The GOSPEL TRUTH
LETTER OF

CHARLES G. FINNEY

1862

To Edwin and Mary Lamson

26 September 1862

 

[MS in Finney Papers 2/2/2]

 

Oberlin, Ohio. 26 Sep. 1862

My Dear Br. & Sister Lamson.

Br. L's precious letter of the 19th inst

came duly, & most welcome was it

to my heart. Mrs. F. is in Oshkosh

& I therefore enjoyed it alone

except Julia who shared it

with me. I expect Mrs. F. early next

week. She has been troubled with a cough

this summer but writes that she is better.

Julia is well. My own health improved

& improving. I am now able to preach

once on sab. & attend my class during

the week. My flesh & strength are returning.

I am thankful that your health is retur

ning My Dear Sister Mary. You are

so unsparing & almost violent in

your use of health that we have al

most dispaired of your keeping it.

Bless the Lord for so far sustaining your

impetuosity & restoring, so far, your health.

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Mary the world, the church, your family,

your friends have high claims upon

you. We cant afford to spare you

even to have you hasten to heaven.

Pray abide with us as long as you

can. I know that to consent to this

requires more self denial than we

can be called on to exercise in any

thing else. To remain in this world, in

the best possible circumstances, with

heaven open before us, is a trial & but

for our want of clear apprehensions of

what heaven is, it would the most

sense of earthly trials. Since I have been

sick, laid aside form usual labor &

have been given to consider the subject,

what is called death does not appear

a thing to be dreaded, but on the contrary

to be the most glorious change conceivable

& one most devoutly to be desired. 'Tis unspe

akable. But for our blindness we could

hardly be reconciled to remain on earth.

But God will keep us here while we can

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be more useful here than in heaven.

I know that neither of you will think

it flattering when I express the belief

that not many wives & mothers can be

so useful on earth as you can.

You Mary, can be a wife, mother

& fill many other stations besides. Wife

can testify that you make an excellent

sexton in Ladies meetings. But to be most

serious, I feared from Mary's last letter

that she was not going to take care of her

self & so abide with us. When I had enjo

ined it on her to rest, rest, she replied

in substance that she & I would be the

last to follow such advice That sank

into my heart. I thought now Mary is not

determined to rest at all events, & if she

does not she must die. But bless the

Lord she has rested some. Br. Lamson

you have held on well & compel[l]ed her

to rest in part. Now my Br. persevere

in this. Keep her back with all your might.

God bless the dear soul & give her

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back to you, & to us all in good

health & heart to take hold of his

work again. God bless also the dear

Children. I return all their sweet

kisses through you. You may kiss

them all for me as much as you

can afford. They are often spoken

of here. God bless you my Dear Br.

Lamson. God has made you a good

man. That is much very much.

Bless the Lord for pressing matters in

our national affairs. The slaves must

be free. If Br. Stone is not disappointed

in his hope of doing great good in the army

I shall be glad. Give my kindest love

to him & to his dear wife. If I were

able I should love to spend an other

winter in Boston. We are having some

conversions of late. Mrs. F. will speak for

herself when she returns. Norton is at

present in Wisconsin locating a R. R. for

the N. W. R. R. C. His home is in Toledo. He

is city engineer but they consented to

spare him for 3 months. At the close

of this time he expects to be married to

an estimable young lady of this Town.

Give special regards to all our dear friends

Your Br. in haste, C. G. Finney

 

Footnote:

He was married on 22 December 1862, to Williana Wallace Clarke (1842-1916, daughter of John and Eliza Jamieson Clarke of Oberlin.