John Henry Newman Quotes
John Henry Newman was an English theologian, religious philosopher, and one of the great prose stylists of Victorian English. A leader of the Oxford Movement within the Church of England, he converted to Roman Catholicism in 1845 and was eventually made a cardinal. The quotes below are attributed to John Henry Newman, organized by topic.
Browse John Henry Newman by topic
John Henry Newman on Death
-
“Men live after their death—they live not only in their writings or their chronicled history, but still more in that ἄγραφος μνήμη exhibited in a school of pupils who trace their moral parentage to them.”
Letter to Rev. S. Rickards (20 July 1830), quoted in Letters and Correspondence of John Henry Newman During His Life in the English Church With a Brief Autobiography, Vol. I , ed. Anne Mozley (1890), p. 203
John Henry Newman on God
-
“Conscience is the aboriginal vicar of Christ.”
Part V: Conscience, p. 57 -
“Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt.”
Ch. V, p. 239 -
“Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom; lead Thou me on.”
The Pillar of the Cloud , st. 1 (1833) -
Attributed to John Henry Newman:
“It is as absurd to argue men, as to torture them, into believing.”
-
“There is in stillness oft a magic power To calm the breast, when struggling passions lower; Touch'd by its influence, in the soul arise Diviner feelings, kindred with the skies.”
Solitude (1818) -
“Christian! hence learn to do thy part, And leave the rest to Heaven.”
St. Paul at Melita , st. 3 (1833)
John Henry Newman on Knowledge
-
Attributed to John Henry Newman:
“An idea is an ambiguous thing; you cannot reach it without long preparation.”
-
“Persecution , st. 3 (1832)”
Time hath a taming hand. -
“Sin can read sin, but dimly scans high grace.”
Isaac (1833) -
“St. Paul at Melita , st. 3 (1833)”
Christian! hence learn to do thy part, And leave the rest to Heaven. -
“The Pillar of the Cloud , st. 1 (1833)”
Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home— Lead Thou me on! Keep Thou my feet: I do not ask to see The distant scene,—one step enough for me. -
“And with the morn those angel faces smile Which I have loved long since and lost awhile.”
The Pillar of the Cloud , st. 3 (1833)
John Henry Newman on Life
-
“To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.”
Chapter 1, Section 1, p. 39
John Henry Newman on Time
-
“Time hath a taming hand.”
Persecution , st. 3 (1832)