The Journal of John Woolman

John Woolman was born at Northampton, N. J., in 1720, and died at York, England, in 1772. He was the child of Quaker parents, and from his youth was a zealous member of the Society of Friends. His “Journal,” published in 1774, describes his way of life and the spirit in which he did his work; but his humility prevents him from making clear the importance of the part he played in the movement against slaveholding among the Quakers. In 1742, Woolman, then a young clerk in the employment of a storekeeper in New Jersey, was asked to make out a bill of sale for a negro woman; and the scruples which then occurred to him were the beginning of a life-long activity against the traffic. Shortly afterward he began his laborious foot-journeys, pleading everywhere with his co-religionists, and inspiring others to take up the crusade. The result of the agitation was that the various Yearly Meetings one by one decided that emancipation was a religious duty; and within twenty years after Woolman’s death the practise of slavery had ceased in the Society of Friends. His own words in this “Journal,” of an extraordinary simplicity and charm, are the best expression of his personality. (Summary by The Harvard Classics) (6 hr 35 min)

Chapters

Introductory Note	2:30	Read by Devon Purtz
Chapter I	22:53	Read by Devon Purtz
Chapter II	18:17	Read by Devon Purtz
Chapter III	30:14	Read by Devon Purtz
Chapter IV	41:14	Read by Devon Purtz
Chapter V	23:14	Read by Devon Purtz
Chapter VI	30:39	Read by Devon Purtz
Chapter VII	35:16	Read by PhyllisV
Chapter VIII	1:02:55	Read by PhyllisV
Chapter IX	41:23	Read by Lucretia B.
Chapter X	16:51	Read by Wayne Cooke
Chapter XI	34:49	Read by Wayne Cooke
Chapter XII	30:44	Read by Wayne Cooke
The Death of John Woolman	4:36	Read by Jack Lohr

Reviews

Good Overall

(4 stars)

Damon Gang

Some readers are better than others. I found the variety of readers was a plus. It gave more variety and made the book seem shorter. The audio quality was mostly clear and at the right and consistent volume. The book itself should be listened to the end.

A little monotonous but worth it

(4.5 stars)

Rut

The flow of the journal is sometimes monotonous, but the conviction of the man is so deep it is worth it to listen. The reading and recording is well done.

good book well read

(5 stars)

Thiago Coelho

It is extremely boring. Eventually it grew on me. You don’t always want something interesting. All the readers did well

outstanding example of true Christian faith