35 John Henry Newman Quotes

Growth is the only evidence of life.

To holy people the very name of Jesus is a name to feed upon, a name to transport. His name can raise the dead and transfigure and beautify the living.

I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be necessary causes of some great end, which is quite beyond us. He does nothing in vain.

We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe.

Let us seek the grace of a cheerful heart, an even temper, sweetness, gentleness, and brightness of mind, as walking in His light, and by His grace. Let us pray to Him to give us the spirit of ever-abundant, everspringing love, which overpowers and sweeps away the vexations of life by its own richness and strength, and which, above all things, unites us to Him who is the fountain and the centre of all mercy, loving-kindness, and joy.

In this world no one rules by love; if you are but amiable, you are no hero; to be powerful, you must be strong, and to have dominion you must have a genius for organizing.

There is such a thing as legitimate warfare: war has its laws; there are things which may fairly be done, and things which may not be done.

If we are intended for great ends, we are called to great hazards.

It is almost the definition of a gentleman to say that he is one who never inflicts pain.

A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault.

Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather that it shall ever have a beginning.

What can this world offer comparable with that insight into spiritual things, that keen faith, that heavenly peace, that high sanctity, that everlasting righteousness, that hope of glory, which they have, who in sincerity love and follow our Lord Jesus Christ?

Evil has no substance of its own, but is only the defect, excess, perversion, or corruption of that which has substance.

A great memory does not make a mind, any more than a dictionary is a piece of literature.

One secret act of self-denial, one sacrifice of inclination to duty, is worth all the mere good thoughts, warm feelings, passionate prayers in which idle people indulge themselves.

It is very difficult to get up resentment towards persons whom one has never seen.

The love of our private friends is the only preparatory exercise for the love of all men.

It is difficult to rebuke well; that is, at a right time, in a right spirit, and in a right manner.

Virtue is its own reward, and brings with it the truest and highest pleasure; but if we cultivate it only for pleasure's sake, we are selfish, not religious, and will never gain the pleasure, because we can never have the virtue.

God has created me to do him some definite service; he has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission - I never may know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.

Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt.

From the age of fifteen, dogma has been the fundamental principle of my religion: I know no other religion; I cannot enter into the idea of any other sort of religion; religion, as a mere sentiment, is to me a dream and a mockery.

Ability is sexless.

Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home - Lead Thou me on! Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene, - one step enough for me.

Nothing is more common than for men to think that because they are familiar with words they understand the ideas they stand for.

It is as absurd to argue men, as to torture them, into believing.

To take up the cross of Christ is no great action done once for all; it consists in the continual practice of small duties which are distasteful to us.

If we insist on being as sure as is conceivable we must be content to creep along the ground, and never soar.

Nothing would be done at all if one waited until one could do it so well that no one could find fault with it.

To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.

Let us act on what we have, since we have not what we wish.

He is not a God of confusion, of discordance, or accidental, random, private courses in the execution of His will, but of determinate, regulated, prescribed action.

We must make up our minds to be ignorant of much, if we would know anything.

Let us take things as we find them: let us not attempt to distort them into what they are not. We cannot make facts. All our wishing cannot change them. We must use them.

It is often said that second thoughts are best. So they are in matters of judgment but not in matters of conscience.