I propound to your consideration, Reverend Brethren, and to you, the natives of each county, in London, whether the same work may not tend much to the edification of the church, and the welfare of souls, if you will be pleased speedily and effectually to set it on foot through the land? Whether it may not, by God’s blessing, be a likely means to illuminate the ignorant, and awaken the secure, and countermine seducers, and hinder the ill success of Satan’s itinerants, and win over many souls to Christ, and stablish many weak ones in the faith? And not doubting but your judgments will approve of the design, I humbly move, that you will please to contribute your faculties to the work; that the Londoners of each county will be pleased to manifest their benevolence to this end, and commit the monies to the hands of the most faithful, orthodox ministers, and that they will readily and self-denyingly undertake the work.
I hope the Gentlemen, natives of this county, will be pleased to pardon my publishing their example, seeing my end is only the promoting of men’s salvation, and the common good.
And that you may more fully understand the scope of our design, I shall annex the letters directed to the several ministers of the county, which the lecturers send to the ministers of the place, and receive his answer, before they presume to preach in any congregation.”
“To all the rest of the Ministers of the Gospel in this County, our Reverend and beloved Brethren, grace and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Reverend Brethren,
THE communication of the heavenly evangelical light, for the glory of our Redeemer, in the conversion, edification and salvation of men’s souls, is that which we are bound to by many obligations, as christians, and as ministers of Christ, for his church, and therefore must needs be solicitous thereof: and it is that which the spirit of grace, where it abideth, doth proportionably dispose the heart to desire: by convictions of the excellency and necessity of this work, and of our own duty in order thereto, and by the excitation of undeserved grace, our hearts are carried out to long after a more general and effectual illumination and saving conversion of the inhabitants of this county in which we live: which while we were but entering upon a consultation to promote, it pleased God (without our knowledge of it) to put the same thoughts into the hearts of others. The natives of this County of Worcester who dwell in London, meeting at a feast, (as is their yearly use) collected a sum of money for the setting of eight poor boys to trades, and towards the maintaining of a weekly lecture, and have committed the execution of this last, to our care: and upon consultation with their stewards, and among ourselves, both they and we are satisfied, that a moveable lecture on the Lord’s-day is the likeliest way for the improvement of their charity, to the attainment of their ends. For, 1st, many people through poverty cannot, and many through negligence will not come to a week day’s lecture: experience telleth us, that such are usually attended but little by those that have the greatest need: 2dly, and thus the benefit may extend to more, than if it were fixed in one place.
We have therefore desired our reverend and dear brethren, Mr. Andrew Tristram, minister at Clent, Mr. Henry Oasland, minister at Bewdley, and Mr. Thomas Baldwin, minister at Wolverly, and Mr. Joseph Treble, minister at Church Lench, to undertake this work, and that each of them will be pleased every fourth Lord’s-day to preach twice in those places, where they shall judge their labours to be most necessary: and as we doubt not but their own congregations will so far consent for the good of others; so do we hereby request of you our brethren, that when any of them shall offer their labours for your congregations, in preaching the said lecture, you will receive them, and to your power further them in the work. For as we have no thoughts of obtruding their help upon you, without your consent, so we cannot but undoubtedly expect, that men fearing God, and desiring their people’s everlasting good, will chearfully and gratefully entertain such assistance. And we hope, that none will think it needless, or take it as an accusing the ministry of insufficiency: for the Lord doth variously bestow his gifts: all that are upright are not equally fitted for the work: and many that are learned, judicious, and more able to teach the riper sort, are yet less able to condescend to the ignorant, and so convincingly and fervently to rouze up the secure, as some that are below them in other qualifications: and many that are able in both respects, have a barren people; and the ablest have found by experience that God hath sometimes blest the labours of a stranger to do that, which their own hath not done. We beseech you therefore interpret not this as an accusation of any, which proceedeth from the charity of our worthy country-men in London, and from the earnest desires of them and us, to further the salvation of as many as we can. And that you may have no jealousies of the persons deputed to this work; we assure you that they are approved men, orthodox, sober, peaceable, and of upright lives, happily qualified for their ministerial work, and zealous and industrious therein; and so far from being likely to sow any errors or cause divisions, or to draw the hearts of people from their own faithful Pastors, that they will be forward to assist you against any such distempers in your flocks. Not doubting therefore, but as you serve the same Master, and are under the same obligations as we, so as many as are heartily addicted to his service, will readily promote so hopeful a work, we commend you and your labours to the blessing of the Lord.
Your brethren and fellow-labourers in the work of the gospel.
Kiderminster.