Part 33 (1/2)

GEORGE O. PHELPS.

UTICA, N.Y., February 17, 1887.

MR. WM. KNOWLES:

DEAR BROTHER--You have laid us under new obligations. On my study table is a picture of the pastor of my childhood--It has been there nearly my entire ministry. You can conceive the influence it is designed to exert over me. Now there will be, if not in my study exclusively, in our house itself, the constant stimulus of such reminders of devotion as these two most welcome pictures.

We are indeed very grateful to you for them; your filial love was strong while they lived, and must be quickened by their death, but if anybody _outside_ of the circle of kindred exceeds our veneration for your parents, _they_ deserve it all. We certainly cannot fail to cherish what has been so well done by the artist, the expression in both pictures is so characteristic. It seems, when we dwell intently upon them and let thoughts come and go at liberty, that the lips must open and pleasant words come from them as in life; but they do speak, nevertheless, and as distinctly, and as affectionately. Oh! that we were more worthy to hear. And that blessing upon yourself, how valuable and hopeful, or encouraging it must be.

I know you will share it with others, and so make a saintly life still reproductive. The world needs nothing so much as _positive Christian character_.

Permit me to say that we are greatly prospered in our work, and have hand and heart seemingly full; but, old Allen Street has _a warm place_ in our affection always. Our united regards.

Affectionately yours,

GEORGE O. PHELPS.

The reader will surely notice the true, touching, and graphic account of their work in the next letter.

UTICA, N.Y., April 8, 1887.

REV. MR. YOUNG:

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER--While my mind is full of impressions concerning the life and work of Mr. and Mrs. Knowles, it is not easy to withdraw the details, and give you any real satisfaction. The very simplicity and humility of their ways and deeds render it impossible to make any adequate ill.u.s.tration--not that incidents are lacking. Why, there are families in the vicinity of Allen Street who could relate incidents by the hour touching the gentle care of Mrs.

Knowles for the needy and sick.

Here her life can never be written in full. ”Oh, Mr. Phelps, how sad it is about Mrs. K---- and her little family.” ”Poor L----, she is going just like her brother, and they don't want me to tell her of our fears.” ”I have just been to see poor Mr. H----, he cannot live--he doesn't seem to realize it; and then what will become of his family? I have tried so long to get them into the Sabbath-school.” ”I have just come from Mrs. F---- (a woman of means and Christian charity), who encouraged me greatly in the care of that family where the father is in the hospital.” ”Mr. Phelps, can you go to No. 12 ---- Street, and see a young man who is sick, and will have to go to the hospital? No friends, and I have been trying to make him comfortable.” ”Mr. Phelps, can you attend the funeral of a child on ---- Street? It did suffer so much--its mother is on the Island.”

These were common to her work, as I now recall them; not sentimental products of imagination, but facts, only lacking the details to make the tenor of her life stranger than fiction. To see her quietly enter some abode of the lowly, her soft and gentle greeting to the housewife engaged in her home duties, the aspect, perhaps, a forlorn one, and hear her words of heart-felt sympathy and encouragement, her solicitude for the little ones, that they might be ”trained in the way of the Lord,” and that simple, fervent, trustful prayer, which seems so befitting as to excite no repellant feeling; and that parting word which would go straight to the mother-heart. Here is a picture of Christian-following which even Munkacsy could not paint.

The Master reserves some things for future inspection. We have no sufficient canvas for these in such humble, useful lives.

Her faithfulness in dealing with the erring was remarkable; seemingly without fear of man, and yet always full of gentleness.

We had a way of investigating cases appealing for charity. One day a girl, nine or ten years of age, came to the door with a basket asking for something; her mother was a widow and poor, baby sick, etc., etc.

We asked Mrs. Knowles to look into the case. She went to the place given, and at first there was some mistake, or, perhaps, a purposed misdirection; but, nothing daunted by the difficulties encountered, she succeeded in gaining admittance to apartments on the second floor, where, instead of poverty and sickness, she found the mother in the midst of evident comfort, seated at her piano, who at first denied all knowledge of the little charity girl, and was only confronted successfully by the entrance unguardedly of the child herself.

If confusion ever overtook a mortal fraud, in which an active apprehension and deep humiliation were successfully involved; it was then and there in the presence of _holy indignation on fire_. Mrs.

Knowles was simply irresistible in such cases.

Now, dear brother, I hardly know what use you can possibly make of this, but my prayers shall go with your work of perpetuating their memory.

Very sincerely yours,

GEORGE O. PHELPS