When the clergy addressed on his departure from the government, it was observed in their consultation that he had never on any occasion said a word to the public which showed a belief in the Christian religion and they thought they should so pen their address as to force him at length to declare publicly whether he was a Christian or not. They did so. However {Dr. Rush} observed the old fox was too cunning for them. He answered every article of their address particularly except that, which he passed over without notice... I know that , who pretended to be in his secrets & believed himself to be so, has often told me that .{}
In the discussed passage, the clergy, upon his departure from government, noted that the individual in question had not publicly expressed any beliefs in Christianity. They resolved to craft their address in a way that would compel him to clarify his religious stance. However, despite their intentions, Dr. Rush remarked on the person's cleverness, as he managed to respond to all points in their address except for the query about his faith, effectively evading the issue.
This incident highlights the tension between personal belief and public expectation, particularly regarding religious identity. The clergy's effort to elicit a declaration reveals the societal pressure of the time, while the clever maneuvering of the individual illustrates the complexities of navigating such expectations without explicit confrontation.
