If you wish to appear agreeable in society, you must consent to be taught many things which you know already.

If everybody thought before they spoke, the silence would be deafening.

I had only one superstition. I made sure to touch all the bases when I hit a home run.

Learn as though you would never be able to master it, hold it as though you would be in fear of losing it.

There's villainous news abroad.

Then join in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.

The aspiration toward freedom is the most essentially human of all human manifestations.

It is overdoing the thing to die for love.

Commemoration of Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, and Pete Fleming, martyrs, Equador, 1956 Oh, the fullness, pleasure, sheer excitement of knowing God on Earth! I care not if I never raise my voice again for Him, if only I may love Him, please Him. Mayhap in mercy He shall give me a host of children that I may lead them through the vast star fields to explore His delicacies whose finger ends set them to burning. But if not, if only I may see Him, touch His garments, smile into His eyes -- ah then, not stars nor children shall matter, only Himself.

Attitude must be an art because it draws, and not a science because it can't be measured.

All government--indeed, every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue and every prudent act--is founded on compromise and barter.

Where passion leads or prudence points the way.

Many highly intelligent people are poor thinkers. many people of average intelligence are skilled thinkrs. The power of the car is separate from the way the car is driven.

Much of the social history of the Western world, over the past three decades, has been a history of replacing what has worked with what sounded good. In area after area- crime, education, housing, race relations- the situation has gotten worse after the bright new theories were put into operation. The amazing thing is that this history of failure and disaster has neither discouraged the social engineers nor discredited them.

Wickedness is a myth invented by good people to account for the curious attraction of others.

Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.

Feel the fear and do it anyway.

If you would be pungent, be brief; for it is with words as with sunbeams--the more they are condensed, the deeper they burn.

I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and new.

True courage is like a kite; a contrary wind raises it higher.