Miss Slessor describes her vacation which she is currently spending in the Tayside area. She thanks Miss Crawford for a book she has sent, and hopes that they may become better acquainted.
My Dear Miss Crawford
Your very kind note came, & was a joy to Miss Ames & myself. & your message to her Mother is much appreciated. She remembers your Adress(Note 1) & visit here with much gratitude, & the kind words you spoke to one of her girls who was much affected by her sisters approaching departure. It is easy to get to the mother heart, & so easy to brighten a fellow travellers life for the time being, if we are just watchful & in the spirit of our Master seeking opportunities. All the women here remember your visit very vividly. It must have been to many a time of blessing. I have been calling on many of the Christian women with Miss Amess & her sister & her mother & spent a very pleasant evening with their Pastor Mr Thomson. Yesterday we were at a fine meeting at Kinclaven, “the Kirk in the Muir”(Note 2). There is not a house in sight. The pine woods were divided to make a road for the manse people & the worshippers, & there was a big strip of purple heather lying in front of the door. the building dates from 1744. It was a rare experience to be in such a place, specially as my dear & old friend Mr Logie was brought up there, & his forebears from the starting time. 3 generations have been session clerks there.
I am just going off to Perth for the week end, & then back to Newport on Tay as they have made a few engagements of a quiet & private kind there, & among my home friends at Dundee. I shall not be able to come to the sub meeting on 12, but Miss Amess & I will be *surely*, if well, at the meeting on 19th. I would be in Glasgow anyhow at Anderston on the 18th. We thank you for the book you have sent us. I am to leave it here as they have not read it yet, & there are so many to go over. It is intensely interesting. How great a work, & such grand results, from such small beginnings. I do not know much about your old work, but I trust we will get better acquainted, & so learn from one another. One of the girls from this house is gone off to her sphere of work as a nurse in England this morning & the parting with her sister is a very tender one, as they may not meet again till Miss Amess has gone. I am keeping out of the way, but it is so sweet when Christ rules in a home, to see the love & loyalty to Him in the giving up of one another for His Sake. Were they near I know I should have messages to you, as it is I am not troubling them, & you can just understand that love is sent. Miss Amess hired a bicycle for the week I have been here, & we have been out every dry morning for a long run, in order to get up strength. We have both been so much the better of it, & our converse, & our fun too, has been a great joy. Now I must just say bybye, as we also go off after breakfast. I hope to see you before long & trust you will have much of the Joy of the Lord for your strength, seeing you cant get into the open air for it among the heather. I wish you had been with us Yesterday. Thank you for your kind words of comfort regarding work & bairns. “ The Lord bless Thee & keep Thee. The Lord cause His face to shine upon Thee, & give thee peace.”
Yours most affectionately
Mary M Slessor
Why do you say that about tying my shoe?? If you knew me, as God does!!! But the blood goes on cleansing, that is all my hope & plea. Never say that kind of thing again.
Yours again
MMSlessor
Editorial Notes:
- Adress = Address, a speech
- Muir = moor, or moorland(Scots). Kinclaven, is a couple of miles to the North East of Stanley (which is 7 miles north of Perth) where she is staying.