Letter from Hattie to Father, August 10, 1871

Letter from Hattie to Father, August 10, 1871

Diseases; Presbyterian Church; Missionaries; Women missionaries; Equality

Harriet writes to her father that she is happy his physical health has been improving and it is good to get a letter from him personally. She expresses gratitude that the First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia has "adopted" her as their sister missionary. She credits Dr. Irving with providing the connection, and it was unexpected. The Women's Missionary Society that is pushing for greater equality between men and women missionaries has been having some success, and Harriet says her views on the topic are in support, maybe radically so.

Noyes, Harriet Newell

The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #1

Unpublished

1871-08-10

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_062

Canton China
August 10th '71
My dear Father
I will just write a
few lines to tell you how
delighted we were to find
in our budget of letters
from home a few lines from
you giving us proof positive
that you were enough better
to be able to write Almost
two months have passed
since that was dated and
I hope you have been
improving the time and
gaining so fast that you
are now quite well + strong.

I am so glad to know what
you wrote that the First Pres
Church of Phila [u]da[/u] is the
oldest Pres church in the USA.
I was pleased when I first
heard that they had adopted
me but I am [u]delighted[/u] now
to be this connected with the
first Pres church that was
formed in America. When
the different churches commenced
"adopting" the sisters I didnt know
but I should go "unadopted" as
I had no acquaintances in
any of the large city churches .
and a small church could
not undertake to raise my
salary. But instead of that I
have been taken up by the one
with which I would rather be

connected than [u]any[/u] other and one
that I would never have dreamed
would have thought of choosing me.
From the letter which they wrote
me I know that I am indebted
to Dr Irving for it and if I ever
see him again I think I shall
give hime a vote of thanks.
Mr Preston writes to us that
our new Secretary Dr Ellinwood
wishes to visit the different
Missionary stations so perhaps
we may hope to see him here
sometime. He has very poor
health, it will be very nice if
he does make us a visit.
I wish dear Dr Lowrie would
come sometime but he dislikes
travelling so much that I
presume he would never think

of it. It is too bad Mr Preston
didnt visit you when he went
home from the Assembly he was
in Cleveland Have you ever met
Dr Eells of Cleveland I met him
in San Francisco + liked him
so much , I was glad to hear from
Mr Preston + the newspapers that
the Assembly took so much interest
in the Women's Miss Soc. I presume
you will easily believe that I
enjoyed very much Dr Logan's
speech. I hav'nt lost any of
my "extreme views" on the question
of the [u]"equality"[/u] of men + women,
even here in China.
Do tell Clara that I rejoice with
all my heart in her freedom + I
hope Sarah is having a nice
time at home, + "little" Mary +
Frank + Em I would like to
write to all. Your loving daughter
Hattie.

中国广州
1871年8月10日
亲爱的父亲，
我只能给您写几行告诉您，
/
我们从家信里找到预算有多高兴，
/
/
几行听说您身体变好，
可以写信我们有多高兴。
/
我盼望您身体恢复
快两个月了，
/
/
然后这么快您身体恢复，
又这么好。

我很高兴知道
您给费城第一长老教堂写信，
那是美国最老的长老教堂。
/
我第一次听说的时候非常高兴，
他们支持我，
但是现在我很高兴
和美国第一个长老教堂联系。
/
/
当不同的教堂开始支持姐妹们，
我不知道，
但是我不应该被支持，
因为我在这样的大教堂从来没有过熟人。
/
而小教堂没有办法给我发工资。
/
但是，
我得到了一个，
/

/
还有一个，
那是我做梦都想象不到能选我的。
从它们写的信看来，
我知道我很感激Irving医生
因为如果我再一次见到他，
我认为我会好好感谢他的。
/
Preston先生写了一封信跟我们，
他说我们的新秘书Dr Ellinwood希望参观不同的传教士基地，
/
也许我们可以让他什么时候来参观这里。
/
他身体很不好，
他要是能来是真的很好。
/
我希望亲爱的Lowrie医生可以来，
但是他太不爱旅游
以至于我认为他从来不会考虑。
/

Preston先生回家的时候没有看望您也太坏了，
/
/
他在克利夫兰，
您遇到过克利夫兰的Eells医生吗，
我在旧金山遇见过他，
我很喜欢他，我很高兴收到Preston先生的信，
关于会议的报纸
写了很多女性传教士的社会。
/
我相信您会很容易相信，
我很享受Logan医生的演讲。
我没有失去任何有关男女平等的极端的观点，
/
/
即使我在中国。
告诉Clara我很高兴我很在乎她，
/
我希望Sarah在家过得好，
还有小Mary、Frank和Em，
我愿意给他们写信。
爱您的女儿
Hattie.

Letter