Although one may think first of New England Puritanism in discussing the
religious life of the colonies, America was founded by many religious
groups. The Church of England was dominant in the southern colonies,
Maryland was founded by Catholics, and New York was settled by
Netherlanders who belonged to the Dutch Reformed Church. Still another
important religious influence was the Quaker faith, represented most
significantly by William Penn, who established the Pennsylvania colony.
There also were many Quakers in New Jersey, one of whom, John Woolman,
is the writer of the following selection.
Woolman was a simple, plain tailor and shopkeeper who spent much of his
adult life traveling about the colonies visiting Quaker churches. His
Journal gives a clear account of the faith and life of a Quaker. The
portion printed below (from the original edition published in
Philadelphia in 1774) details Woolman’s boyhood and early religious
experience.
I was born in Northampton, in Burlington County, West-Jersey, in the
year 1720; and 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 Seventh Day [_the Quaker’s term for Saturday;
Sunday is the First Day_], I remember, while my companions went to
play by the way, I went forward out of sight, and, sitting down, I
read the 22d Chapter of the Revelations: “He showed me a pure river of
water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God
and of the Lamb,” etc., and, 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 that effect upon me, that
when boys used ill language it troubled me; and, through the continued
mercies of God, I was preserved from it.
The pious instructions of my parents were often fresh in my mind when
I happened to be among wicked children, and were of use to me. My
parents, having a large family of children, used frequently, on First
Days after meeting, to put us to read in the holy scriptures, or some
religious books, one after another, the rest sitting by without much
conversation; which, I have since often thought, 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, amongst
people in this age than in past ages, often troubled me while I was a
child....
A thing remarkable in my childhood was, that once, going to a
neighbour’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 flew about, and
with many cries expressed her concern for them; I stood and threw
stones at her, till, one striking her, she fell down dead: at first I
was pleased with the exploit, but after a few minutes was seized with
horror, as having, in a sportive way, killed an innocent creature
while she was careful for her young. I beheld her lying dead, and
thought these young ones, for which she was so careful, must now
perish for want of their dam to nourish them; and 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: and believed, in this case, that
scripture-proverb was fulfilled, “The tender mercies of the wicked are
cruel.” I then went on my errand, but, for some 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, hath placed a
principle in the human mind, which incites to exercise goodness
towards every living creature; and this being singly attended to,
people become tender hearted and sympathizing; but being 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;
and, the next First Day, as I was with my father returning from
meeting, he told me he understood I had behaved amiss to my mother,
and advised me to be more careful in [_the_] future. I knew myself
blameable, and in shame and confusion remained silent. Being thus
awakened to a sense of my wickedness, I felt remorse in my mind, and,
getting home, I retired and prayed to the Lord to forgive me; and do
not remember that I ever, after that, spoke unhandsomely to either of
my parents, however foolish in some other things.
Having attained the age of sixteen years, I began to love wanton
company; and though I was preserved from profane language, or
scandalous conduct, still I perceived a plant in me which produced
much wild grapes; yet my merciful Father forsook me not 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; but,
for want of rightly attending to the reproofs of instruction, vanity
was added to vanity, and repentance to repentance: upon the whole, my
mind was more and more alienated from the truth, and I hastened toward
destruction. While I meditate on the gulf towards which I travelled,
and reflect on my youthful disobedience, for these things I weep, mine
eyes run down with water.
Advancing in age, the number of my acquaintances increased, and
thereby my way grew more difficult; though I had found comfort in
reading the holy scriptures, and thinking on heavenly things, I was
now estranged therefrom: I knew I was going from the flock of Christ,
and had no resolution to return; hence serious reflections were uneasy
to me, and youthful vanities and diversions my greatest pleasure.
Running in this road I found many like myself; and we associated in
that which is the reverse of true friendship.
But in this swift race it pleased God to visit me with sickness, so
that I doubted of recovering; and then did darkness, horror, and
amazement, with full force, seize me, even when my pain and distress
of body was very great. I thought it would have been better for me
never to have had a being, than to see the day which I now saw. I was
filled with confusion; and in great affliction, both of mind and body,
I lay and bewailed myself. I had not confidence to lift up my cries to
God, Whom I had thus offended; but, in a deep sense of my great folly,
I was humbled before Him; and, at length, that Word which is as a fire
and a hammer, broke and dissolved my rebellious heart, and then my
cries were put up in contrition; and in the multitude of His mercies I
found inward relief, and felt a close engagement, that, if He was
pleased to restore my health, I might walk humbly before Him.