_To Mr. Z――――._
_London, Jan. 10, 1753._
_Honoured and very dear Sir_,
THIS morning, before I received your kind packet, I was finishing
my answer to the good Professor, and then intended to send it to you
with the inclosed extracts. LORD, what am I, that any of thy faithful
servants should write to, or concern themselves about me or my affairs!
With all thy other favours, give me, O GOD, an humble and grateful
heart; so shall thy mercies not prove my ruin! I hope to answer good
Mr. _U――――_ and dear Mr. _B――――s_ speedily. A ship goes to _Savannah_
the ♦beginning of next month. Mrs. _V―――― B――――_ is safely delivered of
a daughter; the forts being destroyed by the late dreadful hurricane,
the Governor and Council of _South-Carolina_, have sent for her husband
to _Charles-Town_. Blessed be GOD, _Bethesda_ hath received but little
damage. Several of the orphans have sent me pretty letters, and I trust
it will yet prove an useful seminary for both white and black persons.
I wait to see this great salvation, O LORD! To-morrow, GOD willing, I
shall dine with Mr. _L――――_, and on _Friday_ morning if possible will
endeavour to wait upon you. My hands are full of work, and I hear every
day of fresh persons awakened; but I can do so little, and what I do is
done so badly, that I fear sometimes my LORD will throw me aside like
a broken vessel.――Very dear and honoured Sir, for CHRIST’s sake do you
and your worthy collegue continue to pray for me; surely it is an act
of the greatest charity. Less than the least of all, shall be my motto
still. My heart is full; GOD forgive me. I am now beginning to enter
upon my thirty-ninth year. LORD JESUS quicken my tardy pace! I can no
more. But hoping to see you on _Friday_, and to be furthered in my work
and way by your fatherly counsel and instruction, I subscribe myself,
very dear and honoured Sir,
Your most affectionate, obliged son, and ready servant
in our glorious Head,
_G. W._
♦ “begining” replaced with “beginning”