Madeley, Aug. 3, 1818.
WITH regard to myself I have nothing to write to you but a continued
series of failure and disappointment; and, if I might speak of the future
from the present, I should say, that the Lord is calling me to remain at
home rather than to go anywhere abroad. The state of the case is simply
this:—When first I proposed myself as the servant of the Missionary
Society, I did not apprehend anything like difficulty with regard to a
supply for Madeley—the vicar, who is not resident, had always consulted
the wishes of the people, and had given them the choice of their
minister. No sooner, however, was it known by him that I had some
thoughts of leaving, than he declared, in the most positive terms, that
he would not admit to a curacy a person of my recommending, and he quite
wondered that I should ever think he would, or, in other words, he did
not intend to have a person of my stamp. It soon, however, occurred to
me, that if an application were made in behalf of my young but very dear
friend, — —, the vicar would, for the sake of his father, permit him to
succeed me: this he in fact promised, but when he found out that the son
was of a different stamp from the father, and that the wrong kind of
person was thus most unintentionally selected, he drew back and would not
take another step; and Mr. —, hurt at the whole procedure, declares that
he will not, upon any consideration whatever, make another application,
and thus matters are completely in _statu quo_. I dare not leave my
people to an ungodly successor, and therefore the present intimation
seems to be, “stand still.” I feel it a time of suspense, but I am quite
persuaded that all is in the very best hands, and of course that all will
be sweetly ordered for good. I need not request you to pray for us; I am
assured of your love, and love will necessarily lead you to a throne of
grace on our behalf.
About a fortnight ago my dear Mary was confined, and safely delivered of
a little girl, whom we purpose naming Phœbe, and may God grant she may
prove a servant of the church, as that honoured individual whose name
stands prominently distinguished in the Word of God—not, indeed, by
becoming a lady preacher, as you designated Mrs. F—, in one of your
letters, but in such a way as is becoming her sex; and in how many
blessed ways this is possible we shall neither of us be at a loss to
determine. We purpose availing ourselves of your kind permission to
employ you as one of the sponsors, and we feel ourselves much, very much
obliged by your compliance with our wishes. Indeed, everything which
seems like bringing us nearer together affords us a degree of pleasure we
cannot easily express.
* * * * *
The humility of my beloved friend was not only deep but uniform, and it
was also most unfeigned. I believe no sentiments conveyed in his letters
with regard to himself were more sincerely the utterance of his heart,
than such as appear in the two following extracts; and a savour of which,
indeed, runs more or less, through all his correspondence.