Deal, July 5, 1748.
Very dear and Honoured Mother,
ARE you yet in the land of the living, or rather among the dead? shall I have the pleasure of receiving one more letter from you, and asking your blessing once more? Next post, I hope that the two former of these will be answered in the affirmative, and in a week or two I trust God will grant me the last. About a month ago I left the island of Bermudas, where my poor labours have been greatly blessed, and your unworthy son has been honoured with many honours. I am now come once more to see my friends in my native country, and settle some affairs, and then return to America again. My dear yoke-fellow I have left behind, to take care of two families. I have been several times just upon the brink of eternity since I saw you, but am now a little recruited. O that my health and strength may be wholly employed for that Jesus who has done such great things for me! His blood and cross, my ever honoured mother, I trust are exceeding precious to your soul. O that I may see you laden with holiness, and bringing forth much fruit in your old age! I could say more, but have several other letters to write. As I know not how your outward affairs are situated, or where you live for a certainty, I can only send cordial and general salutations to all friends and relations. I hope you will be pleased to let me know whether you stand in need of any thing, and not cease to pray for, honoured mother,
Your ever dutiful though unworthy son,
G. W.
LETTER DCXLII.
To Mr. G—— H——.
Deal, July 5, 1748.
AND how does my dear old friend Mr. H——? Surely he will send me a line now! For through the goodness of an infinitely gracious and condescending Saviour, I am once more arrived at my native country. My last excursion was to Bermudas. We left those islands a month ago, and God was pleased to set his seal to my unworthy ministry in a very glorious manner. I know you will be thankful in my behalf, and let me know next post how the brethren are in and about Gloucestershire. I rejoice to find that you still go on steadily and are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Why should you? Have you not found it by happy experience to be the power of God unto salvation? Go on then, my dear Sir, and prove the strength of Jesus to be yours. I long to see you, that we may talk of redeeming love, and feel our hearts warm with an holy fire from God’s altar. Are the dear old men, the Reverend Messrs. S—— and P——, yet alive? Pray send them my most dutiful and affectionate respects, and let them know, that an entrance I trust is now made into one of the islands for the glorious gospel of the Son of God. O that I was able to fly from pole to pole upon this blessed errand. But alas! my wings are clipped. My bodily health is much impaired, and I hoped ere now to have taken my last flight to heaven. But it seems that happy hour is not yet come. Well, welcome life, welcome death, so that Jesus, my dear Jesus, may be glorified in both! Pray that we may shortly meet in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of peace. I subscribe myself, my very dear Gaius,