April 18th, 1887

Petty's Family Hotel, Church Hill, Sydney

My Beloved Angee,

I reached this place on Saturday last at noon-having travelled by the overland express leaving Melbourne on Friday evening at 5. After a little stay in a town I get to know the people a bit and this makes it pleasant, but then the man comes behind with the whip - "move on sir" and then I have to say goodbye and find myself landed in another strange place and among strange people again. It takes me a day or two to find out the streets and then it is no small matter I assure you to call and do battle with the merchants. There are about 400 breaking bread here - such a room full - should think the room and Hall they use on Lord's day must be nearly as large as the Oxford Hall. Brethren in these parts pass on the word from place to place intimating if any bro. from England is on the way and so I find on reaching a place they know all about me and there is plenty of work ready in the way of meetings. We had a nice time here yesterday - many came out for a reading in the afternoon and I do not think I ever saw a few saints enjoy a reading so much in my life - we had a great number to the gospel in the evening.

Poor W. Carn wept bitterly on leaving him at the station - many of the brethren are very kind to him and are looking out for a situation for the poor fellow. Mr. Gardner the manager at Cassell's had just received a nice letter from Charlotte enclosing £5 for him which is a timely help indeed for him - at the bottom of her letter she mentions that I am in Australia and requests him in case I called to ask me to see W. Carn. How very strange that what she had desired God had brought about. The steamer I was pushing on to get left here on the day of my arrival - there is another however on the 28th to Port Darwin, Java and Singapore which I propose going by - she is due to reach the latter port by about May 25th so I am cabling P.F.Co. tomorrow the word "Singapore" as there will be time for letters posted this week to reach me there. Have had a busy day calling upon the merchants here and shall have plenty of work to keep me employed for the 9 days I shall remain here. DV shall soon see all your dear faces again after reaching Singapore in the goodness and mercy of our God - I begin to feel now that I am homeward bound although it is still a "bravish" distance - have requested P.F.Co. to send you another £50 on June 24. Hope Harry gets on all right with my English work. I trust you are keeping well and cheerful as you can after being served so badly - I will try to make up for it all when I see you again. God bless you my dearly beloved Angee and our dear Arundel & Harry and their dear wives and little ones and once more believe me.

Your very affectionate Husband

This country is not nearly so interesting as New Zealand.

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