This and other letters were sent to the Methodist Missionary Society in England from Newfoundland in the early 1800's. The letters are now archived at the Methodist Missionary Society, although microfilm copies can be found at the United Church Archives in Toronto, Ontario under location number "87.225C".

19 July 1826 - John Corlett - Trinity, Newfoundland

Presuming that you have heard from our dear Brother Croscombe that my communications to you November last were forwarded by the Schooner [looks like "June"] which has not been heard of since she sailed I hope you will consider this an apology for my apparent neglect in not writing you for so long a time. I should have embraced an earlier opportunity of addressing you this spring but that I was waiting to know your will concerning my going to Labrador. I was both instructed and comforted by your circular of last year and felt much indebted to you and all our dear friends in England for providing a supply of food and raiment for our bodies; and continuing to pray for our preservation and usefullness. You may rest assured that we are mindfull of you in our prayers night and day, yea "I thank God upon every remembrance of you" This morning I prayed as fervently and as believingly as I could, that your conference deliberations may be directed by wisdom from on high, and its plans crowned with a happy issue both at home and abroad. I hope and pray that at this time of public distress you may have funds to support and extend your labours at home: and that our supernumerary Fathers and Brethren, Preachers, widows, and Fatherless children may obtain their portion of meat in due season. Tho' separated I am not alienated from my Brethren, but feel so united in heart and affection as when travelling in England. The times of refreshing with which I have been blessed while hearing the word from your lips or in joining with you in calling upon our Father who is in Heaven, often occur to my remembrance with a melancholy pleasure in this strange land. Little do we know what a sacrifice we are making when leaving the guides of our youth behind us. That the missionary spirit may live and grow in me. I frequently read the memoirs in the magazines of the second series and find them an excellent substitute for the loss I sustain in being separated from men that are dear to me as my own soul. Your Mathers, Pauzons, Rutherfords, Bramwells, and Taylors, tho being dead yet by means of our magazines encourage, cousel, and assist me in this foreign land. It is all my delight and desire to follow them in their career of piety, suffering, and usefullness. I hope I am a Methodist in deed and in truth. I endeavour to live near to God, and do feel the abiding witness of his spirit that I am his child. Thro' Christ strengthening me I hope I shall carefully and conscientiously attend to your instructions relative to [unclear] improving my mind and circumspect conduct. Your exhortations to brotherly love and unity will, I trust, be made a blessing to all your dear servants. If no other consideration will induce us, surely we shall do so to let you see that love you and keep your commandments by loving one another with a pure heart fervently. If we can always say that for us to live is Christ I have no doubt but his precepts and your precepts which at least in this matter are the same will be our delight and in keeping them we shall find a "great reward". I often lament that my talents are so inadequate to the great work in which I am engaged and that I am not more zealous in improving and employing even those I have. Our District Meeting of which you will have received information was a solemn and profitable season. Our examination took up much time and was conducted in a very faithfull and affectionate manner by our Chairman Mr Croscombe who is universally beloved in this land and highly esteemed by us who have especial opportunities of knowing his private virtues and general [unclear]. Whatever I have thought [looks like "calculed"] to improve the District, advance God's glory, and do good to the people I have mentioned to Mr Croscombe. There is however one subject which has engaged my thoughts for some time but which I should not take the liberty to mention were it not that I think it my duty: as it refers to the general work it is perhaps most proper to mention it to the general conductors. I have thought that it is not perhaps [looks like "frequent"] necessary nor for the general good that when there is more than one preacher in a foreign station they should all attend the District Meeting. At home the [unclear] of salvation are many, the streams making glad the city of God flow in every direction and yet no circuit can be left by all the Itinerant Preachers during the annual Conference. Besides at home travelling is generally speaking expeditious and safe; abroad it is generally speaking tedious by land and always uncertain and dangerous by sea, so that a missionary is perhaps weeks attending a District meeting. I will say nothing of the compound or complex business of a Foreign District Meeting which partakes in my humble opinion of the business of both conference and District Meeting at home and seemingly required regulations correspondent with its business but especially a prudential regulation coresponding with the local situation, safety, and usefullness of the various members of the meeting. As for instance there are four preachers in the St. Christophers station: might it not be prudent for only one or two to attend the District Meeting except when it is held at some station to which passage is short and easy. If in mentioning this I have taken any unlawful or improper liberty I beg your pardon. [insert here several unclear lines] [the transcription of this letter remains to be completed]