45    17 September 1801


[Mrs Ring, Friar Street, Reading, Berks, by favour of Mrs Hill] [1] [Marked Sepr 17 1801]
 
My dear Madam, not forgetting My dear Sir
 
Over the cover of your letter was written, Above privilege, but I thought the contents well worth postage. [2] If you please, when you favour me with one, to enclose it under cover to Samuel Thornton Esqr MP London  I shall always receive it free, and you will be freed from the trouble of procuring a frank. And perhaps I may send yours franked, if I live till the Parliament meet. At present my three Gentlemen are dispersed much in the country.
 
My eyes will not allow me to write much, but I am willing to send a line by Mrs Hill, who kindly informed me she is going to Reading.
 
Dear Catty is mild, compliant, pleased with those who have the care of her, and I believe as well satisfied to be where she is as anywhere else. But her derangement is much the same. She is certainly not worse – rather more conversible and yesterday she sent her love to me, for the first time since she has been there. She is just where I wish her to me[be]. So far my prayers are answered, and my trial is sweetened with many alleviations. My part now is to wait the Lord’s hour and will, with patience, hope and submission. And I humbly trust He will enable me. I feel that without Him I can do nothing. Surely I should soon sink, if He did not mercifully uphold me.
 
I thank you for the preference you promise to give to No. 6, if the Lord should afford you opportunity of visiting London in the winter, and I should be then in the land of the dying. [3] At present, I thank the Lord, I am in good health. But I must not forget that I entered my 77th year, a month and eleven days ago.
 
I wish for a copy of my Mission Sermon. [4] If you will send it me, I will return the original, when transcribed, or if you prefer sending me a copy, that will do as well. Only I shall be thankful if you will let me have it as soon as convenient.
 
I congratulate you, and praise the Lord, for the good account of your sister and her family. May grace and peace be with her, and with all dear to you, and to Mr Ring. She has a delicate part to act, in her nearest and dearest connection, but the Lord gives her Wisdom according to her day. Who knows but her husband may be won, by her gentle prudent conduct. 1 Peter 3:1-3. [5] Let us hope and pray it may be so!
 
My love to Mr Marsh, Tyndal and Gleed, to the Frenches, Mrs Cadogan, Wild, and indeed to all, though I cannot name them. To your kind servants, and our kind friends at the Cottage. To these Crabb joins with me. She likewise desires me to present her respects and love to yourselves. May the Lord bless you both, jointly and separately, in body, soul and spirit, and in all your connections. My love to Basingstoke. I know you will pray for dear Catty, [6] and for your affectionate and obliged
 
J Newton
 
No. 6     17 September 1801
 
Endnotes:
 
 [1] Probably Mary, the wife of Rowland Hill (1744-1833), minister of Surrey Chapel, who occasionally preached in Reading at the Ring’s Chapel; Rowland Hill married Mary Tudway (1747–1830) on 23 May 1773.
[2] ‘Above privilege’ was stamped or written on letters sent or received by MPs whose free franking allowance had been exceeded either in number or individual weight. This resulted in the delivery of the letter having to be paid for by the recipient. MPs could sign their name on a non-MP’s letter to permit free postage, and often gave them pre-signed cover envelopes to use. Newton was able through the Thornton brothers, MPs, to send and receive correspondence through their free allowance. Sophia had obviously been able to beg a frank to send a letter to Newton but it had probably exceeded the permitted weight.
[3] They clearly quipped for several years about the Scriptural term ‘the old man’, which came to be a reference to Newton. Perhaps the Rings had just shared an exchange about eternity being for the living, and earth for the dying of the old man, as Paul says in Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin or 1 Corinthians 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
[4] Newton was perhaps referring here to his notebook where an expected sermon for the ‘Mission Society’ was handwritten. The Minutes of ‘The Society for Missions to Africa and the East’ (later renamed ‘The Church Missionary Society for Africa and the East’, subsequently ‘The Church Missionary Society’ and now ‘Church Mission Society’) for 5 January 1801 record that Newton had been asked to preach their Annual Sermon, and confirmed on 26 January 1801 that he had agreed. However, unsurprisingly given the ongoing crisis with Betsy, the Minutes for 4 May 1801 state: ‘Resolved, that in case the Rev Mr Newton should not be able, to preach before the Society, as at present seems probable, the Rev Thomas Scott, be desired to undertake to preach in his stead.’ The sermon was scheduled for Whit Tuesday morning 26 May 1801 at St Ann’s Blackfriars – the name lingering on after the church was destroyed by the Great Fiore of 1666 and absorbed into the parish of St Andrew by the Wardrobe, William Goode’s church, in whose study the Committee met. The Evangelical Magazine of 1801 reports that Thomas Scott preached the sermon on Tuesday May 26 at the first anniversary meeting of the Society from Ephesians 2:12 – ‘The preacher was an hour and forty minutes in his discourse, which made an evident impression on a serious and respectable congregation.’
[5] 1 Peter 3:1-3 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
[6] ‘Catty’ was the nickname for Betsy Catlett, still in Bethlem Hospital at this time

Acknowledgements:

Descendants of Sophia Ring
British Library 
Church Mission Society
University of Birmingham’s Special Collections CMS/G/C 1/1