Robert Tomlinson Letter to Church Missionary Society 11 April 1867
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[1] Victoria. V.I.
[2] April 11th 1867
[3] A
[4]
[5] To the committee of the
[6] Church Missionary Society
[7] Gentlemen
[8] It is almost three months
[9] since I took leave of you in London
[10] I am thankful to say that during
[11] this interval notwithstanding the
[12] extremes of temperature I have
[13] experienced my health has been
[14] excellent. The voyage from England
[15] to New York took a little over ten
[16] days. so that I had 5 days to
[17] remain at New York. On this voyage
[18] we spent one Sunday at Sea. The
[19] Captain according to a rule of his own
[20] had service himself. After Service I
[21] gave a short Eclesiastic address on the
[22] nature and importance of prayer.
[23] We left New York on Friday February 1
[24] passed one Sunday on board (Dr. Hume
[25] of Liverpool officiated and gave a
very nice simple address and reached
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[1] Aspinwall on the following Saturday.
[2] The crossing the Isthmus occupied
[3] but a few hours so that we were on[-]
[4] ward the Montana on the Pacific
[5] side about 6 p.m. the same day
[6] On the voyage from Panama to
[7] San Francisco we spent 2 Sundays
[8] at least officiated and preached
[9] on both occasions (Dr Hume left us
[10] at Aspinwall) and seldom indeed
[11] has one an opportunity of addressing
[12] so mixed a congregation. A{?….?}g
[13] My nearers[t] ever Jesus. Roman Catholics
[14] Unitarians. Members of several dissenting
[15] bodies and Church of England. Deeply
[16] did I feel the importance of the occasion
[17] but more deeply still my own
[18] unworthiness and inability to fill
[19] the post assigned to me. Truly I am
[20] but an earthen {???} that {???}
[21] is made perfect in our weakness. humbly
[22] do I pray him that the truths there
[23] spoken may by his Spirit be brought
[24] home to the heart of those who heard
[25] them.
[26] I was detained a fortnight
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[1] at San Francisco where made
[2] the acquaintance of B[isho]p Hislop. and
[3] Rev[eren]d Mr Wyak and Caltors. Nothing
[4] could exceed their kindness to me
[5] The steamer in which I sailed from
[6] San Francisco was somewhat over-
[7] laden and encountered heavy head
[8] winds so that she was nearly double
[9] her normal time making Victoria
[10] I arrived here on the evening of
[11] Friday the 15th of March. In accordance
[12] with directions received I called at
[13] his Lordships the B[isho]p and was very
[14] warmly welcomed. I have since
[15] obtained his license and [a] schooner
[16] to proceed to Metlakatla.
[17] The Otter left the week before I
[18] arrived. I expect however to get a
[19] passage in a schooner which sails
[20] in a fortnight.
[21] My whole voyage has been a
[22] pleasant one. God has blessed me
[23] both in mind and body. The nearer
[24] I approach the scene of my labour
[25] the warmer becomes my desire
[26] to {???} on my work and the
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[1] stronger the certainty that the call to go forth
[2] into all the world and preach the Gospel is addressed
[3] to me. Pray for me gentlemen brethren that I may
[4] be made humble trustful {???} faith first in
[5] in the discharge of my duties.
[6] Ever your humble and obedient
[7] servant to the Lord
[8] Robert Tomlinson
