March 11, 1883.
I never omit the "Pulpit" column [of the Register], and read "Wrestling and Blessing" with much interest.... I set each difficulty down as just suited for some one, or two, or three of my correspondents. Of course, I don't apply sermons to myself any more. It is a beautiful sermon; and this brings me to the point we are all so interested in,—the wider circulation of the fresh thoughts of all the pulpits. I surely think, with you, that it will help the work to "give it name." Am glad you are stirring them all up. I do not, as you say, feel the need of it so much, but occasionally do.... A new case in Tennessee, who never knew anything of the Liberal Church, till we sent him papers. Is much pleased, and wants to read till he knows still more about us. He writes, "Not one per cent of the people here know there is such a church. Tell me, do the majority of Unitarian ministers believe in the resurrection of Jesus; that he healed the leper, cast out devils, and raised Lazarus? I ask for information, and hope you will reply at some future time." He is evidently in a benighted region. Says he has "heard nothing outside the Cumberland Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodist Churches, and am none of these;" and I presume is very little of anything yet, and is longing for a nobler life than he has known, or sees about him. The longer I go on, the more need I see of getting this work fully and well organized. It will be brought about ere long. Even reading over papers is beneficial. The publication of our hymns, the most inspiring, will do a great deal of good. In several cases I have copied them, and to good purpose.
Jan. 20, 1885, in answer to the question, what twenty names she would prefer in the "Church Door Pulpit" series the coming year, she wrote:—
"Revs. Grindall Reynolds, Rush R. Shippen, J. F. Clarke, E. E. Hale, Joseph May, Dr. William Furness, H. W. Bellows, T. Starr King, J. Ll. Jones, J. T. Sunderland, George Bachelor, William C. Gannett, F. L. Hosmer, David Utter, George A. Thayer, C. W. Wendte, S. J. Barrows, Albert Walkley, J. C. Learned, James Martineau. Am afraid I haven't left any room for those who do not bear the 'Unitarian' name, but feel that Unitarianism is so little known, that I would first make our own best writers known, and then branch out and take in others. All of the above names I should like to see in 'Church Door Pulpit' for 1885-1886.... I think generally people wish to become acquainted with the Unitarian pulpit. 'What do Unitarians preach?' is the cry. 'I want to hear a Unitarian;' 'those who have been educated in that denomination.'"
February 20, 1885.
Your article in "Unity," February 16, on "A Blessing on the Day," pleased me very much.... We haven't quite the right book yet, and with you I say, "about twelve verses from the Bible well knitted around some central thought," as we principally want to become acquainted with the Bible as the "Book of man." Think something more like "Daily Praise and Prayer," with different Scripture selections, perhaps, and omitting most of the prayers. I would only have a prayer to lead to a prayer of one's own,—that is, to inspire one to pray in their own words. Have often thought I should like to compile a book of "Daily Worship" from the Scriptures, our Hymn Books, "Daily Praise and Prayer," "Day unto Day," "Helps to Devout Living," and the "Responsive Service," and now, from "Daily Strength for Daily Needs," "Aspirations of the World," and "Spiritual Life" in the "Register," but principally Scripture selections.... "Daily Praise and Prayer" is doing much good in a very troublesome family of one of my correspondents. I remembered to have sent the lady "Wrestling and Blessing," and wrote a short time since to call her attention to the "Inherited Burden," asking if she still had the tract. This morning received a reply, in which she wrote, "Yes! I still have 'Wrestling and Blessing,' for it did me so much good when I first read it that I felt as if I could not part with it." Many, many homes need "A Blessing on the Day" to create the true feeling.
To Miss Holmes, of the Davenport, Iowa, Post Office Mission, Miss Ellis wrote:—
August 20, 1884.
... Yes, I do use the A. U. A. tracts freely, and more than any others, those marked on our list herein enclosed, and also "Word of God," "The Doctrine of Prayer," and "Wrestling and Blessing,"—the latter to those who need encouragement particularly. I find generally that people want to get at the first principles,—the A B C of Unitarianism. We do not use Higginson's "Sympathy of Religion" at all. Our aim is to make practical Unitarians, and let doctrines and theory gradually fall into the secondary place. Therefore I object to Mr. ——'s list of books, because they are more historical and theoretical. They do well where one wants to study religion; but where one wants a Christianity to live by, I think something that comes down to practical life, or that is more simple, better adapted to the generality of people. As knowledge of Unitarianism spreads, they will naturally seek deeper works. But at present, something as clear and concise as possible, with the "Christian Register," "Unity," and the "Dayspring," which further illustrate our principles, we find very popular. The difficulty is to get a large enough supply and variety enough. The A. U. A. tracts only answer as an explanation, and we must have the sermons, and papers, and books enough in addition. As I have been at the work for three years, it is hard work to find sufficient supplies for between thirty and forty every week, and these extending the papers and tracts elsewhere.
I cannot think, with Mr. Judy, that it is the best method to divide the work. It seems to me that causes confusion. It seems a much better way that the person who sends the tracts and papers should distribute the books too, as being better able to advise the books to read; for he or she learns the "bent of mind" of the seeker. So many different persons at work causes confusion and mistakes. I mail papers, tracts, etc., attend to all the correspondence, to loaning and mailing the books, to all printed matter received, to all the advertising orders of every kind, to money received and expended,—consulting the President frequently, and the details are brought up before our monthly meetings. I do not believe the work can be so well done as by one person; but of course no one could devote so much time to it unless they have some compensation for it. I took up the work at first voluntarily, but soon found there was a great deal in it, and therefore wished to give it earnest attention, and the ladies felt me particularly fitted for it, and preferred to give me a small salary. It never is "irksome" to me, but a work of real love to me. I have always been a missionary,—distributing all the papers and tracts which contained anything of a practical nature or of a pure Christianity.
To Miss Holmes.
August 29, 1884.
Have just been re-reading "A Little Pilgrim." To tell you the plain truth, the ideas are beautiful, but I do not like prying into the next world. No one really knows anything concerning it. I am willing to rest where Jesus left us. He told us little of it, but enough for the "health of our souls." "In our Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you;" and I believe when our friends leave us they go to another division of God's kingdom and "prepare a place for us," in that through their deaths we are naturally drawn heavenward, and our lives are different from ever before. I am not so much interested as to what the future world is. It is enough to me, to know that it is, and that I am doing the best I can while I am living here. The future world will be made plain to me when my time comes to go there; and if I have only lived rightly here, there will be nothing to fear.
I can trust in God. Still such books seem to be necessary to some persons, but I do not consider them healthy reading. When you have finished such a book the query comes, "Is it fact?" Who can say it is? I feel that my friends are in the hands of a loving Father as they were while on earth, and that he will still do for them what is best, and their spirit and affection remain with us to comfort and guide us. I never lose them. They are only "gone before."