(North Lat 44 East Long 69, 10. ) Maine, Oct 20th 1837.
Brother
As I am called to stand upon the Islands of the sea, in defence
of the word of God & for the testimony of Jesus Christ, I am still under the necessity of
making use of my pen to communicate to you all the information you get
from me, as I am not permited at present to speak with you face to face. There
is many things resting upon my mind, that I wish to communicate to you, even
more than this sheet will contain: however I must be content by giving you
a synopsis of some few of them. Firstly, I have two letters lying before me
which are the productions of your pen, under date of July 22nd, & Sept 27th, 1837. And
dear Brother you may rest assured it is with no small degree of satisfaction, that I am
permitted to peruse & reperuse such letters from a Brother to whom I am bound
by the ties of consanguinity; & in whose best & fina^a^l welfare I feel more deeply
interested than any but mysefl ^12^ is aware of. It is truly a treat to ones soul to
receive a letter from a friend with whom he he has been long seperated: and been
called to travel among strangers for years, and not permitted to behold with his
eyes the change that time has brought upon the image & face of his friend & Brother. I
never was more forcibly struck with the change of a friend produced in five years, than
in Sister : and if the change is as great in Brother Asahel I should not know him were
I to meet him in . Had I room, I should like to be more lengthy in this in
speaking of both of your letters than my limits will now permit; suffice it to say
they are both interesting to mye; And I have not a relative on earth with whom I more
desire an interview than with yourself, But when I shall have the privilege God ownly
knows. I also receieved a letter from dated Aug 23 which was interesting to me;
they were all well &c. As concerning myself, I still enjoying my usual good
health, peace, & contentment. {And am growing more and more formed in the faith in which I am engaged} I have thought of late
in my private walks and mediatations, that there was not a happier man on earth than
myself; except such as possess more of the spirit, knowledge, & wisdom of God, than I do; & I
hope that class are many. I am honest in saying, that I feel my peace to be like a river. (do
not understand me to intimate that my righteousness is great) I have every thing of a temporal
nature that reason can demand, to eat, to drink. to wear, my friends are numerous. I am
not as yet much injured by my enemies. I have a that I love with all my heart
& I have cause to do so. I am blessed in my spiritual calling in preaching the gospel
whareever I go, the word is attended with spirit and power, souls are converted to God, {thousands seek
instructing at my mouth} & even the captains that trade in ships at sea are demanding baptism at my hands;
the priests of the different religions & gospels of the day, are bitterly complaining that I
am [hole burned in paper] sap[in]g the verry foundation of their churches, & Holy religion &c. {of their finding one is a work Wilford would
[not shake the]} Ah say you Willford boasts pretty well. No dear Brother I have not made the above
remarks in order to boast, for who am I, a poor, ignorant, weak, illiterate Willford. it is not I
that have done these things alone. All these blessings of which I speak have been bestowed
upon me from the hand of God, and if I glory it shall be in the cross of Christ.
I know it requires meekness, wisdom, & good sense in times of success & prosperity,
in order to keep humble, & know & feel our prrper place. I do think the Blessings
bestowed upon me of late have had a tendency to show me my own weakness, have
pointed out the source from whence they came, & enable'd me to see that self
is not good or profitable. {blessings [illegible shorthand]}
[sideways text] When you write to me inform me if you have any intelligence from Brother & his family Thom-
pson &c I wrote to them from but have not herd from them. I intend writing to Eunice as soon as
I get time, I do not find much spare time for any thing, tell me how and whare she is. Give me the news
you get from any of our friends. I expect to have a cold time of it this winter here in [illegible] [end of sideways text]
(North Lat 44 East Long 69, 10. ) Maine, Oct 20th 1837.
Brother
As I am called to stand upon the Islands of the sea, in defence
of the word of God & for the testimony of Jesus Christ, I am still under the necessity of
making use of my pen to communicate to you all the information you get
from me, as I am not permited at present to speak with you face to face. There
is many things resting upon my mind, that I wish to communicate to you, even
more than this sheet will contain: however I must be content by giving you
a synopsis of some few of them. Firstly, I have two letters lying before me
which are the productions of your pen, under date of July 22nd, & Sept 27th, 1837. And
dear Brother you may rest assured it is with no small degree of satisfaction, that I am
permitted to peruse & reperuse such letters from a Brother to whom I am bound
by the ties of consanguinity; & in whose best & finaal welfare I feel more deeply
interested than any but mysefl 12 is aware of. It is truly a treat to ones soul to
receive a letter from a friend with whom he he has been long seperated: and been
called to travel among strangers for years, and not permitted to behold with his
eyes the change that time has brought upon the image & face of his friend & Brother. I
never was more forcibly struck with the change of a friend produced in five years, than
in Sister : and if the change is as great in Brother Asahel I should not know him were
I to meet him in . Had I room, I should like to be more lengthy in this in
speaking of both of your letters than my limits will now permit; suffice it to say
they are both interesting to me; And I have not a relative on earth with whom I more
desire an interview than with yourself, But when I shall have the privilege God ownly
knows. I also receieved a letter from dated Aug 23 which was interesting to me;
they were all well &c. As concerning myself, I still enjoying my usual good
health, peace, & contentment. {And am growing more and more formed in the faith in which I am engaged} I have thought of late
in my private walks and mediatations, that there was not a happier man on earth than
myself; except such as possess more of the spirit, knowledge, & wisdom of God, than I do; & I
hope that class are many. I am honest in saying, that I feel my peace to be like a river. (do
not understand me to intimate that my righteousness is great) I have every thing of a temporal
nature that reason can demand, to eat, to drink. to wear, my friends are numerous. I am
not as yet much injured by my enemies. I have a that I love with all my heart
& I have cause to do so. I am blessed in my spiritual calling in preaching the gospel
whareever I go, the word is attended with spirit and power, souls are converted to God, {thousands seek
instructing at my mouth} & even the captains that trade in ships at sea are demanding baptism at my hands;
the priests of the different religions & gospels of the day, are bitterly complaining that I
am hole burned in paper saping the verry foundation of their churches, & Holy religion &c. {shorthand}
{shorthand} Ah say you Willford boasts pretty well. No dear Brother I have not made the above
remarks in order to boast, for who am I, a poor, ignorant, weak, illiterate Willford. it is not I
that have done these things alone. All these blessings of which I speak have been bestowed
upon me from the hand of God, and if I glory it shall be in the cross of Christ.
I know it requires meekness, wisdom, & good sense in times of success & prosperity,
in order to keep humble, & know & feel our prrper place. I do think the Blessings
bestowed upon me of late have had a tendency to show me my own weakness, have
pointed out the source from whence they came, & enable'd me to see that self exhaltation
is not good or profitable. {shorthand}?
sideways text When you write to me inform me if you have any intelligence from Brother & his family Thompson &c I wrote to them from but have not herd from them. I intend writing to Eunice as soon as
I get time, I do not find much spare time for any thing, tell me how and whare she is. Give me the news
you get from any of our friends. I expect to have a cold time of it this winter here in [illegible] end of sideways text
