Sepr 30th 1814 Parramatta Dear Sir I must now write to you upon the Subject of a pecuniary nature. I am aware that the Mission which is a very great undertaking, will be attended with a very heavy Expence. In taking the Steps I have done, I do not feel altogather warranted by the Society merely, on Account of the Sum it will require at first to make a Beginning. After the Mission is once established, I do not think that it will be attended with any extraordinary expence. The Society must or ought to keep a Vessel constantly employed: not only for the Safety and Comfort of their Missionaries, but also for the Improvement of the Natives of the Island. By keeping up a constant Communication with Port Jackson the Natives will improve very fast in all useful Knowledge. Unless the Society has a Vessel of their own, or at least some Friends of the Society, that attention will not be paid to the Natives that will be necessary till a firm Establishment is made. I have no doubt, but the Lord, will in his good Providence provide the means— “The Silver and the Gold are his, and so are the Cattle upon a thousand Hills.” Upon this I rest my [f] Hope of meeting with Support from the Christian World. I shall be obliged to draw upon the Society for present aid, and I trust they will honour my Bills should they in any way disapprove of what I have done. I shall not draw for any Sum, but what I shall make a Provision for in this Colony should any of my Bills be dishonoured. Every kind of naval Stores are very dear in this Settlement, from one to two or three hundred per cent, more than what they are in England. On this Account the fitting out of a Vessel is very great— The Society will take into their kind Consideration the importance of the object of this undertaking; the temporal and eternal Happiness of Millions of the human Race. Some Sacrifices of a pecuniary nature must be made— I would also just remind them, that no Act of Violence has been committed in any Part of New Zealand upon any European, where any of the Natives live, that are acquainted with my Friend Duaterra— Ships may now put into the Bay of Islands for Refreshments with Safety. This is an object of some Importance even for our own People. I have had the most ardent [f] wish for some years past to see this Island receive the Blessings of Civilization and the Gospel, and now trust the time is come when this great work will be entered upon. Had the Active returned without obtaining the object of her Voyage, it was my intention to have sold her immediately, and not have called upon the Society for any money upon her Account— but as the object of the Voyage has been more than answered, I cannot now withdraw, but must go on as long as my means will permit me. When I purchased the Vessel, she was then bound to the Derwent on Government Account, which made the voyage altogather [sic] ten weeks longer than it otherwise would have been and consequently increased the Expences. She had a larger Compliment [sic] of Sea men the last voyage than what she will ever want again— As I did not think it prudent to send the Vessel without a sufficient Number of men to protect her, in Case any unforeseen Circumstance had taken place. She will now be navigated in a great measure with the Natives of New Zealand, and her Expences will not be on that Account so great— I trust the Return she will make by bringing the [f] natural Productions to Port Jackson will go very far towards paying for our Expences. But this I shall know when I have visited the Islands and examined the Productions myself— The Vessels returns may one way and another be this Voyage £300. I wish it to be clearly understood, that I did not purchase the Active upon the Credit of the Society— as I did not feel warranted in doing this. I am willing to take the whole Responsibility of the Purchase upon myself— If the Society, or any Friends of the Society are inclined to take her, or any Share in her She is at their Service. I have only one object, which is the good of the Heathen: and such an opportunity as the present of doing them good should not be lost for the want of money. I hope to be able to give you an Account of what the annual Expences may probably be, on my Return from New Zealand, as I shall do all in my Power to lessen the Expences— and if I can make the natural Productions of the Island pay the expences of the Mission of which I entertain some Hopes, I shall be very happy. I have the honor to be Rev. Sir Your most obedt humble Sert Saml Marsden Revd J. Pratt &c &c &c