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Dr. Franklin's Infidelity

Dr. Franklin's Infidelity image
Parent Issue
Day
23
Month
March
Year
1846
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

F rom the expressionsin Franklin's life, ( is wrilten by himself, and from his , ers, the impression has generally ; ;d, that he was an infidel. A correspondent of the Marshall Statesman has nislied the following imformation on that point, which may be of interest to the many admirers of that great man : " In perusing the life of the late Rev. Dr. Stiles, President of Yale College, I findthat in January, 1790, the Rev. Doetor in a letter to Dr. Franklin requesting his portrait for the College, thus ingenuously expressed his desire on the subject: "You know, sir, lama Chrisiian ; and would to heaven all others were as I am, except my imperfections. As much as I know of Dr. Franklin, I have not an idea of his religious sentiments. I wish to know the opinión of my venerable friend concerning Jesus of Nazareth. He will not impute this impertinenceor improper curiosity in one, who for many years has continued to love, estímate, and reverence his abilities and literary character with an ardour of affection. If I have said too much, lot the request be blotted out, and be no more." The Doctor in reply to President Stiles, under date of March 7, 1790, makes this reply : " [ do not take your curiosity amiss, and shall endeavor, in a few words, to gratify it. As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opiuion of whom you particularly desire, 1 think the system of moráis and his religión, as he Itft them to us, the best the world ever saw, or is likely to see ; but 1 apprehend it has received various eorrupting changos; and I have, with most of the present Dissenters in England, some doubts asto hisDivinity." This letter was writlenabout a month before the Doctor died, April 17, 1790: