Letter: John King to Reverend Josiah Pratt, 28 October 1815
John King
University of Otago Library
Digitised from the Hocken LibraryCollection Number MS-0055/038
Trimble 38
CMS Number 101
Digitised by the Marsden Online Archive
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Letter
Maori Subject Headings
Reverend Josiah Pratt
28 October 1815
Bay of Islands, New Zealand
12 December 1816
London, England
British English
God
Health
Conference proceedings
Clothing and dress
Dwellings
Huts
Hemp
Flax
Powders
Hope
Bay of islands
1815
God
Health
Jehovah
Proceedings
July
Marsden
The active
English
Clothing
Sunday
House
Huts
Kendall
Port jackson
Hemp
Flax
Powder
Hall
Carpenter
Pratt
Hope
Bay of Islands New Zealand Octr 28 1815 Dear Revd Sir I have been here labouring, I think I may say, nearly one year have seen much of the goodness of God have had great reason to bless him for his protecting Hand, tho we are in Deaths oft, yet we are a live and in good health may the blessing of Jehovah J[ireh] rest upon you and yours, and upon that Society which sent me hither. I have sent you a short account of some of my proceedings, you will see in a Letter dated July, 1815, some of my sentementssentiments respecting our hinderanceshindrances that keep me back in a great measure from doing good, if I have nothing in my power I can do but little &c, youl will see it in full in that Letter, we have have a little girl who having been with us some month she has knit a pair of garters for Mr Marsden I shall send them to him by the Active this time she is learning to sew has made some progress gets on slowly with her reading can say the Lords prayer her self when she likes. We have three Boys a bringing on as fast as we can in reading and writing and spinning, they are very wild that we have but little management over them at present, but are prepareingpreparing them for it by degrees as fast as they will bear, they are dressed in english clothing
every Sunday goes to church beheaves as well as can be expected, they would be dressed in our clothing every day if they would sleep in my hut and beheave decently, but this is too much for them at present when we have got a house we will endevour to keep them a little closer. We have been very uncomfortable this winter as these rush Huts will not keep wind nor rain out. We cannot rest at night not for fear of being killed, but in fear of being robbed as the natives can get their Hands through a few nights ago a man stolen my curtencurtain that was hung at the window and was putting his Hand through to get more. I hearing him ran out and driven him away. A good English Minister is what is wanted here very much, to give direction, if Mr Kendall was to desist writing against any of us, and look to his own House and attend to his own Duty and keep himself Sober, and quiet, it would be much more to his credit now, and greately to his advantage in the Latter end, we have a great deal of ruff work the natives are in deed in a ruff and wild state but we don’tdon't despare in the least. We need your fervantfervent prayers Daily and the presance and blessing of God the Father, through Jesus Christ to suport and comfort us in all our labour, tho I am weak yet rejoice that my sufficientcy is of God, if he is for us who can be against us to prosper.
We have received one crate of earthen ware, the other is at Port Jackson, Sir, If you please to send me one large course Hackle, if it was a hemp Hackle it would be better as the natives and the flax are very strong, one large one, one very fine one, I should be much oblidge to yo. I let Mr Marsden have one of mine, the other two are breaking very fast, please to send five or six foot wheels, they can be pulled to peicespieces and packed up in a box, please Sir to send if you have not sent, some Flanel,flannel course sheeting, Bed ticking, little Boys Hats, Powder flacks,flasks shot and Powder to me, knitting needles, Worsted, Mr Hall going over to Whipinghe to live is the reason why we have no[ne]. Mr Marsden as sent a carpenter if he will stay I shall soon have a house up as the timber is nearly all cut for it. I shall be helping him untilluntil it is finished, so no more at this time but to bid you fare well, Mrs King’s sincere respects to Mrs Pratt, we hope and pray that the presence of the Lord may be with you always for ever and ever Amen I remain Revd Sir Your most unworthy servant John King