McFarland's note requesting a mission for his cathedral Walworth has forwarded to Father Isaac T. Hecker who is the responsible person. Apparently the Bishop did not know that Walworth had separated himself from his former companions in missionary labors. Because of his respect for the Bishop he offers some explanation of his motives. He never had any thought of changing his vocation as a religious missionary. He looked upon it as a necessary but temporary step, intending to resume his religious vows. It was a shock to him therefore to learn at the first conference after Father Hecker's return that they contemplated a relaxation of their former rules even to the abandoning to the vows. According to canon law the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience constitute the essential element of the religious state and not even the Pope can dispense from the vows and leave the person the religious character. He told them that they had a religious character before the people that they must retain and that they had told the Pope that they had an attachment to their religious rule and vows. The Paulists consented for a while to annual vows and walworth tried to reconcile his mind to this but he could not, since the annual vows did not constitute the religious state. After consultation with the bishops of Albany and Newark he departed from the company. It has been an awful blow to his dearest hopes. He writes merely to set his position clearly before the Bishop and not to prejudice in any way the prospects of the others. They have parted as brothers without the least breach of charity. He asks the prayers of the bishop that God will soften his present affliction and let him do His will in the parish where he is now stationed. :: I-1-a A.L.S. 4pp. 12mo.