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Glen oak near Nashville Aug: 26. 1855

Dear Mrs Pine,
Yours of the 22d inst. reached me last night, and I avail myself
of a few minutes this morning before the hour of service to write a line or
two in reply. I will endeavor to comply with your request in all things as to
the disposition of the convention sermon. I have read it myself with
renewed satisfaction and pleasure both here and at Chattanooga, and
doubt not that our Brethren both of the Cleargy & Laity may well drive
profit from its study. It is in truth a discourse to be studied, not read
merely. Several passages struck me as exceeding like the divines of the
Elizabethan age, both in sentiment and diction - not that I mean that
you have copied them; but as containing matter in a few words well
chosen, to supply food for profound reflection. I do not write this to flatter
you. For that there is no occasion-still less to tempt you to the indulgence
of intellectual pride, knowing as well as you do, that you "have nothing
which you did not receive " - Every man has his gifts from above, there is
therefore no room for boasting, but much for humility.
I wrote you two or three lines last week, stating that I would ^give the
2d Sunday in Sept to Franklin instead of Columbus for invitation. I was
led to do this for several reasons - among them, that the 23rd of sept, which
I proposed to Mr Royce fell on the season of a meth charity meeting
which Royce did not wish to interfere with his appointment; and again
some of the candidates for confirmation could not be present at a later
day than the 9th. Therefore as the best arrangement I could make, I
assigned the 15th & 23rd to Maury County and the 30th Sept to Clarksville.
James willhave returned by the 5th or 7th proximo - I can then arrange all
things about the distribution of the convention sermon. In the meantime