The evening times., 1899-09-02
.TALMAas VERSUS PAINE.
\ Discussion of Some Recent Pulpit
. Assertions.

To the Editor CT The Times:
AS calurnniator of Thomas j. Paine, the
Rev. DR.. Talmage is not to be outdone. in
recent sermon he said:
In his dying hours he begs the Lord Jesus Christ
for mercy.
The only foundation for this falsehood
Is the statement of Paine's physician, made
at the request of the mendacious biograph-
er, Cheetham Paine suffered intensely
from bed sores, and in his paroxysms would
be likely to utter exclamations. such as
any other bed-ridden patient would do.
DR.. Manley's statement, doubtless distort-
ed by himself or by Cheetham, Is as fol-
lows:
''Why do you call on Jesus Christ to help your
Do you believe he can help you? Do you believe
in the divinity of Jesus Christ? Come, now,
answer me honestly? l want an answer from the
lips of dying man, for verify believe that you
will not live twenty-fou hours" l waited some
time at the end of every question; he did not
answer, but ceased to excaim in the above man
ner. Again l addressed him: Mr.. Paine, you
have not answered my questions. Will you an
swer them2 Allow me to ask again: Do you be-
Heve, let qualify the question. do you
wish to believe that JESUS Christ Is the son OF
C0dY' After pause OF some minutes he answer
ed Il have wish to believe ON that subject
These last words of the dying man were
heard also by Amasa Wordsworth, owner
of the house in which Paine died. He de-
clares that he was always present with
DR.. Manley, but heard no such exclama
tions as above described by him.
But what if Paine did say 20, Jesus
Christ help me?" 1t certainly was rot re-
garded by the doctor as profanity, for nc
prefaced his interrogations by saying to
his patient:
''You have been in the habit of mixing
in your conversation words of coarse meaning.
You have never ndulged in the practice OF pro-
fame swearing
DIR. Talmage, in the same sermon says:
'sThopsas Paine. who stole another mans wife
in England and brought her TO this country" etc.
The probable basis of this calumny is
this: Paine, while in Paris, had faith
full friend in NJ. Bonneville, a bookseller.
After Paine's return to America he invited
the Bonneville family to come. Nine. B.
and her three SONS, one named Thomas
Paine, came. Her husband intended to
follow, but died in Paris. The maintenance
of the widow and her children deyolved
on Paine. He provided for them sufficient
ly, and in his Will, executed five months
before his death, he gave to Nine. Bonne-
willie in trust for her children, Benjamin
and Thomas p, his farm Of upward of 100
acres at New Rochelle the rents thereof
TO be applied Ito their education and main
tenance until they come to the age OF
twenty-one years in order that she may
bring them well up. give them good and
useful learning. and instruct them in their
duty to God. and the practice of morality"
The lying biographer, Cheetham, charged
Paine with adultery. Nine. Bonneville
prosecuted him for defamation. His only
witness was Carver, who. in vSnomous
letter TO Paine. had intimated that Nine
BonneviIle's son, Thomas, looked like
Paine. Carver could only repeat what he
had insinuated, and Cheethams counsel
had to acknowledge the false and malicious
libels. Carver himself afterwards con-
fessed that he and his wife had often Wis
tied Nine. Bonneville and had never seen
the slightest evidence CT undue intimacy be-
tween her and Paine; that they were never
alone together, and that all three children
were alike the objects of Paines care. The
purity of the woman's character was at
tested by her private pupils and others. AT
the burial of Paine. before the earth was
thrown down upon the colin. she
placed herself at one end of the
grave and her son, Benjamin. at
the ether, saying: Stand you
there as a witness for America" Then
she excla lined: oh Mr.. Paine my son
stands here as testimony OF the gratitude
of America, and | for France These are
her own words, recorded by herself in
brief biography of Paine. And Nine. Bon
neville was a Catholic. Her son Benjamin
became a solder of high rank in the serv-
ice OF the United States. dying at an ad-
yanced age.
DR.. Talmage further says:
''Thomas Paine was so slualid and so lOathsome
and so DRUNKEN, SO proigate, and 50 beastly
in his habits, sometimes picked out of the ditch,
sometimes too filthy TO be picked out, etc
These allegations are based on the letters
of Carver TO Paine, surreptitiously obtain
ed by Cheetham. ] have the letters before
me- Carver had invited Paine TO board at
his house Paine consented. and remained
there twenty-five weeks. Carver was n
well to do blacksmith and did not expect
to receive pay for the board. But being
straitened financially, he demanded for
the twenty two weeks board of Paine and
twelve weeks of woman who nursed him
after a fit of apoplexy, $3.50. Paine had put
Carver down in his will for a handsome
sum. He was indignant at the charge and
proposed paying the money down at once,
and having nothing more TO do with him.
This he was prevented from doing by his
friends who effected a settlement upon
what they considered just principles But
meanwhile an acrimonious exchange of let
in which the former exhibited much ma
levolence and apparent perversion of facts.
Carver repented of his angry accusations.
He denounced Cheetham as hypocrlte
and a liar And when Paine was ON his
deathbed Carver wrote him a kind and
apologetic letter, hoping that neither Of
them should depart this life with envy
in their hearts against each other The
letter closes with the expressed hope that
10 irpn to rN.1
world of the independence of his mind and
honesty of his heart
Paine lived at a time when rum drink
ing was very prevalent 1t was cheap, AMI
one advocate of temperance whose book
saw more than sixty years ago, advised
that "a pint of rum day was as much as
any man ought to drink" That Paine ever
consumed quart a day is incredible. The
weight of testimony is that he was neither
a sot nor a drunkard-that he used but did
not abuse liquor. The portrait painter,
Jarvis, who boarded him after he left Car
ver's house. affirmed that Paine did not
and could not drink much.' At Lovett's
hotel the landlord declared that he drank
less than any of his other boardsrs-" At
New Rochelle Mr.. Burger supplied him
with all the liquor he took, which he says
was zone quart of rum in week, to serve
himself and visitors"
AS regards Paine's personal cleanliness.
though a snuff-tal;er and careless of dress.
the testimony of his most intimate friends
was that he was always clean and we'll
clothed.
When Aaron Burr was interre gated in re-
gard to Paine's alleged vulgarity, intem-
perance, and want of cleanliness, he re-
marked with dignity: ''Sir. he dined at
my table. / always considered him gen.
tIeman. pleasant companion, and good