Letter from Mattie to Mary
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Mattie to Mary
Subject
Death; Sins; Love, Paternal
Description
In this letter, Mattie reflects on her father's last day alive. She goes over his routine as a devote Christian and feels blessed for having such a father. Mattie describes her love for her father until 1876 as "wild, passionate, all absorbing love that was sinful".
Creator
Kerr, Martha Noyes
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #5
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
Unknown
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_523
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
[u]My dear Mary[/u]
Oh my dear little
sister we are not wholly
bereft we still have a home
on the hill and those we
love dearly in it. And I feel
that we must try and look
up. Think of father in Heav
en. It seems to me that
as a family we [u]almost[/u] know
what it is to associate with
the spirits made perfect. We
could not discover spot or
wrinkle upon the garments
of our precious father. In
our eyes he was perfect
and oh how we all loved
him. I have cleared my
self of duties this morning
and mean to spend it
with you. Am only going
out to prayers in the chapel
at 8 1/2. The letters came sooner
then we expected them. It
seems so beautiful to me the
last day of fathers life. He had
lived such a life that he
had nothing to do but step
into heavens gate. So think
of his getting up and having
his breakfast just as usual
asking a blessing just as he
had done thousands of times
before, having prayers. I
can see just how he looked
using that [?tube?] and listening
to what Edward read. then
it was so like him to say
"Give me the first line and
I shall probably know the
hymn". Then the morning
reading. I was so struck when
I turned to verse of the
20th of April. The very last
thing he did was to read the
bible and have his devotional
reading. It was nice that
you went up and fixed up
his bed so nicely. I know it
would seem nice to him when
he saw it. The last act of loving
service you could do for
him. It was so strange
you were all so free from the
anxiety that death ought be
near. You say you thought he
might be very sick but would
recover. I think you felt with
me that God was sparing him
to see Henry. I could not im
agine any thing else than
that there would be an expres-
sion of rest and peace upon
his face. and that it would
be a pure face. It is such
a comfort to know you will
all be arround him when he
is laid away in his long
sleep. And oh how many
there are in that cemetery
whom he has comforted and
ministered unto. And what act
shout of welcome he will
have when he enters in.
While you were standing
around that bed weeping
as you had never wept before
his eyes were looking upon
the Lord and his ears listening
to the music of the skies.
No more care or sorrow for him
What a blessing to have had
such a father. What an honor
is conferred upon us that we
lived with him as our own
our very own father. And he
is bending over us now I
am sure he is with a far
more intense compassionate
love then he ever had be
fore for his children. He
sees just how his being
taken will help us to go.
Oh Mary we can not [u]write[/u] our
feelings. They refuse to be put
upon paper but we can pray
for each other daily hourly and
my very heart has been poured
out for you all that God would
[Note: Letter concludes sideways on page one]
help you in this hour of extremest need. I never wish
to love anyone else as I did him Until 1876 it was a wild
passionate all
absorbing love
that was
sinful -
since then
I have felt
a little dif
ferently.
As you have
been passing
these sad
days he has
been look
ing with
unutterable
love upon
you. That
love is
our for
ever and
for ever
我亲爱的玛丽 哦，
我亲爱的小妹妹，
我们并没有完全失去生命，
我们在山上还有一个家，
还有我们深爱的人。
我觉得我们必须努力向上看。
想想天上的父亲。
在我看来，
作为一个家庭，
我们几乎知道与完美的精神联系在一起是什么意思。
我们无法在我们宝贵的父亲的衣服上发现斑点或皱纹。
在我们眼中，
他是完美的，
哦，
我们都多么爱他。
今天早上我已经完成了自己的职责，
并打算和你一起度过。
我只在 8 1/2 去教堂祈祷。
信件来得比我们预期的要早。
在我看来，
父亲生命的最后一天是如此美好。
他过着这样的生活，
无事可做，
只得踏入天门。
所以想想他起床吃早餐，
像往常一样祈求祝福，
就像他以前做过数千次一样，
祈祷。
我可以看到他用那个管子听爱德华读什么的样子。
然后就像他说“给我第一行，
我可能会知道赞美诗”。
然后是晨读。
当我翻到 4 月 20 日的诗句时，
我感到非常震惊。
他做的最后一件事就是阅读圣经并虔诚地阅读。
很高兴你上去把他的床铺得这么好。
我知道当他看到它时，
他会觉得很好。
你可以为他做的最后一次爱心服务。
真奇怪，
你们全都从死亡应该临近的焦虑中解脱出来。
你说你认为他可能病得很重，
但会康复。
我想你和我一样觉得上帝不让他见亨利。
除了他脸上的安宁与安宁之外，
我无法想象其他任何事情。
那将是一张纯洁的脸。
当他在漫长的睡眠中躺下时，
知道你们都会在他身边，
这真是一种安慰。
哦，
在那个墓地里有多少人得到了他的安慰和帮助。
当他进来时，
他会发出什么样的欢迎呼喊。
当你站在床边哭泣时，
你从未哭过，
他的眼睛正在注视着主，
他的耳朵正在聆听天空的音乐。
不再为他担心或悲伤，
有这样的父亲真是太幸福了。
我们与他一起生活，
就像我们自己的父亲一样，
这是多么荣幸。
他现在正俯身在我们身上，
我相信他的慈悲之爱远比他对孩子们的热情要强烈得多。
他看到他被带走将如何帮助我们前进。
哦，
玛丽，
我们不能写出我们的感受。
他们拒绝写在纸上，
但我们可以每天每小时为彼此祈祷，
我的心已为你倾注了所有上帝会 [注意：信在第一页横向结束] 在这个最需要帮助的时刻帮助你。
我从不希望像爱他那样去爱任何人 直到 1876 年，
这是一种疯狂的、充满激情的、引人入胜的爱，
这是罪恶的——从那时起，
我的感觉就有点不同了。
当你度过这些悲伤的日子时，
他一直在用难以言喻的爱看着你。
那爱是我们的永远永远
Oh my dear little
sister we are not wholly
bereft we still have a home
on the hill and those we
love dearly in it. And I feel
that we must try and look
up. Think of father in Heav
en. It seems to me that
as a family we [u]almost[/u] know
what it is to associate with
the spirits made perfect. We
could not discover spot or
wrinkle upon the garments
of our precious father. In
our eyes he was perfect
and oh how we all loved
him. I have cleared my
self of duties this morning
and mean to spend it
with you. Am only going
out to prayers in the chapel
at 8 1/2. The letters came sooner
then we expected them. It
seems so beautiful to me the
last day of fathers life. He had
lived such a life that he
had nothing to do but step
into heavens gate. So think
of his getting up and having
his breakfast just as usual
asking a blessing just as he
had done thousands of times
before, having prayers. I
can see just how he looked
using that [?tube?] and listening
to what Edward read. then
it was so like him to say
"Give me the first line and
I shall probably know the
hymn". Then the morning
reading. I was so struck when
I turned to verse of the
20th of April. The very last
thing he did was to read the
bible and have his devotional
reading. It was nice that
you went up and fixed up
his bed so nicely. I know it
would seem nice to him when
he saw it. The last act of loving
service you could do for
him. It was so strange
you were all so free from the
anxiety that death ought be
near. You say you thought he
might be very sick but would
recover. I think you felt with
me that God was sparing him
to see Henry. I could not im
agine any thing else than
that there would be an expres-
sion of rest and peace upon
his face. and that it would
be a pure face. It is such
a comfort to know you will
all be arround him when he
is laid away in his long
sleep. And oh how many
there are in that cemetery
whom he has comforted and
ministered unto. And what act
shout of welcome he will
have when he enters in.
While you were standing
around that bed weeping
as you had never wept before
his eyes were looking upon
the Lord and his ears listening
to the music of the skies.
No more care or sorrow for him
What a blessing to have had
such a father. What an honor
is conferred upon us that we
lived with him as our own
our very own father. And he
is bending over us now I
am sure he is with a far
more intense compassionate
love then he ever had be
fore for his children. He
sees just how his being
taken will help us to go.
Oh Mary we can not [u]write[/u] our
feelings. They refuse to be put
upon paper but we can pray
for each other daily hourly and
my very heart has been poured
out for you all that God would
[Note: Letter concludes sideways on page one]
help you in this hour of extremest need. I never wish
to love anyone else as I did him Until 1876 it was a wild
passionate all
absorbing love
that was
sinful -
since then
I have felt
a little dif
ferently.
As you have
been passing
these sad
days he has
been look
ing with
unutterable
love upon
you. That
love is
our for
ever and
for ever
我亲爱的玛丽 哦，
我亲爱的小妹妹，
我们并没有完全失去生命，
我们在山上还有一个家，
还有我们深爱的人。
我觉得我们必须努力向上看。
想想天上的父亲。
在我看来，
作为一个家庭，
我们几乎知道与完美的精神联系在一起是什么意思。
我们无法在我们宝贵的父亲的衣服上发现斑点或皱纹。
在我们眼中，
他是完美的，
哦，
我们都多么爱他。
今天早上我已经完成了自己的职责，
并打算和你一起度过。
我只在 8 1/2 去教堂祈祷。
信件来得比我们预期的要早。
在我看来，
父亲生命的最后一天是如此美好。
他过着这样的生活，
无事可做，
只得踏入天门。
所以想想他起床吃早餐，
像往常一样祈求祝福，
就像他以前做过数千次一样，
祈祷。
我可以看到他用那个管子听爱德华读什么的样子。
然后就像他说“给我第一行，
我可能会知道赞美诗”。
然后是晨读。
当我翻到 4 月 20 日的诗句时，
我感到非常震惊。
他做的最后一件事就是阅读圣经并虔诚地阅读。
很高兴你上去把他的床铺得这么好。
我知道当他看到它时，
他会觉得很好。
你可以为他做的最后一次爱心服务。
真奇怪，
你们全都从死亡应该临近的焦虑中解脱出来。
你说你认为他可能病得很重，
但会康复。
我想你和我一样觉得上帝不让他见亨利。
除了他脸上的安宁与安宁之外，
我无法想象其他任何事情。
那将是一张纯洁的脸。
当他在漫长的睡眠中躺下时，
知道你们都会在他身边，
这真是一种安慰。
哦，
在那个墓地里有多少人得到了他的安慰和帮助。
当他进来时，
他会发出什么样的欢迎呼喊。
当你站在床边哭泣时，
你从未哭过，
他的眼睛正在注视着主，
他的耳朵正在聆听天空的音乐。
不再为他担心或悲伤，
有这样的父亲真是太幸福了。
我们与他一起生活，
就像我们自己的父亲一样，
这是多么荣幸。
他现在正俯身在我们身上，
我相信他的慈悲之爱远比他对孩子们的热情要强烈得多。
他看到他被带走将如何帮助我们前进。
哦，
玛丽，
我们不能写出我们的感受。
他们拒绝写在纸上，
但我们可以每天每小时为彼此祈祷，
我的心已为你倾注了所有上帝会 [注意：信在第一页横向结束] 在这个最需要帮助的时刻帮助你。
我从不希望像爱他那样去爱任何人 直到 1876 年，
这是一种疯狂的、充满激情的、引人入胜的爱，
这是罪恶的——从那时起，
我的感觉就有点不同了。
当你度过这些悲伤的日子时，
他一直在用难以言喻的爱看着你。
那爱是我们的永远永远
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Kerr, Martha Noyes, “Letter from Mattie to Mary,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed November 23, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/580.