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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
Chase discusses the culture of his Sunday school congregation and alerts his brother to his plans to visit soon.
Date
Summer 8-27-1826
Keywords
Sunday school, Perry Township, Coshocton County, Mr. Wing, Vermont, New Hampshire, Olive, Rachael
Recommended Citation
Chase, Philander, "Letter to Dudley Chase" (1826). Philander Chase Letters. 643.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/643
Rights Statement
Transcript
Gambier Site of Kenyon College
Sunday Augst. 27. 1827
Dear, very Dear Brother Dudley;
I have to preach and perform divine service this day, and also to oversee a large Sunday school gathered here in the woods, since the 26 of June. The school consists of between 50 and 60. The Congregation to which I preach except some few from a distance and two or three of my own household, are all dissenters, I mean the defendants of that misguided class of people who left the excellent forms of our primitive Church. Like sheep without a shepherd or inclosure they have fed on the herbage of the wilderness. The woolves [sic] have destroyed many and those that remain are poor and sickly. Yet they flock in great numbers to hear the word of God, however poorly preached by myself! You would be surprised to see the immense numbers that gather together in the open air under the trees I have left on the Seminary ground to shield us from the scorching sun. The school commences early in the morning (and I must hasten this letter or they will find me impaired to receive them); the prayers begin at ½ past ten or eleven as the congregation from a distance can assemble: yet many of the grown up people come with the scholars to hear what is said t them and to read tracts which we distribute among them to keep them in the good way of duty Is not this a blessed sight? How different from that mode of spending the holy day of our Lords ressurrection [sic] to which they hitherto have been accustomed!
[NB] I go every other sunday to Perry Township in Coshocton County about 12 or 13 miles off: But I leave my agent and proper persons to teach the sunday school which is as numerous as when I am here.
Tomorrow, if the Lord will, I shall go home which pleasure I have had but once (I stayed 2 days) since the time I first came on the ground now more than 2 months.
I shall consecrate a Church and ordain Mr. Wing our 2nd Teacher one week from this day in Delaware about 15 miles to the North of Worthington.
I shall then hasten my preparations to go and see you and all our dear friends in Vermont and N. Hampshire. Perhaps it may take a fortnight to get things in readiness to depart on so long a journey and for so great a period of time as that from the 1st of Sept. to the middle of Nov. My visit must be short in comparison of my wishes to stay with you: but short as it will be it probably will be the last I shall ever make you; Therefore I have thought it my duty to [appraise] you and many friends of it. Do send to Brother Baruch and tell him: By the bye you and Olive must go with me thither and so must Rachael.
Give my best love to George and his dear wife and kiss my grand child for your faithful affectionate and grateful Brother
Phi Chase
Worthington
P.S. Sept. 2
This letter by mistake came home with my things instead of being sent to the [P] office
I have not time to write a new one
I hope it may reach you as to duly apprise you of my coming.
My English friends are as warm hearted as ever.