Stretched out beneath God's sky, -Maltbie D. Babcock, D. D. Poughkeepsie, Sept. 12th, 1875. We had a large audience, yesterday, many coming from curiosity to hear the new minister. I have seldom seen so many fine flowers at an ordinary church service. The people seem frank and friendly, and so far as I can judge, there are a number who are real workers. But I cannot help being disgusted with the way in which some speak of drawing congregations, as if the service were a fair, and you were to advertise the highest attractions. Yet where there are various churches, the spirit of emulation is apt to creep in. My church has the hardest work, and is the thinnest of any. Pray for me, that I may keep a pure spirit, free for my work and disentangled from the snares of ambition. I want to preach simply, quietly, powerfully, not with an eye to applause, but for the good of those who listen, be they few or many. Deacon Wiltsie is devoted to the church, and will accompany me in my calls. My home for the present is in his family. My room is small, but the study in the church is cozy and well furnished. With my standing desk and easy chair and pictures, it will be complete. Sept. 27th. Mr. Smillie, brother of the Smillie who engraved Cole's "Voyage of Life," and a gentleman of the old school, is one of our members. He has a fine place, called "Hill Side," three miles out. The most diverse beliefs and opinions prevail in our church. In one family I find those who are rigidly orthodox, and have ceased to attend our church because it is so liberal. In another, are Universalists; in another, one who is almost a Free Religionist; and in another still, where the talk is of sanctification and perfection. But I find very little difference in their warm regard for Abraham Wiltsie. Does not this show how love to God may unite them all? Orthodoxy, Liberalism, Methodism, Temperance, Indifference, are all jumbled together. Now may God work upon the chaos and bring out of it a beautiful, harmonious whole! Oct. 4th, 1875. It was Communion Sunday, yesterday, dear mother, and balmy as a June day. A basket of beautiful white flowers, tube rosebuds, carnations and phlox, with a little cross rising from it, showed the giver's providing care. And she told the sexton to have it put into Mr. Lawrence's study on Monday. Some dozen or fifteen young ladies were there from Vassar, and nearly as many from Brooks Seminary, also in the gallery some forty or fifty little children from the Home for the Friendless. Our church has the reputation of being the most sociable of any in the city. Oct. 14th. As it is important that I should get into my study early, and as you know I take a very simple breakfast, I asked Mrs. Wiltsie to let me have my oatmeal at half-past seven, to which she readily assented. One day last week, I called with her and her husband on Mrs. White, principal and proprietor of Brooks Female Seminary, and a bright, active woman of New England education. But I must not fail to tell you of a game played at Dr. Wheeler's, a few nights ago. Each one has a name given him by his right hand neighbor, and a proverb by his left hand, neither knowing what the other gives. It seems, my name was proposed to some one, and a proverb to the same person, who read the two together. "Mr. Lawrence." "A new broom sweeps clean." Good, wasn't it? I go to the Y. M. C. A. Rooms once a week, glance at the weeklies, to see how things are going on, and read the Nation. Otherwise, I read very little in papers or magazines. My eyes are gaining in strength, and I hope in a few years to have the entire use of them again, although not without glasses. Nov. 29th. How much I thought of you all, Thanksgiving Day! I am glad Harold Coffin was with you. We had a good congregation, and I spent a pleasant evening with other company at Brooks Semin ary. Edward sometimes repeated the kind things that were. said to him, for the sake of gratifying his father and mother, but what would not be so pleasant for them to hear, he kept to himself. For instance, he said nothing about a fall he had, till his mother heard about it from another source. To her inquiries he replied: "When at Lake Mohonk, I slipped and fell on a rock, striking very violently, so that trouble in the spine and indigestion followed." In accordance with her wishes, he took massage treatment. But it was a long time before the difficulty was entirely relieved. Friday evening, Mrs. Wiltsie and I rode out in Vassar, and were ushered into a beautiful scene. windows were trimmed with greens, and fair Dec 7th, 1875. the horse cars to The long, broad ushers stood at every point. In the parlor, Mrs. Wiltsie introduced me to Prof. and Mrs. Backus, and to Prof. Mrs. and Miss Henkel, Germans, -very interesting people. I left at eleven, and the next day, according to my promise, I went out and dined there. After dinner we went over to the Observatory to see Prof. Maria Mitchell, and I had a good, long chat with her on many subjects. She spoke of Mrs. Somerville, whose bust was given her by Frances Power Cobbe, of Theodore Parker, of her father, and of her wish to adopt children. It had been the custom to have a regular sermon on Communion day, and at Edward's first Communion season he had conformed to this. But on the second occasion, he writes: "We had Communion in my own way. Explaining my reason for the change and for not dismissing the congregation, I stood by the table and spoke about twenty minutes on the Sacrament as a remembrance. I also read George Herbert's poem, 'Was Ever Grief Like Mine?' In the evening, I preached on Salvation, not merely from punishment or sin, but for something, and not only for heaven, but for righteousness." As Edward's mother did not want his Christmas presents to come to him as among strangers, she wrote to Mrs. Wiltsie, who kindly entered into her plans. Dec. 27th. You prepared a happy surprise for me. The room was full of presents, but I hardly expected any. When the first one from home came, however, I caught the idea at once. I was much pleased with them all, and everything will be of service. In the afternoon, I drilled the Sunday School children for an hour, in singing Christmas carols, preparing for our festival of next Tuesday. Jan. 10th, 1876. Last night, my first words in the sermon were, "Whose voice is this?" When I spoke of the reverence we attach to the parental voice, I felt that I was drawing from my own experience, and that few could speak of a parent's voice with such reverence. So you see how your love helps my work. Mrs. Wiltsie and Mrs. Elting, another dear Poughkeepsie friend, having discovered that Edward's birthday and his sister's came the same day, Jan. 16th, entered into a conspiracy, sending on a check to cover her travelling expenses and arranging for her to carry a paper in her hand, so that Mr. Wiltsie, when he went to meet her in his carriage, might have some mark for discovery. Edward was beguiled away for the evening, and she was smuggled into the house. He writes: "Well! well! well! What will not a few women do when they put their heads together? And we unsuspicious men are completely caught in the trap. I came from my room, in the morning, as calmly as if my Roslein were not sitting in the parlor. I did not shout or leap when I saw her, but I thought a great deal. It is a delight to have her here." Jan. 24th, 1876. The dear girl has just gone, and I am dwelling in memory ou her delightful visit. Jan. 31st. Saturday evening, some one from Vassar called to see if I could preach there Sunday afternoon, as Pres. Raymond was unwell. I am told it is quite an ordeal to preach at Vassar. But whether I am presumptuous or stupid, I felt quite as much at ease as anywhere. I had something to say, and was glad of a chance to say it. It was pleasant to see three hundred young ladies before me as listeners. In our church and parish, our people are thoroughly united, and are growing more and more earnest. A broad spirit of Christian charity prevails. There is no dogmatism, and widely different views are often expressed, but there is no argumentation or wrangling. Our deacons, too, are the kindest set, and I delight in my work. Edward's thoughts had been so directed to the Western field that it was not quite easy to give up the idea of going there. Then he wished to be satisfied that he was the man for the Poughkeepsie Church, with all the difficulties involved. After six months' experience, finding it was the unanimous desire of the people that he should remain as their pastor, he concluded to do so. On April 24th, 1876, he writes home: In announcing my purpose, I defined my position somewhat plainly, claiming entire freedom for myself to advance towards truth by what light I can get, saying that I cannot be bound by the utterances of any man or body of men, or even by my own past words, rejecting all lower names than that of Christ, whether of Peter, Paul or John, Calvinism or Armenianism, Orthodoxy or Liberalism, and claiming freedom from the bondage of the letter and room for the liberty of the spirit. At the same time, I declared the facts which become every day clearer to me, the presence and destructiveness of sin, the everlasting love of God, the power of the life of Christ, and the possibility of the new and heavenly life, through the working of the Holy Spirit. I told them that as fast as I gained new light so that what at first was only conjecture or opinion became a conviction, I should impart it to them. This is one of the very few churches where I could take such a stand, and it is worth much more to me than a large salary or more influential position. I shall not trouble them with my speculations, but when I reach any result, I shall feel free to bring it out plainly. In a later letter, he adds: "I know that after my six months' preaching my people are satisfied with my position, although they might not have understood it earlier. I shall not let the dread of being called a heretic hinder me in my study of God's revelation. I shall always preach Life more than Doctrine. I say little about this, but thought it best, as I came into permanent relations with the people, to state my position clearly." In February, Edward wrote that his church had been invited to sit with Henry Ward Beecher's Advisory Council in Plymouth Church, Brooklyn. Brooklyn, Feb. 27th, 1876. The Council works well. They have become strongly in favor of Beecher, but will hear both sides. Plymouth has made an excellent impression by the free scope it gives to the Council. Beecher's last speech was grand in its subdued strength. No doctrinal point was under discussion. Some of the so-called bottom facts came to my knowledge, which threw a new light on the case. That was the skeleton Dr. Bacon referred to. It was a memorable Council. March 20th. Yesterday, I accepted an invitation to address the Sunday afternoon Temperance meeting, at which I expressed my views as to the use of fermented wine at the Lord's Supper. My Darling Mother: Poughkeepsie, April 12th, 1876. I must not forget my usual habit of writing to you on your birthday, and I want you to know how glad I am that you had a birthday. Not only selfishly, because it is exceedingly doubtful whether I should have had a birthday if you had not had one, but because I rejoice in your having lived. It has not all been bright, and there are many sore places in the loving heart, but it has been for good, and out of it all will come |