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Wikiquote:Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers

Following is a transcription of the quotes contained in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), a book of primarily religious quotations in the public domain. These quotations need to be corrected, formatted and transferred to the appropriate entry or entries (some may be appropriate both for the the page of the author, and for a theme page). Work on identifying the authors is being done at Wikipedia:WikiProject Missing encyclopedic articles/Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers.

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  • On the cross of Christ relying,
    Through His death redeemed from dying,
    By His favor fortified;
    When my mortal frame is perished,
    Let my spirit then be cherished
    And in heaven be glorified.
    • Jacobus de Benedictus, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 172.
  • Give the Bible the place in your families to which it is justly entitled, and then, through the unsearchable riches of Christ, many a household among you may hereafter realize that most blessed consummation, and appear a whole family in heaven.
    • H. A. Boardman, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 39.
  • If you have not the faith of assurance, practice at least the faith of adherence. That, at least, is in your power. Cleave to God exactly as if you were certain of being accepted of Him at last; and thus fulfilling His own conditions, you will be accepted of Him, whether you are assured of it beforehand or not.
    • Jacques Bonneval, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 18.
  • Rest, weary soul!
    The penalty is borne, the ransom paid,
    For all thy sins full satisfaction made;
    Strive not to do thyself what Christ has done,
    Claim the free gift, and make the joy thine own;
    No more by pangs of guilt and fear distressed,
    Rest, sweetly rest.
  • Nay, be they many, be they few,
    My thought but holds the end in view;
    And fills each day's full measure up
    With service sweet and patient hope.
  • How shall we test our love?
    How shall the real be known
    From that which takes its form?
    Love "seeketh not her own."
    • Mrs. M. F. Butts, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 399.
  • Who art Thou, Lord, and why to me so wondrous kind?
    Quickly the voice replies,
    "I am the Shepherd, who my straying lamb would find."
  • The strong argument for the truth of Christianity is the true Christian; the man filled with the Spirit of Christ. The best proof of Christ's resurrection is a living church, which itself is walking in a new life, and drawing life from Him who hath overcome death.
    • Theodor Christlieb, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 137.
  • What Christianity in her antagonism with every form of unbelief most needs is holy living.
  • To do Thy holy will;
    To bear Thy cross;
    To trust Thy mercy still,
    In pain or loss;
    Poor gifts are these to bring,
    Dear Lord, to Thee,
    Who hast done every thing
    For me!
    • George Cooper, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 169.
  • Dear Lord, forgive my sinful, foolish fears
    And give me daily, strengthening grace, I pray,
    And one thing more I ask with humble tears,
    Take not my cross away!
  • These poor people had never heard the distinctions between intellectual faith, historic faith, and saving faith; but they did as they were taught, — reached out their dirty hands to take Christ, and attended to the washing of their hands afterwards.
    • W. H. Daniels, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 230.
  • From that time Mr. Moody ceased to urge people to begin their religious life by finding something to do for Christ; but insisted that, first of all, they should let Christ do something for them. If they would only believe, Christ would help them to be and to do.
    • W. H. Daniels, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 234.
  • Our very unworthiness is our highest preparation for coming t.o Christ. A starving man can stretch out his hand, and receive the food that is offered to him, just as well as the man who is only a little hungry; and the greatest sinner can take of the water of life, just as well as the man who can say of all the commandments of the Decalogue, "All these have I kept from my youth up."
    • Henry Darling, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 152.
  • Here then is man's duty. It is to receive that free and full salvation that Christ has provided. It is to stretch forth the hand of faith, and with it take the proffered salvation. It is to cling to the cross as the only hope of everlasting life. Will you do it? Weary, working, plodding one, will you, ceasing all this vain attempt to save yourself, receive Christ, and Christ alone as your Saviour?
  • Christians are continually tempted to do what all controversy solicits them to do; namely, to argue; as if their business was to establish, in the light of the understanding, certain conclusions to which every rational person must assent. But this is to put the main point, the attractive action of God Himself, out of the question. If the end of God be what we hold it to be, to bring human souls to Himself, then the means He actually employs must be living and spiritual. They are likely to be infinitely various and subtle; but they will deal principally with the conscience and the affections.
    • J. LLlewelyn Davies, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 138.
  • The incarnation of God is a necessity of human nature. If we really and truly have a Father, we must be able to clasp His feet in our penitence, and to lean on His breast in our weary sorrowfulness.
    • Charles F. Deems, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 55.
  • When Jesus knew that it was not possible for the cup to pass from Him, with love to God He held it fast, and with love to man He drank it all.
    • Alexander Dickson, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 71.
  • Let us always remember that God has never promised to supply our wishes, but only our wants, and these only as they arise from day to day.
    • Alexander Dickson, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 280.
  • Nearer, O Christ,to Thee. Nearer to the open side; nearer to the eyes that wept in love because I was a sinner; nearer to the scarred hand that wields the sceptre of dominion.
    • T. M. Eddy, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 433.
  • The parables, as they are called, are the wisdom of Jesus applied to the daily life of man.
    • Charles William Elliott, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 65.
  • Happy those who are able in truth to say, "My Lord and my God!" Here is the true bond of union. Here is the noblest inspiration of life. Strength for work. Comfort in trouble. Hope in death. Here is what gives eternity itself its chief interest and joy. There we shall behold the King in His beauty. And when we shall see Him as He is, and shall be like Him, with what ecstasy of love and gratitude and joy shall we cry, "My Lord-and my God!"
  • Let the oracles of inspiration be cited continually, both as authority and illustration, in a manner that shall make the mind instantly refer each expression that is introduced to the venerable book whence it is taken; but let our part of religious language be simply ours, and let those oracles retain their characteristic form of expression unimitated, unparodied to the end of time.
    • John Foster, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 38.
  • Running like a Gulf-stream through the sea of time, comes the affirmation that God has manifested Himself to man, and the best men have affirmed it most persistently. Wherever this affirmation has made its way, the icebergs of skepticism have disappeared, the temperature of virtue has risen, and the sweet fruits of charity have ripened. If the belief be false, then a lie has blessed the world, and the soul is so organized that it reaches its highest state of development in an atmosphere of deception; for it is a fact that man is purest and woman most virtuous where belief in God's manifestations is most intense and real.
  • A kind word spoken for Christ may create a wider vibration in eternity than the grandest sermon by the greatest preacher.
    • C. Gowand, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 561.
  • By Thine hour of dire despair;
    By Thine agony of prayer;
    By the cross, the nail, the thorn,
    Piercing spear, and torturing scorn;
    By the gloom that veiled the skies
    O'er the dreadful sacrifice;
    Listen to our humble cry,
    Hear our solemn Litany.
  • To turn one's back on the memorial supper is to disregard the most tender and loving and melting of all our Saviour's commandments. It is not needful to know just how obedience will help us. It is enough to know that it was His dying command that we keep it till He come.
    • Henry M. Grout, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 371.
  • Lord, as to Thy dear cross we flee
    And pray to be forgiven,
    So let Thy life our pattern be,
    And form our souls for heaven.
    • J. H. Gurney, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 173.
  • The Bible is not only the revealer of the unknown God to man, but His grand interpreter as the God of nature. In revealing God, it has given us the key that unlocks the profoundest mysteries of creation, the clew by which to thread,the labyrinth of the universe, the glass through which to look from Nature up to Nature's God.
    • L. J. Halsey, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 31.
  • Nothing reveals character more than self-sacrifice. So the highest knowledge we have of God is through the gift of His Son.
  • The simple desire and purpose to please and honor and serve the Master will save your most ordinary work from being contemptible, and will give to your greatest service a beauty and acceptableness which bulk and bigness can never give.
    • S. E. Herrick, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 120.
  • Divine love is a sacred flower, which in its early bud is happiness, and in its full bloom is heaven.
    • E. L. Hervey, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 395.
  • Ah, no! henceforth my own desire shall be,
    That He who knows me best should choose for me;
    And so, whate'er His love sees good to send,
    I'll trust it's best, because He knows the end.
  • O, shall I ever learn
    lesson grand,
    That I should never spurn
    offered hand
    Reached out to guide my way
    Through life's dark land?
    • Mrs. N. A. Holt, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 265.
  • Like a blind spinner in the sun,
    I tread my days.
    I know that all the threads will run
    Appointed ways;
    I know each day will bring its task,
    And being blind, no more I ask.
    I do not know the use or name
    Of that I spin;
    I only know that some one came
    And laid within
    My hand the thread, and said,
    "Since you
    Are blind, but one thing you can do."
  • Exercise your God-given power of trust. Look up! Salvation is provided, and nothing remains to be done. Take hold! Take hold! Do not wait!
    • Bishop E. S. Janes, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 589.
  • Rock of Ages, I'm secure,
    With Thy promise full and free;
    Faithful, positive, and sure —
    "As thy days, thy strength shall be."
    • William Freeman Lloyd, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 101.
  • In what consists the entire of Christianity but in this, — that feeling an utter incapacity to work out our own salvation, we submit our whole selves, our hearts, and our understandings, to the Divine disposal; and that, relying upon God's gracious assistance, ensured to our honest endeavors to obtain it, through the mediation of Jesus Christ, we look up to Him, and to Him alone, for safety? Nay, what is the very notion of religion, but this humble reliance upon God? —
    • Archbishop W. Magee, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 132.
  • Harbor no thought, neither do any act you would be unwilling the whole world should know.
    • Albert Matthews, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 315.
  • If you are ever tempted to speak lightly or think lightly of it, just sit down and imagine what this world would be without it. No Bible! A wound and no cure, a storm and no covert, a condemnation and no shrift, a lost eternity and no ransom! Alas for us if this were all; alas for us if the ladder of science were the only stair to lead us up to God!
    • R. R. Meredith, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 37.
  • Christianity does not consist in a proud priesthood, a costly church, an imposing ritual, a fashionable throng, a pealing organ, loud responses to the creed, and reiterated expressions of reverence for the name of Christ; but in the spirit of filial trust in God, and ardent, impartial, overflowing love to man.
  • Reader, if Christ is yours, and you are Christ's, is there any thing on which you may more confidently repose than that Jesus is making continual intercession for you, ever displaying the merits of His cross and precious blood, not only for the church at large, but for thee, even for sinful thee?
  • The way to be strong is to act on the credit of strength being given. Strength is received in the act of obeying. When the path of duty is clear, it is want of faith to continue asking for strength, and not to act upon it.
  • God is kind; but within the limits of inexorable law. He is good, but you can take no liberties with Him; for back of His pity and kindness is the righteousness that is so exact, and that must be satisfied to the uttermost farthing.
  • Antedating our history, possessing and illumining the hearts of the founders of liberty in our free land, and constantly exerting the soul-equalizing and soul-elevating principles of the gospel of Christ as they fall from Sabbath to Sabbath on the masses of the people, the Christian church stands before all men as the pillar and ground of civil liberty in the world.
    • W. H. Perrine, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 148.
  • Give me a faithful heart —
    Likeness to Thee,
    That each departing day
    Henceforth may see
    Some work of love begun,
    Some deed of kindness done,
    Some wanderer sought and won,
    Something for Thee.
  • Attendance at the Lord's table is not a subject left to human choice; but to every disciple of Jesus His express and solemn command is, "Do this."
    • John Gregory Pike, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 372.
  • Then, too, His patience — reaching on and on in its long-suffering amplitude, waiting and never weary, hopeful and never despairing of conquering the soul, — no wonder the "patience of Christ" became the apostolic formulary of moral loveliness. What a power was in it! Here is a nature made suspicious by manifold deceits, stranded on the shoals of doubt, desponding, obstinate, wedded to sin. Does the Master crush it by imperious authority, exasperate it by taunts, fling it aside as a cumberer of the ground? Ah, give it time to recover, opportunities to know itself, nurse it by gentleness, gain its confidence, find the secret of its weakness and sorrow! Do not despair! It may bear fruit next year. Oh, this infinite patience of Jesus, how it rebukes our cynical criticisms and passionate haste! How it bids us take note of temperaments, troubles, habits, provocations, prejudices, in our judgments of men!
    • H. N. Powers, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 63.
  • Whoever studies Divine providence, whether it be in relation to the events that concern us, our families, the cities and nations to which we belong; whoever studies the rise and fall of nations and empires, whoever looks at the clashing of armies, will perceive that these are only parts of one grand movement. God is marching on to the accomplishment of an appointed end; namely, the subjugation of the world to Himself.
    • J. M. Reid, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 279.
  • Christ sends His Spirit, not only to help, but to lead us on, so that we build better than we know. We come freely into His methods; we are made to carry out His plan. This is the guarantee of an eternal success.
  • The Bible alone of all the books in the world, instead of uttering the opinions of the successive ages that produced it, has been the antagonist of these opinions.
    • Stuart Robinson, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 29.
  • God lives! there rest, my soul;
    God hears! before Him bow;
    God sees! and can control;
    God leads! then follow thou.
    God gives and loves,—
    Look up above!
    O heart, be done with all thy care!
    You shall live with Him there.
  • Christ is the Head of all things. Every thing lies open before His eye, every thing is sustained by His power, and every thing is disposed of by His wisdom. Not a sparrow can fall to the ground without His notice and permission. Oh, to see Jesus in all things! Oh to see every thing at the disposal of Jesus! Oh, to see that all things are directed, controlled, and overruled by Christ alone.' May this calm my mind, compose my spirit, and produce holy resignation in my soul! If Jesus arranges all, sends all, directs all, overrules all, then all things must work together for good to them that love God.
    • James Smith (theologian), reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 79.
  • How can we in practice copy Jesus? How do you write a copy in your copy-book? By constantly looking at the top line, imitating its capital letters, small letters, up-strokes, down- strokes, even stops. So be always " looking unto Jesus."
    • Eugene Stock, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 391.
  • Large asking and large expectation on our part honor God.
  • We thank God, in this our day, for the furnace and the fire; for the good sword and the true word; for the great triumph and the little song.
  • Christ came not to talk about a beautiful light, but to be that light — not to speculate about virtue, but to be virtue.
    • H. G. Taylor, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 65.
  • The death-bed testimony impresses us only as it is the outgrowth of a life. The life is the test. Triumphant living is better than triumphant dying.
  • We are content to take what Thou shalt give,
    To work or suffer as Thy choice shall be;
    Forsaking what Thy wisdom bids us leave,
    Glad in the thought that we are pleasing Thee.
  • On Thy compassion I repose,
    In weakness and distress,
    I will not ask for greater ease,
    Lest I should love Thee less;
    Oh, 'tis a blessed thing for me
    To need Thy tenderness.
    When I am feeble as a child,
    And flesh and heart give way,
    Then on Thy everlasting strength
    With clinging trust I stay;
    And the rough wind becomes a song,
    The darkness shines like day.
    • Anna Waring, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 593.
  • We cannot come before the sinless and holy Lord with a stainless and holy life. We can at best bring Him the partial offerings of years. Yes, the holiest saint shall only at the last say, "Not for my righteousness." But if we can say with honest hearts: "I have striven to serve Thee, I have followed in Thy path, and clung to Thy cross, and pressed forward through the many falls and many repentings — I bring Thee a heart which asks nothing save Thy grace, claims nothing save Thy Divine love;" then He will say, "Bring the best robe and put it on him." "Welcome to the joy of thy Lord."
  • I feel that one reason why many real Christians do not go on their way rejoicing is, that they deify the humanity of Christ. (They study the deity of the Saviour before they look to His humanity).
    • Mrs. Mary Winslow, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 55.

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  • Shall I grudge to spend my life for Him who did not grudge to shed His life-blood for me?
    • William Beveridge, Private Thought upon Religion (published posthumously in 1813), p. 94, reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. p. 121.
  • Remember Thy pure word of grace, —
    Remember Calvary;
    Remember all Thy dying groans,
    And then remember me.
  • I have taken my good deeds and bad deeds, and thrown them together into a heap, and fled from them both to Christ, and in Him I have peace.
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