John Ryland, Bristol, to the Revd John Williams, New York, 9 March 1803.

Dear Sir

         The Sistr of Frances Curson has just now called, and tells me she is going to New York –She sd she called by her Sister’s Desire for some Books for you, for wch you had written – What Books she means I cannot guess, never having had the pleasure of receiving a Line from you – But tho I shall have very little time to write I am glad to drop a Letter by this means, and to say how cordially I wish you Success in the Work of the Lord – I will also enclose two or three little things of which I beg your acceptance – I am now busy in preparing for the Lord’s day, & shall be very much engaged on Monday so that I can write but little

         We have lately heard better News than ever from our dear Brethren in Bengal, with whom I find you have been so kind as to correspond – It is a sad disappointment however that no copies of the N. Testamt or even so much ^as^ of the Book of Matthw have yet arrived in England, except one sent by a private hand to Mr Morris, wch he sent to Edinburgh and I had one copy of a N. T. & two Copies of Matth. given me, by a Gentleman who had bro’t them from Inda for himself – 100 Copies of the N. Testament were sent to a ship and Receipts obtained of their Lading but the ship being too full they were return’d, and buried undr Loads of goods at Calcutta for 18 Months, then they were sent by way of America by Captn Hague, but where Captn Hague resides in America we have never been told, nor have we yet heard of the Books – I recd a Letter lately from Bror Carey, sent by America &c so to Waterford in Ireland, on the outside of which was the followg Inscription “New York Decr 25. A Packet is this day forwarded to you via Londn! Your most Ob[edient] Servt John Cauldwell[”] – But no mention was made of the Name of the Ship by wch it was forwarded, nor have I ever heard of the parcel. – These are Very Sad Disappointments indeed. – All this is of little acct to you Dr Sir, but if you know Mr Cauldwell, or Captn Hague, I shall be extremely obliged to you to tell them, how much I regret these misfortunes – May Grace, Mercy & Peace be wth you. I am Dear Sir

                                                         Your cordl Bror

                                                                     John Ryland

North Street Bristol

March 9th

1803

Address: Revd Mr Williams | Pastor of the first Baptist Church | in | New York

Postmark: none

Text: John Ryland Folder, RG no. 1126, American Baptist Historical Society Archives, Atlanta.