"Men build too many walls and not enough bridges."
Joseph Fort Newton
Author
Joseph Fort Newton was a prominent American minister and author known for his insights on faith and humanity, particularly in his influential work 'The Soul of a Man'.
- Born
- January 1, 1870
- Died
- January 1, 1950
- Quotes
- 25
- Rank
- #3415
About Joseph Fort Newton
Joseph Fort Newton — Life and Legacy
Joseph Fort Newton was a significant figure in early 20th-century American spirituality, recognized for his profound exploration of faith and humanity. His notable work, 'The Soul of a Man', delves into the complexities of human experience, emphasizing the importance of spiritual connection and self-awareness. Newton's core ideas revolve around the belief that faith is not merely a set of doctrines but a living, breathing force that shapes our understanding of the world. He famously stated, 'Faith is the bird that feels the light', which encapsulates his view that faith guides individuals toward hope and enlightenment, even amidst adversity. This perspective challenges the notion of faith as passive, instead presenting it as an active engagement with life's uncertainties. The relevance of Newton's thoughts persists today, as they resonate with those seeking deeper meaning in their lives. His emphasis on love as a vital component of faith encourages readers to foster genuine connections, underscoring the idea that our shared humanity is what unites us. Through his quotes and writings, Newton continues to inspire reflection on the spiritual dimensions of existence.
Quote collection
Joseph Fort Newton quotes (page 1 of 2)
25 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"To be happy is easy enough if we give ourselves, forgive others, and live with thanksgiving, No self centered person, no ungrateful soul can ever be happy, much less make anyone else happy. Life is giving, not getting."
"We cannot tell what may happen to us in the strange medley of life. But we can decide what happens in us - how we can take it, what we do with it - and that is what really counts in the end."
"More than an institution, more than a tradition, more than a society, Masonry is one of the forms of Divine life upon earth."
"Every person has a train of thought on which they travel when they are alone. The dignity and nobility of their life, as well as their happiness depend upon the direction in which that train is going, the baggage it carries and the scenery through which it travels."
"Be the kind of person you would like to be with. Some people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts and we are never the same. People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges."
"Masonry was not made to divide men, but to unite them, leaving each man free to think his own thoughts and fashion his own system of ultimate truth. All its emphasis rests upon two extremely simple and profound principles, love of God and love of man."
"Belief is truth held in the mind; faith is a fire in the heart."
"Love is lost in immensities; it comes in simple, gentle ways."
"Not what we have, but what we use, not what we see, but what we choose, these are the things that mar or bless the sum of human happiness."
"An egotist is not a man who thinks too much of himself; he is a man who thinks too little of other people."
"A duty dodged is like a debt unpaid; it is only deferred, and we must come back and settle the account at last."
"God works for man through man and seldom, if at all, in any other way. He asks for our voices to speak His truth, for our hands to do His work here below, sweet voices and clean hands to make liberty and love prevail over injustice and hate."
"The discovery of the Square was a great event to the primitive mystics of the Nile. Very early it became an emblem of truth, justice, and righteousness, and it remains to this day through unaccountable ages have passed."
"So many of us know what we are against, but not what we are for-what we disbelieve, not what we believe. A negative life easily becomes neutral and futile."
"Every man has a train of thought on which he rides when he is alone."
"Each lodge is an oasis if equality and good will in a desert of strife, working to wield mankind into a great league of sympathy and services, which, by the terms of our definition, it seeks to exhibit now on a small scale."
"Instead of criticizing Masonry, let us than God for one alter where no man is asked to surrender his liberty of thought and become an indistinguishable atom on a mass of sectarian agglomeration."
"It is not strange that men of note and learning, attracted by the wealth of symbolism on Masonry, as well as by its spirit of fraternity perhaps, also by its secrecy began at an early date to ask to be accepted as members of the order; hence Accepted Masons. How far back the custom of admitting such men to the Lodge goes is not clear, but hints of it are discernable in the oldest documents of the order."
"The real question, after all, is not the quantity of life, but its quality, its depth, its purity, its fortitude, its fineness of spirit and gesture of soul."