LETTER OF
The GOSPEL TRUTH CHARLES G. FINNEY
1834
To Lydia Finney
24 November 1834
[MS in Finney Papers # 1148]
New York Nov. 24.th 1834.
Dearest Wife.
Yours of the 16th 20th are both this moment
recd. I have taken some cold & am not quite well
this morning. Preached last night on the Justice
of God in the damnation of sinners. The house was
crowded aisles & all. A number were hopefully
converted. & many appeared affected.
I have about made up my mind should my
health continue as it is to spend the winter here.
I have not found a place for us to board yet.
I am sorry you are so lonesome. I should nearly die
were it not that my time is so completely taken
up. If you were contented then I should think
as I want to be so intirely engaged this winter in
writing you had better stay there. If you are here
I can not be in my study so much. & besides if
I am here at Br. Greens I can command his ready
& rapid pen at any time. I walk about & dictate
to him which is a great relief to me.
I dont remember as any thing was in that trunk
when I unlocked it. Certainly I thought nothing
that you would want. You should have said
on your paper leave the things in the trunk.
If you can tell what they were I will try to find
them & send them to you. Had you got your trunk
in any season & sent me word hitherto I have
had almost daily opportunities to send them
to you. But I fear I shall not be able now.
I am confident that we shall be unable to find board
unless we go far up town. It seems to be unusually
difficult to find empty rooms. You will probably
after this hear me preach once a week through the
Evangellist. as I have consented to preach a course
of lectures on revivals & let Br. Leavitt take notes
& publish them in order to help the Evangellist as
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his abolitionism has greatly injured it. & unless something
of the kind can sustain it he says it must go down.
I dont believe it would do to say much about
abolition here in publick. Br. Spencer is here but I
doubt whether we can pursuad him to stay. He
thinks he could not carry his end of the yoke.
Br. Green cant write so much as I want to dictate
as it leaves his hand. I dictated & he wrote a sermon
for publication on Saturday in a few hours.
He says he will get Emily to write one day & he will the
next. I shall let her write them out in full as it is
but a bother to have her stenography. Perhaps she will
come with me. I will see how much she can help me
& whether she will take the care of the children &
help let you write a part of the time.
I have been having a talk with Br. Green. Mrs. G. & the
other ladies are very anxious to have you come
down & I think upon the whole you had better.
You will get this letter on friday. Just pack up
& get br. Dunn to bring you to Utica. I say to Utica
because if you take the boat at Rome unless you
have some one to see to your baggage you will
certainly loose it in the bustle of changing
boats at Utica. If you take the boat at Rome
& some one will come with you & see you on
board at Utica it will do as well. Be very careful
& dont let the children take cold. If you take the
tuesday tuesday evenings boat at Utica you will
be at Schenectady on wednesday of next week just
after dinner, where, God willing, I will meet you.
Bring your baggage along. Tell Br. Dunn that I think
we shall be glad to board with him next summer.
I will let him know soon. The note for the lease
you may keep until I make up my mind in
regard to where I board next summer.
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I must conclude this letter or the mail
will be gone. Next wednesday I shall expect
to meet you in Schenectady. Should any
thing happen that I cant you cant came at
that time write instantly to Schenectady
& let me know. You had better not bring
a girl with you as he transportation will
cost too much. & besides it will delay you.
Love to all friends. Your husband.
[signature removed]
P.S. If the canal should be closed take the stage
so as to arrive there on tuesday. Don't let the
children take cold & don't take cold
yourself