USA > New York > New York City > A history of the parish of Trinity Church in the city of New York, pt 4 > Part 6
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"NEW YORK, February 26, 1827.
" SIR,
" I beg leave to call the attention of the New York Bible and Common Prayer book Society to the following Preamble and Resolu- tions adopted at a meeting of the Board of Managers of the Auxiliary New York Bible & Common prayer book Society held on the 20th instant.
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"' Whereas, it has been unofficially represented to this Board that a proposition for uniting this Society with the New York Bible and Com- mon Prayer book Society would in all probability be favourably re- ceived by the Managers of that Institution-Therefore Resolved that a Committee of three be appointed of whom the President shall be one to confer with a similar Committee to be appointed by the Managers of the New York Bible & Common Prayer Book Society.
"' Resolved, that it shall be the duty of the President of this, to ap- prise the President of that Society of the appointment of this Commit- tee and to request the appointment of a like Committee on their part.
"' Resolved, that it shall be the duty of this when met in consultation with the other Committee to ascertain precisely the terms on which a union can be effected and then to call a meeting of the Board of Man- agers to whom they shall submit their Report for further instructions.
"' Resolved, that it shall also be the duty of this Committee to ascer- tain and report to the Board at the same time, what alteration in our act of Incorporation will be necessary in case such union should take place.'
" Messrs. Bradish & Brown in conjunction with the President were appointed a Committee for that purpose.
" I am Respect" " Your ob. Sert "WM. E. DUNSCOMB " Pres: Aux! N. Y. B. & C. P. Book Socy " Pres: B. & P. B. Socy N. Y. '
At a meeting of the Vestry of St. Paul's Church, Detroit, Michigan Territory, March 24, 1827, it was
" Resolved, that it would be most gratifying to the Vestry of St. Paul's Church, Detroit, to receive a visit from the Rt. Rev. Bishop Hobart in the course of the ensuing summer; and that their wishes on the subject to be communicated to him at an early date by the Rector of this Church.
" A true copy from the Records.
" Jos. W. TORREY, " Sec! "
DETROIT, March 26th 1827.
" RIGHT REV. AND DEAR SIR,
" I am very happy in being the medium of expressing to you the desire of the Vestry of the Church in this city, and we should greatly
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Letter from Richard F. Cadle
1827]
rejoice to see you in this distant settlement. The interests of the infant congregation which I serve would be much promoted by your presence & counsels. I think it will soon be in our power to commence the building of a Church.
" If you have no objections, may I solicit the favour of your ad- ministering Confirmation in this place. There are not perhaps many persons who would present themselves as candidates for that rite, but it would be a gratification to me for the few that might offer to have the benefit of it. In the meantime I will make particular inquiries on this subject, and endeavour to prepare them for its reception, so that no obstacle may exist in their want of due consideration of its nature & importance.
" I have understood that a steam boat will run to Green Bay this summer, which will render the time of passage inconsiderable, although the distance from Detroit is about five hundred miles. A treaty will be held there in the course of two or three months by Gov. Cass & some other Commissioners with the Indian tribes.
"With the earnest hope of seeing you shortly in Michigan,
"I remain Respectfully & Affecy yours,
" RICHARD F. CADLE. "RIGHT REV. JOHN H. HOBART, D.D."
>
CHAPTER II.
HOBART CORRESPONDENCE. PART VIII. FROM MAY, 1827, TO HIS DEATH.
Letter from the Rev. Dr. Beach-From Colonel Troup on St. John's Park-The Rev. John L. Blake on The American Pulpit of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States-The Rev. C. Griffin Requesting Information on New York Church Af- fairs before and after the Revolution-The Rev. Edward K. Fowler on the Omission of the Ante-Communion Service-Dr. J. Smyth Rogers on Ministrations to Scat- tered Church Families-Bishop Inglis-The Rev. H. U. Onderdonk on his Successor at Brooklyn - And on the Successor to Dr. Peneveyre at the Church du St. Esprit - Correspondence with the Bishops of Nova Scotia and Quebec on the Status of the American Clergy - The Rev. Horatio Potter - The Rev. G. W. Doane- The Rev. B. T. Onderdonk-On the Church at Corlear's Hook-Bishop Hobart on the General Sunday-School Union - Letter from the Rev. W. R. Whittingham on the Sunday- School Union-Bishop Hobart to the Rev. H. H. Norris-From the Rev. Dr. Lacey on The Clergyman's Companion-From Mr. Floyd Smith on the Establishment of the Protestant Episcopal Press-The Rev. J. Adams on his Resignation of the Presi- dency of Geneva College-Mr. Trowbridge on the Consecration of St. Paul's Church, Detroit-Commodore Chauncey on the Launching of the Fairfield-Dr. MacNeven on the Emmet Monument-The Rev. L. P. Bayard Asking for an Orthodox Trinity Church Surplice - Mr. L. Huntington Young on the Homiletic Monthly - The Rev. John Hopkins on his Election to St. Stephen's Church, New York-Bishop Hobart Declines an Invitation to a Public Dinner at Tammany Hall-Thomas Swords on the Establishment of the Protestant Episcopal Press-The Rev. Eleazar Williams on his Work among the Oneidas-Messrs. T. and J. Swords on the Unfair Rivalry of the Episcopal Press-Bishop Brownell on his Tour of the Southwest-The Rev. J. C. Rudd on the Name of the Church-On Geneva College, and on the Coming Visit of the Bishop to Rochester - Daniel W. Kissam on Sad Plight of Church at Huntington -Last Letter from the Rev. L. S. Ives to the Bishop.
T HE Rev. Dr. Beach served the Parish so well and so loyally for so many years that what is probably his last communication to Bishop Hobart is worthy of preservation.
Dr. Beach was the link between the old order and the new. He had been ordained in England, and had been
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Letter from Dr. Beach
1827]
a missionary in New Jersey of the S. P. G., and, as we have already mentioned, he continued the wise administra- tive policy of Bishop Provoost under the feeble Rector- ship of Bishop Moore, and only resigned to make way for the appointment of Bishop Hobart as Assistant Rector.
" RARITAN 16th May 1827. " RIGHT REVEREND & DEAR S"
" I have heard of the appointment of the Revª H. Underdonk to be Ass: Bishop of the Dioces of Pennsilvania; in case of his acceptance St. Ann's Church at Brooklyn will become vacant ; it would be very agreeable to me to have Mr. Carter thought of as his Successor, indeed there is no earthly good that would so sooth the few days remaining for me on this side the grave, as having my daughter & her family near me ; & being relieved from the anxiety I feel on account of the climate in which they now live; will you as far as is consistent with your own judgment aid me in this my earnest wish ?
" This is probably the only request of a similar nature I shall ever make to an earthly friend. I trust you will excuse the liberty of mak- ing it to you.
" I take this opportunity to thank you for the Pamphlets you was so kind as to send me, I have read them with attention, & with re- gret & surprise at the acrimonious spirit evinced by the English Reviewer.
"With unabated affection for yourself & dear Mrs. Hobart, I am, Right Reverend and dear Sir,
"your long attach'd' & sincere Friend " ABRM BEACH "
Dr. Beach died September 14, 1828 aged eighty-eight.
The following communication refers to the adornment of St. John's Park by the Corporation.
" HUDSON SQUARE 23rd May 1827.
" DEAR SIR:
" The Proprietors of lots fronting on the Park, in Hudson Square, held a general meeting last night, and, with great unanimity, adopted the necessary measures for carrying into effect the objects contem- plated by the deed lately executed by the Corporation of Trinity Church.
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" The Committee, charged with the execution of these measures, consists of two Proprietors living on each side of the Square, with the addition of such person, to represent the interests of the Church, as the Vestry shall for that purpose appoint.
" The meeting were desirous of appointing you the additional mem- ber; but I expressed a doubt whether you would consider it proper to act, as a member of the Committee, without being associated with a Layman also representing the Church interest and to be appointed by the Vestry. And, on this suggestion, the meeting, thinking that two additional members would make the Committee rather too large, resolved to have but one person to represent the Church, and to refer his appointment to the Vestry.
" I communicate, as Chairman of the meeting, this account of their proceedings; and I beg leave to request you to oblige the meeting by laying the account before the Vestry at their next meeting.
"With sentiments of the most perfect esteem, I remain, Dear Sir,
" Your humble servant "ROBT. TROUP.
" THE RIGHT REVD.
BISHOP HOBART."
In May, 1827, the Rev. John L. Blake, of Boston, an- nounced to Bishop Hobart his intention of publishing The American Pulpit of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. It was to be an octavo of twenty- four pages and issued monthly. For it he requests Bishop Hobart's sermon at the Institution of Professor Potter as Rector of St. Paul's Church, Boston.
On July 20, 1827, the Rev. C. Griffin, an English clergyman in Halifax, wrote requesting information con- cerning
" certain pamphlets & other papers relating to Church affairs published before the Revolution."
He was especially anxious
" to collect information relative to the state of Church affairs in New York &c., during the troubles occasioned by the revolution, when the
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Letter from Edward K. Fowler
1827]
Rev. Mr. Inglis who had been a missionary at Dover in Pennsylvania, was Rector of Trinity Church at New York, and afterwards Bishop of Nova Scotia, where he died in 1816. Reports say that he was a native of Ireland and began his career in America as an itinerant schoolmaster. While at New York he was remarkable for changing sides adapting his doctrines to the necessities of time and place. All this and much more appears to have been set forth in a Pamphlet complaining of the proceedings of 55 associated loyalists printed in New York more than forty years ago. The copy in my possession is without a title and many other pages and much torn & defaced."
The pamphlets desired were: Dr. Mayhew's " Ob- servations on the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel," 1730; Dr. Apthorp's "Answer," 1750; Dr. Mayhew's "Remarks on an Anonymous Tract," circa 1750; Dr. Apthorp's " Review of Dr. Mayhew's 'Re- marks'"; Bishop's "New England Judged"; the Rev. Noah Hobart's "First Serious Address "; Hobart's " Sec- ond Serious Address"; Beach's " First Address in Vindi- cation of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," 1749; Beach's "Second Address," 1751 ; other pamphlets and papers in answer to Archbishop Secker ; a pamphlet published against the 55 Associated Loyalists in Nova Scotia, printed in New York about 1787, the author said to be a clergyman.
This next letter, from a worthy and laborious mission- ary who spent his life in small and almost unknown parishes and missions, and died at Monticello, Sullivan County, after an incumbency of nearly fifty years, shows the prac- tical difficulties of the "full morning service ":
" June 10, 1827.
" RT. REV. & DEAR SIR,
"Knowing the desire of my Bishop & other chief ministers to have the Ante Communion service read every Sunday, I have ever since my ordination regularly performed it, but must say that it is now with me almost impracticable; for the two last Sundays I have curtailed the lessons; this is some little relief, but not sufficient; when I tell you
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that I am at this moment full of pain from the exertions of Sunday, you will readily perceive that it is necessary that I should shorten the morning service by the omission of the Ante Communion. The ru- brick with regard to this service is considered by some to be of doubt- ful construction & therefore has been taken advantage of.
"This, however, is not my disposition, I am willing & wish to be regular in its performance, and yet at the same time it is injuring me.
" Do you not think I would be justified in omitting it? The ser- vices of the Church here are well attended, on last Sunday there were both morning & evening more than the house in which I preached could contain. The prosperity of the Church depends more upon our receiving the missionary stipend, with this I shall be barely able to live, without it I cannot; and therefore I shall be under the painful necessity of returning to my friends for support. The sooner you reply to this letter the better, for we have in contemplation the build- ing of a new Church, the accomplishing of which requires our im- mediate exertions, as the Presbyterians are becoming paralysed in their attempts to keep their minister owing to their differing among themselves.
"Your Obedient Servant, "EDWARD K. FOWLER.
"RT. RP HOBART."
Churchmen scattered throughout the State of New York were heartened by the Bishop's unflagging zeal, and requests came to him from every direction for the establishment of the ministrations of the Church. This is a typical appeal :
" RT. REVP BP. HOBART " DEAR SIR
"Permit me to remind you of your promise to attend to the wants of one of the villages within your Diocess, & to solicit you to visit it, in your approaching tour thro' the State: Georgetown, Madison County, has been represented, as in the most destitute situation, in respect of religious advantages-at least to those connected with our Church : a single fact from among many that have been mentioned, will strikingly illustrate, the spiritual necessities of that part of the country; a few months since Mr. Stephen Hoffman, (a gentleman who, I believe was not unknown to you when he resided a few miles from this city) was obliged to send upwards of 40 miles for a clergyman to baptize his
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Letters from Bishop Inglis
1828]
child. It is stated that, there are several Episcopal families in that vicinity, who gladly would exert themselves to aid in the support of the regular ministration of the services. Mrs. Ann Moore, an aunt of my mother, who is now living with Mr. Hoffman, has repeatedly written to urge us to state to you their situation, & to beg that if possible, some provision may be made for their relief: she expresses an anxious hope that you may visit that town, & extend your ride to M: Hoffman's place, which is within a few miles of the village.
" I am Dear Sir " Respectfully "Your Obt Servt " J. SMYTH ROGERS
" Tuesday - June 27 " 5
There is no record in the Journals of Bishop Hobart ever visiting Georgetown. The Rev. Joseph B. Youngs, deacon, missionary at Perryville, Madison County, reports in 1827 :
" In the course of the summer past, I have visited the south part of the County twice, where I found a number of families that had formerly belonged to the Church, and who have lived years without enjoying the privileges of her service. On my last visit the Rev. Mr. Wheeler accompanied me to Georgetown and Lebanon where I preached to a small but respectable congregation after which we bap- tised three children, and Mr. Wheeler administered the Communion to the scattered flock who had collected for that purpose."
The Rev. Russel Wheeler was Rector of Zion Church, Butternuts, and St. Andrew's, New Berlin.
This fixes the probable date of the letter from Dr. Rogers, who was a well-known physician of New York City, as June 27, 1827.
The two following letters from Bishop Inglis are of peculiar interest, as exhibiting the warm friendship be- tween the two Bishops.
" PHILADELPHIA, July 16. 1828.
"MY DEAR BISHOP,
"Your letter of the 8th was handed to me by our dear Bishop White upon my return from Washington. You cannot doubt that I 1 Journal, 1827, p. 56.
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have every feeling on the score of your duty that you would wish me to cherish, and I would readily sacrifice every private gratification in preference to an interference with the public claims upon you. But at the same time I must express an ardent hope that you may find it practicable to adhere to our proposed plan. Of the thousand things we have to talk about, very few have yet been mentioned, and inde- pendently of this, the pleasure to which I had looked forward in your society from New York to Niagara cannot be yielded without a struggle.
"We consider ourselves very heroic in having withstood an engag- ing party that was made or proposed by the Swedish Minister for a visit to Mount Vernon, because it would have detained us another day at Washington, and another for a visit to Mr. Carroll, because that would have required another day at Baltimore. I think I may confi- dently say that we shall be ready to leave New York for the Northern Tour on Monday the 28th or certainly the following day, if that can be made consistent with your arrangements.
"We shall try to quit this place for Long Branch tomorrow, and hope to be in New York on Monday, Deo volente.
" Many thanks for what you say on the Snug Harbour matter. "Your very affectionate Brother,
" JOHN NOVA SCOTIA.
"Kind remembrances around you.
" THE RIGHT REVEREND
" THE BISHOP OF NEW YORK."
"NEW YORK, Friday " July 25th 1828.
"MY DEAR BISHOP,
" I have greatly regretted that I have not seen you, and still more regret the cause of my disappointment. I have been uneasy lest the delays we propose to make in going up the River should be tedious and perhaps inconvenient to you-and this uneasiness is increased by the sickness in your family, I must therefore beg, that if it will be more convenient to yourself to remain here till Monday August 4th and join us at Albany, you will adopt that plan, for although I am unwilling to lose an hour of your society, I am still more unwilling to expose you to inconvenience or delays that may be irksome, unless you can continue to weave a little duty among them.
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Letter from H. U. Onderdonk
1827]
"Mr. Elmendorf will be our escort to Albany, if it is more con- venient to you to remain here, till the 4th of August.
"Yours with every wish for the recovery of your child, and with much regard and affection
" JOHN NOVA SCOTIA. " RIGHT REVD BISHOP OF NEW YORK."
Mr. McIlvaine was not a persona grata either to Bishop Hobart or to the Assistant Bishop-Elect of Penn- sylvania, and consequently the latter did not hesitate to endeavor to prevent Mr. McIlvaine from succeeding him in his Brooklyn parish.
"July 23rd 1827.
"MY DEAR SIR
"In a note I sent you sometime since, I mentioned that I had, at Cuming's request, written to Mr. Sam' I. Andrews, of Roch' respecting McIlvaine,-Mr. A. wrote me some days since that he had shown my letter to Atkinson,-& to-day I learn by a letter from Cuming that he has shown it to McIlvaine, who has taken a copy. I remember having been cautious in writing, tho' I certainly had no tho't of its being ex- hibited. The amount of it was (as I recollect), that as it was rumoured that McI. was not liked at Georgetown & West Point on account of being dogmatic, I would recommend to Mr. A. to make enquiries at those places respecting him,-my advice being grounded on my ac- quaintance with Mr. Andrews, & on the part I had formerly taken in the chh affairs of Roch', -- the chief motive however being to prevent, on your acc, the Settlement of McI. there,-and hoping to have him defeated in both Brook" & Roch5.
"I have no copy of my letter, & cannot answer for every word, but am confident as to its general tenour .- Cuming expresses his total dis- appointment in the reliance he has placed in Mr. Andrews,-the son of an old Conn' clergyman :- & one too, I believe, who went to Nova Scotia after the Revolution: McI. may make a noise about my having mentioned these rumours respecting him at both Brook" & Roche, call it persecution. I am half sick with mortification.
" Yours truly,
"H. U. ONDERDONK.
"(RT: REV: BISHOP HOBART) " VOL. IV .- 4.
in vin Ar
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The following letter was evidently written after Mr. Onderdonk's election as Assistant Bishop of Pennsylvania. It is undated, but was written probably in the beginning of October, 1827.
"Saturday night
" DEAR SIR
" I enclose you a letter of Mr. Cuming's, just received. I have written to him, that it would not be prudent to have a rival to McI. on the same day, lest it look like too glaring opposition, and lest Mcl. should surpass him in eloquence, that Sellon will not do, & Doane will not probably go to Rochester, & if we can defeat McI. in both Roch! & Brook!", it will materially diminish his fame, and perhaps his party, may drop him.
" Is it not highly important to have a clergyman sent on to Roch' if possible & very soon ?
" My people are prepared not to like McI. to-morrow. They are also in a good train to concentrate on O. Clark.
"Yours truly "H. U. ONDERDONK "
The return of Dr. Henri Peneveyre to Switzerland left a vacancy in "l'Eglise du Saint Esprit," the ancient Huguenot Church which conformed to the Church in America early in the nineteenth century. Dr. Onder- donk explains the canonical difficulties encountered in or- daining his successor, and the letter of Bishop Stewart shows the method proposed for overcoming them. Mr. Verren finally was made deacon by Bishop Hobart in Trinity Church, New York, on Wednesday, October I, 1828.
"NEW YORK, Sept. 5, 1827,
" MY DEAR BISHOP :
" I fear you think me very remiss ; but indeed the time has passed since Saturday in such an endless succession and pressure of engage- ments, that I could hardly think of one half that I had to do. I how- ever, satisfied myself as soon as I could, by looking at the records of the Committee, that there is no candidate recommended, whose resi-
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Letter from B. T. Onderdonk
1827]
dence you will reach agreeably to the printed schedule of your visita- tion, before a letter written any time this week will be received. The only names I find on the records of the Committee as Deacons recom- mended for Priests' Orders for several months past, are those of Messrs. Weber, M'Carty, W. H. Adams, and J. A. Clark.
"I know of nothing new here in ecclesiastical matters, except the arrival of the new French Clergyman, the Rev. Anthony Verren. His Testimonials are very ample and are in Mr. Berrian's hands to be laid before the Standing Committee. The gentlemen of the Vestry of that church are anxious that his ordination should take place as soon after your return as possible. He has been regularly ordained on the prin- ciples of the French Reformed Church. He is a young man about 25 years of age and of very prepossessing appearance. His countenance and demeanour give evidence of great ingeniousness and amiability of character ; and his testimonials show him to have been held at home in more than ordinary respect and affection. He has some knowledge of English, and I will endeavour to call his attention, by reading and conversation, to the distinctive points in the principles of our Church.
"I had written nearly thus far when the 5th Canon of the General Convention of 1820 all at once came into my mind. It requires resi- dence of one year in the United States, before a person not a citizen can be ordained. The Canon surely could not have had the case of a Church like St. Esprit, where only a foreigner can officiate, in view, but only ordinary cases in which imposition may be practiced upon us by intriguing foreigners. A case like this where a call is given to an individual of another nation to accept of a particular situation, grounded on ample evidence of character, and he comes for that spe- cific purpose, with all the Canonical Testimonials, must be widely dif- ferent from the cases against which the convention wished to guard, and yet the Canon literally is binding in this case. The delay, how- ever, would be a heavy disappointment to all parties concerned and serious injury to that parish inasmuch as no American can be its pastor. The unusual efforts also now making by the Papists are a strong rea- son for restoring as soon as possible, a French protestant service. The case will, of course, Right Rev. Sir, be fully and fairly considered by you. Your just indulgence will not suffer me to hesitate in taking the liberty of making two suggestions which at the moment have presented themselves to my mind. One is that on the ground of its being ob- viously a case not within the design of the Canon, which indeed if such were its design, might as well destroy at once all foreign Churches in our Communion, its literal application might be set aside
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upon the unanimously expressed opinion of all the Bishops acting by the advice of their respective Counsels, and the Standing Committees where there are no Bishops. This to be the ground of the apology to the next General Convention for the violation of one of its Canons, when there can be no doubt there will be a qualification of this Canon in the case of foreign Churches necessarily requiring foreign pastors. Secondly, might not the Bishop of Quebec at your request be prevailed on to ordain Mr. Verren. He might then immediately officiate in St. Esprit ; although by the 36th Canon of 1808 he could not become its settled minister until at least one year's residence in this country. Will you allow me, Rt. Rev. Sir, to ask the favour of such observations in reply as your leisure will admit, and as soon as will comport with your convenience? The bearing of the Canon of 1820 is I believe in no one's mind but my own. And if you think that the difficulty can in any way be surmounted I should be glad to be able to say so as soon as the difficulty itself may become known. In so multitudinous population as we have the performance of our services in what may be considered as almost a universal language may perhaps be considered a matter of interest to our Church at large.
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