Richmond, Ind., Oct. 22, 1876

MY BELOVED BROTHER-I trust you will not consider me negligent in not having replied earlier to your kind favor of September 6. Festina lente (hasten slowly) is a good motto, believed in by me, though not always acted upon.
I must first thank you for your very explicit answers to my queries, and may I not say that I propounded them with a two fold purpose-first, for information; and second, to prove you. I had my convictions on these matters, and I wished to discover whether you, brethren, were controlled by ritualism or by the Spirit of the Lord, who raises above forms or ceremonies, so that no form can be stated as absolute in the details thereof. I rejoice that your exposition leaves me no doubt upon these points.
Chiefly am I thankful that on the matter of discipline is faithfulness found. Of course I could see that if brethren were united and were humbly willing to be guided by the Holy Spirit, conclusions could easily be reached, and the discipline in regard to parallel cases would be the same, whether administered in New York or Japan. The fact that it is the case is proof enough to me that the brethren of whom you write are in the truth. You will readily understand that it is one thing to recognize the truth of God, and that I must make a confession of it in a different or more full manner than heretofore, and, in so doing, dissociate myself from existing or present connections because they are a sect, and another thing to do this and associate myself with others, because I might then only exchange one form of sect for another. It is for the purpose of steering clear of this misfortune that I have been so pointed and minute in my inquiries.
I now say cordially and thankfully that I can and do extend the hand of fellowship to all who confess the truth as you have written it, and as expounded in the tracts you sent me; that the Holy Spirit seals it to my heart as the truth, and that I desire to be called " brother" by you and the brethren everywhere. I have resigned my position on the committee I told you of, and gave as my reason that I should soon resign my membership in the denomination. This I I shall do shortly, unless some great change comes over me. My beloved wife m ill go with me. Thus we shall have the two for whom the promise was made. Please give me some hints as to how to proceed further.
May I ask you also whether you unite at all with the Young Men's Christian Association? It seems to me we can not. Sometimes when I see all the accustomed avenues of labor closed, it is a temptation to say, " Cui bono?" (What is the use?) But, praise the Lord! I have learned that the only thing for me to decide is what I ought to do, and to rest the remainder with Him. Other avenues will open up, I doubt not, in which I can bear a testimony for Him and Him alone.
In contemplating this severance, I have been forcibly reminded of our Lord's remark, " The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man bath not where to lay his head; " and as regards this life, why should I fare better than He?
I have been obliged to withdraw from political strife, even to the extent of not voting, for it is plain that no party honors the Lord as Head, and they would resist any attempts to install Him as such. To my natural man this was quite a cross, and in a heated canvass, such as we have had here a po- sition that entailed many unkind remarks; but I have been preserved in peace, and with but little wavering on the matter. I know nothing how brethren act in this matter. If I have followed a false guide I shall be much surprised and grieved. (I have not!)
We trust that some of the brethren will pass this way soon and instruct us farther, catechize us, and correct us, so that we may properly meet as an assembly of God's children on His ground and in unity with his assembly. I have received a very nice letter from brother R. S. S., and have to-day answered him. I thank you for introducing us. Please write soon. Yours in the risen Lord, A. B.