Eustace Carey, Leicester, to John Sutcliff, Olney, 18 December 1812.

Leicester   Dec.ber 18.th, 1812

To My Dear, and much respected Tutor

         No doubt you will begin to feel some sort of surprise at not having seen or heard from me since my being at Clipston, and as I’ve no opportunity of sending but by post, so hope you will excuse me in addressing a line to you. It was my full intention to reach Olney the begining [sic] of the week, but after the exercise of the Lords day I was so excessively weak that I was afraid to undertake the journey and my friends at Cottesbrook dissuaded me from it. If all be well have engaged to preach for them again a fortnight next sabbath, and then will find my d’r M.rSutcliff’s, a place much beloved by me. M.r Hall is going to baptise next sabbath, his back is something better. Wishes me to preach for him at night. Have engaged for him one Wednesday night before but felt considerable inflamation [sic] afterwards. M.r Mack is here from Bristol and is going to Clipston next sabbath  he left the D.r [Ryland] well. It’s now Christmas, and I [have] not been able to do much since last vacation. I hope shall soon hear something about India, but I endeavour to feel my mind resign’d to the Divine dispose[r] in all things. I have lately had such a sense of my incompetency for the work of the ministry that I’ve been almost overwhelmed with discouragement, and do think I err’d perhaps in devoting myself to it. But I knew but very little and that little I valued ten times too highly, but if it does but end in making me more humble and in bringing me ultimately nearer to God, shall rejoice.

         Hope my dr M.r Sutcliff is better. Please to present my kind regards to M.rs S— and Miss Johnstone, & Mary Pillin. Respects to all my fellow students. M.r & Mrs Gates desire their kind remembrance

         I remain, Dear Sir, yours in the most grateful and obedient regards,

                                             Eustace Carey

P.S. Miss Fasbrooks respects to M.r & M.rs Sutcliff.

Text: Timothy Whelan, Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845 (Macon: Mercer University Press, 2009), p. 159 (annotated version); also Eng. MS. 387, fol. 18c, John Rylands University Library of Manchester. On the back page Sutcliff has written: “M.r Carey. Dec.r 21. 12.” John Mack (1797-1845) would later become a BMS missionary to India and professor at Serampore College, 1821-45.