Letter

Scope and Content

From S[ophia] Soutter in Handsworth to Mary Tooth in Madeley. [S[ophia] Soutter can perhaps be identified with William Sowter, son of William and Martha Sowter, who was christened on 6 January 1793 at St Phillip’s Anglican Church, Birmingham (IGI)] She would have written earlier to thank Tooth for the kindness that she showed while Sophia was staying in her house, but she deferred writing until the box was ready. Sophia would love the opportunity to repay Tooth’s hospitality by having Tooth visit Handsworth and her father and brother would also be very welcoming. Tooth would promote a great deal of good with such a visit and the change of air might help her own health.

Since she left Madeley, Sophia’s love of private prayer increases and she has adopted Tooth’s plan of spending some time alone in her ‘closet’ after each meal, but she does not yet feel that close communion with the Lord that she needs. Spiritual matters are further discussed in detail. She has today been engaged in putting together a plan that she half formed while in Madeley, which is to gather together a small group of females desirous of salvation who are willing to meet together on Wednesdays at 6pm to spend an hour together reading the ‘experience of some who have died happy in the Lord or any other work of a serious nature. Each meeting will be opened with a prayer from one of the attendees chosen by general consent for three months at a time. Every fourth meeting will be devoted to prayer.

Mr [John] Hickling is in the same state as Mr [Henry] Hopwood as Mrs Hickling died on the 5th of this month after being confined to her bed for five months and incapable of even putting her hand to her mouth. Mrs [Ann] Jordan has not yet seen the young man directed to her by Tooth. Sophia will get Mr Jones who leads the class near where he works to ask after him.

Sophia would be grateful if Tooth would accept the enclosed urn as a gift – she thinks that it is close to the pattern of the urn that Tooth already has. Her love should be passed to Rosamund Tooth with the wish that she accepts the enclosed card box – it is a poor performance, but it is a first attempt that Sophia has made of drawing in near six years.

Tooth should send her reply to Sophia at Newmarket Street, Birmingham. She should also remember to enclose the date when Sophia can meet Tooth at the coach office in Birmingham

[Annotated by Tooth – ‘Answered September 28th’]

Note

  • John Hickling (1765-1858) was born at Hathern, Leicestershire. He started to attend Methodist worship at the age of 17 and was converted shortly after. He became a local preacher in 1788 and that same year entered the itinerancy. His active circuit ministry was exercised principally in the North of England and the Midlands. He superannuated in 1836 and spent his retirement in Newark and then from 1856 in Newcastle under Lyme where he died on 9th November 1858. His conference obituary described Hickling as a man of blameless character of great kindness and attachment to the discipline of Methodism. His preaching was ‘distinguished by a clear, full and bold enunciation of evangelical truth…He dwelt especially on the doctrines of justification by faith only, the witness of the Holy Spirit to the fact of a penitent believer’s adoption into the family of God, regeneration and all outward and inward holiness…’ He was particularly noted for the quality of his public prayer. Hickling was the last survivor of the itinerants who entered the ministry during John Wesley’s lifetime. Source: Hill’s Arrangement 1858 and Minutes of Conference 1859

Note

Note

  • John Hickling (1765-1858) was born at Hathern, Leicestershire. He started to attend Methodist worship at the age of 17 and was converted shortly after. He became a local preacher in 1788 and that same year entered the itinerancy. His active circuit ministry was exercised principally in the North of England and the Midlands. He superannuated in 1836 and spent his retirement in Newark and then from 1856 in Newcastle under Lyme where he died on 9th November 1858. His conference obituary described Hickling as a man of blameless character of great kindness and attachment to the discipline of Methodism. His preaching was ‘distinguished by a clear, full and bold enunciation of evangelical truth…He dwelt especially on the doctrines of justification by faith only, the witness of the Holy Spirit to the fact of a penitent believer’s adoption into the family of God, regeneration and all outward and inward holiness…’ He was particularly noted for the quality of his public prayer. Hickling was the last survivor of the itinerants who entered the ministry during John Wesley’s lifetime. Source: Hill’s Arrangement 1858 and Minutes of Conference 1859