Z699/184

Hannah Southall to Ann May 2 Mar 1839 Leominster 3rd mo 2nd 1839 My dear Friend I am glad of the present opportunity of thanking thee most cordially for thy renewed kindness in writing to me, and the more especially as thy communications continue to afford so much real satisfaction to my best feelings. I do comfortably hope that this may ever be the case so long as our beloved son remains a resident among you - and indeed I must repeat what I have heretofore expressed that I esteem it a favour and a privilege that his lot has been cast on a soil where the good is cherished which I have every reason to believe it is, under the kind care and encouragement he receives at your hands, proofs of which are in various ways manifested - By a recent letter from our dear J.T.S. he mentions a visit from some friends in the Ministry in your quarter and that he accompanied R. & P.Alsop to a neighbouring meeting as guide - This circumstance he states with the greatest simplicity - and ventures very little remark on the labours of these valuable friends - tho' it is pretty evident that he felt the importance of such missions - and was no doubt in some small degree capable of participating in the experience attendant thereupon. I am an entire stranger to the friends just named - but my Husband and others here know them well either personally or by character and it is particularly satisfactory to me to find that they are of the good old sort - if I may venture to use such a distinction in comparison of many of the present day, I would desire however to be preserved from judging any by my own feeble powers of discrimination yet I think we cannot easily mistake the genuine characteristics of real Friends - and it is with such as these that I would earnestly wish our dear Son should most intimately associate - desiring at the same time that he may be favoured above every thing besides, to keep under the immediate teachings and guidance of the Holy Spirit which alone is the safest Counsellor, and true Preserver - Regarding the scruples in matters of business which thou hast hinted in thy letter - we know nothing from dear T. himself he is so uniformly careful in everything which may relate to his private concerns - that even to myself he would not I believe at present, think it right to communicate his religious feelings - and I feel so satisfied with his motives for silence that I could hardly wish it should be otherwise - To give thee an instance of his care in speaking of himself in any way he tells us he has been on the drapery side pretty much since John Youill left and that he thinks he likes it rather better than the grocery - but lest he should seem to be choosing for himself - he crosses this remark and adds - "I mind very little On which side I am, so that I get plenty of employment - which I am pretty well able to do." I quote these simple observations in freedom to thee - believing they will not extend further - I also trust thou wilt most kindly excuse my dwelling from time to time on a subject so near to my heart as the welfare and comfort of my absent child - We have abundant excuse for thankfulness in that his temporary separation from us may according to present appearances prove greatly to his advantage even in the best sense - We are I must acknowledge in a poor low spot here, and the prospect of a further decrease in numbers is discouraging - yet I sometimes entertain a hope that in weakness we may be made strong - and that tho' "Jacob" indeed "is small" there is a power which "can raise up children unto Abraham" - Under my present feeling of incapacity, to adopt language of encouragement as regards my own particular usefulness in any way in the promotion of the Great Cause.- I can and do secretly rejoice in the belief that it will prosper, notwithstanding the unfaithfulness of some and the lukewarmness of others - the latter state being the most fearful & dangerous of either - I trust there are indications up and down that the Divine Hand has been turned upon the rising generation - tho' it may be but a few - compared with the general mass.- Such are being led by the Great Mind himself into the good old paths of simplicity and self-denial who duly regarding the "day of small things" may in time become qualified to take their places which have long been vacant or unworthily occupied - But I must restrain my pen or I shall be in danger of exceeding those limits - which I ought to keep in view considering my low attainment in religious growth. My Husband and self with other near relatives have lately been attending the marriage of my brother S.Southall to my dear niece Ann Burlingham - an event that thou mayst have long since known was in prospect - and as thou must be pretty well acquainted with my dear brother R.B. (Ann's father) it may not be uninteresting to thee to hear that the affair was conducted in a very satisfactory manner a sweet feeling of cordiality cementing the two fold connection between the families - The happy pair are gone into the West for a fortnights retreat on the coast of Devonshire - previously to my dear Niece and Sister entering upon her solemn and interesting engagement to become not only the affectionate wife - but also a tender Mother to the dear children who have been bereft of their own sweet precious Parent - whose memory still lives amongst us as fresh and fragrant as ever - I was pleased with thy mention of your dear Priscilla and her interesting little girl - who must be quite a treasure to you and I hope will prove a comfort - I should like to be kindly remembered to E. & P.S. whose kindness to our Tertius is gratefully felt - I consider his being set at liberty to attend Meeting at a distance sometimes as a proof of your attention & regard - I find poor Maria Pumphrey (by whom I hope to send this) is going to pay a little visit - her health is I suppose still in a very delicate state tho' I am not in the way of knowing much about her - How truly kind has been thy tender notice of one so afflicted as she has been - Many have I believe felt much for her - but no one has crowned their care in the same way as thyself - Her sister is I suppose doing pretty comfortably for herself by her neat industry and skill. After writing this much I am tempted to cast my letter into the fire - I feel so dissatisfied with what I have expressed - savouring as it does much of selfishness or akin thereto - and I also know it would be contrary to our dear boy's feelings that he should be made the subject of particular observation - I can only request that thou wilt do that for me which would best satisfy my mind - and I know I shall find my excuse in thy own {form}. With kind love to thy Husband and thyself - in which my J.S. unites - I am my dear Friend Thy affectionate and obliged H.Southall - I hope poor John Youill is in a fair way to be restored to health - tho' perhaps not likely to resume his situation at present. Ann May Ampthill

2 Mar 1839

From: 1839 To: 1839

No. of pieces: 1

paper

item

May, Ann,
Southall, Hannah,
Southall, John Tertius,
Alsop, R.,
Alsop, P.,
Youill, John,
Southall, S.,
Burlingham, Ann,
Strange, Priscilla,
Strange, Edward Harris,
Pumphrey, Maria,
Southall, J.

health, MARRIAGE, Leominster, Devon