_To the Rev. Mr. G―――― T――――._
_Williamsburgh, Dec. 15, 1739._ _My dear Brother_,
BE not angry because you have not heard from me. Indeed I love and honour you in the bowels of JESUS CHRIST. You are seldom out of my thoughts; but till now I have not had liberty given me, to send you a line――I trust the work goes on gloriously in your parts. The hand of the LORD brought wondrous things to pass, before we left _Pensilvania_; but in these parts satan seems to lead people captive at his will. The distance of the plantations prevents people’s assembling themselves together.――Here are no great towns, as in other provinces, and the commonalty is made up of _Negroes_ and _convicts_, and if they pretend to serve GOD, their masters, _Pharaoh_ like, cry out, “Ye are idle, ye are idle.” Last night I read the affecting account of your brother _John_; let me die, O LORD, the death of that righteous man, and let my future state be like his! O my dear friend, my brother, entreat the LORD that I may grow in grace, and pick up the fragments of my time, that not a moment of it may be lost. Teach me, oh teach me the way of GOD more perfectly. Rebuke, reprove, exhort me with all authority――I feel I am but a babe in CHRIST. I long to know more of the holy JESUS. He has manifested himself to my soul, both in a way of humiliation and exaltation. Since I saw you, both his rod and staff have comforted me. At present, he makes me young and lively as an eagle; I only wish I was more worthy to subscribe myself
Your affectionate friend and servant in CHRIST,