Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-01-08
Death of Rev. Gilbert Haven. ID.
D., Bishop of the Methodist
Episcopal Church.

DlSnOp OllD6rC haven uleu on OdCuT-
day, at his mothers residence in Maiden,
Mass, near Boston, after an illness of
several weeks. In this mournful event
the Methodist Church of America has
lost one of its best known representa-
tives and most striking characters.
The New York Times of Sunday con-
tanned the following complete sketch of
Bishop Haven's life and work: "He was
born in Maiden, Mass, on the 10Th of
September, 1921, where his early DAYS
were passed in mercantile pursuits. His
father was pillar of the Methodist
Episcopal Church in the town, and young
Haven was trained up with careful re-
gard to his moral and religious acquire
ments. His business life grew distaste-
full to him, and he made up his mind to
embark in something better. After
studying diligently for many months, he
applied for admIttance at the Wesleyan
University at Middletown, from which
he was graduated with honor in 1S46 In
the same year he was elected Professor
of Greek and Latin in Armenia Seminary,
in New York State, and so well did he
trustees united and elected him princi-
pal. In 1851 he married Miss Mary In
graham, by whom he had two children
a boy and girl--the former of whom is
now actively engaged in the freedman's
mission work in the South, of which the
bishop was so active and enthusiastic a
promoter. Mrs. Haven died ten years
after her marriage, in 1861.
ain 1851, the year of his marriage, the
young college professor entered the
New ENGLAND Conference of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church, in which he did
great amount of itinerant work. He
was frequently appointed to the most
important churches of the Conference,
and at Northampton, Roxbury, Cam
bridge and other posts did excellent SER
vice. At the breaking out of the war
he enjoyed the honor of being the first
commissioned chaplain in the Union
volunteer service, his commission in the
Eighth Massachusetts, regiment being
signed, four days after the surrender of
Fort Sumter, by the war Governor, John
A. Andrew. Chaplain Haven served
faithfully with his regiment for more
than a year, accompanying it in its
marches and campaigns, and sharing
the fatigues of his fellow members. In
1862 he was Frustrated by severe affec-
-tion of the brain. which so enfeebled
him that he was compelled to go abroad
to recupeTate. He Travelled i'll England
and on the Continent, and spent some
time in the Holy Land. In England he
found public feeling very bitter against
the North. Mr.. Haven exerted himself
CTR lv fn of Iii
and published able and comprehensive
appeals in behalf of the Union in the
Watchman, the great Methodist organ
of England. On his return to this coun-
try he became editor of lions Herald.
"In 1872 he was elected a bishop of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and in the
year following visited Mexico on mis-
sionary errand. Bishop Haven's impress
sion of that country and of Aztec home
life were published by the Harpers, un-
der the title of "0ur Next Door Neigh
Dor; or, Winter in Mexico" In 1867
the Bishop visited Africa to attend the |
Liberia Conference, and while there |
was attacked with the dreaded African |
fever. He recovered for the time being. |
but the disease still fingered i'm his sys- |
TEN. During the past two years he was |
several times prostrated by recurring fits
Of the disease, the last and fatal attack
occurring few weeks since.
Besides being an advocate of the ne
gro. Bishop Haven was an early advo-
cate Of woman's equality with man. In
addition to his church work in the
Southern States (his episcopal residence
was at Atlanta), he was a lifelong and
persistent advocate. of Protestant mis-
'ions in Italy, and among the Spanish
American peoples of South America.
Could he have converted the whole con-
'inent to Methodism and equal rights he