Among Mrs. Prentiss’ most beloved and honored friends in New York was the Rev. Dr. Thomas H. Skinner, the first pastor of the Mercer street church, and then, for nearly a quarter of a century, Professor in the Union Theological Seminary.  His attachment to her, as also that of his family, was very strong.  Dr. Skinner had been among the leaders of the so-called New School branch of the Presbyterian Church.  He was a preacher of great spiritual power, an able, large-hearted theologian, and a man of most attractive personal and social qualities.  He was artless as a little child, full of enthusiasm for the best things, and a pattern of saintly goodness.  It used to be said that every stone and rafter in the Church of the Covenant had felt the touch of his prayers.  This venerable servant of God entered into his rest on the 1st of February, 1871, in the 80th year of his age.  In a letter to her cousin, Rev. George S. Payson, Mrs. Prentiss thus refers to his last hours: 

You will hear at dear Dr. Skinner’s funeral to-morrow his dying testimony, and I want you to know that it was whispered in my enraptured ear, that I was privileged to spend the whole of Tuesday and all he lived of Wednesday, at his side, and that mine were the hands that closed his eyes and composed his features in death.  What blissful moments were mine, as I saw his sainted soul fly home; how near heaven seemed and still seems!

To Miss E. S. Gilman, New York, Feb. 7, 1871.

I am glad to hear that you have such an interesting class, and yet more glad that you see how much Christian culture they need.  I am astonished every day by confessions made to me by young people as to their woful state before God, and do hope that all this is to prepare me to write something for them.  I began a series of articles in the Association Monthly, called “Twilight Talks,” which may perhaps prove to be in a degree what you want, but still there is much land untraversed.  Meanwhile I want to encourage you in your work, by letting you feel my deep sympathy with you in it, and to assure you that nothing will be so blessed to your scholars as personal holiness in yourself.  We must practise what we preach, and give ourselves wholly to Christ if we want to persuade others to do it.  I am saying feebly what I feel very deeply and constantly.  You will rejoice with me that I had the rare privilege of being with dear Dr. Skinner during his last hours.  If you have a copy of Watts and Select hymns, read the 106th hymn of the 2d book, beginning at the 2d verse, “Lord, when I quit this earthly stage,” and fancy, if you can, the awe and the delight with which I heard him repeat those nine verses, as expressive of his dying love to Christ.  I feel that God is always too good to me, but to have Him make me witness of that inspiring scene, humbles me greatly.  In how many ways He seeks us, now smiling, now caressing, now reproving, now thwarting, and always doing the very best thing for us that infinite love and goodness can!  Let us love Him better and better every day, and count no work for Him too small and unnoticed to be wrought thankfully whenever He gives the opportunity.  I hope I am learning to honor the day of small things.