August 16, 1885.
... I do not wonder you miss the dear brother, and feel grieved that you may not see him again. I do not believe the good Father in heaven is angry if we murmur some. He cannot be so harsh as to have us cultivate family affections and friendships on earth and not have any loving feelings left. No! It is right to mourn, but yet "not without hope." One of the most beautiful sermons I ever heard, and the most comforting, was one from our pastor, Rev. C. W. Wendte, on "The Dark Hours of Life, and what they bring us."
Here she copies the closing passages of the sermon, and also four pages of poems,—"The Heart Prayer," by J. N. Spriggs; "I am so Weak," Jennie E. McCaine, both from "Unity Songs Resung;" "My Dead," by Rev. F. L. Hosmer; and selections from "Scriptures Old and New." So little did she spare the feeble remains of her strength in these last months. Sept. 27, 1885, she wrote:—
"... Not that I have so much to do, but this changeable weather has unfitted me for work, and I have a good deal of extra work lately, that has exercised my brain considerably and required long letters. I was put on a committee of three at the St. Louis Conference last May, for drawing up systematic Post Office Mission methods. Rev. Arthur Judy, of Davenport, Iowa, is the chairman. He has planned a circular letter and a book of records. It has taken much of my time to read the long letters and give my opinion of them.... We have to work very differently in this region.... However, in time we shall have more than one enlightened family in a place. The way to overcome is to lend our papers, tracts, books, etc., that the people may see we are Christians after all. We do not want to convert them so much, but to make more sincere Christians of them, and happier people in this world; and by degrees they throw aside their old dogmas without knowing it. We do have so many comforting books; so many good Sunday-school lessons adapted to grown people even; devotional books, too, with selections which fit each day; and also so many books containing a true account of Unitarianism and of the Bible, that I feel every one ought to read them, and own many; but of course they cannot.... I want to lend you a little daily book I have,—'Day unto Day.' It is in rather a dilapidated state, because I have sent it by mail to a number of persons. I have two copies, but both birthday presents, and I do not like to part with either. The pencil-marks in it are mine, as they have impressed me day by day. You may retain it three or four months if you wish."
The sister wrote in reply:—
October 27,1886.
I wish to thank you especially for the loan of your book, "Day unto Day." It was very kind in you, and I have found it to be a perfect mine of beautiful gems of truth and wisdom, and "day unto day" it can furnish comforting thought for all occasions.
I was very much interested in your statement of your work as a member of the committee you mentioned. Certainly, such an amount of such elevating literature distributed so extensively must result in much good. The literature that I receive from you we endeavor to make the very best use of,—by first "thoroly" reading in our own family, and then lending to those among our neighbors and friends who will be most likely to give their attention to it. On one or two occasions we have invited in, on Sunday afternoons, some of our neighbors, and made them occasions for reading to them an especially good sermon or article, hoping to awaken sufficient interest to perhaps have frequent readings and talks. In our village there are two churches only,—the Disciples and Presbyterian.
The date of Miss Ellis's last letter to this correspondent shows it to have been written less than a month before her death:—
November 30, 1885.
Your letter was very welcome, and I intended replying sooner; but for the last three weeks have been very miserable, though up, out, and at work all the time, accomplishing little, however. We were so glad to hear you were occasionally having Sunday readings and doing the good you can. To-day I have mailed to you "Songs of Faith, Hope, and Charity," and the last Church Door Pulpit "Channing," selected by Mr. Gannett, whose father, Ezra S. Gannett, was Dr. Channing's colleague for many years. It is an admirable compilation, and I wish it were in small book form, for it would make a very beautiful little Christmas gift. Even in this form I shall use it for such a purpose. There are three books I would call your and your friends' attention to as little gifts of value at this season; namely, "Daily Strength for Daily Needs;" "The Thought of God in Hymns and Poems," by Rev. F. L. Hosmer and Rev. William C. Gannett, just published; then there is a pleasant story-book for boys or girls published last year, "The Browns." ... All this may be quite contrary to your feelings this year, and I presume you cannot enter into Thanksgiving and Christmas with the real spirit of former days. But not as you see the "golden lining" to all things can you give way to gloom. There is always something to be grateful for. How much worse might have happened to us. Then, too, we can feel thankful that we had our treasures so long, and that they were such a pleasure to us. Thanksgiving naturally makes us ask, "What have I to be thankful for?" and makes us somewhat sad; but at Christmas we lay aside all thought of self, and think of Him who was all unselfishness; and in this thought we try to forget our sorrows in order to send gladness thrilling through some other human soul, and thus forget our loss for that day at least, though tears may come involuntarily. Hope the Thanksgiving was as pleasant as it could be; that there was a reunion of those of you who are still living, and that the spirit of the dear one only drew you all together in stronger bonds of love. We—father, mother, and myself—were invited to dine with my brother——, there to meet my dear sister's husband and five motherless children. It is the one pleasure to us to pass these anniversaries together, and to feel all our dear ones are with us in spirit, bidding us to be of "good cheer," for they are not dead, but with their love for us would guide us on to better things than they ever knew or could accomplish. All is well with them now, and they look down smilingly upon our feeblest efforts to do the right and be cheery.
The sister wrote, Feb. 7, 1886:—
"... We were very much shocked when we heard of the death of Miss Ellis. We had known that she was an invalid, yet, judging from her letters, we had no idea of the great weakness she must have endured physically in writing to her correspondents up to so recent a date. Her letters to us in our great bereavement were so full of tender sympathy with us, and were so comforting, we feel that we have sustained a great loss, even though we had never seen her.... It will be a pleasure to us to forward to you any letters of Miss Ellis either to my brother or myself that will aid you in the publication of a book ... that will extend and perpetuate the influence of so useful and good a life."
Mrs. J. I. W. Thacher wrote:—