Letter from Varnum to Josiah, June 17, 1836
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Varnum to Josiah, June 17, 1836
Subject
Presbyterian Church--Government; Birth; House construction; Bible--Study and teaching
Description
Varnum updates Josiah on the difficulties his illness has imposed on preaching to his Guilford congregation and attending the Pittsburgh General Assembly, as well as on the birth of his second son, Henry. He hopes Josiah will visit him in his newly-built house. He believes Bible study to be of little significance among contemporary Christians and anticipates a division in the Presbyterian Church. He would like to see Zoa come from New England to teach and wants to start a new school.
Creator
Noyes, Varnum
Source
Loose, The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1836-06-17
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Rights
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_915
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Guilford Medina Co Ohio June 17
1836
My dear Parents
It is a long time since
I have written to you and I do not know but
you begin to think me an ungrateful son.
I have however so many things to attend to
that I cannot find much time to write
letters, and were it not that you have strong
claims on a portion of my time I should
not think I could even now spend time
to write you. I received a letter from sister
Z N. sometime since and was gratified to hear
of your health and welfare. Although I
am far distant from you I do not forget
you nor lose my interest in your welfare.
you are perhaps expecting a visit from me this
summer. And I should be very much ratified
in coming, but I have concluded that I must
wait another year. My people have made
commendable efforts to have me preach in
Guilford all my time this year and as I have
been prevented from preaching a number of
Sabbaths by sickness and have been absent
four weeks attending the general assembly
of the Presbyterian Church at Pittsburg
i feel as though I could not reasonably
leave them destitute any more this sum-
mer. i have all along made my calcula
tions to visit you this summer, but it
appears to be my duty to relinquish the
object. I mentioned that I had been sick.
I have not been confined to my bed at any
time, but had symptoms of the billious
fever and was obliged to make use of power-
ful medicines to throw it off which greatly
weakened me and rendered me unable to preach
for three or four Sabbaths. I was quite feeble
when I set out for Pittsburg but thought
that possibly a journey might prove ben-
ificial to my health, and had it not been
for the long and tedious session I should have
[?derived?] considerable advantage from the journey
And even now I am better than when I left
and am in hopes that I shall pass through
the season without a turn of fever. The
other members of my family are well. It may
be news to you to learn that we have been
presented with a second son, a fine healthy boy
whom we call Henry Varnum. We have
now two lovely little boys which we hope to
bring up for the Lord. Sister Fay is now with
us. She deeply feels the loss of her husband
and I fear will grieve so much as to destroy
her health and life. Although I have been
afflicted since I have been in this state yet
I have great reason for gratitude. I have an
agreeable companion and a pleasant home.
I should be exceedingly gratified in visiting
my relatives in New England especially my
aged parents but I question whether you
would think it advisable in my pres-
ent circumstances. I intend to come another
year if the Lord permit. I should be very
much gratified to have you come and visit
my and spend six months or a year with
me. I will endeavour to make you as comfort
able as I can if you will come. Father Walker
has been here twice and I think he is older
than you. I have built me a house so that
I can accommodate you pretty well for
this country. If you should come in the
fall and tarry till spring, you would be in no
danger of suffering from the climate of this
country. But I hope that whether we shall
see each others faces again in the flesh or
or not we shall make it our principal busi
ness to prepare for the future world. You
dear parents have almost reached the period [--of--]
of three score and ten, an age reached by
few and you cannot but look upon your
selves as standing on the brink of eternity.
You will soon have done with all things
terrestrial and go to your reward. And I
hope you will spend your few remaining
days in making preparation for the future
[Note: the middle, right side of the page has been torn]
world. Somehow or other we are apt to let the
world engross our attention too much and
neglect the concerns of our souls. But soon
the things of this world will appear as vain
and empty as the bubles of the deep. Then
to have an interest in the Savior will be
of more value than worlds. I think that
one point in which all Christians are defi-
cient is studying the bible. I am confident
that we cannot study the bible too much or
too carefully follow its directions.
The State of religion in this place is [illegible]
bly low, and I have become almost de [illegible]
I do not know of any class of men who [illegible]
more patience than minsters of [illegible]
ful. We may preach the most affec [illegible]
and our people will apear to listen [illegible]
attention and then go away and forget [illegible]
every thing they have heard and live as [illegible]
they were to remain in this world forever. [illegible]
I do not know what to do in oder to [illegible]
up the stupidity of this church and exci [illegible]
them to activity in the service of God. [illegible]
sometimes think that I am standing in [illegible]
way, and the Lord will not bless this [illegible]
ple because I am here. We have been [illegible]
led the past year with cases of discipline [illegible]
The church is divided and the cause [illegible]
posed to reproach by professors of [illegible]
The whole Presbyterian church is [illegible]
agitation and I do not know but [illegible]
will be a division soon. I was exeed-
ingly pained with the proceedings of the
general assembly and unless the state of
things shall alter for the better shall
hope never to attend another meeting of
this body. I believe the Presbyterian Church
is two large and ought to be divided. I
trust you are [?delivered?] from the unhappy
contentious which are [?reaching?] the Presbyterian
Church. May the Lord overrule all those
things for his own glory and bring all things
to a happy and glorious result. From your
affectionate Son Varnum Noyes
[Note: the following is written vertically in the left margin]
I hope you will write soon, Mrs Noyes sends her love to you all.
If Sister Z was here I think she might teach
school to good advantage. [--Let--] It was my inten-
tion if I came to New England this summer to
have brought her back with me if she was
willing to come, but as it is I do not know
as She will have any opportunity to come
but if she should I hope she will improve
it. We need many teachers in this country
who are well qualified.
[Note: the following is written vertically ]
25
Dear Josiah Noyes
Westmoreland
Newhampshire
guilford ohio
June 22
If I should be released from preaching for any
length of Time I should like to set up a [--school--]
school and I am not sure but I could in
this way do more good than by preaching.
At good school mistress can have a dollar and
a half per week and an ordinary master
twelve dollars per month. If sister Z is in-
clining to consumptive complaints this coun
try would most likely be conducive to her
health. Consumptions are rare in this coun-
try. Billious fevers are the most prevalent of
any diseases. I think upon the whole this is a health
country.
吉尔福德梅迪纳公司俄亥俄州 6 月 17 日
1836年
我亲爱的父母
很久以来
我已经写信给你，但我不知道
你开始认为我是个忘恩负义的儿子。
然而我有很多事情要处理
我找不到太多时间写作
信，要不是你有实力
要求我的一部分时间我应该
没想到我现在还能花时间
给你写信。收到姐姐的来信
Z N. 从那时起，很高兴听到
您的健康和福利。虽然我
我离你很远我不忘记
你也不会失去我对你福利的兴趣。
你也许期待我的来访
夏天。我应该非常认可
即将到来，但我已经得出结论，我必须
再等一年。我的人做了
让我传教的值得称赞的努力
吉尔福德今年所有的时间和我一样
被阻止传讲一些
因病而安息日和缺席
四个星期参加大会
匹兹堡长老会教堂
我觉得我无法合理地
今年夏天让他们不再一贫如洗。我一直都在盘算着今年夏天去看你，但它
似乎我有责任放弃
目的。我提到我生病了。
我从来没有被限制在床上
时间，但有胆汁的症状
发烧，不得不使用强效药物将其甩掉，这极大地
削弱了我，使我无法讲道
三个或四个安息日。我很虚弱
当我动身前往匹兹堡但我想
一段旅程可能会被证明是好的——
对我的健康很重要，如果不是这样的话
对于我应该进行的漫长而乏味的会议
从旅途中获得了相当大的优势
即使现在我也比我离开时更好
我希望我能通过
没有发烧的季节。这
我家的其他成员都很好。它可能
让你知道我们已经
生了第二个儿子，一个健康的好男孩
我们称之为亨利瓦纳姆。我们有
现在我们希望有两个可爱的小男孩
为主兴起。费姐姐现在和
我们。她深深地感受到失去丈夫
我担心会悲伤到毁灭
她的健康和生活。虽然我一直
因为我一直处于这种状态，所以很痛苦
我有充分的理由感恩。我有一个
愉快的伴侣和愉快的家。
我应该非常高兴访问
我在新英格兰的亲戚，尤其是我的
年迈的父母，但我质疑你是否
会认为在我目前的情况下是可取的。我打算再来一个
如果主允许，一年。我应该很
很高兴有你来参观
我和我一起度过六个月或一年
我。我会努力让你感到舒适
如果你能来，我能做到。沃克神父
来过这里两次，我觉得他年纪大了
比你。我给我建了一所房子，这样
我可以很好地容纳你
这个国家。如果你应该进来
秋天，等到春天，你不会
遭受这种气候的危险
国家。但我希望我们是否
再次亲眼看到彼此的面孔或
否则我们将把它作为我们的主要业务
为未来世界做准备。你
亲爱的父母都快到了
三分十，年龄达到
很少，你不得不看看你的
自己站在永恒的边缘。
你很快就会完成所有的事情
陆地和去你的奖励。和我
希望你能度过剩下的
为未来做准备的日子
[注：页面中间、右侧已撕裂]
世界。不知何故，我们倾向于让
世界太吸引我们的注意力
忽略我们灵魂的关切。但很快
这世上的事会显得空虚
和深渊的气泡一样空虚。然后
对救主有兴趣
比世界更有价值。我觉得
所有基督徒的不足之处之一就是研读圣经。我有信心
我们不能过多地研究圣经或
太仔细地听从它的指示。
这个地方的宗教状况是[无法辨认]
低声下气，我几乎变成了 [无法辨认]
我不知道有哪类人[难以辨认]
比[无法辨认]的牧师更有耐心
满。我们可能会宣扬最动人的[无法辨认]
我们的人民会听[难以辨认]
注意然后走开然后忘记[无法辨认]
他们所听到和生活的每一件事[难以辨认]
他们将永远留在这个世界上。 [难以辨认]
我不知道该怎么做才能 [无法辨认]
提高这个教会和 exci 的愚蠢性 [无法辨认]
他们积极地为上帝服务。 [难以辨认]
有时认为我站在[难以辨认]
方式，主不会祝福这[无法辨认]
ple 因为我在这里。我们一直[无法辨认]
过去一年以纪律案件为首[无法辨认]
教会分裂，原因[无法辨认]
被[无法辨认]的教授责备
整体长老会教堂 [无法辨认]
激动，我不知道，但[难以辨认]
很快就会成为一个部门。我被强迫了——
对诉讼程序感到非常痛苦
大会，除非国家
事情会变得更好
希望永远不要参加另一个会议
这个身体。我相信长老会
是两个大的，应该分开。我
相信你来自不快乐
有争议的是长老会
教会。愿主胜过所有这些
为他自己的荣耀而做的事，并带来所有的东西
达到一个快乐而光荣的结果。从你的
深情的儿子 Varnum Noyes
[注：以下内容在左边距垂直书写]
我希望你能尽快写信，诺伊斯夫人向你们表达她的爱。
如果 Z 姐妹在这里，我想她可能会教书
学校有很好的优势。这是我的意图
如果我今年夏天来新英格兰
如果她是的话，我会把她带回来
愿意来，但我不知道
因为她有机会来
但如果她应该我希望她会有所改善
它。这个国家需要很多老师
谁是合格的。
【注：以下为竖写】
25
亲爱的乔赛亚·诺伊斯
威斯特摩兰
新罕布什尔
吉尔福德俄亥俄州
6月22日
如果我应该为任何人从讲道中解脱出来
我想设置的时间长度
学校，我不确定，但我可以
这样比传道做得更好。
在好学校，女主人可以有一块钱，
每周半和一个普通的主人
每月十二美元。如果Z姐姐在——
本县对消费投诉的执着
尝试很可能对她有利
健康。消费在这个国家是罕见的
尝试。百里热是最普遍的
任何疾病。我认为总的来说这是一种健康
国家。
1836
My dear Parents
It is a long time since
I have written to you and I do not know but
you begin to think me an ungrateful son.
I have however so many things to attend to
that I cannot find much time to write
letters, and were it not that you have strong
claims on a portion of my time I should
not think I could even now spend time
to write you. I received a letter from sister
Z N. sometime since and was gratified to hear
of your health and welfare. Although I
am far distant from you I do not forget
you nor lose my interest in your welfare.
you are perhaps expecting a visit from me this
summer. And I should be very much ratified
in coming, but I have concluded that I must
wait another year. My people have made
commendable efforts to have me preach in
Guilford all my time this year and as I have
been prevented from preaching a number of
Sabbaths by sickness and have been absent
four weeks attending the general assembly
of the Presbyterian Church at Pittsburg
i feel as though I could not reasonably
leave them destitute any more this sum-
mer. i have all along made my calcula
tions to visit you this summer, but it
appears to be my duty to relinquish the
object. I mentioned that I had been sick.
I have not been confined to my bed at any
time, but had symptoms of the billious
fever and was obliged to make use of power-
ful medicines to throw it off which greatly
weakened me and rendered me unable to preach
for three or four Sabbaths. I was quite feeble
when I set out for Pittsburg but thought
that possibly a journey might prove ben-
ificial to my health, and had it not been
for the long and tedious session I should have
[?derived?] considerable advantage from the journey
And even now I am better than when I left
and am in hopes that I shall pass through
the season without a turn of fever. The
other members of my family are well. It may
be news to you to learn that we have been
presented with a second son, a fine healthy boy
whom we call Henry Varnum. We have
now two lovely little boys which we hope to
bring up for the Lord. Sister Fay is now with
us. She deeply feels the loss of her husband
and I fear will grieve so much as to destroy
her health and life. Although I have been
afflicted since I have been in this state yet
I have great reason for gratitude. I have an
agreeable companion and a pleasant home.
I should be exceedingly gratified in visiting
my relatives in New England especially my
aged parents but I question whether you
would think it advisable in my pres-
ent circumstances. I intend to come another
year if the Lord permit. I should be very
much gratified to have you come and visit
my and spend six months or a year with
me. I will endeavour to make you as comfort
able as I can if you will come. Father Walker
has been here twice and I think he is older
than you. I have built me a house so that
I can accommodate you pretty well for
this country. If you should come in the
fall and tarry till spring, you would be in no
danger of suffering from the climate of this
country. But I hope that whether we shall
see each others faces again in the flesh or
or not we shall make it our principal busi
ness to prepare for the future world. You
dear parents have almost reached the period [--of--]
of three score and ten, an age reached by
few and you cannot but look upon your
selves as standing on the brink of eternity.
You will soon have done with all things
terrestrial and go to your reward. And I
hope you will spend your few remaining
days in making preparation for the future
[Note: the middle, right side of the page has been torn]
world. Somehow or other we are apt to let the
world engross our attention too much and
neglect the concerns of our souls. But soon
the things of this world will appear as vain
and empty as the bubles of the deep. Then
to have an interest in the Savior will be
of more value than worlds. I think that
one point in which all Christians are defi-
cient is studying the bible. I am confident
that we cannot study the bible too much or
too carefully follow its directions.
The State of religion in this place is [illegible]
bly low, and I have become almost de [illegible]
I do not know of any class of men who [illegible]
more patience than minsters of [illegible]
ful. We may preach the most affec [illegible]
and our people will apear to listen [illegible]
attention and then go away and forget [illegible]
every thing they have heard and live as [illegible]
they were to remain in this world forever. [illegible]
I do not know what to do in oder to [illegible]
up the stupidity of this church and exci [illegible]
them to activity in the service of God. [illegible]
sometimes think that I am standing in [illegible]
way, and the Lord will not bless this [illegible]
ple because I am here. We have been [illegible]
led the past year with cases of discipline [illegible]
The church is divided and the cause [illegible]
posed to reproach by professors of [illegible]
The whole Presbyterian church is [illegible]
agitation and I do not know but [illegible]
will be a division soon. I was exeed-
ingly pained with the proceedings of the
general assembly and unless the state of
things shall alter for the better shall
hope never to attend another meeting of
this body. I believe the Presbyterian Church
is two large and ought to be divided. I
trust you are [?delivered?] from the unhappy
contentious which are [?reaching?] the Presbyterian
Church. May the Lord overrule all those
things for his own glory and bring all things
to a happy and glorious result. From your
affectionate Son Varnum Noyes
[Note: the following is written vertically in the left margin]
I hope you will write soon, Mrs Noyes sends her love to you all.
If Sister Z was here I think she might teach
school to good advantage. [--Let--] It was my inten-
tion if I came to New England this summer to
have brought her back with me if she was
willing to come, but as it is I do not know
as She will have any opportunity to come
but if she should I hope she will improve
it. We need many teachers in this country
who are well qualified.
[Note: the following is written vertically ]
25
Dear Josiah Noyes
Westmoreland
Newhampshire
guilford ohio
June 22
If I should be released from preaching for any
length of Time I should like to set up a [--school--]
school and I am not sure but I could in
this way do more good than by preaching.
At good school mistress can have a dollar and
a half per week and an ordinary master
twelve dollars per month. If sister Z is in-
clining to consumptive complaints this coun
try would most likely be conducive to her
health. Consumptions are rare in this coun-
try. Billious fevers are the most prevalent of
any diseases. I think upon the whole this is a health
country.
吉尔福德梅迪纳公司俄亥俄州 6 月 17 日
1836年
我亲爱的父母
很久以来
我已经写信给你，但我不知道
你开始认为我是个忘恩负义的儿子。
然而我有很多事情要处理
我找不到太多时间写作
信，要不是你有实力
要求我的一部分时间我应该
没想到我现在还能花时间
给你写信。收到姐姐的来信
Z N. 从那时起，很高兴听到
您的健康和福利。虽然我
我离你很远我不忘记
你也不会失去我对你福利的兴趣。
你也许期待我的来访
夏天。我应该非常认可
即将到来，但我已经得出结论，我必须
再等一年。我的人做了
让我传教的值得称赞的努力
吉尔福德今年所有的时间和我一样
被阻止传讲一些
因病而安息日和缺席
四个星期参加大会
匹兹堡长老会教堂
我觉得我无法合理地
今年夏天让他们不再一贫如洗。我一直都在盘算着今年夏天去看你，但它
似乎我有责任放弃
目的。我提到我生病了。
我从来没有被限制在床上
时间，但有胆汁的症状
发烧，不得不使用强效药物将其甩掉，这极大地
削弱了我，使我无法讲道
三个或四个安息日。我很虚弱
当我动身前往匹兹堡但我想
一段旅程可能会被证明是好的——
对我的健康很重要，如果不是这样的话
对于我应该进行的漫长而乏味的会议
从旅途中获得了相当大的优势
即使现在我也比我离开时更好
我希望我能通过
没有发烧的季节。这
我家的其他成员都很好。它可能
让你知道我们已经
生了第二个儿子，一个健康的好男孩
我们称之为亨利瓦纳姆。我们有
现在我们希望有两个可爱的小男孩
为主兴起。费姐姐现在和
我们。她深深地感受到失去丈夫
我担心会悲伤到毁灭
她的健康和生活。虽然我一直
因为我一直处于这种状态，所以很痛苦
我有充分的理由感恩。我有一个
愉快的伴侣和愉快的家。
我应该非常高兴访问
我在新英格兰的亲戚，尤其是我的
年迈的父母，但我质疑你是否
会认为在我目前的情况下是可取的。我打算再来一个
如果主允许，一年。我应该很
很高兴有你来参观
我和我一起度过六个月或一年
我。我会努力让你感到舒适
如果你能来，我能做到。沃克神父
来过这里两次，我觉得他年纪大了
比你。我给我建了一所房子，这样
我可以很好地容纳你
这个国家。如果你应该进来
秋天，等到春天，你不会
遭受这种气候的危险
国家。但我希望我们是否
再次亲眼看到彼此的面孔或
否则我们将把它作为我们的主要业务
为未来世界做准备。你
亲爱的父母都快到了
三分十，年龄达到
很少，你不得不看看你的
自己站在永恒的边缘。
你很快就会完成所有的事情
陆地和去你的奖励。和我
希望你能度过剩下的
为未来做准备的日子
[注：页面中间、右侧已撕裂]
世界。不知何故，我们倾向于让
世界太吸引我们的注意力
忽略我们灵魂的关切。但很快
这世上的事会显得空虚
和深渊的气泡一样空虚。然后
对救主有兴趣
比世界更有价值。我觉得
所有基督徒的不足之处之一就是研读圣经。我有信心
我们不能过多地研究圣经或
太仔细地听从它的指示。
这个地方的宗教状况是[无法辨认]
低声下气，我几乎变成了 [无法辨认]
我不知道有哪类人[难以辨认]
比[无法辨认]的牧师更有耐心
满。我们可能会宣扬最动人的[无法辨认]
我们的人民会听[难以辨认]
注意然后走开然后忘记[无法辨认]
他们所听到和生活的每一件事[难以辨认]
他们将永远留在这个世界上。 [难以辨认]
我不知道该怎么做才能 [无法辨认]
提高这个教会和 exci 的愚蠢性 [无法辨认]
他们积极地为上帝服务。 [难以辨认]
有时认为我站在[难以辨认]
方式，主不会祝福这[无法辨认]
ple 因为我在这里。我们一直[无法辨认]
过去一年以纪律案件为首[无法辨认]
教会分裂，原因[无法辨认]
被[无法辨认]的教授责备
整体长老会教堂 [无法辨认]
激动，我不知道，但[难以辨认]
很快就会成为一个部门。我被强迫了——
对诉讼程序感到非常痛苦
大会，除非国家
事情会变得更好
希望永远不要参加另一个会议
这个身体。我相信长老会
是两个大的，应该分开。我
相信你来自不快乐
有争议的是长老会
教会。愿主胜过所有这些
为他自己的荣耀而做的事，并带来所有的东西
达到一个快乐而光荣的结果。从你的
深情的儿子 Varnum Noyes
[注：以下内容在左边距垂直书写]
我希望你能尽快写信，诺伊斯夫人向你们表达她的爱。
如果 Z 姐妹在这里，我想她可能会教书
学校有很好的优势。这是我的意图
如果我今年夏天来新英格兰
如果她是的话，我会把她带回来
愿意来，但我不知道
因为她有机会来
但如果她应该我希望她会有所改善
它。这个国家需要很多老师
谁是合格的。
【注：以下为竖写】
25
亲爱的乔赛亚·诺伊斯
威斯特摩兰
新罕布什尔
吉尔福德俄亥俄州
6月22日
如果我应该为任何人从讲道中解脱出来
我想设置的时间长度
学校，我不确定，但我可以
这样比传道做得更好。
在好学校，女主人可以有一块钱，
每周半和一个普通的主人
每月十二美元。如果Z姐姐在——
本县对消费投诉的执着
尝试很可能对她有利
健康。消费在这个国家是罕见的
尝试。百里热是最普遍的
任何疾病。我认为总的来说这是一种健康
国家。
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Varnum, “Letter from Varnum to Josiah, June 17, 1836,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 18, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/989.