Monday morning, July 18/98.
We accordingly went to the PM church yesterday morning, very few present. A Wesleyan “Local” conducted the service & as you know our experience sometimes of Wesleyan Locals was very pleasing, so was it yesterday. Our 1st lesson was from Ps. 44 & the 2nd from Matt. 19, & the text from the same, vs 20 & 21. A very instructive lesson he drew from the narrative during which delivery the late Mr. Park’s comments on the request of Jesus to the young man to sell all passed across my mind. You’ll remember them. The storm blew very strong during the service & at one time thought it would carry the roof away. The suspended gassaliers swung to & fro all the while.
During the morning, before church time, Mr. Smith, the Whitfields’ warm friend, came over with the request of he & his wife for us all to go & tea with them. Mr. W. explained we had a young friend coming to tea with us & that they better come over to Lewisham St., but no, however, it was agreed we all go & after Willie Stoddart arrived, we set off, & a very happy time we had. Willie left to catch the ¼ to 9 tram for Circular Quay & thence to Balmain, one of the pretty but large suburbs on the harbour, Balmain Bay. He soon felt at home with Mrs. Bannister, & as they knew many young folks & incidents, conversation flowed freely. He is to come up on Tuesday night, this being my last night, & he will meet Mr. W. at the station at 6:20, possibly I may be there to[o]. He is very much made up with Sydney & its peoples, & has no inclination at present to return to Berwick. Mr. Whitfield guided him to the station & on returning we left for home. Mr. & Mrs. Smith were exceedingly kind & it is nice to find that Maggie has such kind friends (elderly) to lean upon.
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Mr. Whitfield assured me that they had not 6 days of the 365 like yesterday for storm, & was glad I had a varied experience.
It looks very much improved this morning, calm, clear, & the sun inclined to peep out. I am going into the city soon as there are places I have yet to view, & my time is shortening. I will write the day’s experience before I mail the journal tomorrow. I am to be at Mr. Tolson‘s at 5 this evening where I hope to see Mr. Tolson for the first time. I ought to tell you that yesterday, for my especial benefit, & partly at my suggestion, we had a banquet of my favourite dish, a lamb’s head with accessories, as at home full & complete, & richly was it enjoyed. It was hard to believe, but it is the first they’ve had since either left the “old country”. The day was suitable for the meal, it being a real home wintry day, so you will know how much it was appreciated. I got a monster pineapple, just perfection, only 1/- on the Saturday night before we got the tram, & we reduced its dimensions, you may be sure, before we rose from table. Pines are very cheap just now, from 3d up to 1/-.