Samuel Stennett, London, to Benjamin Francis, Horsley, 9 August 1768.

London Augt 9. 1768.

Dear Sir,

         I recd yours of ye 15th of July, and am pained to think you have been so long without an answer. But when I tell you that just as I had recd it, with all the affliction and confusion I was ^then^ in, I had the additional distress of being alarm’d suddenly with the news of my mother’s being siezed wth a paralytic disorder, which hurried me down to her, where I have been most of the time since, you will not wonder. She is thro’ the great goodness of God much better, tho’ great danger of her life was apprehended. I have been overwhelmed with sorrow. Yet with all I dare not repine. Nay I will magnify God, for I have found him to be good. Sudden and complicated as this affliction is, I have no cause to complain. I have deserved infinitely worse at the hand of God. Ah! Mr Robart[?] I cou’d have trusted my life and every thing of this world in his hand. But how sad, how strange! God will however bring light ^I trust^ out of all this darkness. I wait his time. In the mean while it is a great comfort that I have been no way accessory to his failure, and indeed I acct it a happiness, tho’ I feel my loss, that I am a loser by him, but if it had been otherwise, I shd have been obedt to take care of myself. Pray for me, my dear friend, pray much for me that this affliction may be sanctified. My wife, who is with my Mother, is as well as can be expected.

         Your lr I will take care duly to honor. It concerns me to think I have kept you indeed all this while in suspence upon the matter you wrote about. I am well satisfied it is your great concern to act agreeable to the will of providence, and to the glory of God. I think I told you, when we met at Hengoed [Wales], that I had heard just before I left London, that there had been some talk about a person in Nottinghamshire. Upon our return I found he had been two or three Sundays on a visit at Goodman’s fields. He was then in town, and called on me. His name is Booth, a sensible serious man. I understood the people have invited him to spend some time with them. But by ^an^ answer which one of the Deacons had recd from him, & which he shewed ^me^, he had not absolutely determined, but seem’d inclin’d. Whither he comes, or when, I am not yet certain. That matter therefore will take its due course. Shou’d they be agreed, it seems to promise happiness; tho’ indeed I have heard but little concerning it. Had providence opened the way for you, or shd that be the case, I need not tell you what pleasure I shd feel. The hints I dropt to you proceeded from the affection I had fm you, & from an apprehension, if it might be with propriety, that wd conduce to the witness of that people & religion in general. And I am well perswaded you are concerned to follow the leadings of providence, to the guidance of which I more affectionately commend you.

         I beg my best respects to Mrs Francis. Intreating an Interest in your prayers, and wishing you every blessing, I remain

                     Your very affectionate friend

                                             & Bro.

                                                         Saml Stennett

Address: To | The Revd Mr Benj: Francis | at Horsley | near Hampton | Glocestershire

Postmark: 9 August

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