Tuesday, January 3, 2012

1862 January 2 University of Virginia

My Dear Friend

It was with inex-
pressible grief that Mrs McGuffey
and myself learned the fact of
your sad bereavement, in the
recent death of your distinguished
son, General Philip St George Cocke
HOw mysterious is the
sovereign Providence of our Heavenly
Father-! But the comfort is in
that word our Father who art
in Heaven--clouds and dark-
ness may be round about Him
- but still, we cannot doubt
that justice and judgment-
yea! mercy-even tender mercy
are
the habitation of his throne--
He is infinite in wisdom and in goodness

[page 2]
The mystery which we ascribe to his providence
is altogether the result of our ignorance
We cannot see the end from the
beginning--He cannot but do all
things well
--To our feeble faith
it does seem strange, that many,
to whose life is a burden to them-
selves
and an injury to others, should
be permitted to linger on in their
unimproved, even misapplied, pro-
bation--while others, possessed of
talents, character, position and fortune
adequate to the most extensive use-
fulness & with such dispositions as to
secure the highest earthly bliss, for
themselves and their families, and
indeed for all with whom they come
in contact are suddenly cut down in the
midst of their days by disease or accident.

[page 3]
We call that accident which we
can neither forsee nor explain--but
let us remember that not a sparrow
falleth to the ground without the div-
-ine care. His special providence is
over all, and regulates the dance of
even the "motes that people the sun-
beam,
"--How much more the affairs
of men--of men destined to immor-
-tality- in a world to come--

My Dear General, I trust it is
not presumption but grateful con-
-fidence in the good mercy of our
God, that suggest, that both you
and I can humbly say--that all
things are ours--that even tribulation
will work out for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory, thro the Son
of God shed abroad in our hearts--

[page 4]
can you not, even in this unparalleled
affliction, gratefully say, that by the
grace of God, nothing can harm
you as to your peace with God?
Is it not true of both you and
me, that the greatest success, over
us, of our worst enemies, would but
hasten our maturity for the world
of bliss--as did the triumph (it was
their [?]) of the powers of Darkness
did but make the Captain of our salva-
-tion perfect through suffering--
Let us trust in God, and in Him
who died that we might live--
My Dear Friend--Let us not
sorrow as those who have no hope-
We shall soon join those who
have gone before--We shall cer-
-tainly recognize our friends in Heaven
!!--

[page 5]
Let us commit, not only ourselves
to Christ in well doing--but also
the souls of our departed friends
let us trust to his infinite mercy--
I have ever (as I have no doubt you
also have done) rested my hope of
the future well-being of the departed
upon the tenor of their of their lives
far more than on any circumst
-ances (seemingly favorable, or unfa-
vorable) connected with their demise--
Who could consent that the tragic
death of the celebrated Hugh Miller
should reverse his view of the
gracious state of that imminently pious
man-? But enough, my dear
General--Recent sorrow should not
be plied with many words--Sorrow
is well nigh mute--and so should be its comporter

[page 6]
May we not hope to see you at
the University at some time, during the
winter? now that (as I suppose) tis
settled that you do not go South
this season. Pray do, if you can,
allow us to expect you, (if it were but
for a few days-) to make one of our
little circle--, tis now very small--
My first impulse was, upon
hearing of your bereavement, to run
down to Bremo--and spend a day
or two with you--But I was not
certain that I should find you there
and so I desisted.
May God bless you and all
yours my dear friend.

Mrs McGuffey (who is in her usual
health) begs with me to mingle her Christian
sympathies with your grief

MSS 640

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