My dear Mr. P——e,
YOUR kind letter lies by me. Love unfeigned constrains me to answer it. We have just been wishing that some of our London friends were here. We have love feasts every day. Nothing but peace and plenty reign in Bethesda, this house of mercy. God be praised, for making the chapel such a Bethel. I believe it will yet be a gate of heaven to many souls. Whether we live or die, we shall see greater things. Remember, my dear friend, to ask something worthy of a God to give. Be content with nothing short of himself. His presence alone, can fill and satisfy the renewed soul. Trials only empty the heart, and thereby make way for further communications from above. Seed time and harvest, summer and winter, will always succeed each other here. Do you not find it so, dear Mr. and Mrs. A——r, as well as your friend Mr. P——e? Though you do not write, I will venture to answer for you—Yes.—Well, then let us go on, till we enter into our eternal summer, our uninterrupted harvest. Haste we, haste we; the Lord is at hand! Pray that my tardy pace may be quickened; get all enquiring friends to join with you; and believe me to be, my dear Mr. P——e,
Yours, &c. in our sympathizing Lord,
G. W.
LETTER MCCCXXIV.
To Mr. R—— K——n.
Bethesda, February 13, 1765.
My very dear Sir,
A FEW days more, and then farewel Bethesda, perhaps for ever. Affairs, as to me, I trust are now brought near a close. The within audit I sent to the G——r. Next day came Lord J. A. G——n, to pay his Excellency a visit. Yesterday morning, they with several other gentlemen favoured me with their company to breakfast. But how was my Lord surprized and delighted! After expressing himself in the strongest terms, he took me aside, and informed me, “that the G——r had shewn him the accompts, by which he found what a great benefactor I had been: that the intended college would be of the utmost utility to this and the neighbouring provinces; that the plan was beautiful, rational, and practicable; and that he was persuaded his M——y would highly approve of, and also favour it, with some peculiar marks of his royal bounty.” At their desire I went to town, and dined with him and the G——r at Savannah. On Tuesday next, God willing, I move towards Charles-Town, leaving all arrears paid off, and some cash in hand, besides the last year’s whole crop of rice, some lumber, the house repaired, painted, furnished with plenty of cloathing, and provision till next crop comes in, and perhaps some for sale. Messrs. D——n, S——k, and their wives, stay till my successors come to supply their places. Only a few boys will be left, and two of them are intended for the foundation. So that this year they will be getting rather than expending. Near ten, boys and girls, have been put out, and the small-pox hath gone through the house, with the loss of about six negroes and four orphans. Before which, I think not above four children have been taken off these twenty-four years. As an acknowledgment of Mr. and Mrs. D——n’s faithfulness and care, I have made them a present of a bill of exchange drawn upon you. It is for Jesus, who shed his dear and precious blood for ill and hell-deserving me. And now it may be, I may see England this summer. But still I cry, who shall roll away the stone? Jesus will do it for me. And now farewel, my beloved Bethesda; surely the most delightfully situated place in all the southern parts of America. I do not forget your dear relations. What a blessed winter have I had! Peace, and love, and harmony, and plenty, reign here. Mr. W——t hath done much in a little time. All are surprized at it. But he hath worked night and day, and not stirred a mile for many weeks. Help, help, my dear English friends, to pray me over, as being, for Christ’s sake, my very dear Sir,