Ditton, June 12.
My dearly Beloved and longed for in the bowels of Christ, Companion in tribulation, and Fellow-citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem.
I INDEED take shame to myself that I did not answer your letter before, but I waited to see if God would make way for me to come, and indeed I have been very hardly worked. Last Saturday I preached at Battersea, Sunday forenoon and afternoon at the Adelphi, in the evening for Dr. G., next day in Oxfordroad, Tuesday at Richmond, Wednesday at Hammersmith, and last night at Ditton, and now this day, being Friday, is a day of rest to me, and I cheerfully sit down to write to you; and I think if my dear and loving Lord permit it, to be with you next Thursday evening to preach. Let it be late, that the poor working men may have time to come, for I love to preach to them, for I know what hark work is. I believe there is one Mr. H. preaches that way, give my love to him if you see him, for he is dear to me.
Dear sister in the Lord, I hope you will find the work revived in your soul, now you are out of your hurry. Oh! my dear soul, how cold is the love of many grown to the ever-blessed Lord, how much clinging to the world. Oh! my dear Lord and Saviour, what hast thou done, or what is thy crime that the world despise thee, and the church forget thee so? Is it not thou that bled, and died, to redeem our souls from hell? Is it not for us that thy garments were red like him that treads the wine-vat? Then why, my dear Lord, art thou so lightly esteemed among us? Surely we have rendered thee evil for thy good will to the disquietude of thy soul, and have set up idols, and played the harlot with other lovers, and let them have harbour in our affections. O Lord, forgive our idolatry, and adultery, and keep the throne of our hearts.
I hope we shall have you for our neighbour soon, God willing. My three children are all ill with the hooping-cough, and my wife gives her love to you. I will be down on Thursday as soon as I can; may the Lord come with me. Amen, so I conclude.
Your very weak andunworthy brother in Christ,
W. HUNTINGTON.
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