# Genius! Puritan Notetaking System  ## Edwards' Note-Taking System - [[Jonathan Edwards (theologian) | Jonathan Edwards]], a colonialist in the 1700s, developed an incredible note-taking system that is being discussed, despite being referred to as a Puritan due to his worldview [(00:00:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=42s). - Edwards' note-taking system is an entire system for categorizing important information, which can be applied to various topics such as theology, botany, or zoology [(00:00:23)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=23s). - The system consists of multiple notebooks, which Edwards would make by hand, stitching them together with pieces of paper, but nowadays, one can buy journals [(00:02:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=130s). - Edwards' miscellaneous system is his primary note-taking method, where he uses a numbered system to write notes on various topics, with a focus on the [[Bible]], Theology, philosophy, and church history [(00:02:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=151s). - Edwards would assign a number to each idea he wanted to remember, write as much as he wanted on that topic, and then move on to the next number [(00:03:02)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=182s). - This system allows for the organization of notes on different topics, making it easier to access and use the information later [(00:03:09)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=189s). - [[Jonathan Edwards (theologian) | Jonathan Edwards]] used a notetaking system called the "Miscellaneous System", where he would write down ideas as they came to him, numbering each entry, and later adding a one-line description to create an index for easy searching [(00:03:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=198s). - The Miscellaneous System allowed Edwards to essentially search through his index and find specific notes, even before the advent of computers [(00:04:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=243s). ## Notes on Scripture - Edwards also used a separate notebook called "Notes on [[Religious text | Scripture]]", which contained numbered notes referenced to specific passages in the [[Bible]], but not in canonical order [(00:04:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=267s). - The Notes on Scripture system was exclusively for notes related to the Bible, and the numbering system would later become important in Edwards' overall notetaking system [(00:05:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=303s). ## Blank Bible - In addition to the Miscellaneous System and Notes on Scripture, Edwards used a "Blank Bible" with large blank pages inserted between the text, where he would take notes on specific passages [(00:05:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=338s). - Edwards would take notes on the Blank Bible by writing on the page opposite the relevant passage, and would also use the opposing page when flipping the page over [(00:06:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=372s). - The [[Bible | Blank Bible]] allowed Edwards to keep his notes on the Bible organized and easily accessible, and similar blank Bibles are available today from publishers such as Crossway [(00:06:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=401s). - [[Jonathan Edwards (theologian) | Jonathan Edwards]] used a blank Bible to cross-reference his notes on [[Religious text | scripture]], creating a compendium of information that could be sourced from his other notebooks [(00:06:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=415s). - Edwards would write notes in the margins of his blank Bible, referencing specific entries from his other notebooks, such as his "Miscellany" series [(00:07:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=420s). - When space became limited in the blank Bible, Edwards would cross-reference to other journals where he had more space to write, integrating all of his notes into a single system [(00:07:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=458s). - The blank Bible served as a portable repository of information for Edwards, allowing him to access his notes while traveling or preaching [(00:08:11)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=491s). ## Topical Notebooks - Edwards had multiple notebooks for specific topics, including a notebook on the [[Book of Revelation]], controversies, philosophical ideas, and "Images of Divine Things" [(00:08:54)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=534s). - The "Images of Divine Things" notebook contained Edwards' observations of the natural world and how they related to spiritual realities, serving as a source of inspiration for sermons and writing [(00:09:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=556s). - Edwards' system of notebooks and cross-referencing allowed him to accumulate and organize a vast amount of information, making it easily accessible for research and reference [(00:08:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=517s). ## Extent of Edwards' Notebooks - [[Jonathan Edwards (theologian) | Jonathan Edwards]] had multiple journals and notebooks, including a [[Bible | blank Bible]] with over 5,560 entries, Divine Things with 200 entries, notes on [[Religious text | scripture]] with over 500 entries, and a miscellaneous notebook with over 1,400 entries, which he used throughout his life [(00:10:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=612s). - Edwards also kept other journals and note-taking devices, and he maintained a chronology of when he started each one, with some journals being used until the end of his life [(00:10:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=627s). ## Interrelation of Notebooks - The Edwardian system's genius lies in the way these journals and notebooks interrelate to one another, with Edwards' sermons being influenced by his notebooks, and his notebooks referencing each other [(00:10:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=652s). - Edwards' sermons were influenced by his miscellaneous notebook, blank Bible, and other notebooks, and he often inter-referenced these sources in his writing [(00:11:21)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=681s). - This system created a web of interconnected information, allowing Edwards to easily access and reference his notes and ideas [(00:11:47)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=707s). ## Replicating Edwards' System - The system can be replicated using both digital and physical tools, such as a [[Bible | blank Bible]], notebooks, and digital miscellaneous notes, which can be organized and searched for easy reference [(00:12:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=727s). - By integrating digital and physical note-taking systems, individuals can create a comprehensive and interconnected system for organizing their thoughts and ideas, similar to Edwards' system [(00:12:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oniCX34owBM&t=777s).