Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 1 (1844 - 1868)

Lt 11, 1859

White, J. E.

Enosburg, Vermont

October 15, 1859

This letter are published in entirety in AY 52-53. See also Annotations.

My dear Edson:

I have written you a letter of four pages not long ago, but will write you again this afternoon. 1LtMs, Lt 11, 1859, par. 1

The Lord has been very merciful to me on this journey and has given me better health than I have had for one year. I have felt quite lighthearted and at times have felt the sweet peace of God resting upon me. 1LtMs, Lt 11, 1859, par. 2

How is it with you, Eddie, are you any homesick or do you keep so busy you do not find time to be homesick? I suppose your time is all usefully employed. We do not mean that you shall work all the time. Light work will not hurt you but be healthy exercise for you. We hope you will make some progress in your studies while we are absent. 1LtMs, Lt 11, 1859, par. 3

Be faithful, Eddie, and take a right course, that those who so kindly care for you may love and respect you. I have been so grateful to hear such good news from you—that you were trying to do right and that you had not been wrong or caused the family grief that you are with. 1LtMs, Lt 11, 1859, par. 4

I want to tell you a little circumstance: Yesterday we were with a family where there was a poor, sick, lame boy. He is a cripple for life and never will be able to walk or run like other boys. We inquired into the case and found this poor boy’s affliction was caused by his going into a brook of water when he was warm. He has since been a great sufferer. He has a great ugly sore on his hip, which runs all the time, and one limb is drawn up some inches shorter than the other. He is a pale, sickly, feeble little fellow,—has been so for five years. 1LtMs, Lt 11, 1859, par. 5

You may sometimes think we are too careful of you and are too particular to keep you out of the river. My dear boy, think of this poor cripple. How easy it is for a young child like you to be a little careless or venturesome and make himself a cripple or invalid for life. I thought, What if this poor boy were mine? What if I should be compelled to see you suffer so? Oh, how my heart would ache that I had not been more careful of you. Eddie, I could but weep as I thought these things. Father and mother love you very much. We instruct you and warn you for your good. 1LtMs, Lt 11, 1859, par. 6

Affectionately. 1LtMs, Lt 11, 1859, par. 7