[Letter of 1874 March 24]

[Letter of 1874 March 24]

1874-03-24

Male friendship

African American Christians (Disciples of Christ)

African Americans -- Health and hygiene

Wiley, Edward A. [recipient]

image/jp2

Correspondence

This material is made available for private study, scholarship, and research use. For access to the original letter, or high-resolution reproduction, please contact the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection (blockson@temple.edu; 215-204-6632).

Temple University Libraries, Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection

William Still Collection

Blockson manuscripts

William Still Collection

Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Libraries

blockson@temple.edu

BMS010X0102

Cambridge Mass./ Mar 24,‘74/ My Dear Friend,/ Your letter of 25’’ ult./ was duly reed[sic]. It was sad news to me/ indeed to learn that you were so reduced/ in health as the letter stated, and I fear/ you are in great suffering. I have had/ some hesitation about writing again while/ you are so poorly, for fear you might/ worry yourself with trying to answer- which I don’t want you to do./ I can only hope this will find you better/ and that you may still be spared to your/ family to comfort and cheer them through/ this life. No news of your condition/ reaches me except through your own letter/ and I am at a loss as to what your/ condition has been during the past few weeks./ Not such a result, I trust, as Mrs./ Wiley was afraid would follow your loss/ of appetite. Is your desire for food/ improving, since she wrote? If it were/ only in my power to do something for you,/ my dear friend, how gladly would I relieve/ you of this trial. But God, only, knows what/ is best for you: no one else does. If you/ trust in him entirely, & his will possess your/ mind, then you will find joy in following/ wherever it leads. Even though that be[sic] to give up/ your wife and family. He will take care/ of them far better than you can. Has he/ not promised this very thing? And are/ not his promises better than much gold?/ I do not know what your love for God has/ been these years, but you did love him/ once with all your heart: we knew him/ both in our early school days, but my/ life has been far from satisfactory to me/ for some time. You asked me to pray for/ you. Rather let me ask you to pray for/ me, Wiley, for I do need it, perhaps far/ more than you. Pray for me if you have/ strength, that I may find peace with God./ We are still mourning here for the loss of/ our great friend. I attended the public meetings/ in Boston last week, and saw the body laid/ in the grave at Mount Auburn./ Where shall the black race find another/ hero like him? Such men come only with/ the centuries. What a pity, he could not/ have lived to see his famous bill become/ a law. He died all too soon, for I/ am afraid the bill will not pass this/ session, at least not with the school clause/ in it- which in my judgment is its/ main feature. I long to see [the?] bill a/ law: indeed I am quite out of patience/ with waiting for it. I want to see the/ matter of rights settled and then dropped/ out of politics. Sincerely hoping this may/ find you better and happy in the blessing of/ health renewed, with love to your wife/ I remain your very sincere friend,/ D.W. Griffing/