The Icelandic Canadian - 01.03.2005, Side 28

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THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 59 #3
Letters from Fridjon FriSriksson
Translated by Sigurbjorg Stefansson
Fridjon Fridriksson
Letter 20
Gimli, Jan. 25, 1881
Dear Friends,
I thank you very much for your letters
of Nov. 13 and Dec. 2. They were warm
and cordial, reflecting yourselves. I was
sorry to learn that you do not like it in
Iceland, but that is only what the two of
you and I expected. Hopefully, you don't
have to stay there for long.
By the way, man's existence is not
expected to last anyway. Now the year
1881 has begun. May God bless you this
year and bring you closer and closer to
himself. Long ago the destruction of our
planet in this year was prophesied. I do
not believe in the accuracy of this prophe-
cy, but it has a great impact on a lot of peo-
ple. Some believe it, others, who do not
believe it, cannot help but thinking about it
and discussing it. This discussion is mov-
ing in on us here in New Iceland, but it will
probably not reach you north there until it
is all over. I can't say that I believe in the
prophecy, but it seems to me that the end
of the world is no more frightening than
the end of each individual's life - an end
which according to the laws of nature is
never extremely far away from any individ-
ual now living on this earth, and this new
year will be the last one for so many. We
don't have anything to worry about if we
believe in Jesus Christ. My religious belief
is still feeble even though I preserve some
religious spirit within myself. I praise the
Lord for that. Admittedly, I would like to
go on living for a while, if it is God's will,
but I, nevertheless, once in a while look
forward to getting away from sin and mis-
ery, both those of myself and those of oth-
ers. The hope that I will be allowed to see
my friends and be with them in a place
where everything has become holy and
good makes me happy. It is my hope that
almighty God give that we may all meet
there, and I believe that waiting for us in
that place is more happiness than any eye
has ever seen, or any ear has ever heard, or
any imagination has ever pictured. This is
how one's mind wanders. My mind keeps
wandering to you because through you is
the road to heaven; you certainly guided
my mind to heaven time and again, and I
thank you for it.
Back to earth, I am sitting at your edi-
torial desk, dear friend, which is located in
the northwest corner of my living room
with Longfellow, my favourite, in front of
me. My wife and our children are with
me. Hermann never leaves me alone, he
keeps kissing the picture of the girl on my
desk lamp, and in between he talks to her.
I am childish enough to enjoy this behav-
iour of his. You knew that I love Aurora,