MS British Library Add MSS 54920: 178-180:1
Dear Mr Macmillan,
I send you three four chapters that I have finished. My plan has come to this and I had been thinking of writing to you or Miss Martin about it.2
Chapter I, Description of Ephesus
II Work of St Paul at Ephesus
III Life of St John up to the dispersion of the Apostles from Jerusalem
IV The 2nd visit of St Paul to Ephesus – review of all the chief disciples of Paul & John with the fates of such as perished under Nero
(Nearly done)
V History of St John, and of all his disciples who are traceable, with account of his Epistles & gospel, up to his banishment to Patmos
VI Messages of the Angels of the Seven Churches3 – with accounts of their state and the Angels thought to be identified.
VII Remaining history of St John – with the more obscure personages mentioned tracing the influence of Ephesus (as far as can be) on the early Celtic Christians in Gaul and Ireland.
VIII Epistles & Martyrdom of Ignatius4
IX Of Polycarp
X Subsequent fate of the Seven Churches.
This is the way that it seems to me I could manage it best, and if you approved it might be followed in a year or so by the Church of Alexandria, beginning with Barnabas and Mark.
But I do not feel at all sure that my writing is not more decided on Church arrangements than you will like, and though I have tried to avoid expressions that have conventional party force applied to them, it is too much a matter of conscience with me not to make the foundations that I do believe in.
I must also – and this will be more the case when I get beyond the time when the Scripture is a guide – take statements without disputing or criticising them, for a book for a child would be unreadable if it went into the pros and cons of authenticity, and nothing would be left of these early times if only the undisputed were taken.
It is difficult to see ones way to the three designs, but what occurs to me at this moment would be St John in his old age, blessing the little children from his litter[,] Ignatius and the Lions, and Polycarp before the Tribunal, they seem to me the three most characteristic points in the history.
I am going on with a piece every day, but I have other things on my hands that keep me from getting on fast
Yours sincerely
C M Yonge