Between the first and eighth day of October in 1722, Benjamin Franklin published the fourteenth and final Silence Dogood letter in The New-England Courant. In this final letter, she (Franklin, writing as Dogood) openly airs her grievances against the Church, and the whole construct of organized religion. Some of the previous Dogood letters are written more like stories; setting up scenes with a progressing story line of sorts. In number fourteen, Dogood makes it clear whom she is pointing her finger at. She had already attacked organized religion and the Boston clergy in her ninth essay but this time she directs the attention to clergymen from Connecticut.
The attack on the Connecticut clergymen came from the news that they had a “turn of thought” and switched religious affiliations. He briefly changes his focus to a wider audience and says, “there are too many blind zealots among every Denomination of Christians; and he that propagates the Gospel among Rakes and Beaus without reforming them in their Morals, is every whit as ridiculous and impolitick as a State-man who makes Tools of Ideots and Tale-Bearers.” Here, Dogood is comparing the zealots of Christianity who spread the Gospel but fail to reflect it in their morals to states-men who hires idiots and gossipers (tale-bearers). With this, Dogood is cementing the idea that when religion becomes to organized and strict people become blind with zeal and end up doing more harm than good. This idea is further proven with a line from earlier in the letter that says, “an indiscreet zeal for spreading an opinion hurts the cause of the zealot.”
To wrap up the final letter, Dogood calls upon “two ingenious authors of the Church of England” and cites their work. The last source talks about the word “Church” and how it is the one word in our language that requires more explanation. Before ending the letter and the “Silence Dogood” series, the final quotes says that the confusion over “Church” has brought suffering the to the “cause of piety” as well as “the secular interest of clergymen” all because of “the general unexplained signification of the word Church.” This is the perfect way to end the series without actually saying anything. Franklin used this older text to solidify his discontent with the Church and ended the letter in such away that it left only the facts for the reader to think about.
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I find Benjamin Franklin’s “Silence Dogood” letters to be intriguing and thought-provoking. It’s fascinating how Franklin, writing as Dogood, fearlessly expresses her grievances against organized religion and the clergy. In the final letter, published in 1722, Franklin directs her attention to clergymen from Connecticut who had undergone a change in religious affiliations.
Through her writings, Dogood highlights the dangers of blind zealotry within Christianity and draws parallels between religious zealots and statesmen who manipulate and use others for their own purposes. She emphasizes the importance of aligning actions with moral principles and warns against the detrimental effects of indiscreet zeal.
The concluding part of the letter references two authors from the Church of England, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of the word “Church” and its significance. Franklin skillfully employs these references to underscore the confusion surrounding the term and the negative impact it has had on both the cause of piety and the secular interests of clergymen.
It is remarkable how Franklin concludes the “Silence Dogood” series by leaving the reader with factual information to ponder, rather than explicitly stating her own opinions. This approach invites reflection and encourages readers to contemplate the implications of organized religion and the potential consequences of blind zealotry.
Thank you for shedding light on these fascinating letters and Benjamin Franklin’s bold exploration of religious constructs. It’s remarkable to see how his writings continue to resonate and provoke thoughtful discussions to this day.
Thank you,
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Benjamin Franklin’s Silence Dogood Essay #14 serves as a powerful critique of organized religion and the shortcomings of religious zealots. Franklin, writing under the pseudonym Silence Dogood, openly expresses her grievances against the Church and clergy, particularly those from Connecticut who had switched religious affiliations.
In this final letter, Franklin takes a direct and confrontational approach, highlighting the hypocrisy of those who propagate the Gospel without reflecting its teachings in their own moral conduct. By comparing them to statesmen who employ idiots and tale-bearers, Franklin emphasizes the detrimental effects of blind zeal and the need for moral reform.
Furthermore, Franklin argues that an indiscreet zeal for spreading an opinion can actually undermine its cause, reinforcing the idea that strict organizational structures in religion can lead to harm rather than good. This notion is supported by Franklin’s citation of “two ingenious authors of the Church of England” and their discussion on the word “Church.” The confusion surrounding its meaning is seen as a source of suffering for piety and the secular interests of clergymen.
The conclusion of the letter leaves the reader with thought-provoking statements, allowing them to reflect on the issues raised without Franklin explicitly stating her position. By utilizing older texts to support his discontent with the Church, Franklin effectively communicates his dissatisfaction and calls for a reevaluation of organized religion.
Overall, Silence Dogood Essay #14 serves as a thought-provoking critique of organized religion, urging readers to consider the consequences of blind zeal and the importance of moral integrity in religious practices.
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