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Middlebury Dec 10 1828
Dear Friend
It is indeed a long time since I sat down to address you - so long that I can hardly reckon up the years whether they are five or six. During this period I have constantly followed you in your eventful history as detailed in the Missionary Herald; & often trembled for you in your dangers & rejoiced at every prosperous circumstance. Heaven be praised that your life & that of your wife has been spared, & that you have been able to accomplish so much for Christ & the Church. May you both be long spared to bless many. Since I parted from you I have been settled in the Ministry in Greenfield (Mass) married, dismissed from the ministry on account of weak lungs & am now con
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[con]nected with Middlebury College. During this period I have been for the most part exceedingly occupied; having the ususal amount of trials & much that has been encouraging. I have lost some dear friends, & live separated from others. But there is a [?] when pious friends must, whether while on earth they live under the the same roof or seas [?] between them. I had a letter from Brother Butt the first that I have had in a long time He is a [?] Minister in Lebonon Con.. He says "I find that I am growing old". I suspect that none of us feel quite as young as when we use to promenade chapel I trust & Brother Butt has not grown old as [?] [?] then you or I. Why can you not visit this
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country before long. I believe that you might try so doing contribute very [maturally?] to the advancement of the Missionary cause? The missionary spirit is eviden[t]ly increasing but it ought to increase a hundred fold.
I have an unexpected opportunity of sending this by Rev Mr Robertson with whom you will be notified to form an acquaintance as a fellow laborer in the vineyard of our land. If it is not too much to expect. I should be very much gratified by a letter from you. My heart is some toward, you as ever though my relations in life have been constantly increasing. Dont entirely give up you old correspondent. I should write little longer but after nine oclock in the evening is my only opportunity. My affectionate [?] to this Bird, in which Mrs Fowler joins Your Brother William C Fowler