The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-01-30

II ISL Ill t&tI L OAAAN ~A~
son. We have inherited from the bigo
try Of last century almost q loathinG
for him who as truly initiated Christ and
as clearly obeyed the laws of the New
Testament as any of his contemporaries
minister's of the gospel not excepted.
Jefferson had the misfortune OF being far
in advance of his generation, Of believing
in what men did not then accept-not
tolerance but religious I4uerty. lie hated
bigotry and knew the Great Master did
not teachit. The one cause Of the aa1r
derous abuse OF jefferson III religious
things was the Virginia clergys op-
position to the religious free
dom that he successfully adv0-
Gated: another cause was the poll
teal hatred Of New England for any
man who taught a broad and liberal
credible very creed New England now
accepts. New England was i'll 1890 or
sanized on the basis Of Puritan hierarchy:
New England hated Jefferson's politics.
What was more natural than to use this
church organization for political purposes:
The pulpits Of that portion Of the cGun-
try became engines Of political creed and
from them everything Jeffersonlan was
denounced in q way that would be liable
to prosecution in the law courts OF today.
Men hate others because Of difference Ill
faith. and being fully convinced OF tN@
Righteousness and humanity OF absolute
freedom Of conscience Jefferson destroy
ed the church establishment III Virginia
and secured to be struggling and pro-
scrdbed denominations OF other faatns SlaA
the Episcopal perfect liberty. For the
he incurred the everlasting enmlty OF
the clergy which enmity lives on and
heaps UNJUST abuse on his defWl@sIase
head until our day. Jefferson loved hM
fellow man as few have done: Christ HIM
self would have approved, / believe. every
step he took in regard to the church. be-
cause it meant the uplifting o. 'he poor
and the encouragement Of the weak and
down-trodden.
Jefferson was the text Of half the seq
mons preached in New England for 'eA
wears. We have a similar state ot thing
in recent elections. These are the sources
then Of our ~present-day abuse OF JetteT~
son as an atheist. and it IS time for us
to look into things Of this kind and soc
that right is on our side before going
too far. How can men continue TO be-
lieye Jefferson could be so Inconsistent:
How could a man believe and teach
what Jefferson did and yet be an atheist =!
It is not rue and no one acquainted vain
.Ieffcrsou's writings can believe IN ell rhS
abuse Of his great name.
1t was JeffersOn's misfortune. / say 10
be III advance of his time, and conse-
uuentiy he incurred all the ill-wil Of men
who could not be brought to sec thsneI
as time has shown them. Even tho
m~uch-abused Eoltaire was a 'benedactoT
of mankind. He it was who loosed the
shackleS from the limbs OF thousands
who in France lay in dungeons because
& ~ | ~ f,n -n1 I yI-D < mot
atheism for which Noltaire was so thor
oughly hated but for liberal humanitarian
views, for venturing to attack the over
grown dognlatiSm OF the Roman clfirch
Exactly the same is true with regard to
Jefferson only Jefferson's was Il devput
religious nature. a Iature that was re-
markably pure and simple IN ITS faith
while Noltaire's was one that delLghtod
in mockery, in cynical exposures or the
weaknesses Of human institutions. 10
show how nnjustly men charge jefferson
with atheism or with being "a monster.
quote verbatim some OF his
letters covering a long period Of his life:
June 18th. 1904, speaking OF the fn-
ture life: We have, h"wcver, the trav-
eller's consolation. Every step shortens
the distance We have TO go; he end OF o}H
Journey is in sight, the bed wherein we
are to- rest. and to rise III the mdst or the
friends we have lost. We sorrow not
then as those who nave no hope; but look
onward to the day which joins us to the
great majority. But whatever is to be
our destiny, wisdom. give and take away,
and be contonted In the enjoyment OF
those who are still permltted to be With
U.s."
Jan, 81, 1914, when Jefferson was far
from a rich man, Nir. Samuel Greenhow
asked aid for distributing the Bible in
destitute regions. Jefferson inclosed a
draft for fifty dollars. sincerely agreeing
with him-Mr. G- that there never
was a more pure and sublime system 81
morality delivered to man than is to be
found in the four Eval2gel1sts. NO
politics in this gift: note the date.)
September %, 1914. to a man who had
! written to Jctfersons concerning tho l,la@-
ton Of salvation and a future state of
happiness: Our particular principles Of
religion are a subject of accountability
TO our God above. l inquire after nO
mans and trouble none With mine: nor
is it given TO us in this life to know
whether yours or NINE. our friends OF
our foes, are exactly the right. Nay. We
have heard it said that there ia not a
Quaker or Il Baptist. a Presbyterian Ur
an iC.DlStol pa litu. al SutIlVilt vi a l. lONtSS-
ant in heaven; that. on entering that
gate, we leave those badges of SchiSm
behind. and find ourselves united III those
principles only in which God has united
us all. Let us not be uneasy, then.
about the different roads we may pursue.
as believing them the shortest. to that
our last abode: but, following the guild
ancc OF a good conscience. let us be happy
in the hope that by these different paths
we shall all meet in the nd. And that
You and l may there meet and embrace.
is my earnest prayer. And With this u.s.
surance | salute o with hrotherly es-
TEEN and respect"
During the year 1903, when Jefferson
was overwhelmed with the business of
the nation as its President. he was care
fully studying the New Testament: he
wrote to Charles Thompson. january 9.
1916, concerning that study: II. too.
have made a wee-little book from the
same materials. which | call the PhiiosOs
ply OF Jesus; It is Il paradiglna Of His
doctrines, made by cutting the texts out