Joseph Parrish letter to Thomas Rotch, Philadelphia 8 mo 19th 1803

               
   B-136-1
                                Phila 8 mo 19th 1803
               shall
            What^ I communicate that will be interesting to my esteemed
  friends Thos & Charity Rotch? is a Query that presents itself to my mind, and
  I can scarcely decide the question for I can assure them, that their friend
                                             has
  who so lately partook of their Hospitality ^felt himself very weake, and
  altho' it is not pleasant to the natural part in us, to be reduc'd into a state
  of poverty, yet at times I think I feel thankful, for this experience, as
  I am firmly believe it is very necessary for me, and has a tendency to impress
  upon
  ^my mind the important truth "of ourselves ye can do nothing" and altho'
  I have lately witnessed a degree of mental drought, yet I am favor'd to possess
  a little Spring, which is situated in a Sequestered spot in my garden
  which as far as I am able to discover, does not depend upon the dews and gently
  distilling showers for its Supplies(altho' they are blessings from heaven for which
  we should be thankful) but derives them from a deep - may I not Say, an in-
  exhaustible Source, and having seen a little repeated this morning with a small
  portion of the water - I feel as if I could salute my endeared friends, with the
                                                                      the
  encouraging language "be of good cheer" for altho' in the course of ^Journey we
  may often meet with discouragements, and have to combat with many diffi-
  culties, yet when we consider that the Immortal Captain of our Salvation
  was never foil'd in Battle - that when he unfurls his Sacred Banner' victory
  is the invariable result, we have no cause for dismay.
       I have scarcely had time since my arrival to enter fairly upon
  my Professional duties, altho' I have already several patients under my care,
  and as I walk'd this the Southern part of the City a few days past - I can