Letters to Mr. and Mrs. Kedie
St. Andrews, 12th October 1802.
DEAR MRS. KEDIE,* — The bearer of this is Mr. Carstairs, who means, if convenient, to live in your house about a month, or perhaps more. I have been endeavouring to prevail on him to remain till Christmas, at which time I propose being in Ilawick myself. You know there was one fault I used to charge you with — too great an anxiety about giving satisfaction. I can See Dr. Chalmers’s Memoirs, vol. i. p. 58. E assure you, in the case of Mr. Carstairs, such an anxiety is altogether unnecessary.
I will thank you to send one of your daughters to Mr. Arm strong, bookseller, and inquire for a book entitled, “The Economy of Human Life,” I intend it for them, and they will find it well worth their attentive perusal. You will deliver them the enclosed sheets,* which they can read over at their leisure. There is one foolish idea which is apt to get into the minds of young people, and which often renders one’s instructions less effectual than they would otherwise be, and that is, they some times imagine, when you give them advice, it is because you suspect they are worse than others, and therefore require it. With regard to your children, I give them advice, not because I think them worse than others, but really because they are better than others, and I am anxious they should remain so.
We have had much stormy weather here of late. A sloop belonging to my father has been wrecked lately on the west coast of Scotland, and totally lost. She had thirteen passengers, and among the rest, an officer and his lady. All the lives, how ever, were saved by means of the boat.
By some mistake I received the letter you sent me along with the clothes only a few days ago. I got quite free of my sore throat a few days after leaving Hawick, and have continued so ever since. — With best compliments to your husband, I am, yours sincerely, THOMAS CHALMERS.
No. XXIX.
Anstruther, nth October 1802.
MY DEAR GIRLS, — You must not suppose from my long silence that I have given over thinking of you. I can assure you there is nothing in which I take greater pleasure than in young people who I have reason to believe are well disposed, and are
* The letter marked No. xxix.
careful to preserve themselves from the dangers and temptations of bad company. I hope, on the other hand, that you have not forgotten the many advices I gave you about the necessity of attending to your conduct, and the snares to which the young and thoughtless are exposed. I hope you have not forgotten the solemn promises you both made -me, that you would keep yourselves free of all vicious and improper acquaintances. I beg you would both seriously reflect on the awful effects of being led astray by wicked example. What an affliction it would be to your parents in their old age if you disgraced yourselves by folly and misconduct! You would be despised by all who know you; you would live a life of dishonour, and die tormented by the horrors of a guilty conscience. I tremble to think that all this is possible, and must therefore earnestly request you to lay to heart the importance of a sober, and decent, and virtuous life.
You will receive the following advices, not as if I suspected that you are worse than others, and therefore had more need of them. I hope and believe that you are both sincerely resolved to conduct yourselves through life in a manner that is praise worthy and respectable. But you are young and ignorant of the world — ignorant of its arts and temptations — ignorant of the deceitful villany that abounds in it — ignorant of the dangers which beset the young before they reach the years of reflection and experience. You are therefore unqualified to direct yourselves aright without the assistance of those who are more advanced in life, and who are at the same time sincerely attached to your interests. When I think of you, I cannot help feeling all the anxiety of an affectionate friendship, and beg you would read the following advices with a real disposition to be made wiser and better by them.
You must guard against all temptations to falsehood and deceit. You must scorn the meanness of falsehood, and never suffer any consideration of fear or interest to deter you from speaking what you know to be the truth. You must be particularly careful in the choice of your company. Never take up with those whose conversation is profane, or impure, or corrupting. It is highly proper that you should have companions; but let them be equally regular and well-disposed as yourselves. It is highly proper that you should have cheerful and happy amusements; but let them be blameless and innocent.
I must farther request of you to reverence the authority of your parents; to pay a sacred respect to religion; to be regular and, above all, sincere in your prayers; to fear and love God in your youth, that you may enjoy an age of consolation and peace.
You have often heard me insist on the advantage and propriety of keeping within doors at night. You must both be sensible that running in the streets at night exposes you to idle and disorderly companions* I therefore hope that you have enough of work and amusement to keep you both at home after it is dark, and that you will, for your own sakes, resist the pleasure of running about with your acquaintances at such late hours. You must both give up such a dangerous and corrupting practice, and set about contriving some amusements which may make you happy within doors. Think not that to be sober and religious you must give up all play, and amusement, and cheerfulness. This is by no means necessary or even proper. Be happy, and enjoy- the company of your acquaintances — only let these acquaintances be well chosen, that you may suffer nothing from their conversation or example, I am not sure if both of you can write. I expect a letter from your mother in a few days; I will thank one of you to write me at the end of her letter, and in particular tell me if you can read my hand. I have been at some pains in making this letter as plain and distinct as possible,land I am much afraid, after all, that you will feel some difficulty in making it out.* I am engaged in constant and busy employment for the whole winter, which will prevent me from writing you as often as I could wish. I, how ever, will grudge no time or trouble that may have a useful effect in preserving you from corruption, and in improving the purity of your characters. I hope you are getting on in under standing the meaning of words. When I next come to Hawick, I mean to put you both upon a method which I think will be of great use to you in that respect. If Miss Brown is still with you, give her my best compliments, and tell her, that though she refused to accompany me to Fife, I am determined to see her in Hawick before the year is done, which is now less than the space of three months. You may also give my advice to your brother, that he be diligent and attentive to his learning. Remember me to William Walker, if lie has yet returned from the west country, where I understand he went to spend a few weeks. My sincerest wishes attend you. May Heaven preserve the purity and innocence of your youthful years! May He defend you from the pollutions of the world, and prepare you for a life of usefulness and honour. — I am, your wellwisher and friend, THOMAS CHALMERS.
No. XXX.
Elie, 26th July 1816.
DEAR MRS. KEDIE, — I am now on a visit to my friends in Fife; but, before I left Glasgow, I received your kind letter and present. I was grieved to hear of your daughter’s illness, and sincerely hope that she has now completed her recovery. Mrs. Chalmers had just got a daughter a few days before your parcel arrived, and I have great reason to be thankful for the very expeditious recovery she has met with. She joins me in
* The original letter extends over twelve quarto pages, and is written in h.-ilftext and in the plainest handwriting.
5i CORRESPONDENCE OF DR. CHALMERS.
thanking you for your welcome remembrance of me; and I can assure you that my eldest daughter, Anne, was not long of trying your biscuits, and did most heartily approve of them.
My whole family consists of two daughters. Give my best compliments to both your daughters and your son. I retain a very warm remembrance of Hawick and its neighbourhood; and I am hopeful, that before other twelve months have gone, I may again have it in my power to visit it.
I trust your son-in-law will never be in Glasgow without seeing me, and giving me all the news of the place and of your family.
It is my prayer that you may long be spared in health and comfortable circumstances amongst them; that you and your children may receive an abundant blessing from Him who is the giver of every good and of every perfect gift; that you may receive an interest in the sure mercies of our great and all-sufficient Saviour; and that redeemed by His blood, and sanctified by the power of His Spirit, you may all be made perfect in holiness, and meet for an inheritance of glory. — Believe me to be, my dear Mrs. Kedie, yours with much regard, No. XXXI.
Edinburgh, 6th September 1831.
MY DEAR MR. KEDIE, — If your mother be still in the land of the living, tell her from me, that the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin — and why not from her sin? Tell her to lean the whole weight of her dependence on the foundation which God hath laid in Zion, and she will find it broad enough, and strong enough to bear her. Tell her to look unto Jesus, who poured out His soul unto the death, that she and all who trust in Him may live, and may find rest and rejoicing in her soul.
I feel the deepest sympathy with you and your afflicted family on this occasion. I pray that you may have that com fort which God alone can give; and, above all, that this chastisement from His hand may yield both to you and to your sisters the peaceable fruits of righteousness.
It is now twenty-nine years since I lodged in your house, and I have still a pleasant and a grateful recollection of all the kindness I received from your mother, and of all the affection which both she and her family bore to me.
Give my kindest regards to your married sister, Janet; and tell your younger sister, Betty, that from her childhood, when I used to hear her read in my room, I have always remembered her, and with feelings of very great regard.
Let us think that our time is coming when we shall lie on our dying beds, and let us make no delay in seeking our peace with God, and keeping all His commandments. — Believe me, my dear Sir, yours very truly, THOMAS CHALMERS.
No. XXXII.
Edinburgh, 6th October 1840.
DEAR MR. KEDIE, — I have just now received your kind letter, and both I and Mrs. Chalmers feel very much obliged by your remembrance of us. Is it your elder or younger sister who has lost her husband? Give my best regards to them both; and let it be the care of us all to perfect holiness in the fear of God. Give it as my charge to your dear sisters, Janet and Betty, that they mind the one thing needful, which is the care of their soulstlie guilt of which the blood of the Saviour alone can wash away, but whose grace will never fail those who put their trust in Him. Oh, that we received the Spirit from on high, who might enable us to purify ourselves even as Christ is pure.
If you have any parcel to send in, address it to Edinburgh, No. 7, Invcrlcith Row. We are very grateful to you for your generous offer of some Hawick bakes, which have long been famous. — I am, dear Mr. Kedie, yours very truly, No. XXXIII.
Edinburgh, 22d January 1843.
MY DEAR MR. KEDIE, — I am very much concerned to hear of your poor sister’s illness. My memory is failing me, and I don’t recollect the name either of her husband or that of your younger sister, though I shall ever retain a very affectionate remembrance of themselves. I understand it is your elder sister whom you represent as now sinking in the arms of death. It is my earnest prayer that she may fall asleep in JesuG; and if she be still alive, assure her from me that the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin — and why not from her sin? We are all of us by nature great sinners; but Christ is a great Saviour, and there is no sin beyond His atonement. Tell her to cast all her care and all her confidence on Him; and so may she look with joyful expectation to that eternal life which is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. He casts out none who come unto Him, and all who come unto God by Him shall be saved to the uttermost.
Read to her the 23d Psalm, some of the first verses of the 14th chapter of John, and some of the last verses of the 5th chapter of 2d Corinthians; and should God, by this time, have been pleased to take her to Himself, these passages and reflections will not be thrown away upon her surviving relatives. Tell Betty, your younger sister, how much I desire both your and her salvation. I was not so earnest as I ought to have been in pressing this great concern upon you when I lived under your roof. But better late than never; and it mightily concerns us to know, that in turning to Christ we must turn from all our iniquities, that we must give up the sins both of our hearts and of our lives, and become holy creatures, else we shall not enter the kingdom of God.
Give my best regards to your sisters, also to your wife and daughter, whom I expected to see in my house here last summer. But we all went to Ireland; and, indeed, I am so very much taken up that I have no time to show that attention to my friends which I would like. — I am, my dear Sir, yours very truly, THOMAS CHALMERS.
No. XXXIV.
Edinburgh, 17 th June 1844.
MY DEAR SIR, — I feel greatly obliged by your kind letter of the 17th June, and have much value for the strong and unabated friendship which you have ever shown towards me.
I fear I shall not be able to avail myself of your welcome invitation to Hawick, as I have much to do which necessarily detains me at home. Give my best regards to your son. You speak of a former communication of his, which I hope I acknow ledged at the time. I rejoice to understand from you that he is a deacon of Mr. Wallace’s, and am persuaded that he will make a duty, not only of doing all he can for the good of his own particular Church, but that through the medium of the Ilawick Association he will exert himself for the good of the Church at large.
Give my most cordial remembrance to your only surviving sister, dear Betsy, of whom and of all your family I pray that we may meet in Heaven, after a life of faith and holiness upon earth. — Ever believe me, my dear Mr. Kedie, yours very affectionately, THOMAS CHALMERS.
Edinburgh, 5th April 1846.
MY DEAR MR. KEDIE, — I very much grieve to hear of your sister’s illness, and, from the concluding part of your letter, I can infer your great earnestness about her soul. It is most true that it is a very serious, solemn thought when one thinks of meeting with an angry God; and had we only ourselves and our own merits to trust in, there would be nothing for any of us but a fearful looking for of judgment. But tell your dear sister, Elizabeth — dear to myself as to you — that when she thinks of herself, what we all ought, as a great sinner, she should also think of Christ as a great Saviour, whose blood cleanseth from all sin — and why not from her sin? In and through Him the anger of God is turned away even from the chief of sinners. 0 that you, and she, and we all could be led to place full confidence in Him, to cast our burden upon the Lord, who is both willing and able to sustain it. It is true that a work must be wrought in us as well as for us, that the clean heart and the right spirit must be created; for without holiness no man can see God. But still let us go to Him for all our wants, for all we stand in need of, and go as we are. His blood can atone for all our guilt; His grace can wash away all our pollutions, and sanctify us wholly. He is able, and as willing as He is able, to do all for us.
Let the following texts be pointed out to your dear sister: — John iii. J6; Luke xi. 13; Matt. xx. 28; Rom. iii. 24-26; Rom. x. 13; 2 Cor. v. 18-21; 2 Cor. xii. 9; 1 John iv. 8, 9, 10, 16, J9; Isaiah xxx. 15.
Give my kindest regards to your dear sister, and let me hear soon of her again. — I ever am, my dear Sir, yours very truly, No. XXXVI.
Edinburgh, IBlh December 1846.
MY DEAR MR. KEDIE, — It gives me real concern to hear from you of your wife’s serious illness. May God prepare us for the whole of His will. He afflicts not willingly, and makes all things work together for good to them who love Him. It is my earnest prayer that you and yours may be prepared for the whole of God’s will; and let us never forget that our best preparation is to be found in Christ, who casteth out none who come unto Him. May the Holy Spirit draw yourself, and all who are near and dear to you, to His well-beloved Son, in whom all is safety, and peace, and joy.
Give my kindest regards to your dear wife, and also to your sister, my very old friend, Betty. I felt much at parting with her when I drove off in the coach after her affectionate farewell. — I ever am, my dear Sir, yours most truly,