The Washington times., 1904-07-31


OF independent opinion. by answering
questions of faith which the laws have
left between God and himself. Accept
my efectionate salutations;
''TH. JEFFERSON.
Doctor Benjamin Rush"
Written With Care.
This letter was evidently written with
much care. Like most OF the CORE
spondence of that day. its sentences
are begun with small letters, and alb
breviations are frequent. such as a Pc
culiar ring for the word and tho" for
the word though and TIL" for
Thomas" The letter has. moreover.
been much handled. its edges are torn.
and 1t has turned extremely yellow. But
it has an unmistakaaIe air OF. forrnality,
and was surely designed 70 give the
writer's dear friend q distinct commits
sion as to the care Of the Syllabus"
which It conveyed to him.
| The Syllabus was likewise carefully
drawn. 1t is arranged IN subdivisions
according to their Importance, with fig
ures and captions neatly UNDERSIGNED
There are only two corrections in the
text. and both occur in the same SEN
tence. where he says, ''And the commit
ting TO writing of his life and doctrines
fell on unlettered and ignorant men,
which read in the first draft, ION the
most unlettered and ignorant of men,
Text of Syllabus.
Otherwise the original declaration of
Jeferson's views was made in the fol-
lowing form:
Syllabus OF an estimate OF the doc
trines of Jesus. compared with those of
others.
ssTp a .ov,,,,. -, +s,-o 49,, - - .Ato.
of the enlightened nations of antiquity,
of the Jews. and of Jesus. no notice
should be taken OF the corruptions of
reason among the antients. TO wit. the
idolatry and superstition Of the vulgar
nor Of the corruptions of Christianity
by tho learned among It's professors.
Let just view be taken of the
moral principles inculcated by the most
esteemed OF the sects of antient phil
| osophy. or of their individuals; particu-
iarly Pythagoras. Socrates. Epicurus,
Cicero. Epictetus, Seneca, Antoninus.
philosophers.
Their precepts related chiefly 70 our
selves. and the government of those
passions which. unrestrained. would
disturb our tranquility of mind. In this
branch Of philosophy they were really
t great.
In developing our duties to others
they were short and defective They
embraced indeed the circles OF kindred
i and friends. and inculcated patriotism,
or the love Of country in the aggre-
/ gate, as primary obligation: toward
our neighbors and countrynen thew
taught justice, but scarcely viewed
them as within the circle OF benevo-
lence. Still less have they incrlcated
i peace. charity and love to our fellow
men. or embraced with benevoience
! the whole family Of mankind.
H-Jews.
Their system was Deism-that is, the
belief in one only God: but their
Ideas Of him and OF his attributes were
degrading and injurious.
Their ethics were not only inner
, feet. but often irreconcilable with the
: sound dictates Of reason and nooraIitv
as they respect intercourse with those
, around US; and repulsive and ant-so-
cial as respecting other nations. They
needed reformation. therefore. in an
eminent degree
III-Jesus.
In this state Of things among the
Jews, Jesus appeared. His parentaee
was obscure; his condition poor: his
education NIL; his natural endowment
Y great; his life correct and innocent. He
!. was meek, benevolent. patient, firm
s disinterested, and OF the sublinest elo.
n quence The disadvantages under
: which his doctrines appear ar. re.
2 remarkable.
y Like Socrates and Epictetus he wrot,
d nothing himself.
- 10
: phon or an Arrian 10 write for him
1 name not Plato, who only used tn,
l. name OF Socrates TO cover the whirnsie,
n OF his own brain
ON the contrary all the learned Of n!
e country, entrenched In its power an,
= riches. were opposed 10 him. lest mis- Ia
g bors should determine their advan
- tages; and the committing TO writing O
,, his life and doctrines fell on unlettere,
g. and ignorant men. who wrote, too, from
l. memory and not till long after tn
- transactions had passed
e According 10 the ordinary fate O
n those who attempt TO enlighten and re
q form mankind. he fell an early victim
a TO the Jealousy and combination of III
altar and throne. at about thlrty-thre
years OF age HIS reason having not We
attained the maximum OF its energy
Il nor the course of mis- preaching, whicI
&c was but Of three years at most, present
&c ed occasions for developing a complet
F. system OF morals.
= Hence the doctrines which he reaIl
u delivered were defective. as a whole. an
y fragments only OF what 10 did delive
&c have come 10 US mutiiated, misstate
y and often unintelligible.
- They have been still more disng
{. ured By the corruptions Of schismatizin
Il followers. who have found an interes
lt in sophisticating and perverting III
- simple doctrines he taught by engraft
ing on them the mysticisms OF a Grecia
n sophist plato. frittering them into sui
le tleties and obscuring them with jargor
~ until they have caused good men TO RI
j. ject the whole in disgust. and 10 vie
to Jesus Himself as an impostor Not
ls Nithstanding these disadvantages
BE- system Of morals is presented TO L
a. whieh. II fitted I'D In the true stYl