schools, the circulation of the Scriptures, etc., and my own weakness,
shortly after brother C----r's arrival, increased so that I was obliged
to give up the work entirely. How gracious, therefore, of the Lord to
send brother C----r, that thus the work might go on! Up to July, 1837,
this beloved brother was enabled to continue in his work, and thus this
little Institution was in a most important way enlarged as it regards
the field of labor.]
August 24. I feel very weak, and suffer more than before from the
disease. I am in doubt whether to leave Bristol entirely for a time. I
have no money to go away for a change of air. I have had an invitation
to stay for a week with a sister in the country, and I think of
accepting the invitation, and going to-morrow. August 26. To-day I had
five pounds given to me _for the express purpose of using change of
air_. August 29. To-day I received another five pounds _for the same
purpose_.
August 30. To-day, for the first Lord's day since our arrival in
Bristol, I have been kept from preaching through illness. How mercifully
has the Lord dealt in giving me so much strength for these years! I had
another five pounds sent _to aid me in procuring change of air_. How
kind is the Lord in thus providing me with the means for leaving
Bristol! September 2. Went with my family to Portishead.
September 15. As I clearly understood that the person who lets me his
horse has no license, I saw that, being bound as a believer to act
according to the laws of the country, I could use it no longer; and as
horse exercise seems most important, humanly speaking, for my
restoration, and as this is the only horse which is to be had in the
place, we came to the conclusion to leave Portishead to-morrow.
_Immediately after_, I received a kind letter from a brother and two
sisters in the Lord, who live in the Isle of Wight, which contained a
fourth invitation, more pressing than ever, to come and stay with them
for some time. In addition to this, they wrote that they had repeatedly
prayed about the matter, and were persuaded that I ought to come. This
matter has been to-day a subject for prayer.
September 16. We came this morning to the conclusion that _I_ should go
to the Isle of Wight; but we saw not how my wife and child and our
servant could accompany me, as we had not sufficient money for
travelling expenses; and yet this seemed of importance. The Lord
graciously removed the difficulty this evening;
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