Thomas Jackson on Being Brave

Posted by Andrew K. | Labels: , , | Posted On Friday, July 31, 2009 at 11:08 AM

"Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me. That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave"

Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson


John Knox on God

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On at 8:21 AM

“A man with God is always in the majority”
John Knox

Theodore Roosevelt on Work

Posted by Andrew K. | Labels: , | Posted On Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 1:12 PM


“Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”

Theodore Roosevelt

Franklin on Prayer

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On at 9:06 AM

Constitutional Convention Address on Prayer:

Mr. President:

The small progress we have made after 4 or five weeks close attendance & continual reasonings with each other -- our different sentiments on almost every question, several of the last producing as many noes as ays, is methinks a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the Human Understanding. We indeed seem to feel our own wont of political wisdom, since we have been running about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history for models of government, and examined the different forms of those Republics which having been formed with the seeds of their own dissolution now no longer exist. And we have viewed Modern States all round Europe, but find none of their Constitutions suitable to our circumstances.

In this situation of this Assembly groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the Divine Protection. -- Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a Superintending providence in our favor. To that kind providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance.

I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall be become a reproach and a bye word down to future age. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human Wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.

I therefore beg leave to move -- that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this City be requested to officiate in that service.

delivered Thursday, June 28, 1787, Philadelphia, PA

Robert E. Lee on War

Posted by Andrew K. | Labels: , , | Posted On Monday, July 27, 2009 at 11:04 AM

"It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it."

General Robert E. Lee - December 1862


Thomas Paine on Freedom

Posted by Andrew K. | Labels: , | Posted On Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 11:42 AM

"These are the times that try man's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of men and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too highly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed, if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated"

Thomas P
aine - December 23, 1776


John Adams on the Constitution

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Friday, July 24, 2009 at 11:38 PM

""We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

John Adams – October 11, 1798


George Washington on Bad Company

Posted by Andrew K. | Labels: , | Posted On at 11:30 AM

“Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation, for ‘tis better to be alone than in bad company.”

George Washington

Theodore Roosevelt

Posted by Andrew K. | Labels: | Posted On Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 2:00 PM

“Pray not for lighter burdens but for stronger backs.”

Theodore Roosevelt

George Washington

Posted by Andrew K. | Labels: | Posted On Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at 11:00 AM

“The time is now near at hand which must probably determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness from which no human efforts will deliver them. The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer or die.”

George Washington 1776