19th-century Religious Leader Quotes

Pope Leo XIII

Joseph Smith, Jr.

Sitting Bull

Mary Baker Eddy

Abdu'l-Bahá

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

Ramana Maharshi

I am deeply interested in this work. I am anxious to encourage the people to press on in securing their genealogies and after doing so in laboring in our temples.

Our duty is to preach the gospel to all men.... This is what God expects of us

John Taylor (Mormon)

Desire may be compared to a minute seed. It is like a big banyan tree growing out of a seed, which is no bigger than a dot.

Although the troops have struck us, we throw it all behind and are glad to meet you in peace and friendship.

Peace can reign only where there is no disturbance, and disturbance is due to thoughts that arise in the mind.

Ramana Maharshi

It requires courage to utter truth; for the higher Truth lifts her voice, the louder will error scream, until its inarticulate sound is forever silenced in oblivion

Mary Baker Eddy

The Sabbath day has become a day of pleasure, a day of boisterous conduct, a day in which the worship of God has departed, and the worship of pleasure has taken its place. I am sorry to say that many of the Latter-day Saints are guilty of this. We should repent.

Joseph Fielding Smith

In the great body of human society it is impossible to establish unity and coordination if one part is considered perfect and the other imperfect. When the perfect functions of both parts are in operation, harmony will prevail. God has created man and woman equal as to faculties. He has made no distinction between them.

Our being edified at conference depends on us. It becomes necessary that we prepare our hearts to receive and profit by the suggestions that may be made by the speakers during the progress of the conference, which may be prompted by the Spirit of the Lord. I have thought, and still think, that our being edified does not so much depend upon the speaker as upon ourselves.

Tender inner weaknesses, revolting at mild touches of censure, are like diseased parts of the body, recoiling before even delicate handling.

Man's earthly existence is but a test as to whether he will concentrate his efforts, his mind, his soul upon things which contribute to the comfort and gratification of his physical instincts and passions, or whether he will make as his life's end and purpose the acquisition of spiritual qualities

So that I may be perfectly clear... Before the death of Christ during the period between the calling of Abraham and the fullness of time, the people of Israel were the vehicle of Divine Revelation. The Spirit of God raised up and enlightened men who by the law, the Mosaic Thorah, regulated their religious and civil life, by the Psalms provided them with a prayer book for family devotion and a hymn-book... It is only with this Israel of the early biblical period that I shall deal in my Advent sermons. After the death of Christ Israel was dismissed from the service of Revelation.

Michael von Faulhaber

I will not leave this place until I achieve one of the two highest levels; martyrhood or victory.

Jesus Christ is not hurried; He calmly rules the storm, and holds the helm of this world in His hand, and it will not drift away from the course designated by the infinite authority and power of God.

David Seth Doggett

When a man works by faith, he works by mental exertion instead of by physical force.

Joseph Smith, Jr.

The trouble with facts is that there are so many of them.

Samuel McChord Crothers

There is nothing in my teachings to the Church or in those of my associates, during the time specified, which can be reasonably construed to inculate or encourage polygamy... And I now publicly declare that my advice to the Latter-day Saints is to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the law of the land.

Wilford Woodruff

Our religion seems foolish to you, but so does yours to me. The Baptists and Methodists and Presbyterians and the Catholics all have a different God. Why cannot we have one of our own?

I would not seek to force people to live up to my ideals but rather love them into doing the thing that is right.

George Albert Smith

Eddington's universe goes phut. Richard Tolman's can open and shut. Eddington's bursts without grace or tact, But Tolman's swells and perhaps may contract.

All arrangements that are carried out between heaven and earth are carried out through angels.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

Notwithstanding, the disciples of Jesus, excepting John the Revelator, suffered ignominious deaths, they sowed the seed of the Gospel among, and conferred the Priesthood upon men, which remained for several generations upon the earth, but the time came when Paganism was engrafted into Christianity, and at last Christianity was converted into Paganism rather than converting the Pagans. And subsequently the Priesthood was taken from among men, this authority was re-called into the heavens, and the world was left without the Priesthood-without the power of God-without the Church and Kingdom of God.

Joseph F. Smith

That which has been termed race, is not a race.... It is a curse, and a cursed, vulgar name that was given to low-rate you, in short, to DISGRACE you.

It is strange to hear people talk on humanitarianism, who are members of societies for prevention of cruelty to children and animals, and who claim to be God-loving men and women, but who, nevertheless, encourage by their patronage the killing of animals merely to gratify the cravings of appetite.

Otoman Zar-Adusht Ha'nish

Analysis is like turning a stocking inside out to mend it; synthesis is like turning it back to wear it.

M. Woolsey Stryker