Leonidas Polk Family Papers

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500,000 square miles, an area bigger than that part of the United States north of the Ohio River and the Mason and Dixon line east of the Mississippi River. Nor is it comprehended by the realization that in this area lived 1,500,000 people. Rather, the stupendousness of the work lay in the fact that the population as scattered over this wide area and that the people could only be reached by slow and difficult means of travel -- by steamboat and canoe or by fording swollen rivers, by horse-back, by springless open wagon, or even on foot. Yet, to the small communities and lonely dwellings where the children of the Church were found, Leonidas Polk went, 'gathering congregations, holding services, preaching, baptizing, confirming and celebrating the sacrament wherever and whenever he could find an opportunity,' as his son has written. His three missionary journeys can be likened to those of St. Paul." During the first eighteen months of his episcopate he spent only four with his family.

Bishop Polk's missionary jurisdiction included Arkansas, the Indian Territory, Mississippi,

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of God!" Then striking the stone three times with a hammer, he said: "In the Name of the Holy and Undivided Trinity! Father! Son! and Holy Ghost! Three Persons -- one God, blessed forever, Amen. I Leonidas Polk, D.D., Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Louisiana, on this tenth day of October, and in the year of Grace, 1860, do lay this corner-stone of an edifice to e here erected as the principal building of the 'University of the South', an Institution established by the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Dioceses of Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, for the cultivation of true religion, learning and virtue, that thereby God may be glorified, and the happiness of man be advanced. Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ; the same yesterday, today, and forever: God over all, blessed forever, in whom we have redemption through His Blood, even the forgiveness of sins; for there is none other