1899
United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka, France
July 19th, 1899
Gore, New Zealand
My Beloved Angee,
I came over to this place (Gore) y'day from Invercargil[sic] to see if a little business could be done and to call upon a Mr Woodman a chemist here who is in fellowship but alone. He is a brother of Mr Johnson Woodman of London and a nephew I think of a dear old friend Miss Musgrave who once visited us. Mr Woodman here is a little peculiar – some impediment in utterance but is a very dear bro. and well reported of by brethren around specially gifted in visiting the Lord's people. I engaged a private room in the hotel where I lodged and we had a nice fire which was much needed and just a plain tea. Then sat around the fire and had a pleasant time together in talking of the things of the Lord – he is not married, so his life is one of great solitude but he evidently lives near the Lord and enjoys communion with Him.
I have done a little business too for which I am thankful – at Invercargil[sic] I have never done much business in any previous call but on this occasion I have done very well which is encouraging. We had a nice time together there on Lord's day but the few gathered ones are in much weakness. The Lord I trust will grant a little revival of heart toward Himself in all their souls – we were 7 or 8 breaking bread – came together again for a reading at a brother's house in the afternoon and I preached to a nice little company who came to hear the gospel in the evening. On Monday evening we came together again at a brother's house for a reading when some friends of those in fellowship came – tonight we are meeting again for a fellowship tea and Mr Woodman purposes to go back to Invercargil with me this afternoon – the distance from Gore is about 40 miles.
Tomorrow D.V. I leave there for Tasmania a 3 or 4 days' voyage so that I shall soon be leaving New Zealand now. The business for P.F. has been specially good all through in every place visited and the goods sold are the highest priced biscuits on the list – have done a little business too for my Leeds friends, so that in a business point of view my journey is by far the most successful I have ever had. The Lord's goodness and sustainment too day by day, preserving in all my travels, has been a constant source of joy in Himself from whom all grace is given and He knows how to make us prove its sufficiency. The fellowship with the dear saints in Christchurch and elsewhere has been a mutual cheer to our hearts – I know many dear brethren in England are continually remembering me in prayer and I was thinking this morning how abundantly God has sovereignly and graciously heard them.