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John L. Eddy - a Friend in Ohio who is an excellant man, and a great minister is liberated by that Yearly Mtg to perform an extensive religious visit in Europe is now nearly ready for his mission as a letter recently recieved informs. I think I may say that Ohio was one of the most favoured Mtgs I ever attended tho' all of the others were very good. Did Thou notice in The Friends Review a notice of the [underline]"whole burnt offering"[/underline] that a young minister is about to make who belongs to Indiana Yearly Mtg. Joel Bean who is about to visit the Sandwich Isles, and the regions round about, and to sojourn there for a while, he is quite a young man looking to be not over 30 years. he leaves a young wife and child unless it should be thought best for them to go with him. I heard him consulting with some Friends about the propriety of it. she was a Philadelphian, and of course educated in City refinements & luxuries it will come hard to her any way.
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R. B. Stevens
Sing Sing 2nd mo 7 /61
My very dear friend
I have long proposed answering Thy most welcome and excellent letter, but the illness of my only daughter has prevented. Thy letter came while she was under the Dr care, since then she has been prostrated with fever, very feeble most of the time. until now she begins to sit up nicely, and I think if nothing unforeseen occurs she will get about again soon - perhaps I told Thee she was subject to epileptic fits, which makes her a great care to me. Tho sometimes she is very smart & active & able to relieve me of many cares, and household duties, for which I ought to be thankful. Oh how many trials the poor human heart has to bear!!
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I got a letter from thy dear Mary the other day, any thing from her pen is always agreeable, give my love to her & hers, she has my best wishes for her prosperity every way. I believe if she is faithful, she will have to fill an important place in our little portion of the Lords heritage. I desire that she may be found in her allotted place for the sake of her own peace of mind and for the sake of the church's welfare. What would we not part with to obtain that peace, which we so much desire at times. "It is more precious than gold yea than much fine gold"!
Let us each my friend be faithful to our convictions of duty, upon this depends our safety individually. If this had always been the case, our poor [stripped?] society, would have never suffered the loss that it has, both in numbers, and in religious weight. Yet out west Friends seem to flourish and have become almost innumerable.
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What a great loss Jonathan De [Vol?] has met with in the death of his youngest daughter. She was a sweet pretty girl & also good she had what is termed an angelic look she was at our last yearly mtg an attentive observer of all that passed
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gone to her heavenly home where no sorrow ever comes happy happy now among the redeemed of all ages
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I suppose thou knew that I attended all the yearly mtgs west. It was wonderful to witness those vast congregations of Friends, many of whom are very intelligent, consistent Friends, and I should judge sound christians - very active in doing good, and they accomplish a vast amount of labour. There are a large number of children - who are all collected in the Sabbath school. This makes work for the young people who seem fond of instructing their pupils. Elderly folks, unite with the young in forming bible classes which is mutually edifying, and in that way they become very interesting people well versed in biblical lore. I thought them in advance of us in these respects, but far behind in making their homes comfortable. Oh how I did wish some New Englanders would go there, and teach them thrift and tidiness in houskeeping. -
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Hast thou heard from John Paige recently? We know nothing of him of late
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I was glad to learn that they have a new mtg house at Ferrisburg. I hope every thing goes on smoothly there it is so much better to be at peace with all the world, what an uproar there is at present all over the country where the thing will end, no human mind can forsee - confusion reigns you might be too far north to be much jostled by the commotion. I saw a schoolmate of thy son James the other day by the name of Willett from Purchase. I am pleased that one of thy sons' makes himself so useful, in doing for Kansas. Our mtg has taken hold of the subject and we are doing what we can for them. The mtg for suffering in New York has issued a document to subordinate mtg soliciting aid on their behalf, which will be responded to pretty liberally. If I live to see thee at our annual gathering I am sure I shall welcome thee cordially will not Mary come too & her husband. I shall expect you here to spend some time please write to tell me all the particulars. A letter is always thrice welcome from thee or hers farewell affctly - P A Sands
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Tell thy daughter Mary I will write to her one of these days she must accept half of this at present with my love to herself and husband & all the rest of thy dear family an the aunt & uncle with their son that we visited so delightfully tell them so.
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5 [page?] 2nd mo 8
When we reflect upon sacrifices of such moment, how small it makes our own little efforts appear. It is now not much over one year since we were with you, at thy own dear home. I trust I shall not soon forget the kind cordial welcome we recieved at thy hands - nor the hopeful prospect, that dawned upon our vision - as we contemplated thy little band of devoted followers of the Lord Jesus, the language of "Fear not little Flock" now [aims?] towards you. "It is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom" - each individual soul is just as precious, as tho' you were gathered in great numbers to perform worship you have my tenderest sympathy in stripped situation, with ardent desires for your welfare & establishment in the truth.
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write whenever it is convenient - thy letters contain so much that is interesting
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Our mtgs are also small and I know how to appreciate your feelings but be faithful to the end, and I will give you a crown of Life - said our dear Redeemer, and He will do it. Oh how soon the end will come, even when life is prolonged, the time seems short, and almost dream-like so rapidly does it flit by, may each golden moment be improved by us all, that when the day of final reckoning comes, may we thro mercy be permitted to give up our account with joy and not with grief.
Our friend E C Meeks is now gone to attend [nine?] Partners & Stamford [Qrs?] - The latter closes to day - It is very cold weather here. This morning at 9 oclock the mercury stood 10 degrees below Zero, we dont often have it so cold. I would like to know how it is at Montpelier. I suppose much lower than that.
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Tell Thomas I think he has chosen the better part - to stay home and
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help his dear mother he will reap a sure reward for his filial affection we should like to entertain him some day as nobly as he did us
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I saw Lindley Hoag out west he spoke of thee & thy family with interest. Jeremiah Grimell was here last summer he said he regretted not being able to be at your place. It was his expectation, but something prevented. Did James MacLaughlin from Maine get there? he was here and expecting to go there. I encourage all to do so who go northward. Lindley Hoag has a nice wife - very suitable I should judge, very fine looking, with a good deal of dignity. Last first day I saw Almira Greene who is teaching school not very far from us, comes to our mtg. she likes down this way very well, has engaged a school for her sister. I think she gives good satisfaction and appears contented. How is Arthur Barton's health? should he be called away his mother will miss him who is her only earthly [prop?]
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My husband has gone to New York my daughter and self alone with a hired girl
