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Amesbury 30 [3?] mo '70
Dear frd.
I thank thee sincerely for thy kind invitation. I fear it will not be in my power to be with you at the Y.M. as my health seems hardly equal to the effect at present to go so far.
I unite with thee in strong desires that the Meeting may be an occasion of Thanksgiving for the blessing of the Divine Presence. I long for harmony & unity in our Society. We can only have it by love and that
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charity which is selfforgetful, long-suffering, and tender towards the [?] and prejudices seen of others. The dear Lord does not want us to quarrel with each other, on his account, and he must look with infinite [?] & compassion upon us, when we cherish unkindness in His name.
I often think of thy dear father, & others of the old [?] of freedom, in this day of its triumph. May we not think that they rejoice with us?
Thy friend,
John G. Whittier