John Chamberlain, Burlington, New Jersey, to John Williams, New York, 7 August 1802.

Burlington, Augst 7th 1802

My Dear Bror

         Parting with you at New York you requested that I would write to you before we sailed for India. Probably you have been anxious to hear from us, especially as that wanted disease the Yellow Fever has assumed a terrific form at Philadelphia. Had it not been for our kind friends especially for Bror Staughton we had gone to the city & who can tell what might have befallen us there.

         But I will proceed to give some account of our journey hither as well as of our reception here. Leaving N. Y. we had a tolerably pleasant passage to Amboy, but rather tedious. We arrived between 6 & 7 oclock in the evening. A supper was order’d immediately after which we soon retired to rest being informed that ^we^ were to be up; at two in the morning. Not adhering to the time they called us up before 12 and we set off for Burlington. Here we were troubled enough for 8 or 10 miles, with the mosquitoes. My hands, my face & [ankles?] were so bitten that they swelled very much for 2 or 3 days. Setting aside this, we had a pleasant journey, we arrived here about two oclock in the afternoon. Unfortunately we did not know where Bror Staughton resided, & so we went on to the house where the stage stops, which was near two miles out of the way.

         There we were affectionately received & were assured both by Mr & Mrs S. that we were welcome to their house for our home. Bror S. is one of the right sort. I clearly love him. He is of the same mind with your self respecting the mission, & had there been a little more time & had he known sooner he says that he would have exerted himself in union with you to have paid our passage. I really wish that such who are thus warmhearted would unite & form a Mission Society. The beginning might be small, but the latter end, it is hoped would greatly increase. Generosity would give a death wound to Covetousness, & gloriously prevail.

         Bror S. has here an encouraging prospect. The church increases & also the congregation. Many of the youth attend constantly & hear with apparent seriousness. At Cooperstown a place where Bror S. preaches once a fortnight on a Lord’s Day morning, there is a number of people [who] attend & there are hopes of great success, that God prosper his servant, & bless his people in every desirable [paper torn].

         When we first arrived here we prepared going to Philadephia on Monday, but were dissuaded by Bror Staughton. We then prepared to go on Wednesday, but hearing on Tuesday evening that the alarm became more serious; & that the inhabitants were waiting to leave [the] city, we and our friends thought it highly prudent not to venture. Dr Rodgers [sic] who before had written, urging me to come down, came hither the night before last, fleeing from destruction. Mrs R. & family came hither yesterday morning. It is well that our dear Friends restrained us from going, but had we gone it was the design of our dear Friend Mr Ralston to have taken us immediately to his country house. Captn Wickes our good Friend had let also prepared to receive us at his house.  So my dear Bror the Lord is exceedingly kind to us in giving us such dear affectionate Friends in every place. He will not suffer us to sink into despair, but fills our hearts with joy  & gladness. The Brotherly kindness, the tender care, & affectionate regard you exercised towards us when at N. Y. has left an indelible impression on our minds. Our obligations to gratitude are many. May Jehovah help us to be mindful of them all, or recompence you for all your many favors to us.

         Dr Rogers preached here last night. I am much pleased with his conversation. He has a missionary soul. Blessed be God. Yea, thanks be to God who inspires his servants to seek the promotion of his cause. It is Jehovah who performeth all these things. Who is it that maketh us to differ & what have we that we have not received? The most zealous, laborius, pious, & angelic of the servants of Jesus hath received his all from his divine Master.

         Passing thro’ [illegible] I thought much of dear Brainerd laboring among his Indians. O had he been living I would have paid him a visit. Well I hope to visit him Dear Man in Endless Blissful mansions. Mrs Chamberlain unites in the most grateful acknowledgments to you all & in the most affectionate wishes to Mrs Williams & yourself, to our dear Friends

P. S. We unite in requesting you to write to us & all our Dear Friends by every opportunity. Bror Staughton & Mrs S. are tolerably well. They desire their love to you & to Mrs Williams. Dr Rodgers would unite in the same were he here.

                                 Farewell Pray for us

                                 Dear Bror Farewell

                                             J Chamberlain

To morrow I expect to accompany Bror S. to Mount Holly. On Monday to leave Burlington for the Montecello –

Address: Mr J. Williams | Baptist Minister | 16. Fayette Stret | New York

Postmark: none

Endorsed: Augst 7th 1802 | Burlington 10 August 1802

[latter in an unknown hand, most likely the date the letter was sent and possibly the date the P.S. was added]

Text: John Williams Letters, RG no. 1207, America Baptist Historical Archives, Atlanta.