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haft undertaiken relat-i've t the fubjfet of our faith, either a!
"it refpets thy knowledge of the work of God among us, or
"thy underftanding of our docrines; and we think we may
"add with propriety and candour, that thy letter prefents no
"very favourable fpecimen of literary talents; therefore, we
"explicitly declare our difapprobation of thy undertaking: yet
"be affured, that this declaration is not made from any appre-
"henfion of harm that may accrue to us from thy publication;
"but a regard to truth, and refpet to the world- of mankind,
"who are unacqainted with us or thee, and who are liable to
"be led into error by ignorant pretenders to a knowledge of
"our dodrines, urge us to withhold our fancaion from publi;
"cations of that defcription emanating from fuch authors.
    We hope there plain reafon3 will be fufficint to induce thee
"to relinquiffi thy defign without any further trouble; for we
"don't wiflin to be urged to the difagrecable neceflity of expof-
"ing this correfpondence to the publick, in order to prevent feri-
"ous inquirers from being-impofed upon byfuch-like publications-
  " RefpecSting the publication of thy own life, abilradlcdly
" confidered, we have nothing to do. In that thou haft an un-
"doubted right to adt thy pleafure; charity, however, induces
'us to fuggeff to thee, as our candid opinion,. that it would be
"much more to thy credit to lay afide thy pen, and turn thy
" attention to fome better employment than to expofe thy life
"to the world by thy writings.
  "We hope the plainnefs of this reply to the fubje of thy
"letter, will not be imputed to any defire in us to give offence;
" but to the privilege we claim of expreffing our Sentiments free-
"ly on that fubje.
             "In behalf of the Church, Signed,
                                       "DAVID OSBORN.
  W atervliet, December zIX, I808."

                         ANSWER.
RESPECTED FRIENDS,
            Your letter of December 2r, I8o8, purporting to
be an anfwer to mine of November laft, was lately received;
and had you barely expreffied in your reply, that you had " no
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