LETTER OF
The GOSPEL TRUTH CHARLES G. FINNEY
1866
To John Moody
2 May 1866
[MS in Finney Papers, Supplement #159]
Oberlin College
2d May 1866.
Capt. John Moody.
My Dear Brother.
Yours of the 8th of Feb. was duly
recd & would have been answered
long ago but for the fact that
I have been confined to my bed
with sickness over three months.
I now am able to get up &
ride out in pleasant weather.
Am gaining strength gradually.
I am not yet able to attend
to business & must write you
only a short note, at present.
Life has run very low with me
of late & for some weeks it
was very doubtful whether
I could recover. I got quite
overdone in revival labors,
& was obliged to lay aside &
give up such labors altogether.
The work has however continued
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up to the present time.
Our college is full of students
& much of the good spirit
is manifested among them.
Revivals have prevailed & are
extending very much in this
country since the war is
ended. As soon as the south
is settled I think we shall
see such a revival as the
world has never yet seen.
Charles writes me that
business is becoming very
lively in Oshkosh, that real
estate is now selling freely.
I hope you have not disposed of
your real estate there.
The mainspring spring of my chro
nometer broke since I have been
sick. It injured the work some
inside but I sent it to N. York
& got it repaired & I think it
will run as well as before.
[page 3]
It is & has been a great comfort
to me & reminds me of you
very very often.
I have been greatly blessed
in my present wife she has
excellent health - has been
my only nurse during my sickness
& has not left me to the care
of another for an hour day nor
night. She is a most affectionate
prudent & in every way excellent
Christian woman, & universally
respected & beloved by my children
& my people.
I earnestly hope you will
succeed in your patent rights
& that we shall see you in
this country soon. With very
much love to Ann & Mr P.
& to all friends I am as
ever your Brother in the Lord.
The Lord has sustained my
spirit in comfort during my
[page 4]
sickness. As my disease was
a nervous fever & prostration
I kept as calm as possible
& made no effort to keep up
any religious excitement my
soul has been kept in
peace & hope has not been
shaken. Grace has abounded.
God bless you my
very Dear Brother
C. G. Finney.
Footnotes:
The word Charles is underlined, but not by Finney.
Moody refers to "my American Property" in his will, dated 13 September 1870, in Somerset House, London.
On 24 August 1865, Moody, who was at that time Managing Director of the Goole Steam Shipping Company, had been granted a patent for "Floating light, beacons, floating batteries and other vessels" (Patent No. 2173, 1865, Patent Office, London). He subsequently took out further patents for "Means and apparatus for moving vessels or floating bodies" (Patent no 594, 1869) and for "Keels for ships boats etc." (Patent No. 1547, 1871).
That is John Moody's daughter Ann, who was married to Rev. Edward Potter.