Boston March 24. 1749 1748/9 Dear Brother,

I have just had the pleasure of Receiving a line from you and of entertaining two of your friends who inform me of your health. As to the affair of a Commencment I can say nothing at present for I have had no time with father but shall improve the first Leasure to inform him & know his mind. It seems Strange to me to hear Such news, for Mr. Green told father (Since you went up) that he was determin'd to do nothing. I'm affraid we shall be deceiv'd too long, father is so low in health and spirrits that he will be glad to believe that they have Concluded upon no preparation but you may depend upon my interest in knowing assoon as possible.

I am not insinsible of the Snare we have falen into on the account of the Stir that fathers affairs have made in the world but allass tis I'm affraid for nothing. He has heard of Erskins & Beauforts being taken at the bay.1 How transient are all the injoyments of wealth & honour &c, and how folish is it to have any dependdance upon them and yet as you observe how easily are our minds led Captive by the Cares and pleasures of flesh and Sence, and how hard is it to disengage our Selves from the world when we wish to be imploy'd in matters of far greater importance things that relate to our evelasting wellfare.

Dear Brother how great is our Obligations to him who is the great Director of our minds for his percular favour in affording us this inestimable token of his Divine Love to us in giving us a heart to seek his favour and devote the flower of our Life to his Service, he has in his word given great incouragement to such as early turn their feet into his testimonies, and acknoledge him the guide of their youth.

Dear Brother I hope we shall be made Blessing to each other in our Christian Race, many are the difficultys we have to encounter both from within and without many and great are the temptations that youth are expos'd too but if you fix your dependance upon him who has Said Call upon me in trouble and I will answer & thou shalt Glorifie me, you will be Strenthen'd and made to rejoice even under Chastizements, for the ways of vertue are pleasantness and all her paths are peace.

Pray let us improve what time we can in writing to each other when absent that so we may be in some measure aquainted with each others joys and Sorroys, and be often joining in our inquiring the way to Zion 54and assisting each other under dificultys that we may not be Strangers here Since we hope to be the partakers of the Same Hapiness where no Strangers dwell but are all united in the Same heavenly imploy, may you be assisted and made meet for that Glorious world of perfected Spirits is the earnest desire of your Loving Sisster,

ABIGAIL PAINE

Pray Excuse the writing & all other Errors for I am in great haste. Your old Companion James Leech2 lies in a dying State if alive. I depend upon Seeing you next week next Sabbath being S——3

RC ; endorsed.

1.

Thomas Paine suffered severe financial losses at this time owing to the capture of some of his vessels and cargoes by French privateers and the depressed state of business generally (Paine, Paine Ancestry, 20; Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 6:205).

2.

James Leach (1730–1749), who died Mar. 27, 1749, was the son of John Leach, a "retailer" on Battery March Street, and his wife Ruth (Gravestone Inscriptions... in the Granary Burying Ground, Boston, Mass. [Salem, Mass., 1918], 150; Thwing Index).

3.

Sacrament.