not advance these ends was but a
spurious pretender to the title of virtue.

One is tempted to make many quotations from Franklin's writings in this
connection; but two or three must suffice. In 1743 he wrote to his
sister:--

"There are some things in your New England doctrine and worship
which I do not agree with; but I do not therefore condemn them, or
desire to shake your belief or practice of them. We may dislike
things that are nevertheless right in themselves. I would only have
you make me the same allowance, and have a better opinion both of
morality and your brother."

In 1756 he wrote to a friend:--

"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.... For my own part, I have not the
vanity to think I deserve it, the folly to expect it, nor the
ambition to desire it; but content myself in submitting to the will
and disposal of that God who made me, who hitherto has preserved
and blessed me, and in whose fatherly goodness I may well
confide....

"The faith you mention has doubtless its use in the world; I do not
desire it to be diminished, nor would I endeavor to lessen it in
any man. But I wish it were more productive of good works than I
have generally seen it. I mean real good works,--works of kindness,
charity, mercy, and public spirit; not holiday-keeping, sermon
reading or hearing, performing church ceremonies, or making long
prayers, filled with flatteries and compliments despised even by
wise men and much less capable of pleasing the Deity. The worship
of God is a duty, the hearing and reading of sermons may be
useful; but if men rest in hearing and praying, as too many do, it
is as if a tree should value itself in being watered and putting
forth leaves, though it never produced any fruit."

Throughout his life he may be said to have very slowly moved nearer and
nearer to the Christian faith, until at last he came so near that many
of those somewhat nondescript persons who call themselves "liberal
Christians" might claim him as one of themselves. But if a belief in the
divinity of Christ is necessary to make a "Christian," it does not
appear that Franklin ever fully had the qualification. W