Caleb Evans, Bristol, to John Rippon, London, undated and postmark not readable. [This is early autumn of 1790, when Rippon was publishing his first issues of the Baptist Annual Register.]

Dear Sir,

         In answer to yours of Aug: 25 accept the following lines, which though hasty shall be accurate.

1.     CE was not at Plymo in 1767, but H Evans my hond father concluded in prayer.

2.     I can give you an acct of incrs & decrease from 1733 when the Association was reviv’d upon the plan of the Baptist Confession of Faith in 1689. Before that time it was upon a General Plan.

3.     I have none of the written letters complt, but a Genl acct of their contents, (and some of ym I see are complt,) from 1733 to the time are began to print in 1754.

4.     The Rules of our Association are not fit to print, particularly the 8th.

But I will send you all the papers, letters &c I have upon the Subject, with Neale, & my own Protrait wch I perce you are determd to gibbet in yr intended publication, & wch I wish therefore to appear with some decency. My age will be 53. Please God I live to the 23d of Novr next. I shall be a good deal mortified if I a made such a doughty figure as some of the Ministers are in the periodical publications of the day. I wd sooner be at the expence of a few Guineas myself. In that case I [fol. 442v.] would send you my Arms & Motto.

   But after all it strikes me that this publicn will somewhat resemble Swift’s Memoirs of a parish Clerk, & be in many particulars uninterestg. Why shd the Western Ass: Letters be all printed, & only extracts from the rest? Why not extracts only, from all, unless in particulr instances. If this Register is to be The Baptist Register, why not at least a general acct of the General Baptists? I wd furthr suggest that surely in this acct, you shd insert the Hisy of The Bristol Education Socy, form’d in ye yr 1770, & give some Statemt of it’s finances &c. The more comprehensive the better. How far it may answr any valuable purpose, I know not. On you it must principally depend whether it shall be a dry, dull, insipid detail of unintg events, or an instrucv, pleasg performance. If you gratify every one of yr Brethren yt may be fond of exhibiting himself to public view, you’ll soon disgust the intelligent.

   One word more – Dr Ward’s foundation for the support of two Students in Scotland might be notic’d – Yr Town fund – & our Fund here, of which I can, if you desire it, give you some acct. It was set on foot in ye year 1717. The Genl Baptists have also a fund, but of that I am ignorant. There is also a legacy, ye ints of wch us’d to be paid by Mr Locke of Bartholomew Close, of wch Dr Stennett can inform you. [fol. 443r.] If in any thing I can be of service in this or any other matter, let me know and you may depend upon my ready compliance. Mr B. Francis pr: Mr Hiller’s funl Sermn & knows more of him than I do. He was called by the 7th day Church at Cripplegate, & held the seventh day. He was a Student here, tho’ not long, & never was settled but at Tewkesbury. He serv’d also a little 7th day Church, Natton, in that neighborhd, & at stated periods, a handful of ye same persuasion at Watlington, in Berkshire. He was a very worthy man, & an acceptable Minister. – The Biographicl part of yr work will be the most acceptable if well conducted. I could wish to have Mr Foster’s characr inserted, & my dr father’s, from funl serm: for the latter, in wch you have [both]. The latter might be abridg’d, if you tho’t it too long. I could also send you some Anecdotes of my great Grandfar who was a Bapt. Minr & preach’d in the Church in the time of Oliver Cromwell. Indeed you have yrs already pa. 19 of my Serm: for my Father. I’ll send ye books & portrt in a few days at furthest. In ye meantime send this, tho’ I forget ye Long Room directns, to testify the good will to you & yr intendd work, of

               Yrs affecy

                                       C Evans

Our united respects to Mrs Rippon & family.

Address: Rev: J. Rippon M.A. | New Grange Road | Southwark |London | Single

Postmark: date is illegible, but stamped from Bristol.

Text: John Rippon Letters, British Library, Add. Ms. 25386, fols. 442-43.