Parramatta Jan[uar]y 14th 1823
Revd & Dear Sir/
	This will be delivered to you by Mr Francis Hall should he arrive safe— He requested my Permission to return to England which request I could not refuse— tho’ I much regret the Loss of so valuable a Christian to the Mission— Mr Hall’s Conduct has been uniform and becoming his Christian Character; and he has been a great Check and Stay to the other Missionaries. His return I hope will answer some valuable Purpose— The Society may rely with Confidence upon the Information he may communicate to them. In Consequence of Mr Hall’s return, it will not be necessary for me to make many remarks upon the Conduct of the other Missionaries— however I shall take the Liberty to make a few. I am of opinion that the Revd Mr Kendall will never recover himself out of the Snare of the Devil, while he remains in N. Zealand— I lament his Fall, but it has not been sudden— He never could have acted as he has done, both before his visit to England, and since his Return unless he had been under the Government of unruly Passions. His Conduct was [f] was [sic] extremely improper when in Port Jackson; and nothing has happened at N. Zealand, but what I was prepared to expect. I only wonder that he was not murdered by the New Zealanders— The young woman he cohabited with, was set apart for a Chief’s wife, and I am astonished that he did not take Vengeance upon him. I have already said Mr Kendall’s Fall was not sudden— I am strongly inclined to think that some of his evil Habits are confirmed— he yields too much also to his thirst for ardent Spirits— This is an Habit I fear he will never lay aside. So long as he indulges himself in this Sin, there is no Hope of his Recovery. I am sorry to be compelled to mention these things, but I feel it my duty to do this, in order that the Society may form an opinion of his real State of mind— I do not place any more Confidence in what he says than I should in any other man who was guilty of the same Sins. In his more serious moments I have no doubt, but he mourns over his own Fall; but he is a man now without Strength. In N. Zealand the same Temptations will occur again, and into them he will fall again— His vows and Promises are only like a Spiders webb [sic], when they have [f] to oppose the Power of unsubdued Lusts— I have sometimes apprehended that Satan would move him to overturn the whole Mission. No doubt he could do much evil from his Influence with the natives thro’ Powder and Muskets— But I believe the work is of God, and therefore cannot be overthrown. I sent you a Copy of my Letter to him, when I suspended him, and told him that I should withdraw my Countenance and Support from him. You will not mistake my meaning in this— I did not intend to leave his Family to want— He had informed me, that he had drawn upon the Society for one year’s Salary before this. All I intended was, that I could no longer acknowledge him as a Missionary while living in open Fornication or Adultry [sic], until the Society’s Pleasure was known— His Fall is a most painful Circumstance— However I have no doubt but the Mission will prosper, and that God will raise up others to fill the Ranks of those who retire from the work— I beg to refer you to Mr F. Hall for further Information relative to Mr Kendall. With respect to the Revd J. Butler I shall make no observations upon him— His Habits are fixed, and he will remain the same man. Messrs Kemp & Shepherd give me great Pleasure. They are Missionaries of the right Sort—[f] and God will prosper their Labours. Mr Francis Hall will inform you how they go on. I have sent you Mr Shepherds Journal which will give you some Information. He is a young man devoted to the Cause; and will soon speak the Language well. He possesses very considerable natural Abilities, but wants Education— he is the Son of a poor pious man, and has had to work for his Bread from a Child— I have no doubt, but he will be a complete Master of the Language, tho he will not be able to prepare it for the press for want of education. Perhaps a man of learning may in time perform that Task. When I consider what great public Evils existed amongst the first Missionaries who were sent out to the Society Islands, and what a deal of Vexation and Trouble I had with some of them, and that after all God should in so wonderful a manner bless the Labours of a few, I am encouraged to hope the same Blessing will attend this Mission— Whenever the Deputation now in the Society Islands make their public Report, it will be found that the work of God has far exceeded all accounts that have been forwarded to England to this day— We may expect the same Blessing in due time— I am Dr & Revd Sir
With much esteem yours
Saml Marsden
Revd J. Pratt