Your very acceptable letters of the six o’clock—day—came this morning. I have not been hurried at all for a week back and have written—once to you & twice to Father, besides to George Bissell. We are just getting in a great hurry again. So if I write—it must be without delay. So I’ll take up your letter regularly to answer.

Sorry to hear you were not well. I am glad you put your turns to such good account. About staying home from church—I always think so. It does me more good to read a sermon, and meditate and carry out such ideas from it as I choose—digest—some—such as I want—at leisure, than to hear three. By the way, I do most fervently wish—on all accounts—this custom of two regular sermons per diem were abolished and a single sermon of half the usual length—and four times usual strength—substituted.

[253]

I never can sit down when I want to and make a business of meditation—successfully. About Reading, it is just so exactly with me and I too am trying to overcome it. I now generally run over after my usual fashion a chapter of Upham, anytime in the day, when I can snatch it up. And when I am ready to retire I read it over again, dwelling upon the most important ideas & taking a short note or memorandum of them.

I am trying to read a little of something else—to cultivate mental powers to make me think, too, every day. I have been reading Randall on Mental & Moral Culture. The Psalms I read about half in course, but gave them up and am now in Hebrews, reviewing & studying the last half dozen chapters. Besides I have two Sunday School lessons to study by Comments, &c, per week. A few Sabbaths since, one morning before church, finding there was some choice of expressions, between the prayer book version and the modern Revised Standard editions, I wrote off to suit my own taste and learned by heart that beautiful Psalm, the xxiii (“The Lord is my Shepherd,” &c.)

I generally get a half hour for retirement in course of the day and always write my Journal & read a little at bedtime.

I have been in the corn field two or three hours since I began the letter. I am still thinking a good deal on the subjects I wrote you last week. I have been almost determined not to join a church which required anything more than Christ and the Apostles did. As if a man could not be a Christian without being a Presbyterian! If I were to follow my own judgment, now, I doubt very much if I should not at once partake of the communion—without troubling any so-called church to qualify or elect or permit me. It seems very absurd to me.

Now here, this minister knows—at least I told him, I knew nothing of his Articles of Faith or the particular tenets of the Presbyterian Church. He does not ask me to examine them, and I shall not, I presume. But he thinks it right and proper that I should join his church, that I shall not do right if I do not. So would think a Baptist or something else.

Now I could go to a “Catholic” Church and be qualified in their opinion—(so I think, though the Prayer Book says nothing of it) to drink of that cup and eat of the bread when and wherever it is offered me, without professing any particular tenets, but such as are held in common by all professing to be Christians. Do you know, that in the Episcopal Church it is not even required to be confirmed to partake. Dr. Arnold says, “Nay, I would even say what the Church fully authorizes me in saying, let not your not having been confirmed restrain you;” from “getting for your souls the help they need.” I shall be “propounded” I presume next Sunday, and I shall try to have a talk with Mr. Lathrop before the day.

Speaking of guns, I was told by two of the committee of arrangements [254]that either I or Cooper would be called upon to deliver the oration at the Fairmount celebration of this 4th. I told them about Mr. Case.

Yes. I got the papers and send you one.

I have written Emma.

Capron is good for Grammar School.

Who is Hetty B. going to take those lessons of?

Great time you had on the mountain.

What does “A & C” mean and how do you like it.

Tell me more particularly about your coming out here. We can not keep more than two of you very well—for a day or two. I don’t know about being on hand in August, but I guess I can after sowing wheat. Must be back before 16th.