"Received your postal. Have also received Unitarian papers, and Miss Ellis's memorial, which last I will store among my treasured mementos. How beautiful her life was! Though never having seen her, she will be treasured in my memory as a dear friend. She has sent me almost all the pamphlets, I suppose, that have been written for the purpose of distributing. Having a large family, they have been read and reread, and handed to neighbors and friends. One has no idea how many they will reach, or how much they influence; and yet there is so much prejudice against Unitarians among Orthodox Christians, some would take it as an insult to offer them one of the pamphlets. In our little village the 'United Brethren' have been holding meetings day and night for three weeks, and oh! how they do preach hell, and pray publicly for 'that lady that is leading her daughters down to hell,' simply because she does not believe as they do. I have more tolerance for them than they have for me. I think there are some people they will reach and do good, as I presume the Rev. Sam Jones is doing in Cincinnati."
The following letter to Miss Ellis from a poor old woman to whom she wrote, sent papers and other aid, for several years, is given verbatim, to illustrate the range of her sympathies. This letter was also written after Miss Ellis's death:—
"I wish I could come and see you, but I cannot afford to go up and down on the Trains. I have to send by someone, now Miss Ellis you have been a sending me good Papers to read and now you must not think I mean to beg but you sent me a New years Card it was a Rose now I would not take anything for it I am as Foolish as Littel Children is about Pictures the Rose I have is in my Album and if you got any one by you to part With Will you send it to me for this New year I feel more than thankful for the Papers you have sent me.... Well I will close Write to me soon I am alone day and night So goodbye from a Dear Friend to one I Love."
A young man in a State Normal School in Indiana long corresponded with Miss Ellis. He has been an enthusiastic distributor of our literature, and instrumental in procuring Unitarian preaching in his city. Extracts from his letters are here given.
"The papers received are read by myself and others. There are few here who know anything of what Unitarians believe."
A second letter says:—
"The matter sent to me is read by several persons. I think of one young man now who asked me to send you his name. He said he would like to read literature made by persons who are independent of creeds. I gave him Wendte's 'Statement' and Chadwick's 'Art of Life.'
"I am grateful to you for your kindness, and shall be glad to receive what you may send. I read the sermons by Savage with interest. They were the only ones of his I ever saw. I have given and shall continue to give the matter sent me wider circulation. [Mentioning a rebuff recently received, he continues:] This little experience, while not pleasant, is valuable to me. I see that the spirit of the Middle Ages is not entirely dead yet, and that one better not be too hasty. My convictions are just as strong as before."
Another letter says:—
"I know something of what it costs to break away from old associations. I was brought up in the Baptist Church. All my family were of that faith.... My relatives all look upon me as one lost to all true belief, because I cannot see my way clear to go with them in the traditions of the fathers. Still, I feel that to be true to the light I have is better than to have the sanction of those who are simply following what their creed teaches, asking no questions. I do not care to argue with them, and so follow that life that gives me the greatest comfort and satisfaction."
Feb. 11, 1886, he wrote Mrs. Hunert:—