1899
United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka, France
May 15th, 1899
Palace Hotel, San Fransisco, California. Monday
My Beloved Angee,
On returning from Oakland last night (across the bay) at 10 pm I was greatly comforted to find your welcome letter of April 28th which I had been expecting since Saturday morning. My heart went up to God in thanksgiving for His continued mercy and care over you. Was not surprised to find that you had returned to Barnstaple and am glad that you found it all looking so clean and comfortable. You must have had quite a busy day with your friends from Ilfracombe. Thro' the Lord's mercy I had a very happy day with the dear saints at Oakland y'day. After the morning meeting I returned with brother Kinsman and his wife to their dwelling where hospitality was liberally bestowed for my comfort, another brother and his wife also spent the day with them, so that we were a nice little homely company – after dinner we talked a little while and I had previously told Mrs Kinsman I would like to be alone for an hour for some rest so I retired and had refreshing sleep and came among them again at 5 – it was a great comfort to my spirit to be "at home" in the dear brother's house – for a little while to forget hotel life and to be among those my heart could speak freely with – hope to see them again tomorrow Tuesday evening at their usual reading and to be commended of them to the Lord's gracious care on the voyage now before me. There being only the saints in fellowship present last night at the room we had a reading as is usual for them and this was in the Lord's goodness a happy and profitable one – they were reading 1 Thessalonians III chap. P.F.'s business is prospering here – all the leading merchants of every line are Jews and they are considered the best people in the community in every way. Those of them in our line are very nice kind people and I have called upon one firm this morning also Jews in a general glass china and art ornaments and shown Mr Brannam's samples with which they were pleased and have promised to make up an order for him. S&P's goods will never sell in America or Canada – they are appreciative of many articles made in England but furniture is not on the list, nor is it quite suitable to their style of houses and I judge their own make is more stylish. I spent some time on Saturday with one of the largest houses in the States in the furnishing way – having a house in New York and in this City – they are very courteous and all that to me but said there was no appreciation of English furniture in the States. It appears the Americans will make anything do for their bedrooms, but will lavish money in furnishing a drawing room – the richest of them paying enormous sums to get these rooms furnished in the most perfect taste and it must be either a Louis the XV or XVIth and every detail to match – that is their glory. What a mercy to be delivered from it and to be able to sing "Glory Glory everlasting be to Him who bore the cross – who redeemed our souls by tasting death the death deserved by us" and then to find our faith and hope in God who has raised up Jesus from among the dead and given Him Glory – nothing on that side of death can ever be tarnished or blighted and our hearts can look on with joy to God's rest.
Sorry to hear of poor Harry's accident – I wonder that he did not know better than to jump from a bus while travelling – he promised to write me often this time but he has not yet found time to do so.
I shall D.V. write you again before leaving here on Wednesday – by the time this reaches you we should be at Samoa and will be due in Auckland about June 8. I will send you D.V. a cable on arriving – Petter – Barnstaple – well. Which will comprise all well in every way and should there be any need to cable me – Petter – Auckland will be sufficient, but I shall understand that no news is good news. The Lord bless you my dearly beloved wife and with much love and to all our loved ones ever your affectionate Husband.