Sep 27/17
Revd Sir
	As one of those young Men who have had the Priviledge of speaking with Mr Bickersteth upon the subject of Missionary labor, I take the liberty of addressing you by his kind direction upon a work which as very much affected my heart ever since it pleased our Dear Lord to visit my Soul with a conviction of sin and a knowledge of his saving grace to me as a vile sinner this Sir has still followed me with deeper impressions and clearer Views of my corrupt state and also of the rich plenitude of Christ’s atoning blood, and whose powerful grace has led me to say whereas I once was blind, now I see. I have not been acquainted with my Saviour’s love more than one Year, & Half, being called about the same time with my friend Christopher Thorpe we were both in darkness together— and the Lord was pleased to bring us into the way of peace much in the same manner and time— & blessed be his Name I trust he has led us alike to the foot of the Cross and made us to know all things to be but loss for him—I have been a book-keeper in a Mill but owing to the distress of the times and Difficulties in Trade have been for three Months out of this Situation. I have had a necessity for settling myself again if possible but the pressing desire for the Missionary service which has been in my heart ever since my own change has still detained me here untill I could have a more decisive prospect opened before me and I have spread my wishes before the Lord and offered up many Prayers to him that if he should count me meet to go forth in any way for his Glory and the testimony of his saving Name to poor lost sinners, he would be pleased to make my path plain before my face— I desire to have no motive by which to be governed but my Saviour’s Glory— and that whatever hardships & Tribulations I may pass thro’ for his Names sake I may alway rejoice in being acquainted with my Master’s baptism this Sir is [my] motive and wish. I offer up to him my Body & all my powers [f] to his work & unworthy as they are to be given for him who in everlasting Love died for me— & I trust him to nourish his own work within— & to uphold me in every danger— The New Zealanders have had a great and leading interest with those amongst us here who have had a desire to the work but we feel it rather desirable to leave our appointment with our God who if he condescends to use us will no doubt direct our way my heart is much drawn to them & my prayers offered for their conversion to our Christ but if it appears expedient that another quarter of the World should be chosen this would be sufficient— the spread of Christs kingdom amongst the Heathen is that which my Soul desires— It may perhaps be proper to say that since my change I have been engaged along with my Companions in the Lord in a Sunday-School and in an Evening School for the instruction of the poorer children in this place—
I think I have answered every thing upon which Mr Bickersteth directed us to address you excepting what respects my engagement with a young Woman who I hope is a decided follower of the Lord Jesus she has hitherto walked consistently and I hope would be a fellow helper in Christ’s cause should it be the Lord’s will to unite us— I have frequently spoken to her upon the subject of a Missionary life—She wishes to feel her own call to so serious a prospect so that no difficulties might afterwards discourage her,— and we leave our whole way in this important matter to the mercy of our Lord— A glorious prospect seems now to present itself to our View and we rejoice and seem? as it were to have a glimpse of that Period when the powers of darkness shall give way and the standard of the cross be erected when Jew and Gentile shall be made to know the Lord and shall be made one fold and one Shepherd and the Redeemers Name shall be a praise in the whole Earth with my prayers for the prosperity of Zion I beg leave to remain
Your Unworthy Servt
Willm Kirk