vii. 30 July 1832

Handt to Woodrooffe and Coates, 30 July 1832, p.1.
Class Mark: C N/O 51/
MS page no: 1-025
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Sydney N.S.W. July 30, 1832.

Very dear Sirs,

You will have received my last letter, dated the [blank] of April, 1832. The contents of this letter show that I was full of doubts with regard to the arrival of the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Watson, and that I feared they had met with a sad accident.
The Lord, however, dispelled my fears, when, one the first of May, on Monday about one o'clock, they anchored here in the Sydney Cove. When I saw the vessel coming into the harbour, and had ascertained that she was the "Sir William Walace["], I took a boat to meet her, and was on board of her, just when they were dropping anchor. My joy was great when I saw before me Mr and Mrs Watson, whom I had nearly given up, and thought them to have found a watery grave. They had indeed several narrow escapes, as Mr Watson also will have written you; but the Lord had delivered them out of all dangers.[31]
The affairs of the Mission are now so far settled as to allow us to go in about a week to Wellington Valley, the station of our future labour. The Natives there are said to be numerous and a fine race of people. May they soon become civilized, and be added to the Lord's inheritance. We will, however, not forget to offer unto the Lord our thanksgivings for having

People in WellPro Directory: Coates, Dandeson | Watson, Mrs

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Handt to Woodrooffe and Coates, 30 July 1832, p.2.
Class Mark: C N/O 51/
MS page no: 1-026
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by his providential care ordered things thus far, and directed us in every case. May we trust him with regard to the future, and daily ask him for his direction and assistance, his blessing and properity [sic]. By his gracious help we have come hither, and we hope to be, in future, made useful by the same grace in teaching the poor Aborigines the things necessary for the comforts of this life, and those of the next. May the Lord preserve us blameless, and enable us to win with joy and patience the race that is set before us.
Some of the Inhabitants of this Colony do not favour the undertaking of our Mission; and they are not backward in expressing their uncharitable sentiments in the News Paper. The chief source of their resentment is, that they [sic] money for the Mission is to be drawn from the Colonial treasury. They are endeavouring to represent the commencing of a Mission among the Aborigines of this Country to be a useless undertaking. And as they cannot defeat it in that way, they make it an object of ridicule. These unpleasant circumstances will, I hope, teach us to put our whole trust in the Lord. His Excellency, the Governor Bourke, is favourable to our Missionary work. The Revd. Richard Hill performs every morning family worship in the Governor's house.
On the fourth of this month I was married by the Revd Samuel Marsden to Miss Crook. She is the

People in WellPro Directory: Bourke, Governor | Coates, Dandeson | Handt, Mary | Hill, Reverend Richard | Marsden, Reverend Samuel

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Handt to Woodrooffe and Coates, 30 July 1832, p.3.
Class Mark: C N/O 51/
MS page no: 1-027
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daughter of a Missionary who had been fifteen years in the South Sea Islands. When he went to the Islands, his daughter, my present wife, was eleven years of age; and she was with her father the whole of that time. I hope she will be a useful addition to our Mission. She sents[sic] her christian regards to You.[32]
As soon as we enter upon our Missionary work, I shall keep a regular journal, and sent[sic] it to You every quarter of the year.
May the blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ be upon and in You

I am, very dear Sirs,
Your humble servant
J.C.S. Handt.

People in WellPro Directory: Coates, Dandeson | Handt, Mary

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Handt to Woodrooffe and Coates, 30 July 1832, p.4.
Class Mark: C N/O 51/
MS page no: 1-028
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[addressed to]
The Revd T. Woodrooffe
or
D. Coates Esq.
Missionary House
Salisbury Square
Fleet Street
London
England

[addressed from]
Sydney, July 30/32
Rev. J.C.S. Handt

People in WellPro Directory: Coates, Dandeson