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Description
Marriott discusses the acquisition and reactions to the Journal sent by Chase. Marriott updates Chase on various individuals and discussions of a potential new theological university in Yorkshire.
Date
2-7-1825
City
London
Keywords
Journal, theological university, theological seminary, Yorkshire, Lord Kenyon, Mr. Martyn, Mr Fawcett, Robert Caldecott, Oxford, Dr Copleston, Mr. ard, Mr. Mard, Mr. Hutton, Mr Bowdler, Mr. Davys, Lord Calthorpe, Duke of Newcastle, Lord Howden, Earl Fitzwilliam, Bishop Hobart, Divinity Lectures of Cambridge
Recommended Citation
Marriott, G.W., "Letter to Philander Chase" (1825). Philander Chase Letters. 445.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/445
Rights Statement
Transcript
London 7th February 1825
My dear and venerated Friend
My best thanks are due for your most acceptable letter of the 15th December. God be praised for all His mercies to you and yours, to your Cause, and to the still infant Church! The two latter are inseparably connected. How much the extension of the true Church and pure Gospel may be ultimately promoted by the consequence of this successful effort to raise a native episcopal Ministry, it is impossible to calculate, but most delightful to conjecture.
Of the happy effect of the Journals and letter I send you three proofs which will give you pleasure. It was totally out of my power to do anything for young Hutton at Lady Palmer’s regret, but a very good man has succeeded, as I learnt last night at dear Lord Kenyon’s. I was much interested in hearing that your last to him, dated on your birthday, reached him at Oxford on his journey. We sadly want more Journals, but, as they cannot be had till after a long interval from America, and we have other good things to tell, Lord K. had determined, before I suggested it, that the Trustees should print the Journals, and certain extracts from letters. The whole Address, and the 6th and following Articles (P.24) are invaluable. I had the satisfaction of reading your kind message to the Crawleys yesterday. They are as full of the Cause and of you, and as warm as ever, and so, I have no doubt, will continue. Poor good Mr Rogers has had his mind somewhat shaken by the “Remarks.” He had, however, not seen the first or second Letter of the Churchman, and those I have sent to him. I have also contrived to get my Copy of the Journal to him on loan. He talked (I understand) of writing to you. If his letter should have been written before he saw the Churchman’s, and betrays that, you will allow for it. Such occasional and temporary mischief has resulted from the Remarks. I trust the Writer will live, as some others have done, to wish devoutly and penitently that they had never been penned. But I can never wish so, except for his sake. Still less can I respecting the “Notices.” They were admirably named. They could not bring his weak and bad objections before the public, without bringing forward your good Cause at the same time. This they backened [sic] for a short time, but it was merely to encrease the projectile force with which it was afterwards sent forwards. The Remarks have not done us so much service, but it has been nearly, if not quite, unmixed good which they, intended for evil, have effected. They attacked your Edifice after it had been exhibited and inspected, tho’ yet incomplete, and, instead of retarding its progress, have filled up here and there a chink with a solid stone, and made the foundations more deep and prim than ever.
Mr Martyn you will remember as the Rector of this Parish. I have ever understood that, among the reasons why more joy is occasioned by the converted than the comparatively just man, is that the service of the former is often more zealous and devoted. Let it be remembered, when you are considering whether you can ever come again to “old England,” that, besides renewed intercourse with those who understood the Cause from the first, (notwithstanding the dust which those of “your own Country” threw in their eyes) many would now, and more would at a future time, flock to your standard, who were misled and held back, but have lived, or will live, to see their error, and whose object it will be to redeem their lost time, and compensate for past omissions.
The Washington Repertory of July was really prophetical. I admired your Candor in sending the unchristian Journal from New York. I trust, however, that the praise bestowed on Presbyter by Justice, and the mutual compliments banded between O. In America and N. in England, will serve but to shew how unsociable the tendency of snarling is, and convince us more and more that the work of malice will never beat down “the labor of love.”
Probably you have not heard that Mr Fawcett of Carlisle came to Liverpool for the sole purpose of seeing you the day after you had quitted it. He has a Son in the Temple, whom I have promised to tell you of this effort by his Father, and of his severe disappointment. If you send more Journals to England, perhaps you will remember him, or on a future occasion include him among the zealous friends of the Cause. Robert Caldecott has remained very true. Besides the Journal to Dr Copleston, we managed to send another to Oxford by committing it to his (Robert C’s) hands. I told him to have it bound, and to circulate it by lending as extensively as possible. I also gave the Bishop of Oxford notice of Dr C. having one. The Bishop’s letter to me, which I was obliged to send to a friend on account of its other Contents, would have been a great accession to my enclosures, on account of the warm interest his Lordship expressed in the success of the Ohio Cause.
Mr Ward came to Town just in time to receive his own Journal, and to take back with his those intended for Mr Hutton and Mr Marsh. He and his are true to their first feelings, and more zeal than you saw there you will hardly wish for. Mr Bowdler, eldest Son of Mr B. of Eltham, and Author of a Memoir of him (printed but not published) is preparing a Packet of Books for the Seminary, and has promised me to sent a Print of his venerable Father, the friend of Protestant Episcopacy wherever he found it, but especially where he found it either in infancy or in need. By the bye he tells me that he fears you must substitute a Glass bottle for the Silver one belonging to the Pocket Plate, whenever you want to carry Wine for more than one day’s use. I did not know till he was here last week that precisely such a Service of Communion Plate as was sent to Ohio from the fund he destined to your use, was provided by himself during his life for a new Chapel at Fort-William in the North of Scotland, and made by the same Silversmith.
I really think you will not consider that you have resolved too much respecting the little work of Mr Davys when you see it, as I will take care that you shall do. I send in another Cover what you will probably wish to transplant into the Ephemeral Publications of your Diocese. It appeared in the St James’s Chronicle of Thursday the 3rd instant, and was unfortunately torn up by mistake. But I send you the mutilated fragments with a written account of what was destroyed. The testimony of so able and distinguished and Infidel to the value of [Christianity] if true, and the very estimable feeling expressed by one who, with all his faults, was never, I believe, suspected of hypocrisy, have interested me extremely, and my good Bishop of St David’s (whom I never see without talking of Ohio and its Bishop) requested me to give the documents all the circulation I could. The Crawleys know Mr Shepherd and his family well.
I fear the Vice-Chancellor’s intention respecting the University Chest was forgotten, or given up. The Proverb says “bis dat qui cito.” The failure of this promise proves the converse—[?]: that he who does not give soon is likely not to give it all. I rejoice, however, at the very good figure which the individual contributions from Alma Mater Oxonia make in our list.
Mr Halcomb, whom you will remember, is at this time under engagement to the Quarterly Review to prepare an Article on [Dehon’s] Sermons. He asked me whether I could supply him with any documents to enable him to add to the interest of the Article by shewing what England had lately done for a branch of the [Christian] Church, and an emanation from our own, which had produced already such a Man as [Dehon], and such fruits as his Sermons. I leave you to conjecture whether the Petitioner was “sent empty away.”
Lord Calthorpe’s Letter has arrived since I began mine. The Testimonies I have had of the interest excited by the Memoir and Obituary are endless. I think we must reprint it here, and if we do, there will be some valuable additions to be derived from the Washington Repertory.
I yesterday saw Sir T. Acland, who acknowledged having heard from you, and blamed himself for having as yet neglected to answer your letter. When his letter arrives, it will probably be well worth the trouble of reading, but you will do well to assemble your whole family for the purpose, and will be fortunate if not put to the expence [sic] of a professional Decypherer [sic].
Great interest has been excited by the plan of what some call a third, and some a Theological, University, which is under consideration for being established in Yorkshire. The Papers have asserted that Earl Fitzwilliam has offered to give 50,000 towards the establishment of it. The Duke of Newcastle and Lord Howden are forward promoters. The only Pamphlet which has yet been published on the subject, entitled a “Letter to Mr Peel on University Education as a preparative to holy Orders,” distinctly alludes to what Bishop Hobart said on different occasions, when comparing the advantages of Candidates for Orders in England and in America, the latter Country possessing a Theological Seminary for the exclusive benefit of the episcopal Clergy, and where, after general education obtained elsewhere, they were in every proper way prepared for the Ministry. Some strong sentiments as to what ought to be further done with a view to the same most important object by the present Universities are cited from the publications of one of the Divinity Lectures of Cambridge (Mr Benson, lately promoted to a London Rectory) and Dr Burrow’s private Clerical Seminary is called in to witness the need of what is proposed. I hope the stir will end in good, but it is a subject of great delicacy and importance, and some wildness may be expected to shew itself, as well as judicious [measures].
I must not conclude my letter without telling you that I and mine are all well. My dear Brother John is very much otherwise, but we are assured that he is likely to be restored to us. He gives up [Broadelist] as too much for his physical strength, and returns to his own quiet living near [Rugeley]. With our united most cordial wishes and prayers for the temporal and spiritual welfare of you and all yours, I remain, my dear and venerated Friend,
Yours very affectionately
G.W. Marriott