FL14425356

OverviewTranscribeVersionsHelp

Facsimile

Transcription

Status: Complete

[258]
I hope you feel your mind perfectly at rest on the
subject of your call to the Ministry, and that your
progress in studies and preparitry measures is quite
satisfactory to your own mind. If I were asked whetehr
I thought yo did right in going to England and entering
into the Established Church, my reply would be that
depends entirely upon his own views and inclinations
for me it probably would not be right, but upon points
of this nature "let every man be fully persuaded
in his own mind" - I should consider being bound to one
small Settlement, such as Richmond, Wilberforce, or
Bumbury [sic] Curren (for there are none else vacant, saving
Mr. Cartwright being likely to succeed his father at
Liverpool) this I say would be to me such a cramped [?] &
fetter as would be intolerable. - when I read
the New Testament I always feel a wish to imitate
as near as possible the manner & method of our Lord
and His disciples, which I am persuaded no man can
do when cooped up in the circumscribed sphere of
a few solitary Settlers in a District New South Wales
But where am I going? It was not in my thoughts to
attempt to diswade you from your present purposes
and persuits when I commenced this paragraph, nor
would I in the least matters influence your mind
this way or that.
From the circustances of my alliance to
your family I am emboldened to write much more
familiarly to you than would have been otherwise proper.
Allow me then to tell with modesty by what steps I
have arrived at my present station - after my
Conversion from Sin to Righteousness I began to make
enquiries into creeds & systems, but finding myself
in a labyrinth, I determined to consult the most
judiscious ministes accessible to me on what books
were most proper to be read in my case - and having
procured a selection of the best Authors on Polemical
Divinity, I passed with these Guides the ordeal of
controversy between Socinians & Trinitarians, Episcopalians
& Disenters, Arminians and Calvinists etc etc

[259]
After dilligent research and calm deliberation, I
embraced General Redemption as most consonant
with God's Attributes and Word, and I determined when I could
no longer forbear I went forth and preached a free, full and
present salutation to every human soul, which blessed
imploy my soul enjoyed the sweeteset consolation, and
the Lord of the Harvest is graciously pleased to testify his
approbation of my poor labours by giving me to see fruit
in the evident conversion of sinners - but when I say
I feel myself the most insignificant creature and the
chief of Sinners - I remember that my work is with the
Lord & my judgment with the Most High -
My worthy colleague Mr Leigh has been ill
nearly one year, & has been for the recovery of his health to
New Zealand and NewCastle, I believe he is consumptive
and it is probable he will return to England by the ship
Admiral Cockburn in which this comes to you. Poor
Gilcrist has proved himself one of the basest of men -
and is now working at Newcastle with the hammar
and spade under sentence of Transportation for
[?] - Since his arrival at Newcastle he has
been transported to the last sink of degradation
by the Lime Kilns. A young widowed clergyman
has lately arrived in the Colon whose name is Middleon
I hear he is a great Gambler, Mr. Marsden things
him a stranger to religion, but well read -
Now my dear Sir, I commend you to
GOD & to the word of his grace, may your work and
way be appointed you by him who holds the Seven
stars in his right hand, may I rejoice with you upon
earth & then may we go up higher to meet the King of
the skies & may not a hoo(?) of our respective families
be left behind - My dear Mary writes by this
opportunity, all our numerous family are quite
well, I beg to remain, My dear Brother
Yours very affectionately
in Jesus Gospel
Walter Lawry

Mr Thomas Hassall

Notes and Questions

Nobody has written a note for this page yet

Please sign in to write a note for this page