Bay of Islands 17 May 1819
Revd Sirs.
	We have received from the Revd Saml Marsden a further Letter upon the subject of private trade a copy of which I transmit to you. I hope we shall be guided by it here. We shall then not stand in need of any further instruction 
I am, Revd Sirs
Your Faithful Servt
Thos Kendall
The Revd Josiah Pratt
	&
The Revd E. Bickersteth
	&c
Parramatta Feby 24. 1819—
Dear Sirs,
	I am greatly at a loss what to say to you respecting private trade. If you engage in it further than your wants would require you act in that case in violation of the Instructions of the Society, and contrary to your general happiness and interest. This conduct will always give occasion of offence, and destroy that brotherly love and pious christian feeling which you ought in your peculiar situation to cultivate one with another. You are all placed in the most important and honourable situation in the world; in the very centre of the enemy’s camp. The eyes of the Angels and all good men are turned towards you. Satan trembles for his Kingdom. Its foundation will be shaken as certain as the sounding of the Rams Horns threw down the walls of Jericho. But then you must be united; you must be of one heart and of one mind; and you must be careful not to offend a weaker brother, “All things (says St Paul) [f] are lawful for me but all things are not convenient.” We should not do a single thing though it may be lawful in itself if it give offence to any of our brethren. I know offences will come in the best Society; but they will be attended with the most pernicious effects upon those that give them. I have no wish that you shoujld for the want of any thing that your necessities may call for, be under the smallest temptation to private trade. This will prove a curse like the wedge of gold in the camp of israel. Let me then intreat you to put away the accursed thing from amongst you. Perhaps you may not all be convinced of the evils attending upon private trade. It will turn away your heart from God, and that spirit of meekness, of heavenly mindedness which should reign amongst you will be lost. You will not be able to love as brethren, nor will you be kindly affectionate one towards another, unless you be joined together in one spirit in the Lord. God has been very gracious to you since you have lived amongst the heathen. He has preserved you in all dangers and your wants have been supplied. I wish to write to you in the spirit of meekness, and to beseech you in Christ’s stead to lay no stumbling block in one another’s way. I have no private feelings to justify, excepting those of a christian in my advice to you. After reading all your letters and combining all the information, I perceive there is something wrong amongst you, tho’ I could not tell where the fault lay. But I was convinced it originated from private traffic, and from this baneful root will many bitter evils spring up and [f] trouble you. As this is an internal evil, existing among you, I am at a loss how to remedy it or where to meet it. I should be sorry to give an order to the master of the Active, not to receive any thing from you individually on board for Port Jackson, or at Port Jackson for the Bay of islands, as this on one hand would degrade you in the opinion of each other, and on the other might deprive you of some comforts. If you can suggest to me individually or as a body, how the evil can be remedied I will most readily come in to your views. But it will be better if possible to settle it among yourselves as any breach that this might make would be sooner healed. The evil is not confined to New Zealand. The very same difficulties exist in the Society Islands and perhaps more or less wherever any missionaries are settled amongst the heathen. I hope you will resolve one and all to have nothing to do with private trade. We never find a man engaged to build a Temple selling pins. His thoughts have more rational employment. You are called upon to build a Temple for God, in a place where no stone has been quarried, no timber cut, nor a spit of the Foundation dug. You have work for the employment of all your time and thoughts. With what gratification must you behold the dawn of civilization rising upon those around you, and the day star from on high visiting them. I think I should feel a Joy inexpressible to see the New Zealander returning home from his cultivated field with his sheaf with him. I anticipate the day when he will plough with his yoke of oxen like the ancient prophet and rejoice [f] with the joy of harvest when his crops are gathered in. What will be not feel when the time shall come that he shall meet in the great Congregation, and worship in spirit and in truth? Consider the honor that is put upon you, you are gone to prepare the way of the Lord, to make ready a people for him. Act in all things becoming the dignity of your character. Were the Archbishops of Canterbury or York to spend their time in low pursuits, in menial traffic, how would they degrade their office? Their exalted station is not to be compared with yours. Let me exhort you to love as brethren, bear one anothers burthens, watch over one another’s souls with a Godly Jealousy, and exhort one another daily, and the God of peace will then bless you, and the heathen amongst whom you live shall fear him. I am with much esteem
And affection yours &c &c
(Signd)	 Saml Marsden
Messrs Kendall, Hall, King
Carlisle & Gordon—