London. March 5th 1768 —
Rev.
and Dear Sir
I owe you a letter of a long Standing. but a backwarding to writing and other avocations.
have hitherto hindered: but could not let this opportunity Slip without Sending you a line...
the great concerns you have
for the cause of
the redeemer and the Spread of the everlasting
Gospel
hath made me love you: though I never Saw you nor is it
likely I ever
Shall. in the present State. but hope to Meet
you in King Jesus'. upper house: where
we shall See as we
are Seen and know as we are known — when I heard of
Dr. Whitaker
and
Mr.
Occom's coming it gave me pleasure but much more
When I heard
and Saw them!:
Dr. Whitaker hath been indefati
gable in going
about to collect money in city and Country and Executed this work with
great diligence prudence zeal and faithfulness: and honour: it
also added much to the success of it that
Mr. Occom (the Indian)
was with him: as a fruit (under god) of
your labour: and whom the
Lord hath done great things for
.., and for whom many here bless god
= but the poor indian hath been So caressed
and Such respect Shown him even
by the great and Noble. that I
have been
afraid the good man sometimes
hath almost forgot what he was —.— it is a great mercy to be kept
Sitting at the
feet of Jesus;— I hope he will be kept
So
Dear Sir I Esteem the cause in which you are engaged to
be great and glorious and So do many here:
[illegible]; but it is not without
its
Enemies for Satan hath been Stirring up all his force that he,
hath been suffered to do against it: to Speak evil of it and of those
that where engaged in it. even those from whom we Should
have
expected better things: but when they dig a pit for others
they may happen to fall in it their Selves —.
I am glad to find by yours and
Mr. Kirtlands letters as likewise by
your Sons Journal to
Mr. Kirtland. that the work goes on with Such
success. I pray the Lord may prosper it more and more.—
I hope ways and means will be found for you So to proceed
as to have
Occasion for all the money that is collected in
England,
while
we continue to live: for Methink I Should be Sorry to leave any
of it to
another generation— for I See Such a fickleness
in the minds of Some of those who. like to have
the management of it
that I Should be glad it could be (with honour) drawn out
of their hands and I wish that whenever you
write to the trustees
it may be in the most
Solemn and Close manner (as also to give us
all the encouragement you can of the success of the cause:) that none
may dare to oppose or hinder you in your plans or
designs that you
may think best for the carrying out the work:; but that every one of us
may be Obliged to Say:
to Straiten or to Stop your hands
would be to fight against god —
Dear Sir I hope these lines will find
you in health both
in Soul and body as also your whole family
for whom I have. (in a Chest of books which
are coming to
you:) Sent a piece of striped
camblet of our manufacture
60 yards which may be of use to
Mrs. Wheelock
and your daughters etc.
and
family. — I need not Say I Shall be glad of a line
from you whenever it
suits— these books which are in the Chest: are: 100 of Baptist
Saints rest: a present from
Rev.
Mr.
Benjamin Fawcett of
Kidderminster in
Worstershire: and many Sermons and
pamphlets. from
Mrs. Brine: widow of the late
Rev.
Mr. John Brine. of
london.
all for the use of the Schools. etc. : at your discretion and Some are of
Dr. Whitakers and Some
Mr.
Occom's..— they will know their own,
and: now dear Sir I think I
must take my leave of you for the present
least I weary you with my scribble: wishing and praying that great
Grace may be upon you all — I remain
yours in the Purest
PS. Perhaps you may think that
what we have allowed
Dr. Whitaker is but small:— in which I cannot
but join with you — I would fain have
had it
Doubled but they would not
admit of it: a Very small consideration
for two years and half absence from his family
and Such a constant
[illegible][guess: scene] of labour
and fatigue as he hath gone through.:
I am dear Sir once more your
friend
and servant for Christ Sake
S. S —