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The truth is, our civilization is not Christian it is a tragic compound of great ideal and fearful practice, of loving charity and fearful clutching of possessions.

Alan Paton

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Alan Paton
Age: 85 †
Born: 1903
Born: January 11
Died: 1988
Died: April 12
Author
Autobiographer
Politician
Screenwriter
Writer
Alan Patton
Alan Stewart Paton
Alen Peṭon
Great
Charity
Clutching
Ideals
Compound
Loving
Compounds
Civilization
Possessions
Practice
Fearful
Christian
Tragic
Truth
Ideal
Country
Possession

More quotes by Alan Paton

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In the deserted harbour there is yet water that laps against the quays. In the dark and silent forest, there is a leaf that falls. Behind the polished panelling the white ant eats away the wood. Nothing is ever quiet, except for fools
Alan Paton
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Let me not be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong, nor afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich.
Alan Paton
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But the one thing that has power completely is love, because when a man loves, he seeks no power, and therefore he has power.
Alan Paton
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The ground is holy, being even as it came from the Creator. Keep it, guard it, care for it, for it keeps men, guards men, cares for men. Destroy it and man is destroyed.
Alan Paton
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When men are ruled by fear, they strive to prevent the very changes that will abate it.
Alan Paton
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But perhaps when you were too obedient, and did not do openly what others did, and were quiet in church and hard-working at school, then some unknown rebellion brewed in you, doing harm to you, though how I do not understand.
Alan Paton
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There are voices crying what must be done, a hundred, a thousand voices. But what do they help if one seeks for counsel, for one cries this, and one cries that, and another cries something that is neither this nor that.
Alan Paton
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But to punish and not to restore, that is the greatest of all offences.
Alan Paton
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Although nothing has come yet, something is here already.
Alan Paton
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When I go up there, which is my intention, the Big Judge will say to me, Where are your wounds? and if I say I haven’t any, he will say, Was there nothing to fight for? I couldn’t face that question. (Ah, But Your Land Is Beautiful)
Alan Paton
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One day in Johannesburg, and already the tribe was being rebuilt, the house and soul being restored.
Alan Paton
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There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills.
Alan Paton
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I am a weak and sinful man, but God put His hands on me, that is all.
Alan Paton
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Pain and suffering, they are a secret. Kindness and love, they are a secret. But I have learned that kindness and love can pay for pain and suffering.
Alan Paton
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Nosecond Johannesburg isneededuponthe earth.One is enough.
Alan Paton
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It is not permissible for us to go on destroying the family life when we know that we are destroying it.
Alan Paton
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Sorrow is better than fear. Fear is a journey,a terrible journey, but sorrow is at least an arrival. When the storm threatens, a man is afraid for his house. But when the house is destroyed, there is something to do. About a storm he can do nothing, but he can rebuild a house.
Alan Paton
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For fear will rob him of all if he gives too much.
Alan Paton
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What broke in a man when he could bring himself to kill another? What broke when he could bring himself to thrust down the knife into the warm flesh, to bring down the axe on the living head, to cleave down between the seeing eyes, to shoot the gun that would drive death into the beating heart?
Alan Paton
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All roads lead to Johannesburg.
Alan Paton