Letter from Henry to Mother, January, 15, 1880

Letter from Henry to Mother, January, 15, 1880

Correspondence; Steamboats; Preaching; Chinese language--Study and teaching; Married people in missionary work; Children of missionaries

Henry tells her mother that Bella, his baby son, and him will go for a country trip in two days. Bella has been busy opening a box she got from back home with some things they purchased and presents from their friends. Henry preached last Sabbath so he quotes the text in which the sermon was based. Willie, Henry's and Bella's wife speaks more Chinese than English.

Noyes, Henry Varnum

The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #3

Unpublished

1880-01-15

Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant

PDF

eng (English)

Text

noyes_c_cor_644

Canton Jan 15th 1880
My dear Mother
I wrote in my letter to
Father that I did not recollect
when I wrote last but I now
remember that I commenced
my last by saying that the
home circle should have the
first letter written in 1880. Just
while I was writing the above
sentence it occurred to me
that perhaps I had not sent
the letter yet and opening
my drawer and looking around
sure enough I found it. I
do not feel as though I had
any great amount of news
to write. We (Bella & Baby & I) ex-
pect to start for a country trip
day after to-morrow. Will be
gone I suppose about eleven
days. Bella has been quite busy
yesterday & to-day attending to things

that came in a large box
from home. She and her
sister had sent home to
purchase some things which
they needed and the box
arrived here day before yesterday with
these purchases and other
presents from their friends, of
which I came in for a share.
It was too bad that the box
did not get here until just
after Sara Anderson had
gone she left Hong Kong Tues-
day morning at daylight &
the box arrived here in Can-
ton the same day about
the middle of the forenoon
She had been in Hong Kong
several days waiting for
her steamer and if she had
only know her box was in
Hong Kong she could have got
her things as she was quite
anxious to do but we did not

that the box was here until
just after she had gone.
She went on the "Anchises"
by way of England. She
left word to dispose of her
things when they came, so
Bella has been quite busy
yesterday & to day. I hope
they can be disposed of so
that she will not lose much.
The week of prayer
has been since we wrote
last. We had meetings
every day 3 days at Eleven
-o-clock A M and the
others in the evening. It
was my turn to preach
on the closing Sabbath. The
text was assigned but was
a very good one indeed
Phil 3: 20 "For our conversation
is in heaven from whence
we look for the Saviour the Lord

Jesus Christ." I enjoyed
[u] writing [/u] the sermon whether
anybody enjoyed hearing it
or not. Several people thanked
me for it so that I suppose
it was not entirely unacceptable.
Little Willie still eats
rice and plays out doors
nearly all day and talks
Chinese. He talks a little
in English- says- good morning
good night- good bye and
how do you do?
Bella had told him
once or twice to put his hand up
to his face and cover his eyes
leaning on it as people often do
when the blessing was asked. So
about the middle of the forenoon
the other day he had a teapot
with a little lacquer saucer on it
and he put his hand up to his
forehead a little half minute and
then picked up the saucer and
pretended to drink. Now I must
close. Much love to all from us all
[Written vertically on the fourth page]
Your loving son Henry.

Letter