I have just had your letter to May Lacey White handed to me. I am always glad to hear from my children, if it is only a few lines, especially when journeying. At this time accidents are so numerous. I thank my heavenly Father for His keeping power and praise the Lord. We may live now very near the Lord, and it is our only safety; and if life is lost it is preserved unto life eternal, for the righteous dead shall come forth from their graves to life, eternal life.19LtMs, Lt 387, 1904, par. 1

I am not able to write. My wearied brain can do a very little if no perplexities come to me. I think I told you I spoke in the church at St. Helena. It was quite warm but I thought I had escaped all danger of difficulty healthwise; but no, I was afflicted with catarrhal difficulty and la grippe and my head is unable to be used. No pain, but such decided weakness that I cannot write. Unless there is decided improvement I shall not attempt to attend the meeting at Healdsburg. I have taken two powerful sweats and I do not now sneeze as I did. Have one or two sneezing exercises each day and am very much relieved of the mucous discharges from my head. But my sufferings have not been much.19LtMs, Lt 387, 1904, par. 2

I have my nice room and that is of great value to me now. I had some things written before this la grippe seized me, and I have put them in Maggie’s hands to send to you.19LtMs, Lt 387, 1904, par. 3

I am just passing through this something—I hardly know what to name it, but call it la grippe. I am improving.19LtMs, Lt 387, 1904, par. 4

I have had invitations to good homes, Brother and Sister Mills’ and Brother and Sister McClure’s, but would not dare to venture either place. As I now am I must have conveniences for treatment that these places have not. I have rooms at the Home, and there are bathroom and other conveniences. So this is all ready for me if I can go at all.19LtMs, Lt 387, 1904, par. 5

We have had gentle rains, until night before last there was a thunder and lightning storm in regular eastern style. It seemed quite natural, cleared off, apparently, and then clouded up all day yesterday, notwithstanding no wind, as mild as summer. At night it commenced raining, and the first wind breeze we have felt this winter was this morning. The trees seem agitated some. All this month there have been raining soft, gentle showers. We are, as it seems to be, in a place of refuge.19LtMs, Lt 387, 1904, par. 6

Our good horse Stormy took sick. We had not been using him for some days because it was raining. He was feeding on the green grass, but we could do nothing to relieve him although much was done to save him. We buried him two days ago.19LtMs, Lt 387, 1904, par. 7

Our families are all well. Thank the Lord for His merciful kindness. We will have now to get two horses to work the place, disposing of the one large horse, but I am not in any way cast down, but trusting in the Lord in my helplessness. In the Lord we find a refuge. Had a good visit with May this morning. She does not wish to go to Healdsburg, and I cannot advise her to go. Home is the best place for mother and children. May is in excellent health and so are the children.19LtMs, Lt 387, 1904, par. 8

In regard to books being handled in Nashville, I am pleased to have the experiment tried. For some reason I receive not enough income for my books to really pay the outgoes in the help we must have. But we will talk of this in the future. Certainly there must be some moves made to bring something more to me, else we cannot be continually producing books and no income sufficient to continue the process. I am not gaining at all, but the outgoes in the hiring of money are large every year. Some kind of a way must be instituted to bring me larger returns from my large books. Sister Peck tells me in answer to my inquiries that twelve cents per copy is all I receive for Desire of Ages. I supposed the price was between twenty and thirty cents.19LtMs, Lt 387, 1904, par. 9

But I shall not worry. I shall try to get out of debt if possible, and I leave the matter there. As I shall see you now in a few days, I will not write for it tires my head. I may never be able to write as I have done. That meeting at Oakland was a terrible strain upon me, but I will not, I hope, ever be compelled to meet such an emergency again. I am wearied out with the unbelief of those who have had plenty of evidence, but I do not think I shall again place myself in the position I have been in several times.19LtMs, Lt 387, 1904, par. 10

God, the living God, will help His people if they will choose to be helped. And those who do not choose to be helped must suffer the consequence of their own unbelief. I shall keep away from everything that savors of contention and strife and let those who desire this element have a severe letting alone to enjoy their own contention. Light is sown for the righteous, and if they want peace and love, let them sow a crop and they will have a harvest of that which they have sown. If contention is the element they choose, they will have the unenviable task of reaping that which they have sown.19LtMs, Lt 387, 1904, par. 11

We have as Christians to give glory to God. When from the heart we give God glory in expressing His grace, His love, and His excellencies that He gives to all who love Him and keep His commandments, we convince all by our deportment that we have chosen the wise course of obedience and employ all our faculties in His service. The false motives, the spurious principles which gave birth to so many fair appearances of pretentious good works, have no rule in the heart. I know that the Lord Jesus recognizes the pure in heart because that heart honors his Maker. The humble believer in Christ is a Christian, and he is denominated of God as such. True, pure religion has the honor and glory of God in view. Self is lost sight of. He prays and labors to have transcribed on his heart, and to express in his life with the greatest clearness and the most distinctive manner, the holiness and righteousness of God, His forbearance and mercy and communicative goodness. But I must stop. Letter called for to envelope.19LtMs, Lt 387, 1904, par. 12

Lt 386, 1904

Lt 388, 1904