Letter: Reverend Josiah Pratt to Reverend Thomas Kendall, 18 March 1814
Reverend Josiah Pratt
University of Otago Library
Digitised from the Hocken LibraryCollection Number MS-0054/031
Trimble 31
CMS Number 27
Digitised by the Marsden Online Archive
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Letter
Maori Subject Headings
Reverend Thomas Kendall
18 March 1814
London, England
British English
Dwellings
Land settlement
Children
God
Planning
House
Salisbury square
Settlement
Children
God
Marsden
Hall
Church missionary society
Wales
Plans
New zealand
William hall
John king
Guard
Josiah
Pratt
Christian
Methodist
1813
(Copy) Church Missionary House, Salisbury Square, March 18/14 Dear Sir We have several times heard from you with much pleasure, and were very glad to hear that you were so usefully employed on board. It will give us much satisfaction to hear of your safe arrival, and of your comfortable Settlement with your wife and children. You will learn by the books and tracts now sent how we are proceeding. God has greatly prospered our attempts to create an interest at home in the designs of the Society and this encourages us to believe that He will be pleased to open a way for us to extend his Kingdom. I have sent some complete SettsSets of the Missionary Register to Mr. Marsden by this conveyance, lest any of the former should have miscarried. What I now send to you make up, with what I sent before, 50 Setts.Sets You will let Mr Marsden have what he may wish of them. A sett of a Weekly Paper, called the Moderator, is sent from the beginning of this year: and I shall lay by the future numbers, and send to you for your use and that of Messrs Hall & King. It grieves us much to hear that they do not seem willing to abide by Mr Marsden’s directions. I write to them on the subject. Mr. Marsden receives by this conveyance the request of our ComeeCommittee that he will promote the formation of a Church Missionary Society in N.S. Wales, to manage our
concerns, and to promote our plans. To such a Society we shall give largely, and have authorizedauthorised Mr. Marsden to draw annually for a considerable sum on its formation. The prospects with respect to New Zealand are opening greatly before us, so far as we can judge of the matter. Wm. Hall ought to have followed Mr. Marsden’s directions, and to have gone thither. Do what you can, my good friend, to heal matters. They may think Mr. Marsden harsh with them: should even you think him so, yet recollect what I said to you earnestly when here; and consider who and what he is, and what a weight of service lies on him, and how needful that decisive character is to the discharge of his important duty. Bear and forbear in every thing. Help on good, and check evil, with all your might. “If it be possible, as much as liethlies within you, live peaceably with all men.” I fear there is much obstinacy in William Hall, and perhaps not a little self-interest. I say this in entire confidence to you. If he and John King refuse to go to New Zealand, when the way is open, no blessing will attend them. Let me intreat you to guard against being influenced by any representations to the prejudice of Mr. Marsden or others. Be you a steady and determined peace-maker: and may God give you a persevering and growing zeal for the salvation of the heathen. I fear the love which Hall and King once seemed to have for the heathen is gone! I am ever Yours, with kind regards to your wife (signed) Josiah Pratt I have sent a sett of the Christian Guardian, the Evangelical Magazine, and the Methodist, from the beginning of 1813, I shall continue them for all your use.