Letter signed : Watton at Stone, to Charles Pettit McIlvaine, 1846 March 4.

Giving Bishop McIlvaine details about Bickersteth's recent accident: "he was thrown from his chaise under the wheel of a cart, wh. broke a small bone in his left leg. The confinement & the shock have much injured his health & we fear it will be many weeks before he recovers from the effects of it"; writing that an "extraordinary spirit of prayer has been poured upon the church in his behalf, & much delightful sympathy has cheered his hours of weakness"; telling McIlvaine that Bickersteth has been thinking deeply during his convalescence about the Evangelical Alliance: "the more in the seclusion of his chamber he ponders on the work of the last few months, the more assured he feels that this movement is of God, & must produce good"; mentioning that Bickersteth had originally joined the Alliance with trepidation, but "since he has joined he has seen such proofs of the blessing of God resting upon it, such a spirit of prayer & love poured on its members as makes him bless God he was allowed to be among the first to join"; adding that Bickersteth believes the Evangelical Alliance will be important in strengthening the true Church against such threats as Tractarianism; commenting that the opposition to the Maynooth Bill was the first step in leading to "this more direct movement for Christian [union]"; mentioning that Bickersteth trusts America will not be slow in responding to the call; noting that a general meeting is scheduled for August 19th.