Quotes from Henry Ward Beecher

In the early ages men ruled by strength; now they rule by brain, and so long as there is only one man in the world who can think and plan, he will stand head and shoulders above him who cannot.

God asks no man whether he will accept life. That is not the choice. You must take it. The only choice is how.

Vigilance is not only the price of liberty, but of success of any sort.

Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the right use of strength.

The ability to convert ideas to things is the secret of outward success.

Success surely comes with conscience in the long run, other things being equal. Capacity and fidelity are commercially profitable qualities.

Life is a plant that grows out of death.

Of all escape mechanisms, death is the most efficient.

Age and youth look upon life from the opposite ends of the telescope; it is exceedingly long,--it is exceedingly short.

Expedients are for the hour, but principles are for the ages.

Living is death; dying is life. We are not what we appear to be. On this side of the grave we are exiles, on that citizens; on this side orphans, on that children.

Mirth is the sweet wine of human life. It should be offered sparkling with zestful life unto God.

Our life is in the loom; it rolls up and is hidden as fast as it is woven. It is to be taken out of the loom only when we leave this world; then only shall we see the pattern.

See to it that each hour's feelings, and thoughts, and actions are pure and true; then will your life be such.

Death? Translated into the heavenly tongue, that word means life!

There are sorrows that are not painful, but are of the nature of some acids, and give piquancy and flavor to life.

The mere wit is only a human bauble. He is to life what bells are to horses-not expected to draw the load, but only to jingle while the horses draw.

God makes the life fertile by disappointments, as he makes the ground fertile by frosts.

Going out into life--that is dying. Christ is the door out of life.

Well married a person has wings, poorly married shackles.

When a man can look upon the simple wild-rose, and feel no pleasure, his taste has been corrupted.

No one can deal with the hearts of men unless he has the sympathy which is given by love.

Where human life needs most sympathy, where usually it is the most barren, there it is that Christ is more likely to be found than anywhere else.

He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has.