Name/Title
AU Harris, Joseph Hastings - 1896-02-12 letter to Bertha Elizabeth LambertEntry/Object ID
1990.1.83Context
[Ada, OH, to Miss Bertha E. Lambert, Westerville, Ohio, “Franklin Co.”]
Ada, O. Feb. 12, 1896.
Miss Lambert,
Westerville, O.
My Loving Bertha: I grasp this opportunity of once more addressing you. Your letter came Tuesday morning and I was there ready to seize soon after it left the P.M.'s hand. It pleases me to know that you are still abiding in Christ or rather that you allow Him to abide in you. I think you have a pretty busy day to attend five services. I seldom ever attend more than three, but nearly always have extra work in arranging our meetings. Last Sunday was a busy day as Prof. Fox of King's school of Oratory, Pittsburgh, was here Sat night giving the Adelphian Entertainment, he kindly consented to give a bible reading and talk to the Y.M.C.A. So I made seven calls before eight o'clock, called on one lady, but was told that she was in bed.
In the afternoon I arranged the music, seen to heating the Literary Halls and then conjured around in the basement until I found a snow shovel with which I worked quite a while in moving the snow drifts that nature had silently placed on the walks, but when I introduced Prof. Fox to an audience almost filling both halls I never thought of snow shovels.
School is moving nicely and three wks more closes this term. Next Sunday our Y.M.C.A. election will be held, the next Sunday will be the Convention and then the next comes the inauguration. I will have to prepare a farewell address. You spoke of reading “Aurora Leigh.” We have to write an essay on the teachings of the poem so if you sympathize with me now is the time to help. I hope to attend the Convention and would a little(?) rather meet you than Ira, but if you cannot come I hope to see Ira there. I have thought perhaps if I had to give up going either to the Con. or to W. in one sense I would much rather give up the Con. but the Association expects me to go so perhaps I had better go there.
I would so much like to have a long talk with you. I see quite plainly that there has been a change in your life and it is difficult to express just what we wish to say in this limited way. I am still a little in doubt about getting to visit you at the close [of] our term, but wondered if it would not suit you as well at the time of your vacation if that is not too far off.
Thirteen wks looks like a short time to be in school and my mind naturally looks forward wondering what the future has in store. As I said sometime ago my intentions are to work at my trade this summer, but it is too early to tell yet where that will be. I hope to be near you and with that thought in view I expect to make an earnest effort to secure employment at Columbus.
Then not only would I be near you but could be in active Y.M.C.A. work in the Col. Y.M.C.A. if I chose to do so.
Your recent test may perhaps have caused us to wonder considerably what the outcome would be and somehow yet there comes that feeling of unrest (which perhaps is wrong) that perhaps it was the plan of God that we should be separated, but I always have and I expect always to love you. And though we be continents apart I never have nor do I expect to see the day when thoughts of you did not and will not make me a better person. However I say yet “Understand what the will of God is.” I know it will be all right if we trust in God and I firmly believe yet that our plan is all right, however if either of us are led to see differently then I must be obedient. Not for a moment have I thought of you being disloyal. I have never thought but that it was the hand of God leading you and not for the world would I have you be disobedient to that voice. Your letter breathed such an inspiration of genuine Christian love that in strongest tones, show your devotion to Christ and no less of love to me than you previously have demonstrated.
I am very willing indeed (with you) to trust God and not worry or grieve over anything of this kind. I will come to you as soon as I can and I know it will be the best visit we shall have had. I have been wondering as to the advisability of taking a diploma from here. The only thing I would care to have it for is simply, that should I decide not to finish a collegiate course I could take my choice of studies while in school.
Mrs. Dr. Maug Allen is lecturing here now on social purity. I trust that your throat is well by this time for I know it would not seem natural to see you silent in church. How is Mr. Barr getting along now?
We are having quite a blizzard now and I have to sit close to the fire no matter how much I think of you.
This is the 13, as I did not get to finish my letter yesterday.
I would rather have more time in writing but am very thankful for such an opportunity as it is.
May God continue to lead my “Love.”
Ever your True Lover,
J. H. Harris.
