"Outside of all churches there is quite a number of men, mostly young, intelligent men, who have cultivated an intense hatred of certain doctrines and religious observances, and who have gradually come to denounce and seek the overthrow of our whole religious system. These are banded together as an auxiliary to the 'Liberal League' of America. In addition to these are a number of young men, sons of Orthodox parents, who dissent from the religious views and peculiar creeds which have satisfied their elders, and yet have no definite faith of their own. I think that with these two classes, as well as with those who have so far been indifferent to the claim of religion, we have an excellent prospect of success in introducing our views and extending the influence of Liberal Christianity. I am very friendly to the Orthodox Church, recognizing the noble purpose that animates them all, and the invaluable services that they have rendered to mankind; and I have less desire to draw upon their strength than I have to see the Unitarian Church built up from material that has formerly been identified with no church organization. I was a Unitarian in theory long before I knew anything of the Unitarian Church.... As a rule, the young men of my acquaintance who are, either in theory or practice, liberal Christians, are of the most intelligent order, ambitious, progressive young men; and of them what may we not hope?"
He went into business in Leadville, Colorado, and from there wrote Miss Ellis (in 1881):—
"Sunday is almost entirely ignored in the business portion of the city, very few men closing their places of business. Every saloon and theatre is open on Sunday, and brass bands fill the air with their inspiring music. I attended the Methodist Episcopal Church Sabbath School last Sunday, and found quite a respectable crowd in attendance. I thoroughly enjoyed that afternoon; and when I saw rough-bearded, grimy, slouchy-looking men and boys from the mines and workshops taking part in the exercises of the school, I thanked God for the influence his church and school had had upon the largest, hardest mining-camp in the world.... If you have any more of the documents referred to, I wish you would send me a dozen or more, and a few of the pamphlets on 'What Do Unitarians Believe?' It seems to me this would be a most fruitful field in which to plant Unitarian ideas and principles. It seems to me no other church would be so popular here. Of the party of ten young men who board with me, I do not think that any one of them has been in a church three times since he came to Leadville. In most respects, all of them are fine young men; but Orthodox doctrines would never gain any ground with them, while Liberal ideas might win the field if the boys could be made to consider them."
Miss Ellis, and all the ladies, indeed, of the Cincinnati Auxiliary, were greatly interested in Leadville, and hoped to do a good work there, aided by our enthusiastic young friend; but the above was destined to be our last letter from him. In September, 1881, came a postal card from a hotel clerk, saying, "Mr. Woodruff wishes me to inform you that he has been unable to answer your letter on account of sickness, but will write you as soon as able." A few days later came intelligence of his death. Tributes to his character in the Ravenna newspapers, and his photograph sent Miss Ellis by his sister, only confirmed our opinion of this young man's noble character, and our sincere grief at his loss. Miss Ellis at once wrote to his mother this letter:—
October 17, 1881.
I shall be compelled to address the envelope containing this note to your daughter, not knowing your husband's name. I presume you are aware that Miss —— informed me of your son's death, and she, I presume, sent me so kindly the paper last week containing the obituary on him which I read with much interest, as it was such an opinion as I and all of us had formed of your son, Julius, from his interesting letters. I assure you that our love and sympathy are with you in the affliction, and would that we could soften the severe loss to you; but that alone the good Father in time can render less bitter. True resignation consists in enduring it as God's will.
The ladies of our Missionary Society wish me to tell you how much all were interested in Julius's letters, and how deeply they feel with you, and at my request send you a book of consolation, "Light on the Cloud," as an expression of our real interest in your son. It seemed to me that nothing could be so appropriate as the literature he so learned to love. "He being dead yet speaketh" (Heb. xi. 4); and such we deem would be his words to those who were so dear to him. The President of our society marked one piece,—"He giveth his beloved sleep," and I have marked passages through the book, particularly under the head "Death a Blessing," and the last poem in the book. If words can cheer you, it is our hope that this little gift may serve the purpose. At least may it be a testimonial to you of our deep interest in your dear boy.... Our ladies are to hold the first meeting this season a week from to-morrow, when the obituary notice of Julius R. Woodruff's death will be read, and listened to with interest. He was my first correspondent, and his letter from Colorado was particularly enjoyable. It grieves me to think it was the last.... Hoping to hear farther from you, dear friend, through your daughter or Miss——, and to have the pleasure of becoming personally acquainted with you at some future day, with a God's blessing on you one and all, far and near,
Yours in common sorrow, S. Ellis.
The correspondence was continued with Mr. Woodruff's sister as follows:—
November 11, 1881.
... Yes, you may call me your "friend," for I truly feel that I have lost a dear and true friend in your brother, and consequently feel interested in all of his family, and do not wonder that your mother and the whole family are heart-broken to be called to give him up. Am sincerely glad that you felt free to express all your feelings to me, for now I can sympathize more deeply with you. You are just the age I was when my first sorrow came upon me,—the death of my dear mother. As you say, I felt that I must keep up, to cheer my father, who has ever been a domestic man, and the loss of my mother was very hard for him to bear, and the five little children to be cared for, I the oldest daughter at home, and had been my mother's "right-hand man" in the care of the children. But all our sorrows and trials are good for us to bear, and we need the crosses as well as the joys of life to fit us for the life here and for that which is to come.
It was hard to be reconciled to the death of one so young and so good and true as Julius; but we must not be selfish, but think what is our loss is the gain of those taken, many times. He may, through his spiritual influence, still care for and lead you all nearer to God. These "dark hours of life" bring us to know ourselves better; they call out our sympathy for our fellow-men; and, what is more than all, they bring us nearer to God, and thus they are not a mere cross of agony; therefore let us not murmur at our affliction, but still believe that God is good, and will so make our trials serve us that they may become good to us.... We must trust God, who doeth all things for the best, and pray for strength and light to be given us. Our prayers may not always be answered as we ask, but they are answered in another way.
"Pray, though the gift you ask for
May never comfort your fears,
May never repay your pleading;
Yet pray, and with hopeful tears.
An answer—not that you sought for,
But diviner—will come one day:
Your eyes are too dim to see it;
Yet strive, and wait, and pray.[5]"How shalt thou bear the cross which now
So dread a weight appears?
Keep quietly to God, and think
Upon the Eternal Years."Bear gently, suffer like a child,
Nor be ashamed of tears;
Kiss the sweet cross, and in thy heart
Sing of the Eternal Years."[6]
The whole of Whittier's "Angels of Grief" and a poem by Ellerton are copied in addition.
The correspondence was continued, occasionally, during Miss Ellis's life. Aug. 11, 1882, she wrote:—
"Young women, Miss——, have great influence over young men, and I hope you struggle to improve all those whom you know. Have you ever come across Frances Power Cobbe's 'Duties of Women'? It is a remarkably sensible book, and I feel as if every young girl ought to read it. I think you would do your young friends a service by owning it and passing it around among them. You can get it in paper for twenty-five cents. It is not a doctrinal work at all. She delivered the lectures in London, to women. Neither is it a Woman's Rights book altogether, but what any girl or young man, come to that, ought to do and practise. Are you going to resume school after vacation again, or what do you intend to turn your attention to?
"I have not been very strong since I was sick last August, therefore have not done much this year. I go into the city every two weeks on Saturday A.M., to be at the church to loan books to any one who desires them. Was there last Saturday, and two strange ladies came in who proved very pleasant; one a young girl. She came after 'Helps to Devout Living,' for a sister who has gone out to Nebraska for her health, and is miles away from any church and has no companionable people about her. This young sister also selected for herself 'Day unto Day,' as a book of daily study in an upward path. It is such pleasant work to have it within my power to loan and to recommend so many good books to those who have not read them. They always enjoy them. Julius would have been so happy in it out at Leadville."