“The real witness of the spirit to the second birth is to be found only in the disposition of the genuine child of God, the permanently patient heart, the love of self eradicated. And this, it has to be admitted, is also found in those who pass no crisis, and may even be found outside of Christianity altogether.”

Lecture X, "Conversion, concluded"
1900s, The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902)
Context: The believers in the non-natural character of sudden conversion have had practically to admit that there is no unmistakable class-mark distinctive of all true converts. The super-normal incidents, such as voices and visions and overpowering impressions of the meaning of suddenly presented scripture texts, the melting emotions and tumultuous affections connected with the crisis of change, may all come by way of nature, or worse still, be counterfeited by Satan. The real witness of the spirit to the second birth is to be found only in the disposition of the genuine child of God, the permanently patient heart, the love of self eradicated. And this, it has to be admitted, is also found in those who pass no crisis, and may even be found outside of Christianity altogether.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "The real witness of the spirit to the second birth is to be found only in the disposition of the genuine child of God, …" by William James?
William James photo
William James 246
American philosopher, psychologist, and pragmatist 1842–1910

Related quotes

Sam Levenson photo
Meher Baba photo

“Do not search for God outside of you. God can only be found within you, for His only abode is the heart.”

Meher Baba (1894–1969) Indian mystic

6 : God is Shy of Strangers, p. 7.
The Everything and the Nothing (1963)
Context: If you are convinced of God's existence then it rests with you to seek Him, to see Him and to realize Him.
Do not search for God outside of you. God can only be found within you, for His only abode is the heart.

Nanak photo

“those who have loved are those that have found God.”

Nanak (1469–1539) Founder of Sikhism

Guru Nanak quotes

Charles Evans Hughes photo

“The only real progress to abiding peace is found in the friendly disposition of peoples and … facilities for maintaining peace are useful only to the extent that this friendly disposition exists and finds expression.”

Charles Evans Hughes (1862–1948) American judge

The Pathway of Peace (1923)
Context: The only real progress to abiding peace is found in the friendly disposition of peoples and … facilities for maintaining peace are useful only to the extent that this friendly disposition exists and finds expression. War is not only possible, but probable, where mistrust and hatred and desire for revenge are the dominant motives. Our first duty is at home with our own opinion, by education and unceasing effort to bring to naught the mischievous exhortation of chauvinists; our next is to aid in every practicable way in promoting a better feeling among peoples, the healing of wounds, and the just settlement of differences.

“We will not stop until every Nigerian girl-child has found their voice and found their pocket.”

Ibukun Awosika (1962) Nigerian business magnate

Source: https://theafricadebate.com/news-2018/2018/an-interview-with-ibukun-awosika Speaking in an interview about herself (April 18 2018)

Henry Liddon photo

“The real difficulty with thousands in the present day is not that Christianity has been found wanting, but that it has never been seriously tried.”

Henry Liddon (1829–1890) British theologian

Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 138.

George William Russell photo
Patch Adams photo

“I have often found that mental patients who are given love, creativity, and community find the peace that they are reaching out for.”

Patch Adams (1945) Physician, activist, diplomat, author

Source: House Calls: How we can all heal the world one visit at a time (1998), p. 121

Emily Dickinson photo

Related topics