--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a young man who said \"God Must…" description: "\"“There was a young man who said \"God Must find it exceedingly odd To think that the tree Should continue to be When there's no one about in the quad.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/ronald-knox-23264_trees_there-was-a-young-man-who-said-god-must_2406686.jpg" --- # There was a young man who said "God Must find it… ![“There was a young man who said "God Must find it exceedingly odd To think that the tree Should continue to be When there's no one about in the quad." Reply: "Dear Sir: Your astonishment's odd; I am always about in the quad. And that's why the tree Will continue to be Since observed by, Yours…” quote by Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/ronald-knox-23264_trees_there-was-a-young-man-who-said-god-must_2406686.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/ronald-knox-23264_trees_there-was-a-young-man-who-said-god-must_2406686.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/ronald-knox-23264_trees_there-was-a-young-man-who-said-god-must_2406686.jpg) > ““There was a young man who said "God Must find it exceedingly odd To think that the tree Should continue to be When there's no one about in the quad." Reply: "Dear Sir: Your astonishment's odd; I am always about in the quad. And that's why the tree Will continue to be Since observed by, Yours faithfully, God.”” [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine presence persists regardless of human perception, challenging assumptions about existence. **In simple terms:** God is always present. Key Takeaway Recognize constant presence beyond sight. Themes faith philosophy perception Mood thoughtful serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - prayer - philosophical debate - personal crisis Key Concepts Theology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do you experience presence without seeing? - What does “always there” mean to you? A Different Perspective Belief may be questioned by doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) ## Related quotes > [For he is the cleanest in the use of his forepaws of any quadruped. For the dexterity of his defense is an instance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-smart/for-he-is-the-cleanest-in-the-use-of-his-forepaws-of-any-quadruped/) [Christopher Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-smart/) > [“God will do exceedingly, abundantly above all that I ask or think. Because I honor Him, His blessings will chase me down and overtake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/god-will-do-exceedingly-abundantly-above-all-that-i-ask-or-think/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [“A certain wise man once said that God didn't play dice with the universe, but that man was wrong. Sometimes I think He must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daina-chaviano/a-certain-wise-man-once-said-that-god-didn-t-play-dice-with-the/) Daina Chaviano > [Technology is huge; I wanted to learn about it. People might say that's odd, but I think it's odd if artists aren't interested in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bono/technology-is-huge-i-wanted-to-learn-about-it-people-might-say-that-s/) [Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bono/) > [“Odd, some might think. Why someone would need to travel so far to find oneself. Surely a look in the mirror would suffice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farish-a-noor/odd-some-might-think-why-someone-would-need-to-travel-so-far-to-find/) Farish A. Noor > [And the odd think in Dad's voice was the sound truth makes being said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/and-the-odd-think-in-dad-s-voice-was-the-sound-truth-makes-being-said/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [It strikes me as very odd for someone to think, 'You know what, if I put on a bikini, I may shift some more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/it-strikes-me-as-very-odd-for-someone-to-think-you-know-what-if-i-put/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [“It's odd to imagine, of course: you pass a car on a lonely rural highway; you sit beside a man in a diner and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ford/it-s-odd-to-imagine-of-course-you-pass-a-car-on-a-lonely-rural/) [Richard Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ford/) > [...how odd to think of one's life not as chapters in a book but as complete volumes, separate and distinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-fergus/how-odd-to-think-of-one-s-life-not-as-chapters-in-a-book-but-as/) [Jim Fergus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-fergus/) > [Odd that we think definitions are definitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/odd-that-we-think-definitions-are-definitive/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [“It's odd when I think of the arc of my life, from child to young woman to aging adult. First I was who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/it-s-odd-when-i-think-of-the-arc-of-my-life-from-child-to-young-woman/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [“ten o’clock!” “What does it matter when my things are put up?” the young man said.  “There’s no crowd at this moment; there will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/ten-o-clock-what-does-it-matter-when-my-things-are-put-up-the-young/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [When he went back to the fire he knelt and smoothed her hair as she slept and he said if he were God he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/when-he-went-back-to-the-fire-he-knelt-and-smoothed-her-hair-as-she/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“What does it say?" asked my lord. "It says, 'Good-night, God keep you all the night!'--just what she used to say when we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/what-does-it-say-asked-my-lord-it-says-good-night-god-keep-you-all/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [I disobeyed Ra's wishes, and so he ordered my onw father, Shu-" "Hang on," I said. "Shoe?" "S-h-u," she said. "The god of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-disobeyed-ra-s-wishes-and-so-he-ordered-my-onw-father-shu-hang-on-i/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) ## More by Ronald Knox > [A baby is a loud noise at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/a-baby-is-a-loud-noise-at-one-end-and-no-sense-of-responsibility-at/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [The prevailing attitude of the speakers was one of heavy disagreement with a number of things which the reader had not said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/the-prevailing-attitude-of-the-speakers-was-one-of-heavy-disagreement/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [When suave politeness, tempering bigot zeal, corrected 'I believe' to 'one does feel'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/when-suave-politeness-tempering-bigot-zeal-corrected-i-believe-to-one/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [Only those of us, I think, who were born under Queen Victoria know what it feels like to assume, without questioning, that England is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/only-those-of-us-i-think-who-were-born-under-queen-victoria-know-what/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [The great argument used now against any theological proposition is not, that it is untrue, or unthinkable, or unedifying, or unscriptural, or unorthodox, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/the-great-argument-used-now-against-any-theological-proposition-is/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [If you have a sloppy religion you get a sloppy atheism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/if-you-have-a-sloppy-religion-you-get-a-sloppy-atheism/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [Knox was engaged in a theological discussion with scientist John Scott Haldane. 'In a universe containing millions of planets,' reasoned Haldane, 'is it not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/knox-was-engaged-in-a-theological-discussion-with-scientist-john/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [It is so stupid of modern civilization to have given up believing in the devil when he is the only explanation of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/it-is-so-stupid-of-modern-civilization-to-have-given-up-believing-in/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [“Hope is something that is demanded of us; it is not, then, a mere reasoned calculation of our chances. Nor is it merely the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/hope-is-something-that-is-demanded-of-us-it-is-not-then-a-mere/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [The difference between the Old and the New Testament is the difference between a man who said "There is nothing new under the sun"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/the-difference-between-the-old-and-the-new-testament-is-the/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [He who travels in the Barque of Peter had better not look too closely into the engine room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/he-who-travels-in-the-barque-of-peter-had-better-not-look-too-closely/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [“It is possible to argue that the true business of faith is not to produce emotional conviction in us, but to teach us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/it-is-possible-to-argue-that-the-true-business-of-faith-is-not-to/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [Comparative religion is an admirable recipe for making people comparatively religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/comparative-religion-is-an-admirable-recipe-for-making-people/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [Only man had dignity; only man, therefore, can be funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/only-man-had-dignity-only-man-therefore-can-be-funny/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [A good sermon should be like a woman's skirt: short enough to arouse interest but long enough to cover the essentials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/a-good-sermon-should-be-like-a-woman-s-skirt-short-enough-to-arouse/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) [Explore all 26 Ronald Knox quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) ## More Trees quotes > [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/) [Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/) > [Sometimes it's about less is more. It's about the seed. Thinking about this gigantic tree that you think is so beautiful but it started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-durst/sometimes-it-s-about-less-is-more-it-s-about-the-seed-thinking-about/) [Fred Durst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-durst/) > [“Sitting at the old patio table she’d cleared of leaves, she smiled and leaned back. The stars looked twisted in the limbs of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-addison-allen/sitting-at-the-old-patio-table-she-d-cleared-of-leaves-she-smiled-and/) [Sarah Addison Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-addison-allen/) > [A tree is a self: it is 'unseen shaping' more than it is leaves or bark, roots or cellulose or fruit ... What this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-swimme/a-tree-is-a-self-it-is-unseen-shaping-more-than-it-is-leaves-or-bark/) [Brian Swimme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-swimme/) > [Suddenly a mist of green on the trees, as quiet as thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-richardson/suddenly-a-mist-of-green-on-the-trees-as-quiet-as-thought/) [Dorothy Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-richardson/) > [“a crime to fell a tree and light it on fire, where coals of hardened shit warmed and stunk up homes,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-crime-to-fell-a-tree-and-light-it-on-fire-where-coals-of-hardened/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [“Nevermore Tree was gargantuan, a word which here means 'having attained an inordinate amount of botanical volume.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/nevermore-tree-was-gargantuan-a-word-which-here-means-having-attained/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Sentinels of trees breathe life into bodies of earthly flesh As their mighty arms reach to the stars we join in their quest for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-ravenswood/sentinels-of-trees-breathe-life-into-bodies-of-earthly-flesh-as-their/) [Ramon Ravenswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-ravenswood/) > [You could be the leaf that never falls from the tree you could be the sun that never leaves the sky this might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-could-be-the-leaf-that-never-falls-from-the-tree-you-could-be-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [The problem with drinking and driving is that trees defend themselves very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-problem-with-drinking-and-driving-is-that-trees-defend-themselves/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Meanwhile, the trees were just as green as before; the birds sang and the sun shone as clearly now as ever. The familiar surroundings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/meanwhile-the-trees-were-just-as-green-as-before-the-birds-sang-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [I liked climbing trees and could often be found up one reading a book. I played games with Dad and drew maps for him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhianna-pratchett/i-liked-climbing-trees-and-could-often-be-found-up-one-reading-a-book/) [Rhianna Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhianna-pratchett/) > [You never quite know what you do in life that leaves a seed behind that grows into an oak tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/you-never-quite-know-what-you-do-in-life-that-leaves-a-seed-behind/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [During my first years in the Sierra, I was ever calling on everybody within reach to admire them, but I found no one half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/during-my-first-years-in-the-sierra-i-was-ever-calling-on-everybody/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [He removed several pages of death certificates, which were picked up by another breeze and sent into the trees. Some would fall with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/he-removed-several-pages-of-death-certificates-which-were-picked-up/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) [Browse all 5,290 Trees quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There was a young man who said \"God Must find it exceedingly odd To think that the tree Should continue to be When there's no one about in the quad.\" Reply: \"Dear Sir: Your astonishment's odd; I am always about in the quad. 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