How glad should I be to see you, but I patiently wait 'til God has
done with
you where you are — The imprudent Letters which
passed between you
and
Mr.
Eells have occasioned Me much trouble, and
seemed for a while as though they would unhinge
the whole affair — I Charitably believe he meant no more than to pursue
the Plan laid by our
Board of Commissioners before you
sailed, and to take that advan
‐tage of trade which somebody must have upon that Plan, and why not he as well
as another? yet the Letters as they appeared were shocking indeed. I knew nothing
of them 'til I had the
copy of them by
Mr. Keen, with advice that my Bill in favor
of
Mr. Breed was protested, on that
account — I had no other Refuge but God alone
it occasioned me a long,
tedious, and
fruitless Journey to
Portsmouth, before I had
recovered from a fit of sickness so as to be able to ride 20 miles in a day. but
God has helped me through all, and
the Cause has not suffered greatly by it, on this
Side the Water — But I suspect there is yet some Jealousies remaining in the
minds of the
Gentlemen of the Trust, which it concerns you fully to remove —
Mr.
Eells wrote
Mr. Whitefield
that
which I hoped would be satisfactory but have never heard
whether it reached him —
Mr. Keen writes me that it is generally understood and
that
you have declared that
the Trust have right to pay or protest Bills as they shall
think
advisable; but I presume you
haven't well digested that Matter; because you
haven't had the Experience which I had very timeously had of the Danger, and
risk
upon the Plan, nor do I know who you find willing to be an Agent on this
side the Water, upon that Plan, so long as his own interest is pawned to defray
all Charges — The
Gentlemen of the Trust
showed a laudable, and truly christian
Integrity towards the Redeemers cause as the matter appeared to them — I never
blamed them so much as in a thought, though I was myself so great, and
the only sufferer —
But I can assure
you I did not always feel as I should, while I was expecting the
protested Bill, and
thought on all the consequences which
would likely ensue — The support
of the
Missionaries, who ask for no other Reward for their service, must be sure, — I think
that
less than that can't be right, nor pleasing to God; unless they were able and willing
to support themselves — And I don't see how the Affair can be accommodated without an
Incorporation, or at least a trust here. — I have been
turning my thoughts, and weigh
‐ing every Man within my acquaintance, and design soon to fix upon a number
and
make a new Will, and submit it to the Censures of my honored Patrons, the
Gentlemen of the Trust
My son
Ralph after such a long and dark cloud as he has been under with respect to his health,
has now a prospect of enjoying that
Blessing to a good Degree. He is in high spirits for Indian
affairs, he understands the
business, and has a talent at governing Indians beyond any man
I can employ — I
don't know what God intends for him, but at present he is a Comfort
and help to me. it may be he will be the Man to conduct this affair when I have done, —
Indeed I know of no man at present who can do it better — but I wait upon God
to direct
and I love to wait, and hope, and trust in him alone — Your and
Mr. Occoms Sons with me are well,
your Families were so not long ago. Give my love to
Mr. Occom; I want to see him; does he keep
clear of that Indian distemper
Pride. If you see anything of it, advise him that he had better have
a rattle-snake in his Bosom; I don't write this because I suppose him worse than myself, but
because I have known so much
of the mischiefs of that Evil, and know his temptations to be very
great — Oh! watch and pray — My dear Brother I love you right well; and am
P.S. I trust you will see my Letters here
with transmitted to
the trust
and to
Mr. Whitefield. to which I refer you for intelligence. My Physicians say
I must soon quit all unless I will abate of my continual Labours.
But what shall I do? I employ one pen besides my own continually and sometimes two,
and have done so for many months.
Rev.
Dr. Whitaker.