Written by Pastor Jack Wellman
57
I would have no desire other than to accomplish thy will. Teach me to pray; pray thyself in me.
- Francois Fenelon
56
The most virtuous of all men, says Plato, is he that contents himself with being virtuous without seeking to appear so.
- Francois Fenelon
55
I would have every minister of the Gospel address his audience with the zeal of a friend, with the generous energy of a father, and with the exuberant affection of a mother.
- Francois Fenelon
54
It is only imperfection that complains of what is imperfect. The more perfect we are, the more gentle and quiet we become toward the defects of others.
- Francois Fenelon
53
If all the crowns of Europe were placed at my disposal on condition that I should abandon my books and studies, I should spurn the crowns away and stand by the books.
- Francois Fenelon
52
In the light of eternity we shall see that what we desired would have been fatal to us, and that what we would have avoided was essential to our well-being.
- Francois Fenelon
51
Let us pray God that he would root out of our hearts everything of our own planting and set out there, with his own hand, the tree of life bearing all manner of fruits.
- Francois Fenelon
50
To be content with even the best people, we must be contented with little and bear a great deal. Those who are most perfect have many imperfections, and we have great faults; between the two, mutual toleration becomes very difficult.
- Francois Fenelon
49
The more you say, the less people remember. The fewer the words, the greater the profit.
- Francois Fenelon
48
Sordid and infamous sensuality, the most dreadful evil that issued from the box of Pandora, corrupts the entire heart and eradicates every virtue.
- Francois Fenelon
47
I love my country better than my family; but I love humanity better than my country.
- Francois Fenelon
46
Children are very nice observers, and will often perceive your slightest defects. In general, those who govern children, forgive nothing in them, but everything in themselves.
- Francois Fenelon
45
All earthly delights are sweeter in expectation than in enjoyment; but all spiritual pleasures more in fruition than in expectation.
- Francois Fenelon
44
Nothing will make us so charitable and tender to the faults of others, as, by self-examination, thoroughly to know our own.
- Francois Fenelon
43
A good historian is timeless; although he is a patriot, he will never flatter his country in any respect.
- Francois Fenelon
42
So long as we are full of self we are shocked at the faults of others. Let us think often of our own sin, and we shall be lenient to the sins of others.
- Francois Fenelon
41
Never let us be discouraged with ourselves. It is not when we are conscious of our faults that we are the most wicked; on the contrary, we are less so. We see by a brighter light; and let us remember for our consolation, that we never perceive our sins till we begin to cure them.
- Francois Fenelon
40
Good taste rejects excessive nicety; it treats little things as little things, and is not hurt by them.
- Francois Fenelon
39
Speak, move, act in peace, as if you were in prayer. In truth, this is prayer.
- Francois Fenelon
38
Genuine good taste consists in saying much in few words, in choosing among our thoughts, in having order and arrangement in what we say, and in speaking with composure.
- Francois Fenelon
37
There is no real elevation of mind in a contempt of little things. It is, on the contrary, from too narrow views that we consider those things of little importance, which have, in fact, such extensive consequences.
- Francois Fenelon
36
It is this unquiet self-love that renders us so sensitive. The sick man, who sleeps ill, thinks the night long. We exaggerate, from cowardice, all the evils which we encounter; they are great, but our sensibility increases them.
- Francois Fenelon
35
Even if no command to pray had existed, our very weakness would have suggested it.
- Francois Fenelon
34
We must truly serve those whom we appear to command; we must bear with their imperfections, correct them with gentleness and patience, and lead them in the way to heaven.
- Francois Fenelon
33
Nothing is more despicable than a professional talker who uses his words as a quack uses his remedies.
- Francois Fenelon
32
Our piety must be weak and imperfect if it do not conquer the fear of death.
- Francois Fenelon
30
Make not a bosom friend of a melancholy, sad soul. He will be sure to aggravate thine adversity and to lessen thy prosperity. He goes always heavily loaded, and thou must bear half.
- Francois Fenelon
29
There is a set of religious, or rather moral, writings which teach that virtue is the certain road to happiness, and vice to misery in this world. A very wholesome and comfortable doctrine, and to which we have but one objection, namely, that it is not true.
- Francois Fenelon
28
I believe that we are conforming to the divine order and the will of Providence when we are doing even indifferent things that belong to our condition.
- Francois Fenelon
27
If the riches of the Indies, or the crowns of all the kingdoms of Europe, were laid at my feet in exchange for my love of reading, I would spurn them all.
- Francois Fenelon
26
Violent excitement exhausts the mind, and leaves it withered and sterile.
- Francois Fenelon
25
Peace does not dwell in outward things, but within the soul; we may preserve it in the midst of the bitterest pain, if our will remains firm and submissive. Peace in this life springs from acquiescence to, not in an exemption from, suffering.
- Francois Fenelon
24
To realize God's presence is the one sovereign remedy against temptation.
- Francois Fenelon
23
Worry is the cross which we make for ourselves by over anxiety.
- Francois Fenelon
22
Resign every forbidden joy; restrain every wish that is not referred to God's will; banish all eager desires, all anxiety; desire only the will of God; seek him alone and supremely, and you will find peace.
- Francois Fenelon
21
True piety hath in it nothing weak, nothing sad, nothing constrained. It enlarges the heart; it is simple, free, and attractive.
- Francois Fenelon
20
A good discourse is that from which one can take nothing without taking the life.
- Francois Fenelon
19
The voluptuous and effeminate are never brave; they have no courage in time of danger.
- Francois Fenelon
18
If we were faultless we should not be so much annoyed by the defects of those with whom we associate.
- Francois Fenelon
16
Despondency is not a state of humility. On the contrary, it is the vexation and despair of a cowardly pride; nothing is worse. Whether we stumble, or whether we fall, we must only think of rising again and going on in our course.
- Francois Fenelon
15
God, who is liberal in all his other gifts, shows us, by the wise economy of his providence, how circumspect we ought to be in the management of our time, for he never gives us two moments together.
- Francois Fenelon
14
Beware of fatiguing them by ill-judged exactness. If virtue offers itself to the child under a melancholy and constrained aspect, while liberty and license present themselves under an agreeable form, all is lost, and your labor is in vain.
- Francois Fenelon
13
The history of the world suggests that without love of God there is little likelihood of a love for man that does not become corrupt.
- Francois Fenelon
12
Trouble and perplexity drive me to prayer, and prayer drives away perplexity and trouble.
- Francois Fenelon
10
Mankind, by the perverse depravity of their nature, esteem that which they have most desired as of no value the moment it is possessed, and torment themselves with fruitless wishes for that which is beyond their reach.
- Francois Fenelon
9
The passion of acquiring riches in order to support a vain expense, corrupts the purest souls.
- Francois Fenelon
