Several other letters of a kindred nature follow.
To Miss Giles, on the death of her father:—
‘April 1871.
‘Still in one way we who are old suffer less from parting. To us the time seems so short, ere we may hope to meet once more where are no more partings or tears.’
To Miss Susan Wood, on the death of her mother:—
‘May 1880.
‘I need not tell you I have felt much for you. One could not have wished the suffering prolonged, and yet one does not feel the loss less. Happily, one seems generally to forget, when all is over, the last painful incidents of the sickness, and to remember the past years. Few have had a more devoted mother. How proud she was of your successes! How old it makes us feel when we take our place in the front rank of the army of life; may we be able to say, when we too are struck down, “I have fought a good fight.” May God bless your work, my dear child, to the everlasting weal of those whom He has given you.’
To Miss Frances Crawley, afterwards Mrs. Wells:—
‘July 1881.
‘I must write you one line of sympathy in this great sorrow. I know how much you loved your dear father, and had longed for this visit, and now there will be a great blank. You will not think now “How glad he will be if I do well.” But on the other hand, my dear child, you will feel you must be more than ever to your mother. You children will be all to her now. Besides, God never takes but He also gives—only we often miss the gift because we don’t look for it. He will help you to know Him better as your Father, partly because you will think of your own father as near Him, for where our treasure is, there our hearts are also. You will think more of pleasing Him, and so preparing to meet those who have loved you and loved God, where there will be no more death for ever.’