George MacDonald (1824–1905) was a Scottish novelist, lecturer, and poet. Often regarded as the founding father of modern fantasy writing, he was the most highly regarded of children’s writers of the nineteenth century. MacDonald also wrote Christian allegories of man’s pilgrimage back to God.
Born in the farming country of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, MacDonald was educated at the University of Aberdeen and Highbury College, London. He became a Congregational minister but left the ministry in 1853 to earmark himself to literature.
MacDonald incorporated his affection for Northeast Scotland into his writings, especially those for children. From the recollections of his childhood, he developed a distinct meaning of “childlikeness.” His ability to connect the worlds of the natural and the supernatural (which, he claimed, happens most natural in the mind of a child or “childlike” reader) influenced Lewis Carroll, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Maurice Sendak.
MacDonald’s notable works include the novels David Elginbrod (1863,) Alec Forbes of Howglen (1865,) Malcolm (1875,) and Donal Grant (3 vols., 1883.) At the Back of the North Wind (1871) and The Princess and the Goblin (1872) are deeply symbolic, with elements of Christian mysticism.
MacDonald’s books reveal his firm religious faith, moral enthusiasm, and Christian optimism. He was also the author of several theological works, including Unspoken Sermons (1867, 1885, and 1889) and The Miracles of Our Lord (1886.) His adult works have enjoyed a revival lately, especially among evangelical Christians.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by George MacDonald
Certainly work is not always required of a man. There is such a thing as a sacred idleness—the cultivation of which is now fearfully neglected.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Work, Idleness, Rest
This is a sane, wholesome, practical, working faith: That it is a man’s business to do the will of God; second, that God himself takes on the care of that man; and third, that therefore that man ought never to be afraid of anything.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Serenity
In giving, a man receives more than he gives; and the more is in proportion to the worth of the thing given.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Charity, Giving
All growth that is not toward God, is growing to decay.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Progress
No one is likely to remember what is entirely uninteresting to him.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Memory
If, instead of a gem or even a flower, we could cast the gift of a lovely thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Thought, Friendship, Gifts
Ambition is but the evil shadow of aspiration.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Goals, Ambition
When a man argues for victory and not for truth, he is sure of just one ally, that is the devil.—Not the defeat of the intellect, but the acceptance of the heart is the only true object in fighting with the sword of the spirit.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Argument
The principal part of faith is patience.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Part of The Whole, Belief, Patience, Faith
When we are out of sympathy with the young, then I think our work in this world is over.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Youth, Aging, Age
You can’t live on amusement. It is the froth on water—an inch deep and then the mud.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Pleasure
A perfect faith would lift us absolutely above fear.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Fear, Anxiety, Faith
Nothing makes one feel so strong as a call for help.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Help, Aid, Assistance
Timely service, like timely gifts, is doubled in value.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Value of Time, Time Management
I could never draw the line between meanness and dishonesty.—What is mean, so far as I can see, slides by indistinguishable gradations into what is dishonest.
—George MacDonald
Emulation is the devil-shadow of aspiration.—To excite it is worthy only of the commonplace vulgar schoolmaster, whose ambition is to show what fine scholars he can turn out, that he may get the more pupils.
—George MacDonald
Not only then has each man his individual relation to God, but each man has his peculiar relation to God.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Divinity, Faith, God
Alas! how easily things go wrong; a sigh too much or a kiss too long, and there follows a mist and a weeping rain, and life is never the same again.
—George MacDonald
To have what we want is riches; but to be able to do without is power.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Contentment, Riches
Trust to God to weave your thread into the great web, though the pattern shows it not yet.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Patience
The hell that a lie would keep a man from, is doubtless the very best place for him to go.
—George MacDonald
But for money and the need of it, there would not be half the friendship in the world. It is powerful for good if divinely used. Give it plenty of air and it is sweet as the hawthorn; shut it up and it cankers and breeds worms.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Money
God chooses that men should be tried, but let a man beware of tempting his neighbor. God knows how and how much, and where and when. Man is his brother’s keeper, and must keep him according to his knowledge.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Temptation
To the dim and bewildered vision of humanity, God’s care is more evident in some instances than in others; and upon such instances men seize, and call them providences. It is well that they can; but it would be gloriously better if they could believe that the whole matter is one grand providence.
—George MacDonald
Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Age, Aging
I find the doing of the will of God leaves me no time for disputing about His plans.
—George MacDonald
Topics: God, Obedience, Duty
God’s thoughts, his will, his love, his judgments are all man’s home. To think his thoughts, to choose his will, to love his loves, to judge his judgments, and thus to know that he is in us, is to be at home.
—George MacDonald
Topics: God
It is not the cares of today, but the cares of tomorrow that weigh a man down. For the needs of today we have corresponding strength given.—For the morrow we are told to trust.—It is not ours yet.
—George MacDonald
Forgiveness is the giving, and so the receiving, of life.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Forgiveness
It is by loving and by being loved that one can come nearest to the soul of another.
—George MacDonald
Topics: Love
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