| Title: | Cox, John to Forsythe, John Jr, 1799 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4899 |
| Collection | John Forsythe Letters |
| File | forsythe/10 |
| Year | 1799 |
| Sender | Cox, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Oxmead, New Jersey, USA? |
| Destination | Westtown, Co. Chester, Penn., USA |
| Recipient | Forsythe, John Jr |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | friends |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 585 |
| Genre | change of profession, account of his niece, religious commentary, philosophising |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Dear Friend Oxmead, 10 mo. 13th, 1799 Thy letter of the 11th, met me in a barren land, and proved as a Brook by the way: the more so, perhaps, as I hardly had flatter'd myself with such a testimony of thy affectionate rememberancee; and it is rather from a desire to let thee know my sense of it, than from any qualification I feel for much communication. I was pleas'd to hear of thy late relaxation from mental labour, and that its effect was such as to invigorate with renewed cheerfulness again to enter the Vineyard. While I cherish a desire for a blessing on the Fruits of the Earth, that thy "Fields may yield their increase, a secret aspiration arises to Him who graciously dispenses "the former and the latter Rain" in its season that he may also continue to favour his little Heritage within your walls, with "the dew of Hermon that the dew that descended on the Mountain of Zion, may be their portion, and rest on their tender branches! Thy account of my exercised Niece, is grateful: her early dedication to the openings of superior duty has, I trust, already been attended with such conseqences as will furnish her, at. times, will: cause of humble rejoicing, and enable her to bear up, under the trials which may yet await her—In her, and some others, who have been call'd out of Families, scarcely known in Israel, is fulfilling the declaration of the Prophet—"One shall say, I am the Lord's; and "another shall call himself by the name of Jacob: and another shall "subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by "the name of Israel." I have little knowledge of either of thy present helpers; of one, from the transient observations during my last visit, which made an impression rather favourable: and of the other, only from report. The whole scope of thy meaning, respecting the qualifications which Tutors should hare, I think I am at no loss to comprehend; those are likely to give, or to secure, permanency:—without them, the mind is tempted to be continually on the wing, till at length we are fitly compared to Birds of Passage; yet, to either of these valuable young men, I have no allusion. Having heard, some weeks ago, that E.L. was with you, and that his wife was in the capacity of a Teacher among the Females, I was surprised at the uncertainty intimated in thy Letter, respecting him. I sincerely and affectionately wish an increase of thy Faith, that the benign and gracious Author of the work to which thou hast put thy hand, will yet supply all that is lacking—Many occasions occur, thou well knowest, where we have nothing else to lean upon: and sometimes, when we are quietly resigned to walk thereby, more than by sight, it has been increas'd to our humbling admiration— In a measure of this precious cement, which has, in time past, made us near to each other, and wrought a willingness to bear a portion of each others burden, I salute thee—intreating thee still to exercise that holy patience which has so often center'd thy mind in serenity and quiet, looking unto him who weighs the Mountains of Opposition in Scales,—and the Hills of difficulty and discouragement in a Balance, that so, when he is pleased to manifest himself for our help, he may have all the glory' Thy affect.J.Coxj Addressed John Forsythe—Weston |
