File 1: Hassall family, correspondence, volume 2, pp. 1-297, 1794-ca. 1823

21) Parramatta Oct. 26. 1795

Dear Madam I received your kind presents of the Candles, & embrace this opportunity to thank you for them. I wrote to Mr Stokes since Governor Hunter arrived, to inform him that the Cows which were lost seven years ago are now found, and am not certain whether I gave you a line or no at the same time. Governor Hunter's arrival hath given Mr Johnson and myself a peculiar satisfaction. We have some hopes that the wicked will not triumph so much as what they had done heretofore; tho' I do not yet expect to see any great reformation. The Enemy hath so completely possessed himself of the minds of all ranks & orders here that it is a matter of doubt with me whether his power will ever be seen in this place to fall like lightening from heaven. I wish the unfortunate convicts were the greatest enemies to the Cross of Christ we had to encounter. Satan has hath agents everywhere and generally some person of influence & authority in the world. To do my duty here as a minister is extremely hard & burdensome. When I compare what I do with what I think I ought to do, the whole of my work seems daily neglected - I am ashamed & confounded before God for all my shortcomings. A Physician hath no business when all the inhabitants around him are whole. This is exactly my case - I do not know one person that wants the great Physician of souls. I often wonded what some of your great preachers (your Howtons & Fosters in London) men of sound piety & [indecipherable] would feel if they had to preach for six months & know that they had not for that space of time, two persons to preach to who ever made the enquiry "Where is God my maker" or had the smallest concern for their souls. I should like to know what effect this supposed situation would have on their great minds, tho' I believe they could not tell me. I know this situation hath produced very odd, & I may add a very unpleasant affect on my own mind.

22) My religious feelings are very different from what they were; I am often led to doubt that I was wrong in England & much more so how. The Lord search and try my heart and make me sincere & unblameable before him in love. Government hath not provided me any place to perform public worship in yet, neither do I know when they will. I am going to preach at the [indecipherable] settlement om Sunday next, twenty miles distant from home, and I know not [indecipherable] where I shall sleep or perform divine service than you to whom I am writing. And what is much more trying, I expect the people will absent themselves as soon as they know I am coming. These things render a minister's duty painful & difficult. With regard to temporals our situation is much better than would be expected. Articles of comfort are often very dear, but we are seldom without them. I paid a guinea a pound for the last tea I bought here, & three pounds a dozen for red & white wine. When I was at Norfolk Island about 4 months ago, tea sold there for 27s pr pound, & tobacco 16/- Candles 3/- Spirits £1 .5 pr gallon & all other articles which could be procured from the ship that was there were equally extravagantly dear, Tho' this is the case we have no cause to complain of our outward comforts taking them all together. If everything was equally agreeable we should be well situated. I have great reason to be thankful that I am happy in my own family; I believe few more so. As you are married I may mention this to you without any risk of being laughed at, Did you know what feelings I sustained on account of Mrs Marsden on my late voyage from Norfolk Island for nearly a fortnight together when every day & night too I expected to be buried in the great deep, you would not have dropped that kind hint in Mr Johnson's letter. "Tell Mr. M to be kind to Mrs Marsden". Your admonition is highly gratifying to me as it only enjoins a repetition of what I take pleasure in. I should have been wretched & miserable here without a wife; now I am happy and comfortable. Our little daughter (whom probably you may have heard of) grows a fine girl & affords a little amusement for Mrs Marsden. Mrs M unites with me in every Christian respects to you and your family. I am dear Madam Yours etc. Samuel Marsden

In haste, later in the morning excuse mistakes Recd Aug. 4. 1756

p23 on verso of p. 24

Rev Saml Marsden To W. Wilberforce, Esq [24 & 23] Parramatta, July 27th, 1810

Honoured Sir, I wrote to you by my friend Mr Campbell, which letters I hope you will duly receive. They would explain to you in what situation I stood with the Governor. My refusal to act with persons whom the Governor has appointed magistrates, gave breat offence; my own conscience tells me I did right and I have not repented, though perhaps I may feel the effects of my refusal in one way or other while the governor remains in the colony. It is not consistent with morality, religion or sound policy, to nominate men magistrates, who have been convicts, and who are still living openly in profligacy. What the governor's motive can be I cannot conceive. He issues public orders in favour of morality, while he appoints men magistrates whose general conduct and example militate as much as possible against it. In the worst of times in this colony we never had a man put in the situation of magistrate who had been a convict. I know the day will come when a change must be made. I still repeat what I have always said, that the expenses of this country to the mother country will be in proportion to the morals of the inhabitants. The expenses of the colony at precent are greater than any former period, and are likely to be so. I have no doubt that the governor is anxious to do what appears to him to be best, but he will find, that the happiness and prosperity of this country depend very much upon the selection of proper men as magistrates to aid him. They should be men of character and property; acquainted with the local situation of the inhabitants

[continued p. 27]

[p 23 on verso of p. 24] 23 to the settlement, and rescue a great number of unprotected females from ruin. A school of Industry and Education for boys is very much wanted; numbers are living in idleness and vice, who might be employed in some honest trade, if a public building was erected for their reception. I hope to see this done at some future period. I am persuaded, if there was no clergyman here, this colony would be a much greater scene of sin and iniquity than it is. A minister of religion, particularly in N.S.Wales, where he is known by every person in the settlement, and personally knows almost every person; stands as a barrier against the overflowings of sin and ungodliness. Though I cannot say much apparent good is done by my public ministry, yet I know much real evil is prevented. The power that changes the heart belongs to God. It is a great consolation to me, amidst all my difficulties, to know and feel that I am in the very place where Divine Wisdom would have me be. That the Divine blessing may rest upon you and your's is the sincere prayer of, Honoured Sir, Ypur most obedient humble Servant, Samuel Marsden

Parramatta, New South Wales 28 May 1th 1796 Dear MAdam Your kind favour dated March 10, 1795 eve received Novem ber 6th 95, but find myself at a loss in what manner to express myself. Your good wishes & kind remembrance mesitmy warmest gratitudes & that is the only tribute I can pay your goodness. I long for an opportunity of conversing with you face to face. This would enable one to open my mind more fully than I can now do with paper & ink. but whether I shall ever be indulged with that privilege or no, is still in teh dark womb of providence We seem in our present situation to be almost totally cut-off from all connex ion with teh world, especially the [indecipherable] past of it. Old sugland is no more than like a pleasing dream ; when I think of it, it appears to have no existence but in my own imagination. I feel as if I had once cono? [indecipherable] with friends united in love by teh same spirit some faint remembrance of those pelasures still remain & I cannot but flatter myself with some distant hope that it will agin be with me as in moths past. Had we only a few pious friends to pass away an hour with it would render this colony more tolerable. The want of a place for public worship is still to be regretted. We have not one at Parramatta, nor any likely to be. So little attention being paid to teh Minister makes religion appear contemptible: some times Mr Marsden preaches in a convicts hut; sometimes in a place appropriated for corn; & at times does not know where he is to perform it- which often makes him quite uneasy & puts him at of-temper both with teh palce & people. With respect to myself I enjoy both any health & spirits pretty well, equally as well as when in England. I thank you for kind attention to my daughter; the book you sent her