--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Jefferson needs something in that cell,”…" description: "\"“Jefferson needs something in that cell,” I said. “Yes, he do,” the minister said. “You hit the nail on the head, mister. Yes, he do. But not that box...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee4/ernest-j-gaines-32014_quote_jefferson-needs-something-in-that-cell-i_1778867.jpg" --- # Jefferson needs something in that cell,” I said. “Yes, he… ![“Jefferson needs something in that cell,” I said. “Yes, he do,” the minister said. “You hit the nail on the head, mister. Yes, he do. But not that box.” “And what do you suggest, Reverend Ambrose?” I asked. “God,” the minister said. “He ain’t got but five more Fridays and a half. He needs God in…” quote by Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee4/ernest-j-gaines-32014_quote_jefferson-needs-something-in-that-cell-i_1778867.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee4/ernest-j-gaines-32014_quote_jefferson-needs-something-in-that-cell-i_1778867.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee4/ernest-j-gaines-32014_quote_jefferson-needs-something-in-that-cell-i_1778867.jpg) > ““Jefferson needs something in that cell,” I said. “Yes, he do,” the minister said. “You hit the nail on the head, mister. Yes, he do. But not that box.” “And what do you suggest, Reverend Ambrose?” I asked. “God,” the minister said. “He ain’t got but five more Fridays and a half. He needs God in that cell, and not that sin box.” “What sin box?” I said. “What you call that kind of music he listen to?” the minister asked. “Us standing in there trying to talk to him, and him listening to that thing till she got to reach over and turn it off—what you call it?” “I call it company, Reverend Ambrose,” I said. “And I call it sin company,” he said. “And I don’t care what you call it!” I said to him.”” [Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A dialogue about needing spiritual presence rather than mere religious rituals, emphasizing authentic faith over superficial practices. **In simple terms:** True faith matters more than empty rituals. Key Takeaway Seek genuine spiritual connection over formalities. Themes faith authenticity spirituality Mood contemplative critical Type dialogue philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - community worship - cultural misunderstanding Key Concepts religious practice personal belief cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - What does authentic faith look like for you? - How do rituals support or hinder spirituality? A Different Perspective It may generalize specific cultural experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asked God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-god/) [Cell Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cell-said-1844903/) [Minister Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minister-asked-1844904/) [Needs Cell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs-cell-1844905/) [Needs God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs-god-503982/) ## Related quotes > [“If we ran Nigeria like this cell," he said, "we would have no problems in this country. Things are so organized. 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One day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-cameron/i-was-reminded-of-the-old-man-who-used-to-go-into-a-large-city-church/) [Alexander Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-cameron/) > [For the soul to be well, it needs to be with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/for-the-soul-to-be-well-it-needs-to-be-with-god/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [“Far from ruining the purity of solitary prayer, petition guards and preserves that purity. The solitary, more than anyone else, is always aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/far-from-ruining-the-purity-of-solitary-prayer-petition-guards-and/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I don't think there is anyone who needs God's help as much as I do. Sometimes I feel so helpless and weak. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/i-don-t-think-there-is-anyone-who-needs-god-s-help-as-much-as-i-do/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [“Thus we understand that giving ourselves for our brides involves prayerful intercession. Men, do you pray for your wives with something more than, “Bless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kent-hughes/thus-we-understand-that-giving-ourselves-for-our-brides-involves/) [R. Kent Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kent-hughes/) > [... the more one needs God the more perfect he is. To need God is nothing to be ashamed of but is perfection itself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/the-more-one-needs-god-the-more-perfect-he-is-to-need-god-is-nothing/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [God does not need anything. God does not need our worship. He does not benefit by our worship. We do. When we do bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/god-does-not-need-anything-god-does-not-need-our-worship-he-does-not/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [My God died young. Theolatry i found Degrading, and its premises, unsound. No free man needs God; but was I free?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/my-god-died-young-theolatry-i-found-degrading-and-its-premises/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [We have hands; we can stand on them if we want to. That's our privilege. That's the joy of a mortal body. And that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/we-have-hands-we-can-stand-on-them-if-we-want-to-that-s-our-privilege/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I do not know the needs of a god or of another world... I do know that women make shirts for seventy cents a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-h-gardener/i-do-not-know-the-needs-of-a-god-or-of-another-world-i-do-know-that/) [Helen H. Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-h-gardener/) > [If you will focus on meeting other people’s needs, God will always make sure your needs are supplied. God will take care of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/if-you-will-focus-on-meeting-other-people-s-needs-god-will-always/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [“Don't look at your needs. God has that covered. Count your blessings!!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maisie-a-smikle/don-t-look-at-your-needs-god-has-that-covered-count-your-blessings/) [Maisie A. Smikle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maisie-a-smikle/) > [No one can sense his own weakness is at least a small temptation is not allowed to afflict either his body or his soul.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-of-nineveh/no-one-can-sense-his-own-weakness-is-at-least-a-small-temptation-is/) [Isaac of Nineveh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-of-nineveh/) ## More by Ernest J. Gaines > [“Well, in San Francisco if someone's against you, they know how to vote you out of an area. If someone's against you in Louisiana,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/well-in-san-francisco-if-someone-s-against-you-they-know-how-to-vote/) [Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/) > [“That's man's way. To prove something. Day in, day out he must prove he is a man. Poor Fool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/that-s-man-s-way-to-prove-something-day-in-day-out-he-must-prove-he/) [Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/) > [“Do I know what a man is ? Do I know how a man is supposed to die ? I’m still trying to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/do-i-know-what-a-man-is-do-i-know-how-a-man-is-supposed-to-die-i-m/) [Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/) > [“I had heard the same carols all my life, seen the same little play, with the same mistakes in grammar. The minister had offered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/i-had-heard-the-same-carols-all-my-life-seen-the-same-little-play/) [Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/) > [“Writing is too goddamned hard for me to think about a soul in teh world ... I don't think about a soul, but just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/writing-is-too-goddamned-hard-for-me-to-think-about-a-soul-in-teh/) [Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/) > [“The sky blue blue, Mr. Wiggins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/the-sky-blue-blue-mr-wiggins/) [Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/) > [“Irene and my aunt want from me what Miss Emma wants from Jefferson,' I said. 'I don't know if Miss Emma ever had anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/irene-and-my-aunt-want-from-me-what-miss-emma-wants-from-jefferson-i/) [Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/) > [“For the next half hour it continued. Dr. Joseph would call on someone who looked half bright, then he would call on someone whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/for-the-next-half-hour-it-continued-dr-joseph-would-call-on-someone/) [Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/) > [“Then he spoke of James Joyce. He told about Joyce’s family, his religion, his education, his writing. He spoke of a book called Dubliners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/then-he-spoke-of-james-joyce-he-told-about-joyce-s-family-his/) [Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/) > [“He had told us then that most of us would die violently, and those who did not would be brought down to the level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/he-had-told-us-then-that-most-of-us-would-die-violently-and-those-who/) [Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/) > [“I think it's God that makes people care for people, Jefferson. I think it's God makes children play and people sing. I believe it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-j-gaines/i-think-it-s-god-that-makes-people-care-for-people-jefferson-i-think/) [Ernest J. Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-j-gaines/) > [“I tried to decide just how I should respond to them. 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He needs God in that cell, and not that sin box.” “What sin box?” I said. “What you call that kind of music he listen to?” the minister asked. “Us standing in there trying to talk to him, and him listening to that thing till she got to reach over and turn it off—what you call it?” “I call it company, Reverend Ambrose,” I said. “And I call it sin company,” he said. “And I don’t care what you call it!” I said to him.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ernest J. 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