Long letter from a pastor reporting to Hooker that the fund drive to build a church continues to fall short.  Horace Hooker (March 1793-December 17, 1864) was an American Congregationalist minister and author. He graduated from Yale College in 1815. For about two years was Principal of the Hartford Grammar School, from which he was called to be Tutor in Yale College, which office he held from 1817 to 1822. In 1822, he was ordained as pastor of the Congregational Church in Watertown, Connecticut, where he remained about two years, being then compelled to resign his pastorate on account of ill-health. In 1824 he returned to Hartford and became editor of the Connecticut Observer, a religious newspaper, which he conducted with ability for many years. He also held the office of Secretary of the Missionary Society of Connecticut, from 1826, and of the Connecticut Home Missionary Society, from 1831 till his death. In 1852, he was appointed Chaplain of the Retreat for the Insane, performing the duties of that office until incapacitated by an attack of paralysis in August, 1862. For several years previous to 1855, he spent his leisure time in the preparation of books for children. Among these were Child's Book on the Sabbath, The Farmer, Prophets and Prophecy, and four volumes of Scripture Biography. In connection with Rev. Dr. Gallaudet, he prepared The Practical Spelling Book, and The School and Family Dictionary