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[Manuscript record book for the Nashotah House Mission, Wisconsin and Bishop Seabury Mission, Minnesota.]

[Nashotah, Wisconsin; Faribault, Minnesota, 1840s–1860s.]. 4to (15.5” x 8.5”), full calf, blind-stamped ornamental borders to covers, red leather label on spine reading Membership Records printed in gold, green endpapers, pages 1-100 partially hand-numbered, balance of pages blank, manuscript partial index; tipped-in leaf extracted from an unidentified publication with text of an Indian Mission poem and litany; printed “Rules and Regulations for the Divinity Department of the ‘Bishop Seabury Mission,’ Faribault, Minnesota,” 3 pp., affixed to rear paste-down. CONDITION: Good, head of spine frayed and torn down one side for 2.5”, corners worn down to the boards, several pages from the rear have been cut out, but with no evidence of writing having been on them; interior pages clean with only a small amount of unobtrusive ink transfer.

An important document chronicling the early efforts of the Anglo-Catholic Episcopal Church in Wisconsin and Minnesota to provide religious education to settlers and Native Americans and to train young men for the clergy.

Rev. Jackson Kemper was elected the first Missionary Bishop of the Episcopal Church in 1835 and began his work in the old Northwest region. Through his efforts, Nashotah-House in Wisconsin was established in 1842 primarily as a seminary to train clergy although general education was also a part of its objective. It became a mission school for Ojibway children (evidenced here by the inclusion of a tipped-in, printed leaf with “lines from Mrs. Sigourney, accompanying an offering for Indian Missions” and an Ojibway Litany), as well as a school for children of the area’s settlers. In 1859, Rev. H. B. Whipple (1822–1901) was named Minnesota's first Episcopal Bishop and established his diocese at Faribault, Minnesota where the Bishop Seabury Mission had been established a year before. Bishop Whipple, who became well known for his work with the regional tribes and his effort in 1862 to persuade President Lincoln to stay the execution of members of the Sioux tribe who were being held as prisoners in connection with the Sioux uprising, was the President of the Bishop Seabury Mission. The Mission comprised three units: Shattuck, a school for boys; St. Mary's, a school for girls; and the Seabury Divinity School for the training of clergy. While the names and focus may have changed, the legacies of both the Nashotah-House and the Bishop Seabury Mission are still present today. The three young clergymen who founded Nashotah-House (James Lloyd Breck, William Adams, and John Henry Hobart Jr.) were among the earliest white settlers of the Nashotah region, arriving there in 1841.

Composed by an unidentified recorder for the Nashotah House and Bishop Seabury Mission, this ledger contains seventy-four manuscript pages relating to Episcopalian services and activities of the Brothers and Lay-Brothers of Nashotah House in Nashotah, Wisconsin, circa 1840s–1850s. Such activities include the "Office of Devotion"; litanies for each day of the week; a Matin-Service for Sunday mornings; two forms of a Communicant's Preparation Office, and Lenten Office; a form for the laying of the cornerstone for a parochial school, and the aforementioned Ojibwa children's prayer. In addition, nine pages relate to the Bishop Seabury Mission (in Faribault, Minnesota), circa 1860, including Rules and Regulations for students of the Divinity and Collegiate departments, and the Matriculation of Undergraduate students after six months (including names), totalling eighty-three pages of manuscript entries. Tipped in is a page, extracted from a publication, that contains a "Litany for Indian Missions” on one side and several lines of poetry “from Mrs. Sigourney, accompanying an offering for Indian Missions to Bishop Whipple from the ‘Lambs of the fold of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Brooklyn, N.Y.’” Laid down on the inside back cover is a four page leaflet entitled "Rules and Regulations for the Divinity Department of the ‘Bishop Seabury Mission.’ Faribault, Minnesota. Authorized by the Trustees of this Mission.”

While the compiler of this volume is unknown, the focus on litany suggests the writer may have been a Brother, Lay-Brother, or instructor at Nashotah-House who later moved on to the Bishop Seabury Mission. The reference to Jackson Kemper's approval of the Lenten Prayer dated 4 March 1849 also suggests the entry was made about that time or shortly after. The signatures of the students who agreed to abide by the Rules and Regulations for the Collegiate Department of the Bishop Seabury Mission are dated 19 September 1860. Those two dates suggest the journal was kept between 1849 and 1860. One man, James Lloyd Breck is known to have been instrumental in the founding of both schools.

Most sources on Nashotah-House’s history hold that it was founded by three graduates of the Episcopal General Theological Seminary of New York City in 1842: James Lloyd Breck, William Adams, and John Henry Hobart Jr. However, on page 3 of this document a fourth name is given, that of J. W. Miles—also a graduate of the Theological Seminary of New York City. Along with the three other men, James Warley Miles is given credit here for coming up with the original concept of seminary missions in the West:

The following "Office of Devotion" with some modifications, was first used by the Rev Messrs J. W. Miles, John Henry Hobart, William Adams, and James Lloyd Breck for upwards of a year in the General Theological Seminary, New York, immediately preceding their ordination to the Deaconate in the Summer of 1841. This "Office of the United Brothers of the Religious House established at the Nashotah-Lakes, Wisconsin", as it now stands [except in an unimportant change in the Records of…] has received the approval of the Right Reverend Jackson Kemper, D.D., Missionary Bishop of the North Western Diocese: and is now said on every Saturday at 12 o'clock, noon.

However, before the four colleagues headed out, Miles was called back to his home state by the Bishop of South Carolina to work with the missions in that area. Miles eventually served in the foreign missions in the Middle East. While not technically a founder of Nashotah-House Seminary, he was one of the originators, if not the possible originator, of the concept. 

SOME REPRESENTATIVE PASSAGES

Pages 22-29 A Litany to the Holy and Undivided Trinity for the use of the *Lay-brothers at their Litany Hour on Monday. First used the Easter of 1845 with the approval of the Bishop. *The first course of Brothers not candidates for Holy Orders. 12 o'clock, noon. 

Pages 30-35 A Litany to Jesus, The Blessed Savior of the World. For the use of the *Lay-brothers at their Litany-Hour on Tuesday. First used in Trinity of 1845 with Bishop's approbation. *The Second Course of Brothers not candidates for Holy Orders. 12 o'clock, noon. Pages 36 & 37. A Litany for Deliverance from all Evils and a Supplication for Mercies and Man/Told Blessings. For the use of Candidates for Holy Orders and Students at the *Litany-Hour on Wednesday *12 o'clock noon.

Pages 58-63 The Communicant's Preparation Office. To be used along with the Priest on the morning of the Holy Communion, or the Evening before. If only just cause prevent attendance upon this service, then the Communicant shall notify the Clergyman privately of his intention to commune, only in such case, let it be before the elements have been prepared.

Pages 64-69 A Second Form of the Communicant's Preparation Office. To be used along with the Priest on the Evening before the celebration of the holy Eucharist (whether) on the Thursday mornings or the eves of Saints' Days Holy Days. Specially for the use of the Members of the House. Students may attend.

Page 80 Children's prayer for their Parents others. We thank thee, O God, for the gift of thine only son, Jesus Christ, whereby we have been brought out of darkness error, into the Light & Truth, and we pray Thee also to bring our papas and mamas, our brothers sisters, and all the Ojibwa people along with us, by the way of the Holy Gospel into Thy Kingdom in Heaven, through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Pages 84-92 Rules and Regulations for the Divinity Department of the "Bishop Seabury Mission", Faribault, Minnesota. Authorized by the Trustees of this "Mission". One of the Rules was, "Students shall not visit Saloons or be seen in other unbecoming places." The use of tobacco was also prohibited.

Page 93 Matriculation of Undergraduates, after six months Residence. We the undersigned, members of the "Bishop Seabury Mission" do hereby promise faithfully to observe and keep the lows and regulations of the same, and by every means in our power, to promote the efficiency and well being of this Institution for the good of the country and the Glory of God. Below that pledge are written the names of eleven students of the Grammar School and four students of the College (one of whom is named as a Candidate).

Item #7388

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