Copy of Letter

From Dennys De Beret in London to [William Seward]. He hopes that Seward will not think this letter impertinent. It is intended to be 'a solemn congratulation of you on your arrival to the place of your nativity, but more especially the place of your blessed meeting with your new born relations, the account of whose conversion in Brother [Daniel] Abbott’s and Mason’s letter filled me with a spiritual joy and I joined you in spirit praising the Lord for his remarkable to you and your family, and cannot but continue to do so time after time (though I never saw your face in the flesh) and to be a pleader with you for your brother, who yet stands out, and indeed for the success of your noble designs to promote the Kingdom and interest of our dear Redeemer'.

Spiritual matters are further discussed in detail, with particular regard to the Lord’s doings in raising up such ‘men in Christ’.

De Beret can understand [George] Whitefield’s silence although he does so value his letters, but he would not break in for one moment on his precious time. However, De Beret would love to hear of some 'new-born babes' in the Badsey societies, as well as the 'transports of heavenly affection which I know must be raised upon your meeting with your relations under your present circumstances, for I long to have a fellow feeling with you therein.'

His regards should be passed to Mr Whitefield. 'Tell him such wonders as God does for him and by him, constrain his friends here to be instant in prayer and praise as every letter affords matter for both...' Spiritual matters are further discussed in detail.

Seward should tell Whitefield that Mr Hall (possibly Westley Hall, brother-in-law of the Wesleys) [see note at DDSe 16] prayed warmly for him in their public congregation last Sunday 'and I doubt not but set many of our people at work when they came home. He is daily borne up on the wings of prayer, I am indeed surprised his strength does not fail at some times, and am in pain for him, but when I consider that God is with him that accounts for all. I smiled at his resolution to preach in Moorfields, and whenever he does, remember I give him and you an invitation to dine with me, that we may freely talk over the wonderful works of God.'

De Beret trusts that God will give Whitefield wisdom in all his public undertakings and point out the way of duty. De Beret’s opinion is that Whitefield should always preach in churches whenever he can, followed by other large public places such as halls etc, then churchyards when the church will not hold the people and likewise the fields. Preaching should however only be done in the streets by 'special call of providence'. Divine wisdom is needed lest 'prudent zeal and caution sink into timidity, and a holy zeal evaporate into unwarrantable rashness...'

De Beret also wants news from Bedford as he has heard that there is considerable opposition raised there against the evangelicals, but that God is also there and good work is being done. He also wants to hear how the work is proceeding in Yorkshire where [Benjamin] Ingham and Mr Hall are traveling. 'How many spiritual ministers you have among the Methodists and where their lot is case and what their several oppositions and successes'. Perhaps all this cannot be covered in letters but must wait until the return to London of Whitefield, Seward and [Howell] Harris.

Count Zinzendorf [see note below] is currently in London and De Beret had the pleasure of meeting him,'but it was a scanty pleasure for want of learned tongue [knowledge of German?], but he tells me Brother [Johann] Toltschig [see note below] , the Moravian minister in Georgia will be in London quickly, a sweet spirited man, and will add to our satisfaction if providence orders it that he should meet Mr Whitefield and you here.'

In a postscript, De Beret mentions that his wife often weeps over Seward’s letters as well as when singing the hymn written by Seward’s brother. It has ‘>already turned many to singing songs of praise'.

Notes

• Count Nicholas Ludvig von Zinzendorf (1700-60) was born at Herrnhut in Germany. He was raised by his grandmother and was educated at a Pietist school, Wittenberg University and the University of Utrecht where he studied law and politics. Zinzendorf served as a councillor to the Elector of Saxony and preached in his spare time. In 1722 he purchased the estate of Berthelsdorf from his grandmother and offered it as a place of refuge for Moravian refugees from Silesia. Although he remained a committed member of the Lutheran Church, Zinzendorf encouraged the Moravians to re-establish their Brethren. He resigned his post at the Saxon court in 1727 and henceforth devoted all his time to the needs of the community. In 1734 Zinzendorf was ordained, in the apparent hope that he could establish a Moravian branch of the Lutheran Church. These plans came to nothing and he was exiled by the Saxon government although the Brethren were not banned. In exile, he devoted much time to fostering overseas missions in the West Indies and elsewhere. During a visit to England in 1737 he was introduced to Archbishop Potter and later that year in Berlin he was consecrated a Moravian bishop, with a responsibility which was defined four years later as that of general warden of the church. Zinzendorf visited England again in 1741 and met with John Wesley to discuss theological differences. In the same year, he visited North America and remained there for two years, serving as a Lutheran pastor in Phladelphia while attempting to organise German Protestant congregations in Pennsylvania into an ecumenical synod. Upon his return to Germany, he tried to re-establish closer links with the Lutherans and took part in an ill-starred mission to Russia. From 1749 to 1755, Zinzendorf based himself in London. His attempts to secure parliamentary recognition of the Moravians as an 'ancient Protestant Episcopal Church' were ultimately successful, but the costs incurred, brought the church to the brink of bankruptcy. Zinzendorf returned to Herrnhut in 1755 and surrendered some of his powers. His death occurred after a period of declining health. Source: Dictionary of Evangelical Biography 1739-1860, edited by Donald M. Lewis (1995)
• Johann Toltschig (1703-1764) was born in Moravia, the son of a local magistrate. He was converted by the preaching of the Moravian Christian David in 1723 and was ordered a year later by his own father to abandon religious meetings. Rather than submit to this command, Toltschig moved to Herrnhut. After studying gardening in Poland for three years, Toltschig traveled to England with David Nitschmann and Wenzel Neisser to establish fraternal links with Christians there. In 1735 he moved to Georgia as the 'congregational warden' for the Moravian settlers and established friendly relations with John Wesley and Benjamin Ingham. Toltschig returned to London and in 1738 accompanied a party of English visitors, including Wesley, on a visit to Moravian congregations in Germany. In October 1739 Toltschig was sent to assist Benjamin Ingham’s mission in Yorkshire. Despite his poor command of English, he engaged in open-air preaching and was present in London in 1741 when Wesley withdrew with his followers from the Fetter Lane Society. Toltschig refused to take over the Fetter Lane leadership and instead divided his time between the Moravian cause in Yorkshire and London. In 1742 Toltschig was appointed elder of the first formally established English Moravian congregation and received ordination during a brief visit to Germany. He established the settlement at Fulneck in Yorkshire before moving in 1748 to Dublin to lead the work there. He was back again in London in 1751 and visited Bethlehem in Pennsylvania in 1752 and 1753. Toltschig resumed leadership of the Dublin Moravians in November 1753. Source: Dictionary of Evangelical Biography 1739-1860, edited by Donald M. Lewis (1995)