J. M. Cramp, Hastings, to Joseph Angus, Baptist Mission, 6 Fen Court, Fenchurch Street, London, 15 October 1842.

Hastings
Oct. 15/42

My dear Brother

      If I knew how the duties of the Secretary’s office are to be divided, I should feel better able to answer your questions. A consulting Counsel is not always fit to take the circuit—and vise versa.

As to Brother Hewlett of Dover—“Prudent?”  I know nothing to the contrary. “Practical?”  “Business-like?”  These may be clasped together. He has not had much experience of public affairs, and I do not think he excels his brethren in the management of business. That is, I know many who are equal to him in that respect. “Conciliating?”  I should think so: judging from his amiable temper, gentleness of manner, and pleasing address. “While catholic-spirited, denominational too?” That is rather doubtful. He is too catholic-spirited to be denominational enough for many in our Churches. This would not be an objection to me—but we must bow to public opinion.

I must honestly say that I do not think Brother Hewlett is the man you want. It strikes me that he is not an effective platform speaker; and that, I suppose, is a sure question. He is clear—correct—neat—and can elaborate a speech:  but I question his skill at off-hand oratory. His addresses are rather pleasing than powerful.—Besides this, I am fully of opinion that your new Secretary should be a man of considerable standing in the Church—very generally known—and possessing the confidences of his brethren.

Last winter I had frequent conversations with Brother Ellis, late of Calcutta —He used to maintain that you ought to have two foreign Secretaries associated with yourself; one for the East—the other for the West and Africa—yourself for home. His reasoning on this subject appeared to me forcible. The trains of management to our Jamaica brethren will slightly affect such a scheme; but I still think that it would materially conduce to the welfare of our foreign stations; and relieve the general Secretaryship, if some brother were appointed Secretary for Indian Affairs. India will now, I hope, obtain its proper share of attention. It is a vast field, and must be much better cultivated by all parties—our Missionaries there have long complained of the want of sympathy at home, and the scanty measure of regard which their stations have received. Let a brother take India under his charge—make himself thoroughly acquainted with all the stations and the missionaries, even to the minutest details—conduct the correspondences—study India’s wants, capabilities, peculiarities, facilities &c &c—surely much good might result from such an arrangement. The general Secretaries cannot do all this. India deserves such a man. He should have nothing to do with any other department of the Mission; and he might be a pastor still. Yourself and your new colleague wholly devoted to the work, might divide your labour as you please:  one taking W. Indies and Africa, with the Herald, and the other the Home Department, sharing some portion of the general business between you, and each of you taking occasional journies—

Excuse my ramble. May the Lord himself guide in these important affairs.

                                 Yours faithfully

                                                   J. M. Cramp

 Rev. Jos. Angus

Text: Timothy Whelan, Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845 (Macon: Mercer University Press, 2009), pp. 258-59 (annotated version); also MAW, Box 39 (no BMS number), John Rylands University Library of Manchester. John Mockett Cramp (1796-1881), a prolific author and Baptist leader, was at this time minister of the Wellington Square Chapel in Hastings. J. P. Hewlett served as minister to the Baptist congregation at Salem Chapel, Dover, 1839-49. As the History of the Salem Chapel notes, “Mr. Hewlett was a man of fine ability and sterling character and it is impossible to estimate how much Salem owed to the Pastor who, under God, piloted her through the troubled seas of her early history, and who in 1842 declined what seems to have been a very tempting offer from a London Church.” The “offer” cited by the writer may not have come from a church but from Angus and the Baptist Mission House. As a result of a subcommittee report in October 1841, the BMS committee decided to pursue the election of a cosecretary to assist Angus in the work of the Mission House. The subcommittee had considered several names, but due to various problems, they could not bring forward a name at that time. The full committee deliberated and asked William Brock of Norwich to consider the position. He would eventually decline. Between November 1841 and June 1843, the BMS Committee continued to search for an assistant to Angus, offering the position to such Baptist leaders as Frederick Trestrail and J. E. Giles, both of whom, like Hewlett, rejected the offer. See Missionary Herald (November 1841): 587-90; Walter Holyoak, Dover Baptists. A Brief History (Dover: Dover Express Office, 1914) 19, 17-21; Frank Buffard, Kent and Sussex Baptist Associations (Faversham, Kent: E. Vinson, [1963]) 154; Beechen Grove Baptist Church (Beechen Grove: Printed for the church, [1947]) 10; Ernest A. Payne, The First Generation: Early Leaders of the Baptist Missionary Society in England and India (London: Carey Press, [1936]), 18; Brian Stanley, The History of the Baptist Missionary Society 1792–1992 (Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark, 1992), 213; BMS Committee Minutes, Vol. H (Oct. 1841-Dec. 1842), ff. 10, 30, 41; Vol. I (Jan. 1843-May 1844), f. 80, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford.