Description Rev John William McKenzie

On board the John Elder, Off the coast of Spain, July 3rd 1882

My Dear Brother James

I am beginning a sort of journal letter today and will jot down a few lines every day or two giving you everything in our voyage that is worth noting.

We have had a very fine start. Indeed nothing could have been pleasanter than our crossing the Bay of Biscay. We were agreeably surprised at this as in general that is more to be dreaded than any other part of the voyage. When starting the first time we went out we found it so rough that we had to put back again.

I mailed you a letter the day before we sailed which you will I hope soon receive.

We came on board on the 29th of June, but did not sail till the following morning. It was somewhat foggy coming down the channel, so we had to steam slowly, and did not arrive at Plymouth till pretty well on in the afternoon of the 1st inst. After taking on passengers, freight and meat we again put out to sea and so far have been running on beautifully.

We have a great number of passengers and so far as I can judge they are a very worldly lot - card-players and novel-readers - Indeed Sat. made not difference to them in regard to their novel reading. It was painful to see old grey headed women reading novels on Sat. Any one who had the spirit of a Whitefield would have a fine opportunity of doing good.

I hope you are succeeding in the work to which you have given yourself. May we both have grace to be faithful to our Lord and Master. 

It is not very long that we can labour "The might cometh wherein no man can work" Oh! that we may be filled more and more with the spirit of God.

Thursday, July 6th 9.30 P.M.

As I sit here in the saloon and write you the piano is going at a great rate on deck. It has just been taken there where it will remain till we get beyond the Tropics. We have an Opera company on board going out to Australia so they will probably give a plentiful supply of music. 

We are now beginning to make the acquaintance of some on board. At first passengers are generally very stiff and unsociable. Then there are always some who think themselves better than other people. I have a splendid opportunity for reading. The sea has been almost as calm as a lake every since we left Plymouth. But I believe the sea is generally smooth at this season of the year.

Did I tell you that Jim Forrest gave me a nice present of books when I was leaving. Have me The Christian Leaders of the Last Century, by Rev J.C. Ryle, The Life of Guthrie - two volumes, the Life of Francis Havergal, the First Vol. of Spurgeon on the Psalms. The Life of Arnot and Day by Day an excellent book by Rev. McDonald. It contains short pieces on certain subjects, quite short and impressive for every day in the year. I like it quite as well as Spurgeon's Morning by Morning. The first of the above list is a very readable book. It is a short biography of the best diviners of England of the eighteenth century of Whitefield, Wesley, Grimshaw of Haworth, William Romaine