Walnut Hills,
September 29th  1859

My dear beloved friend,

Many many thanks and grateful acknowledgements from me and my household for your untiring kindness in writing to us. We feel lest you should put too much upon yourself I trust we are not selfish in this aspect but still I fear we are. Your last sweet and welcome letter was a real cordial to all as just then Nannie's kind husband has been suffering for weeks from intermitting fever. Your letter revived us all. He has improved ever since. We talk so much of dear ones at home that you are not at all strangers to him. He has met dear Mr Parkinson in between times. He sometimes starts us on the road, and then he sits and listens. He is well acquainted with Mr and Mrs Linday as they were on the Portadown circuit and his father's house was one of his preaching stations so that we have many a time made hours pass for minutes. Perhaps you will think that as I grow old I grow romantick but the recollection of past scenes and hours at home fills my mind while I write with pleasure and pain and this mingled feeling now possesses my heart and as I write busy meddling memories in swift succession rise and muster up the past endearments of delicious hours spent in all the delights of friendship, and old writer has said 'Friendship, mysterious cement of the soul, sweetener life and solder of society, I owe thee much'. Oh how many dear and valued friends have passed on to their reward, we shall feel the loss. One comfort that sustains us is that while, it is our loss it is their infinite gain. Our affections have now so little to rest upon in our dear native land that when a letter arrives from there my heart fails and I have to consign it to other hands for first reading. All, all the dear old stock all transplanted to a better soil where they shall bloom in lasting safety free from danger and decay. Oh that I, poor unworthy me, may by the guidance by the good shepherd to share with those we loved on earth a happy lot. Dear princess can I ever forget either in time or eternity thy love and tenderness when in the day of my trial and bereavement every thing in your house was at my disposal, your wines, and your preserves, the delicacies of every kind, friend can I ever forget. Thank you my kind friend can I ever forget such friendship as I experienced and our warm hearted Mrs Parkinson and many more: Jean will remember her. Tell the young ladies the Mrs Parkinsons I have their tokens of love as unsoiled as the day they presented them. I often show them to my lady friends of America and they think them so beautiful - … dear friend I do pray for you that every purchase blessing may be thine. It is my delight to pray for you. I think it no small privilege to pray for all my loved and loving friends and make no doubt they when at the throne of grace remember me and my children - the making mention of their dear names gives wings to my imperfect aspirations. Happy Mrs Parkinson she sometimes hears from her loved one in Australia but I for many many months have had no tidings of Johnnie. I should take it as a kindness in writing to her James to add one more obligation to the many she has already laid me under and ask him if he knows where my grandson is located. Perhaps he could give me his address. I have written to several places but my writing seems like "drawing a bow at a ben…??" hope sometimes whispering "thou shall see him". You will be glad to hear that the good cause of real religion is progressing quietly and steadily here. It seems as tho it was becoming an institution of the country. I see by the papers that Dr Cook and Edgar with one or two more whose names have escaped my memory have been invited to New York. I hope they may extend their visit to Cincinnati. They would be hospitably entertained I assure you. I feel truly thankful for the prospects of my native land and trust it will be lasting. The Lord has spared me to see glorious days. I join with the poet when he says "We see the triumph from afar" By faith we bring it nigh. Certainly there seems to be a revolution spreading all over the earth that baffles the greatest minds to understand.

The Lord of Heaven and Earth,
bless you with many happy days
Always your friend

Mary Rogan