Observations on "The Two Sons of Oil": Containing a Vindication of the American Constitutions, and Defending the Blessings of Religious Liberty and Toleration, against the Illiberal Strictures of the Rev. Samuel B. Wylie

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Observations on “The Two Sons of Oil” Observations on “The Two Sons of Oil” Containing a Vindication of the American Constitutions, and Defending the Blessings of Religious Liberty and Toleration, against the Illiberal Strictures of the Rev. Samuel B. Wylie william findley Edited and with an Introduction by John Caldwell liberty fund indianapolis This book is published by Liberty Fund, Inc., a foundation established to encourage study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. The cuneiform inscription that serves as our logo and as the design motif for our endpapers is the earliest-known written appearance of the word “freedom” (amagi), or “liberty.” It is taken from a clay document written about 2300 b.c. in the Sumerian city-state of Lagash. Introduction and annotations © 2007 by Liberty Fund, Inc. Frontispiece: Portrait of William Findley by Rembrandt Peale, from life, 1805. Reproduced by permission of Independence National Historical Park. Printed in the United States of America All rights reserved c 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 p 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Findley, William, 1741 or 2–1821. Observations on The two sons of oil: containing a vindication of the American constitutions, and defending the blessings of religious liberty and toleration, against the illiberal strictures of the Rev. Samuel B. Wylie / William Findley; edited and with an introduction by John Caldwell. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn-13: 978-0-86597-667-2 (hardcover: alk. paper) isbn-13: 978-0-86597-668-9 (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. Wylie, Samuel B. (Samuel Brown), 1773–1852. Two sons of oil. 2. Freedom of religion. 3. Religious tolerance. 4. Church and state—United States. 5. Christianity and politics—United States. I. Caldwell, John. II. Title. bv741.f5 2007 323.44⬘20973—dc22 2007016790 Liberty Fund, Inc. 8335 Allison Pointe Trail, Suite 300 Indianapolis, Indiana 46250-1684 ...