--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For most men, it appears to me, are in a…" description: "\"For most men, it appears to me, are in a strange uncertainty about it (life), whether it is of the devil or of God, and have somewhat hastily concluded..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/518/henry-david-thoreau-20_chiefs_for-most-men-it-appears-to-me-are-in-a-s_134540.jpg" --- # For most men, it appears to me, are in a strange… ![“For most men, it appears to me, are in a strange uncertainty about it (life), whether it is of the devil or of God, and have somewhat hastily concluded that it is the chief end of man here to 'glorify God and enjoy him forever.'” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/518/henry-david-thoreau-20_chiefs_for-most-men-it-appears-to-me-are-in-a-s_134540.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/518/henry-david-thoreau-20_chiefs_for-most-men-it-appears-to-me-are-in-a-s_134540.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/518/henry-david-thoreau-20_chiefs_for-most-men-it-appears-to-me-are-in-a-s_134540.jpg) > “For most men, it appears to me, are in a strange uncertainty about it (life), whether it is of the devil or of God, and have somewhat hastily concluded that it is the chief end of man here to 'glorify God and enjoy him forever.'” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author observes that many people are uncertain about life's purpose, quickly labeling it as either divine or demonic, and conclude that glorifying God is humanity's ultimate goal. **In simple terms:** People are uncertain about life's purpose, often simplifying it to worship. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about life's ultimate purpose. Themes existence faith uncertainty Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - spiritual searching - philosophical debate - personal belief formation Key Concepts theodicy existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What drives our search for meaning? - How do we balance doubt and belief? A Different Perspective Simplifying life's purpose may ignore deeper complexities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chiefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chiefs/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Uncertainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertainty/) ## Related quotes > [“The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/westminster-shorter-catechism/the-chief-end-of-man-is-to-glorify-god-and-enjoy-him-forever/) Westminster Shorter Catechism > [“How strange it is… the uncertainty of future always haunts us… it is our attitude which decides to assume the best or the worst…..!!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arun-prabhu-aradhya/how-strange-it-is-the-uncertainty-of-future-always-haunts-us-it-is/) [Arun Prabhu- aradhya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arun-prabhu-aradhya/) > [“Ugandan understanding of God is somewhat misguided. 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So it just goes without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-johnson/we-glorify-god-with-all-of-our-members-but-in-most-cases-our-mouths/) [Monica Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-johnson/) > [“We glorify God when we celebrate people”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/we-glorify-god-when-we-celebrate-people/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [The Scotch catechism says that man's chief end is 'to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.' But we shall then know that these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-scotch-catechism-says-that-man-s-chief-end-is-to-glorify-god-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [It is truth alone that capacitates any soul to glorify God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/it-is-truth-alone-that-capacitates-any-soul-to-glorify-god/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [The absolute goal of vision for ministry is to glorify God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-barna/the-absolute-goal-of-vision-for-ministry-is-to-glorify-god/) [George Barna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-barna/) > [“Let your words glorify God and edify your hearers and then beautify your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaachynma-n-e-agu/let-your-words-glorify-god-and-edify-your-hearers-and-then-beautify/) [Jaachynma N.E. Agu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaachynma-n-e-agu/) > [Pride takes innumerable forms but has only one end: self-glorification. That’s the motive and ultimate purpose of pride—to rob God of legitimate glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-mahaney/pride-takes-innumerable-forms-but-has-only-one-end-self-glorification/) [C. J. Mahaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-mahaney/) > [I love coaching football, and winning a Super Bowl was a goal I've had for a long time. But it has never been my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dungy/i-love-coaching-football-and-winning-a-super-bowl-was-a-goal-i-ve-had/) [Tony Dungy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dungy/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. 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You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Chiefs quotes > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [I always wanted to be a fireman, a cop, an Indian chief, a doctor, a lawyer. 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Liberty is preserved by those who are against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burnham/there-is-no-one-force-no-group-and-no-class-that-is-the-preserver-of/) [James Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burnham/) > [Remember chief of staff Rahm Emanuel's callous enjoinder 'you never want a serious crisis to go to waste'? This White House is a serious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-tyrrell/remember-chief-of-staff-rahm-emanuel-s-callous-enjoinder-you-never/) [Bob Tyrrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-tyrrell/) > [There is a wealth of unexpressed love in the world. It is one of the chief causes of sorrow evoked by death: what might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hopkins/there-is-a-wealth-of-unexpressed-love-in-the-world-it-is-one-of-the/) Arthur Hopkins > [Pure love is the chief manifestation of education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sai-baba/pure-love-is-the-chief-manifestation-of-education/) [Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sai-baba/) > [The chief beneficiary of life insurance policies for young, single people is the life insurance agent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-smith/the-chief-beneficiary-of-life-insurance-policies-for-young-single/) [Wes Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-smith/) > [Most of my writer friends are women, and they're all extremely talented, so of course I think the state of contemporary fiction for women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/most-of-my-writer-friends-are-women-and-they-re-all-extremely/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [No commander in chief would ever say, 'I'm not going to listen to the guys on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/no-commander-in-chief-would-ever-say-i-m-not-going-to-listen-to-the/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [I'm going to be specific so you can render your verdict. 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