The link above will take you to where this is found on the internet, but I just couldn't help wanting to share with you all what I think made the people who founded this nation great. These truth's still have the ability to lift us up and over circumstances as they bring the blessings of Almighty God upon a people and a nation. Benjamin Franklin leaves us a great heritage and we can only better ourselves by the taking his writings here to heart.
"As we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously.
These names of virtues, with their precepts, were:
1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
My list of virtues contain'd at first but twelve; but a Quaker friend having kindly informed me that I was generally thought proud; [...] I determined endeavoring to cure myself, if I could, of this vice or folly among the rest, and I added Humility to my list."
Benjamin Franklin wrote this list of virtues as something to strive for. Each week he would focus on one virtue and record in his journal the number of times he failed. The next week he would focus on a different virtue. When the first virtue came around again, he would compare his progress with his previous effort. Franklin always hoped to see himself improve in virtue though he did not expect to ever reach perfection.
John 3:16
"As we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously.
These names of virtues, with their precepts, were:
1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
My list of virtues contain'd at first but twelve; but a Quaker friend having kindly informed me that I was generally thought proud; [...] I determined endeavoring to cure myself, if I could, of this vice or folly among the rest, and I added Humility to my list."
Benjamin Franklin wrote this list of virtues as something to strive for. Each week he would focus on one virtue and record in his journal the number of times he failed. The next week he would focus on a different virtue. When the first virtue came around again, he would compare his progress with his previous effort. Franklin always hoped to see himself improve in virtue though he did not expect to ever reach perfection.
John 3:16
