Engineering News

Truly a great mind indeed ... and one who knew who the "author" (his term) was.

Though others please themselves greatly by attempting to expound ONLY on his 'unfortunate weaknesses', he did, in fact, side with the majority of our founding fathers' guiding principles.

He wrote to Thomas Paine

" DEAR SIR,
I have read your manuscript with some attention. By the argument it contains against a particular Providence... you strike at the foundations of all religion... I will not enter into any discussion of your principles, though you seem to desire it. At present I shall only give you my opinion, that, though your reasonings are subtile and may prevail with some readers, you will not succeed... He that spits against the wind, spits in his own face.

But, were you to succeed, do you imagine any good would be done by it?... For among us it is not necessary, as among the Hottentots, that a youth, to be raised into the company of men, should prove his manhood by beating his mother.

I would advise you, therefore, not to attempt unchaining the tiger, but to burn this piece before it is seen by any other person; whereby you will save yourself a great deal of mortification by the enemies it may raise against you, and perhaps a good deal of regret and repentance. If men are so wicked with religion, what would they be if without it. I intend this letter itself as a proof of my friendship, and therefore add no professions to it; but subscribe simply yours,
B. Franklin "

Likewise, he confounds those who otherwise denigrate his religious inclinations to that of being a deist by his appeal for prayer at the Constitutional Convention.
This elder statesman (Franklin) offered his famous appeal for harmony and conciliation,"an appeal for God's intervention."

May his countenance and temperance inspire many generations to come!