Edinburgh
Sep^r 3
Miss Allwood
Edinburgh
My Dear M^rs Bateman’s very kind letter dated Sep^r ye 13^th I did not receive till October the 30^th ---- upon my arrival in Edin^r , ----- & should have written the next day had I not been prevented. ---- I left London the 4^th of Sep^r --- got to Leicester the 5^th, ----- & stayed till the 9^th -------; & not hearing from you my dear Madam, I judg’d you was from home or it was not convenient to you to answer my letter at that time; & so went by the way of Leeds & Carlisle to Glasgow. You will I doubt not be much surprised to find that I am in Scotland, the reason was this, I had many kind invitations from some of the best family’s here, & my health being so bad, it was necessary I should go somewhere; my inclinations led me here thinking I should also have the satisfaction of seeing any dear friends at Leicester Man^r &c. ---- I purpose staying here till the Moon in [damaged] again for London. ----- this account will [damaged] for seeming neglect in answering yours
[new page]
Why did you not mention in yours how M^r Bateman & your dear little Son is, & all M^r Cleggs Family? I hope you don’t think me capable of forgetting them & their kindness; but I shall expect the favor of another letter from you, with particulars on this head.
And now what shall I say to you? In yours you lament a contradiction subsisting between Theory & Practice; my dear friends case is not an unprecedented one ----- Paul commented too his {?prisonness} to do the things that he would {^not} & his backwardness & inability to do the things that [deleted] He would. ---- and the experience of the [damaged] in all ages is the same in this particular; ---- and the more {^they} advance in the spiritual & divine life, the more sensibly do they feel the {?contention} that is within; for as grace is increasing, so it will in proportion be prevailing, & consequently the Old Man of Sin will be [damaged], & lusting, & fighting against the Spirit, and the Spirit [?against] the flesh; & these being so diametrically opposite the one to the [?other] no wonder the poor Believer cries out, [damaged] am what shall deliver me from the [damaged]
[new page]
These are afflictions the World knows nothing of; but the Christian has his consolations also; there is Victory for him Over all his Enemies, & this {^is} insured to him through the all prevailing Blood of Jesus. ------ He is often in heaviness through manifold temptations, but the Morning is coming when he shall be reap an harvest of Eternal Joy, & all sorrow & sighing shall be for Ever done away. He sometimes walks in great darkness & can see no light at all but even then it is his priviledge to trust in the Name of the Lord, & to stay himself upon his God, & the Promise is that light shall spring forth speedily; that the Son of Righteousness shall arise with healing in his Wings; to warm to Cherish to Enlighten the poor dark benighted soul; Oh what is there not in Christ It hath pleased the Father that in him all {?fastness} should dwell, & it is {?measured} up him for the Saints; Glorious Repository & there they may go & derive all the blessings they stand in need of for time & Eternity; this is a copious subject & needs volumes, not a single sheet to {?descaul} upon it; but as I have finished my paper; I must leave bid you farewell the Lord bless you & yours with all needful blessings spiritual & temporal is the sincere desire
Of your aff^te friend & sev^t Maria Allwood
My Pen & ink is so bad I wish to may be able to read
M^rs Tho^s Bateman
Piccadilly
Manchester
P.S many thanks to you my dear Madam for your kind attention in looking out for me in the coaches I was really sorry you had so much trouble but I still hope to see you some time please to write to me soon & direct to me at the Rev^d M^r Randalls James’s Square New Town Edinburgh My Most Respecful Comp^ts to Mr Bateman & all your family.--------------

Edinburgh
Sep^r 3
Miss Allwood
Edinburgh
My Dear M^rs Bateman’s very kind letter dated Sep^r ye 13^th I did not receive till October the 30^th ---- upon my arrival in Edin^r , ----- & should have written the next day had I not been prevented. ---- I left London the 4^th of Sep^r --- got to Leicester the 5^th, ----- & stayed till the 9^th -------; & not hearing from you my dear Madam, I judg’d you was from home or it was not convenient to you to answer my letter at that time; & so went by the way of Leeds & Carlisle to Glasgow. You will I doubt not be much surprised to find that I am in Scotland, the reason was this, I had many kind invitations from some of the best family’s here, & my health being so bad, it was necessary I should go somewhere; my inclinations led me here thinking I should also have the satisfaction of seeing any dear friends at Leicester Man^r &c. ---- I purpose staying here till the Moon in [damaged] again for London. ----- this account will [damaged] for seeming neglect in answering yours
[new page]
Why did you not mention in yours how M^r Bateman & your dear little Son is, & all M^r Cleggs Family? I hope you don’t think me capable of forgetting them & their kindness; but I shall expect the favor of another letter from you, with particulars on this head.
And now what shall I say to you? In yours you lament a contradiction subsisting between Theory & Practice; my dear friends case is not an unprecedented one ----- Paul commented too his {?prisonness} to do the things that he would {^not} & his backwardness & inability to do the things that [deleted] He would. ---- and the experience of the [damaged] in all ages is the same in this particular; ---- and the more {^they} advance in the spiritual & divine life, the more sensibly do they feel the {?contention} that is within; for as grace is increasing, so it will in proportion be prevailing, & consequently the Old Man of Sin will be [damaged], & lusting, & fighting against the Spirit, and the Spirit [?against] the flesh; & these being so diametrically opposite the one to the [?other] no wonder the poor Believer cries out, [damaged] am what shall deliver me from the [damaged]
[new page]
These are afflictions the World knows nothing of; but the Christian has his consolations also; there is Victory for him Over all his Enemies, & this {^is} insured to him through the all prevailing Blood of Jesus. ------ He is often in heaviness through manifold temptations, but the Morning is coming when he shall be reap an harvest of Eternal Joy, & all sorrow & sighing shall be for Ever done away. He sometimes walks in great darkness & can see no light at all but even then it is his priviledge to trust in the Name of the Lord, & to stay himself upon his God, & the Promise is that light shall spring forth speedily; that the Son of Righteousness shall arise with healing in his Wings; to warm to Cherish to Enlighten the poor dark benighted soul; Oh what is there not in Christ It hath pleased the Father that in him all {?fastness} should dwell, & it is {?measured} up him for the Saints; Glorious Repository & there they may go & derive all the blessings they stand in need of for time & Eternity; this is a copious subject & needs volumes, not a single sheet to {?descaul} upon it; but as I have finished my paper; I must leave bid you farewell the Lord bless you & yours with all needful blessings spiritual & temporal is the sincere desire
Of your aff^te friend & sev^t Maria Allwood
My Pen & ink is so bad I wish to may be able to read
M^rs Tho^s Bateman
Piccadilly
Manchester
P.S many thanks to you my dear Madam for your kind attention in looking out for me in the coaches I was really sorry you had so much trouble but I still hope to see you some time please to write to me soon & direct to me at the Rev^d M^r Randalls James’s Square New Town Edinburgh My Most Respecful Comp^ts to Mr Bateman & all your family.--------------