Concord, July 14. 1849.My dear daughter
I was happy to receive your last letter; and to learn that you are still enjoying health and find your situation so agreeable. It would afford me great pleasure to visit that delightful spot, and especially to be present at your anniversary but I see no prospect of being able to leave home for that purpose. We are all about as well as usual, - though we feel the debilitating effects of the warm weather. Mother's health is not fully restored, and she prepares to make a short visit to the Beach soon. Week after next I go to Commencement at Dartmouth. Elizabeth is making us a short visit; Mr. Webster is not well, and means to be absent from his people and journey a few weeks; perhaps he will call on you. We had a letter from the man this week he is well, but finds his business very hard.
The persons whom I have before named to you united with our Church the first Sabbath in July. It was a truly interesting season. It is a solemn yet beautiful sight to behold a company of young persons come forward and enter covenant with the Lord & with his Church. I look forward with pleasure to the time when you too with your beloved associates will enter into similar engagements to be the Lords. Have not you, Amanda, and Martha, thought of the subject? I find from the examples in the New Test. that the primitive converts professed their faith in Christ immediately or very soon after they had experienced the grace of God. Persons who delay the duty long, usually fall into a state of doubt and hesitation which destroys their comfort and much of their usefulness. I would earnestly recommend to you and Amanda, and Martha (if she enjoys a hope) to make it a subject of prayers, and ask the Lord to strengthen and guide you in influence to making a public profession of religion. I think you had better do it soon after you return home, - the first Sabbath in Sept. It will have, I trust, a happy effect to establish you and enable you the better to meet the temptations which you may experience.
Enclosed I send you a copy of a most beautiful form of private covenant with God which I recommend to you to adopt and then carefully keep by you. And may the Lord abundantly bless, comfort and establish you in faith and love and every grace.
Martha, Elizabeth, & all send love. Write again before your term closes & let us know when you will be here. We shall be very glad to see you...
Affectionately, your father N. [Nathaniel] Bouton.
["Mother" in the first paragraph is probably Elizabeth Ann (Cilley) Bouton, Nathaniel's third wife; Martha Cilley Bouton was their daughter, born Jun 29, 1843. "Elizabeth" is probably Elizabeth Ripley Bouton, Nathaniel's daughter by his first wife, Harriet Sherman. Elizabeth was born Aug 15, 1826.]