Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 10 (1895)

Lt 103, 1895

Davis, Marian

Armadale, Melbourne, Australia

November 12, 1895

Portions of this letter are published in FBS 49.

Marian, Dear Sister: 10LtMs, Lt 103, 1895, par. 1

I have just closed up several letters: two pages to our little flock, the children; four pages to Willie McCann; two pages to Brother McCullagh; seven pages to the workers in Sydney and suburbs. Will write only a line to you. 10LtMs, Lt 103, 1895, par. 2

Will you please have these letters copied to the children and to Willie McCann? I may be able today to have them copied. If not, I will send them to you. 10LtMs, Lt 103, 1895, par. 3

Will you inquire if any one of our family has the recipe for Mrs. Temple’s remedy, or the recipe for cholera mixture. Ask Sister Belden if I gave any of these recipes to Byron. If they can be found, please send them to me. 10LtMs, Lt 103, 1895, par. 4

We are breaking up camp. We have had to move our location to this home, and all this has taken up time. 10LtMs, Lt 103, 1895, par. 5

I have given nothing into Fannie’s hands, and never expect to give her another chance to seek to betray me and turn traitor. I have had enough of “talent” and “ability” to last me a life time. I told you her heart was not in the work. She does not blend with the work. She is superficial, given to excitement and to exhibiting Fannie Bolton. But she will do this no longer at the expense of my health and my life. I have held on to her two years too long. She has to a large degree inspired you with ideas of her great talent, and you have received it, but it has been no strength to you. 10LtMs, Lt 103, 1895, par. 6

I have had to talk with Eliza, and she may come to do my work. I shall try to secure Eliza. She does not want to leave the work where she is, but I may prevail upon her to do so. If not, I shall give up trying, and when the Lord sees fit to send me help, accept it. I have sent to America asking our brethren there to help me to get suitable workers. 10LtMs, Lt 103, 1895, par. 7

Fannie, poor soul, does not know herself. I have talked with her, and told her that I must know of what she complains in the work she has had to do. She must tell me the real cause for all this disaffection, but all she could say was that sometimes I left sentences incomplete. I reminded her that I was often interrupted in my writing, and sometimes in the middle of a sentence, and that when I resumed the work I would go right on, not noticing the incomplete sentence. But I had told her that when this occurred she might either hand the matter to me or else strike it out and go on. Doing as much writing as I do, it is not surprising if there are many sentences left unfinished. 10LtMs, Lt 103, 1895, par. 8

I said to Fannie, “Your exhibitions of weeping ‘bitter tears’ over my imperfect writings are not inspired of God. When Sister Prescott urged you to tell her what caused you to weep so, you communicated to her your grievances, saying that my penmanship was terrible and that you had to write the matter all over that I presented to you, and that you were discouraged, for you really made the books and articles that came forth in my name.” 10LtMs, Lt 103, 1895, par. 9

She felt very much ashamed, but she begged of me to try her again. I said decidedly, “No.” 10LtMs, Lt 103, 1895, par. 10

I send you a copy of a short letter I have written to her and a letter I wrote to you, but which was not sent. 10LtMs, Lt 103, 1895, par. 11