Pithy gems from Adoniram Judson

(1788–1850. Judson was a missionary in Burma for almost forty years)
 

Doctrine is the frame-work of life; it is the skeleton of truth, to be clothed and rounded out by the living graces of a holy life.

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If I had not felt certain that every additional trial was ordered by infinite love and mercy—I could not have survived my accumulated sufferings.

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A mightier love for the Son of God, to overpower and subdue and lead captive these wayward and truant affections of the heart—this is what is needed.

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O slow of heart to believe and trust in the constant presence and overruling agency of our almighty Savior!

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In spite of sorrow, loss and pain—our course is onward still!

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Sorrow is only one of the lower notes in the oratorio of our blessedness.

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Our prayers run along one road—and God's answers by another road; and by and by they meet. God answers all true prayer, either in kind or in kindness.

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I beg you, not to rest contented with the commonplace religion that is now so prevalent.

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Thanks be to God, not only for rivers of endless joys above—but for rills of comfort here below.

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There is no success without sacrifice. If you succeed without sacrifice—it is because someone has suffered before you. If you sacrifice without success—it is because someone will succeed after you.

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"Nothing is impossible," said one of the seven sages of Greece, "to industry." Let us change the word, 'industry,' to 'persevering prayer'—and the motto will be more Christian and more worthy of universal adoption. God loves importunate prayer so much that He will not give us much blessing without it.

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Love to Jesus is a sure title to the greatest possible happiness; for Jesus is omnipotent and has determined to make his friends happy, and surely will not forget a single one in whose heart is enkindled one spark of love.

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We cannot sit still and see the dear Burmans, flesh and blood like ourselves and, like ourselves, possessed of immortal souls that will shine forever in Heaven or burn forever in Hell—we cannot see them go down to perdition without doing our very utmost to save them. And thanks be to God, our labors are not in vain.