_To Mr. V―――― B――――._
_London, Nov. 22, 1752._
_My dear Mr. V―――― B――――_,
I Hope this will find you and your yoke-fellow parents of a living
and well-formed child. May the Redeemer sanctify it from the womb,
and cause it to live to his glory, and your comfort! I see you are
taught to live more and more by faith. This may be tried, but never
disappointed. The LORD JESUS never did, and never will forsake those
who put their trust in him. I believe Mrs. _W――――_ will not suffer you
or yours to want any thing that _Bethesda_ affords. I thank you for
your kind offer, but suppose ere now you have been enabled to purchase
some negroes, and go upon your own land. If not, I have written to
Mr. _B――――_ to make what agreement you shall mutually judge to be most
proper: I cannot say more at this distance. It is hard to determine any
thing four thousand miles off. GOD willing, I hope to see you next year;
though it is difficult to leave thousands and ten thousands, who gladly
receive the gospel, to come to a wilderness, where it has been, alas!
too, too often most wretchedly despised, and slighted by many. But I
trust we shall yet see better times. Happy they who have learned to
live on JESUS; and by keeping up a daily and hourly fellowship with him,
can maintain a comfortable frame, when all is cold and dead around them.
This is the happiness I wish my dear Mr. _B――――_. May it increase day
by day, moment after moment! Then, if we never should see each other
again on earth, we shall meet, never to part again, in the kingdom of
heaven. I am endeavouring to call as many thither as I can. Power seems
to attend it, and many seem to have their faces set _Zion-ward_. May
they and we be kept from looking back! JESUS is able to keep us. To his
almighty never-failing mercy do I commend you, as being, my dear Sir,
for CHRIST’s sake,
Your most affectionate friend, brother, and servant,
_G. W._