South Africa, Tasmania, Australia, New Zealand

August 29th, 1890

Cape Town, South Africa

My Beloved Angee,

It was a great comfort to my heart to receive your letter yesterday and to hear that you were all in good health for which I continually pray and surely we have all of us very abundant cause for thanksgiving. The weather here has not been much like the tropical climate you refer to at home and have been wearing all my thickest clothing and do not find it too warm. The days are warm, but it soon becomes cold – it is necessary therefore to be very cautious about clothing which I proved last week in leaving off a thin winer vest and got a little chill. However, I am in my usual good health again thro' mercy and take up the work from day to day in good heart. God has made His goodness to abound on every side – the business continues very encouraging and we have meetings of some sort every evening. Last night I was over to Mrs Dr Wrights's at Claremont again, Mr & Mrs Elliott and three of the older children drove over from Wynburg and we had a nice time through mercy. I see in the morning paper that Mr Telfer is announced to lecture here on Sunday – he is expected by one of His New Zealand boats calling here tomorrow and is purposing to make another tour through Australia.

August 30th

We had a good meeting at the large hall last night which was well filled – the saints are refreshed – so we prove what a faithful God our God is Who has called us into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. The business this week is better than ever and I shall soon begin to think that I have done as much as it is wise to do. D.V. we shall be moving on next week.

Monday, Sept. 1st

My letter will be more like a diary than an nomary[?] epistle, but I can only chronicle that which I am passing through. We had one of the happiest days here yesterday the love and grace of God could give us. A brother remarked that nearly all who are breaking bread were present and the Lord's blessed presence in our midst and the remembrance of Himself in death were made very precious to all our hearts. In the afternoon I addressed the Sunday school and got the interest of about a hundred children for a few moments which I much enjoyed. I returned with a brother (Napier) to dinner after the morning meeting and James Sobey came to the hotel to tea with me after the address to the children. He is a solid man and the dear fellow got to work again last week after 2 or 3 months sickness – he receives 12/ a day and is working and living through the week in a deep gorge on the Table Mountain where a tunnel is being cut in connection with the Town water supply. The Hooper's of St Agnes have the contract for this work so that J. Sobey is working under them. The Hall was filled in the evening for the Gospel and the Lord gave me power to preach the glad tidings and to present a living Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. The day will declare what it was worth to God. Mr Telfer was preaching in the Wesleyan Cathedral (for that is what it looks like outside) and crowds were flocking into the place which is very near our Hall – I was just behind him in the morning but he was with others or I would have spoken to him.

Sept. 3rd

Mail day has come once more and with it the usual pressure of work, so I will begin you letter first. I have visited Wynburg and Simon's Town for business this week and met with good success in each place through the goodness of God – the neighbourhood of these places is very fine and the whole country around it girdled by ranges of mountains some of which are snow-capped. Simon's Town is the anchorage of the British fleet cruising up and down the West coast of Africa and about 2 hours ride by rail and cart from Cape Town. I have another good batch of indents to send home today – the best week of all and it will be a cheer to P.F.&Co. I expect, the more so as our agent here reported that it was impossible to do anything on account of the great prejudice against any other mark than H&P's. D.V. I move on in a day or two now having finished these parts – the brethren are purposing to have a tea meeting on Friday and appear thankful and refreshed for the visit of a brother. Lazarus has been out in the suburbs with me carrying two cases of samples and is much pleased to get hold of business as his master – he is learning to write in English and occupies all his spare time in either writing exercises or in reading his Bible. He is a great favourite wherever he goes and his behaviour is very good – ready and willing for any service and cheerful with it all. I have written Arundel about meeting matters – I do not know if the Ilfracombe meeting has gone further than when I left, Henry with probably write me, but I am not in the mind myself to go outside. The Lord graciously comfort and guide you aright and once more with much love to all the dear children and yourself believe me my dearly beloved Angee.

Being very affectionate Husband

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