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Wiggin writes about his confidence in Chase's friends regarding their interest in the Seminary, despite issues caused by Bishop Hobart. He also discusses funding and provides advice on obtaining land and formatting rules and regulation for the school. He is very interested in continuing to provide Chase with support and advice surrounding his cause.
Date
10-29-1824
Keywords
Lord Kenyon, G.W. Marriott, Miss Duff MacFarlane, Lady Pope, Bishop Hobart, American Church, New York, Ohio, Gaskin, Mr. Pratt
Recommended Citation
Wiggin, Timothy, "Letter to Philander Chase" (1824). Philander Chase Letters. 440.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/440
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Transcript
Manchester October 29 -- 1824
My Dear Bishop
On the 20th I read your most welcome letter through that best of men Lord Kenyon, who informed me, of his having received a most kind letter from you. I rejoice that you wrote to him, for he deserves not only your warmest gratitude but every attention and kind-ness you may be able to show him. I assure you he has not relaxed in his zeal or exertion to promote the cause, although I am sorry to say without much success. I can say as much for the good G.W. Marriott, with whom I have corresponded most of the time since you left. The letter I sent hencewith from Miss MacFarlane will inform you where she was when she wrote it. She made but a short stay with us, but we felt so much interested in her character before she came to us, and it was much increased by [page is ripped here] acquaintance with Her, that we [all] much regret at parting. I shall correspond with her, and shall also write to Lady Pope who has requested it. Although the amount contributed is less than you most probably expected, yet you may rest assured you have many valuable friends here who feel much interested in the cause, and who I have no doubt will do something for you for a few years to come & I trust enable you to establish and support a reputable seminary, that will increase in strength & influence when its merits are more known. I expect the amt. subscribed will reach €500 in money. The [?] books, plate, printing press and philosophical [apparatus] besides. I sent you the remarks on the letter to Lord Kenyon with my last, and I expect observations on them will be printed in a short time, although the Churchman is reluctant in coming forward. Not because he finds any difficulty in showing their falsity, but because he knows Bishop H to be the author and he is afraid of being too personal. Miss MacFarlane informed me that he (Bp. H) had been extremely civil to that gentleman and I begin to fear he has not firmness enough to resist Bp. H’s influence & artifice. He is however a [shady] friend of yours and of the cause. So many from here who are firm friends to Ohio have fears [rip in page] of the American Church they feel [rip in page] that the rules & regulations of your seminary are such as will effectively guard against it. I hope it will be found that the interests of the seminary may be effectively promoted, by placing it under the same authority, rules and regulations, as those of the general seminary, and that the same course of studies will be pursued there as at New York, although it may not be thought expedient in all cases to require the same attainments in learning.
It is now my opinion that the Diocese and Seminaries should be as independent as the Bishops are, but that there should be a great similarity in the government rules regulations and course of studies, in order to prevent any division in the Church, when greatly extended beyond its present limits. I should not have thought it necessary to have written so much on this point if my information as to its influence here, had not led me to believe that the [resounded] confidence your friends have in you, and the real interest they take in the cause of the Church in Ohio, cannot be maintained without evidence that you give all possible security for the [unity] and harmony of the whole American Church. I am now so connected with your friends here, who look to me for information, that I feel confident I may yet render you and the cause important services if your proceedings should be as satisfactory for the future as they have [page ripped here] been. Your conduct must prove the falsity of your enemies predictions, and then a removal of the prejudices which they have [?], will give you the full benefit of the thing [current] in your favor. I hope to have the pleasure of realising all these anticipations & of being instrumental in promoting your cause, believing that by so doing, I am promoting the best interests of mankind.
Manchester October 29 -- 1824
My Dear Bishop
On the 20th I read your most welcome letter through that best of men Lord Kenyon, who informed me, of his having received a most kind letter from you. I rejoice that you wrote to him, for he deserves not only your warmest gratitude but every attention and kind-ness you may be able to show him. I assure you he has not relaxed in his zeal or exertion to promote the cause, although I am sorry to say without much success. I can say as much for the good G.W. Marriott, with whom I have corresponded most of the time since you left. The letter I sent hencewith from Miss MacFarlane will inform you where she was when she wrote it. She made but a short stay with us, but we felt so much interested in her character before she came to us, and it was much increased by [page is ripped here] acquaintance with Her, that we [all] much regret at parting. I shall correspond with her, and shall also write to Lady Pope who has requested it. Although the amount contributed is less than you most probably expected, yet you may rest assured you have many valuable friends here who feel much interested in the cause, and who I have no doubt will do something for you for a few years to come & I trust enable you to establish and support a reputable seminary, that will increase in strength & influence when its merits are more known. I expect the amt. subscribed will reach €500 in money. The [?] books, plate, printing press and philosophical [apparatus] besides. I sent you the remarks on the letter to Lord Kenyon with my last, and I expect observations on them will be printed in a short time, although the Churchman is reluctant in coming forward. Not because he finds any difficulty in showing their falsity, but because he knows Bishop H to be the author and he is afraid of being too personal. Miss MacFarlane informed me that he (Bp. H) had been extremely civil to that gentleman and I begin to fear he has not firmness enough to resist Bp. H’s influence & artifice. He is however a [shady] friend of yours and of the cause. So many from here who are firm friends to Ohio have fears [rip in page] of the American Church they feel [rip in page] that the rules & regulations of your seminary are such as will effectively guard against it. I hope it will be found that the interests of the seminary may be effectively promoted, by placing it under the same authority, rules and regulations, as those of the general seminary, and that the same course of studies will be pursued there as at New York, although it may not be thought expedient in all cases to require the same attainments in learning.
It is now my opinion that the Diocese and Seminaries should be as independent as the Bishops are, but that there should be a great similarity in the government rules regulations and course of studies, in order to prevent any division in the Church, when greatly extended beyond its present limits. I should not have thought it necessary to have written so much on this point if my information as to its influence here, had not led me to believe that the [resounded] confidence your friends have in you, and the real interest they take in the cause of the Church in Ohio, cannot be maintained without evidence that you give all possible security for the [unity] and harmony of the whole American Church. I am now so connected with your friends here, who look to me for information, that I feel confident I may yet render you and the cause important services if your proceedings should be as satisfactory for the future as they have [page ripped here] been. Your conduct must prove the falsity of your enemies predictions, and then a removal of the prejudices which they have [created], will give you the full benefit of the thing [current] in your favor. I hope to have the pleasure of realising all these anticipations & of being instrumental in promoting your cause, believing that by so doing, I am promoting the best interests of mankind.
If communal subscriptions can be procured here & in America to defray the current expenses, and you can invest the fund in land that is rapidly improving in value, or let it accumulate, it will operate most beneficially for the institution. If the plan we had in contemplation should be found a practical one, I should entertain the same opinion and same feelings in regard to a purchase of land for the joint interest of the institution and myself as I then had. This I do not wish & have done however, unless it should be believed to be for the interest of the Seminary, for I am rather unwilling to own such property. By this you are to understand that I am desirous of promoting the interests of the Seminary, and would willingly unite in such purchase, although I should not buy land in Ohio, with no other view than that of making money by it. Bishop Hobart as you will see by the remark on the letter to Lord Kenyon is again desirous of having the Seminary a Branch but I consider it too late for him to [rip in page] done his worst, and no proposition from [him] is worthy of attention. He will have a voice with other Bishops and it is to be hoped his conduct here will be viewed in its proper light by them and that his influence, in these councils, will be in proportion to his honesty. He is now trying to conciliate Lord K., Mr. Gaskin, GM Marriott & Mr. Pratt & when he returns from the Continent he will probably try to get their good will, I think they will never think well of him again.