CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON
1737-1832
Signer of the Declaration of Independence (Maryland)
Religious Affiliation:
Roman Catholic
Father John Carroll,
Charles’s cousin, became the first bishop of the United States in 1790
CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON
Quotations:
"Being persuaded that there can be but one true religion taught by
Christ, and that the R C is that religion, I conceive it to be my duty to have
my grandchildren brought up in it. I feel no ill will or illiberal prejudices
against the sectarians which have abandon that faith; if their lives be
conformable to the duties and morals prescribed by the Gospel, I have the
charity to hope and believe they will be rewarded with eternal happiness,
though they may entertain erroneous doctrines in point of faith; the great
number in every religion not having the leisure or means to investigate the
truth of the doctrines they have been taught, must rest their religious faith
on their instructors, and therefore the great body of the people may
conscientiously believe that they hold the true faith; but they who, from
liberal education, from understanding, from books, not written by one party
only, and from leisure, have the means of examining into the truth of the
doctrines they have been taught as orthodox, are in my opinion bound to make
the examination, nor suffer early instructions and impressions or habits or
prejudices to operate against the conviction of what is right. Upon conviction
only a change of religion is desirable; on a concern so seriously interesting
to all of us no worldly motives should sway our conduct." -- letter to
Harriet Chew Carroll, 29 August 1816 (Harriet, or "Hettie," was the
daughter-in-law of Charles Carroll)
"Piety is the only solid foundation of happiness even in this life;
Louisa was, and I hope is still pious; let her strive to continue so; let her
not depart from that religion in which she was brought up; its principles and
its practices will enable her to discharge the duties of the married state, to
combat and overcome the temptations to which a life of, perhaps, too much
dissipation will be liable; a perpetual round of company, cards, concerts,
balls, plays and operas are all incompatible with the spirit and letter of the
Gospel; a mind distracted and engrossed by such frivolities cannot think
seriously of heaven, or fulfill those duties which only can merit
heaven." -- letter to Betsy Caton, 22 May 1817 (both Betsy and Louisa
were grand-daughters of Charles Carroll)
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