The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-07-17
ADLER TO WRITE PREFACE.
Original Volume Prepared by tn,
Great Statesman at Monticel-
10 After His Return From
Washington.

iNSN.Iultsns IDE the use of (nu,
sress. 500 copies OF Thomas Jererson's Morals
or Jesus Of Nazareth. as the same appear.d in
the National Museum. 5000 copies for the use
81 the Senate and 5000 copies for III. use Of the
House.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Washington. July l6.-When this reso-
luton OF Congress IS executed at the Gov
eminent Printing Office, in a few weeks,
instead Of one coqy of what is known as
Thomas Jefferson's Bible" there will be
1900.
The real title of the little volume, writ
ten by Jefferson himself on the fly leaf, is
Morals of Jesus of Nazareth" The book
Is now in the Smithsonian Institution at
Washington. in charge of the librarian.
Doctor Cyrus Adler, and is one of the
most interesting photographed specimens
III the museum. Its great value lies first
OF all IN the fact that 1t contains the estl-
mate OF the Savior by one of the philo-
the United States. and. second. in the
TACT that there is only one copy in exist
encs.
When a law student jefferson wrote an
essay on the Evidences OF Christianity
from the Standpoint of a lawyer" which
was considered at the time an interest
ing and able argument. The statesman's
morals OF Jesus consist of extracts from
the New Testament, chiefly from ST. Luke,
st. Matthew and ST. john. intended TO
present the best accounts Of incidents in
the lives of Christ and his apostles. with
all their teachings, that were undisputed
ana required no Interpretation. The Sc
lectfons are evidently those OF a lawyer.
VINO Is seeking My evidence that is
neither ambiguous nor controversial.
BOUND IN LEATHER.
The arrangement was made by Jefer-
son during his retirement at Monticello
after his ra-trr fr0r, u-asL;,-ta- ,- -
CURED several months in preparation. The
book Is a red leather-bouDd volume and
contains 16i pages. With great neatness
Jefferson inI E SO pasted Upon its pages four YER
French and Enslish-in parallel columns
and in the order named. Its title page
and index are in Jererson's own hand. and
on the pages containing the extracts are
FOUND mere and there nterlineatiOnS and
notes.
The index refers to the proper place OF
each passage in thso ordinary Testament.
SO that the reader may compare II he de-
sires. He cites the sections of the Roman
law under which the Savior was tried,
and also attaches the map Of Palestine.
In a letter to 4 friend which IVES evil
IDENTIFY written before he had completed
this work. Jefferson referred to it thus:
Il too. have a Wee little book which 1
call the philosophy OF Jesus. II is a pam
digma OF his doctrine made by cutting the
texts out Of the book and arranging them
on the pages Of a blank book in a certain
order Of time of subject. A more beautiful
or precious morsel OF ethics l have never
seen. 1t Is a ocume in proof that ! am
a real C~hristian-that Is to say, a disciple
Of the doctrines Of Jesus. very different
and themselves Christians and preach of
the gospel while they draw ali Of their
CT aracteristic dogmas from what its au-
thors never said or saw. They have COM
pounded from the heather mysteries a sys-
tenn beyond the comprehension OF man. OF
which the great ReforTner of the vicious
ethics and deism Of the Jews. were he to
return TO earth, would not recognize one
feature.
IF l had time I would add to my little
book the Greek. Latin and French texts in
subjoin a translation Of Gassendi's SYM
tagma Of the doctrines of Epicurus. not
withstanding calumnies Of the - and
c~arioaturists of Cicero. in the most ra-
Of the ancients. az frugal OF the vicious
!ndul; nee and fruitful OF virtue as the
hyIerbol'cal eXtravagances OF his rival
sects."
An examination OF the book shows tina
after writing this letter. Jefferson
changed his mind in regard to the title
and also decided to add the Greek. Latin
and French versions
PURCHASED BY GOVERNMENT.
Thomas Jefferson.s library was pur-
chased by the Government and is now IN
cluded in the Congressional Library. 1t ap-
ptdls, lHdl lDlS SOluGle CID not
go with the other valuable books. but was
afterwards purchased for 500 BY Miss
Randolph.
John Adams and Thomas jefferson. who
were at one time bitter enemies. after
wards became warm friends, and the COM
pilation Of Jeferson's Bible became the
subject Of considerable correspondence be-
tween them.
On January g. 1904, in a letter written
at Washington to Doctor PriestIy. Jeffer-
son said:
II rejoice that you have undertaken the
task OF comparing the moral doctrines Of
JESUS with those of the ancient philoso-
pliers: i think you cannot avoid giving. as
a preliminary 10 the comparison. a digest
of his moral doctrine, extracted in his
own words from the evangelists and leav-
ing out everything relative to his personal
history and character. II would be short
and precious. With a view to dc thie for
M own satisfaction. l had sent to Phila-
delphia to get two Testaments Greek OF
design to cut the doctrines of morality
and paste them on the leaves Of a book
in the manner you describe In framing
your harmony. But I shall now get the
In a letter to Mr.. Adams August 2, 1913,
Jefferson says that he had prepared a syl-
labus OF the Christian teachings for Doc
tor Priestly and Doctor Rush, and that
Doctor Rush's family had returned it aft
er the death OF that gentleman. to Mr..
Jeferson's great delight. for he found
tiidb " "cuid iisotSe MIN III II EcllHlOuS
JEFFERsoN's COMPILATION
In Jenerson's compilation of the gospels
he omitted everything Of a miraculous ma
ture and confined his clippings to the
teachings of Jesus. He clipped from all
the gospels, using the verses which make
the clearest statement where the texts are
practically thu same.
In the concluding verse OF the work he
takes John xix, AZ. and Matthew, xvii,
60. and combines them. clipping out all but
the plain statement OF the burial. The re-
suit is as follows:
John xix. p: There laid they Jesus
Matthew. xvii, 60: -. and
rolled a great stone to the door Of the
sepulcher, and departed"
Thus he foilowed out to the end his gen.
eral plan and omitted all that could not be
explained to the satisfaction of a practi-
cal lawyer, leaving Christ buried forever
and giving 10 evidence OF belief In the
resurrection.
jefferson. himself wrote many proverbs
of his biographers. was quite as careless
in observing them" However that may
be. his own code OF morals which he
thought should be observed is found in
for Observation in Practical Life" which
was written in his youth. This has been
preserved to posterity, and in view of the
interest recently revived in Jefferson and
his doings and writings by the action Of
Congress is interesting. This wa Jefer-
sons code:
i. Never put off until Tomorrow what
you can do to-day.
2. Never trouble another for what you
can do yourself.
3. Never spend you money before you
have it.
1. Never buy what you don't want be-
5. Pride costs US more than hunger,
thirst or cold.