_To Mr. N――――, in New York._
_Savannah, Aug. 15, 1740._ _My dear Brother_,
YOUR letter rejoiced my heart. May our dear lord’s kingdom be advanced more and more every day! O that I may meet you at _New-England_! Blessed be GOD that Mr. _M――――_ is yet alive. Salute him from me; I hope to see him before I die, and so be taught the way of GOD more perfectly. I thank you for your kind hints; I have always paid great deference to dear Mr. _N――――_’s judgment: indeed I love him in the bowels of JESUS. GOD has been pleased to bring me low, for some time, by inward weakness, and faintness of spirits. The first strength that is given me to write, I make use of in writing to you. The LORD is purging me, that I may bring forth more fruit. I long to die, not that I may be rid of crosses, but that I may be with CHRIST. He draws me more and more to him every day. I have had many close domestic trials of late. But these words, “David strengthened himself in the LORD his GOD,” came with sweet power to my soul. I find, the nearer I come to CHRIST, the closer my trials are. I have been sometimes through weakness kept from preaching; but when I have spoken, the word has come with power. I have reason to think, that three persons who came to see the orphan-house, have been effectually called by our LORD JESUS. I have now some _Carolina_ visitors in my house; two of them, I believe, are coming truly to JESUS.――The word runs like lightning in _Charles-Town_. A serious lively Baptist minister, named _Tilly_, is here also; he has preached often for me, and last _Sunday_ received the sacrament in our way.――O bigotry, thou art tumbling down a-pace! Blessed be GOD.――Next week, GOD willing, I embark for _Charles-Town_, shall stay there a few days, and from thence purpose going to _New-England_. GOD wonderfully provides for my orphans.――I am kept from every degree of doubting; nay, the LORD fills me daily with a full assurance of faith. He chastens and corrects me, but it is all in love. O help me to praise him, and thereby add to the obligations already laid on, dear Mr. _N――――_,
Ever yours,