Rev. William H. Ruffner,
Dear Sir:—The undersigned, members of your church and congregation, having listened with great satisfaction and interest to the discourse preached by you on the morning of Sabbath the 4th inst. and believing that the cause which it advocates will be promoted by its being more largely disseminated, we would respectfully ask a copy for publication.
We are, Dear Sir,
Very respectfully and truly yours, &c.
Gentlemen:—My long delay in rendering a formal reply to your communication of July 5th, has not been the result of a low appreciation of what is due to you personally, or to your kind and complimentary request. It has been occasioned, first by the undecided state of my mind as to allowing the discourse to be published, and then by a number of circumstances personal to myself, which prevented my preparing a legible copy for the printer.
Thanking you for your attention and your patience, I place the manuscript at your disposal, with the hope that, under the Divine blessing, some good may accrue to a noble cause from its publication.
With sentiments of high regard for each one of you,
To Messrs. F. A. Bokee,
