Danbury Baptist Association Letter (October 7, 1801) to President Thomas Jefferson, regarding the State of Connecticut's establishment of the Congregational Denomination from its founding till disestablishment in 1818. Jefferson had previously helped Baptists in Virginia by disestablishing the Anglican denomination there in 1786:
<The address of the Danbury Baptist Association, in the State of Connecticut; assembled October 7th 1801. To Thomas Jefferson Esq., the President of the united States of America.
Sir, Among the many millions in America and Europe who rejoice in your Election to office, we embrace the first opportunity which we have enjoyed in our collective capacity, since your Inauguration, to express our great satisfaction, in your appointment to the chief Magistracy in the United States:
And though our mode of expression may be less courtly and pompous than what many others clothe their addresses with, we beg you, Sir to believe, that none are more sincere.
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-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 adopted as the Basis of our government at the time of our revolution; and such had been our laws & usages, & such still are; that Religion is considered as the first object of Legislation; & 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 & gain under the pretense of government & Religion should reproach their fellow men-should reproach their chief Magistrate, as an enemy of religion, Law & 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 & also sensible that the national government cannot destroy the Laws of each State; but our hopes are strong that the sentiments of our beloved President, which have had such genial Effect already, like the radiant beams of the Sun, will shine & prevail through all these States and all the world till Hierarchy and Tyranny be destroyed from the Earth.
Sir, when we reflect on your past services and see a glow of philanthropy and good will 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 good will which he bears to the Millions which you preside over.
May God strengthen you for the arduous task which Providence & the voice of the people have called you to sustain and support you in your Administration against all the predetermined opposition of those who wish to rise to wealth & 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,
Signed-The Committee, Neh'h Dodge, Eph'm Robbins, Stephen S. Nelson> 1801DB001
President Thomas Jefferson replied in a personal letter, January 1, 1802, to Danbury Baptist Association leaders Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins and Stephen Nelson:
<Gentlemen: The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptists Association, give me the highest satisfaction.
My duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit 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 faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with solemn reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "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 man to 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.> 1801DB002
Thomas Jefferson had made reference in his letter to Baptist founder Roger Williams' influencial works "The Bloody Tenent of Persecuation for Conscience Sake" and "Mr. John Cotton's Letter, Lately Printed, Examined and Answered," published in London, 1644:
<Mr. Cotton...hath not duly considered these following particulars.
First, the faithful labors of many witnesses of Jesus Christ, existing in the world, abundantly proving, that the Church of the Jews under the Old Testament in the type and the Church of the Christians under the New Testament in the antitype, were both separate from the world; and that when they have opened a gap in the hedge, or wall of separation, between the garden of the Church and the wilderness of the world, God hath ever broken down the wall itself, removed the candlestick, &c. and made his garden a wilderness, as at this day.
And that therefore if He will ever please to restore His garden and paradise again, it must of necessity be walled in peculiarly unto Himself from the world, and that all that shall be saved out of the world are to be transplanted out of the wilderness of the world and added unto His Church or garden...a separation of Holy from unHoly, penitent from impenitent, Godly from unGodly.> 1801DB003
Rev. Roger Williams had alluded to the Scripture passages:
<Isaiah 5:1-7 My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down...
For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but found oppression."
Mark 12:1 A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the wine vat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.
Proverbs 24:30-31 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
Revelation 2:1-5 Unto the angel of the Church of Ephesus write...thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent...or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick.> 1801DB004
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American Quotations by William J. Federer, 2024, All Rights Reserved, Permission granted to use with acknowledgement.
Endnotes:
1801DB001. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Danbury Baptist Association Letter, October 7, 1801, to President Thomas Jefferson, signed by Nehemiah Dodge, Ephriam Robbins and Stephen S. Nelson.
1801DB002. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Thomas Jefferson, January 1, 1802, reply to Danbury Baptist Association leaders Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins and Stephen Nelson.
1801DB003. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Thomas Jefferson referenced Baptist founder Roger Williams works "The Bloody Tenent of Persecuation for Conscience Sake" and "Mr. John Cotton's Letter, Lately Printed, Examined and Answered," published in London, 1644.
1801DB004. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Rev. Roger Williams had alluded to the Scripture passages: Isaiah 5:1-7; Mark 12:1; Proverbs 24:30-31; Revelation 2:1-5.