On the title-page Jefferson has written: by David Humphreys of N. Hampshire brother of David Humphreys.

A small correction by Jefferson occurs on page 8.

Sent to Jefferson by Joseph Moss White, who wrote from Danbury in Connecticut on January 1, 1801: “. . . I have therefore at length ventured to send you herewith a Pamphlet wrote by him entitled The Bible needs no Apology, etc. which please to accept off, as a small Present, as well as token of my high esteem of your Person and character: notwithstand[ing] all the Calumny and reproach wherewith many have lately been endeavoring to load you, on account of what has been wrote by you on religious Liberty.

"Whether you may approve of the peculiar Tenets maintained in the Pamphlet, or not; or whether a Deist, or not, I consider as unimportant Questions to me as they relate to you, in the high Station Providence seems to be alloting you for several Years to come. In which I have the highest Confidence in you (from the acceptable Services which you have heretofore rendered in the several Publick offices you have sustained) that you will gain the approbation of not only the wise and Good, but even of those who now seem inveterate enemies, by that wise and Prudent Administration which I am perswaded will be pursued by you . . .

"P. S. The Author of the Pamphlet I send you, etc., is Daniel Humphrey, Esqr. of Portsmouth N. H. Brother to David: with whom I presume you must have had an acquaintence.”

Worthington Chauncey Ford’s note in Thomas Jefferson Correspondence printed from the originals in the collections of William K. Bixby reads: The pamphlet sent to Jefferson was A Plain Attempt to hold up to View the Ancient Gospel , printed at Portsmouth, 1800.

At the end of the Introduction is a printed note: This work was written in 1794, in a style and manner somewhat new, but being the author’s first essay, his unaffected diffidence prevented its coming forward till now, encouraged by a few intelligent friends.

At the beginning is inserted an autograph note by the author (unsigned): N.B. In this first & small Essay, Brevity was consulted. Would the Infidells admitt of Scripture proof, it would probably have been three times the size; consistent with said Brevity.

"A plain & familiar Stile was also chosen, that it might be more generally usefull to those for whose perusall it was chiefly intended;

"The Author had not seen the 2 ^d part of T. Paine’s “Age of Reason” when he wrote this--but that 2 ^d part is fully answered,-- and in a more Masterly manner by the Bp. of Landaff.

Miers Fisher, 1748-1819.