Joseph Jenkins, Wrexham, to John Sutcliff, Olney (by favor of Mr. Sample), 19 March 1777.

Wrexham March 19 1777

Dear Sir,

         Surprized as I was at receiving a letter from you, I was not the less pleased on that account: I was almost ready to think that, removed as you are to such a distance, you had forgot me; and tho’ when I was nearer you than Wrexham, I thought of you and should have been glad to call on you, I was so circumstanced as not to be able. By being nearer you I mean, that we were called up to Dunstable in the month of January by the death of Mrs Jenkins’s brother. I desire to rejoice in the appearances of usefulness you have, at the same time that I am very sorry to hear of the ill state of your health. Indeed I can sympathize with you in this respect from experience; my own health has been of late but in a very precarious state; I have been confined last week and this week, only that I made shift to go out on Lord’s day. My disorder is in my Breast and Back, and they say is Rheumatic & Nervous &c. Writing hurts me, and so does speaking in public; but I must go forward, and thro’ mercy I have hitherto found that as my day is so &c I wish I could say that there is any revival in Wrexham; but, tho’ as many people attend as usual, I can perceive but little concern about the best things; I say but little, for I dare not say there is none. God is pleased to try his ministers in this respect as well as others. It will be well for you to look for it as what may happen amongst you. It is our duty to wait on the Lord & keep his ways if we could but do it with patience.— Providence has been very kind to me in other respects; in connecting me with one that fears God, and possesses Religion; we have also a Son, (a fine Boy) of the name of John, called so after my Grandfather John Jenkins an eminent Baptist minister in South Wales. Mrs Jenkins is a member of Mr Gill’s Church at S.t Albans.—I have seen the sequel to Mr Lindsey’s Apology; but he takes no notice of me, so I do not think myself under any obligation to answer him; indeed I lost so much money by my last reply, that I chuse to leave the field open to other advocates; and I have less time for it now, than I had formerly, as I have several young Gentlemen under my care, who engross a great deal of my time: I don’t know whether I sent you the Christian’s strength a Sermon that I published; and the Orthodox Dissenting Minister’s Reasons for applying again to Parliament. — I shall always be glad to hear from you, and pray that God may be with you & go on to do you good. Remember us; at the Throne of Grace particularly. I am D.r Sir, Your affectionate Frd and brother in Christ

                                                               J Jenkins

P.S. Have you seen Medley’s answer to Decorcy? You may see in it some traces of your friend Jenkins; I wrote in conjunction.

Text: Timothy Whelan, Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845 (Macon: Mercer University Press, 2009), pp. 34-36 (annotated version); also Eng. MS. 370, fol. 69, John Rylands University Library of Manchester. On the back page Sutcliff has written, “Rec.d March 28. 1777. Ans.d June 26---.” Others mentioned above include John Jenkins, John Gill, Theophilus Lindsey, and Richard De Courcy.