John Ryland, [Bristol], to Andrew Fuller, [Kettering], 14 March 1815.

My dear Bro.r

         When I sent off my last Letter, I had just seen that Bogue & Bennetts Letter, was just in the Evang.l Magaz. but had scarcely time to look at it, & no time to hear how it struck other people – Upon a review of it, I must say I question whether I was well done to refuse inserting it, as it will now be seen by multitudes, who will never see the reply to it – I am still more apprehensive that the mode of returning it, just saying it had been shewn to you & to me, & was inadmissable, was not quite the thing – It was hardly justice to me, to give no more answer, after what I had written, w.ch was also refused insertion, as it will lead people to conjecture that I felt very differently from what I actually did – tho’ I sh. have no objection to have had you mention your additional grounds of complaint respecting the subseq.t Volumes, beyond what I recollected – You will I hope in your reply, admit that I had granted that I had allowed I saw nothing to complain of, in Bennett’s Chapt.r in the first Vol. &c &c – I think also, it was not best, to avoid hinting at the fault of your printer in putting 91 instead of 19 – this ought to have been stated, when the letter was returned to them –

         I find many readers minds are hurt and grieved, upon seeing this, and on being informed the B.s refused to admit, what appears upon reading it, to be tolerably dispassionate – Many blame both sides, and think the 2 Magaz.s suited to stirr up ill-blood and animosity among professors of the same Gospel, & expect it to increase to more and more ungodliness – Some unconverted people are troubled and prejudiced exceedingly, and say there is nothing but spleen, and jealousy and enmity among us all – You will complain if I talk of a cloven foot, but I wish to my soul, the Spirit of God were more evident on both sides, or on either side –

         If I say any more about mixed Communion it will be only to tell you one thing, which I forgot to mention before, viz.  That when Mr  Lindeman was here, I was Very Careful what I said to him – and when Mr Richardson proposed to him that he should get me to write a remonstrance to Dr M. &c and let it be signed by me, Isaac James, himself and some more in Bristol, I took care to set aside the proposal, as only suited to set them disputing among themselves at Calcutta & Serampore, which I was as anxious to avoid as you could wish me to be. – I c.d not consistently say to Lindeman, that I tho’t them right, but I pleaded their right to judge for themselves.  I will enclose you a letter from Johns which I rec.d last week upon receiving which I wrote to him very nearly in the words, and exactly in the strain in which you wished me to write to him. –

         Have you seen Robinson’s Posthumous Works, published by Ben. Flower – 1812?  Some things are admirable, but on that account I fear what is far otherwise will be the more likely to do mischief among young people – Do you know to whom Flower refers in his preface vii, viii. as preaching ag.t Robinson at the B.t Associat.n in Essex?

         Have you seen the Voice of Yours, respecting Huntingdon?  My nearest Neighbour expected I sh.d be much pleased with it – I cannot say I was – I felt dissatisfied that it never traced the glaring inconsistency of the Man to any widr Source.   There must be some [Greek letters] some first false principle – or the same fountain c.d not send forth salt water & fresh – This is scarcely touched upon by the Old Disciple – I do not want positively to judge any Individual, but Rom. vii. 7 leads me to suspect the man to be altogether carnal whose mind is enmity ag.t the Law & tho Huntingdon might insist on its strictness, he never to my knwl. maintain’d its goodness & justice. 

         I recommenced Lect.s at 7 on the 1.st of March – and as we have sev.l new Stud.ts I began your Body of Div. again last Tuesday, I read the 2.d Letter this morning – what you say respecting the Atonem.t as according to the Ideas of some, being rather an Atonement made to Man, for the severity of the Law, than an Atonem.t made to God, for the Sin of violating it bro’t to my mind some blasphemous verses made by J. Wesley on read.g Dr Ridgely on partic. Redempt.n  “Good God that any child of thine, So horribly should think of thee, Lo all my hopes I here resign, If all may not find Grace in thee If Fury can in thee take place, Empty it on my helpless head, Cut off, exclude me from thy Grace, Unless for all the Savior bled.  If all may not thy mercy claim, On me the vengeful Bolt let fall, Take Back my portion in the Lamb, Unless the Savior died for all.”  

         I have written out an excell.t Serm. by Jonathan Edw.ds at the ordination of Mr Jonathn Judd, & sent it up to the Magaz.  If they will not print it, you may have it if you please, as I have a Copy which my son transcribed from a printed Copy which I borrow’d of Dr Stuart when I was in Scotland, and returned to him.  Could you hint to Mr J. Hall the propriety of his subscribing to the Academy where he was educated? – We unite in cord.l Love to your self Mrs Fuller & all friends.

                                 yrrs  affectionately

                                             John Ryland

March 14th

1815

I am very well pleased wth Joseph Phillips, but have heard nothing of the young man from Birmingham –

Text: NLW MS. 14348D, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. Main portion of the address page below Fuller's name has been covered up.