Letter from E. Meader, dated 1863-11-29

[left page] [?]acted Rachel weeping for her Children, and would not be comforted because they are not. yet amid all the commotions even when the very Elements seem clashing one against another and brother against brother, there is consolation to be divined in leaving of it all in the unto Him that can make the wrath of man to passe him, while the remainder of wrath he can restrain, and who will in His own infinate mercy cause all things to work togather for good to them that love honor worship and obey Him. Thy connections and friends here a way all in usual health as far as I know and dauntless our mutual friend Hannah Pectham and family want wish their love injected if they knew of my writing

With the salutation of love myself and I am as ere thy afft friend and fellow traveler in tribulation E Meader

[side note]

Please excuse mistakes for this has been written or afoot at least in the room where reading was going on. [/side note] [/left page]

[right page] [top note] Please write in this [?medium?] that I may hear how it fares with thee and thine whome I love in the gospel my love to the Children also to dear Palina if thou please. [/top note] Providence 11 Mo 29 / 63

My dear friend Rachel Stevens

Deep Truly Calleth unto deep, and while I am fully aware that the pen will fall far short of conveying the beheth of the heart felt sympathy which has been my privilege to enter into, with and for thee in the trials that thou art now pertakeing of, yet it may serve to asshure thee that thou holds a vary near and dear place in the feelings of thy unworthy friend, and one who mingles her tears of sorrow with thine, yet dear, R. while it may seem as though the very dregs of the bitter cup was poured out into thy already aching heart, He our mercyfull Redeemer Ne'er Suffereth not a sparrow to fall to the ground [/right page]

without [underline]His[/underline] knowledge, and numbereth the [hours?] of our heads, willnot fail to sustain those that cast all their burtherns upon [underline]Him[/underline], neither will [underline]He[/underline] fail to keep that which is in faith [committs?] into [underline]His[/underline] holy hour, and it may be the [very?] means which the great [?] [our?] who knoweth the end from the beginning, has seen mete to dispence to thy darling son, that precious [plant?], in order to convince him that the children which [underline]He[/underline] owns cannot bathe their swords in blood, and by the teaching of [underline]His[/underline] holy spirit enable him to see into the glorious doctrins of the gospel of peace, and thus leade him gently back to [underline]His[/underline] own house where there is bread enough and to spare, that than my beloved [Lestec?] may yet be favored joyfully to proclaim (killing the

[page break]

fatted calf) this my son was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found, For did not our blessed Saviour testify that [underline]His[/underline] followers were not of this world and they could not fight.

Truly my heart is often made sad in contemplating upon the thousands, and tens of thousands of poor souls that are sent to meet Judge, by this cruel and wicked war, and oh that the Inhabitance would learn rightteousness while The Judgements of The Lord are in the earth, for truly they are a great deep; and doth not the signs of the times call loudly upon The mourning women, and Those That are skillful in [Tenutation?] to stand firm at their post with the whole armour on, for is not the voice already heard in [?]