Stampless folded letter sheet.
Circular black postmark:
NICHOLASVILLE Ky OCT 22
Manuscript rate:
25
Addressee:
M r S.
Barnett Esq r
Bentleysville
Washington county
Penn.
Letter:
Nicholasville, Oct 21st 1840
My dear father,
After a long interval I now sit down to address you.
My last letter to you, I believe you never answered.
I have not heard from home for three or four months excepting
a letter that I received from John about a month or six weeks ago.
I am now well. About three weeks since I had a slight
attack of jaundice; but I have recovered.
You will perhaps be surprised to hear that I am still at this place.
I will tell you how it is.
In my last letter I told you that I had determined to go to
the Cherokee nation as a missionary.
I accordingly made application by writing to the Editors of the
Western Christian Advocate in Cincinnati.
I expected them to write to brother Harrell, who is the presiding
elder of the district in which the Cherokees reside.
After waiting a considerable time without receiving an answer I
again addressed the editors to know if
they had written to brother H. Still I received no answer. I
then gave up the intention of going to that
missionary and wrote to the Corresponding Sec. Of the Presbyterian
board of foreign missions respecting a
mission in the Northern part of Michigan on Grand Traverse bay.
This morning I received an answer from
him which leads me to conclude that I will remain in Ky this winter.
My school closed on the 27th of August,
and I have been out of business ever since. I resigned my situation
in the academy here, and will now seek
a school elsewhere. It is altogether probable that I will get one about
five miles from town. They have
wanted me to go there. My school here has been worth about $370 during
the year. When all my expenses are
paid, I will not have $100. My boarding has cost me $150.
It seems to have been God’s will that I should not
now become a missionary, and it is all for the best.
What I shall do, I know not. I will endeavour to be resigned to the
will of the Lord. If in his providence
he calls me to be a missionary I will go. He knows and will do what
is best. I desire that he should be
my counsellor and guide. I know that if I trust him he will bless me.
How are you getting along at home? Is John with you yet?
He told me that he had some notion of taking a
school over on ten mile. I suppose he could not do better. How does
Martha get along keeping house?
How is business? How does Holland do? John tells me that Mitchell has
sold his tavern. How has the election gone?
Are you still trying to serve the Lord? Are you making it the great
business of your life; and do you live in the
enjoyment of the smiles of his reconciled countenance? Strive to enter
in at the strait gate. As for myself,
I am still struggling to go forward. I find corruptions to contend with,
and cannot do the things that I would.
But I hope through grace to conquer. I hope that wherever I may be, I will
live for God, and for him alone.
Give my respects to all my friends; to Mr. & Mrs. Holland,
to Mr. & Mrs. Bentley Vc. If you see Uncle Thomas
soon, you may tell him that I intend to write to him. I shall expect
to hear from you soon.
I remain your affectionate son
Wm G Barnett
Samuel Barnett Esqr
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