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I suppose I have been extremely fortunate here, was at first, people took a notion to like me, I dont know why. It is a little strange too. You see people here are most all Universalists, far the largest and most influential part of the town, though I happen to be placed among what few Congregationalists there are. Agent is a Congregationalist & I board at the Deacon's.

There has been great opposition made even to reading the Bible, it has not been practiced in any of the town or high schools for some years. I was in a real quandary, knew not what to do. Folks here, where I board & other religious people say that they should have advised me, for my own interest & success, before hand, before witnessing the success of the experiment; to have let it all go.
 However the first day I only organized the school, did nothing. The Sec. day, partly I suppose from ignorance, partly, perhaps from my natural stupidity & obstinacy, first prefacing some remarks I went on and opened the school by reading a chapter in the Bible and a short prayer merely asking a blessing, and so continue. I expect it astonished folks some.
However, the success was beyond every ones most sanguine expectations. It took people a little by surprise. no one thought of such a thing in any body I suppose. However the Scholars Mostly a great heap of girls, had all taken a notion to like me beforehand, partly perhaps because I looked so much like Seavey, the last Master who was extremely popular here. At any rate no one found any fault, every one liked the master better & better. Of Course, that very thing made one part of the people my strong friends & supporters for the first thing, and, it  seems, has gained me no ill will from any one. The Great Universalist Minister Mr. Bates, People at Milo have heard of him, he has been all over the State, is one of their very big guns, lives next house to the school house.  His two daughters go to school, and most splendid scholars, in Latin, French, Abercrombie, Mathematics etc., much interested in Studies  apparently. Mr. Bates has shown considerable interest in the school. Much please at my introducing Burritt's Astronomy, & getting a large class in it. He appears to be a great, big, sound headed, good natural sort of a man, with a big tongue.
Mr. Eddy, the Congregational Minister here, I am not inclined to like very well. He is a small, prissy, sharp, sort of a man, meddling in every little thing & very set in his way, just about and opposite to Mr. Parker, I might guess, not very likely to conciliate, I reckon. I do not consider him talented, though he was thought by the people here when they got him here, year ago. I believe they would have done better to have settled that little Mr. Southworth, perhaps you remember preached at Sebec & Foxcroft year or two ago, and who preached here a month or two on trial.  I like the idea of settling a young minister, in such a place, both to have the benefit of his improvement in preaching, and also give him a chance to, as he matures, adapt himself to his people & situation instead