Lt 172, 1898

Smith, Brother; Jones, Brother

“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

May 7, 1898

Portions of this letter are published in 4Bio 344.

Dear Brethren Smith and Jones:

I have just received a letter from my nephew, J. C. Clough, brother to my niece Mary Clough. He desires my books to read. Please send him [the books on] the list I will send you and charge the same to me.13LtMs, Lt 172, 1898, par. 1

We have had most beautiful weather for some time. I returned from Melbourne by way of Sydney one week ago last Monday. I had been absent from home two months. The last meeting we attended in Sydney, W. C. White and I were present at the dedication of the church. It is a very nice building and there are no debts upon it, but brethren assumed the debt until money comes in. It is a neat, wholesome, commodious building.13LtMs, Lt 172, 1898, par. 2

I spoke Sabbath forenoon, short, for all of the speakers had something to say. It is the easiest house for the voice I was ever in. The house was well filled on Sabbath. In the afternoon I spoke to the people above one hour with great freedom. The house was full. Sunday afternoon I spoke to a large congregation, crowded full. There were many outside parties present, and the Lord gave me much freedom. Elder Haskell spoke in the evening.13LtMs, Lt 172, 1898, par. 3

All who see the building are highly pleased with it. I was so thankful that it was just completed one week, when we had a heavy rain nearly all the past week. The Lord blessed them so that they were able to hold their meetings six months on the same ground where the tents were pitched. Not exactly on the same spot of ground, but in the same paddock. The workmen were not hindered a day by rain. It showered in the night time, but was clear in the day. We expected the meetinghouse would be completed the previous Sabbath, but there was unavoidable delay. I spoke on Sabbath and Sunday, and the blessing of the Lord came into the new house of God.13LtMs, Lt 172, 1898, par. 4

I cannot see how we could have managed matters without that meetinghouse. We cannot hire halls. There have been sixty-five already baptized of those newly come to the faith. A letter from Brother Starr yesterday stated that three more would be baptized Sunday. There are about seventy-five who have been converted, we hope, to the truth, and I am believing and we are working for one hundred. We cannot consent to less, but we hope for even more than that number. The interest has kept up wonderfully. It is the Lord’s work and we praise His holy name.13LtMs, Lt 172, 1898, par. 5

Brother and Sister Wilson have gone to Queensland and they write as if much pleased with the climate. We would have been glad to have kept him in Sydney, and set to work twenty more. Brother and Sister Haskell and Brother and Sister Starr have worked with a will, heart and soul. Brother Baker has had to devote a considerable part of the time to Ashfield, Parramatta, Prospect, and Kellyville churches and other little companies scattered around.13LtMs, Lt 172, 1898, par. 6