Elizabeth (Rotch) Rodman letter to Charity Rotch, New Bedford, 3rd mo 17th, 1809

              B-292-7 
                                    New Bedford 3rd mo 17th 1809 
            I congratulate you my endeared Brother & Sister on the
unspeakable favor that in Mercy has been vouchsafed to you & us by a
superintending Providence in preserving the life of my dear Sister, whose
alarming illness fill d us with deep concern  very often did I mentally
visit you, & took as feeling a part in your affliction as I was capable of.
It has been very painful to consider a situation so detached from
relatives, as for it to be totally out of their power to lend any assistance
and an effort would have been made by one of my sisters to have been
                                                                                                                         
                                                            that
useful, had it not been for dear Sister s particular request, ^ no one might
undertake the journey, & as the event has prov d perhaps there is no
cause to be dissatisfied, the possibility of adding to instead of alleviating
the ponderous scene of affliction in some measure reconciled us to submit
to our unpleasant seperation. Dear Brother s kind attention in keeping
us so frequently inform d of the progress of the disorder as well as the quietude
of mind in the midst of suffering, was indeed truly consoling. & It is an
unspeakable favor, when the mind can feel a sure place of safety, beyond
the reach of the subtle insinuations of an unwearied enemy, who has
sometimes found means to try in a formidable manner the founda-
tions of those who have prov d to be firmly established  It was a
great comfort to know you had a good nurse, as it is of importance
to have those in such cases, as have been accustomed to sick rooms.
The disorder I think from late accts proves more mortal than
heretofore, & is a very awful visitation & I wish it may sound 
an useful alarm to us all, tho  at present a little remote from us