Caney Creek July 30th 1831
Dear Sir
No doubt you have heard many saysoes concerning me or my
publik addresses or Exhortations etc and from those tails perhaps
may have thought it was injuring the cause of your setling the
affairs of the coloney with the Government Which has been the
fartherest from me I have been very careful not to abuse any
privilege that has been held out by government or its Agents. My
practice has been to go no whar where I hav not been invited and
when and whare I have gone. And sung prayed Read a chapter
in the Bible or testament and Exho[r]te the people to love God and
each other: deal justly love mercy and walk humbly before God
and the wourld. And to make their peace with God and try to
show them by precept and example how to obtain that peace: And
this far I thought we (or I) ware privileged: found[ed] on the
first address of the Rev Muldoon ;—
No man perhaps feels agreater anxiety for your wellfare and
that of the coloneye than I do and instead prejudicing the minds
of the people against the Priest I am persuaded I have been the
means in the hand of God of quieting many and reconciling their
feelings.
The whims superstition ignorance of a community cannot be helped.
But to sattisfy them on the best and easest terms is the question and
to do the most or greatest good to the wourld of Mankind: This
has ocupied my mind for some months past. Religious policy is
as necessary (and requires more) as state or National The fear
of being compeled to become Romans or recanting some of their
Religious tenets or habits on the part of the colonist and jealousy
on the part of the government that they are not Romans-—
The plan that is most impresed on my mind on the subject is to
cite some one who has preached or Exhorted in the coloney (as I
understand I am not the onely one) before the priest as I presume
from his [Muldoon's] third address he has ail power on the subject:
and let the accused produce testimony of what he has inculcated and
if it be aclgudged to be Religion declare it so to be and put the sir
name Roman to it and let him (or them) go on. My Bible teaches
but one Religion and I presume a Romans is the same it matters
not what names men give it so it is pure and undefiled, whether
Roman Methodist Baptist Presbyterian or Catholick: and a liberal
minded man can wave on these points for the sake of doing good:
A course of this nature would certainly prove to the colonest that
the government did (or do) not wish to oppress or compell them
in to any unreasonable or just measures: and prove to the
government that even the preachers are of the Religion of the Government
as well as hearers and instead of it prooving an ingry to the setling
the affairs of the coloney it will make in its favor and it is a tract
that will ear long lead to the liberty of concience which I have no
doubt is the ernest [wish] of your soul: I can see no impropriety or
injury in the course: I have reasoned with myself for and against
it and if it can be adopted; it will surely answer the desirable end
and be the means of doing a great good
I mention this subject to you for the first believing it to be my
duty to do so as there is much talk and clammer, and this appears
to come to the middle ground as both are tenacious and
superstituous—should such acours meet your approbation after viewing
it and be adop[t]ed my prayer will be answered And if not may
it remain with you, and as coming from the purest intentions: I
feel it my duty to reprove vice and immorality whare and when I
see it and to inforce the love of there assosites [associates]
I have three weeks confinement to my school and then I shall go
to San Felepe wher I hope I shall have the pleasure of conversing
with you on various subjects
And rest assured I shall do all I can for the good of the coloney
in cutivating peace and friendship with ail—And abuse no
privilege but use them
And may the Blessings of Heaven rest upon you and yours and
guide you in all wisdon and so I Remain
Sumner Bacon
Hon S. F Austin Esq.