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August 1848-February 1849 send if ordered, I answer that in this way or with books I cannot trade as the Americans are better & more cheaply supplied than you yourselves. You will not I hope think it selfish that I have fewer regrets at my absence from home than perhaps I should have were I with entire strangers, but I am exceedingly fortunate in ex- changing one circle of Friends for another, my intimates are those with whom you were acquainted in England. I appreciate & enjoy Dr Shermans society & I find that each succeeding day justifies your & Uncles estimate of him; Mr Robbins also proves a most valuable Friend Singing the same song to so many tunes I find rather puzzling but you must excuse me if I unwittingly report what to others I have before written. You no doubt are anxious to know I even what now Church, All are Churches here, I attend? this ques tion can scarcely answer, save that I have al ways felt it a pleasure as well as a duty to attend some place of worship, I have more than once accompanied D. S. to hear Dr Tyng at an Episco- palian church when I mention that D. S. is much pleased with him, considers him to be the best & most talented Clergyman here, it will be a sufficient voucher for his excellence;22 I have also at Mr. Tappans invitation been to an Independent Church in Brooklyn & to the Baptist place at which Dr S. family attend; but the place were I shall probably regularly frequent is an exquisitely beautiful one in every way worthy of the Pastor Dr Cheever,"" in addition to his ministry much enjoy the musical Services which at this church E. Fuller, The American Mail: Enlarger of the Common Life (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1972), pp. 61-65, 201-3; New York City Directory, p. 3; Directory of Bir- mingham, 1849, p. 87; Belden, New York, p. 74. 22 From the many references in directories, histories, and newspaper articles, the Reverend Stephen Higginson Tyng, D.D. (1800-1885), Harvard 1817, was evidently one of the leading clergymen of New York in 1848. He presided over St. George's, a Protestant Episcopal church, then located at East 16th Street and Stuyvesant Square, founded in 1752. Greenleaf, History of Churches, pp. 63, 65; New York City Directory, pp. 22, 41; Belden, New York, p. 81; New York Tribune, 28 October 1848; George Templeton Strong, The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Allen Nevins and Milton Holsey Thomas, eds. (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1952), vol. 1, p. 327. 23 The Reverend George Barrel1 Cheever had been installed as the leader of the Allen Street Presbyterian church, October 10, 1839, but was "dismissed" April 24, 1844. He then commenced preaching in a small chapel at New York University until he had gathered sixty Congregational communicants when he "received a call, and was installed pastor May 15, 1846." Greenleaf, History of Churches, pp. 152, 367; New York City Directory, pp. 20,86. 17 |
