Puritans Woke Up Early
- Thread starter VirginiaHuguenot
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TandTfamily
Here, attached, is the major reason for early rising until the middle of this last century.
Here, attached, is the major reason for early rising until the middle of this last century.
Ex Nihilo
Puritan Board Senior
I'm sure you are right. I feel that electric lighting is totally a blessing, while the internet is more of a mixed blessing.
Pilgrim
Puritanboard Commissioner
Certainly there are differences between an industrialized society and an agrarian one. in my opinion those who have mentioned intentional living seem to understand the significance of rising early. (I'll also confess to being probably the worst night owl on here and the times at which I post here prove it!)
When the Bible tells us that certain people "rose early," are we to understand that they rose at the time people normally did at that time, or is it natural to read it as meaning that they really rose early as we would think of it i.e. they got up earlier than most people? It seems clear that it's the latter and in many cases that point is made explicitly. During the 17th century there wasn't standardized time as some have noted. However, Great Britain is not a large island, (certainly not compared to the USA or even some European countries) so I wouldn't think there would have been that big of a variation from place to place. I doubt 4 am was really 6 or 7.
If a man is working the late shift or graveyard, he can certainly still rise early at least as far as he is concerned. When I used to work from 2-10 pm, that meant rising at 7 or 8 am instead of 10, 11 or later, which I could definitely do and still make it to work in plenty of time.
When the Bible tells us that certain people "rose early," are we to understand that they rose at the time people normally did at that time, or is it natural to read it as meaning that they really rose early as we would think of it i.e. they got up earlier than most people? It seems clear that it's the latter and in many cases that point is made explicitly. During the 17th century there wasn't standardized time as some have noted. However, Great Britain is not a large island, (certainly not compared to the USA or even some European countries) so I wouldn't think there would have been that big of a variation from place to place. I doubt 4 am was really 6 or 7.
If a man is working the late shift or graveyard, he can certainly still rise early at least as far as he is concerned. When I used to work from 2-10 pm, that meant rising at 7 or 8 am instead of 10, 11 or later, which I could definitely do and still make it to work in plenty of time.
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Chris, don't start with the shift work thing. Next thing you know someone is going to tell us that working the night shift is unbiblical and those that do should quit their jobs!
Rising early is a general principle that can be adopted by all, no matter what the individual circumstances. Discipline yourself to get up an hour earlier in order to pray and study the scriptures. All of us can do that, whereas not everyone can get up four hours before work and deal with a commute, work, commute home and family time. Your early may not be my early, and vice versa. Still, the Puritan ethic of rising before the business of the day is commendable and scriptural.
Rising early is a general principle that can be adopted by all, no matter what the individual circumstances. Discipline yourself to get up an hour earlier in order to pray and study the scriptures. All of us can do that, whereas not everyone can get up four hours before work and deal with a commute, work, commute home and family time. Your early may not be my early, and vice versa. Still, the Puritan ethic of rising before the business of the day is commendable and scriptural.
Ex Nihilo
Puritan Board Senior
Yes! This makes a lot of sense.
Ex Nihilo
Puritan Board Senior
Scynne
Puritan Board Freshman
So...having read only about half the thread, I just wanted to throw in my 
I'm always miffed about the anti-nocturnal prejudice that exists in society. It really is discriminatory against those who prefer lurk the night, like me. I find myself constantly forced to get up in the ungodly hours before noon quite regularly. When I do follow my natural clock (which I fall in to after about half a week of having no morning apointments), I quite handily sleep a near perfect 8 hours from around 8am until 4pm. When telling people of my sleep schedule, I am, without fail, chided for my sloth, when in fact I spend the same amount of time asleep as recommended, and am no more wasteful of my time than I am otherwise.
So, stop discriminating!
I'm always miffed about the anti-nocturnal prejudice that exists in society. It really is discriminatory against those who prefer lurk the night, like me. I find myself constantly forced to get up in the ungodly hours before noon quite regularly. When I do follow my natural clock (which I fall in to after about half a week of having no morning apointments), I quite handily sleep a near perfect 8 hours from around 8am until 4pm. When telling people of my sleep schedule, I am, without fail, chided for my sloth, when in fact I spend the same amount of time asleep as recommended, and am no more wasteful of my time than I am otherwise.
So, stop discriminating!
bookslover
Puritan Board Doctor
I tried getting up early and having morning devotions many years ago. I found out that the Bible makes an excellent pillow...
Being a night person, that's when I have my devotions.
bookslover
Puritan Board Doctor
In the end, it all comes down to doing what's best for you, taking into consideration whether you're a morning person or a night person, and the circumstances of your life.
Regarding one's devotions, the important thing is that you do them, and not the time of day or night.
-----Added 12/26/2008 at 09:44:29 EST-----
Smarty pants! I assume you got your usual lump of coal for Christmas, Bill...
Regarding one's devotions, the important thing is that you do them, and not the time of day or night.
-----Added 12/26/2008 at 09:44:29 EST-----
Smarty pants! I assume you got your usual lump of coal for Christmas, Bill...
Until energy costs plummeted, that lump of coal would have worth a pretty penny!
Oh Oh.... I know this one.... they simply set their sundials!
Am I a student of history, or what?
Notthemama1984
Puritan Board Post-Graduate
Do you have a link to the bio? I would not mind reading about him at all.
TaylorOtwell
Puritan Board Junior
I know there is a short biography of him at the beginning of the Sure Guide to Heaven Puritan Paperback. It is convicting.
VirginiaHuguenot
Puritanboard Librarian
I posted a link to the biographical sketch of Joseph Alleine that comes from Meet the Puritans which can be found here.
-----Added 12/27/2008 at 01:24:55 EST-----
For what it's worth, for those who may be interested in why I wrote the OP, I was up all night recently with a toddler who wouldn't sleep and passed the time reading Puritan biographical sketches and happened to notice a consistent theme of early-risers.
Presbyterian Deacon
Puritan Board Graduate
One thing that troubles me about Alleine's biography is this quote, which seems to show that he is attributing motives to others:
Alleine rose early, devoting the time between four and eight o’clock in the morning to the exercises of private worship. His wife recalled that he “would be much troubled if he heard smiths or other craftsmen at work at their trades, before he was at communion with God: saying to me often, ‘How this noise shames me! Doth not my Master deserve more than theirs?’”
I guess I am equally guilty of attributing motives because when I read this I was a little put off. Should I be?
Alleine rose early, devoting the time between four and eight o’clock in the morning to the exercises of private worship. His wife recalled that he “would be much troubled if he heard smiths or other craftsmen at work at their trades, before he was at communion with God: saying to me often, ‘How this noise shames me! Doth not my Master deserve more than theirs?’”
I guess I am equally guilty of attributing motives because when I read this I was a little put off. Should I be?
Yeah...kinda like if you go in a circle long enough you come back to your starting point.
AThornquist
Puritan Board Doctor
I was inspired by the Puritan early-risers so I've tried to only sleep 8 hours a night. It's a challenge for me but I have definitely benefited from the morning studies! The quiet time is very spiritual; without the noise of others it truly feels like it is just me and God.
(And by the way, I'm not a bum that normally sleeps all day
--I have been working out a lot lately in preparation for law enforcement so I've been trying to get ample sleep for my body to recuperate. UNFORTUNATELY that also limits my Bible study time, so...)
(And by the way, I'm not a bum that normally sleeps all day
--I have been working out a lot lately in preparation for law enforcement so I've been trying to get ample sleep for my body to recuperate. UNFORTUNATELY that also limits my Bible study time, so...)- Status