The Beautiful Soul of John Woolman, Apostle of Abolition

"The journal of the Quaker mystic and abolitionist John Woolman has never been out of print since 1774, when it was first published. Along with Woolman’s pamphlets and speeches, the journal was instrumental in persuading the Society of Friends to give up owning slaves. In this meditative biography, Slaughter provides sensitive readings of Woolman’s writings in order to draw a picture of a ‘prophetic Old Testament radical’ who practiced a patient and methodical mode of activism."—The New Yorker

"Say ‘abolitionist’ and most people think of the evangelical politician William Wilberforce, or the anti-establishment agitator William Lloyd Garrison, or possibly the prophet-warrior John Brown. John Woolman preceded them all in anti-slavery activism and was an utterly different character: gentle, mystical, quiet. Earning his living as a small-town New Jersey tailor and schoolteacher in the decades before the Revolutionary War, Woolman challenged his fellow Quakers on slavery—they would, shortly after his death, become the only group in America to stop owning slaves—and also on Indians, rum, war taxes, luxurious living, animal welfare, childrearing, and, most fundamentally, involvement in globalization and trade. Like the Old Testament prophets, like St. Francis, like Jesus himself, Woolman took his cues from nobody but God. He was an American original. Thomas Slaughter, a historian at Notre Dame and the University of Rochester, and himself a Quaker, has written a lovely and thoughtful biography, as sedately paced as a Quaker meeting. This is a book to read in a meditative mood. It should challenge activists with a unique model of advocacy, and inspire people of faith with its description of a Bible-drenched, ascetic, Spirit-filled, and agape-driven life."—Tim Stafford, Christian History

"'Saints should always be judged guilty until they are proved innocent,' George Orwell said. Orwell is not crystal clear as to what they should be considered guilty of, but probably of fraud, self-delusion, woolly thinking, sheer bloody-mindedness, or all of that and more. Orwell's essay, 'Reflections on Gandhi,' is worth keeping in mind while reading Thomas P. Slaughter's superb study, The Beautiful Soul of John Woolman, Apostle of Abolition, because issues that Orwell brings up in brilliantly concentrated form are writ large in Woolman's saintly life. Slaughter, a professor of history at the University of Rochester and author of several historical works (The Whiskey Rebellion), says Woolman believed 'he was abiding God's call to work for social justice and the ascendance of spirituality over humanity's fallen nature' . . . This is the first full-scale biography of Woolman in more than half a century. Actually, it is a sort of book-length essay or meditation on Woolman's life, or perhaps a spiritual or philosophical biography, rather than a standard 'life.' Two factors may have affected Slaughter's approach. One is that spirituality, living to please God, was the essence of his subject's life. The other is that Woolman led such an interior existence that in his own writings, he rarely noted external events; for instance, in his Journal, which has not gone out of print since 1774, he neglected to mention that he had gotten married . . . Slaughter, himself a Quaker, writes admiringly of Woolman but by no means uncritically."—Roger K. Miller, The Denver Post

"John Woolman was a Quaker who has been referred to as the father of Abolitionism. In The Beautiful Soul of John Woolman, Apostle of Abolition, Thomas P. Slaughter has crafted a detailed biography of this influential, yet little known man. Born in New Jersey, to a Quaker family, Woolman started out as a simple tailor who went on to become a traveling preacher who preached not only about anti-slavery, but against all forms of exploitation ranging from the draft (conscription) to the inhumane treatment of animals. He also preached against excessive consumerism, advocated a simple lifestyle, and argued against violence in any form. Part mystic and part social activist, Woolman was to have a far reaching impact upon his fellow Quakers and all who heard his message. Slaughter is a professor of history at the University of Rochester, and it is obvious from his writing that he genuinely admires Woolman. Yet his admiration did not prevent him from pointing about Woolman's foibles and idiosyncrasies, thereby providing a well-rounded and honest account of Woolman and his life's work. Extremely well researched and documented, The Beautiful Soul of John Woolman, Apostle of Abolition provides the reader on a journey from Woolman's birth until his death, and shows how Woolman developed his philosophical and religious leanings and how he shared his 'revelations' with his fellow man. Slaughter discusses not only Woolman's preaching, but also the extensive body of writings that he left behind. Throughout, Slaughter provides a detailed analysis of how Woolman's activities were received by others and how he influenced the burgeoning anti-slavery movement. Woolman's esoteric lifestyle—his wearing of simple, undyed clothes, not using silver tableware, or riding horses—is also examined as a manifestation of his message. The Beautiful Soul of John Woolman, Apostle of Abolition proceeds through Woolman's life chronologically. Tackling his life in such an orderly manner provides the reader with a firm understanding of how Woolman's mind set developed and how his effectiveness as a social activist grew over time. Excerpts from Woolman's own writing, especially his Journal, are used extensively, allowing the reader to scrutinize Woolman from his own perspective. Poignant and detailed, The Beautiful Soul of John Woolman, Apostle of Abolition is a significant addition to the body of work on the abolitionist movement, as well as on Quakerism. This book is a perfect fit as a supplemental text for use in University-level courses on slavery, 18th century American Religion, the history of social activism and reform, the abolitionist movement, and American history in general. This is also an ideal book for general readers interested in examining the life of an extraordinary Quaker leader who strove to live what he saw as an ideal Christian lifestyle and who sincerely worked to make the world a much better place for all—humans and animals alike."—Herbert White, History in Review

"This biography of John Woolman has been done as a piece of academic work by a respected American scholar. It is thoroughly researched, well-presented and, unlike much academic writing, is relatively easy to read. Thomas P. Slaughter in the introduction uses the phrase 'the limitations of my vision permit.' This phrase is useful in understanding that Woolman in his journal did not give much background to what was happening around him. Before reading this book I knew next to nothing about John Woolman. Slaughter takes extracts from Woolman's journal, and throughout the book provides clear, social, political and economic information. In the description of Woolman's childhood, agricultural and natural history information is also provided. This information helps create a clear picture of the world Woolman was living in and how he was trying to change it. There is also information about the ideas that Woolman has as sources (he definitely read Locke) and how this influenced his teaching of and work with children . . . This book is useful not just as a biography of Woolman but as a fascinating historical reference and reminder that justice still needs to be worked for."—Richard Evens, The Friend

"In The Beautiful Soul of John Woolman, Apostle of Abolition, Thomas Slaughter explains that this career decision, among other choices Woolman made during his lifetime, has contributed to Woolman's renown as a Quaker saint. While the biographer provides ample discussion of Woolman's outward achievements, Slaughter's primary goal is to understand his inner life—the mystical experiences that required the New Jersey Friend to challenge leaders of his own religion and of the larger society. Best known for his collaborative opposition to slaveholding among the Society of Friends. Slaughter depends largely on Woolman's spiritual journal, notably manuscript drafts and The Journal and Major Essays of John Woolman by Phillips P. Moulton . . . Slaughter also explores the influence of literature on Woolman, including the Bible, Quaker books such as William Sewel's History, and Enlightenment works . . . While aspects of Woolman's beliefs and motivations remain elusive, Slaughter provides us, through prodigious research and stimulating insights, the basis for working toward our own appreciation of Woolman's gifts."—Jean R. Soderlund, Lehigh University, Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography

"Only occasionally do I read anything about 18th-century Americans. But this year I stumbled upon an extraordinary biography of John Woolman, the man William James, in The Varieties of Religious Experience, called a saint. Before reading this book I knew virtually nothing about this humble Quaker politician, general, scientist and man-of-letters. His journal is now considered one of the finest books on the power of Christian charities ever written. Slaughter, a professor of history at the University of Rochester, outdid himself on this brilliantly written and researched biography. Woolman's lasting monuments are hundreds of Quaker schools that bear his name."—Jeff Salamon, Austin American-Statesman 

"A masterful biography of the Quaker prophet and path-breaking social reformer. Woolman remains the earliest and most complete American embodiment of the notion of a 'social conscience.' In Mount Holly, N.J., he shed a succession of jobs (most notably as a shopkeeper, tailor, schoolteacher and legal functionary) to devote more time to ministering for the Society of Friends, carrying his message throughout the colonies and, by the end of his life, even to England. He was a pacifist and a tax resister, and he preached a doctrine of peace with the Indians, care for the impoverished, kindness to animals and devotion to simplicity. Remembered today primarily for his pioneering anti-slavery stance, Woolman sought in the gentlest possible fashion to convert others to the truth he believed came directly from God. Closely tracking Woolman's spiritual autobiography, The Journal of John Woolman—remarkably still in print since its 1774 publication—and relying on Woolman's essays and pamphlets, Slaughter beautifully explicates the spiritual growth of this secular saint. The author also applies a thorough knowledge of the period's philosophical, theological and historical currents to explain a man whose deep religiosity and exquisite sensitivities prevented him from riding a horse (an unnecessary burden to the animal), wearing dyed clothing (a product, even at some remove, of slave labor) or drafting a will that conveyed a slave. So much saintliness might be hard to endure if not for Slaughter's keen awareness of his subject's eccentricities and shortcomings: For example, Woolman regularly abandoned his wife and child for his wide-ranging and frequently dangerous itinerant ministry; he deemed harmless sleight of hand and juggling to be 'frivolous toying with the universe'; he opposed inoculations against small pox. Nevertheless, by the end of this detailed, well-written consideration of Woolman and his enduring significance, the reader can't help but share Slaughter's admiration for his hero's sincerity, courage, persistence and humility. Any understanding of the history of social reform in America begins with Woolman, and understanding Woolman begins here."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"[A] thoughtful, scrupulous, enlightening, and engrossing masterpiece."—Ray Olson, Booklist (starred review)

"Not many today know about the New Jersey Quaker, mystic and social activist John Woolman. But William James, in The Varieties of Religious Experience, characterized Woolman as a saint. John Greenleaf Whittier called him the founding father of the abolitionist movement. As Slaughter shows in this superb narrative, it may be argued that the pious, simple-living Woolman—by rejecting not only slavery but also the accumulation of wealth, economic exploitation of all kinds and all forms of violence—created the prototype for every pacifist and nonconformist to come after. Woolman always dressed simply in clothes he stitched himself, white clothes meant to mark him as a man of God. He advocated his causes in lectures and sermons across the eastern United States and England (where he died of smallpox) and through extensive writings. He made a point of owning nothing he did not need and giving away every and anything he could not use. In our own age of conspicuous consumption, the complex soul Slaughter so ably and beautifully resurrects is full of contemporary relevance as an example of principled living."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)