[Letter to Sarah Upshur Teackle Bancker from her sister Elizabeth Dennis Teackle]

Sunday afternoon

Letter writing, although consider'd by some of the best people in the world a most improper appropriation of the leisure this may affords, is not I believe in your eyes my dear sister, inexcusable. The tedium of this day seems to be almost insupportable to one, situated as I have been these two sabbaths past. I have really been at a loss to know how to occupy myself, to the greatest advantage, without any place of worship, and without any books that would be proper or pleasing to read at such a time, to say nothing of the north-east winds that have prevail'd of late, which you are admirably calculated to stupify one. I shall be most sincerely rejoic'd at the re-appearance of the Sun. We have had such a continuance of rainy, dull weather. At home, this day is never unpleasantly spent by me, not withstanding we have no church to attend. I have books that I employ myself in reading, not so much for the purpose of driving away ennui, I hope, as from the satisfaction
arising from the convictions that I am employing myself properly and profitably. From what I have said of th church in this county, you will naturally infer that religion is at as low an ebb here as in Virginia. By no means the people appear to have a good deal of zeal, but seem rather

wanting in confidence of their minister, Mr Laird, who I imagine you recollect, at the time you knew he did not belong to our church, but marrying in Somerset, and soon after the parish becoming vacant, he offer'd to come over to the Church, for "lucre's sake," as a great many of his congregation think. Since however, he does not "teach more things he ought not" and his works shew him to be a good man. I don't know that his hearers ought not to be contented with him. I must acknowledge however myself that the circumstance would be calculated to shake my confidence in him. I should be quite as well satisfied with your good old Bishop, or Mr Kemper. Hetty writes me that she admires Mr K. very much, which I knew she must do. It
is not very uncommon to meet with those who excell in pulpit oratory, but certainly we seldom see united in the minister and the man, so much to admire and esteem as in Mr K. If I should [come] on to see you this summer, I shall promise myself the happiness of hearing him preach. I can scarcely realize that I hav'nt heard a sermon in near eight months.

Your little children have recover'd of the cough you tell me. I am extremely [glad] to hear it. Their indisposition must have confin'd you very much within doors. Brother has been in considerable pain for several days from an inflammation in his eye. He is still indispos'd, and has a good [deal] of cause for alarm I fear. Sister however, thinks not. Aunt N. Dennis is in bad health too. I think she is certainly

declining. I really know of no woman who would be so ill spar'd from her family. She desires her love to you, and Mr. B. Hetty mentioned to me that she had din'd at Mr. Ralston's. I was happy to hear they were in health, and that their son had return'd to them in safety. I am a letter in Rebecca's debt, which I must summon up exertion enough to answer soon. In the interim, I hope she will not think me negligent, or unmindful of her kindness. Inattention of this kind in me, will never, I hope, be taken very seriously to heart by any of my friends. I always expect to be absolv'd from my epistolary trespasses, which, I trust make the most considerable part of my catalogue. Sins of this nature I always forgive, and of a more serious nature too, as far as in my power lies. Tha[t] precept, which enjoins it on us, to forgive our enemies, is to be taken
literally I suppose, and if we interpret it thus, the forgiveness I imagine must be entire, or we do [torn page] fulfill the precept of the gospel whilst I [am] [scribbling] so much about forgiveness, I forget that I am in all probability making you my enemy, by obliging you to waste so much time on the perusal of such an epistle. I will not preach any more on the subject of forgiving injuries, but make a practical application
and write to Hetty, by which I shall certainly evince a christian disposition, as I hav'nt heard from