Quotes from Benjamin Rush

Mothers and schools plant the seeds of nearly all the good and evil which exists in the world.

Patriotism is as much a virtue as justice, and is as necessary for the support of societies as natural affection is for the support of families.

The only means of establishing and perpetuating our republican forms of government is the universal education of our youth in the principles of Christianity by means of the Bible.

A simple democracy is the devil's own government.

Mirth, and even cheerfulness, when employed as remedies in low spirits, are like hot water to a frozen limb.

Let the children...be carefully instructed in the principles and obligations of the Christian religion. This is the most essential part of education.

Without religion, I believe that learning does real mischief to the morals and principles of mankind.

Christianity is the only true and perfect religion.

Without the restraints of religion and social worship, men become savages much sooner than savages become civilized by means of religion and civil government.

Christianity is the only true and perfect religion; and... in proportion as mankind adopt its principles and obey its precepts, they will be wise and happy.

I anticipate the Day when to command Respect in the remotest Regions it will be sufficient to say I am an American.

By withholding the knowledge of [the Scriptures] from children, we deprive ourselves of the best means of awakening moral sensibility in their minds.

Freedom can exist only in the society of knowledge. Without learning, men are incapable of knowing their rights.

The gospel of Jesus Christ prescribes the wisest rules for just conduct in every situation in life. Happy they who are enabled to obey them in all situations!

Now if the study of the Scriptures be necessary to our happiness at any time in our life, the sooner we begin to read them, the more we shall be attached to them.

If we were to remove the Bible from public schools we would be wasting so much time punishing crimes and taking so little pains to prevent them.

Freedom can exist only in the society of knowledge. Without learning, men are incapable of knowing their rights.

Unless we put medical freedom into the Constitution, the time will come when medicine will organize itself into an undercover dictatorship.

The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.

Temperate, sincere, and intelligent inquiry and discussion are only to be dreaded by the advocates of error. The truth need not fear them.

It would seem from this fact, that man is naturally a wild animal, and that when taken from the woods, he is never happy in his natural state, 'till he returns to them again.

Patriotism is as much a virtue as justice, and is as necessary for the support of societies as natural affection is for the support of families.

I do not mean to exclude books of history, poetry, or even fables from our schools. They may and should be read frequently by our young people, but if the Bible is made to give way to them altogether, I foresee that it will be read in a short time only in churches and in a few years will probably be found only in the offices of magistrates and in courts of justice. (1786)

Temperate, sincere, and intelligent inquiry and discussion are only to be dreaded by the advocates of error. The truth need not fear them