The life and times — of — benjamin franklin, — by — joseph franklin, and

CHAPTER XXI.

He was a genius both as a writer and speaker. His manner and method were his own. He was original both in manner and matter. While it is true that his sentences were generally grammatical, yet he would have his own peculiar way of saying a thing, often setting at defiance all established forms and modes of expression.

He was not learned and profoundly critical as a Writer. He made no attempts to appear learned, and avoided everything like display. He did not wish to appear intensely critical. He had learning and was critical, but his learning was of a peculiar type with which his criticisms always corresponded.

His learning was not so extended as it was thorough. In respect to what ho assumed to know he challenged contradiction. He was not so much concerned about the extent as he was about the correctness of his knowledge. He was careful to look for the strong, safe and defensible side of every question. When he had once chosen a position and taken his stand squarely upon it, ho was generally invincible and invulnerable. He. feared neither learning nor criticism.

He possessed a sufficient knowledge of the English language to write well. He used pure Anglo-Saxon and the simplest forms of speech possible to express his thoughts. He had strict regard to the sense or meaning of the terms he employed and seldom used a word that might have more than one meaning. His opposers seldom had sufficient ground to misconstrue his language. In respect to accuracy of expression he was a critical writer.

He had sufficient knowledge of the Greek language to be able to make a Greek criticism when he desired to do so. On several different occasions he discussed the meaning of certain Scripture Greek terms with men of reputed learning with sufficient credit to himself to convince the great majority of his readers that he was correct in his views. He made no pretentious to classic learning, yet was by no means ignorant of the classics. His knowledge of the classics was purely practical. As occasion required from time to time he examined classic authorities on important subjects connected with the Christian teaching and practice, and was well informed as to the classic use of all Scripture terms involved in matters of controversy. Take for example the word bapto, and he had mastered it in all its branches. He knew, perhaps, as well as any man living its meaning and varied shades of meaning, its classic and its modern use. He gave much attention to New Testament Greek, and was well informed as to the many translations of that important document. He frequently quoted from this translator and then from that one; and would then set forth what he believed to be the correct rendering and his reasons therefor.

When Benjamin Franklin said that a thing was so or not so on any subject, he had well grounded reasons at hand for so doing; and he that disputed with him had the harder part.

He was well versed in the views of learned Scripture commentators; with sectarian creeds and confessions; with the teaching and practice of the (socalled) popular doctors and divines. His knowledge of these (especially in all matters involving religious controversy) was critical and his writings relating to these things are often severely and truly critical.

Ornamental writers, as word-painters, would have you admire their beautiful language, while the plain and practical writer would have you grasp and appropriate his ideas.

Benjamin Franklin neither wrote so poorly or so grandly as to attract attention to his style. His method was so perfectly natural and easy as to attract no particular attention. His readers always seemed content with the possession of his valuable thoughts. His style was beautiful, in that it was so perfectly unaffected. His writings were adorned with that native simplicity which is so characteristic of an innocent child. That beauty which is native and unadorned is most admired. Grand and exalted ideas may be expressed in classic and abstruse terms or in the simple language of a child. The language of the bard and the sage may fix the attention of the mind, but the simple utterances of an innocent child will captivate both mind and heart.

Benjamin Franklin with the simple strokes of his pen could weave a coil about the mind and heart from which the reader could not easily extricate himself. He would captivate you with the child like simplicity of his verbiage, and the heart felt earnestness of his manner. His manner was the more attractive, in that the reader could so readily understand every word and sentence.

His writings were admired and sought because they revealed the truth of God in a clear, strong, pointed and intelligent manner. His writings possess the valuable qualities of honesty, truth, and simplicity.

The world is full of imaginative writers. Benjamin Franklin was not of that class. It is evidently easier to imagine a great falsehood than to search diligently to find a great truth. To write the most wonderful and startling fiction requires neither learning, honesty nor morality. The most degraded and debased character is likely to be guilty of the most damnable falsehoods. To record "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth" requires both learning, honesty, and morality upon the part of the writer. Benjamin Franklin was a matter-of-fact man, and had less to do with fiction than most men. He had a lively and brilliant imagination, but he knew how to keep it in proper bounds. In his colloquial manner of writing, he would often assume some character which he would represent with wonderful aptness; but the characters he thus assumed were real and not imaginary. That is not imagination which truthfully represents a real character; but that is purely imaginary which portrays in unmistakable colors a character that never existed. If Franklin imagined himself representing a character it was always a real, and not a supposed one. He used no made-up stories to illustrate the great matters pertaining to the kingdom of God and the salvation of men.

He viewed the gospel plan from every conceivable angle. He delighted to place himself just where all opposers to true religion stand; and to view the divine plan as they view it; to contrast all human views with the gospel plan. He could assume any character; and play the part of a sectarian clergyman, bigot or layman to perfection. He could talk for them glibly, and could represent their cause and plead it quite as well as they could themselves. He could then assume the character of an apostle of Jesus, and would speak the language of heaven with a power that drew a striking contrast between the revelations of God and the opinions of men. The pictures he drew so vividly and strikingly with the pen were not imaginary but true to life and character. He verified that oft-repeated saying, that "truth is stranger than fiction." With heaven's truth at his command, and having free access to the labyrinths of nature, and human nature, he had no occasion to resort to vain and foolish fiction. His words were words of truth and soberness. It was his delight to record truth —eternal truth—and to send it home to the hearts of men. To save men from eternal ruin was the purpose—the only purpose—of every syllable, word and sentence he wrote.

Many men who have quite a literary reputation are mere copyists. But Benjamin Franklin was an original well convinced that there is a continual warfare between truth and error. Having taken a bold and decided stand with the advocates of truth and righteousness, he could truthfully say, in the language of Heaven's King, addressed to his Disciples, "Woe be unto you, when all men shall speak well of you." He courted no favors; he asked no quarters; and (as he was accustomed to say), he did not stop in any given case "to count noses," to see how many would vote in the affirmative, and how many in the negative. If he was confident that he occupied the true ground, he would cast his voice for that ground, if he had to stand alone. He adopted the motto of Father Campbell, "The truth is mighty above all things, and will prevail." He believed that truth, though often unpopular, can be made far more attractive and desirable than error; that the people love the truth, and that they will adhere to it as soon as convinced of it. His effort was to convince men of the truth as it is in Jesus though often against their will, that he might redeem them from error and sin. No man among the Disciples of Christ has been more highly esteemed by them as a writer, and perhaps no man has been so disliked by the sectarian world.

As a writer, he was popular with all the advocates of primitive Christianity and a pure religion; they regarded him as a great chieftain and leader, and as abundantly able to cope with any and all opposition. He has taught the important lesson, at least, that a writer may be sufficiently popular who advocates nothing but the truth.

The most popular writers of to-day are largely sensational. They seize upon every passing event to awaken interest and excite attention. When the minds of the people are turned with interest to a given event, it is not difficult to excite still greater interest; but, to turn the minds of the people away from present exciting events and circumstances, and cause them to reflect upon grave and important subjects with increasing interest, is a much more difficult undertaking. The masses will greedily devour the sensational stories contained in the daily papers, but it is with extreme difficulty that you can fix their attention upon those great and solemn matters that involve the eternal interests of the soul. He is no common man, who, in this day, can hold the minds of the people down to the consideration of the simple truth of Almighty God.

Benjamin Franklin never wrote a purely sensational paragraph in his life; and yet, his writings were sought with greediness by the masses of the people. They were anxious to hear what "Bro. Franklin" had to say on all important subjects involving the happiness of mankind. He observed, in all of his writings as well as in his preaching and daily conduct, the teaching of holy writ, "be not conformed to the world, but be ye transformed by the renewing"' of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable will of the Lord." If he gained a great victory with his pen, he always intended that it should be for truth, only; and if defeated, that it should be in defending the truth and the right.

Many writers who have considerable reputation in the department of cultivated literature are both aimless and pointless. Such writers may use the most elegant language and glide along smoothly, and yet fail to impress a single idea upon the mind of the reader, or to make any lasting impression whatever. It is possible to write continuously, connectedly, and sensibly, and yet. without a well-defined purpose or end to be accomplished. No writer or speaker can make a deep and lasting impression without strict regard to the proper analysis of every subject discussed. Every subject should be separated into its natural and distinct parts. Each part should be presented to the reader or heaver separately, and with that degree of emphasis which its importance demands. Every separate division of the subject becomes a point in the mind of the speaker or writer, to be impressed on the mind of the reader or auditor as the case may be. Proper analysis greatly aids the reader and serves to impress upon the mind and memory the subject matter of discourse.

Benjamin Franklin was a methodical and analytical writer. He discussed every subject thoroughly in his mind and had every point that he wished to make clearly defined before he lifted his pen. Having thus prepared himself, he proceeded in a methodical and systematic manner to open up the subject in hand to the mind of the reader. He possessed wonderful analytical power. He could take a very difficult and complex matter, and by his simple and easy method of analysis reduce it to the greatest simplicity. He seldom if ever, failed to make himself understood, even by the ordinary reader. In his written discussions with men of great learning, who were often purposely intensely philosophical, metaphysical and abstruse, he never failed to exhibit consummate skill in dissecting their curiously wrought web of supposed argumentation. He would gather up the superabundance of their high-toned and high-flown verbiage, cast it aside as useless, and proceed to reduce their positions to the utmost simplicity. If the positions assumed were erroneous he would proceed in a systematic manner to point out the errors and would generally close up with a clear and lucid statement of what he believed to be the truth as related to the subject.

Benjamin Franklin was a man of pith and power as a minister, and the productions of his pen contained in the numerous volumes of his writings, are a valuable contribution to Christian literature, and will make an impression favorable for the truth and the cause of Christ on coming generations.