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[Letter from Young John Allen to Mollie Houston, November 17, 1856]

Emory College, Oxford Geo. Nov.17th 1856

My dearest Mollie.

Yours of the 14th inst. mail was received on yester eve with a welcome of kindness and pleasure which belongs to the greeting of thy letters alone. It arrived Saturday morning but I was absent on a visit down to Starrsville. I had an excellent time, Mollie, with my old friends there; spent some pleasant hours in the company of some charming ladies, last summer graduates of the SM?? [unclear] one of whom seemed disposed to avail herself of Leap Year privileges, but met with no encouragement, or rather success in so attempting.

But, my Dearest One, I have something more happy, more glorious, more soul-rejoicing to tell you, than that I had a pleasant visit to Starrsville and a pleasurable time among my friends there- and you too are intimately connected with and interested in it.

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You spoke of never being satisfied until you shall have attained and realized the maximum of Christian enjoyment here, the blessing of Perfect Love, of Entire Sanctification and you appealed to me if I had it not to seek it with thee, or if it were mine to aid you all I could in securing it. I thank the Lord that you ever made such an appeal to me, it aroused my “sluggish soul,” my “drowsy powers” unabated, and I promised that with thee I would seek it for I had it not then. I thenceforth, My Dearest, began to yield myself more unhesitatingly, more unreservedly into the hands of the Lord than ever before. I soon found 5 more who were anxiously striving for Holiness of heart, purity of life, the “rest of faith” the “groaning to be set free” from all inbred sin, all carnality of mind, from everything, in a word, that was offensive in the sight of God. I shall not enter into details now, as it is so near the close of the term and I will soon be permitted to see you “face to face” and

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tell you what glorious things have been done for me wherof “I am exceedingly glad” yea happy– but I will simply tell you that the Lord has done for me far greater things than could my heart ever conceive. I tell you Mollie, I misinformed you before, as to Sanctification being necessarily a gradual work, nay I’ve found out better since, it comes like justification, just as soon as we are ready to receive it, just as soon as we have consecrated all,all to God, then the blessing is there. Oh! my Dearest Mary, I feel to day like a new creature in Christ; I’ve given up all my indulgencies, matters not how seemingly innocent and inoffensive before Heaven, all evil propensities, all besetting sins, which before rendered my religious life so in uniform, so insconstant, which kept me always sinning and repenting- and now I am the Lord’s; I feel that God does accept the poor offering and claim me as his own; blessed be God for such an assurance. My peace has been abundant ever since last

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Nov 16 ’56

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Monday night, my love and joy full and overflowing often during that time. Yes Mollie; would that I could do more for Christ, for His Cause, for the wretched of the Earth, for sinful man:- Oh! Mollie, join with me in praising and giving glory, eternal glory to God for what He has done for Your poor unworthy One– Pardon me for being so disconnected, so scattering in my remarks above, I have not time to write to a careful arrangement and order of sentence nor Sentiment- but I trust you understand that another great change has been wrought for me since last I wrote to thee. I will leave this now to resume it again when I meet you; then will my joy be to tell you of the wonders of God’s love as revealed and realized by unworthy me.

I have no news atall, Mollie, to give you, I received a letter from Matt, last week, only the second one at that. I suppose you hav [deleted] will have seen her perhaps before you get this.

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She said she started up there the other day but found you were absent and stopped in Grantville, and stated that she would pay you a visit this week.

I have much,much to tell you My dearest, though not properly under the head of news, which I will reserve for ourmeeting, which I trust will not be quite two weeks hence. I shall come to see you just as soon as I get home; you need not expect any note, Mollie, but you may expect me every day till I come after I get home, which will be either on Friday night, or the next morning near two weeks hence (on Friday night week then).

You must not fail to accompany me to the Conference, will you Mollie?

You must write me another very long letter before I leave here, Dearest,- I will not lose confidence in you, no, no. but now you must write me sure before I leave and just as soon as you get this too.

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Ah! and and in the play And thus you’ll rapidly improve your mind- and : Pardon the above artless rhyme, but heed, please, its request.

My Dear, like you I’m ashamed of such a letter but it is the best that I can do now, accept it then from him who is thine and only thine

Forever Young Allen

Please answer by Saturday morning if you can or at least by Monday morning. Young

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