Franklin, although he described himself as a ‘thorough Deist’; was not at all against something being ‘preachy’. He supported many different religious institutions and supported a really great orator who was filling in the pews until it was revealed that his sermons were plagiarized.
He supported many different religious institutions and supported a really great orator who was filling in the pews until it was revealed that his sermons were plagiarized. Correct, as indicated in his autobiography. He was not a religious man, but supported those institutions that he believed provided "moral improvement" to their congregants.
Interestingly enough, despite an urban legend (most recently reference on "Family Guy", of all places), Franklin was NOT a hardcore anti-semite, and even raised money for the Synagougue in Philadelphia.