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This letter made me wonder if Cecil was the first one in the Farmer family to feel the attraction of Christian Science.
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811 Ross Avenue
Wilkinsburg, Pa
Aug 13th 1911
My dear Kathleen,
Your letter of the 8th received. I am glad to know that you enjoy playing the compositions of Arthur Nevins. I believe that is the name. Do you know he was a Pittsburger? He died very young. Jessie plays those pieces to me sometimes. She is without exaggeration the most beautiful performer I have ever listened to. There is one thing I don’t understand, and that is why Miss Stephenson never taught her pupils harmony. In this country especially, Jessie tells me, that very few teachers teach the theory of music. Mrs. Eddy says of the ancient prophets they were like natural musicians who caught the sweet tones without knowing the underlying law. But no one doubts that they would have been better able to teach the world had they understood this law.
We need not be sorry for Alf. Chidgey. We can instead know that the man of God, who is present even where there seems to sense to be a discordant mortal, is happy healthy + free. He indeed, dwelleth in the secret place of the most high and abideth under the shadow of the Almighty, Father Mother God.
There is such a beautiful verse in Isaiah 30-15 In returning + rest shall ye be saved; in quietness + in confidence shall be your strength.
This seems to be the prevailing thought of the Bible, interpreted spiritually. That peace, love, joy, quiet, calm + confidence come to the seeker after good.
I am sending you the letter I received from Willie though I have not yet replied to it.
And now my dear sister I am going to ask you to accept a copy of Mrs. Eddy’s poems with my love. Of course, we know, in Christian Science man does not get older, for he has neither birth, maturity or decay. He is forever in the possession of perennial beauty, joy health + happiness.
However if we remember this, we can count the gains in the past year and looking back see how Love has guided our steps.
Please take this book as a slight token of my esteem and in the future, not so very future either, I trust to be able to express it in a more substantial manner. Because, dear sister, I love you so much. I realize how beautiful your life is. The world has need of such lives as yours to neutralize the grosser traits so many manifest.
I don’t say this in any sense of flattery. I mean it. There is one thing I wish though. It is this. Utilize more the divine powers. Oh how quickly and easily you could do this. Become conscious, ever conscious, of the presence of Love. Open your mind to the sunlight of Truth. Quietly, naturally, without fear or anxiety, but with gentleness and peace, will this come to you. It is in fact ever present.
Kathleen, I think so highly of you. I know what a beautiful character, generous + sincere, is yours, that I believe I can say this to you without offending you. Believe me, it is because I want to see you ever more closely approximate the ideal woman, that I write you as I do.
I am very interested to learn of Maggie Jacksons brother. He must certainly be a clever fellow and also modest + unassuming.
I am glad to hear of fathers piscatorial adventure and trust it will not be the last.
Well, little sister, give my love to all, and take an extra large amount for yourself.
Ever your loving brother
Cecil
Wilkinsburg, Pa
Aug 13th 1911
My dear Kathleen,
Your letter of the 8th received. I am glad to know that you enjoy playing the compositions of Arthur Nevins. I believe that is the name. Do you know he was a Pittsburger? He died very young. Jessie plays those pieces to me sometimes. She is without exaggeration the most beautiful performer I have ever listened to. There is one thing I don’t understand, and that is why Miss Stephenson never taught her pupils harmony. In this country especially, Jessie tells me, that very few teachers teach the theory of music. Mrs. Eddy says of the ancient prophets they were like natural musicians who caught the sweet tones without knowing the underlying law. But no one doubts that they would have been better able to teach the world had they understood this law.
We need not be sorry for Alf. Chidgey. We can instead know that the man of God, who is present even where there seems to sense to be a discordant mortal, is happy healthy + free. He indeed, dwelleth in the secret place of the most high and abideth under the shadow of the Almighty, Father Mother God.
There is such a beautiful verse in Isaiah 30-15 In returning + rest shall ye be saved; in quietness + in confidence shall be your strength.
This seems to be the prevailing thought of the Bible, interpreted spiritually. That peace, love, joy, quiet, calm + confidence come to the seeker after good.
I am sending you the letter I received from Willie though I have not yet replied to it.
And now my dear sister I am going to ask you to accept a copy of Mrs. Eddy’s poems with my love. Of course, we know, in Christian Science man does not get older, for he has neither birth, maturity or decay. He is forever in the possession of perennial beauty, joy health + happiness.
However if we remember this, we can count the gains in the past year and looking back see how Love has guided our steps.
Please take this book as a slight token of my esteem and in the future, not so very future either, I trust to be able to express it in a more substantial manner. Because, dear sister, I love you so much. I realize how beautiful your life is. The world has need of such lives as yours to neutralize the grosser traits so many manifest.
I don’t say this in any sense of flattery. I mean it. There is one thing I wish though. It is this. Utilize more the divine powers. Oh how quickly and easily you could do this. Become conscious, ever conscious, of the presence of Love. Open your mind to the sunlight of Truth. Quietly, naturally, without fear or anxiety, but with gentleness and peace, will this come to you. It is in fact ever present.
Kathleen, I think so highly of you. I know what a beautiful character, generous + sincere, is yours, that I believe I can say this to you without offending you. Believe me, it is because I want to see you ever more closely approximate the ideal woman, that I write you as I do.
I am very interested to learn of Maggie Jacksons brother. He must certainly be a clever fellow and also modest + unassuming.
I am glad to hear of fathers piscatorial adventure and trust it will not be the last.
Well, little sister, give my love to all, and take an extra large amount for yourself.
Ever your loving brother
Cecil
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1.
I am glad to know that you enjoy playing the compositions of Arthur Nevins. I believe that is the name. Do you know he was a Pittsburger? He died very young.
I found Arthur Nevin in Wikipedia, and he was from a town northwest of Pittsburgh, but if he's the composer that Cecil was talking about, then Cecil's information is incorrect:
Arthur Finley Nevin (April 27, 1871 – July 10, 1943) was an American composer, conductor, teacher and musicologist. Along with Charles Wakefield Cadman, Blair Fairchild, Charles Sanford Skilton, and Arthur Farwell, among others, he was one of the leading Indianist composers of the early twentieth century.
2.
Jessie plays those pieces to me sometimes.
Cecil and Jessie were married in 1914.
3.
Mrs. Eddy says of the ancient prophets they were like natural musicians who caught the sweet tones without knowing the underlying law.
Mrs. Eddy was, of course, Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science.
4.
We need not be sorry for Alf. Chidgey.
This must be Alfred Reginald Chidgey, an older brother of Kathleen's Wanstead friend Edith Chidgey. We have one letter from Edith: This letter from Cecil tells us that there must have been other letters from Edith. The information that I have on the Chidgeys is here: It says that Alfred died in 1913, not 1911, the date of this letter. I wondered if Cecil had somehow mis-written the year of his letter, but there is something further down (we'll get to it) that makes it clear that the 1911 date for this letter is correct. The page I found says that Alfred left behind a daughter born in 1912, which is possible, I suppose.
As for not feeling sorry for Alfred...I don't think expressing that sentiment in public would make Cecil very popular. It reminds me of the letter that Kathleen wrote to Alma, Laura, and Eva in 1924 on the occasion of Mama Margaret's death. Different reasons not to mourn, but still...off-putting:
5.
I am sending you the letter I received from Willie though I have not yet replied to it.
This must be Willie, surname unknown, a friend from the generation of the parents of Ruth, Cecil, and Kathleen. I have uploaded one letter from him:
6.
And now my dear sister I am going to ask you to accept a copy of Mrs. Eddy’s poems with my love. Of course, we know, in Christian Science man does not get older, for he has neither birth, maturity or decay.
Kathleen’s turned 23 on August 11, 1911, and it seems evident that the book of Mrs. Eddy’s poems was a birthday present.
7.
I am very interested to learn of Maggie Jacksons brother. He must certainly be a clever fellow and also modest + unassuming.
This tells me that the 1911 is the correct year for this letter, because we have the letter in which Maggie Jackson told the great news about her brother:
8.
I am glad to hear of fathers piscatorial adventure and trust it will not be the last.
I would love to hear WJ's fishing story.
I am glad to know that you enjoy playing the compositions of Arthur Nevins. I believe that is the name. Do you know he was a Pittsburger? He died very young.
I found Arthur Nevin in Wikipedia, and he was from a town northwest of Pittsburgh, but if he's the composer that Cecil was talking about, then Cecil's information is incorrect:
Arthur Finley Nevin (April 27, 1871 – July 10, 1943) was an American composer, conductor, teacher and musicologist. Along with Charles Wakefield Cadman, Blair Fairchild, Charles Sanford Skilton, and Arthur Farwell, among others, he was one of the leading Indianist composers of the early twentieth century.
2.
Jessie plays those pieces to me sometimes.
Cecil and Jessie were married in 1914.
3.
Mrs. Eddy says of the ancient prophets they were like natural musicians who caught the sweet tones without knowing the underlying law.
Mrs. Eddy was, of course, Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science.
4.
We need not be sorry for Alf. Chidgey.
This must be Alfred Reginald Chidgey, an older brother of Kathleen's Wanstead friend Edith Chidgey. We have one letter from Edith: This letter from Cecil tells us that there must have been other letters from Edith. The information that I have on the Chidgeys is here: It says that Alfred died in 1913, not 1911, the date of this letter. I wondered if Cecil had somehow mis-written the year of his letter, but there is something further down (we'll get to it) that makes it clear that the 1911 date for this letter is correct. The page I found says that Alfred left behind a daughter born in 1912, which is possible, I suppose.
As for not feeling sorry for Alfred...I don't think expressing that sentiment in public would make Cecil very popular. It reminds me of the letter that Kathleen wrote to Alma, Laura, and Eva in 1924 on the occasion of Mama Margaret's death. Different reasons not to mourn, but still...off-putting:
5.
I am sending you the letter I received from Willie though I have not yet replied to it.
This must be Willie, surname unknown, a friend from the generation of the parents of Ruth, Cecil, and Kathleen. I have uploaded one letter from him:
6.
And now my dear sister I am going to ask you to accept a copy of Mrs. Eddy’s poems with my love. Of course, we know, in Christian Science man does not get older, for he has neither birth, maturity or decay.
Kathleen’s turned 23 on August 11, 1911, and it seems evident that the book of Mrs. Eddy’s poems was a birthday present.
7.
I am very interested to learn of Maggie Jacksons brother. He must certainly be a clever fellow and also modest + unassuming.
This tells me that the 1911 is the correct year for this letter, because we have the letter in which Maggie Jackson told the great news about her brother:
8.
I am glad to hear of fathers piscatorial adventure and trust it will not be the last.
I would love to hear WJ's fishing story.
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LINKS TO OTHER RELEVANT PAGES IN THIS WEBSITE
DOCUMENT LISTS FOR PEOPLE:
- KATHLEEN: DOCUMENTS ----- Incoming
- FARMERS & GRAYS: DOCUMENTS ----- WJ, Cecil
- NON-FAMILY: MARGARET JACKSON ----- Related
RELATED DOCUMENTS/PAGES:
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- AUDIO READINGS OF THE DOCUMENTS: 1910-1919