Letter from Laura Talbot dated 3 April 1930

4011 Derby Manor Drive,
Baltimore, Md

April 3, 1930

Dear Robert,

Have you kept your promise to me? Have you hunted up all the references on your "Ladder of Salvation"? If you haven't, please get it out and do it right away. I'm sure Katherine would like to read them too. You are lucky to have such a nice sister to help you, (I never had a sister I'm sorry to say) and I hope you are good to her. You know Robert, dear, you have let us all know that you have taken Christ as your Saviour, and you want to follow him, so you must be just as good as you know how. Do what you think He would want you to do. That doesn't mean just being good in Sunday School and church, but that means living a happy helpful life all through the week as well. Jesus wants you to be happy and have fun, but be sure the fun is the kind He would like, and not fun that will hurt some one. Always stop and think before you do a thing,"Would I do that if I could see Jesus standing right by me?" You see, he sees and knows what you do, even though you can't see him.

I'm sorry you did not stay and go to church with me Sunday, and I'm sorry I did not see your Mother. I hope to see your Mother in Church this Sunday and I hope you stay with us and listen to Mr Atkins preach. You know, you might be a preacher yourself someday. Who can tell?

Your Mother wants you to be baptized doesn't she? You told me Sunday you weren't going to be. Robert, dear, why not? Jesus was baptized when he was grown up. You say you were baptized one. You did not know about that. Your Mother had that done because she wanted to give you to the Heavenly Father. Jesus was presented to the Lord at the Temple when he was a little baby, and yet he was baptized by John the Baptist when he was older and knew what he was doing. We cannot make you be baptized for then it would do you no good. When you are baptized it must be because you want to. Not just because you think we all want you to but because Robert has taken Jesus as his Saviour and Robert wants to follow Jesus in Baptism and feel that he is buried with Jesus in Baptism and that when Robert comes up out of the water he is starting a new life with Jesus. It is between you and Jesus, Robert dear, and you have to feel in your heart that you really want to follow him. You pray about it. Really talk to God and I'll do the same and then we'll see how you feel.

Don't forget we have a review on Sunday, and I want you to tell in a few words the story of "An Ambitious Boy Sold as a Slave" Session 21. Don't forget to study Psalm 121 and the names of the New Testament Books.

Lovingly,

Laura H Talbot (Mrs S. G. Talbot)

Note: Envelope postmarked Apr 4, 1930 4pm Baltimore, MD 2, and addressed to Master Robert Noble, 1523 Park Avenue, Baltimore, Md. The envelope is printed stationary, with the return street address on the reverse side solidly crossed out in dark marker, leaving only the city and state. The return address, handwritten on the back of the envelope above a printed "Baltimore, MD", is 4011 Derby Manor Drive.