344 Thomas Hollis to Benjamin Colman

    London January 9, 1726/7

    Mr. Benj. Colman

    Deare Sir

    I wrote unto you in September by Capt. Cary and Capt. Clark and am glad to heare of their arival with you. I wrote again to you in the end of that month by Capt. E. Tyng, and again about the 10 October by Capt. Steele with 2 books for College, and last of all to Mr. E. Huchinson and your self about the 18 November by the Abbington, Capt. Winter, advising of the receipt of sundry of your letters. June 11, a long one, August 15, September 7, 19, 29, October 22, 26, December 1, by Crocker. Your several letters and books inclosed are all delivered as directed and ordred, and I hope mine are all received by you. I thank you for Mr. Penhallows book, and am grieved to read of his death in your gazette December 5.198 I am glad to read the account you give of Mr. Smith199 of Bermuda, but should have been more glad, he might have continued a yeare or two longer at College. I think that some of your young men go from College to be Preachers too soone. I return you your letters directed for your Brother J.C. and am very glad he is arrived safe with you again, and Mr. Callender also. Pray remember me to them both and Dr. Boylston also. I take notice what you and others write concerning Mr. Greenwood and read your gazet of his designed lectures of Mathematicks for this winter, and of some of you admitting of him to preach, which I think was very hasty. However I shall forbeare telling hearesays of him to you or him or others, wishing his future cariage may be sober, Religious, dilligent and becoming his Profession and calling. And if the Corporation shall be unanimous in electing of him, recomending of him to me, I think I shall accept him as my Profesor, to enter on his office at your next July Commencement, when your annual accounts are stated—to begin his sallary, from that time, by which time I compute Intrest money will enter, and the Treasurer go on from that time to pay the Sallary with others regularly. Mr. Hussey200 the Minister who sent you some of his books some time since is Dead and has left his valluable library to his Wife; that expectation is failed.

    Mr. Bradly minister at Enfeild is dead—Mr. Evans preacht his funeral sermon yesterday. On his Widdows life the estate in Essex of £120 per Annum depends by Dr. Williams will and when she dies it comes to our Corporation here for progating the Gospel in New England under several heads and branches.

    January 12, P. S.

    I received yours dated November 14 with one inclosed for Dr. Mead this day. I thank you for the contents of this letter about Mr. Greenwood, which I have fully answered alreddy on the otherside as also in another letter to Mr. Treasurer which I have desired him to acquaint Mr. President with, and about the four scholers he nominated to me in his last letter. I did it so by him to ease me a little of the labour in writing many letters. It is a great satisfaction to me to see that in all your letters you all Respect Mr. Greenwood. I forbeare writing any thing more, as may hurt his character, and hope the ishue will be well as desired.

    I shall send in the box with this letter divers books for the College to Mr. Treasurer.

    I note you desire me not to send you a Baptist Professor. I am sorry to see such a caveat, the Gentleman I had my Eye upon in case Mr. Greenwood disapointed us, is of as Catholick temper as Mr. Hollis, but that is now over, onely I add some of you are not worthy of him. He has now taken up his degree as Doctor of Phisick and begun to practice this Winter with good succes in Warwick and likely to abide there and take the Pastoral care of a Church of Baptized Christians, being aged about 40 years. Studied at Leyden. Our Citizens have chosen Mr. Ward201 a Master in Languages to be their Professor of Retorick &c. at Gresham College tho he is a strict Baptist—that dont hinder for what has the dispute of Baptism to do to enter into one Professor ship or the other—but where persons are prejudiced no good thing can come out of Gallilee. Mr. Ward and my Baptist freind were fellow students at Doctor Carrs.202 I had a hand and purse in both their educations, till I sent him to Leyden to finish his studys in Divinity. I beleive Mr. Greenwood has seen and has some knowlege of both the Gentlemen. Pray have kinder thoughts of some of our Baptists. We are not all of us of Dividing Principles, though some defame us, we beare it. Mr. Standen203 of Newberry, perhaps you remember, Presbiterian Minister Preached there long time aged about 53. I am told is newly ordained Deacon by the Bishop of Sarum, in order to be a Preist of the Church of England, and has promise of the neiboring Parish Church there. A young man of your College Mr. Miller204 told me he has gotten Deacons orders, but must waite till May before he is made a Preist by the B[ishop] of London and sent over to you again. I am told our Government has granted £6000 Star. to build a College in Bermuda and £20000 Star. for the subsistence. Dr. Mayo205 told me so this 24 January and I may depend on the truth of it. This Irish Deane,206 the primum mobile of this enthusiastick undertaking, for so I call it, I am told is very high church and perhaps high in State too, is a Rich man, a learned man of good parts and active in his way and cunning, possibly our Bishop of London, who is greatly designing to promote the Church and bring all you Sectuaries over to it may appoint him a Suffragan Bishop to give your Students orders, and save them the charges of so long a voyage to obtain them at London. And will be a considrable advantage to the Island of Bermuda, by the quantity of moneys which must necessarily be spent there.

    January 27. I am this day applied unto at the N. E. coffe house by Mr. Olliver in a letter he shewed me from Mr. Prince207 of the South Church in Boston (I think it is called) to help furnish a library for their private use—using this as a motive, we did not know what hands the great library at Harvard College might fall into, but this private one would be secure to posterity. I was disgusted at the suggestion and refused to read on, and bid him write Mr. Prince word. I disliked his motion and would not be concerned.

    Feb. 2.

    I am told Mr. Miller before mentioned has married a woman of £3 or £4000 estate. If true I beleive he will not return to you so soon as he talked of.

    I am told the Bishop of London has a grant, and the pattent is preparing to pass the Seales, giving him power to apoint Commissaries to act and do in his name all things necessary for regulating the Episcopal Churches in all our Westindia Collonies and Settlements.

    I pray God in his providence secure your Churches from such dangers, surely their Guides should zealously stir up their auditories to serious Religion and practical godlines in the extensive power thereof. Luke warmnes and indolency of frame tends to loose the savour of the Gospel, and then how easily does love of the World, pride and pleasure follow.

    I am now busied preparing the Apparatus for my Mathematical Professor and shall send it so soon as possible.

    I send you an abstract of Mr. Pennoyers208 charity to read over, perhaps your Tresurer has the Coppy of it formerly.

    I send divers newspapers and pamphlets in this box that have come to hand this Winter.

    My love to you and yours and all the Gentlemen of the College

    Your Loving Friend

    Tho. Hollis

    [Endorsed:] Received, March 6, Answered, March 7, No. 51.

    Hollis Letters and Papers, p. 76.