v. 27 January 1839

Letter 5: Mrs Lydia Günther to Jowett, 12 January 1839, p.1.
Class Mark: C N/O 47/5
MS page no: 3-021
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[This letter written down and across same page. Readings in square brackets tenuous.]

[Note] Rec’d July 12/39

Wellington Valley, Jan 12, 1839

My dear Sir,
It afforded us much pleasure to receive lately your kind letter dated Aug 1, 1838, for which again many thanks. Conscious of the interest, and solicitude, you have for us and the sacred cause, I feel confident to write to you freely -
You will pardon my trespassing upon your line St Paul admonishes us to weep with those who weep etc.” It relieves the overburdened heart to communicate its trial to a Sympathizing Friend. Tis only the power of God that carries us through our present various trials and he mercifully supports us. O that he may graciously continue to look in mercy upon us and enable us to trust in him without wavering unto the end.
You will learn much from the journals of our present position and my dear husband's notes that were recently forwarded from Sydney. Subsequently the Government have Authorized a Surveyor to mark positions

People in WellPro Directory: Coates, Dandeson

Letter 5: Mrs Lydia Günther to Jowett, 12 January 1839, p.2.
Class Mark: C N/O 47/5
MS page no: 3-022
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of part of the land we occupy to be disposed of for a township. Rev. Günther is proceeding to Sydney this week (Deo volenti) and intends to consult the Cor Committee there. You will doubtless hear their resistance. Should Government effect their intention we could not continue. I can speak from experience of the absolute necessity of very different arrangements being made to carry on a Mission amongst these poor Aboriginal Natives to promised success (should it please our all wise Disposer to permit our continuance here or elsewhere.) You have heard much of the very degraded state of our poor Natives, this the half cannot be told. Their vile, wretched habits and moral degradation at first excited anguish and horror in the mind. You did say this should influence your zeal and I trust it had.
We have not had lately as many Natives as usual tho' more than we can attend to as we consider advisable it being requisite to cook & wash etc for them and we have not one Native that we can depend upon either willing or sufficiently civilized to render any adequate assistance. European servants will not & their awful example we wish to avoid. They either are prisoners or have been & we find some villainous, generally hardened by punishment.

Letter 5: Mrs Lydia Günther to Jowett, 12 January 1839, p.3.
Class Mark: C N/O 47/5
MS page no: 3-023
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If possible they make the poor native females ten fold lazier than naturally and I truly lament to say without any exception they are void of a virtuous principle etc. I am obliged to have one of the girls to make my bread, bake and render me a little assistance. She is the most useful I have seen but her carelessness is incredible. The children about are those collected by Mr and Mrs Watson who prefer instructing them [so] that I have only endeavoured to assist instructing and clothing the adults and I find when you can gain their attention (this is often very difficult) their abilities are excellent and their memories retentive. A few of our young men who a year past knew not their letters can read easily in the New Testament. And tho as elsewhere knowledge will not make them Christians, as they learn to read may they learn to love Him who first loved us. We sometimes hear from them expressions we delight to cherish but Alas! our hopes are often perishable and we are taught to subdue our anticipation and statements as regards our success in any real change of heart. Great wisdom and discrimination are requisite to conduct ourselves amongst them wisely and becoming the Gospel of Christ. “Pray for us”

Letter 5: Mrs Lydia Günther to Jowett, 12 January 1839, p.4.
Class Mark: C N/O 47/5
MS page no: 3-024
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that the name of Christ be no longer dishonoured in this Infidel Colony. May the Lord direct our every movement. I shall be obliged if you will present to Mr Coates our warm . . . & grateful remembrance & ask him to have the kindness to give my dear brother Mr Hul Paris, 47 Wilmington Square, and any sum of money he wishes on our account as I am obliged to send to England for various articles and we are not clear from Mr Cambell what is just in London . . . May your prayers for the success of our labours be answered is, dear Sir, the prayer of yours faithfully and obligingly,
Lydia Günther

Christians in England cannot be aware of our diviductlies & ... They need but fro he sum
by their prayers - their ..... & to some few come in & cast in their lot with us” I …

[Postscript from p.17]
I lament to be under the painful necessity of adding that we are very uncomfortable with our colleagues Mr and Mrs Watson who certainly received us kindly upon our arrival and have often shown us some signs of friendship, yet we fear it was never sincere. For in our work and labour of love so honourable and important they have never evinced any willingness to speak or cooperate with us. We have, I am sure, striven to show them all our respect and consult their superior experience.
During our sojourn in Sydney we heard repeatedly of the unhappy state of the Mission and frequently urged not to proceed. It was my own husband's wish and prayer that our minds should not be influenced and he has indeed tried to put a most favourable and charitable instruction upon such conduct [which] we have thought very inconsistent with the Missionary character, but hoping by some chance he could effect a change.[6] His Motives have been unkindly received and since he has with Mr Porter expressed himself to the Committee in Sydney and adverted to the large number of Cattle grazing upon this land, Mr Watson's property, which had brought much censure upon us and our cause by the settlers. He has given thus unpardonable offence and we have been treated with contempt and the poor Natives over heard those things calculated to make an unfavourable impression against us. The consequence unless a very decided change takes place must cause a deputation round articles not [?] from what is just and ? Pray for the success he answered since [?] [?] any souls to is that dear Sir of Yours faithfully

[Addressed to] Rev. W. Jowett
Church Missionary house
Salisbury Square
London

[Note] Rec'd Jan.29/29 ?
Mrs Günther
[Stamp] 'Paid Ship Letter, Ja 31, 1839

People in WellPro Directory: Coates, Dandeson