1863 January 11 "Hopedale," Albemarle County, Va.

[from the diary of Mary S. Boyden, daughter of the Rev. Ebenzer Boyden, Rector of Walker's Church, Cismont, Va.]

Sunday 9 [sic]  [the writer has mistaken the dating, perhaps because she was copying it over at a later date or making the entries after the date.  Sunday was the 11th.]

Raleigh took a  horse & went to Cobham
after some clean clothes & stayed so long that
none of us could go to church today - But I
was none very sorry, on his account, because
I wanted to have a talk with him - Alone with
him in the library, I spoke at some length of
on religious subjects, & begged  him to get ready
for death - I also pointed out to him some reso-
=lutions that he ought to make for the New
Year - dwelling particularly on the duty of
daily prayer - I asked  him "Do you ever
intend to be a Christian?" He said "I dont know,
I never thought about it."  May God impress
upon him my feeble words!  May He visit him
& teach him to hate sin & love righteousness -
I feel that in this conversation I have done
my duty - but, O I also feel, that for the
present it is words thrown away - God help
him, I pray!

MSS 4288