Posted: September 13th, 2017

We Are All Historians

Assignment Requirements

As a way to break the ice and to get a small taste of what’s to come, we will use this two-week discussion space to take a stab at interpreting together a “primary document” from American history in terms of “happiness.”

Concurrently, you should use these two weeks to study the “Links and Resources” folder for this course, where we have provided a document with information about the definition of a primary source as it is thought about in an academic context, and where we have included important information about “overviews” of American history upon which you, throughout this course, will rely.

Also, spend some time this week (Week 1) looking ahead to the assignment that is due at the end of Week 2 so that you will be prepared for it.

Here are the two primary documents for interpretation and discussion:
Document 1. An excerpt from Jonathan Edwards’s (1703-1758) “How to Press Into the Kingdom of Heaven”:

The use I would make of this doctrine, is of exhortation to all Christless persons to press into the kingdom of God. Some of you are inquiring what you shall do? You seem to desire to know what is the way wherein salvation is to be sought, and how you may be likely to obtain it. You have now heard the way that the holy word of God directs to. Some are seeking, but it cannot be said of them that they are pressing into the kingdom of heaven. There are many that in time past have sought salvation, but not in this manner, and so they never obtained, but are now gone to hell. Some of them sought it year after year, but failed of it, and perished at last. They were overtaken with divine wrath, and are now suffering the fearful misery of damnation, and have no rest day nor night, having no more opportunity to seek, but must suffer and be miserable throughout the never-ending ages of eternity. Be exhorted, therefore, not to seek salvation as they did, but let the kingdom of heaven suffer violence from you.

Here I would first answer an objection or two, and then proceed to give some directions how to press into the kingdom of God.
Objection. 1. Some may be ready to say, We cannot do this of ourselves; that strength of desire, and firmness of resolution, that have been spoken of, are out of our reach. If I endeavor to resolve and to seek with engagedness of spirit, I find I fail; my thoughts are presently off from the business, and I feel myself dull, and my engagedness relaxed, in spite of all I can do.

Answer. 1. Though earnestness of mind be not immediately in your power, yet the consideration of what has been now said of the need of it, may be a means of stirring you up to it. It is true, persons never will be thoroughly engaged in this business, unless it be by God’s influence; but God influences persons by means. Persons are not stirred up to a thorough earnestness without some considerations that move them to it. And if persons can but be made sensible of the necessity of salvation, and also duly consider the exceeding difficuly of it, and the greatness of the opposition, and how short and uncertain the time is, but yet are sensible that they have an opportunity, and that there is a possibility of their obtaining, they will need no more in order to their being thoroughly engaged and resolved in this matter. If we see persons slack and unresolved, and unsteady, it is because they do not enough consider these things.

2. Though strong desires and resolutions of mind be not in your power, yet painfulness of endeavors is in your power. It is in your power to take pains in the use of means, yea very great pains. You can be very painful and diligent in watching your own heart, and striving against sin. Though there is all manner of corruption in the heart continually ready to work, yet you can very laboriously watch and strive against these corruptions; and it is in your power, with great diligence to attend the matter of your duty towards God and towards your neighbour. It is in your power to attend all ordinances, and all public and private duties of religion, and to do it with your might. It would be a contradiction to suppose that a man cannot do these things with all the might he has, though he cannot do them with more might than he has. The dullness and deadness of the heart, and slothfulness of disposition, do not hinder men being able to take pains, though it hinders their being willing. That is one thing wherein your laboriousness may appear, even striving against your own dullness. That men have a dead and sluggish heart, does not argue that they be not able to take pains; it is so far from that, that it gives occasion for pains. It is one of the difficulties in the way of duty, that persons have to strive with, and that gives occasion for struggling and labour. If there were no difficulties attended seeking salvation, there would be no occasion for striving; a man would have nothing to strive about. There is indeed a great deal of difficulty attending all duties required of those that would obtain heaven. It is an exceeding difficult thing for them to keep their thoughts; it is a difficult thing seriously, or to any good purpose, to consider matters of greatest importance; it is a difficult thing to hear, or read, or pray attentively. But it does not argue that a man cannot strive in these things because they are difficult; nay, he could not strive therein if there were not difficulty in them. For what is there excepting difficulties that any can have to strive or struggle with in any affair or business? Earnestness of mind, and diligence of endeavor, tend to promote each other. He that has a heart earnestly engaged, will take pains; and he that is diligent and painful in all duty, probably will not be so long before he finds the sensibleness of his heart and earnestness of his spirit greatly increased.

(If you are interested, you can view the full-text of the Edwards here.)

Document 2. A painting by Norman Rockwell (1894-1978), “Runaway.” You can view the painting at this Saturday Evening Post link.

Assignment

Our job is to try to interpret these two primary documents in terms of what they might say about “happiness” (or “the good life”). Each student should start by submitting his or her own interpretation of them first. This need not be a formal essay. You are also not expected to do any research about these documents.

Consider writing two or three paragraphs. You should post your paragraphs sometime during this first week of the term–the earlier the better–to give everyone time to read each other’s interpretations.

This first short writing and discussion will also introduce us to each other–an important step in what will be an ongoing dialogue throughout this course. So, in addition to writing and submitting your own paragraphs, you should spend some time reading and commenting on several other students’ paragraphs. If nothing else, think of this as a “warm up” for the important student-to-student collaboration that should comprise an important part of this course.

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