[Some paragraph breaks added for ease of reading.]Salisbury June 10th 1849
Very Respected Friend
Perhaps you will be surprised to receive a communication from me after so great a period has passed since we parted at Montezuma - yourself & Friends to prosecute your journey to South Hadley while I went to visit my Friends at Danby[.] Do I need an apology for addressing you who until the time when we met at Providentially at Conaunt [?] were entire strangers I take the liberty of addressing you a few lines in compliance with the kind wish you expressed to hear from me & to know how I found my family & friends on reaching home & also to express the interest which I felt in your present & future welfare[.]
It may not be wholly uninteresting to you to know something of my journey after leaving you & before reaching home[.] I spent the Sabbath & most of the following week with Brother whom I had not seen for about twenty & a Sister with their families & I need not assure you it was a meeting of much mutual congratulation[.] Leaving there the last of the week I passed the next Sabbath at Auburn at Dr Lathrop's my former minister - had a very pleasant visit with the family though I had occasion deeply to regret his absence on a visit & business to N. York[.]
Leaving Auburn Monday morning in the Cars I reached Syracuse - took a Packet to Schenectady where I arrived Thursday morning - then taking the Rail-Road soon found myself at Canaan within a few miles of my family[.] I arrived at Salisbury Oct 4th & was permitted to embrace my family & to witness the clearest proofs of the affection which they cherished to a partner & Father & realizing I hope in some suitable degree the obligation under which a kind Providence had brought me I found that my daughter whose history I gave you had been very feeble for the two first weeks after my leaving home but more comfortable subsequently & on my arrival at home from the history I gave of you & the pleasure I experienced in being Providentially brought into an acquaintance with you together with Miss Luce & the Gentleman who was accompanying you[.]
My Daughter has repeatedly rather urged me to write which I the more cheerfully do excited by the interest which I feel for your happiness & the hope that these few lines may elicit an answer from you[.] The health of my daughter is rather better this Spring & we indulge the hope that she will eventually regain it while we would cheerfully leave the event to Him who is too wise to err & too good to afflict his children but in covenant love & faithfulness I have very often thought My Dear Friend of the critical time at night when obliged to ford the stream before reaching Buffalo & of the watchful & preserving care of Him who never slumbers nor sleeps[.]
And now permit me to inquire how have you been since you arrived at S. Hadley[.] Has the confinement of the Institution preyed upon your health[.] Associated as you are with a large number of interesting young Ladies from various parts of the Country is a circumstance in itself calculated to render the separation from your friends less trying[.] I can but sympathize with you in the deep affliction the Institution has experienced in the death of their excellent Principal Miss Lyon[.] Dark & mysterious very often are the ways of Providence - while it is not unfrequently it appears that "Behind a frowning Providence, He hides a smiling face"[.]
But I trust you know where to go for consolation when afflictions experienced are calculated to bow down the spirit[.] It was the conviction in my own mind that you had been taught the preciousness of this truth experimentally that awakened in my own mind so deep an interest for you[.] It was the advice of an aged Uncle of mine
"Live the religion which you profess" advice well worthy to be followed by every one who professedly expouses the cause of Christ & in the language of another
"Live while you live the sacred preacher cries
And give to God each moment as it flies["]That we may thus live & fulfil the great end of a christian profession living near to Christ & habitually cherishing a [...]tion of our own weekness should be the daily effort of our lives[.] All that we can be but a feeble acknowledgement [sic] of our obligation to the Savior who "has given his life for our ransom[."]
Give my kind respects to Miss Luce
My Daughter Alma wishes to be remembered to you
Please to answer this soon & confer a favor upon yours
Respectfully
Myron Hutchinson