Very lengthy, 3+ pgs letter, approx.

8-1/4" x 11", datelined "Ahmednuggar, India, June

13, 1846", from S.B. Munger, to his Uncle, Samuel Hemenway, at Chardon, Ohio.
Folded letter has 2 strikes of red "BOSTON/10 cts." cds, dated Sept. 4th. Privately
carried from India back to the U.S., and placed into the mail at Boston.

Excellent content in this well-written letter from an American missionary in India, who
had lost his wife on the long voyage there. Includes:

"Long before this sheet will reach its destination, your hearts will have been filled with
sorrow and your eyes will have wept floods of tears, for that God has taken from me the
desire of my eyes. I suppose you will have heard the chief particulars regarding the
departure of Maria for the realms of bliss and glory. It is now - yesterday - three months
since she left my company for the society and fellowship of the holy and the happy
family of Heaven. What blessed months has she found there! Three months in Heaven -
oh, it is worth more than tongue can tell, or heart can conceive, to gain for so long a
period of residence in that bright world. And this is the beginning of that which shall
never never end. Who will not say that Maria is privileged and blessed more than ever
before - more by as much as the fountain is better than the stream, and the perception of
sight is better than that of faith, and fruition is more to be desired than anticipation - by so
much is she more blessed than we who are still in the body. For her then, we can not
sorrow, we can only rejoice, and praise God....

What months have these been to me! I will not attempt any description of them. I will
only say that while I have known sorrows such as I had never before conceived. I have
also known joys exceeding by far what I have ever before realized in such a period of
time. I have found Jesus a sympathising friend. He has walked with me side by side
through this dark valley, and light has shone upon the way. I have learned to set a higher
value upon the Bible. It is the Book of books. It is God's book. It was indited by God's
Spirits and written for god's afflicted, suffering people. It is counsel for the ignorant, light
for the darkened, and comfort for the sorrowful...But for the blessings which have come
to me by the Bible and by Prayer, I know not how I could have lived under the burden of
this bereavement...The world has fewer attractions. The Cross has more. Death is less the
King of terrors and more the Angel of God's presence - a Messenger of love, peace,
mercy and glory. Dying is but going home...

The day previous to her departure, Maria, seeing me in tears, said, 'Dearest Husband,
what ails you? I am only going Home, and you will soon come after me'. Who would not
go home? Oh! I would, I would go Home.

I arrived in Bombay on the 28th of April. Great was my sadness when I came near that
city of idolation. It was Sabbath day. When I went on deck that morning, I beheld the
city, and wept. I went to my room and poured out my soul to Jesus, on this wise - Thou,
O holy Jesus, doest wonderous things. Often did my precious wife look forward with
strong desire and earnest hope to see what my eyes have beheld this morning. Over this
land of idolatry, in which it was in her heart to live and labor with me, mutual helpers of
each other's joy in thy good work; but thou hast granted her a happier destiny. Thou hast
given her a vision of that for which she had longer, and with far stronger desire and more
earnest hope, looked. In the place of domestic life, attended by the cares and vicissitudes
of Earth, and in the place of labor with toil for thee, in this vale of tears thou hast made
her a member of the holy and the happy family of Heaven, and thou hast given her a
service for thee where weariness and sorrow are never known. O Jesus, grant me of thy
grace and strength to do and to suffer all thy will. I would that my whole being shall be a
living sacrifice laid upon thine alter....O grant me the grace of patience that I may finish
the work appointed me in this place of toil. And when my service for thy praise and glory
in Heaven shall be more acceptable to thee than my service in aid of the work of
salvation on Earth, then through the riches of thy abounding love, take me also Home to
thyself in Heaven. Such was my prayer. And such is still my prayer. Heaven is better than
Earth.

I remained in Bombay until the 22 of May, the very hottest season of the year. I arrived at
this place on the 26th. I have as yet hardly become settled, and of course can not speak of
my own labors. I have availed myself of the very kind proposal of Mr. and Mrs.
Ballantine, and taken up my abode in their family. This has taken from off me a very
heavy burden - that of living by myself. They endeavor in every way to ease off the cares
and anxieties which are incident to my bereaved state. And Yet I find many lonesome
hours. My mind dwells often upon the difference in my experience from our
anticipations. We thought much of the pleasures that we should feel in finding ourselves
settled again in India. But God has denied us this pleasure. Maria was a good wife, and
she was a good Missionary. She was much beloved in the Mission, and she had many
very dear friends among the Europeans of this Country...She died with her armor on. She
was hastening to the battle of the Lord against the powers of darkness in this guilty land.
Her love for the perishing Hindoos will never be doubted. And a voice of earnest
entreaty, coming up from the depths of her ocean grave, in the midst of lands which are
full of the habiliations of cruelty, will fall upon the wakeful ears of kindred, friends and
acquaintances, and call them to more self-sacrifice, and more consecration of body, soul
and spirit to the work of filling the earth with the light of God, and of converting the dark
places into the abode of peace and love...

Your cousin Maria gave her heart to the Saviour when she was thirteen years old. She
never once regretted this early choice, but she did sorrow much that she had not earlier in
life heeded the words of Jesus...Her early conversion to God made here a steadfast and
happy Christian. May it be so with you. Serve Christ faithfully and great shall by your
blessedness...

She had no fear of dying. For said she - I do not trust in myself, but wholly in Christ.
Why then should I fear? She had no cause for fear....

My health is now pretty good. I have had some little illness since I came into the country.
But God has been very merciful to me. There is much Cholera in some parts of India. In
some places, the dead are carried out in carts and buried in pits. there is also much
scarcity of bread stuff. The rain failed last season.
This people will not profit by God's judgements. They only become more mad upon their
idols. But an end will come....Converts are coming into the Church almost every
Communion...there is enough to encourage Christians to pray for the Lord's work here. I
saw a letter a few days ago, written by Asa, who was then on his way with his family to
Singapore, for the benefit of his health. I have since heard that the Mission in Siam is to
be disbanded. Two Missionaries go to China, two to the Sandwich islands, two to
Southern India...

Do write me. Direct to the care of Henry Hill, Mission House, Boston, and I shall get
your letter in two months, three at farthest. Use light paper, and so save expense. By all
means write..."

Very Fine.