Lacock Vicarage
Nov^r 28. 1850

My dear Sir

I beg to thank you for your kind note & to say that I am heartily glad to see your reason for objecting to sign the address. I look upon the dogma of Apostolical succession as a mere popish trap & it was some time, after I had observed the terms before I could make up my mind to send it round. But you know the difficulty of my position here with that party & I am willing to meet them and work with them as far as possible, though I feel I act sometimes of the dictates of my own conviction, It was not till yesterday that I could make up my mind to sign the address & I am vexed that I have done so

Allow me to say that I am sure the Bishop will be much gratified & comforted by a letter from you, & it will be an act of great kindness toward him. Such men at much a time need the encouragement & support of their friends in every way.

I beg to remain my dear Sir very faithfully Y^rs
J Matthews