Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-10-01
cLARKsBURG, FRIDAY, OCTOBER Il sae=

letter to DR.. Utley. that he never went to
bed " without an hour or half an hours
previous reading of something moral,
whereon to ruminate in the intervals OF
sleep" and his biographer states that the
book most usually chosen for this kind Of
reading, so conducive to correct and de.
votional thought. was q collection of ex>
tracts from the Bible. He made book
with his own hands, by cutting passages
from the New Testament. consisting most
y Of the words of our Saviour, and past.
ing them upon blank leaves prepared for
the purpose.
In letter to an old friend, Mr.. Jeffer>
son describes this book (which he called
''The Philosophy Of Jesus" and said:-
" A more beautiful or precious morsel of
ethics have never seen; it it is a docu.
ment in proof that | am a real Christian
that is to say. disciple of the doc
rrines Of Jesus, very different from the
PlatOniSts, who called me infidel and
themselves Christians and preachers of the
Gospel. while they draw all their Char,
acteristic dOgmas from what its author
neerv said nor saw" In later years he
placed the texts. in columns side by side,
in English. Greek. Latin and French, and
thus this book which he commonly read
for an hour or half an hour before he
retired to bed. " whereupon to ruminate
in the intervals Of Sleep" gr-w to be the
most valuable and interesting one he pos,
sGssed. as he himself declared. Is it Just
to denounce q man whose daily life exhib.
tied this interesting practice. and who
thus estimated the religion of Jesus, an
iniidel. because he did not formally at.
taCh himself TO some sect, or profess, as
thousands do of whom better things are
said. what he neither believed nor under
stood ? The subject of religion was one
Of his most habitual and serious specuIa-
lions; and his private writings show how
far his private senti rentsexceed in Gervor
and depth his public professions. We
are told by his biographer that he sub
scribed TO religious objects. and gave mo-
ney for the erection Of Christian churches
and the support of the clergy He regu
larly attended the Episcopal church. was
bnp'ised into il in his infancy. was mar
ried bY one of its clergymen to wife
who lived and died in it. His children
also were baptiscd and married accord>
ing its rites. and its burial service was
read over those OF his children who pre-
cedCd him TO the grave, over his wife,
and finally over himself. He never was
heard to utter ~ W I'd of profanity-never
To breathe n scotf ut religion.
1t may be added. that we conclude
these haStY observations. which we put
forth simply as matter Of justice to one
who has often been conde mned wi,hou'
bearing. with the following expression by
MIR. Jefferson of his opinion in regard to
The right. assumed by so many, Of iudg
ing other mems religions iuiIh By their
own:
| must ever believe that religion subs
St"ntialIy good which produces an honest
life. and we have been authorized by one
whom you and ! equally res pect to jud ge
ut thr tree by It's fruit. Our particular
principles OF religion are a subject of nc =
, cOuntahi!itv t" our Gud alone. | inquire
| after no mans and trouble none with
mine. our friends or our foes, are exactly
the right. Nay. we have heard it is said
there is not Quaker or a Baptist, a
Presby yterian or an Episcopalian, a Cath
or a protestant. in Heaven that on en-
terng that gate we leave these badges Of
schsm behind. and find ourselves united
on those principles only in which God
has united us all"
"Who art thou" said theapostle, "th at
ludgest another? To his own master he
standelh or falleth." Let us not forget
that the greatest Of Christian affections is
charity.