Person:Celia Hull (1)

CELIA BRALEY HULL

An inventory of Lee Starr's few earthly possessions after his death revealed the following letter from his terminally ill mother, written to him when he was 20 years of age:

My Dear Lee,

I write this to you as I suppose you will soon be in charge of things here. I wish you to take good care of your father in his declining years, not only in looking out for his bodily wants, but be company for him as much as possible. And help Aunt Bertha to provide a home for herself until she has a better protector, should that time ever come.

if you can in any way help your Uncle Clark and Auntie to spend the remainder of their days in the old house I trust you will do it, as it was my Father's and Motber's wish that they should remain there, and it is my wish also. Your Father and Bertha will help you, in this I am certain.

As to yourself, you will take my place in doing Church work. I was never able to do any great work, but there are many little things that somebody must do, and you can look out for them and do them faithfully and willingly. And, (I speak from my own experience) you will in time take great pleasure and receive showers of blessings in doing such work.

I hope you will go to Church once - at least - every Sunday, when possible, and keep your bible in your room, and read, at least two verses in it every night. And think about what you read, and do all the good you can by helping every good work.

I ask these things, not for my own good, but knowing that you will be a better, happier and more useful man if you will follow my advice; happier here , and in the great hereafter towards which we are all hastening.

Now may God, in his great goodness, guide you and help you (which He surely will if you ask Him) to walk in His ways. For His ways are ways of pleasantness and all His paths are peace. And may we be a united family in that upper and better world, where partings never come, and sorrow is unknown.

(signed) Your Loving Mother