March 16/63
Dear Robert -

Thank you for your interesting letter.
...

Your interest in the Congregational Church has reminded me that one of the Park family, Paul Parke 1720-1802 of Preston, Conn. was one of the pioneers of that church which was originally called the Separate Church and its followers "Separatists" - Paul Parke was a brother of Silas Park who was one of our ancestors. Silas was the father of Amos who was the father of Halsey who was the father of Phillip Bender who was the father of Watson Park my father. The book I have on the Parke family quotes from the History of the First Congregational Church of Preston, Conn. (Preston 1900) about Paul Park's connection with the Separatists. "But what shall we say of Elder Paul Park, the inspiration of the Preston Separate Church? No doubt a man of superior natural endowments was this farmer preacher. He brought to his work neither education nor theological training. We can imagine that he possessed gifts of speech however. For fifty years he held his flock about him, ministering to them as pastor, kept with his own hand the records of the church, maintained regular Sunday services, participated prominently in every council in which his church was represented, while at the same time supporting himself and family upon his farm, without ever receiving one dollar as salary or stated remuneration. In 1797 Elder Park preached his half-century sermon, which is said to have taken several Sundays for its delivery. It is still preserved in his own handwriting".

I find your leaning toward the unitarian Society somewhat disturbing because it is not Christ centered which of course is the basis of Christianity. There are of course many very fine people in the unitarian Society and among them many intellectuals. The unitarian Society is certainly very moralistic and supports high ideals but it leans toward the worship of man and his intellect rather than the worship of God. Also it misses entirely the concept that man can reach the end of his own resources and can then fall upon God through Christ and be restored by a power which is certainly beyond himself. This may seem nonsense to you, as it has to many, but when you have experienced it you know that there is such a power.
...

Write again soon - Dad & Mom.