Joseph Stennett (II), Exeter, to Thomas Holder, Leominster, 25 September 1721.

Exon Sept 25th 1721

My Dear & Hond Bro:

         Thro’ the Divine goodness I am brought wth my Family safe to this place. And here I am amidst many doubts & fears Tryals & Temptations, waiting at the foot of God & thro’ mercy (amazing mercy to so vile a worm!) not without some hope yt ye Lord will use me in his Service, which I account my greatest honour. You find by the other side that I have consented to ye Church’s solemn Call. And this (my Dear Bro:) I have done with fear & trembling nor shou’d I have consented to an ordination so soon, but that ye extremity of this Church’s circumstances seem to call for a speedy Settlement. In my absence from this place I find the infectious Arrian [sic] Heresy has gotten some ground, & the Enemy has sewn tares while men slept.  So that we have appointed next Wednesday for solemn fasting & Prayer with a design than solemnly to admonish those that have departed from the faith, as the first step of Gospel Discipline in this Case. And therefore my Friends here press my Ordination and speedily as may be, that things may be the more regularly & fully sett in order.

         Now (my dear Friend) give me leave in the most earnest ^manner^ to press you to accept the Church’s invitation to assist on this solemn Occasion of setting apart a poor unworthy insufficient Creature to so honourable & difficult a Service. I know the way is very far, & you will be apt to say it wou’d me more proper to apply to neighbouring Ministers. But as I know you are a man yt will hear reason – I will offer one or two yt perhaps may have some weight. I grant the way is far: but can we go too far to serve our Blessed Lord & his Cause. And can there be any Danger in a Journey where we leave reason to expect God will be with us. As to neighbouring Ministers they have but little knowledge of me & I of them: & the little knowledge I have of some of them has lett me see yt new notions & practices so much prevail yt I am afraid – & so is ye Church too. Now my Dear Bro: as I know you so you do in some measure know me & are my Pastor to who so proper to be concern’d. And yt the Consideration of any Difficulty arising from any concern with you may be remov’d we design no other Person but Bro: Fosket who I hope will likewise comply with the Church’s request. Now Sr I beg you will consider what a difficult work a poor young weak & inexperienc’d man is entring upon and of wt considerable service some of your prudent advice may be at this time. How necessary to do all you can to strengthen my hands & wt an encouragement it will be to me to have such in whom I am so entirely satisfied assisting on this Solemn Occasion.

         I need not tell you that the Charge of your Journey will be honourably defray’d. As to a supply in your room during your absence I have engaged Bro: Kitterell (who is at present here) to consult wh Dr Bro: Fosket that it may be some way suitably provided for. The time you are at Liberty to fix as well be most convenient for your self. And now my Dear Bro: I humbly beg you in the Bowells of the Lord Jesus to favour me so far as to comply with this Request. In so doing I hope you will meet with the Divine Presence; & I doubt not but all your Trouble will be abundantly rewarded by the Great Master of Assemblys. As you will lay a very strong obligation on

                     Dear Sir,

                                 Your most affectionate Bro: in ye bonds of ye Gospel

                                                         Jos: Stennett

My Spouse & Sister join with me in Xtian Love to you & your wife & daughter & all our Dear friends with you.

Direct for me in Gandy’s Lane Exon pr via Glocester

The Church of Christ in Exon Baptized on Profession of ffaith to the Church of Christ in Leominster of the same faith & order sendeth Christian Salutation

Beloved in our Lord Jesus

         It having Pleased the Wisest Sovereign disposer of all things, for some yeares past to take to himself our Hond & dearly Beloved Pastor Mr Richard Sampson: our Condition since that time hath been very deplorable, & tis the Lords Great Mercy wee have not been broken, scattered, & our Church State dissolved: Wee have made severall Attempts towards a Settlement, but all our Endeavors that way proved Ineffectual, till it pleased God (in Answer wee hope to many Prayers put up to him) to fix our Views on our Hond & Worthy Brother Mr Joseph Stennett, whome (after having sett apart a solemn day of fasting & Prayer) wee unanimously called to take the Pastorall Care of us; whose heart it hath pleased our Good & gracious God to Incline to Accept our Call, & to take the oversight of our Souls: Now forasmuch as our Worthy Brother aforesaid is a Member in Communion with you, wee thought wee could doe noe lesse than Entreat your Consent to Part with him, & give him up to us: which we Earnestly desire you will doe, & hasten your Answer to us with all the Expedition possible, that wee may proceed to the Ordination of our Brother, that soe the House of God may bee sett in Order, & wee may sitt downe together at the table of the Lord, & partake of his daintyes; a Priviledge wee have been long deprived of & that wee hope wee greatly long for: & whereas tis that desire of our Brother Stennett that your Hond Pastor Mr Thomas Holder may assist at his Ordination, together with our Hond Bro Foskett, whose assistance wee shall also Intreat: wee hope you will both give us your Consent, & Endeavor to Prevail with him to assist in Soe necessary a Worke: The Journey wee acknowledge is Long, but the Consideration tis the Cause of our dear Lord, & the Cordiall Affetcion hee beares to our Worthy Brother, wee trust will carry him chearfully through the difficulty: wee have not further to add, but committing you to the Lord & the Word of his Grace, Wee Remaine

                                 Your Breth: in the faith & fellowship of the Gosple

Signed at our Church Meeting the 24th day of the 7th Month 1721   William Hodgland

                                                                                                         Thomas Seek

                                                                                                     Richard Sampson

                                                                                                         George [?]

                                                                                                         Roger Elliott

                                                                                                         Benj: Heath

                                                                                                         Abell Daggo

                                                                                                         Sam: Spurway

                                                                                                         Jno Scott

                                                                                                         Wm Palmer

                                                                                                         Wm Newman

                                                                                                         Moses Rigdon

                                                                                                         Simon Fowden

                                                                                                         Ebenezer Dobnam

                                                                                                     John Pudner

                                                                                                         ?

                                                                                                         Matt Parsons

                                                                                                         John Baker

P.S.

Dear Brethren,

         I thought it proper to add my consent to the Letter above from the Church wch with my Xtian Love concludes from –

                     Your affectionate unworthy Bro: in our blessed Lord

                                                         Jos: Stennett

Address: To | Mr Thomas Holder | in | Leominster | Herefordshire | pr via Bristol | & Glocoster

Text: NLW MS. 11095E, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.