Manila, Luzon Island –Entry made in parlor of No. 2 Calle Santa Elena, Tondo.
Cloudy and warm but not rain. This is the dry season. Wrote, copied & mailed 3 letters. Also received one from the post office written by Ensign May Jackson of Hongkong China. She has been praying re the opening of Salvation Army work in China & thinks I would make the best pioneer that she is acquainted with. She says Staff Capt. Symons who has change of the Salvation Army soldiers & sailors have does not want her in any of his meetings which grieves her very much.
I wrote for the War Cry some more copy & mailed the whole batch, 20 pages, to Lt.-Col Wm Evans. The subhead titles are: “Camp Santa Mesa” (Xmas Eve) “Christmas in Cavite”, “Corregidor Island”, “Bones”, “Mariveles”, “Riding their High Horse” and “Called to Quarters”.
Passing down Calle San Jacinto on my way to the post office I saw a new poster pasted on a wall. Going up to look at it saw that Emilio Aguinaldo’s name was signed to it. Is printed in Spanish, and in to all intents & purposes a counter proclamation to that of Gen’l Otis. I was told by Editor Wilson of the “New Orient” who translated it, that the gist of the pronouncements is liberty or death. Filipinos do not want annexation to the United States & will fight first.
I went to the No. 24-next to the Suspension Bridge to secure at “La Republica Filipiniana” printing office a copy of Aguinaldo’s manifesto but failed. The men in charge were afraid they would get in trouble with the U.S. authorities for publishing it. Editor Wilson promised to get a copy for me.
Cooked supper. While eating Private Geo. Schurmerhorn of the 2d Oregon vols. Co. D. came in and gave me $4 U.S. coin – Tenth League payment. Bro. Chester Blaney of the 10th Penn. Did the same or two nights since.
During the day prayed several times with visiting comrades. Visitors as near as I can remember 3. The troops are almost all shut up in their quarters.
Made a 2d visit to the Escolta to buy Aguinaldo’s proclamation.