Derby February 15th 1808
My Dear Brother,
I thank you a thousand times for your kind letter which I have now before me, & which was handed to me yesterday by our much esteemed friend, your Son, he is now at Lemans & while he is away I write, I thought when he came in there was but one person in the world I should be more rejoiced to see than him which was yourself, but since that cannot be, I will be thankful, very thankful, that you are yet alive, for it was so long since we had heard anything from you or your family that I was almost affraid [sic] to hear. With regard to my own family, I shall refer to William who can tell you more than I can write, I hope Brother Joel you do not give up coming to
see us, if it is possible do come next winter, William gives us some encouragement that you will, once more if tis the will of Heaven to spare our lives may we meet, yes see you here & Mrs. Stone who I now consider as a Sister tho, I have never seen her, please to give my love to Mary tell her she must persuade William to come again & bring her. You speak in your letter of the depravity of the times, I beg your pardon for differing from you in opinion, but I do not think they are alterd, there are I will allow, individuals that seem at first view to outdo their predecessors in Vice, but take the mass of people together & compare ancient history with the present, & I believe you will find them much the same, but as we are probationers, not Judges – let us look to ourselves &with all the defference, in all cases, to the will of
Heaven, strive to do our duty in that slate of life unto which it has or will please God to call us, - then with an entire confidence in Him who has power to save, I think we may be tolerably happy even here among all the evils that surround us, & look forward to another world with satisfaction where that we may all meet finally & have our sins blotted from the book of remembrance is the fervent prayer of your ever affectionate
Sister H Lewis