Athens, Oct. 17th, 1871

Athens, O., Dec. 9th, 1871.

Dear Sister Rose:

I got Joe's letter late this evening, and I find that I must answer it before I go to bed. He did not say anything about sending up that money, which is what I was most anxious about. Next Friday (the 15th) I expect to start to Coolville, and my money is about all gone. I had to borrow $6 from Kinnison to-day to pay for the boots I bought a couple of weeks ago. If Wm. will send me those $30 now, you don't need to get the rest of that money out of the Bank -- that is, if Dave M'Kenzie has bought my colt. But he ought not to send it until the 27th or 28th of Dec., unless he can send it right away, as I will not be here. I wish you could send me some money before next Friday if possible, or I will have to borrow some more. If I had $10, I could get along. If you have already sent me that money from D. M'Kenzie and from the bank, William doesn't need to send the other now at all; but I shall be looking for from 40 to 50 dollars between now and New Year's.

I am glad that protracted meeting is coming on so well. How I wish I could be there now. I was much pleased to learn that Nancy M'Kinley had joined the Church, and I hope her example will be followed by others of the family. And again I was glad to hear that Nancy Marshall, etc., were converted. It is not pleasant to live in the Church without religion, although with different persons the experience is different. I was in the Church three or four years, and all the time doubted whether I was converted. Now I feel it would be wrong for me to doubt the fact, and yet it is utterly impossible for me to point out the hour, or the day, or the month, or even the year, in which my conversion took place. Possibly your own experience may be somewhat similar. At least, if you have doubts as to your conversion, ask yourself, "Do I love the people of God? Do I find pleasure in meeting with them in the house of God? Does it please me to see my friends becoming converted?" And although an affirmative answer to these questions may not furnish to your mind as satisfactory a proof of your conversion as you might wish, yet it is an evidence that the work of grace is going on; and if you will let it go on, and not become discouraged at this, that, or the other, so as to form a habit of unbelief, but try to keep your faith fixed in God, and your feet in the path of duty, the time will come, sooner or later, when every doubt will vanish, and the sky of your Christian experience will be without a cloud. Above all, never be discouraged because your experience is not as bright or is not similar to that of others. Perhaps you may even hear statements from the pulpit -- as I have done -- concerning conversion, that will send an involuntary shiver through your soul, and almost incline you to despair. But remember, ministers may be mistaken in some things as well as other men, and that God has different ways of performing his work in the soul. It all depends upon faith, of course; and if the faith is not wanting, the work will be carried on, sometimes almost unconsciously to the individual, so that when he reaches a high standard of experience, he knows not how, the language of his heart may be, "He hath led me by a way that I knew not."

I am glad Rodney Marshall has begun attending church again. I had about given him over. May the Spirit of the Lord make its power felt, not only in his heart, but in the hearts of many other hardened sinners in that community.

I suppose your Quart. Meeting will come off soon. If the Conference renews my license, I should like to receive it right away. If you write between the 15th and 25th of

Dec., direct to Coolville, Athens, Co. O. Tell Joe, if he wants "the latest news from New York," to look in the proper column of the Gazette, and his curiosity will no doubt be gratified.

Your aff. brother

A. Stritmatter

I got that box after a delay of two or three days. Everything in it came very handy -- particularly the meat and the fruit and the potatoes and the molasses and everything else. I have bed-clothes enough. I am much obliged for all you sent. I wish you to keep back enough from that money to pay the fare for the box, and also to pay Pa for my tax. How much was it?