Historic Jeffersonian Letter to Baptists Discovered in Elkton
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ry...w TM to e j r s u u st o t y e l s l ' t i I t ! w g w r o w . e .b in ap nl tistlifeo Baptist Newsjournal of the BaptistLIFE Convention of Maryland and Delaware August 23, 2002 Historic Jeffersonian letter to Baptists discovered in Elkton By Sharon Mager ern and late 20th century doctrine “That’s a different vision of But when he examined it, Staff Writer of strict separation of church and Jefferson than what many have tried Dixon began to wonder. The state. The new letter, Land indi- to make him out to be in the late 20th paper looked authentic, the time ELKTON, Md. –– A discovery cated, helps discredit the misin- and 21st century.” period was correct and the hand- of a letter written by Thomas terpretations of today’s liberals of Joanna Alford, a volunteer help- writing looked like Jefferson’s. Jefferson in Elkton, Md. near the that famous “wall of separation” ing with the restoration of the old Chris Coover, a specialist for Maryland and Delaware border, phrase. Hollingsworth Estate, discovered Christie’s of New York, volun- has caused quite a stir. Baptists, who were growing in both letters while sifting through teered to examine the letter and Dated July 2, 1801, it was writ- number but not well favored in paperwork from the old estate, which verified its authenticity. He told CareNow feature story ten to the Delaware Colonial times, the town of Elkton purchased three Dixon the letter is worth about See p.10 Baptist Association were drawn to years ago. The house and land date $700,000. (DBA) in response Jefferson, who, back to the late 1600’s when Zebulon Alford was also surprised to correspondence like them, pur- Hollingsworth, Sr. bought the proper- and was a little alarmed that she they sent Jefferson. sued the free- ty and named it “Elk Landing.” The had handled it and that it had Remarkably, both dom of reli- town formed “Historic Elk Landing been in her house. So she quickly the Jefferson letter gious rights. Foundation” to oversee and raise put it in plastic covers and gave and the DBA letter Land money to restore the estate. it to Dixon. It is now in a lock were found together. recounted the The property and the town box in a town bank until the “I thought it was story of a well- around it is full of American history. foundation decides what to do fascinating,” known Baptist Redcoats marched through the with it. Richard Land com- preacher, John Hollingsworth land on their way to The DBA letter is full of old- mented on the Leland, who the center of town. In fact, workers time swirls and flourishes and Jefferson letter. was passionate are digging up cannonballs as they addresses Jefferson as “Friend Land is the presi- about religious repave the streets. and fellow citizen.” “With emo- Library of Congress photo dent of The Ethics & freedom. He Alford was sitting in her living tions of gratitude to the Religious Liberty Commission of came to see Jefferson on New room looking through the books Almighty ruler of the universe, SBC and has his doctorate in Year’s Day of who manageth “I thought it was fasci- Baptist history. “It really gives 1802, the day the affairs of this nating. It gives real insight into Jefferson’s thinking – Jefferson wrote terrestrial globe insight into Jefferson’s which is not nearly as radical as the Danbury let- and under whose thinking.” liberals try to make it.…He ren- ter. Leland trav- divine auspices - Richard Land ders tribute of thankfulness to the eled from we taste the almighty ruler – his deism had its Massachusetts to sweets of that limits.” Washington to liberty which Land referred to parts of the present Jefferson a thousands are letter that he said are especially mammoth block destitute of we powerful – the establishment of of cheese. lift our hearts liberty, equality of social rights, “Jefferson was and render the and exclusion of an uncivil and given the cheese tribute of thank- religious and usurpian domain of by Leland, who fulness to him…” one sect over another. was sent as the Jefferson is “That is not a secular vision,” head of the dele- congratulated on Land said. “It’s not an established gation of political his appointment religion where one denomination supporters,” Land “to the chief receives unequal privileges over said. “Leland pre- magistracy of this another. It is also not an exclusion sented the cheese Mike Dixon, president of the Historic Elk Landing Foundation nation.” It refer- of equal provision or treatment to him, prayed for examines the two historic letters worth about $700,000 ences the victory for all religious groups, which is him and Jefferson of the revolution what some modern interpreta- accepted. Jefferson went back to the and papers she brought home from and its results – “…liberty, peace, tions claim that it mandates.” White House that afternoon and the Hollingsworth site. As she emp- equality of birth, the destruction Land said that Baptists under- wrote the letter,” Land said, refer- tied one of the crates, she saw an old of created titles, emancipation Columbia, Maryland 21046-1716 10255 Old Columbia Road Baptist stood that Jefferson would not ring to the Danbury letter. That was envelope on the bottom. Inside was from British tyranny, the non- support giving one denomination a Friday. the DBA letter and then Jefferson’s establishment of ecclesiastical “Sunday, he went to a worship serv- reply. LIFE preference over other religious dignity and the preponderence of groups. ice at the House of Representatives, “That’s the one that caused all one society over another. the excitement,” Alford said. The letter was written six which was common at that time, continued on page five months prior to a letter written to and Leland was the preacher. He At first no one was certain the Danbury Baptist Association, was preaching from the speaker’s the letter was real. “It looked What’s Inside? dated January 1, 1802, in which podium. Clearly, Jefferson didn’t real,” Alford said, “but I’m not Jefferson wrote about a “wall of see having a voluntary worship an expert.” separation between church and service attended by the presi- Alford notified Mike Perspectives...................................2 state.” That phrase from the dent in the house chamber as a Dixon, president of the foun- dation. “I’m a skeptic. I did Danbury letter was used by the violation of separation of ConventionLIFE............................3 Supreme Court to build its mod- church and state. not believe it,” Dixon said. ChurchLIFE...................................4 Resolutions request for annual All About Kids Productions..........5 meeting Nov. 11-12 in Solomons Summer Camps 2002................6-7 Aunt Margaret...............................8 Those who would like to least 45 days in advance of the Resolutions coming from the submit resolutions for consider- annual meeting will be consid- floor of the convention must be Resort ministries...........................9 ation to the BCM/D annual ered by the committee before ready to copy and distribute. meeting Nov. 11-12, 2002, may the first session. Other resolu- They should have a valid reason FamilyLIFE..................................10 send them to the attention of: tions may be referred to the for not meeting the 45-day rule. Resolutions Committee committee by the general body. All proposed resolutions need BCM/D Classifieds....................................11 Columbia, MD “Resolutions should seek U. Pe to be submitted to the resolu- Non-profit 10255 Old Columbia Road S. to build up and unify the body r mit #350 PAID tions committee by Sept. 27. P Columbia, MD 21046-1716 rather than divide it; therefore, Lifeway/State Missions Ads.....12 ostage The existing BCM/D only resolutions that have the Resolutions may also be (unless your church participates Constitution and Bylaws state full consensus of the commit- dropped off at the Baptist in our Back Page Program) that “only resolutions presented tee will be presented at the Center in Columbia in care of to the resolutions committee at annual meeting.” Carol Moore. BL • August 23, 2002 • 2 Try using WD-40 instead of duct tape omeone has said that you Joel Arther Barker, in his 1992 In Kingdom terms, we must tape only lasts so long. It does only need two things in life groundbreaking book entitled first embrace new life in Christ not fix the root cause. S– “WD-40 to make things go, “Paradigms: the Business of and then walk in obedience to The key is to stay as flexible and duct tape to make things Discovering the Future” said, “New all the new things the Spirit of as possible. We must keep our stop.” Now, I’m not exactly “Mr. paradigms put everyone practicing God begins to teach us. Often hearts and our minds open to Handyman” around the house. My the old paradigm at great risk. The when we are confronted with the fresh ideas that God blows wife would be the first to confirm higher one’s position, the greater something new, our natural ten- our way. In actuality, it is the this. But I am, however, fairly sea- the risk. The better you are at your dency is to stop short. We are WD-40 of God’s Spirit that soned in the art of using of duct paradigm, the more you have far too gifted at developing lubricates the path for growth tape. I have used miles of it to invested in it, the more you have to strategies for resisting the and opportunity both personal- Bob Simpson cover microphone and speaker lose by changing paradigms.” inevitable change that will be ly and in our churches.