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Yours of 19th enclosing Wallace's note just received. There is more "non aurthodox​ orthodox​ passion" among your friends than perhaps you are aware of. Though we do not set up and curse the (modern) Pharisees as Christ (or far more likely his friends did) yet we feel it. It is there all the same. We do not and cannot go with Ingersoll in his refusals and denials but we like the man and we should be foolish to do anything to deter him from giving us his friendship  and support. We want the conservative, orthodox folk (all we can get of them) and we are getting a good many (I have a letter this morning from a young presbytarian clergiman​ clergyman​ —a good friend of yours) but we want (to my mind) the independent freethinkers even more since the immediate future (I fancy) belongs to them. I think you are right to stand aside (personally) from this I. demonstration but for my part (as a friend of the cause) I look upon it (and think you should) with great complacency. I think therefore that you are entirely wrong to be "annoyed" at a demonstration in your favor even if it were entirely by freethinker—they cannot alter you or your teaching and (on the contrary) you will undoubtedly, in the end, alter many of them and will have (in the end) in all probability your most extreme partisans & lovers from this section of humanity. As for I. being "solicited" it seems to me that is neither here nor there—your friends have a right to do what seems best to them in such matters—their action does not affect you—you stand aside and let them act. That is all. For my part nothing   could give me greater satisfaction than a rousing demonstration on the part of I. and his friends and I shall take part in it (if I can) with a good heart. I do heartily agree with you however in wishing that the affair could come off in N.Y. Could not this be managed? I shall write to Johnston on this point.

All well here, fine weather, Western Fair going on in London. Meter moving slowly but satisfactorily

Best love to you RM Bucke