Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1874-02-21
TO WHITFIELD,
Original Letter from Benjamin Franklin to
ReV. George Whitfield,

1.-THE following letter from Benjamin
franklin to the Rev. George Whitfield
was presented to Mr.. John Barrett, father
OF Mrs. Cyrus P. LIE, of this city, and
has been In Mrs. Lees possession many
years.-Editor BuGdlO Commercial Adver-
hser.
PHILADELPHIA, June @, 1853.
DEAR SIR / received your kind letter
of the % instant, and am glad to hear
that you increase In strength. | hope
you will continue mending until you re.
cover your former health and frmness.
Let me know whether you still use the
cold water bath and what effect ii has.
As TO the kindness you mention, wish 1t
could have been of more serious service
to you but If it had, the only thanks
should desire are that you would always
be ready to serve any other person that
may need your assistance; and so let
good offices 20 round for mankind are
all Of a family. For my own part, when
| am employed in serving Others, do
not look upon myfelf as comforting
favors, but paying debts.
In my travels and since my settlement,
| have received much kindness from men
to whom shall never have an opportu-
nifty Of making the least direct return,
and numberless mercles from God, who
is infinitely above being benefited by our
services. These kinduesses from men
can, therefore, only return TO their fellow
men, and | can only show my gratitude
to God by a readluess 10 help His other
children, and my brethren, for do rot
think that thanks aud compliments,
though repeated weekly, can discharge
our real obligations to each other, and
much less to our Creator. You will see
my notions OF good works that am far
from expecting Heaven by them. By
Heaven we understand a state Of happi-
ness infinite In degree aud endless In
duration. l can do nothing to deserve
such q reward. He that for giving a
draught of water to thirsty person
should expect TO be paid with a good
plantation, would be modest in his de-
mand compared with those who think
they deserve Heaven for the little good
they do on earth. Even If the mixed,
imperfect pleasures we enjoy in this
world, are rather from Gods goodness
than from our own merit how much
more so the happiness of Heaven For
my own part | have not the vanity TO
think deserve II, but content myself 10
submitting to the disposal of that God
who made and has hitherto preserved
me, preserved and blessed, and in whose
Fatherly goodness | may well conflde,
that He will never make me miserable,
and the afiliction may at any time suffer
may tend TO my benefit.
The faith you mention has doubtless
It's use in the world. | do not desire to
see It diminished, nor would l desire to
lessen IL In any man, but wish IL were
more productive of good works than |
have generally seen 1t. | mean real good
works works of kindness, charity,
mercy and public spirit, not hOly-day
keeping, sermon hearing, or reading
performing church ceremonies or making
long prayers, filed with batteries and
compliments, such as are even des-
pissed by wise men, and much
less capable of pleasing the
Deity. The worship of God is a duty,
the hearing and reading may be useful
but If men rest in bearing and pray ing
as too many do, 'tis as If the tree should
value itself on being watered and putting
forth leaves, though 1t should never pro-
duce any fruit.
Your good Master thought much less
of these outward appearances than many
of His modern disciples. lie preferred
the doers of the word to hearers the son
that seemingly refused to obey his
fathers commands to him that prOlessed
his readiness but neglected his work; the
heretical but charitable Samaritan to the
uncharitable aud orthodox Priest and
Levite and those who gave food to the
hungry, drink to the thirsty and raiment
to the naked, entertainment TO the
stranger and never heard his name, He
declares shall in the last day be accepted,
when those who cry Lord, Lord,
who value themselves on their
faith though great enough to perform
miracles, but have neglected good works,
shall be rejected. He proiessed that he
came not to call the righteous but sinners
to repentance, which implied in His
modest opinion that there were some in
His time so good that they needed not
Him for Improvement but nowadays
we have scarcely little pdrsoH that does
not think it the ddty oil every one within
his reach to sit under his petty ministra-
tlon, and chat whoever omits this oGspds
God.
wish to such men humility, and to
you health and tirmness,
Being your friend and servant,
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
To Rev. Geo. Whitfield.