We Offer History #32 (for the history challenged)

JANUARY 29, 1817

TO CHARLES THOMSON 383

To Charles Thomson

MY VERY DEAR AND ANTIENT FRIEND Monticello Jan. 29. 17
I learnt from your last letter, wich much affliction, the severe
and singular attack your health has lately sustained; but it's equally
singular and sudden restoration confirms my confidence in the strength of
your constitution of body and mind, and my conclusion that neither has
recieved hurt, and that you are still ours for a long time to come. We have
both much to he thankful for in the soundness of our physical organisation,
and something for self-approbation in the order and regularity of life by
which it has been preserved. Your preceding letter had given me no cause to
doubt the continued strength of your mind; and, were it not that I am
always peculiarly gratified by hearing from vou. I should regret vou had
thought the incident with Mr. Delapiaine worth an explanation. He wrote to
me on the subject of my letter to you of Jan. 9. 1816. and asked me
questions which I answer only to one being. To himself therefore I replied
'say nothing of my religion; it is known to my god and myself alone. It's
evidence before the world is to be sought in my life. If that has been
honest and dutiful to society, the religion which has regulated it cannot
be a bad one.' It is a singular anxiety which some people have that we
should all think alike. Would the world be more beautiful were all our
faces alike? Were our tempers, our talents, our tastes, our forms, our
wishes, aversions and pursuits cast exactly in the same mould? If no
varieties existed in the animal, vegetable, or mineral creation,' but all
were strictly uniform, catholic and orthodox, what a world of physical and
moral monotony would it be! These are the absurdities into which those run
who usurp the throne of god, and dictate to him what he should have done.
May they, with all their metaphysical riddles, appear before that tribunal
with as clean hands and hearts as you and I shall. There, suspended in the
scales of eternal justice, faith and works will shew their worth by their
weight. God bless you and preserve you long in life &
health.                         TH: JEFFEHSON


RC (DLC: Charles Thomson Papers); addressed: Charles Thomson esq. near
Philadelphia"; franked and postmarked: "Milton Va 29 Jan"; endorsed by
Thompson as received 7 Feb. 1817. PoC' (DLC).

Thomson's LAST LETTER described his recovery from a "paralytic
stroke" and gave
the following account of the INCIDENT WITH MR. DELAPLAINE: I have been thus
partic-
ular to apologize for my answer to your letter, and for an Answer which I
gave on the 9th. of Sept to what I deemed an impertinent question of Mr
Delaplaine which has occasioned a very improper application to you. The
case as Far as I can now recollect was simply this Among many other
questions he asked me one which seemed to refer to the slanderous charges
bandeid
about respecting your infidelity and disbelief of Christianity. This roused
my resentment and I wished to answer it by a sentence of your letter which
at the instant occurred to my mind. On looking for the letter I could not
find it. But after several questions I recollected that passage of your
letter in which you informed me that you have employed some time in
composing 'a
wee little book which was a document in proof that vou are a real Christian
that is a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ.' With these words I
answered this question. He put several questions touching the meaning, but
I answered all, with a repetition of the same words at the same time
trying to recollect when or where I had lost the letter. At last it
occurred to me that I had been in Philadelphia and had shewn the letter to
Doct Patterson; I thereupon desired Mr. Delaplaine to call on Doct
Patterson and inquire if I had left it there. This happened to have been
the case. I had laid it on the table and forgot it: But Mr D. it seems
construed the favour I asked into a
grant of something to himself' (Thomson to TJ, ca. 5 Jan, 1817).
(SOURCE OF INFORMATION: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, 2nd series,
Jefferson's Extracts from the Gospels, "The Philosophy of Jesus" and "The
Life and Morals of Jesus." Dickinson W. Adams, Editor, Princeton University
Press, Princeton, N J, (1983)  pp 345-47)

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You are invited to check out the following:

The Rise of the Theocratic States of America
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocracy.htm

American Theocrats - Past and Present
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocrats.htm

The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html

[and to join the discussion group for the above site and/or Separation of
Church and State in general, listed below]

HRSepCnS · Historical Reality SepChurch&State
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRSepCnS/

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. . . You can't understand a phrase such as "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion" by syllogistic reasoning.  Words
take their meaning from social as well as textual contexts, which is why "a
page of history is worth a volume of logic."  New York Trust Co. v. Eisner,
256 U.S. 345, 349, 41 S.Ct. 506, 507, 65 L.Ed. 963 (1921) (Holmes, J.).
Sherman v. Community Consol. Dist. 21, 980 F.2d 437, 445 (7th Cir. 1992)
. . .
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James Veverka wrote:
One of the ways to counter the attack on American Constitutional principles
by the religious right is to address their revisionism, misinformation and
distortions.

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USAF LT. COL (Ret) Buffman (Glen P. Goffin) wrote

"You pilot always into an unknown future;
facts are your only clue. Get the facts!"

That philosophy 'snipit' helped to get me, and my crew, through a good
many combat missions and far too many scary, inflight, emergencies.

It has also played a significant role in helping me to expose the
plethora of radical Christian propaganda and lies that we find at
almost every media turn.

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THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE:
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html

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