Letter of Admission for James and Maria Harwood, from Cannon Street, Birmingham, to Broadmead, Bristol, 29 October 1799 [entered in the Broadmead Church Book on 10 November 1799].

Nov. 10.  [1799] “Lord’s day.  James & Maria Harwood were receiv’d into full Communion by virtue of a Letter from the Church in Cannon Street Birmingham, lately under the pastoral Care of the most amiable & excellent Samuel Pearce, of which the following is a Copy.” (f. 193)

               The Ch. of Christ meeting in Cannon Street Birmingham, tho’ destitute & mourning the loss of an under Shepherd, yet relying on the care of the great Shepherd of the Sheep, to the Church of Christ meetg in Broadmead Bristol, under the Pastoral care of the Revd Dr Ryland, sendeth Christian Salutation.

Dear Brethren

               The providce of God havg removed from Birmingham & fix’d the place of residce of our dr friends James & Maria Harwood in Bristol, & they havg signify’d their wish of embracg ev’ry opportunity of commung wth God’s people in the ords of his house; & havg made knn this their desire to your dr Pastr who at their reqt has solicit’d us to dismiss them to your care: we hereby grant them their request, prayg the grt head of the Church to bestw much of his gracs Inflce upon them, that [they] may continue to manifest that amiable Xn Tempr walk & conversatn so visibly seen while with us, wch rendd them truly val[ua]ble memb’rs of our communy.

               We doubt not of your sympathizg wth us in the loss we feel of the labors & friendp of our late invaluable Pastr Mr P[ea]ce & that we as a Ch. & his much afflicted Widw wth her 5 fatherless Childn are sharg in your [f.194] addresses to him, who is the Shepherd of the Sheep, the husband of the widow, & the father of the fatherless: to Him we are lookg & prayg that he will send us another pastor after his own [heart] [the writer has drawn a heart]; equally pious, zealous & useful with our late dr Minister, who we have no doubt is now reaping the fruits of his labors, & shing as a star in the heavenly world for ever & ever

Signed at our church

Meeting Octr 29. 1799

 on behalf of the whole

Henry Pope

Thos Cornfield

Thos Potts

Wm Thorne                         Deacons

Peter Round

Thos King

Text: Broadmead Records, 1779 to 1817, Bd/M1/3, fols. 193-94, Bristol Archives, Bristol. For more on James and Maria Harwood, and his father, John Harwood, click here and here.