Potter, Nathaniel Jr. Letter to Isaac Post.

Title

Potter, Nathaniel Jr. Letter to Isaac Post.

Creator

Potter, Nathaniel Jr

Contributor

Post, Isaac, 1798-1872

Date

1843-01-27

Description

Handwritten letter from Nathaniel Jr Potter to Isaac Post, January 27, 1843.

Is Part Of

Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Rights

The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Identifier

594

Location

Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Transcription

(Page 1)

Respected Friends –
                           New York City 1..27..1843
                  Having an opportunity of sending
a few lines by our Friends Nicholas and Margart [sic]
Brown who are now in this city I thought
I would just [lett] let you know that I am
attending Medical Lectures at the University
of which D^r. Mott is one of the professors. –
About six weeks ago I had an attack of
Pleurites [sic] – after which I had a cough from
which I am not entirely free now, but so
near it that I call myself well. –
         The quarterly meeting closed here to day
I think it was a favoured time. I think Nicholas
Brown was favoured more than I have known
him for years – not that he was more wordy
but knowing something of the state of things
this way – I think his exercise was right – And
Margaret no less so – I have felt tried in
my own mind on several accounts since I
have been in thes [sic] parts which has been nearly
all the time since I passed through Rochester
on my way to Albany in Ninth month. –
And a part of the time verry [sic] much cast down
in my mind – and had no one that I could
freely converse with of my own state as I
could with you, and some other Dear

(Page 2)

friends who would be more willing to
correct my errors and set me right if they
should so judge than to cast me off for
a heretic if I should happen to advance a
sentiment not according to their traditions. –
You must think I am in a very weak state
to be tried in this way – yet so it has been –
yet I trust I am getting the better of this weak-
ness – for I have once even ventured to speak in
a meeting in this city – and no one laid hands
on me to take me out of the house or
any thing of the kind. –
Some curious ideas are held by some ministers
this way – I heard one minister speaking of the
resurrection of Christ deny the power of God to
raise a dead body to life – ^he was here this quarter^ and he is so car-
ried away with Phrenology that he remarked
that if he had a perfect organization (phrenologi-
cally [sic]) he could even rise to infinity in the scale
of intellect. i.e. if I can understand[s] language
he could become a God. – such nonsense is
more absurd than to think as Reuben Palmer
remarked after returning from Ohio – that he
knew less than a goose – for said he, “a
goose will go south in the winter and
to the north in the summer; – and if I had
of known so much as a goose I should have
remained south all winter” – I had this in
a letter from Hamburg. – I learn that R. P.
and Fanny Brown attended Indiana Yearly Meeting

(Page 3)

But I can not learn from any of my letters
whether they heard any thing from our Dear Friend
Priscilla. – If you have heard any thing I hope
you will write me a letter and send it the
first time the mail comes this way. – I would
be glad to hear from you at any rate, but
I verry [sic] much wish to hear from Priscilla. –
I should have been in Hell long ago, if
it had not been for her labours of
love. – For she told me what trials I would
have to pass through, and that I would come
out right at last – unless after these trials I
took my flight on the Sabbath day – or
rather she remarked – that I must endure many
a northern blast and view myself to be
despised among men – yet she says being deep
-ly rooted in the love of God it will not
destry [sic] the life, – and after this there
there [sic] would be nearly as much danger of
my taking my flight on the Sabbath days
as there had been in the winter season. –
Truely [sic] I find but one place of safety.
and that is upon the watchtower – To
watch and pray and that continually. –
for if I am saved it is not of myself – it
is self that I need to be saved from. –
And now in that spirit which is free
I feel to salute you and bid you God speed.
Isaac Post & Family – Write soon.
Nathaniel Potter –

(Page 4)

[Text upside-down top of page]
First day afternoon I am at Isaac T. Hoppers they are
well – Isaac wishes me to insert his love to you – He was
much pleased with Nicholas Brown at Quarterly meeting.
         I heard Phebe Johnson at the quarter who was dis
owned in New York for preaching but has become a
member elsewhere since. – I was edified by her re-
marks – I never heard her before. – I think there is
a verry [sic] great variety of sentiment in our society at the
present time – Nothing short of true charity can

[Text upside-down bottom of page]
hold us together – I may be mistaken about Reuben
Palmer attending Indiana Yearly meeting I have only learnt
it from friends here –
John Mott wishes me to get him a bushel of appleseeds [sic]
I do not find any this way – I mean John Mott of
Hickory Grove, Jackson Co. Michigan he is Post Master
                                                               N.

[Text sideways]
                           10
    Isaac Post
Rochester City
per N. Brown

Tags

Personal

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Potter, Nathaniel Jr, “Potter, Nathaniel Jr. Letter to Isaac Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/2886.

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