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William Ellery Channing

William Ellery Channing Quotes

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Famous William Ellery Channing Quotes

“War is to be ranked among the most dreadful calamities which fall on a guilty world; and, what deserves consideration, it tends to multiply and perpetuate itself without end. It feeds and grows on the blood which it sheds. The passions, from which it springs, gain strength and fury from indulgence.”

WorldWarEndsFallPassionGrowsBloodSpringDeserveGainsGuiltyConsiderationShedCalamityFuryIndulgence
Book:A Sermon on War: delivered before the Convention of Congregational Ministers of Massachusetts, May 30, 1816, etc
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“There is but a very minute portion of the creation which we can turn into food and clothes, or gratification for the body; but the whole creation may be used to minister to the sense of beauty.”

MayWholeBodyUsedTurnsMinutesCreationClothesMinistersPortionsGratification
Book:Self-Culture. An address introductory to the Franklin lectures, delivered at Boston. 1838
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“A clear thought, a pure affection, a resolute act of a virtuous will, have a dignity of quite another kind, and far higher than accumulations of brick and granite and plaster and stucco, however cunningly put together.”

KindTogetherClearHigherPureDignityAffectionVirtuousBricksAccumulationResoluteGranitePlasters
Book:Self-culture: An address introductory to the Franklin lectures, delivered at Boston, September, 1838
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“Real greatness has nothing to do with a man’s sphere. It does not lie in the magnitude of his outward agency, in the extent of the effects which he produces. The greatest men may do comparatively little.”

MenMayLittlesDoeRealLyingEffectsGreatnessProduceAgencySpheresMagnitudeGreatest Man
Book:Self-Culture. An address introductory to the Franklin lectures, delivered at Boston. 1838
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“Of all the discoveries which men need to make, the most important, at the present moment, is that of the self-forming power treasured up in themselves. They little suspect its extent, as little as the savage apprehends the energy which the mind is created to exert on the material world.”

MenWorldNeedsMindLittlesImportantSelfMomentsEnergyMaterialsDiscoveryPresent MomentSuspectsSavagesMaterial WorldTreasured
Book:Self-Culture. An address introductory to the Franklin lectures, delivered at Boston. 1838
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“Conscience, the sense of right, the power of perceiving moral distinctions, the power of discerning between justice and injustice, excellence and baseness, is the highest faculty given us by God, the whole foundation of our responsibility, and our sole capacity for religion. ...God, in giving us conscience, has implanted a principle within us which forbids us to prostrate ourselves before mere power, or to offer praise where we do not discover worth.”

GivingWholeGivenJusticeResponsibilityMoralPrinciplesOffersHighestConscienceCapacityPraiseFoundationExcellenceMereInjusticeDistinctionFacultySoleReligion GodDiscerningBasenessJustice And Injustice
Author:William Ellery Channing
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“To do God's will as fast as it is made known to us, to inquire hourly -- I had almost said each moment -- what He requires of us, and to leave ourselves, our friends, and every interest at His control, with a cheerful trust that the path which He marks out leads to our perfection and to Himself, -- this is at once our duty and happiness; and why will we not walk in the plain, simple way?.”

WayMadeSaidMomentsInterestSimpleWalksKnownPathDutyPerfectionMarkGods WillCheerfulCheerfulnessSimple Ways
Book:Memoir of William Ellery Channing, with extracts from his correspondence and manuscripts ...
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“Health is the working man's fortune, and he ought to watch over it more than the capitalist over his largest investments. Health lightens the efforts of body and mind. It enables a man to crowd much work into a narrow compass. Without it, little can be earned, and that little by slow, exhausting toil.”

MenMindLittlesBodyEffortCompassionWatchesOughtFortuneInvestmentCrowdsOver ItCapitalistToilCompassMind And BodyExhaustingWorking Man
Book:Lectures [on the elevation of the working classes] with selections from his writings
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“Perhaps in our presence, the most heroic deed on earth is done in some silent spirit, the loftiest purpose cherished, the most generous sacrifice made, and we do not suspect it. I believe this greatness to be most common among the multitude, whose names are never heard.”

BelieveMadeDoneEarthSpiritPurposeNamesI BelieveCommonHeardSacrificeGreatnessSilentDeedsGenerousSuspectsHeroicMultitudesHeroic Deeds
Book:Self-culture: An address introductory to the Franklin lectures, delivered at Boston, September, 1838
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“A general loftiness of sentiment, independence of men, consciousness of good intentions, self-oblivion in great objects, clear views of futurity; thoughts of the blessed companionship of saints and angels, trust in God as the friend of truth and virtue,--these are the states of mind in which I should live.”

MenShouldMindSelfStatesViewsConsciousnessVirtueClearObjectsAngelIndependenceBlessedIntentionSaintSentimentsState Of MindTrust In GodCompanionshipOblivionGood IntentionsClear View
Book:Memoir of William Ellery Channing: With Extracts from His Correspondence and Manuscripts
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“It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with the superior minds, and these invaluable means of communication are in reach of all. In the best books, great men talk to us, give us their most precious thoughts, and pour their souls into ours. God be thanked for books. They are the voices of the distant and the dead, and make us heirs of the spiritual life of past ages. Books are true levellers. They give to all, who faithfully use them, the society, the spiritual presence of the best and greatest of our race.”

MenGivingMindMeanBookSoulUseAgePastSpiritualEnjoyVoiceRaceCommunicationSuperiorsGreat MenSpiritual LifeIntercourseHeirsInvaluableMeans Of Communication
Book:Self-Culture. An address introductory to the Franklin lectures, delivered at Boston. 1838
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“Soul Gathers Force It is possible, when the future is dim, when our depressed faculties can form no bright ideas of the perfection and happiness of a better world,-it is possible still to cling to the conviction of God's merciful purpose towards His creatures, of His parental goodness even in suffering, still to feel that the path of duty, though trodden with a heavy heart, leads to peace.”

WorldFeelsHeartStillsIdeasSoulFormPurposeSufferingForcePathDutyCreaturesGoodnessPerfectionConvictionHeavyFacultyMercifulParentalHeavy HeartBright Ideas
Author:William Ellery Channing
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“To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common - this is my symphony.”

ThinkingLifeInspirationalHeartMeanHardHappinessSpiritualStarsGrowsWealthCommonGrowing UpVirtueStudyRichFashionListeningRespectBirdSimplicityWorthyLuxuryOccasionsUnconsciousWealthySageEleganceSymphonyRespectableSimple LifeSimple ThingsBabeSimple LivingRefinementOpen HeartFrugalitySimplifying LifeSimplicity And EleganceSimple And Beautiful
Author:William Ellery Channing
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“Great minds are to make others great. Their superiority is to be used, not to break the multitude to intellectual vassalage, not to establish over them a spiritual tyranny, but to rouse them from lethargy, and to aid them to judge for themselves.”

MindSpiritualUsedBreakJudgingIntellectualAidsTyrannyMultitudesSuperiorityGreat MindsLethargyIntellectual Superiority
Book:Lectures on the elevation of the labouring portion of the community
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