Waterloo, Ont.,
March 3, 1919.
Dear Mother:
I intended writing you last night but when I came to consider the matter I found that I had no stamps. But it was just as well I suppose, as Robert wouldn’t let me write anyway. You see, it was so mild yesterday that he could play with the other children outside. In consequence of the dissipation he came in sleepy and took a nap in the afternoon and wasn’t the least bit sleepy and I had to play with him and keep him amused until bed time. He is so attached to his father that he will not stay with anyone else when he is around. He is great company too and smart for his years. He can count ten all alone and can say nearly all the Lord’s Prayer without help and is a very plain and clear talker.
Yesterday morning I preached for Prof. Willison in First English, Kitchener. The latter got back Saturday night from the New York Conference, but was too tired to preach in the morning. I had a very good congregation out and rather enjoyed preaching. I preached an
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introductory sermon to Lent from the text “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem.” In the evening I attended St. John’s. Pastor Bockelmann did better in English than the time before when I heard him. Prof. Willison did not report very great success from his attendance upon the Conference. It seems that they are centralizing everything and imposing unheard of apportionments upon the Synods. Our little synod of 1900 members is apportioned over $3000. Beyond promising Prof. Willison to give sympathetic consideration to his protests they promised nothing. If this is to be the policy I don’t think our Canada Synods will stand for it. I feel sure that the Canada and Manitoba synods will pull out, as it was only through great pressure that they were finally prevailed to go into it in the first place. I believe that our best plan would be to pull out and form a united Canadian Lutheran Church, in which we would be free to govern ourselves. We could easily carry on all our own work and do considerable besides on the money the United Church requires of us. It seems that they are looking over all the educational institutions also. They had intended to allow our Waterloo Seminary and College only $2500 a year
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until Prof. Willison pointed out that it cost us over $7000 a year to run it. In view of this they thought that they might appropriate us $5000. But we would then still have $2000 or more to make up. I guess we will thrash out the whole matter at our Synodical convention in June. Pastor Maurer is still in the hospital and is likely to be there 3 or 4 weeks yet. He is getting along fairly well but his progress is slow. The Drs. however, express themselves as well satisfied with his condition. We are having exceedingly mild spring like weather now. There are still spots of snow here and there, but it is melting fast. I went down town and back this afternoon without an overcoat on. We never saw anything like it around here so early in the season. The boys, Carolus and Herman, are getting along well in school. Herman’s room had examination last week and he stood third in the room. Pastor Bockelmann has struck a snag in trying to anglicise his Sunday School and has not yet put it into effect. Some of the Germans are pretty stubborn in standing out for the German. The fact that
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it is not taught in the public schools any more renders them all the more insistent that it be retained in the Sunday School. He made no announcement about the matter yesterday. We have succeeded in getting a housekeeper during Bonnie’s expected confinement. She was able to do the wash to-day yet, though appearances are that she will not be able to do it next week. Aside from the inconvenience which her condition causes she is in good condition and a splendid state of health. So we expect everything to turn out favorably. She told her folks at home last week, creating quite a surprise, perhaps I had better say ‘consternation’ among them.
Well, I don’t know of anything else of particular interest, so I will close with best wishes and love from us all, I am
Most Sincerely yours
[signed] Carroll H. Little.
