1899
United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka, France
August 14th, 1899
Sydney
My Beloved Angee,
I left Melbourne on Friday evening last by the overland express to this City – the train was not very full so that increased our comfort – we had to ride in an ordinary first class carriage to a place called Albany where we enter New South Wales and a change of gauge on the line – this we reached at 11pm and I was not long in getting into my sleeper for the night which was very comfortable and through mercy had a good night's rest – we arrived here at about 11 on Saturday morning and found a comfortable room at my old quarters for which I had written. For nearly two months now we have had continuous rains. On leaving Melbourne Mr Whittaker said you will now run out of the wet into warmer and drier weather, but alas here it has been pouring for nearly 2 months past and is not disposed to cease yet. It has given me a little rheumatic trouble in my poor knee which is not very pleasant as you know.
I had not been in the hotel many minutes before getting a call from a dear young brother – we came together for prayer at a brother's house on Saturday night. The Lord has greatly blessed them since my last visit – many conversions and many received into fellowship at the Lord's table – they have also taken a town hall for their meetings in a suburb 2 or 3 miles from Sydney. The meeting y'day morning was very happy I thought – a real spirit of worship in the presence of the One who is so worthy of it. Many came again to a reading in the afternoon at a sister's house where I remained to tea as I could get a bus to the hall for the evening meeting which was also very encouraging – returned to the hotel about 9 and after having a cup of cocoa and some bread and butter I was soon in bed and the sleep and rest were very very sweet I assure you.
Today the battle has commenced again with the business and I have been busy in making calls on our friends and getting some appointments fixed – trust I may do as well here as at Melbourne. Between ourselves, it is downright hard work and I have to go freshly girded day by day or I should be beaten, I shall be thankful when it is finished and if it please the Lord in His great goodness to us to return home once more. Your letter this week will hardly reach me from Melbourne until Wednesday and I fear this will not be able to acknowledge my first letter from New Zealand.
While waiting for one of the buyers at a large store this afternoon I asked a gentleman near if he too was waiting for the same person – he was as it happened but at once said did you not cross from Cape Town to Hobart in the Araura some few years ago – I said yes and a very interesting time we had too in the services which were held – yes it was he replied and do you remember that I played the organ for you. This had slipped from my memory, nor did I remember him but it was interesting to be remembered. On my entering the store he thought I was the person but when I spoke to him, the voice made the identity certain to him.
My next call upon a grocer I had previously known it transpired in our chat that he was a Cornishman from Chacewater called Richards and this turned to my profit in his giving me some valuable information about some good dealers a little distance from Sydney. Thus I get helped along and soon find the mountains of today become the table lands of tomorrow. By the time this reaches you the Autumn will have come and the Summer have pretty well passed – trust it will be better for your health than the hot weather you have just passed through.
The Lord sustain your heart's confidence in Himself my dearest Angee – He has died for us and He now lives for us and He has said "because I live ye shall live also". His love "passeth knowledge" – may He keep you my beloved wife sitting down under His shadow with great delight and finding His fruit sweet to your taste.
Kind love to all dear friends in the house and others and with much to your dear self believe me ever.
Your very affectionate Husband