https://noyesletters.org/files/original/b97790a8f6097f954c4462b0ae591434.pdf aad356ca7bad20786713455deba00d47 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Correspondence from Martha Noyes Kerr Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Kerr, Martha Noyes Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived The College of Wooster, Special Collections, <a href="https://www.wooster.edu/academics/libraries/collections/collections/historical/noyes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Noyes Collection</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Unpublished Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="https://rightsstatements.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NO COPYRIGHT - UNITED STATES</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng (English) Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource These are letters from Martha Noyes Kerr. Many of the letters were written during her time as a missionary and her marriage to John Glasgow Kerr. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1874-1914 Subject The topic of the resource Letters; Women missionaries; Women in missionary work; Travel; Marriage; Schools; Physicians' spouses; Physicians; Women teachers; Psychiatric hospitals; Hospitals Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Canton Feb 28th Dear ones at home It was [u] so [/u] [u] kind [/u] of you [u] all [/u] to write to me by the last mail, and if I could I would write to every one of the precious circle to night but indeed I can not The mail leaves in the morning and this is the first moment I have had to devote to answer ing letters. I think of you all ever so much and I feel just how lonely you must be in the dear house. It is the first death in our family where we realized the loss, the vacancy, can not be filled here but we shall all meet some time. I feel as if I know just how everything was during the last weeks of dear brother's life as well as it is possible to do and oh have we not much to be thankful for that our dear brother left such a bright evidence of his trust in the Saviours love. He is in the land of the blest and we feel one more tie to the home Above. It has been so hard to think that no letters from us even reached him after we felt he could not long be spared. It is a trial to be so far away when our loved ones are sick and dying but he does not need our ministrations and perhaps now he knows how our anxious hearts ached for him, and how often our hearts went up in prayer to the Father that he would be near to comfort and sustain him when no mortal could. Shall I have the bitter trial of parting with more of our dear ones ere I am permitted to visit again the home of my youth. Will my eyes ever look again upon those I love as my own life God alone knows, may he make us ready for his will whatever it is. Some times the heart will [?wake?] with its burden of sorrow. You cannot know how I have longed just for a little to be alone, but ever since school commenced I seem to have been hurried from one thing to another with not a moment I could scarcely call my own. But perhaps it is well so sometime we shall have time enough for all we wish to do. I always gives me a happy feeling to think of dear dear Frank at rest, beyond the reach of toil or care, not another sorrow or another tear, forever. How you must all miss him. Just think what a sorrow it would be if he was not a Christian, we have every reason to service havent we? What would we do without our Saviour. He is always with us and I know he will always comfort my loved parents brothers and sisters. I do not believe many families have enjoyed as much in each others affec- tion as we have, and this is a rich blessing. I feel anxious to know whether the family are all well have feared very much some of the others would be ill now the anxiety for our loved one gone before is over It was so nice Mother was able to wait upon Frank so much and that you can all feel every think that could possibly be done was done for him. You can not know how I prized your letters they seemed to tell me every thing Later- Since commencing this letter I have been called to the parlor twice to receive calls had tea, and since tea suffered from an alarm of fire, but found out soon it was rather a company of men in pursuit of a thief. The girls and women in the missionaries would meet at [--this--] one and the others at the other extremity of the Mission Circle. This was adopted and we were urged to remember the one [u] object [/u] A revival of religion in our midst. We have met twice and it is resolved to continue these meetings. I do feel we may expect a blessing if our hearts are only in the right frame to receive it and God can fit us to receive it. I met a very interesting case in one of my day schools the other day. A woman who some time ago hear Lillie Happer take in one of the day schools. She said since she heard the gospel at that time she had never worshiped idols and that she prayed to Jesus every day. She came into the city the other day lives some distance away and hearing that I was going to [?Nam Mung Ki?] to hear the scholars recite and have a meeting she came there. I did not notice her particularly until after the meeting was over and was just coming away when I felt impelled to stop and speak to her when she told me this about herself. She has now been in the city more than a week and nearly every day has found her at that school where she could listen to the instruc tions of our bible woman Asz, who lives there. I have given her quite a number of religious books to carry home with her which she says she can have read to her. One of my scholars at [?Nam Mung Ki?] is a grown woman married but has no children. She has given up the worship of idols she says and I hope she may find the way of life. The teacher of the Boarding School seems somewhat interested also. The other day after I was through hearing my pupils in the chapel she came down stairs and sat down and the first thing she said was, "Have you any books which teach people how to pray. If you have will you give me one? I can not worship the gods of China any more for I do not believe they have power to do me any good and I am going to tell my family they must not say any thing more about it. They are constantly blaming me because I do not worship my ancestors but I neaver can do that again" But she added "I do not believe in Jesus yet." Oh what a blessing it would be if we could see her brought to the Savoiur. I know you will remember her in prayer, dear Father and I have such confidence in your prayers for I have the promise "they will avail much." We meet with disappointments here as elsewhere sometimes we have great hopes of a person and then they turn back again, until one often feels as if we would never write anything about any one but there were 5 foolish virgins and so we must not be discour- aged if the seed is sown and afterwards no fruit is seen. I have been so comforted lately by the thought that no [u] real [/u] [u] earnest [/u] prayer offered in faith is ever [u] forgotten [/u]. The most precious gift we can receive is the gift of the power to lead souls to trust in Christ for Salvation or perhaps I ought not to put it in that way but Paul had the power to which I refer, and I am sure it seems to rest upon Moody and Sankey in our own times. The last mail brought the sad intelligence of the death of dear Aunt Toa, not sad for her only for those who remain I hope to write to Aunt Nancy to night how very lonely she will be. But it will not be long, the sisters will be separa- ted but a little moment and will have Henry and Hattie with you in less than two weeks now. Hope you are all counting the days and how much there will be to day. Do not have [u] one [/u] [u] anxious [/u] moment about [u] me [/u] I can not bear that any shadow of my making should rest upon the hearts of the dear ones. I am very happy in my work and although it is by no means done as I would like to do it, it still gets on and that is all we dared to hope for this year at least We still have rain. I think we have had but 1 clear day for 60 days, and to partial- ly so. My schools commenced the 15th of Feb and I have been to them but once when I was without fear of rain It is getting too dark to write more. I read over the verses you composed about my leaving home and meeting Henry and Hattie last then no more parting. How soon dear Frank can wel- come one of his kindred to the heavenly [?home?] and I feel sure they will recognize each other and may we not feel they will often hold converse about the dear ones left behind. How much you all miss our dear precious Frank I feel so anxious that this affliction may make me more faithful in work for the Master. We know not the strength of our love till the object is removed and I cannot help praying I may meet the rest of the circle once more. Oh Father you know not how my heart is bound up in my loved parents. My prayer is Spare them spare them until we meet again but sometimes I feel as if it was selfish to desire to detain you here when your lives have had so many shadows. I hope you [Continued vertically on the tenth page] night am so happy you wrote 广州 2 月 28 日 亲爱的在家的各位 非常好心， 用最后一封邮件给我写信， 如果可以的话， 我会写信给每个宝贵的圈子， 直到晚上， 但我确实不能 邮件在早上离开这是我第一次必须致力于回信。 我一直很想你们， 我觉得你们在这所亲爱的房子里一定是多么孤独。 这是我们家的第一次死亡， 我们意识到损失， 空缺， 在这里无法填补， 但我们都会有时间见面。 我觉得我好像知道在亲爱的兄弟生命的最后几周里一切都过得怎么样， 以及可以做的事情， 哦， 我们亲爱的兄弟留下了如此鲜明的证据， 证明他对救世主爱。 他在最幸福的土地上， 我们觉得与上面的家又有了联系。 很难想象在我们觉得他无法幸免之后甚至没有收到我们的信。 当我们所爱的人生病和垂死但他不需要我们的服侍时， 离他很远是一种考验当凡人无法做到时， 他会靠近安慰和支持他。 在我被允许再次访问我年轻的故乡之前， 我是否应该经历与更多亲人分开的痛苦考验。 我的眼睛是否会再次将我所爱的人视为我自己的生命， 只有上帝知道， 但愿他让我们为他的旨意做好准备。 有时， 心会因悲伤的重担而醒来。 你不知道我是多么渴望一个人独处， 但自从开学以来， 我似乎从一件事匆匆忙忙赶到另一件事， 没有一刻我几乎不能称之为自己的。 但也许这很好， 所以有时我们会有足够的时间去做我们想做的一切。 想到亲爱的弗兰克在安息， 我总是给我一种幸福的感觉， 这超出了辛劳或关心的范围， 而不是另一场悲伤或另一场眼泪， 永远。 你们一定多么想念他。 试想， 如果他不是基督徒， 那将是何等的悲哀， 我们有充分的理由去服侍， 不是吗？如果没有我们的救主， 我们会怎么做。 他总是和我们在一起， 我知道他会永远安慰我亲爱的父母兄弟姐妹。 我相信没有多少家庭像我们一样享受彼此的感情， 这是一个丰富的祝福。 我很想知道这个家庭是否一切都很好 非常担心其他一些人会生病 现在对我们所爱的人的焦虑已经过去 妈妈能够如此多地等待弗兰克真是太好了所有人都觉得每一个可能的想法都是为他完成的。 你不知道我是如何珍惜你的信， 他们似乎告诉了我一切后来-自从写这封信以来， 我两次被叫到客厅接电话喝茶， 因为茶遭遇火灾警报， 但很快就发现了这更像是一群追捕小偷的人。 传教士中的女孩和妇女将在传教圈的另一端相遇。 这被采纳了， 我们被敦促记住一个目标——我们中间的宗教复兴。 我们已经开过两次会， 并决定继续这些会议。 我确实觉得， 如果我们的心只有在正确的框架中接受它， 并且上帝可以使我们适合接受它， 我们可能会期待一个祝福。 前几天我在我的一所走读学校遇到了一个非常有趣的案例。 一位女士不久前听说莉莉·哈珀（Lillie Happer）上了一所走读学校。 她说， 自从那时她听到福音以来， 她从未拜过偶像， 每天都向耶稣祈祷。 前几天她来到城里， 住在不远的地方， 听说我要去南梦基听书生​​诵经， 开会她就来了。 直到会议结束后， 我才特别注意到她， 当她告诉我关于她自己的事情时， 我感到有必要停下来和她谈谈。 她现在已经在城里一个多星期了， 几乎每天都在那所学校找到她， 在那里她可以听我们住在那里的圣经女性 Asz 的指导。 我给了她很多宗教书籍带回家， 她说她可以读给她听。 我在 Nam Mung Ki 的一位学者是一位已婚但没有孩子的成年女性。 她已经放弃了她所说的对偶像的崇拜， 我希望她能找到生活方式。 寄宿学校的老师似乎也有点兴趣。 前几天我在教堂里听完我的学生后， 她下楼坐下， 她说的第一句话是， “你有没有教人们如何祈祷的书。 如果有， 你能给我一本吗？我不能再崇拜中国的神了， 因为我不相信他们有能力对我有任何好处， 我要告诉我的家人， 他们不能再多说什么。 他们一直在责备我， 因为我不崇拜我的祖先， 但我再也不能那样做了。 ”但她补充说： “我还不相信耶稣。 ”哦，如果我们能看到她被带到救主面前， 那将是多么幸福啊。我知道你会在祈祷中记住她， 亲爱的父亲我对你的祈祷充满信心， 因为我有过“他们会大有裨益”的承诺。 永远不要写任何关于任何人的事， 但有 5 个愚蠢的处女， 因此，如果播下种子， 然后没有结果，我们一定不要灰心。 最近， 我感到非常安慰， 因为从来没有真正真诚的信仰祈祷我们能得到的最宝贵的礼物是引导灵魂相信基督而得救的能力的礼物， 或者也许我不应该这样说， 但保罗有我提到的能力， 我确信在我们自己的时代， 似乎依赖于穆迪和桑基。 上一封邮件带来了亲爱的托阿阿姨去世的悲伤消息， 不是为她而悲伤， 只为那些留下来的人。 我希望今晚写信给南希阿姨， 她会多么孤独。 但这不会太久， 姐妹俩会分开一会儿， 现在不到两周就会有亨利和海蒂和你在一起。 希望你们都在计算日子， 以及今天会有多少。 不要让我有任何焦虑的时刻， 我无法忍受我造成的任何阴影落在亲爱的人们的心上。 我对我的工作很满意， 虽然它并没有像我想的那样完成， 但它仍然在继续， 这是我们敢于希望的， 至少今年我们仍然有雨。 我想我们在 60 天里只有 1 天晴天， 而且部分如此。 我的学校是 2 月 15 日开学的， 我去过那里， 但有一次我不怕下雨， 天黑了， 写不下去了。 我读了你写的关于我离开家并最后一次见到亨利和海蒂的诗句， 然后不再分开。 亲爱的弗兰克多快能欢迎他的亲人到天堂的家， 我相信他们会认出彼此， 但愿我们不会觉得他们会经常谈论留下的亲人。 你们多么想念我们亲爱的弗兰克， 我非常焦虑， 希望这种痛苦能让我更加忠心地为主工作。 直到对象被移除， 我们才知道我们爱的力量， 我不禁祈祷我可以再次遇到这个圈子的其他人。 哦， 父亲， 你不知道我的心与我亲爱的父母是如何联系在一起的。 我的祈祷是在我们再次见面之前放过他们放过他们， 但有时我觉得当你的生活有如此多的阴影时希望将你拘留在这里是自私的。 我希望你[在第十页垂直上续]晚上很高兴你写的 Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Letter Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Section of Unsigned Letter to Dear Ones at Home, February 28 Subject The topic of the resource Death; Grief; Women missionaries; Faith; Future life Description An account of the resource This letter deals with the death of the siblings' brother, Frank, who had been sick for a while. The author is concerned about her family but grateful that Frank was a Christian. She continues to talk about the women they are teaching and converting to Christianity. Mattie does a lot of reflecting on the family and how she hopes to see everyone again, regardless of illness and grief, but she can only have faith in God. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Kerr, Martha Noyes Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Loose, The College of Wooster, Special Collections, <a href="https://www.wooster.edu/academics/libraries/collections/collections/historical/noyes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Noyes Collection</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Unpublished Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 28, 1876 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="https://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NO COPYRIGHT - UNITED STATES</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng (English) Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context noyes_c_cor_596 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant <a href="https://www.geonames.org/1809858/guangzhou.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Guangzhou</a> brothers Christianity converts death family girl students grief illness women missionaries