29 Oak Village, Kentish Town, Nov. 26, 1868

I wrote this Nov 26th should be ___ to receive this book my age is 47 - how time flies

My Very Dear Uncle

I am most happy to tell you I received your last letter quite safe March 23—but I could not tell when you posted it as the date on the envelope was not plain and I received 1 paper, I have been today to hear spurgeon at Report Chapel. I felt while listing to him my heart stirred by way of remembrance when we went to the little chapel at Hendon together. My Dear Uncle, I quite agree with you that the soul of man can no more live on past blessings than the body can on [end of page 1]

past meals, but have need to say Give us this day our daily bread, you know the manna fell every day and the people needed it and God knows we need it for he was made flesh and some people seem to speak of it as something wonderful for God to answer prayer. God says ask and ?have offer thy mouth ?while and I will fill it and has promised to do ?exeudey abundantly more for us than we can ask or thank Our Father does not give grudgingly or niggardly like some people he delights to give will Dear Uncle I full with you though perhaps not so deeply that unless we are ready to do the will of God we miss the great end for which we came into this world and how soon [end of page]

now about friends. My Uncle John - I heard he’s quite well and says if you would send him a letter he would return it. I have heard not from my Uncle Thomas for a long time and I have lost his address, but Sarah Cowly wrote to me some little time since from your address which I sent her well ?tasha history at Hendon and thorp. Mr. & Mrs. Bennett are still ___ 2 all dead to be kindly remembered to you. I often see poor old Joe Paye. He always asks kindly after you of Uncle. How our lives live in people’s memories when we are gone ____ Mr. Hamilton dead work about ___ perhaps you will say quite enough to well thank the Lord I have all [end of page]

that I need for this world and have meat to eat that the word knows not of perhaps you say what are you doing for a levy well. I have been with one gentleman he’s a coachman for 13 years, about 7 years of that time at Hendon and while there I was ill and both him and his lady said if I had died they never could have endured to have seen anyone else in my place loves cows, pigs, poultry, and if I happened to died all was to have been old everything was left in my land, but when they left Hendon for Havestock Hill he bought me a very nice house that is why I live at Oak Village. [end of page]

is very scarce there are hundreds out of employment and I often say what am I or what’s my father house that thou are so mindful of one men. I spoke to the ___ for my oldest son and he took him into the firm directly and there is a place for life if he behaves himself one of our deacons and our grocer a member of the sum church were we are, are con__ out to America in the spring but I don’t know what part. I must now conclude pray that ___ blessings attend you for body and souls my ___ and your wife ___ me to remain your affectionate Nephew P. Claydon.