Transcription:
You will find 12 inclosed - acknowledge receipt soon T. of Buffalo 24 Nov. 1861. Dear son John I received yours of the 18th
Inst. I was glad to hear of your good health welfare. also of your diligence in Study I pray you that you forget not eternity
in midst of all your Studies. I entreat you to mind to do all that you do with an eye to eternity. to mind that you have but
one life to live it may not be a long one. See ps. 39, 4-7 and Job 7, 6 my days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle. try to
Spend your life So that upon reflection you will be happy by it. try to Spend your life as if your Salvation depended entirely
upon your works. in doing all you can for the glory of god for your own good the good of others. but at the Same time depend
as much upon the merits of the Son of god, as if you had never done any thing instrumentally that could effect Salvation.
your own good or the good of others - See that you trust entirely upon the promises of god through Jesus Christ to his penitent
believers. and not to your good works as a believer which are only the fruits of the holy Spirit given you for christ's Sake.
See my Son that all you do flow's from a heart filled with burning charity to god his people and that would carry you to the
ends of the world as upon the wings of an eagle. if in your power to do so, as an instrument for the benefit of dieing and
immortal Souls. this charity can be got kept, only by the gift of god. first by giving you to See the effects of the fall
in your nature, in your practice or actions, to be sin and death, that you may be deeply humbled in the sight of god, on account
of your unworthiness by sin and rebellion, a gracious god having given you to see that Satan led man to this sin and misery.
hath given you