The Writings of Thomas Paine The Age of Reason — Part I and II by Thomas Paine Collected And Edited By Moncure Daniel Conway VOLUME IV. (1796) Contents EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION THE AGE OF REASON — PART I CHAPTER I. THE AUTHOR’S PROFESSION OF FAITH CHAPTER II. OF MISSIONS AND REVELATIONS CHAPTER III. CONCERNING THE CHARACTER OF JESUS CHRIST, AND HIS HISTORY CHAPTER IV. OF THE BASES OF CHRISTIANITY CHAPTER V. EXAMINATION IN DETAIL OF THE PRECEDING BASES CHAPTER VI. OF THE TRUE THEOLOGY CHAPTER VII. EXAMINATION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT CHAPTER VIII. OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHAPTER IX. IN WHAT THE TRUE REVELATION CONSISTS CHAPTER X. CONCERNING GOD, AND THE LIGHTS CAST ON HIS EXISTENCE AND ATTRIBUTES BY THE BIBLE CHAPTER XI. OF THE THEOLOGY OF THE CHRISTIANS; AND THE TRUE THEOLOGY CHAPTER XII. THE EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANISM ON EDUCATION; PROPOSED REFORMS CHAPTER XIII. COMPARISON OF CHRISTIANISM WITH THE RELIGIOUS IDEAS INSPIRED BY NATURE CHAPTER XIV. SYSTEM OF THE UNIVERSE CHAPTER XV. ADVANTAGES OF THE EXISTENCE OF MANY WORLDS IN EACH SOLAR SYSTEM CHAPTER XVI. APPLICATION OF THE PRECEDING TO THE SYSTEM OF THE CHRISTIANS CHAPTER XVII. OF THE MEANS EMPLOYED IN ALL TIME, AND ALMOST UNIVERSALLY, TO DECEIVE THE PEOPLES RECAPITULATION THE AGE OF REASON — PART II PREFACE CHAPTER I. THE OLD TESTAMENT CHAPTER II. THE NEW TESTAMENT CHAPTER III. CONCLUSION EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION WITH SOME RESULTS OF RECENT RESEARCHES. In the opening year, 1793, when revolutionary France had beheaded its king, the wrath turned next upon the King of kings, by whose grace every tyrant claimed to reign. But eventualities had brought among them a great English and American heart—Thomas Paine. He had pleaded for Louis Capet—“Kill the king but spare the man.” Now he pleaded,—“Disbelieve in the King of kings, but do not confuse with that idol the Father of Mankind!” In Paine’s Preface to the Second Part of “The Age of Reason” he describes himself as writing the First Part near the close of the year 1793. “I had not finished it more than six hours, in the state it has since appeared, before a guard came about three in the morning, with an order signed by the two Committees of Public Safety and Surety General, for putting me in arrestation.” This was on the morning of December 28. But it is necessary to weigh the words just quoted—“in the state it has since appeared.” For on August 5, 1794, Francois Lanthenas, in an appeal for Paine’s liberation, wrote as follows: “I deliver to Merlin de Thionville a copy of the last work of T. Payne [The Age of Reason], formerly our colleague, and in custody since the decree excluding foreigners from the national representation. This book was written by the author in the beginning of the year ’93 (old style). I undertook its translation before the revolution against priests, and it was published in French about the same time. Couthon, to whom I sent it, seemed offended with me for having translated this work.”