--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Conscience tells us that we ought to do…" description: "\"Conscience tells us that we ought to do right, but it does not tell us what right is - that we are taught by God's word.\" — Henry Clay Trumbull" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/henry-clay-trumbull-23925_conscience_conscience-tells-us-that-we-ought-to-do_1652233.png" --- # Conscience tells us that we ought to do right, but it does… ![“Conscience tells us that we ought to do right, but it does not tell us what right is - that we are taught by God's word.” quote by Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/henry-clay-trumbull-23925_conscience_conscience-tells-us-that-we-ought-to-do_1652233.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/henry-clay-trumbull-23925_conscience_conscience-tells-us-that-we-ought-to-do_1652233.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/henry-clay-trumbull-23925_conscience_conscience-tells-us-that-we-ought-to-do_1652233.png) > “Conscience tells us that we ought to do right, but it does not tell us what right is - that we are taught by God's word.” [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Conscience signals a moral impulse, but defining “right” requires external moral frameworks. **In simple terms:** Conscience feels right, but needs guidance. Key Takeaway Seek moral clarity beyond feeling. Themes morality conscience guidance Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical reflective When to use this quote - legal decisions - ethical dilemmas - personal choices Key Concepts ethics theology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What sources define your sense of right? - How do you resolve conflicting moral intuitions? A Different Perspective Conscience alone can be ambiguous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Conscience Tells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience-tells-436252/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Right Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-taught-665696/) [Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught/) [Taught God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught-god-493359/) [Tells Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tells-ought-665695/) ## Related quotes > [Going to LSU was the right move for me. It taught me to be independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seimone-augustus/going-to-lsu-was-the-right-move-for-me-it-taught-me-to-be-independent/) [Seimone Augustus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seimone-augustus/) > [Right it is to be taught even by the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/right-it-is-to-be-taught-even-by-the-enemy/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“If I want it that much, it cannot be right. This is what all of them have taught me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-s-wrights/if-i-want-it-that-much-it-cannot-be-right-this-is-what-all-of-them/) [D.S. 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Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/those-and-those-only-can-expect-to-be-taught-by-god-who-are-ready-and/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) ## More by Henry Clay Trumbull > [“Character gains through its expression, and loses through its repression. Love grows through its expression. Sympathy grows through its expression. Knowledge grows through its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/character-gains-through-its-expression-and-loses-through-its/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [It takes practice to use one's eyes, even when God has opened them. And there are some believers who never get beyond confounding a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/it-takes-practice-to-use-one-s-eyes-even-when-god-has-opened-them-and/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [The moment you accept God's ordering, that moment your work ceases to be a task, and becomes your calling; you pass from bondage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/the-moment-you-accept-god-s-ordering-that-moment-your-work-ceases-to/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [In all holiest and most unselfish love, friendship is the purest element of the affection. No love in any relation of life can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/in-all-holiest-and-most-unselfish-love-friendship-is-the-purest/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [If a man is unable to find the way to Jesus, he ought to be led. It is good work this bringing the blind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/if-a-man-is-unable-to-find-the-way-to-jesus-he-ought-to-be-led-it-is/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [Not prayer without faith, nor faith without prayer, but prayer in faith, is the cost of spiritual gifts and graces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/not-prayer-without-faith-nor-faith-without-prayer-but-prayer-in-faith/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [A loving trust in the Author of the Bible is the best preparation for a wise study of the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/a-loving-trust-in-the-author-of-the-bible-is-the-best-preparation-for/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [Jesus has never slept for an hour while one of His disciples watched and prayed in agony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/jesus-has-never-slept-for-an-hour-while-one-of-his-disciples-watched/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [An over-readiness to criticise or to depreciate a minister of Christ is proof of a lack of devotion to Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/an-over-readiness-to-criticise-or-to-depreciate-a-minister-of-christ/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [Value friendship for what there is in it, not for what can be gotten out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/value-friendship-for-what-there-is-in-it-not-for-what-can-be-gotten/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [Attention is our first duty whenever we want to know what is our second duty. There is no such cause of confusion and worry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/attention-is-our-first-duty-whenever-we-want-to-know-what-is-our/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [No parent ought to punish a child except with a view to the child's good. And in order to do good to a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/no-parent-ought-to-punish-a-child-except-with-a-view-to-the-child-s/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [There is no human love like a mother's love. There is no human tenderness like a mother's tenderness…In all ages everywhere, the true children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/there-is-no-human-love-like-a-mother-s-love-there-is-no-human/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [There are ever two ways of striving to fill one's place in the world: one is by seeking to prove one's self useful; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/there-are-ever-two-ways-of-striving-to-fill-one-s-place-in-the-world/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) > [All that any of us has to do in this world is his simple duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/all-that-any-of-us-has-to-do-in-this-world-is-his-simple-duty/) [Henry Clay Trumbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) [Explore all 25 Henry Clay Trumbull quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/) ## More Conscience quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) [Rabelaise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabelaise/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [My morals are important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/my-morals-are-important-to-me/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [Being tolerant does not mean that I share another ones belief. But it does mean that I acknowledge another ones right to believe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-that-i-share-another-ones-belief-but-it/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) > [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [I've worked with people who are much further to the left than I am and much further to the right than I am. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-ve-worked-with-people-who-are-much-further-to-the-left-than-i-am/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If all the world hated you and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved of you and absolved you from guilt, you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-all-the-world-hated-you-and-believed-you-wicked-while-your-own/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [ \[D\]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesketh-pearson/d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-which-is-another-name-for/) [Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesketh-pearson/) [Browse all 3,490 Conscience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Conscience tells us that we ought to do right, but it does not tell us what right is - that we are taught by God's word.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry Clay Trumbull" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/conscience-tells-us-that-we-ought-to-do-right-but-it-does-not-tell-us/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conscience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/conscience-tells-us-that-we-ought-to-do-right-but-it-does-not-tell-us/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/henry-clay-trumbull-23925_conscience_conscience-tells-us-that-we-ought-to-do_1652233.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/henry-clay-trumbull-23925_conscience_conscience-tells-us-that-we-ought-to-do_1652233.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/henry-clay-trumbull-23925_conscience_conscience-tells-us-that-we-ought-to-do_1652233.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Conscience tells us that we ought to do right, but it does not tell us what right is - that we are taught by…” — Henry Clay Trumbull", "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": "Henry Clay Trumbull", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay-trumbull/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Conscience tells us that we ought...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/conscience-tells-us-that-we-ought-to-do-right-but-it-does-not-tell-us/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay-trumbull/conscience-tells-us-that-we-ought-to-do-right-but-it-does-not-tell-us/#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 } } ] } ```