84-08-08  August 8th 1884  Centralia MO from S. A. Hunt to E Damrell
                      
My Dear Grand Ma      (typed 2 pages)               
I expect you are beginning to think that I am not going to write to you at 
all.  But it seems like time fies away so fast I can hardly realize it has 
been so long since I saw you.  When I came home I thought I would write to you 
in a few days.  I had to clean my house for I had not done that when I was 
there so I went to work papering and white washing.  Dollie came home with me 
and when I got through with that I had to go around with her visiting some so 
she could get acquainted with the girls and then I had promised to cut and 
make several dresses and when I got them done I had to do some sewing for 
Dollie.  I made three dresses for her besides some other wok and we have a 
good deal of company too.  We have a young man boarding with us now.  been 
here about two months.  we go to the Sunday School and Prayer Meeting every 
Sunday and to church too.  I have a class of little boys in Sunday School that 
is real interesting to me and I dont like to miss going if I can help it so 
you see about how I fill in my time.  I am not careful about the fashions or 
worldly amusements of any kind.  I want to serve God what little time I have 
to live.  I realize more and more the importance of holy living every day.  
Grand Ma I am glad I went to see you all but it brings sadness to my heart 
when I think that all the time I was away from home I never heard a prayer 
offered or a blessing asked at the table of any family of all my relatives; oh 
it did seem so strange how any one living in this enlightened age, can live so 
unconcerned about the future.  Oh I did want to talk to them so much and yet I 
said so little.  I tried to talk with Uncle Beall and he seemed almost to 
scorn the Idea of a person living with out sin, when the very first chapter 
and 21st verse in the new testament tells us that was Christs mission on earth 
was to Save his people from their Sins and not in their sins and I know his 
Mission is not a failure, if people would read the bible for themselves and 
not listen to the doctrines of men.  it seems to me the book of Jude although 
it is so short explains the condition of the world just now.  I do love to 
read the bible, I find so many precious promises in it, there is nothing I can 
do without first asking the lord, if I dont know just how or what to do I just 
ask God and you know he has promised us wisdom.  I know he will give it and I 
know he does, he gives me grace for every emergency in this life.  I know he 
is able to keep me from falling in to sin, Dear GrandMa I feel so weak and 
unworthy of the love of Jesus, but I do know he is worthy and I am only 
trusting in his merits.  I feel so much stronger in the Lord since Henry has 
professed religion.  he helps me so much.  he is a real zealous Christian now, 
all of his convercastian is of Jesus and his love, he never meets a strange 
person without talking to them of salvation.  we have family worship regular. 
 when Henry is not here I take it up, I once would shrink from any duty like 
than, but I feel that it is my duty, and would feel condemned if I did not 
take it up.  I am not ashamed of the cross.  Jesus has promised to bear the 
burden, and he fulfils all his promises.  there is many things hard for me to 
understand, but Gods ways are past finding out.  I know he does all things 
well.  he never makes any mistakes.  I know I can trust him.  He has been so 
good to me.  I can never praise him enough for salvation.  I believe he will 
yet hear my prayers in behalf of my near friends, and relatives, Cousin Will 
Powell took dinner with us today.  went off on the train to some of his 
appointment, he says they are all well at house.  he thinks he will visit you 
this fall.  He says the rest of them are all well as far as he knows.  I mean 
his brothers and sisters.  Julius was here this week went back to Monroe.  
Russell went with him to stay a while.  Henry will be up in a few days.  I 
think I told you they were on the farm this summer.  Julius will commence 
teaching school again this fall, the first of Sept., I would like for you to 
see Julius.  He is such a good steady man, and I believe a Christian.  
Everyone likes him.  I think Henry is a good boy too but he is not as old and 
not settled.  he love company and music but dont go to dances or anything lie 
that.  he is proud spirited and keeps good company and I do not feel that I 
need to worry about him.  I do feel so thankful that I have such good 
children.  I gave them all the Lord and I believe he will save them all.  I 
know I have tried hard to raise them for the Lord and I believe I will meet 
them all in heaven.  pray for me GrandMa thatI may be as faithful as my Dear 
Mother was, that I may run with patience the race that is set before me 
looking unto Jesus the great Author and finisher of my faitt.  give my love to 
all the dear ones.  I suppose they wrote to you about Mary's death.  I got a 
telegram stating she was dead.  would like to have gone but I got it too late 
for the train, could not have got there in time.  Hope you are all well.  
Grandma if you cannot write get some of the girls to write for you would like 
to hear from all of them and the greatist thing I want is to hear that they 
have given their hearts to Jesus this leaves us well, your loving grand 
Daughter,     S. A. Hunt
maybe one of Elisha Damrell's girls