By Laura Chase Smith, Dutton Press, 1903 Chapter VIII continues ..... Following out his youthful convictions of the importance of missions, there is a fragment of a sermon giving a simple record, the only one extant, of the work accomplished by the two early missionaries who were appointed were appointed by the Committee of the Protestant Episcopal Church for the Propagation of the Gospel in the State of New York. The sermon reads: " A canon was passed by the convention of 1796, that the ministers of churches should preach sermons and make collections for the above purpose through out the diocese, some time during the month of September in each year. With the fruits of the collections the Rev. Robert G. Wetmore traveled in one year 2386 miles, held divine service and preached 107 times, baptized 47 adults and 365 infants, and distributed among the poor and deserving the Book of Common Prayer. Philander Chase, who succeeded the Rev. Mr. Wetmore, traveled above 4000 miles, baptized 14 adults and 319 infants, held divine services and preached 213 times, and distributed many Prayer Books and Catechisms among those remote situations and limited means precluded them from any opportunity of being otherwise supplied." This sermon (a youthful one) on the subject of missions, although a fragment preserved through many vicissitudes, --- a fire and shipwreck among them, --- is such as to awaken the drowsy conscience of many an easy going churchman in this twentieth century, a hundred and four years after. The young priest omitted to mention the fact, however, that in this year's work, besides services at many other points, he organized parishes at Thurman's Patent, near Lake George, at Hampton, near the Vermont line, at Utica <Trinity>, at Auburn, at Canadaigua, Ocwaga, Batavia, --- seven in number. Mr. Chase's family joined him in Poughkeepsie, but the salary paid by combined parishes of that town and Fishkill was not sufficient for his support and that of his family. He therefore took charge of the seminary at Poughkeepsie. The duties of so large a school and of two growing parishes became almost insupportable. To add to his cares, Mrs. Chase's rapidly failing health made it a matter of utmost need that she should seek a warmer climate. But it was not until the year 1805 that the Bishop of New York, having received from New Orleans an invitation from the Protestant residents in that city to send them a clergyman of the Episcopal Church, appointed Mr. Chase for the position. But so uncertain were the prospects financially, and so hazardous was it to undertake the removal of his invalid wife, that he decided to go first himself, and return for his family as soon as possible. Accordingly, Mr. Chase sailed from New York on the brig "Thetis" in October 1805. Driven on the land sands which surround the Riding Rocks, and by contrary currents across the Gulf Stream to the Florida shore, and thence pursing the tedious course around the Tortugas, Mr. Chase remarks that "the voyage was most unpleasant." He says that "nothing but the kind treatment of the Captain, whose civility, even temper, and uncommon good sense were acknowledged by all on board, could reconcile him to the evils of a first voyage at sea" It is a pity the Captain's name is not given. It may be that his passenger bore these evils so merrily and was such excellent company, that this prince of captain's was enable to bear with more than usual "even temper" his share in the mishaps of such a voyage in the windy month. However, the brig "Thetis" at last reached the mouth of the great river and passed up to the "English Turn" without difficulty. Here the vessels was detained, waiting for a change of wind, and to avoid delay, Mr. Chase and a friend walked ten miles up the river to the plantation of the Hon. B--- P ---, then Judge of the newly ceded city of New Orleans. They were received with the utmost kindness, and no doubt the beautiful garden, hedged with orange trees bending with golden fruit, and the well-managed plantation made a delightful change for the young men, to which the hospitable welcome of a well-bred gentleman added a vivid charm. Moreover, as he says: "Soon were the course marked out, and ways and means provided for the introduction of the first Protestant minister who had ever preached in Louisiana." This fact may seem to many persons of little moment, but in reality it was an event of great importance in the history of the Southern metropolis, for, at one time, the names of the first vestry and wardens of Christ Church, Vestry & Wardens, essentially the lay leadership in the Episcopal Church) New Orleans, were not known, the records thereof having been destroyed by fire many years before. Happily, however, Mr. Chase had preserved a copy of all the papers concerning this important event, and the small box containing them was rescued many years after from fire which destroyed his temporary home in Michigan. These memorials were afterward published in his "Reminiscences" in full as they contained information of much importance in the history of the Church in the Diocese of Louisiana, with much difficulty a copy of the book, long since out of print, was procured and sent to the librarian of the Howard Library in the city of New Orleans. As these records are too voluminous to be copied here , it must suffice to state the outlines, giving the names of the first wardens and vestrymen of Christ Church, New Orleans. It might be well to notice the fact that had the word "Protestant" been ignored in bringing about the establishment of this parish in this almost foreign city, peopled at that time with an alien population of French, Italian, and Spanish Romanists, there would scarcely have been favorable result of the effort made by the Protestant citizens to effect an organization; or had Mr. Chase shown less firmness in declining to accept the call, unless it should be made according to the canons of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and providing that the rector, until a diocese should be formed in the Territory of Louisiana, should be subject to the ecclesiastical government and direction of the Bishop and Convention of the Diocese of New York in all things as if he were a presbyter belonging to that diocese; scarcely would have it have been possible to prevent immediate distraction and dissolution in an organization formed as it was by men of different opinions and accustomed to different forms of worship. This required a change by act of the New Orleans Legislature, in the former charter which was given to the "Protestants" of that city. The Wardens and Vestrymen who made the definite call to Mr. Chase after the regular organization of the parish were: Joseph Saul, Andrew Burk, Wardens; George T.Ross, Richard Relf, Charles Norwood, Joseph McNeil, John Sanderson, William Kenner, Vestrymen; James Wilimason, Secretary. Apropos to this, in April 1901, a meeting of the citizens of New Orleans as held to decided upon the place and circumstances of a reception to President McKinley. Mr. Zacharie spoke of the fitness of holding the function in the Cabildo, Supreme Court building, on account of its historic interest; he said: "This ancient building has given birth to twenty-three States; it is to New Orleans what Faneuil Hall is to Boston and Independence Hall to Philadelphia"; and added that "the Cabildo is especially interesting for the reason that in it the first Protestant service was held on Sunday, November 17, 1805, and that the clergyman who conducted the service was Rev. Philander Chase, who afterward became the Bishop of Ohio." Mr. Zacharie pointed out that a member of President McKinley's Cabinet was named Philander Chase Knox, and that his son bore the same name. He said that it was highly probably that the Attorney-General was a kinsman of the same great clergyman who preached the first Protestant sermon in New Orleans, and he thought the Cabildo was especially the proper place to hold the reception. ....................... End Chapter VIII Harriet M. Chase hatchase@uswest.net