The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-11-11
PARTED BY war
Civil Strife Caused Separation
of Noted ChurChmen.
Missionary Centennial Recalls Affec-
ton Between Bishop Mcllvains and
Bishop Polk, on Opposing Sides.


A striking memory Of Civil war his
tory is awakened in connection with
the centenary of the Episcopal Mis-
sionary society, falling this year.
which centers about two devout blsh-
ops Of the church. Bishop McIlvaine-
of Ohio and Bishop Leonidas Polk Of
Tennessee, lifelong friends, whose
conscienees made them enemies when
the war divided the country.
Bishop McIlyaine was the elder OF
the two and was chaplain at West
Point when young Polk, scion Of the
family which gave President to the
United States, arrived at the academy
bent on a military career. AT the end
of four years Polk was graduated into
the army; but so marked was the In
fuence that McIlvalne had exerted
that, a few years later, the chaplain
having In the meantime been elevated
to the eplscopacy, Polk resigned from
the army and took clerical orders.
With the passage of the years It
fell out that McIlvaine and Polk be-
came identified as leaders In the move
ment within the church which resulted
In the dispatch of missionary bishops
into the unsettled areas of the coun-
try, and brought about those triumphs
which are being acclaimed now In the
missionary centennial. Polk was made
the first missionary bishop of Arkan-
sas and later first bishop of Louisiana.
Then came the war between the
states, which arrayed father against
son and brother against brother; and
these two deyout men of the church
did not escape the perplexitles Of the
situation. Bishop McIlvalne answered
the call OF Lincoln and went to Eng
land with Archbishop Hughes, Henry
Ward Beeeher and Thurlow Weed to
exert their influence against British
recognition of the Confederacy. Bish-
op Polk answered the call of Jefferson
Davis and became a general In the
Confederate army.
Thus actively aligned on opposite
sides In the conflict, the stage was
set for one Of the most dramatic epi-
sodes Of the war. Back In the West
Point days the two men had entered
into a solemn compact that when they
separated, wherever they might be,
they would pray, each for the other
by name, every Sunday morning. And
now, the one fighting In the field for
the South, and the other engaged In
a delicate diplomatic mission for the
North, enemies as to the political
principle which was involved, their
solemn compact was sacredly carried
out until the end came with the death
Of Bishop Polk at the battle of Pine
mountain.
History tells of the success Of the
mission TO England, OF which Bishop
McIlvaine was part
The kind of soldier Bishop Polk
was Is related In the general orders
issued by Gen. ]. K. Johnston, COM
manding the army of Tennessee ON
June IA, 1864. the day Polk fell. 1t
read:
Comrades: You are called to mourn
your first captain, your Oldest com
panlon-in-arms. Lieut.. Cen. Polk fell
today at the outpost of siis army--the
army he raised and commanded, In all
of whose trials he shared, to all Of
whose victories he contributed. In
this distinguished leader we have lost
the most courteous of gentlemen, the
most gallant Of soldiers. The Chris
tian, patriot soldier has neither lived
nor died In vain. His example is be-
fore you; his mantle rests with YOU"
There Is striking picture. too, OF
this warrior-bishop contained in let
ter he wrote to his wife less than q
month before he fell.
"You will be interested" he wrote,
''in hearing that the first night Of my
arrival with the army baptized
Lieut.. Gen. Hood. II was on the eve
of an expected battle. The scene was
a touching one--he. with one leg,
leaning on his crutches. veteran In
the midst OF his and my officers and
the officiating minister. His heart
was fully in IT,"
A few nights later he also baptized
General Johnston.