Thomas Jefferson's 'Wee Little Book' Purified by Fire by Harry Swanson
What's It About?
For an enlightening, educative and fascinating collection of excerpts from the Gospel — fascinating in their messages and fascinating in the way they were compiled — consider “Thomas Jefferson’s ‘Wee Little Book’ Purified by Fire.”There’s probably not a reader among us who doesn’t know that Thomas Jefferson is the principal author of perhaps the greatest document ever written, the Declaration of Independence.
And we’ll bet that readers probably have no idea that when this Founding Father was 77 years old, he put together a book by cutting excerpts from six printed volumes of the Gospels of the New Testament. He then arranged them to tell a chronological and edited story of Jesus’ life, parables and moral teaching.
Through this initiative, Jefferson hoped to show that the lessons of Jesus provided “the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man.”
While Jefferson compiled this volume back in 1813 for only personal nightly study, his intention was not to offer it to the public. Yet through various threads, it has made its way for all to read in Harry Swanson’s Thomas Jefferson’s “Wee Little Book” Purified by Fire.
Unique Collection of Biblical Passages
Jefferson set out to make the excerpts “rapid fire,” short, simple and succinct while covering the life and most important moral teachings of Jesus. The volume put together by Swanson contains the actual words of Jefferson, supplemented by the author’s helpful notes and interpretations to optimize clarity.
This unique collection can be read as a “great biblical start” for new believers and “a very convincing realization of the true walk of a mature Christian.” The passages are many, far-reaching and all-inclusive.
Swanson explains that Jefferson was a staunch advocate for religious freedom, firmly believing that America should be built on Christian values. And while the meaty discussion of the separation of church and state was an important one, Jefferson acknowledged the necessity of God’s wisdom and His role in developing a government that guaranteed freedoms. To some degree, church and state, according to Jefferson, had to be one.
The excerpts portray Jesus as a great preacher, in content and context. It was this gift that helped communicate his message — even, as Swanson points out, if his mother didn’t always understand his sayings.
Enlightening, Educative and Fascinating
For an enlightening, educative and fascinating collection of excerpts from the Gospel — fascinating in their messages and fascinating in the way they were compiled — consider Thomas Jefferson’s “Wee Little Book” Purified by Fire. As the author so aptly calls it in his subtitle: “A Nightly Study Then and a Nightly Study Now — People, Get Ready.”
“If there’s anything the world needs today,” writes Swanson, “it’s the fulfillment of the Great Commission — to go and tell all the world about the Lord Jesus Christ, including his life, teachings, sufferings, crucifixion, and resurrection. Jefferson’s nightly study aides toward that end.”
About Harry Swanson:
Harry Swanson worked in finance and administration for 45 years and is now retired. Harry worked under such titles as Controller, Director of Finance and Administration, CFO, and Financial Management Consultant for both large and small, profit and non-profit companies located throughout Long Island and New York City. Thomas Jefferson’s “Wee Little Book” Purified by Fire, he realized a similar account could be written and shared with Abraham Lincoln: Abraham Lincoln’s Little Book, Purified by Fire. He expects his next book, America’s Sons and Daughters of Thunder, Purified by Fire, to be available for purchase by in early 2024.
Swanson’s favorite sport has always been baseball and he authored Ruthless Baseball – Yankees Purified by Fire. Harry and his wife Susan of 44 years have two grown married children and several grandchildren.
