One of Four Known Letters sent by John Stubbs, his daughter, Mary, and son-in-law Thomas Williams, of Kendal, Westmorland, England to his son, Reverend Thomas Stubbs, a Wesleyan Methodist Minister, in the United States of America.
From: John Stubbs Kendal, England
November 15th, 1841
My very dear Children grand children and great grand children.
It is with the greatest pleasure that I sit down to write to you. After many wishes desires and prayers for a Letter from you we wear at last gratified with a Letter from you, when I have seen the Letter carrier week after week enter into s'maney houses and still none for us it made me conclude that something must be wrong. Sometimes I thought you had never got our Letter, and other times I thought of the shortness and uncertinty of Life that you might be gon the way of all Flesh. But thanks be to that kind Hand that has lengthened out your span of existence, and are spared to your family, and to the Church of God.
You cannot know how I long that you may be a great good and useful Teacher of the gospel of Christ Jesus our Lord. The Lord has made you a Blessing to many all ready and if your life should be spared another Twenty Years what good may be accomplished by the Blessing of God for that part of the world where thy lot may be cast. I know that in your youth you had not the advantage of a librel Education Like many in the ministry. Nevertheless it is not the profoundest Logision nor the greatest retrition perhaps that bringeth most souls to God. I am sertain that God has given the a Tallent use it to the glory of the giver. A dispensation of The Gospel is committed to you, and as the apostel of the gentiles saith Woe unto Me if I Preach not the Gospel.
I was gratified with that part of your Letter where you modesty hoped you are not a cumberer of the ground. No God forbid it. Work while it is Day the Night commeth when we cannot work. If you felt the longing [?] which I sometimes feel to liv my life over that I might be of some use to my fellow men. Tho I hope as you say I trust I have not all together been a cumberer of the ground. I know that an Itenerrent preacher has many things to grapple with contrary to flesh and blood, but still there is strength according to our Day. The Christian Minister I considder is a general for king Jesus, and I am sure there never was a Time when there stood more need of faithful disintrested men then at present.
Then my Dear Son cry alloud spare not lift up thy voice as a Trumpet shew the people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. I never had a greater desire to do some good in the World then I have at the present, but my Day is gone I cannot travel as I used to do. I go to MealBank to talk to the people and to UnterBarrow and I have not been at Stavely this summer. In our present [plan] Im [written] down once for that place. If I am spared with life and health till Christmas I shall go to End Moor. I generly stay a few Days, Last year I preached three times while I stayed with them. This last summer I went over to Ranvenstonedale to see your Unkel Thomas. He is a verry feeble Man if he lives till Christmas he will 81 years old.
I went to Sedbergh with John Buterworth in his carr. Stayed all night at Sedbergh and walked to Ravenstonedale. It was our quarter day it was held at Sedbergh our people had a Mission Meeting in Cautley but the Evening being so wet I did not go I stayed all night at Sedbergh. The next morning when I was on the way to Ravenstonedale I met our preacher Jonathan Kershaw. Edward Burket two sons just before the quarter day they had got a letter from their Brother Edward. I met them in Cautley Lane and they read Me his Letter. I assure you I was very much disapointed Because neither you nor your family was not mentioned. He complained having a hard year having many to turn out of [Souty?] but said it would be easier for them that followed him, his Language was I thought, verry fine, he is no common writer so I believe he will be no common Preacher. His brother that is with his father in manchester is astonishing Preacher allreddy. The day after we received your Letter Edward Birkett had been over at Sedbrgh and called at our house he wanted to know if we had got a letter from you, we gave him your letter to read I told him that his son must come to a Merick, as you said if we had any good local Preachers to send them to you, he said that his Sone was often emploied for the Preachers in Manchester, so you may be sure he is ayoung man of Tallent.
When I was in Ravenstonedale your cousin and your father went one day to Kirkby Stephen to see their new Chaple. It is a prity chapel and a sunday scool atatched to it and they have got a nice Methodist Chapel in Ravenstonedale. Such a thing I never expected to see. I preached to them on the Sonday Night. So you see that we made some progress in our land in the midst of the greatest opposihon. In Kendal our opposihon is from the Church. They rob us of our Sonday Schoolers. They have built a fine Sunday Scool close to the Carpet Shop and they intend to drane our Sonday School. We have nothing but opposition in Kendal both with regard to Church and State, but the people in Kendal is as Blue as ever. When will that Day arive when envy and malis shall dye and discord afflict us no more.
I have lately beane reading the Student's guid by the Rev. John Todd Author of Lecters to Children. I red the lecters to Children when I was in manchester, you will recolect in my letter to you that I had bean one month in Manchester. I was pleased with the contents of that Book and am not less so with this. In the 16teene page of student's guide he tells the student that they must calculate on improving through life. He says Newton was in his eighty fifth year improving his Chronology. That givs me some hope that I may yet make some improvements in divinety.
The Revrent Todd says that the Student is more likely to forgett their friends then their friends is to forget them. I feele glad that you have not forgotten us. I admire that Letter a student writes to his widied mother. He portrayd your mother so xactly that it made me weepe, he says there sits my mother on the right of the Table with her knitting and a book before her and now she glances her eyes from the work on Paper to that on her needel now counts the loupes and then puts her eyes to the Book, and starts of for another round. I'll assure you this Natteral letter affected me it is the most natrul letter I have ever read.
I forgot to tell you that Edward Berkitt their Sone is a very promising local preacher. I have herd him at Kendal. If he keeps humble he will be useful in his day. It appears to me that there will be no lack of young men enter into the ministry, and as there is great openings abroad yet still I believe that there will be young men raised up to proclame to the world the uncearchabel [ritch?] of Christ.
I have just been to E Burtons to hear Jabus Letter that they had got from Africa. I thought it would Please thee to hear of his welfare they only got it the other week. But to my surprise he is no more in this world. His Mother did nothing but weepe while I remained with her. I remember thy words in one of your Letters. You were afraid that Jabus was going to a premature Grave. Europians cannot stand the climate of Africk.
Now I ahve to informe you of the Death of Wm. Beadle he died in August In twenty hours confindment of an inflamation in the bowels. His sufferings was great. He died in the Lord. What is our Life it is but as a vaper which appeareth for a little while and vanisheth away.
No father would be more glad to see you and hear you preach then yours but that is not lik to bee. Still keep up the Eunion between God andyour own soul then I know you will be useful to your fellow Men. Use every prudent means to preserve your health. You have a rising Familly to take care of. May the Lord preserve your health and Life, shall be the prayer of your Father.
Your unkl is still living at Bows when he is at home. He was over in summer. His sone William is at Aukland. He has lately lost his employ and has been lying sick but is recovered. He could not have lost his work at a worse time for Trade was never worse. His son Thomas livs in Manchester, he has a little shop and I trust is dowing prity well. When I was there they appeared comfortable. Joseph livs in Aukland nigh his Brother William. Ann and her Husband livs at Prestone, they live very unhapply Mary and her husband live at Stavely. He is one of our local Preachers. He is a verry sensible man.
You ask the question concerning Robert and Rachel with regard to religion, they neither of them Joine the methodists but constantly hear them. Robert is the foreman over all Mr Wakefields works. Isabella is at home. She is verry tender. It is hard work for her to walk to Kendal. Elizabeth and her husband is now living at Staveley. He was the best Bass singer we had in The Methodist Society. They have Two fine Boys as can be seen. Thomas is prentes to Mr Wakefield. He is learning the trade of a couper that is to make powder casks. Young Robert is prentesed to a groser in Prestone. James goes to school. Margret is a fine girle like her sister Bella.
You have not told us any perticl concerning your children. How Isabella is growing in knowledg in stature nor the rest of the Children how they are? we could like to know If your Wife has her health well and what children you have. I could like to hear from you once a quarter while I live. If Mary and her husband would write one quarter and you another I think this might be easly done. As for my selfe I enjoy tolerabel health thank the Lord. My [great?] business is to prepare for another and a better world. I bless God. The sting of Death is gone. I am happy in his love But I want to be filled with all the blessings of God. The Lord Bless you and be with you all and may not one soul of you be wanting when he makes up his Jewels. Amen
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Dear Brother
You See I have not much room left me for what I have to say your father having taken up all the sheet as I have not much good news to tell you theirfor I shall refrain from saying much at present. As regards our trade we never experienced such a year as this. Nothing but distress on every side. Littel trade & what trade we have could not get our money witch makes it more difficulty and more unplesant. But thank God he gave us health and Strength to labour & preserves us in the land of the living.
You made inquirer is I had my organ yeat and if I still played the double Bass yeat. All things is as they were when you left us. I am in the same place in the Singing Seat as usual with the D Bass and the organ is just in the same place but the Singing Seat has regards the people that is in it is much chainged. I think their is non remaing in it but two or three that you know. There is your old friend ned Gregg as we used to call him & the two Germans William & Edward. Ann Wilson continues to Set with us [?] thare A and Ann [Ra------?] praying as usual in the meeting but Ann is often very poorly.
My Wife & me were at Stavley yeasterday Seeing Elizabeth & the children. It is but 3 weeke since they Left us. I felt much at parting with them we got much attached to the Children. They have lived with us more than two years but they are likely to be nicely situated if they have health. They send their kind respects to you all. Rachel was here on Saturday. When we read to her your letter She appeard to be very much put out of the way about Mary not writing to them oftnen. She thinks that Mary has forgot her parents. She might find as much time in 12 months to write to them. She need not shame with her Letters they can reed them very well. Her Mother thinks if she had been in England She might have Spared as much time as to have wrote a letter. Theirfor I hope you will press upon her to write to her Father & Mother as soon as posible and lett them know every particular.
You wanted to know what News would cost in England from America. I belive not more than 2 pence each week. Should glad of the opertunity of Seeing what is going on in your Country. In that way we often See the Christian Advocate through the Medium of Mr Edward Burton.
Your wife's father is still living. He is come to his daughters at Shap. He often talks about you. He his in his 74 year and is very fresh considering his years. JP Farrer wife is dead, was buried only the last weeke. Mrs. Jenings Sister Mrs. Hstwell is dead about 2 months since. Nancey Rigg wishes to be rememberd to you. She has lost her Son William, he died this last Summer. Hanah Matthewed formerly Farrer Sends her kindest love to. She lives in the same yard with us. M Watson lives in the same yard with us. She Sends her kindest respect to you.
Betty Banks wishes to be particularly rememberd to you. She [was?] disapointed you do not Say more about Isabella and So do we all. We Should like to here directly from her. We expect She will be able to do so by this time. We were calculating her Age, we find She will be 19 the next month. Mrs [Hawknegg?] Send her kind Love to you. I must be under the nessity of concluding for want of room. We all join in the kindest love to you all.
You See I have not much room left me for what I have to say your father having taken up all the sheet as I have not much good news to tell you theirfor I shall refrain from saying much at present. As regards our trade we never experienced such a year as this. Nothing but distress on every side. Littel trade & what trade we have could not get our money witch makes it more difficulty and more unplesant. But thank God he gave us health and Strength to labour & preserves us in the land of the living.
You made inquirer is I had my organ yeat and if I still played the double Bass yeat. All things is as they were when you left us. I am in the same place in the Singing Seat as usual with the D Bass and the organ is just in the same place but the Singing Seat has regards the people that is in it is much chainged. I think their is non remaing in it but two or three that you know. There is your old friend ned Gregg as we used to call him & the two Germans William & Edward. Ann Wilson continues to Set with us [?] thare A and Ann [Ra------?] praying as usual in the meeting but Ann is often very poorly.
My Wife & me were at Stavley yeasterday Seeing Elizabeth & the children. It is but 3 weeke since they Left us. I felt much at parting with them we got much attached to the Children. They have lived with us more than two years but they are likely to be nicely situated if they have health. They send their kind respects to you all. Rachel was here on Saturday. When we read to her your letter She appeard to be very much put out of the way about Mary not writing to them oftnen. She thinks that Mary has forgot her parents. She might find as much time in 12 months to write to them. She need not shame with her Letters they can reed them very well. Her Mother thinks if she had been in England She might have Spared as much time as to have wrote a letter. Theirfor I hope you will press upon her to write to her Father & Mother as soon as posible and lett them know every particular.
You wanted to know what News would cost in England from America. I belive not more than 2 pence each week. Should glad of the opertunity of Seeing what is going on in your Country. In that way we often See the Christian Advocate through the Medium of Mr Edward Burton.
Your wife's father is still living. He is come to his daughters at Shap. He often talks about you. He his in his 74 year and is very fresh considering his years. JP Farrer wife is dead, was buried only the last weeke. Mrs. Jenings Sister Mrs. Hstwell is dead about 2 months since. Nancey Rigg wishes to be rememberd to you. She has lost her Son William, he died this last Summer. Hanah Matthewed formerly Farrer Sends her kindest love to. She lives in the same yard with us. M Watson lives in the same yard with us. She Sends her kindest respect to you.
Betty Banks wishes to be particularly rememberd to you. She [was?] disapointed you do not Say more about Isabella and So do we all. We Should like to here directly from her. We expect She will be able to do so by this time. We were calculating her Age, we find She will be 19 the next month. Mrs [Hawknegg?] Send her kind Love to you. I must be under the nessity of concluding for want of room. We all join in the kindest love to you all.
Thos and Mary Williams
The address on the envelope reads:
Rev'd Tho's Stubbs, Poland, Trumbull County, State of Ohio, North America.
Rev'd Tho's Stubbs, Poland, Trumbull County, State of Ohio, North America.
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