Letters Packet 5: Emma's death

Amerikan Bord Heyeti (American Board)

A collection of papers and letters specific to Emma, prior to and after her death. Opens with the note: “Emma Louisa was born March 25th 1847, and died July 2nd 1863.” Includes an undated “dedication” in Emma’s hand (“I take God the Father to be my God. 1 Thess.1.9.” “I take God the Son to be my Saviour. Acts.5.31.” etc.), and a small letter to God (“Dear Saviour, I want to love thee and do right but I am continually doing wrong and wandering away from thee. Oh take this wicked heart of mine. Take it and make it holy.” etc.). A letter to Emma just before her 17th birthday from her sister Margaret (March 1863) : “I have just been thinking that you are just as old as I was when we came back to Constantinople in 1858.” There is a sheet of religious poetry – in Margaret’s hand? A series of handwritten notes in pencil about religion/faith and overcoming faults in Emma’s hand: “One of my faults is slothfulness, another inattention at prayers & meetings, carelessness…impatience, not speaking the truth, not receiving reproof as I ought…Before I joined the Church I do not think I realized what a sinner I was and even now I find new faults everyday.” A list of resolutions (“To think more of God and heavenly things…to be more punctual…never to take what is not mine.”), a dense list of “questions before the Communion” (“Have I seen myself to be by nature and by practice a lost and helpless sinner?” etc.), a list of “Proofs of a Christian” (“Habitual renunciation of all dependence on our own righteousness and an humble and fixed reliance on the righteousness of Christ” etc.). There is a letter to Emma from cousin Maggie C. Montfort [daughter of Hannah Conger Riggs & Joseph Montfort, born c.1847] at Glendale Female College dated May 1862, expressing gladness at Emma’s improved health [this is over a year before her death], and remarking, “I do not suppose you have an opportunity to hear very much about the war, that at present is distracting the whole country. Brother Elias [Elias Riggs Montfort, b.1842] has been in the service nearly a year. He enlisted in the latter part of June, in the 6th Ohio regt, the Guthrie Grays, as a private…his regiment had a very severe time in Va. for his regiment had a great many long marches to make over mountains, through rain and mud and sometimes with scarcely anything to eat.” (includes many more details about his service). A letter to Emma from C. Howlin, Bebek, Sept 1862: “I cannot let you go away[to Malta] without telling you that I have thought a great deal about you & with tender solicitude in all your illness.” From M.R. [Mary Reynolds] Schauffler, Bebek, Nov 1862, to Emma, expressing sadness at her illness and prayers for improved health. From “Emma L.G.,” Rome, Dec 1862, replying to Emma’s letter. From a Goodell, Constantinople, Aug 1862: “Heavenly Father, who loves you and thinks of you a thousand times more than we do, & who never makes a mistake in the education of his children, sees fit to keep you at school a great while. In this school of affliction, may you every day enjoy the sweet smiles of your Great Teacher!” Letters from her sister, Margaret, Yeni Kapu, Dec 17-30 1862: describes the cold weather and her daily study routine (Armenian, English history, Turkish, fractions), and a meeting with an “old Armenian family” whose teenage daughters Margaret wants to introduce to “Pilgrim’s Progress.” From Helen M.R.H. [Richards Herrick], Galata, Jan ’63: she describes a kitten she found in her apartment, daily affairs. From A. Goodell to the Riggses in sympathy w/ Emma’s illness: “If she can still receive my love, give it to her with a farewell kiss…It does not seem right to remain at home, if I could help you. What shall I do?” A letter to “my own dear Papa” from Emma, Yeni Kapoo, June 1st (no year): she misses him, describes the annual meeting of missionaries. An undated letter/diary seemingly in Martha’s hand, June 19 1863: “Returning from my long journey to Diarbakir & found dear Emma very low under the influence of measles which had aggravated and precipitated her disease of the lungs. On June 24 she had ridden on horseback to Galata and spent the day with Mr. Herrick whom she loved as a visitor. The next day also she rode out, though feeling unfit for the effort in consequence of the measles, which were not yet so far developed to attract much attention. But so rapid was the progress of her decline from this point that a week from that day she closed her earthly pilgrimage.” She goes on to describe Emma’s decline in considerable detail. The rest of the packet consists of a number of condolence letters from friends and relatives, including: R. Schauffler, C.H. Ladd, Mary E. Hamlin, W.M. Thomson, Albert Long, & several others.

A collection of papers and letters specific to Emma, prior to and after her death. Handwritten in ink and pencil. Some illegibility due to ink bleeding. One letter is on Robert College letterhead.

1862
1863

English

Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey), Bebek (Istanbul, Turkey), Galata, Rome

Missions, Missionaries

SALT Research

https://archives.saltresearch.org/handle/123456789/45839

Correspondence

Letter, Diary

Print, Handwriting

90

ABARPC005

Open Access

United Church of Christ (UCC), American Research Institute in Turkey (ARIT), SALT Research

On deposit at SALT Research from UCC and ARIT