Caleb Ashworth, Daventry, to Anne Steele, Broughton, 31 August 1763.

Daventry 31 Aug.t 1763

Dear Madam

       I esteem it a peculiar favour of divine Providence that I have been brought acquainted with your family: ’tis a pleasure I have long wished for, & it has fully answered my expectations.  The kind & engaging treatment we met with has laid us under such obligations, that I am ashamed I have not sooner acknowledgd them. I am sensible I ought to give some reason for my long silence, (as we have been comfortably returned home more than three weeks, & found our family & friends well,) but having mentioned the occasion of it to M.r Wakeford I choose not to take up any part of my letter to you in further apology, but to cast myself on your candour, with only observing, you know I have a good deal of business on my hands, & that my hands are soon filled:  And now that I have undertaken to write, tho’ I long to give you & your excellent Father & Brother an Idea of what we think & feel on recollecting your friendly regard to us, I find myself so much at a loss to express our sentiments on the head that I cannot perswade myself to make the attempt. I hope you will do us the justice to believe we hold your kindness in the most thankful remembrance, and that you re endeared to us by a friendship, which, tho’ it is grown up in a little time, will I believe be as permanent as it is sincere & affectionate.  I think I may say we interest our selves in the happiness of your family as tenderly, & shall [   ] pray for it as earnestly, & as cordially rejoice to hear of it, as if we had been acquainted with you from our infancy. I beg you will present our most affectionate Salutations to your dear Father & Brother & thank them in the warmest terms for their friendship to us. Few hours of my life have been spent so agreeably as those I passed at Andover & Broughton; not only on account of the many natural unaffected marks of respect we received, (and we all are pleased with having respect shewn to us,) but also, & I think principally, on seeing such a lovely harmony & endearment among friends & relations, & such amiable traces of piety & the power of Godliness.  I saw nothing in my journey which in the last respect equaled Broughton. The face of your congregation pleased me; your family charmed me. I could write on to the end of the paper on this head with pleasure; but I will restrain my self lest I offend your delicacy if I were to say half I think. Long, long may the several branches of that dear family be spared to each other! long may the Dew of the almighty rest upon them! long may they enjoy the delights of harmony & love, & all the pleasure which religion in its life & power, & which the miles of Providence & the particular blessing & presence of God, can give! My heart is enlarged in praying for you, & you are often in my thoughts, when, (if ever,) I get near the throne of Grace.

        I have read your volumes over again since I came home. I think you, & I bless God, for them. They have given me great pleasure; I hope they have long & often done me good: but I now find a new relish for them  I read them as the language of a heart with whch I am in some measure acquainted; while I read, I see you, & am almost transported to Broughton; I read them as the devout language of one I am proud to call my friend!

        The state of your health affects me.  I sympathize tenderly with you in your sufferings. Yet as these scenes are appointed by a being of infinite wisdom & goodness, who is also, I doubt not, your God & Father, there is reason to conclude they are right & kind, tho’ mysterious.  I doubt not these afflictions have bene of great use to you, & that under them you have experienced the sweetness of divine consolations more sensibly than you might otherwise have done.  May your consolations in Christ Jesus abound more & more!  

         I remember with a sensible concern some expressions you dropt of doubt & suspicion as to your spiritual interest’s.  A soul is so precious,—Eternity is so awful, ’tis no wonder that a person of thought & sensibility should sometimes feel a misgiving, & that the shadow of a doubt should make the heart to shudder.  I suppose few persons enjoy compleat, uninterrupted assurance; & yet ’tis such a momentous affair, that the least degree of uncertainty, if it appear but possible we may be mistaken & perish at last, is enough to make one tremble.  Yet so imperfect are all our characters, & the evidences of grace in the best are sometimes so much obscured by coldness & deadness, by the struggles of indwelling sin, & even actual guilt, that ’tis no wonder we should sometimes be attended with doubts & fears. Let them make us more humble & watchful; may they send us to the blood of Jesus, which cleanses from all Sin, & teach us to pant & cry more fervently for the aids of the holy Spirit, the sanctifier & comforter! then our jealousy of our selves will do us good, tho’, like all other afflictions, it is not joyous but grievous. I pray God to visit your Soul in mercy, to pour into it large measures of Grace & comfort, & fill you will joy & peace in believing! 

        Mrs Ashworth joins very warmly in Salutations to you & the whole family.  We are exceeding thankful to you all. I am, dear Miss Steele,  

                     Your affectionate Friend & Servant,

                                                         C Ashworth.

If you see Mr Johnston I wish you w.d make our respectful Compliments to him & to Mr Kent.

Pray give our love to your Niece the Daughter of your Brother. May she be a comfort  & ornament to the family!

Text: STE 3/13/x, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Address:  To Miss Steele | at Broughton. Caleb Ashworth (1722-1775) preached at Andover in July 1763, staying with the Wakefords. He studied under the Independent minister, Philip Doddridge, at his Northampton academy. When Doddridge died in 1751, the academy moved to Daventry, and Caleb Ashworth became the initial principal, ministering at the same time to the Independent congregation in Daventry. John Kent was the assistant to William Steele III at the Broughton church. Mary Steele (1753-1813) was ten years old at the time of the above letter.  Like her aunt Steele, she too would become a significant poet and member of the Steele circle.