--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Speak to your people as to men that must…" description: "\"Speak to your people as to men that must be awakened, either here or in hell.\" — Richard Baxter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f96/richard-baxter-2985_awakened_speak-to-your-people-as-to-men-that-must_964487.png" --- # Speak to your people as to men that must be awakened… ![“Speak to your people as to men that must be awakened, either here or in hell.” quote by Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f96/richard-baxter-2985_awakened_speak-to-your-people-as-to-men-that-must_964487.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f96/richard-baxter-2985_awakened_speak-to-your-people-as-to-men-that-must_964487.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f96/richard-baxter-2985_awakened_speak-to-your-people-as-to-men-that-must_964487.png) > “Speak to your people as to men that must be awakened, either here or in hell.” [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker urges leaders to address people directly, awakening them to moral truths, whether they are receptive or resistant. **In simple terms:** Speak plainly to awaken others. Key Takeaway Speak truth to awaken listeners. Themes morality awakening communication leadership spirituality Mood serious urgent Type religious motivational When to use this quote - church services - public speeches - educational talks - personal counseling Key Concepts prophetic preaching ethical persuasion Questions to Reflect On - How can you tailor messages to different readiness levels? - When is gentle persuasion preferable to direct confrontation? A Different Perspective Not all audiences are ready; forceful awakening may cause resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [“and when he awoke it was as if he had awakened in hell. It WAS hell—"the hell of conscious failure,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/and-when-he-awoke-it-was-as-if-he-had-awakened-in-hell-it-was-hell/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [My favorite way to learn is to speak to people who are already doing I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-shetty/my-favorite-way-to-learn-is-to-speak-to-people-who-are-already-doing/) [Jay Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-shetty/) > [I've always had a problem with the things that people would say out of their mouths to other people. I've always had a problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lewis/i-ve-always-had-a-problem-with-the-things-that-people-would-say-out/) [Ray Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lewis/) > [“It’s not that you can’t speak. It’s that other people can hear you. And they’re telling you what you’re saying is crazy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dayna-tortorici/it-s-not-that-you-can-t-speak-it-s-that-other-people-can-hear-you-and/) [Dayna Tortorici](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dayna-tortorici/) > [Speak less to the people whom you love most because if they cant understand your silence…they can never understand your words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy/speak-less-to-the-people-whom-you-love-most-because-if-they-cant/) [Daisy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy/) > [I think I only started to speak to people in grade four.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupi-kaur/i-think-i-only-started-to-speak-to-people-in-grade-four/) [Rupi Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupi-kaur/) > [I speak to people who have been through so much more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trisha-goddard/i-speak-to-people-who-have-been-through-so-much-more/) [Trisha Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trisha-goddard/) > [The thing is when you're... well-enough known, you get asked to speak places, and they don't really think about whether or not you're qualified.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/the-thing-is-when-you-re-well-enough-known-you-get-asked-to-speak/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [You can't speak for the people unless you're able to walk amongst the people. And how many of these rappers out here actually hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmx/you-can-t-speak-for-the-people-unless-you-re-able-to-walk-amongst-the/) [DMX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmx/) > [I want to speak for people who can't speak; they're afraid to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-abstract/i-want-to-speak-for-people-who-can-t-speak-they-re-afraid-to-speak/) [Kevin Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-abstract/) > [We believe that with our music, we should be saying exactly what we think. We want to speak up for people who don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-marlow/we-believe-that-with-our-music-we-should-be-saying-exactly-what-we/) [Maddie Marlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-marlow/) > [I'm not one to speak about myself. I like to speak about the people around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ovitz/i-m-not-one-to-speak-about-myself-i-like-to-speak-about-the-people/) [Michael Ovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ovitz/) > [Knowing how to speak to people with the right words at the right time, that's immensely powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelos-postecoglou/knowing-how-to-speak-to-people-with-the-right-words-at-the-right-time/) [Angelos Postecoglou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelos-postecoglou/) > [Speak to people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/by-no-where/speak-to-people/) By No Where > [They say actions speak louder than words, but actions dont speak. People speak, and people are loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennette-mccurdy/they-say-actions-speak-louder-than-words-but-actions-dont-speak/) [Jennette McCurdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennette-mccurdy/) ## More by Richard Baxter > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Most (Christians) have an ungrounded trust in Christ, hoping that He will pardon, justify and save them, while the world has their hearts, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/most-christians-have-an-ungrounded-trust-in-christ-hoping-that-he/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [My Lord, I have nothing to do in this World, but to seek and serve thee; I have nothing to do with a Heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/my-lord-i-have-nothing-to-do-in-this-world-but-to-seek-and-serve-thee/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [We must feel toward our people as a father toward his children; yea, the most tender love of a mother must not surpass ours.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/we-must-feel-toward-our-people-as-a-father-toward-his-children-yea/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [We are ignorant of things necessary, because we learn things superfluous and unnecessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/we-are-ignorant-of-things-necessary-because-we-learn-things/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [In a divine commonwealth holiness must have the principal honor and encouragement, and a great difference be made between the precious and the vile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/in-a-divine-commonwealth-holiness-must-have-the-principal-honor-and/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [God takes men's hearty desires and will, instead of the deed, where they have not power to fulfill it; but he never took the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/god-takes-men-s-hearty-desires-and-will-instead-of-the-deed-where/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Surely love is both work and wages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/surely-love-is-both-work-and-wages/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Naturally, men are prone to spin themselves a web of opinions out of their own brain, and to have a religion that may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/naturally-men-are-prone-to-spin-themselves-a-web-of-opinions-out-of/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [“God never saved any man for being a preacher, nor because he was an able preacher; but because he was a justified, sanctified man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/god-never-saved-any-man-for-being-a-preacher-nor-because-he-was-an/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [A man pleaser cannot be true to God, because he is a servant to the enemies of his service; the wind of a man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/a-man-pleaser-cannot-be-true-to-god-because-he-is-a-servant-to-the/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [“He is not drowning His sheep when He washeth them, nor killing them when He is shearing them. But by this He showeth that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/he-is-not-drowning-his-sheep-when-he-washeth-them-nor-killing-them/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Get masters of families to do their duty, and they will not only spare you a great deal of labor, but will much further…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/get-masters-of-families-to-do-their-duty-and-they-will-not-only-spare/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Christ leads me through no darker rooms than He went through before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/christ-leads-me-through-no-darker-rooms-than-he-went-through-before/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Such is the depth of the Christian Scriptures, that even if I were attempting to study them and nothing else from early boyhood to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/such-is-the-depth-of-the-christian-scriptures-that-even-if-i-were/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) [Explore all 143 Richard Baxter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) ## More Awakened quotes > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [If your heart isn't yet illumined Be awake always, be a seeker of the heart, Be at war continually with your carnal soul. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/if-your-heart-isn-t-yet-illumined-be-awake-always-be-a-seeker-of-the/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [There’s been a problem, a problem eating away at me from the inside out. I’ve become weak, I’ve shown human compassion, and it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane/there-s-been-a-problem-a-problem-eating-away-at-me-from-the-inside/) [Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane/) > [Although all men are born free, slavery has been the general lot of the human race. Ignorant--they have been cheated; asleep--they have been surprised;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/although-all-men-are-born-free-slavery-has-been-the-general-lot-of/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION is a manual and a call to action for awakened patriots who are too intelligent to believe the leftist media lies and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/righteous-indignation-is-a-manual-and-a-call-to-action-for-awakened/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [Don Quixote followed nature, and being satisfied with his first sleep, did not solicit more. As for Sancho, he never wanted a second, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/don-quixote-followed-nature-and-being-satisfied-with-his-first-sleep/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [When I write about "realizations," I am describing a state in which a practitioner has wisdom of who she or he is, and has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-targ/when-i-write-about-realizations-i-am-describing-a-state-in-which-a/) Russell Targ > [To live a present and awakened life, simply be responsive to the moment. It is very simple. If you are hungry, eat. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-jacobson/to-live-a-present-and-awakened-life-simply-be-responsive-to-the/) [Leonard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-jacobson/) > [I believe that it is truly important for everyone to confront in dialogue the historical reality of the Reformation, its consequences and the responses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-believe-that-it-is-truly-important-for-everyone-to-confront-in/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“The truth is: while it may have been rough getting here, I’ve awakened to a dream. The most incredible man in the world came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dawn/the-truth-is-while-it-may-have-been-rough-getting-here-i-ve-awakened/) [Tessa Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dawn/) > [In our true blissful essence of mind is known that everything is alright forever and forever and forever...listen to the silence inside the illusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/in-our-true-blissful-essence-of-mind-is-known-that-everything-is/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [At certain times, a silent mind is very important, but 'silent' does not mean closed. The silent mind is an alert, awakened mind; a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thubten-yeshe/at-certain-times-a-silent-mind-is-very-important-but-silent-does-not/) [Thubten Yeshe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thubten-yeshe/) > [In Buddhism, there are three gems: Buddha, the awakened one; Dharma, the way of understanding and loving; and Sangha, the community that lives in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/in-buddhism-there-are-three-gems-buddha-the-awakened-one-dharma-the/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [What portion in the world can the artist have, Who has awakened from the common dream, But dissipation and despair?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/what-portion-in-the-world-can-the-artist-have-who-has-awakened-from/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [The living word awakened my soul, gave it light, hope, joy, set it free!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/the-living-word-awakened-my-soul-gave-it-light-hope-joy-set-it-free/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) Browse all 330 Awakened quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Speak to your people as to men that must be awakened, either here or in hell.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Baxter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/speak-to-your-people-as-to-men-that-must-be-awakened-either-here-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Awakened" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/speak-to-your-people-as-to-men-that-must-be-awakened-either-here-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f96/richard-baxter-2985_awakened_speak-to-your-people-as-to-men-that-must_964487.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f96/richard-baxter-2985_awakened_speak-to-your-people-as-to-men-that-must_964487.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f96/richard-baxter-2985_awakened_speak-to-your-people-as-to-men-that-must_964487.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Speak to your people as to men that must be awakened, either here or in hell.” — Richard Baxter", "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": "Richard Baxter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Speak to your people as to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/speak-to-your-people-as-to-men-that-must-be-awakened-either-here-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/speak-to-your-people-as-to-men-that-must-be-awakened-either-here-or/#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 } } ] } ```