The Complete Harvard Classics - ALL 71 Volumes: The Five Foot Shelf & The Shelf of Fiction: The Famous Anthology of the Greatest Works of World Literature

by Charles William Eliot

now I speak of thanking God, I desire with all humility to acknowledge that I owe the mentioned happiness of my past life to His kind providence, which lead me to the means I used and gave them success. My belief of this induces me to hope, though I must not presume, that the same goodness will still be exercised toward me, in continuing that happiness, or enabling me to bear a fatal reverse, which I may experience as others have done: the complexion of my future fortune being known to Him only in whose power it is to bless to us even our afflictions.

Reverence toward God

We sometimes disputed, and very fond we were of argument, and very desirous of confuting one another, which disputatious turn, by the way, is apt to become a very bad habit, making people often extremely disagreeable in company by the contradiction that is necessary to bring it into practice; and thence, besides souring and spoiling the conversation, is productive of disgusts and, perhaps enmities where you may have occasion for friendship.

This is a memorable citation from Benj. Franklin

Persons of good sense, I have since observed, seldom fall into it, except lawyers, university men,

This is s continuation of the thoughts of the foregoing, courtesy Franklin.

if you would inform, a positive and dogmatical manner in advancing your sentiments may provoke contradiction and prevent a candid attention.

Courtesy of Benj. Franklin.

you wish information and improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fix'd in your present opinions, modest, sensible men, who do not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in the possession of your error. And by such a manner, you can seldom hope to recommend yourself in pleasing your hearers, or to persuade those whose concurrence you desire.

I no longer recall the context, but I would prefix this citation: "IF..."

Immodest words admit but this defense, That want of modesty is want of sense."

Franklin

"That there is one God, who made all things. "That he governs the world by his providence. "That he ought to be worshiped by adoration, prayer, and thanksgiving. "But that the most acceptable service of God is doing good to man. "That the soul is immortal. "And that God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice, either here or hereafter."9

Franklin seems to have reversed his earlier irreverence. Did this change his aversion to public worship? (Commented at time of marking. )

we should be call'd The Society of the Free and Easy:

This Seems an appropriate name for a secular organization.

free from debt, which exposes a man to confinement, and a species of slavery to his creditors.

There You have a necessary personal creed.

On his decease, the business was continued by his widow, who, being born and bred in Holland, where, as I have been inform'd, the knowledge of accounts makes a part of female education, she not only sent me as clear a state as she could find of the transactions past, but continued to account with the greatest regularity and exactness every quarter afterwards, and managed the business with such success, that she not only brought up reputably a family of children, but, at the expiration of the term, was able to purchase of me the printing-house, and establish her son in it. I mention this affair chiefly for the sake of recommending that branch of education for our young females, as likely to be of more use to them and their children, in case of widowhood, than either music or dancing, by preserving them from losses

My wife has demonstrated the necessity of this education of girls.

"He that has once done you a kindness will be more ready to do you another, than he whom you yourself have obliged."

I have been more likely the latter in making new friends not having noted this proverb in my first reading of this book .

College of Cambridge, of their own motion, presented me with the degree of Master of Arts. Yale College, in Connecticut, had before made me a similar compliment. Thus, without studying in any college, I came to partake of their honours. They were conferr'd in consideration of my improvements and discoveries in the electric branch of natural philosophy.

Benjamin Franklin endowed with academic honors

As to rewards from himself, I ask'd only one, which was, that he would give orders to his officers not to enlist any more of our bought servants, and that he would discharge such as had been already enlisted. This he readily granted, and several were accordingly return'd to their masters, on my application.

Franklin demonstrates sympathy with slavery.

Without my having made any application for that honor, they chose me a member, and voted that I should be excus'd the customary payments, which would have amounted to twenty-five guineas; and ever since have given me their Transactions gratis.

Franklin Honored with membership in The Royal Society for Writings advancing knowledge of electricity.

1730 Marries Rebecca Read.

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1757 Introduces a bill in the Assembly for paving the streets of Philadelphia; publishes his famous "Way to Wealth"; goes to England to plead the cause of the Assembly against the Proprietaries; remains as agent for Pennsylvania; enjoys the friendship of the scientific and literary men of the kingdom. [HERE THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY BREAKS OFF]

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1762 Receives the degree of LL.D. from Oxford and Edinburgh;

BF receives unsolicited academic honors

Franklin Honored with non-academic LL.D. 1762

1772 Elected Associé Etranger of the French Academy.

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1776 Placed on the committee to draft a Declaration of Independence;

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1787 Reelected President; sent as delegate to the convention for framing a Federal Constitution.

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1788

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1790

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1759.

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if we desire in this life to dwell under the favor and protection of that Almighty Being whose habitation is in holiness, whose ways are all equal, and whose anger is now kindled because of our backslidings, -- let us then awfully regard these beginnings of his sore judgments, and with abasement and humiliation turn to him whom we have offended.

How am I ever the only one to have read this and recognized its timelessness? This Was 250 years ago!

Contending with one equal in strength is an uneasy exercise; but if the Lord is become our enemy, if we persist in contending with him who is omnipotent, our overthrow will be unavoidable. Do we feel an affectionate regard to posterity? and are we employed to promote their happiness? Do our minds, in things outward, look beyond our own dissolution? and are we contriving for the prosperity of our children after us? Let us then, like wise builders, lay the foundation deep, and by our constant uniform regard to an inward piety and virtue let them see that we really value it. Let us labor in the fear of the Lord, that their innocent minds, while young and tender, may be preserved from corruptions; that as they advance in age they may rightly understand their true interest, may consider the uncertainty of temporal things, and, above all, have their hope and confidence firmly settled in the blessing of that Almighty Being who inhabits eternity and preserves and supports the world. In

More timely advice ! Mine Only so far, but you may take it, too.

In the winter of this year, the small-pox being in our town, and many being inoculated, of whom a few died,

I have looked on the small-pox as a messenger from the Almighty, to be an assistant in the cause of virtue, and to incite us to consider whether we employ our time only in such things as are consistent with perfect wisdom and goodness. Building houses suitable to dwell in, for ourselves and our creatures; preparing clothing suitable for the climate and season, and food convenient, are all duties incumbent on us. And under these general heads are many branches of business in which we may venture health and life, as necessity may require.

What a marvelous parallell to the CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 in the years of 2019-2022…. All of John Woolman's considerations are suitable to modern consideration and reflection. He names the essential human activities. All others are superfluities, except the study of Divine wisdom. My love of reading is another essential.

If I am so situated that there appears no probability of missing the infection, it tends to make me think whether my manner of life in things outward has nothing in it which may unfit my body to receive this messenger in a way the most favorable to me.

1760.

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24th of the fourth month, 1760.

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appeared very clear to me that the spirit of lotteries was a spirit of selfishness, which tended to confuse and darken the understanding, and that pleading for it in our meetings, which were set apart for the Lord's work, was not right.

Gambling, in any guise, falls under this observation and is a provocation to evil.

"Considerations on keeping Negroes," which was printed this year, 1762.

believe he hath provided that so much labor shall be necessary for men's support in this world as would, being rightly divided, be a suitable employment of their time; and that we cannot go into superfluities, or grasp after wealth in a way contrary to his wisdom, without having connection with some degree of oppression, and with that spirit which leads to self-exaltation and strife, and which frequently brings calamities on countries by parties contending about their claims. Being

John is correct in recognizing how grasping after wealth tends to oppression of other, weaker people and stripping them of possessions.

1761,

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winter of 1762

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5th month, 1763;

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Wehaloosing,

This Is a close phonetic spelling of Wyalusing in PENNSYLVANIA on the Susquehanna river .

1764.

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1765,

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1766,

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In the history of the reformation from Popery it is observable that the progress was gradual from age to age. The uprightness of the first reformers in attending to the light and understanding given to them opened the way for sincere-hearted people to proceed further afterwards; and thus each one truly fearing God and laboring in the works of righteousness appointed for him in his day findeth acceptance with Him.

Good summary of the development and progress of the Reformation.

1767,

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people in outward ease and greatness, supported chiefly on the labor of slaves,

1767.

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1768.

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1769.

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Feeling a danger of not being wholly devoted to him, I was frequently engaged to watch unto prayer that I might be preserved;

Power of prayer.

1770,

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In the love of money and in the wisdom of this world, business is proposed, then the urgency of affairs push forward, and the mind cannot in this state discern the good and perfect will of God concerning us. The love of God is manifested in graciously calling us to come out of that which stands in confusion; but if we bow not in the name of Jesus, if we give not up those prospects of gain which in the wisdom of this world are open before us, but say in our hearts, "I must needs go on; and in going on I hope to keep as near the purity of truth as the business before me will admit of," the mind remains entangled and the shining of the light of life into the soul is obstructed.

So True . So True . Until we can give up that love of money and turn it to succor of the poor we are held back from our progress . This is the key to the law of consecration .