_To Mr. D――――._
_London, September 13, 1759._
_My very dear Mr. D――――_,
YOUR letter dated _May 25_, which I received yesterday by the hands of Mr. _Vincent_, gave me unspeakable satisfaction. I can but thank you, as I do ten thousand times over, for all your care and faithfulness. He that seeth in secret will ere long reward openly. As I hear both _Dickenson_ and _Ball_ are arrived, you will have received more letters from me. GOD be praised for your success in the silk-worms! GOD be praised that _Bethesda_ is out of debt! GOD be praised for all his tender mercies to me and mine! Praise the LORD, O our souls! I wish some of the children could be bred up for the ministry. _G――――_ seems to me to have some grace. What a pity that I cannot have a grammar-school! I shall think and pray, and then write to you and Mr. _P――――l_ on this head. You all seem to dislike the temper of those at _Ephrata_. If Mr. _S――――k_ could supply the place, perhaps it would be more pleasant. May the LORD JESUS direct, for his name’s sake! He will, he will! It is a most discouraging thing, that good places cannot be found for the boys when fit to go out. By this means, they are kept in the house beyond their time, both to their own hurt, and to the further expence of the institution. I expect _R―――― W――――_ home with Captain _Ball_. I am glad _B――――_ is at a trade. Somebody told his mother, that he was gone to his master’s plantation. I wish he had written a line. Could you let me know what stock of cattle you have, and what hogs you kill. The more particular you are about every thing, the better. I long for the account. I am glad you received the books! more are to be sent from _Scotland_. I do not much care for _R――――_’s being at _Bethesda_, unless he is a true penitent. How doth my nephew go on? That you may go on and prosper both in body and soul, till you are safe landed in an endless eternity, is the earnest prayer of, very dear Mr. _D――――_,
Yours most affectionately in our common LORD,