plp 33-5-27
Wednesbury, Jan 16,1816
My dear Jonathan,
Hannah has spent her Christmas vacation at Bury and
Haslingden, but was to return to Prescott last Saturday. We have had her
Master here some days, and he preached for us several times. He speaks very
highly of her.
I shall be very glad to hear from Mr. Lemon. I think it
will hardly be worth while to give Coke's Life to Mr Bradburn but do as you
please with it. Get your own copy put into Boards without delay.
I have no objection to you studying French when you can
find nothing more important in which to employ yourself. but you must
remember, that no person can get all knowledge; and therefore we must
select such branches as are most important and necessary. And whatever you
take in hand endeavour thoroughly to master it. French will an ornamental, and
perhaps an useful accomplishment. I am sorry that you have not attended your
class of late. Negligence of this sort is too often sign of the declensions,
or at least leads to and it is much easier to lose ground in religion than to
regain it. Constancy, steadiness, & perseverance in piety , are what you
should especially --- at. To rush with vigour for a season, and then to follow
afar off, and then to stir up again , is not the best plan. By lukewarmness
and negligence you lose that what you gain by diligence and zeal; and what is
worst, the mind get unhinged, and when it is so, temptation find and easy
entrance.
Besides, that unsteadiness be not conquered, it will
infallibly lead in the end to absolute apostasy. You must cleave to the Lord
with purpose of heart; give all diligence to make your calling and election
sure; and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. I you do not
look to this great business yourself, and practically and experientially
secure the one thing needful, no other person can do for you; and it
will be to little purpose that others attempt to draw or drive you on the
road. Improve your plan and guard constantly and effectually against what have
repeatedly injured you. It is for your safety and happiness in time and
eternity. If you would attend prayer meetings, & exercise them, I think it
would be of greater service to your mind. Break through; take up your cross,
and it will soon cease to be a cross; while the benefits resulting from it
will be great & lasting.
I enclose you a pound note. But I again expect it , that
you must study & practice frugality. Take care of your clothes, and do not
waste your time and shoes by unnecessary tramping about the city. Over much
curiosity will do you little good, and will tend to defeat your mind and to
promote other evils.
I send you some more of the Cynders from the Iron Furnace.
If there was great demand for this composition of the dross of Iron, Coals,
and Lime, I would send a box full if and persons would agree to pay the
carriage.
You might write again with the Books.
My best respects to Mr Lemon and family, your Cousin, Mr
Knise, Mr Cordeux, and any of the Preachers, or their Wives, who may ask after
me, and Mrs. Carter.
I remain, your affectionate Father
Jon Crowther
plp 33-5-28
Wednesbury May 4,1816
My dear Jonathan,
Being obliged to return the chief part of the magazines for
May, on account of a blunder in the stitching, I have one more opportunity of
writing to you without the expense of postage.
Your two new waistcoats are made; your shorts are making;
and your stockings are preparing. And yesterday, when I was at Mr Adam's
shops, I saw some very nice fine buff coloured cloth. I had noticed it several
times before; but yesterday I perceived it was reduced to a few yards. I
looked and looked, but thought I could not afford to purchase it. But young Mr
Adams urged me to take as much as would make you a suit. He would throw off 1
shilling 6 pence per yard, & trust me till after the Conference. It is
narrow cloth but will look like a fine broadcloth when made up. At length I
consented, & he cut of 6 yards. Miss Hallow starts for London on Monday
morning, but as she will come by Dunstable, she will not reach London before
Thursday. She wishes you to pay some attention to her in getting a seat at
Chapel, & she offered to make you two shirts grabs, upon condition you
should be informed that is upon condition you should be what she called her
Beau while in London, by taking her to Chapel. She is a very ste---, honest,
and industrious person. She will bring you a parcel.
I hope you have written to Hannah ling since she has been
very much tried by your neglect.
Mary has had a misfortune. She has strained the back sinews
of her right leg, and has been at home a fortnight, hopping about sometimes
upon one and at other times upon tow sticks. She is slowly mending; but it is
likely to be a tedious affliction. Your Mother and the rest of them are much
as usual. Jane had begun to go to school, and Joshua accompanied her several
days. One day he got all Mrs. Sadbur's boarders down upon their knees while he
was officiating Minister in prayer.
I know not how it will answer, but I shall send you
trimmings along with the cloth. I thought I could get them cheaper than you
could. If your Taylor will make you cloaths, perhaps some other will. Mr
Prendergrass of Cloth-FAir, is a Taylor & local Preacher. But if no body
will make them, perhaps some person will measure you and the you can send the
measure & the cloth and trimmings by coach, & we will get them made
here, which will perhaps be cheaper than in London. Take care they be not
spoiled, & make your cloaths last as long as possible.
Remember me kindly to Mr & the two Miss Lemon's in
which your Mother joins. Remember me to your Cousin, Mr Knise, 7 any andy of
the Preachers or their wives, who may inquire after me. In twelve weeks will
be the Conference.
"The year rolls round & steals away,
The breath that first it gave,
Whatever we do, where e'er we be.
Were traveling to the grave"
May we ever hear this in remembrance, and pass the time of
our sojourning here in humbleness and fear; in self-denial, cross-bearing,
general holiness, Prayer and watchfulness.
I remain
your affectionate Father
Jon Crowther
PS I enclose you a pound note. I suppose I shall be obliged
to send another with the cloth, to pay the making. Here I can have a suit made
for myself for 15 shillings.
plp 33-5-29
Wednesbury, May 7,1816
My dear Jonathan,
I was glad to learn by Mr Knise that you take an active
interest in favor of the Missions. And I should have been more abundantly
rejoiced to have been informed, that you were giving diligence to make your
own calling and election sure; and that as proof of this, you diligently
attended every means of grace, and your class meeting especially, and that at
last you had yielded to my repeated entreaties; and frequently exercised in
prayer meetings. Till I learn that you act thus, as well as constantly attend
your class, I do not expect ever to ----- that you are doing well, fully
speaking, and shall ever be afraid of hearing something worse & still
worse concerning you. You are of that composition, that if you do not actively
and zealously serve God, you will decline more and more and at last serve a
different Master.
I was glad to learn from Mr Entwisle that several of you
employ part of your evening in endeavoring to improve yourselves in learning.
And see that is very well in its place; but neither French, nor Hebrew, nor
anything else, will serve as a substitute for righteousness & peace and
joy in the Holy Ghost; for union and communion with God; for Christ dwelling
in the heart by faith with a life wholly devoted to him. I shall be very much
moved should I be spared to come to London, if I hear that you are following
Christ afar off, and seldom attend you Class, except when dragged thither like
a bear to the stake. But if I could learn that you possessed something like
what you had at Woodhouse School and that you attended in Prayer Meetings etc,
my joy would would be great. Pray more and more earnestly in private &
that will give motion to the rest of the machinery.
Remember me kindly to Mr Lemon and the two Misses and all
who inquire after me.
I remain ,
Yours affectionately,
Jon Crowther
plp 33-5-33
Manchester July 31,1815
Dear Jonathan,
I received your letter by Mr. Entwisle, I shall endeavour
to answer your questions.
At my own request, I am down for Norwich. This will be much
nearer to you, and you may come very cheap by water to see us. only takes a
few hours.
Mr Mcnicol stays at Stockport and Mr Townley succeeds me.
There is no single man, as some of the Circuit is given to Ashton. The new
Preachers for London East are Mr Thomas Wood and Mr John Daires.
My colleague is Mr Beckwith.
Mr barber is our President. The were some votes for me, Mr
Gaulten, Mr Moore, and Mr Reese.
I have finished writing the life of Dr. Coke and it is all
gone to the Leeds. Nothing has been said about it in the Conference. Nine
members of it are out.
The work is goes off very well. There were nine hundres
------, before the preachers opposed it, and there are thirteen hundred.
I lodge near Oldham Street Chapel, but you do not know the
house or people.
Your mother and Hannah are very busy, and therefore have
not time to write.
Mr Bunting is our Secretary. We have a very full
conference.
Walk circumspectly. redeem the time. Cleave to the Lord
with purpose of heart. Continue in prayer and watch in same with thanksgiving.
I am
Your affectionate Father
Jonathan Crowther
plp 31-7-8
Mr. Everett My dear brother
Please excuse the liberty I now take in dropping a line to to you. I write
to you by the earnest request of the Haslingdon Sunday School Committee to
respectively and earnestly encite and press you to come to Haslingdon on the
17th of September and preach two sermons for the benefit of the Sunday School
service at 2 & 6 in the afternoon. They wish it then because there will be
a moon, but if the Sunday before suits you better, come then rather than not
at all. Come you must but if you please I beg you will as it is so much
desired, and by so doing you will greatly oblige your humble friend and
brother.
Robert Crowther
Haslingdon Aug 23,1826
Sept 17th if you possibly can!
plp 31-4-8
3 Chester Place Lambeth 24th Sept 1844
Rev. and Dear Sir,
I forward the accompanying letter for your information.
Of course, if the opinion of the N. Wales Financial District Meeting be
acted on , there will remain a vacancy, in the Northern Branch of the
Institution, to be supplied.
Believe me,
Yours with affection
Jonathan Crowther (this man is son of Timothy Crowther and nephew of other
Jonathan Crowther who died in 1823).
plp 31-4-7
3 Chester Place Lambeth Sept 10,1844
Rev. and Dear Sir,
The note from Brother Arthur, conveying your direction that the mistake on
the printed minutes, as to the year in which the general collection for the
Education Fund is re required to be made, should be corrected by a letter to
the Chairman of each district, and also by advertisements in the
"Watchman" and on the cover of the Magazine, did not reach me until
this morning, in consequence of being addressed to my former residence.
In reply thereto, I beg to say that your direction has been in part
anticipated, a copy of the accompanying circular having already been forwarded
to every District Chairman, and that advertisement, of which you have copy on
the other side, has been forwarded to W. Gauhep for insertion in the
"Watchman" of tomorrow.
The same advertisement, if you approve fit , may be published on the cover
of the magazine for October.
Believe me, Rev. Dear Sir
Yours very respectively,
Jonathan Crowther
The Rev. Jabez Bunting D.D.
plp 31-4-4
Nov 10,1845
My dear Brother,
I hope you will be able to attend the Missionary Meeting at Brixton Hill on
the Friday evening next. You can go and return by Omnibus, there being a
regular commication between Grace Church and Brixton Hill every 1/4 quarter of
an hour.
Please write to me without delay and believe me
Yours truly,
Jonathan Crowther
Rev W. Arthur
plp 31-4-5
Frodsham 1st February 1822
Dear Sir,
My brother recently returned from London having informed
me that you promised him to write me a letter of which he should be the
bearer, and having since myself heard nothing from you, I am induced to think
, either that such a letter, already written, has somewhere in London (perhaps
at the “Book-Room” or at Longman’s) without much chance of being
forwarded, or otherwise, that the promise, though made in all sincerity, has
not, since it was given, in any leisure moment, occurred to your remembrance.
Of this promise I am the more
anxious to remind you, as my brother thinks I have reason to expect in that
letter the favour of your opinion & advice, with respect to the proposed
publication of a separate
pamphlet on the subject which has recently
introduced me to the honour of your correspondence, and to which I am
desirous of doing further justice, by the employment of all such means of
information as more particular research & enquiry may bring within my
compass, and by a full &
distinct consideration of every argument & objection ( on both sides of
the question) which I may be able to discover, as well as further, by an
application of the result to the subject of Missionary charity &
enterprise.
This will be a task, which estimated by the time &
labour to be expended on it , will be, to one circumstanced as I
am, of considerable magnitude; and which form the character of the
discussion, cannot be expected to produce any pecuniary enumeration; bit I
feel disposed, nevertheless, with a little encouragement,
to enter at all risks upon it, and to abide the consequences, whatever
they may be, whether to my purse or reputation.
In the meantime you have kindly signified your
willingness to state my “real views” in your answers to correspondents on
the cover of the Magazine: and in my last letter, I think; I expressed a wish
that you would extract such a statement from the substance of my last
communication. If you have not done this already, I should be glad to see it
done so as to appear on the cover of the Magazine for March. Such a statement
will serve to set the question in its true form before the public; and will
perhaps satisfy those among your readers who embrace that side of it which I
have taken, whilst it can create not offence in the minds of any who think
they have sufficient reason for remaining on the other.
If your readers are not weary of such communications, I
have had some thoughts of transmitting some observations (not likely, I should
have to create any controversial discussion) on 1 Cor. IX 22 “I am made all
things to all men”- the purpose of which would be 1st- to confine
the meaning of that expression entirely & exclusively to what St. Paul has
said before, and 2nd- to apply the passage thus limited as not only
not allowing self indulgence or sinful accommodation in any account, but even
as inculcating, by example, the duty of undergoing any piece of self denial by
which we may hope to gain a fellow creature from error or perdition. The part
will require, of course, a little grammatical criticism; and it should be but
little; the 2nd would depend on considerations purely theological.
In this latter part, however, I find I have been anticipated by some
commentators, & especially by Dr. Clarke; and I am induced, on that
account to hesitate a little. The first point, however, has not, I think, been
properly made out, or at least not dully insisted on, an may therefore be
considered as deserving of a little notice. If you will take the trouble of
consulting the original, you will find the definite article employed in that
passage, both before ….. & …… and will perceive at once what will
form the basis of my criticism.
Your obliged and faithful servant
J Crowther
PS A line or two addressed to me with a few days and left
at my brothers 187 High St Boro will be duly forwarded.
plp 31-4-6 (From Jonathan Crowther, nephew of Jonathan Crowther Sr. His
father was Timothy Crowther
plp 31-4-6
June 3, 1823
Dear Sir,
I was sorry to find on my return home from the Liverpool
Missionary Meeting that unforeseen and Uncontrollable circumstances would
prevent me from seeing you in Chester on the following day; but I regret much
more that the promise which I gave you of an early communication has not been
redeemed before this time; and I fear lest I should seem to have forgotten the
promise itself altogether, or at least to be new willing to forget the subject
of correspondence with which it was connected. Lest this should actually be
the case, it may be proper to assure you that I still hold myself pledged to
every sentiment & resolution contained in my last letter, and that ever
since it has been written, it is been my endeavour, in the exercise of earnest
& anxious prayers to keep myself entirely afloat and in readiness to go in
obedience to the intimations of the Divine Providence, wherever the current
& the gale might carry me.
But I wished, when I should write again to express to you
distinctly my feelings as to the way in which, on the event of my acceptance
by the Conference, I should prefer to be received; and to state some things
concerning my pecuniary means, of which I could not gain anything like an
accurate estimate until a few days ago, when I was called upon to be present
at the winding-up of the Legacy accounts of the family with which I am
connected by marriage. I was desirous, moreover, to have a little time to
consult with a few confidential friends on what was expedient to be done. And
lastly, in a matter so important, I as more willing to be accused of ……….
precipitancy. At least you must believe me; when I say that, while I have
appeared to forget my promise, I have not failed to appreciate your kindness,
and that, if I have not written before, it has been because I knew not exactly
what I ought to write.
I have now fully weighed over in my mind the proposal at which
you hinted of a temporary residence at Kingswood. I allow indeed that this
circuitous mode of admittance does appear less liable to objection on the part
of the Conference than any other tat might be proposed. But still, while I
profess a disposition to serve, in any manner in which I may be judged capable
of doing it, the interests of the Connexion, I must say that in the present
case, I would rather meet the wishes of the Conference in some other way. If
there be any allowances, the immediate grant of which to me would argue
partiality on their part, or would constitute and act of injustice to the
other preachers, let forego all such allowances for such term of years as the
Conference may consider to be reasonable. And let a fair calculation be made
of what I ought to pay in the shape of arrears to any funds on which I might
be likely henceforth to have claims. I am willing in both cases to make the
necessary sacrifices; so that no individual may ever have it in his power to
make any dishonourable reflections, on this score, either on myself, or on the
preachers who may be instrumentally concerned in admittance.
Be it remembered, however, in these calculations, that neither
my wife nor myself will be likely, in the common course of things to make any
claim upon the "fund of mercy". Thank God, although I am not sick, I
am not absolutely poor. I find that adding what I have noe in hand or out on
interest to what I shall soon be entitled to receive, I may rate my property
at from 1200 to 1300 pounds; besides my furniture, the whole of which is paid
for, and 500 pounds which shall be due to me, in case my wife shall survive
her mother. I am moreover a member of 2 years standing of the Manchester
Annuitant Society; from which my wife in the event mo my decease after 2 years
would be entitled to receive and annuity of 21 pounds.
I wish it to be most distinctly understood that in making these
proposals I am not designing to offer any thin , in the form of either money
or service, as the price of admittance, to traffic for a place among you, how
honourable …….. I may reckon such a place to be; but am merely professing
my willingness, if the Conference be disposed to make an offering on equitable
terms, to follow the opening which they may make, at the expense of every
sacrifice which the necessity of the case or, the law equity may seem to
require; and that I myself consider, and wish others to consider, such
sacrifices not as much as under the idea of composition with the Conference,
as of a freewill offering of obedience to God. To him I owe my soul, my body,
& my property; and if he pleased to call for the employment of any or of
all of them in any particular manner, I dare not now question or resist that
call.
On Wednesday next I expect to have some conversation on this
subject with W.J..Wood of Liverpool who is coming here for the purpose of
presiding at our Missionary Meeting and who. I nderstand, has some knowledge
of what is going forward.
I take it for granted, nothing can be done in my case before
the Conference; I shall therefore announce the reopening of my school after
the ensuing vacation; as the breaking up of my school would be an anticipation
of the decision of Conference.
It is my desire, however, to see you in London in the course
(probably in the early part) of the vacation. As my principal motive for
coming is to see you, & others of the preachers, I hope, if you are likely
to be absent form London at any time between June 21st and the end
of July you will apprise me of the time of such absence that I may fix my
visit at the proper time.
Believe me, Dear Sir,
Jonathan Crowther
