Balt. April 2nd 1855
Dear Sis E.
Yours of the 23 ult arrived safe. We were glad to hear
of your continued good health and prosperity. I wish we could say
the same with regard to ourselves as a whole. Yet do not understand
me as complaining of the dealings of Providence towards us.
On the contrary we have much for which to be thankful. My own
health and that of E. R. has been very good all the winter. This
has been a great blessing to me, as I have been able more entirely
to attend to Mr. H. His condition is about the same as when I wrote
last, the sore is not doing much, the swelling is sometimes very
great, and sometimes not so bad. At present it is less than for
some days past. His cough does not trouble him much but his weakness
still continues. He is still unable to turn himself in bed
without assistance. He is still calmly and patiently trying to
suffer all his Master's will amd expects to conquer even the last
enemy, and to shout victory through the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ. At times I hope he will be raised up from his sickness and
be restored to me and his friends again. O that this might be the
case, it would be almost like receiving him from the grave. Yet
I remember that nothing is too hard for the Lord to do, and in him
is my only hope. I believe he will do what is best for us and for
his own glory, and "never will I remove out of his hands our cause" either temporally or spiritually, but trust to his love and
mercy, that all will be right. Continue to remember us at a throne
of grace. Pa appears to be better, though his cough is very troublesome.
The rest of the family are well. James was here yesterday
and brought a letter from your Cousin Mrs. Hinton, except some
rheumatism her health has been better than usual the past winter,
but they are in great distrese on account of the death of her
Son William's wife whom she desoribes as a very interesting lady.
The wife of her son Erasmus is now in very bad health and they
are uneasy on her account. Although the tenor of the letter is
rather gloomy yet the old Lady is sustained by a strong faith
in the goodness and love of her heavenly Father. She sends a
great deal of love, and hopes to meet and know all her Father's
relations in a brighter and better world than this.
(Part of a letter from Mrs. M. G. Hamilton to Mrs. D. G. Smith)
