On Board the Brampton
Bay of Islands Augst. 9 1823
Revd Sir,
	It has become my painful duty to communicate to you the enclosed Letters which contain your dismission from the Service of the C.M.S. After I had received the minutes of the Committee taken at their meeting on April 22 at Kiddee Kiddee, I had no alternative but to suspend you from your duty as a Missionary belonging to the C. M. S. untill the pleasure of the Society was known. It appears that the Committee of the C. M. S. acted from the information they received from New Zealand in passing the resolution to discharge you from the service of the Mission. Their imperious duty in my opinion compelled them to take this step— It does not become me as Agent to say much to you upon this distressing subject. The deed is done and cannot be reversed, upon reflection you must admit the sentence just. I most sincerely pray that thro’ true repentance, and the divine mercy, you may rise again from your awful fall, but you must expect that the sword will never depart from your House. When I saw you yesterday you seemed to think that the Society had not done right in dismissing you from their Service, that by punishing you they were punishing your [f] Children which was unjust. Allow me to say that you form an unscriptural opinion upon this point— The punishment of your children is a natural consequence of your own transgression in the case in question. I will visit says God “the sins of the Fathers upon their children”. There are many thousands in Port Jackson who have violated the laws of their Country, but the law does not in the punishment of Offenders take into consideration the Friends and connexions of the guilty, nor can the Society upon the same common principle of Justice, consider the children of Missionaries in their service when they violate their solemn engagements with the Society. No person will regret your unhappy situation more than myself. I had flattered myself so much, and so often, with the idea of your usefulness amongst the Heathen, that I am now, and have been distressed for a long time at the events that have happened, and at the misconduct not only of yourself, but others also in the Mission. The subject is too painfull for me to dwell upon, I must therefore leave you in the hands of a Merciful God, who can pardon and absolve all them that truly repent and turn unto him.
I remain
Revd Sir
Your sincere Wellwisher
(Signed) Samuel Marsden
Revd Ths Kendall