John Tommas of Pithay church, Bristol, to his parents at Skipton, 27 November 1757.

Bristol  Novbr 27 1757

Dear Parents

         Am sorry that my long Silence who.d give any trouble however shall endeavour to make it up by writing more frequently. I have to tell you we are all well and have been ever since I writ to you before. The continuance of your health gives real pleasure to us may God help you to Improve it. The affairs of our Church is near the same my work is great but there is sufficient strength in him that head in all things to the Church. Old Mr. Beddom left this world about a month ago  we are as far from meeting with one to help me as ever but hope God will keep us in the way of duty.  You by this time want some help I have on the other side desired M.r Jackson to let you have one Round ten shilling till I come which I hope will be in the begining [sic] of the Summer. My Wife joines me in love & duty and our grown son &c

                                                                        Jo.n Tommas

Text: Timothy Whelan, Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845 (Macon: Mercer University Press, 2009), pp. 7-8 (annotated version); also Eng. MS. 371, fol. 122, John Rylands University Library of Manchester. Also included in this folder are some writings by Tommas in Hebrew, sent to Alvery Jackson (1700-63) at Barnoldswick. Tommas’s desire for an assistant would be met shortly after the date of this letter, when James Newton (1733-89), a member at Maze Pond in Southwark, arrived in early 1758. See “Sketch of the Life of the Late Rev. John Tommas, Pastor of the Baptist Church in the Pithay, Bristol,” Baptist Annual Register, 4 vols. (London: Dilly, Button, Thomas [and others], 1790-1802), 3: 313-19.