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The Charles P. McIlvaine 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

CHURCH: supports Duane, Strong, compares Episcopal clergy to other denominations; KC: questions need for longer range of study, WP, Bohlen

ISBN

KMcI 550403

Date

4-3-1855

Keywords

letter, McIlvaine, Stevens, church, Kenyon College

Transcript

To Rev. D Stevens

Dayton April 3, 1855

Rev. + dear Sir-

I received here, this [morning] your very kind letter, concerning Mr. D[uane], + am glad to receive so high a testimony in regard to him + to perceive, from Mr [?], that he is p[robably] the man we need. Thank you also, most truly, for what you say concerning my Sermon. I trust the Lord will [honor them] in making them the means of good, among our clergy, as well as laity. In these days of [enquiry] as to what should be done for the improvement of the working of our church, which much needs indeed to be improved. I fear an undue attention will be given to the machinery, + too little to the power. The best rail-road is of little use without steam. Our great want is not merely in the number, but the earnest, devoted, simple, [gifted], zeal of our clergy. We need a renewal of scriptural [purity] in the rank of our really pious men, very much.

But alas how many have we who seem merely perfunctory [—] Zealous [indeed] perhaps in their way [—] but zealous for the function in its [various] departments, who never get above the [?] of the church in their zeal. How little direct, pointed stirring, undiluted [setting?] fault of Christ + the work of the spirit. Little I mean when it is considered how much more there should be [:] Oh! for a revival among our clergy. But I do not think we are worse off in this respect than Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists [&c]. On the contrary, I fully believe that our evangelical men, as a body do much excell all Clergy, in the land, in the purity, simplicity + faithfulness of their Gospel preaching, + that our defective men as a body are not more defective, or more [impious?], or more numerous, [?], strictly, than their[s]. The difference is one of distinction + [?], arising out of differences of [visible] institutions. I think the decline of really [evan-gelical], religion + knowledge + preaching among Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Methodists [&c.] as they are seen away from the large towns where their best men are formed, is very [damning???], + the men they have what they call “Revivals” the worse it becomes because the stimulus so much exceeds the nourishment.

I note your remark concerning Kenyon College as needing a larger range of study + a more able body of Professors. I think your idea of the state of the case must have reference to the condition of things when Capt. [Coppic?] invited Gambier. Then the Math Dept. had only a [?] [?] + that of Chemistry + Nat. Phil. was vacant. Since then, the chair of Mathematics has been filled by a Professor whose attainment + abilities in that line can hardly be exceeded in the U.S. Prof S[?] who has the best Cam-bridge (Engld) mathematical train-ing, having [secured honors there] for Mathematics. The only difficulty with him is that he does not succeed, as we wish, in teaching our lads. He leaps too fast, + does not give time for learners to follow]. I think he will resign at the end of this year, + then we hope Capt. C[?] may be M[?]d, or some other W.P. man. For some years we had R[ufus], the best Math. teacher they ever had at W. Point; + then our teaching in that dept. was not exceeded in quality or ext[?]ness ^ in the U.S. ^ any where except at W.P. Since Capt. C. was at Gambier, the other vacancy has been supplied by a Prof. whose science, diligence + zeal + practical adaptations leave something to be desired.

In Classics we have a Professor trained at Dublin + — being a trainer for Dublin University — an admirable [?] man of great [weakness?], + most acc[urate] attainments, equally competent in the highest + [bravest?] instruction in his branch. [Now] what we most want + deeply want is the Pastor - not only a Prof. of Past. D[?] but that which scarcely any Theol. Sem. has or college but all ought to have, a Pastor whose great work shall be the Pastoral care of Theol. Students, [Beneficence] of all grades, students in general, + them [?] of th[ose] purple. The number of students is more than double, perhaps treble what it was when Capt. C[?] was there. I do not know [in what?] the Eastern Colleges have a larger [course?] required for graduation than we have. [Mr., would] I send my son, who s[?] goes to Kenyon, to any Eastern College [?] preference - except [?] that be would in [some] of them [?] with students generally of his own bringing up in pursuit of manners [&c.] whereas many of ours are from more remote origins. But when I consider their things, I prefer his going there. I question whether any college can speak of more [?] men in [comparison] with its members ? who have become positive characters under its influence.

I hope indeed that Mr. Duane is the man for us. This age is ?? [bysection]. I want a man [who] gives to the place + with its d[?]. I hope we should get Capt. C[?]. A Western College will always, of necessity, be supported, in the East [?] the [?] to the College of [?] States, though it will not always be [?]. I have [an] high idea of Princeton, Yale or Harvard + should hesitate [long] before I would venture a [?] in either, taking the [?] + the intellectual together. [Shall] our Western rich people will send the children to the East just because they are rich, + it gives a sort of name to the q[?] Distance lends enchantment [?]

M[y] hope is it that I have [something] much, [long] better. I hope you will be patient with it. Most probably I will lay the matter before Mr. Duane, + I hope, considering the [?] of the whole church in our efforts, you will [?] + help [him] to a favorable answer.

Mr. [Bohler] used to send [me] help sometimes for a ??, What if you should suggest to him the M[?] about what I wrote before.

Farewell —

Yours very affectionately

Chas. P. McIlvaine

Letter to Rev. Stevens

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