Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 4 (1883 - 1886)

Lt 19a, 1886

White, Mary

Christiania, Norway

July 12, 1886

Portions of this letter are published in EGWE 203.

Dear Mary:

We are usually well, although since coming to this place I am not as well as I was at Orebro. We have none of us felt much ambition. 4LtMs, Lt 19a, 1886, par. 1

Yesterday I had some plain talk with the Board and Trustees in regard to the correct observance of the Sabbath. There is a blacksmith shop directly in the yard of the meetinghouse and has been directly beneath them. Prayers are ascending from the minister and people amid the sound of the hammer and the anvil, the handling and rattling of iron; and just on the other side of where we live is the marble factory where the noisy, continuous sound of chisel and hammer is mingled with the prayers and preaching and the exhortation. This has been close under their place of meeting for six years, and now is in the same enclosed gates, the very next door to the meetinghouse. 4LtMs, Lt 19a, 1886, par. 2

Well, I told them I expected that my words seemed to them like idle tales, when Brother Hansen arose, and at the same time several others arose and declared the words spoken were not idle tales to them. They accepted them, and this gave me great relief. 4LtMs, Lt 19a, 1886, par. 3

I spoke last evening, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and deep feeling was in the audience. Many wept. I hope I shall not have to speak again, but tonight I labor with the church in regard to the talkers in the church. 4LtMs, Lt 19a, 1886, par. 4

Yesterday W. C. White hired a coach, and the coachman took us about Christiania. The ride did good. I am sure the work is going forward here and becoming established upon a higher, nobler basis. I hope we will have wisdom and grace to do all that is needed to be done, all that we can do at the present time. We leave here next Friday for Copenhagen, remain there until the twenty-fifth, then start homeward, and I shall be very glad to be back again. 4LtMs, Lt 19a, 1886, par. 5

Now Mary, if I had patterns of Ella’s aprons and her dress pattern, the sack or waist part, I could get her some things made very cheaply; and if you will send the same to Copenhagen, I will get some sewing done for Ella. We have to pay twenty-seven cents per day for good workers; and if you were only here, or if we had your patterns, we would get you cloth and have something made for you. If I had Ella’s patterns, I might purchase her material for summer cloak and get it all made well. I have got the girls’ dresses made and a dress well advanced for me, cashmere (drabatay?). 4LtMs, Lt 19a, 1886, par. 6

We read that you were going with the team to Tramelan. I am glad. I suppose when this reaches you, that the journey will be ended and you at home again. I hope you will both keep well. I hope Marian will keep well. We shall have plenty of work to do when we return. May the Lord help us. I do not mean to return wholly exhausted if I can help it. 4LtMs, Lt 19a, 1886, par. 7

Since writing the above we have received your letters with the enclosed letters from Haskell and Henry. One has just come to Sarah from Mary Roth. In the letter she speaks of a girl that she thinks would be the girl we would want. She is in Bienne. She can talk with you in regard to the matter and you with her. We will be at home the last of July. 4LtMs, Lt 19a, 1886, par. 8

The blacksmith shop under us is filling the rooms with coal smoke which affects my heart and throat and eyes. I think we will have to repair to the meetinghouse. 4LtMs, Lt 19a, 1886, par. 9

I hope you will take no burdens upon yourself, but you will be free from care as possible. Marian will have to prepare matters and leave you without care or perplexity of any kind. Well, I must stop. We will go into the meetinghouse. Perhaps that will be a relief from this smoke. 4LtMs, Lt 19a, 1886, par. 10

I send you the address that you may make no mistake. 4LtMs, Lt 19a, 1886, par. 11