William Knibb, near Kingston, Jamaica, to Edward Knibb, Liverpool, 10 December 1829.

Savanna la Mar

December 10th 1829

My dear Brother

        Since I sent you the Letter containing the order for the Testaments, drawn on the Revd Thos Burchell I have heard that the Parcel I mentioned as not received was at Kingston, and have received your Letter containg the Bill from Mr Marples.

         In my last I requested to know whether I could draw for the Sum of money due as left me by Mr Wilson, deducting that part I gave to mother    If that be the case you will please deduct the balance I owe you, and inform me by the next packet, what may remain— My reason of making this request is that at present I have no other means of settling that account, which I wish assuaged, no less for your welfare than my own—My expenses of late have been very heavy, and I shall be happy when I find that you and Mr Marples are paid—

         I am much obliged by your kind sympathy under the persecutions and slanders we have to endure  they are painful, but a gracious God has hitherto given strength equal to the day, and is continually showing us that we are not labouring in vain—His smiles abundantly compensate for the frowns of man

         My health I am happy to inform you is better than it has been, so that I am able to work in the service of my adorable master—It wd afford both me and mine much pleasure to see you, but I can scarcely hope for that enjoyment this side the grave—I know that I am in a dying land, I wish to feel it, and daily prepare for that momentous change, which awaits us all

         Mary is daily expecting an addition to our family she is but poorly, but I hope will have strength to bear the approaching season of trial, and that a kind and covenant keeping God will appear as her succour and Stay—The dear Children are well, you would much like little Catherine could you see her—I have some thought of sending Mr [Lance?] to you, shd providence open a way   He is but sickly, and I think a change would be beneficial to him

         You are aware I believe, that the station I am sent to occupy is entirely a new one    I have many encouragements, and some discouragements—I hope the divine being  will bless my labours, and grant me the happiness of formg a Church here for his glory. Breaking up fallow ground is hard work, and requires patience, may the Lord give me every needful grace. I have now 2 Stations, and another in the mountains— one here and one about 10 miles off. The one in the mountains is 12—When you remember that singing and every other part of the service falls upon me  you will conclude I have not much spare time. I am anxiously looking for another place to preach in, and hope I shall succeed, when my hands and I hope my heart will be full—

         The following will give You some idea of my missy work— 

Sav la Mar Sabbath—Morning prayer meeting at 6. Service at 1/2 past 10 after this Catechise the Slaves from the country—talk with them separately in a plain manner which generally takes till 2 oclock—Service again at 1/2 past 6 in the eveng—We have a prayer meeting every eveng when I am home—Tuesday Evng Singing and Prayr meeting   Thursday Evg public worship—Saturday morng, preach in the mountains next Sabbath I am at my other Station called Fullersfield,  Tis in the country surrounded by estates—but at crop time, I have many slaves come, but now they cannot come so well, as they have so much to do—In fine weather I preach here in the morng and return to Sav la Mar and preach in the eveng    These engagements, with meeting the sick, travelling and study, leaves me not many idle hours.  Often do I think of you, with my other dear relatives when I am travelling through the beautiful and wild scenes of Jamaica and long that for a few hours I could converse with those I love   Here unknown and despised, my mind is sometimes dejected but feeling that I am in the path of duty, I am cheered by the knowledge that God is my protector and friend—He is graciously blessing my efforts, a little Church is already formed and others appear to have received the truth in the love of it—O that the Holy Spirit may descend, and breathe upon the dry bones that they may live

         We are truly concerned to hear of the indisposition of your dear Wife—you mention that the cold of Liverpool is too much for her—Shd she be consumptive, a voyage here wd do her good—Mary is, and she is much better here than when in England—Shd a change be needed I need not say how very happy we shd be to see her, or any other of the family—Kingston wd be the place to come to, and from thence I could easily fetch her here—Fanny used to talk of coming   I wish there was a prospect of that being the case

         Hoping that the divine blessing still assuages you, and with very kind love to you, your partner, Fanny &c in which Mrs K cordially joins

                           I remain  dear Edward

                                                               Your most affectionate Brother

                                                                                                   Wm Knibb

Text: Timothy Whelan, Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845 (Macon: Mercer University Press, 2009), pp. 208-10 (annotated version); also Eng. MS. 344, fol. 77, John Rylands University Library of Manchester.  William Knibb (1803-45) was a BMS missionary to Jamaica (1826-45) and a leader in the effort to end slavery in the British Commonwealth. Edward Knibb (b. 1798) was William Knibb’s older brother who was a member of Raffles's congregation in Liverpool. Thomas Burchell (1799-1846) was aBMS missionary to Jamaica, 1822-46.  John Broadley Wilson served as Treasurer of the BMS, 1826-34. Mary Watkins (b. 1799), formerly of the Broadmead church in Bristol, married William Knibb in October 1824. She died at Waldensia, Jamaica, in 1866. Knibb’s eldest son, William Christopher (b. 1825), died of fever at Refuge, in Trelawney, Jamaica, on 25 July 1837. Ann Knibb (1830-92), William Knibb’s second daughter, married the Rev. Ellis Fray, who pastored churches at Refuge and Kettering, Jamaica. His eldest daughter, Catherine (b. 1827), married a Capt. Milbourne in 1848. She died in Jamaica in 1858. Knibb’s youngest daughter, Fanny (b. 1841), died at Stewarton, Jamaica, in 1861. Several children born to the Knibbs died in infancy. For more on the Knibb family, see John Clarke, Memorials of the Baptist Missionaries in Jamaica (London: Yates and Alexander, 1869) 100, 114-15.