John Woolman

The Journal of John Woolman - Enhanced Version

Todd Luallen

An enjoyable look into the life of a 18th Century Quaker in and around the Colonies. His passion for those that were over-looked and over-worked was immense. He traveled broadly in an effort to convince the Friends (Quaker communities) to free their slaves and to refrain from participating in any business that was built upon the backs of the over-worked or oppressed. His heart broke for the native Indians that were forced from their lands via shady business deals and were then forced into a life of subsistence that all true Christians should abhor. He believed strongly that many settlers in the Colonies that owned slaves were doing themselves a disservice, both to their current holiness and to their posterity, by providing so much leisure time as to invite a more fertile soil for sinfulness. In addition, the typical life of the slave he believed, was so oppressive as to make hope and joy in following after the religion of their owners a near impossibility. Woolman was very vocal about his convictions, but most gracious in the way in which he presented his case to those that still held slaves or were not convinced. 

Much of his journal is redundant in that it presents his telling of his passion in different areas of the Colonies. The final quarter of the book is much more specific and to the point without the travel journal diary that tends to be a bit dry in the rest of the book. 

There is plenty for the reader to glean from this book, but I would propose two things will stand out the most. First, that John Woolman thought slavery brutal, sinful, and a total blight on ALL who participated in it. Second, that John Woolman believed wholeheartedly that the life a Godly Christian should be one of simple living, devoted to the command to "do unto others what you would have them do unto you."