--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know a parson who frightened his…" description: "\"I know a parson who frightened his congregation terribly by telling them the second coming was very imminent indeed, but they were much consoled when t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/794/bertrand-russell-69_congregation_i-know-a-parson-who-frightened-his-congr_1517866.jpg" --- # I know a parson who frightened his congregation terribly… ![“I know a parson who frightened his congregation terribly by telling them the second coming was very imminent indeed, but they were much consoled when they found he was planting trees in his garden.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/794/bertrand-russell-69_congregation_i-know-a-parson-who-frightened-his-congr_1517866.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/794/bertrand-russell-69_congregation_i-know-a-parson-who-frightened-his-congr_1517866.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/794/bertrand-russell-69_congregation_i-know-a-parson-who-frightened-his-congr_1517866.jpg) > “I know a parson who frightened his congregation terribly by telling them the second coming was very imminent indeed, but they were much consoled when they found he was planting trees in his garden.” [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even dire predictions can be softened by tangible, hopeful actions, showing that moral comfort often stems from constructive work rather than fear. **In simple terms:** Good deeds ease fear of doom. Key Takeaway Act to calm anxieties. Themes faith hope action community Mood thoughtful balanced Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - environmental volunteering - community building - public speaking - teaching Key Concepts existentialism pragmatism moral psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance hope with realism? - What actions soothe your anxieties? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on optimism may ignore genuine concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Congregation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congregation/) [Consoled Planting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consoled-planting-5603021/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Frightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightened/) [Frightened Congregation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightened-congregation-5603019/) [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Imminent Consoled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imminent-consoled-5603020/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Parson Frightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parson-frightened-5603018/) [Planting Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planting-trees/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Second Coming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-coming-317547/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) ## Related quotes > [“Planting trees, I myself thought for a long time, was a feel-good thing, a nice but feeble response to our litany of modern-day environmental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-robbins/planting-trees-i-myself-thought-for-a-long-time-was-a-feel-good-thing/) [Jim Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-robbins/) > [Research gathered over recent years has highlighted the countless benefits to people, wildlife and the environment that come from planting trees and creating new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-anderson/research-gathered-over-recent-years-has-highlighted-the-countless/) [Clive Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-anderson/) > [No one can reap the fruit before planting the trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/no-one-can-reap-the-fruit-before-planting-the-trees/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Schoolchildren and older people like the idea of planting trees. For children, it's interesting that an acorn will grow into an oak, and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-anderson/schoolchildren-and-older-people-like-the-idea-of-planting-trees-for/) [Clive Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-anderson/) > [“What happened? It took Gibbon six volumes to describe the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, so I shan’t embark on that. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/what-happened-it-took-gibbon-six-volumes-to-describe-the-decline-and/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [I've been busy for years, buying land, often under pseudonyms, and planting trees on it. All the money is going into it when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/i-ve-been-busy-for-years-buying-land-often-under-pseudonyms-and/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > [Sometimes leadership is planting trees under whose shade you'll never sit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-granholm/sometimes-leadership-is-planting-trees-under-whose-shade-you-ll-never-2/) [Jennifer Granholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-granholm/) > [I think if conservatives spent more time planting trees the world would be a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/i-think-if-conservatives-spent-more-time-planting-trees-the-world/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [When you buy carbon offsets, you pay to take planet-warming carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere in exchange for the greenhouse gases you put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-schlossberg/when-you-buy-carbon-offsets-you-pay-to-take-planet-warming-carbon/) [Tatiana Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-schlossberg/) > [We are not insisting on planting trees just because of global warming. Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam insist on the necessity of trees. Especially in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek/we-are-not-insisting-on-planting-trees-just-because-of-global-warming/) [Vivek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek/) > [When I first started, it was really an innocent response to the needs of women in rural areas. When we started planting trees to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/when-i-first-started-it-was-really-an-innocent-response-to-the-needs/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [Sometimes leadership is planting trees under whose shade you'll never sit. It may not happen fully till after I'm gone. But I know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-granholm/sometimes-leadership-is-planting-trees-under-whose-shade-you-ll-never/) [Jennifer Granholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-granholm/) > [You have to be open to change. I never stop making sure that what I say is the best of what could be said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/you-have-to-be-open-to-change-i-never-stop-making-sure-that-what-i/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) > [I have grown up on a diet of sunrise picnics, learning the names of butterflies, planting trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-have-grown-up-on-a-diet-of-sunrise-picnics-learning-the-names-of/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [It's the little things citizens do. That's what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/it-s-the-little-things-citizens-do-that-s-what-will-make-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) ## More by Bertrand Russell > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [All movements go too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/all-movements-go-too-far/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/such-in-outline-but-even-more-purposeless-more-void-of-meaning-is-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. Anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/dr-arnold-the-admired-reformer-of-public-schools-came-across-some/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/aristotle-maintained-that-women-have-fewer-teeth-than-men-although-he/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-an-opinion-contrary-to-your-own-makes-you-angry-that-is-a-sign/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I cannot escape from the conclusion that the great ages of progress have depended upon a small number of individuals of transcendent ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-cannot-escape-from-the-conclusion-that-the-great-ages-of-progress/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The newspapers at one time said that I was dead but after carefully examining the evidence I came to the conclusion that this statement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-newspapers-at-one-time-said-that-i-was-dead-but-after-carefully/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/persecution-is-used-in-theology-not-in-arithmetic-because-in/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-orthodox-people-speak-as-though-it-were-the-business-of-sceptics/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-no-greater-reason-for-children-to-honour-parents-than-for/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Explore all 1,620 Bertrand Russell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More Congregation quotes > [Wherever God erects a house of prayer the Devil always builds a chapel there; And 't will be found, upon examination, the latter has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/wherever-god-erects-a-house-of-prayer-the-devil-always-builds-a/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-north/and-he-that-blasphemeth-the-name-of-the-lord-he-shall-surely-be-put/) [Gary North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-north/) > [When we see the many grave-stones which have fallen in, which have been defaced by the footsteps of the congregation, which lie buried under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/when-we-see-the-many-grave-stones-which-have-fallen-in-which-have/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [A group is as healthy as its 'social contract' is clear; a congregation as faithful as its covenant is mutually understood; a pastor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-group-is-as-healthy-as-its-social-contract-is-clear-a-congregation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To see with one's own eyes, to feel and judge without succumbing to the suggestive power of the fashion of the day, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/to-see-with-one-s-own-eyes-to-feel-and-judge-without-succumbing-to/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [But I think it's up to a local congregation to determine whether or not a marriage should be blessed of God. And it shouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/but-i-think-it-s-up-to-a-local-congregation-to-determine-whether-or/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Preachers are stewards whom the Lord has ‘set over his household servants to provide them with food at the proper time.’ After all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/preachers-are-stewards-whom-the-lord-has-set-over-his-household/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [I think it's of huge importance to us as worship leaders...to ask ourselves these two questions: What were the words we put into our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-getty/i-think-it-s-of-huge-importance-to-us-as-worship-leaders-to-ask/) [Keith Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-getty/) > [If my life is any example, the work that youth workers are doing is very, very important. It tends to get marginalized in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-j-palmer/if-my-life-is-any-example-the-work-that-youth-workers-are-doing-is/) [Parker J. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-j-palmer/) > [The man who follows Christ in solitary mourning is greater than he who praises Christ amid the congregation of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-of-nineveh/the-man-who-follows-christ-in-solitary-mourning-is-greater-than-he/) [Isaac of Nineveh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-of-nineveh/) > [So you find a lot of these sixth Americans congregate in these interracial congregations. They hang out together at work, at school, wherever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/so-you-find-a-lot-of-these-sixth-americans-congregate-in-these/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [ \[Joseph Ratzinger\] is a man who as the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had everything in his hands. He… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/joseph-ratzinger-is-a-man-who-as-the-prefect-of-the-congregation-for/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [ \[A novel by Henry James\] is like a church lit but without a congregation to distract you, with every light and line focused on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/a-novel-by-henry-james-is-like-a-church-lit-but-without-a/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [Jesus gives his life for the congregation, not the other way around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/jesus-gives-his-life-for-the-congregation-not-the-other-way-around/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The more we study the early Church, the more we realize that it was a society of ministers. About the only similarity between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/the-more-we-study-the-early-church-the-more-we-realize-that-it-was-a/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) [Browse all 242 Congregation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congregation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know a parson who frightened his congregation terribly by telling them the second coming was very imminent indeed, but they were much consoled when they found he was planting trees in his garden.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bertrand Russell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-know-a-parson-who-frightened-his-congregation-terribly-by-telling/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Congregation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-know-a-parson-who-frightened-his-congregation-terribly-by-telling/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/794/bertrand-russell-69_congregation_i-know-a-parson-who-frightened-his-congr_1517866.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/794/bertrand-russell-69_congregation_i-know-a-parson-who-frightened-his-congr_1517866.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/794/bertrand-russell-69_congregation_i-know-a-parson-who-frightened-his-congr_1517866.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I know a parson who frightened his congregation terribly by telling them the second coming was very imminent…” — Bertrand Russell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bertrand Russell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I know a parson who frightened...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-know-a-parson-who-frightened-his-congregation-terribly-by-telling/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-know-a-parson-who-frightened-his-congregation-terribly-by-telling/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```