Alexandre Vinet Quotes

       Alexandre Vinet
       1797-1847
      
       Alexandre Vinet was born near Lausanne in Switzerland. Educated for the Protestant ministry, he was ordained in 1819, when already teacher of the French language and literature in the gymnasium at Basel; and throughout his life he was as much a critic as a theologian. His literary criticism brought him into contact with Augustin Sainte-Beuve, for whom he obtained an invitation to lecture at Lausanne, which led to his famous work on Port-Royal.
      
       As a theologian Vinet gave a fresh impulse to Protestant theology, especially in French-speaking lands, but also in England and elsewhere. His philosophy relied strongly on conscience, defined as that by which man stands in direct personal relation with God as moral sovereign, and the seat of a moral individuality which nothing can rightly infringe.

Imitation causes us to leave natural ways to enter into artificial ones; it therefore makes slaves.     Topics: Character The place of charity, like that of God, is everywhere.     Topics: Charity Resignation is the courage of Christian sorrow.     Topics: Discouragement God has never ceased to be the one true aim of all right human aspirations.     Topics: God, Achievement Habits of thought are not less tyrannical than other habits, and a time comes when return is impossible, even to the strongest will.     Topics: Habits Religion finds the love of happiness and the principles of duty separated in us; and its mission—its masterpiece is, to reunite them.     Topics: Religion Duty does not consist in suffering everything, but in suffering everything for duty. Sometimes, indeed, it is our duty not to suffer.     Topics: Service, Suffering