The Journal of John Woolman: And a Plea for the Poor
John Woolman
3.90
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The "journal" or spiritual autobiography of John Woolman was the characteristic literary expression of Quakerism in its first two centuries. Woolman's Journal was first published in 1774 (shortly after his death). His life, as recorded by himself, was the finest flower of a unique Quaker culture, Whose focus, as Howard H. Brinton has put it, was not on the literary or plastic arts but on "life itself in home, meeting and community," a life which was an "artistic creation as beautiful in its simplicity and proportion as was the architecture of its meeting houses..." Its distinguishing marks marks were not dogmas but practical testimonies for equality, simplicity and peace. These testimonies, once revolutionary in their social implications, were already becoming institutionalized in Woolman's time as the badges of a "peculiar people." In his quiet way-- he must have been the quietest radical in history-- John Woolman reforged them, tempered them in the stream of love, and converted them once again into instruments of social revolution.
Genres
Biography
Theology
Christian
History
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1960
Original Title
The Journal of John Woolman and a Plea for the Poor
This edition
Format
264 pages, Paperback
Published
October 19, 1972 by Kensington Publishing Corporation
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About the author
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John Woolman
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John Woolman was a North American merchant, tailor, journalist, and itinerant Quaker preacher, and an early abolitionist in the colonial era. Based in Mount Holly, New Jersey, he traveled through frontier areas of British North America to preach Quaker beliefs, and advocate against slavery and the slave trade, cruelty to animals, economic injustices and oppression, and conscription. Beginning in 1755 with the outbreak of the French and Indian War, he urged tax resistance to deny support to the military. In 1772, Woolman traveled to England, where he urged Quakers to support abolition of slavery.
Woolman published numerous essays, especially against slavery. He kept a journal throughout his life; it was published posthumously, entitled The Journal of John Woolman (1774). Included in Volume I of the Harvard Classics since 1909, it is considered a prominent American spiritual work. The Journal has been continuously in print since 1774, published in numerous editions; the most recent scholarly edition was published in 1989.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Community Reviews
3.90
81 ratings14 reviews
Wayne Sutton
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June 17, 2018
An American spiritual autobiography that I found as compelling and powerful as the Confessions of Augustine. Every American Christian should read this book.
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Keith
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September 30, 2008
One of the earlier Quakers and an early advocate for the abolition of slavery, Woolman's journal speaks mostly of his travels among Friends (another term for Quakers for those who don't hang in these circles) speaking to those who held slaves of his concerns. Woolman is pretty well single-handedly responsible for convincing Quakers to give up the institution of slavery, after which they went on to join the broader abolitionist movement, often in prominent position.
The Journal itself is maybe a bit awkward of a read, focusing a lot on the details of his going from place to place and mentioning conversations only in terms such as "we talked for a while about such and such" (not an actual quote from the text). The Journal might also be about half as long were it not for the continual reitterances of praise and thankfulness to God. I understand their presence, I'm just saying, a modern editor, editing a modern journal would cut a lot of those sentences.
The section A Plea For the Poor is more of a pamphlet style thing, and is as such more focused on getting to the heart of the message of living simply and with compassion for all.
The Journal is a good read on my Quaker research quest, pointing to both the changes and consistencies in the Society of Friends, as well as being a notable piece of the history of abolition.
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Cosmic Arcata
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August 6, 2022
Chapter 6:
Small Pox
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox
In the winter of this year, the small-pox being in our town, and many being inoculated, of whom a few died, some things were opened in my mind, which I wrote as follows:—
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Had he endowed men with understanding to prevent this disease (the small-pox) by means which had never proved hurtful nor mortal, such a discovery might be considered as the period of chastisement by this distemper, where that knowledge extended. But as life and health are his gifts, and are not to be disposed of in our own wills, to take upon us by inoculation when in health a disorder of which some die, requires great clearness of knowledge that it is our duty to do so.
Rum and Indians:
often sell rum to the Indians, which I believe is a great evil. In the first place, they are thereby deprived of the use of reason, and their spirits being violently agitated, quarrels often arise which end in mischief, and the bitterness and resentment occasioned hereby are frequently of long continuance. Again, their skins and furs, gotten through much fatigue and hard travels in hunting, with which they intended to buy clothing, they often sell at a low rate for more rum, when they become intoxicated; and afterward, when they suffer for want of the necessaries of life, are angry with those who, for the sake of gain, took advantage of their weakness. Their chiefs have often complained of this in their treaties with the English. Where cunning people pass counterfeits and impose on others that which is good for nothing, it is considered as wickedness; but for the sake of gain to sell that which we know does people harm, and which often works their ruin, manifests a hardened and corrupt heart, and is an evil which demands the care of all true lovers of virtue to suppress. While my mind this evening was thus employed, I also remembered that the people on the frontiers, among whom this evil is too common, are often poor; and that they venture to the outside of a colony in order to live more independently of the wealthy, who often set high rents on their land. I was renewedly confirmed in a belief, that if all our inhabitants lived according to sound wisdom, laboring to promote universal love and righteousness, and ceased from every inordinate desire after wealth, and from all customs which are tinctured with luxury, the way would be easy for our inhabitants, though they might be much more numerous than at present, to live comfortably on honest employments, without the temptation they are so often under of being drawn into schemes to make settlements on lands which have not been purchased of the Indians, or of applying to that wicked practice of selling rum to them.
And here luxury and covetousness, with the numerous oppressions and other evils attending them, appeared very afflicting to me, and I felt in that which is immutable that the seeds of great calamity and desolation are sown and growing fast on this continent.
They and my friends appeared glad to see me return from a journey which they apprehended would be dangerous; but my mind, while I was out, had been so employed in striving for perfect resignation, and had so often been confirmed in a belief, that, whatever the Lord might be pleased to allot for me, it would work for good, that I was careful lest I should admit any degree of selfishness in being glad overmuch, and labored to improve by those trials in such a manner as my gracious Father and Protector designed.
Chapter 8 "I love to feel where words come from."
Chapter 9: “Doth pride lead to vanity? Doth vanity form imaginary wants? Do these wants prompt men to exert their power in requiring more from others than they would be willing to perform themselves, were the same required of them? Do these proceedings beget hard thoughts? Do hard thoughts, when ripe, become malice? Does malice, when ripe, become revengeful, and in the end inflict terrible pains on our fellow-creatures and spread desolations in the world? “Do mankind, walking in uprightness, delight in each other’s happiness? And do those who are capable of this attainment, by giving way to an evil spirit, employ their skill and strength to afflict and destroy one another? Remember then, O my soul! the quietude of those in whom Christ governs, and in all thy proceedings feel after it. “Doth he condescend to bless thee with his presence? To move and influence thee to action? To dwell and to walk in thee? Remember then thy station as being sacred to God. Accept of the strength freely offered to thee, and take heed that no weakness in conforming to unwise, expensive, and hard-hearted customs, gendering to discord and strife, be given way to. Doth he claim my body as his temple, and graciously require that I may be sacred to him? O that I may prize this favor, and that my whole life may be conformable to this character! Remember, O my soul! that the Prince of Peace is thy Lord; that he communicates his unmixed wisdom to his family, that they, living in perfect simplicity, may give no just cause of offence to any creature, but that they may walk as He walked!”
Thus, for instance, among an imperious, warlike people, supported by oppressed slaves, some of these masters, I suppose, are awakened to feel and to see their error, and through sincere repentance cease from oppression and become like fathers to their servants, showing by their example a pattern of humility in living, and moderation in governing, for the instruction and admonition of their oppressing neighbors;
Though travelling on foot was wearisome to my body, yet it was agreeable to the state of my mind. Being weakly, I was covered with sorrow and heaviness on account of the prevailing spirit of this world by which customs grievous and oppressive are introduced on the one hand, and pride and wantonness on the other.
Chapter 10
I have gained by reading a caution and warning to Great Britain and her colonies, written by Anthony Benezet, it is right for me to take passage in a vessel employed in the West India trade. “To trade freely with oppressors without laboring to dissuade them from such unkind treatment, and to seek for gain by such traffic, tends, I believe, to make them more easy respecting their conduct than they would be if the cause of universal righteousness was humbly and firmly attended to by those in general with whom they have commerce; and that complaint of the Lord by his prophet, “They have strengthened the hands of the wicked,” hath very often revived in my mind.
I have for some years past declined to gratify my palate with those sugars.
mind I spoke to them of the necessity of our yielding in true obedience to the instructions of our Heavenly Father, who sometimes through adversities intendeth our refinement.
chapter 11
and that all of us who are acquainted with the pure gospel spirit may lay this case to heart, may remember the lamentable corruptions which attend the conveyance of merchandise across the seas, and so abide in the love of Christ that, being delivered from the entangling expenses of a curious, delicate, and luxurious life, we may learn contentment with a little, and promote the seafaring life no further than that spirit which leads into all truth attends us in our proceedings.
12
On inquiry in many places I find the price of rye about five shillings; wheat, eight shillings per bushel; oatmeal, twelve shillings for a hundred and twenty pounds; mutton from threepence to fivepence per pound; bacon from sevenpence to ninepence; cheese from fourpence to sixpence; butter from eightpence to tenpence; house-rent for a poor man from twenty-five shillings to forty shillings per year, to be paid weekly; wood for fire very scarce and dear; coal in some places two shillings and sixpence per hundredweight; but near the pits not a quarter so much. O, may the wealthy consider the poor! The wages of laboring men in several counties toward London at tenpence per day in common business, the employer finds small beer and the laborer finds his own food; but in harvest and hay time wages are about one shilling per day, and the laborer hath all his diet. In some parts of the north of England poor laboring men have their food where they work, and appear in common to do rather better than nearer London. Industrious women who spin in the factories get some fourpence, some fivepence, and so on to six, seven, eight, nine, or ten pence per day, and find their own house-room and diet. Great numbers of poor people live chiefly on bread and water in the southern parts of England, as well as in the northern parts; and there are many poor children not even taught to read. May those who have abundance lay these things to heart!
Great is the trade to Africa for slaves; and for the loading of these ships a great number of people are employed in their factories, among whom are many of our Society.
13
“His disorder, which proved the small-pox, increased speedily upon him, and was very afflicting, under which he was supported in much meekness, patience, and Christian fortitude. To those who attended him in his illness, his mind appeared to be centred in Divine love, under the precious influence whereof we believe he finished his course, and entered into the mansions of everlasting rest.
game-on-challenges
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Jonathan
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November 30, 2020
Standing up for convictions is hard, especially within faith groups where acceptance and unity are paramount to self identity. When those issues affect the economic way of life of the community (slavery, animal rights, laborers’ rights, discouraging seeking after wealth and status symbols), the courage to take a stand is exponentially harder and more complicated. Woolman did this consistently and relentlessly with a surprising level of success.
In our personal efforts to change the world or at least affect change within our sphere of influence, we can learn a lot from Woolman’s example of faith and integrity. I’m grateful he wrote some of his experiences down and opened his soul for the benefit of future generations.
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Christina
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July 17, 2020
Woolman is meek in the best and most biblical sense of the word. I think he has a lot to offer us in our current situations.
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Milan Homola
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July 16, 2020
Reads like the book or Acts. Very interesting to get a cultural look at Quaker values in the mid 18th century. One thing you can learn from his journal—-the long supported argument (“people in their day are excused on issues relating to the inconsistencies of Christianity and slavery because it was an unquestioned social institution”) doesn’t hold up.
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Brooks Lemmon
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December 16, 2021
This book was painfully difficult to read. It was extremely difficult to stay interested since the subject matter was so boring. I feel terrible talking about a book in this way, but these are just my honest thoughts. I've been reading this book for the last 5 months and it feels so good to finally put it on the shelf for good. Phew!
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Stephen
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July 11, 2013
Very thought-provoking. Was much ahead of his time in terms of business ethics, his opinions on slavery, and many other social issues.
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Katherine Harris
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July 15, 2020
Some would refer to John Woolman as the “father of civil disobedience.” This journal tells of his heart for the Lord and in the ways he follows after the Holy Spirit’s promptings to deny himself and choose God. He takes some very controversial stands, “acting contrary to present outward interest, from a motive of Divine love and in regard to truth and righteousness...”
I enjoyed reading his dependence on God and the way he found being obedient to the Father was in “exercising goodness towards every living creature.” This journal is written in a less distracted and “simpler” time, but I thought it had some great insight to seeking, listening, love and obedience.
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Danny Marsh
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July 31, 2021
You are reading a journal. There are going to be some extremely dull moments of describing the day-to-day activity. However, there are some incredible nuggets of wisdom through the journal. Woolman was a man of conviction who saw the evils of slavery and would not stand by while these injustices took place.
He could easily be described as "annoying," but I saw his conviction as motivational and inspiring. He listened to the Lord to know when to speak and when to remain silent.
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Top reviews from the United States
Jojo
5.0 out of 5 stars A Soft and Sensitive Heart
Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2013
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John Woolman has such a sensitive, kind, and loving heart. He was so concerned for the welfare of his fellow colonial Americans no matter what the color of their skin. He was out there talking to people about the evils of slavery back in the 1650's long before others did the same. His heart was open to God's love and therefore he was filled with love. This love, which only comes from God, poured out onto all. He didn't move or speak unless the Spirit of God told him to do so. He is a model for us all. I highly recommend this book.
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Char Mankin
5.0 out of 5 stars I see that John Woolman was instrumental in helping to ...
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2014
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I see that John Woolman was instrumental in helping to discourage slave holding among the Quakers. He would be an exponent in the abolition cause of the Quakers who in turn were the first to free their slaves and endorse emancipation to the fullest.
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Carol Matthews
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent clean book!
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2015
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Clean copy - like new. thanks
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Amos Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars The Quakers were few in number, but made an extraordinary impact on U.S. History. Woolman is a shining example of this.
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2014
John Woolman is an extraordinary figure in U.S. History. He was a Quaker (FGC), who as a result of his faith and practice was convicted that Slavery is wrong. As a result of his thorough conviction he traveled throughout the Eastern States advocating strongly for abolition. Woolman was one of the earliest abolitionists in America. Some writers argue that Woolman's witness plowed the fields of the American Conscience, so they would be ready for the fights for abolition yet to come. The Quakers were few in number, but made an extraordinary impact on U.S. History. Woolman is a shining example of this.
I loved how Woolman constantly wrestled with his own conscience in his journal. He would worry about just prices for merchandise in his shop. He had a practical sense of right and wrong, of applying "love of neighbor" to the nitty gritty details of life including minute business transactions. This is not the easiest read but worth the work.
-Amos Smith (author of Healing The Divide: Recovering Christianity's Mystic Roots)
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