n  tappad tg tht, outho
FUNERAL ADDRESS
OF HENRY N. WHITE, AT BATTLE CREEK, MICH., DEC. 21,
1863, WHO DIED AT TOPSHAr, HIAIN2, DEC. 8TH;
ALSO A BRIEF NARRATIVE OF HIS LIFE,
EXPERIENCE AND LAST SICKNESS.
xis Mother s Letters, otc.
"He being Dead, yet Speaketh.'
STEAM  PRESS
Of THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST PUBLISHING ASSOClATIO0R
BATTLE CREEK, MICH.
1864=








AT THE FUNEAL OF HENRY N. WHITE, BATTLE
CREEK, MICHIGAN, DEC. 21, 1863.
BY URIIAH: SMITH.
IT is but a few months since he who now lies
before you in the silence of death, left us in
all the vigor of life, and the buoyancy of youth
and hope. Who of us could then have thought
that such would be his returning? If it had
been told us that death would so soon take
away one of our number, who would have
looked upon him as that one? But the blow
has fallen upon him-perhaps I should not say
upon him; for he is not the afflicted one; it is
the living hearts that feel, while he has passed
beyond the sorrows and vicissitudes of earth.
A funeral was held on the occasion at the
place of his decease, Topsham, Mlaine, the
10th instant. He, with his two brothers, had
been stopping there for about two months, and
they had formed many acquaintances, who
could not be satisfied to have him removed
without funeral services with them; which
were accordingly held. And as he has been




tji -     APPEAL TO THIE YOUTH.
brought here to be deposited in the family
burial-place, in Oak Hill Cemetery, it has been
thought proper, for the gratification of the
church of which he was a member, and of the
youth with whom he was acquainted and associated, that some further services should be
held here. We are here for this purpose today; and to contemplate, for a few moments,
the lessons which this dispensation of Providence brings before us.
We call this a dispensation of Providence.
We believe in such dispensations.  The remark is often made, that all our afflictions, disease and death, are the result of physical laws
transgressed, and that alone. And while in
many instances this may be true, we still believe it is the Christian's privilege, to recognize an overruling Providence, and see a Father's hand in all the events that specially affect him. We read that the steps of the good
man are ordered of the Lord; also, that whom
the Lord loveth he chasteneth; and that if we
are without chastisement, we are not recognized as sons. This shows us that there are
certain afflictions which we may receive as
chastisement from the hand of the Lord. In
illustration, we might refer to the case of Job,
upon whom the Lord permitted affliction to




FUNERAL ADDRESS.            7
come for purposes of his own; and also, to the
case of Hezekiah, in whose experience the
Lord's hand was also visible. And how conzforting the thought that, in events which are
dark to us, of which we cannot understand
the design, there is One who sees beyond the
narrow limits of our vision, who is ordering
events for us, working for our good, and
who will eventually bring all things out right.
But when, through the leadings of this
Providence, our pathway lies along by the
side of the tomb, and our friends are taken
away from us by death, it is but natural that
the stricken heart should inquire what their
condition is, and what is their future prospect. Paul well knew that bereaved hearts
would be sorrowful; and he does not command us not to sorrow; but only to sorrow
not without hope. And he well knew what
the first and most anxious inquiry of the sorrowing heart would be. Hence he approaches this subject and says: "But I would not
have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning
them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not,
even as others which have no hope."  Mark
the expression, "I would not have you to be
ignorant." Aind whatever point there is, upon
which inspiration would not have us ignorant,




8         APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
we have in that declaration the assurance, implied, at least, that there is full and definite instruction given us concerning it. We accordingly find scattered all over the sacred page,
expressions and declarations, setting forth the
condition in which the dead are placed. In
the grave, says one, there is no remembrance
of thee. In the grave, says another, who shall
give thee thanks? The dead praise not the
Lord, neither any that go down into silence.
The dead know not anything; their love, their
hatred, their envy, and all their emotions and
passions are now perished. And multitudes of
similar declarations we find, all going to show
that the grave is a place of unconsciousness,
silence and inactivity.
But this question being settled, another immediately arises. If the grave is such a place,
and if death is a sleep, is it, as atheism and
infidelity assert, an eternal sleep? And on this
question, more important, perhaps, than the
other, the word of God is, if possible, still more
explicit. Job puts the question direct: "If a
man die shall he live again?"  This is the
very question at issue; and he answers it in
the language that immediately follows: "All
the days of my appointed time will I wait till
my change come."  Job xiv, 14. But how do
we know that this is an answer to the pre



FUNERAL ADDRESS.           9
ceding question? How do we know what he
means by waiting, and what the change is,
that shall afterwards come? Turning to some
further testimony of Job's, we read, "If I
wait, the grave is mine house: I have mademy bed in the darkness. * * And where
is now my hope? As for my hope, who shall
see it?" If he once went into a state of death,
where was his hope? If he waited, the grave
was to be his house. This shows us, plainly
enough, that the waiting to which he refers, is
waiting in the grave; and that the change that
is to follow is the change that takes place from
that condition. And what is that change?
The next verse declares:' Thou shalt call,
and I will answer thee; thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands."  That is it.
The Lord will call him from his lowly restingplace. Man, the noblest work of God, will
not be forgotten and left to perish. The Lord
will have a desire to the work of his hands.
The voice of the archangel and the trump of
God, will be heard, calling them forth, and
they will arise at the summons. " Thou shalt
call, and I will answer thee."
Again Job bears testimony on this question.
He writes in a manner to show that his subject is one of vast importance. Job xix, 2327. He says: "' Oh that my words wvexe now




10       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
written! oh that they were printed in a book!
that they were graven with an iron pen, and
lead in the rock forever."  As much as to express a desire that they might be preserved for
all generations in all coming time. And what
is his testimony, apparently so important? It
is this: L" For I know that my Redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter day upon
the earth. And though after my skin worms
destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see
God; whom I shall see for myself, and mine
eyes shall behold and not another; though my
reins be consumed within me."
David says, "I shall be satisfied when I
awake with thy likeness." The prophet Isaiah
exclaims, " Thy dead men shall live, together
with my dead body shall they arise. Awake
and sing, ye that dwell in dust; for thy dew
is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast
out the dead."  The prophet Hosea also testifies on the point: " I will ransom them from
the power of the grave; I will redeem them
from death. 0 Death, I will be thy plagues.
0 Grave, I will be thy destruction. tRepentance shall be hid from mine eyes."
We comre to the New Testament, to the
teachings of Him through whom life and immortality are said to have been brought to




FUNERAL ADDRESS.           11
light, and we find not only the same great fact
stated of a redemption from death, but also
the time when, and the means by which this
glorious event shall be accomplished. Paul,
in writing to the Corinthian brethren, says,
"Behold I show you a mystery: We shall
not all sleep; but we shall all be changed, in
a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the
last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and
the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we
shall be changed. For this corruption must
put on incorruption, and this mortal must put
on immortality. So, when this corruptible
shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be
brought to pass the saying that is written, Death
is swallowed up in victory. 0, Death, where
is thy sting? O0 Grave, where is thy victory?"
In writing to the Thessalonians, Paul again,
after saying that he would not have us ignorant concerning tbem which are asleep, that we
sorrow not as others which have no hope,
says: "For if we believe that Jesus died and
rose again, even so them also which sleep in
Jesus will God bring with him. [Bring with
himn fiom the dead.] For the Lordl himself
shall descend fiom heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel, and with the trump




12       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
Then we which are alive and remain, shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds to
meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one
another with these words."
Thus all our inquiries are answered. The
state of the dead is revealed unto us. And
though the grave is declared to be a place of
unconsciousness, we also learn that it is not
the final abode of the saints; but they shall
be redeemed therefrom with a great and glorious redemption.
But death, whenever and wherever it is seen,
has a voice for us. As we behold it even in
the vegetable, or more especially in the animal
kingdom, it is impressive. When it takes one
of the human race, it calls still more loudly
upon us. The thought which it then suggests
is this: That class of beings of which I am. a
member, is subject to the destroyer, so that I,
too, am under his power. But when it comes
still nearer to us; when it enters a neighborhood, and an acquaintance is taken, a friend,
a school-mate, a class-mate, how much more
impressive is its solemn presence. There is,
therefore, a lesson for the young in the event
which we here contemplate to-day. I would




FUNERAL ADDRESS.          13
then say to them, Look upon these relics of
mortality, these emblems of the grave, and
ask yourselves if you have any guarantee of
life which he had not. Reduced in one short
week from all the activity of life, to the silence
of death-have you a lease of life even as long
as that'?  Think, then, that you may fall as
suddenly, but not as safely. He has fallen,
triumphing in a Saviour's love, and in firm
hope of a part in the first resurrection. Place
yourselves in his condition, and inquire, When
and where would be your waking. Would it
be with the just in the first resurrection, or with
the rest of the dead who live not again till the
thousand years are finished? Are you not called upon, then, if you are without hope, to haste
to secure an interest in that arm upon which
he leaned? or if you think you have a hope, to
examine well the grounds upon which it rests?
But it is not in the event of his death alone
that Henry has spoken to you and to us. He
has left a dying testimony for his friends and
for the young, by which he being dead yet
speaketh. It is embodied in a brief sketch of
his experience, prepared by one who was with
him during his last sickness.
I would say to the church here, that we as
a church, are partakers in this bereavement.




14       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
As one of our number, we have felt a great
interest in the welfare of' Henry. We rejoiced
when he first gave his heart to the Lord. We
were glad when we first heard him inquiring
the way to Zion, and turning his face thitherward. We were glad when we saw him, less
than a year since, go clown into the water, obedient to his Lord in the ordinance of baptism. Of the thirteen who then went forward
together, two have already fallen in death.
Scarcely one short year elapsed, and two already gone! W~hat shall I say to the remaining eleven?  Are they not called to renewed
diligence, faithfulness, and constant readiness,
should a like summons come for them?
It is unnecessary for me to attempt to say
anything to those who are now specially called
to mourn. They have long been acquainted
with the true source of comfort and consolation, and are fully competent to draw therefrom such supplies as are adequate for all occasions.  So far as they are called to mourn,
we mourn with them.  Our hearts are all open
to them in the warmest sympathy. So far as
they have consolation, we also share in that.
And it seems that all the comfort is theirs that
is possible to fall to the lot of mourners. For
what greater consolation can there be than to
see so much of the fruit of their labor secured




FUNERAL ADDRESS.          15
to them; to see one in whose moral and religious training they have labored so faithfully,
now safely beyond all their anxiety. No more
anxious tears will be shed for him. But the
record remains that their labor shall be rewarded, and the son and brother shall come again
from the land of the enemy. Thus while the
Lord has dealt with them in seeming severity, he has also dealt in mercy. While with
one hand he has smitten, with the other he has
upheld. While one hand has held to their lips
the bitter cup of bereavement, the other has
held a cup of sweetest consolation. While
one hand has pointed to the tomb, the other
has pointed to the bright scenes of glory,
honor, and immortality, that lie just beyond.
And so, calm in the assurance of faith, and in
anticipation of a re-union which is soon to
come, and which, when it comes, will be eternal, they and we can bury the dead out of our
sight-" earth to earth and dust to dust, in the
sure and certain hope of a joyful resurrection,
and the life of the world to come."




16       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
OF THE LIFE, EXPERIENCE, AND LAST SICKNESS OF HENRY N. WHITE.
BY ADELIA P. PATTEN.
"Sweet is the scene when virtue dies,
When sinks a youthful saint to rest;
How mildly beam the closing eyes!
How gently heaves the expiring breast!"
A LARGE circle of friends have been called
to mourn, and to sympathize with the afflicted
family of Elder James White, on account of
the death of Henry, their eldest son, and brother. He died in Topsham, Maine, December 8,
1863. Having been a member of the family
for nearly two years, I give, by request, a brief
sketch of his life, experience, and the events
connected with his last sickness.
Henry was born in Gorham, Maine, August
26, 1847. In October following, his parents
removed to Topsham, Maine, and occupied a
part of the house owned by their much-esteemed friend and brother in Christ, Stockbridge Howland.
In December of the same year, Henry was
taken sick with inflammation of the lungs, and
all who saw him thought his recovery doubt



BRIEF NARRATIVE.            17
ful.  One evening he appeared to be fast failing, and it seemed that he must die. It was
then, when all earthly means.failed, that his
parents presented his case before the great
Physician, trusting in his power and willingness to save their beloved child.  They spent
much of the night in prayer. While pleading
with God to spare his life, he fell into a sweet
sleep, and from that hour began to recover.
His parents felt it to be their duty to give
themselves up unreservedly to labor in the
cause of God. And as Frances H. EHowland,
the eldest daughter of the family, cheerfully
accepted the charge, they decided to leave
Henry in her care. It was a sacrifice to give
up the company of their child; but as God
had heard their prayers, and spared his life,
they felt that it would be wrong to let him
stand in the way of their duty, by excusing
themselves from traveling on his account. Especially was it a great trial for the mother to
leave her only child.  She well remembers the
expression of his sad, yet very beautiful little
face, as he was brought to the carriage at the
door to receive the parting kiss.  She was
about to leave him when only one year old, for
another to exercise a mother's feelings toward
him, and to act a mother's part.  As the car2




18       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
riage drove away, she found relief in tears,
and was sustained -by living faith that He who
had called the parents to labor in his cause,
would bless the child.  He remained with
this kind family, and they had the entire care
of him, for five years. As he grew older, his
sweet disposition, and the affection he had ever manifested for his friends, endeared him to
all who knew him.
When six years old, he had an attack of fever. And when he had partially recovered
from it, his parents, who at that time resided
in Rochester, N. Y., thought that a change of
climate might benefit his health, and took him
under their care. His health improved.
The affectionate parents have often felt
grieved that their pilgrim life has obliged them
to be absent from their children so much. And
while at home it has ever been their aim to educate them for usefulness, and to bring them
up in the fear of the Lord. And when away,
the children have received by letter numerous
tokens of the anxiety of their parents for their
welfare, urging them to adhere to correct principles, and instructing them how to form characters, not only for this life, but for the life to
come.
The father's life has been one of care, and
as he has borne the triple burden of preacher,




BRIEF NARRATIVE.          19
editor, and the leading business of the cause
with which he has been connected, the tender
mother has found opportunities, though many
of them very poor, while traveling, to write to
her children. Some of her letters are given
in the last part of this pamphlet. They were
written hastily for her children only, without
a thought that they would be made public.
This makes them still more worthy of publication, as in them is more clearly seen the real
feelings and sentiments of a godly mother.
For a number of years past their mother has
spent much time in reading to them on the
Sabbath from her large amount of choice selections of moral and religious matter, a portion of which she has recently published in the
work entitled, Sabbath Readings.  Reading
to them before they could readily read themselves, gave them a love for useful reading,
and they have spent many leisure hours, especially the Sabbath hours, when not at Sabbath
School and meeting, in perusing good books,
with which they were well supplied.
It has been a source of satisfaction to the
parents, and those connected with the family,
to see the fruits of such labor manifested in the
good deportment of the children, and more especially in the triumphant and happy death of
him whom they have recently laid in the grave.




20        APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
In their absence, the parents have always
endeavored to leave with their children persons of the best moral and religious influence,
who have enjoyed the love and respect of the
children. Henry especially always manifested
a cheerful obedience to his mother's wishes,
and a tender regard for her feelings. His
prospects in lif6 were fair.  He was aspiring,
and seemed determined to excel in scholarship. So far as his parents saw that his minl
was well balanced with religious principles,
they were willing to indulge him in his persevering efforts in study.  He possessed an uncommon love for music, and during the last
few years of his life he applied himself very
closely to its study and practice. He would
often study till late in the evening, until persuaded not to'do so for fear of injuring his
health.  Ile loved the society of the educated
and refined, and in return shared their highest
regards for his intelligence and manliness.
During the winter of 1862-3, the church at
Battle Creek enjoyed a season of revival, and
thirteen youthful members were added to their
number.  Henry and his brother, James Edson, were among the little believing colipany
who followed their Lord in baptism.
In the summer of 1863, the parents made arrangements for a journey to New England.




BRIEF NARRATIVE.            21
For the benefit of the children, who had attended three terms of school in succession, and especially for the improvement of the health of
the two youngest, it was decided that they
should accompany their parents. Accordingly
they all left home, August 19. They stopped
at Olcott, N. Y., held a two-days'9 eeting, and
enjoyed a pleasant visit with old friends-the
families of Lindsey, Gaskill, and others.  lIenry and Edson were much pleased to find here
an instrument of music. In company with
friiends, the lamily enjoyed a boat-ride on lake
Ontario.  Henry and his brothers sung "The
Evergreen Shore," and several other pieces.
The music of his clear, full, tenor voice upon
the water in connection with the others, will
not soon be forgotten by the surviving ones
who enjoyed the delightful excursion.  The
kindness of these dear friends, and their efforts
to make the visit pleasant for the children, will
be held in grateful remembrance.
The principal object for which Elder WThite
went East, was the publication of Charts of
the prophecies and ten commandments. From
~New York they proceeded to Boston, where
the work was executed.  The children here
had opportunity to visit several places of interest while their father was procuring material,
and engaging artists to do the work. Brethren




22       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
R. G. Lockwood and Henry 0. Nichols, who
are quite at home traveling through the city of
Boston and vicinity, accompanied Henry and
his brothers to principal places of interest, such
as the Missionary Rooms, Public Gardens,
Glass Works, Bunker Hill Monument, Prospect Hill, the State House, &c., with which
they were greatly delighted.
From Boston the family went to Topsham,
Maine. Here, at his old home, Henry was affectionately and joyfully welcomed by those
who had formerly cared for him. They soon
purchased a new melodeon, and the same old
mansion in which a dozen years before was
heard the innocent, merry laugh of the beautiful, prattling little Henry, now resounded
with music of the instrument from his skillful
touch, mingled with his own sweet voice.
After a short visit, the parents left their
three sons here, to go and hold meetings in
New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York,
and from thence intended to return to 3Michigan for a short time. The children accompanied their parents to the depot, and before the
family parted, Henry, Edson, and Willie, by
request, sung "' The Evergreen Shore," much
to the gratification of the crowd waiting for another train. The whistle was heard, the;" good




BRIEF NARRATIVE.          23
by" and "farewell" were said, and away sped
the train, bearing the parents on their mission
of love, and leaving the children again without
their watchcare.
The special blessing of the Lord attended
them on this mission. But while in Brookfield, N. Y., Elder White received impressions
from a. dream, which led him to feel that all
was not well with the children, and that they
must return to Maine without delay. Each
day they anxiously waited the arrival of the
mail, but news from Topsham reported "all
well."  This did not satisfy their minds, and
in accordance with their convictions of duty,
when they had filled their appointments, they
immediately returned to their children.
The day before they reached Topsham,
Henry came in from his work in the afternoon,
and threw himself upon the sofa, and said that
he never felt such a gloom resting upon his
mind before in all his life. He said that it was
not anything he had done which caused such
feelings, but that it seemed to him that something dreadful was about to happen. The next
day brother and sister White reached Topsham, and found their three sons at the depot
waiting for them. When the cars stopped,
Henry bounded through the crowd with more




24       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
than usual activity, and embraced his mother
most affectionately, while in her heart she
thanked God for such a son. From the depot
they went directly to brother Howland's house,
and when the excitement of meeting was over,
Henry asked the company to listen to one of
his favorite pieces, "'Home Again," so appropriate for the occasion, which he played and
sung. In four clays from this time, which was
December 1st, he was taken sick with lung fever. Hie failed rapidly. From his room in the
chamber he was carried into one of the lower
front rooms, which was the very one where sixteen years before, when but an infant, he was
apparently brought to the point of death.
On the morning of the 2d, in faithful conversation with him, his mother said to him that
life was uncertain, and that persons violently
attacked as he had been were frequently deprived of their reasons and if he had anything
to say, he had better improve the present opportunity. lie said that he felt unprepared to
die, and requested his parents to pray for him.
After they had prayed for him, he called his
brothers to himi. He embraced them, and told
them he had not always treated them as a
brother should have done, and wept as he
asked their forgiveness. The scene was most
touching, as brothers were embraced in each




BRIEF NARRATIVE.            25
other's arms weeping aloud and confessing to
each other. In the evening he requested that
all the family should have a praying season in
his room. This was a most solemn and affecting time. He feared that on account of his unfaithfulness as a professed Christian, God
would not look upon him with approbation.
HLe was pointed to the sinner's Friend, and
was told that Christ came to save just such
sinners as he was, and that if any man sin, we
have an advocate with the Father-that he
must rely wholly upon the merits of Christ.
Then he said, " O Lord, forgive my sins, and
accept me as thine." With deep feeling he
repeated these lines several times,
"Here, Lord, I give myself awray,'Tis all that I can do."
He entreated the forgiveness of God that he
had not formed a better Christian character,
and set a better example before the world. He
then expressed a desire to recover, that he
might show his gratitude to his faithful parents, and live a Christian life. He said that
his great failure had been in neglect of secret
prayer. He thought that if his life could be
spared, he might be a blessing to the young.
While thus engaged in conversation and




26       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
prayer, the Spirit of the Lord rested upon
him, and upon all in the room, and he felt that
his confessions were accepted of God, and he
praised the Lord for his goodness.
On the morning of the 3d, his friends were
alarmed by the discharge of blood from his
nose and mouth. From this time forward he
expressed but little desire to get well. He said
to his mother, as she was attending him,:" Promise me, mother, that if I die I may be
taken to Battle Creek, and laid by the side of
my little brother, John Herbert, that we may
come up together in the morning of the resurrection." He was assured that his wishes
should be gratified.
He told hits mother that he had sometimes
felt that too much restraint had been put upon him. "But," said he, "mother, you have
not been any too strict. I now realize that I
was in danger, and am glad you said as much
as you did. I wish I had heeded your advice
more faithfully."
On the 4th he carefully reviewed the events
of his life, mourning over his imperfections, still
pleading with God for pardon and acceptance.
From this time he seemed to enjoy peace of
mind and the blessing of God. He often requested his parents to pray for him, not that




BRIEF NARRATIVE.           27
he might get well, but that he might feel his
acceptance with God every moment. He grew
weaker, and could not speak above a whisper.
On the 5th, burdened with grief, his father
retired to a place of prayer, and afterward returned to the sick room, feeling the assurance
that God would do all things well, and thus
expressed himself to his suffering son. At
this his countenance seemed to light up with
a heavenly smile, and he nodded his assent and.
whispered, " Yes, he will."  He suffered much
through the night, but seemed to bear all with
patience.
On the morning of the 6th he said that he
had enjoyed more of the blessing of God for
the past two days, than ever before in all his life.
He realized that many were the dangers of
the young, and seemed -to have no desire to
live. As he expected to die, he said that though
for some time he might lie unconscious in the
grave, )yet it would seem to him to be but a
moment, and would be the same to him as if
he went to heaven immediately. He felt that
he could not live long, and wished to dictate
a few lines to the young as follows:
"I consider it a privilege before I sleep to
say a few words to my young friends. My age
is sixteen years. I was baptized and united




28       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
with the church last winter. I mourn over
my unfaithfulness and lack of devotion in the
good cause. I believe that God has laid the
hand of affliction upon me, to save me; and if
I go down to the grave now, I have a good
hope of coming up with the saints in the first
resurrection.
I' I would appeal to all my young friends, to
not let the pleasures or accomplishments of the
world eclipse the loveliness of the Saviour.
Remember that the death-bed is a poor place
to prepare for an inheritance in the second life.
Spend the best of your days in serving the
Lord. Farewell."
After this he wished to say especially to his
young friends in Battle Creek these words,
"Don't take my life for an example! Give
up the world and be Christians."
In the evening, as one of his sinking spells
was coming on, all thought that in a few
minutes his heaving bosom would be at rest.
He gave each one an affectionate farewell, as
they listened to catch each precious whisper.
He inquired for his brothers, and said as
they came to his side, "Eddie, I shall not be
a brother to you any more; never give up trying to do right; a death-bed is a poor place
for repentance." To his youngest brother he




BRIEF NARRATIVE.           29
said, "~Willie, be a good boy, obey your parents, and meet me in IHeaven —don't mourn
after I am dead."  While in calmness and
composure of mind he was taking his farewell,
his father said, "God can make a sick room
one of the happiest places on earth."  The
cheerful sufferer replied, "Yes, I know that
from experience."
He felt anxious, lest some one might be
away weeping, and inquired for his mother,
and said, " O my dear mother, may God comfort her."  After this he inquired if the physician was coming soon, and said there was
not much need of a physician then. His mother asked him if he suffered pain, and he replied that he did not. He called his father and
said, "Father, you are losing your son. You
will miss me, but don't mourn. It is better for
me. I shall escape being drafted, and shall
not witness the seven last plagues. To die so
happy is a privilege."  I-le said that music had
been his greatest earthly pleasure, and asked
Edson to play  "Mount Vernon" for him on
the melodeon. Edson went into the parlor and
complied with his request, and on his return
Henry said, " llusic in heaven will be sweeter
than that."'  Among other directions, he requested that his brother should take special
care of a piece of music which he had arrang



30       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
ed from hearing it sung in Western New York.
See pages 34, 35. He wished to tender his sincere thanks to the sexton of the church, which
stood on the opposite side of the street, for not
disturbing him by ringing the bell as long as
usual at their hours of service during the day.
He thought of [Mr. Collier, his teacher, under whose instructions he applied himself as a
student for a year previous to leaving Battle
Creek, and requested that some one would inform him of his sickness and death. After
this he seemed to revive. He slept for a short
time, and then passed a restless night.
On the morning of the 7th he expressed a
wish to die, fearing that if he lived he would
not be able to escape the many dangers to
which the young are exposed. His father told
him that he must be submissive to the will of
God —that it would be blessed to live to do
good in his service, and blessed to die in the
Lord. To this he submissively assented.
During the day and the night following, his
sufferings were great. For about ten minutes
his mind seemed to be wandering. His father
sat near him and supported him in his arms,
praying for him, and trying to soothe and
comfort him, and he was soon restored to his
former clear and peaceful state of mind. He




BRIEF NARRATIVE.           31
seemed most happy thus supported in his father's arms, and manifested the strongest attachment for him, and seemed -unwilling for
his father to leave him for a moment.
December 8th, a short time before his death
he said to his mother, "' Mother, I shall meet
you in heaven in the morning of the resurrection, for I know you will be there."  He then
beckoned to his brothers, parents, and friends,
and gave them all a parting kiss, after which
he pointed upward and whispered, "Heaven
is sweet." These were his last words.
And when he could not whisper, he expressed the power of that grace which sustained him
in a dying hour, by waving his hand upward,
while a heavenly smile beamed upon his countenance. His breath grew shorter, and without a struggle he sank in death at half-past
one, P. M. His sufferings were over. At an
early hour his work on earth had ended. It
was indeed a trying clay for the afflicted family, yet the thought that their dear son and
brother was enabled to calmly resign himself
into the hands~ of his heavenly Father-that the
presence of the Saviour cheered him as he entered the dark valley, and that henceforth there
is laid up for him a crown of righteousness,
sustained them.  At the request of friends,
Elder M. E. Cornell, then at Haverhill, Massa



32        APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
chusetts, was sent for, and funeral services
were held in the Baptist church.
According to his request, 1Henry was brought
to Battle Creek in a Metalic Burial Casket, and
agreeably to the wishes of many friends, appropriate funeral services were held.  A large
congregation were addressed by one of the
Elders of the Battle Creek church, which address has since been written for publication.
One interesting feature of the occasion was
the order in which the students of the public
school, accompanied by the teachers, came to
pay their last token of regard for one of their
number whom  they loved.  As the speaker
proceeded with his remarks, the congregation
were noved to tears.  One in the bright morning of youth, whose course of life had won
their highest regard, had closed his eyes in
death, cheered by those sacred hopes and
promises whose attractive light ever takes
from the joys of earth their delusive brightness.  The exercises were closed with singing,
by the school"One sweet flower has drooped and faded,
One sweet youthful voice has fled,
One fair brow the grave has shaded,
One dear schoolllate now is dead."
After the last look had been taken, a large




BRIEF NARRATIVE.           33
procession of sympathizing fiiends followed to
Oak HIill Cemetery, where the lifeless form of
noble Henry was laid by the side of a little
brother, there to rest till the Life-giver returns
to bring them from the land of the enemy.
Dear youthful reader, have you a hope sufficient to sustain you in a dying hour? If you
are in health to-day, remember that you are in
the land of the dying, and you know not how
soon you may be summoned to pass through
the dark valley. Till the time of his last sickness, the glow of health had been upon Henry's countenance; but in one short week the
roses faded fiom his cheeks, and were removed by the icy hand of death.  Should this be
your lot, you will need the sustaining grace of
Him who has passed the dark shades before
you, and rose victorious from the tomb. Be
admonished by the dying counsel of this dear
youth, to secure the favor of God without delay. Then if life is spared, you can be happy
in the service of the Lord, and a blessing to
those around you; and if you are called to
sleep, be among those who will have part in
the resurrection to that life and that inheritance
where sickness and death will never cast their
gloomy shades.




34          APPEAL TO THE YOJUTH.
THE PILGRINV BAND.
Arranged by IH. N. W.
— F —                     ---- ------- I -1F —7 —-1
-~~4~zii7T I~I2I -r-w-b  --- -'n-q —I-q- q —2-I-q -1-I- — q-F —l ——...On Jordan's stormy banks I stand, And cast a wishful eye To
-- --......q- --..-.
@-4e E-t    t-r-t~-r t E$Z~-r-ee~EPltr~-~-/ —~F — F-r —f..F~ —F   r     _t —r-1 —---— I-F..- - fi
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+,_ --   m j   _ —~-F —--— F-F  -— F- --  -r —
--.... h-  -F_-r-~-, -r- -------
-' —-n~ —--- F —— 7 —— F-q —-n-l —f —m -'-~ —F  - -    _r__
— _           __       — ~ —~ —-a ~- ~
Ccanaan's fair and happy land, Where my possessions lie..... ~ —`-  I         -— ~--— W —-m —;qF-= —r   ~-=-m —-] —....,-,-F...
I   I     I
Hi  -  — = FF~r — r-P-r-r  -:1 —t
— eC-~~-FZ-Lre~-z ~_=_p~-~~~,~p=[




THE PILGRIM  BAND.                   35
PILGRIM BAND. Concluded.
Chorus.
-r& -; -----   -    -     --
We'll join the pilgrim band, And then to glory go. We're
My home is not below, My home is not below; We're
Ig-+z.- ----—.- -...-F —-:                      _!             ~~                            ~~~-.
I —7 —-— l — m9-I —I —-t,-    -   -=% -~ ~-r —-    -"
Q1Z1 __  _ 1                    __ —-__. _   _
~'-l-    - -  ~'-.... -a-.-. —."
trav'ling to a better land,  y home is not below.
trav'ling to a better land, My home is not below.
travyling to a better land, My home is not below.
F tr/   - -F -- r — -  -T-' —-  ---- -      _ —__
_~~~~C _ _  _.  _  _ m _  _  _ 
— Sa-@-0>-09 -F-Lsj —       m    -      _




36          APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
The Pilgrim  Band.
ON Jordan's stormy banks I stand,
And cast a wishful eye
To Canaan's fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie.  Chorus.
Oh the transporting, rapturous scene,
That rises to my sight!
Sweet fields arrayed in living green,
And rivers of delight. Chorus.
There gen'rous fruits that never fail,
On trees immortal grow;
There rocks and hills and brooks and vale,
With milk and honey flow.  Chorus.
All o'er those wide, extended plains,
Shines one eternal day.
There Christ the sun forever reigns,
And scatters night away.  Chorus.
No chilling winds, or poisonous breath
Can reach that healthful shore:
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death,
Are felt and feared no more. Chorus.
When shall I reach that happy place,
And be forever blest?
When shall I see my Father's face,
And in his kingdom rest? Chorus.
There on those high and flowery plains,
Our spirits ne'er shall tire;
But in perpetual, joyful strains,
Redeeming love admire.  Chorus.




THE EVERGREEN SHIORE.                   3
THE EVERGREEN SHORE.
From the Golden Chain, by permission of WJm. B. Bradbury.
Copyright Secured.
-S=-         -zFl —.        [ —; —q__ _-=;F
~~ —--.. —.___._..____
We are  joy-ous-ly voy-ag-ing  o-ver the main,, —-= —-  _-.-. —I —. —
- @ —  -
III~~~~~~~I                 -
or of sickness coplain, And nv-er-  r osee death  any 
~..~ — — 7 --- -— ~- -;' r —-r —-I..-..-~ET-W-_ —F-'
I —~  —' ------— ~ — i..... — -- -      -- ----— E-_........ hee — -r-ee shore    -h — i......
I~".1 —- Z.-O =      t-r —----- — = —,t —r
- 1 —— _ —  ----—, —-- ---
er of sick-hess com-plain, And nev-er see death any




38        APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
EVERGREEN SHORE. Concluded.
Chorus.                         -...... Z        Th77 T-_ —_ -_
roar........
more.  Then let the hur - ri -cane roar, It will
--— z           --- ------
I0-~ -    — G * -D-~- _ —'
9zz ='>-@ —' — -*I=i
J i    " —    — r-i —-r, — -
_......... _4- _   -—.... -_-_ _    -.-~ — - _ --- — _ —----
the soon - er be o'er; We will weath- or the blast, and
l-..
—'zZ —z _ _-___c__ _-_- -____*___ —_'
@a.=?0 -T- =Fz__F-=5 —-~?f=3=| —f
=S- -Cw3r-wI — _-=-=   0*-_$F




THE EVERGREEN SHORE.                39
The Evergreen Shore.
WE are joyously voyaging over the main,
Bound for the evergreen shore,
Whose inhabitants never of sickness complain,
And never see death any more.
Ch0orus.-Then let the hurricane roar,
It will the sooner be o'er;
We will weather the blast,
And will land at last,
Safe on the evergreen shore.
We have nothing to fear from the wind and the wave,
Under our Saviour's command;
And our hearts in the midst of the dangers are brave;
For Jesus will bring us to land.
Chorus.-Then let, &c.
Both the winds and the waves our Commander controls;
Nothing can baffle his skill:
And his voice when the thundering hurricane rolls,
Can make the loud tempest be still.
Cho'rus.-Then let, &c.
In the thick murky night, when the stars and the moon,
Send not a glimmering ray,
Then the light of his countenance, brighter than noon,
Will drive all our terror away.
Chorus.-Then let, &c.
Let the high heaving billow and mountainous wave,
Fearfully overhead break;
There is one by our side that can comfort and save;
There's One who will never forsake.
Chorus. —Then let, &c.




40       APPEAL TO THIE YOUTH.
VOLNEY, IowA, DEC. 24, 1857.
MY DEAR CHILDREN: Here we are, twelve
miles from Waukon. We have had a tedious
time in getting thus far. Yesterday our horses
for miles had to plow through snow very deep,
but on we came, feeling confident that our mission was of God. Last Monday we could get
no food that was fit to eat, and therefore rode
in the coldest weather I ever saw, from morning until night, with nothing to eat but one
apple. Oh, how thankful I shall be to see
home, sweet home, again, and my three dear
boys, IHenry, Edson, and Willie.
Children, strive to do right, and love the
Lord for his merciful kindness to you all.
Obey those who have the care of you as you
would your parents. Be kind to each other,
and yield to each other's wishes. Don't become unsteady. Read the precious word of
God.
You should be thankful for your comfortable home. We often sufhr wKith cold on account of unfinished and open houses. Last




HIS MOTHER'S LETTERS.        41
night we slept in a chamber where there was
an opening through the top for the stove-pipe.
If it had stormed it would have come direct
in our faces. Pray for us. Unless the Lord
opens the way for us to return, we may be
blocked in with snow, and have to remain all
winter.
I hope, dear Henry, that you are a good
boy, and are happy in doing right. Continue to strive to be faithful in all things. We
received your letter, and were much pleased
to hear from you. Wre think you have made
improvements in setting type. Be faithful,
children, in all things. The Lord will soon
come and take the good and holy to himself.
We want you to live among the pure and holy angels in heaven, and wear a crown of
gold, and eat of the tree of life. Trust in the
Lord at all times. Listen to the voice of conscience. Love God and you will have his approving smile. W'hat a thought, to have the
great God, the maker of the heavens and the
earth, to smile upon and love you. Dear ehitdren, seek for this, pray for it, live for it.
Your affectionate Mother.




4A2      APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
GREEN SPRINO, OIIIO, MARnIc 2, 1858.
lv[Y DEAir HENRY AND EDSON: Dear children, your mother has not forgotten you. She
thinks of you many times every day. We
hope you will be good and faithful children.
I have been thinking, what if either of you
should be taken sick and die, and your father
and mother see you no more? Would you be
prepared to die? I)o you love God better than
any one else?  Can you forget your play to
think of God, to go away alone and ask him for
Jesus' sake to forgive your sins? I know that
much of your time is taken up with your stladies, and with doing errands; but, dear children, don't forget to pray. The Lord loves to
have children pray to him. And if you really
repent and feel sorry for your sins, God will
forgive your sins for Jesus' sake.
When you do wrong don't conceal your
wrong, but heartily and honestly confess it.
This I believe you will do. I have confidence
in you that you have tried to do it. Continue
to do so, and we shall love you better than if
you kept your wrongs concealed. God loves
honest-hearted, truthful children, but cannot
love those who are dishonest. Be obedient,
dear children. God has been very merciful
to you and to us. Your parents have to trav



HIS MOTHER'S LETTERS,         43
el from place to place among the people of
God to try to do them good and save souls.
And the Lord has inclined sisters Jenny and
l[artha to come into our family, to feel an interest for you, to love you, and to care for you,
that we may leave home feeling free. They
are not related to you. They make a sacrifice.
What for? Because they love you. W7hen
you grieve them you grieve your parents also.
It is not a desirable task to have the care of
children if they are ungrateful and disobedient.
If you perseveringly try to do right, you will
make them happy, and they will feel it a pleasnre to deny themselves to have a care for you.
When asked to do anything, do not say, " Wait
a minute, till I do this."  It is unpleasant to
repeat to you the same things. Now, dear
children, obey because you love to, not because you are driven to. I shall have confidence that you will do as I wish you to. I
shall confide in your honor, your manliness.
laiany tilmes I ask myself the question, WTill
my dear children be saved in the kingdom?
I cannot bear the thought of their being shut
out of the City with the wicked. I love my
children, but God says that only the good
and holy can be saved. And if you will overcome your wrongs, love one another, and be




44       APPEAL TO THE YO0UTLH
at peace among yourselves, the Lorld will
bless and save you. You cannot be good, or
do right. in your own strength. You must go
to God and ask him for strength. Ask him
that his grace may influence your hearts, and
make you right. Believe the Lord will do it;
trust him to do it. You can be little Christians; you can love and serve God.
Be good to Willie. Love him. Teach him
right things. If you do wrong, you not only
sin yourselves, but you teach him  to sin.
When you do wrong, you teach him to do
wrong; so double sin rests upon you. Always
act as you would like to see Willie act. Always speak pleasantly to him, and try to make
him happy.
Your affectionate Mother.
SONIERVILLE, MASS., SEPT. 6, 1859.
MY DEAR SON HENRY: We received your
letter, and were very glad to hear from you.
You must write oftener. Send us a letter' at
Topsham. Think of everything you have
left there and wish us to bring, and we will try
to do so.
We hope you are well and happy. Be:t
good, steady boy. If you only fear God and




HIS MOTHER'S LETTERS.        45
love him, our happiness will be complete. You
can be a noble boy. Love truthfulness and
honesty. These are sacred treasures. Do not
lay them aside for a moment. You may be
tempted and often tried, but, my dear boy, it
is at such a time when these lovely treasures
shine, and are highly prized. Cling closely to
these precious traits, whatever you may be
called to suffer. Let truthfulness and honesty
ever live in your heart. Never, through fear
of punishment, sacrifice these noble traits.
The Lord will help you, Henry, to do right.
I believe it is your purpose to do right, and
please your parents.
You may see little dishonest acts in other
boys, but do not think for a moment of imitating them. Learn to despise such things.
Do not condescend to mean talk, or to nmean
acts. Shun the company of those who do evil,;as you would a deadly poison; for they will
corrupt every one who associates with them.
Ever have your young mind lifted up' elevated above the low, evil habits of those who
have no fear of God before them. You can
have correct thoughts, correct ways, and can
form a good, pure character.
Our dear children are our treasures, and oh,
how anxious we are that they should meet the




46       APPEAL TO THE YOUTHI.
approbation of God. In his strength yo-u can
reform, but never in your own strength. You
call give the Lord your heart, and ask him to
forgive your sins, and if you move with sincerity he will accept you and make you white
and clean in his own precious blood. WVe,
your parents, pray lnuch for you, that you may
be a consistent, true Christian. VWe know that
our Saviour is coling, and will take the good
and holy, the honest and pure, to dwell with
him forever in a holy heaven, where all is beauty, harmony, joy, and glory. I want you to
remember that Jesus suffered, groaned, and
died.for you, that his blood might cleanse you
from sin. But there is a work for you to do.
May the Lord clearly open to your young mind
the plan of salvation, and lead you to give
yourself unreservedly to Jesus as his, to serve
him continually. Come to him, dear boy;
love him because he first loved you; love him
for his lovely character; love hint because he
loved you well enough to die for you.
Henry, as soon as you were born we prayed
that you might be a Christian boy. We believe that you have felt some of the influence
of the Spirit of God upon your heart; but we
want its sweet influence to abide upon you,
and the impressions lasting, your course




HIS MOTHER'S LETtERS.          47
steady, and you to daily receive grace to resist temptation.
I must close. Do right because you love to.
Preserve these letters I write to you, and read
them often, and if you should be left without
a mother's care, they will be a help to you.
Your affectionate IMother.
ToPStix31, MAINE, SEPT. 20, 1859.
MY DEAR C-IILDREN: W e received your
letters to-day. We are now in our old home,
at brother Howland's.  I am writing in the
room where we first commenced house-keeping. In this room we prayed for you, Henry,
and when the hand of death seemed to be upon you, the Lord in mercy raised you up iln
answer to fervent prayer.  In this room we
have suffered poverty and trial, yet brother
Howland's family were ever true friends to
us in time of need. In this room we have realized the signal power of God, and enjoyed
the rich blessing of his salvation.  This room
is endeared to me by past recollections.  It is
called my room.
I feel very anxious for the salvation of my
children. Especially, you, Henry, my eldest
son, whose life God has so graciously spared.




48       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
Dedicate yourself to God in your youth. Love
him and serve him. This is our earnest prayer. Render to God a life of cheerful, willing
obedience. Tell the Lord your desires, and
heartily repent of your sins. Seek his forgiveness with all your heart. Be in earnest and he
will be found of you. He will bless you, and
give you the sweet evidence that he accepts
you. lie will love you with more than a father or mother's love. We want you to be
happy, and saved with the redeemed.
Your affectionate Mother.
ToPSHAIM, MAINE, SEPT. 20, 1859.
MY DEAR LITTLE WILLIE: I will write
you a few lines, as I have written to Henry
and Edson. We hope little Willie is well,
and happy, and striving to be a good, obedient boy. We shall be glad to see you, my
dear boy, again, and hear your loving voice.
We want you to be good, pleasant, and lovely; then every one will love you.
You must often visit your grandparents,
and try to make them happy. Do not grieve
them by being noisy, but be quiet, mild, and
gentle-then they will love you. I am glad,




HIS MOTHER'S LETTERS.         49
Willie, you have never troubled us or them
with mischievous actions.
As we were riding in the Cars, there were
three children in the seat before us, one of
them  a little boy about your age. He was
dressed prettily. He had a pretty face and
curly hair, yet he did not behave prettily. He
disturbed those who sat near him by his loud,
sharp voice, contending with, and annoying,
his sisters, giving them no peace. They threatened to tell their mother, but he did not seem
to care for this. Hle behaved so rudely, that
we were all glad when he left the cars.
I thought then how bad I should feel if my
little Willie was so disagreeable. NTow, Willie,
that wicked boy's pretty clothes and handsome
face did not make people love him. His behaviour was bad, and made those who had the
care of him ashamed of him. All seemed
pleased to get rid of the troublesome little fellow. If Willie acts prettily, if he is gentle,
kind, and obedient, his father and mother,
and all good people, will love him.
Your affectionate MtIother.
4




SO       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
NEWPORT, N. H., OCT. 4, 1859.
MY DEAR HENRY: 31y heart has been pained to witness the movements of an unfortunate child, without a mind.  His skin is fair,
his features good; but he has no intellect.
Dear Henry, how thankful I felt to the Lord
that my dear boys were blessed with intellect.
I would not have you, my Henry, like that
poor boy, for a house full of gold. How
thankfull should you be that the Lord has
blessed you with quite good health, and with
your reason.
If you only take a noble, manly course, you
will make our hearts glad. Our dear children
are precious jewels to us. We dedicated you
to God as soon as you were born. We prayed
earnestly from your earliest infancy for you,
that your dispositions would be tempered.
We wept for you, when you, dear Henry, lay
an unconscious babe in our arms. We plead
with the Lord to put within you a right spirit,
to lead you to his own fold. And now our
greatest anxiety is for you. We love you, we
want you saved. We want your conduct to
be right, governed by a sense of duty, and
you have a principle, a determination of your
own, that you will do right-not because you




HIS MOTHER S LETTERS.        51
are obliged to, but because you love to. For
in right-doing there is no sting, no self-reproach, no self-condemnation; but a pleasing
consciousness of right-doing.
Dear Henry, acquaint yourself with your
own faults. You know where you err, and
you are getting to be of that age that you
should not depend wholly on us to tell you
that you shall not do this, or that, but study
before you move. Ask yourself, Is this right?
will it lead to evil? will it lead to unfaithfulness? will it lead to deception, or falsehood?
shall I feel just as happy after I do this as before?  You can, by thus considering, often
decide yourself what right is. Do nothing
that you would not wish us to know. We
shall not be unreasonable. You may, my dear
boy, open your whole heart to us, and you
need conceal nothing fiom us. Who are so
well calculated to direct or counsel you aright,
as your parents? Your interest and welfare
is certainly dearer to them than it could be to
any others. It is their study how to make you
happy, and teach you the ways of the Lord.
Trust your parents ever with your heart's secrets, and they will tenderly counsel you. I
must close. Be faithful, be kind, be obedient.
Love the dear Saviour.
Your affectionate Mlother.




52       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
ENOSBURG, VT., OCT. 15, 1859.
MAY DEAn EDSON: The Lord has been very
merciful to me on this journey, and has given
me better health than I have had for one year.
I have felt quite light-hearted, and at times
have felt the sweet peace of God resting upon
me. I-low is it with you, Eddie? Are yrou any
homesick, or do you keep so busy you do not
find time to be homesick? I suppose your
time is all usefully employed.  We do not
mean that you shall work all the time. Light
work will not hurt you, but be healthy exercise for you. We hope you will make some
progress in your studies while we are absent.
Be faithful, dear Eddie, and take a right
course, that those who so kindly care for you
may love and respect you. I have been so
grateful to hear such good news from you, that
you were trying to do right, and that you had
not been wrong, or caused the family grief that
you are with.
I want to tell you a little circumstance.
Yesterday we were with a family where there
was a poor sick lame boy. He is a cripple for
life, and never will be able to walk or run
like other boys.  We inquired into the case,
and found this poor boy's affliction was caused
by his going into a brook of water when he
was warm. He has since been a great suffer



HIS MOTHER S LETTERS.         53
er.  He has an ugly sore on his hip which
runs all the time, and one limb is drawn up
some inches shorter than the other. Ile is a
pale, sickly, feeble little fellow; has been so
five years. You mlay sometimes think we
are too careful of you, and are too particular
to keep you out of the river. My dear boy,
think of this poor cripple. How easy it is for
young children like you to be a little careless,
or venturesome, and make themselves cripples
or invalids for life. I thought, what if this
poor boy was mine; what if I should be compelled to see you suffer so. Oh, how my
heart would ache that I had not been more
careful of you.  Eddie, I could but weep
as I thought of these things. Your father
and mother love you very much.  We instruct and warn you for your good.
Your affectionate M3other.
BROOKRFILD, N. Y., OCTOBER, 30, 1859.
MvY DEAR HENRtY AND E)SON: I will write
you a few lines. You remember, Henry, in
my last letter to you I made a suggestion of
what I thought to be a good plan. I do not
enforce this; I merely suggest it. I would
not bind anything upon you that is tedious
or burdensome.  But I thought such a plan




54       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH,
as I suggested, if you could see the help it
would be to you in having a principle, and in
forming a good character, you would readily
adopt it.
We do not wish to drive you, dear boys,
but help you to do right. We love you. No
others can love you as we do. None can feel
the interest in you that we do. WVe feel very
anxious that you should be kept from sinful
ways and evil habits. Satan has great control
over the minds of the young, generally, because they do not go to the true source for
strength to resist his temptations, and to overcome. God loves to have children put their
trust in him, and ask him to help them. The
promise is, my dear boys, " Ask, and ye shall
receive."  Believe ye receive the things ye
ask for, and ye shall have them. Now in the
first place you have the promise that if you
ask you shall receive. Then think what you
most need to overcome. Acquaint yourselves
with your failings, and then as you feel you
cannot overcome in your own strength, ask
God to help you. By doing this you acknowledgce your own weakness, and throw yourselves
upon God's arm. He will sustain you in your
efforts to do right. But be careful and do not
rely too much on your own strength and efforts. Ever realize that Satan is continually




HIS MOTHER S LETTERS.        55
trying to lead your young, inexperienced
iminds to do wrong. In order to resist his
temptations, you must rely upon a power
stronger than your own. " Believe ye receive
the things ye ask for, and ye shall have them."
Do not merely come to God and ask; but believe that he will do just as he has said he
would. As you ask, believe he answers, and
believe you do receive strength from him.
My dear boys, learn to trust in God. Learn
to go to him who is mighty to save. He
knows what you need before you ask him;
but he has made this your duty, and the duty
of every one of us, to come to him and ask
him  in confidence for what we need. We
must comply with the conditions laid down in
his word, namely,' AsK."'  Tell the dear Saviour just what you need. He that said, " Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not,"' will not reject your prayer.
But he will send his angels to guard you and
protect you from the evil angels, and will
make it easy for you to do right. Then it will
be much easier than if you should try in your
own strength. Yon may ever feel like this, I
have asked God to help me, and he will do
it. I will do right in his strength. I will not
grieve the dear angels that God has appointed




56       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
to watch over me. I will never take a course
to drive them from me; for if they should
leave me I should then have evil angels around
me to control my actions, and lead me to do
wickedly, and grieve my parents. But-we do
not believe that good angels will leave you;
because we believe you will do right, and encourage their watchful care.
You are none too young to be good Christians, and have children's experience in the
Christian life, and know that your sins are
washed away in the blood of your Redeemer.
Time is short, dear children, and we want you
to love God, and be prepared to dwell with
pure and good angels in the city of God.
Nothing but goodness and purity, honesty
and holiness, can enter heaven. The Lord
knows you are young, and he will help you to
do right, and give you grace to overcome every wrong, every evil. You may not obtain
the entire victory at once; but persevere, keep
trying. Say, I will do right, I will resist evil,
and the Lord will help me.
Your affectionate Mother.




HIS MOT-IER'S LETTERS.      57
IOWA CITY, IOWA, MARCH 3, 1860.
~My DEAR HENRY A~ND EDSON: It is almost
dark. ] can write but a few lines this evening. I wish this to be put in the Office tomorrow. I was glad to learn that you had
been to visit Irs. F., and that you enjoyed the
visit.
Dear children, I am very anxious that you
should form good characters, that you should
overcome obstacles, and obtain victories yourselves. Study your own temperaments. Learn
your own faults, and what makes you feel unpleasantly and unhappily afterward, and then
shun the cause. Especially do I as a mother
charge you to be kind and forbearing, yielding to, and loving, one another. This will
save you many unhappy hours, many unpleasant reflections. You can be happy if you
choose. You must learn the important lesson
of not always having your own way, but of
sacrificing your will and way to gratify and
make others happy.
I know a man that is now living, who in
youth had his own way, was not willing to
yield his notions, and he grew up to want his
own way, and carry out his own will in everything. WVe have been acquainted with him




58       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
for quite a number of years, and he is, we
think, a very unhappy man. He is irritated at
once if every one does not do just as he wishes to have them. When people first see him
they think that he is a good man, but when
they become acquainted with him they change
their minds, become tired of him, and wish he
was elsewhere. Hle is a trial to everybody, is
easily out of temper, and makes himself unhappy, and every one around him.
Now, children, if you would not wish to be
like this unhappy man, you must learn to govern yourselves while young. Don't give way
to fretful, unkind feelings; but remember that
the Lord reads even the thoughts of the heart,
and nothing is concealed from his all-seeing
eye. Right acts, right thoughts, will be remembered in heaven, and every victory you
gain when tempted to do wrong, every temptation manfully resisted, will be recorded in
heaven. Don't forget, dear children, that evil
deeds are faithfully recorded, and will bring
their punishment unless repented of, and confessed, and washed away by the atoning blood
of Jesus. It is easier to go in an evil way than
to do right; for Satan and his angels are constantly tempting to do wrong.
But there is one who has promised to hear




HIS 2MOTHER S LETTERS.       59
the needy when they cry. Go to God when
tempted to speak or act wrong. Ask him in
faith for strength and hle will give it. IHe will
say to his angels, There is a poor little boy
trying to resist the power of Satan, and has
come to me for help. I will aid him. Go
stand by that child who is endeavoring to do
right, and when tihe evil angels attempt to lead
his steps astray, gently guide him in the right
path, and drive back the powers of the evil
one. Every one of your efforts to do right is
regalrded of God.  Dear children, live for
Godl-live for heaven, so that when the wrath
of God shall come upon the earth, Jesus may
say to the destroying angel, Spare those two
prayi-ng boys, Henry and Edson WXhite. When
in teimptation they prayed to me to be delivered. I have washed away their sins. Come
not near to destroy them —they are my jewels, saved by mny blood. I will crown them
for my kingdom. I will fit them to dwell in
my hleavenly mansions forever. They have
over:ome the teSmpter-they have gained the
victory. They shall never more be tempted,
but be free and happy eternally.
Dear children, will not such a precious commend ation from Jesus be worth a great deal
more than for you to have your own will here,




60       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
and to give up to sin and temptation, and to
have no thoughts of God or heaven, and make
those unhappy around you, and at last be separated fiom Jesus, destroyed with the wicked,
and miserably perish fromn the earth?  Is not
heaven worth making an effort for? Oh children, reflect seriously, soberly; and remember
if you are saved at last you must form a character for heaven. I will leave this matter with
you for you to ponder upon.
In all you do, be faithful and thorough, even
if it takes you longer. Learn to be steady and
persevering. Have a purpose in all you do,
and carry out that purpose.
Your affectionate MIother.
MvY DwEAR WILLIE: I have just finished a
letter to your brothers, and will write a few
lines to you. I should so love to take you, my
sweet Willie, in my arms this moment; but
this cannot be. I hope we shall be returned
home safely, that we can see you all again in
our own happy home. Willie, you must be a
good boy; you must overcome an impatient
spirit. To be impatient, is not to be willing
to wait, to want everything you desire in a
moment. You must say to yourself, T'llcwait.




HIS MOTHER'S LETTERS.         61
"He that is slow to anger, is better than
the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit,
than he that taketh a city."  Willie, if you
would be happy, you lmust rule well your own
spirit.  Be obedient to Jenny, love your
brothers, and be good all day, and the Lord
will love you, —every one will love you.
Willie, dear boy, you have beemi our sunshine, and I have prayed that you might
always be the same pure, sweet Willie. Try
to do right. Be kind, be patient and loving.
The Lord loves little children, and when they
try to do right, he is pleased with them.
When you go to your grand-father's, you
must not act roigh and boisterous, but gentle
and mild. When the boys go to the Office,
you must try and not be lonesome. Make
yourself contented and happy. Don't fret,
but learn to be patient, my dear boy. We
love you very much, and will now say good
by for the present.
Your affectionate Mother.
IOWA CITY, IOWA, MiARCH 14, 1860.
II DEAR WILLIE: YWe have not forgotten
you, my dear boy. When we see other little
children around, we long to get our little WTillie in our arms again, and press his little soft




62        APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
cheek, and receive his kiss.  In about five
weeks we shall be at home again, and then,
Willie, we will work in the garden, and tend
the flowers and plant the seeds.  You must
be a good, sweet, little boy, and love to obey
Jenny and Lucinda.  Give up your will, and
when you wish to do anything very much, inquire, Is it not selfish??  You must learn to
yield your will and your way.  It will be a
hard lesson for my little boy to learn, but
it will in the end be worth more to him than
gold.*  Learn, my dear Willie, to be patient,
to wait others' tinme and convenience; then
you will not get impatient and irritable. The
Lord loves those little children who try to
do right, and he has promised that they shall
be in his kingdom.  But wicked children
God does not love.  He will not take them
to the beautiful City, for he only admits the
good, obedient, and patient children there.
One fretful, disobedient child, would spoil all
the harmony of heaven.   When you feel
tempted to speak impatient and fretful, remember the Lord sees you, and will not love
you if you do wrong.  When you do right
*By the blessing of God and his mother's instructions, Willie has
overcome the impatient spirit which he sometimes manifested when
quite young, and he now possesses a most affecti:unate, amiable, and
obedient dliposition,                   A, P. P.




IHIS MOTHER'S LETTERS.       63
and overcome wrong feelings, the Lord smiles
upon you.
Although he is in heaven, and you cannot
see him, yet he loves you when you do
right, and writes it clown in his book; and
when you do wrong, he puts a black mark
against you. Now, dear Willie, try to do
right always, and then no black mark will
be set down against you; and when Jesus
comes he will call for that good boy Willie
~White, and will put upon. your head a wreath
of gold, and put in your hand a little harp
that you can play upon, and it will send forth
beautifill music, and you will never be sick,
never be tempted then to do wrong; but will
be happy always, and will eat of rich fruit,
and will pluck beautiful flowers. Try, try,
dear boy, to be good.
Your affectionate Mlother.
MARIoN, IoWA, MARCH 18, 1861.
[Y DEAR CHILDREN, HENRY, EDSON, AND
WILLIE: We are now at Bro. Snook's. This
is a good home. When I see their little babe,
and take it in my arms, I yearn for my own
dear babe which we laid in Oak Hill Cemetery; but I will not permit one murmuring
thought to arise. I enjoy the society of this




64       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
family. Sister Snook is an excellent woman.
To-morrow  we visit brother and sister
Weaver, who have charge of the hotel at
Fairview. What a change we see in them
since our last visit to this State. Then we
were entertained at their hotel and treated
kindly; but they were not then converted to
"the truth. Nrow our hearts are united, and we
shall enjoy the visit.
I am suffering from severe cold settled on
my lungs. My mind runs home to my children.  Children, be faithful. Do right, and
you will be respected. We think much of you,
and want you to form good Christian characters, which will make you happy and us also.
Obey Jenny as you would me. Try to please
her, and do not show a reluctance to help her,
but do what she wishes cheerfully and happily. Do as WvTilliam directs you. ~We have
placed you under his care while you are at the
Office. Take a course to gain the love and respect of all.
Little Willie, you must be a sweet, good-t.empered little boy. May the Lord bless you all,
dear children. This is our earnest prayer.
Do not fail to write to us.
Your affectionate Mother.




HIS MOTHER'S LETTERS.        65
DARTYIOUTI, MASS., SEPT. 15, 1859.
MY DEAR CHILDREN: You should feel grateful to God for his care over you. Morning
and evening you should have an interest in,
and respect for, the hour of prayer, and from
your hearts offer to God true gratitude. Shut
out from your thoughts everything which
would divert the mind fiom God, and while
others are praying, fix your thoughts upward.
When you pray, tell the dear Saviour just
what you want in order to be kept from sin,
and that you may have a heart to glorify him.
Jesus deserves your gratitude and love. If
you lack these things you cannot be children
of God. Jesus can give you strength to overcome every fault. He can strengthen you in
your purposes to do right. Keep from bad
company. If you are annoyed or threatened
in the streets by quarrelsome boys, do not retaliate. It is truly noble to forgive and pass
over a wrong; but it is mean and cowardly to
revenge an injury. Let me entreat you to be
above everything like engaging in a dispute,
or speaking disrespectfully or sneeringly of
those who annoy you, and do not 1espect themselves enough to behave properly. Such boys
are to be pitied. They have but little happinesse. 




66       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
Seek to set a noble example to others, and
make them  happy.  Do not repeat things
which you have heard to the injury of another. Ever seek to make peace. Jesus says,
"Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall
be called the children of God."  If you, my
dear children, strive to make peace with one
another, and ever love as brothers should, you
will be blessed. Reflect, dear boys, if one of
you should die and be laid in the silent grave,
how bitterly would the living feel over every
unkind word that had been spoken, every act
which had grieved —all would be revived.
Every little unkindness would prove a thorn
to wound your heart.
Your affectionate Mother.
PLuMI RIvER, ILLS. MARCH 25, 1861.
MY DEAR  SONS, HENRY, EDSON, AND
WILLIE: I have been troubled in mind in regard, to you. The evening after the Sabbath
I dreamed I was watching over Edson. He
had been very sick, and was dying. Oh the
anguish of my heart in that hour. I could
not have the evidence that he loved God, and
was prepared to die. I called Henry to me and
told him that he and Willie were all that were




HIS MOTHER'S LETTERS.        67
left me. The three-fold cord was broken, and
how lonely we all felt. I thought in my dream
of the death-struggle of my dear babe, and
next of Edson, and then of the unprepared
state in which he died, and it seemed that my
heart would break. I awoke myself weeping
aloud.
Dear children, this dream has caused me to
reflect, and has cast a sadness upon my spirits
that I cannot immediately throw off. You are
none of you too young to die. Do you understand the plan of salvation? Your righteousness cannot recommend you to God. I do not
think that you are yet adopted into his family.
Our sins caused Jesus to die a shameful death,
that through his sufferings and death we might
receive pardon. Can we receive the forgiveness of sins before we feel that we are sinners?
and before we realize the sinfulness of sin? I
think not. When we repent before God of our
sins sincerely, we shall feel that without the
pardoning blood of Christ we must perish. If
we cast ourselves in our wretchedness wholly
upon the mercy of Christ, and feel that unless
he saves us we perish; when we yield our own
will, our own way, and plead for Jesus to control our will and actions, then we come into a




68       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
position where we can receive and appreciate
pardon and the forgiveness of sin.
I am not writing to reprove you, children.
You have been very kind, obedient children to
us —sometimes wayward, but not stubborn. I
hope you do not look at others who act wrong,
and flatter yourselves that you are righteous,
because you do better than they, but think seriously upon the good instruction you have
had, and then inquire if you should not be far
in advance of what you are. In short, have
you not had sufficient light to yield your hearts
to God, and love to follow Jesus, and be influenced by his sweet Spirit?
Your affectionate Mother.
EAGLE HIARBOR, N. Y., JULY 26, 1861.
MY DEAR CHILDREN, HENRY AND EDSON:
We have not forgotten you, dear boys; but
we often think of you, and pray that the blessing of God may be with you. We are anxious that you should form correct habits. We
are from you so much, and you are left so
much to yourselves, that you may be in danger of falling into careless habits, which will
not increase your happiness, and which may
make those around you unhappy.




HIS MOTHER S LETTERS.         69
I have just been reading in a book entitled,
6 How to be a /Ian."  I will copy a few lines,
and you can apply as your case is met.'" Slovenliness. A slovenly boy makes himself a deal
of needless trouble, and greatly tires the
patience of his mother. if you go i]to his
room you find it always in confusion. His
things are scattered about, here and there,
some on the bed, some on the chairs, and some
on the floori, but none in their places. He
either has no particular place for anything, or
else he takes no pains to put things in their
places. He leaves a thing where he uses it.
Hence if he wants anything he never knows
where to look fbr it, unless he happens to remember where he used it last. He must waste
his time in hunting for it. Hence you will
often hear him impatiently inquiring if any one
has seen his things, when he ought himself to
know where they are. If he goes into another person's room, whatever article he lays his
hand upon is misplaced. And so it is if' he
uses any of his father's tools, He never thinks
of putting anything where he found it. He
throws it down carelessly wherever he happens
to be, or else puts it in the wrong place. With
these untidy habits, is associated carelessness.
He never seems to be thinking what he is




70       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
about. He lays his hat on a chair, or throws
it upon the floor. Thus he tries the patience
of his mother, and makes himself unwelcome
at his own home."
Dear children, I do not write merely for
your amusement, but for your improvement.
Learn where you fail, and then commence the
work of reform in earnest. You must learn
order. Have set hours to work in the garden,
set hours in the heat of the day to arrange
your garden seeds, set hours to read and improve your minds. Spend no precious moments in bickerings and finding fault with
each other. This disturbs your own happiness, and pleases the enemy. Remember the
eye of God is ever upon you. Endeavor to
please him in all your acts. Make your peace
with him while you are in health. Your parents have a deep interest for you. Our greatest desire is that you may be subjects of grace.
You will never be saved against your will.
You must prize salvation, and submit to be
saved in the Lord's appointed way. Humble
repentance of sin, and faith in Jesus as your
Saviour, will be required on your part, and He
is faithful that hath promised. He will accept
you, and give you of his salvation. If you deny yourselves in many things, and refrain from




HIS MOTHER'S LETTERS.       71
sin. for a season only, this will not be sufficient.
It is a life of obedience which will please God
and betacceptable to him. Delay not to make
an entire consecration to God, that your names
may be recorded in the Lamb's book of life.
Your affectionate Mother.
MY DEAR WILLIE: I have just finished a
letter to your brothers, and will now write you
a few lines. I was glad to hear that you loved
to visit grandpa and grandma White. Tell
them that we have not forgotten them. We
wish them to have a special care for their
health. We hope they are well and happy.
You must do your part to make them happy.
They love you, Willie, very much, because
you are not mischievous, and do not make
them trouble by disarranging grandfather's
tools. You should never grieve them by being noisy, for this often annoys aged people.
B6 mild and gentle. You know that you
dislike very much to play with rough, noisy
boys. You feel annoyed with their ways.
When you notice theirfailures, never do what
you dislike in them. You have been a great
comfort to us, because you have always been
so anxious to do as we wished you to. This




72       APPEAL TO TlE  YOUTH.
is right. You will be happy as long as you
possess this spirit, and are so obedient. Visit
your grandparents often, and study to make
them happy, and they will always love you.
Don't forget to pray, Willie. You love to go
aside with your mother and spend a few moments in prayer. You can do the same although I am not with you. Jesus, the dear
Saviour, will hear you just the salne when
alone. Don't neglect these seasons of prayer,
my dear boy.
Your affectionate Mother.
ROCIIESTER, N. Y., JULY, 1861.
My DEAR CHILDREN, HENRY AND EDSON:
I will now write some things which are the
opposite of slovenly and careless habits, copied
from the same book from which the extract
in my former letter was taken:
"; The neat, orderly and careful boy has an
invariable rule;'A place for every thing, and
every thing in its place.' Go into his room at
any hour, you will find everything in order.
He can go in the dark and lay his hands upon
anything that he wants, so that he never runs
the risk of setting the house on fire by carrying a light into his bed-room. He never leaves




IlIS MOTHER'S LETTERS.       73
a thing at random where he happens to be
using it, but always puts it where it belongs.
When he undresses, every article of his clothing is folded and laid together in the order that.
it will be wanted in the morning, so that he
loses no time in hunting for it. He is equally
careful of his person. He never considers himself dressed, till he has washed his hands and
face, cleaned his teeth, and combed his hair;
and he never, thinks of setting down to the
table with dirty hands. IHe learns to keep his
clothes neat and clean. He never forgets to
use the scraper at the door, to remove the mud
fiom his feet, and he makes it an invariable
rule never to pass a mat without wiping his
shoes. He never says, like the sloven,' I
didn't think,' to excuse himself. IHe would
consider it unpardonable in him NOT TO THINK;
for what is the ability of thinking worth, if it
never comIles when it is wanted. The neat,
orderly boy makes himself agreeable to his
mother, or guardian, and friends, who are
always glad to see him coming home. And
home is a delightful place to him, because he
meets with smiles and pleasant words. But
the sloven exposes himself to sour looks and
chiding, by his dirty habits; and he finds home
a disagreeable place, because he makes it so."
We want you, dear boys, to be patterns of




74       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
neatness and order. Willie looks to you for
example. He has great confidence that you
do everything about right. Any wrong, careless habits in you, would be learning your
youngest brother lessons which would make
him unhappy, and cause us much inconvenience and grief. We are absent from you much,
and you should feel that a responsibility rests
upon you, my dear boys, to strictly guard yourselves from falling into wrong habits, and also
save your brother Willie from doing wrong.
A noble example before him, will do much to
influence him to preserve correct habits.  We
commit you to God, earnestly praying that his
angels may guard you all three, and incline
your hearts to love him.
Your affectionate Mother.
GRASS RIVER, N. Y. AUG., 1861.
MIY DEAR CHILDnREN: We, your father and
mother, feel a deep interest for you. You
may sometimes think that your parents are
too strict, that they watch -you too closely;
but, dear boys, our love for you is great. We
have dedicated you to God. You are his, and
we must keep you separate from  the world,
that you may be the Lord's. WVe want your




HIS MOTIIER'S LETTERS.          75
lives to be right and pleasing in his sight.
Don't feel discouraged, my children.  Satan
is ready to lead your young minds; but go
to God, seek him for strength, pray much, give
your hearts' best affections to him.
Henry, you are my first-born, the eldest of
mny boys. A responsibility rests upon you.
You will have to render an account for the influence you exert over your brothers. Love
your brothers. Their salvation depends much
on the course you pursue.  Have your regular
seasons of prayer for each other, and with
each other.  Don't let your love for writing,*
and your study, divert your mind, and cause
you to neglect those duties which ought to be
clone.
WVe want you saved.  We want you to be
just right, and to live for God, and be an honor to his cause.  Watch, Edson, against your
besetments. Be sober, be watchful, and God
will enable you to overcome.  My dear little
Willie, may the Lord bless you. We shall
pray for you. Pray for yourselves.
Your affectionate Mother.
*The artist has given in connection with the likeness a fac-simile
of his hand writing, taken froIl a business note.  A. P. P.




76       APPEAL TO THE YOUTIL
LoDI, WIS., MIARcI 5, 1862.
MY DEAR CHILDREN: We have been havw
ing the most tedious snow-storm I have witnessed since we came from Maine. It commenced to snow last Sabbath, and has snowed
and blowed until to-day, Tuesday. We can
say with grateful hearts, the Lord is with us.
We have had an unusual degree of freedom in
the Lord. We hope you are well at home.
We do not forget to pray for you. We believe
the Lord will have a care for you, our dear
children. We have entrusted you to his care.
We are very anxious for your salvation, and
pray earnestly that you may be lambs of
Christ's fold, and have the constant watchcare of the good Shepherd. I feel grateful
that I can leave you and feel so free in regard
to home.
I am anxious you should encourage habits
of order. Have a place for everything, and
everything in its place. Take time to arrange
your room, and keep it in order. We do not
wish you to apply yourselves too closely to
your studies, neither do we wish you to work
hard. But a life of idleness is a life of sin.
Satan finds employment for idle hands and
minds. WVe want you to grow up healthy and
useful.




HIS MOTHER'S LETTERS.        77
Above all things, seek God while in health,
that he may be your support and strength if
you should be sick or dying. Your parents
have the deepest interest for you. But we
cannot repent of your sins for you. We cannot take you to heaven. God alone in his love
and infinite rmercy can save you, and Jesus,
the dear Saviour, invites you to his loving
arms. He offers you salvation freely, if you
will believe ill him, love him, and render
cheerful obedience. Do so, dear children.
" They that seek Me early, shall find Me."
May the Lord lead you, dear children, to his
own fold.
Your affectionate Mother.
AvON, WIS., JULY 25, 1862.
MY DEAR CHILDREN, HENRY, EDSON, AND
WILLIE: We arrived safely at this place last
evening. We reached Chicago Wednesday
evening between the hours of eight and nine,
and stopped at the Eagle Hotel. I was very
weary. Thursday morning I laid down in my
room to rest while your father went out in the
city. He returned just in time to take the
cars, and brought a basket of fruit-of tomatoes, peaches, and apples. They were very




78       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
nice. WVe ate the fruit with our bread taken
from home.
We have tried, clear children, to commuit
your case to God. We trust you in his hands.
Remember what we have said to you. You
know our wishes well. We have confidence
that you will have a principle to do right, because you love the right, and despise every
wrong act. Take good care, Henry and Edson, of your little brother Willie. If he should
learn any wrong and bad habits, it would distress me very much. Try to make each other
happy. Don't seek to have your own way,
but yield one to another. Be affectionate,
kind, and true to each other. God will help
you if you call upon him for help. Satan is
busy, but with the strength you obtain from
God you can resist him. Don't let your minds
dwell upon low things. Think of heaven, of
the compassionate, loving Saviour, who died
for you. Oh, what love, what marvelous love
is this!
Return this love by yielding to him the best
and holiest affections of your hearts. All that
you can do is to give yourselves to him, and
obey him. God help you to be faithful, is the
prayer of your parents, who sincerely love you.
Your affectionate Mother.




HIS MOTHER'S LETTERS.       79
NEW'0ORT, N, H., OCT. 23, 1863.
lM{Y DEAR CHILDREN, HENLRY, EDSON, AND
WILIIE:' We feel somewhat anxious in regard to you. We know that you are with one
of the best of families, and we wish you to
act in a manner to be esteemed by them. Cultivate habits of refinement. Be elevated in
your conversation and] all your acts. B3e constantly fitting for the society of the good and
holy here, and the pure and heavenly in the
kingdom of God. Be ever striving to fill some
position where you can be of use and do good.
Don't chat and talk merely for the sake of
saying something.  lNTever talk unless you
have something to say-something which will
add to the general information of those with
whom you converse. Children, let your aim
be to be right, just right. Let not others who
love not God be your patterns, but imitate the
life of Christ.
Cause the family with whom  you live as
little trouble as you can. Be very guarded
on the Sabbath. Henry, you must try to interest your brothers in scriptural and moral
reading.  I think it your duty to study the
Bible more on the Sabbath. Says the Saviour, "' Search the Scriptures; for in them ye
think ye have eternal life." You will have




80       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
a conflict to be right. I don't command you
to read the Bible-I never shall. I want you
to read tile Bible because you love it, not
because you are driven to it, for then it will
be an unpleasant task. But if you neglect
the -reading of the Bible, you will lose your
love for it. Those who love the word of God
are those who read it most. By reading and
searching out scripture references, you will
see the chain of truth, and will see new beauties in the word of God. While you make
the Scriptures more your study, and become
more familiar with them, you will be better
fortified against the temptations of Satan.
When inclined to speak, or act, wrong, some
scripture will come to arrest you, and turn
you right. It is not natural for the heart to love
the Bible; but when it is renewed by grace,
then the mind will feast upon the rich truths
and promises contained in the word of God.
Watch and pray, children, lest you be overcome by the enemy. Make persevering efforts for everlasting life. Live Christian lives,
and ever keep the glory of God in view.
Much love to you, my dear children.
Your affectionate Mother.




WORDS OF SYMPATHY.          81
LAKE STATION, IND., DEC. 19, 1863.
DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER WHITE: My
heart was made sad on reading the announcement of the death of your dear son, Henry N.,
just as I was leaving Otsego for this place.
I hasten to state that I deeply sympathize with
you and yours on this trying, heart-felt occasion, and pray God for Jesus' sake to grant his
grace, to comfort and sustain you in this trying hour. While you are called to mourn the
loss of your beloved and dear child, let this
thought comfort and help sustain you, that
your dear boy had chosen "rather to suffer
affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."
You have been called to take the parting
look, and slowly and mournfully follow and
see him deposited in the lonely and silent
tomb, and then, the void place in your family
circle on your return! God pity and sustain
you under this sad bereavement, is the prayer
of your brother in Christ.
JOSEPH BATES.
6




82       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
WEST ENOSBURG, VT., DEC. 24, 1863.
DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER WHITE: I have
seen the painful announcement of the death of
your dear Henry, and deeply sympathize with
you in your affliction. I should like to see
you a few moments and mingle my tears with
yours, and speak a few words of sympathy.
But you have many dear friends who stand
by you in your affliction, and who are anxious to help you bear your burdens. And
you have the Friend above all others. Oh,
how He loves! He sympathized with the afflicted while on earth, and he changeth not.
He has been your support, and has sweetened
bitter cups in the past, and he loves you today. Blessed be his holy name!
God numbers the hairs of your head, and
this affliction has come upon you by the permission of your Heavenly Father. HIe has
suffered death to snatch your very dear son
from your embrace for some wise purpose.
Though you may not now fully understand
his design, yet you are safe in saying that
he does all things well.
Your dear Henry sleeps in Jesus. Consoling thought! He is sealed, and you know
that he will live again and put on immortality.
He is freed from those temptations and trials




WORDS OF SYMPATHY.         83
which he would have encountered, and under
which he might have fallen if he had lived.
May the rich blessing of the Lord heal the
wound that you have received, and may the
God of all comfort, comfort you in all your
tribulations, that you may be strengthened
and encouraged, and comfort others with the
comfort wherewith you are comforted of God.
Your brother,
D. T. BOURDEAU.
DORCHESTER, MASS., DEC. 16, 1863.
DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER WHITE: What
shall I say to you? What can I say? I can
hardly yet realize he is gone-our Henry.
Would I could see him yet once again, even
though motionless in death, before the cold
turf covers him forever from view. Forever?
Oh, no. May I so live that I can see him
again-meet the other side the dark river,
"There'll be no parting there."
Would I could see you all, and that we
might mingle our tears together; but this
may not be. Others, though perhaps none
more sincere, will share in your grief.
I have always felt an interest in Henry, he
being my namesake; and I have known him




84       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
before many others have known him, away
back, in Gorham, when he was but a helpless
babe in his mother's arms.
I shall be glad at any time to learn more
particulars of his death, and also services at
the funeral.
Your brother,
HIENRY 0. NicHOLS.
KIRKVILLE, N. Y., DEC. 21, 1863.
DEAR BROTHEnR AND SISTER WHITE: Our
hearts are filled with grief and sadness. We
mourn with you in your great bereavement.
~When the paper brought us the distressing
intelligence of the death of Henry, we felt like
those who are stunned by a heavy blow. Almost all the time you have been in our minds,
and we have continued to beseech God that
you might be sustained-by his grace.
The blow that has fallen surely did not
come by chance. God's wise purpose is in it,
and he will bring good out of it to you, and
glory to himself. He has chosen you in the
furnace of affliction, and he will bring you out
as gold fully refined. May God bless and sustain you. May he bind up your broken hearts.
And may that long-expected, glorious morn



WORDS OF SYMPATHY.           85
ing soon break upon us, when you shall meet
again the loved and the lost, and never taste
of sorrow more.         J. N. ANDEEWS.
A. S. ANDREWS.
BRONTE, C. W., DEC. 19, 1863.
DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER WHITE: The
sad tidings of your bereavement have just
reached me, and my own heart is saddened by
it. Henry was endeared lo me by the strong
tie which binds teachers to their pupils. I respected him for his straightforward, persevering, energetic traits of character, and looked
for the time to come when he would be a useful and successful laborer in the vineyard of
the Lord. I know that by his affectionate
obedience, and ready helpfulness, he must have
been a great comfort to you. Perhaps the
Lord saw that his children were in danger of
placing too much dependence on earthly supports, which he knows may fail us in our time
of greatest need. If so, is not the removal of
them a token of his Fatherly love and care?
See him hold out his own all-powerful arm,
saying, "Helpless child, lean thou on me.
This support shall never fail. Rest thou and
be safe."  Oh, may he pour into the hearts of




86       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
you and yours, comforting and strengthening
grace, and prepare you for an abundant entrance into his everlasting kingdom.
I do not write thinking you will lack for
sympathizing words, for well I know that
when one member suffers, all the members
suffer with it. With those members I would
pour out my prayers and tears and pitying
words, upon the altar of Christian sympathy.
My heart aches for Eddie, and Willie too.
I know they must feel very, very lonely.
May the Lord abundantly bless them, and
help them, by their tender and affectionate
regard for your wishes and feelings, to in part
make up the loss of Henry's love.
Yours in hope.
MARY M. OSGOOD.
OLCOTT, N. Y., JAN. 31, 1864.
DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER WHITE: We
deeply sympathize with you in your deep affliction. The surprise we experienced when
the Review gave us the intelligence of the
death of Henry, perhaps could not have been
increased, except it were yourself or sister
White. We all loved him here when we first
saw him, and when he left us we loved him more.




WORDS OF SYMPATHY.         87
Do you remember at father Lindsay's, at
the close of the last evening that you and your
family were with us, he took the Hymn-book,
and gave one to each. You said, "Well,
Henry, what is it now? He referred to page
240, and we sang, "When shall we meet
again? We did not know then, but now we
are sure we shall, if among the worthy, meet
him at the resurrection of the just.
E. B. GASKILL,
N3ARY A. GASKILL.
FIELDON, ILLS., JAN. 10, 1864.
DEAR SISTER ELLEN: We received your
very kind and welcome letter last evening.
The sad news it contained was not unexpected to us, as we had seen a notice in the Review of dear Henry's sickness and death.
Truly, as you say, you have been deeply afflicted in the loss of your dear son, who helped
largely to make the light and sunshine of your
household.  We deeply feel to sympathize
with you in this sad bereavement. May the
Lord comfort and strengthen you in this bereavement, and sanctify it to your present
and everlasting good. I can hardly realize
that he who a few weeks since wrote us such




88       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
a beautiful letter, is now sleeping silently in
his last quiet sleep. Asleep in Jesus, shut
away from the cares and temptations of this
poor life, soon, very soon, to come forth at
the voice of God, clothed with immortal beauty, to die no more; but to enjoy life, everlasting life, in the kingdom of God. Oh! the hbope
of the glorious resurrection, how it buoys up
the spirits which would otherwise sink. When
our hearts are well nigh bursting at the thought
of near and dear ones hid from our sight, we
find consolation in that Bible doctrine, Jesus
died and rose again triumphant, and that he
has the keys of death and the grave, and will
soon unlock the prison-house of the just.
When I heard of the death of dear Henry,
my mind was carried back to the time when
I carried him in my arms through the streets
of Boston, a little laughing, black-eyed babe.
When grown almost to manhood, he is torn
from  you and laid away.  How short' our
time is!
"The grave is near the cradle seen,
How swift the moments pass between."
SAiARl B. BELDEN.




WORDS OF SYMPATHY.          89
ADDISON, MICn., DEC. 19, 1863.
DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER WHITE: Permit me to offer a few words of consolation to
your stricken hearts. The language of our
Saviour comes with such force to my mind
that I feel at liberty to make an application.
"What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou
shaltknow hereafter." Happy thought! When
I heard of your affliction tears flowed freely,
and scarcely now will they cease.
Very dear sister, how much have I thought
of thy aching heart the past two days. And
oh, how many bereaved mothers have wept
for their sons the past three years. Very few
of them have thy consolation, my dear sister.
How much I have desired to see your face
again, if it could be so.
To-day is a day of mourning in the church,
and may it be blessed to us, is my prayer. I
had hoped your little family might remain unbroken until the Life-giver came again to this
earth to reward the righteous; but, dear
sister, God's ways are not our ways. He
knows the end from the beginning. He has
not willingly afflicted you, but has suffered it
in love to you and yours.
I bless God in my heart that he does not
grant our request, when he sees it will not be




90        APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
best for us. And when "thy will, 0 God,
and not mine be done," is continually the
language of our hearts, what a calm, waiting,
trusting in the Lord we realize.  Maore to
be desired is it than all the gifts this world
can bestow.
In conclusion let me say, May this affliciton
cause us to sanctify the Lord God in our
hearts, that we may be sanctified by virtue of
Christ's blood, and meet our departed again
by virtue of his resurrection.
In much love,
CYNTHIA C. ALDRICH.
NORTH PARMA, N. Y., FEB. 7, 1864.
MY YOUTHFUL BROTHER, EDDIE: I remember you as you were, a joyous, happy
group of brothers. I can hardly realize that
so great a change has come over you, and yet
I know it is so. To-day, while thinking upon
your present lonely and sorrowing condition,
I penned the following lines. I send them
for your own perusal.
There's grief comes stealing o'er me now,
A cloud of sadness shades my brow,
Rude hands have caused our hearts to melt,
Our hearthstone marred-a blight is felt,
I strive to look so calm to you
In vain; for I am weeping too.




WORDS OF SYMPATHY.               91
At even when we tune our song,
How changed-the sweetest strain is gone.
And when we bow around in prayer
A voice is hushed-we miss him there.
Our brother's name-oh why enrolled
Among the dead, ere he was old?
We were but three; say, why destroy?
Why mourning to our house of joy?
Why take the staff, the pride of all,
The guide of us who were so small?
A sweet voice whispers, To save, I blest,
Then laid him down awhile to rest.
Then mourn thou not. I'd rather bend
O'er the cold form of brother, friend,
Than see him yield the precious truth
Which made him beautiful in youth.
Nor would my longing love recall
Him back to earth, exposed to fall.
When graveyard flowers shall cease to bloom,
Beyond this life, beyond the tomb,
There is a hope for those who trust
That life will spring up from the dust.
That seed which death hid in the tomb,
Ere long will rise in deathless bloom.
Too long my heart has prostate laid,
Too long by this sad stroke dismayed;
Soon will our number be complete
In heaven-our union, oh how sweet!
I'll make it all my anxious care,
Not to be missed when they are there.
E. M. PR.ENTISS.




92       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
SOMERSET, N. Y., MARCH 10, 1864.
DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER WHITE: We
should have acknowledged ere this the reception of the'"Appeal" you so kindly sent us.
We perused the book with deep interest.
Whilst it was in our hearts to weep with you
on account of your bereavement, we felt to rejoice with you in view of Henry's triumphant
death. Although his death was a severe and
unexpected blow to you, yet you have doubtless much greater reason for rejoicing than
mourning.
Brother Smith's sermon is excellent. Sister
Patten has done credit to herself in her part
of the work, for she has done it well; but
what in our opinion makes the book most invaluable are those faithful. letters —full of affection and parental regard-from  you, sister
White, to your children.
In view of your faithfulness to your children,
how applicable in your present bereavement
is the language of the prophet to certain weeping mothers in Israel: "Refrain thy voice
from weeping, and thine eyes from tears, for
thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord;
and they shall come again from the land of the
enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith




WORDS OF SYMPATHY.          93
the Lord, that thy children shall come again
to their own border."
The " Appeal" ought to do good, and must
do good wherever it is read, both to parents
and children. W~e felt like dedicating anew
the book, especially those letters, to our children. Every family should have a copy of
the forthcoming third edition bound; or rather, every parent should obtain such copy for
each one of his children. Accept our sincere
thanks for the copy you sent us.
J. M. & J. B. ALDRICH.
ToPSIIAM, ME., FEB. 17, 1864.
DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER WHITE: We
are now at brother Howland's, the place of
the scene of deep affliction that, you have lately passed through in the loss of your dear
Henry. I could hardly realize that he was
dead till coming here where we spent several
days so pleasantly together last fall, the last
time I saw him. Here we have heard from
the lips of this kind family the touching account of his last days. The sight of the melodeon on which he played, and of the room in
which he sang so sweetly, and of his own likeness hanging on the wall, and of the very




94       APPEAL TO THE YOUTH.
pieces of work* on which we labored together
for a few days, cause me to miss him very
much, and touch a tender chord of sympathy
in my heart for you who have thus been bereaved. Here I have also first had the privilege of perusing the book entitled, " An Appeal to the Youth."t It is just what should be
in every family. I shall do all I can to extend
its circulation. How true the motto of the
book, "He being dead yet speaketh."  I could
but weep while reading the book. I believe
it will be made, with the blessing of God, a
source of much good.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
* The work referred to was the Prophetic and Law of God Charts.
t The first edition.




WORDS OF SYMPATHY.               95
LINES
ON'HE DEATH OF HENRY N. WHITE.
By Uriah Smith.
PASSED away from earth forever,
Free from all its cares and fears,
He again will join us never
While we tread this vale of tears;
For the turf is now his pillow,
And he sleeps among the dead;
While the cypress and the willow
Wave above his lowly bed.
There he slumbers, calmly slumbers,
With the silent, peaceful dead.
With what grief and anguish riven,
Should we see the loved depart!
If there was no promise given,
Which could soothe the wounded heart!
If the chains with which death binds them,
Ne'er again should broken be:
And his prison which confines them,
Ne'er be burst to set them free;
If forever there to leave them,
Were our hopeless destiny.
But a glorious day is nearing,
Earth's long-wished-for jubilee;
When creation's King appearing,
Shall proclaim his people free;
When upborne on Love's bright pinion,
They shall shout from land and sea,
Death! where is thy dark dominion!
Grave! where is thy victory!
Then we'll meet him, gladly meet him,
Where we'll never parted be.