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Mount Zion (?) Jan. 12 - 1861 John Howard Payne Esq. Dear Sir, in compliance with your request, I will [cut off] Divine and, attempt to give you a brief view of my proceedings and sentiments relative to the noted missionary question [cut off] first, in the fore front of the battle , you [cut off] perceive a missionary meeting at [cut off] Eihota, for the purpose of making [cut off] certain? statements, and (?) certain [cut off] solutions concerning the Cherokees. [cut off] the? missionaries generally were not won [cut off] relative to the propriety of holding such meeting, or the expediency of [crossed out] [cut off] such resolutions. At Carmel [Cut off] knew nothing of this less or more, till we received letters from (?) Mr Worcester saying that he [cut off] authorised? by the cov. see.y to call the [cut off] missionaries together to make certain sentiments and relative to the improvement of the Cherokees, or to that effect. On meeting at New Eihota, we found the statements & resolutions in substance already written, and known to Mr Boudinot, and probably to many other Cherokees. There was therefore [cut off] opportunity for enquiry relative to the unclear of such a meeting, or the propriety of missionaries taking such a position. We