Knaresbrough 26 July 1816
My dear Sir
	You probably have heard from Mr Fry of the arrival of the three young men at Emberten. I advanced each of them £10 for their first quarters out of which they were to give £7.10 for their maintenance & I desired them to apply to Mr Fry for their travelling expences & for their future provision. For my  reimbursement I purpose drawing upon you £30.
	I have not been unmindful of the challenge you threw out to Knaresbrough in your last & I believe we shall have no difficulty in supplying Missionaries for New Zealand to the number & of the qualifications you have stated— viz. “half a score humble & devoted Clergymen & Settlers.” There are several young men respectable in character & situation & in every respect eligible who are prepared to meet a call to this work. And I now offer myself to receive your overtures for their consideration.
	I feel it also a duty to state that there is a disposition excited in our flock, which has been progressively forming itself into an actual desire to embark in the same cause, of extensive influence. [f] I am of opinion that a Colony for New Zealand might be drawn from hence of as many as one hundred persons of both sexes & of various conditions of life who would be ready to offer themselves up in service to the Lord as a leaven for that heathen land. There is some property amongst us. Enough I should think to provide a liberal establishment of all necessary stores for the Colony & to maintain itself when once placed there— at the most one year’s help is all that it could require— In revolving this matter an idea has presented itself to my mind of concerting a plan that might obtain public approbation & aid, if not also the countenance of government. I have availed myself of the liberty Mr Wilberforce allows me in submitting it to his notice just as the thoughts occurred & I send you a copy confident that neither you nor he will disdain a wish to do good tho’ the act should not be realised. Hoping to hear from you soon
I remain My dear Sir
Very affectionately yours
Andw Cheap [f]
[Enclosure]
“Blessed are they who sow besides all Waters, who send forth the Ox and the Ass— Theirs is the blessedness who under God devise or who execute plans of Spiritual and Temporal good for the Heathen, labor and patience being essential qualities of their character— perseverance in well doing the rule of their conduct.
	Sudden and Genl effects should not be contemplated in such undertakings— That a “Nation should be Born in a Day is with the Lord who can accomplish his special purposes without means— Man must break up the Fallow ground— must Till Sow and Water expecting the increase from the Blessing of God, and he will give, “some Forty, some Sixty, some an Hundred Fold according to the good pleasure of his Will— Sure it is however that his Word shall prosper in that to which he sendeth it. What true Servant of his would desire more? “If we ask any thing according to his Will, he heareth us: and if we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. A simple Devoted & resigned Heart and Will, will prevent discouragement under difficulties ad maintain the Christian Missionaries’ Zeal in Vigor, for thus are his “Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace—
With a Mind thus endowed selfish considerations can have no place. Himself being offered up Body, Soul, and Spirit in sacrifice of Service to the Lord, the lesser consideration of Worldly Property will be superceded, and that be cast into the Treasury with a free Heart— For an answer to a call for Heathen Missions must be with the Spirit of the First Christians, when no Man counted ought that he had his own—
Suppose a Number of Persons animated with these Sentiments and disposed [f] to associate themselves for the purpose of carrying the Gospel and Civilization to a Heathen Land. Should they not have the fairest prospect of success in the most blessed cause? The advantages accompanying their Mission would far exceed those of a Solitary individual or two going forth simply to preach the Word. Carrying amongst the Barbarous People the inventions of the Arts, they would at once obtain their regard by the powerful tie of present benefits. At the same time they would exhibit to their Eyes the superior comforts of cultivated Civil Society, and their Channels of conveying Saving Knowledge with acceptance be great— They would be as a Precious Leaven insensibly diffusing their Gracious and Beneficial influence through the whole community for whom in the Lord they were willingly offered up— —
These thoughts arise in Meditating upon what has lately occurred respecting New Zealand. Several young People of my Flock have found their Christian desires excited towards the interesting People of that Island and there appears a facility of obtaining both Ministers and settlers for the station, more perhaps than it might be found possible to accept— 
No doubt a considerable Sum of Money would be requisite to carry forward an establishment of any extended scale.— It occurs to me that as Companies are readily formed and Funds advanced for the pursuit of an object of Commercial benefit an Interest might be seen also in this matter to draw forth the aid of those who count Godliness gain— Suppose a company formed under the Denomination of the New Zealand Christian Association— The Capital Stock should consist of Shares of £100 each and proportionate 3/4- 1/2- 1/4- 1/8— The Stock would be invested in the Land, Buildings, Stores &c. on these Islands. Perhaps a Ship might be deemed eligible. The returns from the Settlement would be in Flax. If there were a Ship she would be employed as a Whaler, besides her Freight from the Island. She would have an outward Freight in perhaps chiefly [f] and would seem to have a considerable advantage over the other South Sea Whalers, in being secured of Freight out, and Home— Perhaps Government might also take her up to carry out the convicts to Botany Bay— For a certain period to be determined no one should be permitted to withdraw the Money invested: but it should bear Interest accumulating or rather its proportionate share of Profit in the way of Dividends similar to the East India Compy— But it is premature to enter upon detail in a matter so much hypothetical— It is evident that the first application of the Money subscribed would be for the Expenses of the Voyage— the due Establishment of the Colony, and its maintenance for perhaps the first year— Respecting the Provision of Funds the first enquiry is— What could the proposed Settlers do amongst themselves. Secondly. What concern would the Church Missionary Society be induced to take in forming the Capital— Thirdly— What on the same score might be expected from the Public—Fourthly— Would Government concur to forward the Plan