1787 March 30 My dear Madam,   Blessed be the Lord who alone causeth us to dwell in safety! To hear of fire though at a distance makes one shudder; what then it must be to those who are alarmed from their beds, and hardly escape with their lives? I felt for your friends and I felt for you. But as the whole family was preserved, I hope the impression of other losses is now made lighter, and if the dispensation be sanctified, the painful part, will be of less consideration from day to day.   Your last favour explains some particulars in your former and confirms me in what I should have suspected to be the motive of Mr_ _ _'s proposal, if you had not intimated something of a hope that there was a real change taking place in him. As yet, I can hear of no suitable person to recommend to you for a Curate – such a one as you describe and wish for I am afraid will not be easily found – but the Lord can find him and point him out, if it be his pleasure to send the Gospel to Sleaford. There are promising young men at Cambridge, some of whom perhaps are ready for Orders, if Mr Waterson is willing to give a title. If I knew this, I would write to Mr Jowett of Magdalen College. [1] All the tutors of that college are serious men on whose judgement I can well depend. And if they could mention one, whom they approve as pious and humble, and competent in point of good sense and knowledge, I should advise you to accept him, though he might at first have much of what are called popular talents. For if he were truly humble, and of a devoted spirit, he would grow, and his preaching abilities by exercise under the Lord’s blessing, would gradually expand. I have known some, who though they have made a promising appearance at first, and been voluble of speech, have dwindled afterwards, or been rash and self-conceited, and proved like clouds without water. But they that set out with diffidence, and come on rather slowly, if their hearts and views are upright seldom disappoint our expectations. But the ways and means for his provision should I think be secured in the first place, and the lowest scene he may expect be fixed and mentioned, that he may know what he has to depend on. And I verily believe, as I hinted, no certain stress can be laid upon assistance from London.   It is undoubtedly a desirable thing to have the Gospel in Sleaford church. But three or four reasons concurred to make me write so coolly as I did: 1. I understood, or perhaps misunderstood, from some parts of your letter, that you had hopes Mr_ _ _ himself was becoming serious. 2. You did not mention Mr Caldwell [2] as connected with Lady H_ and therefore I supposed he was a fixed Minister in the Meeting at Sleaford. 3. You seemed to think subscriptions from London would be necessary to put the scheme in execution, and easy to be obtained. I judged that little could be done in London, and therefore if the requisite Annual Sum could not be raised in the country, the prospect was very dubious. 4. A Curate with all the qualifications you proposed is not easily met with. 5. You yourself apprised me of the difficulties respecting Mr Caldwell, and that though he acquiesced in the scheme, you thought the serious people would not willingly give him up. In short I did not wonder that you were much pleased with the prospect, but I thought it did not seem quite so ripe for accomplishment, as you apprehended. However you may be assured that if it is the Lord’s purpose, whatever mountains may seem to stand in the way, they shall in due time sink into a plain.   A parcel of eggs came safely to us; they could not tell us from whence they came, but as we have no connection with any hens in Lincolnshire, but those in your yard, our thanks for them are doubtless due to you.   Mrs Newton is again poorly, she was abroad yesterday, and pretty well; but she had a very painful night with the rheumatism, almost from head to foot and some fever. This is a chequered life. The body is a sinful body, and it is a mercy that it is not continually afflicted with pains, in every member and in every fibre at the same time. Happy if the fruit of the pains and trials which we feel, and which at the worst are far more moderate than our deserts, be to take away sin, and to increase our meetness for that better world, whither no pain nor trouble can reach us. In the meanwhile, may the Lord give us faith, patience and submission to his holy will, and then however afflicted, we shall have to praise him, that we are not of the number of those, who live at ease, but live without God in the world.   I must take my leave for this time, when I have added our best respects to you and Mr Gardiner, and my poor but sincere prayer that a blessing from on high may rest on you and yours.   I am indeed and always Your very affectionate and obliged servant John Newton   30 March 1787   Mrs Newton thinks I have not yet thanked you for a Lincolnshire hare, which would hardly have called at our house, if you had not sent it.   Mrs Gardiner Sleaford Lincolnshire   [On the back: 2nd letter respecting a Gospel curate for Sleaford]   Endnotes:    [1] Henry Jowett (1755-1830), Fellow of Magdalene College, Rector of Little Dunham, Norfolk, brother of Joseph Jowett (1752-1813), Regius Professor of Civil Law, Cambridge (Trinity Hall) and John Jowett (1744-1800), wool stapler, London. [2] Robert Caldwell (1769-1803), in the Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion at this time, began ministering in Sleaford in 1786 in the Independent Meeting House which had been built in 1776 in Hen Lane (now Jermyn Street). Riverside Church in Southgate originates from this chapel. See www.riversidesleaford.org.uk. Acknowledgements: Morgan Museum and Library MA 733.32

28/05/2026