Anne Hutton

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Long letter in which Anne Hutton expresses her appreciation for Chase and her continued prayers for his well-being and success.

Date

10-6-1827

Keywords

Dr. Ward, Lord Kenyon, Mrs. Vany, Mr. Vany, Mr. Marsh, Colchester

Transcript

Colchester

Oct’r 6 - 1827

Rev’d and very dear Bishop Chase,

Your valuable epistle received in Jan’y would not have remained so long unanswered had I been able to send you a letter of thanks free of [expense] — At the present time Dr. Ward has kindly offered to send them to Lord Kenyon to be franked; & I sincerely rejoice in an opportunity of rendering you my very grateful thanks for thus remembering unworthy me. Your letter gave me great joy & I doubt it is not among the least of his mercies, & may [?]grant that the acquaintances & communication with one of his most faithful & diligent & self denying ministers, may [bend] to his glory, & my present & eternal welfare. In your dear letter, you chide me a little for entertaining so high an opinion of you, & for expressing that opinion so warmly, but do remember our dear Bishop, that when I this think & speak, I am instantly led to wonder & adore the [reaches] of his grace who [thus] maketh you to differ; I know it is only the free grace of our Covenant God — & I am led to see what Divine grace can effect, & to pray that a larger measure may be poured onto us [on] me. I cannot think too highly of you dear Bishop Chase, when I think of you, I am led to love God in Christ more — I love those not only for what He has done, & I trust will do for me the chief of sinners, but I love Him for what He does for fellow sinners. And what great things has He done for Ohio, & its venerable & dear Bishop Chase. Do not chide me anymore for thinking too highly of you — Grace [clarified] your heart — Grace led you to see that you were poor, & miserable, & blind & naked — Grace led you to the blood of [?]. Grace led you to see the duty of denying self & I may add the felicity of it — and to rich & [sovereign] grace of our Heavenly Father, I attribute all the zeal, thro humility & the love you possess — He has filled you with his spirit, & He enables you to bring forth such rich fruits — I may then think highly of you, because you are the workmanship of our Heavenly builder — I may thus express my opinion, because all your “holy desires, all your good counsels, & all your just works proceed from the Grace of every good & perfect gift — & for ever will I bless Him for advising you up — & forever will I bless Him for the privilege of your acquaintance. Only do pray dear Bishop that if He has begun the good work on my [?] heart, he will compleat [sic] it — I desire to sit at the foot of the Cross, and living & dying my prayer shall be, “God be merciful to me a sinner” — Jesus make me whole, make me clean in the all purifying blood — Your letters have dear Bishop been I hope blessed to the good of my Soul — they have led to be more humble on account of my sins, & they have taught me to feel concern for the Souls of others — pray continue to write when opportunity occurs — do not mind about a frank, I will pay any thing for them, I must love you, I do pray for you — yea I pray that our Covenant God may richly supply all your wants & spiritual & temporal — give you good success in all your labours on earth, & an abundant entrance into his Heavenly Kingdom. Oh what joy to meet round the throne of the Lamb, & praise Him for Redeeming love, & for Regenerating & Sanctifying grace — I hope I shall arrive there, but I sometimes fear. I have for the last two months been seriously ill with a bilious fever, which prevents my being able to five you much information respecting Col’r friends; but very dear Bishop, I must tell how thankful I am for my illness — for I hope it has led me nearer to God, & taught me that all here is vanity & vexation of spirit; I suffered much for a time, but it has been good for me that I have been afflicted — yes, & I could say when lying on my sick bed that all the paths of Jehovah are mercy & [health] — yes, the path of sickness as well as health — that of adversity as well as prosperity — His chastisements are in love, therefore my prayer is that I may never despise them, nor faint under them. “I will praise Him for all that is past,” “I will trust Him for all that’s to come.” I have no wish to take myself out of his hands — may He always direct my steps — may He order all my goings — may He & He alone be my [portion] while a Pilgrim here, & may I ‘ere long be in that Land where sin & sorrow are unknown. It is only “In his presence that there is fulness of joy — it is only at his right hand that there are pleasures forevermore.” find that my Sister has given you a full account of every number of our family, with the exception of dear Mrs [Vany] — we have just received delightful tidings of her, her Husband, & their two sweet boys — my dear Sister is in excellent health; she does not suffer in the least from climate. Mr. Vany is a faithful and diligent Labourer in his Master’s vineyard, & he says God has in mercy blessed his work & labour of love. They still sigh for Old England, & their daily prayer is that in the Lord’s time they may have a pittance in their native Land — but they are content at present to leave all they loved here, & to do & suffer his will in a strange country. My dear Sister desires her love to you, she says she will write the first opportunity, she never forgets you at a [Throne] of Grace. My dear Mamma also desires her love to you, & many thanks for your letter — she says she does not like to trouble you with one, or she would write now. You will be sorry to hear that dear Mr Marsh has been very ill — he has hurt his Lungs with preaching, & for the last three months he has not once addressed his flock; indeed he cannot even converse [quickly] without suffering — he hopes in a few Sabbaths more to be able to preach once a day. I think in Him patience has its perfect work. He knows there is one can give him strength for his labours, & that he will when the affliction has answered the end for which it is sent. To him it is a great trial, as his delight was in preaching the Gospel. We must never inquire “what does [?], but be still, remembering He is God. And now my dear & good Bishop Chase, I must bid you farewell, I am not yet quite well, and am not allowed to write much. To the care of your Heavenly Shepherd, I [commend] you, your Wife, & children — may his blessing rest upon you all in time & in eternity

Yr very grateful & affec’te young friend

Anne Hutton

Letter to Philander Chase

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