6 December 1815

William Wilberforce, Brighton, to John Ryland,  Jr., Bristol, 6 December 1815.

Many thanks my dear Sir for yr friendly & interesting Communication.  I sent it back by return of Post.  Good Mr Rowe appears to be of the right Spirit – may he be rendered a Blessing to many – 

I wish I had time to give you my Ideas on a Subject on which the Dissenting Ministers in London are loudly proclaiming their Sentiments   I respect & love the warmth of their Xtian Sympathy, but I own I fear they will greatly injure the Cause not only of the Protestants of the South of France, but also of Protestantism itself, & of the new System of Instruction.  O let them consider well the course they are pursuing.  Believe me my dear Sir, again I assure you, that I give them credit for the purity & Xtian fervour of their zeal, but our Saviour has himself instructed us to confine the Wisdom of the Servant [Wilberforce obviously meant to write “Serpent”]  with the Harmlessness of ye Dove.   I open my heart to you without reserve, because I know you will not misconstrue me, but do me the Justice to believe that I say this out of good will to the Cause that is at Issue in its Length & Breadth in short in all its Dimensions.  I shall always be thankful for Intelligence – and I am always 

  My dear Sir

  yours sincerely

  W Wilberforce

The Revd Dr Ryland

P.S.

I wrote rather fully ye other day to Mr Burt of Bristol in answer to a Letter I had receivd from him

Text: Wilberforce-Ryland Letters, shelfmark MS. G97a, Bristol Baptist College Library, f. 15.