Miss A. A. Walker
care of P. P. Pratt, one of the
twelve Apostles of the Church Manchester, Feby. 15th, ’47.
of Latter D. Saints.
kindly favoured by Bro. O. Hyde.
My dear Anne Agatha
I was very glad to receive your letter, but it did not come to hand until Saturday morning, or I should have replied to it before you had left Liverpool, you little thought how many sleepless hours I had passed, praying, and weeping and earnestly beseeching the God who holds the winds in his fists to preserve you in the midst of storms and tempests, and I considered your letter as an immediate answer to prayer. I feel unfeignedly thankful that you have been preserved hitherto. May you manifest your gratitude to the Almighty, by living to his glory, and adorning the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, giving none offence, but walking circumspectly in the sight of all men. I am glad to find your handwriting so good, considering how little practice, or opportunity for self-improvement you have had since you left school, but still you must practice writing in a book, as often as you can, we intended sending you an angular hand copy-book, but I am now from home, and have been some time, and cannot. There is a cause for my staying night and day at Mr. Cooper’s, Oldham, Ill. I am sorry to see you spell so incorrectly, but as you have a dictionary never write a letter without having it at hand, and habituate yourself to looking for any word that you cannot spell, by so doing you will spell correctly. You will also find in it, ample directions, as to placing capitals, superscriptions and all necessary information respecting correct writing.
And now my dear child let me beg of you, as perhaps a last request, to refrain from singing vain silly songs, you little think how they degrade you in the eyes of those whose esteem you should covet. It is neither more nor less than lowering yourself to the grade of a ballad singer and they are allways ranked with the refuse of society, break off the practice at once, never be the buffoon of a party, it will sooner or later bring condemnation upon your conscience, perfect cheerfulness is quite consistent [page break] with the purest religion, but not low, vulgar, or boisterous mirth. Is any merry let him sing Psalms, singing is a delightful exercise, and to a certain extent highly conducive to health, only let your song or hymn be such as you can ask a blessing upon, if you listen to the dictates of the holy spirit on this point it will guide you into all truth, as well as in other things that belong to your peace and purity.
We say, “Oh had some one the gift to gie us, To see ourselves, as others see us.” But rather let us pray Our heavenly Father to let us see ourselves, As He sees us. We see what he is in his word and we live to prove that his word is truth, may it be the rule of our lives, and then we shall not, live to ourselves but to his glory then we shall not have lived in vain. By prayer and supplication make your requests known unto God and you will not pray in vain. May the Lord bless and keep you from every snare is my prayer daily and hourly. Charles, and Mary, are situated, Blairs have left their shop and are living in Salford. Bro. Hyde will tell you how your father was when he left him at West Bromwich. I write this in the midst of hurry attendant upon the care of two sick rooms viz. Mrs. & Mr. G. Cooper.
Hoping you will be happy and useful in Bro. Pratt’s family, farewell till I see you, with sincerest love to you and the Church in the wilderness I remain
Your affectionate mother, M. Walker
[Transcribed by Cheryl Brawn, Mauri Pratt, and Suzanne Taysom, Jan. 2014]
M. Walker to Anne Agatha, letter, 15 February 1847; MS 278, online images, Church History Catalog, Ann Agatha W. Pratt Reminiscences and Letters, 1847-1907 (https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE2090355&usedforsort=MS_278_f0001 : January 2014), p. 6; Church History Library, Salt Lake City.
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