_To Mr. H―――― H――――._
_Philadelphia, May 30, 1747._
_My dearest Brother_,
HAD I strength equal to my will, you should now receive from me a very
long letter; but at present I have such a fever upon me, that I can
scarce send you a few lines. However I will try. Your dear letters
in _August_ last came to my hands last Lord’s-day.――They variously
affected me, and put me on the search, whether I had neglected writing
to my very dear man. Upon enquiry, I found that I wrote to you about
the same time as I wrote to Mr. _J――――_, and brother _S――――_, and four
or five times since. Blessed be the GOD and Father of our LORD JESUS
CHRIST, I am not suffered to forget old love and old friends. Indeed
you are very dear to me,――all of you very dear to me still. I thank
you ten thousand times for all expressions of your tender love, and for
your steadiness in the truths and cause of CHRIST; and hope sometimes
that your prayers will draw me to _England_ more speedily than I
imagine. But what shall I say, my dear friend? Here are thousands and
thousands in _America_ who as to spiritual things know not their right
hand from their left; and who are ready to hear the gospel from my
mouth. Since my coming this time from _Georgia_, I have been within
these five weeks a circuit of 400 miles, and every where found the
fields white ready unto harvest. Nobody goes out scarcely but myself.
As you are in _England_ and _Wales_, the power of religion I trust will
be kept up; and though my coming should be delayed some time longer,
yet when I am sent, it will be with the greater blessing. I am daily
finishing my outward affairs, and shall think my call clearer home,
when I have provided for the support of the Orphan-house. The generous
benefactor’s letter pierced my heart, made me to shed tears of love,
and to put up many prayers for him. I sent him a letter from _Charles-
Town_ under cover to Mr. _B――――_. If the person be unknown, I see no
impropriety in printing my letter in the _Daily Advertiser_ or _Evening
Post_. I am glad you have printed my letter to the _Litchfield_ clergy,
and want to know what effect my sermon on the rebellion has had. Our
LORD has blessed it much in these parts. I shall be glad when the great
Head of the church unites dear brethren again. I trust nothing shall
be wanting on my part when I come over. An union before perhaps may not
be so well. However, I leave it to you, my dear Sir, and think that the
bar being taken away against people’s coming to the tabernacle, may be
one good step towards it. I wait upon the LORD. As his grace increases
in the heart, I am sure his children will grow less positive and more
child-like, yet more steady. O my dear man, I could write all night
long, but am so giddy by hard riding and preaching constantly in the
heat of the day, that I must defer being more particular till another
opportunity. I hope my dear wife will supply all my deficiencies.
Remember me in the tenderest manner to all. Bid them to pray me to
_England_; and in the mean while, they may assure themselves they are
not forgotten by, my very dear brother,
Yours, &c.
_G. W._