A Letter to Susan H. Hardy

                                                         September 10, 1866

. . . Mrs. [sic] Hidden's aunt, called Mrs. C[handler], commenced to be weak from the last spring and grew worse and worse. Now she is in the point between life and death. In the evening of the last Sunday I went in her chamber and waited on her a little while. Though her mind turned aside, she seemed to me more quiet than any rest time. I told her: "Mrs. C[handler], I pray to God for your blessing and I believe He will answer my prayer. Won't you pray to Him? I think He will hear your prayer and bless you." Then she answered: "Joseph, I thank you for your kindness," bursting in tears; and she cried out quite loud, "O Lord, have compassion on me, and show me thy mercy through Jesus Christ." She cried twice in this manner. At that time Mrs. Hidden was downstairs. She heard then this crying, and thought very strangely, and came up to her chamber door and asked me: "What matter is it?" I told her she made prayer. She said: "Does she make prayer? I never heard her make prayer, nor noticed it in my life. I am very glad about it." Then she asked her: "Do you trust in Jesus?" She said: "Yes, live or die, I trust in Him." She is aged about three score and ten, but never said anything regard Jesus, nor made prayer; but from my single question in that Sabbath evening she turned her heart unto Him who takes sins away from the world. . . . I believe the Lord will hear her earnest prayer and guide her into everlasting habitation. . . .