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The Country Baptist Church Newsletter “The
Voice Of The Country Church” |
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We Ask You To Pray For: Sis. Angela
Lennie, Bro. Charles & Mary Hammond & family, Bro. Archie &
Barbara Griffin, Waylon & Pat Abercrombie with their daughter & son,
Randy & Donna Johnson, Roberta Bruce & family, Barbara Fails, Jim
& Linda Meier, Tyson & Dina Taylor & the boys, Bro. Sergey
Mochalov and the Churches in Russia, Don & Wynell Hammond, Brenda
Galusha, Baby Tucker Walker, Helen Stone, Bro. & Mrs. Pinson, Leta Ellis,
Chet Reagan, Sidney Strawn, Amanda Tomlin, Helen Rowe, Steve & Kimberlee
McCool & children Melissa Smith & children, Brother David & Anne
Shortt, Jewell Mathis, Justin Horne, Janette Sims, Jean & Cheryl, Letha
Langford, David Ellis and family, Virgil Young, Gwen Davis, Allison Rodgers
Clay, Angela Hutson, Tiffany & Shannon Lemmon, Bob Ellis, Elaine Woodall,
Reese Carrington, Ronda Douglass, Nancy, Rosa Tomlin, Pastor & Sister
Hammond, Katie Fitch & Stephaine, Sarah Dooherty, Scott & Gina
Sillivan, Otis Steward, Mark Ralston, Fay Johnson, Bro. Frank Pittman, David
Lemmon, Martha Haygood, Kim Stevens, Lit Hatly, Brian Berry, Mike & Sally
Leinhauserand, all of our Troops and their Families. |
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A Thought For The Week: The address of the Danbury
Baptist Association in the State of Connecticut, assembled October 7, 1801. Sir, Our sentiments are
uniformly on the side of religious liberty: that Religion is at all times and
places a matter between God and individuals, that no man ought to suffer in
name, person, or effects on account of his religious opinions, [and] that the
legitimate power of civil government extends no further than to punish the
man who works ill to his neighbor. But sir, our constitution of government is
not specific. Our ancient charter, together with the laws made coincident
therewith, were adapted as the basis of our government at the time of our
revolution. And such has been our laws and usages, and such still are, [so]
that Religion is considered as the first object of Legislation, and therefore
what religious privileges we enjoy (as a minor part of the State) we enjoy as
favors granted, and not as inalienable rights. And these favors we receive at
the expense of such degrading acknowledgments, as are inconsistent with the
rights of freemen. It is not to be wondered at therefore, if those who seek
after power and gain, under the pretense of government and Religion, should
reproach their fellow men, [or] should reproach their Chief Magistrate, as an
enemy of religion, law, and good order, because he will not, dares not,
assume the prerogative of Jehovah and make laws to govern the Kingdom of
Christ. Sir, we are sensible that
the President of the United States is not the National Legislator and also
sensible that the national government cannot destroy the laws of each State,
but our hopes are strong that the sentiment of our beloved President, which
have had such genial effect already, like the radiant beams of the sun, will
shine and prevail through all these States--and all the world--until
hierarchy and tyranny be destroyed from the earth. Sir, when we reflect on
your past services, and see a glow of philanthropy and goodwill shining forth
in a course of more than thirty years, we have reason to believe that
America's God has raised you up to fill the Chair of State out of that
goodwill which he bears to the millions which you preside over. May God
strengthen you for the arduous task which providence and the voice of the
people have called you--to sustain and support you and your Administration
against all the predetermined opposition of those who wish to rise to wealth
and importance on the poverty and subjection of the people. And may the Lord preserve
you safe from every evil and bring you at last to his Heavenly Kingdom
through Jesus Christ our Glorious Mediator. Signed in behalf of the
Association, Neh,h Dodge } Thomas Jefferson Papers,
Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Wash. D.C. |
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President Jefferson's Reply: Messrs. Nehemiah Dodge,
Ephraim Robbins, and Stephen s. Nelson Washington, January 1,
1802 Gentlemen,--The
affectionate sentiment of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to
express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist Association, give me the
highest satisfaction. My duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the
interests of my constituents, and in proportion as they are persuaded of my
fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more
pleasing. Believing with you that
religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes
account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative
powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with
sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that
their legislature would "make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall
of separation between Church and State. Adhering to this expression of the
supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see
with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to
restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in
opposition to his social duties. I reciprocate your kind
prayers for the protection and blessing of the common Father and Creator of
man, and tender you for yourselves and your religious association, assurances
of my high respect and esteem. Th Jefferson |
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