Your letter received today and telegram this morning. I have not looked through the manuscript for the book on temperance. I supposed you would be here and we could read it together. We will follow your directions. You, in that case, remain as long as you feel the work requires you, for the stress of preparation for matters for mail will be ever. I shall, if the Lord will, be at Sydney over Sabbath and Sunday, for this they request.12LtMs, Lt 209, 1897, par. 1

I am very thankful the blessing of the Lord came upon me before speaking on Sunday, and I have had much more strength. Although it was rainy Sunday, I attended meeting, and I spoke for the first time since the dedication of the chapel. There were about fifty out.12LtMs, Lt 209, 1897, par. 2

There was a death at Dora Creek. Sara was sent for, to see if she could help the sister of Mr. Healy, but she was dying when she entered the house, a most revolting death from spasms. Sara laid her out. Oh, if ever there was a place where work needs to be done, it is here in Cooranbong and vicinity, but there are not men to do this work. Brother Goodheart told me he would like to go out with Mackintosh and get the run of things. I was willing, I told him, that he should go and see what kind of a state the people were in. I think the ignorance upon religious subjects is just fearful. The time is not far off when something must be done in Cooranbong and Newcastle and Maitland. May the Lord help us is my prayer.12LtMs, Lt 209, 1897, par. 3

We have much to praise the Lord for in the sweetest and gentlest showers or steady rain a portion of the time, for about ten days. We learn we can get no peaches or any fruit at Radleys. They have no fruit this year. They had an abundant crop of oranges and lemons, which brought a high price. I wish to get fruit if we can. We have a few peaches, which we shall share with May when ripe. A few were ripe very early. These I took to the children, one apiece. You should have seen them lay into them. They screamed with delight. They enjoy bananas, and they have plenty of them.12LtMs, Lt 209, 1897, par. 4

If it was not for the interest in Sydney, I would now visit Melbourne. In my present state of health before this, I would not have dared to leave on the cars—heart exhaustion, kidney difficulties. I could go as far as Sydney but would have to return just as soon as I could get home; but my health, through the blessing of God, is improved.12LtMs, Lt 209, 1897, par. 5

Marian seems cheerful. The last chapters are done. “Oh,” she says, “I could never, never have completed the book had you not been right here where you could supply the live links necessary. Now the life of the book is fully kept up to the close.” And I feel very much relieved and do not feel as if I am stealing if I take up other subjects before the book is closed. But nearly everything I could write has been on the matter which concerned the book, that she could select some things for the book and Maggie make articles of the subjects for papers.12LtMs, Lt 209, 1897, par. 6

I shall now breathe more freely.12LtMs, Lt 209, 1897, par. 7

Mother.

Lt 208, 1897

Lt 210, 1897