LETTER OF
The GOSPEL TRUTH CHARLES G. FINNEY
1870
To George Whipple
Secretary of the American Missionary Association
28 January 1870
[MS in American Missionary Association Papers, # 115507, Amistad Research Center, Tulane University.]
Oberlin 28th Jan. 1870
Dear Br. Whipple.
Yours of the 26th with enclosed
draft is recd. A word of explanation
about Miss Dowling. She came to
me with Br. Caflins Telegram &
said that she was convinced
that it was her duty to go, but
she was ashamed to say so now
things had gone so far. I told
her if God had settled the
question of duty, no matter how
much she would feel disgraced
by her apparent inconsistency, she
must go of course. She then said
the path of duty had been made
plain, but writhed under the
thought that she should be
misunderstood, & doubted whether
she was at liberty to go. I told
her that the way was still
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open, if I understood your
letters. At any rate she could
do no less than offer to go & if
it was too late she would
be excused. At her request I
wrote a telegram consenting to go.
Your reply she considered
ambiguous. I said it was
a mistake in the operator &
told her that it was just what
your letter first recd states that
it was. I told her not to wait but
start. I at last learned much
of the reason of Mrs. D. hesitancy,
backing & filling. She has some
are
very good lady friends who ^
the particular friends of the
Zulu Mission who urged
her hard to go to Zulu.
They were good women & meant
well but they were so urgent
as to overrule so gentle a
spirit as that of Miss. D.
[page 3]
It came out right at last & her
friends are happy finally in
her ultimate decision.
I have disposed of the
Drafts according to Miss D's request
God bless you My Dr. Bro.
C. G. Finney
Footnote:
Finney presumably should have written "Miss" here.