LETTER OF
The GOSPEL TRUTH CHARLES G. FINNEY
1869
To George Whipple
Secretary of the American Missionary Association
6 August 1869
[MS in the American Missionary Association Archives # 115069, Amistad Research Center, Tulane University]
Oberlin 6th Aug 1869.
Dear Br. Whipple
Yours of the 4th is just recd
I confess that I should not dare
to advise Miss Dowling to go to
Western Africa. It has
proved the slaughter house
of missionaries. Miss Dowling
has lived in our family a
good deal as a guest whilst
pursuing study. But to your
questions
1. Is she a good Christian girl?
Yes, I think she is.
2. Is she disposed to work for the
master, & the salvation of men?
Yes, I believe she is
3. What is her disposition under
grace. She is very amiable &
charitable.
4. Can she endure opposition?
She has had enough of it amongst
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the Southern rebels & has succeeded
admirably I believe. She has
been teaching in the hotbed
of opposition. Her patien[ce]
& energy gave her marked success.
4. Can she be controlled? In our
family she was all that we
could desire. I never saw
or suspected any thing unreasonable
in regard to self will in her.
She is very consciencious & I
think reasonably, firm, &
yet I should sooner suspect
her of yielding too much, than
of its opposite. She is very discreet,
thoughtful, & amiable in a
family. At least so we have
known her.
5. Has she a sound mind & good sense?
I should think more sound than
brilliant. She seems to have good
sense, & a fair education.
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Mrs. F. concurs in all the
foregoing.
I have written amid the
din of callers & noise.
Wife joins in much love to
you & your Dear Wife.
God bless you
C. G. Finney.
Footnote:
This word appears to have originally been written "patienliness", but Finney crossed out "liness" and inserted "ce".