Here are a few favorite Proverbs and Quotations from my collection. I have shared some of these with my classes during my teaching career when I posted one quotation a day. Many students told me then and even much later that, in the words of one student, “They turned my life around.” I am thankful for those students who were helped.
Ideas
- “The only sure weapon against bad ideas is BETTER IDEAS.” A. Whitney Griswold [found 8/22/64 at Resources Development Corporation]
- “There is no adequate defense, except stupidity, against the impact of a new idea.” [found 1/9/69]
- “A man’s mind, stretched by a new idea, can never go back to its original dimension.” Oliver Wendell Holmes [found 2/22/69]
- “Nothing levels a playing field like a better idea.” Stanley Mason, Jr. in The Freeman [RD 5/98 p. 61]
Ignorance
- “There is a principle which is a bar against all information, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance. This principle is contempt prior to investigation.” William Paley quoted in Harold P. Barker, Why I Abandoned Exclusivism, p. 27.
- “The trouble ain’t that people are ignorant; it’s that they know so much that ain’t so.” Josh Billings
- “Not to know is bad; not to wish to know is worse.” African proverb from Nigeria
- “Ignorance is not bliss—it is oblivion.” Philip Wylie [RD 3/74 p. 91]
- “It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of our own ignorance.” Thomas Sowell [RD 2/99 p. 61]
- “Ignorance of Scripture is the root of all error and makes a man helpless in the hand of the devil.” J. C. Ryle [found 4-23-22]
Lincoln, Abraham
- “Let the people know the truth and the country is safe.” Abraham Lincoln [The High School Writer 5/96]
- “I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.” Abraham Lincoln [re-found via Internet at brainyquote.com on 4/18/09]
- “Honest statesmanship is the wise employment of individual manners for the public good.” Abraham Lincoln [found 1/29/71]
- “The strength of a nation lies in the homes of its people.” Abraham Lincoln [found 8/31/85]
- “Bad laws, if they exist, should be repealed as soon as possible; still, while they continue in force, …they should be religiously observed.” January 27, 1838. Abraham Lincoln [found 2/25/79]
- “The cause of civil liberty must not be surrendered at the end of one or even one hundred defeats.” November 19, 1858. Abraham Lincoln. [found 2/25/79]
- “Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way.” June 20, 1848 Abraham Lincoln. [found 2/25/79]
- “No party can command respect which sustains this year what it opposed last.” July 28, 1859. Abraham Lincoln. [found 2/25/79]
- “We know nothing of what will happen in the future but by analogy of experience.” December 26, 1839. Abraham Lincoln. [found 2/25/79]
- “The noblest work of God—an honest man.” February 8, 1842. Abraham Lincoln. [found 2/25/79]
- “The workingmen are the basis of all governments, for the plain reason that they are the most numerous.” Abraham Lincoln. February 12, 1861. [found 2/25/79]
- “Some single mind must be master, else there will be no agreement in anything.” Abraham Lincoln, February 17, 1864. [found 2/25/79]
- “There is no keeping men silent when they feel they are wronged by their friends.” Abraham Lincoln, April 20, 1849. [found 2/25/79]
- “It is difficult to make a man miserable while he feels he is worthy of himself and claims a kindred to the great God who made him.” Abraham Lincoln, August 14, 1862. [found 2/25/79]
- “Better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” Abraham Lincoln [Lemon, Chalk Thought for the Day, p. 16] 2/21/79
- “I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.” Abraham Lincoln [found 2/25/79]
- “I believe it is universally understood and acknowledged that all men will ever act correctly, unless they have a motive to do otherwise.” Abraham Lincoln, January 11, 1837 [found 2/25/79]
- “There is not a moment of time to be lost.” Abraham Lincoln, June 3, 1849. [found 2/25/79]
- “If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend.” Abraham Lincoln [RD 2/98 p. 49]
- “I’m a slow walker, but I never walk back.” Abraham Lincoln 1/9/1999
- “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” Abraham Lincoln [DFT Calendar 1998-1999, p. 52]
- “Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history.” Abraham Lincoln
- “You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.” Abraham Lincoln
The difficulty here for me is picking a favorite quote. They are all very worthy for consideration. Abraham Lincoln’s are from deep experience. Thank you for posting these quotations.
I, too, Gary, would be hard pressed to choose just one of these as a favorite quotation.
In terms of our present national interests, I think the quote about the best defense against a bad idea is a better idea is pertinent.
For those who cannot agree with all President Trump seems to be doing, Lincoln’s statement about supporting a person when they are correct and withholding support when they are mistaken is critical.
That is a most important idea when it comes to following leaders in the Christian church as well.