LETTER OF
The GOSPEL TRUTH CHARLES G. FINNEY
1865
To Rebecca Rayl
26 September 1865
[MS in possession of Dr. Richard Rayle of Miami University, Oxford, Ohio]
Oberlin 26th Sept. 1865.
My Dear Darling,
I was on my way with a
letter to you, directed as heretofore
to Bronson, to send it by mail
& met Mrs Henderson who informed
me that it should be directed to
Norwalk. Why was I not told
this before? Perhaps you have not
yet recd those I wrote last week.
I am so sorry that I did not know
where to direct to have my letters reach
you most directly. Mrs Henderson
says to day that now she thinks [ ]
it was altogether fit, & best that our
marriage was defered on account
of Julia's sickness. Had we rushed
forwardard it would have look
like indecent haste & more like a
runaway match than like
Christian moderation. My short
united
life is not worth being wedded to by a
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real living woman such as you
are. I dare not advise you to do it, Darling.
P.M. My Precious one, I have
just rec your note of this morning.
Thankful that you are thus far
sustained. Fanny Hn came &
told me what you wrote to her
of Julias state. I am glad that
Miss Ladd remains with you.
Thank Br. Patten for his note.
I watch the mails anxiously
of course. Dont get sick my
Dear Darling, if you can
help it. Of course, you will
feel well while so excited
up to the very point of breaking
down. But use discretion, &
again let me intreat you not to
trust too much to your good health
& constitution. Remember such
trees do not bend but break
square down when the strain
goes beyond a certain point.
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My hope of Julia is that her
slender constitution will
bend but not break. I must
finish. D.V. in the morning
God bless you & Julia Darlings.
Wed. morning 27th. My tried, precious one,
how are you this morning. Have you
had any sleep. Is dear julia yet
alive? How is she? I hope to have these
questions answered at 2.oClock. If Julia
is still with [us] kiss the Dear child for me,
give my tenderest love to her & assure her
that I remember her all the time.
Charles is not likely to return from N.Y.
for some weeks & of course we can keep
Ange & baby. I think they will go to
N.Y. to live rather than to Oshkosh.
But nothing is with them settled yet.
But few die here with the fever. They
are generally not very sick. In a few
cases they run down very low, are about
or quite given up by physicians & then
slowly recover. My impression is that it
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will be so with Julia. But Julias
bilious habit renders her a bad
subject to grapple with fever.
I hope that this trial may be much
blessed to you & to all the circle of
friends. I fear you don't get much
time to pray, but you are learning
to trust. Give my love to Dear Sarah, &
to Br. P. We are all in usual health at
our house. Br. Monroe has returned.
It is uncertain whether he remains.
It seems long since we met. But we
will "let patience have its perfect work."
My Dear, You once told me that Sarah said
you are reckless. If you marry me will
not this be regarded by her as an instance
of extreme recklessness? I do not regard you
as so committed that you are not at perfect
to
liberty to remain unmarried, or marry whom
you please. Please tell Sarah that I have
not advised you to undertake housekeeping.
nor to marry & nurse an old man. I shall
neither wonder nor think hard of you if upon
reflection you conclude that our marriage is
inexpedient. I shall, in such, case fully justify
your conclusion. God Bless you for ever & ever.
C. G. Finney.
Footnotes:
This letter, also dated 26 September 1865, is in the possession of Mr Ivor Anderson of Ludington, Michigan.
A word has been crossed out here.