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The Charles P. McIlvaine letters were written in the 18th and 19th century and therefore may contain language that we understand today as harmful or offensive. You may encounter paternalist descriptions of Native Americans, racial slurs, or sexism. For more information, see our policy page.

Date

1-14-1835

Keywords

letter, McIlvaine, Wing

Transcript

Gambier O Jan. 14, 1835

Rt.  Rev & Dear Sir

I have neglected writing to you as frequently as I ought, partly, because I wanted time to do so, except in a very hurried & imperfect manner & partly because I seemed to have nothing to communicate, which would [bear] transportation so far. But then I thought it would, perhaps, be a pleasure to you to know, that all things here are so mercifully kept in the “even tenor of their way,” as to afford nothing strange or unexpected or distressing to write about. So I determined to take up my pen to say this, if no more. -

Your family are all well, as are also most others on the “Hill”- We have had a remarkably pleasant winter thus far, & so dry, that a few days since, the dust was annoying in the streets. - I spent Christmas in Newark with [Rev] Denison. The Services were held in the basement of his new Church for the first time & were pleasant & profitable I trust to many. He continues to be encouraged in his work & labor offered by new evidence that it is not bestowed in vain. The Church is the best built & most tasteful of any I have seen in Ohio. It is far before that of Chillicothe.

Our operations here in reference to buildings are now pretty much at a stand. The roof is on the Church, so few hands are employed in preparing flooring to, but I dare not make any contracts for work except on a long credit , until I receive encouragement from you to expect assistance from England. - I am now in expectation of getting from the Trust Co. about $2500 soon on the mortgage of the Cornish Tract. This will enable me to go on this winter, & pay up most of the small debt incurred in this vicinity.

For all beyond I look with anxiety to the result of your visit. - Which that is as successful as we hope or not. I do not think it will be advisable to attempt any new buildings the coming Summer. To complete those already commenced & provide materials for the undertakings of another year will be quite as much as can be accomplished to advantage after your return. 

There is a suggestion in regard to the Observer which I intended to make in [?] last,but forgot it. It is the propriety of your [?] of some among among your friends in England, some one [?] or more, to act as the regular Correspondents of [?] our paper. You are aware, I suppose, that this is now all the rage, [tho] paper can make any [pretentious], which is so far behind the ‘spirit of the age’, as to have no foreign no foreign correspondent. Need I say that we shall be most happy to have the permission of publishing communication from yourself, & your Diocese, I am certain, would [rejoice] to hear from you through the same channel. You probably know that Pseudo-bishop West has had the impudence, I hear, to ask of Bp [?] of NY to be [elected] as a presbyter from Ohio. The Bp. showed him the door. - I hear frequently from the clergymen of the Diocese, but have not [room] now to mention any particularly. They are generally prospering in [?] good word & work. May the [Lord] crown your present enterprise with abundant success. Return you to us in his own  good time in health and peace, is the prayer of your devoted but unworthy friend [absent] in the [?]. 

Ch. P. Wing

P.S. I will begin to tell you of good works, where you may suppose the brief catalogue to be entirely owing to want of room - On Christmas eve we had a [missionary] meeting & subscribed upwards of $130. - & last evening a temperance meeting, called at an hour’s notice to hear a Tem. Agent. I sent him away with $45 contributed to the cause.-

Marcus T. C. Wing to C.P. McIlvaine

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