Letter

From Mary Whittingham at Potten vicarage to Mary Fletcher in Madeley. She was sorry to read that Fletcher has been ill, although 'you have found it so blessed a season to your mind'. Spiritual matters are discussed in detail. Whittingham would be grateful for a line from Mary Tooth with news of Fletcher's condition.

Through God's goodness, Whittingham has been much better in her own health than when she last wrote to Fletcher.

She has lately had some things to do for the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews. 'A penitentiary for the poor Jewesses on the town is opened. Not less than five thousand of these poor creatures are in London streets. Sermons are preached for, and to the Jews. A school has received fifty Jews [sic] children. Two or three pious young Jews are preparing for the ministry. I have commenced a penny society here in aid of the cause, and have a good deal to do in going from house to house soliciting subscriptions. It is very remarkable that on the very day Mr W[hittingham] had this living given to him, Mr [Joseph] Frey the Jew preached at night in the barn in Potten. I was at a friend's when Mr W. came home with the news, we were at prayer ... and I was called by my friend from my knees to hear the glad tidings. Soon after, Mr W. came in, and Mr Frey who was in the room, kneeled down and returned God thanks. This circumstance is to me remarkable and I ought, I think, to do what little I can on the behalf of the Jews. No less than 60 churches are open for preaching collection sermons. We collected above forty pounds at this church.'

Whittingham's best wishes should be passed to Mr and Mrs Gilpin and all her other friends in Madeley

Notes

• Joseph Samuel Christian Frederick Frey (1771-1850) was born with the name Joseph Levi into a devout Jewish family in Wurtsburg, Franconia, Germany. Levi left home at the age of 18 to work as a tutor and three years later was appointed leader of a local synagogue, authorised to read the public prayers and the Law of Moses. Soon afterwards, Levi started to receive instruction in the Christian faith after a chance encounter with a Christian evangelist while travelling in North Germany. During his period of instruction, Levi worked as an apprentice to a shoe-maker. Levi was baptised into the Lutheran Church in 1799 and given the name Joseph Samuel Christian Frederick Frey. By the end of the year, Frey had enrolled at the Missionary Seminary in Berlin and in 1801 was recruited by the London Missionary Society to serve in Africa. He arrived in London in September, but when he observed the number of Jews in the British capital, he felt a call to remain in England and evangelize to his former co-religionists. After receiving English language training, Frey commenced a successful ministry to the Jews. He was based in London, but travelled widely through the SE of England under the auspices of the Missionary Society and from 1809 with the break-away London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews. In 1813, Frey established the "Beni Abraham" association, a group of 41 Jewish Christians who started meeting at Jews' Chapel, London for prayers. Frey's work contributed to the establishment of what became Messianic Judaism Source: Narrative of the Rev. Joseph Samuel C. F. Frey .. by Joseph Samuel C. F. Frey (1834) and online sources connected with the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews (and its successors)