The whole circle of my friends, together with myself, feel much obliged to you for your communications to Mr. Pratt, which he has published in the last Missionary Register, October, 1817. They greatly interested us, and we could not help rejoicing in all the good which the good Lord is effecting through you. May all this be only the promise of a more abundant shower.
Letters passed at sea some time about the beginning of this year, between Mr. Mortimer and the editor, each asking, without knowing the intention of the other, that his friend would become sponsor for his next-born child—a circumstance which explains the allusions made to the subject, in the three following extracts:—
TO THE REV. JOHN ARMSTRONG.
Madeley, June 1, 1818.
The honour which my dear friends have conferred upon my unworthy name affected me greatly, and the more so, as within three or four weeks of the time your letter reached me, two other similar instances of the very great affection of my friends here had occurred. Unknown to me, many of them put their contributions together, and forwarded them to the Church Missionary Society, for the support of two African children, to be named after myself and my dear Mary; and a young man among the Quakers, to whom the Lord has made me (his most unworthy servant) a channel of good, has likewise taken my name. What shall I say to these tokens of love? I know not what to say—but that I am ashamed and confounded before God, to think that any mark of love and respect should be shown to me whom He sees as so abject and polluted; and as to my dear friends, all I can say is, the Lord reward them a thousand fold for all that their hearts contrive, and their loving conduct so fully expresses.
TO THE REV. THOS. MORTIMER.
Madeley, near Shiffnal, July 20, 1818.
My dear Thomas,
We think of naming the dear little one Phœbe, a name much endeared to us, as borne by one dear relation now no more, and by another still reserved to us, whom we sincerely love. It is a name likewise which has not as yet been introduced among us. We were thinking of joy and gladness, but this we have left to be, as we hope, long enjoyed by one already in our family, and to be in reserve in case it should be wanted for another, on whom we should rejoice to see even an equal portion of her parents’ spirit. A servant of the church is what we claim for our little one, and may the claim be abundantly realized!
If Mrs. T. M. would not object to become one of the sponsors for our little girl, and would permit us to employ some one as her proxy, we should feel ourselves much obliged by her compliance. My dear Honduras friend has kindly consented to take upon him this charge for one, and we purpose applying to Mr. John Eyton, as the third. Perhaps you will be so good as drop me an early line, and thus set me an example I so much need.