C[hurch] M[issionary] House, London June 4/19. To the Rev. S. Marsden My Dear Sir Since mine of the 19th Ult to you, Letters have reached us direct from New Zealand, by the Catherine, Captain Graham. I avail myself of the present opportunity to answer them. The replies are left open, that you may read them before they are forwarded. The business of private trading of which Mr Carlisle speaks, & the nature of which we do not fully comprehend, we would refer to you & our other friends. If some Settlers have the means of pursuing private trading to their own advantage above that of their associates, the Salaries of such Settlers should be diminished in proportion as they are equally industrious & worthy. It seems manifest, now that the settlers will be much increased by the addition of those gone out in the “Baring”, that some common principles, fixed in their nature & bearing equally on all, & which all shall have an interest in seeing duly obeyed, should be adopted. You have turned your mind to this subject: but it seems plain that some further steps should be taken to put things on a firm footing. I copy a part of Mr Carlisle’s Letter to me:— “We wish much to have some directions from the Society respecting private Trade, as it is a real grievance: for my own part, I presume that the necessaries of life ought not, as is now the case, to be sent out of the Settlement, if wanted by individual Settlers, or to carry on the work of the Society. If they can be spared for the above purposes, it ought to be with the consent & for the benefit of the general body. I understand Mr Kendall has pointed out [f] to you the difficulties under which the Settlers in general labour, through private trade being disposed of to the Natives, the consequent unpleasant circumstances attending the unequal distribution of the necessaries of life. It would be very encouraging to us if something was arranged on this head, as none of us can conveniently spare any thing out of our yearly allowance.” In the same Letter a wish is expressed, & earnestly urged, that a separate allowance may be made for the support of the School, as the Scholars were daily leaving for want of food. The Committee beg you & your Colleagues to make such arrangements, in both these respects, as shall seem most effective. They will gladly support your plans on both heads. A Native is come to England on the catherine, whom Captain graham will take back with him. While he stays we shall do all that we can for him. The Claudine is not yet arrived. May our gracious God strengthen you for all your labours, & abundantly bless you in them. I am, Dear Sir, Ever affectionately (Signed) Josiah Pratt To Mr Kendall C.M. House London, June 4/19 My Dear Sir We wrote to you on the 14th of Decr, by the “Baring”, on board of which ship the Rev. John Butler, & his family, with others, were proceeding to strengthen [f] your hands. A few days since, Cap±t± Graham of the “Catherine”, brought me your Letters of Decr 21st last. We feel much obliged to Captn Graham for the kindness which he has shewn to you & your associates. I do not wonder that the sight of the “Catherine”, sailing direct for England, should awaken such desires after your native Home as you describe. I trust, however, that the strengthening of your hands by an accession of Christian friends, & especially the establishment among you of the Sacred ordinances of the Gospel regularly, & as we trust they will be affectionately & faithfully, administered— will make you feel more at ease in your seclusion from those enjoyments which your Home once afforded you. Remember, My dear Sir, that special difficulties & privations, if they lead you to a closer walk with your unseen Saviour, will assuredly bring down from Him special & adequate supplies. “He giveth more Grace!” May it please our Heavenly Master to unite you all, & all who may join you in disinterested & self-denying devotedness to His Glory! Nothing short of this will give quiet to your hearts in your various trials, nor enable you to live according to your profession. As I have but a short time to write in on this occasion I can only add, with kind regards to MrsKendall & your family, that I am, Dear Sir, Ever affectionately yours (Signed) Josiah Pratt [f] ——— To Mr William Hall C.M. House, London, June 4/19 Dear Sir Your Letters of Decr 10th & 17th were brought to us, a few days since, by Captn Graham. We are much pleased with your New Zealander. He is at this moment standing by me, watching me as I write. The Captain & crew have talked so much to him in his own tongue, that he is very backward in English. We have taken him into the Society’s House, & shall keep him there, & do the best that we can for him, till the “Catherine:” returns. He sends his love to you. He has many pleasing & amiable traits, like his Countrymen Tooi & Teeterree, in his character. We wrote to you by the “Baring” Decr 14th last. We trust that the various friends who sailed by her will arrive safely. We have not time to procure the Stockings &c for which you ask, but will send them by the “Catherine”. I am much concerned to learn from you, that you have received no articles for which you asked, nor any Letters for several years. We have answered all your Letters, as opportunity has offered. I will mention the dates of some of our Letters. Nov 27/17, we wrote by the Tottenham, & sent you Woollens, Haberdashery, Ironmongery, &c as you desired. March 12/18, we wrote by the “Isabella”, & Decr 14/18, by the “Tottenham”, with a large supply for the settlers in general. Be assured that we cease not to feel a lively interest in your welfare; & in the success of your endeavours among the Natives of New Zealand. The more we see & know of these [f] men, the more anxious do we feel that it may please God to make us all, in our several spheres & measures, instruments of bringing them to the saving knowledge of Christ. That will raise them to solid comfort in this world, as well as fit them for a better. By diligence, by prayer, by kindness, by self-denial, in humble dependence on the Saviour of Sinners, labour to commend the Gospel to them. We rejoice to learn from you the advantages already conferred on the Natives; & the advances which you have made in buildings & cultivation. The curiosities which you sent by the “Catherine” are not yet passed through the Custom House. We are always thankful for such things, particularly such as explains [sic] any of the superstitions of the Natives. We will request Mr Marsden to send you over copies of our publications, as soon as opportunities occur after he receives them, as the Committee are anxious that every Settler should have this information as regularly as possible. You will have a good supply by the “Baring”. With kind regards to Mrs Hall, & earnestly praying for the blessing of God upon your souls & your labours, I am, Dear Sir, Your faithful friend {Signed} Josiah Pratt ------- To Mr John King C.M. House London, June 4/19 Dear Sir We wrote to you, Decr14/18 by the “Baring”. Yours of Decr 1/18, is arrived. We are glad to hear [f] of the improvement of the Natives, even in outward things. God alone can enlighten & convert them. But he will do this by means of the labours of His servants. May you ever remember this; & in self-denial, & humility, & meekness, & love, strive to adorn the Gospel, that the name of Christ may not be evil spoken of through you. We sent Hackles & wheels, by the “Tottenham” in Nov./17, & again by the “Baring”. Perhaps we may send more by the “Catherine”. We rejoice that you have been supported under the loss of your child, & in various other trials. You must bear patiently with the manners of the Natives, & by kindness to them & in earnest prayer to God, wait for His blessing.I am, Dear Sir, Ever very sincerely yours (Signed) Josiah Pratt ----- To Mr. Carlisle C.M. House London, June 4/19 Dear Sir, We wrote to you, by the “Baring”, on the 14th of Dec.r & also to Mr. Gordon. You will have received, ere this, we hope, a Letter of March 12/18, sent by the “Isabella”. Yours of Dec. 12/18 is just arrived. I write, by this ship, to Mr. Marsden, requesting him & our other friends in New South Wales, to take the case of the Schools & of Private Trading, as stated by you, into consideration, & to adopt the most effective measures to remedy the evils complained of. The Committee refer all these things to Mr. Marsden & his associates, & have full confidence in their determination. They wish the Schools to be established on the best & most effective footing, & all the Settlers to rendered as easy & equal as circumstances will allow. [f] It gives us much pain to learn that you have had difficulties, of the nature spoken of, to encounter. An accession of Strength & abundant supplies have been sent out by the “Baring”, & we trust that all will go on happily. You are well aware that patient trust in out Heavenly Master, & a meek & quiet spirit, are the means, both of being happy in trials, & of doing good to others. Be assured of our deep interest in your welfare & success, & that we shall not fail to pray God to bestow on you all His Grace & blessing. I am, Dear Sir, Ever truly yours, (Signed) Josiah Pratt. P.S. I beg to be remembered to Mr. Gordon. To the Rev. John Butler C.M. House London, June 4/19 My Dear Sir, Since your Letter from the Downs of Jany. 19th, we have not heard from the “Baring”. By another Channel we learned her safe arrival at Madeira. We trust that you are, by this time, approaching Port Jackson. An opportunity offering; by the “Regalia”, of writing to you, I was unwilling to let it slip, without assuring you & all your companions that we remember you with love & with many prayers. To your own family, To Mr Hall & our dear New Zealanders, & to Mr & Mrs Kemp, we desire affectionate regards; & beg them to consider this Letter as written to themselves. It will give us great pleasure to hear of your welfare, both temporal & spiritual. We anticipate good accounts of Tooi’s health, from those which came from Madeira: but we shall still more rejoice to hear that he loves & cleaves, in faith & in prayer, & in a holy conversation, to Jesus the Saviour & Friend of Sinners; & we pray that we may hear the same of [f] Teeterree. Please to read this Letter to them. Mr Bickersteth would join me, but he is at Hull, attending the Anniversary of the Association. You will learn from the Missionary registers & from Letters to Mr Marsden, which go by this Ship, many particulars which I have not time to write. I shall hope to hear from you, & Mr Hall, & Tooi & Teeterree, & Mr Kemp, I am ever Dear Sir, Your affectionate friend (Signed) Josiah Pratt