Henry Ward Beecher Quotes

Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Excuse Hold Responsibility Standard Yourself
To array a man’s will against his sickness is the supreme art of medicine.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Art Himself Man Medicine Sick
No coffee can be good in the mouth that does not first send a sweet offering of odor to the nostrils.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Coffee Good Offering Smell
The real democratic American idea is, not that every man shall be on a level with every other man, but that every man shall have liberty to be what God made him, without hindrance.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Democracy Ideas Level Liberty Man Reality
Do not give, as many rich men do, like a hen that lays her eggs and then cackles.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Egg Herself Man Rich
The dog is the god of frolic.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Dog God One Liner
It is defeat that turns bone to flint; it is defeat that turns gristle to muscle; it is defeat that makes men invincible. Do not then be afraid of defeat. You are never so near to victory as when defeated in a good cause.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Bone Defeat Man Muscle Reason
Whatever is almost true is quite false, and among the most dangerous of errors, because being so near truth, it is more likely to lead astray.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Dangerous Errors Fake Leadership Mistake Path Quite True
When a man says that he is perfect already, there is only one of two places for him, and that is heaven or the lunatic asylum.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Heaven Man Perfection Place System Talk
Love is the river of life in this world.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Life Love River World
It is for men to choose whether they will govern themselves or be governed.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Choice Government Man
Every man should keep a fair-sized cemetery in which to bury the faults of his friends.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Bury Fair Fault Friendship Grave Himself Man Mistake
Pushing any truth out very far, you are met by a counter-truth.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Fear Push Truth Yourself
Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Anxiety Choice Faith Future Handle Hold
Adversity, if for no other reason, is of benefit, since it is sure to bring a season of sober reflection. People see clearer at such times. Storms purify the atmosphere.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Adversity Atmosphere Benefit Purify Reason Reflection Storm Time
Some men are like pyramids, which are very broad where they touch the ground, but grow narrow as they reach the sky.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Ground Man Reach Sky Touch
Life would be a perpetual flea hunt if a man were obliged to run down all the innuendoes, inveracities, and insinuations and misrepresentations which are uttered against him.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Himself Life Man Obligation Representation
Blessed are they who know how to shine on one’s gloom with their cheer.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Blessing Cheer Gloom Shine
Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the right use of strength.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Greatness Lying Right Strength Strong
Sorrows, as storms, bring down the clouds close to the earth; sorrows bring heaven down close; and they are instruments of cleansing and purifying.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Cleaning Close Cloud Earth Instrument Purify Sorrow Storm
If you are idle, you are on the road to ruin; and there are few stopping-places upon it. It is rather a precipice than a road
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Place Road Ruin Yourself
There is no friendship, no love, like that of the parent for the child.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Children Friendship Love Parents
A Christian is nothing but a sinful man who has put himself to school for Christ for the honest purpose of becoming better.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Better Honesty Man Myself Purpose School Sin
The mother’s heart is the child’s schoolroom.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Children Heart Mom Room School
Next to victory, there is nothing so sweet as defeat, if only the right adversary overcomes you.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Adversity Defeat Right Sweet Victory Yourself
Troubles are often the tools by which God fashions us for better things.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Better Fashion God Tools Trouble
Your greatest pleasure is that which rebounds from hearts that you have made glad.
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Greatness Happiness Heart Pleasure Yourself

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