College Lane, Northampton, to the Managers of the Particular Baptist Fund, c/o Joseph Flight, No. 82 Cornhill, London, 25 February 1770.

To the Revd Ministers & to the Gentlemen Managers of

the particular Baptist fund in London worthy and honoured Friends

We the Members of the Church of Christ meeting in Collidge Lane Northampton have been wittness to the Life & Conversation of our Bretheren Benjamin Hartley and John Sandys for above a year Past and we can testify that they have behaved as becomes the Gospel of Christ they have excersized more or less before some of us ever since Lady Day last year & of late they have been more perticulerly excersized in speaking from a text of Scripture Every week we have observed a growth in thear [sic] Spiritual Gifts they have had Comunion [sic] with us all this time they have likewise given an account to us of their first Inclination to the Ministry with which wee ware [sic] Sattisfied [sic] they were both baptised upon a proffesion of Faith & admitted into the particular Baptist church at Tottlebank in Lancashire aboutt [sic] three or four years ago wee would therefore humbley recommend them to your kind notice & beg you would give them some asistance in thear preparatory studies for the sacred work of the Ministry. We are Gentlemen

your affectionate Brethren

& Servants in the Lord

Sign’d in the Meeting House Lord’s Day Feby 25. 1770 by us in Behalf of the whole

Wm Cooper Deacon                         Joseph Dent

John Luck    Deacon                  Wm Grandborough

Tho.s Vaughan                                  Saml Whithead

G. Copeland                                     John Ryland junior

Jos.  Rencher                                     Paul Dadford

Reuben Anchen                                John Ryland Pastor

Jno Copeland

Tubalcain Williams

Jos Holtham

N.B. Our Country Members were not desired to sign it because living out of Town they have not heard them yet. [in J. C. Ryland’s hand]  

Address: To | Mr Joseph Flight | No. 82 | Cornhill | London

Second copy of above letter, largely identical, in the hand of William Cooper.

To the Revd ministers &c to

the Gentlemen managers of the particular Baptist fund in London

Worthy and honoured Friends

We the Members of the Church of Christ meeting in Collidge Lane Northampton have been wittness to the Life & Conversation of our Bretheren Benjamin Hartley and John Sandys for above a year Past and we can testify that thay have behaved as becomes the Gospel of Christ they have excersized more or less before some of us ever since Lady Day last year & of late they have been more perticulerly excersized in speaking from a text of Scripture Every week we have observed a growth in thear [sic] Spiritual Gifts they have had Comunion [sic] with us all this time they have likewise given an account to us of their first Inclination to the Ministry with which wee ware [sic] Sattisfied [sic] they were both baptised upon a proffesion of Faith & admitted into the particular Baptist church at Tottlebank in Lancashire aboutt [sic] three or four years ago wee would therefore humbley recommend them to your kind notice & beg you would give them some asistance in thear preparatory studies for the sacred work of the Ministry. We are Gentlemen

your affectionate Brethren

& Servants in the Lord

Signed in the Meeting House Lords Day Feb.y 25.  1770.  by us in behalf of the whole

Wm Cooper  Deacon                                                      Joseph Dent

John Luck Deacon                                              Wm Grandborough

Tho.s Vaughan                                                                Saml Whithead

G. Copeland                                                                   John Ryland junior

Jos.  Rencher                                                                   Paul Dadford

  Reuben Anchen                                                  John Ryland

Jno Copeland

Dubalcain Williams

Jos Holtham

Address: To | Mr John Robinson | Stationer | Horsley-down | London  

Text: MS. II.a.10.(36, 37), Congregational Library, London.  Above letter is in the hand of Joseph Dent.