November 11, 1918

Dear brother P. Berglov and readers of "The Dove Letter":
Grace and peace be with you!

    Because the "Dove" comes into so many homes, among both my relatives and friends, I will send a few lines with the same. First I will give my text: Colossians 3:1-4: "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set you affection on things above...etc." Those verses I have read many times, both for myself and for others, but never have I seen them so clearly as I do now. God wants us not only to read and speak (the Word) but also to show it in life and conduct. God Himself either will or must have had to show me how fleeting (transitory) we ourselves are, as well as our possessions on earth, when I, with my family, some eight or nine of us, all came down sick with the influenza. Some of us got well almost right away, but some of us lay sick for almost three weeks. It cost us both time and money -- and also our little son Wallace. He was somewhat older than 8 years of age and we had high hopes for him. We have lost him for the immediate present, but we have won him for the future time to come. By nature, he was like other small boys, but he prayed to God every night on his knees by his bed. When he was less than 8 1/2 years old he prayed in his own words before he went to bed, even if no one else did. I will write down the main idea of what he prayed, in the hope it might help some other small boy: "Help me so that I do not quarrel with my brothers and sisters, dear Jesus; help me so that I may come to you in heaven. You are coming soon, but we do not know when you are coming; You know that, dear Jesus." And then he prayed for everyone he could remember. Never did we suspect that Jesus would come and take him home to Himself so soon. In an hour that you know not will the Son of Man come. Be ye therefore always ready. Down here, we stretch out our hands to say goodbye, but at Home we will meet, never to part again, when we are all around the Lamb Who has redeemed us to God by His blood. May we always be living in such a way that we can always pray: Come, Lord Jesus! For my own part, I am glad I can go to be with Jesus when He comes.

A brother in the Lord,
Carl Fredman