New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-02
STUDIES IN AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
BY CHARLES t. CoNGDoN.
John WOOLMAN.

Il have often felt, saws JOhh w ooIihah III poSin-
ming his Journal" which is substantially an auto
biography "a motion 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,
begin this work" This must have been in 1876.
Woolman is best known as an eminent member ana
preacher of the Society of Friends and as an carry
and consistent denOuncer of American slavery
As such he was during the modern controversies
concerning human bondage, frequently ana honor
ably mentioned. as he deserved to be- Ills writings
were edited about 1889, by James Cropper; out
the book, which is very interesting is not likely
TO reach the majority of my readers: and | there
fore venture give in this place some account OF It,
partly because it is one of the best of the Quaker
autobiographies, and partly because it has secu-
larry considered, near and human interest
John Woolman was born in Northampton, IN
Burlington County, West Jersey, in the year 1920
His parents ana / suppose most of his early asso-
GATES were Friends and he says: Before | was
seven years old / began to be acquainted with the
operations of divine love-" lie remembers how, COM
ing home from school one day, he read the twenty
second chapter OF Revelations and how impressed
he was by the words " He showed me pure river
of water of life clear as crystal, proceeding out
of the throne of God and of the Lamb" This
gracious visitation had such an effect upon hlm
that when the boys used ill language he was
idync story which cannot resist the pleasure of
Reproducing: On going to a neighbours house
saw on the way robin sitting on lrr nest. and as
] came near she went off but having young ones
she flew about and with many cries expressed her
concern for them. stood and threw stones at her,
and one striking her. she fell down dead At first
was pleased with the exploit but after few
minutes was seized with horror at having, IN a
sportve way, killed an innocent creature while she
was careful of her Young. beheld her lying deao'
and thought those young ones for which she was so
careful, must perish for want of their dam to
nourish them. After some painful considerations
on the subject elm bed the tree, took all the
Young birds and killed them; supposng that better
than to leave them pine away and die mlseraoly"
Young Woolman then went on his errand, and for
some hours could think of little else but the
cruelties he had committed and was much
troubled" This is only one event of Woonan's
sweet and gracious childhood; but we may learn
from it how beautiful all the influences Of his
early home. Like all Quaker photographers he
remembers that as he became older he " began to
love wanton company" but he was preserved
from profane language or scandalous conduct lie
passed through all the dark and bitter experiences
which so often have clouded the early lives OF
those who subsequently obtained peculiar plety.
Like John Bunyan, THE sight of his OackslidlngS
affected him with sorrow and he was often
estranged from heavenly things. When he was
visited with sickness IL thought,' he says, " 1t
would have been better for me never to have had
beng than to see the day then saw" At length
his hard and rebeous heart was broken and
dissolved, and his cries were put up III contritlon
But afterwaId, Jy assoc.ating with wanton people,
he lost ground. To promote mirth was his chief
study though he did not commit things scandalous
We are again reminded of Bunyan whose early life
ol1r rch how 70 been remarkably
and cleanlv and hose chief sin was an overwccnlng
love of bell ringing John Wooman MAKES himself
out to have been great sinner. but he gives Us no
particulars of his youthful iniqulnes, as he I'M
doubtedly would have done if there had been any
dreadful particulars to give. We understand his
Language when he tells us that his heart was re-
plenished with mirth and wantonness" y and II Is
safe to conjecture that his most heinons sins IN ms
own mind, we're nothing more than exaggerated pee
cadilloes. He kept steadily to meetings and
soon "had concern to speak" When Christmas
came round he was much troubled by the drinking
md vain spOrts He was then employed IN
bakers shop and he felt it incumbent upon him to
demonstrate with one tavern-keeper. although
being young il was heavy exercise" hen ms
master wished TO sell young negro woman he had
conscientious scruples about writing the bill OF
sale as he considered slavekeeDing TO be practice
inconsistent with the Christian religion. But he
gave way and drafted the instrument. ms com"
pliance afterW ard caused him great uneaSiness and
he subsequently desired TO be excused from writing
such documents When he first ventured to say
few words in the meeting being under a strong
exercise of spirit" be did not keep close to the
divine opening and said more than was required OF
him." This afflicted him in mind for several weeks,
but he then felt forgiveness for the offence, and
took care afterwward that his "own Will dld not
get uppermost," speaking with much care that
he might speak only what truth opened"
II is curious to find John Woolman having early
doubts of the propriety of keeping shop. lie saw
that a humble man with the blessing OF the LORD
might live little, and having learned the trade OF
tailor he worked at it. With little retailing OF
GOODS getting a living in plain way without the
load of great business" Sometimes he felt dis
position that would have sought for something
greater, but things were made easy to him, and he
kent steadily to his tailoring, except when he eX-
perienced concern to visit Friends in other parts
of the country. The spirit took him TO Virginia.
and here he was troubled because he could not con-
scientiously seat, drink, and lodge free cost with
people who lived in on the hard labor OF their
slavesn The trade of importing slaves from Their
native country also touched him. He "saw a dark
ploominess hanging over the land" and was sure
that the consequence would be grevous 10 pos
terity" This was IN TAG. The consequences came
about century afterward, as we who are yet living
have good reason TO know Coming back from
Carolina. he put his observations on Slavery in
writing and showed them to his fathcI IN his last
sickness. :" have,' said the dying old man. all
along been deeply afflicted with the oppression OF
the poor negroes and now. at last, my concern for
them is as great ever" From that time forth
John Woolfnan continued to bear his testimony
against slave-holding, especially by Friends He
published the above mentioned MS. and dispersed
IL among members of the Society; and be would
not draft any will by which slaves were to be de-
yised Ono" ancient man of good esteem came to
him 10 write will disposIng of negroes, but Wool