Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-09
PARTED BY WAR
Civil Strife Caused Separation
of Noted Churchmen.
Missionary Centennial Recalls Aztec
ton Between Bishop McllVaine 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 bish-
ops OF the church. Bishop Mcllvalne
Of Ohio and Bishop Leonidas Polk of
Tennessee, lifelong friends, whose
consciences made them enemies when
the war divided The country.
Bishop Mcllvalne was the elder OF
the two and was chaplain at West
Point when young Polk, scion of the
family which gave President 10 the
United States, arrived at the academy
bent on Il military career. Al the end
Of four years Polk was graduated into
the army; but 81 marked was the In
f!uence that McIlvaine had eNerted
that, IA few years later, the chaplain
having In the meantime been elevated
10 the eplscopacy, Polk resigned from
the army and took clerical orders.
With the passage of the years II
fell ont that Mcllvaine and Polk be-
came identified as leaders In the move
ment within The church which resulted
I'm the dispatch of missionary bishops
into the unsettled areas Of the coun
try, dnd 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.
Il hot ha
states, which arrayed father against
son and brother against brother; and
these two devout men of the church
did not escape the perpleXitios Of the
situation. Bishop McllVaine answered
the call Of Lincoln and Went TO Eng
land with Archbishop Hughes. Henry
Ward Beecher and Thurlow Weed 10
exert their influence against British
recognition Of the COntederacy. Bish-
op Polk answered the call of jefferson
Davis and became general in the
Confederate army.
Thus actively aligned on opposite
sides in The conflict, the stage was
Set for one OF the most dramatic cpl
sodes of the war. Back in the West
Point days the two men had entered
into 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 oar fighting i'm the field for
The South, and the other engaged in
delicate diplomatic mission for the
North. enemies as 10 the political
principle which was involved, their
solemn compact was sacredly carried
out unHl the end came with the death
OF Bishop Polk at the battle OF Pine
mountain.
History tells Of the success Of the
mission 10 England, of which Bishop
McIlvaine was part.
The kind of soldier Bishop Polk
was is related IN the general orders
issued by Gen. J. r. Johnston, com
manding the army Of Tennessee on
June IA. 1864 the day Polk fell. II
read:
Comrades: You are called to mourn
your first captain, your oldest com
panion-!narms. Lieut.. cen. Polk fell
today at the outpost of Ills 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
tan, 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 wurrior-biShop contained in let-
ter he wrote to his wife less than
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 all expected battle. The scene was
touching One-he. with one leg.
leaning Gu his crutcheS. veteran in
the mf,lst Of his and my officers and
the officiating minister His heart
was fully In H."
A few nights later he also baptized
General Johnston.
CorrosiOp If MetaIa