Sage Benjamin Franklin
Famous for his experiment with a kite and a key in a lightning storm: Benjamin Franklin was revered and renowned for his wisdom. At the time of the Constitutional Convention, he was already an old man. But when he stood up in their midst after day after day of deadlocked bitter argument, the whole convention was silenced completely and utterly, waiting to hear the wisdom of Benjamin Franklin.
Benjamin Franklin owned a newspaper, published the Poor Richard's Almanac, he pushed for social changes and better living conditions, created the first national subscription library and the first Philadelphia Police force as well as launched the American Philosophical Society, he invented a stove, was a diplomat during the turbulent pre-revolutionary times, was our first ambassador to France, helped shape the Declaration of Independence, garnered French support during the Revolutionary war, was one of the parties that signed the Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary war, and signed the Constitution. From him comes many American epithets such as "early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."
Was Benjamin Franklin a Christian? Or was he an Atheist? Or a Deist, like historians have been saying the majority of the Founders were. (Preposterous). My contention is that, similar to Jefferson, Franklin loved Christian principles, but despised the poor or lacking application of said principles.
"I can only show my gratitude for these mercies from God, by a readiness to help his other children and my brethren. For I do not think that thanks and compliments, though repeated weekly, can discharge our real obligations to each other, and much less those to our Creator. You will see in my notion of good works that I am far from expecting to merit heaven by them. By heaven we understand a state of happiness, infinte in degree and eternal in duration. I can do nothing to deserve such rewards... Even the mixed, imperfect pleasures we enjoy in this world are rather from God's goodness than our merit how much more such happiness of heaven! For my part I have not the vanity to think I deserve it...but content myself to submitting to the will and disposal of that God who made me, who has hitherto preserved and blessed me, and in whose fatherly goodness I may well confide, that he will never make me miserable; and that even the afflictions I may at any time suffer shall tend to my benefit... The worship of God is a duty; the hearing and reading of sermons may be useful; but, if men rest in hearing and praying, as too many do, it is as if a tree should value itself on being watered and putting forth leaves, though it never produces any fruit."
Religiosity was useless to Franklin, and much of the "church" was like that both in Europe and in America.
"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more needs of masters."
And it is of import as to where Franklin believed these virtues came from.
"A Bible and a newspaper in every house, a good school in every district - all studied and appreciated as they merit - are the principal support of virtue, morality, and civil liberty."
Was he a Christian? That is most certainly questionable.
"Here is my creed, I believe in one God, the Creator of the Universe. That he governs by His Providence. That He ought to be worshipped...As to Jesus of Nazareth... I think the system of morals and his religion, as he left them to us, is the best the World ever saw, or is likely to see."
Did he believe Jesus was the Son of God? I think history is clear he had his doubts. Was he an Atheist. Most certainly not! A Deist? No. Divine Providence is a way of saying God is involved in his Creation and did not abandon it as the Deists claim. And if his self-proclaimed creed is not enough, listen to his words to the very convention that produced our Constitution. Not to be forgotten, they had been fighting for almost five weeks with no foreseeable advancement or agreement to anything on what the Constitution should be. In the midst of this turmoil, one man stood up and silenced all. This is what he said.
"In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarcely able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding? In the beginning of the Contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible to the danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection - Our prayers, Sir, were heard and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of superintending Providence in our favor. To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proof I see of this truth - that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that "except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel. We shall be divided by our partial local interests; our projects will be confounded and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages... I therefore beg leave to move - that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business..."
According to Jonathan Dayton, the next time they convened, "We assembled again; and...every unfriendly feeling had been expelled, and a spirit of conciliation had been cultivated."
The Convention moved on finally, reaching multiple compromises until finally a working Constitution was produced - one that has survived to this day. Thus was the virtue of the sage of the Founding Fathers.
Jared Williams
Benjamin Franklin owned a newspaper, published the Poor Richard's Almanac, he pushed for social changes and better living conditions, created the first national subscription library and the first Philadelphia Police force as well as launched the American Philosophical Society, he invented a stove, was a diplomat during the turbulent pre-revolutionary times, was our first ambassador to France, helped shape the Declaration of Independence, garnered French support during the Revolutionary war, was one of the parties that signed the Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary war, and signed the Constitution. From him comes many American epithets such as "early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."
Was Benjamin Franklin a Christian? Or was he an Atheist? Or a Deist, like historians have been saying the majority of the Founders were. (Preposterous). My contention is that, similar to Jefferson, Franklin loved Christian principles, but despised the poor or lacking application of said principles.
"I can only show my gratitude for these mercies from God, by a readiness to help his other children and my brethren. For I do not think that thanks and compliments, though repeated weekly, can discharge our real obligations to each other, and much less those to our Creator. You will see in my notion of good works that I am far from expecting to merit heaven by them. By heaven we understand a state of happiness, infinte in degree and eternal in duration. I can do nothing to deserve such rewards... Even the mixed, imperfect pleasures we enjoy in this world are rather from God's goodness than our merit how much more such happiness of heaven! For my part I have not the vanity to think I deserve it...but content myself to submitting to the will and disposal of that God who made me, who has hitherto preserved and blessed me, and in whose fatherly goodness I may well confide, that he will never make me miserable; and that even the afflictions I may at any time suffer shall tend to my benefit... The worship of God is a duty; the hearing and reading of sermons may be useful; but, if men rest in hearing and praying, as too many do, it is as if a tree should value itself on being watered and putting forth leaves, though it never produces any fruit."
Religiosity was useless to Franklin, and much of the "church" was like that both in Europe and in America.
"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more needs of masters."
And it is of import as to where Franklin believed these virtues came from.
"A Bible and a newspaper in every house, a good school in every district - all studied and appreciated as they merit - are the principal support of virtue, morality, and civil liberty."
Was he a Christian? That is most certainly questionable.
"Here is my creed, I believe in one God, the Creator of the Universe. That he governs by His Providence. That He ought to be worshipped...As to Jesus of Nazareth... I think the system of morals and his religion, as he left them to us, is the best the World ever saw, or is likely to see."
Did he believe Jesus was the Son of God? I think history is clear he had his doubts. Was he an Atheist. Most certainly not! A Deist? No. Divine Providence is a way of saying God is involved in his Creation and did not abandon it as the Deists claim. And if his self-proclaimed creed is not enough, listen to his words to the very convention that produced our Constitution. Not to be forgotten, they had been fighting for almost five weeks with no foreseeable advancement or agreement to anything on what the Constitution should be. In the midst of this turmoil, one man stood up and silenced all. This is what he said.
"In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarcely able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding? In the beginning of the Contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible to the danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection - Our prayers, Sir, were heard and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of superintending Providence in our favor. To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proof I see of this truth - that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that "except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel. We shall be divided by our partial local interests; our projects will be confounded and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages... I therefore beg leave to move - that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business..."
According to Jonathan Dayton, the next time they convened, "We assembled again; and...every unfriendly feeling had been expelled, and a spirit of conciliation had been cultivated."
The Convention moved on finally, reaching multiple compromises until finally a working Constitution was produced - one that has survived to this day. Thus was the virtue of the sage of the Founding Fathers.
Jared Williams
