The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-25
Spirit of the Press.
The jefferson Bible.


Charlotte News.
We have seen a copy of this much
talked of book, and are at some loss
to understand why there is such fu-
rore about it, 1t has been the source
OF extravagant admiration by the UNI
thinking, and some excellent men have
seemed to think that the very founda-
tons of faith were imperilled by It's
publication.
The printing and binding have been
beautifully done and are a monument
10 the printers art. The pagcs were
photographed stained as they We're
by time and use. 1t was evidently m
tended as a convenient hand-Dook Tor
Jefferson's own private use. He took
a French version, the Latin Vulgate,
she. Greek original aid the King James
version and pasted these clippings in
four parallel columns across the two
pages 1T is q Harmony of the Cos
pels." in one aspect of it, not repeat
ing the same words and incidents as
told of by the different authors, out
making one version suffice. And tneh
it is specifically devoted to the words
of Jesus himself, though the introduc-
ton to his sayings and parallels IS
full enough.
This latter idea has become common
enough in our own time. The words
of Jesus are separated from the rest
Of the text by difference in type He-
ing printed in heavy type, or some
times in red letters We suppose that
some might raise an objection even to
this, as infringing the doctrine or the
equal inspiration of all parts OF the
Bible, but we can see no harm IN ~,
and that idea would probably never
be raised in the mind OF the average
reader.
We think that what has offended
10 Ia
ton of this Bible is the evidence It gives
Of the kind of faith JEFFERSON had, ~
is well known that he was strongly
tinctured with the ideas of the Frellch
school of thought of his day inc
preface to this compendium OF the
teachings of Christ shows that ne re-
ceived them merely as the worlds
best text books of ethics. The Chris
tan religion goes deeper than that
and says that they are also teachings
concerning the way of salvation and
the teachings of the Saviour or man
kind. 1t is significant that none OF
the words of Jesus as recorded In the
gospels, as having been spoken AFTER
his resurrection, are set. down IN JET
ferson's Bible. The omission is the
confession that Jefferson did not be-
lieve in the resurrection and mad ms
own theory as TO the truth OF the re-
cord on that point. But the world mas
long turned away from the reHgloh
that believes in human Christ merely
ard is satisfied with the thought OF
dead BODY in JOsephS tomb. me
South though the home of Jefferson.
has always rejected that notion ana
Unitarianism, which denies the OWN
ity of Christ, has never been hospitaply
received in this section.
jefferson found adequate 0pposlt'oh
in his own day to the attempted pro"
mitigation of his religious views. ne
tried to get DR.. Priestly, the famous
English Unitarian, as the hrst Hsdo
of the University of Virginia. Or.
John Holt Rice, a Presbyterian MIN
lister. founded paper in order 70 COM
bat that plan and fought the great
statesman to a standstill OH IIlaI queS-
ton The very life of the University
was threatened for time, put at last
Jefferson Welded to the inevitable.
the results OF that mighty conflict
have been felt to this day. In Jeffer-
SONS time II was almost impossible to
find an educated man a Christian. The
towns in the new State of Kentucky
were named Paris. Versailles, to show
the influence of French thought To-
day the great majority of college men
are Christian men. and the lately elect
ed president of Jefferson's great uni
versity is a Presbyterian elder, North
Cardinals own Alderman
But Jeffersons judgment as to the
ethical superiority TO the teaching of
Jesus remains unaltered. His testi-
mony to that great fact is the same
with those of modern times who have
denied what Jefferson denied, Strauss,
Renan and the rest There is no bet
ter text book possible for our guidance
in life than the words of Jesus Christ.
An important item of holiday