Cha^s

R. F. 10

 

New Haven Feb. 8^th 1862

 

Dear Father:

                        Your letter came to hand this morn. Money all safe, for which all thanks. I am laid up in the house to-day with sore throat, but hope by providence to be out again Monday. Prof. Hadley is said to have remarked that "there was a good deal of sickness in College, but very few deaths"—this is very true, and, although it was intended as sarcasm, I think it may very easily be accounted for—students as a general thing are very careless of their health, going out with no rubbers, shawl, tippet &c when one has been accustomed to wear them, is quite com- / -mon, and sure to be followed by a cough or cold. On what particular occasion I caught my cold, I do not know, but it is doubtless owing to some such neglect. Notwithstanding a severe storm Thursday afternoon, Prof. Larned's funeral was largely attended. Prof. Porter read the scriptures and offered prayer. Dr. Fitch read a hymn (for which I believe he is noted) and the Pres. preached an exceedingly appropriate sermon from the text "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" 1^st Cor. 15, 56 & 57. He showed how death had no terrors save to the sinner, howsoever it might come, and how (by forcing the meaning of the present tense of / the verb giveth) the Christian was constantly gaining victories over death, so that if struck down in a moment, with out special preparation, the victory was won, and the pain of a long sickness avoided. He closed with a brief survey of Prof. L's life—his mental and moral characteristics. It seems the unfortunate Prof. was returning from a visit to a poor widow, whom with her children he was accustomed to reading and religious matters. One verse he taught one of the boys that day was—"Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest". It is comforting to surviving friends to know, that even if he had fallen in his own home, he could not have been saved, as the snow would have revived him if anything could. /

 

I believe I said in Mother's letter, that Junior Exhibition came next term, in Presentation week. Of course that is a mistake. it comes Apr. 1^st—just about a week before the end of this term. For the expenses of said Exhibition, I don't propose to pay anything. In the first place I think the faculty ought to pay for their own Exhibitions, and in the second place, I think those who speak are the next best ones to bear the expenses of the occasion of swallow-tail coats and poor speeches. We shall have miserable speaking, as the best speakers have no appointments. This is a pretty long acknowledgement, and if it goes by return mail, I must mail it now.

 

With much love to you and the family, I remain

Your aff son

C.

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