Life and Letters of Rev. Aratus Kent Introduction

I spent an hour or two with the bereaved family and gathered many interesting facts concerning our departed brother. Like Elisha when the great Prophet beckoned him away, he left his former field and late in life entered the ministry and ever after for some forty years he continued faithful in his chosen calling. In the states of New York & Ohio he laboured long, a portion of the time as a settled pastor but mainly as an Evangelist, for which he possessed some good qualifications. The last four years he spent in this state .

It seems to illustrate his devotion to the work of the Lord that as an old man as he was (60) he went on foot to one of his appointments on that stormy Sabbath in January when the wind and the snow were driven across the Prairies with such violence that many ministers did not go out, and many churches were not opened on that day. Indeed the movement of the rail cars were obstructed for several weeks.

He died with the harness on. Who would not covet such a death! February came and found him at his work. He preached a funeral sermon on Monday and on Thursday he was taken sick. During his illness he was delirious, but even then, his mind was continuously running upon Home Missions and subjects appropriate to his work.

In lucid intervals, anticipating the result, he arranged his temporal affairs and made his will and then relapsed into a stupor which deprived his family of the consolation of his dying counsel. March came and found him in his grave and his people mourning. On my way to make inquiries of a neighbor I passed the mound of fresh earth where this weary brother rests.

I thought how little such labourers are appreciated in this world; and what far reaching results will be deduced from them in eternity.

I thought what if those energies of forty years has been consumed in gathering gold, instead of polishing gems which shall adorn the redeemers crown.

I thought how many on the field of his protracted ministry are now men of prayer and patterns of benevolence, and their families models of domestic virtue, who but for his influence might have been to this day enemies of God, slaves of vice, and a blight on their community. I thought if that man of God, old and gray-headed, could come back to earth and preach one more sermon he would choose the young men in our churches for his auditory, and the passage "let the dead bury their dead" for his text; and press the claims of Christ, and of the ...upon those who are so charmed by the hum of business that they hear not, or heed not the voice of the master, saying "Go preach the gospel to every emotion."

I thought who among them all could offer a more plausible excuse for declining the service than the duty devolved upon him of providing for a wife and eleven children. Therefore, he being dead, yet speaketh. God make us faithful in his service.

A. Kent

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I have lately visited Lee Center and an satisfied of the correctness of the above statements and the propriety of their being aided another year to the amount of $200 in the hope that they will build a sanctuary. There is an Academy there which, if it should continue to be as well sustained as at present, will enable them to hold their own in despite of R.R. influences.

A. Kent

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Rev. Mr. Badger, D.D.

Dear Sir,

I have been thinking over the matter of distributing annual reports, and I know of no way but either I must send them by main at a cost of 11 cents or carry them myself to each missionary or person to be supplied. For I have reason to think that if I depend on others to distribute them it is not done or not done in any proper time.

I find on inquiry that by sending from the office of publication the cost is but 6 cents. I do not wish to shirk any labour that properly devolves on me but I see no reason why they may not be sent directly to all the Home Missionaries from your office of publication. And if it will not make you any unnecessary trouble I can send a list of ministers and laymen to whom I should give them if they were forwarded to me. Or what will be thought perhaps a better plan: let all the Home Missionaries whose addresses you have be supplied by mail immediately and send a box to me for distribution at my leisure as I travel about, to contain also such other works as benevolent persons deposit with you for that purpose. Let me hear from you on this matter. Please say to Br. Coe that I have many applications for the names (and descriptions of families) of missionaries for whom boxes may be made up, which I am obliged to correspond with directly and that method seems preferable because they adapt their work more to the circumstances of the family and with many Miss. wives, the sewing is more useful than anything they can receive. If there are any objections to this method, make them known.

The ladies in Chicago and Rockford are doing nobly in this line though it is not reported to you..

This suggest two other items.

Br. Coe's letter respecting the contributions in Chicago was mislaid and came to hand and received due attention yesterday.

I took up a subscription in the winter in the 2nd Church in Rockford of $193 dollars to be paid in March. I went to get it last week and learned that they had voted to pay it over to Mr. Willis, and that he would not probably use your commission, I suppose that is brought about because he does not wish to remove to his field. I am sorry, but see no remedy.

The warm weather enfeebles me and my eyes are hardly able to endure exposure to the summer sun but I hope not to be shut up in the dark as I was last year for 3 months.

I have preached once in 4 weeks, spending several days visiting, without fail in a new field 50 miles east, in the language pf the miners, I am "prospecting" and have engaged to continue it for a year (unless I can get a missionary to fill my place,) and they have started a subscription for my support,

Yours truly,

A. Kent

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June 9, 1855

Rev. Mr. Coe

Dear Br.,

You said I might inform you of those needing boxes of clothing. I have supplied a number of missionaries by giving a description of their families and this they were better served.

But Br. E.R. Martin, Spring Hill, Whiteside Co., was burnt out recently and lost his library and everything as he will report in his next letter. He has received a box from Batavia, N.Y., and I have just written a description of his family (as I shall report to you) to the ladies of Rockford who will doubtless prepare a box. Should you also think best to send a box I should not regard it illy applied. He is one of our most laborious and devoted and useful missionaries who gives himself more exclusively to his work, than almost any one I know of.

Mr. Martin & wife are of ordinary size, a plain couple among a plain people. he will need a warm winter overcoat, vest, pants, shirts, overshoes- under shorts & drawers. His wife and girls of 15, 13, 6 & 4 and his boy of nine will all need winter clothing.

Please say to Br. Badger that I have been to Elizabeth and done what I could to get a subscription agoing. I think they will make up 50 or 55 dollars there. If ever there was one, that is a field that is properly called "burnt over" as a western phrase, descriptive of a people who have had a good deal too much preaching. I think his commission should date back at least 3 months earlier instead of the 9th of May as stated to Br. Noyes.

A. Kent

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Dr. Badger

Dear Sir,

Your letter in relation to Dr. Neal reached me this morning 5 minutes after Br. Noyes left us and I shall write to him at Marshall, Mich., and presuming that he will communicate with Br. Clark and others and will inform himself of matters there.

I passed through Chemung 2 or 3 weeks since and had an interview with Dr. Neal- who says he used to practice in Phil. but has been a preacher for several years. He professed to me to be much interested in his field and was ready to preach abundantly in all that region where ever there was an opening. I urged the importance of his visiting and preaching at Poplar Grove 10 miles off and he seemed ready for any amount of labor and I left him with the thought that if he should prove to be all the first appearances indicated he would do a great good work, for the people were greatly interested and were anticipating much and I think that no evil report had reached them when I was there. Why the Presbyterian Comm. did not let the application pass through my hands I know not.

After reflection I have concluded to recommend that he be commissioned as requested unless Br. Noyes should get such light as should darken your course and his prospects of usefulness. And I then will write to him (as though his application had come to me directly) and state to him that I have recommended that large appropriation with the understanding that whatever is raised at Poplar Grove (which I think will be from 25 to 100 dollars) should be deducted and with the understanding that he give himself wholly to the ministry with a recommendation that when he gets his horse and buggy he will spend as much time as he can in pastoral visits, which I fear he had not yet given as much prominence to as is desirable.

He gave me a "special reason: for the large appropriation asked. It was that he must buy a horse & buggy and must bring on his family.

May God guide your Comm. in this and a 100 other difficult cases.

Yours truly,

A. Kent

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Galena, June 20, 1855

I do not cordially endorse this application but shall rather do it by constraint, both because they ask so much and ask so late.

It seems that after having his services a whole year, they persuaded him to come and settle among them and then when he had built a house and became a fixture, they attempted to beat him down in his price as you will see from from the accompanying letter.

I visited him a few weeks ago, and talked the matter over. They are a settlement of wealthy farms as I understand getting rich, and I advised him to leave or not preach any more until they come to his terms.

Should the application be granted, I hope it may be accompanied by an exhortation to do better next year and to be prompt.

A. Kent

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Dear Badger,

Please charge me with ($10) ten dollars contributed by John Ruth of Freeport and send him the Home Miss. if not ordered last year when he sent in 5. I hope this unknown donor will continue to double annually. He sent 10 this year to ours and 10 to A.B. Com.

A. Kent

Galena, June 27, 1855

Enclosed I send a long letter, expository, and to me satisfactory.

"Sufficient is the punishment inflicted by many." I think your rebuke and mine have been wrought carefully and that now we may attempt to encourage and sustain him. It seems to me therefore that you would be justified in making up some 160 which he asks and then saying that you expect him to give himself wholly to his work.

I have written encouraging him and urging that he report quarterly on his pastoral visits which I apprehend he has been deficient.

I have received a long letter from Br. Grant respecting Br. Gilbert of Crete and Br. Rouncee and others. He expresses a fear that Br. Romans farm will cripple his usefulness.

Yours, etc.,

A. Kent

[Application of the Cong. Church of Winnebago]

Beloit, July 10, 1855

Rev. Dr. Badger

Dear Sir,

I have detained this application until I should visit the church and preach to them on Home Missions according to previous arrangement which I did last Sabbath. I had 20 hearers and took up a collection of $30. It was a very rainy day and the church is built out on the naked prairie or rather the beautiful green sod which still extends 1 1/2 miles north without interruption (except by one house) until you strike the R.R. and yet that unbroken ground is held at 20, 25 and 30 dollars an acre. This explains why cong. was so very small. There will very soon be a great settlement about that new sanctuary in the desert. they like their minister and with God's blessing I think they will soon be out of debt and prepared to sustain their own burdens. While I recommend the appropriation asked I would take occasion to say look at those figures (20, 25, 30) and then contrast these with the common saying when I first came to the country. "Those great prairies never can be settled." Look also at the immense fields of wheat and corn waving with the high wind that follows the rain of yesterday and displaying a luxuriant verdure. Such as I never saw surpassed and then say of God is not trying us with prosperity which may well make trouble for the future.

But we have much also to be thankful for. God has prospered the feeble efforts put forth to plant and sustain literary and religious institutions.Last evening I listened with interest to a solemn and searching address to the Society of Inquiry on Missions in Rockford Female Sem. by Rev. Mr. Colis 1st graduate of Beloit College, preaching the duty of entire consecration to Christ. Tomorrow is commencement here.

Yours, etc.,

A. Kent

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Galena, July 30/55

I see no reason to with hold my recommendation of this application. It would seem better that one minister should supply both fields but Mr. Johnson is located at Gap Grove & Sterling from which we may expect an application soon (as the enclosed letter shows). I see no way but Br. North must be commissioned for Como alone unless he goes over to Union Grove which affords but little encouragement at present.

A. Kent

Miscellaneous

For Br. Coe. Rev. James Walker, Garden Plains, Whiteside Co., Ill., writes in reply to my inquiries. We have sufficient bedding for the coming winter. Our wardrobe will need replenishing from some source. You ask for my wife. 5 feet 9 inches in height, chest & waist 35 inches. Arm a little more that ordinary length.

This is all he communicated on the subject of his family measurement.

In relation to Rev. Mr. Neal. Br. Eddy is in transition between Beloit and Bloomington and I cannot correspond with him and presume he knows nothing of the man. I have written to Br. Clancy and Br. G.C. Curtis. But I know of no way to get information.

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Mr. W.W. Ripley

Dear Sir,

Your will please give credit to

First Presbyterian Ch. of Elgin 9.81

First Presb. Ch. in Galena 75.50

Second Presb. Ch do 100.00

186.31

A. Kent

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Galena, Ill., Aug. 21, 1855

I approve of this application and recommend that they receive $200. Things are in an unsettled state in consequence of a R.R. running through their territory which will break up old associations and create new contours of influence and perhaps for the present their arrangements are as good as could be made.

A. Kent

Br. Badger,

Please charge me with five dollars from John Ruth and 22 from Presb. Ch. at Freeport.

John Ruth sends 5 a year and I think he ought to have our paper gratis.

Please direct it to J.H. Adams,^270[270] Cedarville, Ill., who will forward it to him living out in the country by himself.

And acknowledge it from John Ruth Cedarville and 22 from Presb. Ch. Freeport.

Yours, Etc.,

A. Kent

A.K.

Galena, Aug 22, [1855]

Along with this copy of my letter to Br. Neal, I send his reply. I have written to Dr. Duffield or in his absence, Rev. E.R. Kellogg, enclosing the copy of Br. Clark's, which you furnished, and requesting them to furnish you the evidence necessary to enable you to act intelligently. And when I have written and informed Mr. Neal of the steps I have taken I think I shall be absolved from further service until I hear from you or from him again.

In doing this, I thought you perhaps would be better satisfied to correspond with Dr. Duffield directly.

Yours, etc.,

A. Kent

[Copy, reply not found]

Galena, Aug. 1, 1855

Rev. B.F. Neal

Dear Sir,

Evil reports implicating your moral character have reached me, which leave no alternative to an agent of the A.H.M.S. but to refuse his recommendation to the application. At the same time it is proper to state, these reports relate to occurrences which are alleged to have transpired 3 or 4 years ago, since which I have no means of knowing your subsequent places of residence or whether you may not have out lived these evil reports. I thought it my duty therefore while I decline recommending you, to say that I shall not do anything to prejudice your present prospect of usefulness while you shall continue to labour at Chemung.

And hence a word of explanation is necessary in relation to Poplar Grove.

I received your interesting report of labours at Poplar Grove the day after I had given a letter of introduction to Rev. James Donald to deliver to Mr. Dean. I did this because I thought the field peculiarly adapted to his circumstances, and I presumed that you would be quite happy to resign that pat of your field when it was spreading out so widely in other directions.

You will easily perceive that if this letter gives you pain in the perusal, it is certainly painful to me to write. But I thought that you ought not to be kept in suspense and I thought also you might withal the explanation I have given be surprised that I should send Mr. Donald there as I did.

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Galena, Aug. 8, 1855

I have written them that they must forward Mr. Morse's credentials as I am not acquainted and that as they have no conscious scruples in receiving I hope they will not have any when they become strong enough to contribute ...I recommend the appropriation.

Yours, etc.,

A. Kent

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Henry, Marshall Coun., Ill. August 7th '55

Rev. A. Kent

Dear Sir,

You probably have received from the Con. CH. of this place an application to the A. H.M.S. for aid in support of the Gospel. In the letter of Bro. Heston, you are made acquainted with our position as to a previous application to another body. By today's mail, I received a communication from the Sec. of the Ill. H.M.S. giving encouragement that the necessary assistance would be ranted by them.

Please delay presenting the application till you hear from me again.

Yours fraternally,

Alfred Morse

[Annotation in Kent's Hand]

Aug. 10

I hope they will find out what their duty is and that the committee will have wisdom from above.

A. K.

As I had written them before I received this I see no cause to write again.

Mount Carrol, Sept. 15, 1855

Rev. Dr. Badger

Dear Sir,

Having reached here half-sick on my return from a tour during which I have sent off applications from the Churches at Kewanee and Cambridge and a letter from Dr. Duffield endorsing the good character of Mr. Neal of Chemung and all done in much haste, I improve my present leisure to gather up some observations I have made.

Some of the good people of Ill., have determined by means of their Congregationalism or Independency, joined to their abolition ultra, to break down Presbyterianism and the Home Missionary So. at the same time.

Having no appointment to prevent, I pushed on last Saturday to Mendota, a village springing up in the Prairie at the junction of the Ill. Central and Chicago & Miss R.R., 15 miles north of LaSalle. I had hear nothing of late concerning its prospects. But was told when I arrived that Br. Holbrook was expected to preach on Sab. and that they were to have a church meeting on Wednesday to consider whether they should change the organization of the Presb. Ch. to Cong. It is but a few months since it was formed. Mr. Holbrook did not make his appearance and Rev. Mr. Fisk of Little Rock notoriety, now a zealous O.S. man had formed a little ch. there. He found me in the Meth. S. School and invited me to preach for him, claiming that the house was his at that place.

I called on Br. Lyman at Sheffield and on Br. Prescott at Ameswan and was favorably impressed by what I heard of their labours in those thriving villages on the R.I. R.R. and was astonished at the rapid growth of Geneseo where a large Ch. is building.

I dined with old Father Vail at Wetherfield who still holds a commission under the Con. Miss. Soc. He expressed his surprise that I should have an application from Kewanee for he had been told that they would apply to the Free. Miss. So. and very probably after all our inquiries they will go over to Free Miss. The agent Rev. Mr. Wright is all about. I visited Sterling and Gap Grove at some inconvenience in consequence of a letter from Rev. Mr. Johnson an English man who is preaching there and who evidently wrote me to prepare the way for an application. But. Br. Wright had just been there and was coming again in a day or two. They received me with marked coldness and informed me that they were to apply to the other society.

I called on Br. Martin, found him and all his family of 8 sick with ague in consequence of their temporary exposure on one of the most sickly localities I ever saw. The cabin he occupies is between Rock R. and a great swamp and they have been drinking sulphur water this summer and in appendix to all this he preaches and attends funerals 4 or 5 times a week, rides home in the evening and has been obliged to be up most of the nights with his sick children. No wonder he has the ague. I advised him to flee and get away from his labours. I visited Como and Mr. North. Found him sick and his wife remarked that he came home in a sweat from a walk of 11 miles to meet his Sabbath appointment.

I remarked to them that was just the way Br. Wheeler was sacrificed. He was in the habit of walking to his appointments which extended round some 20 miles.

When I heard of it I loaned him my horse and bot another but it was then too late for he [Br. Wheeler] died in a few weeks.

Thus the Cong. Church at Union Grove (Whiteside Co,) lost a valuable missionary for the lack of a horse and with the loss of this lovely man (who hoped to build up a good Ch. & an Acad. there) an eclipse has come over that church which threatens to be total and perpetual.

Yours, Etc.,

A. Kent

 

Rev. Mr. Coe,

Mrs. North said that she did not need other clothing so much but they would be glad of bedding in place of the 5 quilts they lost on their way out. Perhaps they might be sent in some other missionaries box.