Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-14
Rev Books
in Review

born in 1720. He died of smallpox in
England in 1772, where he had gone
on a visit
The son of a Quaker, he was brought
up in conformity with the principles
of the Society of Friends and seems
never to have come in close contact
with any other form of religion. He
early gained a strong hold on the
faith of his forefathers, in which he
had been instructed and, over and
above the spirit which is born in any
devout person, he unquestionabfy
possessed the peculiar gift of the
mystic-the faculty. in some measure.
of direct intuition into things beyond
the reach of ordinary sense. In Mr..
Teignmouth Shores book are related
two experiences of his which show
this; and, since in this respect mystics
differ widely. the words, covered with
inward prayer" under a heaven
ly covering'-not uncommon with him
and evidently intended literally-are
interesting as indicating the ordinary
mode of his mystical consciousness
His temper too has a wonderful af-
finity with that of some of the sanity
personages of France in the seven
tenth century.
If he reminds one somewhat of the
Jansenists, he reminds one yet more
Norman mystics, stern opponents OF
Jansenist doctrine. Indeed, between
the wealthy French policeman, with
every resource of learning and the
most brilliant social life at his conf
mand, and the humble, scantily-in-
formed New Jersey tailor there is
likeness in outlook, in their attitude.
not only towards God. but also
towards their fellowmen. which Illus
t- Ns.r1 lw~ I.
regard TO the things that really mat
Ter, the so solid looking web of cir
cumstances counts. Both virtually
denied to art and the sense of beauty
any legitimate function in human life.
One of the strongest principles OF
conduct with John Woolman was his
aversion for oycr-much labor He
thought with disapproval, as well as
with pity of the immoderate labor Of
poor people-toiling for nothing but
to supply the rich with luXuries. In
season and out of season he stroves
with the conventions of the wealthy
which bring upon the rest of the cont
munity this curse Of overwork In
his own practise he avoided with un-
compromising strietness everything
which he recognized as the product
of. or as contributory to that curse,
Crossing to England, he chose to
share the hardships of the voyage
with the poorer passengers, because
he would not countenance the vain
decoration of cabins, even so much as
by paying the higher fare.
But the central anxiety of his life
was the existence of the slave trade.
Few of that date seem to have real
lied the evils ii invoived-not only
for the slave, but also and still more.
for the slave-owner-so keenly as did
John Wooman
AS his years increased he became
eccentric, but the Quakers i'm Eng
land testify to the great "sweetness"
of John Woolman's company, and in
America. despite his sincere humility,
he became a power.
Get the writings of John Woolman
by heart Charles Lamb says, in
the essay on "A Quakers' Meeting"
Woolman's style has the rare charm
of a great natural gift of expression:
his use of words is exact and sensi-
tive; his rhythm round and flowing,
yet not lacking either in strength or
sorority.
John wooLMAN; HIS LIFE AND
OUR TIMES" BY w Teignmouth
Shore Macmillan & Company, New