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Life and Letters of Rev. Aratus Kent Introduction


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Finding a congruancy of views between congregations and pastors on the slavery issue was not easy. In 1848 Kent reported that Bother Norton at Sycamore had “left...their church which stands with only a roof to cover the timbers and yet it is the only church of our denomination in a county [DeKalb] of 6 or 7000 inhabitants...because he would not say Shibboleth to their antislavery creed.”237[237]



By 1851 Kent was convinced that a formal declaration of opposition to Slavery was required if the A.H.M.S. was to retain any influence in Northern Illinois, but the political need, not the moral requirement, seemed to be his motivation..238[238]

Rockford, July 12, 1851

Rev. Dr. Badger

Dear Br.,

At my request when met at the parsonage under the shadow of the old Oak Tree in Beloit at 5 am on Thursday last. 4 of the devoted friends of the A.H.M.S. solicited Brs. Clary (mine host) Pearson, Savage and Kent to review the actions of the Missionary Convention at Chicago on the 20th ult.

These Brethren (all present at that meeting except Br. Pearson) expressed their regret that one of the secretaries was not at Chicago (though your explanation was satisfactory) and they all saving myself were disappointed in the action or the body as having come short of that progress which they had hoped it would reach.

The remark of Dr. E. Beecher was quoted that the question before them was one of time. The time will come when the A. H. M. S. must take the stand that they will not commission men to labour in slaveholding churches. These brethren (or 2 of them Brs. Clary and Savage) thought the resolution adopted did not meet the views of the Convention and that if another had been thrown in desiring the Society to announce that they would not here after commission men to churches that tolerate salve holders (excepting those who are already on the list of beneficiaries) that such a resolution would have been adopted by the Convention and approved by the great body of our western churches.

It seemed to me therefore that these views should be communicated to your Committee and we agreed each in his own way to express his views to our Brothers in New York.

Much as I may be stigmatised as a Proslavery man, I still am constrained to say that whenever your Committee feel prepared to take that stand, they may count on me as one who would welcome the announcement. And if the distant echo of so feeble a voice should contribute anything to hasten such a result, I am quite ready to give utterance to it either in the closet or on the house top.

I have however more confidence in the judgement of your committee than in my own, and I consider that if the opinion I have expressed be an embodiment of western sentiment it may not be so of the churches at the east, and that constitutes another reason why I should rest satisfied with your course, whatever it may be.

Affectionately yours,

A. Kent


 

_________________________

It gives me pain to think that I have been so long in the field without witnessing more cheering results because I believe that it is to be attributed to my own unfaithfulness. I do not doubt but that good is done by my instrumentality and that is well worth all the expense by which this mission has been sustained but I am perfectly certain that I have not accomplished what even I might have done if I possessed more of a self-denying spirit.

In visiting the sick I meet with two very interesting cases last week : they are included in the 11 married women in the village and 5 in the vicinity who have died within six months : of these Mrs. Strother (the wife of a man who has purchased 7/8 of a steam boat and who will command it himself and observe the Sabbath strictly) was very satisfactory. She seemed as tranquil as if going to yield herself to the influence of an ordinary sleep.

I think myself happy if I can assist in smoothing the dying pillow of a saint.

But I cannot pass over the case of this excellent Brother of the Episcopal church. He is a Virginian of noble blood If I may judge of the blood from the disposition for uncompromising obedience which he evidences. I regard his purpose to run a Sabbath keeping boat on the Mississippi as one of the boldest and most important adventures that individual enterprise could attempt.239[239]

We have no arrivals and no conversions of late but we have the promise of arrival in less than a year according to the fruits of one of our visits in the country. The church seems to possess more of the elements of efficiency, for they are disposed to work in the Lord’s vineyard. We have a monthly concert, and a good collection as you will see by the amount $45 of which was contributed by the Female Bible Society. We observe the Sabbath school concert. We have also commenced the monthly distribution of tracts in the village and vicinity and we have adopted a method which promises what I have long desired but have never been able to accomplish before a more familiar acquaintance of the members with each other which is ordinarily attended with difficulty is a village like this.

At our Sat night prayer meeting of the church it is presumed that the absentees necessarily are detained and accordingly the role is called and those who are present volunteer to visit one and another of the absentees, until we have a promise that each one will be visited during the coming week. And we cannot doubt but that such a plan adopted by the churches in your city with some little variation would be attended with most beneficial results.

Our Sabbath School continues to be very interesting and we hope in a few (5) years to have 10 young men preparing for the ministry. We think this a spiritual and very important movement. Please charge me one dollar and give credit to A.G. Hawthorne for the Home Miss.

During the year our church has recruited by certificate 4 by conversion 4 and now numbers 45: 1 Sab Sc, 75 scholars... the new members of the Church have subscribed over 1000 dollars toward the church.

This country will grow with rapidity. We shall need greatly a preacher for Cassville or whatever place is made the seat of territorial government, and one more south to visit the settlements on Rock River and its tributaries.

With much esteem I am yours in the bonds of the gospel

Aratus Kent

________


Galena, Ill., July 6, 1836

Rev & Dear Sir,

The time is past when I am required to give an account of my stewardship to your committee and the time may be very near when I shall be required to give an account to God, in view of which I contemplate my labours here with very little self complacency.

Our population and my domestic cares are increasing and render it every year more difficult for me to be absent itinerating as formerly. Few ministers ever probably have more company than we and love to “use hospitality” but it is a tax upon the weak vessel.

There is hardly a day passes but we have calls or visits from persons from New England who dislike the confused state and Sabbath breaking of the public houses and they are not infrequently persons who broke the Sabbath on their journey hither.

The prospect of gaining ground by the conversion of sinners in Galena becomes only more dark but there are other ways in which good may be done.

The wheels of the temperance car are clogged by the men of influence who are engaged in the traffic. We have had monthly meetings but these men will not attend or if they do attend it is only to return to their ???? course. Mr. A Turner has been with us, and after lecturing 3 evenings he obtained 72 names to his tee-total pledge, but this makes no perceptible impression on the drunkenness of Galena.

I also accompanied this indefatigable agent in a visit to the principle places in the country. At Dubuque I preached in the day time and he lectured in the evening of the Sab. and obtained 30 names. We hope this minister will speedily return and have the pleasure of organizing a church there for the religious aspect of that village is brightening. Being disappointed by the Sab. keeping. Steamboat is going to Rock Island to spend the last Sabbath in June as I had proposed.

I went to Belleview a little village scarcely six months old on the west bank of the Mississippi about 12 miles before Galena. The back country is settling rapidly by agriculturalists: I had a large congregation most of whom had been there but a few weeks. They were the first sermons ever preached in that place.

I suggested a Sab. School; three apparently efficient teachers volunteered. I proposed if they would raise 5 dollars I would furnish $10 worth of books. They immediately collected $11.50 and paid over and I have forwarded a library. They urged me to come again. But there are 6 or 8 places on this side equally important that I have not visited for many months.

There are 20 places around me where a Sab. School of 20 or 25 scholars might be secured if but one pious family would come and settle down in each neighborhood and take hold of this work but for the want of them these children are growing up in ignorance.

I have little charity for those professing Christians who profess to come to this country to do good, but who say “Be ye ...[last two lines illegible].

Your brother in the bonds of Gospel,

Aratus Kent

[on the address leaf]

Our Sabbath School is increasing in numbers and interest. Our celebration on the 4th was attended by 130 children. They were furnished by their teachers with an address and each a good piece of cake, a bunch of raisins and a flagon of water.

The Captain of the Sabbath Keeping boat has succeeded so well that he has bought another and employed as captain and clerk 2 of the best men in our church, who are determined to keep holy the Sabbath. Would that the friends of Zion would pray over this experiment for it involves the last hope of the west and of the world.

______


Galena, Ill., Aug. 2, 1836

Rev. & Dear Sir,

As I know not who is the agent in New York, I request you sir to pay over to the agent for the A.B.C.F.M. one hundred and thirteen 50/100 Dollars being the amount of our collection at monthly concert for the last 14 months and charge the same to my account. To accommodate a fried I gave him an order on you a few days since for 5 1/2 dollars.

Rev. Albert Hale is with us and tomorrow we go on an exploring tour in the Wisconsin Ter. of which he will give some account perhaps in due time.

Yours with best bonds,

Aratus Kent

_________

Dubuque, Aug. 9, 1836

Rev. O. Watson

My Dear Brother,

I have sat myself down at Mr. Lockwood’s table (While Mrs. L and Rev. A. Hale are conversing) to tell you 2 or 3 things.

Brother H and myself have just returned to Galena from a tour in Wisconsin as far as Helena and finding our Sabbath Keeping Olive Branch in part, we have come over to your parish and have had the happiness to see a Presbyterian Church laid up of rock as far as the middle of the basement story windows. And the contractor said that the walls would be finished up by the first week in September. These facts will doubtless gratify you as they did us and you will also be pleased to learn that there is a prospect of having materials to organize a small church. I have no doubt but it is the duty of some body at the East to give you a 1000 dollars for building the church. And you are authorized to receive collections.

Brother Hall will spend 4 weeks in exploring and visit Galena again in Dec.

Mr. Lockwood's family are well and indeed the whole village seems to be enjoying health except some cases of measles and a few of scarlet fever.

My own family and people are blessed in like manner and we hope that the effort at Dubuque will provoke us to emulation in building a house for the Lord.

Dear Brother hasten back. Brother Hale preaches there on the next Sabbath.

Yours affectionately,

A. Kent


Rev. A. Peters

Dear Sir,

Fearing that this would not overtake Brother W in Connecticut I thought good to forward it to you. And I wish also to state that 3 days ago I visited a German Mr. John Messersmith Iowa Co. Wisconsin Ter who in conversation concerning Der Raush insisted that a German could not write so well in English but I assured him it was his own language and promised to ascertain by writing if he would pay the postage.

I could wish Der ???? would write to him in German giving a brief history of himself, inquiring about the Germans....

In Haste Yours,

A. Kent


_______

Galena, Ill., Oct. 4, 1836

Rev. & Dear Sir,

The flight of time admonishes me that another report is due, but I seem to myself to have little else to communicate except it be the echo of the former statements, presenting nothing to animate or encourage.

I have been long in the field and still it seems the aspect of the vineyard of the slothful for it is all grown over with thorns and nettles have covered the face thereof. We have an increase of people but there is no apparent increase of worshippers on the Sabbath and we have more professors of religion but no evidence of increasing spirituality and the preacher apprehends that he is becoming every year more faithless and discouraged. The Spirit of worship overpowers every good influence and as a community we are hurrying fast to distraction without the least prospect of escape unless we receive special aid from above.

The Sabbath School presents a brightening prospect and affords a ground of hope in future years.

After 6 months of apathy we have waked up again to the effort of building a house for God. We expect to obtain in Galena 4,500 and our house 20 by 40 with a basement of stone and a superstructure of brick will not cost less than $7500 but we think we have now a reasonable prospect of making up the deficiency. There is a great opening for good by men of Academics in Galena and the Territory north, and some intent awakened in their behalf. There is a considerable Catholic influence and we wish to preoccupy the ground. There is great room for labour in the Territory but I cannot bestow that labour without neglecting my work at home. Brother Hale has spent several weeks in exploring and he concurs with me in opinion that a preacher or two are greatly needed in the Mining country. As one illustration we visited one neighborhood 50 miles from Galena where we had a congregation of 50 including 8 or 10 Presbyterians who had not heard a sermon since I visited them about a year before

_______


Springfield, Ill., Oct. 29 [1836]

For the purpose of attending Synod I left Galena in the Sabbath Keeping:anti-gambling temperance boat for St. Louis. We had a quiet and pleasant passage with the privilege of family worship daily and daily in the Ladies cabin. The Captain said he enjoyed it much and I am sure it was refreshing to my own soul. On Sabbath I heard the Senior and Junior ??? preached myself and visited 3 Sabbath Schools including a German school of 75-150 learning English in which I was greatly interested.

The meeting of Synod was : one of which I shall not now speak particularly: My visit to Jacksonville was very pleasant and I obtained a promise of a visit this fall from Prof. Beecher and also from Mr. Baldwin to attend a protracted meeting and to inquire into the prospects of education.

I have forwarded a draft for monies due on the missionary year now closed. I have increased my expenses this year by building a small house of 2 rooms for female schools. The schools in our village are now encouraging.

Yours,

Aratus Kent



________

[January (?)] 17, 1837

[first page missing from microfilm]

...A plan has been formed to have protracted meeting this spring at Buffalo Grove and Rockford on Rock River (in Ill.) and at Elk Grove (Wisconsin) and Brother Gridley has been invited to come with the Big Tent and labour at these meetings and we expect at that time that 2 or 3 churches will be formed. But alas what avail the labours of 1 or 2 missionaries among so many. We want at least 2 on this side and as many on the west side of the Mississippi. Brother P. will go home soon and he thinks of returning in the fall. His eye is fixed on Mineral Point 40 miles north wither he has gone exploring and in the neighborhood lives Mrs. Rey whose exercises have excited attention in this region. It is more than 2 1/2 years since she said to me there would be a great revival in all this country to begin at Galena in the winter of 1837.

There have been during this year 17 added by letter and 6 by profession and we calculate on about 10 more at the next communion by profession : 15 converts 100 Sabbath scholars : 7 converts among S Scholars of whom 3 united with the church.

We have raised for foreign mission $112 at monthly con. : for the bible society 42 and for the tract soc 40 for supplying the Boats with bound vols.

My people think they can support me in future and a committee is appointed to write a letter of thanks to your society and it seems due from me also to review the past.

I have been seven years a recipient if the bounty of your society and am deeply and painfully conscious of the Christian and ministerial unfaithfulness. But I have had difficulties to grapple with and burdens to bear which cannot be well be estimated by those who have occupied a more highly cultivated field. For more than two years I laboured alone, without Christians enough to form a church or to maintain a prayer meeting.

Our church now numbers 63. We have morning and evening meetings for prayer, a formal Benevolent Soc., a Maternal Association, and prayer meeting. The monthly distribution of tracts has been in successful operation for a year. We have commenced a house for public worship and have $4000 subscribed.240[240] We have good schools taught by members of our church.

We have had during the whole time an interesting Sabbath School and man are now scattered over the country who were once under our influence. Last fall I met in one day at a distance of 300 miles 3 of its earliest pupils, two were merchants, and one a mechanic, 2 hope they are Christians and all, so far as I can learn, sustain a good moral character amidst the crowds of vicious people with whom they are in daily and hourly mingling.

In taking my leave of your society241[241] I must express my grateful acknowledgments for the promptness with which every wish has been met and my growing conviction that your society is performing a service for the West and for our country, and for the church which none can so well appreciate as those who witness its happy results.

Yours in the fellowship of the Gospel,

A. Kent

______


[Extract from a letter by A. Hale to Absalom Peters. Jacksonville, Illinois, September 27, 1836.]

My journey was principally in the lead mine district & east of the Mississippi River. Br. Kent & myself visited the principal villages & settlements. We found no ministers of our denomination & very few of any other. Indeed, we have no missionaries N. West of Rock River except Br. Kent, at Galena, & Br. Watson, who I suppose has returned to DuBuque. In the Wisconsin Terr. with a population 25,000 of there are not more than 4 Or 5 ministers of all denominations i.e. not more than that number that we could hear of- Br. Kent has long been calling for aid, & if men of the right sort can be had his call ought to be immediately attended to. The population of the Terr. is somewhat peculiar. A far greater portion of them are foreigners, than of the people of Illinois. They are as a body more intelligent. There is more open wickedness, such as intemperance & gambling, &c., more infidelity, or rather it is more bold & open, & there is more money. We need immediately, two Missionaries to plant within 40 miles of Galena- but they must be men-men of sound minds & warm hearts -men who can meet opposition & bear insults, & are willing to labor hard & bear reproach for Christ, men who might do well in many parts of this state, I am persuaded could not succeed there. I hope you will be on the lookout & as soon as you can find the men send them to Br. Kent & he will go with them to their places of destination. It must not be forgotten that churches in Wisconsin are as scarce as ministers -all is new- a few professors of religion scattered over the field panting for the bread & water of life & a large number who once were enrolled among the people of God & are now twice dead & among the most formidable obstacles to the progress of religion.242[242]

_______

Office of the A. H. M. S. 150 Nassau St243[243]



New York Jun 20th 1837

Rev. J. G. Simrall

Carlinville, Ill.

Dear Sir, . . . You speak of a renewal of your commission for the current yr. It is in accordance with our rules, that there should be an application from the people in order to have the request come regularly before us. If your people are really needy, I doubt not our committee would readily comply with their request in extending to them continued aid. But we cannot forbear to express the hope that they will find their own resources, the current year, adequate to their necessities- We cherish this hope from the very liberal collections they have made the last year to benevolent Societies the amount they have raised for their house of worship, and the amount they have pledged for the Theological Seminary.

Those nearer by can judge of the circumstances in the case better than we can & our committee have referred the matter to our agency at Jacksonville, Ill. If your people will forward their application to Rev. Albert Hale at that place it will receive the action of that Board & we shall then be prepared to act intelligently & rightly, I trust, in regard to it....

MILTON BADGER

Asso. Sec. A. H. M.S.

-----------

Carlinville, Ill.

July 7th I837_

Rev. Dr Peters

Dear Sir,

I received on yesterday the letter of your Assistant Secretary in relation to my commission for this year. I am glad you have not sent it as I should have had the trouble to return it. I determined after seeing the proceedings of the Convention and Assembly to have nothing more to do with your Society, and informed my church here to that account. I have received a commission from the Assembly board. You need not therefore consider me in any way connected with your Institution, although I believe it has done much good - yet under all the Circumstances - and in view of the Sate of our Church at large - I am satisfied with my present views I cannot again sustain it.

Yours respectfully,

Jn. G. Simrall

_______


Galena, Feb. 11, 1842

Dear Sir,

It is almost a year since I received a line from you respecting Mr. Emerson (whether it is the same as that man whose letter is published in the Home Miss. for Jan., I have no means of knowing but I suppose it is. He told me of another man of the same name who came out to Iowa, but he was then an open Baptist, who, I was informed, has since become Presbyterian.) I feel quite dissatisfied with him. And I will relate what has given me the dissatisfaction. He borrowed 10 dollars of me when he first came on, he has never come nigh me again, though he has been near Galena and I believe in town. I mentioned the circumstance to recently to Brother Dixon of Platteville. He had borrowed 10 dollars of him. He is but ill able to spare money to such men. He called on Brother K?? upon my introduction (about 12 miles out) and told such a pitiful tale that he promised and afterwards gave him a valuable horse, then Emerson had the meanness to say that he wished he had money to buy a carriage also for he did not know how much riding he might have to do and he wanted to be very choice of that horse! Putting these things together, and comparing them with what Brother Wright said who was in Lane Seminary with him, I have no expectation of any good report and I am afraid to have him enjoying your patronage ... I do not wish to burden you but I thought you ought to have the light you can get That Brother Wright is a Missionary near Knoxville, Ill. He could give you information about him while at Lane.244[244]

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