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The Philander Chase 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.
Description
Philander Jr. was going to take the trip to England but his health does not allow it. The church of the West needs missionaries from England because people from the East cannot be enticed to come help. They need encouragement.
Date
8-1-1823
City
Cincinnati, OH
Keywords
Philander Chase Jr.; family to Kingston, NY; Salmon P. Chase; Mrs. Russell, Sarah, convention, seminary, missionary society, church
Recommended Citation
Chase, Philander, "Letter to George Chase" (1823). Philander Chase Letters. 145.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/145
Rights Statement
Transcript
My dear son George,
By accts from your Grandmother I have learned of your health and the fine prospects of your family. Knowing your turn of mind in particular - as well as from the feelings natural to all on such interesting occasions, the news recited in your grandmother's letter gave, and still gives me peculiar delight.
I send you a Journal of our late Convention in Ohio. You will see in it that your Brother Philander was appointed to go to England to solicit means to establish a school for the Education of young men for the ministry and for the aid of the Missionary Society. But his health will not permit; he must go to the South if anywhere and spend the winter. In the meantime somebody must go to England and improve the present occasion.
From some late review of what we’ve done here in the West, the Religious Societies of Engl. are deeply interested in our welfare: and are wishing, we think to help us especially in the founding of our Theological School. They see or we will make them see the truth that we never can depend on the Eastern seminaries for a supply of clergy. Our labours are too great and our compensation for the Clergy is too small, to entice the Well-educated Clergy of the East to come among us: we have now wasted nearly two years since we had the means to give missionaries what is deemed here a good support ($400 per ann) and not a single solitary man has been found willing to come over and help us. What can we do? Must the Church after dwindling for a while die, like a lamp in the socket, for want of vil? No; No; We must have a Seminary with funds to maintain a good [professors], and give other encouragements, to educate our young men, among ourselves. Many there are among us, converted to God willing to enter the ministry under all its disadvantages if they had but encouragement in obtaining an education for Holy Orders.
These means, it is the object of my going to England to obtain; and thankful I am that the prospects are very flattering. But the Measure is very hazardous it must be confessed: and tho’ all events are in the hands of God even to the numbering in the hairs of our head and the falling of a [sparrow] yet it is right to think of God when our all is at stake - with peculiar solicitude.
Do, then, Dear George, you and all our friends of the Church in Bethel pray for me. I shall sail on the first of Oct. from N. Y. about that time. I beg that the collect for persons going to sea may be used when even you meet together: also when you use the Litany and pray for all who travel by land or by water you would remember your father.
Mrs. Chase Dudley Henry and Mary will stay at Kingston. Salmon will return to his mother and Mrs. Russell and Sarah will go to Indiana. We set off for Steubenville next Monday and believe with the good wishes and prayers of all who know us. Pray write me a letter so that it may be in N York by the 20th of Sept. I will write you there if I can.
Do pray for your loving Father
Phil. Chase