Opening the text

Junius Unmasked: Or, Thomas Paine the author of the Letters of Junius and the Declaration of IndependenceMoody, Joel

History

Junius Unmasked: Or, Thomas Paine the author of the Letters of Junius and the Declaration of Independence

Name: Junius Unmasked: Or, Thomas Paine the author of the Letters of Junius and the Declaration of Independence
Author: Moody, Joel

Moody, Joel

Francis, Philip, 1740-1818; Junius, active 18th century; Paine, Thomas, 1737-1809; United States. Declaration of Independence

Junius says: "The resentment of a priest is implacable: no sufferings
can soften; no penitence can appease."--Let. 53. In speaking of the Rev.
Mr. Horne, he says: "No, my lord; it was the solitary, vindictive malice
of a monk, brooding over the infirmities of his friends, until he
thought they quickened into public life, and feasting with a rancorous
rapture upon the sordid catalogue of his distresses. Now let him go back
to his cloister. The Church is a proper retreat for him; in his
principles he is already a bishop. The mention of this man has moved me
from my natural moderation."--Let. 49. Again:

"The priesthood are accused of misinterpreting the scriptures. Mr. Horne
has improved on his profession. He alters the text, and creates a
refutable doctrine of his own."--Let. 53.

The above passages can not be mistaken for Mr. Paine's spirit, style,
and language. These tell us they are his with much more truth than a
name attached to any writing tells us its author.

       *       *       *       *       *

It seems they both had the same opinion of a _Methodist_:

    _Paine._

    "But when he [man] multiplies his creed with
    imaginary things, he forces his mind, and pretends
    to believe what he does not believe. This is, in
    general, the case with the _Methodists_--their
    religion is all creed and no morals."--Let. to Mr.
    Dean.

               _Junius._

               "You meanly evaded the question, and, instead of
               the explicit firmness and decision of a king, gave
               us nothing but the misery of a ruined grazier, and
               the whining piety of a _Methodist_."--Let. 36.

Now the reader will recall the parallel I gave in regard to never
dishonoring religion by saying any thing against particular forms or
denominations. With the exception of the Catholic Church, this is the
only instance which has fallen under my eye; and it seems they had such
a disliking to Methodism, a sarcasm must be let loose upon it. Trifling
as this instance may seem, there is great force in its being solitary,
and apparently contradictory to what they both before affirmed in
general. Such an instance has, in fact, more weight than a score of
parallels on common characteristics, for it shows a peculiar and strong
bias in a particular direction.

       *       *       *       *       *

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Junius Unmasked: Or, Thomas Paine the author of the Letters of Junius and the Declaration of IndependenceMoody, Joel

History

Junius Unmasked: Or, Thomas Paine the author of the Letters of Junius and the Declaration of Independence

Moody, Joel

Francis, Philip, 1740-1818; Junius, active 18th century; Paine, Thomas, 1737-1809; United States. Declaration of Independence

Junius says: "The resentment of a priest is implacable: no sufferings
can soften; no penitence can appease."--Let. 53. In speaking of the Rev.
Mr. Horne, he says: "No, my lord; it was the solitary, vindictive malice
of a monk, brooding over the infirmities of his friends, until he
thought they quickened into public life, and feasting with a rancorous
rapture upon the sordid catalogue of his distresses. Now let him go back
to his cloister. The Church is a proper retreat for him; in his
principles he is already a bishop. The mention of this man has moved me
from my natural moderation."--Let. 49. Again:

"The priesthood are accused of misinterpreting the scriptures. Mr. Horne
has improved on his profession. He alters the text, and creates a
refutable doctrine of his own."--Let. 53.

The above passages can not be mistaken for Mr. Paine's spirit, style,
and language. These tell us they are his with much more truth than a
name attached to any writing tells us its author.

       *       *       *       *       *

It seems they both had the same opinion of a _Methodist_:

    _Paine._

    "But when he [man] multiplies his creed with
    imaginary things, he forces his mind, and pretends
    to believe what he does not believe. This is, in
    general, the case with the _Methodists_--their
    religion is all creed and no morals."--Let. to Mr.
    Dean.

               _Junius._

               "You meanly evaded the question, and, instead of
               the explicit firmness and decision of a king, gave
               us nothing but the misery of a ruined grazier, and
               the whining piety of a _Methodist_."--Let. 36.

Now the reader will recall the parallel I gave in regard to never
dishonoring religion by saying any thing against particular forms or
denominations. With the exception of the Catholic Church, this is the
only instance which has fallen under my eye; and it seems they had such
a disliking to Methodism, a sarcasm must be let loose upon it. Trifling
as this instance may seem, there is great force in its being solitary,
and apparently contradictory to what they both before affirmed in
general. Such an instance has, in fact, more weight than a score of
parallels on common characteristics, for it shows a peculiar and strong
bias in a particular direction.

       *       *       *       *       *

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Junius Unmasked: Or, Thomas Paine the author of the Letters of Junius and the Declaration of Independence

Junius Unmasked: Or, Thomas Paine the author of the Letters of Junius and the Declaration of Independence

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