Letter
Dublin Core
Title
1833.01.06 – Elizabeth Huntington to Mary Huntington, Jan. 6, 1833
Description
Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington is writing a letter to her daughter Mary. It is the evening of the Sabbath, and Elizabeth has taken the time to remind Mary of some important aspects in pleasing the Lord. She reminds Mary of the importance of taking time to pray to the Lord, for this will benefit the world as a whole. Elizabeth reminds her daughter that taking the time for watchful prayer will benefit not only her, but everyone. Mary’s brother William will also be visiting in the morning.
Creator
Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington
Source
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers (Box 12 Folder 12)
University of Massachusetts Special Collections and University Archives
Date
1833-01-06
Rights
public domain
Type
Correspondence
Transcription
January 6th, 1833. Sabbath Evening
My dear Mary,
According to your request, and in compliance with my own inclination, I improve, in haste, a few moments after the family has retired, to refresh my mind and yours with the recollection of those truths to which we have been today attending. The suffering is indeed a precious season; happy for us if you can to employ its sacred hours as to find ourselves making progress in the heaven world course. We have had our duty made known to us very clearly on the important subject of public worship. If we have been deficient in this respect, let us to be more watchful in the future. But watching is not enough. “Watch and pray” is the injunction of our blessed Lord; and of this he put us an example in his own practice. Let us not hurry over our devotional exercises in a heartless [?] manner. Let us never sin from our retired moments never cease to offer our petitions till we find our souls filled in some measures, and warmed with the desire of being in some degree perfect as our father in heaven is perfect, and of having Christ formed within us the hope of glory – Are we fearful and weak? Let us plead for strength with him who giveth to all men liberally and witholdeth not. Do we fill our need of greater faith and zeal to reform his will? Let us urge the petition of the disciples. Lord increases our faith. Then committing our souls to him in the way of well-doing, we need had no wit, for “they shall wait when the Lord shall renew their strength.” Tomorrow is to be observed as a day of fasting and prayer for the conversion of the world – if we do not unite in public, we can in secret, and who knows but our desires may mingle acceptably, with the cloud of incense, and the earnest intersessions, which may arise before the throne of a prayer having God. William is going over in the morning – with a few lines by him to your affectionate mother –
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