Page:History of Gardner, Massachusetts (1860) - Glazier.djvu/145

great head of the church is able to support those who put their trust in him, I hope he will afford me his grace, that I may be enabled to carry on so great a work, and at the same time relying that you will, by your prayers, strive with me at the throne of grace, that I may be upheld in such an arduous undertaking, and enabled to discharge the duty of a faithful minister of Jesus Christ. I trust that you will endeavor to strengthen my hands by your Christian conduct, and that you will be desirous that harmony should be kept up with the neighboring churches, and that I should frequently exchange with my brethren, the clergy. The proposals you have made me for my support are according to the infancy of the town. If at any future period, as you increase in wealth, I should stand in need, I trust you will be ready to afford me relief. I shall depend that you punctually fulfill the proposals you have made. Relying on your candor, and trusting you will strive with me to build up the cause and kingdom of the great Redeemer in this place, and taking every circumstance into consideration, I think it my duty to answer you in the affirmative. I now affirm that I accept your invitation to settle with you in the work of the gospel ministry, reserving to myself, according to custom, two or three Sabbaths in a year, as occasion may require, to visit my friends.

As it is for the interest of religion and the welfare of society, that peace, concord, and universal benevolence prevail, let us strive to maintain them in our own minds, and inculcate the importance of them upon others. Let us all seek the great head of the church for support, and may we conduct ourselves as the true disciples of Jesus Christ, and walk together as heirs of the grace of life. That God may delight to dwell among you, that he may afford you the