... Thanksgiving and Christmas were rather sad days to us this
year, without our dear C----, who always did so much to make the
days bright for all about her. Pa, mother, and myself dined both
days with C----'s family. Christmas was made a happy day for the
children by all our kind friends, and we could but feel their
mother was looking upon them, with a bright and happy face, in
gratitude to all those who had endeavored to make her dear ones so
happy. I have been very busy this winter, for the correspondents
still claim my time. Young ---- still appears interested, and I
hope he may be able to enter college this year, for he appears to
feel his isolation there much. No sympathetic person about him
nearer than Mr. Barnes of Montreal.... Unity Club flourishes, so
does the Day Nursery and Women's Auxiliary Conference. The fair was
a pleasant occasion, and now we are all feeling cheered in having
Mrs. T---- better again. I always see A---- at the window as I pass
there on my way to church. He is a lovely little boy. He looks as
if he _wanted_ to know "Miss Ellis;" but I doubt if he does,
without his mother to call attention to her. Hope you all passed
pleasant holidays at Meadville. I must close to write to Aunt ----,
who always looks for a Sunday letter from me. [This was an aged
blind aunt.]
Miss Ellis's first Post Office Mission correspondent was a young man in
Ravenna, Ohio, Mr. Julius Woodruff. His first letter to her said:
"Thank you for your kindness in sending me the 'Christian
Register.' I am much pleased with the paper, and may become a
subscriber at no distant day. I received copies of Mr. Wendte's
sermon, 'What do Unitarians Believe?' I have distributed them where
I thought they would do the most good, and have reason to think
that good was accomplished. Before long I will send to you for
more books; and if I can help you in obtaining subscribers to the
'Register' I will gladly do so. I am not a member of any church,
and stand almost alone in the church I attend [Methodist], in my
views. Our people seem to be almost entirely divided into three
classes; namely, the strictly Orthodox, the wholly indifferent or
non-thinking class, and the ultra Liberal. I am in sympathy with
neither; and I know of only a few, all young boys like myself, who
occupy middle ground. I can almost _fully_ indorse the views
expressed by Rev. C. W. Wendte in the sermon to which I have
referred; and believing his views to be right, I take pleasure in
giving them as wide a circulation as I can. In many respects I
admire Ingersoll; but I have no sympathy with the so-called
'Liberal League' with which he is connected, and which has an
auxiliary league in this county.
"... If I understand the theory and purpose of your church, I shall
be glad to render the cause any service in my power; and if I can
be of any service as an auxiliary to your Missionary Society, I
have only to be instructed in the ways thereof."
As such auxiliary he acted, distributing tracts, papers, etc., with a
zeal that might well shame some life-long Unitarians. In later letters
he wrote:--
"Outside of all churches there is quite a number of men, mostly
young, intelligent men, who have cultivated an intense hatred of
certain doctrines and religious observances, and who have
gradually come to denounce and seek the overthrow of our whole
religious system. These are banded together as an auxiliary to the
'Liberal League' of America. In addition to these are a number of
young men, sons of Orthodox parents, who dissent from the religious
views and peculiar creeds which have satisfied their elders, and
yet have no definite faith of their own. I think that with these
two classes, as well as with those who have so far been indifferent
to the claim of religion, we have an excellent prospect of success
in introducing our views and extending the influence of Liberal
Christianity. I am very friendly to the Orthodox Church,
recognizing the noble purpose that animates them all, and the
invaluable services that they have rendered to mankind; and I have
less desire to draw upon their strength than I have to see the
Unitarian Church built up from material that has formerly been
identified with _no_ church organization. I was a Unitarian in
theory long before I knew anything of the Unitarian Church.... As a
rule, the young men of my acquaintance who are, either in theory or
practice, liberal Christians, are of the most intelligent order,
ambitious, progressive young men; and of _them_ what may we not
hope?"
He went into business in Leadville, Colorado, and from there wrote Miss
Ellis (in 1881):--
"Sunday is almost entirely ignored in the business portion of the
city, very few men closing their places of business. Every saloon
and theatre is open on Sunday, and brass bands fill the air with
their inspiring music. I attended the Methodist Episcopal Church
Sabbath School last Sunday, and found quite a respectable crowd in
attendance. I thoroughly enjoyed that afternoon; and when I saw
rough-bearded, grimy, slouchy-looking men and boys from the mines
and workshops taking part in the exercises of the school, I thanked
God for the influence his church and school had had upon the
largest, hardest mining-camp in the world.... If you have any more
of the documents referred to, I wish you would send me a dozen or
more, and a few of the pamphlets on 'What Do Unitarians Believe?'
It seems to me this would be a most fruitful field in which to
plant Unitarian ideas and principles. It seems to me no other
church would be so popular here. Of the party of ten young men who
board with me, I do not think that any one of them has been in a
church three times since he came to Leadville. In most respects,
all of them are fine young men; but Orthodox doctrines would never
gain any ground with them, while Liberal ideas might win the field
if the boys could be made to consider them."
Miss Ellis, and all the ladies, indeed, of the Cincinnati Auxiliary,
were greatly interested in Leadville, and hoped to do a good work there,
aided by our enthusiastic young friend; but the above was destined to be
our last letter from him. In September, 1881, came a postal card from a
hotel clerk, saying, "Mr. Woodruff wishes me to inform you that he has
been unable to answer your letter on account of sickness, but will write
you as soon as able." A few days later came intelligence of his death.
Tributes to his character in the Ravenna newspapers, and his photograph
sent Miss Ellis by his sister, only confirmed our opinion of this young
man's noble character, and our sincere grief at his loss. Miss Ellis at
once wrote to his mother this letter:--