Mankind.

Conversations on True Harmony of Mankind

183

like good old Jacob, of the loving kindness of God to him in the course of his life, and that through the power of divine love, he for Christ's sake had joyfully entered prisons. [See introduction to his works.]

I mention these, as a few examples out of many, of the powerful operation of the spirit of Christ, where people are fully devoted to it; and of the ardent longings in their minds for the spreading of his kingdom amongst mankind.

Now to those, in the present age, who truly know Christ, and feel the nature of his peaceable government opened in their understandings, how loud is that call wherewith we are called to faithfulness; that in following this pure light of life, "we as workers together with him," may labour in that great work for which he was offered as a sacrifice on the cross, and that his peaceable doctrines may shine through us in their real harmony, at a time when the name of Christianity is become hateful to many of the heathen.

When Gehazi had obtained treasures which the prophet under divine direction had refused, and was returned from the business; the prophet, troubled at his conduct, queried if it was a time thus to prepare for a specious living. “Is it a time to receive money and garments, men servants and maid servants? The leprosie therefore of Naaman shall cleave to thee and thy seed forever" [II Kings v: 26]. And O that we may lay to heart the condition of the present time! and humbly follow His counsel, who alone is able to prepare the way for a true harmonious walking amongst mankind. 1770

From Conversations on the True

Harmony of Mankind *

1770

The Substance of Some Conversation Between a Thrifty Landholder, and a Labouring Man

Labouring Man, speaks as follows: I observe of late years that when I buy a bushel of grain for my family, I must do more work to pay for it than I used to do twenty years past. What is the reason of this change?

Landholder. Towns and villages have a gradual increase in these

4. The following is one of the three completed sections of a book of dialogues Woolman began less than two months before his death in 1772 in England, where he was working for the improvement of the economic condition of English workmen. The unfinished book deals with the Christian ethic in economic society and relates closely to the subjects treated in his previous book, two years earlier, from which the selection just

above was extracted. In the present work Woolman experimented with an ancient classic form of exposition or narrationthe dialogue, or conversation. Woolman's manuscript, entitled "Conversations on the True Harmony of Mankind and How It May Be Promoted" was not published until 1837, in an edition of the Journal. The present text is that established from the manuscript by A. M. Gummere (see note on the title of the essay just above).

provinces, and the people now employed in husbandry bear, I believe, a less proportion to the whole inhabitants than they did then; this I take to be one reason of the change; but the main cause is that of sending so much grain and flower abroad.

Labourer. I believe it is so; but I observe that where land is well cleared, and enriched by cattle and sheep, a hundred bushels of rye is raised with less labour now than was necessary when the ground was to clear, and the ploughing interrupted by many stumps; and as we have great plenty of grain raised in our country, it seems uneasie to me, that I must now do more work for a bushel of rye than I did then.

Landholder. The price set on labour is high; but as we have now less labour in clearing land, than we had then, and as young men who have no land of their own are now more numerous, it appears likely that we may have our labour done for lower wages than we had then. And as our country is now more open, and great quantities of grain are now raised, we are enabled to supply some people beyond the seas with grain and flower, for which in return we get many things convenient from abroad. [And this of sending our grain and flower beyond the seas I take to be another cause of the price of grain being higher than it was thirty years ago.]

Labourer. Of things which to me appear convenient, we through divine favour have plenty in our own land, and in so much sending abroad, and fetching from far, there is great hazard of men's lives, and the good fruits of the earth brought forth through much labour, are often buried in the sea. If our people who are beforehand in the world, would be content with living more on the produce of our own land, and instead of employing so many men on the seas, would employ the greater part of them in husbandry and useful trades, and keep grain more plentifully in our country, I believe it would be better for us in general, and we labouring people might have grain in proportion to our labour as heretofore; and in the plentiful produce of our country, rejoice with the landholders. [Amongst the members of Christ, if one of the members rejoices, the others rejoice with it.] But while the landholders have great increase, and therewith gratify themselves and their families with expensive delicacies, and at the same time demand more hard labour of us for a bushel of grain, than they did when much less grain was sent abroad; this falls hard on our side, and though a poor labouring man may behold the country in outward prosperity, yet feeling the prosperity thereof to be of such a nature, that in getting bread for his family, he must do more work for a bushel of grain than was required of him in years past, it doth not appear that he hath a proportionable share in this prosperity.

Landholder. There are many people in distant parts, who depend

on a supply by our grain and flower.

Labourer. I believe some trade abroad might be of advantage to us and to some with whom we trade, if that spirit which leads into error had no part in directing this trade.

A great stop in trade may not be expected without inconvenience to some; but as the spirit of truth prevails in our minds we are content with that only which is of real use to us. Thus the love of riches is cast out of our hearts; the desire after costly delicacies is subjected in us, and in true brotherly kindness we are moved to assist the weak members in the family under their difficulties.

Our flower is often sent abroad to fruitful places; and were the inhabitants of some of those places to apply themselves more to that of raising a living for themselves out of their own ground, and trade less abroad, I believe both we and they, under the divine blessing, might have a sufficient supply: less of the produce of the earth would be sunk in the seas, less expense in carrying abroad and fetching from far; and labour would be made more easy to the tillers of the ground, both here and there.

Landholder. We commonly raise more grain in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, in a year than is a supply for our inhabitants, and by sending abroad that of which we have no present occasion, we not only get a supply of sundry branches of merchandize from abroad, but also get gold amongst us.

Labourer. In rightly labouring for the true prosperity of a country, we do nothing at which any one of our inhabitants have just cause to complain; but in putting forward trade beyond the right bounds, grain is made scarce and dear, even in a time of plenty; a poor labouring man must spend more of his strength to get a bushel of rye, than was required of him when less was sent abroad. Thus husbandry one of the most healthful, honest employments, so agreeable and inviting to us, is made a toil and becomes wearisome by reason that too few are employed in it, and too much labour assigned as the work of a day.

Many branches of business are invented to please the pride and vanity of such who wander from pure wisdom, which branches of business are often uneasie to sincere hearted tradesmen; but husbandry is an employment in itself so necessary, and carried on in the open air, that it appears consistent with pure wisdom to have as many employed in it as the nature of the case will rightly admit of, and that those should not be obliged to work harder for a comfortable living than may be an agreeable employ.

Grain of late years is raised, not only in greater plenty than it was formerly, but also with less labour; and that poor labouring men and tradesmen should be under the necessity to spend more of their strength for a bushel of it, than was required of them in

years past, is a case that to me doth not appear harmonious in society.

If gold is brought into our country through means which renders the condition of the poor more difficult, it appears evident that of that gold the country had better be without.

I believe the real use of gold amongst men, bears a small proportion to the labour in getting it out of the earth, and carrying it about from place to place.

It doth not appear to have much use but that of a currency, and if trade extended no further than was consistent with pure wisdom, I believe trade might be carried on without gold.

To make an axe or a hoe, iron and steel is worth more to the husbandman than gold of an equal weight.

If a man with much gold should travel into those parts of the world where people are all strangers to that high value which is placed on it, and there endeavour to buy the conveniences of life therewith; to propose in exchange so small a piece of metal for so much of the necessaries of life, would doubtless to them be matter of admiration.5

Gold, where the value fixed thereon is agreed to, appears to be attended with a certain degree of power, and where men get much of this power, their hearts are many times in danger of being lifted up above their brethren, and of being estranged from that meekness and tender feeling of the state of the poor, which accompanies the faithful followers of Christ.

Our blessed Redeemer who is always able to supply our wants, even by miracles when that is consistent with infinite wisdom; he, our gracious Shepherd who well knows our weakness, and the danger there is of our hearts being corrupted by that power which attends riches, commanded us, Lay not up for yourselves treasures here on earth, and one of his immediate followers, warning us of the woeful state of such who continue in the breach of this command said, They who will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Through the desire of money, men are tempted at times to deal hardly with their poor neighbours, and in the possession of riches there is a snare.

Through this imaginary greatness, the heart is often ensnared with pride; and through plenty of gold, the way is more open to gratify the vanity of the desire in delicacies and luxury; and under these gratifications, there is often a growing exaltation of mind, an imaginary superiority over such who have a small portion of the things of this life, and thus many become estranged from the

5. Astonishment.

tender feelings of true brotherly love and charity.

In a time of plenty, when great quantities of grain and flower are sent to distant parts, a poor man who labours for hire to get bread for his family, must now do more labour for a bushel of rye, than was required for that quantity, thirty years past, which circumstance appears worthy the consideration of such who possess fruitful plantations, or are otherwise entrusted with power, and may justly incite them to beware lest the love of money ensnare their hearts, and lead them on to promote trading beyond the right bounds.

They who hold plentiful estates have power over those who have only their hands to labour, and if they misapply this power, the joints and bands of society are disordered. Poor labouring men, in raising up families find occasion to labour too hard, while other poor men would be idle for want of employ, were not employments provided which serve chiefly to gratify the pride and vanity of people's minds.

Where people love money, and their hearts are ensnared with imaginary greatness, the disease frequently spreads from one to another and children indulged in those wants which proceed from this spirit, have often wants of the same kind in a much larger degree when they grow up to be men and women, and their parents are often entangled in contriving means to supply them with estates to live answerable to those expensive customs, which very early in life have taken hold of their minds.

In contriving to raise estates on these motives, how often are the minds of parents bewildered, perplexed, and drawn into ways and means to get money, which increase the difficulties of poor people who maintain their families by the labour of their hands?

A man may intend to lay up wealth for his children, but may not intend to oppress; yet, in this fixed intention to increase his estate, the working of his designs may cause the bread of the needy to fail, and at the same time their hardships may remain unnoticed by him.

This the inspired penman describes in the similitude of a man falling. Now a man falling may go headlong where he had no design to go. Having a will to be rich, he may fall; he may fall into the condition of oppressors, though he had no design to oppress. Thus it remains that the love of money is a root from whence spring many evils; and they who will be rich fall; they fall into temptations and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful customs, which strongly operate against the true harmony of society. This of making grain scarce in a plentiful country for the sake of getting a little fine metal as a currency amongst us, which doth not appear to be worth its weight in steel for instruments relating