Samuel Johnson Quotes About Church

• The Church does not superstitiously observe days, merely as days, but as memorials of important facts. Christmas might be kept as well upon one day of the year as another; but there should be a stated day for commemorating the birth of our Saviour, because there is danger that what may be done on any day, will be neglected.

  Samuel Johnson

  Christmas, Years, Memorial

  Samuel Johnson, James Boswell (1825). “The Table Talk of Dr. Johnson: Comprising Opinions and Anecdotes of Life and Literature, Men, Manners, and Morals”, p.205

• This merriment of parsons is mighty offensive.

  Samuel Johnson

  Church, Offensive, Merriment

  James Boswell 'The Life of Samuel Johnson' (1791) vol. 4, p. 76 (March 1781)

• To be of no church is dangerous. Religion, of which the rewards are distant, and which is animated only by faith and hope, will glide by degrees out of the mind unless it be invigorated and reimpressed by external ordinances, by stated calls to worship, and the salutary influence of example.

  Samuel Johnson

  Mind, Religion, Church

  Samuel Johnson (1819). “The Beauties of Samuel Johnson: Consisting of Maxims and Observations, Moral, Critical, and Miscellaneous”, p.239

• To be of no Church is dangerous.

  Samuel Johnson

  Religion, Church, Dangerous

  Samuel Johnson (1811). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, L. L. D.: In Twelve Volumes”, p.134

• Sir, if a man has a mind to prance, he must study at Christ Church and All Souls.

  Samuel Johnson

  Men, Soul, Mind

  1769 Remark, Autumn. Quoted in James Boswell The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791), vol.2.

• Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms together, and you have St. Paul's Church. So it is with human felicity, which is made up of many ingredients, each of which may be shown to be very insignificant.

  Samuel Johnson

  Church, Together, Atoms

  James Boswell, Samuel Johnson (1859). “The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: Including a Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”, p.198

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