[Letter of 1874 May 5]

[Letter of 1874 May 5]

1874-05-5

Condolence notes

African American Christians (Disciples of Christ)

African Americans -- 19th century

Anderson, Caroline Still, 1848-1911 [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

BMS010X0094

Pittsburgh May 5th 1874/ Mrs Carrie V. Wiley/ Dear Madam/ I was pleased at the reception of your/ letter which came to hand on the 1st inst./ I had heard of your keen and bitter/ affliction, caused by the death of your/ beloved husband, and my valued friend/ and I was want to write you a few/ words of sympathy. But I felt that you/ was due me a letter, And when your/ mind should become Sufficiently collected/ I should hear from you. While/ Mr. Wiley was in our city we often visited/ the sick and administered to their needs./ The Sameness of our church relation/ bound us together, and seemed to make/ him feel at home. So we became so/ attached that I felt for him a brothers/ affection. And when I heard that it/ had pleased god to lay him to rest/ dust; to dust & ashes to ashes;/ I felt my own poor heart sink within/ me at the thought that one more of/ my dear friends had Shot the gulf, and/ lodged neath Eden's beautioous bowers./ Please accept from myself and/ Mrs Anderson our tenderest sympathies/ in [there?] your home of sad bereavement,/ death, under any circumstances/ is an unwelcome visitant yet you/ are blessed far above very many who/ mourn the loss of departed friends./ Having lived the life of a Christian/ man he has died his death, and/ exchanged a fading, dying motality/ for the glitering Crown, The spottless/ robe and beautifull mansion in/ the Land; beyond; beyond; the/ River; Then should you not dry your/ tears and take Solace from [Those?]/ words. So Signifficant and blessed,/ which Shine out in such resplendants/ glory in The Great book of books./ I will be a husband to the widdow/ and a father to the fatherless./ I was called to my childhood's home/ a few weeks Since to attend the funer-/ el of a sisterinlaw at Chambersburg Pa./ While there I met one of your/ former acquaintinces, then Miss Mannie/ Clinton Daughter of the Bishop now/ Mrs. Kelley, she spoke of you and/ Mr Wiley and expressed deep sympathy/ for you. I believe she Said she/ had known you in those happy/ days of girlhood, when nature [knows?]/ wears no masks, and we know but/ little of the Storms and dangerous/ shoals which our common humanity/ so oft times dash again[st?] in the/ mid ocean of our more matured/ man and womanhood. Thus you/ see you are kindly remembered by/ friends of you./ I sincerely hope your little girl/ may overcome her present apparent/ weakness, and be spared to you for/ may years to come./ be assured it will be a pleasure/ to me to receive and answer/ any commication that will/ afford your any satisfaction at any/ time to write./ Very Respectfully/ Yours, [H.?] Anderson/