1960s, Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence (1967)
Context: We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. The oceans of history are made turbulent by the ever-rising tides of hate. And history is cluttered with the wreckage of nations and individuals that pursued this self-defeating path of hate.
1960s, Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence (1967)
“Thy fatal shafts unerring move,
I bow before thine altar, Love!”
The Adventures of Roderick Random (1848), Chapter xl, reported in Bartlett's Quotations, 10th ed. (1919).
Context: I do not think idolatry the worst of sins. Cruelty is the worst of sins. It is far better to worship a false God, than to injure your neighbor—far better to bow before a monstrosity of stone, than to enslave your fellow-men.
“To hate man and worship God seems to be the sum of all the creeds.”
Source: Some Mistakes of Moses
“Above and before all things, worship GOD!”
As quoted in The Sayings of the Wise: Or, Food for Thought: A Book of Moral Wisdom, Gathered from the Ancient Philosophers (1555) by William Baldwin [1908 edition]
Variant translation: Honor first the immortal gods, in the manner prescribed, and respect the oath.
Next, honor the reverent heroes and the spirits of the dead by making the traditional sacrifices.
Honor your parents and your relatives. As for others, befriend whoever excels in virtue.
Yield to kind words and helpful deeds, and do not hate your friend for a trifling fault as you are able. For ability is near to necessity.
As quoted in Divine Harmony: The Life and Teachings of Pythagoras by John Strohmeier and Peter Westbrook. (1999) ISBN 0-9653774-5-8
The Golden Verses
“Godhood called, and he went, fleet-footed, to worship at his own altar.”
Part Eight “The Return”, Chapter xiii “A Fleeting Glimpse”, Section 1 (p. 402)
(1987), BOOK TWO: THE FUGUE
(This contains an allusion to the book of Isaiah Chapter 11, verse 6
1960s, Nobel Prize acceptance speech (1964)
Context: I believe that even amid today's mortar bursts and whining bullets, there is still hope for a brighter tomorrow. I believe that wounded justice, lying prostrate on the blood-flowing streets of our nations, can be lifted from this dust of shame to reign supreme among the children of men. I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down men other-centered can build up. I still believe that one day mankind will bow before the altars of God and be crowned triumphant over war and bloodshed, and nonviolent redemptive good will proclaim the rule of the land. "And the lion and the lamb shall lie down together and every man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid." I still believe that We Shall overcome!'
Twitter post https://twitter.com/McCormickProf/status/965423906436866049 (18 February 2018)
2018
Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), p. 549.
