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Historian's Article for January 2007

Benjamin Franklin

by Alan M. Robinson, P.M., Historian

This month we celebrate the 301^st birthday of one of our Founding Fathers – Benjamin Franklin.  Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston, the youngest son of Josiah and Abiah (Folger) Franklin.

You will undoubtedly remember that Franklin is the only one of the Founders who signed all four of the documents that established our Country – the Declaration of Independence, the treaty with France, the peace treaty with Britain, and of course, the Constitution.

Franklin is known for his many inventions that include a stove that bears his name, the lightning rod, and even swim fins.  He was a printer by trade and published newspapers, books and almanacs.

One of Franklin’s best known works was his autobiography entitled, “The Private Life of the Late Benjamin Franklin, LL.D....Originally Written By Himself, And Now Translated From The French."  It was published in London in 1793.  It talked about life in Philadelphia as well as his observations of literature, philosophy and religion. 

In the autobiography, Franklin talks about his association with the philosophy of Rationalism.  Rationalism is a theory of philosophy that suggests that the truth is not measured by the senses but rather is mathematical, intellectual and deductive; that is, it can be reached from previously known facts.  People who think this way are more mathematical in their logic than scientific in their reasoning. 

Through much of his life, Franklin deduced his own principles of truth.  As a Founding Father and framer of our Constitution, he fed his personal and unchanging values to a hungry fledgling country. Through oral arguments and published writings his truths became their truths, and even today are still our truths.  In Chapter IX of his autobiography, Franklin writes a remarkably rational deduction that concludes with, “There seems to me at present to be great occasion for raising a United Party for Virtue, by forming the virtuous and good men of all nations into a regular body, to be govern'd by suitable good and wise rules, which good and wise men may probably be more unanimous in their obedience to, than common people are to common laws.  I at present think that whoever attempts this aright, and is well qualified, can not fail of pleasing God, and of meeting with success."  These words written some 275 years ago remain relevant today.

Of his many business successes, his almanac – Poor Richard’s Almanack, was perhaps his greatest.  He made it useful and entertaining, and as a result it became hugely popular.  In his autobiographical words, “I consider'd it as a proper vehicle for conveying instruction among the common people, who bought scarcely any other books; I therefore filled all the little spaces that occurr'd between the remarkable days in the calendar with proverbial sentences, chiefly such as inculcated industry and frugality, as the means of procuring wealth, and thereby securing virtue; it being more difficult for a man in want, to act always honestly, as, to use here one of those proverbs, it is hard for an empty sack to stand up-right.”  Poor Richard was actually “Richard Saunders,” a pseudonym for Franklin. The almanac was first published on December 28, 1728 and ran until 1758.

Benjamin Franklin was one of our most recognized Freemasons having received the degrees in St. John’s Lodge of Philadelphia in 1731.  His Masonic resume is impressive and is an article unto itself.  For now though, let’s remember this great American hero and Mason on his birthday and remember his wise words quoted in Poor Richard’s Almanack some 270 years ago…    “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.