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Description
Concerning Grover's request to become an Episcopalian minister. Discussing the poor state of the ministry during the war and losing men to the army.
Date
8-22-1862
Keywords
letter, McIlvaine, Bedell, Grover, ministry
Recommended Citation
McIlvaine, Charles Pettit, "Letter to Bishop Bedell" (1862). Charles Pettit McIlvaine Letters. 301.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/mcilvaine_letters/301
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Transcript
Cinc. Aug 22 25 1862
My dear Bishop,
To my [?] [?] I received a letter from Grover yesterday, requesting to be despised, & giving as a reason that he is not so convinced of Episcopal as he thought he was & as he supposes he should be to be an Ep. minister. The letter as an assignment of reasons is very lame. I suppose the truth is he has been disappointed in not get up [?] us our Ch. [?] the Methodist he was a Presiding Elder & much considered. With us he has not been called to offer sects. I don’t think him ambitious of great things but he has expected more than he has had, & [now] having no place, he wishes to get back.
We get no material, the average of which is so poor, so unadaptable to our institutions, [?] that is so often disappointed more that preaches the Gospel with so little disturbance & [?] & [?], away all that come to us from [professedly] Evangelical Ministers of other demonstrations, as the Methodist. ([American]). This has been my experience from the beginning. Some of our men think it quite a matter when a Methodist Minister of some mark is desirous of coming to us. I never, but am always afraid.
I have appointed visitations at Circleville, Lancaster, and [Lawsville].
[Reverend] Gray has informed me that he is going into the Army as [?] Surgeon. I have written that while I do not disapprove, he should have first written me for consent, and that should he desire after the war to return to candidateship, it must be a new application for admission. He has a good medical education, and good abilities for a [physician], and that properly is his place. I never liked his choice of the ministry and should be glad if this step leads to his permanent withdrawal. He is good, but too [unenergetic] and not enough [?] for the pulpit.
Yours in haste,
C.P.M.