... I do not wonder you miss the dear brother, and feel grieved that
you may not see him again. I do not believe the good Father in
heaven is angry if we murmur some. He cannot be so harsh as to have
us cultivate family affections and friendships on earth and not have
any loving feelings left. No! It is right to mourn, but yet "not
without hope." One of the most beautiful sermons I ever heard, and
the most comforting, was one from our pastor, Rev. C. W. Wendte, on
"The Dark Hours of Life, and what they bring us."
Here she copies the closing passages of the sermon, and also four pages
of poems,--"The Heart Prayer," by J. N. Spriggs; "I am so Weak," Jennie
E. McCaine, both from "Unity Songs Resung;" "My Dead," by Rev. F. L.
Hosmer; and selections from "Scriptures Old and New." So little did she
spare the feeble remains of her strength in these last months. Sept. 27,
1885, she wrote:--
"... Not that I have so much to do, but this changeable weather has
unfitted me for work, and I have a good deal of extra work lately,
that has exercised my brain considerably and required _long_
letters. I was put on a committee of three at the St. Louis
Conference last May, for drawing up systematic Post Office Mission
methods. Rev. Arthur Judy, of Davenport, Iowa, is the chairman. He
has planned a circular letter and a book of records. It has taken
much of my time to read the long letters and give my opinion of
them.... We have to work very differently in this region....
However, in time we shall have more than one enlightened family in
a place. The way to overcome is to lend our papers, tracts, books,
etc., that the people may see we are Christians after all. We do
not want to convert them so much, but to make more sincere
Christians of them, and happier people in this world; and by
degrees they throw aside their old dogmas without knowing it. We do
have so many comforting books; so many good Sunday-school lessons
adapted to grown people even; devotional books, too, with
selections which fit each day; and also so many books containing a
true account of Unitarianism and of the Bible, that I feel every
one ought to read them, and own many; but of course they cannot....
I want to lend you a little daily book I have,--'Day unto Day.' It
is in rather a dilapidated state, because I have sent it by mail to
a number of persons. I have two copies, but both birthday presents,
and I do not like to part with either. The pencil-marks in it are
mine, as they have impressed me day by day. You may retain it three
or four months if you wish."