All Quotes

"There are things about organized religion which I resent. Christ is revered as the Prince of Peace, but more blood has been shed in His name than any other figure in history. You show me one step forward in the name of religion and I'll show you a hundred retrogressions. Remember, they were men of God who destroyed the educational treasures at Alexandria, who perpetrated the Inquisition in Spain, who burned the witches at Salem. Over 25,000 organized religions flourish on this planet, but the followers of each think all the others are miserably misguided and probably evil as well."

"Hail the heavenly Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, Risen with healing in his wings. Mild he lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth."

"The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in His work of beneficence. He had an associate—a co-worker who could appreciate His purposes, and could share His joy in giving happiness to created beings. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” John 1:1, 2. Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father—one in nature, in character, in purpose—the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6. His “goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2. And the Son of God declares concerning Himself: “The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting. ... When He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.” Proverbs 8:22-30."

"Hayle my lord God, hayle prince of pees, Hayle my fadir, and hayle my sone; Hayle sovereyne sege all synnes to sesse, Hayle God and man in erth to wonne. Hayle, thurgh whos myht All this worlde was first begonne, Merknes and light."

"“My body is at its weakest, but my spirit is still fighting,”"

"Reward for information leading to the apprehension of — Jesus Christ Wanted — For Sedition, Criminal Anarchy — Vagrancy, and Conspiring to Overthrow the Established Government. Dresses poorly, said to be a carpenter by trade, ill-nourished, has visionary ideas, associates with common working people, the unemployed and bums. Alien — believed to be a Jew. Alias: "Prince of Peace. Son of Man." "Light of the world" &c. &c. Professional Agitator, Red beard, marks on hands and feet the result of injuries inflicted by an angry mob led by respectable citizens and legal authorities."

"The Queen of Light took her bow and then she turned to go, The Prince of Peace embraced the gloom and walked the night alone."

"John Rogers was educated at Cambridge, and was afterward many years chaplain to the merchant adventurers at Antwerp in Brabant. Here he met with the celebrated martyr William Tyndale, and Miles Coverdale, both voluntary exiles from their country for their aversion to popish superstition and idolatry. They were the instruments of his conversion; and he united with them in that translation of the Bible into English, entitled "The Translation of Thomas Matthew." From the Scriptures he knew that unlawful vows may be lawfully broken; hence he married, and removed to Wittenberg in Saxony, for the improvement of learning; and he there learned the Dutch language, and received the charge of a congregation, which he faithfully executed for many years. On King Edward's accession, he left Saxony to promote the work of reformation in England; and, after some time, Nicholas Ridley, then bishop of London, gave him a prebend in St. Paul's Cathedral, and the dean and chapter appointed him reader of the divinity lesson there. Here he continued until Queen Mary's succession to the throne, when the Gospel and true religion were banished, and the Antichrist of Rome, with his superstition and idolatry, introduced.The circumstance of Mr. Rogers having preached at Paul's cross, after Queen Mary arrived at the Tower, has been already stated. He confirmed in his sermon the true doctrine taught in King Edward's time, and exhorted the people to beware of the pestilence of popery, idolatry, and superstition. For this he was called to account, but so ably defended himself that, for that time, he was dismissed. The proclamation of the queen, however, to prohibit true preaching, gave his enemies a new handle against him. Hence he was again summoned before the council, and commanded to keep to his house. He did so, though he might have escaped; and though he perceived the state of the true religion to be desperate. He knew he could not want a living in Germany; and he could not forget a wife and ten children, and to seek means to succor them. But all these things were insufficient to induce him to depart, and, when once called to answer in Christ's cause, he stoutly defended it, and hazarded his life for that purpose.After long imprisonment in his own house, the restless Bonner, bishop of London, caused him to be committed to Newgate, there to be lodged among thieves and murderers.After Mr. Rogers had been long and straitly imprisoned, and lodged in Newgate among thieves, often examined, and very uncharitably entreated, and at length unjustly and most cruelly condemned by Stephen Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, the fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord 1555, being Monday in the morning, he was suddenly warned by the keeper of Newgate's wife, to prepare himself for the fire; who, being then sound asleep, could scarce be awaked. At length being raised and awaked, and bid to make haste, then said he, "If it be so, I need not tie my points." And so was had down, first to bishop Bonner to be degraded: which being done, he craved of Bonner but one petition; and Bonner asked what that should be. Mr. Rogers replied that he might speak a few words with his wife before his burning, but that could not be obtained of him.When the time came that he should be brought out of Newgate to Smithfield, the place of his execution, Mr. Woodroofe, one of the sheriffs, first came to Mr. Rogers, and asked him if he would revoke his abominable doctrine, and the evil opinion of the Sacrament of the altar. Mr. Rogers answered, "That which I have preached I will seal with my blood." Then Mr. Woodroofe said, "Thou art an heretic." "That shall be known," quoth Mr. Rogers, "at the Day of Judgment." "Well," said Mr. Woodroofe, "I will never pray for thee." "But I will pray for you," said Mr. Rogers; and so was brought the same day, the fourth of February, by the sheriffs, towards Smithfield, saying the Psalm Miserere by the way, all the people wonderfully rejoicing at his constancy; with great praises and thanks to God for the same. And there in the presence of Mr. Rochester, comptroller of the queen's household, Sir Richard Southwell, both the sheriffs, and a great number of people, he was burnt to ashes, washing his hands in the flame as he was burning. A little before his burning, his pardon was brought, if he would have recanted; but he utterly refused it. He was the first martyr of all the blessed company that suffered in Queen Mary's time that gave the first adventure upon the fire. His wife and children, being eleven in number, ten able to go, and one sucking at her breast, met him by the way, as he went towards Smithfield. This sorrowful sight of his own flesh and blood could nothing move him, but that he constantly and cheerfully took his death with wonderful patience, in the defence and quarrel of the Gospel of Christ."

"Mr. John Rogers, minister of the gospel in London, was the first martyr in Queen Mary's reign, and was burnt at Smithfield, February 14, 1554.—His wife, with nine small children, and one at her breast, followed him to the stake, with which sorrowful sight he was not in the least daunted, but with wonderful patience died courageously for the gospel of Jesus Christ."

"Parable of the Prodigal Son, one of the parables of Jesus from the New Testament."

"Prodigal Son (TV series), American crime television series."

"An admirable Electra was the youthful Alessandra; admirable for the manner in which she, an Italian, pronounced the speech of Athens; in the just intonations of her voice, in preserving the illusion of the scene, in faithfully portraying the character, and regulating the expression, gestures and movements, proper to her part; in keeping the language of passion within the bounds of decorum, in awakening the pity of the audience by the sight of her tearful face. All were deeply moved, but oh! what envy did I feel within my heart when she clasped Orestes to her breast and cried, 'Do I hold thee in mine arms?' and he replied, 'Oh, mayest thou ever hold me thus!'"

"At last I have found that which I desired, that which I have always sought, the love long sighed for, the love beheld in my dreams! A maiden of perfect beauty, of grace which is natural and not acquired; a maiden learned in Greek and Latin, excellent in the dance, skilled in music, in which qualities, veiled by her modesty, she is the rival of the Graces. I have found her! But what doth it profit me, if I, who burn for her, can see her scarce once a year?"

"Per eseguire e fare come gli altri, giostrai in sulla piazza di Santa Croce con grande spesa, e grande sunto; nella quale trovo si spese circa fiorini 10 mila di sugello; e ben che d’armi e di colpi non fussi molto strenuo, mi fu giudicato il primo onore, cioè un elmetto fornito d’ariento, con un Marte per cimiero."

"Le Tem[p]s Revient."

"Ἡ γὰρ συνήθεια εὔκαταφρονήτους ποιεῖν εἴωθεν."

"It is my Great Honor to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed. The Members of the Board will be announced shortly, but I can say with certainty that it is the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled at any time, any place."

"Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do. And we'll do it in conjunction with the United Nations."

"We (United Kingdom) won't be one of the signatories today because this is a legal treaty that raises much broader issues. And we do also have concerns about President Putin being part of something that's talking about peace when we've still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be commitment to peace in Ukraine."

"Fourth and last is the sign of the circumcision of Jesus, which Christ deigned to accept on this day. He wanted to be circumcised for many reasons. For himself, to show us that he had taken on a real body, knowing that there would be those who would argue that he had not taken on a real body but a fantastical one; therefore, to refute this error, he wanted to be circumcised and shed blood. A fantastical body does not shed blood. For us, to show us that we must be circumcised in spirit. (from “The Circumcision of the Lord”, p. 99)"

"Hilary, bishop of Poitiers, came from Aquitaine; he preceded like the planet Venus shining among the stars. At first he was married and had a daughter; although a layman, he led a monastic life; finally, now advanced in years and doctrine, he was elected bishop. Since the blessed Hilary defended not only his city but the whole of France from heresy, on the advice of two bishops corrupted by heresy, the emperor, himself a heretic, exiled him with the blessed Eusebius, bishop of Vercelli. [...] Returning to Poitiers, he resurrected with his prayers a child who had died without receiving baptism. He remained lying in the dust until both rose again, the old man from prayer and the child from death. (from “Saint Hilary”, p. 118)"

"Another legend tells that Maximus, bishop of Nola, trying to escape persecution, exhausted by hunger and cold, had collapsed on the ground; Felix of Nola (bishop) was sent to him by an angel, and although there was no food, he saw a bunch of grapes hanging from a nearby bramble, from which he squeezed wine into Massimo's mouth, and carrying him on his shoulders, he took him with him. After Massimo's death, Felix was elected bishop. Being sought after by his persecutors because he preached, he hid himself by slipping through a narrow passage between some ruined walls. Immediately, by God's will, spiders wove their webs across the passage; the persecutors, seeing the webs, were convinced that no one could have passed through there and left. (from “'San Felice”', p. 124)"

"Sebastian, an exemplary Christian, was a citizen of Milan, but his family was from Narbonne. He was so loved by the emperors Diocletian and Maximian that they entrusted him with the command of the first cohort and always wanted him by their side. He had agreed to wear the military uniform only to be able to comfort the souls of the Christians he saw falling into torment. (from “'San Sebastiano”', p. 132)"

"In Rome, in the cemetery of Callixtus on the Appian Way, memory of St. Cecilia, virgin and martyr, who, as tradition has it, achieved this double palm for the love of Christ, and to whose name the ancient church of Trastevere is dedicated."

"Then Diocletian had him tied up in the middle of the Campus Martius and ordered the soldiers to pierce him with their arrows. They shot so many arrows at him that he almost looked like a hedgehog. Convinced that he was dead, they left; but after a few days he freed himself and, standing on the steps of the palace, he violently rebuked the emperors who were coming to meet him for all the evil they were doing to Christians. (from “'San Sebastiano”', p.137)"

"Agnes, a young woman full of wisdom, as Ambrose tells us in his Passion, left death and found life at the age of thirteen. Her young age was evident from her years, but the maturity of her mind was extraordinary: young in body but mature in soul, beautiful in appearance but even more beautiful in faith. It happened that while she was returning from school, the prefect's son fell in love with her. He promised her endless jewels and riches if she agreed to marry him. Agnes replied: “Stay away from me, get out of sin, food of evil deeds, nourishment of death! Another loved me before you. (from 'Saint Agnes”, p. 140)"

"Then the prefect had her stripped and taken to the brothel. But the Lord made Agnes's hair so thick that it covered her better than a dress, and when she entered that vile place, she found the angel of the Lord waiting for her, who illuminated the room with a shining light and prepared a pure white stole for her. Thus the place of sin became a place of prayer, so much so that Agnes came out purer than when she had entered, when that great light had honoured her. (from “'Saint Agnes”', p. 141)"

"(About Saint Saint Paula of Rome}} Inspired by the virtues of Paulinus, Bishop of Antioch, and Epiphanius, who had come to Rome, she sometimes contemplated leaving her homeland."

"(About Paula of Rome) After her husband's death, until her own death, she never ate with any man, however holy he might be, even if he was at the height of episcopal dignity. She did not go to the baths unless her health was in grave danger. Even when she had a high fever, she did not have soft mattresses in her bed, but slept on the hard ground, covered with a few pieces of sackcloth: if one can even speak of sleep, since she spent her days and nights in almost continuous prayer. (p. 170)"

"(About Paula of Rome) The entire population of the cities of Palestine attended her funeral. For which of the monks who had retired to the desert remained in his cell? Which of the virgins remained in the secrecy of her rooms? Everyone considered it sacrilegious not to pay homage to such a woman. She was then buried under the church, next to the tomb of the Lord. The venerable virgin and her daughter Julia Eustochium, like a child who had just been weaned, could not be separated from her mother; she kissed her eyes, did not leave her face, embraced her whole body and wanted to be buried with her mother. Jesus is witness that she left not a penny to her daughter, but gave it to those who needed it most and, what is even more difficult, to the immense multitude of brothers and sisters, who are hard to support and ungodly to abandon. (p. 173)"

"Juliana, although already married to Eulogius, the prefect of Nicomedia, refused to consummate the marriage unless her husband was first baptised. Her father then had her stripped naked and severely beaten, then had her taken to the prefect, who said to her: ‘My sweetest Juliana, why have you mocked me and rejected me in this way?’ (p. 223)"

"(About Saint Juliana of Nicomedia) The prefect had her severely beaten, then hung her by her hair and poured molten lead over her head. But since this caused her no pain, he had her chained and locked up in prison, where the devil appeared to her in the form of an angel and said: ‘I am the angel of the Lord, who has sent me to you to convince you to sacrifice to the gods so that you will no longer be tortured and die in such a cruel manner.’ (p. 223)"

"When the prefect arrived, Juliana was tied to a wheel and pulled so hard that all her bones were broken and her marrow came out; but an angel of the Lord came and crushed the wheel and healed Juliana in an instant. Those present who had seen this believed, but they were immediately beheaded: there were five hundred men and thirty women. Juliana was then placed in a cauldron full of molten lead, but the lead became like a warm bath. The prefect cursed his gods for failing to punish a girl who had insulted them so much, then had her beheaded. (p. 224)"

"Mary of Egypt, known as Mary the Sinner, led a very strict hermitic life in the desert for forty-seven years. She had in fact retreated to the desert around 270, at the time of Emperor Claudius. (p. 311)"

"At that time there lived a venerable virgin, now advanced in age, named Apollonia, adorned with the flowers of chastity, sobriety and purity. Like a solid pillar strengthened by the spirit of the Lord himself, admired for the merits of her steadfast faith and for the virtues that the Lord had given her, she offered men and angels the edifying spectacle of herself. (p. 368)"

"(About Saint Apollonia) After capturing her, her persecutors cruelly raged against her, first pulling out all her teeth; then, gathering wood and preparing a large pyre, they threatened to burn her alive if she did not declare herself a pagan like them. But as soon as she saw the pyre lit, she gathered herself in an instant and threw herself into the very fire with which they threatened her. (p. 368)"

"Apollonia, a very strong virgin and martyr of Christ, renouncing the pleasures of the world, stifling the blossoming of life with the contempt she had for it in her mind, eager to please Christ her spouse, who with joyful perseverance in her resolve to remain a virgin, resisted every torture with unwavering strength: this glorious and happy virgin therefore stands out and shines among the martyrs in her triumph. (p. 369)"

"The extraordinary measure of self-government granted to the colonists by the charter fostered in them a spirit of loyalty toward the mother country, substantially and energetically manifested on every occasion; but which, nevertheless, when the danger from the foreign foe was no longer imminent, was supplanted by a feeling of jealous apprehension of the encroachments on that the colonists had now learned to regard as their natural rights. Rhode Island heartily joined the other colonies in making the Revolution her cause."

"Petronilla, whose life was written by Saint Marcellus, was the daughter of Saint Peter. Being too beautiful, she began, at her father's will, to suffer from fevers. Once, when the disciples were with him, Titus spoke up and asked him: “You who heal all the sick, why do you let Petronilla suffer? And Peter replied: 'I do it for her own good. But so that no one should think that her illness is due to my words,” he turned to Petronilla and said: 'Come, Petronilla, quickly, bring us something to eat. Petronilla was immediately healed and served them food. When she had finished, Peter said to her, “Petronilla, go back to your bed.” And Petronilla immediately returned to it and resumed suffering from fevers; but as soon as she reached perfection in the love of God, she was also perfectly healed. (p. 431)"

"The virgin Marina of Bithynia was her father's only daughter. When her father entered the monastery, he changed his daughter's clothes so that she would look like a boy and not a girl, and he begged the abbot and the monks to accept his only child. They listened to his prayers, and everyone called him Brother Marino. He began to live with religious fervour and to show great obedience. (p. 446)"

"Christina was born into a family of very high rank in the city of Tyre, Italy. Her father placed her in a tower with twelve maids, surrounded by idols of gold and silver. She was beautiful and many asked for her hand in marriage, but her parents would not allow it, because they wanted her to continue to devote herself fully to the worship of the gods. However, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Christina was horrified by the sacrifices to idols and hid the incense intended for the sacrifices to the gods in a hole. (p. 531)"

"Martha of Bethany, who has the distinction of having hosted Jesus, was of royal descent on both her father Syro's and her mother Eucaria's side. Her father, Siro, ruled Syria and many coastal cities, while Martha, with her sister, was mistress, through her mother's line, of the entire cities of Magdala and Bethany, as well as part of Jerusalem. (p. 560)"

"(About Martha of Bethany) There is no written source indicating that she ever married or had relationships with men. It was she who, as a noble mistress, wanted to serve the Lord, insisting that her sister also serve, since she thought that the service of the whole world was not enough for such a guest. (p. 560)"

"After the Lord's ascension, when the apostles dispersed, Martha with her sister Mary Magdalene and her brother Lazarus, accompanied by Maximinus, who had baptised them and to whom the Holy Spirit had entrusted them, and many others, were loaded onto a raft by the infidels and thrown into the sea without oars, sails, rudder or provisions: however, guided by the Lord, they reached Marseille. They then went to the area where Aix-en-Provence stands, where they converted the inhabitants to the faith: Martha was in fact a good speaker and was liked by everyone. (p. 560)"

"Euphemia was the daughter of a senator. Seeing, in the time of Diocletian, that Christians were being torn apart by the most diverse punishments, she presented herself to the judge Priscus and confessed her faith in Christ before everyone, thus setting an example of her steadfastness even to men. As the judge put Christians to death, he tried to force the others to sacrifice, even if only out of fear, as they saw those who remained steadfast in their faith being tortured. While the saints were being beheaded before her eyes, Euphemia, inspired even more by their courage, said aloud to the judge that the punishment she was suffering was unjust. The judge rejoiced at these words, believing that she meant she was willing to sacrifice. However, when he asked her what unjust punishment she was referring to, she replied: 'I am of noble birth: why do you put so many foreigners and strangers before me? Why do you allow them to reach Christ and the promised glory before me? (p. 767)"

"There was a very Christian king in Britain named Noto or Mauro, who had a daughter named Ursula. Ursula shone for her honest behaviour, her wisdom and her beauty: her fame had now reached every corner of the land. The King of England was very arrogant and had subjugated many peoples; having heard of Ursola's fame, he declared that his happiness would be complete if the virgin Ursola were to marry his only son. The boy was also burning with desire. Many messengers were sent to the girl's father with great promises, but also with many threats if they returned empty-handed. (p. 863)"

"(About the request of the King of England, a pagan, to the King of Brittany, a Christian, to give his daughter Ursula in marriage to his son) The king [of Brittany] began to feel anxious, both because it seemed unfair to him that a virgin marked by faith in Christ should be given to an idol worshipper, and because he knew full well that Ursula did not want this in any way; but he was also very afraid of the fury of the boy's father. Ursula, however, inspired by heaven, persuaded her father to agree to the king's request, on condition that the king give her ten other virgins of the highest choice to be her companions and comfort, assigning a thousand virgins to her and to each of the others. Then he asked him to prepare ships to send them. He also asked for three years to dedicate her virginity, and that in the meantime the young man be instructed in the faith for three years: it was a very wise decision, since he could either dissuade him from his purpose with the difficulty of the condition imposed, or at least take advantage of the opportunity to consecrate to God all the virgins mentioned above. (p. 863)"

"(About the martyrdom of Saint Ursula and the eleven thousand virgins she converted to the Christian faith) All the virgins, accompanied by the bishops, set out on their return journey to Cologne, but found it already besieged by the Huns. When the barbarians saw them, they threw themselves at them, screaming, and raged like wolves among lambs, killing the whole multitude. When they had massacred the others and reached Saint Ursula, the leader of the Huns, seeing her beauty, was filled with wonder and, trying to console her for the slaughter of the other virgins, promised to marry her. However, Ursula refused, and the Hun leader, seeing himself despised, shot an arrow at her, which pierced her and killed her. Thus she crowned her martyrdom. (p. 866)"

"Thonissen was an intrepid worker, a firm Christian, an upright and simple man, with just a touch of artless vanity, though sometimes brusque in manner and given to occasional outbursts. He was one of the most important members of the faculty of law at Louvain and he will be chiefly remembered in the sphere of penal law, where his name is destined to survive."

"Cecilia, an illustrious virgin, born of a noble Roman family, was raised from the cradle in the faith of Christ. She always carried an image of Christ hidden in her bosom and never ceased to pray, day or night, asking God to preserve her virginity. Having been promised in marriage to a young man named Valeriano, and the wedding day having already been set, Cecilia wore a hair shirt next to her skin, while above it she wore her gold-woven garments. While the choirs sang, she sang alone, to herself, only for the Lord, saying: “Lord, may my heart and my body remain immaculate, so that I may not be confused at the Judgement”. (from “Saint Cecilia”, p. 942)"