John Henry Newman was an English theologian and poet, first an Anglican priest and later a Catholic priest and cardinal, who was an important and controversial figure in the religious history of England in the 19th century. Inspirational John Henry Newman quotes will challenge the way you think, and help guide you through any life experience.
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Famous John Henry Newman Quotes
Growth is the only evidence of life. John Henry Newman
I sought to hear the voice of God and climbed the topmost steeple, but God declared Go down again I dwell among the people. John Henry Newman
A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault. John Henry Newman
We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe. John Henry Newman
Calculation never made a hero. John Henry Newman
A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault. John Henry Newman
A great memory does not make a mind, any more than a dictionary is a piece of literature. John Henry Newman
To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often. John Henry Newman
It is almost the definition of a gentleman to say that he is one who never inflicts pain. John Henry Newman
Growth is the only evidence of life. John Henry Newman
From the age of fifteen, dogma has been the fundamental principle of my religion I know no other religion; I cannot enter into the idea of any other sort of religion; religion, as a mere sentiment, is to me a dream and a mockery. John Henry Newman
To be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant. John Henry Newman
To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often. John Henry Newman
Good is never accomplished except at the cost of those who do it, truth never breaks through except through the sacrifice of those who spread it. John Henry Newman
Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt. John Henry Newman
A great memory does not make a mind, any more than a dictionary is a piece of literature. John Henry Newman
Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather that it shall never have a beginning. John Henry Newman
Evil has no substance of its own, but is only the defect, excess, perversion, or corruption of that which has substance. John Henry Newman
The love of our private friends is the only preparatory exercise for the love of all men. John Henry Newman
God has created all things for good; all things for their greatest good; everything for its own good. What is the good of one is not the good of another; what makes one man happy would make another unhappy. God has determined, unless I interfere with His plan, that I should reach that which will be my greatest happiness. He looks on me individually, He calls me by my name, He knows what I can do, what I can best be, what is my greatest happiness, and He means to give it me. John Henry Newman
Let us act on what we have, since we have not what we wish. John Henry Newman
Animals have done us no harm and they have no power of resistance. There is something so very dreadful in tormenting those who have never harmed us, who cannot defend themselves, who are utterly in our power. Cardinal John Henry Newman
It is often said that second thoughts are best. So they are in matters of judgment but not in matters of conscience. John Henry Newman
With Christians, a poetical view of things is a duty. We are bid to color all things with hues of faith, to see a divine meaning in every event. Cardinal John Henry Newman
It is as absurd to argue men, as to torture them, into believing. John Henry Newman
If we insist on being as sure as is conceivable we must be content to creep along the ground, and never soar. John Henry Newman
If we are intended for great ends, we are called to great hazards. John Henry Newman
If then a practical end must be assigned to a University course, I say it is that of training good members of society. It is the education which gives a man a clear, conscious view of their own opinions and judgements, a truth in developing them, an eloquence in expressing them, and a force in urging them. It teaches him to see things as they are, to go right to the point, to disentangle a skein of thought to detect what is sophistical and to discard what is irrelevant. John Henry Newman
Let us take things as we find them let us not attempt to distort them into what they are not. We cannot make facts. All our wishing cannot change them. We must use them. John Henry Newman
Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning. John Henry Newman
There is such a thing as legitimate warfare war has its laws; there are things which may fairly be done, and things which may not be done. John Henry Newman
Nothing would be done at all if one waited until one could do it so well that no one could find fault with it. John Henry Newman
Men will die upon dogma but will not fall victim to a conclusion. John Henry Newman
I shall drink to the Pope, if you please, still, to conscience first, and to the Pope afterwards. John Henry Newman
It is almost a definition of a gentleman to say that he is one who never inflicts pain. John Henry Newman
Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt, as I understand the subject; difficulty and doubt are incommensurate. John Henry Newman
Virtue is its own reward, and brings with it the truest and highest pleasure; but if we cultivate it only for pleasure’s sake, we are selfish, not religious, and will never gain the pleasure, because we can never have the virtue. John Henry Newman
God knows what is my greatest happiness, but I do not. There is no rule about what is happy and good; what suits one would not suit another. And the ways by which perfection is reached vary very much; the medicines necessary for our souls are very different from each other. Thus God leads us by strange ways; we know He wills our happiness, but we neither know what our happiness is, nor the way. We are blind; left to ourselves we should take the wrong way; we must leave it to Him. John Henry Newman
We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe. John Henry Newman
Let us put ourselves into His hands, and not be startled though He leads us by a strange way, a mirabilis via, as the Church speaks. Let us be sure He will lead us right, that He will bring us to that which is, not indeed what we think best, nor what is best for another, but what is best for us. John Henry Newman
Nothing would be done at all if one waited until one could do it so well that no one could find fault with it. John Henry Newman
Providence has delivered me of every worldly passion, save this one; the desire to acquire books, new or old books of any kind, whose charms I cannot persuade myself to resist. John Henry Newman
If we insist on being as sure as is conceivable we must be content to creep along the ground, and never soar. John Henry Newman
To live is to change, and to change often is to become more perfect. Cardinal Newman
In this world no one rules by love; if you are but amiable, you are no hero; to be powerful, you must be strong, and to have dominion you must have a genius for organizing. John Henry Newman
A university training is the great ordinary means to a great but ordinary end; it aims at raising the intellectual tone of society. It is the education which gives a man a clear conscious view of his own opinions and judgments, a truth in developing them, an eloquence in expressing them and a force in urging them. Cardinal Newman
Evil has no substance of its own, but is only the defect, excess, perversion, or corruption of that which has substance. John Henry Newman
Boys do not fully know what is good and what is evil; they do wrong things at first almost innocently. Novelty hides vice from them; there is no one to warn them or give them rules; and they become slaves of sin, while they are learning what sin is. John Henry Newman
Nothing is more common than for men to think that because they are familiar with words they understand the ideas they stand for. John Henry Newman
But one aspect of Revelation must not be allowed to exclude or to obscure another; and Christianity is dogmatical, devotional, practical all at once; it is esoteric and exoteric; it is indulgent and strict; it is light and dark; it is love, and it is fear. John Henry Newman
A great memory is never made synonymous with wisdom, any more than a dictionary would be called a treatise. John Henry Newman
Here below to live is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often. John Henry Newman
To holy people the very name of Jesus is a name to feed upon, a name to transport. His name can raise the dead and transfigure and beautify the living. John Henry Newman
Health of body and mind is a great blessing, if we can bear it. John Henry Cardinal Newman
It is very difficult to get up resentment towards persons whom one has never seen. John Henry Newman
God has created me to do some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. John Henry Newman
Ability is sexless. John Henry Newman
It is often said that second thoughts are best. So they are in matters of judgment but not in matters of conscience. John Henry Newman
We must make up our minds to be ignorant of much, if we would know anything. John Henry Newman
Living movements do not come of committees, nor are great ideas worked out through the post, even though it had been the penny post. John Henry Newman
A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault. John Henry Newman
As to the Divine Design, is it not an instance of incomprehensibly and infinitely marvellous Wisdom and Design to have given certain laws to matter millions of ages ago, which have surely and precisely worked out, in the long course of those ages, those effects which He from the first proposed. Mr. Darwin’s theory need not then to be atheistical, be it true or not; it may simply be suggesting a larger idea of Divine Prescience and Skill. Perhaps your friend has got a surer clue to guide him than I have, who have never studied the question, and I do not see that the accidental evolution of organic beings’ is inconsistent with divine design It is accidental to us, not to God. John Henry Newman
To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often. John Henry Newman
It is beautiful in a picture to wash the disciples feet; but the sands of the real desert have no lustre in them to compensate for the servile nature of the occupation. John Henry Newman
Growth is the only evidence of life. John Henry Newman
It is love which makes Christian fear differ from servile dread, and true faith differ from the faith of devils; yet in the beginning of the religious life, fear is the prominent evangelical grace, and love is but latent in fear, and has in course of time to be developed out of what seems its contradictory. Then, when it is developed, it takes that prominent place which fear held before, yet protecting not superseding it. Love is added, not fear removed, and the mind is but perfected in grace by what seems a revolution. John Henry Newman
A great memory does not make a mind, any more than a dictionary is a piece of literature. John Henry Newman
And this one thing at least is certain; whatever history teaches, whatever it omits, whatever it exaggerates or extenuates, whatever it says and unsays, at least the Christianity of history is not Protestantism. If ever there were a safe truth, it is this. John Henry Newman
Good is never accomplished except at the cost of those who do it, truth never breaks through except through the sacrifice of those who spread it. John Henry Newman
Divine Wisdom speaks not to the world, but to her own children. Blessed John Henry Newman
Evil has no substance of its own, but is only the defect, excess, perversion, or corruption of that which has substance. John Henry Newman
Knowledge is one thing, virtue is another; good sense is not conscience, refinement is not humility, nor is largeness and justness of view faith. Philosophy, however enlightened, however profound, gives no command over the passions, no influential motives, no vivifying principles. Liberal Education makes not the Christian, not the Catholic, but the gentleman. John Henry Newman
Lead, Kindly Light, amidst th’encircling gloom. Lead Thou me on! John Henry Newman
The heart is a secret with its Maker; no one on earth can hope to get at it or to touch it. John Henry Newman
The night is dark, and I am far from home. John Henry Newman
The minds of young people are pliable and elastic, and easily accommodate themselves to any one they fall in with. John Henry Newman
To rest forever after earthly strife In the calm light of everlasting life. John Henry Newman
Fear not that life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning. John Henry Newman
The love of our private friends is the only preparatory exercise for the love of all men. John Henry Newman
What is more likely, considering our perverse nature, than that we should neglect the duties, while we wish to retain the privileges of our Christian profession? Our. John Henry Newman
If we insist on being as sure as is conceivable, we must be content to creep along the ground, and never soar. John Henry Newman
Wine is good in itself, but not for a man in a fever. If our souls were in perfect health, riches and authority, and strong powers of mind, would be very suitable to us but they are weak and diseased, and require so great a grace of God to bear these advantages well, that we may be well content to be without them. John Henry Newman
Nothing would be done at all if one waited until one could do it so well that no one could find fault with it. John Henry Newman
The rulers of the world were Monks, when they could not be Martyrs. John Henry Newman
Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning. John Henry Newman
The profession and the developments of a doctrine are according to the emergency of the time, and silence at a certain period implies, not that it was not then held, but that it was not questioned. John Henry Newman
Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt, as I understand the subject; difficulty and doubt are incommensurate. John Henry Newman
Of all points of faith, the being of a God is, to my own apprehension, encompassed with most difficulty, and yet borne in upon our minds with most power. John Henry Newman
Here below to live is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often. John Henry Newman
On the whole, all parties will agree that, of all existing systems, the present communion of Rome is the nearest approximation in fact to the Church of the Fathers, possible. John Henry Newman
Calculation never made a hero. John Henry Newman
