Arizona republican., 1902-05-26

BIBLE. printing of 5000 copies of Thomas Jefferson s | Morals of Jesus of Nazareth" Min isters of the Gospel throughout the country are writing to members of congress and to the newspapers urging scinded. In response to this clamor, MT. Lacey of Iowa, the author of the original resolution, on Wednesday of the past week offered motion re- scinding the action of the house, but the motion had no support, and as time for reconsideration of the senate's action has expired, the publication of the volume is assured.
 There is but one copy of the book in existence, so far as known, and that is in the national museum library. It is carefully guarded under lock and key. It was not included in the sale of Jeffersons works and manuscripts to the congressional library.
 The opposition and public attention arises from the fact that the volume as prepared by Jefferson omits all refer ence to the miracles performed by the Savior. He has confined himself to the pure teachings of Jesus, selecting OK tracts from the four Gospels. The book is duodecimO volume of 164 pages. made up of clippings from verses of the testament, with com in, TnfT 1, tir,Cy The extracts are taken from Bibles printed in French, Greek, Latin and English. The clippings from the Greek and Latin are pasted on one page and the corresponding extracts in French and English on the other. The Roman law on sedition, under which Jesus was tried, is printed in marginal note. and a map of Judea occupies one of the pages.
 Many of the members of the senate and house, who are students of the Bible, are very anxious to have the document printed, asserting that 1t furnishes. apart from all surroundings of the supernatural, in a clear, lucid form the words and teachings of the Son of Man. They believe that it's publication will aid Christian work. rather than injure it.
 Since the passage of the resolution for the publication of the book by con- gress, several of the leading publish CTS of the country have been making ha rip to publish the volume. An Indianapo- lis firm has had representatives in Washington for several days, trying to secure the right. It is eStimat ted that at least 1.0OO.O00 copies of the vol ume would be sold in six months, and that a profit of g cents volume could be made on the publication, if sold at S1 a volume. With the publication Of the volume as public document, all publishers will have the privilege of issuing editions of the work. and a flood of Jefferson Bibles" is assured.
 The protests against the publication Of the work by congress have aroused unusual interest in the volume. Con-
 
 chairman of the house committee On printing, explains that the opposition to the publica ton is clearly based on a misunderstanding of the volume.
 MT Jefferson has been unjustly criti- cised in regard to this book, says MT Heatwole, and in justice to him it should be made public. Representative Lacey of Iowa about a year ago found this book under lock and key in the national museum and wrote a short article describing it, which was printed in many papers of the country, and the result is that frequent requests have been made for the publication of the book. these requests coming largely from ministers of the Gospel on the one hand, and people interested in tHe memory of Thomas Jefferson on the other hand.
 Accordingly. MT. Lacey introduced a resolution in the house providing for the publication of the work. MT. Jef- ferson in his later years was in ire quent correspondence with John Ad- ans, and in that correspondence Mr Jefferson suggested the preparation of the morals of the Christian religion coiidteu Nerodtini IroHl tHe louf eNaN- gelists, and in the most reverent spirit he prepared this little book. The effect of it is most excellent, and it is one of the most convincing proofs Of the Christian religion.
 There is but one copy of the book in the world. and that belongs to con gress. The object of having it printed was to lay the book open to the world, where is can do nothing but good. There has been some misapprehension in some quarters as to the scope of this work, and any criticism upon this publication has been wholly upon mis- apprehension or lack of knowledge of what the book really contains.