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Letter to [Judith Wordsworth]. Salutation: ''My dear Friend.''

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Title	Letter to [Judith Wordsworth]. Salutation: ''My dear Friend.''
Post Date	July 5, 1766
Author	Huntingdon, Selina Hastings, Countess of, 1707-1791.
Recipient	Wordsworth, Judith, 1738-1786
Date	1766-07-05
Physical Description	4 pgs total; 4 pgs text; address panel wanting
Dimensions	24 x 39 cm.
Address From	Ote Hall, Sussex
Country From	England
Transcriber	Wanda Smith
Plain Text Transcription	Letter 73 [Handwritten: July 5, 1766] [No address panel] My dear Friend Some hopes of seeing you together with other ________ made my writing to you before doubtfull. The great agitation of your mind expressed thro the meaning of your whole letter--your then situation--your good dear brother's anxiety about you--all concurred in this resolution. Your going to Pewsey will restore I trust your fluttered spirits & will determine your opinion of the greatness of a call & this mistake render’d a real benefit. The devotedness of your heart with the natural eagerness of your disposition ______ for mistakes of this kind, but we shall find that neither the singleness of our eye nor willingness of our hearts, does more for us than become a profession[?] for his work & till his power & grace is given to anoint & prepare us by his spirit for it all gifts grace preparation of will & simplicity of mind, are of no account in his eyes. We are created anew in Christ Jesus unto to[sic] good works which God has foreordained we should walk in. Those works & no other can be prosperous & to be clear in our hearts [p. 2] that these, the stediness of our whole conduct more depends & to which the increase of all graces is given as the free ad purposed bounty belonging to our con____ proper calling. Prayer with humble, honest heard (& suspecting nature & so giving her nothing) makes this way plain. “I will make darkness lighter before you & crooked things” straight. [“I will make darkness lighter before them, and crooked things straight.” Isa. 42:1 [?handwriting cut off] ] Patience my dearest friend must be added to faith. They cannot be parted in obtaining the promises. I should have much satisfaction in having seen you on this & every other subject. My prayers are for your right judgment in all things. I know you dread with myself a cold & lukewarm spirit, but in all conditions he alone can preserve us from that. I do think d[ea]r Jos[eph] has a blessed state of heart & mind & every hour proves this more & more to me. He has been a great blessing at Brighthelmstone & here also as the people here have had so much of doctrines from the Baptists that the knowledge & experience of their hearts both as to their natural & renewed state has never been enough explained to them. His last sermon at Bright[helmstone] had great life, power & demonstration in it which makes me hope he has a further call to bring some more blessings among us. My own situation is to faith painfull. I am as an owl in the desart. [“I am like an owl of the desert.” PS 10 [handwriting cut off] ] Nothing appearing[?] [p. 3] to go on & destitute of all help, friends &c. But I know his faithfull heart has all these for me ready & if he is not above all to my soul & theirs. More must be needfull than him alone. The proving of this I am under & wait his mind & will by the dispen- sation of his spirit & providence. All are making their excuses but he never makes any. When he is to bless & help his poor & needy servants, don't suspect[?] my heart for a moment to you nor let this little event create shyness. He will come over all. The innocent mistakes of us his poor creatures & love with freedom & liberty. I love & honour your honest heart & only now with a stedy coolness may accompany all you do that you may not interrupt that light which will shine to the perfect day & guide you into all truth till this is the case let us submit in all things that lye before us & then light will brake forth out of obscurity & we shall rejoice in his will who alone knows what is best for us. I can faithfully perscribe this method as I am at this time pursuing in & without a doubt but a glorious display will be made for my departure hence or further honour put upon the church of God which will alike satisfie my waiting spirit. Harmon[?] & John Gibbs both I hope [p. 4] will be great instruments of good. I have so little prospect of help that I think the Lord will put his honour upon these for services. I fancied that the Powis had been guarded[?] against me but it wont do. They have sent me word they will be with me as soon as he is better Mr Skellen is gone & do tell dear Jos[eph] that it was a second part of the same sermon he heard. I hope to hear from him. The Lord seems to have lay'd my cares on his faithfull heart. O! may I never be a burden or trouble to him to him[sic] or you. I know every mark of friendship from any creature. I am envied but the Lord reigneth & their ways are not my master's. Lord Killmorey does not come this for[t]night yet he is drinking the Sunninghill waters yet & I have insisted his continuance of them for that time longer or he would have been down. I have thought this a happy providence as I have no minister for service. I hope you & your dear brother will make a trip journey & change of air. I know it of use & you know my invitation once made will never be forgotten by me & I hope not by you. I am my dearest friend Your ever faithfully & devoted Servant S: Huntingdon Ot[e] Hall, July 5, 1766 [N.B. Sunninghill, Berkshire, is some six miles south of Windsor. Ote Hall is in Sussex.}
Notes	Address panel wanting; Letter speaks of her [Mrs. Wordsworth's] going to Pewsey and "your good dear brother's anxiety about you" Her brother is Joseph Townsend.
Catalog Link	http://libcat.smu.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=196892
Unique Identifier	Huntingdon 07061766
Digital Resources Type	Image
Digitization Date	Digitized: 2011
Digital Publisher	Bridwell Library, Special Collections; Perkins School of Theology; Southern Methodist University
Rights	Permission to publish materials must be obtained from the Head of Special Collections of the Bridwell Library.
Decade	1760-1769
Location (Box, Folder)	Box 1, File 21