Wellesley College,
Nov. 18, 1887.My dear Mr. Rogers:
As to mental aberrations, yours did not shock me in the least because I sometimes indulge therein myself - if such a state is constituted by hating one's self, wishing to run away from all responsibility of living, and doubting everything one is supposed to believe. I have been trained in the good old orthodox fashion - which means, as you say, that I believed things because I was told them.
I am sure that, sooner or later, to every person so trained, there comes a time when he must give up his childish belief and form anew a faith for himself, or else hold what is in reality & life-giving force, no belief at all -.
If that transition period is not always attended with serious doubts, I am much mistaken -
Do you ever doubt everything? because I do - & I cannot help it. In general I assume things to be true - all I am supposed to - yet I can hardly ever get through the Apostle's Creed without wondering whether I know at all what those beautiful "I believes" mean.
Sometimes in my life I have said them with all my heart - "I believe in God the Father - and in Jesus Christ his Son - the Holy Catholic Church - the communion of saints - the life everlasting -" and sometimes - (I am always asleep at one o'clock at night so you see the hour, can have nothing to do with the "sometimes.") I a member of an orthodox Baptist church too! & if my uncle knew what I were saying he would neither eat nor sleep till he had turned me from the error of my ways. Bless his heart! After all, it comes to me more & more all the time how this faith of ours is the most beautiful thing in our lives & the only thing that makes them worth the living.
I dont [sic] know as I crave the Eastern desert, but I would like to shut myself up with plenty of books & pictures & flowers to stay forever in an old Berkshire farm house that I dream of. There are a very few people in the world whom I would like to take with me too.
Your letter just came - I was about to tell you that our Thanksgiving recess is from Wednesday noon until Friday noon. I shall be at liberty & glad to see you anytime during those days - Wednesday afternoon, if you like. You will come early, wont [sic] you - Wellesley has so many thing to show you -
Sincerely -
Elizabeth E. Slater.Boston - 1.30 P.M. 2:15 P.M.
Wellesley 2.16 2.42.