Newmarket September 27, 1864

Mrs. Kirke made to me the following statement,

"Mr. Barker called on her last Feby. [February] to pay a visit of condolence, and sympathy on the lofs [sic] of her mother. The conversation soon glided into church matters, when Mr. B. complained that it was a difficult matter to form an opinion of facts, which had occurred years before to which he was not an eye witness: that he would, on that account, have liked to have had a conversation with Mr. Baker as he had been conversant with all these matters. I (Mrs. K) [sic] said it would have been well if we all had had a conversation with Mr. Baker. He (Mr. Barker) replied he did not feel himself free to call on Mr. Baker when he came to Newmarket, owing to reports he had heard injurious to Mr. Baker's Christian character, but he said nothing about it, as Mr. & Mrs. Baker were not members of the Church. Mrs. K. replied, I have never heard any thing of those reports, and believe Mr. Baker to be, what he seemed to be, a Christian gentleman. Mr. Barker said, that these reports had reference to the Church at Brantford, and domestic matters.¹ I (Mrs K.) answered, there is a person in the Province, who has known Mr. Baker more than thirty years, esteemed Mr. Baker very highly, and still esteems him: that person is Dr. Lillie. Mr. Barker said, well! I have been often stumbled at that."

The above are the words of Mr. Barker without adding or deleting from them.
Agnes [T. or I.] Kirke

The above conversation was held in the afternoon of the day on which the annual missionary meeting was held in the evening; to which meeting Mr. Baker had been invited some days before by Mr. Barker, personally, who gave Mr. Baker at the same time a missionary [?]--Mr. Barker appeared very cordial saying if Mr. Baker could come he should be happy to see him!! What should we say to [?]

[written at bottom of next page which is blank] Mrs. Dinny and Alwork were the deputation, Mr. Barker left Mrs. Kirke immediately on seeing them [?].

¹ The above is in Rev. Baker's handwriting, although it is not signed by him. See W2971 a letter from Rev. Baker to Enoch Barker, for a repeat of Mrs. Kirke's statement and some further comments, and links.
See W2931 from Rev. Baker to Frederick Wilkes accusing him of having an affair with Baker's daughter, Mary-Anne Baker, who was Wilkes's deceased wife's sister. An affair with a deceased wife's sister was unlawful at the time, and was considered incestuous, see W2931.

See W2894, for Rev. Baker's refusal to see his daughter on her deathbed.