From C[atherine] Sleep in St Agnes to Mary Tooth in Madeley. Tooth has often been lately on Catherine’s mind and she has therefore decided to write to let her know how they are doing in this most western part of the kingdom.
They were sent here by the last Conference. [William and Catherine were stationed in the St Agnes circuit in 1830 and 1831] The Sleeps had heard of the people of St Agnes spoken of as being rough in their manners and unfriendly to their preachers. William had thought of going further up the country, but Catherine felt loath to go a greater distance from her aged father, but as William had been critical of Catherine for pressing them to go to Cornwall, she fully made up her mind to go where God and Conference sent them – she felt that she could not suffer any more than she has. William has since said that ‘he felt it acutely when he found he was to come here’.
This is almost a new circuit, having previously formed part of the Truro circuit.. The two preachers who preceded them here had, with their families, suffered very much through the fault-finding of the local people, [Edward Millward in 1828 and William Worth in 1829] but the Sleeps have found that things have not been as bad as they had feared.. The Lord has given them favour in the eyes of the people and many profess to have been justified under William’s ministry. God has also provided Catherine with a good class leader on whose wise and judicious counsel she has come to rely, together with the rest of the class. The class meetings are in general very good.
It is a rural place where the Sleeps are residing and this situation is not to Catherine’s taste as she prefers the conveniences of a town. They live on a hillside and she has several times been nearly blown off her feet by the strong winds. Nevertheless, she is able to attend almost all the ‘means of grace’ during the last winter for which she is grateful and feels the benefit.
Catherine has often thought of Tooth attending worship at the [Madeley] barn ‘and dear Mrs Fletcher praying to be kept from being a delicate Christian’. She has often reflected on this when people have commented that they did not expect to see Catherine out at night – not realising how much she needs and prizes the means of grace. She has also attended the prayer meetings that are held on a Thursday night, although attendance rarely exceeds 12 people despite the fact that the society is a very large one. Spiritual matters are discussed.
In the country parts of the circuit, the work is prospering. William has not been able to give class tickets or preach, such is the clamour from people crying out loud for mercy. ‘A great many step into liberty before they will rise from their knees…’ These scenes are not simply witnessed in the chapel, but also in the workplace and even down the [tin] mines. Spiritual matters are discussed in detail. William has given out 77 admission notes in one small place and 36 in another etc. It is likely that this increase will not be sustained, but they must press forward regardless. 10 miles away at Camborne, they have had an increase of 1200 to 1600; 6 miles away at Redruth, the increase is 700 or 800.
Catherine has heard that there is a revival at Bristol as well. How are things at Madeley? Catherine trusts that Tooth and her sister [Rosamund] are in good health, as is the case with William and Catherine. She saw Mr and Mrs Davis from Wellington at Penzance a few weeks since and they seemed pretty well
[Annotated by Tooth – ‘answered May 29th 1832’]