I have never known any distress that an hour's reading did not relieve.
Baron De MontesquieuRead
The mood and temper of the public in regard to the treatment of crime and criminals is one of the most unfailing tests of the civilisation of any country.
Interpretation
This quote highlights that the way a society treats crime and criminals reflects its level of civilization.
Baron De Montesquieu suggests that a country's civilization can be gauged by its public sentiment towards crime and the treatment of criminals. He implies that the prevailing mood and attitude of society towards justice and punishment indicate the moral and ethical standards upheld within that society. Thus, a compassionate response to crime signifies a more advanced civilization, while harsh and unjust treatment may reflect a degradation of societal values.
In practice
This quote can be used in a discussion about criminal justice reform.
I have never known any distress that an hour's reading did not relieve.
Law in general is human reason, inasmuch as it governs all the inhabitants of the earth: the political and civil laws of each nation ought to be only the particular cases in which human reason is applied.
To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.
Love of the republic in a democracy, is a love of the democracy; love of the democracy is that of equality. Love of the democracy is likewise that of frugality.
It is not the young people that degenerate; they are not spoiled till those of mature age are already sunk into corruption.
If you would be holy, instruct your children, because all the good acts they perform will be imputed to you.
The Cross isn't an ornament, mere symbol. It's the mystery of God's love, that He died for our sins.
We talk about predestination because the Bible talks about predestination. If we desire to build our theology on the Bible, we run head on into this concept. We soon discover that John Calvin did not invent it.
Our country does not believe in the concept of your God and my God. We believe that all gods are one. We have different ways of accepting Him. All ways lead to Him.
If the enemy is to be coerced, you must put him in a situation that is even more unpleasant than the sacrifice you call on him to make. The hardships of the situation must not be merely transient - at least not in appearance. Otherwise, the enemy would not give in, but would wait for things to improve.
When a daffadill I see, Hanging down his head towards me, Guess I may, what I must be: First, I shall decline my head; Secondly, I shall be dead: Lastly, safely buryed.
Jesus was not sent here to teach the people to build magnificent churches and temples amidst the cold wretched huts and dismal hovels. He came to make the human heart a temple, and the soul an altar, and the mind a priest.
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