---
title: "1 Discerning Quotes By William Ellery Channing"
description: "1 Discerning quotes by William Ellery Channing. Plus more from William Ellery Channing and more Discerning sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54d/william-ellery-channing-3428_baseness_conscience-the-sense-of-right-the-power_1467457.jpg"
---

> [Conscience, the sense of right, the power of perceiving moral distinctions, the power of discerning between justice and injustice, excellence and baseness, is the highest faculty given us by God, the whole foundation of our responsibility, and our sole capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/conscience-the-sense-of-right-the-power-of-perceiving-moral/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54d/william-ellery-channing-3428_baseness_conscience-the-sense-of-right-the-power_1467457.jpg)

## More by William Ellery Channing

> [The reveries of youth, in which so much energy is wasted, are the yearnings of a Spirit made for what it has not found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/the-reveries-of-youth-in-which-so-much-energy-is-wasted-are-the/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

> [A man may quarrel with himself alone; that is, by controverting his better instincts and knowledge when brought face to face with temptation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/a-man-may-quarrel-with-himself-alone-that-is-by-controverting-his/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

> [Science and art may invent splendid modes of illuminating the apartments of the opulent; but these are all poor and worthless compared with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/science-and-art-may-invent-splendid-modes-of-illuminating-the/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

> [Men are never very wise and select in the exercise of a new power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/men-are-never-very-wise-and-select-in-the-exercise-of-a-new-power/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

> [All virtue lies in individual action, in inward energy, in self determination. There is no moral worth in being swept away by a crowd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/all-virtue-lies-in-individual-action-in-inward-energy-in-self/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

> [We honor revelation too highly to make it the antagonist of reason, or to believe that it calls us to renounce our highest powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/we-honor-revelation-too-highly-to-make-it-the-antagonist-of-reason-or/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

> [To give a generous hope to a man of his own nature, is to enrich him immeasurably.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/to-give-a-generous-hope-to-a-man-of-his-own-nature-is-to-enrich-him/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

> [No man receives the full culture of a man in whom the sensibility to the beautiful is not cherished; and there is no condition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/no-man-receives-the-full-culture-of-a-man-in-whom-the-sensibility-to/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

> [I call that mind free which jealously guards its intellectual rights and powers, which calls no man master, which does not content itself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/i-call-that-mind-free-which-jealously-guards-its-intellectual-rights/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

> [Error is discipline through which we advance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/error-is-discipline-through-which-we-advance/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

> [Ideas are the mightiest influence on earth. One great thought breathed into a man may regenerate him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/ideas-are-the-mightiest-influence-on-earth-one-great-thought-breathed/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

> [To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/to-live-content-with-small-means-to-seek-elegance-rather-than-luxury/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

> [“god be thanked for books. they are the voices of the distant and the dead, and make us heirs of the spiritual life of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/god-be-thanked-for-books-they-are-the-voices-of-the-distant-and-the/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

> [Perhaps in our presence, the most heroic deed on earth is done in some silent spirit, the loftiest purpose cherished, the most generous sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/perhaps-in-our-presence-the-most-heroic-deed-on-earth-is-done-in-some/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

> [Each of us is meant to have a character all our own, to be what no other can exactly be, and do what no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/each-of-us-is-meant-to-have-a-character-all-our-own-to-be-what-no/)

[William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/)

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