Part 8
Later, he wrote in reply to a letter announcing her death:--
JANUARY 1, 1886.
I was very glad to hear a little of our dear friend who spends this happy New Year's Day freed from all ills of the body. I can hardly realize that she is gone. She never gave me a hint that she was seriously ill, but always spoke cheerfully. It is such a short time ago that I wrote to her as usual, not having the remotest thought that she would never answer my letter. Her last letters to me are dated Nov. 6 and 18, and, singularly enough, are almost entirely taken up with remarks upon death and affliction. Not a word of herself, however....
Miss Ellis wrote me two letters full of kindness and sympathy, and sending cheering words to my sister; for she wrote, "Though I don't know her, I feel deeply for her." It really is hardly possible to estimate the influence, both direct and indirect, which Miss Ellis has had upon my life. It is a very long story, this of my inquiries in religious matters. I have always looked forward to the day when I should see our friend and speak to her of it, and make some expression of my gratitude to her. But it is not to be,--not in this life, at least. Hereafter her letters shall be a source of constant encouragement to me. I have them all, and glad I am of it, for through them she will yet speak to me. I often wished to have a photograph of her, and I am very sorry now that I too long hesitated to take the first step in making a mutual exchange. Often when weary through the day's work I have been cheered by her kind letters. But this is only one limited instance of her influence. For years I went to my daily work sad and heavy of heart because life was aimless, almost dead. By the printed page Miss Ellis showed me God,--God living, working, right here now, daily surrounding me and all men. And lo! life has an aim, is full of beauty and goodness and joy.... All this I owe to her.
In response to a request for letters, he wrote:
FEBRUARY 14, 1886.
In your card you speak of a book. I hope the pamphlet will grow into a book. I was delighted to hear that it will contain a portrait, for that will be just what I wish for. The letters I sent, I had to just pick out hurriedly, as I had very little time. If I had had more time, I might have made a better selection. I will vouch for their quality, however. I have post cards innumerable from her. Then again, once, when I was having a sore mental struggle over the philosophy of prayer, in answer to my inquiries Miss Ellis wrote out for me the greater part of Mr. Chadwick's sermon on "Prayer," in his "Faith of Reason." This I mention as one out of many instances of such work. She never tired of trying to aid me. I sent you the last letter I received from her, never having a thought, at the time I received it, of its being the _last_ one. Perhaps Miss Ellis is aware of all this afterglow, as you so well call it. I hope so. I believe so. How it must gratify her to know what she accomplished!
In looking over these letters I am very forcibly reminded of the last few years.... As you may suppose, Miss Ellis is much in my thoughts. I looked forward to meeting her some day, and making grateful acknowledgment of her influence for good on me. I would not hide from you that I often regret that it is not to be so. But every other thought is swallowed up in gratitude for her life and for our meeting together.
The following is Miss Ellis's first letter from a farmer's wife a dozen miles out of Cincinnati, who has this winter become a member of the Women's Auxiliary Conference, and wishes, with her daughter, to join the church:--
"I have frequently seen the item in the Sunday's paper offering Unitarian reading to those who wish it, and have as often determined to avail myself of the opportunity, but have so far neglected it. I will say that I have been for a long time somewhat of a Unitarian, without being sufficiently informed in the belief openly to declare myself one. I would ask you to teach me from the beginning the doctrines, so that I can understand and feel a safety in embracing them. I have a daughter who will avail herself with me of your kind offer. You are to be our teacher in the matter of selecting the reading, and I will gladly pay postage on all books sent."
As such teacher Miss Ellis acted ever after. She wrote in reply, Jan. 1, 1884:--
Was very glad to receive your letter to-day, and hope I may prove a successful "teacher." Have always been a Unitarian, as my father was among the first subscribers to the church, when it was established in 1830.... Have sent you by this same mail three tracts pertaining to our doctrines. Shall be glad to give you and your daughter a weekly Sunday-school lesson for several weeks. Began with statements of doctrine and Channing's famous Discourse. On the list sent have numbered other tracts in the order in which I shall send them,--leading you from Channing to Brigham and J. F. Clarke, showing an advance in thought up to Mr. Wendte's tract, "What Do Unitarians Believe?" which represents Unitarianism as held by the _young_ men of the present time; and after you read these tracts, if you wish more doctrine, will mention some books we can loan you by mail. With the tracts will also send the "Christian Register," where you will see our principles carried out. It is a very interesting, able paper. Perhaps after you have examined a few copies you may like to become a subscriber to it. I usually spend Mondays mailing papers to our correspondents, though they do not all get off till about Wednesday. They will be in time for a Sunday lesson, however, and I hope you may find some neighbors to join you in your study. Hoping this is a beginning of another good work for us, and to hear from you further,
Respectfully yours, SARAH ELLIS.
* * * * *
JANUARY 26, 1884.
This leads me to your question, "What do you do with the Immaculate Conception? Why was that way employed to compel people to accept the divinity of Christ?" Ask as many questions as you please, and I will answer them in letter, or send some sermon or tract to throw light on the subject to you. Monday, will mail to you "The Incarnation," by Rev. J. W. Chadwick, wherein you will see that many of the doctrines of the early times were invented by the men of the day to suit some purpose of their own. Will shortly send you a lesson paper by Rev. William C. Gannett, of St. Paul, Minn., on "The Christmas Story and the Christmas Fact." These stories or "legends" concerning Jesus were written some time after his death. "Bible for Learners" says--[Here is copied a long extract.] I have said enough to let you know that we do not accept these "legends" as literal truth; and you will understand, from "The Incarnation," that Jesus was not miraculously born any more than we all are. Jesus never claimed it for himself, as you will find as you read what I send you from time to time. It was a doctrine created by the Church to suit later days. I was glad to have you speak freely of yourself, and hope that we may make religion, the Bible, and Jesus, natural, simple, true, and beautiful to you and your daughter,--something that you can take hold of and live out in your daily lives, and be thankful that you _live_. Hoping that you may have further questions to ask, and wish to borrow books on subjects of interest to you,
Very truly your friend, S. ELLIS.
There is a book that will throw much light on your question concerning the early view of Christ, "Orthodoxy and Heresy," by Rev. E. H. Hall. We have it to loan.
* * * * *
MARCH 13, 1884.
It is with pleasure I sit down to reply to your last letter, and it has only been from total inability that you have had to wait so long. I wanted to sit down immediately to send you a few sympathetic words, for your life must have been very similar to my own. The best comfort for us is, to say to ourselves, Are not many, _many_ others carrying the same burdens, disappointments, and toils as we? How do they bear them, and where do they get their patience and strength from? Only from studying the words and lives of those who have had similar trials to bear; and no one bore the cross better than He to whom the whole world has looked as a guide. Therefore though you fall and fail often, be not in despair. All you need is some one to speak with you who sympathizes with you; and though they may not lighten your burden or change your circumstances, they will lighten your heart and make the whole world seem different to you, and full of work to be done, that will take your thoughts out from beyond your own home, and yet at the same time only make that all the more precious to you and just the place you ought to be in. Am not fond of the country myself. Have always lived in the city, and prefer to be surrounded by people and life rather than trees and quiet of the country; still, I love to visit in the country for a short time.... You ask how you can best prepare yourself to become a member of our church. I sent you the church programme, and Mr. Thayer says there, "Those who present themselves in an earnest spirit,"--an earnest spirit to do all the good you can, in every way, at home and to the world. It is _character_, and _not_ belief, which makes the true Christian. And if our conscience is right before God, let man say what he will; if we are only sure ourselves we are doing our best according to our circumstances and our health; if our motives are pure and our conscience clear,--we shall feel a pleasure in joining in a Communion service, though one can be a member of our church if not a communicant. There are several books I wish to recommend to you. The first is a great help to inward strength, and is a gem of a book, "Day unto Day," which consists of a passage or two from the Scriptures, a selection from poetry, and one from writers, for every day in the year.... The whole book is full of selections which fit the needs of every day. I have two copies, and will loan you one copy with passages I have marked as read, and which has benefited several of my correspondents.... Another great help to a good life is Merriam's "Way of Life." "Theodore Parker's Prayers" I can loan you too. Since I wrote you, have had presented to our library Sunderland's "What is the Bible?" shorter than "Bible for Learners," and on the whole better to read first. I subscribed for the Sunday-school lessons on "The Life of Jesus," so any time you are welcome to it. You will understand from what I have written, that to strengthen the inner man is a good preparation for anything and anywhere; and you will find a great deal among our books, and in our papers, and in our religion, to help you and make life a blessing, though under unfavorable circumstances, and enable you to have the spirit and faith _of_ Jesus, if not so much _in_ Jesus, which the Orthodox make most emphatic.
The following letter was written June 27, 1885. The unusual allusions to her own health are evidently in sympathy with the correspondent, who had written of ill health and heavy burdens to bear.
"I have been most useless since the middle of February; but, weak as I am, I have insisted on staying out of bed, waiting on myself, and keeping my room in order, even to sweeping it, and keeping up my missionary work slowly. I do dislike to be nursed and a care to people. Sometimes it seems impossible for me to get dressed for my breakfast, and it takes me about one hour and a quarter, I am so weak. Last Sunday I could not get to church; but I spent the day in resting,--spiritual rest. I had a service at home,--the responsive service, the three hymns, the Scripture lesson, and read one of J. F. Clarke's sermons, which I sent to another who needed consoling. There is a favorite hymn of mine, which I will write out for you. We often sing it for an opening hymn. [The hymn "Daily Consecration," by Caroline Mason, is here copied in full.] Excuse the mistakes, for I have written it from memory. Work on, dear friend, just where you are, and feel that there you are casting silent deeds of love which no one knows but the good Father above, but that they are none the less earnest work in his service.... Every other Saturday A. M. I go to the church to do up papers for the Workhouse. Was there _this_ morning. Take heart, good friend, and feel that nothing you do is lost, and that sometime your labor will be appreciated. I must not write longer, for I want to attend church to-morrow. They miss me when I am not at my post."
Another letter of this summer reads:--
MY DEAR FRIEND,--Your letter was duly received, and I wanted to answer it immediately, but have been too weak to write _comforting_ letters.
Am so sorry to hear you are still sick, and wish I could help you. Am still more sorry to hear you are "dreading" the summer; but I do not wonder at it, for on a farm the labor required by the women in the house must be incessant.... I cannot take the burden off your shoulders; but perhaps a word of sympathy from another, and something from her experience, may enable you to face the difficulties.... My experience has been that when anticipating a hard time, if I only accept it, and make up my mind that it _has_ to be my part, half the burden is taken off, if I determine to go through with it all, giving myself up to that work and thinking of nothing beyond in the mean time. Take all the rest I can get, instead of trying to do something else too. Rest will do you more good than company or books, when you are so used up with real hard work. Women all try to attend to too much outside of their households, for the sake of company and variety; do you not think so? Now, just take things as quietly as you can this summer, and feel that in your home duties you have more than you can do, and look forward to the time when summer will be over and you will have less care.
After her death, the lady wrote:--
"I sent my letter to her home by a messenger who reported that he understood at the door, as he handed it to the person who answered the bell, that Miss Ellis was dead. I hoped that he was mistaken, but your letter confirmed it. I knew she was very feeble. She wrote me some two weeks before Christmas, saying she was very weak; but I did not think for one moment that she was in danger, or I would have hurried to see her. I shall miss her greatly, and her dear letters to me, which I prized so highly; and you, who saw more of her than I could possibly, will feel her loss greatly. I believe there are few persons capable of entering so entirely into sympathy with others who needed it as she was, and of giving such consolation; at least, it has not been my good fortune to meet many such. I will be glad to receive the memorial of which you speak. I shall be very glad if your minister would write me on the subject of joining the church, as I was depending on Miss Ellis to guide me in the matter, which she was ready to do one year or more ago."
In 1884 Miss Ellis received the following letter from a young man, Mr. A. J. Beach, who had been one of her discouragements, because, after some correspondence, she had ceased to hear from him. Mr. Beach was usher in the State Penitentiary at Joliet, Ill.
"More than a year ago I wrote to thank you for papers which you had kindly sent me. In answer, you sent me a very kind letter, and named several books which I might read with profit. I procured a number of Rev. James Freeman Clarke's works, which I read carefully, and from which I gathered much of great value. I also subscribed to two of the papers you named, to which I have become so much attached that I could not possibly do without them.... Your letter led me to a course of reading and investigation that has proved a sun-burst to me. I have been in darkness. I am out of it now. I am connected with the State Prison (as usher), not the pleasantest position in the world; but I have tried to show many of the poor convicts the better way of life, and to cheer them by kind words and a showing of real interest in their unfortunate condition, and I believe I have succeeded in making lighter many a poor friendless fellow's load...."
The following extracts are from others of his letters:--
"I have read the sermons, and have handed them to a very intelligent prisoner, who has become greatly interested in Unitarian teachings, and requested him to pass the documents to others, after reading them. He will do so, and will see that they are kept moving. I am glad you are taking so much interest in our prison. There is much need of genuine kindness here, and it cannot be better shown than in a true and apparent desire to raise the unfortunates to a higher plane of thought and action. These men and women are in a sense left to themselves. They are not permitted to talk to each other. They pass long hours in their cells either reading or thinking. Is it not the very time to get them started thinking in the right direction? You say, We shall write to the Secretary of the Women's Auxiliary Conference in Boston, ... and interest them in the Joliet prison. This is good news. The Post Office Mission is truly a grand mission, and is doing more good than you may think of."
The next letter says:--
"The papers and tracts you have been kind enough to send me have been given to prisoners, and they have been passed from hand to hand until literally worn out. There are a great many very intelligent men among the fifteen hundred and fifty convicts now in our prison, and they (or many of them, at least) are very glad to get such papers and tracts as you have sent me; and I am only too glad to place such reading matter in their hands. You asked if old 'Registers' and 'Unities' would do any good. They would be thankfully received by many of the unfortunate men, and would be carefully read by them. Reading is one of the very few privileges granted convicts.... I to-day received from Mrs. Thacher, of Boston, a bill of lading for two barrels of papers and magazines shipped for distribution among prisoners; also a kind and very interesting letter from Mrs. Thacher,--for all of which I am indebted to you. I am glad, indeed, Unitarian people understand that convicts want and appreciate something more in reading matter than chilling tracts. We are constantly receiving for distribution the strongest kind of Orthodoxy, but the prisoners do not seem to take kindly to it.... An old colored man, who was sent here eleven years ago under life sentence, said to me yesterday, 'I tell yo', sah, it seems mighty ha'd to sarve in hell all yo' life in dis place, an' den have to take it for sartin' su'ah in de nex' worl'.' He seemed to think that a sentence to the penitentiary was merely carrying out a part of the divine plan; in other words, he was foreordained to eternal suffering, and has got eleven years on his way.... We found the books and papers to be all that could be desired, and have taken great pleasure in distributing them.... Could you have heard the genuine thankfulness expressed by the unfortunate prisoners as I passed along the galleries distributing the reading matter, you surely would have felt amply repaid for interesting yourself in them.... Many said, 'God bless the ladies who thought of us!' with an earnestness and sincerity which indicated clearly to me that they felt and appreciated the kindness and the motives of the donors. My experience among convicts has convinced me that kindness shown toward them is never wasted. There are in this prison several noted criminals,--men who have the reputation of being brutal desperadoes,--with whom I have frequently talked, and have invariably found to be easily touched by a kind word and act."
Last June Mr. Beach dropped dead in a Chicago depot while on his way home. It seems proper to copy here portions of a letter written to his family by the chaplain of the prison.
JUNE 30, 1885.