South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865 · scan page 23

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PRELIMINAUy  HISTORY.  15
flic  Lord  to  thwart  all  our  plans !  It  does  indeed  require
much  grace  to  say  at  all  times  and  under  all  circumstances,
'  Tlie  will  of  the  Lord  be  done.'  Lord,  increase  our  faith.
*  *  *  Mrs.  Sawtell  has  often  felt  that  the  Lord  might  tear
me  away  from  what  she  sometimes  feared  was  my  idol.
Though  not  conscious  of  idolatry,  I  am  aware  that  my  soul
has  been  wrapped  up  in  that  one  object.  But  the  Lord  can
do  without  me.  That  lie  intends  to  have  a  church  there,  I
have  not  the  least  shadow  of  doubt,  though  my  voice  may
never  be  heard  in  that  pulpit.  May  God  bleys  you  and
yours,  and  the  enterprise  you  have  so  much  at  heart."
"  Cleveland,  Feb.  18,  1852.
"  Mtssrs.  JIallock,  Trotvhridge,  Smith,  Stone,  and  others.
"Dear  Sirs: — The  recent  intelligence  which  I  have
received  of  the  near  completion  of  your  church  edifice,  has
filled  my  heart  with  mingled  emotions  of  joy  and  grief;  of
joy,  that  the  Lord  has  enabled  you  to  do  so  much ;  grief,
at  the  prospect  of  my  doing  so  little,  or,  perhaps  as  I  ought
rather  to  say,  nfmf/  doing  nothing,  in  advancing  that  noble
enterprise  in  which  you  are  engaged.  I  have  before  in-
timated to  some  of  my  friends,  my  fears  on  this  subject,
owing  to  the  precarious  state  of  my  voice.  But  hoping  at
the  return  of  each  day,  that  some  favorable  change  or
sym{itoms  might  manifest  themselves,  and  unwilling  to  be
convinced  that  I  was  to  have  no  part  nor  lot  in  that  mat-
ter, I  have  deferred  writing  to  you  jointly,  until  I  dare  de-
fer no  longer.  I  think  it  due  to  you  all,  as  well  as  to  my-
self, to  make  known  to  you  the  whole  truth  in  this  matter,
and  keep  nothing  back,  that  is  in  the  least  calculated  to
shed  light  upon  your  path  and  mine.  During  the  whole
winter  I  have  been  a  great  sufferer,  with  an  inflammation  of
the  throat,  accompanied  with  an  entire  exhaustion  or  pros-
tration of  my  speaking  powers.  I  have  recently  made  two
attempts  to  speak  in  public,  in  both  of  which  I  failed,  and
had  to  cut  short  my  remarks,  and  from  the  effects  of  which
I  have  not  yet  recovered.  One  was  simply  a  short  address,
at  the  anniversary  of  the  Society  for  National  Popular  Ed-
ucation ;  and  although  I  yielded  reluctantly  to  the  solicita-
tions of  riovernor  Slade  to  make  this  address,  I  finallv  did

Cite this page

Silent Grounds Collective, Church Burial & Death Records, CH-P004-0023. South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865, printed page not verified, PDF page 23. Hallock, Gerard, 1800-1866; digitized copy contributed by University of California Libraries https://archive.org/details/historyofsouthco00hall/page/n25/mode/1up Accessed September 8, 2026.

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