LETTER OF
The GOSPEL TRUTH CHARLES G. FINNEY
1860
To James and Alice Barlow
5 April 1860
[MS in Finney Papers, 2/2/2]
Houghton, Huntingdon 5th Apr 1860.
My Dear Br. & Sister Barlow.
h m
We arrived in safety at 6.10. P.M.
Mrs. F. was much fatigued. Yesterday she kept in
bed pretty much. To day she is much better.
Last evening we recd Mrs B's. note with the Pills, all right.
Thank you. Find our friends here all well & most
happy to see us as we are to see them. Dear Brother
& Sister Barlow I did not dare to begin to express
to you by word of mouth my sense of your
kindness to us while at Bolton, lest I should
break down & show you the weak side of my heart.
You were, both of you, as kind to us as possible.
We both feel as if words could not express our
sense of your kindness. It was untiring & universal.
We bless the Lord & thank you many times for it. If we
had not been made so comfortable, we could not
have endured the labor. All was pleasant, & cordial,
& warmhearted & sympathetic, & this is very, very much
to us in our wandering labors, & at our age. My dear
wife has really enjoyed more at your house than
I have known her to do since she left home. She
still coughs badly, but has much less oppression of
the lungs, than yesterday. The weather has been, & is
beautiful since we left Bolton, & this is favorable to her.
We hope Br. Barlow is quite recovered by this time.
Dear Mrs Barlow, your look as you stood outside
[page 2]
after we got into the R.R. carriage, at Manchester,
seems to remain before my mind yet. All your
deep heart, & kindly thoughts were in your face.
Well we have seen & loved many families, but none,
we think, have gotten so deep a hold on us as you.
Dear Mary Ann her sobs & tears at parting are all
fresh on our hearts. But I must not go on in
this way lest I get used up, instead of resting.
Mr & Mrs. Brow[n] would bey very happy to see you if you
can come to Houghton before we leave.
If you come you will leave Manchester at 35. past 11.
take the "through carriage." Stop at Peterborough for the
next train. Arrive at Huntingdon at 6.10. P.M.
If you will let us know when you will come we will
if Br. Browns carriage is at home, meet you at Huntingdon
If it is not you can come by cab to Houghton.
We hope to hear soon from you again & how things
are at Bolton. Dear Br. Davison, how is he
I have forgotten his christian name. But I
know his whereabouts & can write him.
Please give our kindest love to all the dear
ones of your household. Every one of them.
Mrs F. joins in all possible love to you all.
God bless you forever, My Dear Br & Sister.
Your affectionate Br. in the Lord,
C. G. Finney.
Footnotes:
That is, rail road.
Finney probably added the y in anticipation of the next word.