1887-1888
Malta, Egypt, India, Burma…
February 21st, 1888
We had another good meeting last night and we are encouraged in hoping God has blessed His word to some. One person came to me yesterday who is the Editor of a newspaper and said he had received more light upon the word than he had ever had before although he had been a God fearing man and a church attendant for years. Dear Mr Hearnlie and I both spoke last night and he went afterward on board the steamer for Calcutta. He has been up in the northern parts in Bellrachstan[sic] for two years seeing no-one with whom he could have fellowship. He is engaged under the Government in some civil capacity, so you may judge what a joy and refreshment it has been for him to be for a little season among the saints at Bombay and Madras.
Getting on nicely with the business here – it has been all of a piece right through – goodness and mercy following through mercy. I am in good health in spite of the warm weather and shall be glad to hear now what P.F.&Co's mind is for any other country – suppose the next mail will bring it, if not I shall cable as I do not know where to give return address. Madras is covered with very fine brown sand which blows in to our bedroom and everywhere and a good lot of it must be breathed into the lungs in 24 hours.
Nearly all the natives here speak English and they are quite a different race to the Bengali and I like them much better. They do not give anything like the trouble in business matters. They are however very high Caste many of them and I get some amusing incidents occasionally with the biscuits which I have sometimes offered them to taste.
I am writing this before breakfast and shall leave the rest of the paper to finish tomorrow D.V. received a letter from George Petter's son at Allahabad yesterday saying that his brother Harry living near Bangalore about 200 miles from here was hoping to see me. I do not however purpose going there as a large merchant with whom I have done business here has a branch there and I will supply it with goods he has ordered of me.
February 22nd
Your dear welcome letter of 3rd Inst. – delayed on a few minutes to save mail - going to China from Rangoon.
God Bless you my dearly beloved Angee. Being very affectionate Husband.