How our human hearts seem pressed at times with the blessings so weighty. so hard to endure without murmurringPhil 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: Phil 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; . yet blessings they must be as the Father permits all.

The philosophic side of afflictions and that we call death. has been shown me amid the Gethsemanes As Written: Gethsemanies I have been allowed to tread. How the melting furnaces enable us to looks at dear struggling As Written: strugling humanity. to see through the glass inverted that Each one is of us or that we are one.

I love our race and the trials I have been pressed through have led As Written: lead me to a willingness now to work for good towards our Divine human race for God. Monies gained have always been swept away so I see it is not yet a trust to me. I could surprise you by naming the furnace of the last nine years. the loss of a wife by divorce – it was granted to me – loss of another by death, of three children one of them by drowning, a fine boy, loss of others very dear, and of property at various times, and above all the pain of not being understood by our friends. The best way to show you the crucibles is to tell you I cannot show you anything. or to say turn right up on your own past for I know by looking at that to which you have attained you have come by the thorny path of roses. and you tell it to me by not trying to tell it at all. and I often feel that tells most.

I want to pay you some just-tribute for your work. your noble life of struggles. your fealty amidst oppositions more bitter than death, the sweetest of sleeps. but how can I? I can best do so by telling you I cannot. I also would thank you for your kindness to myself and wife in granting us admission to the pure and high teachings in your class. If mortals think it is moonshine we listen to, I can ask them to furnish an instance where any teacher holds the attention of intellect unbroken, to equal it.

I am at a painful hesitation dear Sister to decide on a definite line of work. I must be about my Father’s work.Luke 2:41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. Luke 2:42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. Luke 2:43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. Luke 2:44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. Luke 2:45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. Luke 2:46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. Luke 2:47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. Luke 2:48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. Luke 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? Luke 2:50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. Luke 2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. I saw in my trials, brighter truths than orthodoxy offers. I cannot return to the old way. I have recently left $1,800.00Editorial Note: $1800 in 1884 is equivalent to $49,840.12 in 2017. per year & expenses As Written: expences on the need to go to work with my talented wife for the healing of humanity and its enlightenment. and we came to Chicago again & opened our home to a lecture <unclear/> by a great scientist on a system of entirely new. or reconstructed society, in communities very spiritual & fine it seems. but Mrs. Swarts got so hurt over hearing him denounce Mrs Richmond. IngersolEditorial Note: Maybe Robert G. Ingersoll. [?] Unclear or illegible  . your systemEditorial Note: Christian Science et ceteraAs Written:&c & being so personal we both rebuked him. He has now moved his lectures so he can abuse all other reformers. we attend yet however. Now we were so interested in your systemEditorial Note: Christian Science before you came and having become much more since I am hesitating as to duty towards his system. I feel strongly impressed to try and identify in some public or traveling method with your systemEditorial Note: Christian Science. My wife is whole soul for it and wants to turn exclusively As Written: exclusivy to it and we may owe our capabilities in that line. I wish I knew. I must identify with some definite line of reform and follow it up. You have been so overburdened I have not intended to Even talk with you on the possible.

Now some Earnest souls come to me and urge me to begin work here = the line of the Faithists. “ [?] Unclear or illegible  ” and there are some beauties in its aims. I am resting restively in God and awaiting orders and openings. yet I cannot wait much longer while sheaves are wasting on every hand. God bless and guide you and the ship at whose helm he has placed you. It will not sink.