USA > Ohio > Washington County > Marietta > The history of Saint Luke's Church, Marietta, Ohio > Part 8
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83
PAROCHIAL REPORT OF 1835.
there was Morning Prayer at 8 o'clock, which allowed me time to preach and administer Confirmation and the Lord's Supper at the usual time of morning service. Nine persons were confirmed. In the after- noon the parents and Sunday school children of the congregation hav- ing been specially called together, I addressed them respectively. At night, I took occasion to preach on the missionary duty of the Church with particular reference to the late changes in our general Missionary operations; after which $18.75 were received for missionary purposes, $3.75 of which were the product of the self-denial of a little girl of the congregation. In consequence of being detained two days longer at Marietta, than I expected, waiting for a boat, my intended visitation to Portsmouth was deferred, till my visit to the Churches in Circleville and Chillicothe." He also says: "Three churches have been consecrated since the last Report : viz. St. John's Springfield; St. Luke's Marietta, and Christ Church, Cincinnati."
PAROCHIAL REPORT. St. Luke's Church, Marietta, Rev. J. T. Wheat.
The report of this interesting parish was handed to me by the Rec- tor, while I was with his people just before the Convention-but I am sorry to say that in the press of duties and the accumulation of papers, at the Convention, it was mislaid, and its loss was not discovered till it was too late in the publication of the Journal to apply for its renewal. For the general state of this Parish, I must refer to the account of my visitation thereof in my Address to the Convention.
C. P. MCILVAINE.
In 1835 the Parish was represented by the Rector and Arius Nye, and was assessed $6 for the coming year, the highest assessment being $12.
Mr. Wheat's letter of presentation of candidates for Confirmation to Bishop Mellvaine, Sunday, St. Luke's Day, October 18, 1835.
Reverend Father in God,
I beg to commend to you these persons present-here- inafter named-as Candidates for the holy rite of Confirmation. They have been diligently instructed in its nature & design, & I have good hope of God's grace in the preparation of their heart & the answer of - their tongue.
J. THOS. WHEAT, Rr.
Hezekiah Cousins, Joseph Eli Hall, Charles Jones,
Mrs. Elizabeth A. Henderson, Mary Jones, Miss Charlotte Barker, Sarah B. MeFarland,
Mary De Wolf Goodwin,
Julia Clarke, 68 Elizabeth Hopp, Sarah Fairfax (coloured.)
(Bishop MeIlvaine in his Convention address says that "nine per- sons were confirmed.")
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84
THE RECTOR'S VISIT TO NEW ORLEANS.
For several months in the first part of the year 1836 Mr. Wheat was absent on a prolonged visit to New Orleans, an account of which will be most interesting in his own words. He says :
My visit to New Orleans, was on account of my health. I had been to see a brother at Wheeling who died of small pox and I was soon after stricken down with varioloid ; barely surviving, I was left so feeble as to be unfit for parish work, and Dr. Hildreth advised a trip to New Orleans. Soon after my arrival there the Vestry of Christ Church (then the only one in the city) engaged me temporarily at $300 a month. As their new church had been only recently begun, we held service in a Lutheran church then vacant. They had already called Dr. Wheaton of Hartford, Conn., upon the recommendation of Bp. Brownell, who was then, provisionally, in charge of our South-western missions. I remained in New Orleans some three months or more, and, when leav-
ing, was presented with $400, for the benefit of St. Luke's, Marietta. I made many warm friends in New Orleans who, when I was afterwards sent there by the Domestie Committee to establish a mission in the up- per part of the city, rallied enthusiastically to my support, and the mis- sion rapidly grew into St. Paul's, a self-supporting parish. A subscrip- tion of forty thousand dollars towards the building of a church, by the financial crash of '37 was rendered utterly mavailable ; and just in that crisis, I was called to Christ Church, Nashville, and importuned by my dearest friend, Bp. Otey, I removed thither in 1837.
Vestry meeting: Lecture room,
May 5th, 1836.
No meeting of the Parish having been had on Easter Monday, (the regular annual day for the election of Parish officers,) the wardens and vestry, elected last year, resume and continue their functions and duties as such : present this day,
Arius Nye, Senr. Warden, D. H. Buell, Joseph Barker, Danl. Greene & J. E. Hall,
Vestrymen.
On motion of Mr. Buell, the above entry is unanimously concurred in by the gentlemen present.
On motion, Mr. Buell was appointed agent of the parish, in respect to the ministerial fund, for the current year.
On motion, Col. Barker & Mr. Buell were appointed a committee to prepare and report to the vestry a communication to the Rt. Rev. the Bishop of the Diocese, stating the present situation of the parish, and asking his advice and assistance in relation thereto.
Adjourned to meet at this place on Saturday next at 4 P. M.
A. NYE, Senr. Warden.
Lec. Room, May 7, 1836.
The vestry met pursuant to adjournment; present as the last meet- ing.
The committee appointed at the last meeting not being prepared to report, their appointment is continued, by order until the next meeting of the vestry.
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LETTER OF THE RECTOR TO MR. BUELL.
Resolved, that Mr. Nve (who proposes to visit some of the eastern cities,) be authorized to solicit and receive donations and contributions towards the extinguishment of the church debt .- Ordered that a copy hereof be furnished him certified by Mr. Buell.
Adjourned to meet at this place on Monday next at 4 P. M.
A. NYE, SR. Warden.
On the 16th of May Mr. Buell received the following letter from the absent Rector :
Dear Sir &
New Orleans, April 29th, 1836. Beloved Bro. in C't.
I am very frequently with you in mind & heart. At the throne of grace, in the stated exercises of devotion, I find a sweet relief for my anxieties respecting you & our common cause at Marietta. In communion with our Divine Head all the members may sympathize; & although separated thousands of miles, we meet effectually, to all the intents & purposes of Chr. regards & mutual aid in the upper temple of prayer, whither our soaring minds, leaving the dull & impeded body, go to appear &
· "talk the speech, & eat the food of heaven."
I hope to be at home early in June & I beg your prayers that my return and future ministrations amongst you may be in 'the fulness of the blessings of the Gospel of peace."
I have to beg your care for the S. School may continue, & that you will abound in all those other offices of Chr enterprise & reli- gious intercourse. "Occupy till I come"-if I may, without pre- sumption, employ such language.
May I ask your kind attention to the new Rectory? The ground about it will have to be raised & the lot enclosed ; but, especially, will the plaistering & painting of the house have to be done early, in order that no danger may attend onr going into it. If a few trees could be planted, I should be much gratified : a weeping wil- low or two. Perhaps Dr. Hildreth would do me the favour to di- rect the planting of some shrubbery. Please direct that no white- wash be put upon the walls of the rooms below stairs.
"To all that be in M., beloved of God, called to be saints : Grace to you & peace from God our Father, & the Ld. Js. Ct .- God is my witness that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; making request (if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God) to come uu- to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ve may be established ; that is, that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I would not have you ignorant, brethern, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto. "- [Rom. I. c. 7-13 vs.] "Now I beseech you, brethern, that ve strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; that I may come unto you with joy, by the will of God, & may with you be re- freshed" [XV. c. 30, 32 vs.]- if the Lord permit, I will tarry at (this) Ephesus until Penticost, for a great door and effectual is opened unto me." [I. Cor. XVI. e. 8, 9 vs.] "Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you ; & I will not be burdensome to
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86
THE RECTOR RETURNS FROM NEW ORLEANS.
you, for I seek not you but yours. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved." [II. Cor. XII. c. 14, 15 vs.] "Though I be ab- sent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying & behold- ing your order, & the steadfastness of your faith in ('t." [Coloss. II. c. 5 v.] "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; & the God of love & peace shall be with you. Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The breth- ern which are with me greet you. I charge you by the Lord, that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. The grace of the Ld. Js. Ct., & the love of God, & the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all !"
You see, my dear Bro., how perfectly St. Paul expresses the feelings I cherish towards you.
In the best of bonds, J. THOS. WHEAT.
Daniel H. Buell, Esq. Marietta,
Care of Messrs. Ohio.
W. & J. E. Hall.
Lecture Room, June 25th.
The Rector having returned from the South, met the vestry-present A. Nye, S. W., D. H. Buell, D. Greene & Joseph Barker.
After prayer, the Rector made a statement of the objects of his journey, the causes of his long absence, and all other matters which he deemed interesting. He reported that he had obtained four hundred dollars in aid of the funds of the Parish.
On motion, Resolved that the Rector prepare and submit to the vestry a suitable communication, acknowledging the receipt of the Four hundred dollars from the Parish of Christ Church, New Orleans.
It was resolved that the disbursement of the Four hundred dollars towards the payment of the Church debt be committed to Mr. Nye, as Chairm. of the Building Com.
Mr. Nye having informed the vestry that the Bp. White Prayer Bk. Society had made a donation of Fifty Prayer Books, it was resolved that Mr. Nye be a committee to prepare for the signatures of the Rector and vestry a suitable acknowledgment.
J. THOMAS WHEAT, Acting Secretary.
The following paper would indicate that the question of procuring a church organ was again discussed, but the amount subscribed, if these were the only subscriptions, was not adequate to the end in view, and several years elapsed before the organ was purchased.
Marietta, July, 11th, 1836.
We, the subscribers, agree to contribute the sums annexed to our names respectively, towards the purchase of an Organ for the use of the Episcopal Church in this place.
Mr. Whittlesey
10
Jas. H. Greene
$ 10
" Brophy
10
Mr. Henderson
10
Dr. Trevor
10 10 1
David Creel 10 1
Col. Barker
Mr. Withrow
Mr. Joline
5 Wm. F. Curtis
Hoadley
5 Thos. Harshberger 1 1
87
THE REV. J. T. WHEAT'S LETTER OF RESIGNATION.
Lecture Room, Aug. 1st, 1836.
Vestry met. Present, A. Nye, .S. W. in the chair : Jos. Barker, D. H. Buell, D. Greene & J. E. Hall.
Resolved, that, for the present, those persons or families attending St. Luke's Church, who have heretofore located seats in the church be allowed to retain their present selections if they choose ; and others who wish and are not supplied be allowed to make selections; it being un- derstood that no separate and exclusive selection shall be made by any person or family who shall not subscribe at least five dollars towards the support of public worship in the church, for the current parochial year.
Resolved, that a committee of five be appointed to obtain subserip- tions for the support of the Rector for the current parochial year, to col- lect arrears of subscriptions for the last year : to adjust the locations of seats, under the preceding resolution : and to arrange the accommoda- tion in that particular, of new applicants: and that the gentlemen pres- ent of the vestry be that committee.
Resolved, that a committee, to consist of Arius Nye, D. H. Buell and Col. Barker, be appointed to apply to the board of Domestic Mis- sions of the Church, through our Diocesan, for aid in the support of our clergyman, as a missionary. Transcribed by J. T. W. from minutes by ARIUS NYE.
The following communication of the Rector to the Vestry and their reply need no comment. After a pastorate of nearly three and a half- years, during which time pastor and people had become bound together by ties of Christian love and personal attachment, made stronger by an unusual degree of congeniality in their social intercourse, Mr. Wheat determined that it was his duty to answer a call to a "more destitute portion of the Church," and thus to sever his connection with a parish which, while bidding him God speed, was stirred with feelings of pain- ful regret at his departure.
Marietta, Sept. 12th, 1836.
To the Gentlemen the Vestry of St. Luke's Parish Dear Brethern
After full & mature deliberation, an ex- tensive conference with my friends, and with the knowledge & consent of our diocesan, I have determined to accept some one, of the several invitations I have received from the S. W. States, & to exercise my future ministry in that more destitute portion of our Church.
In, herewith, resigning the parochial cure, which it has been my honour to hold, by your election, I cannot but feel those pain- ful regrets, which naturally attend upon the dissolving of a con- nexion. of more than ordinary sacredness. These regrets, un- doubtedly, felt in every separation of a pastor from his spiritual flock, are heightened in our case, by the presence of an unusual association. You, my dear brethern, have taken care, not only of the pecuniary & other temporal concerns of the parish ; but you have largely shared, in deliberation. counsel, & action, the burthen of its spiritual interests. You have held up my hands, in the hour of conflict: & our success has been a common victory and a common rejoicing.
88
THE VESTRY'S REPLY TO THE REV. J. T. WHEAT.
May I not call that success, which, in little more than three years, has enlarged the parish from four or five families to more than thirty ; built a beautiful & commodious church, and conve- nient lecture-room : and, what is more delightful, that has added to the first communion of seven, more than sixty others; who, we have good reason to believe, are "lively stones in that spiritual house, built of God, to endure forever." We have not the less satisfaction that these have been the results of no new device. They have not been "materially connected with any thing, which as a principle, has not been known as long as the Bible; or as a measure, has not been inherited by the Church, in her very struct- ure, from the beginning."
It has been with extreme reluctance, & great difficulty, that my mind has been brought to consent to a separation from this delightful parish, around which every dear & impressive associa- tion clings. Nothing but the single consideration of superior duty to the Church has been allowed to determine the question. I do not leave you, dear brethren, because I am, at all, in anything, dissatisfied with you. Had anything ever occurred in our long & intimate communication to excite dissatisfaction, this were a mo- ment to bury it all beneath mutual forgiveness. But we have no remembrances of that kind to mar the mutual confidence, & love, & respect with which we part.
Indeed, I know you will send me away with your prayers & blessings-I have had the happiness to know you a praying Ves- try-and without such cheering on, I should want the necessary courage to enter upon so arduous a field of labour.
I pray God have you, each & all, in His holy keeping: direct & prosper all your consultations, further you with His continual aid : so that you, & all your fellow-parishioners, may be edified in the faith of the Gospel in the Church.
In that best of bonds, I ani
My dear brethren, . Your obt. Servt.
To The Vestry of St. Luke's Parish By the hands of
J. THOMAS WHEAT.
Mr. Senior Warden, Arius Nye, Esq. Present.
To the Revd. John Thomas Wheat. Revd. and Dear Sir,
The Vestry of St. Luke's Church, Marietta, have received your communication to them, resigning the Rectorship & pastoral charge of the said parish :- and tho' it conveys to them the annunciation of an event which has been with them, as well as yourself, the subject of carnest & anxious consideration, and in some measure anticipated, they cannot con- template the further consequence which must follow it-your sep- aration and removal from them and the parish with which you have been, for several years, intimately associated and identified, -without being penetrated with emotions of deep and painful re- gret. In yielding, however, as they feel constrained to do, to
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89
PAROCHIAL REPORT OF 1836.
what appear to be the more urgent and paramount calls of duty, in another part of the vineyard of our Divine Lord and Master, and to the force of circumstances, which it is not in their power to control, they desire to do so in the feeling and spirit of kindness, affection and lively interest of which your communication is the expression to them. and they reciprocate the assurance of that feeling and spirit towards yourself: and tho' feeling anxiously the trying situation & circumstances in which as a parish they are placed, with the deep personal regrets attendant upon a separa- tion, they wish. in parting with you as their clergyman, to sus- tain your hands and fortify your spirit to the arduous duties and trials which you must encounter. in the new and extended field of labor to which you are now called : you have our unaffected sympathy for the labors and trials of yourself & family in the great work in which, as a minister of the Ch., you are engaged ; and our earnest proyers, that He, "without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy", will "increase and multiply upon you His mercy"; and that He will "direct you in all your doings with His most gracious favor, and further you with His continual help." We also greatly need your Christian sympathies, and your prayers ; which we trust will be addressed to the same Divine Head and Guide that He will "pour upon us [individually and collectively,] the continual dew of His blessing"; that He will direct, support, and uphold us in this our time of great necessity, and "keep us with His continual mercy."
We would take courage from the past, in the view of which, adverted to by you. we join with you, and trust that we may, as a parish & people. be as-isted by the same Divine Head to go for- ward in the advancement here of the Gospel in the Church-To Him, Dear Sir, we commend you and yours, in the words of the Gospel; and are your affectionate brethern .-
ST. LUKE'S CH., MARIETTA, Sept. 12. 1:36.
At a meeting of the Vestry of St. Luke's Church, at the Lecture room, on Monday. the 12. Sept. 136. Present Arius Nve, Sr. Warden, D. H. Buell, D. Greene, & J. E. Hall. Vestrymen :- the Senr. Warden laid before the meeting a communication from the Revd. John Thomas Wheat, resigning the Rectorship & ministry of said parish: Where- upon, on motion of Mr. Buell. & seconded, the foregoing reply to the communication of Mr. Wheat was adopted and approved ; and it was ordered that the Senr. Ward. presiding, communicate to the Rev. Mr. Wheat a copy of the same, signed by him on behalf of the Vestry.
Att. A. NYE, Sr. Wardn. Chairman.
PAROCHIAL REPORT OF ST. LUKE'S, MARIETTA.
From the Convention Journal of 1836.
Baptisms, 5. Marriages, 1. Funerals, 2. Confirmed, none. Com- municants, former number, sixty-eight: removed. seven, withdrawn, to join another communion in the neighborhood, five, added five. making the present number 61. There are 4 teachers in the Sunday School at Marietta, and two in the precinct School with about fifty scholars in
90
REMINISCENCES OF THE REV. J. T. WHEAT.
both. The "Weekly Offerings" are for the present, of necessity, dis- bursed in the parish and neighborhood as being itself missionary ground.
The late minister of this parish has left it, with affectionate regrets, and a grateful remembrance of the unusual love and reverence for the sacred office, and the very liberal support given to it there. In obeying the call of duty to another, more destitute portion of the Church, he begs to commend the congregation at Marietta to any one who may be called to the charge of it, as a most agreeable and interesting one. Though few in number, they have built a fine church, and through the liberality of a devoted member, they have a commodious lecture room and parochial school house. The same gentleman has also built a house for the residence of the clergyman.
St. Luke's was assessed S6.
The following comprises the contents of several letters received from Dr. Wheat in response to a request for some recollections of his ministry in Marietta, and printed originally in St. Luke's Chronicle.
DEAR SIR :-
I am much gratified to learn by your letter that I have been able to contribute anything "material to the Chronicle"-a most creditable exponent of a live and active parish. I beg leave to add some other reminiseences, which, though they may not be deemed suitable matter for the "Chronicle", may not be without interest to the older members of St. Luke's, at least.
During the four years following my coming to the Parish it was so prospered of God's blessing, as to be able to build a church, a parochial school-house and a residence for me.
Some twelve hundred dollars, raised at home, put up the walls of the church and roofed them; when I went East to beg enough to finish it ; but got little more than the amount of my travelling expenses. At the meeting of the vestry to receive my report, after the opening prayer, I turned to Mr. Nye and asked how much he had subscribed ? He answered, Two hundred dollars ( I think). "Well, are you, to-day, the worse off for it ?" "No, rather better, I believe. Ah, I see ! you want me to give as much more: well, I will do it, and continue to do it, year by year, as God prospers me."
So said they all, and, before they adjourned, instead of instruct- ing the builder to board up the door and windows and let it stand for the present, unfinished, he was instructed to go on with the work until the church should be fully completed and furnished. This was done, and all being paid for, the Bishop consecrated it in 1835. Mr. Delafield was the architect; Capt. Todd, the builder. Dr. Hildreth gave the lot. Mr. E. B. Swearingen was one of the largest contributors and was always active in the work of the par- ish. Besides those already mentioned, other friends and contribu- tors were Mr. Hall, Miss Nancy Wood, Mrs. Brophy, Mr. Joline, Mr. Ward, Mr. Holden, Dr. Trevor, Mr. McFarland, Mr. Page ("The High Priest of Nature," as he called himself), Mr. Barber, Mr. Whittlesey, Mr. Goddard ; besides some whose persons I re- member but whose names I cannot now recall-one, a prominent and most worthy person-there, I have it, Buell ! God bless him !
I resigned the parish in 1836. I think we had at one time as many as fifty or sixty Communicants.
Soon after we got into our new church, there was landed at Ma- rietta a considerable colony of German Lutherans, who settled on
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Beliebte in Chrifto ! Die heilige Schrift ermahnt uns bringenb und wiederholt, unire vielfachen Günden und große Berberbniß ju erfennen und ju belennen, fie vor bem HIngeficht des HMUmächtigen Gottes, unfres himm: lifchen Baters nicht zu verbeblen noch zu entichuldigen, jonbern biejelben gu betennen mit einem Demüthigen, gebeugten, buBfertigen und geborjamen bergen, auf daß mir berfelben Bergebung erlangen mogen burch Geine grundlofe Güte und Barmherzigfeit. Und obichon wir allezeit unire Gün: ben in Demuth vor Gott befennen jollen, jo find wir boch vornehmlich dazu verbunden, wenn wir uns verjammein, Som Dant zu jagen für bie großen Wohlthaten, bie wir von Seiner Dand empfangen, Shn, wie fich gebührt, au preifen, Sein heiliges Bort anzuhören und Son zu bitten um Alles, was uns noth thut nach Leib und Geele. Darum, jo bitte und er: magne ich euch 2Ille, mit lauterem Herzen und Demutbigem Stehen bingu= zutreten zu bem Throne ber himmlischen Gnabe und mit mir zu beten :
-THE EXHORTATION IN THE DAILY SERVICE.
Go where the mossy rock shall be Thy nature-hallowed shrine. The leafy copse thy canopy. Its fringe, the gadding vine! * *
There the green bush thy chancel-rail, Its cushion'd floor the sod, Bid welcome, to the silvan pile, The kneeling host of Gop.
Look up. and fretted vaults are there, And heaven itself shines through, Or evening is depicted fair, The starlight, and the blue! A temple never built by hands. And many a shadowel aisle. There - where the columned forest stands, Be thy cathedral pile !
There. the full flowers their odours fing To bid thee pour thy prayer, And vines their fragrant censers swing O'er all the hallowed air. Thy heart forth-flaming to the skies Shall like their breath be given, And like consuming incense rise In sweetness up to heaven.
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