Ever-honoured Madam,
I Think it long ere I send your Ladyship another letter.—My last was from Belfast, where I preached twice on yesterday sevennight, and immediately after took shipping and arrived the next evening at Erwin. On Wednesday morning, at the desire of the magistrates, I preached to a great congregation, and ever since have been preaching twice every day in this city. Thousands attend every morning and evening. They seem never to be weary, and I am more followed than ever. Though I preached near eighty times in Ireland, and God was pleased to bless his word, yet Scotland seems to be a new world to me. To see the people bring so many bibles, turn to every passage, when I am expounding, and hang as it were upon me to hear every word, is very encouraging. I feel uncommon freedom of heart here, and talking with the winter, as well as summer saints, feeds and delights my heart. My body is kept pretty healthy, and my voice greatly strengthened, so that I think God is preparing me for more work, or that some trial is at hand. This I suppose will find your Ladyship yet in the furnace, but Christ is in the midst of the bush, and in the fiery furnace too; he will quench the violence of the flames, or cause the fire of his love to burn higher. I could enlarge, but am straitened. Some ministers wait for me. Your Ladyship would be delighted with our morning and evening auditories. This day in the church we have had a blessed feast. To-morrow I take my leave, and then for Edinburgh. There I expect to stay near a fortnight. Glad shall I be to hear of your Ladyship’s welfare. You have always my poor prayers, and my poor, but hearty thanks; being, ever-honoured Madam,
Your Ladyship’s most dutiful, obliged, and ready servant, for Christ’s sake,
G. W.
LETTER DCCCCI.
To Mr. M——.
Edinburgh, July 29, 1751.
THROUGH the tender mercies of a never-failing Redeemer, I came here safe yesterday noon. In the evening, and this morning, I preached the everlasting gospel to thronged auditories, and met with a very kind reception from my friends. Lord make me humble, Lord Jesus make me truly thankful! As his interest seems to be concerned, and the King’s business requires haste, I take this first opportunity of writing about the Virginia affair. In that province, there has been for some years past, a great awakening, especially in Hanover county, and the [♦]counties adjacent. As the ministers of the establishment did not favour the work, and the first awakened persons put themselves under the care of the New-York synod, the poor people were from time to time fined, and very much harrassed for not attending on the church service:—And as the awakening was supposed to be begun by the reading of my books, at the instigation of the council a proclamation was issued out to prohibit itinerant preaching. However, before I left Virginia, one Mr. D—— (an excellent young man) was licensed, and settled over a congregation. Since that, the awakening has increased, so that Mr. D—— writes, “that one congregation is multiplied to seven.” He desires liberty to license more houses, and to preach occasionally to all, as there is no minister but himself. This, though allowed of in England, is denied in Virginia, which grieves the people very much. The commissary is one of the council, and with the rest of his brethren, I believe no friend to the Dissenters. The late Lieutenant-Governor was like-minded.—I therefore think that Mr. D—— is raised up to succeed him, in order to befriend the church of God, and the interest of Christ’s people. They desire no other privileges than what dissenting protestants enjoy in our native country. This I am persuaded your brother-in-law will be glad to secure to them. I shall write to Mr. D—— to wait upon his Honour immediately after his arrival. I pray the God of the sea, and the God of the dry land, to send him a safe and speedy passage, and make him a long and great blessing to the inhabitants of Virginia. You may improve these hints as you please. I beg the prayers both of yourself and dear yoke-fellow, and assure you, that neither you nor yours are forgotten by, reverend and dear Sir,
Yours most affectionately in our common Lord,