Gibraltar, Algeria, Malta, Egypt, India, Burma, Singapore, China, Japan, Korea, Russia

February 3rd, 1889

Rangoon, Burma, Lord's day

My beloved Angee,

We arrived here at daylight this morning, our steamer bringing the overland mails of January 11th. Through the kindness again of dear Mr Wait all my letters were delivered to me on board for which I was very thankful, but sorry to find that you were suffering from cold and hope it has long since passed away.  What a mercy to poor George Rudd that his life has been spared and trust that it may speak deeply to his heart and conscience from God, so that he may now yield himself to God as alive from the dead and be henceforth preserved from dishonouring the name of that dear Saviour Who died to redeem us to God and also from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous for good works.  Was very glad to find a letter from Harry by this mail and to hear that dear Emma and the darling children were quite well and that they were happy and well in their new home – thank the Lord for this.  It will be a nice change for you to spend a few months with them and I doubt not a comfort to them as I am quite sure that you will be more a burden bearer than a burden – I do trust and pray continually that they may be saved in all that is good in this life – the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom – and what a mercy to be saved from pride and earn glory and kept lowly and humble as those who have been saved by sovereign mercy and grace through the finished work of the Son of God.

"I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me.   Riches and honour are with me yea durable riches and righteousness.  My fruit is better than gold, yea than fine gold and my revenue than choice silver." Proverbs viii. The Lord set and keep our heart seeking this kind of wealth – it is not found down here but above,  where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. These are durable, yea eternal.

We had a very pleasant passage from Calcutta, two dear brethren came to the station to see me off on Thursday morning – the steamer had gone about 40 miles down the river the previous day and there is a line to this point called Diamond Harbour where the passengers and mails were embarked – the station for this harbour is a few miles from Calcutta but young Wait and Mr Biss were there at 7.25 am the hour of departure so it was pretty early for them.

Monday 6.50 am

After writing thus far yesterday I called on the Hamilton's and spent a happy hour with them – until receiving a line from me from Calcutta last week they supposed I may be about the Colonies somewhere by this time -  I heard from them that Mr and Mrs Adams who formerly lived at Moulmain[1]  had now made Rangoon their residence so in the afternoon I called upon them finding Mr A busy packing up to leave by a coast steamer in the evening – he is the school inspector for a large district which occupies him 9 months out of the year and he only gets a few days at home occasionally.

I did not find either of them very bright in their souls but are standing professedly apart from all man's systems around – this of itself is a poor thing unless the heart gets hold of the positive side of the blessing  grace has made ours for nothing has failed on God's side blessed be His holy name.  I remained about 2 hours with them but felt they were like vessels without moorings or anchorage  – seeing all the wreck on every side but without the comfort and support a faithful God delights to minister to all who have learnt what He is who of old said of His erring people 'O! that they had hearkened to my voice – I should soon have subdued their enemies under my feet – I would have fed them with the finest of the wheat and with honey out of the rock would I have satisfied them' and who says even now to a people redeemed not with corruptible things as silver and gold 'today if you will hear His voice harden not your hearts.'   The Lord in His mercy make and keep our hearts tender towards Himself my beloved Angee and then His voice in His written word will be precious and we shall prove how it can support and comfort us here and it will also be a practical link to keep our hearts with Him where He now is while our feet are in the world that refused and crucified Him.

In the evening the Hamiltons, having invited me, I spent a little time again with them and we have arranged for a reading at their house on Wednesday evening and Mrs Adams and a few other Christians known to Miss Hamilton we hope may come.  May the Lord bless His word to all.

February 5th

Through the goodness of God I had a day of much encouragement yesterday in the business and did more than the whole fortnight spent in Calcutta – one of my Calcutta customers happened to be here and although he would not give me an order there because I had called on everybody from one end of India to the other, yet now he seems in a better mood and gave me another splendid order and was exceedingly pleasant with it.  Our goods have taken well in Burma and I hope P.F.&Co. may now find the business has taken root and will flourish.  It is a cheer for me and the Lord knows how thankful to Him I am.  Spent a little time at the Hamilton's again last night (it is a Bethany for me) and they had a few friends there, one an Hungarian gentleman – a young fellow speaking English nicely – once a Roman Catholic but now delivered from it and for a few years past was one of the sects here, but he was not clear about many things – the simple truths of the gospel greatly interested him and he owned on leaving that he had learnt more that evening than he had ever learnt before and was thankful for all that he had heard.  He promises to come to the reading proposed for this evening.

February 6th 6.30 am

We get daylight about this hour and I have been waiting for about half an hour, since having  chota hazrie, to have enough light to begin again and now to finish your letter as I must post it before embarking this evening.  The Lord granted us a good time at our reading last night and I quite believe and hope there are some among the company He intends to lead out to Himself.  What a mercy it is in such a day as this that any ears are found to listen to what God is saying to us in His word.

Have continued to do well in the business and am very thankful to have a good batch of indents to send home by this mail.  Our steamer does not call at Moulmain  so that I hope to reach Penang on Tuesday in time to send the usual weekly cable and also expect my next English mail at that port.  Trust your cold will have passed away long ago – do be careful of the night air in London as well of crossings that you do not get run over – you will have told me where to address your letters there.  And now I must close with my kind love to all our dear friends – Eunice and Eliza and Mr Robert Shaw – Harry and Arundel I write by this mail and again commending  you all to our Father's care and with much love to your dear self believe me my dearest Angee being very affectionate husband.

Footnote

[1] Now called Mawlamyine, it was the first capital of British Burma between 1826 and 1852.

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