Amoy August 16th 1849@[Elihu Doty], Letter to Amelia Caroline [Doty-Dubois], 16 August 1849, Doty-Dubois Family Papers: Correspondence 1846-50, Personal [Misc.], Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations, New York. This letter was written in blue ink on the front and back of thin papers of 5 3/8" x 8 ½".

Ma Doty is going to write a letter to Ma Dubois and so Pa Doty will write a little letter to his dear little Amelia Caroline. Not many days ago Pa and Ma Dubois’ letters came here—away off in China. Oh! How glad they made our hearts. Yes, we were so glad to hear about our dear little Amelia. Our eyes almost cried for joy. We were very glad to hear that our Heavenly Father had kept Amelia well. So that she had not been sick and died as other children often are. We were glad too to know that Amelia thought about her Heavenly Father’s goodness and love and about her dying some day so that her spirit will go to be with him and to be with little (Sorry) her little baby brother and all who are holy and happy in heaven: and also about her body. That althou[gh] it will be put in the ground, it will one day come up again all fresh and new and very beautiful too. Does little Amelia know what the body will be like when it comes up again fresh and new out of the grave? It will be very glorious, just like the glorious body of the dear Savior. But Amelia don’t know how glorious that is. No, nor does Pa Doty know. Yet I know it will [be] very very bright and beautiful, more so than the Sun. Ma Dubois can read to Amelia a little about the glorious body of the Savior as John saw it: Rev 1:13-[e]tc. Now those who love this Savior when they come up fresh out of the grave will have such a bright, beautiful body. Won’t that be glorious indeed! But Amelia must have a new heart and love that Savior and the Heavenly Father now, and then she will go and be with him and at last have this glorious body too.

I suppose Amelia has been with Pa and Ma to New York and seen her Sister Clarissa. How glad you two sisters must have been. What a pleasant time you must have had! I long to hear all about it. Did Amelia think New York a very nice place and did you see many wonderful sights? I suppose so. Dear Amelia must love her sister Clarissa and often pray for her that she too may have a new heart to go to be with the Savior in heaven. I said before that Amelia must get Ma Dubois to read to her about the Savior’s glorious body but perhaps she can read it for herself in her Bible. Amelia will soon be five years old and many children learn to read in their Bibles by that time. Amelia once had a little brother named Ferris Holmes, who were five years old, took his Bible and sat down by Pa and Ma and with them read in turn—morning and evening at prayer. He died in Amoy here before Amelia was born. The Heavenly Father took his Spirit to be with him in heaven. In reading the Psalms he always wanted us to get the verses which had ‘Selah’ at the end. Now if Amelia can read like he could she will also soon learn to write. And then she can make Pa and Ma Doty’s hearts very glad by writing us little letters. Not long ago one little letter came here from Sister Clarissa. Oh how pleasant it was to receive it. Many kisses from my dear Amelia and she must give many to Pa and Ma. Pa and Ma Doty every day pray to the Lord to bless our dear daughter.