William Wilberforce, Kensington, to John Ryland, Jr., Bristol, 7 February 1818.

My dear sir,

Your last Letter wo’d have received an immediate answer but for my wanting eye sight, even more than time, and my rather wishing to write you with my own hand.  Dictating is so much slower an operation than writing that much time is lost by the different expenditure occasioned by the two – 

I cannot but think that the simple Statement of the Circumstances of that part of Hayti which is under King Henry’s Government wo’d, of itself, suffice to shew that in all which regards religious Instruction, that community must be treated with the utmost caution and that otherwise, humanly speaking, there wo’d be the greatest danger of the failure of all our attempts to introduce true Christianity into Hayti, in the place of the mere profession of the Roman Catholic faith – To you I scruple not to acknowledge that King Henry has frankly told me that he himself wishes to see Religion, that is he says, my Religion prevelent [sic] in Hayti; not that falsely called Religion which is disfigured by Superstition & immorality, meaning the French or Roman Catholic faith – But then observe the only public worship in Hayti is the Roman Catholic, and the churches in the Towns are I am assured very well attended by the females, the Men I fear being acknowledged Sceptics – There is still I hear a Roman Catholic Archbishop and one or more Priests – But let me just hint at another source of the utmost danger.  Gregoire formerly Bishop of (I believe) Blais [Blois?], is at once a zealous Roman Catholic and a warm Abolitionist – He was one of the earliest friends of the Blacks in France – He has published for them, and kept up a constant Correspondence with Hayti, and I will honestly own to you that I have always dreaded and still dread, his inferring from my sending them Professors, that I am endeavouring to bring them over to the Protestant Heresy – If this idea sho’d seize him it is highly probably he wo’d use his utmost efforts to counteract my design, and what wo’d be so likely to infuse this idea into him as any noise about Religion in Hayti – 

One English Clergyman has gone over, and there has been a Negociation about sending two Methodist Preachers, but so far from their being gone I dont know that the persons are yet found for the Service; – for the last I heard of it, which was about three weeks ago, was, that one of those who had been designated for this work had been disposed of another way – If they however sho’d go, tho’ I am not altogether without some uncomfortable feeling at sending them without permission, no disagreement sh’d arise on any point of doctrine between them and the English Clergyman, who by the way I ought to have stated is gone in the capacity of Classical professor, (not officially as a Minister) who is to be Chaplain of the College the professors being English – But I am but too well persuaded that it will be well both for the Methodist Missionaries and the Clergyman to behave with great prudence, mutual forbearance and moderation in order to prevent any differences, which might extinguish, tho’ but a breath, the faint spark of Religion which as yet is contained in Hayti – Observe that I am speaking all this time of that part of Hayti that is under King Henry’s ie Christopher’s dominion – In the South of the Island, which is under Petion, I rather believe there are two Methodist Missionaries, and I was some little time ago to have seen some person from that part of the Island, and to have learned particulars, but the interview has not taken place, and I am ignorant of them –

Thus my dear Sir I have frankly opened my mind to you, because I am persuaded that we have both at heart the extension of our Redeemers kingdom; and that we wish to observe the indications of Providence.  It has pleased God to give me favor and some influence with this Ruler, and I hope to render it subservient to the best of all purposes – But we are to combine the Wisdom of the Serpent with the spotlessness of the Dove; and I own I think that it wo’d be gross imprudence to incur the risk of calling forth a Bull from Rome at the requisition of Gregoire, in order to unmask to his Haytian Children the real Designs of their Sovereign and his heritical [sic] Advisers, and to keep them from straying into new pastures – I have [probably means “am?”] extremely pressed for time and have therefore been obliged to dictate much too hastily considering the importance of my Subject – I must leave it to your discretion to make what use you think best of what I have stated, but its becoming at all public might be very injurious – Could you but know the bitter hostility felt towards Henry by the generality of the West Indians, and how much they set themselves against all improvements in that quarter from the dread of Contagion, you wo’d feel as nervous as I do lest any mischief sho’d happen from even the imprudence of zealous friends

  I remain

  with real Esteem & regard

  My dear Sir

  your very Sincerely

  W Wilberforce

P.S.  Feby 19th – I was both surprised and hurt on finding that my Letter which was written so long ago as the 7th Inst: had been mislaid and was not found again till yesterday Evening.

Text: Wilberforce-Ryland Letters, shelfmark MS. G97a, Bristol Baptist College Library,  fol. 6 (letter is not in Wilberforce’s hand, but signature is  his).