Elijah Lovejoy Papers Series 1 Letters

Illinois State Historical Library

Letter from Elijah Lovejoy to Elizabeth and Daniel Lovejoy, April 2, 1832

Letter 1 of 11

Elijah Lovejoy Letters

Transcription

April 2, 1832

Elijah, P. Lovejoy to Daniel and Elizabeth Lovejoy

My Dear and Honored Parents,

Through the great and most undeserved goodness of God into me, I arrived here on the 24th in good health, and on the same day was admitted as a member of this Institution. This so I am here preparing to become a minister of the everlasting gospel! When I review my past life, I am astonished and confounded, and hardly know which most to wonder at, my own stupidity and blundering and guilt or the long suffering and compassion of God. That He should have blessed me with such opportunities of becoming acquainted with his holy word--should have given me parents who in the arms of their faith dedicated me to them according to his gracious covenant, and who early constantly and faithfully and with many tears warned and entreated me to embrace the of salvation through Jesus Christ, and not-withstanding all this, when he saw me hardening my heart, resisting the prayers of my parents and friends, grieving his Holy Spirit counting the blood of the covenant into which I had been baptised an unholy thing, that He should have still borne with me, should have suffered me to here, and at last given me season to hope that I have by his grace been enable to return to my Father's house, all this seems a miracle of goodness such as God alone could perform and far too wonderful for me to comprehend. I can only bow down my head and adore. How often do I ask myself, why have I been favored, why was I made to hear the invitation of the blessed spirit. "Return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy on you." O here in love and wisdom united in a degree beyond our highest conceptions. I think I said in my last that no part of the revealed will of God appeared more precious to me than that which reveals to man the gracious covenant which Jesus Christ made with Abraham, and to fulfill the stipulation of which on his faith in process of time he came into the world and expiated our sias in his own body on the tree. The more I reflect upon the subject, the more reason do I see for thankfulness and gratitude to God, for his condescension in entering into such a covenant, and for his sovereign mercy in giving me parents who acknowledged its obligation and in the arms of faith brought me before His alter and consecrated me to God. I think I can see plainly that the Holy Spirit has made this a means of keeping the truth before my mind where to everything else I was insensible. O my dear Parents, join with me in adoring and magnifying the mane of the Lord God of our salvation.

Your affectionate Son,

Elija P. Lovejoy

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