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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from John Urmston to Hodges
Urmston, John
October 22, 1712
Volume 01, Pages 884-885

[From N. C. Letter Book. S. P. G.]
Mr URMSTONE TO Mr HODGES

North Carolina
Octr 22nd 1712

Sir.

I acquainted the Honorable Society with the death of my fellow Labourer the Revd Mr Adams late Missionary in this province per the first opportunity after the same and withall that being disappointed of that Library brought in by Mr Gordon, and for which I stand bound, I demanded that which belonged to Mr Adams, which upon inquiry I found safe and entire but was refused it. The precinct where the deceased last dwelt, pretending the Books belonged to them and would not part with

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them except I would live with them. I am told Mr Rainsford had the like answer. Thus Society is abused and their Missionaries in this as well as other cases ill treated by an ungrateful worthless people I hope you will either cancel my obligation or send me other books instead of those lost by Mr Gordon I aver and testify that those . . . . . . . . . Mr Adams were brought in were at the time of his death safe and entire as above and therefore see no reason his heirs should suffer but what is since become of them perhaps neither you nor I shall ever know. I've more than once complained of the injust usage I have met with in reference to a very valuable collection of choice books detained at Bath, nowe the seat of war many of which are spoilt and the rest will infallibly, be destroyed by the Heathen, at least the Ministry will never be much better for them for whose use they were chiefly intended. That place will never be the seat of Government nor supplied by an Incumbent a remote obscure dangerous place of it felt incapable of subsisting a Minister and inconsistent with any other part of the Colony. I have not been favoured with a line since I arrived here from the Society. I hope I shall be so happy within a short time and that my requests per Col. Quarry will be granted, otherwise you must expect to hear I am Bankrupt & forced to run for it, since Coll Hides death the Quakers and their adherents threaten to act over again the late Tragedy in Order to settle and establish themselves overthrowe the Church & in the end finish the ruin of this poor country if the Indians do it not for them but these Meeting with little or no opposition cannot fail of destroying us all; We are in expectation of succour from Ashley River but that is very uncertain. Our cowardice and Quaking principles render us the scorn & contempt of all our neighbours. We are to have an assembly on the 4th of next month I hear few but quakers and their party are chosen Burgesses so that we may expect but little good, they give out already they'l have new Lords and new Laws or rather no Laws that will best please the generality of our Gentry

I am good Sir &c
JNO. URMSTONE
Missionary.