130 Herkimer St. Hamilton, Ont.

Oct 25/16

Dear S.J.:-- We have scanned the casualty lists each day hoping that the terrible news might never come, but this morning the shock came as great as if we had never thought it might come. We cannot express our sympathy as deeply as we feel it and yet we must look at the loss from the other side – for there is another side – Job in his trial said, “The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the house of the Lord.” “Though He slay me yet will I trust in Him.” That was wonderful faith for a man in Job’s day and as we think with his light – We have a more consoling message in the words of Christ. “I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, tho. he were dead yet shall he live,” and again he said: “He that saveth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake and the gospel this source shall save it.”  Have we ever fully understood thee words? If we but can understand them there must be a wise purpose in all His dealings with us. And yet we cannot but feel the loss of a young life cut off just as it is coming into the fulness of strength and promise. Many such reports come in to the city each day. Yesterday the report of the second son of Cauon Daw cut off – Two more of his boys are in Kaki and he himself over in England with a regiment. The toll of life has been fearful and the end is not yet.

The chief recruiting officer for the Dominion Rev. Cecil G. Williams preached in our church on Sunday and said “a year from now, the war will not be over—“ He quoted the words of Admiral Beatty. “the way will only end when England comes to her knees and recognizes her obligations to her God”—

We pray for you and Myra and the girls, but you and Myra duly know what such a loss means. May He who went down into Gethsemane walk with you and offer you His consolation, as only He can—We sympathize with you and pray for you—for words are empty.

Eber and Bee and family