Des Moines, Iowa, January 11, 1905.
Dear brother N—:
... Yes, I have had a long illness. I was taken ill in the middle of November, but kept more or less on my feet until a month ago, when I was laid up completely. I have not been out of the house since, although now I am up and am steadily gaining strength though I have but little yet. I trust I will through the mercy of God, soon be much stronger. It is good to realize our own weakness and our entire dependence upon God. He knows our frame — remembers we are dust — and is full of mercy, and all His ways are ways of blessing, and only such for those who love Him. How good to know that He loves us and can only do us good!
You refer to the work in the West Indies. I am thankful to be able to say that it still goes on with much encouragement. I probably mentioned to you that when we reached Barbados there was no meeting. Two sisters still held to divine principles. But God wrought in grace and filled our hearts with thankfulness and cheer. A number were delivered from Ravenism and several have been delivered from the Kelly position. And there were a good many conversions both of adults and children, and now there are 24 or 25 at the Lord’s table though two or three of these are transients.
The preaching of the Word goes on regularly, and the Lord has made provision for the erection of a suitable meeting room.
In St. Vincent also the work goes on, and the numbers have so increased that they are much in need of two new meeting rooms, and I trust this need will also be met through the Lord’s working the grace of giving in the hearts of His dear people. The people on these islands are so poor that they cannot possibly erect rooms for themselves. But there are others who can, if they have the heart for it, respond to these needs; and our hearts have been cheered in seeing this work of grace go on.