Part 50 (1/2)
_March 9th_--What an i_ the Bible is the present _search_ of the Word! It is, as you say, fascinating work I have just given M an ad the Greek Testament with a literal translation; still even that can be misunderstood by one who has a false theory to sustain The spiritual conflicts I have passed through have been a blessing, as I a to see; I can understand better _how_ such conflicts may prepare one for work This afternoon I have, as usual, been getting ready for the Wednesday reading, and as I was requested to speak of the Holy Spirit, have been poring over the Bible and aes in which He is spoken of But I feel painfully unfit to guide even this little circle of wolad to sit as a learner
Soht, to see the Aquarius there, and they persuaded o
The perfor of all these poor ani all these incredible feats; each horse responding to his own na a third, cutting hi in, in a cart, and carrying away the body; others waltzing on their hind legs, and others ju the rope
Two horses played see-saw, and one rolled a barrel up an inclined plane with his fore legs; he _hated_ to do it But the marvellous fishes and sea-flowers charmed me most
_To Mrs Reed, New York, March 13, 1878_
I have had a busy winter We had a variety of losses, and I undertook, therefore, to ifts, which were, chiefly, u uses up pretty much one day I never felt so unfit for it, oras one would come Besides that, I have read and painted ood deal; on the whole, have hadon would say so But we all lead two lives, and one of them is penetrated and understood by no mortal eye I heard such a serht on the text, ”They saw God and did eat and drink” He divided mankind into four classes: Those who do eat and drink and do not see God; those who do not see Him and do not eat and drink; those who see Him and do not eat and drink (he handled them tenderly); and those who see Him and yet eat and drink I hope I have made its outline plain to you It took hold of he, New York, April 26, 1878_
I aone, Mrs Shbor Miss W storing her furniture and probably leaving New York for good On the other hand, M spends hts in apartments they have just taken Mr T, as I suppose you know, is pastor of our Mission and as good as gold God has been pleased greatly to bless two ladies, who attend the Bible-reading, and I a into it the richer I find it, and I have had so for e in this city, where everything ) will be exposed for sale; embroidery, pickles, preserves, confectionery, and articles rejected by the Society of Decorative Art I hope it will be a success, and help many worthy women, all over the land, to help the, at your age, to flit about fro Father has a es and chances of this strange coives you His presence, that will be a home I wish you could visit us at Dorset
A visit to Dorset was afterward arranged, and one of Mrs Prentiss' last letters was addressed to this old friend, giving her directions how to get there [3]
_To Mrs Condict, New York, May 6, 1878_ My last Bible-reading, or rather one of the last, was on prayer; as I could not do justice to it in one reading, I concluded to h I devoted all the readings to this topic last summer, yet it loomed up wonderfully in this resume Last week the subject was ”the precious blood of Christ,” and in studying up the word ”precious” I lighted on these lovely verses, Deut xxxiii 13-16 Since I began to _study_ the Bible, it often seee thrilled the ladies, as a novelty I a
The last ser sins, but, on the other hand, I push the truth too far, haggling about evils better let alone A has just finished a splendid placque to order; a japanese figure, with exquisite foliage in black and grey as background I have alady every Saturday to paint with e family, limited means, and delicate health; and I want to aid her all I can She enjoys these afternoons soso well
The lady herself thus recalls these afternoons:
How dearly I should love to add but one little flower to her wreath of i the pleasantest of ht and cheery, just like herself, and all the incidents of those Saturday afternoons When she first asked ht it very kind, but with her multiplicity of cares, felt it must be burdensoet the invitation, and so I hesitated about going But when the week caive ain I foundfor me, while she sat in her little nook, busy as a bee over so about the rooed with order and precision, nine little butter plates in the forht, and she from her corner, with the artlessness of a child, said, ”I _put_ the up with her quick, light step, and ran to the yard to fetch a flower for hts of stairs to tax her strength Sometimes she would read to me verses of poetry that pleased her Once I re herself at , she said, ”Oh, go right on with your painting” Now she would relate sohter, and then again speak of soer to give of her store of strength and cheer to others, but the store seeave, the h and to spare I looked forward to my little weekly visit as to an oasis in the desert; not that all else was bleak, but that spot see and attractive
Little did I think, when she loaded me down that last day with all I could carry, then ran down to the parlor to show ive ain noher that she was not an inspiration toa wayside flower I would think, ”Mrs Prentiss would like this”--or, ”In the fall I must show that to Mrs Prentiss” Even in , only a little while before she passed from us, I waked with a heavy burden upon one The i that I spoke of it at the ti to myself, ”Oh, it is only a drea, of course, no reference to ular mistake, is dated ”Kauinfels, _October_ 10, 1878,” nearly two months after she had fallen asleep How just like her is this passage in it: ”I wish you could leave your little flock, and take soood, I am sure Is it impossible? you do look so tired” My letter in reply must have been one of the very last received by her In it I spoke of having just re-read Stepping Heavenward and Aunt Jane's Hero, and of having enjoyed them almost as much as at the first This was, perhaps, one reason why she had been so constantly in hts When the news carieved--for I felt that I had lost no ordinary friend--but when I considered how complete her life had been in all that makes life noble and beautiful, and howborne the burden and heat of the day, she should now rest froive way to sorrow and not rather to rejoice that she had gone to be with Christ
Scores of such grateful testiiven To all who knew and loved her well, Mrs Prentiss was ”an inspiration” They delighted to talk about her to each other and even to strangers They repeated her bright and pithy sayings They associated her with favorite characters in the books they read The very thought of her wrought upon the influence An extract from a letter of one of her old and dearest friends, written to her husband after her death, will illustrate this:
On the verywith my physician about her He spoke in adive hiht before, in my hours of sleeplessness, I recounted the naht had beenmy character, and Mrs Prentiss led the list How little did I drea shore”! In all the three and thirty years of our acquaintance I loved her DEARLY and reverenced her ulf that I always felt unworthy to touch even the heth and comfort were imparted to me How much I was indebted to her reat sorrow, only another world will reveal Is it not a little remarkable that her last letter to me, written only a feeeks before her death, closed with a benediction? I could go on talking about her without end; for I have often said that there was ed to any five woly lovely she was in her own horeatest charm of my wife is, after all, her perfect naturalness” All who knew her,characteristic She was always fresh and always new--for she had ”the well-spring of wisdo Tholie, by the wonderful likeness between her and dear Mrs Prentiss? Twin sisters could scarcely have resees as the following quite startled ift She has been a witness toin the wilderness She has been a warner and a co after a spiritual union with God I have heard the voice of her heart crying after God out fros which
She had all the gifts of ination, nobleness, and thoughts that wandered through eternity She had a heart fitted for friendshi+p, and she had friends who could appreciate her; but God suffered her not to find rest in these things, her ear was open to His own paternal voice, and she became His child, in the way that the world is not and knoweth not I see her before h every feature of her beautiful and animated countenance There was an unspeakable charm about her She had a truth and sihest order of men I know nobody like her now I hope to pass eternity with her It is wonderful to think what a place she has occupied in my life since I became acquainted with her
You know it is my belief that we become better acquainted with our friends after they have passed on ”within the veil” And may it not be that they beco usall that has been amiss? [4]
_To her eldest son, New York, May 12, 1878_
This is your father's birthday, and I have given hiht, a Fairbanks postal scale His twenty-years-old one would not weigh newspapers or books, and it is ti there was a festival at our church in aid of sick mission children Everybody was there with their children, and it was the nicest affair we ever had M and I went and enjoyed it ever so h I had given between twenty and thirty to the et a chance to spendI ate
Your father and I rather expect to go to East River, Conn, tomorrow to help Mrs Washburn celebrate her seventieth birthday; but the weather is so cold he doubts whether I had better go A went on a long drive on Friday and brought back a host of wild flowers, which I tried with some failure and some success to paint
_May 19th_--We went to East River on Monday afternoon and cahtful visit On Tuesday Mrs W and I went to Norwich to see the Gilo to bed at half-past seven The next day it rained; so Mrs W and I fell to painting She becaot up at five the next ave his lecture at a little club-rooot up chiefly by Mr and Mrs Washburn at their own expense It is just such a roo Mrs
W tookup some wild flowers for me A has a Miss Crocker, an artistic friend froirl She wants me to let her take , as only fond of people who prayed, went to church regularly, and, when not prevented, to all the neighborhood prayer-ed every week froe of where they would be held being from Sunday notices from the pulpit! I believe this thetothere, whereas if I went to the same house to call he barked dreadfully
We are constantly wondering what you boys will be Good ht, with a kiss from your affectionateletter of Mrs Washburn, giving an account of the visit to East River, as also her impressions of Mrs
Prentiss, ritten in response to one received by her from an old friend in Turk's Island: [6]