File 1: Rowland Hassall papers, 1797-1810

[Page 1]

MANUSCRIPTS IN THE MITCHELL LIBRARY

CY REEL 6

Rowland Hassall

Correspondence

Vol. 1

1797-1810

A859

These copies are supplied for information and research only. No reproduction of these negatives or of prints from them, may be made for publication without the assent of the Trustees of the Public Library of New South Wales.

Filmed by Rank Xerox (Australia) Pty Limited, July 1968 

[Page 2]

31st Oct 1797,

My dearly beloved Brethren

I seize the first moment, that providence presents, to renew my warmest, and most affectionate remembrances to you all. Capt Blyth hopes to call on you, and oh! that he may find you walking in Love as Christ also hath loved you, & given himself for you, an offering and a Sacrifice to God of a Sweet Smelling Savour. With hope, & mingled anxiety, our Hearts beat to hear of your affairs, & promise ourselves, that you stand fast, striving together for the faith of the Gospel: neither shaken in your minds by difficulties, nor distrusting the faithfullness, & Love of the great head of the Church who hath honoured you with a Mission to the Heathen, & called you to the high & awful Office of Apostles to the Gentiles: - It is impossible to express to you this constant & earnest prayer made to the Lord for you; the deep remembrance graven upon all our Hearts of you; and the daily Volition of my Spirit towards you in the Isles of the Sea, when I am mingling my supplications with yours, and they go up together to the Throne of God from our distant Corners of the Earth             Full of Love to your Souls, & breathing hard after the Salvation of the poor heathen to which you are sent, I cannot but as one of your elder Brethren renew my warmest Exhortations to you - that you may be of one heart and of one mind; - The great Enemy of your Souls, & of your Success, will always be seeking to create division, & puffing up one against another, we are not ignorant   

[Page 3] 

of his devices, disappoint them, by long suffering, by loving kindness, by mutual bearing, & forbearing one another, in Honour preferring others to yourselves, & having no contention, but who shall love our Lord Jesus Christ with truest sincerity, & serve him in deepest humility & devotedness of Heart. Oh how often have I longed to transport myself among you, to behold your order, & the steadfastness of your faith. Surely we shall feel we live, & live for some blessed purpose, if ye stand fast in the Lord. – remember  the great Apostle, to learn of him to bear one anothers burdens, to consider thyself least thou also be tempted, & to heal every breach as Speedily as possible, forbearing one another and forgiving one another, as God for Christ sake hath forgiven you.

The humblest, the most patient, the last to offend, & the first to make peace, will be the chief in the Eyes of the Lord. Is there a broken bone? bind it up: Is there a fault? let it be covered & healed in Love and in the Spirit of Meekness: Is there a coldness or distance? break down the wall of Separation, return to Union & confidence. ye are Brethren, & in your present situation bound by peculiar Ties.  

You  have had the Society's Instructions and I can hardly add, to those already given to you, read them over, weigh them, exhort each other daily whilst it is called to day in the observance of them 

Is there an Otaheitian Brother or Sister joined to the Lord in one Spirit, convey to them our Kindest regards, our loving benediction 

But you are Anxious to hear of our Affairs Glory to God, a great spirit is stirred up round about to

[next page] 

spread the everlasting Gospel. as a Society we stand fast, and redouble our efforts. We wait & long for the glad Tidings from your far country to renew our operations with vigour – We  have laboured & have not fainted. a Mission of Six consecrated to God, is now on the Seas, to penetrate into Africa, and on that forlorn Hope to offer their Lives. I feel for them. A Thousand times I have thought on you & your field, and my Soul will cleaveth to the Isles of the Sea. but God can make the Desert of Africa bud & blossom as the Rose. 

Friday next a Solemn consecration of Dr. Van der  Kemp a Dutch Physician of singular abilities is to be made. The missionary Sermons warmed his Heart, he devoted himself to the Heathen; he came to us after pleasing Correspondence from Holland, whither he is returning to try what can there be done – we hope e're long, the Isle of Ceylon, or the Country to the North & East of the Cape of Good hope will be blessed with Gospel light, He is an elderly, able man, & fitted to Support & guide his younger Brethren. 

great efforts are making among ourselves to spread the Gospel thro the Villages, and at various places associations are formed & commenced for this blessed work 

We have also a fresh body of Missionary Brethren ready to start with you in the same race, Oh that each of you may so run as to obtain!   

[Page 4]

The shortness of the notice we have received admits not our calling together our Brethren, but Mr Hardcastle,  Rayner & I beg you to send us by Capt Blyth your Journals, and whatever you may have collected of any Kind for the Society. we wish you to assist Capt. B - in any thing he may have need of you, & hope if he should return before or after our precious Argosie, that he will bring a report to strengthen our Hands, & encourage other Labour to go forth into the Harvest, The very communication that may happily be thus established will be for you & us a mutual blessing & comfort.

All outward matters you will hear from your countrymen perhaps even to some of them your labours may be blessed. 

I have thro mercy to tell you of the health & zeal of all our missionary Brethren, not one of them I think has been lost during the last year, all of your friends & relatives of whom I have heard and know continue in good health and in country and town wait to hear of a blessing upon you.

Mrs Wilson has brought a son & is well, & gone down to her friends ----

What the issue of our embro[iled] affairs in Europe may be God only knows I have often thought the Isles of the South may be a happy refuge from the Days of Evil, we know & feel indeed  our own: we hope to hear you are covered from the power &

[next page]

fear of Evil.

my poor old Bones still hang together & I am not at all disabled yet for the work, which I am making haste to finish because the time is Short ~

We shall desire Capt Blyth  furnish you with any thing he can spare, and you may want, for which you will give him Credit upon us, if you cannot by supplying his wants make a mutually advantageous Exchange.

It gives me peculiar satisfaction now near the end of my Journey - to depart in the reviving Hope that you brethren, are sent to usher in the great day of the Lord by turning the disobedient unto the Wisdom of the Just, & as we probably may never meet, till our work is done and we stand before the Throne to give an account of ourselves To the great Shepherd & Bishop of Souls. if I go "before you", I shall at his right hand wait for & welcome you with delight & if any of you get the start of me & reach the Goal before me, I hope, I shall hobble after you, & that we shall eternally rejoice together, and how momentary, how insignificant every other consideration?

The Lord bless & keep you, & lift up the light of his countenance upon you, & fill you with Joy & peace in believing! The Blood is speaking before the Throne, and I trust in our consciences sealed by the Holy Ghost unto the day of Redemption - Finally, Brethren 

[Page 5]

live in Peace & the God of love and peace shall be with you so prays

yr affectionate friend & Brother

T Haweis Joseph Hardcastle

Spafields   Oct 31 - 97