From William Seward in Bristol to 'My son Scipio Africanus.' [See note below] Seward received Scipio’s kind and dutiful letter and ‘desire the continuance of your correspondence and to know how your societies goes on and whether you feel yourself a sinner yet, if you do, you will mourn for a while but you shall soon find comfort, such comfort which will fill you with true joy though not with levity.’
There are great things being done here. Their dear brother [George] Whitefield’s 'rulers have thrust him out of the synagogues [During Whitefield’s visit to Bristol in February 1739, he encountered a great deal of opposition from the Anglican establishment. (see in particular Whitefield’s journal for 24 February 1739)], but the word runs the sacrifice. He preaches, expounds and reads prayers daily at Newgate to the prisoners and a large congregation and expounds to two or three societies every night. On Wednesday he preached among the colliers [coal miners] on a mount to several hundreds [Whitefield’s journal for 21 February 1739 records that this sermon was preached at Kingswood], on Friday to near 2000 [Whitefield’s journal for 23 February 1739 records that he preached to between four and five thousand at Kingswood. The major discrepancy between the figures given by Seward and Whitefield highlight the difficulty attendant in assessing the popularity of the preaching of early evangelicals (see also the journal entry for 21 February)] and on Saturday at an alms house on the steps like that beyond Shoreditch where the hall within, and the yard without were almost full [Whitefield’s journal for 24 February 1739 reveals that the alms house {Whitefield describes it as a ‘Poor House’) was located outside Bristol’s Lawford’s Gate]. Yesterday he preached about two miles off, on a cross in the churchyard [Whitefield’s journal for 25 February 1739 reveals that this sermon was preached in the village of Brislington], the church being not big enough to contain the multitude. We had the sacrament after and seventy communicants and sang the 103rd Psalm at 4 o’clock on the mount [Kingswood]. There was by computation 10,000 or 12,000 and all were still and all could hear. We sung the 100th Psalm, the trees, hedges, ditches and fields were covered. It was a blessed day like midsummer, warm and not a cloud in the sky. It was never seen in our nation [That this day was indeed blessed with tremendous success is corroborated by Whitefield’s journal for 25 February]. All glory be to God, it was worth going 10,000 miles to see. Mr Whitefield was almost tired[?] in pulling of his hat as we rid [rode] to town again, the road being thick-lined every way. There were coaches and horses, single and double. We are just home from Newgate where was I believe 500 people who pay the keeper a penny each to come in every day and we collected near £40 for the prisoners. You may show this to the societies where you go and desire their prayers.'