_To Mr. ――――._
_Boston, Jan. 18, 1745._
_My dear Friend_,
BY this time I suppose you have heard, by your brother’s letter, how good old Mr. _Moody_, in his honest way, said, I was welcome to all the faithful ministers in _New-England_. But the good old man judged too much by his own honest feelings. You see I am now at _Boston_, whither I was brought from _Piscataway_ in a coach and four. The joy with which I was received by the common people, cannot well be described; but many of the ministers how shy?――And how different from what once they were? When last in _Boston_, governor _Belcher_ was in the chair: then, _reges ad exemplum, totus componitur orbis_, he honoured me with great honour, and the clergy paid the nod, and obeyed. In many I then perceived it was quite forced, and I think when at his table I whispered to some and said, if ever I came again, many of those who now seem extremely civil, will turn out my open and avowed enemies. The event has proved, that in this respect I have been no false prophet. You know where it is written, “There arose a king, who knew not _Joseph_.” Freed therefore from their former restraint, many have appeared in _puris naturalibus_. Some occasions of offence had undoubtedly been given whilst I was here and preached up and down the country.――Nothing however appeared but a pure, divine power working upon, converting, and transforming people’s hearts, of all ranks, without any extraordinary phænomena attending it. Good Mr. _T――――_ succeeded me; numbers succeeded him. Lecture upon lecture were set up in various places; one minister called to another, to help drag the gospel net; and by all the accounts that I can have from private information, or good Mr. _Prince_’s weekly history, which I send you with this, one would have imagined the millennium was coming indeed. But you know, in this mixed state of things, wild-fire will necessarily blend itself with the pure fire that comes from GOD’s altar. This the enemy long waited for; at last it broke out and spread itself; and it must be confessed, through the instrumentality of many good souls both among clergy and laity, who for a while mistaking fancy for faith, and imagination for revelation, were guilty of great imprudence. What these were, I have not time now to particularize; I can only inform you, that all is laid to me as being the _primum mobile_ though there was not so much as the appearance of any thing of this nature when I left _New-England_ last. But, maugre all, my poor labours are yet attended with the usual blessings, and therefore I must entreat you as usual to pray and give thanks in behalf of
Yours, &c. _G. W._