Yours very sincerely,
G. M.
After receiving the above with its enclosed circular, Mr. Cooper wrote to his friend as follows:—
Wherwell, June 29, 1826.
My dear Friend,
I was not prepared for the intelligence contained in your very kind letter of the 26th, having hoped, from the improvement of your health at the date of your previous letter, that you would shortly return to your important charge at Madeley, and that you might have continued there many years, an instrument of blessing others, and being increasingly blessed yourself in your work. But, I doubt not, all is well and wisely ordered, and will add my affectionate though feeble prayers that you may be divinely directed in all things.
Your letter, the end of February last, left it doubtful, whether Mr. A. B— might not have finally determined to become your assistant in the parish; and, prior to your last favour, I was looking to hear from you next month, to know how this matter had terminated, in order that I might judge whether the expectation of being associated with you, which I had not entirely relinquished, might not be realized. I now beg to state, that, owing to the inquiries of a beloved clerical brother, two curacies have been offered to me within the present month, both of which I have declined. And now, my dear friend, I put it to you, whether you think Madeley is such a post as would suit one with such slender ministerial qualifications as I deeply feel that I possess; and whether you think your parishioners would be disposed to receive me favourably? If you do, I leave myself in God’s hand and yours, desiring that He may do with me as seemeth good in His sight; and requesting you to take such steps as you may judge proper. The difficulty as to the time of resigning my present cure may probably be got over soon after Michaelmas; my vicar having said, when last I saw him, that he would release me on reasonable notice, if anything eligible should be offered to me: still I wish to remain in my present sphere as long as I conveniently can. Having said thus much, I will only add that Madeley has been regarded by me for many years as a spot peculiarly sacred; it is still more endeared to me by the consideration that my beloved and highly esteemed friend has been labouring for ten years in that favoured scene of the apostolical Fletcher’s ministry.
I wait with interest, but not with any anxiety, to hear from you the result of my present communication. Believe me ever,
My dear Friend,
Yours very affectionately,
John Cooper.