For those who have ever been on a board or a committee

John Adams on the Continental Congress:

"This assembly is like no other that ever existed. Every man in it is a great man, an orator, a critic, a statesman, and therefore every man upon every question must show his oratory, his criticism, and his political abilities.

The consequence of this is that business is drawn and spun out to immeasurable length. I believe if it was moved and seconded that we should come to a resolution that three and two make five, we should be entertained with logic and rhetoric, law, history, politics, and mathematics concerning the subject for two whole days, and then we should pass the resolution unanimously in the affirmative."

But wouldn't we all agree that those meetings were necessary?

America was "a great unwieldy body, its progress must be slow. It is like a large fleet sailing under convoy. The fleetest sailors must wait for the dullest and slowest."

Leaders Are Readers

"He acquired more and more books, books being an acknowledged extravagance he could seldom curb. (With one London bookseller he had placed a standing order for 'every book and pamphlet, of reputation, upon the subjects of law and government as soon as it comes out.')

"I want to see my wife and children every day, " he would write while away on the court circuit. "I want to see my grass and blossoms and corn...But above all, except the wife and children, I want to see my books."

John Adams by David McCullough pg 64

John Adams Quote

In 1774 as John Adams was travelling to the first Continental Congress, he wrote the following in his journey. The statement struck me as I often feel the same way about the church and the task before us. Then to realize what was accomplished, gives me hope.

"I wander alone, and ponder. I muse, I mope, I ruminate. We have not men fit for the times. We are deficient in genius, education, in travel, fortune, in everything. I feel unutterable anxiety."