1889-1890
Gibraltar, India, Malta
February 1st, 1890
Amballa, India
My Beloved Angee,
The sorrowful tidings received here yesterday were no surprise but the pain of such separation though long foreshadowed loses none of its power for our poor hearts. I am so thankful that you were able to go in so quickly after receiving the telegram although the moment of your passing in to the house was the moment for that happy spirit to be set free from its weakness and suffering to wait a little while in the Lord's presence above until He calls up that poor wasted body from its resting place and gives it a fashion like unto His glorious body. I know your love will have done everything in your power under these painful circumstances and it is a very special mercy that dear Arundel has such a helper in Mrs Corley, for it is no trifling responsibility to care for all those dear children day by day. I am thankful to find from dear Emma's note how the dear fellow is sustained and I judge this too from the letter also received from him giving many deeply interesting details of the Lord's tenderness and grace to the dear sufferer. I arrived here from Lahore yesterday morning soon after 6 and lay down for an hour's rest before breakfast after which I called at the P.O. for my letters, sent up from Delhi before going out to make the business calls, but after opening them was obliged to return to my room for a time of weeping and sorrow and waiting upon God in thanksgiving too and then sent a cable message to dear Arundel with two words "Father's heart" which I thought might be some little comfort to him.
It has been a great inconvenience to me having poor Lazarus laid up – the doctor thought he might be well enough to leave in a day or two and so I waited until Thursday evening but he was not well enough to leave the hospital and so I have been obliged to engage another servant, only to be made more sensible of what a good one Lazarus was. So that all these things have greatly hindered me in every way.
I purpose God willing going up to Simla tonight and hope to return again on Tuesday or Wednesday – I leave here in a close carriage at 10 pm arriving at the foot of the mountain about day light in the morning and then change with another kind of conveyance called a Tonga – I hope to reach Simla about 1 or 2 in the day (Lord's day) and suppose it will be much colder than even here, it being seven thousand feet higher than Amballa. I hope I am able to write you from there in time for next mail, but thought I would make sure of your getting one letter so have written this before giving up. The Lord bless you and preserve you my beloved wife – I know how deeply you feel the loss of that dear one you loved so much and how gladly you will do all that you can to befriend the dear children now left without a mother's heart and hand to do for them as she only can.
Am sorry it is necessary to make a change of residence as I suppose it is now that Mr B. has let the house without giving us the consideration I certainly expected, but all is for the best I doubt not so will not complain of him. I pray the Lord may guide us aright in any change we may make. My own feeling is that I would not move a tenant from any of our houses, but if all are still occupied at Midsummer, then to take another at Ilfracombe as a yearly tenant in any part you would like. But I leave it with you. I have so wished to be home this week, since losing Lazarus, who is my right and left hand too – you can hardly conceive the worry it gives me, especially the starting and arriving at all hours of the night with all my baggage – however I hope he may soon be well enough to join me again if not I will make very short work of India.
With much love to all our loved and to your dear self believe me my beloved Angee.
Being very affectionate Husband
I have written dear Arundel.