The GOSPEL TRUTH
LETTER OF

CHARLES G. FINNEY

1863

To Julia Finney

18 February 1863

 

[Ms in Finney Papers, Supplement # 124]

 

Oberlin 18th Feb. 1863.

Dear Julia.

How long you have been

absent. It seems a great while.

My remaining days are so few that it

seems much to have you gone so long.

I can see you but a little more at

any rate, & to have you away so large

a portion of my remaining life is painful.

I know you are obliging our Dear Helen

& Dolson & arey willing to oblige them,

but is it not almost time for you to

come home. With what you was absent

last summer, what you are now about

will make up nearly half of the year.

Still I dont feel like cutting short

Helen's visit with Dolson. Poor child

she may never see him again in

this world. Do you know whether

the report in the papers that Dolson's

core, is going to join Rosecrans, is true.

If he goes there he will have hard fighting

[page 2]

Rosecrans is pressed so much that

he will put his troops into hot

work in all probability. He can

not remain unaggressive without

losing the prestige he has gained.

This he understands. Hence his core

must fight like tigers. Well, I

suppose this will please Dolson;

but it may cost him his life.

The chances are that it will.

But when is Helen coming home.

If Dolson goes west I suppose he

will not come home soon.

By the bye, do you need some more

money? If so I will send you some.

We have not heard from Charley for

several days. I am really afraid

he will overdo & get sick. In his

last he spoke of being out in

the rain all day & day after

day. His duties are exceedingly

onerous. Dear Mrs. Wyatt is

buried to day. Last week we

[page 3]

buried Mr Hudson of the brick

house east of the church. He

died of fever. On the same day

old Mr. Bartholomew died. The

next morning young Mrs Bardwell

died. Those three lay dead in our

Village at one time. Now Mrs. Wyatt

has gone. They all died of different

diseases. Miss Ranson's black Richard

is very low. The morning prayer meetings

are well attended & increasing in interest.

Our new servant girl (colored)

thinks she was converted yesterday.

The general religious interest is in

creasing. Georgia's Henry Harshaw

from the army has made us a

visit. He is an interesting young

man. Give much love to all

the dear Children. Is Willie

coming to College this spring?

If so he must be here soon.

Give my love to Lottie

Your aff. Father C. G. Finney

[page 4]

P.S. Your mother is better &

will speak for herself.

Ange & Georgia are as

usual. All send love

to you all.

God bless you

My Dear child.

 

Footnotes:

Julia wrote above this word: corps.

Again Julia has inserted the word corps over this word.

Against this section Julia had written in the margin:

in Quarter-Master's Dept.

Julia has inserted an e above the a of "Wyatt". Mrs M. A. Wyett, wife of George P. Wyett, died on February 16th, aged 66 years. See the obituary in Lorain County News, Vol. 3 (18 February 1863), p. 2.

According to the obituary of Mrs Wyett:

Nearly two years since, as Mrs. W. was sitting by the sick bed of a beloved daughter, Mrs. Prof, Penfield, and saw her die, the pressure of the great affliction brought on a paralytic attack, from which she never wholly recovered, and which finally resulted in death.

This was Richard Hardy who died "of Typhoid fever" the next day (19th February). He was born a slave in Kentucky and was purchased by his father at the age of two. He came to Oberlin in 1856 and although "of very ordinary intellectual abilities" developed a remarkable Christian character. See his obituary in Lorain County News, Vol. 3 (25 February 1863), p. 2.

In the margin Julia had written: 2nd Cousin Georgia.

Julia had written after this: (Cox.

This was probably Charlotte Cox (1826-1905) Jacob Dolson Cox's sister.