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[October 7, 1837]
Dear Brother, Your letter came to hand and I was much gratafyed to hear from you
The letter I sent you before was rather more sauer [?] I suppose than it should have been, but I had written to you sometime before and we had [not?] heard from for a length of time, and I some how or other took the notion you had got too close engaged in your business to take time to write and therefore determined to write something that would induce you to write soon. I have accomplished my purpose; I hope, therefore you will not suppose it written out of bad feeling but for the purpose which I have stated above.
I have something like a month ago commenced my second session at Davidson College. Our Class is now advanced to the Sophomore and a new Freshman formed. The reason they gave for so doing was that they commenced at the wrong season of the year and must either keep us in the freshman 3 sessions or only one and they prefered the latter, which will shorten my course 6 months, but our duties will still be more heavy, for although the time is shortened the course is not.
We have to study very close when we are not at work for to get our lessons, but I think our
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studies are not necessarily hindered by labour. I think we have as much time to study if we employ our time well as most persons can bear, I feel that we have as much time as I am able to study.
I feel well pleased with the working system for my own part but there are many here who have very little love for it.
We have about 64 students this session and there are some more coming in a few weeks that we know of and doubtless some others that we know not of, so that I think have several more by the time the session is out that we had last session, 64, was our number last session.
We had a church organized here last summer as I expected when I wrote to you before, it consists of a bout [sic] 26 in number (as well as I recollect) of students and of Professors families and the Stewards, Mr.Graham (the Steward) and Mr. Johnston The Tutor are our Elders. There was a Sacriment held here some time in June, Mr. Morrison and Mr. Sparrow were very faithful in their preaching and there was much interest felt by us all on the last days of the meeting, we held meeting for prayer jenerally twice a day and at every meeting, some one gave an exhortation to those who were seriously impressed and there were many who had before been careless about the interests of their souls, who were brought seriously to enquire the way of salvation,
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but many of them I fear have returned to their former ways, like the dog to his vomit, for it was but a short time until some of them were as careless as ever. It remains to be made known at a future day whether it has resulted in the conversation of any or not.
There is no one thing that I can say with out any doubt on the subject, that under such means of grace as we here enjoy we will either grow in grace or increase fearfully in wickedness.
A man here who is a christian must be one indeed there is no chance for middle ground.
There are a number of pious young men here, and nearly all the influential part of the students are pious, but there are a great many who are the growing up who are the farthest advanced in wickedness according to age that ever I saw and as small boys I think there could not be much worst ones I found in the state, for they will not work nor study and for mischief they are always ready, and they are saucy and impudent, and in short the general part of them are destitute of every moral principle.
You say your children are arrent takers [sic} but if they can out do Lots in the use of that little member called the tongue they are not slow I assure you.
Lots of people are well James R and Martha E. are growing very well. I heard from fathers this day they are all now in tolerable health. Louisa and Sarah I have both of them had a slight heart attack of ague this fall but both are clear of it now. Give my love to Sarah A. and Maria L. and the boys write to me when you have leasure do not forget it.
I remain yours affectionatley
T.H. Hamilton
I neglected to mention that we [had?] a considerable examination at the close of last season and a great many spectators, & sustained our examination tolerable well, it lasted 2 days.
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Original
From: DC0116s Hamilton, Thomas H., 1809-1874 (1840) Letters, 1835-1839. (Finding Aid)
Cite as:
Hamilton, Thomas H., Letter to Brother. 7 October 1837. DC0116s, Hamilton, Thomas H., 1809-1874 (1840) Letters, 1835-1839. Available: https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/digital-collections/thomas-h-hamilton-letter-7-oct-1837/.
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