the services of that corps "in any public movement that may be made in relation to the monument in the course of erection in Trinity churchyard to the memory of the Patriots of the Revolution there interred." "
A curious proposition was laid before the Vestry, April IIth, in a communication from Mr. Jonathan Lawrence " to improve space by erecting buildings of a peculiar plan over the churchyards of Trinity and St. Paul's Chapel without disturbing the remains there interred." It was ordered to be filed. No action seems to have been taken upon it. 3
1 P. 18, The Trinity Church Title. Report of the Commission of the Land Office Made to the House of Assembly, May 12, 1836. Memorial of the Corporation of Trinity to the Legislature, March 26, 1853.
2 Records, liber iv., folio 122.
3 Ibid., folio 124.
1853]
Dr. Berrian Visits Europe 379
On the 9th of May, 1853, the Rector informed the Vestry "that it was seemed advisable for Mrs. Berrian's health that she should make a voyage to Europe, in which he proposed to accompany her with the consent of the Vestry, and asking leave of absence for a few months." 1
The Vestry resolved "that after the next meeting of the Vestry Rev. Dr. Berrian have leave of absence for the above purpose for three months, and that the sum of fifteen hundred dollars be appropriated and paid for his expenses." It was also determined that the meeting usually held on the first Monday in September should be held on the last Monday of the month. The Standing Committee were requested to consider and report the requisite action to be taken by the Vestry "for the carrying on the business of the Corporation, the government of the Church, servants, and the care and disposition of the property during the Rector's absence." ?
The Standing Committee made its report on this sub- ject June 9th. It proposed to vest in the Standing Com- mittee, during the intermission of Vestry meetings, all the powers of the Vestry, and in all matters over which the Committee has not now control, the assent of at least five members of the Committee was to be obtained to make its action valid. This authority was not to extend to grants and donations of either money or lands. No sales of land were to be consummated until approved by the Vestry.
In all matters directly under the control of the Rector and also concerning the duties of the servants of the Cor- poration the Wardens were to have full authority.3
Soon after this meeting the Rector and Mrs. Berrian sailed. The summer was spent, very much to the benefit of their health, in Switzerland. Some weeks were passed in England and Ireland.
1 Records, liber iv., folio 129.
" Ibid., folio 129. 3 Ibid., folio 130.
.
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History of Trinity Church
[1853
In the spring of 1853, the Reverend Dr. Parks, whose health had given much anxiety to his friends, was obliged to give up all parochial duty. The Vestry granted him six months' leave of absence and a generous allowance for expenses. Dr. Parks, growing gradually weaker he de- termined to return home. He died, within sight of his native land on board the steamer Arctic, July 21, 1853, in the fiftieth year of his age.
On Tuesday, July 25th, the funeral was held from Trinity Church, and on the 31st, a memorial sermon was preached in St. Paul's Chapel by the Rev. Dr. Higbee.
The General Convention of 1853, was memorable in the annals of the American Church. A delegation of eminent Churchmen from the mother Church in England and the Church in Canada attended it. Many important questions came up for consideration : that of missionary extension to the Pacific coast ; the admission of Iowa as a Diocese ; the method of dealing with the former Bishop of North Carolina, Dr. Ives, who had perverted to the Church of Rome; the need of adapting the Church to all sorts and conditions of men by making the Prayer Book more flexible, in its use ; the appointment of a special order of Evangelists ; and the relaxation of the scholastic require- ments for ordination.
The opening service was held in Trinity Church, on Wednesday, October 5th. A contemporary account says that "there could not have been many short of three thousand present."
The Litany was said by the Venerable John Sinclair, Archdeacon of Middlesex, England.
The Presiding Bishop, Dr. Brownell, commenced the service of the Holy Communion, the Epistle being read by the Rev. Dr. William Jones Boone, Missionary Bishop
381
General Convention of 1853
1853]
to China, and the Gospel by the Right Rev. George John Trevor Spencer, sometime Bishop of Madras.1
The sermon was preached by the Right Rev. Charles P. McIlvaine, Bishop of Ohio, from the text St. Matthew ix., 37, 38.
Both houses organized for business immediately after the services. The Bishops assembled in the Vestry-room, and the clergy and laity in the church. There were present in the lower house one hundred and fifteen cleri. cal, and eighty-five lay, deputies from thirty Dioceses.2
The Rev. Dr. Creighton was unanimously chosen President and Dr. Howe Secretary. After organization the Convention adjourned to meet for business in St. John's Chapel on Thursday morning.
At the session of Friday the Rev. William Bacon Stevens, of Philadelphia, offered a preamble and resolu- tions welcoming to the lower house the delegation from the Venerable Propagation Society "appointed in re- sponse to an invitation from the Bishops of the Protestant- Episcopal Church assembled in New York City, on the 29th of April, 1852." 3
The members of the delegation were Bishop Spencer, Archdeacon Sinclair, the Rev. Prebendary Hawkins, Sec- retary and Annalist of the Venerable Society, and the Rev. Henry Caswell, Vicar of Figheldean. Mr. Caswell had previously been in the United States, doing pioneer mis- sionary work in Ohio under Bishop Chase, by whom he was ordained.
1 Dr. Spencer succeeded the Right Rev. David Cowie, the first Bishop of Madras 1835-1837. He was consecrated in Lambeth Palace Chapel, on November 19, 1837, by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. William Howley, the Bishop of Litchfield, Dr. Samuel Butler, and the Bishop of Salisbury, Dr. Edward Davidson. He resigned in 1849, and became an efficient worker in England for the S. P. G.
? The Rev. Dr. Higbee was a clerical, and the Hon. John A. Dix a lay, deputy from the Diocese of New York.
3 Pp. 28. 29, Journal of the General Convention, 1853.
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History of Trinity Church [1853
Among the perplexing matters discussed at that Con- vention was the admission of California as a Diocese. Many hesitated to accept the report advising the admis- sion, as there was no acceptance of the Constitution and Canons of this Church in the papers laid before the Con- vention. Finally, under a provision of the previous Canon concerning Missionary Bishops, the Rev. Dr. Kip, of Albany, was elected for California, and the Rev. Dr. Scott of Georgia for Oregon.
The Bishops early in the session considered what action should be taken in regard to Dr. Ives. On Octo- ber 8th, the Bishop of Vermont, Dr. Hopkins, reported from the Committee on Canons a Canon "Of the Aban- donment of the Communion of the Church by any Bishop, Priest, or Deacon " which was adopted by both houses.1
Resolutions on the subject by Bishop Freeman, of the Southwest District, and Bishop Upfold, of Indiana, having been offered and laid on the table, Bishop Whittingham, of Maryland, presented a preamble and resolutions clearly stating the whole subject, and validating the action of the Diocese of North Carolina in electing Dr. Atkinson. The House of Bishops, agreeing with the principle of the resolution, proceeded to formulate an act of deposi- tion of Dr. Ives.
It was deemed essential that this act, which was signed by all the Bishops present, should be solemnly pronounced in the House of God in the presence of the whole Con- vention. The afternoon of Friday, October 14th, was appointed for the formal deposition.
The Bishops went in procession from St. John's school- room into the church, where they were received by the deputies.
Appropriate collects having been said by the Bishop 1 Canon I., Canons of 1853, P. 59.
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General Convention of 1853
1853]
of Virginia, Dr. Johns, the whole congregation arose and remained standing while the Presiding Bishop, seated in his chair near the altar, pronounced the formal sentence of deposition.
On Monday, October 17th, a large congregation as- sembled in St. John's Chapel to witness the consecration of Dr. Atkinson, as Bishop of North Carolina, and Dr. Davis as Bishop of South Carolina.
The sermon was preached by the Right Rev. John Medley, Bishop of Fredericton, New Brunswick, who with Bishop Spencer took part in the act of consecration. The presence of the English consecrators was noted as an additional mark of friendly union and concord in the Anglican Communion.1
During this Convention a Canon was adopted providing for a Registrar of the General Convention, whose duty it should be to preserve all the Journals and other docu- ments, both manuscript and printed, and secure all possible material for past conventions and keep them in some safe place.
It was also to be his duty to obtain a record of all past consecrations of Bishops in this Church, enter them in a suitable book, and keep an accurate record of all future consecrations.
To this new office the Rev. John Henry Hobart was unanimously chosen.2
The election of Missionary Bishops for the Pacific coast was necessarily delayed until the closing days of the session. It finally took place on Friday, October 21, and
1 In the Letters of Consecration of Bishop Davis and Bishop Atkinson, as given on p. 402, Journal of the General Convention, 1853, the signatures of Bishop Medley and Bishop Spencer are wanting, although those prelates are named in the Letters of Consecration.
' See pp. 121, 122, 196, 197, 208, 215, Journal of General Convention, 1853. For the Canon see p. 60, appended to the Journal.
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History of Trinity Church [1853
the Convention adjourned on Wednesday, October 26, after a laborious but interesting session of nineteen days.
In response to letters and telegrams sent by several of his friends in the House of Bishops, the Rev. Dr. Kip came to New York from his home in Albany to confer with the Bishops on his election to California. The situa- tion of the Church in that State was so grave that Dr. Kip was urged to consent to an immediate consecration and to leave for his new and distant home soon after. " So hurried was this matter," says Dr. Kip, "that I never received any official notice of my election, nor did I in any way send an acceptance. The Bishops talked to me as if my going were taken for granted, and they acted accordingly."1
It was arranged that the consecration should take place on the Feast of St. Simon and St. Jude, Friday, October 28th, in Trinity Church.
As the Presiding Bishop, Dr. Brownell, was exhausted by the long session, which had severely taxed his health and strength, he assigned the duty of presiding to the Rt. Rev. Dr. Kemper, the first elected Missionary Bishop of the American Church, who is truly styled an Apostle of the West.
' P. 6, The Early Days of My Episcopale, William Ingraham Kip, D.D., LL.D., Bishop of California.
I
CHAPTER XVIII.
FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS MATTERS.
Resignation of Mr. Harison as Comptroller-Revival of the Scheme for the Extension of Albany Street-Opposition of the Vestry-Sermon by Mr. Weston-Extension Stopped by Municipality-The Anneke Jans Claims Again-Action by Rutgers B. Miller-Action by Christopher Kiersted-Action by A. Lozier-Report Requested by the Assembly of the Financial Condition of Trinity Parish-Report Furnished by the Vestry-Spiritual Destitution of Lower Part of the City-Resolutions Offered by Gen- eral Dix-Queries Propounded by the Vestry to the Rector-The Rector's Detailed Reply to Them-Reorganization of the Clerical Staff in 1855.
M R. WILLIAM H. HARISON, who had for many years held the office of Comptroller of the Cor- poration of Trinity Church, finding his health failing, re- signed his office in the month of October, 1853, and Mr. William E. Dunscomb was appointed Comptroller pro tem.1
At the Vestry Meeting of October 24th, a resolution was unanimously adopted :
"That the thanks of the Vestry are due and are hereby tendered to William H. Harison, Esq., on his regretted retirement from office through impaired health, for his long, able and faithful services as Comptroller of this Corporation, and as a mark of appreciation on the . part of the Vestry that an appropriate piece of plate or pieces of plate be presented to him."?
At the next meeting of the Vestry, held November 14th, the following letter from Mr. Harison was read :
"TO THE VESTRY OF TRINITY CHURCH:
"It would be most ungrateful, Reverend Sir, and my other friends and colleagues of the Vestry, were I to depart on this journey, whence
1 Records, liber iv., folio 137. VOL. IV .- 25.
֏ Ibid., folio 141.
385
M
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History of Trinity Church
[1853
it is very possible I will never return, without some expression of the deep feeling I entertain of your kindness and consideration, in the affliction that I in the Providence of God am enduring. My inability to perform my duties for the last five months has not only been toler- ated but considered excusable, and no reluctance whatever has been shown by any one of my fellow Vestrymen however inconvenient it may have been to him to do the work that I was unable to do. I hope to be excused if I particularly mention the cheerfulness with which my brother Warden assumed the responsibilities and performed the duties of my office for several months at great charge upon his valu- able time: and also that invaluable assistance received from Mr. Rogers, the Comptroller's clerk, without which the affairs of the Cor- poration could hardly have been conducted. But nothing has touched me so much as the burst of sympathy manifested and the unanimous wish expressed that I should continue in office, and take leave of absence.
"Be sure, My Dear Sirs, that the impression made upon my heart on that occasion can never be effaced. For the vote at the last meet- ing I beg of you now to accept my sincere thanks. With all the faults in my conduct of the office, and all the mistakes I have committed, and I am conscious they have been numerous, my sole desire and motive has ever been the promotion of the interests and prosperity, the honor and dignity of our beloved Church.
" It is an inestimable satisfaction that I carry along the down-hill of life this proof of your approbation. That it is to be accompanied by a substantial testimony of that approbation is a mark of your abun- dant favor as unexpected as unnecessary for my fullest gratification. But I have to make a suggestion at the risk of its being considered ungracious, in regard to the form and nature of your gift. I have no inclination or opportunity for display, so that your munificence if expended as proposed will be little heard of.
"Besides in this country Plate does not continue long even in one family, on account of the rapid vicissitudes of fortune and the infini- tesimal division of property among heirs and relations. Too often do such presents find their way at last to strangers, like the tankard given to the officers of the 33d (or Royal Welsh) Regiment, which was discovered among old silver intended for the crucible.
" I have, therefore, to ask as a particular favor, even after all you have shown to me, that your gift may be changed to that which I trust you will agree with me in considering more appropriate for a Church to bestow, as uniting a pious object and enduring devotion of its wealth
387
Resignation of Mr. Harrison
1853]
to the salvation of souls and the praise of God, with the compliment which is the immediate motive of the action.
" I have for some time intended to erect a chapel in the parish of Canton at the village of Morley about five and a half miles from the Parish Church, and in the centre of a large tract of land of which my father was the proprietor. The beautiful site has been given by his eldest child. The plans have been some time drawn and approved, and the material such as stone, timber, and lumber provided. If my life shall be spared this will employ much of my hoped-for leisure ; if not I trust my son will go on and complete it.
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