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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Newman John H., fl. 1873-1875 to Mr. Long

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05508.193.04 Author/Creator: Newman John H., fl. 1873-1875 Place Written: Oratory Church, Rednall, England Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 14 September 1873 Pagination: 1 p. : Height: 18.1 cm, Width: 11.4 cm Order a Copy

Newman writes that he is unable to answer Long's question about whether the 'pona damni' (loss of God's presence) has degrees as well as the 'pona sensus' (positive suffering). Newman believes the answer is beyond human comprehension, as is Divine Providence. He concludes the letter by rejecting Long's suggestion that the Roman Catholic system of penance and cult of the saints is "inconsistent with God's other attributes."

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