Your letterEditorial Note: This letter is not extant. quiets a fear– I carried away a vague sense of seeming to obtrude my opinion on you, Sunday, after service.

It was 24 hours before I got out of the disturbance. No matter what thought I started, the end of every thought was Adams. That's where everything As Written: every thing brought up – in indignation and grief. I'm not yet far enough away to think calmly about those two services – and the harm done we never shall know. But I do know this – (listen to the words of worldly wisdom!) He is an unfit man – and unfit in too many vital ways ever to be made over – (and be, at least, useful to the present generation–) He lacks painfully in dignity – and reverence – and overflows on the side of gush, empty declamation and egotism. Say nothing As Written: nothg of unsound doctrine– A man may be cured there- but one so lost as to tell that silly "tidy napkin" story, in the midst of the most serious surroundings, is hopeless.

And in the presence of the glorious solemn truths considered so lately in the class, if he could not feel some degree of dignity and reverence, he never can or will. When he finished his shouting, and his audience were – well – "writhing in anguish" is a mild way of putting it. DanteEditorial Note: Dante Alighieri (c. 1265-1321) was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His Divine Comedy (1320) is widely considered one of the most important poems and greatest Italian literary work of the Middle Ages. would put it stronger – Your calm voice came to lift us into an atmosphere of peace – I couldn't take in the sense of what you said – it was enough to feel the uplift As Written: up=lift – and HolmesEditorial Note: Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. (1809-1894) couplet came irreverently to my mind-

"And silence like a poultice came, To heal the blows of sound."Editorial Note: This is a line from “The Music Grinder” by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. Holmes has “comes” instead of “came” in the line.

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So much for Adams – with my respects– You ought not to waste time on him, for a preacher – and you would never feel safe as to what he might say or do. Well=meaning and weak – the woods are full of such – but they can't be leaders.

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I had a note from Mr. Gill yesterday about preaching Sunday.

It is communion afternoon at our own church, and we regret we cannot hear him– He is to go with us in the morning to hear our Dr Herrick– He tells me he has broken his ecclesiastic and local relations, and is growing in the conviction of the vast capabilities of Christian Science–

This delights me – and I think you may confidently look for encouragement As Written: encouragment in this direction – some comfort to your own soul and some lightening up of your own burden is coming through Mr. Gill – in my opinion–

God grant it.