LETTER OF
The GOSPEL TRUTH CHARLES G. FINNEY
1854
To Julia Finney
23 February 1854
[MS in Finney Papers, Supplement # 48. Extracts from this letter were published in Frances J. Hosford, "Finney and His Children" in The Oberlin Alumni Magazine, Vol. 30 (July 1934), p. 300.]
Cincinnati 23d Feb 1854.
Dear Julia.
I have been threatening day after
day, to write to you, but am so busy & fatigued as
to have but little time. How is it my Darling
daughter that we receive no letters from you? Is
it because your eyes are too bad to write?
We have hoped the way would be opened
for you to be with us. We are now in the
third place we have occupied since we
came to C. We have but our room & it has
not been so that we could have you with us
at any place. Other families would take
you, but we think you would be homesick
here in a strange family & not with us.
Besides you could not be as comfortable
here with their cold rooms, open grates,
oceans of smoke &c. as at home. We feel
the want of your society. But if you are
contented you are better off where you are.
Ange writes such beseechings [sic] letters that we
will come to N.York & bring you. Dear children
it is a pity that you should be separated.
[page 2]
We suppose your New Piano has plenty
of employment in our absence. Be careful
My Dear, in practising not to get into any
bad habit. I suppose you are correcting
your habit of lisping. You should ask
those around you to call your attention
to it when ever you do it. They must not
neglect you in this respect as much evil
will result to you. The affectation so man
ifest in that habit, though endurable in
a child will be insufferable in a
woman. No person of taste could brook
such a habit in a companion.
You have been so much regarded as a
child & indulged in lisping becau
se a child, that your friends have failed
to realize the impression of disgust that
would surely be made upon strangers
when you become full grown. Every one can
see that it is a childish & an affected
habit. Dear Julia I beseech you put
it away forever. Practice pronouncing all
that class of words that have s's & c's &c,
before some one whose ear will correct you
I have heard of the Death of Emma's Father
[page 3]
since I have been here. He was my own
brother next older than myself. I have
invited Emma to come to O. to school.
She is still at Toledo. I suppose Norton
is at home. None of us here have heard
from him of late. We are usually well.
Hope to be home as early as the beginning
of April. May get away before. The work
of the Lord is extending here. How
does your soul prosper Dear Child.
Hope you are all well. Ask Miss Tucker
to write us without delay whether Jane's
health & habits are such that she will
meet our wants the coming season, & whether
she is expecting to remain with us.
Do not fail to speak to Miss Tucker about this
& to have her write us without delay.
We hope Dear James is well. Give
our kindest love to him & to Dear
Norton if he is with you. We expect
Dear Julia, that you will be very
guarded about gathering around you
companions of either sex in our
absence. The eyes of the people & of God
are upon you dear child.
[page 4]
We hope & trust you do not neglect the
Savior. Do write us if you are able.
If you cant write let some one write for
you. We unite in a world
of love to you all.
Your aff. Father
C. G. Finney
Footnotes:
Harry Finney was born in Warren, Connecticut, 14 May 1790, and died 16 January 1854. He lived in Ellisburg. Emma was his eldest daughter who married Minot Wilcox of Toledo, Ohio (see Helen B. McDonald and Elizabeth L. McDonald "Finney Genealogy" [1992] William C. Cochran, "Family Record" in William Cox Cochran Papers, Oberlin College Archives)
She did not attend Oberlin College.
Probably James Ford Atkinson, Mrs Finney's son.