Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 9 (1894)

Lt 137, 1894

White, W. C.

[George’s Terrace, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia]

April 1894

Portions of this letter are published in FBS 19; 7MR 87.

[First two pages missing.]

[W. C. White:]

I have concluded to give Fannie another trial. I think this must be the will of God, for our Lord knoweth how hard it is for her to humble her pride and acknowledge her mistakes. We must help her all we can, and I believe she will yet be able to walk humbly with God. After reading all this I send you, then if it is your mind [that] Brother Olsen [should] come we will be glad to see him indeed, but we do not want him to tear himself from important interests and retard the work. I have felt on the eve of saying I will go to Sydney this very day and talk matters over with you and Elder Olsen, but this may not be the best plan; and I think we can adjust the matter of Fannie, perhaps, this time. But it is no use to encourage taking up other lines of work to any extent for this variety business suits her exactly and disqualifies her to give due consideration to the writings. She comes to them wearied in body and in mind and dashes through them without due forethought and earnest prayer. I will now leave this matter. 9LtMs, Lt 137, 1894, par. 1

I hope you will see if you can secure a cottage in the suburbs of Sydney. Then I heard you decided not to take Fountain Dale. A rather strange thought came to me, why not see if Fountain Dale, Mrs. West’s place, cannot be hired for one year at a reasonable sum, and just let me and my workers go on the place and get out the life of Christ? Brother Stephen could go with me and find work to do on Mosely’s fruit farm, and he look after my interests. I would like to have Brother Lawrence and his family with me, but I think of Gisborne and believe he will fill in there nicely. I merely mention this. I long for retirement. Yesterday I had a long talk with him and am pleased with him as a Christian gentleman. I encouraged him to come at once into the school and that I would loan him the money to support him and family while he would be getting all the knowledge he could. At first he expressed much unwillingness to incur a debt but Elder Starr and I talked with him and he was only too glad to come. He will hire a tent and pitch it and will board himself and he says he can live very cheaply. So he came at once. He has been living with Brother Corliss and lying on the floor, but I told him I could loan him bedstead and springs. He says they have plenty of bedding. 9LtMs, Lt 137, 1894, par. 2

Now, please give me any information that you have in reference to horse and phaeton. If this idea of renting the West place for one year seems foolish, let it die. But it does look attractive to me. 9LtMs, Lt 137, 1894, par. 3

Let us have a little thought of our future. I may have to leave Australia and may have to go to Sydney and I want to know of these things. I inquire of you. Please give me something definite. 9LtMs, Lt 137, 1894, par. 4

Mother.