John Ryland, Jr., Northampton to John Sutcliff, Olney, 7 March 1792.

My dear Bror

  I wrote the Letter about Thursday last & sent it to W. Law’s, but Mr Bn did not come—I order’d a man to call on Saturday Ev. and see if it was gone, & if not send it by the Newsman—I think you wd have had it on Lord’s Day.

    Bror Dt wanted you or Bro.r Fuller to be here on our Lord’s Supper Day—Bro.r N.n is near to Milton & can preach there at another time—Mr Evans told me you were governed by the Moon in your L. Sup.r—I therefore concluded that the 8.th w.d be your L. Supper Day, and another wished B. Fuller to be here on the 8.th & you on the 1st—As I supposed the 1st was Bro.r F. & H. L Supr Day—I thought this Arrangm.t w.dsuit all best—and told B. F. so—but have not had his Ans.r—I find he is gone to Arnsby & Leicest.r Will let you know as soon as I hear f.mhim—

  In all probability your coming Ap. 1st will be the best Day for you to come. I have sent word to B. Heighton of your not coming next L. day   am glad to hear your good News—May God revive his Cause more & more—If anything comes fm America you shall be very welcome to it—I have nothing yet—Pray for us!

N.B. Your petition must be sign’d not merely by the Chairman—the Committee w.d be glad of a Copy of the Petition & the No of Names

  The House rec.vs  no petitions without more Names than the Chairman— I am

                                       Yrs most cordially

                                                         J Ryland

Text: Timothy Whelan, Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845 (Macon: Mercer University Press, 2009), pp. 58-59 (annotated version); also Eng. MS. 371, fol. 107e, John Rylands University Library of Manchester. William Law joined the congregation at College Lane on 9 April 1773 and died July 1809 (see College Lane Church Book, Northampton, 1781-1801, MS., Northamptonshire Record Office, CSBC 48, f. 185). Others mentioned above include Joseph Dent of Milton, Ryland’s brother-in-law, and William Heighton (1752-1827), Baptist minister at Roade. Ryland is probably referring in this letter to a petition by Sutcliff and his congregation at Olney, or possibly the churches of the Northamptonshire Association, regarding the upcoming debate in Parliament over abolition of the slave trade.