Church Missionary House Salisbury Square London Decr 9/13 My Dear Sir I have received in safety your Letter, from Funchal of June 26, and at sea of July 25. It gives us great pleasure to find you so actively and so usefully employed on board. May God grant that your care and instructions may find in their success an abundant reward! I fear that the sad evils of sea-faring language of which you complain, must still be taken up as a cross to be borne by the Servants of God who are sent out on your beneficent errand. Should the time arrive in which Dr Buchanan’s suggestion of freighting ships for Missionary objects can be acted on, this will be an effectual and a noble remedy for the evil: but that time is not likely to be yet. In the mean while, good men should not be discouraged. Sailors are susceptible of generous feelings, and the kind and consistent character of a Christian Passenger will often effect, under the blessing of God, an outward and partial reform, if it does not accomplish a still higher end. By your account of the Roman Catholic Service at Funchal I learn that there is very little variation in celebrating Mass from their practice in England. You might have seen much the same mummery in various parts of London every Sunday and Saints’ day. The want of books in the Schools which you visited is lamentable. The same want was found by our Missionaries in the schools at Goree. I hope our Society will apply an effectual remedy to this evil. The Committee [f] have determined to open a seperate fund for the establishment and maintenance of Schools among the Heathen and in the British Colonies. A supply of books to all parts where we shall hear of a deficiency of them, will, of course, make an important part of our plan. We rejoice with you, in the manifestation of God’s goodness to you and your family, and we commit you and them still to his gracious care. Pray present the kindest regards of the Committee to Mr Marsden. We refer him to my Letter of March 22nd sent by you, and shall hope to receive in due time, an answer to its contents. We have nothing particular to add to what is there said. We beg also our kind remembrance to Mr & Mrs Hall and to Mr King, not having heard from them since my Letter by you of March 22nd. We assure them that our hearts are much with them, and we shall be glad to receive as often as possible a full statement of every thing that occurs. Indeed we wish you all to understand that the more full the expression of your feelings and the more minute your account of interesting occurences [sic], the better shall we be pleased. The copies of the Missionary Register are herewith completed so far as published. You will be so good as to supply Mr Marsden and our friends with them as we suggested. Copies of our last Report are also sent for yourself & Messrs Hall & King: some also for Mr Marsden, the Governor &c. Committing you in sincere good wishes and earnest prayer to the providence & grace of our Heavenly Master, I remain, my Dear Sir, with Mrs Pratt’s united regards to yourself and family Very affectionately Yours (signed) Josiah Pratt