Henry Ward Beecher

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

We are not to make the ideas of contentment and aspiration quarrel, for God made them fast friends. A man may aspire, and yet be quite content until it is time to raise; and both flying and resting are but parts of one contentment. The very fruit of the gospel is aspiration. It is to the heart what spring is to the earth, making every root, and bud, and bough desire to be more. - Henry Ward Beecher

When young men are beginning life, the most important period, it is often said, is that in which their habits are formed. That is a very important period. But the period in which the ideas of the young are formed and adopted is more important still. For the ideal with which you go forward to measure things determines the nature, so far as you are concerned, of everything you meet. - Henry Ward Beecher

Fear secretes acids; but love and trust are sweet juices. - Henry Ward Beecher

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. - Henry Ward Beecher

Affliction comes to us, not to make us sad but sober; not to make us sorry but wise. - Henry Ward Beecher

There was never a person who did anything worth doing that did not receive more than he gave. - Henry Ward Beecher

If a man meets with injustice, it is not required that he shall not be roused to meet it; but if he is angry after he has had time to think upon it, that is sinful. The flame is not wrong, but the coals are. - Henry Ward Beecher

Riches are not an end of life, but an instrument of life. - Henry Ward Beecher

God pardons like a mother, who kisses the offense into everlasting forgiveness. - Henry Ward Beecher

Keep a fair-sized cemetery in your back yard, in which to bury the faults of your friends. - Henry Ward Beecher

Private opinion is weak, but public opinion is almost omnipotent. - Henry Ward Beecher

We never know the love of our parents for us until we have become parents. - Henry Ward Beecher

A book is good company. It is full of conversation without loquacity. It comes to your longing with full instruction, but pursues you never.  - Henry Ward Beecher

Love is the river of life in the world. - Henry Ward Beecher

Laughter is day, and sobriety is night; a smile is the twilight that hovers gently between both, more bewitching than either. - Henry Ward Beecher

The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one often comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't. - Henry Ward Beecher

All words are pegs to hang ideas on. - Henry Ward Beecher

A book is a garden, an orchard, a storehouse, a party, a company by the way, a counselor, a multitude of counselors. - Henry Ward Beecher

Every charitable act is a stepping stone towards heaven. - Henry Ward Beecher

He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has. - Henry Ward Beecher

Flowers are the sweetest things that God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into. {from 'Life Thoughts'} - Henry Ward Beecher

Expedients are for the hour, but principles are for the ages. - Henry Ward Beecher

To array a man's will against his sickness is the supreme art of medicine. - Henry Ward Beecher

Heaven will be inherited by every man who has heaven in his soul. - Henry Ward Beecher

Clothes and manners do not make the man; but when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance. - Henry Ward Beecher

Love, like a lamp, needs to be fed out of another's heart, or its flame burns low. - Henry Ward Beecher

Troubles are often the tools by which God fashions us for better things. - Henry Ward Beecher

Ones best success comes after their greatest disappointments. - Henry Ward Beecher

We sleep, but the loom of life never stops, and the pattern which was weaving when the sun went down is weaving when it comes up in the morning. - Henry Ward Beecher

A man's true state of power and riches is to be in himself. - Henry Ward Beecher

In things pertaining to enthusiasm, no man is sane who does not know how to be insane on proper occasions. - Henry Ward Beecher

That is true culture which helps us to work for the social betterment of all. - Henry Ward Beecher

Hold yourself for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you.  - Henry Ward Beecher

A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves. - Henry Ward Beecher