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Fairfax, OK.
Jan. 22, 1917 -

My dear M.

It is very cold this morning. Yesterday was a bright day and my host and I went to dine at Henry Tallship's by invitation, about ten miles from here. The drive was delightful and we had a pleasant time. H.T. is a full blood married to a white woman. He led a dissipated life at one time but he is now a peyote man. He wanted to ask me some questions concerning the new religion and as to my opinion on certain of its forms. There seems to be some doubt in his mind as to the definitions of its teachings. He thinks there should be more preaching than singing and I agree with him there, but at this stage it would not be wise to start a radical change. It is a beginning and it may lead to something better and more satisfying to the reasoning mind. I told him he should read the New Testament and commit to memory some of the important sayings of Christ, not only that, he should study their meaning with a view to their use in their religion. I told him that there has never been a better teacher than Jesus and all he said had to do with the character of men and women and their relations to one another and to God. He seemed pleased and said he would give much of his leisure time to the reading the New Testament. I did not suggest the Old Testament as that would confuse rather than help him, as these people are still in the jungle of the belief in the miraculous.