Mission with Prophetic Power: The Journal of John Woolman (SRSC 12)

What “They” Say . . . What Will You Say?

This is a beautiful book that shares the story of someone who strived his whole life to be and remain a conduit of Jesus’ ways. This book inspires a follower of Jesus like me to believe in the simple miracle of perseverance as I try to be an agent of the good news of the gospel around me. It also challenges me to leave the results of my efforts and voice to the Lord and not be obsessed with my legacy. ~ Luc Kabongo, PhD, General Director of InnerCHANGE, Professor of Missiology, The South African Theological Seminary John Woolman’s story is one of single-mindedness in following the voice of the Lord, and his dedication to promoting justice and equitable treatment for all of God’s creatures is convicting and inspiring. The introductions and reflection questions provided by Dr. Howard bridge the gap between Woolman’s story and the modern world, providing practical considerations for church planting in our current day. ~ Jay Pathak,

National Director of Vineyard USA, Lead Pastor of Mile High Vineyard

Mission with Prophetic Power: The Journal of John Woolman © 2023. The Urban Ministry Institute. All Rights Reserved. ISBN: 978-1-955424-18-9

Copying, redistribution and/or sale of these materials, or any unauthorized transmission, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher is prohibited. Requests for permission should be addressed in writing. Published jointly in 2023 by TUMI Press and Samuel Morris Publications. TUMI Press is a division of World Impact, Inc. TUMI Press

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Samuel Morris Publications publishes texts in service to the evangelical church’s life together and its ongoing pursuit of a deeper conformity to Jesus Christ (Galatians 4:19). All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bible, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All Rights Reserved. Scripture quotations marked “KJV” are from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.

Sacred Roots Spiritual Classics

“Toward Ten Thousand Tozers”

Mission with Prophetic Power: The Journal of John Woolman Sacred Roots Spiritual Classics 12

Edited by Dr. Evan B. Howard

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

xi

Introduction

1

Chapter 1 Choosing a Life of Integrity (1720–1748) Chapter 2 Learning to Speak as a Prophet (1743–1756) Chapter 3 The Ministry of Visitation in Meetings (1757–1759) Chapter 4 The Ministry of Visitation to Individuals (1757–1759)

15

31

51

71

Chapter 5 Looking Further (1760–1763)

91

Chapter 6 The Reform of Church and State (1763–1768) Chapter 7 Discerning the Way Forward (1769–1770)

115

133

vii

Chapter 8 Finishing Well (1772)

147

Afterword

175

Resources for Application

183

Soul Work and Soul Care: Keeping a Journal and Talking When It’s Tough

185

Continuing the Conversation

201

Glossary

204

Map of Important Places

208

A Letter to God’s Friends and Fellow Warriors On Why We Read the Sacred Roots Spiritual Classics Together

209

The Nicene Creed with Scriptural Support

225

From Before to Beyond Time: The Plan of God and Human History

229

About the Sacred Roots Project

232

Scripture Index

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viii

For John and Deanna Hayes, who have both modeled and mentored so many people in the full-orbed mission of prophetic power. The “exercise of the Spirit” God placed in your hearts decades ago still lives on. Thank you.

Acknowledgments One of my first encounters with John Woolman’s Journal came from a quote on the first page of Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline . Richard Foster, and the organization Renovaré that he helped found, introduced me to the riches of the Quaker tradition, and for that I am ever grateful. I am also thankful for my teachers in Christian spirituality, especially at Gonzaga University and at Graduate Theological Union. They guided me to read the classics of Christian spirituality in their own context and to let the texts challenge my life. I was invited by InnerCHANGE, a Christian order that ministers among people on the margins, to offer a dramatic presentation of some “prophet” in history; I chose John Woolman for that presentation. InnerCHANGE has always been a group that inspires me to integrate the charismatic, social justice, and contemplative ways of living prophetically. Finally, I am glad to have made the acquaintance of Hank Voss, Isaiah Swain, and all the folks at TUMI. It has truly been a joy working with them on this project.

xi

Introduction

Discovering the “Prophetic” I have been interested in things “prophetic” for a long time. In my high school years (1971–1974) it was all about end times predictions. Books told us about how Russia and China would function as the “Gog” and “Magog” of Ezekiel and Revelation. Christ was coming soon. We lived accordingly, focusing our efforts on witnessing to as many people as we could to reach them before the rapture and Great Tribulation. In my college years, I discovered the social justice stream. 1 The social justice folks also talked a lot about prophecy, but they were less concerned about the end of the world and more concerned about how we treated each other in the world. And, they took me straight to the prophetic books of the Bible to show me! And then there was the contemplative stream, encouraging me to believe that God would speak

1 See Richard Foster, Streams of Living Water: Celebrating the Great Traditions of Christian Faith (New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 1998). In this book, Foster identifies six streams of Christian spirituality.

1

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to my heart in quiet listening today just like He did with the prophets of the Bible. Still later I discovered the charismatic stream, and they too talked about the gift of prophecy. This gift was a work of the Holy Spirit giving to believers—often in the context of worship or fellowship— a message that would express God’s heart for others. All of these approaches were enlightening, but I found myself wondering how to put them together, how to exercise my own ministry (by then I was serving as a pastor) with “prophetic power.” John Woolman Enter John Woolman (1720–1772). I discovered John Woolman during my seminary years, when I was mostly engaged in the social justice and contemplative streams. I knew he was very influential in convincing the Society of Friends, often known as Quakers, in the American colonies to end slavery long before the rest of the country. Indeed, four years after Woolman died the highest levels of Quaker leadership gave members two options: free your slaves or be disowned by the Society. William Wilberforce, who promoted the abolitionist cause decades later in the United Kingdom, thanked Woolman for his inspiration. As I read Woolman’s Journal again later in life—along with his other essays—I discovered that Woolman modeled not simply a social justice view of the prophetic, but so much more. He had a deep sense of attention to the ministry of the Holy Spirit leading him to speak in groups and to individuals in his itinerant missions (the charismatic stream). He spoke about waiting silently for extended periods of time in God’s presence (the contemplative stream). And, he read the prophetic books out of a deep commitment

Introduction

3

to the Bible, with a sense of God’s work bringing a new kingdom to earth (the evangelical stream). 2 Furthermore, I saw that John Woolman practiced what he preached. His life was given over to the integrity of the gospel. He refused to sell rum or sugar because they were produced in the context of slavery—“fair trade” long before we ever caught on. He welcomed criticism of his public speaking, sincerely eager to root out any wrong motive in his public ministry. He simplified his lifestyle so as to free up his time and possessions for ministry and justice—an early “minimalist.” His personal life, his interactions with others, his keen awareness of the systems of injustice, his devotion to God, even his love for the creatures of the earth all inspired and modeled for me a life and mission of prophetic power. That is why I want to introduce you to Woolman and his Journal . John Woolman’s Journal John Woolman’s Journal is just that, a record of his life. But as with all autobiographical literature, it focuses on some things and does not speak about others. Woolman himself declares that the Journal is a record of his experience of the goodness of God, the “operations of divine love.” The first two chapters are his own memory of the past. The remainder of the Journal is penned as the events happen. He highlights themes found throughout the Journal : economics and simplicity, war and peace, slavery, the inner life, nature and creatures. At the same time his Journal is chronological, and in this edition of the Journal we will follow the

2 Woolman’s sense of “the end times” was probably closer to that of the Great Awakening preacher Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758) than the evangelicals of my high school days.

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chronological development of John Woolman’s life. The first two chapters of this book follow Woolman’s pursuit of integrity and his attention to God’s voice and his own voice as he learned to speak as a prophet through his young adult years, until he was thirty-six. Chapters 3–6 record Woolman’s life of itinerant mission—a life of ministry in meetings (Chapter 3), ministry to individuals (Chapter 4), and ministry to Native Americans (Chapter 5)—and then considers the reform of church and state (Chapter 6). A ministry with prophetic power identifies the active presence of God in the midst of group or individual meetings, discerning when the Holy Spirit speaks within or when that same Spirit compels us to speak without. Woolman devoted much of his record of 1769–1770 to reflection on a decision he explored, a nice case study in Christian discernment (Chapter 7). How do we know when we are sent by God? This is a question that consistently follows Woolman, and us today. The final chapter presents Woolman’s record of his 1772 trip to England. He contracted smallpox there, and a friend of his records the last weeks of his life which are here added to his Journal , documenting how Woolman stayed the course to the very end. Woolman’s Context You will better understand Woolman and his Journal if you know a few things about his context from the start. John Woolman lived in West New Jersey, very close to Pennsylvania, during the late colonial period of North America. It was a time and place of much transatlantic activity as products, slaves, settlers, and ideas made their way back and forth between England and the northeast American colonies. The Quaker presence was strong though

Introduction

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changing by the mid-1700s, Pennsylvania having been founded by William Penn in 1681 as a Quaker experiment in regional government. This was the time of the French and Indian War, 3 with battles fought near Woolman’s home. It was also a time of religious awakening as people experienced fresh revivals throughout the colonies. As I mentioned above, Quaker influence and life was changing during this period. After a season of hardship in settling the land, some Friends 4 achieved a measure of stability and even comfort. By the mid-eighteenth century other Friends were beginning to have concerns about the condition of Quaker life and influence. John Woolman supported a variety of “reforms” in Quaker practice, and his advocacy regarding slavery was just one element of this reforming concern. The Society of Friends did not value highly the wisdom of the Great Tradition. 5 Their emphasis—at times a weakness and at others a strength—was a sense of attention to the ministry of the Holy Spirit active in individuals and communities. This emphasis on attention to the Spirit was especially present in their times of gathering. Their times of worship, often called “First-day” 6 meetings, began when individuals would arrive at the meeting hall. The hall was often arranged in a hollow square of seats 3 French and Indian War – The North America theater (1754–1763) of the global Seven Year’s War (1756–1763). 4 Friends – A term used to describe members of the “Society of Friends” the original name for Quakers. 5 On the Great Tradition, see Don L. Davis, Sacred Roots: A Primer on Retrieving the Great Tradition (Wichita, KS: The Urban Ministry Institute, 2010). 6 First-day – The primary weekly Quaker gatherings were often called “First-day meetings.”

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so that members could face one another. Friends would sit down and quietly attend to themselves, laying aside distractions of their body, the sounds of the location, the events of the week. They would “gather,” bringing together in their hearts and minds their awareness of God and their thoughts and feelings of each other present. Then they would wait in silence, believing the Spirit of God was the leader of the meeting. After a time, one or another might sense an “opening,” a sense of being led to give a verbal offering to the gathering. It was expected that one who perceived an opening would, prior to speaking out in the gathering, both affirm inside themselves that this leading was from God and also prayerfully decide that the insight or feeling needed to be shared in this particular meeting. Quakers saw this way of gathering as a matter of serious prophetic listening and sharing, and the culture that surrounded this practice shaped every aspect of Quaker life. When it seemed that the gathering was over, two designated individuals would shake hands and members would greet one another. Local congregations or larger bodies known by the location and time of their meetings—for example, the Mount Holly Weekly Meeting or the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting—would also gather for other purposes: to discuss business, to share sufferings, or to “discipline” those who failed to honor shared values. The meetings took careful notes known as “minutes” which—especially when documenting important questions or decisions—were often shared between local communities. Some of the members, both women and men, were known as “ministers,” or leaders. Ministers would gather periodically from various locations to share fellowship and exercise oversight over a sphere of the Society. Some of these ministers, such as John

Introduction

7

Woolman, offered pastoral care beyond their local gatherings. Ministers would share a “concern” to visit another region with their local meeting, who would then issue a certificate so that the congregation receiving a minister’s visit would know this person was approved by his or her local meeting. They would then travel—often with a companion minister—to visit the sick, conduct funerals and weddings, and share decisions from the larger Society. The bulk of John Woolman’s Journal is a recording of his encounters in meetings and visits, with his own private reflections on various topics along the way. Woolman’s Prophetic Lifestyle and Spirituality John Woolman lived something of a bivocational, missionary life. He was married with one daughter and maintained a secular occupation from which he received his income. Yet some of his time, about a month each year, he would travel and visit meetings and individuals. He also wrote essays which were published and distributed among Friends and others: two essays on “Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes,” “A Plea for the Poor,” 7 “Considerations on Pure Wisdom,” “Considerations on Trade,” “A First Book for Children,” “Considerations on the True Harmony of Mankind,” and others. Woolman’s devotional life, his business life, and his ministry among Friends and others were integrated. This is why I think he is such a helpful model of mission with prophetic power. He spent extended periods of time 7 This essay, also known as “A Word of Remembrance and Caution to the Rich,” is available in Andrew T. Draper, ed., Christian Mission and Poverty: Wisdom from 2,000 Years of Church Leaders , Sacred Roots Spiritual Classics 4 (Wichita, KS: TUMI Press, 2021), 146–67.

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waiting before the Lord. When he sensed a movement of the Spirit, Woolman took great effort to weed out any mix of self-interest as he sought to follow the Spirit’s lead. When God brought a conviction to his heart, Woolman would sacrificially change his lifestyle in order to conform to the conviction of the Spirit. He refused to hire a stagecoach and would walk from place to place, because he felt that the horses and drivers were habitually overworked. Woolman lived in solidarity with the sufferings of others, taking time to meditate on the plight of slaves or natives and deeply sharing their pain. He was keenly aware of the complex web of forces contributing to the plight of others: the decrease of whales, the weather conditions, and the desire for luxuries, all of which influenced the life of the community at Nantucket Island; the working environment of laborers in the colonies, the demand for rum, and the shipping trade, all of which contributed to the suffering of slaves in the West Indies. Woolman reflects on these matters again and again in his Journal . He understood “consumer ethics” long before the term was invented. His “political strategy” was the simple act of speaking plainly in meetings and sharing sincerely one-on-one with slave owners and others: a strategy—and a successful one at that—which required the utmost humility and skill. Prophets speaking in the Lord’s power are enabled to see things, and Woolman saw—and felt: the Journal frequently expresses his tears— much more than many who surrounded him at that time. And he adjusted his lifestyle, his communication methods, and his devotional practices to conform to what he saw. “In the year that King Uzziah died,” the prophet Isaiah writes, “I saw the Lord” (Isa 6:1–13). He was on a throne, and he gave Isaiah a commission to speak. Isaiah

Introduction

9

responded with a deep sense of his own personal weakness (“I am a man of unclean lips”) and his solidarity with a weak people (“and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips”). Like Isaiah—and Woolman quotes frequently from Isaiah—John Woolman responded to the events of his day not merely with shallow “news reactions,” but with a depth that came from meeting with the Lord and from a solidarity both with his own Friends and with those who suffered. Woolman dreamed of a new way of life, modeled first of all by the people of God. This was what he called “the government of Christ.” It was a vision that increasingly shaped his heart, mind, and words. He spoke of it repeatedly in the last year of his life. By reading The Journal of John Woolman , along with the prophecies of Isaiah, we might have something to learn about mission with prophetic power. Woolman’s Language and the Language of This Edition As I have mentioned, John Woolman lived as a Quaker in the eighteenth century. Consequently, he uses words— especially about Quaker meetings and the inner life of attention to the Holy Spirit—that were familiar in his circles at his time but are unfamiliar to, or inappropriate for, us today. So, in this abridged and updated edition of Woolman’s Journal , I have made a few changes. I have changed Woolman’s British spellings to American spellings: for example, “colour” to color. I have employed the English Standard Version, rather than the King James Version Woolman used, unless Woolman’s comments were dependent on the wording in the King James Version. I have reworded several passages that would, because of their outdated use of English, be difficult to understand. Sometimes Woolman uses words (like “exercise”) which

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we know today, but which had a different meaning in eighteenth-century Quaker circles. I have defined these words in footnotes when they first appear and gathered the definitions of all these words together at the end of the text in the glossary. Each time one of these words appears again in Woolman’s Journal, I have placed an asterisk after the word (exercise*) as a reminder that you can turn to the glossary to find the meaning of the term. When Woolman speaks of the native persons dwelling around him, he speaks of “natives” and “Indians,” language common to his time. I have placed a footnote after the first time “Indian” is used and an asterisk after each subsequent use to point the reader to the glossary. I have altered Woolman’s use of “negro” (again, a term common to his time) to “Black person/woman” or “slave” with a footnote after the first use and an asterisk after each subsequent use, with the exception of the titles of his two essays “Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes.”

Timeline of Significant Events in Woolman’s Life and Times 1720

Woolman is born at Rancocas, Burlington County, New Jersey, on October 19. Begins living in Mount Holly and working as a shopkeeper, and later as a tailor. His first missions start soon after this. Marries Sarah Ellis, “a well-inclined damsel.” His daughter, Mary, is born the next year. Publication of “Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes.”

1741

1749

1754

Introduction

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1754–1763 The French and Indian War. 1756

Formally begins writing his Journal .

1756

Most Quakers renounce service in government offices, significantly impacting Pennsylvania. Composes letter sent by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting urging Quakers to be true to their spiritual heritage. Publication of “Some Considerations on Keeping Negroes: Part Second.”

1759

1762

1763 Journey to native people at Wyalusing, Pennsylvania. 1763–1764 Much of “A Plea for the Poor” likely written at this time but not published until 1793. 1767 Journey on foot, alone into Maryland. 1768 Probable date of publication of “Considerations on Pure Wisdom and Human Policy.” 1769–1770 Considers making a trip to the West Indies and decides against it. 1770–1772 Revises and rewrites Journal , preparing it for publication. 1772 Embarks on trip to England. During this year he writes a number of essays, published after his death. 1772 Dies of smallpox on October 7.

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1775

American Revolutionary War begins.

1776

Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations , a fascinating comparison with Woolman’s “A Plea for the Poor,” is published. Quakers ban slavery within their Society.

The Text

Chapter 1 Choosing a Life of Integrity (1720–1748)

Chapter Summary In this chapter, John Woolman summarizes the first twenty-eight years of his life. He remembers these years as a time of leaving behind the “vanities” of the world (loose company, profane language, unkind speech to parents) and taking on a life devoted to God. As he entered a life ruled by the power of Christ, Woolman became attached to key practices like reading Scripture, attending church meetings, and setting aside times of solitude. He also learned to dwell in humble relationship with the Holy Spirit, who is described as a divine or inward “principle” which draws the mind to good thoughts, feelings or actions. Woolman recounts his maturing in the spiritual life through lessons he learns regarding violence to animals, speaking out, and acting with integrity toward slaves. Woolman uses these stories, along with other comments, to introduce themes that he follows through the rest of his Journal , such as care

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for creation, openness to Christians from a variety of traditions, and the tragedy of slavery. We find in Woolman’s reflections on his early years the importance of a “right order,” as he draws together his values of inner sensitivity, measured speech, and the practice of truth into a harmonious life of integrity. T he T ext Childhood: Divine Care and Convictions (1720–1736) I have often felt a motion 1 of love to leave some hints in writing of my experience of the goodness of God, and now, in the thirty-sixth year of my age, I begin this work. I was born in Northampton, in Burlington County, West Jersey, in the year 1720. Before I was seven years old I began to be acquainted with the operations* of divine love. Through the care of my parents, I was taught to read nearly as soon as I was capable of it; and as I went from school one day, I remember that while my companions were playing by the way, I went forward out of sight, and sitting down, I read the twenty-second chapter of Revelation: “The angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Rev 22:1), etc. In reading it, my mind was drawn to seek after that pure habitation which I then believed God had prepared for His servants. The place where I sat, and the sweetness that attended my mind, remain fresh in my memory. This, and the like gracious visitations,* had such an effect upon me that when boys used ill language it

1 Motions, Operations, Visitations – Whereas we tend today to talk about “encounters” with God, being “touched,” or “the work of the Holy Spirit,” in John Woolman’s time Christians spoke of “visitations,” of a particular “motion” of feeling or will, or of the “operations” of God’s love more generally.

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troubled me; and, through the continued mercies of God, I was preserved from that evil. The godly instructions of my parents were often fresh in my mind, when I happened to be among wicked children, and were of use to me. Having a large family of children, they used frequently, on First-days,* after meeting, to set us one after another to read the Holy Scriptures, or spiritual books, the rest sitting by without much conversation; I have since often thought it was a good practice. From what I had read and heard, I believed there had been, in past ages, people who walked in uprightness before God in a degree exceeding any that I knew or heard of now living: and the apprehension of there being less steadiness and firmness among people in the present age often troubled me while I was a child. I may here mention a remarkable circumstance that occurred in my childhood. On going to a neighbor’s house, I saw on the way a robin sitting on her nest, and as I came near she went off; but having young ones, she flew about, and with many cries expressed her concern for them. I stood and threw stones at her, and one striking her, she fell down dead. At first I was pleased with the exploit, but after a few minutes was seized with horror, at having, in a playful way, killed an innocent creature while she was careful for her young. I beheld her lying dead, and thought those young ones, for which she was so careful, must now perish for lack of their mother to nourish them. After some painful considerations on the subject, I climbed up the tree, took all the young birds, and killed them, supposing that better than to leave them to pine away and die miserably. In this case I believed that Scripture proverb was fulfilled, “The mercy of the wicked is cruel” (Prov 12:10). I then went on my errand, and for some

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Chapter 1: Choosing a Life of Integrity (1720–1748)

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hours could think of little else but the cruelties I had committed, and was much troubled. Thus He whose tender mercies are over all His works has placed a principle 2 in the human mind, which incites goodness toward every living creature; and this being singly attended to, people become tender-hearted and sympathizing; but when frequently and totally rejected, the mind becomes shut up in a contrary disposition. About the twelfth year of my age, my father being abroad, my mother reproved me for some misconduct, to which I made an undutiful reply. The next First-day,* as I was with my father returning from meeting, he told me that he understood I had behaved amiss to my mother, and advised me to be more careful in the future. I knew myself blamable, and in shame and confusion remained silent. Being thus awakened to a sense of my wickedness, I felt remorse in my mind, and on getting home, I retired and prayed to the Lord to forgive me, and I do not remember that I ever afterward spoke disrespectfully to either of my parents, however foolish in some other things. Having attained the age of sixteen years, I began to love loose company; and though I was preserved from profane language or scandalous conduct, yet I perceived a plant in me which produced much wild grapes; my merciful Father did not, however, forsake me utterly, but at times, through His grace, I was brought seriously to consider my ways; and the sight of my backslidings affected me with sorrow, yet for lack of rightly attending to the reproofs of Youth: Struggling with Vanities, Surrendering to God (1736–1741)

2 Principle – The presence of the Holy Spirit working within us.

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instruction, vanity 3 was added to vanity,* and repentance to repentance. Upon the whole, my mind became more and more alienated from the truth, and I hastened toward destruction. While I meditate on the gulf toward which I traveled, and reflect on my youthful disobedience, for these things I weep; my eyes run down with water. Thus time passed on; my heart was replenished with pleasure and reckless living, while pleasing scenes of vanity* were presented to my imagination, till I attained the age of eighteen years, near which time I felt the judgments of God in my soul, like a consuming fire, and looking over my past life the prospect was moving. I was often sad, and longed to be delivered from those vanities;* then again my heart was strongly inclined to them, and there was in me a sore conflict. At times I turned to folly, and then again sorrow and confusion took hold of me. In a while I resolved totally to leave off some of my vanities,* but there was a secret reserve in my heart of the more refined part of them, and I was not low 4 enough to find true peace. Thus for some months I had great troubles; my will was unsubjected, which rendered my labors fruitless. At length, through the merciful continuance of heavenly visitations,* I was made to bow down in spirit before the Lord. One evening I had spent some time in reading a spiritual author, and walking out alone I humbly prayed to the Lord for His help, that I might be delivered from all those vanities* which so ensnared me. Thus being brought low,* He helped me, and as I learned to bear the cross ( Matt 10:38; 16:24; Mark 10:21 ), I felt refreshment

3 Vanities – Frivolous, self-oriented activities. 4 Low – Friends often spoke of being “low,” or “bowing low” before God, a state of humble submission.

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to come from His presence; but not keeping in that strength which gave victory, I lost ground again, the sense of which greatly affected me. I sought deserts and lonely places, and there with tears did confess my sins to God and humbly craved His help. And I may say with reverence, He was near to me in my troubles, and in those times of humiliation opened my ear to discipline. I was now led to look seriously at the means by which I was drawn from the pure truth, 5 and learned that if I would live such a life as the faithful servants of God lived, I must not go into company as I used to, in my own will, but all my fleshly and worldly desires must be governed by a divine principle.* In times of sorrow and abasement these instructions were sealed upon me, and I felt the power of Christ prevail over selfish desires, so that I was preserved in a good degree of steadiness, and being young, and believing at that time that a single life was best for me, I was strengthened to keep from such company as had often been a snare to me. I kept steadily to meetings, spent First-day* afternoons chiefly in reading the Scriptures and other good books, and was early convinced in my mind that true religion consisted in an inward life, wherein the heart does love and reverence God the Creator, and learns to exercise true justice and goodness, not only toward all men, but also toward creation; that, as the mind was moved by an inward principle* to love God as an invisible, incomprehensible Being, so, by the same principle,* it was moved to love Him in all His

5 Truth (Pure), Principle – We must understand that for Woolman and his circle “truth” was not merely an idea or doctrine, but more an orientation of heart and lifestyle. Likewise the “principle” which governs our life is not simply a concept, but is rather the active presence of the Spirit of God.

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manifestations in the visible world; that, as by His breath the flame of life was kindled in all creatures, to say we love God as unseen, and at the same time exercise cruelty toward the least creature moving by His life, or by life derived from Him, was a contradiction in itself. I found no narrowness respecting sects and opinions, but believed that sincere, upright-hearted people, in every society, 6 who truly love God, were accepted of Him. As I lived under the cross, and simply followed the opening of truth,* my mind, from day to day, was more enlightened, my former acquaintances were left to judge of me as they would, for I found it safest for me to live in private and keep these things sealed up in my own breast. While I silently ponder on that change worked in me, I find no language equal to convey to another a clear idea of it. I looked upon the works of God in this visible creation, and an awfulness 7 covered me. My heart was tender 8 and often contrite, and universal love to my fellow creatures increased in me. This will be understood by such as have trodden in the same path. Some glances of real beauty may be seen in their faces who dwell in true meekness. There is a harmony in the sound of that voice to which divine love gives utterance, and some appearance of right order in their temper and conduct whose passions are regulated; yet these do not fully show forth that inward life to those who have not felt it; this white stone and new name is only known rightly by such as receive it ( Rev 2:17 ). 6 Society – A “society” (such as the Society of Friends) meant much the same as we think of today when we use the word “denomination” to refer to segments of the Christian religion. 7 Awful[ness] – Full of awe. 8 Tender – To be spiritually “tender” is not simply a sense of compassion, but also to experience a kind of softness, a receptivity to the workings of the Spirit on our heart.

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Now, though I had been thus strengthened to bear the cross, I still found myself in great danger, having many weaknesses attending me, and strong temptations to wrestle with. I frequently withdrew into private places, and often with tears sought the Lord to help me, and His gracious ear was open to my cry. All this time I lived with my parents, and worked on the plantation; and having had schooling pretty well for a planter, I used to improve myself in winter evenings, and other leisure times. Being now in the twenty-first year of my age, with my father’s consent I engaged myself in employment with a man, in much business as a shopkeeper and baker, to tend shop and keep books. At home I had lived largely alone; and now, having a prospect of being much in the way of company, I felt frequent and fervent cries in my heart to God, the Father of mercies, that He would preserve me from all taint and corruption; that, in this more public employment, I might serve Him, my gracious Redeemer, in that humility and self-denial which I had in a small degree exercised in a more private life. The man who employed me furnished a shop in Mount Holly, about five miles from my father’s house, and six from his own, and there I lived alone and tended his shop. Shortly after my settlement here I was visited by several young people, my former acquaintances, who supposed that vanities* would be as agreeable to me now as ever. At these times I cried to the Lord in secret for wisdom and strength; for I felt myself encompassed with difficulties, and had fresh occasion to bewail the follies of times past, in contracting a familiarity with loose people; and as I had now left my father’s house outwardly, I found my heavenly Father to be merciful to me beyond what I can express. By day I was much among people, and had many trials to go

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through; but in the evenings I was mostly alone, and I may with thankfulness acknowledge that in those times the spirit of supplication was often poured upon me ( Zech 12:9–10 ), under which I was frequently exercised, 9 and felt my strength renewed. After a while, my former acquaintances gave over expecting me as one of their company, and I began to be known to some whose conversation was helpful to me. And now, as I had experienced the love of God through Jesus Christ to redeem me from many pollutions and to be a help to me through a sea of conflicts, with which no person was fully acquainted, and as my heart was often enlarged in this sense of God’s heavenly presence, I felt a tender compassion for the youth who remained entangled in snares like those which had entangled me. This love and tenderness increased, and my mind was strongly engaged for the good of my fellow creatures. I went to meetings in an awful* frame of mind, and endeavored to be inwardly acquainted with the language of the true Shepherd. One day, being under a strong exercise* of spirit, I stood up and said some words in a meeting; but not keeping close to the divine opening, 10 I said more than was required of me. Being soon sensible of my error, I was afflicted in mind some weeks, without any light or comfort, even to that degree that I could not take satisfaction in anything. I 9 Exercise – To be “exercised” or to have an “exercise” is to be moved by God in some special way. A strong “exercise” refers to a powerful experience of the Spirit. 10 Opening – An “opening” of the Spirit is an inclination from God that one should say something, usually in the context of a meeting. A “pure” opening means that this inclination is particularly clear without the need for much discernment to recognize God’s presence within the inclination.

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remembered God and was troubled, and in the depth of my distress He had pity upon me, and sent the Comforter ( John 14:26 ). I then felt forgiveness for my offence; my mind became calm and quiet, and I was truly thankful to my gracious Redeemer for His mercies. About six weeks after this, feeling the spring of divine love opened* and a concern to speak, I said a few words in a meeting, in which I found peace. Being thus humbled and disciplined under the cross, my understanding became more strengthened to distinguish the pure Spirit which inwardly moves upon the heart, and which taught me to wait in silence sometimes many weeks together, until I felt that rise which prepares the creature to stand like a trumpet, through which the Lord speaks to His flock. From an inward purifying and steadfast abiding under it, springs a lively operative desire for the good of others. All the faithful are not called to the pastoral ministry; but whoever are, are called to minister that which they have tasted and handled spiritually. The outward modes of worship are various; but whenever any are true ministers of Jesus Christ, it is from the operation* of His Spirit upon their hearts, first purifying them, and thus giving them a just sense of the conditions of others. This truth* was early fixed in my mind, and I was taught to watch the pure opening,* and to take heed lest, while I was standing to speak, my own will should get uppermost, and cause me to utter words from worldly wisdom, and depart from the channel of the true gospel ministry.

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Young Adulthood and Independence: New Home, New Work, New Voice (1741–1743) In the management of my outward affairs, I may say with thankfulness, I found truth* to be my support; and I was respected in my master’s family, who came to live in Mount Holly within two years after my going there. In a few months after I came here, my master bought several Scotchmen servants, from on board a vessel, and brought them to Mount Holly to sell, one of whom was taken sick and died. In the latter part of his sickness, being delirious, he used to curse and swear most sorrowfully; and the next night after his burial I was left to sleep alone in the chamber where he died. I found myself afraid sleeping there; I knew, however, I had not injured the man, but assisted in taking care of him according to my capacity. I was not free to ask anyone on that occasion to sleep with me. Nature was feeble; but every trial was a fresh incitement to give myself up wholly to the service of God, for I found no helper like Him in times of trouble. About the twenty-third year of my age, I had many fresh and heavenly openings,* in respect to the care and providence of the Almighty over his creatures in general, and over human beings as the most noble among those which are visible. And being clearly convinced in my judgment that to place my whole trust in God was best for me, I felt renewed engagements that in all things I might act on an inward principle* of virtue, and pursue worldly business no further than as truth* opened my way. About the time called Christmas I observed many people, both in town and from the country, resorting to public

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houses, 11 and spending their time in drinking and spiritually unprofitable activities, tending to corrupt one another; on which account I was much troubled. At one house in particular there was much disorder; and I believed it was a duty incumbent on me to speak to the master of that house. I considered I was young, and that several elderly friends in town had opportunity to see these things; but though I would gladly have been excused, yet I could not feel my mind clear. The exercise* was heavy; and as I was reading what the Almighty said to Ezekiel, respecting his duty as a watchman, the matter was set home more clearly ( Ezek 33:1–9 ). With prayers and tears I sought the Lord for His assistance, and He in lovingkindness gave me a resigned heart. At a suitable opportunity I went to the public-house;* and seeing the man among much company, I called him aside, and in the fear and dread of the Almighty expressed to him what rested on my mind. He took it kindly, and afterward showed more regard to me than before. In a few years afterward he died, middle-aged; and I often thought that, had I neglected my duty in that case, it would have given me great trouble; and I was humbly thankful to my gracious Father, who had supported me herein. My employer, having a Black woman, 12 sold her, and desired me to write a bill of sale, the man being waiting who bought her. The thing was sudden; and though I felt uneasy at the thoughts of writing an instrument of slavery for one of my fellow creatures, yet I remembered that I was hired by the year, that it was my master who directed me to do it, and that it was an elderly man,

11 Public houses – Taverns. 12 Black Woman – Woolman used the term “negro,” which was the common term in his day, to refer to people of African descent.

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a member of our Society,* who bought her; so through weakness I gave way, and wrote it; but at the executing of it I was so afflicted in my mind, that I said before my master and the Friend that I believed slave-keeping to be a practice inconsistent with the Christian religion. This in some degree abated my uneasiness; yet, as often as I reflected seriously upon it, I thought I should have been clearer if I had desired to be excused from it, as a thing against my conscience; for such it was. Some time after this a young man of our Society* spoke to me to write a document legally transferring a slave to him, he having lately taken a Black person* into his house. I told him I was not easy 13 to write it; for though many of our meeting and in other places kept slaves, I still believed the practice was not right, and desired to be excused from the writing. I spoke to him in goodwill; and he told me that keeping slaves was not altogether agreeable to his mind; but that the slave being a gift made to his wife, he had accepted her.

13 Easy – To be “easy” or “not easy” with a task or idea is a way that Friends speak of their freedom in the Spirit to participate or affirm a given situation. Being “not easy” to something is similar to what we mean when we say we cannot do it “in good conscience.”

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Discussion Questions

The first discussion question in this chapter (and with every chapter you read) will be to ask yourself, “What was a big insight or takeaway from your experience of reading this portion of John Woolman’s Journal ?”

John Woolman tells the story of his early years in this chapter, especially some of the challenges he faced in coming to a committed faith, and

some of the graces that God gave along the way to lead him to a deeper faith. Compare the “vanities,”* “loose company,” or attitudes that drew Woolman away from faith with the challenges you or others face today. What events, experiences of God, or relationships drew you closest to God in your critical years of moving to faith?

Woolman frequently mentions “truth” as he tells of his early years. He speaks of being “alienated” from truth, and “drawn from the

pure truth.” He also tells about an “opening”* of truth and truth as a “support” for him. How have you understood truth throughout your life? What insights might you gain from learning about Woolman’s understanding of truth?

One aspect of Woolman’s faith we notice right away is his emphasis on the “inward” life. We hear of his inner conflicts and of his need

to attend to the inward principle* (the Holy Spirit). He notices God’s Spirit moving inwardly upon his heart and learns to be inwardly acquainted with the language of the Shepherd. What part does the inward life play in your own relationship with God? Have you experienced an

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“awfulness,”* a “visitation,”* or a conflict in the presence of God? Are there other ways that God has shaped the inward part of your faith?

Even though the inward life was an important part of Woolman’s early Christian growth, just as important were some decisions he made

regarding his practical life: his habits, relationships, career, and most fundamental values. What situations have you faced that required decisive action? Talk about how you make these kinds of decisions in life? Woolman speaks about the practices that helped keep him close to God: times of solitude, reflecting on Scripture, attending meetings, and so on. What practices have best served your Christian life? How can you keep these practices alive?

Chapter 2 Learning to Speak as a Prophet (1743–1756)

Chapter Summary This chapter of John Woolman’s “rememberings” covers the period up to his thirty-sixth year, at which point he begins writing his Journal “live.” This is a time when Woolman was learning to follow the leading of the Spirit into voicing God’s concerns for others. I call this “learning to speak.” He begins with a memory of his first mission. He struggles to make his life speak—as he says in the next chapter “conduct is more convincing than language.” During this time, he publishes his first writings. As in earlier reflections, Woolman tells of his learning in terms of a process of action-reflection. He recounts an action or series of actions he performed (writing a will, experiencing his own housing arrangements on the road). Then he reflects upon his experience of these actions in light of truth or the Spirit’s movement upon his soul. Finally, Woolman draws conclusions about life

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in general or regarding how he will act in the future. During these years Woolman settled into marriage and into a career that was less cumbersome and more in keeping with the “plain way” that resonated with his values and his desire to be free for missionary travels. Mention of his father’s death leads Woolman to reflect on common themes in his Journal : the issue of slavery, war, economics, and his self-understanding of his role as a “prophet.”

T he T ext First Mission (1743)

My esteemed friend Abraham Farrington, being about to make a visit to Friends on the eastern side of this province and having no companion, proposed to me to go with him; and after a conference with some elderly Friends I agreed to go. We set out on the fifth of Ninth Month, 1743; had an evening meeting at a tavern in Brunswick, a town in which none of our Society* dwelt; the room was full and the people quiet. From there we went to Amboy, and had an evening meeting in the courthouse, to which came many people, among whom were several members of Assembly, 1 they being in town on the public affairs of the province. In both these meetings my ancient companion was engaged to preach largely in the love of the gospel. From there we went to Woodbridge, Rahway, and Plainfield, and had six or seven meetings in places where Friends meetings are not usually held, chiefly attended by Presbyterians, and my beloved companion was frequently strengthened to publish the word of life among them. As for me, I was often silent through the meetings, and when I spoke it was with much care, that I might speak only what truth* opened.*

1 Assembly – Government representatives.