The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin - WordPress at LPS

1 Franklin , Benjamin . The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin . Electric Ben Franklin . Pp 37-42. accessed June 1, 2012 Copyright 1999-2010 by the Independence Hall Association, electronically publishing as The IHA is a nonprofit organization in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1942. On the Internet since July 4, 1995. Page 1 of 7 From The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Tho' I seldom attended any public worship, I had still an opinion of its propriety1, and of its utility when rightly conducted, and I regularly paid my annual subscription for the support of the only Presbyterian minister or meeting we had in Philadelphia.

2 He used to visit me sometimes as a friend, and admonish2 me to attend his administrations3, and I was now and then prevailed4 on to do so, once for five Sundays successively. Had he been in my opinion a good preacher, perhaps I might have continued, notwithstanding the occasion I had for the Sunday's leisure5 in my course of study; but his discourses6 were chiefly either polemic7 arguments, or explications8 of the peculiar9 doctrines of our sect10, and were all to me very dry, uninteresting, and unedifying11, since not a single moral12 principle was inculcated13 or enforced, their aim seeming to be rather to make us Presbyterians than good citizens.

3 At length he took for his text that verse of the fourth chapter of Philippians, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, or of good report, if there be any virtue, or any praise, think on these things." And I imagined, in a sermon on such a text, we could not miss of having some morality. But he confined himself to five points only, as meant by the apostle, viz.: 1. Keeping holy the Sabbath day. 2. Being diligent in reading the Holy Scriptures. 3. Attending duly the public worship.

4 4. Partaking of the sacrament. 5. Paying a due respect to God's ministers. These might be all good things; but, as they were not the kind of good things that I expected from the text, I despaired14 of ever meeting with them from any other, was disgusted15, and attended his preaching no more. I had some years before composed a little liturgy, or form of prayer, for my own private use (viz., in 1728), entitled "Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion." I returned to the use of this, and went no more to the public assemblies16.

5 My conduct might be blamable, but I leave it without attempting further to excuse it; my present purpose being to relate facts, and not to make apologies for was about this time I conceived17 the bold and arduous18 project of arriving at 1 propriety - the details or rules of behavior conventionally considered to be correct. 2 admonish - advise or urge (someone) earnestly; warn or reprimand someone firmly 3 administrations the minister wants Franklin to attend his church services; the process or activity of running a business, organization 4 prevail- persuade; prove more powerful than opposing forces; be victorious 5 leisure free time 6 discourses written or spoken communication.

6 The minister s sermons 7 polemic - a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something 8 explications to make clear the meaning of; to explain 9 peculiar - belonging exclusively to 10 sect - a group that has separated from an established church; a nonconformist church 11 edify - instruct or improve (someone) morally or intellectually 12 moral - concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character. 13 inculate- teach (someone) an attitude, idea, or habit by persistent instruction 14 despair- lose or be without hope.

7 15 disgust - cause (someone) to feel revulsion or profound disapproval. 16 assemblies - gatherings 17 conceived - form or devise (a plan or idea) in the mind. 18 arduous - involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring Franklin , Benjamin . The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin . Electric Ben Franklin . Pp 37-42. accessed June 1, 2012 Copyright 1999-2010 by the Independence Hall Association, electronically publishing as The IHA is a nonprofit organization in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1942.

8 On the Internet since July 4, 1995. Page 2 of 7 moral perfection. I wished to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer19 all that either natural inclination20, custom, or company might lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other. But I soon found I had undertaken a task of more difficulty than I had imagined. While my care was employed in guarding against one fault, I was often surprised by another; habit took the advantage of inattention21; inclination was sometimes too strong for reason.

9 I concluded, at length, that the mere speculative22 conviction that it was our interest to be completely virtuous was not sufficient to prevent our slipping, and that the contrary habits must be broken, and good ones acquired23 and established, before we can have any dependence on a steady, uniform rectitude24 of conduct. For this purpose I therefore contrived the following method. In the various enumerations25 of the moral virtues I met in my reading, I found the catalogue more or less numerous, as different writers included more or fewer ideas under the same name.

10 Temperance26, for example, was by some confined to eating and drinking, while by others it was extended to mean the moderating every other pleasure, appetite, inclination, or passion, bodily or mental, even to our avarice27 and ambition. I proposed to myself, for the sake of clearness, to use rather more names, with fewer ideas annexed28 to each, than a few names with more ideas; and I included under thirteen names of virtues29 all that at that time occurred to me as necessary or desirable, and annexed to each a short precept30, which fully expressed the extent I gave to its meaning.