folder 07: 1841

my dear Sue I shall go to Martha S Goods next week for certain if I live and you must direct all of your letters there untill you hear from me again and in fact [?] several months as I expect to stay with her untill [?] at Summer, I received a letter from Mr Sheppard [?] week he was well and spoke very kindly about you [?] I shall write to him before I go to Virginia

For Mrs Susan P Cabanne St Louis Missouri

via Washington Citty

Maria sends her love to you Shep and Julia and may tell them to take care of my boy for me for he is the apple of my eye, and now my dearest Sue I must say that hateful word farewell so that it could be reversed and may our kind and good God bless and reach one and protect you all is the sincere prayer of your friend and mother Mary H Walker

Linden Hall Feb 21st 1841.

It is with both pleasure and pain that I now write to you, my dear brother; with pleasure, because it has, at length, pleased God to convince me of the error of my way, and to lead me to seek in him, that peace and happiness, which I have not found in the pleasures of this world. I write with pain, because, I feel obliged to separate myself from you in a thing which of all others I had rather have been with you. To show my willingness to abandon, what are called the vanities of this world, and also to let it be seen that I am determined, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live to him and his service, I think it my duty to be baptized. Is it not said in the Scriptures, "if ye love me ye will keep my commandments"? and is it not one of the commands of Christ to repent and be baptized? I do not think that I am mistaken in either you or Ma, when I say that you will not oppose me in this, the most interesting event of my life. You have adopted the form of worship, which you think most acceptable to the Great Creator, and I hope and expect that you will approve of my doing so too. Though we may

differ on some of the inferious points of belief, yet on the great and essential doctrines we all agree. What difference does it make, in what manner we are baptized, if it is done in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost? Do not for a moment, my dear brother, think that I have been influenced by others to adopt the belief which I have adopted; no, I never mentioned the subject to any one, until a few days ago, and then I received such advice only, as you, or any of my Baptist friends would have given me. I have endeavoured to exercise my judgment on this occasion, and I am fully convinced of the truth as well as the antiquity of the doctrines taught in the Episcopal Church. I wish you to communicate my resolution to my mother and friends if they or you have any objections, let them be expressed with freedom, though I do not think they can divert me from the path which I have chosen. I suppose you understand by what I have said that I wish to join myself to the Episcopal Church, as well by confirmation as by baptism. The Bishop will be here in about a month, and I want you to write to me very soon, and advise me, as you would do, were I at home. Pray for me also, my brother, that I may not be led into temptation; and though we go by different ways that we may attain life everlasting.

How are you all at home? and my dear little child, I am very anxious to see you all, and would like very much to go home in April, if it were practicable, and if I could return. Do not let the children forget that they have an aunt Laura. I received a long and interesting letter from Brother Richard last week, and intend to answer it soon. Give my best love to my friends. Remember to write to me soon. I can for the first time subscribe myself your sister in Christ as well as in the flesh. Laura

Revd A J Battle

Raleigh

N. Ca

Franklin March 22nd 1841

My Dear Wife/

In my letter to you from Ashville I promised to write you again from the place on my return from Cherokee, and I am now about to redeem my promise - I continue in excellent health, and but for my anxiety to see you all would be in good spirits - However I endeavour to bear patiently a lot which duty enjoins and for which I look forward to be amply rewarded in the pleasure of meeting you all again in health and happiness - In the mean time we must take from absence some of its weariness by frequent correspondence and in the performance of my part of that duty I will proceed to give you a hasty account of my adventures since I left you. The day I set out I reached Chapel Hill and spent the evening very pleasantly with Gov. Swain who came down to the tavern to see me. The next evening after a ride rendered disagreeable by a cold rain which commenced falling about 12 oclock I reached Judge Ruffin's where I was very kindly received and entertained