[added: Feb [February] 8 1834]Dear Sir

Since my return from the East I have been put in possession of a brief note of yours to myself & which accompanied the last communication of yours published in the Revivalist.

The very disagreable [disagreeable] controversy which has grown out of the publication of Br,, [Brother] Morgan s letter has been to me a sourse [source] of pain & mortification Yet I must say that I am not yet convinced that I did wrong in publishing that letter although I do not indorse; all its sentiments. Frequent complaints have been made and by Cumberland Presbyterians of high standing that we were in some instances running into injurious excesses and I then thought and still think that no disadvantage to the cause of Christ could possibly ensue from a fair and christian discussion of the subject. I am sorry however to find that [unclear: much bad ] spirit prevails on account of it and that I am censured severly [severely] by both parties.

In justice to myself I am bound to say

that I heartily [unclear: dissaprove of Amicas ] and had I been at home his piece would not have been published I think you must have misunderstood Br Anderson who assures me he had no design to side with either party He is a thurough [thorough] Cumberland Presbyterian and the son of your former fellow labour [labor] of that name and as is natural strongly attached to the measures of the revival of 1800

As [unclear: regards ] the dessatesfaction [dissatisfaction] of the Brethren in your country I am sorry it should exist but trust that they have more prudence than to attempt in the present state of the church to get up a paper there The Cumberland Church heretofore has not been able to give a liberal patronage to one paper and if this be true she will only disgrace herself by attempting to have 3 or 4 as will be the case if the brethren of the east & west put their threats into execution. But I would seriously advise the church to make this establishment her property and appoint some person to take charge of it in whose views and prudence & they have confidence. For my own part I acknowledge that I am heartily sick of my situation and

nothing short of the firm conviction that the church would be without a paper and consequently sustain great loss enduced [induced] me at the earnest solicitations of the last assembly to purchase the whole concern from [unclear: Mr Lenry ] to whom I paid $1500.00 and took upon myself all the debts owing by the establishment From that time to the present I have been grapling [grapling] with the most [unclear: serious ] difficulties and to be enabled to meet the heavy demands [unclear: against ] the press I have been travelling constantly Indeed from [gap] 1st of June I have been with my family on 3 sabbaths of [gap] have paid debts owing by the press to the amount of [unclear: $5000.00 ] Indeed nothing short of the most rigorous exertions could have kept it alive until now. The Revivalist is a [unclear: waking conun ] all my private resources are swallowed up by it & my brethren making no exertions to promote its interests but in too many instances treating me in a most unchristian manner witness the defence of Br Guthrie From then and [unclear: ther underating ] I have determined (and I think I will do duty) not to continue the publication of the Revivalist at my own risk longer than the assembly unless such measures are addressed as I have no expectations of And I expect that the pledge of the assembly will be redeemed [unclear: Very ] that the office will be better off my hands __ I deem it my indespensible [indispensable] duty to give you and other [unclear: influential ]

And I would earnestly beg for the sake of the bleeding cause of Christ that if it is at all practicable you will be present at the next assembly __

I am sorry that it will be my duty to engage with Br Miller I feel my [unclear: dessuncy ] but with the fear of God before me and relying on his aid I will try to reply I trust in the spirit of Christ

Yours affectionately

James Smith

Nashville 5th Feby [February] 1834

[added:

Finis Ewing Lexington Missouri

][added:

miscellaneous scribbling

][added: Rev J [Reverend James] Smith
Feb 5 1834] [added: members of the church due notice of the course I shall feel it my duty to pursue that they may adopt such measures as they may deem best calculated to secure the interests of the church__]