To Mrs. Condict, New York, Nov 7, 1875.

We came home on the 27th of October; M. bore the journey wonderfully well, and has improved so fast that she drives all round the Park every day, Miss W. having put a carriage at our disposal.  How delightful it is to get my family together once more no tongue can tell, nor did I realise all I was suffering till the strain was over.  I am longing to get physical strength for work, but my husband is very timid about my undertaking anything....  Dr. Ludlow [4] was here one day last week to ask me to give a talk, in his study, to some of his young Christians; but my husband told him it was out of the question at present.  I shall be delighted to do it; much of my experience of life has cost me a great price, and I want to use it for the strengthening and comforting of other souls.  No doubt you feel so too.  Whatever may be said to the contrary by others, to me life has been a battle-field, and I believe always will be; but is the soldier necessarily unhappy and disgusted because he is fighting?  I trow not.  I am reading the history of the Oxford Conference; [5] there is a great deal in it to like, but what do you think of this saying of its leader?  “Did it ever strike you, dear Christian, that if the poor world could know what we are in Christ, it would worship us?” [6] I say Pshaw! What a fallacy! Why should it worship us when it rejects Christ?  Well, we have to take even the best people as they are.

A few weeks later she met a company of the young ladies of Dr. Ludlow’s church and gave them a familiar talk on the Christian life.  The following letter from Dr. L. will show how much they were interested: 

DEAR MRS. PRENTISS:—­I find that you have so taken hold of the young ladies of my church that it will be hard for you to relieve yourself of them.  They insist on meeting you again.  The hesitancy to ask you questions last Thursday was due to the large number present.  I have asked only the younger ones to come this week—­those who are either “seeking the way,” or are just at its beginning. Five of those you addressed last week have announced their purpose of confessing Christ at the coming Communion.

Several questions have come from those silent lips which I am requested to submit to you: 

“What is it to believe?”

“How much feeling of love must I have before I can count myself Jesus’ disciple?”

“I am troubled with my lack of feeling.  I know that sin is heinous, but do not feel deep abhorrence of it.  I know that Jesus will save me, but I have no enthusiasm of gratitude.  Am I a Christian?”

“I am afraid to confess Christ lest I should not honor Him in my life, for I am naturally impulsive and easily fall into religious thoughtlessness.  Should I wait for an inward assurance of strength, or begin a Christian life trusting Him to help me?”

Any of these topics will be very pertinent.  I trust that nothing will prevent you from being present on Thursday afternoon.  I will call for you.  The limited number who will be present will give you a better working basis than you had last week.  The older young ladies have assented to their exclusion this week on the condition that at some time they too can come.