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RamanChaudhary
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Benjamin Franklin was not only one of the Founding Fathers of
Colonial America, but he was one of the premier thinkers and
statesmen of that time. It is interesting, therefore, to take a look
at some of his thoughts and opinions -- in his own words: Good works
and their reward. -- For my own part, when I am employed in serving
others, I do not look upon myself as conferring favors, but as paying
debts. In my travels, and since my settlement, I have received much
kindness from men, to whom I shall never have any opportunity of
making the least direct return. And numberless mercies from God, who
is infinitely above being benefitted by our services. Those
kindnesses from men, I can therefore only return on their fellow men;
and I can only show my gratitude for these mercies from God, by a
readiness to help his other children and my brethren. For I do not
think that thanks and compliments, though repeated weekly, can
discharge our real obligations to each other, and much less those to
our Creator. You will see in this my notion of good works, that I am
far from expecting (as you suppose) that I shall ever merit Heaven by
them. By Heaven we understand a state of happiness, infinite in
degree, and eternal in duration: I can do nothing to deserve such
rewards: He that for giving a draught of water to a thirsty person,
should expect to be paid with a good plantation, would be modest in
his demands, compared with those who think they deserve Heaven for
the little good they do on Earth. Even the mixed imperfect pleasures