Miss Ellis's MissionSmith, Mary P. Wells (Mary Prudence Wells)
Religion
Miss Ellis's Mission
Smith, Mary P. Wells (Mary Prudence Wells)
Ellis, Sarah, 1835-1885; Home missions -- United States -- Unitarian Church
She is a subscriber
to 'The Unitarian.' We also have Channing's Works and the 'Oriental
Christ,' which I bought through Miss Ellis, and some of Freeman
Clarke's books; so that we have the companionship of much of the
best Unitarian thought, although we are denied the privilege of a
personal ministry."
From Springfield, Ohio:--
"I have been greatly benefited by the papers, sermons, etc., you
have so kindly sent me. Hope to have them continued. Will try to
have some Unitarian volumes put in our public library. After
reading the papers I loan them out to others. Some sermons thus
pass into six or eight homes. They set people to thinking. I thank
you, and your good Society, for the broad Christian education you
are giving me. Will do all I can as your missionary here."
Rev. Samuel May, Leicester, Mass., having offered to send his "Register"
to some one, Miss Ellis arranged that it should go to the writer of the
above, who acknowledged it as follows:--
"Your postal received. I am very grateful for this kindness, and,
as I read the 'Register' this morning, I resolved to use it for
others also.... Can't your Association give the ball a push at this
place?"
The following extract is from the first letter of a new correspondent,
dated Dec. 8, 1885. To him was begun the last postal card, which she was
unable to finish. She was so eager about it, dictating faster than one
could write. "Tell him I think he will like us when he knows us better,"
she said.
"Your postal came all right, also copies of several tracts, and
specimens of 'Register' and 'Unity.' They are mainly in lines of
thought which I have been working on for some years. I am at one
with the authors in main points, but not prepared to accept all of
the so-called advanced or radical expressions. My own experience,
observation, and reflection seem to show that they have swung too
far from Orthodoxy, and the truth lies between; but I am not fit to
decide yet. From the pamphlet of selections of Channing's writings,
with which I am particularly pleased, I have derived some ideas
which inspire me for a greater activity, and I hope a more
effective activity, in my work of teaching.... I have a friend who
also feels dissatisfied with current Orthodoxy. If you see fit, I
wish you to send him some of those tracts. I wish to use my copies
here, or I would send them."
The estimation in which Miss Ellis was held by some of her
fellow-workers appears in the following extracts from letters and
papers.
At the conclusion of a letter, a part of which is given elsewhere, Rev.
A. A. Livermore, President of Meadville Theological School, says:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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