Tryon Edwards was an American theologian, best known for compiling A Dictionary of Thoughts, a book of quotations. He published the works of Jonathan Edwards in 1842. He also compiled and published the sixteen sermons of his great grandfather, Jonathan Edwards, on 1 Corinthians 13, the “Love Chapter”, titling the book “Charity And Its Fruits; Christian love as manifested in the heart and life”, which thought by some to be the most thorough analysis of the text of 1 Corinthians 13 ever written.
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Have a time and place for everything, and do everything in its time and place, and you will not only accomplish more, but have far more leisure than those who are always hurrying, as if vainly attempting to overtake time that had been lost.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Procrastination, Value of Time, Time Management
Imperfect knowledge is the parent of doubt: thorough and honest research dispels it.
—Tryon Edwards
Science has sometimes been said to be opposed to faith, and inconsistent with it.—But all science, in fact, rests on a basis of faith, for it assumes the permanence and uniformity of natural laws—a thing which can never be demonstrated.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Faith
Doctrine is the necessary foundation of duty; if the theory is not correct, the practice cannot be right,—Tell me what a man believes, and I will tell you what he will do.
—Tryon Edwards
What we need in religion, is not new light, but new sight; not new paths, but new strength to walk in the old ones; not new duties, but new strength from on high to fulfill those that are plain before us.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Religion
Commerce has made all winds her messengers; all climes her tributaries; all people her servants.
—Tryon Edwards
Men sometimes affect to deny the depravity of our race; but it is as clearly taught in the lawyers’ office and in courts of justice, as in the Bible itself.—Every prison, and fetter, and scaffold, and bolt, and bar, and chain is evidence that man believes in the depravity of man.
—Tryon Edwards
Facts are God’s arguments; we should be careful never to misunderstand or pervert them.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Arguments, Facts
Give work rather than alms to the poor. The former drives out indolence, the latter industry.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Charity
Where duty is plain delay is both foolish and hazardous; where it is not, delay may be both wisdom and safety.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Duty, Delay
Ridicule may be the evidence of wit or bitterness and may gratify a little mind, or an ungenerous temper, but it is no test of reason or truth.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Criticism
He is one of the noblest conquerors who carries on a successful warfare against his own appetites and passions, and has them under wise and full control.
—Tryon Edwards
Early instruction in truth will best keep out error. Some one has well said, “Fill the bushel with wheat, and you may defy the devil to fill it with tares.”
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Education
Thoughts lead on to purpose, purpose leads onto actions, actions form habits, habits decide character, and character fixes our destiny.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Habits, Thinking, Positive Attitudes, Thought, Habit, Character, Destiny, Optimism
The laws of nature are but the thoughts and agencies of God—the modes in which he works and carries out the designs of his providence and will.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Nature
A sound mind in a sound body; if the former be the glory of the latter, the latter is indispensable to the former.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Health
The province of reason in matters of religion is the same as that of the eye in reference to the external world: not to create objects; nor to sit in judgment on the propriety of their existence, but simply to discern them just as they are.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Reason
Words are both better and worse than thoughts; they express them, and add to them; they give them power for good or evil; they start them on an endless flight, for instruction and comfort and blessing, or for injury and sorrow and ruin.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Words
True religion extends alike to the intellect and the heart. Intellect is in vain if it leads not to emotion, and emotion is vain if not enlightened by intellect; and both are vain if not guided by truth and leading to duty.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Religion
Duty performed is a moral tonic; if neglected, the tone and strength of both mind and heart are weakened, and the spiritual health undermined.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Duty
We weep over the graves of infants and the little ones taken from us by death; but an early grave may be the shortest way to heaven.
—Tryon Edwards
Any act often repeated soon forms a habit; and habit allowed, steadily gains in strength. At first it may be but as the spider’s web, easily broken through, but if not resisted it soon binds us with chains of steel.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Habits, Habit
Sincerity is not test of truth—no evidence of correctness of conduct. You may take poison sincerely believing it the needed medicine, but will it save your life?
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Sincerity
The benefit of proverbs, or maxims, is that they separate those who act on principle from those who act on impulse; and they lead to promptness and decision in acting.—Their value depends on four things: do they embody correct principles; are they on important subjects; what is the extent, and what the ease of their application?
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Proverbs
Emotion which does not lepd to and flow out in right action is not only useless, but it weakens character, and be comes an excuse for neglect of effort.
—Tryon Edwards
Christianity is a philosophy of principles rather than of rules and so is fitted for universal extension and acceptance.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Philosophy
There is nothing so elastic as the human mind. Like imprisoned steam, the more it is pressed the more it rises to resist the pressure. The more we are obliged to do the more we are able to accomplish.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Mind, Stress
Newspapers are the world’s cyclopaedia of life; telling us everything from every quarter of the globe.—They are a universal whispering gallery for mankind, only their whispers are sometimes thunders.
—Tryon Edwards
Hail, hallowed day, that binds a yoke on vice, gives rest to toil, proclaims God’s holy truth, blesses the family, secures the state, prospers communities, nations exalts, pours life and light on earth, and points the way to heaven!
—Tryon Edwards
Bad books are like intoxicating drinks; they furnish neither nourishment, nor medicine.—Both improperly excite; the one the mind; the other the body.—The desire for each increases by being fed.—Both ruin; one the intellect; the other the health; and together, the soul.—The safeguard against each is the same—total abstinence from all that intoxicates either mind or body.
—Tryon Edwards
Topics: Books
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