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Description
Episcopal Recorder article detailing a donation made to Chase as well as a letter to the editor from a member of the Church in Michigan in support of Chase.
Date
8-29-1835
Keywords
Episcopal Recorder, Paul Beck, Springfield, Gilead, Rev. Batchelder, Diocese of Michigan, Samuel Chase
Recommended Citation
Episcopal Recorder, "Episcopal Recorder Clipping" (1835). Philander Chase Letters. 986.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/986
Rights Statement
Transcript
For the Episcopal Recorder.
GO AND DO LIKEWISE
A gentleman recently called on Bishop Chase, at his Philadelphia home, in the house of Paul Beck ,Esq. And on being requested to send up his name, replied: “The name is of no consequence; I only wish to see Bishop Chase.” When th latter came down, the gentleman put a note into his hand and disappeared. It contained these words: “From a friend to Bishop Chase, and for his benefit,” enclosing also a bank note for ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
We do not know whom we have to thank; but we are forcibly reminded of the Turkish proverb– “Do good, and throw it into the sea; if the fishes do not know it, God will.” This Christian act has doubtless brought its own reward to a benevolent bosom; but we add for the further satisfaction of the generous donor, whoever that person may be, that Bishop Chase was enabled by this most reasonable and liberal gift to free his mind from a debt due to a near relative, the wife of the clergyman whom he has recently left at Springfield, Illinois. This lady had put a part of her little fortune, arising from the sale of her land, into the hands of her foster-father, saying: “Uncle, take this and use it as you will.” This sacred deposit was devoted to God’s Church; for the Bishop used the money to accomplish his first visitation of Illinois, and to travel nearly 2000 miles to the General Convention. The bank note diminishes the residue of the sacred debt; for the Bishop had already paid the larger part of the sale of his cattle in Gilead.
The Church will soon be arrayed in her beautiful garments, if many of her children follow, in this, and in similar cases, the example of one whom “God loveth as a cheerful giver,” and who has listened to the Master: “When thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.” That the promise may be fulfilled abundantly; that “God himself will reward thee openly,” benevolent unknown, is the belief and the prayer of ILLINOIS.
P.S. To this we are happy to add the liberal donation of $40, from a clergyman of Flushing, L. I. to assist the REv. Mr. Batchelder, of Illinois, in another object connected with the Diocese.
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To the Editor of the Episcopal Recorder:
Sir,--It will give great pain to the Church in Michigan to learn that in the arrangement of the Journal of their late Convention, the name of the venerable and Rt. Rev Bishop Chase was through inadvertance to recorded as to imply want of respect to that much loved prelate. It is too late to correct the error, but it is not too late to assure the writer of the article on this subject in the last number of your paper, that the universal regard entertained in the diocese of Michigan for the character of the Rt. Rev. Bishop, will not allow the imputation of disrespect to rest upon that portion of our Zion. It is therefore emphatically disavowed. The error, in including the Rt. Rev. Bishop and the Rev. Samuel Chase in the list of Clergy called to take seats, arose from the want of due information on the subject before the Convention. MICHIGAN.
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“A man of the world will bear to hear me read in the desk that awful passage, ‘Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it:’ nay, he will approve it. The minister is in the desk, he is reading the lesson of the day; but this very man, were I to go home with him, and tell him in his parlour that most of those whom he knows and loves are going on in that road to eternal destruction, this very man would brand the sentiment as harsh and uncharitable. Though uttered by Christ himself, it is a declaration as fanatical and uncandid, in the judgment of the world, as could be put together in language. Many hearers cannot enter into the reasons of the Cross; they adopt what I think Butler’s grand defect on this subject; he speaks of the Cross as an appointment of God and therefore to be submitted to; but God has said much in his Word of the reasons of this appointment, that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth. The first duty of a minister is, to call on his hearers to turn to the Lord. We have much to speak to you upon–we have many duties to urge on you–we have much instruction to give you; but all will be thrown away till you have turned to the Lord. Let me illustrate this by a familiar comparison–you see your child sinking in the water; his education lies near your hear; you are anxious to train him up so that he may occupy well the post assigned to him in life; but when you see him drowning, the first thoughts are, not how you may educate him, but how you may save him: restore him to life, and then call that life into action. The Christian will sometimes be brought to walk in a solitary path; God seems to cut away his props, that he may reduce him to himself. His religion is to be felt as a personal, particular, appropriate possession; he is to feel that, as there is but one Jehovah to bless, so there seems to him as though there were but one penitent in the universe to be blessed by him. Mary Magdalene, at the sepulchre, was brought to this state: she might have said, I know not where Peter is; his is gone away, perhaps into the world–perhaps to weep over his fall: I know not where JOhn is; what are the feelings and states of my brethren I know not; I am left here alone; no one accompanies and strengthens me; but if none other will seek my Lord, yet will I seek him. There is a commanding energy in religious sympathy; a minister, for example, while his preaching seems effective, and life and feeling show themselves around him, moves on with ease and pleasure–but there is much of the man here. If God change the scene–if discouragements meet him–if he seem to be laid by, in any measure, as instrument–if the love of his hearers to his person and ministry decay–this is a severe trial; yet most of us need this trial, that we may be reduced simply to God, and may feel that the whole affair is between him and ourselves. A dead fish will swim ith the stream whatever be its direction; but a living one will not only resist the stream, but, if it chooses, it can swim against it. The soul that lives for God will seek God and follow God more easily and pleasantly indeed if the stream flow toward the point whither God leads; but still, it will follow God as its sole rest and centre, though the stream of mean and opinions would hurry it away from him.” –Cecil.