CHAPTER XIII.

THE EVER-WIDENING INFLUENCE OF TRINITY PARISH.

Daily Services in the New Church-The Question of the Utility of Deacons Raised by the Assistant Clergy-The Rector's Reply-Appointment of the Rev. Francis J. Clerc as Deacon-Missionary Committee Authorized to Rent Tea Auction Rooms as a Mission Chapel-Return by Christ Church of old Communion Plate loaned by Trinity Church Vestry-Lease Granted to New York Fire Department - Repairs and Improvements on St. Paul's Chapel-Request from Columbia College for use of St. John's Chapel for College Commencement Refused — Alms Boxes Ordered to be Placed in each Chapel-William Dunlap Appointed Keeper of Trinity CemeteryMonument to Captain Lawrence Ordered to be Repaired-Monument Changed from its Former Site-Design of Monument-Rev. Martin P. Parks Elected an Assistant Minister-His Acceptance-Report of Committee on the Erection of the New Church Presented-Leave of Absence Granted to Dr. Higbee-Fresh Agitation for Repeal of Act of 1814-Action of Vestry-Memorial Against Repeal by Vestry-Remonstrance and Memorial Presented to Assembly- Summary of Memorial-Assembly Rejects the Petition of the Remonstrants-Request of St. Andrew's Church, Harlem, for Erection of a Chapel in connection with it-Report of Committee on Church Extension-Application of the New York Protestant Episcopal School-Reservation of Lots near Hudson Street for Chapel and Cemetery-Calvary Church-Altar Presented to it by Vestry-Death of Mrs. Hobart-Annuity Continued to Her DaughterPublication of Dr. Berrian's Sketch-Its Purpose.

THE

HE new Trinity Church was opened for divine service on Trinity Sunday, June 7th, 1846. The congregation filled every part of the building. The music was rendered by Dr. Hodges and his admirable choir. The sermon was preached by Dr. Berrian; it does not appear to have contained any special allusion to the occasion; but in the opening of his Historical Sketch, of which an account will be given hereafter, he thus describes his emotions at this service: "In rising for the first time to address the vast multitude, with which this solemn and stately temple was thronged, I was

That I

affected with feelings which I could not express. had been spared to see that day, I regarded as a special reason for thankfulness to God; for how many who desired it had looked forward impatiently for the completion of the work, but died before it! This spot was to me, as to them, endeared by the holiest and tenderest recollections." Of few sacred edifices can it be said, as of Trinity, that from that pleasant Sunday morning in June more than fifty-nine years ago, its doors have not been closed by day, nor has daily prayer ceased to be offered.

The first ordination in the new Parish Church was held by the Bishop of Western New York, the Rt. Rev. Dr. William Heathcote De Lancey. Many of his ancestors had worshipped in the parish, and some had served upon the Vestry. It was fitting that, in the inability of the Bishop of New York, Bishop De Lancey should be the first Bishop to admit young men into the ministry in the splendid edifice, which was then practically the Cathedral of the Metropolitan Diocese. The ordination was held on the 3d Sunday after Trinity, June 28, 1846, when John Creighton Brown, William Alfred Jenks, William Long, Charles Reynolds, and Washington Rodman were made Deacons. They were all graduates of the General Theological Seminary in the class of 1846. Each did good work for the Master during the years of his active ministry, and one of them, Mr. Rodman, still lives in a green old age.

Mention has been made of the proposal to employ young men in Deacon's Orders in the Parish, in view of the expected increase in the number of services, consequent on the establishment of daily morning and evening prayer and the extension of the work in other ways. A difference of opinion on this subject invites a passing notice; there is an element of the humorous in it; and

as it became the occasion of discussion in the Vestry, a few words may be said about it. The Rev. Drs. Higbee and Wainwright filed objections to the plan. To judge from their correspondence with the Rector, which is preserved among the Berrian papers, they seem to have had no strong admiration of Deacons as officiants. Services conducted in whole by men of that Order would, they thought, lack dignity, while the people would lose the benefit of Absolution. If the Reverend gentlemen should be in the chancel with Deacons, they would insist on taking the whole service themselves, leaving the inferior clergy nothing to do. Therefore they requested that the idea of employing Deacons should be abandoned, and offered to take all the services themselves. "For ourselves we must say, that whenever we shall be present in our surplices, it will be our desire to perform the entire service," Deacons or no Deacons. They add that they did not intend to disparage the Office of Deacon, but considered it the duty of such persons to search for the sick, sorrowful, and poor, and administer relief to their bodies and souls, the Priests meanwhile performing divine service in the churches of the Parish.

To the communication addressed to him on the subject, the Rector made a long reply.1 Eventually, the matter came before the Vestry, in a second communication from the Assistant Ministers relating to the appointment of a second Deacon, and the Daily Service at Trinity. The whole subject was laid on the table, and it was resolved to "proceed to the appointment of the remaining young man in Deacon's Orders," one having already been appointed, "in pursuance of the resolution heretofore adopted by the Vestry," and so the matter came to an end. 1 For the correspondence see No. 444, Berrian MSS. Records, liber iii., folio 416.

2

The Rev. Francis J. Clerc, of Hartford, Connecticut, was the clergyman so appointed. He was a young man of great promise, a son of the well-known educator Mr. Laurent Clerc, colleague of the Rev. Dr. Thomas H. Gallaudet in his work at the American Asylum for Deaf Mutes in Hartford. In a letter to Mr. Clerc, Dr. Berrian explains the motive for requesting the service of deacons.

"The objects for which the appointment of deacons is needed in our Parish, are to assist in the reading of Prayers at Trinity both on Sunday and week days, to preach at a station, already selected and prepared, to the poor and needy, and to perform any other duties in the Parish, which the Rector under whose direction they are placed may see fit to assign them. It is thought it will be found a profitable school for them, giving them a right standing in the various functions of their office, and fitting them the better for the independent charge, which at a later date they are expected to take." "As the Deacons will in all probability preach alternately at the missionary station and be occasionally assisted by the elder clergy of the Parish, it will also be a great relief and advantage' in the preparation of sermons, as one a week will be the most that will be required of them, and sometimes not even that. As it was intended to have a succession of them upon their very entrance into the ministry when a permanent and comfortable settlement was scarcely to be looked for, it was thought unnecessary that the salary should exceed $600 per annum. This it was thought would be sufficient for a single man during his diaconate."

The plan of the services in the lower part of the city being under consideration, the Missionary Committee was authorized" to engage, for a term not exceeding one year at a rate not exceeding five hundred dollars per annum," the tea salesrooms of Mr. McCullough on Maiden Lane. They were thought to be central, and to be in the vicinity of water-men, sailors, and others who would not enter a church, but might be induced to attend a plain service in a secular building. The experiment was the first made by any religious body to endeavor to secure the interest and

attention of the churchless and Godless poor and forlorn folk in that part of the city.

The Rector at this meeting told the Vestry that he had learned from the Rev. Dr. Lyell, of Christ Church, that there was in possession of that Parish some Communion plate of Trinity Church, which had been loaned to it many years before, in Bishop Moore's time. On inquiry they were found to consist of two large massive flagons weighing one hundred and twenty-five ounces, marked with the initials G. R., and the royal arms, which were gifts of the Crown to Trinity Church. The suggestion was made to Dr. Lyell that as Christ Church had no special associations with these holy vessels, their restoration to Trinity Church would be a graceful act, and that the Vestry would very cheerfully give them an equivalent in new vessels of the same weight and in such form as might be agreeable to them. Dr. Lyell received the proposition with great cordiality, and the arrangement was made, as appears from a resolution, March 8, 1847, "that upon the return of the Communion Plate now in use in Christ Church, which formerly belonged to this Corporation, an equivalent in weight be given for it, and in such form as may be desired, and that an inscription be made on each vessel-The gift of Trinity Church to Christ Church, New York, in the forty-second year of the Rectorship of the Rev. Thomas Lyell, D.D.'"1

On the 9th of November, 1846, the Vestry made an arrangement with Mr. Cornelius V. Anderson, Chief Engineer of the New York Fire Department, for a new lease

'The report in full is No. 452, Berrian MSS. It is summarized on folio 435, Records, liber iii. The gift of several pieces of Communion plate of excellent design and workmanship was made early in June, 1847, and the thanks of the Vestry of Christ Church returned for it. It is still in use in that Parish, as appears from a Report from Mr. William G. Davis, Historian of Christ Church and some time Senior Warden.

VOL. IV.-19.