The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-05-29

chased all of the books and manuscripts
of Mr.. Jefferson and placed them In the
library of Congress, and Congress has
attempted the publication of all the works
of Mr.. Jefferson. complete. This little
volume was not published at the time OF
the authorized printing of Mr. Jefferson's
works by Congress-: It was not then in
the collection. This book had been re-
tanned by Miss Randolph who Is at pres
ent living at or near Charlottesville, Va,
and she now has In her possession the
four original copies of the Bibles from
which the clippings were made. The
book, which has excited more or less dis
eussion during the last few days, was sold
to Congress by Miss Randolph and is now
in the National Museum, where 1t is kept
as a curiosity.
MIR. Jefferson has been unjustly criti-
cized in regard to this very book, and In
justice to him 1t 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 Mr.. Lacey introduced a reso-
luton In the House providing for the
publication of the work. It was carefully
considered by the House committee or
printing and favorably reported.
Mr.. jefferson. In his late years. was in
frequent correspondence with John
Adams and in that correspondence Mr.
Jefferson suggested the preparation OF
the morals of the Christian religion, col
lated verbatim from the four evangelists
and in the most reverent spirit he has
prepared this little book. The effect of
1t Is most excellent. and is one of the
most convincing proofs of the Christian
religion. He has prepared this little COM
pendulum IN Greek Latin. French, and
English. He has not used a single sylla-
BILE or punctuation mark that Is not taken
literally from the gospels. He has done
1t entirely without any words of his own.
No one that examines this little volume.
whether he be saint or sinner, will rise
from his perusal without having a loftier
idea of the teaching of the Saviour.
There is but one copy of the book in
the world, and that belongs to Congress.
The object of having 1t printed was to
lay the book open to the world where II
can do nothing but good. There has been
some Misrepresentation in some quarters
as to the scope of this work, and any
criticism upon this publication has been
wholly upon Misrepresentation OF lack of
knowledge of what the book really con-
tains.'
The preachers of the country are flood
ing Mr.. Lacey of Iowa with requests for
copy of Jeffersons Bible. "They are
Iowan yesterday. IT have one request
from Paris and another from as far west
as Salt Lake CITY,"
There isn't even a semicolon in It,
explained Mr.. Lacey yesterday, that is
not found In the Bible. The excuse for
printing 1t now is that the government
has printed all the works of Thomas
Jefferson except this one, which was
owned by private parties when the other
books were published"
The government printing office will not
complete the work for some time yet.