O sin, how you paint your face! how you flatter us poor mortals on to death! You never appear to the sinner in your true character; you make fair promises, but you never fulfil one; your tongue is smoother than oil, but the poison of asps is under your lip!

Hosea Ballou

Categorized in : Promise Character Oil

Tears of joy are like the summer rain drops pierced by sunbeams. by Hosea Ballou

Tears of joy are like the summer rain drops pierced by sunbeams.

summer rain inspirational

If we agree in love, there is no disagreement that can do us any... by Hosea Ballou

If we agree in love, there is no disagreement that can do us any injury,

unity agreement spirit

Real happiness is cheap enough, yet how dearly we pay for its cou... by Hosea Ballou

Real happiness is cheap enough, yet how dearly we pay for its counterfeit.

real happy happiness

Faith, in order to be genuine and of any real value, must be the offspring of that divine love which Jesus manifested when He prayed for His enemies on the cross.

real faith jesus

All our possessions are as nothing compared to health, strength,... by Hosea Ballou

All our possessions are as nothing compared to health, strength, and a clear conscience.

clear-conscience clear possession

Theories are always very thin and insubstantial, experience only... by Hosea Ballou

Theories are always very thin and insubstantial, experience only is tangible.

tangible experience theory

If we are at peace with God and our own conscience, what enemy am... by Hosea Ballou

If we are at peace with God and our own conscience, what enemy among men need we fear?

men enemy needs

Honest and courageous people have very little to say about either their courage or their honesty. The sun has no need to boast of his brightness, nor the moon of her effulgence.

honesty littles people

Religion which requires persecution to sustain, it is of the devi... by Hosea Ballou

Religion which requires persecution to sustain, it is of the devil's propagation.

persecuted persecution devil

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul; and the heart of man knoweth none more fragrant.

gratitude spring thank-you

There is no better rule to try a doctrine by than the question, Is it merciful, or is it unmerciful? If its character is that of mercy, it has the image of Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life.

trying character jesus

You cannot judge by outward appearances; the soul is only transpa... by Hosea Ballou

You cannot judge by outward appearances; the soul is only transparent to its Maker.

quality soul judging

Disease is the retribution of outraged Nature. by Hosea Ballou

Disease is the retribution of outraged Nature.

medicine health nature

Hatred is self-punishment. by Hosea Ballou

Hatred is self-punishment.

punishment hate self

Pretension almost always overdoes the original, and hence exposes... by Hosea Ballou

Pretension almost always overdoes the original, and hence exposes itself.

being-original pretension originals

Suspicion is far more to be wrong than right; more often unjust than just. It is no friend to virtue, and always an enemy to happiness.

happiness friendship enemy

Falsehood is cowardice, the truth courage. by Hosea Ballou

Falsehood is cowardice, the truth courage.

cowardice truth courage

The oppression of any people for opinion's sake has rarely had any other effect than to fix those opinions deeper, and render them more important.

freedom important people

If our Creator has so bountifully provided for our existence here, which is but momentary, and for our temporal wants, which will soon be forgotten, how much more must He have done for our enjoyment in the everlasting world?

done heaven world

Of all the ingenious mistakes into which erring man has fallen, perhaps none have been so pernicious in their consequences, or have brought so many evils into the world, as the popular opinion that the way of the transgressor is pleasant and easy.

evil mistake men