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

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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