Hosea Ballou

Hosea Ballou
Hosea Ballouwas an American Universalist clergyman and theological writer. He has been called one of the fathers of American Universalism...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionClergyman
Date of Birth30 April 1771
CountryUnited States of America
practice perfect theory
Theory, from whatever source, is not perfect until it is reduced to practice.
religious practice doctrine
There is one sure criterion of judgment as to religious faith in doctrinal matters; can you reduce it to practice? If not, have none of it.
practice doubt creeds
Doubt that creed which you cannot reduce to practice.
life godly practice
Preaching is to much avail, but practice is far more effective. A godly life is the strongest argument you can offer the skeptic.
character children education hearsay spoken tends toward within word
Education commences at the mother's knee, and every word spoken within the hearsay of little children tends toward the formation of character
doubt incentive inquiry patient
Doubt is an incentive to truth, and patient inquiry leadeth the way.
parent brevity-of-life brevity
Brevity and conciseness are the parents of correction....
Everything in the world exists to end up in a book.
best
There is no such things as 'best' in the world of individuals.
age age-and-aging forty
Forty is the old age of youth, fifty is the youth of old age.
prayer tests enterprise
Embark on no enterprise which you cannot submit to the test of prayer.
judgment should liberality
Liberality should be tempered with judgment, not with profuseness.
kindness way speak
With regard to manner, be careful to speak in a soft, tender, kind and loving way. Even when you have occasion to rebuke, be careful to do it with manifest kindness. The effect will be incalculably better.
oblivion injury altars
Lay silently the injuries you receive upon the altar of oblivion.