Church Missionary House
April 5/20
Dear Sir—
	I have been favoured with your Letter of March 20th.
	We have no doubt that the impression on the majority of the community of New South Wales is, as you state, decidedly in Mr Marsden’s favor. The firmness and integrity which, through the grace of God, he has been enabled to display, for so long a period, under very difficult circumstances, must have rendered him obnoxious to individuals unfriendly to the best interests of men: but they could not fail to gain to him the good opinion of all those whose esteem is worth possessing. The crisis, has, probably, ere this passed by; and we trust that the Colony will derive extensive and permanent benefit, from those measures which His Majesty’s Government found it necessary to adopt.
	The Committee will truly rejoice whenever they shall be permitted to learn that a Missionary Society, Auxiliary to their object, has been formed in New South Wales; but they rely with confidence on the judgment of Mr. Marsden, to bring it forward, at such a period, and under such auspices, as shall be most prudent and promising.
	We are concerned that you have suffered in your health; and pray that it may please God to restore it, and to grant you the grace of His Holy Spirit, that you may still spend your strength in His service, and to His glory!
	The sphere which you will enter on at Van Dieman’s Land, should you remove thither, will afford full scope for your best exertions, in [f] making known “the glorious Gospel of the blessed God” to those who are “out of the way”. May he grant you to see the fruit of your labours, in the conversion of sinners!
	The accounts from the South Sea Islands are, indeed, exhilarating. They manifest the faithfulness of our God to His promises, and bind still more closely on us the duty of Missionary exertions.
I am, Dear Sir
Ever affectionately yours,
(signed) Josiah Pratt