From T. Mitchell in Bristol to William Seward. Spiritual matters are discussed in detail, with particular regard to Mitchell’s amazement at God’s ways of working and the grace that he has sent into the vilest of sinners like Mitchell himself. His faith increases every day. 'I love all that love my dear Lord Jesus, I love my enemies ...I could (through the grace of God) now stoop to the meanest office to serve my brother...'
On Monday they are 'beginning the room for exposition, and for a school, the whole will amount to £200. I hope God will open the hearts of his chosen ones to assist us in it and then shall we have a place for our dear Brother Wd [Whitefield] to come and declare the salvation of God...Your assistance would be of service and anyone you would speak to contribute towards it.' [Reference to fund raising for the erection of what became the New Room Chapel in Bristol. It would appear that at this early stage, the intention was for the New Room to be available for all the evangelicals including Whitefield. Within a few weeks of this letter being written, John Wesley was taking steps to ensure that he would have personal control of the new meeting room (Heitzenrater, Wesley and the People called Methodists, 103)]
Seward has been informed of [John] Wesley’s success by Wesley himself. 'It has made a strange noise that he has lately preached against predestination [John Wesley preached his famous sermon on Free Grace in Bristol on 29 April 1739. This marked the drawing of the battle lines between Wesley and other evangelicals like Whitefield and Seward who were supporters of the doctrine of predestination], especially among the Anabaptists, they by we in Broadmead [Bristol], some of them said that he was a Jesuit and a friend to the bringing in of the Pretender [James Edward Stuart, claimant to the English Throne. The Methodists were often suspected of Jacobite tendencies, which the Wesley brothers denied], because some misunderstood him, in his exposition concerning the ordination of ministers. They took it that he condemned all that were not ordained according to the ecclesiastical establishment, when I believe he meant no such thing, though in truth it seemed to me very intricate, so with that, and about election, he has many enemies, but never wants for a large audience, to whom he never scruples speaking his mind truly.'
Mitchell must say what happened at Thornbury. A woman heard Whitefield preach and 'made an application of the doctrine to her heart and laboured under strong convictions, and Satan tempted her to murder a child, which being prevented, she was by a neighbour taken care of, and the minister was sent for to her, which said he would come on the morrow or some such answer. In this condition she still continued and was tempted to murder her husband, but God it in her heart to get up from him, so by that prevented the Devil’s design. This making a noise about the town, a young gentleman who came to the Passage [Probably Newnham Passage near Bristol] to hear our brother preach went to her, prayed with her, and after some time she was at ease, and since that, the same young man, has settled there a society and constantly attends, and vast numbers flock to it, and there is like to be a charming society. Praise God from whom etc.'
His love should be passed to Brother Whitefield, Brother [John] Syms, Brother Howell Harris and all that love God.
In a postscript, Mitchell mentions writing to Seward’s brother Benjamin [Seward] with a report of the room that is being built.