Oliver Baker 1822 (1826-1834)

composed of those students who are expecting to preach the western country - this is a source of intelligence, & promises to secure many ministers for those parts who would not other wise go.

I hear that Mr Finney is in Albany, & is desirous of coming to Boston. Dr Beecher does not wish him to come if we may judge by appearances - I wish to see him here - but doubt whether he would be exactly fit for Boston, altho in a time of revival he would do anywhere. I wish he might be where the Students could hear him preach; I learned more by what I heard from him than from any one minister I ever heard. When I look at the work of the ministry, I feel utterly incompetent to engage in it - no employment needs more wisdom, faithfulness & diligence - still God has chosen earthly [?], & if we put our trust in him, he will doubtly enable us to glorify his name. There is only the greatest difficulties, to have faith in God, & to trust implicitly & fully in him. The world needs a multitude of faithful laborers. Fields are opening in every direction, and the progress which the Catholics are making in the western country ought to alarm every friend of humanity, as well as of this country. They have insinuated themselves in such a manner into the favour of the people, that they will not patiently heare any thing against them. They even boast that the "great valley" is already under their control, & that protestants are too late in their attempts to gain it. What are our prospects, if the conscience & will of the majority of our people should be at the disposal of the Pope? Such an event I hope will be averted by the influence of Bible Societies, Sabbath Schools, tracts, evangelical ministers and the overruling, inviolable providence of God. But we must put the shoulder to the wheel, or our work will be taken out of our hands.

Hoping soon for a letter from you I remain very truly, your friend & brother in Christ

Wm. P. [Althorp?]

N.B. If you can find a good wife before

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Andover (Mass.) Nov 27. 1831

Dear Brother Otis.

The first letter I write after getting established in this institution is due to you. I came into Andover on the 19, and have at length got a bed and a room so that I feel again at home. My School closed in Henrietta on the twenty ninth day of Oct. I had the fortune to get the most of my money at the close what I did not get is in good hands and will come by and by. Had a pleasant journey back into New England except that it was with difficult that I could transfer so much weight of baggage from boat to stage and from stage to steamboat &c. I called at N.H. on your friend Mr Shepherd and found the [schollars?] upon the mention of "Bakers" rushed to the room to see him. They were not a little disappointed to find instead of yourself a stranger whom they had not one of them ever seen. I paid a short visit at Madison and at Durham where I recognized as I believe much real friendship. They told me at Durham how they pulled you about at their will - put an apron on you &c. They learned the fact first on me. I however dont enjoy such things now as for merly my love for Henrietta friends is perhaps greater than for my friends in Durham - not because it was last formed but for the reason that I formed in Henrietta christian friendships. The intercouse was that of a christian brother taking his sisters and brothers by the and and going forward with them in the cause of Christ

& the luxury of doing good. I never knew it by experience till the past year. The Lord has guided me in a way that I knew not. How can I do better than to spend my life in his service. There is more pleasure to be derived from one hour of doing good than from one whole year successful pursuit of vanity. I hak=pve the confidence to hope that my Dear Brother Otis will yet give up his objections to religion and embrace it with all his heart. Our Saviour said to his disciples follow me. Is it not as easy to follow him now as when he spoke to the sons of [?] Surely much easier, for those whom he first called came to a violent death. There is no probability that we shall be called to die for our religion. We may suffer some little persecution now and then but nothing worth caring for. You will recollect that when Christ said to one of his disciples "follow me" he says let me first go and bury my father. If you should find upon the examination of your feelings that it would be inconsistent with the accomplishment of some of your schemes to follow him now remember the reply of Christ to that disciple, "follow me and let the dead bury their dead" that is, let the dead go unburied rather than neglect the interest of your soul. You cannot surely find any fault with the Saviour that he demands of you to follow his example in respect to rectitude of conduct. You cannot surely complain of him that he invites you to ask him how you shall be enabled to follow his footsteps. You cannot surely find him hard and and unreasonable when he sees you in danger of punishment and calls upon you to fly to his protection. There is one feature in the theology, of the present day which will probably prove the harbinger of the millenium: it is this The bible and human reason run parallel as far as human reason can go. How would it delight the heart of your brother how would it please those of your acquaintances whom you love could they

be saluted with the glad news that you had become a christian I am glad to find you so prosperously settled in a school. I hope you will not change your your quarters till the close of the second year. As I have been in school longer than yourself permit me to suggest one idea. Our family are all remarkable for the want of that faculty of governing with mildness, which secures the confidence of parents and affection of scholars. I have suffered more from it than any of us and the result of my feelings is that when mild measures will not do - such measures as are perfectly consistent with a tranquil temper, turn the scholar out of school. I wish you much success Brother Otis and hope you will please your self your schollars and your patrons. As soon as you receive this give me one of your good letters direct it to Andover. I give one dollar and twenty six [?] week for board - this price however including washing sweeping &c I shall not calculate to stay here longer than the present year - shall probably if alive return to New haven at the close. Have received an invitation to go to the fathers of [Vivian?] O. Gray your classmate to take charge of the instruction of that family but did not receive the notice till I had come into New England Mr Finney is in Boston and doing much good Dr. Beecher said of a sermon preached by him in his church not long since that it was the best sermon unexceptionably that he ever heard He has preached three times here in Andover, was wonderfully popular. The schools on this hill are all in good standing. The juniors (in our seminary) of this year are seventy or eighty Mr Adams school consists of about eighty. Our English school established since I was here before consists of a hundred and forty - a ladies school - of I dont know how many yours affc.

Oliver Baker.