Charlestown in South Carolina

Wednesday, December 10. Had a pleasant passage, and arrived at Charlestown last night. As we came over the bar, I was informed of a melancholy fire, that broke out about three weeks ago, and destroyed 300 houses in the best part of Charlestown in the space of about three hours. The news much affected me, because I loved the people, and I preached to them this morning from Isaiah 1:6. Except the Lord of Hosts had left to us a very small [illegible] we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like to Gomorrah. In handling the subject I endeavored to show what were the sins which provoked God to punish the Israelites in that manner. I drew a parallel between them and the Charlestown people, and then made an application suitable to the solemn occasion of my preaching. May the Lord grant it may produce the desired effect, and be a [illegible] of preserving the inhabitants from being cast into that fire, which never shall be quenched!