Andrew Fuller, Kettering, to Revd John Williams, New York, 1 August 1804.

Kettering Aug. 1. 1804

My dear bror

        I recd yrs of May June 12, a day or two ago. We are all greatly obliged by the kindness of our brethren in New York to the Missionaries. We feel it, and we rejoice that others feel it, a work which in all its operations expands and unites the [hearts] of Xns. – We also rejoice to hear of the work of God in your country, tho’ some things attending it have rather stunned us: but in most instances of the kind there has been a mixture of chaff among the wheat in order to try men. I think our churches, (I mean the baptists) are low in general. Those about the Midland Counties have suffered heavy losses by the removals of Carey from Leicester, Ryland from Northampton, Pearce fm Birmingham, Morris from Clipstone, & Blundel from Arnsby. These were our most able men and active ministers; and though four out of the five are labouring in other parts of the vineyard, yet the general connection hereabouts feel their loss. I think the Churches in the West of England have been of late in the most thriving condition. An Antinomian doctrine & spirit has almost ruined a great number of our churches in Norfolk, Suffolk, Yorkshire &c.

        We consider the mission to Bengal as the most favourable symptom attending our denomination. It confirms what has been for some time with me an important principle, that where any denomination, congregation, (or individual) seeks only its own, it will be disappointed: but where it seeks the kingdom of God and his righteousness, its own prosperity will be among the things that will be added into it. I have seen great zeal for what among us is called the dissenting interest; and in such hands the dissenting interest has died. Had they sought more to make men christians, they shd in most cases have been dissenters of their own accord. In fact I see that in those congregations where the main object is what it shd be, there religion flourishes. The same may be sd of baptists. If the first fruits of our zeal be laid out in making proselytes to that denomination, however right the thing may be in itself, the Lord will frown upon us, & leave us. But if we be mainly employed in making men Xns, we need not fear but they will be baptists. It is of great consequence to pursue things according to their importance, making that a first concern wh is first, & that a Second which is secondary. In seeking the salvation of others a man will find his own. He who is exalted as head over all things obtained that glory by denying himself for the sake of others.

        I was delighted yesterday in reading some of our last intelligence from the East, down to Dec. 1803. “A Dialogue founded on facts – drawn up with a little variation in phrasealogy by. Bror Ward.[”]

Boodheesa, one of these members ^the Xn natives^ was born a Mussulman, & brought up to farming; but afterwards became a Byraggee, a kind of holy beggar. Being instructed by his new Goroo, or teacher, he left his friends, and employment and set off begging, and repeating the forms of his new Cast. In this way he did many acts incredibly difficult & painful. Hearing a little of the gospel, he came three days Journey to Serampore; heard more; was inclined to wait for farther instruction, and was at length baptized, accounting all his hard-acquired holiness but “dung that he might win Xt, and be found in him!” On leaving Serampore he resolved to return to his house wh he had forsaken on becoming a Byraggee. When he arrived he stood at the door, and as soon as they saw him they all with weeping invited him in. He told them he cd not go in, as he had lost Cast, & he did not wish to give them sorrow without their consent.

        “Come in, my Son,” sd the Mother, (a very old woman, weeping) “why do you stand at the door?”

        Boodheesa: “No Mother, I cannot come into the House. You will lose your cast; for I have eaten with English people.”

        The Mother brothers & wife. “Well, but cannot you come in?”

        Boodheesa. “No, I will not come in; but if you will come and sit out, I will tell you what I have done, & why I have done it.”

        The family. “Come then, let us go and sit in the Cow-house.”

        Boodheesa, (sitting with his friends round him in the cow-house). “You all know that I have never done any thing but for the best. It was to seek my good that I became a Byraggee; and therefore you may be sure that what I have now done has been to secure my salvation.”

        Mother. “Well, my Son, let us hear.

        Boodheesa. “You know that I have wandered up and down in search of the true way. I forsook the world. I became a Byraggee. I have obtained my food by begging. I have repeated the name of GOD continually. I have visited different holy places. I have performed the Bramha Sadon.† I have performed the Soorja Sadon, and for 12 months, 12 hours every day fixed my eyes on the blazing orb, till I became blind, and my face, as black as ink, was dried up. You know that I then performed the Chundro Sadon,‡ to recover my sight, and to obtain some fruit for my soul. Besides this, I have done other very severe and terrific acts, called holiness: but all was in vain. I continued a slave to sin, and my mind was destitute of happiness. At length I heard of there being a new way preached at Serampore. I have been there, and have heard glad tidings; that Jesus Xt came into the world, and bore the punishment due to sinners. This is a great word, and it has filled my soul with hope and joy. Hence I have laid aside the proud thought of making amends for my own transgressions. I make my refuge in his death, and consider all my own holiness as a heap of sin. I have been baptized in his name. If I can believe in him, and obey his commands I shall get over my everlasting ruin. If you can, unite with me in becoming the disciples of Xt, then I shall find my home, my mother, my brother, my wife, and a saviour, all at once; but if you cannot, then I will abide by my Saviour, and go every where proclaiming his name. If I die in this work, under a tree, or any where else, verily it shall then be well with me.”

        Mother. “My son, I am now become old. In looking round me I see only you, and your brother & sisters. I see no world below but you. If you have found this good news, well. Let your brother go with you, and see and [illegible] if he find things so, and a saviour has died for us, why may not we be baptized, and share in ye benefits.”

        Sadutsu (the brother) “I will go to Serampore with you. I had thought of staying at home, and of remaining unmarried to nourish my mother till her death; and then of becoming a Bryaggee, that having left the world, at death I might obtain salvation.  But now I will go with you, and hear about Yesu Khreest.”

        Mother. “Well Son, let us go in. You must eat with us. Why shd you stay out? Are you then of a different cast from your own mother?”

        They leave the Cow-house, and at the voice of maternal love, at the call of ye gospel, and in spite of the interdictions of the infernal cast, they eat and drink together, saying one to another, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us!”

        I have copied the above, as a sweet morsel for you and the dear Xn friends about you. I am obliged to you for your favourable reception of what I have written, and your wishes for me to write more. My hands are very full with Missionary labours. I have been out on that business the two last months. I believe our funds are now more than exhausted, for the first time. But the bills from New York will be only honoured. I have been lately preparing for the press an Octavo volume of Expository discourses on the book of Genesis.[1] It may prove to be a year ere it is out. It has been my practice to expound a chapter every Lds day forenoon, for the last 14 years. This volume will be a part of those expositions. – I wish I cd get time to write Dr Rogers – remember me affectionately to Mr Miller Mr Mason, and all those dear friends, Smith Cauldwell &c &c whose houses & heart were opened to our dear young people – We had many fears for them, but we bless God that hitherto he hath helped us,

                    I am yr affecte bror A. Fuller

Address: Mr Williams | Baptist Minister | New York

† Worship paid to Bramha

‡ The worship of the Moon, by fixing the eyes upon its shadow as seen in the Water, and repeating a Minister &c

Text: John Williams Folder, RG no. 1207, American Baptist Historical Society Archives, Atlanta. Reference above is to Andrew Fuller’s Expository Discourses on the Book of Genesis: Interspersed with Practical Reflections (London, 1806).