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Friday, June 16th 1899

Manila, Luzon Island – Entry made in parlor of No. 2 Calle Santa Elena, Tondo

Breaking up periods come & come and come again in my life. No. 2 Casa, has has heard the nailing of boxes today & witnessed the excitement of removal. Rev. & Mrs. Owens after several months’ residence with me have put their goods in order & tomorrow expect to go aboard the transport “Indiana” to embark for the U.S.

I purchased this bath tub for $1 U.S. coin. Breakfast time they sent me baked beans & I gave them ham.

Mrs. Owens brought me word this morning that an old Filipino man in the basement, who has been afflicted with consumption is dying. His friends wanted to send for a Catholic priest to visit the poor fellow before he died, but it was necessary to pay the priest one dollar or else he would not come, the dollar they did not have. Rev. Owens tried to persuade the relatives & friends that a priest’s presence was not necessary, but they did not see the case in that light. I gave the friends the required dollar. In a short time a carromata drove up with a Roman Catholic Filipino priest arranged in a long black gown and black cap. A Filipino servant attended him. They brought a small case, containing such things as the priest considered necessary for the rites of this church, likewise a white jacket or gown & a censer. The sick man lies on the floor (the natives all sleep in the floor) under my back staircase. Into this room the priest betook himself, mumbled prayers, bowed, crossed himself etc. etc. then climbed into the carromata & drove away, leaving the unfortunate consumptive to pass the dread portals of eternity with the shallow hope that the priests’ empty mummery would take his soul triumphantly thro’ the swellings of Jordan.

Read “Freedom” also an article or two in “The Officer” Salvation Army monthly. Prepared 6 Kodak prints for War Cry (S.F) wrote & copied a letter to Lt.-Col. Wm Evans & sent the pictures. Tied W. e. Duncan’s (Jr.) curios and relics in a package & turned the same over over to Mrs. Owens to take back to the U.S. This is the first lot.

Bro. Glunz, one of the Christian Commission boys dropped in. I offered him some Kodak pictures in place of some he gave with the understanding that we trade, but he waived his claim in that respect & took none.

Private Andrew (Bro.) Waterman, Co. H. 1st South Dakota vol. Inf. called & remained a couple or three hours. Has been in 19 “Scraps”. The Lord brought him thro’ without a scratch but a mauser bullet hole close to his hat band proves how close a missile came to his head.

Bro. W. said he was lying down behind a trench or rice dyke on one occasion. A bullet struck a piece of hard ground in front of him, glanced to one side & killed a comrade. Bro. Waterman kept faithful to Jesus. The Lord kept him. W. is all night excepting a slight attack of rheumatism. I made a bowl of lemonade for him. Before he returned to Camp Santa Mesa we prayed together. He will try to arrange a meeting in camp.

After dinner, I called at the post office. No mail. The “Daily American” failed to come.

Late in the afternoon Private (Bro.) Clayton Scott appeared. Long conversation. Loaned him 2 S.F. War Crys, to read & return. Rev. & Mrs. Owens left to put up overnight in the English Hotel. Before the departed, they, Bro. Scott & myself kneeled down in my parlor & prayed together which we expect will be the last. Scott remained later. Made him a cup of lemonade & cooked supper. After eating thereof, we prayed again.

I paid Mrs. Ysabel Wood thro’ her smallest son, $35 Mex rent for the month of June No. 2 Calle Sta. Elena.

One of the Utah battery men came over & got his little monkey. “Old Man”. This little simian has been the diversion and arrogance of this one colony for months. I miss the little chap. He is like a baby in some respects.

This morning early read a chapter in Deuteronomy & prayed.

Wrote a letter of introduction for Rev. & Mrs. Owens to Mrs. Carrie Judd Montgomery, Beulah, Cal.