February 17, 1886.
You will be glad to know that we have had very grateful letters from the several stations in Kentucky to which we have sent barrels of magazines and papers. To Eddyville and Greenwood we have sent twice; and Dr. R——(at the latter place) still says, "Send more whenever it is convenient;" so that we feel that the very miscellaneous collections have been really appreciated and enjoyed. In each barrel we sent large numbers of "Registers" and some good tracts, and then filled in with miscellaneous magazines,—chiefly the illustrated ones. This is hardly Post Office Mission work, but I don't doubt it accomplishes much good, and I am always grateful to you and Miss Ellis for suggesting it to us.... Do you continue to be in communication with the Joliet Penitentiary, and is any one keeping on with Mr. Beach's work for the prisoners? It is a constant help and inspiration,—the thought of Miss Ellis's devotion to her work and her faithfulness to the end!
A young Englishman in Frankfort, Ky., wrote Mrs. Hunert, in answer to her card of inquiry:
"I do take the 'Register,' 'Unity,' and 'Unitarian;' I am almost entirely dependent upon what I read here, as I can hear no Liberal preaching, and meet with very few who have sympathy with Liberal religious views. I did get the memorial of Miss Ellis, and will prize it much, as I was better acquainted with her than any one connected with the church at Cincinnati, and looked upon her as one of my best friends, and a very noble lady. The day on which I received your postal, I met the chaplain of the penitentiary here, and he told me how much the Unitarian literature that was sent from the East was liked by him; that it was all distributed, and enjoyed very much by the inmates of the prison. If I had another copy or two of Miss Ellis's memorial, I would give one to the chaplain, and another gentleman,—about the only Unitarian I know here."
The following correspondence is with a workingman in Northern Ohio,—a young Englishman, whose letters tell his story. He once rose at four o'clock to write Miss Ellis before going to his daily work. One of his first letters to her said:—
March 16, 1885.
Now, that you may know in what walk of life I move, I must tell you that I am a laborer. When working by the month, my wages never exceeded twelve dollars a month. From such small wages I have built up a small library of 155 volumes; have also 156 pamphlets. I take unceasing delight in reading, and now that I have others dependent on me, am not able to procure all the books I need. By some I have been encouraged to prepare for the ministry. Such also is my aspiration. It may be years before I shall become a minister, because my preparation is not to be accomplished very quickly. Oh, how I wish that some one from their abundance would forward me some of the books and pamphlets they have cast aside, having no further use for! They would be of great use to me. What are the qualifications necessary for the Unitarian ministry? Will you please tell me? If possible for you to do so, please send me a few more sermons by Rev. G. A. Thayer, and I shall be greatly obliged.
Miss Ellis forwarded this letter to Miss M. O. Rogers, Secretary of the King's Chapel branch of the Women's Auxiliary Conference, Boston, Mass., who had written, offering aid in her work. As a result, the King's Chapel Women's Auxiliary Conference sent this young man many Unitarian books of value, and the "Unitarian Review" regularly, for which his gratitude was great. He loans and distributes all matter sent him, and has procured many tracts from the American Unitarian Association for distribution. A portion of Miss Ellis's reply to the letter given above is as follows:—
March 18,1885.
Your letter was read with much interest, and we are glad to know our "little society has done good work."... Don't be discouraged if you cannot convert the world at once, but wait quietly till your time comes to do more. You are young yet. Think I can spare a few more of Mr. Thayer's sermons. He has only had four sermons on "Reasonable Religion" published.... Will send you the Meadville catalogue next week, and you can see for yourself, and afterwards write to President A. A. Livermore, telling him I sent you the catalogue. He can give you all further information. He was the pastor in Cincinnati from the time I was fourteen to twenty-one, and knows us well.... Hope to hear further from you occasionally. Work on quietly, knowing the discipline will the better fit you for ministerial labors. We can't jump into the highest calling on earth in a moment, and now-a-days a man must be something of more than ordinary ability to enter a Unitarian pulpit. It is not an easy place to fill.
He wrote to her, June 14, 1885:—
"Believe me, I am sorry to hear that you were 'too sick to more than keep up' with your work. I know you must be busy at all times, from the report of your work in the Conference 'Unity' you sent me. That number of 'Unity' is very valuable to me, and will be kept for future reference. The four sermons on 'Reasonable Religion,' by Rev. George A. Thayer, have also been kept. I hope soon to see them in a neat binding. They are worthy of the expense. Of the books received from Boston, four have been read by me. Two of them were mostly read as I walked to my work mornings. In the same manner 'Meditations on the Essence of Christianity' was read. This book is very beautiful, its author, Robert Laird Collier. 'Channing's Works' and 'Genuineness of the Gospels' cannot be carried about as readily, so they are to be read and studied on lost days, when I cannot work. The 'Reviews' received are very valuable; I would not part with them for anything. The 'Register' is received regularly from Philadelphia. The last one is very interesting, containing as it does an account of the Festival. It must have been good to be there. To you, and all who have aided you in your generosity to me, I return my heartfelt thanks."