Dear Natalie,
I hope I find you and your family well. It has been long since our last correspondence and I miss hearing about your family’s many excursions. I apologize for replying late. Lately I have been reading up a lot on changes that have been happening in our society. From, what I have been reading, I can tell you that our society is going through a great transformation. I see what is happening in Europe and in other colonies finally reaching Massachusetts and changing how we interact in our daily lives.
I can tell you sister that there is a great awakening taking place. There is this new movement of people who are determined to base human decision making on science and reason. They are drawing their ideas from the writings of individuals like John Locke and Isaac Newton. I see the Church having problems with this celebration of reason. The mere idea of putting human beings at the center of the universe rather than God is rather blasphemous. Thus people like Cotton Mather have been fighting back against the heresies of science and reason.
Me and John went to the Jeffersons for dinner a few weeks ago, Mr. Jefferson had read some of the things these knew enlightenment writers wrote. He said he agreed with Cotton Mather that these people were there to teach human selfishness and separate people away from their God. Mrs. Jefferson kept her head down while stirring her soup. I think she must have heard too much complaining from Mr. Jefferson about these people talking about science and reason. He said he read something about Thomas Paine. Whatever the man wrote showed that he was no Christian. It was right for them to put him in prison.
I do believe that all these developments will in the end be embraced by women as well and we will be able to demand better treatment and equal rights, Don't you think sister that if these individuals succeed in putting man at the center of life rather than God, we as women should be able to claim that humanity and freedom. Surely freedom should not mean the freedom of men only. Women make contributions to human progress everyday, From reading Locke and some of the writers that write like him, I think I embrace the idea that we as human beings can get our answers about the great mysteries of life from science and reason.
You know that I have always believed in individual responsibility and I find the arguments made about faith fascinating. The ability to take control of one’s faith and religion is important to this new movement. We always went to Church when we were young. We did it because we had no choice but to follow our parents but we also did so because we wanted to. It provided us with answers to the wonders that evaded the naked eye.
I am now old enough to think that maybe these people have a point when they say that one does not necessarily need to attend a Church to be good in the eyes of the Lord. I agree with these people that even though God created the world, he took a step back and allowed mankind to survive on his own laws. He does not loom large in the daily activities of humans and is not in the business of performing miracles. If you remember and I think you still know that making such assertions amounts to heresy. The God that these writers talks about is a separate entity of human life.
While these changes in how people think about their Church and political leaders are welcome. There is a new development here that is a bit more disturbing. I read one day a pamphlet written by one John Edwards and it advocated for the return to the old order in Church and political life. Here is the colonies some people are working hard to make sure that the individual does not retain the appeal of the enlightenment. The argument of Jonathan Edwards and other fellows like George Whitefield is that people are straying from the teachings of the bible. He says that the presence of zeal and orthodox needs to return to the Church. This is in sharp contrast to the rational teachings I found in Locke and James Madison’s work.
I hope I am not boring you sister but I feel I must share all this with you. I mentioned this before about all people having natural rights that no man or God can take away. From this understanding comes new ways of thinking about government and its role in our lives. These men and women believe that governing should be based on the consent of the governed rather than religious authority. Together with this idea is Locke’s argument that all governing and legal systems should be designed so that they can protect private property rights.
Now you know that we as women have never had the opportunity to own property. This idea is noble but it leaves us out. Despite the fact that it does not accommodate women, it is a critical step towards self-sustenance which I hope will reach us women as well. This is where we can start our own conversation about natural rights. These writers say that every human being has God-given rights. These rights include liberty, life and property. The idea of owning property stuck with me. You know that small garden at the back of our house has been my most prized possession, I would like to be able to own more meaningful property rather than just a small sprouts garden. At least the garden gives me time to think about all these things I am reading and all these people I meet everyday.
I never told anyone that I was reading all this stuff, they wouldn't think it proper of a lady to concern herself with such affairs. These are the kinds of affairs that are supposed to be left to men. I desire is to leave this place. I fear that if people discover that I have been reading all this stuff, I will be accused to working against God. The punishment for such an accusation can be grave. It is clear why I am supposed to be reading this.
No one wants to hear that a woman is reading books about how everyone is free and they have the right to do whatsoever they want. People here also have love and respect for their Church leaders, they wouldn't want to hear that I am reading about how people should maintain an individual relationship with God rather than rely on priests. You see there are a number of reasons why I shouldn't be reading this stuff and why I should live this little town. Besides the fear of being discovered, I am tired of this little town anyway. It is suffocating. Nothing happens and nothing changes. Everyday is groundhog day.
Before I go, I would urge you to find some of these writings, they are everywhere these days. They will change how you think about a lot of things including your relationship with God. I don't think they can wreck your family, so you should not be afraid of that. They are very intriguing readings. I must go now. I am sending my regards to your whole family. Hope you are all healthy and smiling.
