258 Thomas Hollis to Benjamin Colman

    London August 18, 1722

    Mr. Benjamin Colman

    Deare Sir

    Since my last unto you by Captain Osborne, whom I hope will arive safe, though he was many weeks detained in our channel by contrary windes, I have received on our 6 August your kind letter dated June 16, and upon our 7 August another dated July 10 which was but 28 days from your writing to my reading, a short passage. I received your packet books and Mapps and delivered my 4 neibors the sermons same night, Mr. John Hollis Mr. Harris Mr. Hunt Mr. Evans, who all live in our Feilds or Square, and the parsels for Mr. Neale I carried to him on Munday at his lodgings at Clapham—and we all thank you—and for Mr. Judah Monis books also. I think to send my Herbal and some other books for the College shortly perhaps by Capt. Clark at his return.

    You mention to me another—Chauncy—for my £10 Exhibition, but I think there are 11 alredy proposed of which I confirmed 10 in my last letters by Osborn, unles any one is gone off of which I have not had any notice. I am expecting Mr. Tresurer’s accounts now quickly and then I hope to see how matters do stand with my affairs. On our 10 August I received a letter from Mr. Tresurer dated 6 June, wherein he promises my account in his next—with a reserve—omitting the names of the persons to whom the money is lent. I know no reason for that caution, why I may not know to whom my moneys is lent as well as your Tresurer, while I allow a stipend for the purpose. If any perticular caution be given me by him, if there be an occasion perhaps I can keep it a secret as well as your Corporation, and therefore I desire to know all frankly that concerns my devoted Trust, incomes and out goings. And now Sir that my moneys is almost all entred into your Tresurers hand as is designed to answer my Trust, and the little remainder I think may be estemed sure as is to come after. Mr. Tyler in his letter 25 May which I did not receive till the 13 August writes the money for Nales lay reddy £112.13.9 Nett produce NE money. In my letter by Osborne to Mr. Tresurer and Mr. Tyler I ordred £30 of it to Mr. Callender and remainder to the College use, not knowing the Nett summe till by this account.

    I doe now Sir intreat you to acquaint Mr. President and the Corporation that they should send me over some writing obligatory that they will now and in time following perform this my Trust committed to them pursuant to my orders which I have signed or shall signe with my hand and seale, which I may leave with my Heirs at my decease, who may have some power to examine that your Successors are faithful in the Trust, and doe not divert the Principle nor income to other purposes. The late uncharitable reflections of some upon the Baptists as not Orthodox together with the present or later motions of some to alter by changing or increasing hands in the governing Power of the Corporation, makes me think it to be needfull, and I hope they will grant it me.

    I have some minutes by me to strengthen my orders as I think, but am not yet resolved whether to add it to your present parchment Writing you sent me or to leave it sealed up with my Will.

    I have been prevailed on at your instances to Sitt the first time, for my Picture—a present to your Hall. I doubt not but that they are pleased with my moneys, but I have some reason to think that some among you will not be well pleased to see the shades of a Baptist hung there, unles you gett a previous order to admit it; and forbidding any indecency to it, for if they do tho I am at a distance, the Birds of the Aire will tell it and I shall be greived—as I have been alredy.

    I am sorry to heare by yours of any apprehensions of a War breaking out with the Indians neare you. I pray God in his wise Providence to prevent it and allay the unchristian heats that have been among you; of one sort and another. Be at Peace one with another and God can make the Indians at Peace with you, but if you continue to Divide and Bite one another He can suffer the Indians to teach you to make application, by Devouring some of you.

    I am not capable of advising you about the Success of a new Charter;11 if you resolve to attempt it, your Governor Shute and my Lord Barrington his Brother can best advise you in it. But this, I beleive you wil finde if you come over wil be needful: a long purse and a large degree of Patience.

    I have read over your sermon at the Baptism of R. J. Monis and pleased to read your honest and necessary exhortation to him in the close of it.12 I have read also his three Essays, in which appears a conviction in his mind with over bearing light to own and confess that Jesus is the Christ, a confession sufficient to require Christian Baptism.13 I could have wisht, it had been performed by Immersion, to prevent after Scruples of conscience, whether rightly administred? which you know has arisen in some—and for ease of their minds been rebaptized. A learned critical writer at Litchfeild has lately caused an infant at Baptism to be immersed in the Font, in a very numeros publick assembly, and proved the mode to be most antient. I have not heard his neibors follow it. R. J. Monis, his critical remarks on the hebrew texts which I read but am no judg of their force. And I doubt few Jews will thro prejudice read them. Some of them I beleive will signify little to Christians, but be thought trifling. I wish you Sir to instruct him a little farther in the Christian Doctrine of more extensive Charity, and not judg too hastily of his neibor and exclude from salvation every one, that differs from him in the explication and beleif of the article of the Trinity. A glorious truth it is, but the manner of explaining it apears difficult—so difficult—that scarce two can say exactly alike except they agree on a forme, and agree to write after it.

    August 18, 1722.

    I think of sending with the Herbal two volums, Burnet of the Charterhouse, Theory of the Earth Deluge and Conflagration in English.14 If the College have them alredy, then they are at your Service or if you have them, then pray give them to Mr. Callender. I think they are finely writt, tho I cant agree with his Hypothesis in many things.

    Pray present my Humble Service to Mr. President Leveret whose name I love and honour and to the Whole Corporation. Accept the same your self from

    Deare Sir

    Your very Loving Friend

     

    Thomas Hollis

    PS

    If you think it proper, pray present my Christian Salutations to R. J. Monis and tell him I should be glad to receive a letter from him, such a one as I might shew to one of his London freinds Rabbi Arias, with whom I do frequently converse.

    [Endorsed:] Received Oct. 29, 1722 answered Oct. 30. No. 14.

    Hollis Letters and Papers, p. 32.