ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE LETTERS FROM THE REV. JOHN NEWTON, LATE RECTOR OF ST. MARY WOOLNOTH, LONDON, TO THE REV. WILLIAM BULL, OF NEWPORT PAGNELL. WRITTEN DURING A PERIOD OF THIRTY-TWO YEARS, FROM 1773 TO 1805. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that LONDON: HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO., PATERNOSTER ROW, EDINBURGH: OLIPHANT AND SONS. DUBLIN: CURRY AND CO. PREFACE. THE following letters were addressed to the Rev. William Bull, of Newport Pagnell, the beloved father of the Editor. It so happened that Mr. Bull undertook the pastoral charge of the Independent congregation at Newport about the time that Mr. Newton entered on the curacy at Olney. They were soon introduced to each other, and a slight acquaintance commenced. Some trifling reports, tending to lower the reputation of Mr. Bull, reached the ear of Mr. Newton, and produced a coldness between them. When, however, it was found that these reports originated in falsehood, there was a permanent renewal of that intercourse which had been for a short time suspended. How completely Mr. Newton was satisfied, and how cordial was his subsequent attachment to his friend, will appear by the following extract from his Diary, dated March 11th, 1776:-" At ten, thy servant Bull came and stayed till after dinner. Was he not thy messenger? Oh make his visit a |