Letter from T[homas] Coke, 'At Sea, Six Degrees of Latitude, South of the Equinoctinal Line', to Revd Jabez Bunting, Leeds, Yorkshire

Gave this letter to the captain of a 'Brig of War' leaving current fleet for 'Brazils' who will pass it on to the British Consul there. Unable to send a letter he planned from Madeira as unable to dock due to violent gales. Asks Bunting to use his influence with [Wesleyan Methodist] Conference to ob...

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Order number: MMS/Special Series/Biographical/Home/Box 1391
Date(s) of creation: 24 Feb 1814
Level: Item
Format: Archive           

Order number: MMS/Special Series/Biographical/Home/Box 1391
Summary: Gave this letter to the captain of a 'Brig of War' leaving current fleet for 'Brazils' who will pass it on to the British Consul there. Unable to send a letter he planned from Madeira as unable to dock due to violent gales. Asks Bunting to use his influence with [Wesleyan Methodist] Conference to obtain a licence for Continental India for missionary work. They will need to apply to the Court of Directors [of the East India Company] and hopes for support from one of its number, Mr Charles Grant. If unsuccessful should apply to 'Board of Controul', where Lord Teignmouth [John Shore] will be supportive. Other support can be sought from Mr Wilberforce and the Earl of Liverpool [Charles Jenkinson]. Once the licence is obtained it should be sent on the first ship sailing for Calcutta [Kolkata, India] and be addressed to Rev Thomas Thomason, chaplain to the East India Company, and George Udney (a friend of Dr Buchanan). Asks why shouldn't there be two missionaries for India? Will need further assistance and suggests Brother [John] Slater of the Redruth Circuit and Solomon Whitworth of the Penzance or Scilly Isles Circuit. Hopes to be in Calcutta [Kolkata, India] sometime in the next nine to twelve months. If so would hope to visit Maldai [Malda, India] and Rajamaughl (including the mountains). These areas were recommended to Coke by Mr Charles Grant, in 1794 or 1795, as the most likely to be successful for evangelism as the 'natives are not divided into Casts'. Correspondence for this appears in the [?Arminian] Magazine at that time and Grant confirmed his view again recently. If goes to India he needs support as even if successful will not be tenable. Offers his own funds to support this mission. Regards to colleagues and friends.
Previous numbers: Item 4n Coke mss list
Extent: 1 sheet
Access status: Open
Copyright: Copyright held by Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes
User restrictions: For permission to publish, please contact Archives & Special Collections, SOAS Library in the first instance
Language: English
Scripts: Latin
Publications: Transcript apppears on page 714 of 'The letters of Dr. Thomas Coke' edited by John A. Vickers (2013).
Format: Archive