Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 2 (1869 - 1875)

Lt 21, 1875

White, W. C.; White, Mary

On the cars from Eagle Lake to Wyoming, Minnesota

June 27, 1875

Compare with Lt 20, 1875. Previously unpublished.

Dear Children, Willie and Mary:

It has been some time since I have written you. This because I have been so thoroughly exhausted. I could no more than give my strength to the people in laboring for their good. 2LtMs, Lt 21, 1875, par. 1

The weather has been exceedingly debilitating. The food [was] such as we had no appetite for. Last Thursday I labored very hard. Was upon my feet nearly four hours in calling some 200 forward and laboring for them. I could not eat much dinner. Next morning, could get no breakfast until near eight o’clock. When it did come, I could not eat it. Was in a fainting condition. I suffered much all day Friday. Could not labor any until Sabbath at five o’clock. Slept very little for two nights. The exhaustion was sensibly felt all through the meeting. 2LtMs, Lt 21, 1875, par. 2

Anna Rasmussen, I found, was upon the ground and we solicited her case. She took charge of our tent’s company like a Good Samaritan. I rallied slowly and spoke Sunday to the crowd. Went into the Dane meeting and spoke through an interpreter. Brother Matteson interpreted your father’s speech and mine. 2LtMs, Lt 21, 1875, par. 3

We then went out to the stand. I spoke about thirty minutes; then invited them forward. One hundred responded. We had here a most excellent meeting. Brother and Sister Pharington and their daughter, your father’s old friends in his youthful days, were present Sunday and this meeting had a good influence upon them. I think they left Monday with convictions which will not soon wear off. 2LtMs, Lt 21, 1875, par. 4

The meetings have been excellent from the beginning. I had Monday a message [to read to] W. Morse which relieved the Conference of a great burden. 2LtMs, Lt 21, 1875, par. 5

Monday at seven o’clock I spoke one hour to the Scandinavians, Brother Matteson interpreting. This was to give them some history of my experience which would confirm them in the faith and prepare them to resist Lee. He, Lee, is a desperate man. He calls me the devil and shows determined hatred that is fearful. There was [a] baptism Monday of 23 candidates. Advice was given, for those who were living where there were churches, to wait until they returned to their homes. Had it not been for them, many more would have been baptized. 2LtMs, Lt 21, 1875, par. 6

Tuesday morning at five o’clock was the closing meeting. The best closing meeting we were ever in. I spoke about half an hour. There was deep feeling in the meeting. Nearly all were in tears. The meeting broke up with the best of feelings. 2LtMs, Lt 21, 1875, par. 7

Brother Babcock, another Seventh-Day Baptist minister, united with us fully, also a young man, a First-day Baptist minister. Both of these are capable men and will be efficient laborers. 2LtMs, Lt 21, 1875, par. 8

Mary has worked hard at these meetings in preparing reports for different papers. Then the disadvantage in the eating line is not small. People can live one week in camp meeting in almost any way, but when we have six weeks in succession without any period of rest, taking mussed up and stale food day after day and week after week in camp [and] on the cars, the appetite is not keen. With this hard labor we do, and eating what we can catch, our strength fails. Mary has lost her appetite. She eats but little and she is not calculated to fall in love with camp life. But she does not complain but makes [Remainder missing.] 2LtMs, Lt 21, 1875, par. 9